Move number ...13?

I have moved more than the average person. Between June 2003 & now, I moved 10 full times (from Langley -> Vancouver -> Calgary -> Airdrie -> Vancouver -> Victoria -> Saanichton -> Victoria -> Vancouver -> Kitsilano -> Langley)

...but I've also done two half-moves. What that means is, during the Victoria -> Saanichton -> Victoria stint (I think that time period was 4 years? 5 years?) twice my ex and I rented a place in Vancovuer because we missed 'home' so much and we stayed there as much as possible while technically still living on Vancouver Island.

(it was ferry-hell. Seriously. I never want to get on BC Ferries ever again)

Because we moved so much, choosing a new house/condo was always about one thing. Resale. Several places I completely renovated so we could (and did) sell them really quickly when needed.

This is why I joke about owning more power tools than high-heeled shoes. I've done plumbing, electrical, drywall, roofing, I've torn out brick walls, built stone walls, converted a wood burning fireplace to natural gas, done tiling, flooring, rebuilt cabinets, landscaped, and of course all the easy stuff like painting, repairing walls, re-doing all trim/baseboards, etc.

But I've been renting the last 3 places I've lived, including where I am now.

Which was nice, not to have to do renos/etc, but also frustrating because they never felt like 'home'. They were never 'mine'.

So, at long last, I am moving again. This time, to Cloverdale (easy access to the border, 45 min to Vancouver, 45 min to Chilliwack, 1 hour to the cabin, so location is pretty central/perfect). And the most glorious thing about this place? No major renovations needed. The only hard work this place needs is all the carpet ripped out/replaced, but that doesn't have to be done right away since it's in pretty good condition. I want to rip it out because carpet + pet hair = dust/dirt/allergies, but I can live with it for now.

Although it's already been a bit of a crazy summer, I am absolutely delighted at the prospect of living in a 'home' again, something I can paint and change and re-work to suit me (and the pets, of course).

Mostly I'm excited to unpack since 90% of my possessions have been in boxes for over 2 years, since I made the last Victoria -> Vancouver move.

I get my keys August 23 and I'll probably move in early September, after I've done a little bit of painting/etc.

So, happy long weekend (to those who have Monday off), I'll probably be out touring paint stores and looking at paint swatches.