Pro's and Cons

Vancouver -

- wait it out some more...perhaps another year or two until something comes up.

- probably no paid move

- stay with the big company which is like a roller coaster of love/hate with dh

- higher housing prices. I will most likely need to work to help us afford life in Vancouver without having to stress about money all of the time.

-family is there. 

-years of friendships are there

-beauty of the land

-diversity of people

-lots of traffic and hell commutes

-lots of people congestion, graffitti, more crime

-higher competition for schooling/college/university for the kids (yeah I know...that's 13 years to go, but still)

Alberta (Calgary)

-no provincial tax

-lower housing market (although a move to Calgary would be close to that of Vancouver market)

-not sure about paid move to Calgary, but it may be likely

-stay with current big company - many colleagues that dh is familiar with and has networks with

-same pay

-no family

-one set of friends and a couple of my friends from long long ago ( does that count? I don't know if I want to reconnect closely with my "crushes" from 20 years ago)

Alberta ( where we are now)

-stay at current job, same pay

-roller coaster each week, each day of love/hate the job

-great school

-a few friends but nothing I feel strong connections to

-can be a stay at home mom for as long as I want to

-cold long winters

-no place to explore without driving for 2-3 hours

- lack of parks, trails ( I mean nature things, not the paved bike trails throughout the neighbourhoods)

Nova Scotia 

-a 10 hour drive to Montreal, where dh's family is

-closer to dh's parents who would more likely come and visit more frequently, because they are always visiting the other family in Montreal

-way cheaper housing market (we could easily be mortgage free, although we would like a few extras in our new home such as a swimming pool)

- can live on a huge plot of land for inexpensive.

- can live on a lakefront if I wanted to

-can live on oceanfront, if I wanted to

-smaller town, smaller community which I am really liking.  I like the smaller town feel of the community we are in right now...except it's very wisteria lane'ish here, and if you flush the toilet, your neighbour can here.   God, don't let me know that they have heard me fart. 

-major exploration to be enjoyed in the maritimes...the cabot trail, all of ns coastlines...a drive through new england areas for vacations...A new area to explore, which we LOVE to do.  We have really had a hard time with that here in Alberta.  We love to go for drives and discover new places, parks, areas..here we drive in any direction and get farmlands...which can be beautiful, but there's no destinations.  

-spectacular scenery, year round.  OMG my favourite month of October in the Maritimes would be a sight to see!  The maples would make me cry!

-areas rich in history and culture

-rainier weather

-cold, wet winters; cold, snowy winters

-fog

-new company to work for.  Lots of autonomy and decision making without massive red tape to get through.   National operations position, a promotion

-a new position means lots of extra work in the beginning while he gets to know the people and the business. (this would occur in any new job, but I'm sure this would be moreso in a new company)  More travel in the beginning across Canada (which we could tie in with visits to Vancouver when he goes)  But more travel, which I'm not a fan of.

-fresh seafood!

Fast approaching

Husband has a preliminary interview with his current company recruiter today, for the Calgary position.   It just an information gathering interview basically.  

He also has his big major final interview with the CEO and COO's  of the Halifax company next Tuesday.   He will fly out on the weekend and have a look around at neighbourhoods, city, ammenities, etc to check out the "family" aspect, and then hopefully he will have a good discussion with the big wigs and get a good feel for the company.  He's adamant that as much as he loves the idea of the beauty of Halifax, the "fit" in the company culture is really important to him.  I don't blame him.   This is a step up, and if he's working with a bunch of wads, what kind of life will it be for us?

They wanted to fly me out too, and as much as I really want to go (holiday in Halifax in summer?) I declined, because I really want dh to be objective and focussed on the job front rather than all of the wonderful romanticized things I will bring to the table....the scenery, the CapeCod house on 2 acres of land for peanuts...the lighthouses, ocean, zillions of lakes and parks...whale watching..lobster festivals...small communities...  See? I'm a dreamer!  

We still worry about leaving the big company dh currently works for, as we have been with them for so long.   The Halifax company is a big company, but not as huge as current one.   Sometimes change is good though too.   But we want to make sure.   

