Several years ago I started this site as Anita and I were making a transition to a new home in a new country. We were moving from Charleston, SC where we had lived for over 20 years to Port Williams, NS. A lot of people wondered what we were doing, and at times we wondered the same thing! Especially the week we arrived when the temperature never got above 10!
Since then I have learned to love winter. (Words that I never thought would come from my mouth.) (But snow flurries in May is a bit much!). We have fallen love with the beauty of this place and the people. That old joke about Canadians being nice? It isn’t a joke! We have traveled across the province, seen lighthouses and beaches, apple blossoms and yes snow falls. In short we have loved being here.
But the truth is there have been tough times. When we moved no one could have predicted that the US-Canadian border would be closed due to a pandemic. We could never imagined that NS would impose restrictions on traveling outside your county! (We took it very seriously for the longest time.). We never thought there would be an additional $140 charge for Covid testing (each way) on top of the cost of airline tickets, nor a 2 week isolation when we returned.
While we have been here we have experienced the lowest point of our lives when we lost a granddaughter, as well as the highest, the birth of 2 grandsons. Our mothers have had some health crises, which has added weight to our siblings.
All of this has added stress to our lives, but we remained because we love being here! (I recently told Anita, “I like being Canadian!)
We were trying to figure out what to do when our daughter called one day with a request/demand. “Dad, I know you and Mom love NS and are having fun in your adventure there, but we need you here.”
That is the kind of thing that gets a Dad’s attention.
So we have made another decision. We are moving. I shared with the congregation that June 5, Pentecost Sunday, will be our last Sunday. We have a contract on our house and the movers are scheduled to come on June 7 to take our stuff away.
Where?
That has been the question! For the first time in my life I am not moving to another job. We could go anywhere! We thought about returning to Bali just to thaw out! Right now the plan is to go to Memphis, TN.
What am I going to do?
Another good question! If you have an answer or a job possibility let me know. The movers don’t come until June 7! We can still change! If nothing else comes up this fall I will doing Beau-duty, not a bad gig I might add!
This is another border we are crossing. It isn’t a physical border. We won’t need a passport. But it is one that is filled with more than a bit of trepidation. Prayers would be appreciated. Wisdom from you who have crossed this border before would be welcomed!
We are grateful for this adventure. We are still pondering how it has changed us, and it definitely has! I hope to continue sharing the next adventure here, so stay tuned!
When we know “where” we are I will let you know!