Vicarious Nomads

You may not be in a position to drop everything and travel the world. (We might not either, but we're talking about you right now.) If you'd like to participate vicariously, your financial support of this adventure will help us to document it, and hopefully show that even today (perhaps especially today) a family can choose where and how to live.

We're not expensive folks. Even the smallest amount will make a very real difference.

We Feel Special

This is our most visited blog in 9 years of blogging; total views so far:

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The Lull

And then there’s this spot where the plans are laid, the excitement is all worn off, and then, you wait.

Fiona’s passport? On the way.

Vancouver trip? Planned, ready, nothing to report, nothing to do.

Vancouver workshop? Ready to promote, but no action yet.

San Diego trip? Um, yeah, there’ll probably be a San Diego trip, but nothing to report yet.

Continue reading The Lull

Ross Castle Ireland

Canfield Family

The entire family. I believe this was taken outside of Ross Castle which is just outside of Killarney in January 2005. That’s Joel, Sue, Fiona and Rachelle.

Ross Castle

Continue reading Ross Castle Ireland

Fiona Needs More Rooms

Yes, ‘rooms’, plural.

As I was making lunch she sat at the counter telling me about how boring our house is.

“I’ve seen every room in the house, and no matter how many times I look, there aren’t any new rooms. I wish we could add two hundred million more rooms so I wouldn’t be bored.”

Two hundred million is her favorite (or at least most-referenced) number lately.

Continue reading Fiona Needs More Rooms

Tahoe Interlude

When we first moved to northern California in 2003 we spent a lot of time adventuring. This was our first tip to Lake Tahoe. I was not as eloquent or verbose in this travelogue. Perhaps I had other things on my mind.

Sue and I drove to Lake Tahoe. It [...]

Dave's Kitchen

Another segment of my Oak Creek travelogue, originally posted back in 2002

I spend a weekend every other month or so at Dave’s house in the mountains just east of San Diego. Seven years ago he bought a few acres in a little valley and now he and his wife Destiny raise goats and llamas.

Since Dave lives just over an hour east of here (‘here’ being the ocean, which I can hear from my bedroom window) I make it a habit to stop in on my way to Arizona, besides my usual visits. From Dave’s, it’s only a 4–hour drive to Dan’s house in Sun City.

Continue reading Dave’s Kitchen

View from Cottage on Valentia Island

The view from the front of our cottage looking across the fields on Valentia Island when we were there in [...]

Travel Challenges: Diet

One challenge we’ve had on our various journeys has been eating. There are two reasons for this:

  1. When it comes to restaurant food, I’m pretty fussy; I’ll take home-cooked anything over overpriced mediocre restaurant food; and closely related to that:
  2. I have allergies which certain foods seem to aggravate, turning into a vicious cycle

Now, for you wonderful folks who’ve offered a place to stay along the way, not to fear. Once you see the details you’ll see how easy it is for us to adjust, and how you won’t have to lift a finger. Honest.

Continue reading Travel Challenges: Diet

Sue's Thoughts of the Great Big Scheme

Where do I start? So much has happened in the last two weeks. We’ve had wonderful supporters and of course those who have their concerns. We’ve tried to address any concerns and realize that there will always be those who don’t fully support our ideas. That’s okay. I wanted to to step back and start from the beginning and share my perspective of how this all started, where we’re at and where we hope to go.

There’s no one factor in our making any of these decisions. There are several: happiness, spirituality, family, work, friends and more. Each of these factors need to be considered as we move forward.

Continue reading Sue’s Thoughts of the Great Big Scheme

Fiona and the Carwash

Time to start getting things ready. Hope we don’t forget anything!

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever forgotten behind on [...]

Where We're Going, Metaphorically Speaking

I’m feeling fairly squished and tentative today, but I’m going to soldier on and share the goals Sue and I talked about Tuesday night when we couldn’t sleep.

We realized that what was important to us was not what we had or did, but what this gave Fiona, so our goals are based on that.

Subject to change upon discovery, and all the other usual disclaimers apply:

Continue reading Where We’re Going, Metaphorically Speaking