A past life remembered?

Brett loves pretzels. But since he's been eating them, he's called them "buckles." We think it's strange, but it was about the same time he started wanting to do up his own buckles in the high chair etc, so it made sense in a weird kind of way.

Yesterday, Auntie Cindy and I were shopping and we noticed the French side of the bag of pretzels: boucles! Is it possible Brett spoke French in a past life and remembers the word for pretzels? I'm now on the lookout for more non-English words. Watch for future updates!

Adaptation

Sorry for the lack of posting; we're busy adapting and settling and adjusting to things.

Brett seems to be doing well. Once we showed him his room with his bed and all his books and toys he started to sleep better and is now generally happier. He loves living in a neighbourhood with so many playgrounds, walking paths and interesting places to see. And when he plays with Jennifer he smiles bigger than I've ever seen. He laughs and squeals and chases her around. That's ok — she lets him catch her so she can check his reflexes and put band-aids on him. (I know: his first time playing doctor. We always said he was advanced!) I'll post a picture if I can get them to stand still long enough.

More details to come...

Arrived!

We've arrived! It was an eventful trip: a couple of bad nights for Brett, a couple of tired drives, but also a nice visit with family and friends in Vernon. Oh yeah, and did bunch of stressful money transferring just in time to close our deal.

We got to Cochrane in the middle of the day Sunday, had lunch with Bill, Suzanne and Jennifer, then went out to buy a washer dryer. Today we meet the realtor, get our keys and watch the movers unload our stuff.

A more detailed post when we get the computer hooked up. Sorry to everyone who sent me email: I can't get into my account for some reason. Grrrr.

It's all gone

We were thinking we'd be gone by noon today, but moving always takes longer than you think. The movers were here just after 9am; it was all gone just after 1. Then we did the last cleaning, packed our suitcases and get ready to leave. Problem is Brett naps until sometime after 3, so we decided to get him from daycare at the regular time.

Once we load him into the van and say final goodbyes, it might be getting close to 5. Vernon tonight, time with Randy's mom and grandma, our firends LeeAnn, Greg, Ty and baby 2 (still in the oven) and Kimmie and Gio tomorrow. Then Saturday off through the mountains.

Here we go!

And now more cleaning

I've got the rubber gloves on and everything is off the kitchen counters. This is the big clean, people —— yikes! I'll try to post tonight before we pack the computer. Otherwise: thanks for all your kind words and good wishes. We'll miss everyone. Wish us luck!

Bog fire

I don't know if this is making news outside of BC, but Burns Bog, the largest urban wetland of its kind, is on fire. We saw some smoke Sunday afternoon and now on Tuesday evening, my eyes are burning, the ash is falling, the air is hazy and the smell of smoke is thick. Every once in a while it brings up good feelings; it makes me remember campfires and quiet evenings in the woods. I used to like unpacking from a camping trip, opening a knapsack and getting a fresh olfactory reminder of the weekend. Even after a wash or two, there was always that one sweater or pair of socks that retained a little of that pungency.

Every once in a while, but that's it. The air here, 20 miles from the bog, is heavy and stinging. Brett has a bit of a cold and now I'm afraid to leave his window open. I worry that the clothes I packed this afternoon will still smell when we unpack in a week or so. Will it make me check for updates, going online to the Vancouver news outlets if I don't hear anything on the Alberta news? Will it make me more homesick for the coast? It's a dramatic way to leave, that's for sure.

The horror, the horror

We're reasonably tidy people. Or so I thought. Why then, when we move furniture or large appliances, do we find piles of dirt and grime that look like they could only have come from a slovenly hovel in a bygone era? Like one where they didn't have soap. Or water. Or hands.

It's not just the cleaning. Randy and I are both going through some amazingly stressful stuff. Work, money, new house, travelling with an almost-two-year-old. And the stress is beginning to wear on Brett too. He's very excited to have so many boxes with words on them, but as the boxes increase, the stuff to play with seems to disappear —— and I think he's noticed. I packed a musical thing we've had since he was very little. He still likes to lie under it and kick the pieces to make the music start (he knows that's what he used to do because we told him, but he does like the music).

We've told him we're moving, that we're putting his name on boxes so that when we get to our new house the movers will know they go in his new room. We've told him we're going to be living near Jennifer and her mommy and daddy. I know he doesn't get it, and I know it will be tough for him to adjust. If he could help somehow it might make it seem more real to him. But short of using him to clean the dust behind the stove, I think we're just going to have to get though it.

The best cake ever!

My work pals are awesome! This is the cake Tracey made to celebrate the move to Alberta. It says Alberta Bound in chocolate icing. And it was as good as it looks!

Thanks everyone!

Work pals

My awesome friends at work threw me a going away bash today. I'm very lucky to work with such wonderful people.

PNE (pic)

We couldn't leave Vancouver without taking Brett to the PNE. No rides, but the farm animals, after those little donuts, proved to be the biggest attraction.

I'm starting to have the feeling I often have at the end of a trip, only this isn't a trip — this is my life! I want to pack in as much as possible before it's too late. What if we never come back? If my friends and I have our way, there will be lots of visits. That's when I'll go to the PNE again and the West End, walk around the sea wall, do The Drive. I probably won't have time to go Burnaby Heritage Museum before we go (I've never been; I actually have no idea if it's any good but some part of me wants to see it), but maybe when we come back. I think I'll have time to fill up on sushi, and go over the Lion's Gate Bridge one more time. As for my friends: we don't have to be close to stay close. Email and this blog will help, but it's the visits I look forward to.