Miscellany

Things with the house are coming along. Our metal roof - yippee! - is on the back of the house. Check out that blog for some recent photos.

7YO is enjoying school. This is partly because it's the shortest "day" he's ever had and partly because he likes having school in English. He also likes his teacher. It was interesting that my name - the second mom listed - somehow disappeared off his enrollment paperwork and P's remained, but the secretary was very good about making a correction. Everyone I've met has been just terrific.

I went through a big pain in the a*** with Home Depot/my bank/Visa this morning. I can't bear to reprise it here. What it came down to is that Home Depot won't let me use a US Visa bank card in Canada. I ran into the same thing with Air Canada. Allegedly it's a security/fraud prevention issue, but I wonder...

There was some other good - no, great - news today. P is on break for US Thanksgiving from 26-30 November. It occurred to me, with Thanksgiving being so late this year, that there couldn't be much time between break and the end of classes. Indeed, as it turns out, her last day of class is Tuesday, 2 December. Now, this is heresy, me being a professor and all, but - with her only in-class final being on 17 December and all others being self-scheduled - I suggested that she might want to skip the last class, stay longer, study here, etc. So, she arrives on the evening of 26 November and will return on 10 December. She'll take exams and then return to NB on 22 December. Woo-hoo! So, she'll arrive on 16 October, six weeks from today, for a long weekend. On 20 October she'll return to St. Paul for two and a half weeks, come back on 26 November for two weeks, be gone for less than two weeks, and then back for good.

Onward and upward!

New Brunswick Health Care

I thought that on this, the day in which I am officially covered by NB Medicare, I'd write a more comprehensive post about my experiences with health care thus far. I've mentioned this stuff in passing elsewhere, but here's where things stand at the moment.

The day before I left for F'ton in May I had a cortisone injection in my left knee. My knees have been bad for a while, but the left - in particular - was really acting up. I think I did more damage when I laid vinyl in the basement last spring, but I'll never know. The day after I arrived in May is heard a loud "pop" when I turned in my seat. After seven hours at Chalmers' ER, I was told what I suspected, torn meniscus. If I'd had a brain I would have asked for an orthopedic referral then. But, since I was leaving a week later... While back in MN I chose not to follow up because I didn't think that anything they could/would do would have been done within the time I had left there. I was only going to be there for two weeks and then we were moving.

I arrived in F'ton on 16 June with my knees and one shoulder an absolute mess. By mid-July it was so bad that I went to the after hours clinic; the only option for those of us without a family physician. What an experience. When that window opened it was like fish to the food. For $50 - a bargain - I saw a very nice physician who said that I should continue to take ibuprofen, stay off of it as much as I could, and she would enter a referral to orthopedics. And, my shoulder, well, just give it some rest. Okay.

In early August I decided to call the doctor to whom she had written the referral, just to see how many weeks or months I would have to wait. When the woman on the other end of the phone said, "18-24 months," I just about fell over. I know that's what they say for knee replacements, but just to see the doctor? I was flabbergasted. She asked if I had a family physician and I said, "Of course not." She said something like, "Yeah." Then she advised that I go back to after hours and see if I could get a referral to physio. Now, I would have asked for that back in July, but I didn't think physio would do anything without diagnosis from the physician. I swear I contemplated having P take a baseball bat to my shin. I know I'd be seen then. Since I was just a few weeks away from not having to pay the $50 I decided to wait. I'd waited this long...

I was beyond furious with the doctor I had seen at after hours. Had she not known that she was telling me to take ibuprofen for two years and live with it? If she had told me right then what the situation was to even have it looked at by a specialist I might have flown to MN then, when my mother and P were still here. So, what to do? I called an orthopedist in Calais, Maine and one in Houlton, Maine. The latter, with whom I had to leave a message, never returned the call. I have an appointment on 15 December with the guy in Calais. Meanwhile, my one knee is swollen and "bulgy" at various points. I'm learning to live with the shoulder and my right knee is, well, not as bad as the left.

As for a family physician - we've met a nice couple who have a great relationship with their family physician. Having just taken a group of new patients from the waiting list, he said that if we hadn't found anyone by the next time they see us to let him know. So, I'm hopeful. It sucks that something like getting a family physician has to be accomplished by who one knows. But, I'll take it.

I think the "takeaway lesson" here is to not talk about "Canadian health care," but "[name your province] health care." Things in New Brunswick are absolutely terrible when it comes to more routine things. There simply aren't enough doctors to go around. I know someone dealing with a potential MS diagnosis who has had her MRI, her spinal, etc. and is really happy with her neurologist. For something of that seriousness, I think she's had great care. But, for the things like gnarly knees, that won't kill you - unless I really do fall down the stairs - forget it.