Our original plans from months ago were Vancouver.  We would still love to be there, but after the last few visits and family changes, we don't want to have to be mortgage poor and both work full time  to survive.  We don't want the nutso commutes.  We've been spoiled here in Alberta by lower housing costs, insurance costs, less traffic.  The beauty of Vancouver, the friends and family are what really pull us, but we wonder again, if we get back there...life has continued for everyone, and things will not be the same.   Last time I was there, I really felt the congestion, competition, hurriedness.  I don't know how to explain it.   The big one to me was, the family house is no longer ours, and it's like I don't have a place there anymore.  

Weird.   Next post... pros and cons.

two freight trains approaching each other at 100mph

Halifax wants to fly us out for a family tour and a final interview/job offer July 7.

In the meantime, Trent has applied on a job that came up in Calgary for his current company, different position.  Interviewing most likely in a week or so.   Most suitable candidate so far.

Calgary is safe.  Same company. Same people. Same bureaucracy, idiotic hours and all consuming work/life imbalance.  Different job.  No closer to Vancouver...but a nicer city.

Halifax is exciting.  Different company. Big risk of jumping ship.   Less "security" in that he's the newbie on the block vs having the 11 years of dedication to current company.   More autonomy, greater position, possibly more travel in the beginning (as in the Calgary job too)Possibility of all consuming work/life imbalance..but possibility not.   Way farther away from family/friends network.  Smaller city, probably a better upbringing and more educational possibilities as the kids get older.  I dunno...but small city may mean smaller possibilities too. 

Some days I just wish someone would make it easy and tell us what to do.

I love the sense of adventure, a new city, an new place....Calgary I'm a little more reserved about, higher cost of living, still no closer to BC...

I'm worried about the sense of jumping ship of a big corporation and going "new", the unknown future.  In his big corporation now, there's a (false) sense of security there. 

I'm going to play yahtzee with the options..  Roll the dice and see what they say. 

Oy.

Happy Birthday to my honey!

It was Trent's birthday yesterday, and he was such a great sport - we ordered a dinosaur cake for him (I wonder whose idea that was?) The dinosaurs were a big hit, and a big argument too. The kids played with those silly things for hours, and still today too!  They make roaring noises and a red light  shines out of their mouths.   Drove me up the wall!!

I bought him a bike and a set of adirondack chairs for us to lounge by the fire this summer - only problem was that he had to assemble them ;-)    Now we all have bikes, except for Cameron, but we do have a trailer for him to tow along in. I'm thinking of picking up a little bike for him to try this summer...we'll see.

Anyways...I'm so glad we celebrated together my love! You're the best!  

A fun day at the park

Trent's work put on a family day at the park today.  It was fun, despite the clouds threatening, and then finally deciding to let loose and pour rain.   My munchkins both got their faces painted, and they loved the bouncy things (what are they called?) that were provided.

I forgot to post about my BC Trip!

So, I never did an update of my trip back to BC.   It was very intense and quick, but got a lot done.  Lots of eye opening and more objectivity of living there - huge housing prices,  gas is way more expensive, traffic has increased alot over the last 2 years and graffiti seems to be alot worse too.  But it was so clean smelling, so lush, so green so gorgeous. :)

Day one went okay. I am the golden child according to my brother, as my dad did not rant at me. That's because I don't let him rant at me and I tell him off. My sister turtles and absorbs it all and my brother ignores him and let's it slide off his back. Me, I cut him off and tell him off. He started going on yesterday about my sis and bro and I interceded quickly and harshly, NO dad, I'm here to work, I don't wanna here it. And he'd try to continue...so I'd say nope, where are you going to put this stuff. 

Went for dinner at my bro's that night and it was great to hear them all, including my nieces and nephews mimic dad and make fun of his embarassing rants and blowups. It felt good to laugh about it rather than stew about it.  It's kind of like that old saying, you can choose to laugh or cry... 

on the following days it was a very hectic weekend, but I got alot done and I'm no longer the golden child as my dad yelled at me  Was feeling rather awful that I was the one that dad was reasonable with.  But I yakked back at him and told him to calm down. He was worried because I was donating a bowl set and of course he needs at least 20 of them for all the salads he makes.  

