Relearning Montreal

Bliss

2010-04-04T09:57:00.002-04:00

This long weekend "thing" where the weather is incredible and I get to spend time with family and friends has been pure bliss. It is also a nice transition between two jobs. I finished my contract with the non-profit on Friday morning and start a new job at Cirque du Soleil (woohoo!) on Tuesday. I'm very excited about the weeks ahead, can't wait to see what it is like to work with the circus people.

Yesterday, I experienced getting a pedicure from little fishies. I went to the salon Tami Beauté des ongles on Duluth where they have large tanks with tiny little Garra rufa fish that are the size of minnows and seem to like eating dead skin. Patrons sit on a bench after having their feet inspected and washed (to make sure you don't introduce diseases into the tank) and lower their legs about mid-calf into the tanks where the little guys get to work immediately (they must not feed them too often). The sensation can be compared to soaking your feet in bubbly water with a light massaging sensation. I'm a little bit ticklish, but not to worry, there are only a few instances when I starting giggling and it was because a fish was nibbling at the space between my toes. My friend Dina and I (she discovered this place) sat for about 20 minutes and then moved on to a more traditional pedicure in a massaging chair at the back. The entire experience, from beginning to end, was a bit long, almost two hours, but hey! it was two hours of very relaxing girl time with my good friend. When then went for a stroll on Saint-Denis with our feet in sandals (to show off the perfectly applied nail polish) and shopped for dresses before heading home. April 3, yet it felt like a Summer day. Bliss.

Today is Easter brunch with the family and my grandma, then probably some spring cleaning and relaxing at home. It's a bit windy outside, but still really warm. Bliss.

Walking

2010-02-21T08:11:00.001-05:00

It's 8:10 am on a Sunday and I am as awake as can be. I've had my first coffee, toast, and the dog has been walked and fed. She is chewing on her Nylabone while I catch up with the latest Olympic news online. Jenna doesn't know Sunday from Tuesday, so most mornings start at 6 am sharp. Did I mention that I haven't used an alarm since November?

Thing is, once I'm out on our morning walk, I'm really enjoying it. We walk at a fast(ish) pace, sometimes are the first ones to step onto fresh snow, and we get to see the city when it is still very quiet. We're out there when the oil trucks are finishing their run and filling the last few tanks. We're out there when the newspaper delivery guy throws a few copies of The Gazette (or La Presse maybe) before running back into his car. It used to be that we would leave the house in the dark, and return in the dark, but for the past few weeks, it's light out when we head back home.

I've been so busy these past few weeks that it has impacted my ability to head to the gym or go climbing. I would feel sluggish if it wasn't for those daily walks. The morning walk lasts around 30-40 minutes and I am always warm when I take off my coat. The evening walk can be short, or very long, depending on the weather and the behaviour of the dog. Sometimes she is just too excited to take on a long walk. And there are occasional lunch-hour walks, very short because I only have a limited amount of time to walk Jenna and eat before I return to work.

Having a dog is a lot of work, but it also has many rewards. Being forced to spend time outside and exercise daily are two excellent rewards.

A new year, hopefully filled with lots of new experiences

2010-01-03T16:22:00.000-05:00

So it's 2010, and two days after the start of the year, I am sitting in the kitchen, warm slippers on my feet, wearing a thick sweater, enjoying that I am indoors on such a cold, windy winter day. There's a crazy storm pounding Montreal right now, I know because I've been out a few times to walk the dog and shovel snow. I was originally going to accompany my dad, sister and brother to the chalet for some snowshoeing. However, with the weather being a bit cold for comfort (damn wind) and my fighting something right now (I feel very tired and my throat has a tickle), I decided to stay home and have to admit that I'm glad I did.

A few changes in my life probably also help explain why I am feeling so tired these days. The puppy Jenna, even if she is great to have around, is a handful. She needs to be walked early in the day, usually between 6 and 6:30 am. That's my shift for now, as I started working in December and have to get up anyways. Brendan looks after her during the day, an arrangement we'll have to adjust when he goes back to work on January 18. Since my work hours are flexible, I will probably drop by the house at lunch time to feed her and let her out, at least until she is old enough to stay in her crate for 8 hours at the time. It's also hard to relax when we're always keeping an eye out for her. When she is not in the same room as us, we tend to regularly check up on her to make sure she is not destroying shows, walls, baseboard, or chewing on tea towels. Yes, puppies chew on everything, even when they have their own toys to destroy.