Let me add two things. One, I know I'm very privileged that going to Maine to get looked at is even an option. And, two, I'm still glad that I'm in a place where everyone has some level of access, even if it means I'm unable to deal with this situation in a timely fashion. I just wish some of the more routine things in daily life - use your imagination - weren't so painful while I wait.

Car Importation Question

A new permanent resident who has visited our blogs, but doesn't blog herself, has landed with her partner! Woo-hoo! They will be making the "real" move as soon as they sell their house in Massachusetts. Here's the question - they have a relatively new car that is financed. Thus, the bank holds the title. All the information regarding US/CA export/import, including conversation with the border folks, suggests that you must hold title to export/import the vehicle. Surely someone out there has come to Canada with a vehicle that you didn't yet own free and clear. Advice for these newcomers? Thanks!

Okay...

I have found another reason to keep McCain out of the White House. Not a reason to put Obama in it, mind you, but another reason to keep McCain out. Scary, just scary.

Coming Out

Yes, I'm coming out... as someone who, if she votes for Barack Obama will do so holding her nose. I have been having trouble with the idea for ages. Thus far, the Obama-lovefest isn't persuasive. It's very simple for me. And, no, it's not a matter of being a "one issue voter." It's not the "issue" of same-sex marriage; if there's an "issue," it's the "issue" of second class citizenship.

Like many of you, I've invested a lot of money and time in coming to Canada. And, while my motivation wasn't just family recognition, that was the catalyst and the primary motivator. Having left the country of my birth because I was a second class citizen, I am very uncomfortable with the idea of voting for someone who shares that view. And, I'm tired of voting for the lesser of the evils. Don't get me wrong. I loathe John McCain. Aside from his politics, the main insulted me to my face. But, you see, I'm just having trouble with the alternative...

"Although Barack Obama has said that he supports civil unions, he is against gay marriage. In an interview with the Chicago Daily Tribune, Obama said, "I'm a Christian. And so, although I try not to have my religious beliefs dominate or determine my political views on this issue, I do believe that tradition, and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman."

This is bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. Columbia? Harvard Law? C'mon, surely he understands the difference between civil law and religious tradition.

I understand all of the arguments for why it's important that Obama end up in the White House. I really do. I'm just, personally - in terms of integrity, self-esteem, whatever - having trouble helping to put him there.

The Mouths of Babes

A few moments ago, 7YO and I had the Democratic convention on the television. An obnoxious GOP commercial aired. He said, "That's Hillary Clinton" and asked something about it being "Obama against Clinton." He's never heard of McCain. I explained that the contest had been between them, but that now it was Obama v. McCain, a friend of Bush. He asked, "Why don't you like George Bush?" This, btw, is old news to him. When he was 3 he could chant, "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, George Bush has got to go." But, I responded by saying that I don't like Bush because he took the country to war by lying and people had died. Then - going out on a limb - I said that he also didn't believe that kids should be able to have two moms or two dads. He did his, "Grrrrr..." and said, "He has a peanut brain" and "his dad George Bush has half a peanut brain." Okay, so he got that backwards. Still, talk about on target! In the car he prefers news to music. As I write, he's falling asleep in the chair, half watching Maine public television coverage. But, don't ask him to read or write. Go figure.

More of the same...

Here are a couple of more examples of why I'm glad - even with all the challenges we've had - to be out...

Unmarried adoption ban cleared for ballot
Ark. proposal would keep gays from becoming foster or adoptive parents
The Associated Press
Aug. 25, 2008
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A proposal aimed at effectively banning gays and lesbians from becoming foster or adoptive parents was cleared Monday to appear on this fall's ballot in Arkansas.

The measure would prohibit unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children, and Arkansas doesn't allow gays to marry or recognize gay marriages conducted elsewhere.
Go here for the entire article.

and

Texas gov. OK with teachers packing heat
Texas school district allows teachers to carry guns for protection
The Associated Press
Aug. 25, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas - Along with normal first-day jitters and excitement, students in this tiny district started school Monday wondering which teachers might be toting firearms.

"It was kind of awkward knowing that some teachers were carrying guns," said Adam Lira, 17, a senior. "I don't feel like they should be, 'cause we already have locked doors and cameras. But I didn't feel threatened by it."

Several parents said they had no idea that employees of the K-12 school were allowed to carry concealed guns on campus until recent publicity about the school board's policy, approved quietly last fall. They said they were upset that the rural community near the Oklahoma border had not been able to give input.

