Congratulations, Doug, and welcome to the wonderful world of retirement where discounts are plenty, meetings non-existent and reading and travel are done for pleasure! You will love it! Before you embark on that new adventure, it is appropriate for those of us who have had the pleasure of working with you to publicly share our gratitude. So here goes! – thank you for giving me the opportunity to join the Department of Linguistics and for supporting my professional and personal growth. In the process, you were always insightful, wise, kind and reassuring. You always acted with integrity, fairness, and compassion. You always listened before you spoke. You made me laugh often. It was an honour to have you as a colleague and a blessing to have you as a friend. I wish you a long and happy retirement!