Work! Yes, I haven't mentioned work until now. I started a short-term contract with a non-profit organization led by a friend of mine. I am helping him figure out his business and technology strategy. A big part of the work being done by the organization evolves around a web-based community of members, so technology is a key part of their day-to-day concerns and it brings its share of trouble. The organization has pretty much set its strategic objectives, but it now needs to translate these objectives in concrete action plans, something else I am helping with. The contract was signed for two months, it might stretch a bit into February depending on the progress of various initiatives. I am not sure however that there is a long-term position in the works for me, so I am keeping my eyes open for other opportunities. Working a bit for a few months is really good for me, it keeps me busy and allows me to further develop a few skills. I am grateful for this opportunity.

Next week, I start school. I can't wait, I will be studying about a subject that I am highly passionate about. I made a large purchase in preparation for the semester: I bought a Mac Book Pro. I needed a laptop for school, to be able to take notes in class, and I only had a desktop at home. After researching the different laptop brands, I chose the Mac Book Pro. It is not the greenest laptop on the market, but it was designed with low energy consumption and recyclability in mind. The change to the Apple OS and software has not been too difficult until now, although I have only used a very small part of the available software to browse the Net and sort my pictures. I'll have to see how easy it is to work with the iWorks suite, and to convert some of my old PC files into Mac. I have to admit though that having a laptop has been really convenient. I can sit in the living room to work and I have purchased an adaptor that allows me to connect the computer to the TV to watch movies in high definition. Very nice.

Holidays were great this year, except for my grandma ending up in the hospital on Christmas day. She is OK now and under observation, but it is possible that she is no longer able to take care of herself and needs to be placed. This is not bad news, my parents have been worried about her ability to look after herself for a little while now. I will call her tonight to see how she is doing.

Family time

2009-12-06T18:57:00.001-05:00

One of the key reasons I decided to move back to Montreal after spending six years in Vancouver was to be able to spend more time with my family. It's just not the same when you are a five-hour plane ride / three timezones away. I missed being able to be part of the little, no-reason-just-because get togethers and meals. Now that I am living in NDG, a 15-minute walk away from my parents (and with my sister living upstairs), family time has been a somewhat regular occurrence.

On Saturday morning, family time had a purpose. We met at 9:15 at my parents' to canvass one block of their street for the 2009 NDG food depot Christmas food drive. Everyone was there, boyfriends included. All seven of us managed to fill my brother's new car to capacity (and he drives a wagon which has quite a bit of trunk and passenger space). Folks on the street were really receptive and generous. I'm not surprised, the NDG food depot is a great organization with many programs to help people who are facing difficult times. The numbers have been growing with the slowing economy and donations are sometimes hard to get. Hopefully the annual Christmas drive helped fill the warehouse (located near my place, at the corner of Oxford and Maisonneuve) and will contribute to many filled bellies.

After the drive, we met at my place for a lovely brunch prepared by Brendan. Our bellies were definitely full after this meal! What a great way to spend family time!

FYI: We might be part of a story in L'Actualité on food banks sometime in the next few months. A reporter from the magazine followed us around during the drive and she might even get a few pictures of that morning in the article. I'll keep you posted...

Welcome puppy!!

2009-11-27T11:18:00.001-05:00

Well, we didn't think it was going to happen so quickly, but yesterday we adopted a puppy at the SPCA. She is a three-month old Shepherd mix, someone thought maybe she was mixed with a Border Collie. I can see that with the white paws and she doesn't have the Shepherd ears, but her true origins remain a mystery.