While some parents said they felt their children were safer, others opposed the plan, which appears to be the first of its kind nationwide.
Go here for the entire article.

Where to Begin?

It's going to take me a while to catch up and I don't know that I have the presence of mind... I guess the biggest news is that because P's law school - a part of the university with which I am employed - is an evil, inhumane bureaucracy, P is leaving for St. Paul on Wednesday morning at 5:40 am. Longer story short(er).

She delayed filing her intent to take a leave, waiting to hear about the job here. She didn't get the job here. She contacted the law school to see about taking a fall leave. We figured it made more sense, absent the job, to stay here until we were actually settled, and go back in the spring if she wanted to finish this year. A man I'll call Rick - the "p" is silent and thanks to Kate Clinton for that one - serves as a dean of sorts. It was his call that if she took the fall leave she would lose her roughly $12,000 scholarship. So, we decided that there was no way she could stay here - if she ever planned to finish - and give up the scholarship. The good news is that we had originally talked about the possibility, so we weren't completely unprepared. We just didn't anticipate that it would be with 7YO and me still living in temporary quarters and me with one fully functional limb, and that one with wrist arthritis.

So, 7YO and I will be here in Fredericton. Next week he's in camp again all week so I will have some time to play catch-up with a lot of hanging details, like my expense report from the Boston trip. The week after that he starts school. My birthday is the end of that week. Happy frickin' birthday. There is the possibility that we will be able to move in to the house, sans siding, the third week of September. Not holding my breath. Speaking of the house, I'll try to post an update on that soon.

So, as you might imagine, we've got a lot going on. We did go away this weekend, a previously planned birthday celebration for P. We took our first trip to Grand Manan Island. After a Friday of prep, we drove down to Blacks Harbour first thing Saturday morning - in the heaviest fog I've seen in years. To do so, we had to take what is allegedly the NB highway most frequented by moose. Unfortunately we saw evidence of that claim. I was glad that 7YO was snoozing when we passed two different moose who had met their demise on the highway. Scary and sad.

We took the 9:30 ferry, but, due to the fog, we saw nothing past the railing for the entire 90 minute trip. We arrived at North Head, Grand Manan around 11 am. Everything was enveloped in fog. We had talked to a local on the ferry and he had, delightfully, clued us in to the local bakery. We stopped and picked up warm doughnuts and other treats. We made our way to Castalia Marsh Retreat thinking we wouldn't be able to check in because it was so early. But, our host said, "It's ready, make yourselves at home."

We stayed in the "Birch Yurt." This was a great "in between" because, right now, my knees and shoulder would just, I'm sure, completely quit if I said, "Let me get my ThermaRest!" So, a camping cabin was a great alternative. Here are a couple of photos.

The "Birch Yurt" at Castalia Marsh Retreat, Grand Manan Island.

The view out the window, toward the marsh.

A few other snapshots...

The walk out to the Swallowtail lighthouse.

The "Hole in the Wall" formation.

We had great seafood and saw some beautiful scenery. 7YO enjoyed his "beachcombing" and "rockhounding." The Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station museum was also a hit. This morning, Monday, we stopped at the bakery en route to the 9:30 ferry, picking up some more warm doughnuts and a couple of loaves of bread made with organic ingredients from a New Brunswick farm. Yea - 100 mile diet qualified!

This time we were on the smaller boat. There was hardly a cloud in the sky. It was sunny and warm. A striking difference from Saturday. And, on the way back, several times we spotted harbour porpoises surfacing as they swam. Very cool. They often spot whales, but we did not.

We stopped in Blacks Harbour to pick up some sardines and at The Birch Grove in St. George for lunch - one more scallop burger, one more lobster roll... Then, we stopped in St. Andrews for one last visit - for the summer - to Katy's Cove. P and 7YO went for a swim while the pup - yes, our 9+ year old lab x spaniel made the trip with us - and I hung out in the shade. As you see, we opted for a leisurely return to Fredericton. Good thing. I'll save the story of the "too short joists" for another post on another blog.

All in all, Grand Manan is a great getaway if you enjoy nature, the water, hiking, relaxing, and seafood. If you've ever been to places like St. Andrews, NB or Ogunquit, ME or just about any place on Cape Cod, think of Grand Manan as the anti-resort. You won't find any fast food, neon lights, or tacky shops. There appears to be one gas station, one grocery store, one great bakery, and a handful of restaurants that you might miss if you're not looking. There are all kinds of hiking trails and several campgrounds, cottages, etc. You can go whale watching or kayaking, but that's pretty much it for "touristy" things. All in all, we give it a thumbs up. You just have to know what you're looking for in a vacation. One storekeeper I spoke with relocated there from Toronto and loves it. But, when her sister came to visit she couldn't wait to leave.

