Sifting Through Photographs

[bjarvis]

I spent a little time earlier today cleaning up the hard drive of one of my XP boxes and tripped across the photo below. It's a scan of a 5x7" photo which is framed on our fireplace mantle; Mom asked me to scan it last May and I had forgotten entirely that I had done so.

The photo was taking in early October of 1994 on my parents' farm near Charlton in northern Ontario. Snowball (aka Goof) quietly passed away in his sleep in November of 1999, occupying the full length of his personal sofa in the dining room.

I'm suddenly struck by a wave of homesickness: I miss the farm, I miss living in Canada, I miss having snow (even if it lasts October to April) and I miss having the loving company of a dog.

I also kinda miss having a full head of hair but that's an unrelated issue.

Comments

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

I've seen the homesickness and perma-bonding in your prior posts...from where does KENT hail? Would he want to move to Santa's backyard?

I'm thinking we MAY be hearing that you're moving back there in the next coupla!

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Kent is a DC-area native; outside of a year in San Diego many moons ago, he's always lived in the greater DC area. He can't stand snow, believes 2.5 seasons per year are enough for any person and although the Great White North is a lovely place to visit, he'd have a difficult time lining up a job as a paralegal specializing in US patent & trademark law.

I'm probably missing home a lot more than usual right now because another snowless winter is coming on, I have too much time to brood since I'm no longer in classes, I have two really neat nieces and a nephew growing up too far away and I haven't been back to Canada in two years. The federal election is a small complicating factor too.

Moving back would be very problematic for a while longer, Kent notwithstanding. If I leave for more than six months, I forfeit my permanent residence status, something which took too long & too much money to obtain before 9/11. I need to continue working in the US fulltime for about 2 years more to earn enough credits to be eligible for social security (whatever that will be like when the time comes). And I'm being paid about 2.5 times more now than I did in my best year in Toronto, which wouldn't be a big deal except that the funds I keep funnelling back to my parents & extended family probably make me useful to more people here than there.

All of that, and the xmas season commercialism usually puts me in a rotten mood anyway.

In short, I need to spend some time finding my way out of my current rut. Emotionally I'm a bit homesick, but I know rationally it's merely escapism. I need to set some long range goals (5+ years out)... having a distant star on which to focus would probably kick me back into my usual energy level.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

What's good about all this is that you have very POSITIVE energy from your land-o-birth...many don't, or at least claim not to.

Since I'm an Air Force Brat, I had limited bonding with geographic areas during formative years, and NW Louisiana where my family lost entropy in 1964 doesn't do it for me Although we all get along on our infrequent visits, my family and I just keep lightly in touch with each other. I LOVE families, though, or at least the concept of them. My 2 nieces and 1 nephew are distant to be sure.

I'm in a mood, too, and will probably break out of it about the day after Christmas. :-)

[paigemom.livejournal.com]

I remember you telling stories about Goof. And I remember that pic. I always wished I could have met him. He looked like such a sweetie.

It was 70 degrees here on Saturday. That is so WRONG.