Currently responding to the name Jenna, our little girl is an exceptional dog. Although she is a puppy and does go through silly phases where she throws herself all over the place and wants to play, she is also gentle and attentive, and loves to get cuddles. After a few incidents yesterday, as she was discovering her new surroundings, she has been constantly going to pee outside. I've never trained a puppy, but the SPCA had this free DVD on how to train a dog that really helped us understand when she was most likely to need peeing and how to encourage her to go outside. Next steps are leash training and making sure we establish our authority over her so she doesn't think she owns the place. Basically, letting her know who is alpha. Brendan is taking that role very seriously and she has responded wonderfully to his lead.

I posted a few pictures we took yesterday on Flickr.

Environmental management

2009-11-12T09:38:00.000-05:00

I recently received the news that I was accepted at Université de Sherbrooke, in their program called Gestion de l'environnement (graduate degree). Courses start in January at their Longueuil campus (brand new building), as long as they manage to sign up enough students. Fingers crossed.

I really like the idea of going back to school (again!!). I got so much out of my MBA, not only from the courses, but also from the other folks in the program. So many became friends and we get in touch every now and then, to see how everyone is doing.

The two-year, part-time diploma at Sherbrooke has a very interesting curriculum and has the benefit of allow me to add a few courses and a thesis to transform it into a Masters degree. I could not believe the tuition for this graduate degree either. The entire diploma costs about the same as three graduate courses in BC. I say this is an excellent reason to continue learning.

Frustration

2009-11-11T14:33:00.000-05:00

It will soon be almost three weeks since I started looking for work seriously (approximately since my return from Paris) and my efforts seem to be in vain. I did not expect to find work quickly, the more senior and qualified you are, the longer it takes to find a job. However, I would have appreciated an interview or two, or even a screening phone call from HR at the very least... some show of interest from the companies where I am applying. I got nothing. The automatic e-mails you receive when you apply online don't count. I even applied for a few positions through contacts already working at the company in question, which I think should have increased my chance of exposure to the right individuals.

The silence is frustrating.

But I guess this is the price to pay when you leave a place for six years. My professional network in Vancouver is rich with folks working across industries, thanks to past jobs and the MBA. In Montreal, my last job was as a technical writer and it ended in 2002. The contacts from that position are few.

I'm positive things will eventually solve themselves and that my resume will end up on the right desk at the right time. It will just take a little longer and I have to learn to be more patient. In the mean time, between resume writing and e-mails, I'm keeping myself busy with house chores, reading, and a bit of exercise.

Fantastic weekend!

2009-10-13T11:24:00.000-04:00

Although every day feels a little bit like the weekend right now, I can still enjoy a festive weekend with everyone else. Since Brendan was working Monday (he gets American holidays off, not Canadian), it wasn't a long weekend, but Saturday and Sunday were spent away from the computer, the job listings, the research and reading that typically fill my sabbatical days. This week, I will not invest much on the job-search front as I am leaving Friday for ten days in London and Paris. I won't be available for interviews during that time, nor will I be answering my phone. Not calling back a potential employer is a sure way of sending a resume at the very bottom of the pile.

So, weekend update. Brendan's mom and her boyfriend Glen were visiting from Toronto and arrived Friday night, fairly late. This wasn't the first meeting with the family, as we had visiting them in Ontario in the Spring.

On Saturday, much to our surprise, we woke up to a sunny morning and decided it would be unfair to spend the day inside. Our first little outside trip after lunch was a walk to Westmount, where we needed to make a pit stop at Bureau en gros. We walked a bit further to check out the Westmount Library Greenhouse. Now, I recently purchased a new camera, a Nikon D3000. This Nikon model is not a high-end camera, but a good basic camera for someone who wants to get serious about the pictures they take. That would be me. So obviously, I brought the camera along and took lots of macro shots of flowers. You can see a few shots here. Note that some of the pictures are from a previous trip (back when wearing a t-shirt outside was still an option, remember the good old days?).

Later in the afternoon, we took the car and drove to Mount Royal to admire the changing of colours currently happening across the city. There were very little clouds in the sky and we were hoping to catch a breathtaking view of the city from the belvedere Kondiaronk, the large terrace viewpoint from which you can see most of the city.