Off to bed - more as I gather the energy!

Just Busy

Hello, hello! I've not posted in a while - just busy, tired, traveling, etc. Stream of consciousness here... My knees and shoulder are just sucking any energy I might have right out of me. I was en route/in Boston from 31 July - 6 August. It was a good, but tiring, trip. P found out, while we were away, that she came in second for the job. That was a huge drag, but we're trying to operate on the "it's because there's something better yet to come" approach. The week we were gone there was record rainfall here. That translates to being another week behind on the build. And, it's rained almost every day since we returned. The good news is that we met with the builder for two hours yesterday and hammered out a lot of the details. We're pretty much on budget so that's great to know. Now if we could just get the damn thing built. Prompted by L-girl, I'm meeting with members of the Fredericton Peace Coalition on the 19th to see what they're up to; and in particular to encourage action re the resisters. 7YO has been a terror. Too much Scooby-Doo and Pokemon and not enough running around. Next week he's in camp 8:30-4:30. That should help. Before leaving for Boston we had coffee with two couples - one gay, one lesbian - and had a fabulous time. We've discovered two little organic shops right downtown. Very nice, indeed. That's about it for a quick update. I'm off to ice my knee. Hopefully this week I'll have the energy to post something a bit more coherent. Take care!

More fun!

Aside from the fact that I may have a stroke over the build - go here for that info - things are going great! We've had another busy week with swimming lessons, tutoring, touring, etc. Yesterday my mother (77YO) and I went up to Houlton, Maine to visit a woman who was my father's nanny around 1938-1942. What a hoot!

Tonight P and I are going to dinner at the home of the folks who just moved here from Montreal, P and S. And, 77YO offered to stay home with 7YO so that we could have "grown-up" conversation. Tomorrow is the beginning of the Highland Games in Fredericton. We'll go to the Tattoo in the evening and the competitions, music, etc., over the weekend. On Sunday we're going for coffee with two gay/lesbian couples in the neighborhood.

I am not kidding when I say we've met more people here than in the last several years back in Saint Paul. Seems like most folks we associated with there were from work. I am loving this.

The other big news is the P had the big job interview on Tuesday. Though she won't know until next Friday whether or not she'll get an offer, the good news is that she felt it went well and there wasn't anything she could have done differently. Thus, if she doesn't get it, she can honestly say there wasn't anything more she could have done and chalk it up to other things. We're really hopeful, but trying not to hold our collective breath.

I guess that's it. My knees and shoulder are still just horrific. But, I'm hobbling through. We got the letter saying that we have NB Medicare as of 1 September and I'm waiting for the orthopedic referral. Unfortunately - but at least I knew it before getting here - we may never get a family doctor. That's a bit frightening when it comes to preventive care for 7YO, but folks obviously make do.

F'ton rocks!

We Love Fredericton!

What a great weekend! Saturday morning began with clouds and drizzle, but the Fredericton Newcomers Club BBQ went on as planned. Within an hour the skies cleared and we had a gorgeous afternoon at Mactaquac. 7YO spent some time casting at the lake, played with other kids, and was introducted to a game of modified cricket. A majority, though not all, of the "newcomers" are from the UK. We chatted with a woman, A, whose son will be six in September and exchanged numbers. And, we met a woman whose 15YO is interested in babysitting. Score!

This morning A called and 7YO and I went to their place for lunch, followed by an afternoon at the Kingswood Family Entertainment Center. The boys played in the "climber," used up their tokens in the arcade, and played a line of candlepin. 7YO had an absolutely fabulous weekend which, after spending the past six weeks with his moms and grandma was just terrific! We also lined up the aforementioned babysitter so that the three grown-ups can go out to dinner before 77YO heads back to Arizona.

I also heard from one of the guys I met at the conference in May. He and his partner just arrived from Montreal, closed on their house, and are getting settled. And, he's finding himself surprised at how much he's liking Fredericton. We hope to get together with them later this week. So, this has been a great weekend for getting settled and meeting folks.

I've been meaning to post about our great kennel search. A few weeks back we spent the afternoon visiting kennels. The first one, unfortunately the closest to our house, was kind of scary. Very, very, very noisy and not all the cages - and they were cages - were connected to runs. Ugh. Then we stopped at a place that, in addition to being a vet's office, had a sign, "Pet Boarding." The [very nice] woman at the desk said, "Oh, they don't do that any more." On to the third stop. We really liked the owner and the fact that she can take only four dogs at a time, but she - not surprisingly - had no space for the weekend we needed.

