Huybers Retirement Adventure: The Days Just Get Better!

Incredible Sunrise View from our house

We have been living on PEI for 6 months now and I have to say … the days just keep getting better and better.

PEI is very pretty in the summer time with all the sunshine and water activities. There is always something to do in PEI in the summer. However, I was a bit worried about the winters here in PEI. When family and friends first found out that we were moving to PEI, the first question out of their mouths were … “Why do you want to move there? The winters are brutal and you will get a ton of snow!” For those of you who know me, that was a valid question as I do NOT like snow, nor do I drive in it. With everyone saying the same thing, I must admit I was a little worried about winter in PEI.

When we started getting the first few snowflakes of the season I thought to myself … well, here we go. It’s snowing, brace yourself!! But it didn’t seem that bad … as soon as I remembered I don’t have to go anywhere! I’m retired. I can sit in my beautiful home and cozy up to the fire. It would snow for a few hours and then the skies would clear and we would have bright blue skies with a blanket of white snow on the ground. It was beautiful. The days got to be really cold, much colder than what I am used to, but again … I didn’t have to go anywhere unless I had to. If we did have to go out, Ron drove of course.

At times I thought the snow would never stop. Snow drifts kept getting higher and higher but that didn’t seem to bother Ron. In fact, he loved it!! It gave him an opportunity to go out and play with his big snow blower! The other day he came in after clearing a wide path with his snow blower and stated in a loud voice, “That was so much fun!!” He was like a little kid with a new toy. I’m glad he is having so much fun with it. I’m just as happy playing Suzie Homemaker in a nice warm house.

Since I’m not going out much these days, I have taken up baking again. I’ve been making my own bread, which we find is better than store bought, baking cookies, cakes and even a pie. Thank goodness Ron has been sneaking the goodies and eating them up. It saves me from eating them and putting on any more weight! Trouble is, if he runs out of cookies he starts whining at me to make more! Well like I said before, I am not going outside so I might as well bake! And I’m having fun doing it.

The other day we had to run and do some errands in Summerside. It was a crystal blue day. The water in the bay was frozen and looked amazing. We saw some fishing huts on the frozen bay and had to stop to take some photos. They looked so cute and each one had a smoke stack. I’m guessing from a pot belly stove so they could keep warm. I just imagined my son Andrew out there among the fishermen huddled in their cabins. He would love that.

I must say though, although I had a little fear about the PEI winters (thanks to my family and friends back home … ya … you know who you are) so far it hasn’t been too bad. I give a lot of credit to the PEI road crew for keeping the streets cleared of snow. They do an excellent job of salting and clearing the roads. Even when we have seen a blizzard (and there have been many) shortly after or even during, we see the snow plows going up and down our street making driving very manageable for those who need to drive.

So far I think the winter months will be alright in PEI. The views we have from our home makes this adventure enjoyable during summer or winter. I wonder what the Spring will bring? We’ve never been here in the Spring. I guess I will find out soon enough. Stay tuned!