Intangibles

It's a warm and overcast Monday morning here in the GTA, after our first really warm weekend this summer. We finally cracked and turned the A/C on and have finally given up on sleeping with the windows open. I will say that the mugginess and heat will be things I certainly will not miss when we move.

We had a busy weekend, selling one of our couches (of all the things I have for sale, we've sold 2 couches - they seem to be hot commodities!) to a nice woman and her cute baby. The couch didn't go quietly though, and managed to damage our lovely wooden banister, a few walls and a toe before driving off. Good riddance, Couch of Mass Destruction - you may have lured us in with comfort, but you are a dream-killer!

Speaking of selling things, I also handed over my car to her new owner, and I'm happy to see that she's gone to a good home. The girl who bought my car was super nice and gave us a thank you card with a gift in it as well - what an unexpected but sweet surprise! Although I was sad to see my car go, it was one of the biggest items that we needed to sell before we left and I was happy that I was able to sell her quickly and for a price that I was happy with. Unfortunately, it means that poor Jeff has to drive me around in his car everywhere, but really - who doesn't want to spend more time with their wife, right? If it's any consolation to him, dropping me off at work 2 hours early is no walk in the park for me either! ;)


Aside from that, our weekend was spent doing the things we enjoy most. The night before we sold my car, we went for a cozy dinner and then for a long drive through the escarpment. Winding through the tree-lined roads with the windows down and the warm breeze, we just enjoyed the moment. That's one thing that I'll miss - just being able to get in the car and drive around where we just enjoy life.

We also spent an evening with good friends having a bbq and watching Game 5 of the Devils/Kings game - yes, we almost all died when a monstrous spider attacked, but we lived to tell the tale today! Hanging out, having fun, doing nothing but enjoying each other's company...I'll miss that too. 

Sunday was a quick visit with my parents, who often pop by because we only live 10 minute apart, and then an evening with Jeff's family to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday (Happy Birthday+1, Adam!) Again, just the ability to spend time with our families and those we love most - that's what we'll miss most.

We may not see, or even talk to everyone every day, but knowing that they're close and we *could* makes us feel safe and secure. The hardest thing about moving isn't that there's no mall in Baker Lake, or that our internet is going to be slower, or there aren't any restaurants to visit - it's the things that you can't put a price on. It's the smell of the night air in the summer when someone's bbq'ing and the breeze blows just-right, and you smell trees and charcoal. It's the ability to get in the car and drive through bendy roads with your hand out the window so you feel the night air. It's knowing that our loved ones are a short drive away, and we could pop in at any time and be welcomed with the warmest hugs. Sure, we'll miss going out to restaurants or walking through a mall (maybe I'll miss that more than Jeff), but the biggest roadblock in terms of deciding to move or not were these intangible that mean so much.

It's funny, but I haven't even left yet and I already feel homesick. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the one thing that makes it seem bearable/less lonely is that we're doing this together. I know for certain that I'm too needy to be able to make this move if I was doing it alone. I know that we will have the internet and phone and even mail (do people write letters anymore? I should stock up on stationary...) but weekends like these make it hard to make the comparison. How do you feel a comforting hug over the phone, or smell your mom's perfume on Skype? It's just not the same.

-L