We had heard about two women who were opening a kennel, but didn't have their names, etc. So, I contacted our realtor and she tracked down their information. Long story short. Although it's 9-10 km farther and $5/day more than the likable place, above, it's just terrific - especially for our sensitive guy.

Check out Foster's Home for Dogs here and here. This was the proprietor's dream. She and her partner bought the property so that they could do just this. They remodeled the garage into 8 separate "hotel rooms." Each room has a toddler bed and sleeping rug. Sounds a little over the top, I'm sure. But, it's great! There's a window in the front wall of each room where C can check on the "guest" without opening the door and unnecessarily exciting him/her. I wasn't so sure about the walled room v. the open wire, but I think it works. They get so much time playing outside that I don't think they end up feeling isolated.

When we went for a pre-board visit, C spent some time getting to know our pup, Boz. She took him for a walk and spent some time getting a sense of his personality, etc. We dropped him off the next morning and he spent two days there. When we returned to pick him up they gave us a montage of photos from his stay. What a hoot!

So, that's it. Tomorrow is Monday. We'll see what happens with the build. They're calling for clouds and showers all week. Fingers crossed, as always.

Reminder

I just thought I'd post a reminder that I'm putting photos of the house build here. Hopefully there will be some exciting additions by late next week!

In other news, today we went to Woodstock, New Brunswick's "first town," and Hartland, home of the world's longest covered bridge. Although it was overcast with an occasional drizzle, we went to the farm market in Woodstock and had a nice "home style" lunch at Kalijas Family Restaurant. For me this meant a hot pork sandwich on homemade bread with gravy, french fries, and coleslaw. No skimping on the calories this time! We then had a pleasant drive back on 105, via Mactaquac, Keswick Ridge, and through Douglas, where we checked out the work on the house.

Catch-Up

I've been really negligent about posting. Living in temporary quarters, having my mother with us, having knees and a shoulder that have given up and gone home, and major frustration with the house are taking their toll. But, while sitting here waiting for the builder to call, I thought I'd try to post a little something.

We've taken care of all of the "getting settled as PR" things. E.g., NB Medicare application and the car. A word about each... The Medicare app wasn't bad, but after submitting it we received a letter asking for photocopy of our PR cards, front and back; photocopy of our driver's licences and car registration; proof that we're living here (e.g., rental receipts, utility bills, etc.); copies of our Customs form for bringing our goods into Canada; and something else I can't recall at the moment. We don't have anything like rental receipts so I sent a copy of the deed to our land! Hopefully that is evidence enough of our intent to stay!

As for the car - that would have gone really smoothly except that, when I found out that we wouldn't need our driving records to obtain licences here, I didn't request them before leaving. Then, I found out that, yes, while we wouldn't need them for licences, we would need them to obtain car insurance. And, you have to have Canadian car insurance before getting tags. The good news - miracles of miracles - is that I sent the requests via Purolator to Minnesota, with a note asking that if they could possibly fax them directly to the insurance agent... Lo' and behold she had them within the week. I was shocked! So, we now - after the modifications of the car seat tether and day time running lights, federal and provincial inspections, and a minor repair to one wheel - have New Brunswick plates.

We've taken a quick trip to Halifax to take my mother to the tattoo, visited Peggy's Cove, Hopewell Rocks, St. Andrews by the Sea, the Ganong Chocolate Museum, etc. 7YO has been swimming almost daily and started weekly swimming lessons. We've lined up a tutor for twice weekly sessions for what's left of the summer. We've selected appliances. We've not been letting the dust settle around us, that's for sure. Last night P and I got to go out for a "grown-ups only" dinner, but we were so tired we went early and were home before 7! Ah, we're such party animals!

In other news - a word about health care. As you might recall, back in May I spent one day at the ER here in Fredericton. Now, under my excellent health care coverage in Minnesota - and I mean that seriously as in 13 years I've been very happy with the care and coverage I've received - the ER bill would, based on experience, probably have been around $800. What one would actually pay would vary, depending upon coverage. I just received the bill for my May visit. $231. Yup. Just as I thought. A not wholly unreasonable charge for being seen in the ER.

