===I spent the afternoon "winterizing" my shrubs and plants. I watered in my baby trees, transplanted some flowers, thinned out some others. As I worked, my thoughts reviewed the past 5 months that we have been in Nfld.
 Our drive to Hant's Harbour in July to help friends who are renovating an old house to use as a summer home. We were to help with the siding and some outside painting. It rained! But we got a good visit in, and managed to do some sight-seeing as well. Our plans to re-visit St. Johns never materialized. We spent most of the summer doing home jobs, which is exactly why we live in a condo in AB to avoid having to do! Go figure! 
We had a lot of company this summer as well. Three lots from AB. Family from NS. My brother and family from CBS...who I had hoped to visit at his home, and that didn't happen either. I am thankful we did see each other earlier in the summer. My two brothers in Lamaline work away for months at a time, so our visits are too rare. Last evening our young nephew and his girlfriend joined us for supper. That was so special...and we enjoyed every moment with them. 
Most of the summer was centered around Art's brother who was seriously ill last Spring, and spend six weeks in the hospital. His recovery was slow...and Art drove to Grand Bank at least twice a week to spend the day with him. Then, as Howard felt stronger, he would drive to our house in Garnish and spend the day. Last month he stayed with us for a week, helping with vertical siding and whatever else needed doing. I worried about him over-doing it, but he seemed to enjoy being busy and the bonding of the brothers was important to them both. 
My sister and I saw each other twice weekly for dinner at each other's home..we made that a tradition five years ago. I did not see some friends I had planned to see...even promised. I apologize to Mary, Bess, and Marguerite especially.
When my back started hurting and it became an effort to stand, I walked to the back of the house and stood gazing out over the Bay. The calmness and cerulean blue of the summer ocean have passed on, and now the seas are a dark, nearly black at times, blue, and the whitecaps are racing toward the shore.   It is a beautiful sight. I drink it all in. This image has to feed my hunger all winter till next Spring when, God willing, we will return again. I tell myself the wind is causing my eyes to tear up...but why the heaviness in my heart? In two days we leave this Island, this town, that we both love. When we see our daughter, her husband, and our two precious g-children, when we settle in at home, see our "western friends" again, then this vision will recede to the back of my mind, not to disappear, but to make way for what will then be "home" for the next six months. Within a week, we will have adapted to our day by day life. We are so very blessed to have a foot in each province, and to feel equally at home in either.