Am writing again from the Quality Inn in Castlegar.
We barely made it through our dinner last night - in fact Dan didn't eat at all. We had our baths, contacted all our people via text, Twitter, email, blog, etc, and then crashed. It was nice to lay down and be clean and just relax for a bit.
Dan and I have changed a bit, since being apart. I didn't think I'd lost any more weight since he left but he thinks I have. Or at least the weight has been redistributed. He has changed shape considerably too. With all the heavy lifting at the brewery, he's really getting his brewing muscles back and we are both seeing muscle definition in each other that we've never seen before. It's good. :-)
Sam has been a very good kitty on this trip. She is no stranger to hotel rooms and as she gets older, she is easier to manage. I'm so relieved, because she is a big source of stress for me usually.
So, the plan from here. Dan figures it will take about six hours to get to the ferry in Vancouver (Tsawassen, really), we will reach Victoria this evening sometime. (Ferry is 1 hour 35 minutes, Victoria is 35 minute drive from Swartz Bay terminal). Dan was supposed to be back to work on Wednesday, but he was given permission to take a few extra days if necessary. Dan's return will depend, in part, on when he can get a reasonably priced flight back to Raleigh. Flights out of the US are a third of what they cost out of Canada.
So we'll have a few days together to visit with family, make some plans, and set me up in the house so that we don't have to worry. My first plan is to apply for jobs in VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority). With my work at the Tofino General Hospital, I'm sure any HR person would see my file and hire me in an instant. I just looked at there are at least a handful of jobs I'm qualified to do. I am happy with casual employment. The Royal Jubilee Hospital is only a 10 - minute bike ride away from my in-laws' house.
I don't know how long I'll be in Victoria. Since my post yesterday, I have received dozens of messages in the comments and on Twitter. O my dear readers, you have no idea how much your support means to me! One Twitter friend, Georgianna, told me about an organization that helps people with immigration by offering free legal support. Jeni offered to bake me a pumpkin pie. Susie invited me to a zombie walk (I'll have to decline - I'll want to spend as much time with Dan as possible but after that, I'll be totally free to socialize!).
I think this will be a good thing. Our Susan Miller horoscopes did say that the two weeks following September 25th would be extremely difficult. I don't think it will be easy, still being apart from Dan, but I will have reliable Internet access which means we can communicate with Skype. I'll be in a place that I always (seem to) return to, Victoria is more home to me than any place I have ever lived. It contains a high concentration of people I love! I will be alright. Fingers crossed we won't have to wait another four months. One way or another, I will see Dan at Christmas, if not sooner.
Dan has to figure out what his next steps will be too, and I can't really speak to that because I just don't know. We are back to a certain level of uncertainty, which is really hard, but not insurmountable. This ordeal has distilled for us what is really important in our life together: each other. (Crap. I'm going to start crying again.) We will figure it out, we always do!
We barely made it through our dinner last night - in fact Dan didn't eat at all. We had our baths, contacted all our people via text, Twitter, email, blog, etc, and then crashed. It was nice to lay down and be clean and just relax for a bit.
Dan and I have changed a bit, since being apart. I didn't think I'd lost any more weight since he left but he thinks I have. Or at least the weight has been redistributed. He has changed shape considerably too. With all the heavy lifting at the brewery, he's really getting his brewing muscles back and we are both seeing muscle definition in each other that we've never seen before. It's good. :-)
Sam has been a very good kitty on this trip. She is no stranger to hotel rooms and as she gets older, she is easier to manage. I'm so relieved, because she is a big source of stress for me usually.
So, the plan from here. Dan figures it will take about six hours to get to the ferry in Vancouver (Tsawassen, really), we will reach Victoria this evening sometime. (Ferry is 1 hour 35 minutes, Victoria is 35 minute drive from Swartz Bay terminal). Dan was supposed to be back to work on Wednesday, but he was given permission to take a few extra days if necessary. Dan's return will depend, in part, on when he can get a reasonably priced flight back to Raleigh. Flights out of the US are a third of what they cost out of Canada.
So we'll have a few days together to visit with family, make some plans, and set me up in the house so that we don't have to worry. My first plan is to apply for jobs in VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority). With my work at the Tofino General Hospital, I'm sure any HR person would see my file and hire me in an instant. I just looked at there are at least a handful of jobs I'm qualified to do. I am happy with casual employment. The Royal Jubilee Hospital is only a 10 - minute bike ride away from my in-laws' house.
I don't know how long I'll be in Victoria. Since my post yesterday, I have received dozens of messages in the comments and on Twitter. O my dear readers, you have no idea how much your support means to me! One Twitter friend, Georgianna, told me about an organization that helps people with immigration by offering free legal support. Jeni offered to bake me a pumpkin pie. Susie invited me to a zombie walk (I'll have to decline - I'll want to spend as much time with Dan as possible but after that, I'll be totally free to socialize!).
I think this will be a good thing. Our Susan Miller horoscopes did say that the two weeks following September 25th would be extremely difficult. I don't think it will be easy, still being apart from Dan, but I will have reliable Internet access which means we can communicate with Skype. I'll be in a place that I always (seem to) return to, Victoria is more home to me than any place I have ever lived. It contains a high concentration of people I love! I will be alright. Fingers crossed we won't have to wait another four months. One way or another, I will see Dan at Christmas, if not sooner.
Dan has to figure out what his next steps will be too, and I can't really speak to that because I just don't know. We are back to a certain level of uncertainty, which is really hard, but not insurmountable. This ordeal has distilled for us what is really important in our life together: each other. (Crap. I'm going to start crying again.) We will figure it out, we always do!
Hugs to you, my dear friend. Once you get here (Victoria), let me know if I can help in any way :-)
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