The morning after arriving home from Mexico, I unpacked my suitcase , putting all my summer clothes in the laundry and setting aside everything else that would go with me on the next stage of my nomadic journey. When the clothes were dry, I rolled them up and replaced them in the suitcase – no point in hanging them up when my moving date was only seven weeks away. .
Now that my cell phone had the correct sim card, I called the two gals that had expressed interest in my larger items to arrange appointments for them to come to view the pieces.
It was necessary for tax and Ontario health insurance reasons that I maintain a permanent residence in Ontario. My daughter Denyse (Dee) lives in Orleans, on the east side of Ottawa, so using her address (with her approval) made sense even tho’ I was going to be living in the core of Ottawa. I called, or went on line, advising every company and service, including government agencies, of my change of address. Tax time was upon us, so I gathered all necessary documentation and sent it off to my accountant to file my 2022 taxes.
All those things were out of the way, I concentrated on sorting through everything I owned, including my wardrobe, to determine what I would try to sell, what would be gifted and what would simply have to be dumped. How could I possibly have so much after downsizing for the second time only 18 months previously?
The next three weeks was almost a blur. Photographs had to be taken and descriptions written for Marketplace. Phone calls, e-mails, real and potential purchasers coming and going. My apartment seemed like it had a revolving door, as my apartment began to empty out.
Rhonda loved my living room – it was perfect for her small house! She said she would pick everything up in a couple of weeks and would also deliver items I chose to give to charities so I didn’t have to. How nice was that?
Maggie said I wasn’t asking enough for the antique dining room furniture, so she paid 50% more for it than asking price – who does that?? She also decided on a number of other items including all my excess painting supplies and art books that I had no idea what to do with.
May 20th was my targeted moving date but it was up in the air how I was going to actually get to Ottawa because I didn’t drive that kind of distance any more, nor would I drive in busy urban areas. What to do?
Then fate smiled on me once again!
Ryan, my grandson, called to tell me he was being sent to the Mediterranean by the military for a month so wouldn’t be able to pick up my car he was buying until sometime in June. However, his mom, (my daughter Dee) was going to North Bay to babysit his two-year old daughter for the weekend of April 29th. He suggested I pack up my belongings and drive to North Bay, (an almost truck-free 3 hour drive on a Sunday). We could switch my belongings to Dee’s car and she would drive me to Ottawa where I would stay with her for a week until the Airbnb condo was available May 6.
This would solve two problems – how to get to Ottawa and how Ryan could get the car. BUT it was only a week away and almost 3 weeks sooner than I had targeted to move and there was still a lot to do! I didn’t know how I was going to do it but I said I would try!
Fortunately, Donna, my Markham daughter, and her husband, D’Arcy, had just arrived back from their winter home in Florida. They responded to my cry for help, as did my ex-daughter–in-law, Kim, who remains a member of the family. The three of them arrived on Friday, did an amazing job of packing up everything they were going to take, then packing my stuff into my car. Anything left, Di and Colin were going to pick up after they returned from vacation late Friday night.
All that remained was my bed. I arranged with the apartment manager to allow the woman who bought it to pick it up the following week when she returned from out of town.
On Saturday I had a goodbye dinner with my seniors’ apartments friends. Sunday morning Di and Colin met me at a café in Stayner for a quick breakfast at 8 a.m. as I had to leave early to try to outdrive the heavy rains forecasted.
As I drove away from the café, after huge hugs and best wishes from my kids, it hit me! This is real! it’s actually happening! It’s too late now to change my mind! I have left my old life behind me! I am truly now a nomad!
I look forward with excitement to whatever lays in store for me in my new life’s adventure! Look out world, here I come!