The Big Sale

Retirement is 3 months away so we put the house on the market last Thursday at about 8 PM.  By 11 PM it was sold - amazing!  We are blessed to live and own in a very hot real estate market in a very desirable, starter-home suburb!  With only one week to finalization of the deal (it is now up to CMHC!)  we are fighting the driving desire to rip it all apart and start packing - however, we are  still showing it just in case so caution rules.  In limbo - again.  But now we know what we can get and that sure helps to direct us to what we can buy!

Unless some crazy thing happens we are heading to the sunny Okanagan in British Columbia and hopefully moving into a nice 55+ community in wine country.  I find myself visualizing our next home, decorating it based on mls.ca postage stamp pictures, agonizing over what must go and what we will take with us and dreaming about early morning cycling around the lake or through the vineyards and afternoon ice tea on our patio. Then there are the dreams about grandchildren lined up in sleeping bags on the little living room floor or in a tent in my tiny yard - with an afternoon of splashing in the lake or eating ice cream on a park bench. All very idealistic but, as my colleague advised, enjoy this moment before you move on to the next mountain - moving!

I have persuaded my love and faithful, patient partner that hiring a moving company is the only way to go. I gave up on self-moves some time in my forties, I think!  It just isn't worth the hassle and moving out of province will be stressful enough!  I can't believe I am going to be living on the west side of our beautiful Rocky Mountains!  Whoo Hoo!

So, face book friends and beyond - any tips on hiring a mover?  packing with logic? best wine to toast our new home!  By summer we will be in the midst of orchards and vineyards instead of stampeding in Calgary and playing dodge car games on Deerfoot Trail!  Bring on retirement!