My allergies were going ballistic (I don't have allergies) 4 years or more of no dusting or cleaning in the frickin house. I'm SO glad we didn't go through with buying it. It needs alot of work. I did the linen closet on the first day and I swear I donated at least, at least 40 table cloths. And that's not mentioning the sheets and towels that have been kept for 40 years. (8 black bags and 4 boxes worth of house stuff on the first day)  

Oh yes, did I mention my dad had mice a couple of years back, and the mess has not all been cleaned up?  I did a few closets and low down cupboards that had not been opened in quite some time, I think.   

My advice to those with dads totally dependent on spouses for that job...force them to hire cleaning services, or force them to learn to deal on their own, don't be doing stuff for them all the time. My dad is totally hopeless, even with grocery shopping for himself, and it's quite embarassing.  

And he blames my sister for it too.  I don't know why, but he's got something against my sister (first and foremost), followed by my brother (who apparantly does nothing right and walks around with his head cut off)  and it's blatantly obvious and he verbally admonishes them in front of me.   I will not and did not tolerate it.  But I also made sure to tell my sister how she lets him do it.  And she physically cowers and corners herself.   It's unbelievable.   But it also makes me feel very guilty and wondering why I am not attacked in this way?   I feel guilty that my siblings get the rants, but I don't let it happen to me.  Why should I feel guilty about that?  Yet I do.   

  All of those mixed emotions from childhood and family dynamics flood me and make me want to stay in my safe and private world (as I blog it, HA!) here in Alberta.

Went to the Relay for Life Cancer fundraiser in Coquitlam as well... we walked for Aunt Jean, who passed last year around this time.   I know she was there with us :) It was pretty special to get together one last time to relive the Tortoises R Us Team just for Jean. :) 

Glad to be home. everything's nice and green an open spaced here. I think I'm getting accustomed to the Alberta terrain. I even turned on a country song for nostalgia as we approached Edmonton. 

************

With all the craziness and emotional strain, stress, drain and pondering, I've really kept to myself this week focussed on reading, quilting and connecting to the things I love to do.   oh yes, watched Days of Our Lives this twice this week, LIVE and not in fast forward motion on the PVR.  I'm coming out of my shell, I can feel it, and feeling someone normal again.The process was a little more emotional draining than I thought.  I bottle things up, so I don't let on how I'm doing...but my body sure feels it. Glad it's subsiding. Now if only things would progress or end on the Halifax side, we can finally sleep a little sounder.    Good god if the mls.ca website tracked our IP address, it would log lots of hours!

random thoughts...

since my trip back to bc, i've had many thoughts about my life recently.  

I'm homesick almost always in the last of the winter months.

I'm living for what I had back home, and not living for what I could have here...meaning I need to get out of the past and concentrate on where my future is, and embrace the possibilities right now.  

Now that the family home is sold, its like there's nothing left for me back home.   The only thing really getting me back there was the connection to "home".  It's sold now, so I'm not feeling that connected anymore.  A little free and excited, a little sad. Now that dad will be in a condo in New Westminster, I don't feel as much of a connection to Coquitlam anymore...I think it's the family home and those memories are a closed chapter now.

My future feels right now, still uncertain, but I feel alot more free to make a decision for my own family, and not have the guilt of "home".   Very hard to explain.  

After 9 months of kindergarten, I'm so thrilled with Ethan's schooling, and the future prospects at the school he is in now.  

I know we still want a larger property, and I know I will feel very home there.   Whether it is here in Alberta on a small acreage, or in Halifax or wherever it may take us.   I want my kids to be able to run free and kick the ball, and not worry about my 2.5 year old kicking the ball over the fence because my yard is so small.  *rollleyes*

A present from my cat.

Last night was gorgeous.  We all sat around our fireplace for a few hours, roasted marshmallows...the kids played, the dog lounged in front of the fire (how she can do that, I don't know)  even the cat was lounging with us too.  It was a fabulous evening.   I made my drink of lemonade with raspberry vodka, and lots of ice (a favourite right now) and enjoyed the evening.  It didn't get dark out until just before 11pm last night! Wowza!

This morning - I was greeted at the door with a present from my cat left at the sill.   A mouse. Blood included.   Good gawd, I almost threw up.   Luckily Trent hadn't left for his golf yet, and I got to sucker him into the disposal.  Where the heck do you put this kind of thing?  

I know it's a gift for you when a cat leaves it at the doorstep, but honestly....wouldn't a meow suffice, or even a quick purr?

