This was our last family get-together in Toronto after COVID arrived in Canada

It was a beautiful winter day with a touch of spring in the air. Our house in Toronto was a five-minute walk from one of the best coasting hills in the city. We had a wonderful afternoon with the grandkids, followed by a big family dinner. But we were all nervous about COVID. The first case of COVID in Canada was diagnosed in Toronto on January 25.

Our older son floated the idea of moving to a safer place. Perhaps it was time to leave the city. Wait it out someplace else.

Norman and I were already booked for a lovely spring trip to Florida. On the Monday following our family dinner, I was determined to go on the trip. COVID was not going to keep me home. On Tuesday, I started to waiver. On Wednesday, I cancelled. Little did I know at the time that this would be the first of many cancellations. Perhaps our son was right … it was time to think about moving, where we would all feel safer, where life would feel more normal.

The shelves were empty

While we were tobogganing, others were panic-buying. There was nothing on the shelf but canned ham. I haven’t had canned ham since I was a kid. I don’t like canned ham and didn’t buy the last can.

I decided to try online grocery shopping instead. I thought I ordered nine oranges … but when the order arrived, I discovered that I had actually ordered nine BAGS of oranges.

What to do with nine BAGS of oranges?

I delivered oranges to friends and neighbours. I rang doorbells, stayed twenty feet away, and delivered bags of oranges. It was lots of fun and I had many laughs.

I had a fabulous sidewalk visit with my niece and her family … and I don’t know when I will see them again.

We decided to move … to somewhere else

Winter turned into spring and there was no end to COVID. March break for the grandkids was extended for a week, which turned into two, which turned into the rest of the school year. Playgrounds were closed. Everyone stayed home.

We talked about moving … to New Zealand … to British Columbia … to Nova Scotia … somewhere where the grandkids could have a normal life. 

After many family discussions, we all agreed that Nova Scotia offered the safest option with the fewest disruptions.

It was not as simple as packing up and moving. Nova Scotia imposed entry restrictions on March 23, requiring  anyone arriving from the rest of Canada to self-isolate for 14 days. As the weeks wore on, it became evident that the COVID numbers in all of Atlantic Canada were low. The four provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland, got together to form the Atlantic Bubble, beginning on July 3. Anyone who entered the Atlantic Bubble from the rest of Canada was free to travel anywhere within the Bubble after isolating for the required 14 days.

We wanted to get inside the Atlantic Bubble. We needed an entry plan.

Would we drive or fly? The drive is 20 hours, through Quebec and New Brunswick. All traffic entering New Brunswick from Quebec is stopped. Peace officers at the border require a credible entry plan for self isolation in the Atlantic Bubble. Every passenger flying into the Bubble must present a plan for self isolation.

We got to work on our entry plan. But first, we had to sell our house.

Packing during COVID is different. We couldn’t hire packers. This was not deemed to be an essential service. We packed ourselves. I was great with the first few boxes. I wrapped everything carefully in acres of bubble wrap. I listed all the contents on the outside of the box. This was taking far too long so I came up with a new method: pack whatever would fit into a box and tape it shut. The label became the same for every box: miscellaneous. 

But before we could sell the house, I decided that we needed to do those renos that I had always planned to do.

Who moves during COVID? Who decides to do home renos during COVID? 

I should have done this reno before COVID

The renos took longer than I expected. Was it really a good idea to do renos before selling? Too late now.

At last the renos were done

It was mid July before we were ready to put the house on the market.

Who sells a house in July? Who buys a house in July, in the middle of a global pandemic?

Lots of people bought and sold in July … and August … and September

July, August and September broke all records for sales in Canada. Our house sold in two days.

It turns out that lots of people were doing the same thing we were doing … moving somewhere else.

Now it was time to put our moving plan into action. My older son and his wife decided to drive. They loaded kids, cats and a very large dog into the car and set off on July 31. They drove straight through and arrived at their new house that they bought sight unseen. They bought it after doing a virtual tour. They self isolated in their own house.

Norman also drove so that we would have our car in Nova Scotia. I flew with my younger son and family. For our self isolation, we rented a large house on the ocean in Cow Bay, less than an hour from Halifax. I pictured a lovely beach vacation, with two weeks of building sand castles with the grandkids.

Cow Bay is not exactly as I had imagined.

Our beach was all rock, as far as you could see

Our grandson loved throwing rocks

We watched the waves

They ventured into the ocean

She’s holding him tight, keeping him safe

When the waves hit, she held him tighter

We collected rocks, we picked wildflowers, we built bonfires and roasted marshmallows. 

Even the foggy days were pretty in Cow Bay

Cow Bay is known for its surfing … but not while we were there

At last … 14 days were over … we were in the Atlantic Bubble

Next problem: we had no place to live. We rented a furnished condo on the waterfront in Halifax for two months. This is the view of the Halifax waterfront from the outdoor patio. The Nova Scotia flag is in the lower left corner.

Our son and his family moved into a house they had arranged to rent in Halifax before we left Toronto. We started house hunting. It turns out that the Halifax market is very tight. I guess other Canadians recognized the benefits of the Atlantic Bubble and decided to move to Halifax.

Wear a mask and social distance

Early in the pandemic, the premier of Nova Scotia told everyone to stay the blazes home. And everyone did. When it became clear that fresh air is good for you, he told everyone to wear a mask and get the blazes outside. And everyone did. No one complains about wearing a mask. No one complains about social distancing. Every few days, a new travel related case shows up in Nova Scotia. There is no community spread because of the self isolation requirement.

No one wants to burst the Atlantic Bubble

Bars and restaurants are open in Halifax

The motto for restaurants: Wear a mask if you are on your feet; take it off if you are in a seat.

The bars and restaurants are full every night in Halifax. You can park your boat and dine on a pier.

This is a reverse sunset

Our condo faced east so we only saw the sunset colour if there was fog on the horizon

This is a summer moon over the Halifax waterfront

The Halifax waterfront is a very busy container port

The container ships steamed right past our condo. 

This is an oil rig at the start of its journey from Halifax to West Africa

First day of school. He’s in grade primary

All the planning and moving was worth it … the grandkids are in school.

At the end of the first day of school, I asked the same questions that kids have always been asked: Do you like your teacher? Did you make a friend?

We finally found a house

We moved into our new house just before Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for this year.

The kids and grandkids came over for dinner. We did takeout because everything is still in boxes. Every box that I unpack is a mystery and a surprise because every box is labeled Miscellaneous.

We started this odyssey while tobogganing in Toronto. We celebrated Thanksgiving together in Halifax.

Welcome to our new adventure in Halifax