Covid - Part 3

 So, I bought a house in Blind Bay.. that is just outside of Salmon Arm. 

Karen and her friend Nancy took me around when I spotted it.  It called to me!  There was no sign up or anything, but there was a woman getting in, or out of her car so we pulled over to say hello.  And ask if she would consider selling the place.  The asking price was way over what I was planning to spend, I would have to get a mortgage and without a job, I thought that may be an issue.  But I wanted that house. 

The bank said okay. 

I was in!  And what a relief to be out of the apartment!  Never again!  

It was November 2020 when I moved in.  Just in time for winter! 

There were two gas fireplaces that kept the house warm.  There was the view of the lake.  There was winterizing to do.  There was a view of the lake.  There was soon snow to remove.  There was the view of the lake.  Man, if it wasn't for the view of lake.  

I shovelled the decks.. there were two of them.  I shovelled the driveways.. there were two of them.  I shopped and shopped for thing I needed as the house was only partially furnished.  Karen stayed the first night, on the couch.  I thought she would visit more.  For the most part, I was alone.  But Rea was just a half hour away and Gabe and Val came for Christmas.  Monte visited.  I went to the Kootenays a few time.  There was more snow.  

Once things settled down a bit, I realized how isolated I was.. probably more covid than anything else.. but the government encouraged us NOT to move around.. and moving around was.. is.. my MO!  

Come spring, I discovered new things growing in the flower beds at the front at the house each day.  It was such a wonder and I loved it.  But I also had to spring clean up to do.. I had wondered why there were so many small stones piled up beside the driveway but spending a winter there answered that question - It was from the trucks in the winter making the road passable.  There was a smell in the basement, I thought it was gas and the gas fireplace down there cleaned, but nothing changed so I put in new flooring: well, Rea's son and grand son put in new flooring.  I googled the plants in the garden that I recognized and the others, I just cleaned up and hoped for the best.  The BC Fire Department offered $500 for cleaning up your yard.. so I did that: trimmed trees, cleaned out brush.  I must have taken 30 loads of crap to the dump- cleaned the moss off the roof... got the automatic watering system working.. fixed the leak in the bathroom.. got a new hot water tank.. built a fire pit.. Yup.. was a busy spring! 

And then summer came and the garden kept growing.. it turned into a monster of tangled vines and things started to go brown no matter how much water I poured on them. Then BC seemed to go on fire- lightening strikes, trains, machinery.. camp fires were banned.  Houses went up in flames .. it was crazy.  And I was getting stressed.  

Too much work.  While I loved it all at first, it was a lot to do on my own.  

Then, Rea moved to Edmonton!?  

Covid had made it almost impossible to make new friends.  I was basically alone in the bush with my amazing wooden house, with all the windows and its glorious view of the lake.  I had a pretty good summer with grand kids, but decided they could visit me in Mexico.. in my brick house, and put this new place on the market.  

It sold in three days.. well above the asking price.  

Brad and Kymme bought my electric bike and my van.. and I high tailed it back to Mexico. I was back in a house on flat land with a view of the pool, and walking distance to, everything.  I know there will be other issues but at least I don't have to worry about forest fires.. and I have a gardener and a garden of no size at all.. a pool guy.. a cleaner.. NO snow to shovel!  Friendly neighbours to help me open a bottle or whatever I need.  What was I thinking?!  Life is soooo much easier here.  

Kurt Vonnegut says.. "We're here on Earth to fart around".. and that is exactly what I have time to do down here!  Goodness.. Canada is just too hard and too frigging expensive!