Last Things

We have 9 days left in Canada and have been compiling a list of our favorite memories, things, places and experiences.  Some have been written about here, some have been too mundane to share.

• Our trip to Quebec City-Saguenay-Ottawa was our favorite
• Tim Horton's
• Donnybrook Park
• Snow Valley for skiing every Saturday
• our first trip to Blue Mountain
• when our neighbors introduced themselves during the first snowfall by shoveling the driveway
• dinners with girlfriends when dads were away
• Lahore Tikka House
• Ladies' Ski Day
• Ontario Science Centre
• Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
• Canada Day, Easter Egg Hunt in the park
• Loyalist Road

There are probably tons more, but I am about to cry now so I will stop there. I was talking to another parent at Sam's school, one who has lived around the world as well. I told her about how I stood in Dollarama, crying in front of the Canada Day display, and she looked at me puzzled, and asked if I really liked it here that much. I explained that we lived on an amazing street, and we were lucky to have neighbors who were more than neighbors.  One of our neighbors put on a fireworks display for Victoria Day, bought glow necklaces for all of the kids, and another hosted us before and after. Another friend hosts regular Friday night happy hours on her front steps.  The kids play with chalk, bikes, and run around drinking juice and eating pizza.  I understand that we may not find this kind of community again, but I don't regret having moved here to have had the experience of this community.

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In other news, you know the saying that a house does not become a home until you have a birth and a death? Unfortunately, we came a step closer to becoming a home in Canada this week.  Our next door neighbor, Anna, passed away on Friday. She was a fierce woman. She was almost 87 years old, a Catholic Holocaust survivor who was transported out of Poland into Siberia, and then to Jerusalem, and then to Canada.  She made awesome pierogies and traditional eastern European food for many in the neighborhood. She was not shy about her opinions and she was always ready for a chat on her porch.

Our neighborhood will be less without her.

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Our packers arrive on Monday.  We only have a few more days of normality and while I am glad that this waiting period is coming to a close and we are getting on with it already, I am so sad to be leaving this new land that we have grown to love.  In just a short 18 months, we have set down deeper roots than I expected and it is difficult to pull them up again.  

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Looking forward, our pictures of our London house in Chiswick are up on Flickr, as are pics of the Ellie and Sam's school.  Enjoy.