Here’s something I don’t blog about much: my terrific husband. But once in awhile, something so special and unique happens that it’s time to reveal a bit about oneself: Lee Bice-Matheson, the author, no the writer, no, the wife! My husband and I raised our son, Justin, in a small city called Sarnia. After years of suffering with my asthma, afterall Sarnia was named the city with the worst air quality in Canada, Justin was heading off to first year university in the fall to Montreal at McGill and Kevin announced, ‘We are moving!’ I looked at him in disbelief and said, ‘Say what?’ Again, he said, ‘We’re moving!’ and in that brief moment, I agreed one hundred percent. He was sick and tired of watching me, his wife, suffer in the spring/summer/fall months stuck inside in the air conditioning while most people carried on with their life. I was once told that I would have to find something to do indoors and being a lover of nature, that to me was a death sentence. However, I decided to take a post-graduate writing course during which both of my parents died. Hmm…. that was not in the plan. So I deferred the course for a few months of grieving and then continued and finished the course. I began to write a novel about, you guessed it, ghosts. What else would entertain my thoughts so much at that terrible time?! So when Kevin announced ‘we’re moving’, he said ‘Lee Anne, I’m getting you to fresher air’. The search was on in Ontario to find fresh air. We searched high and low. In fact, one friend of ours asked ‘Are you looking to move?’ They realized with my suffering and our son heading off to school soon, it would make sense. We found a beautiful little city named Orillia. In fact, the famous writer Stephen Leacock made his summer home here. It still stands to this day as a museum. And guess what? Stephen Leacock was a professor at? You guessed it: McGill University. See how the world works? And now, we are happily settled in what most people call ‘God’s country’. It is situated between two lakes – Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. They sure are beautiful. So when there are ‘bad air days’ announced in Ontario, it’s as if there is an invisible veil preventing it from coming north of Barrie, to Orillia. Do we suffer from the same heat waves? Yes. But not as long as the rest of Ontario. And does the air bother me? Only occasionally, and when it does it’s gone within the same day. Not like the week it would have when we lived in Sarnia. We are absolutely thrilled living this new life. I highly recommend in your late forties or fifties to take a look at your life and if you are not happy, make the move. We did and there is no looking back. We have more opportunities here than ever before. Kevin is the president of a local business group and part of a non-profit community that he enjoys so much. I am involved with several very famous writers living where? You guessed it! Near Orillia, but I won’t say who or where they live. I was outdoors every day last summer but two. In Sarnia, I was indoors every day but two. Now, I ask you, is that living? and believe you me, no one wants to socialize with someone who has a health problem. Did you know in China, people with health problems are revered and most respected in the family? Each family member and friend helps to take care of them? Well, lucky for me, I’m lucky in love. My husband, Kevin, is the best husband in the world. He moved his sick wife to Orillia, and I have never been so busy, nor been in a close proximity with so many awesome authors, it makes my head spin. We left behind many awesome people that we hold dear in our hearts, and Kevin left his legacy behind. Thank you to my dear husband, best friend and partner. Without you, I would not have known what it’s like to live a ‘normal’ life. 🙂 I am forever grateful and in love with you!
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