90 days ago

Tags

CCOA, Charlottetown, Dunes Gallery, first quarter, new home, PEI

It has now been 3 months since we moved to Prince Edward Island. We are now settled into our new home and have a life routine. It was a lot of work setting up house, more so than I can remember, the last time being in 2011. There was a lot of little details, by changing Province you also have to get a new driver’s permit, car licence and registration, Provincial Health card with its 3 month wait period. Also have to change address with people like the National Revenue Agency, so that income tax is calculated based on your new Province of residence.  Then there is work around the house, painting, decorating, arranging closets and emptying boxes. so many details, enough to make your head spin.

All the while discovering this new Province, the smallest in Canada with a total landmass of 5,656 sq. km (2184 sq. mi) and a population of 140,000 people. Everything seems to be 30 minutes away.

I got my family pass to enter the National Parks where some of the nicest beaches in North America are located. We now have a butcher, 2 green grocers and 2 gardening centres where we can buy annual flowers and plants for our balcony. I think my favourite spot is Point Prim where the oldest lighthouse of the Island is located. I have discovered that we do have a lot of lighthouses on the Island given the rocky and dangerous coastline.

I also like to go to Brackley Beach and visit Dunes with its beautiful gardens. http://www.dunesgallery.com

I also started a new volunteer job at the Art Gallery of the Confederation Centre for the Arts. http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/  This keeps me fairly busy and I am enjoying myself.

It has been a good 3 months and every morning I sit on my balcony, enjoying my espresso and just looking at the park and the river and all the activities on the water or at the marina, a morning ritual I follow, listening to the CBC Island Morning. Speaking of which for PRIDE Week in PEI, 25-30 July, the Island has turned this event into a big festival where everyone is participating. The street intersections in Charlottetown have been painted in the colour of the rainbow flag, the CBC has changed the colours of its corporate logo from Red to rainbow colour, etc. It seems that Pride Week is just another excuse to have lots of fun.