So, that's not all.   about 1/2 hour later, as I was making my coffee, I'm gazing out the window watching my garden and I see Shatzi race from the bushes across the patio and under the porch.  With something in his mouth.    A bird.   I ran to the door and called his name.  Mandy went ballistic, and the dogs in the neighbourhood followed suit :-)  Scared Shatzi enough to release the bird I guess, because I saw the bird fly away with a few feathers in his wake.  It seemed unscathed the way it was flying, so I'm hoping I saved it.

I know it's nature, and it doesn't bother me that much...but a mouse?  That bothers me.   How many more are in my oasis back there that I don't know about?  My lovely evening in front of the fireplace doesn't seem so serene and safe anymore.  

On the flip side, at least he's a mouser, and can catch the fuckers.  For an 11 year old cat, I think it's pretty good.

But I'm still grossed out. 

Makes me wonder if my dream of living on an acreage needs to be refined.  *lol*  I'm sure there's plenty of critters out there.

Perseverance, Concentration, Stubborness

Quilting update.

taken with flash, in natural light

no flash, natural light

I finished off my bargello quilt top  (meaning, just the top, now I have to sandwich it, baste it, machine quilt it and put the binding on)  yesterday.   As much as I was excited to make it and do one, I'm not as thrilled about it.  It does look really cool, but maybe I took a break for too long and now I'm not as excited about it.   Note how the black beast must always take part in my quilting activities.

I cut out the beginnings of the dinosaur quilt that Ethan is so thrilled about.   The Thomas the Tank Engine quilt for Cameron is ready to go too.  I don't have a pattern I'm following, but rather piecing it in such a way that it's easy for me, yet looks nice for the boys.    

I have alot of ideas of upcoming quilts - a baby quilt for my newly pregnant friend, Lorena.

A new quilt for my niece, Lisa, who is finally getting her own room after sharing with her sister for so many years.   A quilt for my MIL who is battling cancer treatment right now and for some reason has massive back pain apparantly unrelated to the treatment (but started a week after radiation therapy...coincidence?)  I want to make a lovely navy and white quilt for her... And of course, what about me??? Haven't got a clue.   I just enjoy the prospects of making quilts for others.  

The problem?   I  LOVE piecing quilts, I LOVE the machine quilting part.   I hate the sandwiching and pin basting part.  Oh if I could figure a way to do that with less time and hassle....   and it's the step that you can't cut corners on, otherwise when you machine quilt, everything will get all puckered and mucked up. 

Need to get a new 1/4" foot for my machine, I've been eyeballing the 1/4" seam, and it's creating a little inaccuracy.  I've really noticed it on my bargello, where the seams don't all match.  Oh well.

Need to also buy some new needles for my machine...have no idea what kind.  But they are dull right now, and am noticing the thunking sound more often. 

Stashing Baked goods in the freezer - not a good thing

Whoever said that it was a good trick to put cookies in the freezer and that way you don't eat them as much? 

What a crock of shite!

I've been eating my Martha Stewart Chocolate Chip Cookies FROZEN dunked right into my hot coffee.   Lots of them.  :(

fucking hell. 

more random May and June pics

My son will not take serious photos anymore...

Babycakes Cupcake bake shop in New York..Lorena enjoyed them more than me....

\

Typical NY Central Park photo looking back at 59th street...

long overdue pics.

Posting pics takes forever...I'm very impatient about it all.  

Here's the brown bear feasting on some kind of yummy green stuff

Trent and his grammy....

My "little" niece Shantel, horsing around with Ethan

My "little" niece Lisa, with Ethan and Cameron... I also have two nephews, Curtis and Taylor, but they were at soccer and homework bound that afternoon :(

Cameron had so much fun running forever in the fields!

I'm a homebody

I admit it. I'm a homebody. I love being home, and if my life gets too busy, my way to feel less stressed and more whole, is to stay at home.  

I've had alot of upheaval in the last few months - Trent being gone, then me to NY, then a weekend in Kananaskis, then a week in BC, Tren'ts back in Calgary for a few days this week...now I've remembered that I've also had a girls getaway (that I didn't commit to, but it's the annual getaway) to 100 mile house at Deka Lake.    I just can't do it this year.   My life feels like a hurricane.  I can't catch up with my housework or my sense of "home".   It feels like I'm in a zone lately.  My kids have been awful.  So, I've declined a great getaway with my friends.   The thought of another long drive makes me want to hurl at this point.  I'm still getting over the 12 hour each way drive to BC.   

