Coopers Adventure East

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

A month ago, DH and I packed up our bags and took a long trip east!

 

Some background info for those of you unaware

Im an ecologist, and moved from England to Canada a few years ago. Ive been unable to get ecology work and so ended up working in a pet food store. DH was unable to get a marketing job once her graduated, so also worked in the pet food store (good for Cooper and the cats, not so great for us!).

I was planning on going to school part time and working full time, but lost my job. We were living in Vancouver which is super expensive. We were thinking we would never be able to get work, or buy a house, so we made the drastic decision to move to chilly Ontario where its cheaper and my inlaws live.

 

What happened

We sold most of our things - furniture, kitchen stuff, nick nacks etc. kept clothes, books, and pet stuff. Sent it off in a moving truck a week before we left with the expectation it would arrive a few days after us. Incidentally, it has been over a month and it still is not here

 

We pile the car up with "stuff". We have way more "stuff" and a smaller car than we though, so alot of it got left behind! We prioritized - dog, 3 cats, computers, games systems, tv, pet food, dog toys....

Cooper has to share the back seat with 2 cats in a kennel, and lots of other "stuff". Lego was in a soft carrier on the passengers knee! He loved it!

Cooper wasnt so sure, being stuck next to 2 cats that get car sick....

Really Mom?

"We arent too impressed either!"

 

Believe it or not, the animals did really well on the 3 day drive! Cooper slept most of the way, and the cats were semi-drugged up, and slept alot too. No vomit, no potty accidents, no crying!

 

We stopped for frequent breaks - to stretch legs, potty breaks, food breaks.... (for us and the animals). The animals didnt eat much but that was to be expected. We gave them all canned food so they would gets lots of moisture, as they didnt drink much water.

Cooper got LOTS of attention from people at the rest stops!!!!!

 

The scenery was amazing!

 

 

Leg 1 we left at 5 am and drove til 1 am, where we stopped at a friends (after being pulled over randomly by the police). He had pizza and beer for us! Cooper, Merry, Pippin and Lego met Tux and Tum-Tum

Cooper had a great run in the yard

Leg 2

We slept and slept and slept - leaving at 6pm the next day. We drove til 11.30 the next day! 

Hi Mom!

 

After we arrived at the inlaws, we went pretty much straight to bed. The next day we explored!

The inlaws live in the country - 30km from the nearest city (75,000 people) and 5km form the nearest village (600 people)

They have a beautiful 3 bedroom 2 bathroom cottage with 40 acres. The yard isnt fenced, so Cooper is on a long line, tied to a rope which is tied to the deck. She doesnt even notice it!

 

So.... after driving 4,000km in 2 legs, over 3 days, we arrived safely, and have now been here for a month. Its taken some adjusting to - not having our own space, but country living is amazing (apart from the limited internet and long drive into town!). The day after we arrived, Cooper was on her long line and i went to the car to get something. she jumps in and refuses to come out. she thought we were carrying on our journey!

 

oh and Cooper has a new play buddy Abbey (see next blog!)

 

[BG and Gavin]

Wow, what an adventure.  Looks like the animals and you handled everything in stride!  Welcome to Ontario by the way!  What part of the province are you in?