Thursday, March 22, 2012

We're moving!

My presence has been a tad spotty because my husband and I (along with Youngest) have decided to move downtown! We've been talking about it for the past couple of years, but suddenly, within the space of a week, it's a done deal.

And so, after 24 years in this house, after raising three babies, several dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, after Christmas dinners and Thanksgiving feasts and Easter brunches and birthday parties, after play dates in the basement rec. room, baking countless cookies and wontons for soup and rolling out dough for pizza and stirring Jello*, after creating impromptu art projects on the kitchen table, after sick days feeding my kids chicken noodle soup on the green couch in front of a fire, after trimming hedges and mowing lawns and shoveling driveways, well, it's time to pack up and move downtown and let our lives take a new direction.

One that means white wine on the terraces of Montreal and listening to the hum of traffic instead of beer on the porch listening to the hum of our neighbour's lawn mower.

Downtown is where our story began. My husband and I first lived in Westmount when I moved here from Toronto back in the early 80s. After we had our first child and I was pregnant with our second, we decided to raise our burgeoning family in the suburbs, the "West Island" of Montreal. Another year or so later, a third child was born.

The kids went to preschool there, and took swimming lessons in the local pool, joined Cub Scouts and Girl Guides. They played soccer and hockey and learned to ski with the Rod Roy school. I did all the mom stuff. I volunteered at all of the schools, joined the Quilter's Guild, the Camera Club and other organizations.

We had a great life here.

But now it's time for Doug and I to move closer to his office and to where our grown kids are settling in. Well, two of them so far. One is still away at Uni but she wants to be downtown too.

As I was cleaning out boxes in the basement in preparation for our move, I came across the letter Doug's predecessor Dr. Dundass sent out to introduce Doug to his patients when he took over the practice:

"Dr. Douglas E. Hamilton, a native Montrealer, is a graduate of McGill University...I am quite confident that you will find Dr. Hamilton a very congenial and capable person...I wish to thank all my patients for the many kindnesses they have shown me over these many years. I think back to 1946 when I took over the practice of the late Dr. E---- who told his patients: 'try the young fellow, you'll like him'. My wife adds 'he's good looking too!'"

The most remarkable thing about the letter?

It is dated July 1st, 1982.

That is thirty years to the day that we move into our new place.

* I'm still surprised by how excited my entire family gets when anyone finds Jello in the fridge. Seriously. It's like they found gold nuggets.

6 comments:

Debby said...

Gosh. I could never live in Montreal. I am not such a fan of white wines!

Congratulations! Moving is great fun. Even without a buffalo.

A Novel Woman said...

You can always come visit. The informal motto for this city is "have fun, and lots of it!" This includes drinking fine wine in copious amounts, listening to great music and eating really, really good food.

Despite the fact that I have no place to put it, I admit I still have Major Buffalo Envy. However, I am soothed by the thought that he has found a good home with you guys. Let's face it, I would not shampoo him...

I shall take some photos at our local bison farm to assuage my sadness. At least a photo will fit on the wall!

jeanie said...

Oh have fun cleaning out all the nooks and crannies and finding all the projects!!

nightsmusic said...

Oh, wow! What a decision. Sounds like you're adventure is going to be great fun. Your post made me teary though. Not sure why, but if it were me moving, I would be.

I think living in the city would be so exciting! We're car people though and the city isn't conducive to an outbuilding with a hoist behind the condo hi-rise ;o)

Can't wait to hear all the new things in your new life.

Deniz Bevan said...

What a wonderful letter! I love that sense of history - later on if Doug writes a letter about the next successor, you could have four generations of introductions!
And yay for downtown! If only Nicholas Hoare wasn't closing :-(

A Novel Woman said...

I know! That made me so sad. However, I understand his reasons for closing.

On the other hand, the bistro is still there, whoo hoo!