May & June, Calgary & TO
We are itching to move into the new house, but do not take possession until July 2. So this month has been the perfect time for Cori to go to TO to help friends & family sell their houses, and for me to be in Calgary with Dad preparing the garden.
On the Calgary end, during the week that it was SNOWING here in early May, Dad & I poured over the house blue prints and made drawings for the installation of the lift and re-configuration of bathrooms & closets on the 2nd floor. That's going to happen pretty quickly after we arrive in July .... because it will be quite disruptive, it makes sense to do it before we fully settle in. Two of Dad's cousin's sons (my 2nd cousins) have offered to come to build the shaft for the lift - Bill is a builder on Salt Spring Island and Bob built his own place on the beach near Powell River. So for the first week we will be camping in the house with a bit of an extended family barn(lift)-raising going on. It will likely be August by the time the all the renos are done on the 2nd floor and we can fully move in.
Dad has decided that he doesn't need to move immediately and so we have the luxury of giving our proposed living arrangement an extended 'trial' period, just to be certain that it's going to feel good for all three of us (five with the cats). He is going to come for this first renovation week with Bill & Bob, and then will come back in the fall, to stay the winter. So we are not selling his place, but have been slowing working through clearing out for book sales & the church's big garage sale. We will likely have a garage sale here in June - cousin Linda & her partner Brian may come down from Mayerthorp (AB) to help out. Since it's warmed up, we've put in a large potato patch, and are working on planting the usual crop of annual flowers that make the back yard so lovely (although it's going to be cold again this long weekend, so we may wait a bit).
The other big agenda item for July is Dad's family's reunion. He had 26 cousins on his mothers', the Phillips, side of his family. Only he & Buzzy are still alive, and my generation and all their children don't know each other terribly well. We are gathering at a camp ground in Hixon, about 60 ks south of Prince George, in the middle of BC. Cori, Dad & I will drive to Pr. George, pick up a camper and stay in it for the weekend, which all by itself will be fun.
So, lots going on, much excitement, in the midst of this transition that is going at a relatively gentle pace over this next month. Love to you all.....
