Load Day

9:30 am11:30am12:00pm2:00pm3:30pm4:00pm5:22pm

All Done

Tuesday the packers continued to pack - it was a warm day but they were finished mid-afternoon. We had time to pick up Isabelle and Maggie and have pizza with mum and dad in Wolfville before Isabelle's swimming class. We also gave a freezer away through freecycle. Just posted the give away in the morning and by four o'clock it was gone. We did the same with the vintage stove we had and also some furniture in the winter. It is a great way to get rid of stuff!

The plan originally was to have the movers in on Wednesday to load the truck but plans changed and they couldn't make it until Thursday. Paul negotiated having the moving company get cleaners in since I knew I wasn't available on Friday. In the end Wednesday was a quiet day, mum and I cleaned up a few things including the fridge and our dying fish (RIP Eli), had lunch at Between the Bushes and had a walk in Canning while Isabelle was at Tumblebugs. When we got home we watched Death at a Funeral - a fun British comedy.

Thursday the movers arrived at 9:30 after I dashed downtown to photocopy all sorts of paperwork for the moving company, myself and a copy to leave here in case everyone else loses theirs! They worked steadily until 5:00. I made trips to the waste resource management centre (dump), timmy's and picked up Isabelle from day care, her last day. I thought it was important for her to see the truck and the empty house. Then I signed another bunch of paperwork and we took a picture of the truck leaving at 5:22pm.

Today we came to Halifax for a family thing - lots of people at the house and a phone call to say that all had gone well with the closing...phew! Now I rest for a week, run a few errands and then head out to SC with Isabelle. Maggie and good friend Taryn.

Movers - Day 1

The movers arrived at 9 this morning and have packed their way through the basement, living room, sun room, dining room and kitchen. Paul and I tried to stay a step ahead of them but it was hard. They will be back tomorrow to finish the packing including my computer so I will have to rely on the library and mum's house from now until I get to South Carolina.

101

May has been a busy month - my sister had her 30th birthday, my grandmother had her 97th birthday and we had our 7th anniversary (apart) and on Wednesday, Isabelle and I went to celebrate my grandfather's 101st birthday. We call him Grumpy, not that he is but that is what I decided to call him when I was little and it stuck. Dad commented there are only 98 years between Grumpy and Isabelle - amazing really.

We have had some great evenings with friends and family as we prepare to move. It is great to have the company and distraction from the packing and other preparations and, of course, the meals were fantastic. I hope we can reciprocate in South Carolina.

Tomorrow the movers arrive to prepack. Paul has been home for over a week and will head back on Wednesday. Isabelle, Maggie and I will be around until June 8th when we embark on the big roadtrip. Our friend Taryn has kindly offered to come along for the trip - other friends offered too and I will definitely be taking them up on the offer at some point since I likely will be driving back and forth more than Paul. Unfortunately, we don't have a laptop so may be incommunicado for the trip.

Moving to the Suburbs

Part of me can't believe I am saying this and part of me is relieved. I have never seen myself as a suburbs person. I always lived on the peninsula in Halifax, near the downtown in St. John's and Kentville and out in the country in Cape Breton. Well, you have to try everything once so here we are moving to the suburbs.

After looking through I don't know how many houses, Paul has found us the right one. He had seen several homes in Orchard Farms, heard good things about the subdivision and finally found a house which suits our needs. According to Paul, the subdivision in full of young families and has a pool, tennis courts, ball fields. He has posted more about it in his blog.

Houses

Paul spent last week looking at lots of houses. Right now, he is considering two. On the plus side, they are both 4 bedroom - so lots of room for guests. On the minus end, neither are close to Isabelle's school and both are in suburbia. Anyway, you can see pictures of both on-line. Paul seems more enthusiastic about Fortuna but it may only be available for an 18 month lease which would mean moving later. Molano is available for a three year lease but is also for sale so Paul is looking into how that might affect us.

Paul

Paul arrived in Greenville earlier today. Things sound good, although we didn't talk for long (see previous post). He saw some of the houses for rent - he is promising pictures this weekend. Nice naighbouroods generally, close to all sorts of things. He raved about the library on Pelham. Things are looking up!

12 hours

I wrote this earlier this evening longhand.

Paul left this morning.

Isabelle crumbled at first but rallied and had a good day at Apple Tree, a picnic supper and lots of fun at Tumblebugs.

Now we are at hospital - arrived shortly before 8 pm - it is now almost 10:30 and we haven't seen the doctor yet.

I have an eye in my nose she said on the drive home from Tumblebugs. I heard "I". I didn't understand her. We got home - she was tired, cranky and dirty. To the tub said I. There's something in my nose said she. Sure enough there was. I couldn't get it out - not that I tried that hard. I just returned Paul's call with a quick I'm going to the hospital and put everyone in the car.

As we sat waiting she explained it was an eye - you know one of those craft googly eyes and it is way up there.

She fell asleep before 10 - still sound asleep while we wait. Leaving time for me to think - I managed just over 12 hours without Paul before things went haywire. Sure, she could have done this anyway - and, on the plus side, Maggie did get a huge walk while Isabelle as at Tumblebugs. But really - this time without Paul can only get better, right?

Paul will be home in a little over a week, I think I am starting to countdown.

Rudolph

So what happens when you mix selling a house, preparing for judging at a national stamp show and thinking about the logistics of moving to another country, well, if you are me, you turn into Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. When we brought Isabelle home from the hospital three years ago, Maggie got a stress related skin infection. Apparently, people can get these too!

So, on Thursday afternoon we got word - our house has sold! Yea! Stress level reduced dramatically.

Thursday evening, I headed out to Ottawa to judge at Orapex leaving Paul and Isabelle at home to visit Clare for the weekend. This is my third apprenticeship toward becoming a national level philatelic judge. If all goes well, I will get my accreditation after this. I feel quite unprepared hence the stress.

But the nose is getting better...