The other factor is the ups and downs about relocating, and I've just gotten to a point where I feel totally numb and out of it.   Our trip back to BC was an eye opener.   I really pictured myself back there...and I couldn't!  How's that for getting myself all confused! I found it gorgeous and lush, but at the same time, I hated how dense and busy and traffic was nuts, even during the middle of the day!  I felt very closed in...I missed the big open sky and the wide roads and terrain.    So, I feel like crawling under a rock and letting time pass for a bit so that I feel at home again, centered, grounded.    And no, pms has no factor in this at all.   Maybe a bit of reality of family politics and reality of the life back in bc.

So my goal this week is to stick around home for afew days with the kids...bake, make playdough, quilt, library...our usual routine, but no travel, no day trips, no upheaval for a few days.  I need to be home.

The trip to bc was a good one,  but I'm just glad to be back home and wishing to empty my mind of all the stuff.

The gorgeous storm clouds and tornado watch yesterday was one of the things I love about here...skywatching.

I'm hoping this mellow week will recenter the kids and me and make us feel at home again.

60 things

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
car mats and some enviro grocery bags...a broken up oreo cookie.

2. When was the last time you threw up?
November.   it was gross.  

3. What's your favorite curse word?
don't really swear much, but the f word is really effective.   I also like saying OSS (ass in the british way) just because it sounds so great! 

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
My husband, my kids

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
sleeping!!! For once in a long tme, we slept in!

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
cleaning out a waffle iron and juicer I nabbed from my dad's place.

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?

reading a story to the boys and tucking them in

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
yes.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
no

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
chocolate brownie peanut butter cookie dough

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
lemonade

12. What are you wearing right now?
jeans and a black t

13. What was the last thing you ate?
dinosaur fruit chews 

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
t-shirt and jeans for Ethan.  

15. When was the last time you ran?
two days ago with my kids at the park. 

16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
part of an oilers game a few months ago.

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
My friend Lorena

19. Ever go camping?
yes..I think I'm ready for a trailer though. 

20. Do you have a tan?
nope, I'm see through at the moment.  

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
only if there's alot of ice. 

25. What did your last IM say?
I don't IM.

26. Are you someone's best friend?
yes.

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Tomorrow is Tuesday...take Ethan to kindergarten, clean up the main floor, continue with laundry...pick up Ethan, go to swimming lessons in the afternoon.

28. Where is your mom right now?
her ashes are scattered in the Wupper River in Wuppertal, Germany

29. Look to your left, what do you see?

My front window looking out at the lawn and the neighbours across the street.

30. What color is your watch?
I don't have one!

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
marmite, big bugs.

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
yes -I'd love to get laser eye surgery if it was at all possible, plus a brow lift or botox to even out my droopy eyebrow (from poor eyesight since I was a baby) and if I had the guts, I'd have a boob lift. I don't care about my cellulite or my flabby tummy, but I would love to have great tits (without the bra to help)

33. What is your birthstone?
emerald

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
usually drive thru

35.How many kids do you want?
two is it.  And that's more than I originally wanted.  :-)  But I'm crazy about them :)

36. Do you have a dog?
Mandy - a  yellow lab rescued from Prince George.  She's gorgeous, and as much as I complain, she's an amazing spirit. 

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Trent

38. Have you met anyone famous?
I grew up with and played with Matthew Good (the singer).  He lived in the house behind me.  

39. Any plans today?
Just cleaning up from the mess we left unpacking the car from our trip back to bc.   Everything needs to find it's place again, but I'm a little tired.   

40. How many cities have you lived in?
Lived in Coquitlam, Victoria, and Sherwood Park

41. Ever go to college?
I went to Simon Fraser University first year, flunked and demoted myself to Douglas College.  It was actually a great thing, as I "found" what I wanted to do...went through their music program for two years, then transfered to the University of Victoria, to complete my degree.

42. Where are you right now?
In the computer room

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
Not knowing where we will be in the next year.   Halifax?  Vancouver?  Edmonton? Calgary? (a new prospect has appeared)

44. Last song listened to?
Backyardigans Pirate Song

46. Are you allergic to anything?

sometimes dust/pollen if it's alot of it. 

