I left Winnipeg in 2010 to teach English in Mexico for one year. ONE year.

In 2016 I flew to Seattle from Mazatlan to visit a friend in Leavenworth. ONE visit.

I guess ONE just isn’t in my vocabulary. At least not yet. Mexico has been home for sixteen years and Washington State has been home for ten years.

And now I’m in Summerland, BC, Canada. ONE winter.

My body is screaming at me, “You idiot! So what if there are hurricanes? You should be packed and on your way back to Mexico for the winter.”

And my mind is protesting too. “You missed all those gorgeous leaves in Leavenworth! And what about your tree in Cashmere?”

That requires a little explanation. I’ve been photographing a red maple tree in Cashmere since 2016. I’m not there so my friends are visiting my tree and taking pics. Ann has been there twice already and she dragged Connie along with her the other day. They both live in Leavenworth. They tell me the tree isn’t doing so well. Does it miss me too?

But I’m adapting to life in Canada. The atmosphere here is certainly different than in Washington State or in Mexico. And I’m not referring to air quality.

This past weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada. The people I rent from are amazing and included me in their family holiday dinner. What a memorable time! Dinner on the beach with wonderful people and great food. I am truly thankful.

So while I am slowly assimilating into the Canadian way of life again, I am thankful for Zoom and video calls. That still keeps one foot in my two other countries.

Happy Humpday!