Dear Jean and Jim,

Greetings from Cape Breton. Or, as they say in Gaelic, "Failtean bho Cheap Breatainn."

It seems like such a short time ago that we said our early morning goodbyes in your driveway. We can still picture you standing there waving as our car drove down the road and out of sight. Bob and I were so unsure of ourselves then, leaving our friends and a city that was home for so many years.

But today as we sit here lingering over our second cup of coffee, the uncertainty is gone and a much more pleasant feeling of contentment has settled in. We know now that the decision to spend our retirement years in Cape Breton was the best decision we could have made. We feel like newlyweds again!

Being so close to old friends and family is such a new experience for us...and such a treat! We're making up for all the years we spent so many miles apart.

Do you remember us talking about the MacNeils? Well, they live just down the road from us. It was fun getting to know them again, although they certainly haven't changed much. John's quite the fiddler now and always ready with a reel or two at our neighbourhood cookouts.

We've made so many new friends since we came back. Everywhere we go we are welcomed like "old buddies." One very special lady named Shirley, who lives about a mile up the river, has become an important part of our life. She reminds us of you, Jean. Her energy and enthusiasm inspire us.

So far she's introduced us to golfing (I think we're hooked!) And a few weeks ago, we went canoeing together. You can't imagine the feeling of well-being we experience paddling along the Mira at sunset. When winter comes, of course, the river freezes over into a marvellous skating rink. We both remember skating there on our honeymoon, bonfires burning along the shore and skaters gliding for miles up and down the river. We look forward to experiencing that again.

And speaking of winter, the cross-country skiing is fabulous and some of our new friends have challenged us to take up downhill skiing. Now that's something to look forward to!

And in the spring, Shirley has promised to teach us the fine art of herb gardening in exchange for our 'expertise' in wine-making. A fair exchange, don't you think?

Remember how we were always looking for new places to hike and explore? Well, here in Cape Breton we never have to look very far. We've hiked along cliffs overlooking the ocean, strolled along glorious beaches and picnicked beside waterfalls. And we haven't even had to leave the country.

As you probably guessed, retirement agrees with us! Our only dilemma is not having enough hours in the day.

Remember how Bob always wanted to go back to playing the bagpipes some day? Well, he started lessons a few weeks ago and do you know what....he's a real natural. And while he's puffing on the pipes, I'm learning to play the "bodhran" (that's a traditional Celtic drum). You should hear us practicing out on the deck. Lucky we live on an acre of land! An just in case we run out of things to do, we can always enroll in night classes at the University College of Cape Breton and maybe one of these days we'll take the plunge. Bob's interested in learning Gaelic, and I might take some business courses. You know I've always been intrigued by the idea of starting my own business and Shirley and I have been tossing around the idea of doing it together.

Ever hear of Inverness Shuffle? Neither did we until we went to our very first square dance. It took us a little while to get the hang of it, but now we're 'old pros'. Music really is the language of Cape Breton. It's part of the Island's heritage. But we continue to be amazed at the prominent role it plays in almost everything we do. We've been to outdoor Scottish concerts in farmers' fields, symphony concerts at the elegant Savoy Theatre, dinner theatre in community halls, and world-class entertainment at Centre Bras d'Or and Centre 200.

And speaking of Centre 200, we can't wait 'till the hockey games start!

Jean, you'd love our new house. It would remind you of our old home, except that my kitchen now looks out over the Mira River. It may sound corny, but it truly is our dream home. We designed it ourselves (with a little help from the architect!) and every day we watched it take shape. It was an experience of a lifetime, and believe it or not, we actually had money left over from the sale of our other house. Our contractor was a gem! No hidden costs, no horror stories, no disasters.

Well, there was one little disaster. I was poking aground the backyard one day while the workmen were on the roof, and I slipped and injured the muscle in my leg. In a way, though, it was a blessing. It gave us a chance to get a firsthand look at Cape Breton's health care system. I was taken to Sydney's brand new regional hospital, only fifteen minutes away, where I got immediate attention and first class care.

We will never regret our decision to make Cape Breton our retirement home. It has allowed us to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, and to build a beautiful home in the country that's just fifteen minutes from the city. Where else could we do that?

If I remember correctly, your retirement is coming up soon, isn't it? May you should consider following in our footsteps! There's a wonderful property for sale just down the road. It's on the ocean and would suit you both to a tee. Wouldn't it be great to be neighbours again?

We must say good-bye for now. We're counting the days until your visit next summer. Don't forget to bring your hiking shoes!

Much love,

Alice & Bob