We were not disappointed. I took a few shots and posted them here. The belvedere was invaded by tourists, but also by many montrealers who were clearly enjoying their mountain. I hadn't been on the mountain for such a long time, it was very pleasant to reconnect with this place where I spent many weekends of my childhood crosscountry skiing.

We returned home to prepare dinner: tandori chicken from Akhavan, rice and peas. It was warm enough to fire up the BBQ, something I think we will dearly miss during the winter. I don't think we plan to use the BBQ during the cold season, it would require shoveling a path all the way to the end of the deck, where it sits now. We thought of bringing it close to the house, but it would probably not be as safe.

We then took the metro to the Notre-Dame Basilica, where we caught a show called "And then there was light" that narrated the history of the famous church. The show was very entertaining and well designed, with an ending that reveals the true beauty of the interior using coloured lights and majestic music. I really enjoyed it. At the end of the show, visitors are encouraged to spend 15 minutes walking around the church to admire the workmanship and detail in the decoration of the inside structure.

We all slept like babies after a day spent in the fresh air.

Sunday, well, as expected, was all about the turkey. However, we did manage a quick trip in the morning to visit Brendan's cousin Benoît on the south shore (Iberville). Benoît and his wife prepared a kick-ass breakfast and we spent most of our time there talking about their new baby, an eight-month old Chesapeake Bay Retriever called Virgule. Boy the energy on that dog!!

The turkey dinner was prepared by Brendan, with a bit of my help. It was all together delicious, even if the turkey had to make a return trip to the oven. It was probably not all thawed when we started cooking it and the meat thermometre we were using, equipped with a wire that connects to a digital reader outside of the over, probably left a small crack in the oven door's seal which meant that one side was not as cooked as the other. Live and learn. Now we have lots of leftovers for sandwiches and I made a turkey soup with the carcass last night. Yum!

Lists

2009-09-30T11:43:00.000-04:00

Sorry if I disappeared, but I have been busy reflecting, networking and researching, a time during which I did not feel too inspired to write.

Today, however, I am sharing two lists I prepared based on a little exercise given to me by Brendan. I have to admit, my discovery and job-hunting processes have not been very organized and this exercise will hopefully help me focus my activities and energy over the next few months.

10 things I want (in no particular order)

A job where I can make a difference, where my contribution matters.
To spend more time with my friends.
A better camera so I can develop my photography skills.
To feel energized and in shape.
To write a book (or many!).
To influence others on changing their habits and protecting the environment.
To learn how to meditate and calm my mind.
To feel more positive.
A dog.
To travel.

20 things I am grateful for (again, in no particular order)

My healthy and supportive family.
My boyfriend who makes me laugh and tries to understand me.
My beautiful home that feels inviting and warm.
The clean water I can drink from the tap.
The delicious food I can prepare or that is prepared for me.
Books that open my mind.
My close friends.
Affordable education (especially in Quebec).
My health.
The chalet and being able to be close to nature.
The Internet and being able to stay in touch with my friends from Vancouver.
My neighborhood.
Being able to afford taking a break from work to think.
Great co-workers in many of my past jobs.
Feeling safe in the city where I live.
Public transit taking me pretty much everywhere I need to go.
Being able to speak two languages.
Not being punished or diminished for being a woman.
Having learned how to manage money early in life.
Being Canadian.
Nutella! (LOL, Brendan said this one didn't count)

What is interesting about these lists is what I can do to address my wants, while always keeping in mind the things that I already have.

He was such a good boy

2009-09-10T11:59:00.000-04:00

Finnigan died this morning. It was indeed the parvovirus.

Hang in there, Fin!

2009-09-09T18:41:00.000-04:00

A short post as I am expecting my friend Sarah who is visiting from Vancouver, but I had to give you good and bad news. The good news (great news!!) is that Brendan and I have adopted a puppy from the SPCA. Finnigan is a one-year old Otterhound mix (possibly with an Airedale) who was a stray and was brought to the SPCA in late August. We saw him for the first time on Saturday and returned on Sunday to complete the paperwork. You can see a couple of pictures we took while on a walk with him here and here.

