Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin'...

I have three more nights in Alberta and then I'm done. Gone. Leaving.

How on earth did that happen? This is really happening. I am really moving away.

Yesterday was my last day of work. I managed to keep my shit together all day, which was a miracle. I don't know how I did it. It was really hard saying goodbye to everybody. They've informed such a huge part of my world over the last three years. I've been really lucky to work with such a great group of people. I hope I get as lucky in the future.

Last night was the night I said goodbye to one of my dearest friends. We've known eachother since high school. We were 14 when we met. We've been through the darkest times, and the best times. We helped eachother survive.

We sat out on his deck, had a beer, and talked about old times, the future, and basically just being awed by how far we both have come. It was all I could do to get out the door without loosing it. I am going to miss him fiercely.

Now I am sitting in my apartment, with what is left of my belongings trying to sort through all my crap. I'm at the stage where I am just throwing everything out. It's all gotta go! I feel so guilty do that. My great grandmother must be spinning in her grave right now. I might need this stuff one day! What will I do when the end times come and I don't have all 300 of my bobbypins and every pill vial from the last year?! Heavens!

*sigh*

This is all proof that baby steps will get you somewhere eventually. I am just a few baby steps away from the Big Leap.

The Final Week

I leave Calgary next week. I don't think that has really sunk in yet.

I'm currently sitting in the midst of my very messy livingroom, having just watched my couch walk out the door, wondering what to do with the rest of my stuff. My bookshelf is leaving shortly. I have books stacked on every available surface. I'm feeling a little lost.

What books do I keep? Which get the boot? And boots! What do I do with my shoes? Do I take them all or do I just take my favourites?

The comic books come with me, but do I take sports injury books? Harry Potter? War and Peace will come with, but what about The Idiot?

It's exhausting just thinking about it.

The End is Nigh!

I am in the OMG PANIC! stages of moving out of Calgary. 18 more days to go! And to think, this is just the first half of The Big Move.

There are some interesting things about moving out of the country that I have recently learned, or figured out. First would be obvious, but maybe not.

My doctor gave me copies of my surgeon referral letters (for my tonsils), and my latest blood work, including what medication(s) I am currently on. It's one thing to be able to have your records transfered from one place to another, but it's very, very helpful to walk into a doctor's office, hand over your current info and go from there, without waiting for the transfer (and I don't know how that will look, since I've never transfered records from one country to another. There may be hiccups) and then, finally, getting on the meds/course of treatment you need.

The second is way less obvious. Taxes. While looking at what to do with my pension when I leave my employer, I stumbled across a form you can fill out to declare to the Canada Revenue Agency that you are no longer a resident of Canada.

These are things that you aren't told about in the "So You're Moving Out of the Country" handbook that doesn't exist.

Now I just need to get my Canadian passport sorted, finish packing/tossing my personal belongings, find a place for my cats to live for the next seven months, and I should be good to go!