The end of 2017

Well, I've been delaying this post because there really hasn't been much progress on building our house.  We have had an eventful last few months of 2017 though.  First of all, back in August, my parents (our neighbours) moved to Cape Dorset, Nunavut.  They took their dog Annie, and went to teach at an Inuit school for a year.  They asked us to move into their new house while they were away.  We would have much more space for the 6 of us, we would pay far less to heat the house, and their house would be lived in and cared for.  

So, this has been our home for the past few months

A huge improvement in living conditions

Looking out the front porch, we can see the roof of our new house to give you an idea of how far it is from my parents' place

 

 

Not everyone is happy with the arrangement.  My parents left their cat Boots behind for us to take care of.  He's not enjoying sharing his space with Molly, and our 2 cats.  I keep telling him its better than freezing to death up North, but he doesn't seem to appreciate it

These kids, on the other hand, love having more personal space

We've spent the past months moving ourselves in little by little, trying not to take over completely.  Chris was working several jobs, so was I.  We continued our homeschooling, and worked hard at maintaining not only our own extensive gardens, but my Mum's, and the Lanark Community garden (that I somehow ended up supervising!) as well.  

Chris worked on the house plumbing and electrical when he could.  Then his mom, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer almost 2 years ago, got quite ill.  He traveled to London, Ontario, 6 hours away from us to be with her in palliative care for her last days.  He spent the majority of a month there before she passed away.  Then we all made the trip to London for her funeral.  

By the time we were back and readjusting to life, it had turned quite cold.  Too cold to perform the water testing on the plumbing before the concrete floor was poured.  Too cold to allow the concrete time to cure.  That left us in tricky spot for the winter.  No floor, no walls, another huge delay in our plans.  Chris is going to have to pick away at smaller jobs through the winter and prep to do the water test and finish the floors first thing in the spring.

Then we had another change in plans!  My parents were struggling so much in Nunavut, that they decided that they would not return there after coming home for Christmas holidays.  They witnessed much poverty, abuse, violence, darkness, and hopelessness.  They went North with hope that they could make a difference.  They learned very quickly that the problems facing the Inuit community are far too great, and the system too flawed, for one white couple to improve.  We have learned much about the Inuit peoples, about Nunavut, and Canada.

My parents made it clear that they did not want us to move out when they returned.  So they came back and we are living together for now.  There has been some adjusting on everyone's part.  The dogs and cats are (mostly) getting along, and we are figuring out personal boundaries in a shared living space. 

My hope is that 2018 brings more progress than 2017!

Happy New Year!