The bad news is that he is sick. Fin might have parvovirus, an infectious disease that affects puppies, causes vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and can be deadly. Fin was neutered on Monday (standard procedure when you adopt at the SPCA) and this morning, I got a call from the clinic to let me know that they were going to keep him under observation because he wasn't well. I was supposed to pick him up today, so this was a terribly sad news, but I was happy to hear that he was being monitored closely by a veterinarian.

Tonight, the clinic called me again to tell me that they suspected he might have parvo, and have started an aggressive treatment. They couldn't start it earlier because he was recovering from the surgery. If the test for the virus comes back positive, he will be fed intravenously and be treated with proper medication.

He is probably staying at the clinic until the weekend, possibly longer. I guess we'll know a bit more tomorrow.

Hang in there puppy.

I'm gonna make it to the Y-M-C-A!

2009-09-04T11:01:00.000-04:00

My bum is sore. (Isn't that the best first sentence to a blog post?)

Yesterday, I reactivated my membership to the Y (it was on hold for the summer months) and had a session with a personal trainer who prepared me a program for the gym. The program is short, six exercises in all, but each one works out multiple muscles at once, making this workout very efficient. For example, instead of lying down on a bench and using dumbells to work out chest muscles, I am hovering above the ground, shoulders and neck resting on an exercise ball, legs and abs balancing my body and keeping my butt off the ground, while I use the dumbells to work out chest muscles. The exercises have incredibly long names that reflect their complexity like "one arm dumbell row box position isolated hip extension".

Today, I feel the impact of my new workout. Oy.

What I really like about having a membership at the Y is that I can visit any Y in Montreal for classes, gym access, pool access, etc. Actually, I believe my card gives me access to any Y in North America. The Y closest to home is the NDG Y, but I could also visit the Westmount Y that has a great pool, or visit the Parc Avenue Y to train with Lara. I like the downtown Y because it has a huge gym.

Sabbatical

2009-08-31T17:14:00.000-04:00

What is the one question that people who first meet you are likely to ask? "What do you do?" would be my guess and starting today, well... I'm not "doing" anything. I was chatting with a friend on Friday and was telling her that I was now unemployed and she thought that didn't sound very good. "Call it a sabbatical" she recommended. Sure. A sabbatical sounds good.

Except that I am not taking a year off, and do not have the objective of traveling the world or writing a book (although one day, I might write a book, I just haven't found the topic yet). I'm taking some time off to figure out what I'm going to do next. Maybe I should call it an extended spa day for my career, after which I hope to feel rejuvenated and ready to embark on a great adventure.

This week is however a bit different. I'm on vacation this week. I'm not thinking career plans, not spending lots of time researching and networking, I'm resting. I needed a vacation, haven't taken any time off since April and that includes Victoria Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste and Canada Day. I think I took a day in replacement of one of the three holidays to move. Or pack. Not really to rest. The move has also been really exhausting, mentally and physically. Thank goodness I had some help, because I came pretty close to suffering from boxeritis, where the sight of an unpacked box is giving you nausea.

I have a few modest plans for the week. I reactivated my membership at the Y and have an appointment with a trainer on Thursday to get a program. I have a 5 à 7 with colleagues to celebrate (?) my departure. Everyone was on vacation last week. I am meeting with a lady from FEM International where I will be volunteering a few hours of my time in the next few months. On Wednesday, I will help mom and dad prepare Annie's apartment, so she at least has a bed to sleep in when she arrives Friday. And I have meals to cook. I promised Brendan that I would cook dinner more often, because he gets home so late from work and if nothing is ready, we end up eating dinner really late.

Nothing ambitious, just enough stuff to keep me busy, but also give me enough time to read, go for walks (maybe to the library to get a card so I can start borrowing more reading material), and prepare for week 1 of my sabbatical.

Gutsy move? Only time will tell...

2009-08-24T21:05:00.000-04:00

This week is my last at work. On August 13, I told my boss that I was leaving, and I told him why. It wasn't that I didn't like the team, or the challenges, or the company. It's the type of work we do that I don't like and unfortunately, that's really hard to change unless you move on to another position in another company. I don't have another position in mind yet, even less another company, but I knew it was time to leave. So I did.

