Yes sirree. Where to start. We moved back to Canada 13 months ago and spent a month living with my sister Linda in Ajax before gettin gour own apartment in Whitby (a suburb of Toronto next to Ajax).
In January, we took a trip down to Cornwall and, as it turned out, we bought a house...to close in April. We had to fly back to Thailand in February (which was a nice break) to close the sale of our house in Thailand.
A bit of a mix-up at the airport because originally Nong was going alone but then her sister suggested that I should come as well in case I had to sign off on anything in Thailand. (Knowing the Thai government, they like everything dotted, crossed and double dotted). We had to cancel Nong's flights and get new ones for both of us.
Then, outbound, we got to the airport only to realize that I had forgotten to change the departure time for the new flight which, it turned out, was three hours earlier than the original one...and which meant our flight had departed five minutes before we got to the airport. We had to scurry around...find the check-in/ticketing counter and have them check on possible alternative routes. We ended up going Bangkok-Tokyo-Newark-Toronto...and spending an additional $700 in cancellation penalties.
At the end of March we hired a U-Haul (that's another story!) and with help from Linda's son Matt and his wife Rebecca,we loaded up for our four-hour trek down Highway 401 to Cornwall where my youngest sister Wendy's son Tommy and his sister's husband Devin, helped us unload and sort furniture and boxes into various rooms in the house.
Nong started back at Tim Hortons on April 1 and I started back into writing, painting and cooking.
Through the summer, I participated in two art shows; was also interviewed by a local paper though I never did see anything come of it and spent several weeks in a Saturday Market in a nearby town which necessitated baking up a storm and preparing Thai food (with Nong's assistance, of course).
The Mill, where the market is held, is reputed to be haunted by a young boy so, naturally, I couldn't resist writing a possible scenario as to what happened to cause this haunting. It is published in my book on children's stories. Segue!
I've had five of my books published on Smashwords. These are all e-reader editions available on Kindle, Kobo, Sony reader et al and in most e-formats.
I'm working with two former colleagues to put together a book on Montessori Teaching. I was hoping to have it ready this fall but a few things have got in the way. Probably be spring now.
In between these activities we've been renovating our townhouse...new windows...new roof...new electrics throughout...painted the entire inside of the house...cement work outside to repair a retaining wall crack...new front pad by the door...new front door...new front hall floor...and by now we are somewhat exhausted and totally out of reno money!
It's been a busy year. Lately, we've been shovelling snow which at the end of the driveway is already piled five feet high on either side and we're only in the first week of winter! Luckily, I have a small snowblower which has saved much wear and tear on the old bod, if you know what I mean.
Ready for another coffee? I am! Then I think I'll go lie down!
See ya, eh!
Bob
PS: We're off to Linda's in Ajax this morning. The ice storm has passed and we're not expecting any snow of consequence for a few days so wish us well on our trip up and then back down the 401, eh!
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