Should I go or should I stay? USA have a happy holiday!

Most depressing day of the year? Well, I am feeling pretty energetic and good. I had planned to go swimming this morning (hoping that the pool has re-opened). However, the snow is falling and there is a cold weather alert, advising the good citizens of Toronto to check in on elderly neighbours etc…After listening to the weather report, I decide that it is probably best to stay put and get my exercise by shovelling snow. I have to admit, I love snow. It always seems to lift my spirits, no matter how cold. As many people I know like to go South in the winter, I wonder at times if I should do that? Can I skype with my clients and go wherever I like? I can see something like that happening in the future, but I think that right now, face to face contact is my preference for psychotherapy. I haven’t gotten the green light yet to use skype and I want to ensure security measures for clients. Hey, I can even go across Canada in a trailer with my books so I can stop along the way wherever I am and visit a book club or book store and leave some of my books behind and be available for psychotherapy sessions. I am sure that will be great for people living in isolated areas and great for me to visit all the amazing towns we have in Canada and the USA. We do live in a beautiful country. But of course with the pets I have, I am restrained and with the rules and regulations I have, I am sort of restrained there too. I love life and I love my work. My liberty is a bit constrained but that too is my choice, because of my priorities. I have always enjoyed my freedom. I think that it is one of the most important things in my life. I am at a stage in life where I have many options. I am still debating going to live in Niagara Falls so I can take a daily walk along side the falls and stop for coffee enjoying the site. I can have a home office and swim in my own pool. Compared to Toronto, Niagara Falls is very cheap. What I also like is that I can cross over to the States if they do not build a wall, and check out the sites there. They have built up the area too and there is a spot there close to the falls where you can have lunch or drink coffee and enjoy the closeness of the falls. That is a great way to retire while maintaining a practice and writing. They have high tea at Niagara on the Lake, they have great musicians at the Casino and they have a theatre again at Niagara on the Lake. The problem I have so far is when I ask if a house has asbestos no one seems to be able to say no. My health is important to me. Another problem is my professional development. The best universities are here in Toronto. There is nothing really there for me and so I would probably have to return to Toronto for my continuing education. I would also have to come back to go to the annual exhibition. Do I have to stay in Niagara if I hate living there? No, I can come back. What I think is great is that I have no time restriction. I can do that now, or in five years (which seems to be the norm now - a five year plan) or I can do it whenever. Hospitals and Doctors - again we probably have the best right here. I think people should protest to expand the wealth. Why have all the best of everything only in big city? I say spread it around. The crime? Well it is probably less than in Toronto. I personally think we need more police everywhere with a big budget. The safest city for me in my own personal opinion is New York City. I remember getting there at 10pm and there was military in the station and police on every block. That made me feel very safe. Here I am hearing too much of how bad the police are and not enough about how bad the crowd is as I noticed at the summit when our city was out of control and the police were considered the bad guys. Of course my city is also very multicultural which I love and going to a place where it is too waspish would be extremely boring and restricting for me in no time. How do you make your decisions? Do you give yourself a time frame? Do you write it out on a divided page with the pros and cons as headings? Today is Martin Luther King day in the States and it is a holiday there. When I went for a tour of Washington, I saw where Martin Luther King stood and I was surprised by how invisible it looked. I understand that this has changed and there is more elaborate recognition. I want to return to Washington one day because it is a very impressive city with lots of free museums I still need to explore. Ideally I would want to stay at the closest hotel and explore away until I had seen it all. Now that my Canadian dollar is getting close to invisible, free museums are a nice option. However, my dear pets who are now laying on my bed, keep me grounded where they can see me just for fun. Have a Happy Holiday neighbours! Now, I have to install some hinges - wish me luck. Toooooo cold to shovel. Not that bad, that it needs it. Florida? Someday? What do you think? Hey, have you read my books yet? www.silvaredigonda.com You may ask me a question or tell me what you think of either of my books. Have a nice day.