Since beginning this blog I have had feedback from readers who were inspired to take up gardening, some tried growing plants from seed, a few filled in their organ donor cards, several have bought the same camera I use and there has even been a couple who took the leap of faith to move here off grid. It seems pretty clear that most of you, even those of you who I have never met, have a pretty good sense of what our life is like here. You can’t help but understand how happy we are both with each other and the decision to move here.

Whenever we go back to the city to see the family we are reminded of the great life we had there while raising our kids. I really miss living near our family and I most definitely miss our house filled with family. The question is often raised over a glass of wine if we want to sell and move back to the city. What could we afford to buy? What would we possibly do all day? We would have to have a garden. There would have to be a workshop for E and space for the dogs. I couldn’t possibly live in a townhouse again with neighbours one wall away. So we laugh and let the conversation fall into dead air.

Then, we get on our boat and head home. There is that moment when we come around the point heading into our marina and, if you listen very carefully, you could hear us both take a deep breath and sigh with relief. We take our supply-laden truck down the lane which leads to our property and it once again feels like we are heading down a hidden path to a mysterious shire. The first sign of our property is the garden and with that we know we are home and not going anywhere soon. If we have any choice at all, in twenty or thirty years they will take us off this island in a box.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I do like to stress this life is not for everyone and it is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. The only way to get here is by boat or plane. We share a boat with family but moorage alone for us is 3600.00 per year and it costs 40.00 for fuel to go to town for supplies. If I kept better records I could tell you other costs but trust me, people who think its going to be cheap living off the grid on this island to “get away from the man,” are misguided. That said, 2.5 acres on the edge of a cliff is less money to purchase here than on an island with electricity, stores and a ferry. But you have to be willing to do the work or have the money to hire someone to do the work. Either way there is a lot of work.

There is little work, however, getting done these days. We both have colds. Not Covid. Going to the city, being around grandchildren, colds. The weather is terrible, rainy and cold, so we are content to sit back and watch the stormy view with our Kleenex and Tylenol. The chores will be there when we feel better and spring actually arrives.

The reader who is now a neighbour and friend very kindly sent me a text this week that she thinks of us every time she hears the Brandi Carlile song, “You and Me on a Rock“. Here are the lyrics of the chorus for you. I have to say, her text and listening to the song made my day.

I build my house up on this rock, baby
Every day with you
There’s nothin’ in that town I need
After everything we’ve been through
Me out in my garden and you out on your walk
Is all the distance this poor girl can take
Without listenin’ to you talk
I don’t need their money, baby
Just you and me on the rock
It’s you and me on the rock

I have to say if, in twenty or thirty years, they do take us off this island, hopefully together in a box, I think I have

found our epitaph