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Courageous and Outrageous - Building the DreamBy Pat Nichol  How many people get to live exactly where and how they want? Most of the time, we compromise or simply make do. Sometimes, it is because others in our lives have different ideas of where or how we should live. Sometimes our jobs or careers carry us to places that might not suit our souls. In this issue about housing, I want to talk about a couple who live exactly where and how they want - not once, not twice, but three times. Lois and John came to B.C. from Ontario about 32 years ago. Both worked the corporate scene and lived a comfortable life in Victoria. In the early '90s, they decided that living in the city was too confining, so they moved to the Highlands (on Vancouver Island, not Scotland). On a piece of land larger than a city lot, they planned and built a house that would suit them and their two growing sons. It didn’t take long for them to outgrow both the house and property, so they moved further out in the Highlands. This house was designed so that once their sons had grown up and began families of their own, Lois and John could move into a detached apartment on the property and turn the main house over to their sons. But then the Highlands became popular and populated, so they decided to move further north. Recently, I visited them at their family compound between Victoria and Nanaimo. Once again, the house is exactly as they planned together: everything in its place. John said that their furniture played a big part in the home’s design. Beloved family pieces that fit with the house helped make it their home. Did I mention that they lived on a farm in Ontario? So, it is not only about a house, it is also about lifestyle. They share their property with small herd of Lombardi Hereford sheep, several Boer goats and a colourful cast of 12 emus. In addition, there is space for John to tinker, a garden for Lois to rule over, and several workshops. Most importantly, their sons and grandchildren are close at hand. A dream home, and a dream lifestyle. Way to go, you two!
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