A 20 minute appointment with a doctor at the MN clinic is $220. Again, what you actually pay varies. Under my former coverage it would be a $30 co-pay. Under my current high deductible HSA it is about $158. I say "current" because I've kept my insurance since I'm not yet covered here and my employer pays for it. Last week I went to the after hours clinic here in F'ton - what you do when you don't yet have a family doctor. I had to pay $50 because I'm not yet covered by NB Medicare. It cracked me up that in MN that would have been a $30 co-pay or $157. I was essentially paying for an orthopedic referral, but that's what I would have to do in MN, too. So, is NB subsidizing the costs, even for those who don't have coverage? Or, are costs in the US ridiculously jacked up? Get this - when I went in for a 20 minute appointment, during which the physician gave me a cortisone injection, the bill was $220 for the "20 minute appointment" and $204 for his giving me the injection (plus the cost of the medication itself). Call me crazy, but that's like a lawyer saying, "I charge $200 an hour to see you and $100 if I take notes while we go over your complaint." Lawyers may have their issues, but an hour is an hour. I couldn't believe that I paid for the visit and separately for what he did during the visit! I guess I shouldn't be surprised... But, geez!

So, speaking of health care. My knees, one in particular, are still trashed. Bad. Wrecked. I actually think that they may have been put over the edge when I laid vinyl flooring - getting the house ready to sell - without knee pads. I remember standing up and thinking, "Oy!" But, time will tell.

That's the latest. I've written all that and still not heard from the builder. Time to make a phone call. Hope all is well with you and yours! More as it happens!

Wing Nuts and Other Morons

You may have noticed the deleted comments on a couple of posts. I was going to delete and ignore them, but I'm pissed.

Someone - I believe the username was something like magnolia_2000 - posted, in "response" to my Canada Day post, "Corey Glass is a fraud." I think that's the post that also said something like, "Wait until wmtc sees this." Then, a separate comment said, "wmtc is a b**ch." Clearly this person has seen that wmtc and 2moms are linked, and, perhaps, my supportive comments to L-girl regarding her activism on this issue. But, unable to post obnoxious comments to wmtc, this person was, I'm guessing, looking for another avenue. I posted a response and then decided to just delete the comments and my response and ignore it. Ignore them and they go away, right?

Well, this morning, there's another comment: "i-girl said... I've been thinking and I don't want to link to your blog anymore. Please stop linking." Interestingly, when you click to view the profile it is - shocking, I know! - unavailable. And, at that point it reads, "l-girl." In addition, it was created in July - as in the past 5-6 days.

Clearly someone - no doubt the same person as behind magnolia - is trying to pass as our fellow traveler, "l-girl" of wmtc. I hate to sound like I'm in junior high, but, "What a dork!" As if I would think that l-girl was posting a comment telling me to stop linking to wmtc. Get a life. Choose your cliche, but leave me the f**k alone. This blog is a pedestrian little thing that serves as an account of our travels to Canada and, hopefully, some useful information - here and there - for others seeking to do the same.

No, this isn't eloquent. I'm annoyed. If you have so much frickin' time on your hands that you can spend your time creating usernames and intruding upon others' cyber-communities - without the cojones - or other euphemism of choice - to identify yourself, send me a note and I'll let you know about 1000 ways you can actually offer something positive to the world. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

Okay, back - perhaps - to our regularly scheduled programming. And, unfortunately, moderated comments.

Canada Day Redux

A few snapshots from Fredericton's Canada Day parade...

Pipes and drums - my favorite.

The Green Party, right behind the Fredericton Filipino Community.

Chinese community members and the dragon.

That's 7YO - yeah, the one leaning over - on the Round-Up.

We went over to the river around noon, hearing the 21-gun salute as we walked. 7YO went in one of those bouncy moon-walk things and then we ate - hot dogs, soda, samosa, garlic naan, and kettle corn. Then, 7YO discovered the Round-Up. Since we're living only about six blocks away, we came back for a break and went over to the pool to cool off. It's only about six blocks, if that, in the other direction. Just before 4:00 we went back to watch the parade. Then, another visit to the Round-Up. We wandered a bit and came home for dinner. Still don't know if we'll make it to the fireworks. Ah, the suspense!

Hope you had a great day!

Happy Canada Day!

