Chapter 7

2020 COVID-19 – March 31
My grandmother always said the best time to move house was in the middle of a global pandemic. Kidding she never said that. I suspect nobody did because it is basically the worst idea ever.

Yet, here we are. 

As I’m wiping shit off of my son’s shoulder blades in the early morning light because he pooped right up the back of his onesie, I’m trying to find the wipes that may or may not have been hidden in an open box by our four year old. Packing to move is tedious at the best of times. Doing it during nationwide lockdowns, as a viral infection is sweeping the globe and enforced social distancing is…well…extra.

March was supposed to be our month of packing and getting our downtown condo ready to rent. My sister had considered coming to help us pack over Easter. Friends made plans to help us entertain the kids while we got stuff sorted out….then the world forgot which side was up.

But here we are, still counting our blessings because there are many and finding ways to make it work while trying to stay sane looking for wipes as the shit-back-baby is trying to crawl away. 

If you’ve known or spoken to me for any length of time during the past three years you would’ve heard me speak ad nauseam about buying a house out of the city. Originally I wanted a farm with goats and pigs and chickens and a cow. To grow fields of lavender and fruit and bright vegetables and watch the resilience of trees wake up after each Canadian winter.

I still want that.
Someday.

I want those goats because honestly, goats are pretty hilarious. And we all deserve more joy.

After possibly the world’s longest search and three previous failed offers – our agent is mercifully a very close friend with the patience of Job – Claudine and I bought our home in early February of this year. It is not a farm and we will probably get in trouble if we have goats. But for us right now it is perfect. We went to see the listing on a whim as the pictures didn’t really do it justice. As we pulled into the driveway on a sunny February day when the air is so needle sharp it reminds your lungs to celebrate life, we got the sense that it would become home. Neatly tucked away in a calm neighborhood with a school right across the street, easy access to forest trails to explore and the adorable little town of Dundas, Ontario a short walk away. We fell in love with Dundas over the years during our search.

The original owner built the house with love and care of detail in 1978 and lived in it ever since. They are now in their 90s and are moving to a smaller space. The house needs updating but only really in the “mauve isn’t my favorite color for walls and these floral tiles in the bath really make me want to take up crochet” kind of way, it’s clean, well-loved and liveable. Which is thankful as we had planned to do some cosmetic renos before moving in. But right now with the state of the world and urgency it feels like the priority of picking a more modern tone of grout is a pure luxury when people are struggling and health care workers are risking their lives for our collective health. So the crochet themed tiles might have to stay awhile.

We are set to close and get the keys on April 17th. Not the most ideal timing but as of right now moving services in Ontario are still allowed to operate. Though like everything else these days, that could change and if it does I will be the person single-handedly pulling a couch along highway 403 on what will probably be a stolen shopping cart.

So right now we are packing away boxes in a frenzy all of which will be an absolute Russian Roulette mystery game to open because things were constantly added and subtracted by our daughter. So the box labeled “kitchen” will very likely have some Paw Patrol and a sock in there somewhere. But we are together and we are safe and we have the good fortune to HAVE a home to move into.

All the uncertainty makes everything feel that much longer, but I’m so full of hope to see the other side of all this. You are all officially invited over for a universe sized house warming party. Yes, internet all of you are invited!

We are blessed and excited to have more space and a garden with trees to watch stand tall during the seasons.

All of the seasons. 

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Rating: Moving and packing during a pandemic is a bad idea. Send wine.
Pros: We are moving.
Cons: During a pandemic. Packing-demic