Exhaustion

I am tired. Very tired. 

In five months I got married - as did my brother Michael and daughter Andrea - three weddings, two of which I was intimately involved in the planning.

I accepted a position in not just another town but another province, albeit the one next to Alberta, but in a huge country like Canada it might as well be another country. And, as you know if you have been reading my blog I sold my home of 27 years and in the process my daughter Stefanie moved out and got her own place. This was a huge change for her and I felt it.  I rented a condo in Victoria that I will move into at the end of August but for now I am staying at a friend’s condo as they are away, my third new ‘home’ in two months. I am living out of a suitcase, well actually several suitcases, and feel like a vagabond.  And my husband is still in Edmonton!

After two years of pretty much being on my own schedule I am at a job by 8 am every morning and there until the work is done for the day, meeting new challenges and new people several times a day. 

In the process I am discovering a new city, the streets, the shopping, the amenities. Today I found a walking path around the circumference of a public golf course. As the saying goes, I killed 2 birds with one stone.

There are moments when I ask myself why? Why am I living in a strange place? Change is difficult, it takes an enormous amount of energy.  I don’t always feel well, maybe the lower elevation or just adapting to the new environment. Despite my positive outlook people are not always welcoming. Work has its problems.  The sun does not always shine.

But I’ve made it this far.  I drove back to Victoria from Edmonton and was welcomed by my Aunt Jude and Uncle Jack along the way, they live in Chilliwack. 

 

Me, Aunt Jude and Uncle Jack enjoying a salmon dinner

Then my cousin Angela and her family who live in Langford, a suburb of Victoria, had me over for dinner on Wednesday with my visiting sister and her two boys. 

 

From left Luc, Nic, Chris, Graham, Jennifer, Angela, me and Matt enjoying another salmon dinner

My Mum is coming over tonight.   

 

My Mum

After 30 years of not having family, other than my children nearby, I now have family very close. 

Life right now has its ups and downs. But despite the stress of everything new, so far I am moving forward, day by day... and hopefully yawning less. 

An amazing day

If you’ve been following my blog you know that my daughter Andrea got engaged at Uluru in Australia last year while she and her now husband Jason, and my now husband Keith, were visiting me.  

Getting dressed

Andrea and Jason decided to get married in 2013. They chose a venue that autumn which instigated 9 months of wedding planning. All the work and arrangements culminated August 3 with a beautiful day for everyone involved. In a summer of weird weather even Mother Nature obliged.  

Andrea and Jason wanted a personalized marriage ceremony with someone they knew guiding the ritual so my Mother, a retired Anglican priest, presided.   My daughter Stefanie was the Maid of Honour and their attendants were close friends who they had known since childhood.

My Mum before the ceremony

The ceremony and reception all happened at Murrieta’s, a classy restaurant on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton near where they met at high school. It was a small and intimate affair attended mostly by family and close friends. 

Gorgeous bride and attendants

Getting ready to remove the garter

Cutting the cake

Me and my siblings

By all accounts it was a success. Everyone complimented us on the occasion. The party went on until the wee hours of the morning. When the restaurant closed at 2:30 am the bride, groom, Maid of Honour, her boyfriend, and my husband and I walked a couple of blocks to our hotel, past wolf whistles and cheers from the kids spilling out of the bars.

On the dance floor

My expectations were exceeded.  Everything fell into place and everyone seemed to have a good time.

It was a good finale to a long but magical day!

Sadness and Memories

One of the sad parts of leaving my house was the feeling that I was leaving all the good memories behind.  I would be losing all the girl's experiences during their childhood years, both accomplishments and the trials and tribulations of being a child. 

  

As I sorted through stuff I would find a treasure, whether purchased or created, and remember its significance in their lives and mine. I kept as much as I could. I would move things around, intent on pitching them, but instead they would find their way back in the house. 

Finally, I took the time to sit with all the girl’s art and creations,  recall their meaning to me,  then what I couldn’t keep I photographed.

Even the height charts on the wall!