Fairly normal life …

Apart from the fact that I have a home in Toronto but I'm living in Adelaide, and that my husband is in Toronto and I'm in Adelaide, life is actually pretty normal right now… for me anyway!

My new normal!

Not so much for Joseph who landed in Toronto with yet another kidney stone that had him dropping some Oxycontin with his flat-mate Nathan (who has a broken ankle ).  The stone lasted seven days until it left on his birthday. That's good because he is very busy …

He's found all the pieces for both computers - desktop and laptop - and  has both working and where Joseph is concerned, that is a small to medium miracle. He's setup his phone and his own Skype account all the while on Oxycontin and still suffering from jet lag. He borrowed Nathan's car (nothing like capitalizing on somebody else's misfortune !) and took off for Ottawa on Canada Day, presumably not on Oxy anymore and over the jet lag, and is busy visiting anybody and everybody that we've ever known … or are related to!  (They all say they miss me but they also seem very happy to be able to serve chicken for a change!)  

Tom & Elizabeth - they must be serving chicken - they're pretty happy!

Milo waiting patiently for Joe
to help with his rock collection!

Danielle and her lovely new house!

It seems that the new tennants in the museum store don't seem to be doing so well - so that's a nice quiet feeling of satisfaction (a tad narcissistic as well?) 

The last of the minerals -  all going to the museum - not the museum store (they didn't want them)
- to the museum itself

and he's decided that he doesn't need my "help" so he's down sizing our storage locker and funnily enough it seems that my beloved King Tut has to go!  

Urgh -moving across the hall ... except for King Tut  and the canoe.

There's room for the camping equipment but not Tut - hmmmm!    

There's a few more dozen friends to visit (who knew he had so many), some at a lake, some not and then it's back to TO to finish the taxes, apply to come back to Australia, pickup Cassia for her two-day stop over in Toronto enroute to Adelaide and fixup the two bathrooms in the condo.  Busy for sure, normal? - not compared to me that's for sure. 

Back in Adelaide, and for the first time in a year, I'm starting to feel "retired" and enjoying it  - for now anyway.  It's a short walk to the centre of "The Port" - the shopping area of Port Adelaide - with it's mishmash of empty stores, beautiful old and art-deco buildings and the shoppers in all shapes and sizes from all walks of life.  I walk through the Salvation Army second-hand store to pickup odd pieces I need and am disappointed to find out that my 10% seniors discount (on my $3.99 purchase) is only available on Tuesdays! :(  

I'm excited to find a cafe in the middle of the empty stores that serves great coffee, is vegan (but I can still find something I like!) and seems to be doing some nice community work as well.

Coffee shop in my 'hood!

 It has been almost full each time I visit and I think it's going to be my local coffee shop and they'll be sick of me before too long.

I love having the flexibility to do my favourite things; 

babysit Jasper when needed and visit Ikea - not on weekends! 

I love to babysit him - so cuddly in his Thomas onesie!

                           

I love having a nice house with a great view that my mum loves so much she comes for a sleep over. (She loves it so much she's coming back for another sleep over!!) 

I love that Cassia will be here soon so she can help me cook because I've forgotten how and I love that even though it's winter here I can still walk down the street in my Teva's (I have no other walking shoes here with me) wearing a fluffy little sweater with only a scarf and not be the least bit cold.  

I love being "home" but I miss my friends (& family) in Canada terribly and I'm starting to miss my husband… I've run out of his salad dressing so he sends me the list of ingredients and says I have to make more!

… and it was Canada Day and I wasn't there … for the first time in 28 years and my first as a Canadian citizen!

About as Canadian as I could muster - Mischa put up the flag - we just had to find the hat!

So that's my life right now - not sure it is worthy of a "blog - post"!!   There has been no catastrophic events, no melt-downs (well major ones), no interesting events (except for choosing a vacuum cleaner) so I'm hard-pressed to write something interesting and/or funny ... obviously!

Aaaah -being retired means I can "do" lunch at the art gallery with Alicia!