Saturday March 6, 2010-House Shopping

After thinking long and hard we've decided to stop fulltiming. The Immigration issue has a lot to do with it but while we don't have any critical health issues at this point we just feel the time is right to quit. We've really enjoyed our five years on the road and it's going to be hard to give up traveling and selling our 5er but we're hoping to still do a bit of traveling now and then. Thanks for all the Facebook comments.

We saw a really nice little house (and I do mean little) in a town about an hour southwest of Ottawa that would suit us nicely.

We had driven by this house early last month and made arrangements to go and see it today.

Here's a photo of the front of the house

We toured three other houses but this one was the one we liked, of course, the most expensive one. We have a 'view' of the river from it.

We had a look around town, checked out the supermarket that I hadn't been in before, looked at a couple of bulk stores that have some gluten free foods and that was about it.

We've decided to go back and see it again on Monday if the realtor can arrange it.

Nancy's house is conditionally sold. She looked at another one today and plans to put in an offer so we're all getting ready for new to us homes.

We've enjoyed meeting everyone on the road but now if you want to see us, Smiths Falls it is! There's a little RV park right in town on the Rideau canal.

Friday March 5, 2010-More Showings & An Offer

It was another bright, sunny day. We certainly can't complain about the weather. It's been above freezing every day. I had another nice walk and saw another bird that I think might have been a female cardinal but it was in shadow. I also heard lots of sounds that might have been another woodpecker but didn't see it.

We lounged around all day again. There were two showings tonight, one a second showing and Nancy had an offer that she plans to counter on. So things are progressing!

Thursday March 4, 2010-Lots of Showings, Where's the Sales?

I had a nice morning walk, saw a cardinal and a downy woodpecker. It was bright and sunny and a bit chilly but warmed up nicely to about 6C (43F).

Unfortunately this is the only photo I got of the woodpecker.

The snow is going away quickly


We didn't do much all day as we had a showing at 4:30 p.m. so had to make arrangements with the dog walker to come at a different time. I've asked Nancy's realtor not to book us between 5 and 6 so we don't have to juggle the dog walker any more. We had two more showings between 6 and 7. Hopefully something will come out of all these very soon.

While the showings were going on, Nancy took us out for dinner at Swiss Chalet. It was a nice way to spend the hour.

I took these photos yesterday when we drove out to see the RV.

Really pretty old log barns with the horses in front.

Another interesting old barn


And the two horses - pale horse and dark horse

Wednesday March 3, 2010-More Showings

Today's post will be a short one. We went to the RV this morning to exchange two winter coats for a spring coat and a raincoat.

Tonight we had four showings so it's been a long night!

Tuesday March 2, 2010-Morning Walk

It was bright and sunny this morning and therefore a bit colder at -2C (28F). I waited till after breakfast to go for my walk as yesterday I had seen a cardinal but didn't have my camera. It was also cloudy yesterday. So today I took my camera and saw the cardinal again. It's been ages since I've seen one. He was singing away. They have such a cheery song.


I took the path that runs through Dog Bone Park this morning.


The road to the right is wrong (it doesn't take me home). The one to the left is right (it does take me home). (From a song by Conway Twitty.)

I didn't do anything but read and watch TV for the rest of the day. We don't have any showings today. A night off! Yay!

Monday March 1, 2010-More Showings/A Cancelled Sale

Well, yesterday was fast and furious for the house sale. Nancy got an offer around 8 p.m. and the negotiating started. However, today the people that were buying backed out just as they had reached a deal. Apparently the male counterpart was having commitment issues. Whether the issues were house related or partner related we'll never know. So we had two more showings tonight. Pray for a fast sale!

Other than that it was a quiet day. I went for my walk as the sidewalks were dry.

This is the meandering Jock River.

We had a bit of a sunset tonight.

Sunday February 28, 2010-Showings & Canada Wins Hockey Gold!

Where has February gone? It's already heading into March. Spring is coming and the last few days it's certainly felt like it here. We shouldn't get too excited though. March can be a snowy month!

Well, the For Sale sign is up. The realtor put Nancy's house up yesterday but right now only realtors can see it. It won't go live till sometime tomorrow however three showings were booked for today - 10:30 a.m.; 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (the 4:30 p.m. canceled because of the hockey game). Then we got a call saying that the people that were here this morning wanted to come back at 7:30 p.m. So we went out to Wendy's for dinner.

Showings means we have to leave. So this morning we went for a drive.

More barns


I loved the gingerbread on this house in the town of Manotick.


When we got back the realtor that was showing the house had locked the garage door so we couldn't get in. I called Nancy's realtor to see if he could give us the combination to the lock box but it's not that easy any more. It's unlocked with some radio controlled waves or something as well as a key. Nancy arrived and she didn't have a key either so her realtor had to come over and let us in. He went out and made more keys so now we have a key to the front door so we can't get locked out.

We were already scheduled to meet my sister and her husband at Jack Pine Trail for 1 p.m. Our niece came along too. We still didn't see any deer but we did see a pileated woodpecker.

The pileated woodpecker
And of course, the cute little red squirrel


And this old tree full of holes

A smorgasborg for the birds



We watched then end of the hockey game. Yay Canada! Way to go!!