Hey! How Does This Work?

Spring 2011

We now have a three to five-year plan.  My husband will work about 6 months per

year and we will have the flexibility to ski and travel in the winter. Once the kids have their lives on track and are out on their own, we”ll sell our house in Calgary and move to a condo somewhere on the outskirts of town. We will have the same length of time to upgrade the house in Calgary in preparation to sell.

Things seemed to be falling into place for my temporary move to Fort McMurray where my new adventure begins. I will take good care of my husband and myself by preparing healthy meals, promoting exercise and strengthening our connection. Other than that, I will have the luxury of exploring the area and immersing myself in creative pursuits.

My husband is currently on contract with a company that provides him with a furnished condo in the downtown area of Fort McMurray. There is room for me and even the odd guest should any friends or family wish to venture north.

Our daughter, Princess, will be living in our house for at least two more years. She is ½ way through her undergraduate program so we are more than happy to supply her room and board for the duration of her school-life and a bit longer while she gets her career-life on track. Although she has expressed that she does not feel ready to live on her own, my son, Buddy, will be moving home from West Palm Beach, Florida with his Business Administration Degree the first week of May.  He had already warned us a few months back that he would need to move home for a while in order to find a job and bring his bank account to a healthier state.

So, this couldn’t get any better. Buddy doesn’t have to move back in with his parents just yet and Princess does not have to live alone while we are gone. Stage one of the upgrades, the brand new kitchen, is complete with stainless steel appliances (including a dishwasher, but that is another story). And that takes care of the home-front in Calgary.

“Hey! Now wait just a minute,” our friends say. They can’t believe we would upgrade our kitchen and leave all the great new appliances and newly organized cupboards, much less the entire house, to the kids; for the entire summer, free of charge.

“Hey! How does this work?” our kid’s friends ask. “How did you manage to get your parents to move out?”

Hey! It works for us!