House Sharing is Our Answer

Who would have thought multigenerational living could be such fun? This is the 6th month our daughter and granddaughter have been living with us. This came about after she kindly stayed to look after our house when we went south to Mexico last February. Her relationship had ended so she was glad to spend some time with us while she house hunted. We had made arrangements for a house sitter but when she came available it made sense for them to stay here instead.

After our return the notion came up that perhaps we could house share and that would be of benefit to all of us. We chewed on the idea for a while. There was a lot to consider. My husband and I had really been enjoying having our house to ourselves after almost 35 years of child rearing. We have a 4 level split home with 5 bedrooms so lots of room but but no separate entry or living quarters. However, having our granddaughter around was also great fun. Little ones do keep you young. Plus we are at the age where we know how fast the time flies and how precious these years are.

Long story short we decided to renovate our bathrooms which was a project that had been a long time coming. At the same time we redid the lower level. It was totally gutted and drywalled and new flooring put in. Windows were added which changed the entire feel of the basement adding light and a much needed safety factor. We decided a kitchenette would be useful so there is a bank of cupboards now with a fridge and a sink and a microwave. When all was said and done it looked great. Viola! Practical privacy was created and our house improved at the same time.

So far, so good. This house sharing arrangement is working very well. Our daughter pays rent and contributes to the groceries and utilities. This is a good financial arrangement for all of us as her costs are reduced and so are ours. Her rent goes back towards the costs of the renovations. We can leave knowing the house and dogs and yard will be well looked after. We all enjoy the wee one and no one is feeling taken advantage of. We have had a couple of " family conference talks" to discuss concerns and clear the air and expect that to happen now and again. We have 3 adults and an almost 2 year old sharing space. Lucky for us our daughter is very responsible and helpful so we are truly blessed.

Next winter when we are ready we will be able to take off and they will have the house to themselves. Eventually, when we can fully retire we hope to spend some time in our summers in Canada tooling around exploring with a truck and camper so perhaps someday we will be the ones with the living space downstairs.

Finally Some Warmth

We actually got to 27 degrees today which is the kind of temperature I enjoy. We haven't had much of this even though we are mid June already. Perfect day with blue skies, sunshine and warmth. Had coffee on the deck, ate breakfast on the deck, enjoyed watching the grand daughter play in her little splash pool. Ahhh life is good.

Still can't help dreaming of retirement in southern climates where the weather stays warm throughout our cold Canadian winter months. I readily anticipate walking along tropical beaches, hiking around towns and cities discovering new sites and sounds. I love to watch people no matter where we are at. Town Squares have always been fascinating and there is usually a bench to be had to sit and observe the goings on. I am looking forward to experiencing Ecuador and Panama first hand. They aren't very big countries but they both have lots of variety with coastal areas and inland mountains. So I know there will be lots to see and learn about.

I would love to learn from others who have already been there. I still find myself searching for information and Snowbird related sites. Seems harder to find them than I expected. Perhaps there aren't as many of us boomers seeking the warmth as I thought or maybe they are better connected somehow? I want to know where others have traveled and what their experiences both good and bad have been. The term Snowbird is not new and it seems to be understood in the circles we travel in but perhaps it is purely a Canadian term. One of Anne Murray's contributions to our culture. What do other countries call people who travel to warmer climates to get out of winter cold?

Snowbird travel, Snowbird health insurance, Snowbird RV recommendations, Snowbird Associations, Snowbirds in Central America, Snowbirds in Mexico.... where are you? I can find Snowbirds in Florida easiest but again that may be related to the Winter exodus from Eastern Canada where there are just more people traveling south than from my province of Alberta.

Any suggestions out there?