Farewell and see you soon

If you’ve never seen the show “Less Than Kind”, it’s a wonderful comedy set in Winnipeg which debuted several months before I would call this city home.

In one memorable episode, the dad played by the late Maury Chaykin says, “the best thing about Winnipeg is the parking.” So when I arrived here Thanksgiving weekend in 2009, I cabbed it to my hotel, opened the drapes and looked at my view: a large, empty parking lot. And I thought to myself, “So this is it. Here is the best thing about Winnipeg.”

Yes, two years ago on a snowy Thanksgiving weekend (I shed tears, it was snowing in October and I had already seen the best thing about the city) I arrived to start a new life in the ‘peg. This is my thank you and my “see you soon” to the many wonderful people that I have met in my short time here.

I was eager to take on a new challenge with Breakfast Television and no, you never get used to getting up at 3am. Our amazing viewers helped me find my way through the city and discover all the things that are so much better than the parking (which is really not that great if you’re downtown or trying to catch a game.)

Winnipeg, your summers are sunny and beautiful, your land is flat for a novice runner, you have lots of rainbows, your parks and trails make me want to be more outdoorsy, your restaurants have topped my list and you have enough festivals to keep a newbie busy.

Thank you for welcoming a girl from Nova Scotia who transplanted herself to Toronto and then to Winnipeg and for all of your positive feedback, great comments (many of you really like food tweets!) and well wishes. After two years I felt it was time to shake things up once again so I leave a show that I am very proud of, and friends that I look forward to visiting soon.

I’m off to spend the holidays in Halifax and will travel to the other side of the world and spend some time exploring Australia. I’ll of course keep you posted on my travels here on Twitter. Thank you to the amazing BT viewers who sent cards, treats, emails and beautiful words of support. Thank you for letting me be a part of your mornings.

I leave with a full heart and wonderful friends who have helped me adjust to a new city and in many cases, made me a part of their family. Your kindness and friendship are better than parking. They really, really are. Even better than the parking spot near the arena for a Jets game on a -40 day.

And I get it now! It’s a DRY cold. Yes, I actually get it.

Thank you, Winnipeg for showing me all the great things you have to offer and for letting me share it with anyone who would listen (or watch). I’ll see you soon.