As I recovered , I came to accept that my life was not going to look as I had anticipated ; however , I decided to take a positive outlook and realize how much I did have to be grateful for — which was an extensive list !
The first encouraging signs of significant recovery were my being able to walk my two schnoodles without a walker , being able to use my hands normally , and , best of all , to be able to garden : planting my flower beds by late spring and and cancelling lawn care in July . By Christmas I was again able to eat wonderful food . By that time , my energy and strength were much improved , though I was still somewhat swollen from chemotherapy , and my skin was slightly discoloured from new medication . However , I was feeling able to get on with the new year ahead and a satisfying life of retirement .
Truth be told , my dream for retirement was to live in or as close to the Rocky Mountains as possible , a dream that stemmed from working in the early 1980s as a forest-fire spotter at Falls Lookout for two seasons . I loved the job , adventure , and isolation of being at 7,400 feet atop a ridge of the Rockies . In December of 2016 , I dared myself to search for a rural property in southwestern Alberta , and I found a listing that was beyond my wildest dreams . It shook me to realize that I might very well live my retirement dream after all !
Within sixty days I had sold my house , packed it up , and moved with two dogs in tow to what I call my second forest ‘ lookout .’ My hillside retirement home has a 160 degree view of the valley below , with mountains just beyond . My body continues to strengthen in this country atmosphere and lifestyle , and I now live the life I had imagined all those years ago .
As devastated as I was by having to retire under less-than-ideal circumstances , I had come to
accept the likelihood of remaining in Edmonton to enjoy my retirement years with friends and family . However , the door to my decades-old dream finally opened , and I am grateful to have been able to finally walk through it . ●
Moving day
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news & views AUTUMN 2018 | 11