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
I did have a pair that I just bought a few weeks ago in New York...but my dad's dog ate one.  :(

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
No. 

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
if they are, there's nothing I can do about it.  

51. What time is it?
5:48pm

52. Do any of your friends have children?
yes, many do, and many have chosen not to. 

53. Do you eat healthy?
there's always room for improvement.  I wish I could kick my sweet tooth habit.  

54. What do you usually do during the day?
it varies every day.

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
no

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
yes, and hi too.   I even greet the house when we come in... "Helllooooo house!"

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
38, I just turned 37 last month. 

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
yes

60. How did you get one of your scars?
On my knee - when I was four I was jumping up and down on the chair in my brother's room and fell into and crashed his fish aquarium.  Shattered it everywhere...guppies everywhere.  Can you believe all he cared about was saving the fish? ;-)

OK....there are 60 things about me...how about you?

You are tagged if you have read this!!!

ongoings...

Off to Vancouver (Coquitlam) on Wednedsay to help my dad clear out the house of 40 years of accumulated crap. Here's how it will go.
"what the hell are you doing? i need those!" [those, meaning, the 20 year old yogurt containers that he uses for storing used, rusty, bent nails]
or
(after I just arrive) "andrea, come and sit down, lets have some coffee"
"dad, I just got here, i just had breakfast. I'm here to work"
1/2 hour later "come on, let's go out to zellers and have lunch"

"I'm going to give those to Ralph. Maybe your boys would like to make them too" (meaning, the plastic army tank kits and paints my brother made when he was 12 years old and hasn't touched since he was 12 years old)

"don't throw those away...god dammit, Andrea those are very expensive books!" (meaning, the funk & wagnalls encycolpedia set published in 1969, I'm not even sure digital is a concept in there yet)

"why are you throwing so much away! There's only a two bag limit here in Coquitlam." Well, dad, here are the over limit stickers I bought from the city so we could toss more away. "did you pay for those, Andrea?" yes i did. "jesus christ, they made you pay for those stickers? They're always nickel and diming every red cent out of you. What the hell do they use the money for anyway...obviously not the hospital system since they screwed me over last year and almost bled to death.. " drone on and on and on.

So yes, it will be a pleasant time. My kids will be my shield and my excuse to get some "away" time. And I've timed it that we will be leaving on Sunday morning. A quick trip, but a busy one.


Saturday we will be walking the Relay for Life (cancer) in Coquitlam. Trent will be doing most of the day, I will show up for my hour commitment and the candle light walk at 10pm. I'm walking for trent's aunt Jean, who passed away in July last year after a very long battle. I'm also walking for my dad, who had colon cancer, Trent's mom, who was recently diagnosed with a cancerous tumour on her collar bone, and for my many other friends who have family members going or gone through it. One day, we won't have to have these kinds of fundraisers.

Halifax came up again. We wrote it off not hearing from them for 3.5 weeks. Funny thing. The day after my dad's house sold (1 day on the market) we got the call. Weird? To me it was like some kind of sign saying, that we did the right thing in not pursuing the house and things are falling into place correctly.

Waiting to hear this week about Trent flying out there to visit the location mid June and see what he thinks about the company culture, people etc as well as the area surrounding Halifax. An offer would be presented thereafter if Trent felt good about the fit, and vice versa. We could easily get our dream home, a pool, on an acreage for way less than this house. We'd be practically mortgage free. And I'd get my acreage...on a lake. with a pool. and the ocean. or even ON the ocean. far far far away from friends and family. not so good. what to do what to do. i know in my heart I want the sense of adventure and the change and the opportunity. I never have a strong desire to go back and visit Vancouver..just the desire to be around friends and family...which sometimes I wonder that we want it more than they do. Oh well. there's definately a path being paved, and we'll see where the road leads.

Need to research about well water and septic systems. Seems that's very common over there, unless you live right in Halifax.


Taking Mandy to a new bording kennel in morinville tomorrow. They're lab breeders, and I really will have to refrain from spying on the new black and silver puppies that were born last month. oh if we lived on an acreage, Mandy may just need a playmate.

I'm so freaking crazy.

Quilting...I have 4 projects on the go. Haven't touched them for a week now. Need to get back on it. When I get back.