Moving Day!

I know it hasn’t been long since the month of hiatuses (and believe me, I feel really bad about the sheer number of them), but it’s time again for me to poof. We’re finally moving in to our new house. After more than a year, we get to have all our stuff back. Moving house is always a daunting task and, of course, there’s always the hassle of arranging for the new internet hook-up. But we are looking forward to being in our own place again.

Being back in Canada has taken some getting used to. While it’s been easier to come home than it was to leave, lots of unexpected small things crop up after the transition.

Things from England I miss:
-The history; cities and towns in England often have a character missing from cities in North America, because they’re much older. Strolling down the streets in England, history is all around you. There’s always an old building that’s been updated alongside an ultra-modern storefront. Then there are the castle remnants, old churches and medieval halls that have survived to present day. We never stopped being enamoured by that atmosphere and we definitely miss it.

-The trains; we loved being able to take a spontaneous trip anywhere else in the country to take in the sites or visit friends. England is so connected by the network of trains, it was easy to get around and relatively inexpensive. Living in a country like Canada, that accessibility is gone. You pretty much have to fly if you want to get to one of the country’s other major urban centers (unless you’ve got plenty of time to drive). Trips require a great deal more planning and are certainly more expensive.

-And (of course!) the people; we met so many fabulous and amazing people in England, it was hard to say goodbye. Thank goodness for the Internet allowing us to keep in touch! If any of our England friends are reading this, know that you are missed and we hope to have all of you visit when we get settled into our new home!

Things I Enjoyed upon Returning to Canada:
-Poutine! – There were a couple foods we missed while we were in England because we couldn’t get them over there. Poutine had to be prime among them, with perogies a close second. Luckily we had both our first week back in the country and they were greatly enjoyed.

-Tim Hortons! – I’m Canadian… need I say more?

-Having our own car – It was easy to get around with the trains in England, but nothing beats a car when it comes time to grocery shop. Plus it’s nice to be able to go somewhere when you want to, instead of having to schedule around the train departures.

Hardest Adjustments:
-Remembering to turn on the extractor fan when I shower. After a year of living without, it’s surprisingly difficult to get the hang of this. I can’t count the number of times now I’ve been in the shower and realized I forgot to flip the switch.

-Everything looks insanely expensive because we’re used to seeing the price in pounds. I constantly have to remind myself that the conversion right now is almost 2 Canadian Dollars to a single British Pound. Meaning that things aren’t actually as expensive as they look, I’m just used to seeing a much smaller number.

-The time – it was hard adjusting to a five hour jump forward, but an eight hour jump backwards was positively mind-blowing. I hit a certain point on that first day where my brain got very confused that the sun was still out, almost as if I feared night would never fall again. For a long time we went to bed early in the evening and woke around 2AM unable to sleep. But time always continues its march, and we’ve gotten back to a regular day.

Things I’m Most Looking Forward to Having Again:
-Our Bed! After sleeping so long on something that barely counts as a mattress, we’re greatly looking forward to OUR memory foam mattress! It’s going to be glorious!

-My Desk! With my two monitors and my printer and my shelves! Not that I haven’t learned to write anywhere, but there’s something about your own beloved desk that makes you feel at home.

-My Books! As a habitual book collector, it was agony to pack away all my books and lose access to them. I brought enough to keep me occupied for a year, but I miss being able to browse the shelves and revisit old favourites whenever I want to. It’s going to feel fantastic to unpack all those boxes.

It’s my sincere hope this will be the last non-holiday hiatus for a long while. Since our stuff has been in storage for a year, I’m going to need lots of clean and unpack time, so I’ll be AFK another two weeks. I’ll catch you on the flip side ;)