Home Sweet Home

Thirty eight years ago, Roger and I moved into our first apartment.  It was a fourth floor walk up near Chinook Centre, no dishwasher and the laundry was in the basement.  We thought it was fabulous -- and it was.

Our first apartment - 1978

We moved to this house in 1979 and we still have good friends, Jodi and Paul Ikert,
who were our neighbours there and who now live in Parksville.

Over the years we moved to our first house in Midnapore, then to Sundance, and then a small condo in Okotoks.  I loved them all because it was home.  Our global trekking years saw us make homes in a tent in the Kalahari, fabulous condos in Medellin and Adelaide, and not as fancy places in other countries.  But they were home - albeit temporary.

We then put down roots down on Vancouver Island in a cute little cottage in Parksville.  I loved it and thought Roger did too until he started talking about how he missed not having a garage.  So at the end of March he sent me a listing for a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom house which I grudgingly agreed to see.  I always said I wouldn't move unless I could see the ocean.  As soon as I walked around to the back of the house and saw the view of the ocean - I was hooked.

So in lightning Kinley speed, in 34 days I/we:

• bought the house
• got our Parksville home ready for selling
• went to Hawaii for 10 days with the family
• sold the Parksville house within 4 days of listing (along with the furniture)
• bought all new furniture, linens, patio set, BBQ, etc
• packed all our personal things from the Parksville home and arranged movers
• did all the changing services from one home to the other
• moved into our new home

Phew!  No wonder I'm tired and have been popping Robaxacet every night.  Oh yeah - and I was working full time at the university until the day before possession.

Thank goodness for good friends, Jodi and Paul Ikert and Victoria Wilson who helped hang pictures and masks and my handyman that did some of the harder tasks. Our realtor, Andrew Simons was fantastic and went above and beyond when I moved in and discovered I didn't have hot water.  He tried over the weekend to get it working, but in the end he arranged for a new hot water tank to be installed.  Four days without hot water wasn't fun, but that first jacuzzi sure felt good!

After our trip to Hawaii, Roger fortunately got to see the new place for an hour and spent an hour at a furniture store with me before flying back to Costa Rica. I've been sending him pictures of how the house has come together and he's pretty happy with the outcome.  He's anxious to get back to spend a few days in it before we rent it out on Airbnb for July and August.  He got his garage but I'm pretty sure it won't be for cars -- no doubt he will make it into a man cave.

So without further adieu -- welcome to our new home!  It is in a gated community called Qualicum Landing just 10 minutes north of Qualicum Beach.  It's right on the ocean and I've already been warmly welcomed by several of the neighbours.

Jodi and Paul helped hang the the masks we've collected around the world.  Makes me feel at home.

Master bedroom with a jacuzzi that Roger has always wanted. 

Guest room

Patio with a view of the ocean

View from the patio of the community clubhouse and swimming pool.

A sandy play area with picnic tables and a community fire pit overlooking the ocean.
Firewood split and stacked and ready to be use!

Fabulous beach combing area.  Today I went down to the beach and there were several seals swimming just off shore.
Heady stuff for a prairie girl.

This home feels like it could be our "forever" home. We can grow old in it because it's a rancher so no stairs to worry about -- Roger has his garage, and I have my ocean view.  I feel like we're standing in tall cotton right now.  The only thing that could make it better would be to have Roger here with me but he should be home by mid-June.

May is shaping up to be an exciting month as well.  On Saturday I'm heading to Seattle to look after Magnus for a week while Brad and Anette go to St. Lucia to celebrate their 10th anniversary along with their good friends, Amy and Sean Cowan.  Anette's parents will tag team me after a week when I'll go home for a few days then fly to Costa Rica to see Roger.  I haven't been there before so can chalk up another country to my list.  

I love travelling, but I'm going to be excited to return home and look out to the ocean.  And maybe see a seal or two.

"Home is where your story begins".

                                             Unknown