As moving day gets closer and closer I find my stress level going up. Isn't there a saying about divorce and moving being at the top of the stress list? We are trying to work every weekend on our home renovations and even some evenings. Some days I feel like we are standing still on improvements to the house. Even though I can't always see the progress we are making, I know we are going forward.
My husband is arranging for a moving truck. He is even making arrangements for a large container to be placed in our yard to store many of our belongings for a month or two until the house is finished. I'm still a believer in the dream that the house WILL BE FINISHED one day..As I sit in my braiding class on Thursdays, I hear other women talking of their move here and all they are doing to improve their homes too..One lady who moved from Uxbridge, Ontario is hoping to put gravel down on their basement floor this year, an upgrade from the dirt floor they have now. Another woman told me they have worked on their house for ten years, much has been done but it's still not finished and that was said to encourage me!
Amongst all this upheaval is the Winter Olympics. Thankfully whenever I have some spare time, I'm watching our dear Canadians do so well and it takes my mind off the renovations for a few hours. I was hoping to relax and enjoy our finished house this summer and fall but hubby wants to start right into the bedroom addition. Just thinking of that is exhausting me. Alas, what he said is true, we aren't getting any younger! He really likes the color we have painted our bedroom upstairs in the farmhouse so I say: "live in it for awhile and enjoy it!" I know it's important to have a downstairs bedroom as we age, but can't it wait for a year? I also know putting that off, means it might never get done. What a quandary..
I've decided to fly back to Ontario in March and try to pack up the rest of our belongings..the ones inside our house at least. The area where we live and much of Ontario this year has been deluged with so much snow that we will have a lot of work ahead of us digging out our lawn furniture..it's probably under 3 or 4 feet of snow. Especially since we paid someone to shovel off our roof in December. It just kept on snowing after we had this done and any pictures people sent us of our home looked like it had never been done. If we don't have a thaw, I might never find some possessions outside..
I am looking forward to connecting with friends back home for a couple of weeks and playing with our granddaughter again. I miss her terribly. I send her a letter or card every other week and she is loving getting real mail. One of my friends has me booked for a lunch out together and another friend has volunteered to pick me up at the airport. My daughter wants to help us move so we can say our good-byes until she gets out to the island to see our new home. It will be more bittersweet than usual leaving this time, as we aren't coming here for a holiday, we will be living here for good.
In some ways I've adjusted to island living very well, there are numerous courses to take, the ladies are all so friendly and kind. I've found stores I enjoy shopping in, although I find the price of food somewhat shocking at times. It's grand to eat more fish and lobster, in fact we do a lot of eating on the island and the tea pot is always full..
There is lots to look forward to, I anticipate many visitors the first few years here, walking on the beaches together, touring the area, even just walking through our woods with those wishing to come out for a visit. The new refrigerator will be well stocked with food and the tea pot will be at the ready. Chairs will be set under our lovely willow tree and laughter will fill the air.
