525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

In countries (12), in flight miles (33,763), in busses, cars, and ferries (10,875 miles).

In carbon emissions (9 tonnes), in blog posts (46) and subscribes (106)

How about money? (Our theory that we can live in less expensive countries cheaper than owning a house in North America continues to hold up - we actually saved a bit towards retirement even with Sarah working less and Rick still loafing (and with Z still in college.)

How about love? (16 family visits in 5 countries and 13 cities)

Enough of that Rent song. By any measure, 2025 was an eventful, wonderful year. Shaped much more by family obligations and desires than by unfettered whimsy, we flitted back and forth more than planned.

If Family was one major theme or shaper of 2025, Home was the other. We weren’t officially rushing to find our long-term home(s), but they found us.  The return to Monteverde established it as one of our retirement homes we regularly spend time in. And we discovered Killick Ecovillage in Newfoundland, which will be the Home we’ll unpack and “settle” in (when built in a few years).

In combination, Home and Family created the biggest takeaway from 2025 - the uncovering of what Retirement will look like long-term. Two communities and far-flung family (BC, Chicago, New Brunswick, Philadelphia) as the anchor points, filled in with continuing new world adventures (SE Asia up next, Scotland and Wales this summer, fall/winter still wide open - India? Patagonia? Yukon?)

Enough analysis. Here’s my annual look-back via 12 postcards. An entire year boiled down to 12 photos, 12 brief scribbles, and 12 favourite blog posts for you to discern your own patterns and evolutions in our wanderings. Let me know what you see!

**Just click on the right side of the photo below to advance through the slides (or use the arrows at the bottom left, or your keyboard arrow, or swipe)**