Yesterday we had our interview at Halifax Immigration to "land" as Permanent Residents. The visas had arrived about a month ago and we had been waiting to activate them. So now, the immigration side of all this is well and truly over.
Its an amazing feeling to know that we have managed to achieve this, when back in February 2009 it almost seemed impossible and very scary to even think about. (Now I dont know what all the fuss was about)
Those two weeks of sleepless nights and the "Do we, dont we" thoughts are so long gone. And that was just the start. The paperwork was tremendous, the breaking of the news to family and friends was hard. The constant doubt as to whether we were making the right decision.
I still cant quite believe that we are here!
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
the morning after
Well the trees starting moving around quite a lot at about 7.30pm and so I took my walk which freaked the girls out a bit but it had been so hot that I just had to. When I got back Lily was pleased that I "wasnt dead after all"!! I think they had both been watching a little too much CTV news.
The breeze out there was nice to be honest, it had been so hot and humid (please note I LIKE humidity, must be the only one) that it felt like we had been wrapped in a hot and damp sauna towel all day.
I then engaged in battle with Paul over the windows. He had them all shut the instant it got a teeny bit windy and I opened them all again. When I turned my back, they were all shut again!
I'm like "come one, let the breeze in until we cant anymore!"
In my view those windows were open until they were being rattled to death.
(We have now found out that in a Hurricane you need to leave them a bit open to allow some air in and decrease any risk of them breaking - YES!)
So it got windier and then it was dark too so we couldnt see the trees only hear them, oh and the party going on at the neighbours - they were playing loud storm games.
We were invited over but were just too tired, which was annoying.
In bed (with the window open!) the trees were making a massive racket and the wind was so noisy at times, and this is just a Tropical storm with hurricane gusts.
At 2am I was a teeny bit scared, I could see the shadows of the trees bent double and hear the express train noise of the gusts. I am quite good at sleeping through this though and went back to sleep. Girls were together at this point in Chloes bed - bless Chloe.
The last majorly noisy gust was at about 5.30am I think.
Outside there were leaves everywhere and that was about it. Still gusting winds all morning but no biggy.I spent the whole day at work knackered.
As I type this its the morning after the morning after and all is still and calm and its promising to be another hot and beautiful day. I am loving August!
Oh and I am tired - feckin cat is waking us up scratching at the furniture at 5.30am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The breeze out there was nice to be honest, it had been so hot and humid (please note I LIKE humidity, must be the only one) that it felt like we had been wrapped in a hot and damp sauna towel all day.
I then engaged in battle with Paul over the windows. He had them all shut the instant it got a teeny bit windy and I opened them all again. When I turned my back, they were all shut again!
I'm like "come one, let the breeze in until we cant anymore!"
In my view those windows were open until they were being rattled to death.
(We have now found out that in a Hurricane you need to leave them a bit open to allow some air in and decrease any risk of them breaking - YES!)
So it got windier and then it was dark too so we couldnt see the trees only hear them, oh and the party going on at the neighbours - they were playing loud storm games.
We were invited over but were just too tired, which was annoying.
In bed (with the window open!) the trees were making a massive racket and the wind was so noisy at times, and this is just a Tropical storm with hurricane gusts.
At 2am I was a teeny bit scared, I could see the shadows of the trees bent double and hear the express train noise of the gusts. I am quite good at sleeping through this though and went back to sleep. Girls were together at this point in Chloes bed - bless Chloe.
The last majorly noisy gust was at about 5.30am I think.
Outside there were leaves everywhere and that was about it. Still gusting winds all morning but no biggy.I spent the whole day at work knackered.
As I type this its the morning after the morning after and all is still and calm and its promising to be another hot and beautiful day. I am loving August!
Oh and I am tired - feckin cat is waking us up scratching at the furniture at 5.30am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, 27 August 2011
a hot summers day, will it really all go crazy windy tomorrow?
Today its really HOT outside. Its been a great summer for us, my first decent summer ever. And today has been no exception, so after a quick trip to Sobeys for Hurricane Supplies (nothing frozen - just in case we loose power!) we spent the afternoon in the pool. We really need to wash the cars, but I cant be bothered and its too hot!
Its hard to imagine that the weather may change to anything remotely Hurricane or stormy like. I can hear the pool filter and next doors water feature, the soft breeze in the trees. Currently its all rather pleasant. Paul upon finding I hadnt bought beer went off to the liquor store to buy what he calls "provisions"!
I have tried to be a bit healthy today,went out for an hours fast walk this morning at 7.30am and got waylaid by a Yard Sale where I got 600 outdoor lights (yes they work) and 600 indoor ones for $50 all in! So now we have Christmas lights!
When I got back we did our daily fitness regime of situps and press ups, joined by our two small ones, so it all became a bit hysterical as they tried to copy us.
It all just went a bit out the window though as I had second helpings of Pauls spag bol!
