Houston, we have lift off - Well, I'm here, I'm queer, I'm still unpacking.

So for those of you keeping up with my little saga, I have to say, the process getting into Canada with all my worldly possessions was quite anti-climactic. The actual drama occurred the morning of my move and trying to load up the moving van and get the car and hitch attached. I was fortunate that I had some amazing friends who not only had strong backs and a high tolerance for the amount of crap I have but who also had savant-like visual-spacial sensibilities.

I took a different route into Canada than I normally do, which was a bit of shot in the dark but I thought about as well calculated a risk as possible. I went with the unknown route in because I heard it was far less busy than the one I usually take through Buffalo. So, after leaving, I drove North for about an hour and a half with my partner, my cat, this 17' moving van and car in tow (I now have a whooooooole new appreciation for truck drivers) and reached the border with a knot in my stomach. Although I knew my paper work was in order, my life works such that I was convinced that they would tear apart my van which had been packed as tightly as a pimento in an olive.

However, when I reached the border, the woman at the booth stated, she didn't think I'd need to do anything since my permit was only for a year but I'd better stop in the office just in case. After managing to park the monstrosity I was driving, my partner and I went in the office. After about a 4 minute conversation, they determined that I would only need to submit lists of belongings and so on if I was coming in for the first time as a permanent resident or on a work permit longer than 36 months. It actually took longer for them to tell about where the bathrooms were and how to get to the nearest Tim Hortons.

That's it.

No search.

No other questions.

Just, Welcome to Canada!!

So, now I'm hear and up to my eyeballs in the new job, the new place and getting to "be" with my partner without the commute. I'm already having lots of adjustments (some more along the lines of observations and some just mind bending shifts) which I'll write about over the next few weeks.

The final push - Ok, T minus 32 hours and counting until we load up the moving van and make a run for the border.

Took a few days in Cape Cod to relax and have a bit of a vacation. I didn't quite realize how badly I needed to "just be." I actually didn't set the alarm for three mornings in a row!! ... proof that miracles do happen.

And now, my partner and I are in the final throws of packing and sorting. It has not been pretty folks, but, I think it's getting done. As she said earlier today in the midst of the two of us having a "moment," we have different perspectives on what kinds of things to hang on to and why. I do have to say, however, despite our differences (I am waaaaaaaaay more sentimental about "stuff"), we've been respectful of each other's needs or at least tolerated each other's vocalizing of needs.

While on vacation, I caught news of the foiled terrorist plots in Toronto. And in case you were wondering how self centered this whole process has made me, let me tell you my biggest worries about all this terrorism in Canada stuff. Am I worried about the prime minister? No, not at all (besides he's like the Mini-Me version of Bush). Am I worried about major parts of the city being blown to smithereens? Nope. Am I worried about my own personal safety and that of my loved ones there? Nuh-uh. What, you ask, am I really worried about? At this moment, I am most concerned if this now means the border guards are going to make me unload and reload my whole moving van and add hours of labor and time to the day and screw up my carefully organized and precisely timed "load out" at the new casa.

Yep, that's it folks, my biggest concerns about the extremist version of the "B & B" (bomb and behead) is that my move will be made more difficult. Pretty shallow, I know, but it's where "I'm at." Besides after years of "yellow" and "red" alerts, I'm chicken-littled to the point of numbness anyway.

So, at this point, I'll be dismantling my computer for the move and hopefully in a few days time, I'll be back on-line and ready to begin the chronicling of this process from "the other side." Wish me luck!

Total number of pieces of paper required for my cat to immigrate: 1
Total cost thus far related to said cat's immigration: $64 for a vet visit

Total number of pieces of paper thus far required for my immigration: 54 and counting
Total cost thus far related to my immigration paperwork: approx $1635 with several hundred dollars more needing to be paid down the road.

Price for being with my partner under one roof: Priceless.