About a year ago, I set the goal of celebrating Canada Day 2008 while living in Fredericton. And, here we are! Woo-hoo! I don't know that we'll make it until the fireworks - they aren't until around 10:40 tonight! - but we do plan on attending the parade. Fingers crossed that if it rains it's just a drizzle. It's a "green parade" in which the only gas powered vehicles that are permitted are hybrids. The theme for this year is "Fredericton - Green Matters - You Matter - Get Involved." What a perfect theme for our first year at Fredericton's Canada Day! The block party - claimed to be "Canada's largest block party" - includes games, rides, pony rides, parrots, laser tag, food, face painters, airbrush tattoos, etc. Hopefully 7YO will have fun and my knees will hold up! We have our Canada Day temporary tattoos and the flag on our car antenna. We're doing it up!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

California Wedding Bells

I don't know how long this link may be active, but I wanted to share this story of a colleague of mine, Kelly, and his partner, Tom, who were married in California recently. Nice story and some great snapshots. Go here! 

Hooray!

What a day! Eight years ago today we had our commitment ceremony in Minneapolis. Today we "celebrated" by going out to the lot in Douglas, NB and - finally - seeing this:


Yesterday it looked like this:


I can't tell you what a relief it was to see work begin!

We also met one of our immediate neighbors. He was very nice and, as always seems to be the case, didn't miss a beat when we introduced ourselves and our son. Cool. And, he and his wife have two girls, 2 and 6 years old. There are apparently a lot of kids on the street. Yea!

Then, after coming back downtown, we walked over to Service New Brunswick and got our drivers' licences. From there we strolled to the library and got our library cards. Then, we went and signed up for a cell phone family plan. Also, this morning I had called the guy who issues dog licences. He dropped by the house around 5 pm with his receipt book and jangle of tags. one more thing off the to-do list! Woo-hoo! I'd call this a successful day by any measure!

We also faxed the recall clearance letter and received a response in the same day. Now we can deal with the car inspection.

Onward and upward!

Getting Settled

Well, we arrived a week ago this afternoon. I thought I'd try to take a few minutes to post an update. We are slowly getting settled in our temporary quarters, no small feat. It's a very small "cottage" that you can actually see here. It just struck me that I'm sitting here, posting with a wireless connection, in a home built over 100 years before I was born. Wow.

After getting the truck unloaded and returned to Maine, we tried to take care of a few things like applying for Medicare, visiting the bank, etc. We've joined the Co-Op, made a few visits to Canadian Tire, etc. We're going to let 7YO collect the Canadian Tire money and return bottles for the deposits. We received an email from RIV saying that they cannot locate recall information or some such so I think we're going to have to fax them the recall clearance letter. Tomorrow we should get our drivers' licences as we're supposed to do so within 10 days. I definitely think that the car is going to prove the biggest hassle of all.

As for the build, they were supposed to start clearing the lot today. Alas, it's now going to be tomorrow. The good news is that we can stay in these quarters as long as needed. It's costing us a pretty penny, but at least we won't be out on the street. I will feel a lot better when I see some actual movements up on the hill.

P and 7YO went to a local lake beach for a swim this afternoon. Me? As I write this I, again, have ice on my knee. There is a pool just a couple of blocks away, but it won't open until later this month.

A little more about our location - we are two blocks from the Farmers' Market, I think that's my favorite thing in Fredericton! We were there Saturday morning and bought eggs, lettuce, cheese, Montreal bagels, kettle corn... Once we're really settled in we will buy most of our meat and fish there, too. We're about two blocks, in another direction, from the river and walking/biking trail. P has been taking our lab-spaniel mix for a nice walk over the St. John each morning. Here is someone's site with a few great photos. 77YO was able to walk to church on Sunday and the library on Monday. We are really in an absolutely perfect location for our first summer and with a visitor who will not be driving when she's here.

Well, dinner is almost ready so I'll sign off. I'm really glad we're here, but I'll feel a bit more settled, I think, when my knee is better and the house is really started!

MN to NB

I've been wanting to post an update, but have been absolutely swamped - literally and figuratively!

We started loading the truck on Wednesday evening, 6/11. Six friends helped and, except for their inclination to play "let's see how fast we can throw everything on the truck," it went fine. We couldn't have done it without them. But, we still spent twelve hours on Thursday, 6/12, packing the truck and cleaning the house. We ended up pulling out of Saint Paul at 5:30 pm.

We should have made it to Madison, WI, where we had a reservation, in about 4 hours. But, near Baraboo, WI we were in a single lane of traffic, literally stopped on I-90. It took us an hour to go four miles. Turned out that the right hand lane, farther up, was under water. It was bizarre to drive by with water on the middle lines in the interstate! So, we got to Exit 135 around 10:30 or so, in the rain, and stopped at the hotel. When we got up the next morning, I-90 was closed from Exit 135 north. So, if we had stopped a bit to the north, as we had once planned, we wouldn't have been able to continue south on the interstate. And, if we had left on Friday, same thing. But, we were headed south, so all was well. Well, so to speak. Rain, rain, and more rain. Here's a story about the closures.

