Sleep and the Band Aid

Oh, I wish I could sleep a little more. Should try to go back to bed right now, but I know my head will just keep swimming in a sea of plans, responsibilities, what ifs . . .

Hello all. Been a while, once again. I know. So let's catch up.

First off, we're being transferred out of Thompson, Manitoba. We're moving 8 hours south to Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. This morning in Thompson it is -1C. In Portage, it's +3. So much warmer down south.

Sold the house in Thompson, officially, last night. But here's the catch. Possession date is November 1. So that means today I must book flights for the House Hunting Trip (HHT according to the RCMP IRP). Must catch said flight Sunday morning and begin house hunting Monday.

If all goes well, we will have purchased a new home by Friday, fly home Saturday and then there are four days until the movers arrive to pack everything up.

In the meantime, we must satisfy all paperwork requirements of the RCMP IRP (Integrated Relocation Program), contact service providers such as gas, electricity, satellite, telephone, internet, mail and everyone who mails things to us. Where's that list??

Must close down life in Thompson, begin new life in Portage. It's daunting, I admit, at the best of times. But to pull it all off in a couple of weeks . . .

It's like a giant band-aid and we're gonna thoroughly test the "rip it off quick" theory. More intense pain, but for a shorter period of time.

Must pull Sonwun from Kindergarten, register him in Kindergarten.

Must empty all gas from gas-powered tools (snowblower, rototiller, lawn mower) for the move.

Must pack for HHT.

Must pack for move. Must make 8-hour drive with two kids, cat and dog.

Must say good-bye to best neighbours we've ever had.

Must meet with mover.

Must find home for dog and cat while on HHT.

Must not go insane.

Sleep would help. Need sleep. Should go back to bed right n . . . .

Transfer Time

Well word has come down from on high. We will be moving.

It's part of the joy that comes with being an RCMP family. You can expect to make more than the average number of address changes in your lifetime. It's part of the adventure you signed up for. But they say one of the bigger stresses in life is moving and having moved more than once already, I agree. Throw two kids under 4 into the mix . . .

So the word from on high is that we will be moving to the rollicking town of Thompson, Manitoba. For those of you unfamiliar, it's about 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It's the "Hub of the North," it's isolated and it's cold. Yeehaw! But they say the fishing's great - during the month or two that the lakes aren't frozen.

Today, I am feeling stressed. This house must sell for a reasonable price, I must find a new house in Thompson and we must move there. I have already checked out the housing prices and they are surprisingly high up there. One thousand square feet goes for between $200,000 and $300,000. Say it with me . . . Yeehaw!

So, gentle readers, that is what this blog will be about for the next little while. The trials and tribulations associated with moving to Canada's Siberia.

Today, the real estate lady came by to look over the house we now occupy. She believes we will maximize our profit by severing the house from the 120 acres property and selling each separately. Good news, I guess, but the severance process takes about 4 months. We will likely be moving in about 3 and a half months. A little something extra to clog the cogs of a smooth move.

The reason for the move, by the way, is that the wife has been accepted for training in the forensic identification program. That is the good news. That's the reason she joined, the reason she went to university. I am glad for her. But the wrinkle in this one is that while she is away in Ottawa training (7 weeks) I will have to sell this house and travel to Thompson, Sonwun and Sontoo strapped in the minivan, and buy another house. All together . . . Yeehaw!

Anyway, stay tuned. Things are going to get a lot more interesting in the months to come. I mean, where else can you (and why would you) read about someone moving to Thompson, Manitoba. Living the dream . . . living the dream.