It's All Fun and Games Till the Timeline Gets Cut in Half.

Sooooo today was all excitement. 

Me: Lalalala I have all the time in the world. We are moving in 8 months. Snow is fun and shopping for a home is extra funsies! Kittens and puppies and lollipops.

(4 hours later I find out I have been wrong all along and we have to move in 4 months. My husband has to go to a second training camp for another 4 months at a later date.)

Me: Ohhhhhhhhhh my goodness. Oh my goodness, oh-ho my goodness. Where the frack are we going to live? How are we going to move our stuff? I have no warm clothing. This is why I am freaking out:

We aren't moving just anywhere. Our new home town requires some consideration. 

We are leaving our city of of about 100,000 people behind and moving to a town of just over 4,000. I am excited about this. We specifically wanted to live in a cozier community where we could get to know our neighbors. We wanted to live somewhere where we can connect with a small congregation. I also look forward to the community activities that seem to take place monthly. How cute is that??

The temperature in our new town dips down to 17 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and receives over 300 inches of snow per year. Have I ever mentioned that I am an amphibian? I must be because I am ALWAYS cold. The extreme climate will require an entirely different wardrobe then we are use to. I am notorious for dashing out of the house without a coat in the pouring rain. It is no longer a matter of comfort, but actual safety. 

There is one grocery store. My husband has reported that it is well stocked, but due to the isolation a lot of the perishable items that we are use to are not available or pricey ($10 for a gallon of milk for example. Good thing we like soy). Most people drive to the nearest city (about 5 hours away) periodically to stock their pantries with bulk staples. I loooooves me some Costco. It has been suggested that we purchase a small cargo trailer to hitch to our SUV.

 

We have dogs. This wont just be an adjustment for us, our four-legged family members are in for quite a shock. With so much snow we have to consider where they do their "business" and how to keep them safe and happy with the mercury so low.  

At just 4 miles wide, ATVs or snow machines are common forms of transportation. Locals suggest having at least one of these. Well if they twist my arm :)

The actual act of moving is going to be quite an event. Our items will have to be shipped by either cargo container on a barge, or ferry. Makes you think twice about what we will send since space (and weight) are at a premium. 

 

I'll keep ya posted as I sort through this. 

 

-M