Ah, summer – how is it February already? January – was a good month. Working from home around sunny days at the beach helped with that. So did swimming with my daughter in the ocean often. She will move to Sydney this month to start university, so it was a blessing to spend precious time together. I’ll miss her more than she can imagine, but I am also very excited for her and the life she is about to experience.

I’m coming to terms with being a half-empty-nester (my son is still living at home.) However, he is fortunate to have the means and ability to come and go as he pleases and is usually out and about on the weekends, at the very least. As he should be at 19.

So, from now on, I will be an empty nester most of the time. And that came around quicker than February. One minute my twinnies were starting kindergarten, and the next, they were adults. These will be adventurous times for them and would have been for their father and me. Ah, the things we were going to do. Now I’ll have to do them for both of us. Don’t put things off till tomorrow that you can do today, friends.

Happy adulthood, my babies; congratulations, we made it. Remember, I’ll only ever be a phone call away wherever you are (unless I’m in Italy. There, you can reach me in emergencies.)

I’m shouting enormous cheers to you both for being the best kids any parent could hope for; dad and I love you more than Volkswagens.

And to my fellow newby empty-nesters (partial or full), here’s to you too. I feel your pride and pain, and I hope to see you at the beach or a cafe or run into you on an adventurous travel track somewhere exotic in this beautiful world. Pat yourselves on the back. You deserve it.

Chat next month,

Cal xx