Paul today bought $700 worth of new laminate flooring for the basement now that the carpet (which I hated anyway has been removed, sodden from that flood a month ago!)
So, tomorrow we have to bring in all the outdoor furniture, and wind chimes and the BBQ and anything else not tied down and see what happens. Its so lovely right now, that I will have to take another walk this evening!
Its hard to imagine that the weather may change to anything remotely Hurricane or stormy like. I can hear the pool filter and next doors water feature, the soft breeze in the trees. Currently its all rather pleasant. Paul upon finding I hadnt bought beer went off to the liquor store to buy what he calls "provisions"!
I have tried to be a bit healthy today,went out for an hours fast walk this morning at 7.30am and got waylaid by a Yard Sale where I got 600 outdoor lights (yes they work) and 600 indoor ones for $50 all in! So now we have Christmas lights!
When I got back we did our daily fitness regime of situps and press ups, joined by our two small ones, so it all became a bit hysterical as they tried to copy us.
It all just went a bit out the window though as I had second helpings of Pauls spag bol!
Paul today bought $700 worth of new laminate flooring for the basement now that the carpet (which I hated anyway has been removed, sodden from that flood a month ago!)
So, tomorrow we have to bring in all the outdoor furniture, and wind chimes and the BBQ and anything else not tied down and see what happens. Its so lovely right now, that I will have to take another walk this evening!
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
our first hurricane threat
In the last couple of days they have been discussing Hurricane Irene on the news. Its currently down by the Bahamas but is a potential threat to Nova Scotia.
I am pretty interested, given that this is the first hurricane to ever maybe affect me (apart from Wilma in Florida of course, but we were on holiday then, or should I say VACATION now)
Anyway, been tracking it a bit on stormpulse but otherwise planning on a normal weekend.
http://www.stormpulse.com/
Today is Hump Day (Wednesday so the hump of the week), a term we got from our Florida pals but no one quite "got" in England, everyone understands it here.
Outside its warm again - 23 degrees - but it was decidedly cool when we got up this morning and dark at 6am.
I am starting to look forward to Fall!
Father in law is coming on the 15th September for a week - cant WAIT to see him again
Darling hubby has started his training for his new job and LOVES it, thank goodness hes happy. Hes happy, so am I.
I am pretty interested, given that this is the first hurricane to ever maybe affect me (apart from Wilma in Florida of course, but we were on holiday then, or should I say VACATION now)
Anyway, been tracking it a bit on stormpulse but otherwise planning on a normal weekend.
http://www.stormpulse.com/
Today is Hump Day (Wednesday so the hump of the week), a term we got from our Florida pals but no one quite "got" in England, everyone understands it here.
Outside its warm again - 23 degrees - but it was decidedly cool when we got up this morning and dark at 6am.
I am starting to look forward to Fall!
Father in law is coming on the 15th September for a week - cant WAIT to see him again
Darling hubby has started his training for his new job and LOVES it, thank goodness hes happy. Hes happy, so am I.
Monday, 22 August 2011
our first cottage weekend
We had a fantastic weekend as we were able to spend it at a friend of a friends cottage near Sheet Harbour on the Eastern shore.
It took about an hour and a half to get there in an Uplander Convoy with our pals and was a gorgeous drive
And we all had a rather good time in the car, gorgeous hubby driving, me on hand with useful comments and the girls hanging out in the back
We had a great night there, round the firepit with the loons making their appearance, or rather their performance at midnight and a great barbecue the following day. Girls loved it, and we had rather a good time out on the lake in the peddelo. Although, I had to say that the black, inky water of the lake freaked me out a little, I had to quit imagining that I was in the flick "Lake Placid". I think I am definately a Beach person, as opposed to a lake person, (well that particular lake anyway)
It took about an hour and a half to get there in an Uplander Convoy with our pals and was a gorgeous drive
We had a great night there, round the firepit with the loons making their appearance, or rather their performance at midnight and a great barbecue the following day. Girls loved it, and we had rather a good time out on the lake in the peddelo. Although, I had to say that the black, inky water of the lake freaked me out a little, I had to quit imagining that I was in the flick "Lake Placid". I think I am definately a Beach person, as opposed to a lake person, (well that particular lake anyway)
Saturday, 13 August 2011
the beginning
So far I have been posting all about our move to Nova Scotia and all the drama that came with it on http://www.britishexpats.com/ under the name Howefamily.
This is my new blog of our new life here in the Atlantic Maritimes. We have been here now 4 months and there seems to be not enough time in the week to experience everything here.
So, I am a new blogger on here and hope that I can work out how all this works!!!
This is my new blog of our new life here in the Atlantic Maritimes. We have been here now 4 months and there seems to be not enough time in the week to experience everything here.
So, I am a new blogger on here and hope that I can work out how all this works!!!
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