Alberta Bound

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything.  It's not for lack of trying.  I've started many posts over the past 9 months or so, only to be interrupted or distracted by other things.  But today I am determined to write something and finish it.

A few months ago I decided to see if I could sell my house this spring.  The idea was that if the the house sold I would move to Edmonton.  It wasn't a solid this-is-happening plan. It was, rather, a let's-see-what-happens plan.  And so with the early snow-melt, I listed my house in mid-March thinking that if it sold at all it would sell in June-ish.  It sold in April!  April 6th, to be exact.  A mere three weeks after the listing went up.

Things got real really fast.

The scramble was on to find a place to live in Edmonton.  My daughters were tasked with that feat and several miles of text threads were generated in the relaying of information back and forth during the process.  There were misunderstandings and tears and happy dances and disappointments and compromises and, finally, consensus.  At what seemed like long-last, though it was only a few weeks, a house was found, a deal was struck and reality got even bigger.

I am leaving Houston.  After 37 years, I am leaving Houston to make a new life in Alberta with my daughters, Tracy and Bizz, and my grandchildren, Nolan and Jocelyn.

Wow!

I'm thrilled.  I'm excited.  I'm scared.  I'm sad.  I'm freaking out.  I'm oddly calm.  I'm leaving Houston!

I'm leaving my wonderful job at the Houston Public Library.  I'm leaving my lovely house on Butler Avenue.  I'm leaving my amazing friends.  I'm leaving my entire adult life so far behind.  And I'm going to miss all of it!

I'm going to be with my kids and grandkids.  I'm going to new adventures and new experiences.  I'm going to museums and festivals and art galleries and plays and markets and public transit and theatres and a spiritual community of like-minded people.  I'm going to be me!

Houston has been good to me.  It's also broken my heart a thousand times.  It's where I raised my family, learned skills, earned a living, made friends, celebrated life events, laughed, loved and cried.

I'm ready for this change.  As big and scary as it seems at times, it feels so right.  To be sharing my life with people I love and care about again is so amazing.  I've enjoyed having my own place and my own space.  Yet having people I love around to care for and be cared for by is just so comforting.  I can't even begin to express how much it means to me to be doing this.  I can't wait to have dinner with my family and talk about our days.  I can't wait to cook meals for them.  I can't wait to encourage them and celebrate with them and even argue with them.  Oh, yes, I expect there will be some of that!  I can't wait to go to bed at night knowing that they are there and they are safe and well.  I can't wait to wake up in the morning and send them off to school and work with a hug.  I can't wait to have someone to hug again.

But first it's off to FanCon in Prince George for a few days of fun with my beautiful and talented daughter, Alison.  If you happen to be there, please stop by Ethereal Earth's booth and say hello to Morticia (me) and Wednesday (Ali) Addams.  We'll be the ones selling fairy art!  LOL

Then, it'll be back home to clean and pack and say farewell to all my friends and loved ones and get ready to be Alberta Bound!

Alberta Bound