Well it is official, our families and the Companions moved into the new Farmhouse in time for Christmas 2020, it was our own little Christmas miracle on the farm. Three months later, after all the unpacking is done and everyone has had a chance to settle in, I took a walk over to the new Farmhouse to catch up with Katrin in Suite A to find out how the actual move went for “The Ladies.” Many of our readers know who Katrin and The Ladies are, for those who are newer to Glenora Farm, here’s a quick recap: Katrin and The Ladies officially became a trio in 2001 and, up until December have called the Big House home, Katrin has resided in the Big House for 23 years. I was curious how the move went and how The Ladies have adjusted to their new surroundings after being in the Big House for so long.
When I stepped into the living room and dining area the first thing that struck me, having been there in various stages of the building process, is that it no longer felt like a beautiful house built to help support the needs of our Companions with all the updated accessories and equipment, but rather a beautiful home, warm and bright.
The moving-in process started a few months before the actual move in date; our administration team worked on licenses, permits, so many phone calls, plenty of emails, more permits, and few more grey hairs. Our facility maintence team was working full tilt to fill in the gaps where we could, their work and dedication helped to speed up the process and save money. Katrin had 23 years of Big House living to sort through, although her personal belongings always fit into her Big House bedroom, her room in the new home her room is significantly smaller, but really, does one need to drag paperwork from 1999 to a new home?
There was also the delicate dance of preparing The Ladies for the move, but not telling them until it was going happen, as time can be an elusive concept for them. In the weeks leading up to the move in day, The Ladies participated in the cleaning and helped to prepare the rooms in the farmhouse for moving day. Preparing the Companions for change and ensuring they felt familiar with their new home started the day we broke ground; Katrin, the co-workers, and The Ladies were front and center when the shovels hit the ground. It was important to Katrin that The Ladies were not just familiar with the house, they walked the pathways to and from the Farmhouse that led them to their regular day workshops.
The move from the Big House to the Farmhouse was a short distance and one of the benefits of living within a community is there are many hands ready to help. So the actual physical move went very smooth between being organized and ready to go and all the helping hands ready to make it happen.
The day we got the green light that Katrin and The Ladies could move in, there was some concern about how much of an adjustment it would be for them all, especially the first few nights in new surroundings. We are happy to report as per usual Katrin was right, they were all indeed ready for the move, physically, mentally, and emotionally they were ready to say good-bye to their Big House.
One of the reasons that the transition was smooth, with no sleepless nights, or Companions being confused about new surroundings was because they were all together; with each person holding a special role within the group. One of The Ladies always seems to be ‘in charge, keeping a watchful eye on the “party girl” of the group, if Katrin had to step out of the room for a moment, an alarm bell of giggling would alert her to in-coming mischief making. Another one of The Ladies lights up the room with her smile and occasional witty word that sometimes seems to come out of nowhere, her presence is calming for the other two. One of The Ladies takes great joy in watching children play and eating chocolate; now that her neighbors have small children she is in her element, all she needs is a chocolate cupboard. The ‘life of the party’ Lady has grown into a proficient helper, assisting Katrin with daily household chores, she brings a special flair and sense of merriment to even the most mundane tasks, like looking for “James” the robot vacuumed cleaner that occasionally gets lost under her bed.
Before the move The Ladies were bonded together, or as Katrin says “it is like they are soul mates”, they lived in a big, busy, and energetic house; there were always other Companions and Coworkers around to add to the energy to a bustling day. Now that Katrin and The Ladies have moved, they are experiencing a much quieter home and have very quickly begun a natural rhythm of quieter daily life.
