Our First Weekend

Friday, March 30th,

 We were a little concerned about leaving Gibby unattended at the Walmart all night (maybe the towing signs contributed to that?) so we got up early to go back and check on him.  Breathed a sigh of relief as we spotted him in the parking lot!  We drove to Timmies (Tim Horton's) for breakfast and then headed to the Bell store for new phone numbers.  That pretty much took all morning!  

Once back to the apartment - we started looking for a place for Gibby to spend night 2.  We decided to park him on a side street because there were plenty of empty spaces. I keep looking out the window to make sure he is still there - so far so good.  

We changed clothes and headed to Temple EmanuEl-Beth Sholom (TEEBS) for Friday night services and a first night Seder. We met some very nice people and the meal was actually very delicious!  

Saturday, March 31st,

 Got our internet installed this morning!  Then we headed out on foot to buy some groceries at the neighbourhood Provigo store.  Similar to the US, Saturday is a busy shopping day - or maybe it was just due to the holidays (both Easter and Passover)?  We scored 2 boxes of matza, salad fixings and easy to prepare meals.  I did not pack sufficient cooking supplies so “real” cooking will have to wait until the big trailer arrives and I can unpack the kitchen.

I can’t believe how extremely lucky we are! We have met the nicest couple (and their two charming children) who have generously offered to let us temporarily store Gibby in their driveway until we figure out a long term plan. They treated us to a home cooked meal and a evening full of lively conversations in both English and French.  When I say to myself – I just left the most expensive vehicle I’ve ever purchased with someone I met online and have only seen for two hours, in a new country that I have only been in for 2 days – I think- Wow – that may sound crazy. But if I’ve learned anything lately, I’ve learned to trust my gut, even when it involves a leap of faith and trust in the kindness of others. Everyone has been so supportive and welcoming here – it is amazing. And our new Gibby babysitters are truly helpful and generous in all aspects of the immigration process.

Sunday, April 1,

  Bonjour!  So…sleeping on the mattress from the van, on the floor, is getting a bit tiresome.  I’m ready for our furniture to arrive!  I think the cats are ready too since they have very few choices of where to sleep and hide.  Here is Purrcy checking out a tiny space above the refrigerator. 

We took a lovely walk around our new neighbourhood (spell check keeps encouraging me to include the “u” in neighbourhood!), and found some cool art work on the sides of buildings.  One was an alley filled with garbage cans… but all the cute cat pictures made it quite charming. 

Sunday night we were treated to an amazing sunset. Being on the 12^th floor of our building – with windows in every room – gives us plenty of opportunities to admire the views.  Morning sunrises from our bedroom and great sunsets from the living room and dining room!  I’ll try to limit the number of pictures of these as they don’t quite convey the impact as when seen in person. Nature is sooo cool!