Goodbye to this City...

Hi Friends,

Well today is the official day. I am moving out of Ottawa and starting my new journey as of this morning. I was supposed to leave on Wednesday but my Aunt was unable to come and get me that day so now it's my awesome cousin Tyson who will be helping me move. Thank goodness I'm moving a little later than planned as I only finished packing this morning! Yikes! Isn't that always the way...

I sit here at my desk one last time as I type this email to all of you. It feels strange to have everything in boxes around me and my apartment has such a huge echo from all the empty space. Very strange. Man, it's sad to be leaving this place. Can't put it into words just yet but I'm working on it.

What an experience this has been saying goodbye to so many of you. I know that I am going to miss you all so much. I've been enjoying every special moment we've been able to share together. I'll admit that I'm a little nervous to be starting this journey on my own but I am optimistic that it's going to be a great experience and that I will find what I'm looking for along the way. It really feels like the right time to be leaving and I'm excited to see what happens.
The only part that makes it a bit sad is knowing that things will never be the same after I have left here and also knowing that I will be gone for such a long time. It's really starting to sink in...

This has been such a special time in my life and I am so happy to have spent such a beautiful seven years in Ottawa. Thank you to all of you who have helped me along the way and especially to those of you who have made my last few days here so special. It's been magical. They always say that you learn who your true friends are during times like this and it's certainly the truth.
It seems appropriate to be saying goodbye with the lyrics of the song I wrote to say goodbye to Ottawa...I wrote the lyrics to this song as I was walking my dog Sadie in the park last spring, thinking about how much I was going to miss this place.

Goodbye To This City...

Lyrics by Rozalind MacPhail

It was seven years ago when I moved to this city...
My flute, my dog, my boxes full
and my heart willing

Gonna make it in this whirl of a world
Gonna make my loved ones proud
Gonna be that "Mystery Flute Girl"
Gonna sing with my heart out loud!

And I say goodbye, goodbye to this city
The time kept flying by and now I'm leaving
Oh I'll miss you so
But good times come and go
Time to be back in that flow
Time to move my show.

Bye for now everyone. I'll be in touch soon. For those of you who want to contact me before I reach Banff, I'll be staying at my Mom's on Toronto Island: 416-203-0776. I'll put a mailing address and phone number for Banff on my Contact page of my website as soon as I have it available.

Warm Wishes for a healthy, happy and outrageous year ahead! And for those of you who will be celebrating Christmas, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! : )

Love Rozalind