Heron stalking.....

A few weeks have gone by and I have been busy - but not stressed.

There has been much unpacking, reorganizing, and some giving away. I had to move so quickly when my house finally sold that I was unable to downsize enough. I have moved much that I do not need.

Interestingly enough I am renting a cottage now that is smaller than the small house that I will actually build.  My small house will seem big.

The ocean is across the street from my rented cottage. I know I will miss this. The ocean will not be too far away though. In the evening a beautiful sunset can be seen from the water access across the street...

At this time of year with all the great weather... It is like this every night!

Not all of my time has been spent at home...

I have been to the blackberry street festival and to the summer muse (a mini folk fest).

The kids are adjusting and there is much jockeying for the current 'best spot'.

As I have said I have too much stuff, so the cats rest on boxes everywhere. 

Some of the stuff I will not part with until I know the former job is no longer a choice. All of 'that stuff' takes up a lot of space.

After trying out my push mower on the grass around the yellow plum tree on a hot day I returned to the cottage and then across the street for a quick dip in the ocean. It was warm!

The bear did not eat his share of plums this year. I picked 19 of my plastic bins in total. I gave away 8 bins. I lost about 2 bins to soft and bruised plums... 

I made 10 batches and that was 85 jars of jam!

I am glad my apple tree is not producing this year. It over produced last year and I had it pruned this year. I would not have any room for all the apples and the apple sause. I will miss the apple pies this winter though.

And again the beautiful sun sets in the west.

It was time to head back to the city to meet with my builder.

I decided not to battle the ferry schedule and waste two travel days so I flew.

It's only 25 mins to the big city.

And every seat is an aisle and a window!

I will be the owner/ builder of my house, the general contractor.

With that I will hire a builder to build my house to 'lock up'. For those that do not know that means the outside is done, roof, windows, doors, exterior walls... It can be locked. Then I will hire some trades and finish the inside. The builder that I am working with is helping me with my design, my budget, building plans and will help contract my foundation work.  It was a good meeting.

There was also time in the city to meet up with several friends, deliver some jam, see a documentary about the Camino Frances, help out in the taming of a front yard garden (accidentally cut a hole in the watering hose), go out for dinner to great German restaraunt.... Then it was time to head back to the kids and sunsets....

And back to my property...

Look what I found... It's really a purple and green house.

I delivered some jam to a few of the neighbours... 

I really love these sunflowers. They will be my ocean across the street!

Speaking of ocean....

 I had gone kayaking nearby with someone from the local shop, but I finally put my kayak in across the street.

I stalked a heron for a bit....

Then back to my shore access...

I like living here.

The kids are still a little unsure, but they like the view!

A New Adventure

It will be a long day with two cats in the car on two ferries to my new home...

After about 5 hrs of sleep the clean up, pack up and load up begins. It was wrong to leave as much as I did in my vehicle... Stuff should have gone in the moving truck. I almost did not fit. Or should I say we almost did not fit. But we did fit and my mirrors were all still visible. 

I did however decide the rear view was best used to keep an eye on the kids with the side mirrors for the road. 

Remember the pictures from the bus in Spain? Remember the pictures from the plane? Well here are too many pictures of the kids in their cage. 

Despite my worst fears, leg one of the journey (the 2 1/2 hr drive) went quite well with not too much crying at all. 

I guess it would have been nice to make the ferry....oh well more rest time. 

Ferry ride one and then drive leg #2. 

Apparently I did not buy enough at the good karma cafe- the little kiosk next to the ferry line up. For the first ferry was running a few minutes late and despite my best race car skills ... I missed the 2nd ferry. 

I am now the first one on....in two hours!

The kids are not impressed. 

I want to say not a peep out of them for drive section #2... But just as my car switched to warp speed while passing on a hill... Diego made a peep. Dora looked at him with a priceless expression. Sort of a 'don't start I already have a headache.' 

And we wait.  The Powell River kids on their return from Seattle watching the Jays are now playing football. 

And my kids are resting. 

They get along most of the time....

Dora loves her brother

Now Diego is not sure how he got the job as pillow, but he puts up with it. 

And finally!!!!

Right to the front for a view ...?

Not so much!

It is pretty hazy anyhow. 

So for those that wonder ....

I have taken a leave of absence from work- 15 months.... To build the small house, enjoy my fruit trees and relax!

But I most likely will not return. I will do something different. 

Pretty cool crossing today... 

The kids, me, all my stuff....

A new adventure!!

Good karma

Stage one stressor.. Moving almost done. 

The cats were on to me early on in the process. They became a bit more concerned as I started selling and giving away furniture. Then boxes and boxes. 

I did have a garage sale to get rid of some things, but I really should have gotten rid of soooo much more. 

Problem was the house was for sale and it always had to look 'realtor ready'. 

Anyhow I reserved a 10ft truck, then changed it to a 14 ft. Which was a good thing. Four friends... Two hours and voila!

The cats spent the loading time locked in a bedroom and were really confused to see it all gone...

Then the 45 min drive to the sitter' s. 

They don't like being in the car for 5 mins! They cried the whole way...

 I came back, cleaned up a bit and then slept on the floor. 

Next morning away .....

Another friend drove my car into the city. 

And so the truck driving moving ferry adventure begins. 

Karma was working for me and I ran into a couple of neighbours (from my new property), who ageed to help unload. 

...caution items may have shifted during the flight!

Actually the neighbours were not needed as my landlord help unload the truck!

Everything found a home, whether piled in a corner, a nook in a storage shed the landlord cleared for me, or my property's shed. 

Here is home - the cottage- until my house is finished. 6 months, 8 months...

And here is the evening view looking across the street. 

After things were all moved inside. I walked to the beach across the street for the sunset. 

Stayed up late to put the bed together, moved boxes ....asked the landlord if he might put a screen door on so I can keep it open, but the cats in. He will see what he can do. 

Next morning coffee on the door step. 

Then it was time to pack up for my travel back to the car, cats and job. 

First I had to check in to see if the bear had eaten all my plums...

I did see some small animal scat... But no evidence of the bear! I picked 6 bins of yellow plums, which did not even seem like half. 

Figs are still small and not quite ripe for picking...

This is one is getting close...

Hazelnuts are coming along...

A few walnuts are there...

Things will get a lot better when i get water. Look at the difference with the neighbours lawn...

Plums to the fridge, plums to the landlord and a few bins to bring back for others. 

Time for the ferry. And it was a pretty quick travel, the ferry gods were smiling on me. 

Next week I will travel on ferries with cats!!