Plans

It's just a matter of weeks now before we return to the Pacific Northwest.

We've reserved a three bedroom flat in Burnaby, near Simon Fraser University. There's a primary school almost across the street. The price is a bit steep compared to nearby rents but it includes all utilities, limitless Wifi, and is fully furnished (dishes and towels and everything). We've reserved it for three months. By the end of our three months I should have a job and we'll have decided whether we can comfortably afford buying a property on my income or if we'll rent for a while.

We'll be sending two shipments. One in a week or two, by slow boat, with things like winter clothes, books and CDs, and toys. We'll have a smaller shipment right before we fly, by air freight, of remaining clothes and a few other items.

I've been flirting with the idea of One Last Trip but I probably won't. It would likely be just me, as Margo's not interested in planning any more trips, and Sarah would be happier to stay home and watch telly anyway. I've been thinking about a three day rail trip to Geneva. But it seems wasteful to spend all that money for just me, and things like that are best shared.

I'm looking forward to, well, a new life, and getting settled again, but I'm also quite sad to be leaving. When I walk the streets and enter shops these days, I'm often thinking, this is probably the last time I'll be standing here, the last time I'll see this view.

I have another reason to be depressed in that I've got less than two weeks of being in my 30s. Of course it's just a number but I can think of lots of things to dwell on. I joke to mates that if I get killed by a bus this week, people will say, "Oh, he had so much to live for ... he had his whole life ahead of him ...". In two weeks, people would say, "Meh."