On Friday morning, 6/13, we headed toward Chicago, but stopped in Elgin, IL to meet an old friend for breakfast. I was driving with 22' rental truck with my mother (77YO) while P drove our '98 Honda Civic with 7YO and our lab-spaniel mix. She was behind us a ways, but when she didn't show up I got concerned. Thank goodness for cell phones. She had missed the exit and was on her way to Schaumburg. They turned around and made it back to the restaurant where we had breakfast before continuing on our way. We arrived in Cleveland, OH around 9 pm where we were meeting another old friend and her fairly new husband for dinner. This would all have been uneventful... and faster - were it not for the torrential rains. Ugh! And I don't know who designed the highway in Cleveland, but... weird. There was a 90 degree turn with instructions for, I think, 35 mph in the middle of the interstate. But, we made it, had dinner, and traveled another 45 minutes to our hotel in Conneaut, OH, on the OH/PA border.

On Saturday, 6/14, we traveled through the Southern Tier of NY, visiting Wellsville. P has distant relatives there that she had never heard of, let alone met, so we planned a lunch visit. That was good because there were kids there and 7YO got to run around for a couple of hours. We then made a stop in Hornell, NY as I wanted to photograph the headstones of my great, great grandparents and great-grandparents. Alas, I couldn't locate them, there was no caretaker available, and I did my knees a grave injustice. The pun was not intended - I just noticed it on review. But, hey, I'm leaving it! On to Albany where we spent the night in the very worst Super 8 I've ever visited. Yuck! Oh, and in case you wondering, yes, it was still raining on and off.

On Sunday, 6/15, we took off for the greater Boston area, Newton to be specific. We were going to lunch with another old friend, her partner, and their 8 year old twins. Fortunately as I exited Route 9, with the intention of turning left on Chestnut Street I noticed the sign: 11' 8". Yikes! The truck requires 12'1" of clearance. Whew! After a minor detour we made it. 7YO was able to play with the boys and their Wii, their nerf dart gun, and otherwise have a blast. And, yes, our friend realized that 7YO had just played with his first, to our knowledge, "gun." Oh, well. From there we drove to Freeport, ME. After a short dinner and a quick visit to LL Bean - where 77YO bought more long sleeved shirts for the weather of an Atlantic Canada summer - we turned in, ready for the last day's drive. And, yes, there was still rain.

On Monday, 6/16, we slept in and took our time preparing for our departure. We stopped in Houlton, ME to fill up and then headed toward Customs. First, US Customs for the export of our vehicle. No problem. They had the materials we had sent via FedEx and the fact that P's last name on the title is not her current name wasn't an issue. Then, over the Canadian Customs. Again, no problem. The whole thing took about an hour, but some of that was the fact that there were four of us, a dog, and two vehicles. We were in!

We made a brief stop at the New Brunswick Visitor/Information Center, picked up some tourism literature for 77YO, got 7YO a Sprite, and headed toward Fredericton. And, yes, it was still raining. I thought we might make it the whole way, but having downed an entire Sprite, we had to make one more stop for 7YO.

We arrived in Fredericton around 5 pm. The fabulous fellow from whom we are renting for the summer had prepared a supper of ham, scalloped potatoes, and fiddleheads. After supper - it was overcast, but not raining! - we took my mother by our lot and showed her 7YO's school. Then, it was time for bed.

This morning we unloaded the truck into our storage space. Rather, our realtor, her husband, the fellow from whom we are renting, and his son unloaded the truck. We helped, but they were miracle workers. Compensated, but miracle workers nonetheless. We were drenched. Once we got everything into the space or in the car to bring back to the house, we picked up 7YO and 77YO and went to get lunch and run errands. And, yes, it was still raining.

I've been writing this with my legs up, both knees wrapped in ice. My shoulder is trashed. But, we're almost done. Tomorrow we have to return the truck to Maine. 7YO and 77YO are going to hang out here so that will be nice. P and I might even be able to have a quiet lunch in Bangor before heading back. After that it will be a matter of dealing with the car, the builder, etc. and hoping for a sunny day! I really can't believe we're finally here.

Oh, and P has an interview in July. She's one of two people they're bringing in to interview for a position that is basically her dream job. She's going to be beyond bummed if she doesn't get it, but we just keep saying that if that's the case it's meant to be.

Sorry for not being able to post from the road - they would have been more interesting - but the rain really slowed us down and days became much longer than they should have been. But, we're here!