Homer Street

It's been almost 1.5 years since I've blogged last.

Lets just say I've been doing my best to get my bearings in what seems to have been a very challenging 18 months. You'd think at 36 I'd be pretty grown up, but apparently not. I've got the practical skills down; and by that I mean I can garner a paycheque every month and I'm able to keep fit, wash, and feed myself.....however on the emotional side of things I'm still a bit of a 2 year old; and I'm working on it.

The latest development in my life is the purchase of a Condo. My apartment on Jervis never really grew on me despite the views, it just always felt like a hotel room; and I hated paying rent to someone I hadn't even met.

The sense of groundedness this condo affords me is just what I need. I don't feel restless at all, I just like being at home, eventhough I'm living in a construction zone of sorts. The condo is in the heart of Vancouver's Yaletown area. The neighborhood is kind of posh, clean, and only a few blocks from the seawall. I really like it. My long run starts at my front step, two blocks to the seawall, along the ocean, through the forrest in Stanley park, along 3rd and 2nd beach, and back to my front steps.....about 15km and it's just beautiful the entire way.

One of Eva's wishes was to get a sense that I was feeling settled in Vancouver. She gifted me the downpayment for my place on Homer and I was able to close the deal before she passed away. She made it possible for me to carve out a small piece of Vancouver for myself. I really hope I can do her proud with my renovations. I'm sure she's watching from somewhere. In her last few months, despite the side effects from her chemo and the pain from her fractured hip she was in the midst of renovating her own kitchen; she was refinishing the doors of her old oak cabinetry, sanding down every inch, restaining them, and even routering out the wood panels and replacing them with bevelled glass. She was so determined to get it done.

Similar to the Egerton project I'm able to round up a lot of good help; it really is amazing what a second set of hands can do. I hope that everyone who is helping me understands just how big a difference every bit of help makes. My bartering tools are free food and beer, perhaps teach a few skills, an occaisonal visit to the emerge, a wide range of shitty music, and exposure to my great sense of humor.