ROBBLOG #621

It's OFFICIAL!!

My Hubbie Tom and I are official landowners in Beautiful British Columbia. The title to our land should arrive today via e-mail.
So, what does this mean?
Quite simply it means that we own property here in Ontario as well as in British Columbia- on Vancouver Island to be precise.

Now, to be clear, in a couple of months we will hand over our Orillia, Ontario land to new owners who bought our c.1882 Victorian Home a couple of months back. At that time we will just own land in BC. All part of our move to "the Island" this summer. If you haven't read previous blogs, then let me bring you up to speed. We have sold our home here in Ontario to get away from cold winters and snow.
Why?
I have reached official "Seniorhood" and Tom will receive his in a couple of years. This is our retirement plan.

Our move to the Island is to the Cowichan Valley in the southern part of the Island. Google "Cowichan Valley" or "Duncan BC". The City is Duncan and is located on the Trans Canada One- 45 minutes north of Victoria over the Malahat and about a half hour south of Nanaimo. We are 10 minutes to Salt Spring Island to the east and have a splendid view of Mount Prevost to the north. We'll have mild winters with the chance of a few flakes of the white stuff. That's nothing to worry about. There's less rain in the Cowichan than in Victoria which in turn has less rain than Toronto- and Miami Beach! There's year round biking and walking. Golf- if I was interested in golfing, can be played all year and since we have a lawn, Island lawns are also cut year round.
Oh, and Palm Trees. four varieties as a matter of fact with the most popular being "trachycarpus fortune". The date palm. Rhododendrons grown huge as do Yuccas and Ornamental grasses. Trees such as the Arbutus with reddish colour trunks and "the monkey tree" (see below) are green year round Such fun!
If one has an RV or a travel trailer, parks are open year round. It will be quite the lifestyle change.

Monkey Tree in Sidney BC

Now that we hold "title", we expect a hole to be dug for our new home within the next week. We have been told that the basement is dug and walls go up in about 10 days. This building a new home- and a custom-built model, is stressful. Last time we did that was 30 years ago when we bought a new home from plans. That house took a year to gain occupancy. We expect our Island Home to be move-in ready in August.

Victoria BC in Mid-February

For now, we wait patiently enjoying our current property for a while longer. We are clearing out closets, our garage and a large garden shed. Two garage sales have not made us rich but we did clear a bunch of stuff. That's a good feeling.

When we start our westward trek this summer in Priscilla- our 30 foot RV, I hope to write this blog daily. Sort of a Canada 150 project.

Such fun!