Don't get me wrong. I work with good people. But I also work with workaholics. Nothing wrong with being a dedicated worker if you are passionate about what you are doing. I wasn't. There is no half measure in my line of work, you either love it, or you don't. I didn't. I didn't like that we did all this research, thinking, analyzing, interviewing, and reporting only to leave at what I consider the most critical time: execution. I realized that I am an action-oriented woman. Give me a task, and I'll get it done. When my task is to make recommendations that I will never see being implemented (because we leave the client with this part of the task), I feel very detached from my work. It's too abstract, too theoretical.

I also didn't like the short-term relationships we developed with clients. Part of helping a team or a company realize something is to understand their culture and the rich web of relationships that exist between people. When you work with a clients for a few months, and most of the time from a distance, you cannot understand culture. Or maybe others can, but not me. I'd like to have a more personal relationship with the people I work with, be it clients or coworkers. But that wasn't possible in my line of work.

There were other reasons for deciding to leave, but these were the main ones. And one week before my last day, I feel that more than ever, I've made the right decision. I also took the time to sit down with each of my colleagues to explain to them why I was leaving. I work with smart, exceptional folks and I don't want to leave in bad terms, with lots of questions hanging about my motives.

Today, I updated my status in Facebook to let friends and family know what I had decided to do. I was really surprised by the show of support and the well-wishing tone of the comments overall. Not that I doubt the support of my friends, but at the same time I was wondering if anyone would ask why, wonder about my sanity for doing this. Nobody did.

Last week. Doesn't feel different. It will next Monday...

The pug is driving the car

2009-08-17T10:42:00.000-04:00

I really love this weather. Although it has made unpacking a little slower than expected, I will not complain about the sun and heat. Not after the summer we've had so far.

We’re already nicely settled in, key areas unpacked and operational (kitchen, bathroom and closet), and we're now focusing on clearing out the remaining boxes before the weekend. Brendan’s grandparents are visiting from Sudbury, our first house guests!

Yesterday, after spending the morning unpacking, we decided to have brunch at the Orford Café, a small restaurant on Sherbrooke street not far from where we live. We’d been there once and the food was great, albeit a bit expensive. We sat outside, right at the corner of Orford and Sherbrooke, and ordered our meals. While we were waiting, we noticed a car slowing down on Sherbrooke, down to a halt before it crawled onto Orford at a snail’s pace. We check out the driver only to realize that it was a man in his 50’s with a fidgety pug standing on his lap. Speaking of things that will distract you from the road… I’m surprised the guy wasn't also speaking on his cell.

The car drives around a second time and the driver parks it right next to us. He gets out, along with a slender blond woman, and proceeds to get a table in a shaded area on the patio. That’s when we realized that they had left the engine running, with the AC on, with the front-seat window cracked open an inch, I’m assuming so the dog did not feel too locked in and stressed.

They left the car idling… Both Brendan and I are dumbfounded, even folks sitting next to us are staring back at the car, slightly amused and in disbelief.

We get our meal and start eating, still under shock, when we realized that we are starting to smell the car exhaust. On days where the city air is thick with smog, this idling engine is simply outrageous. I place my utensils on my plate, stand up, straighten up my dress and walk over to the table where the couple is now enjoying their coffee.

“Excuse me”, I say “you've left your car idling and we’re sitting at the table right next to it, we can smell the exhaust.” The first response the guy gives me? “Why don’t you change table?”

I see. The comfort of your dog not only beats any concern for the environment, but also the comfort of the people around you. I guess this is not one person I would win over with arguments of air pollution.

“We already started eating, and we don’t really want to move” was my next comment. He then looked around, annoyed, and pointed out to the busy Sherbrooke segment in front of the restaurant to show me that there were no other parking spaces available. There was a space a few buildings away, but he wanted to keep the car close so the dog could see them.

Oh brother.

“Why don’t you take the dog with you instead?”, I asked. After all, we’re sitting literally on the street and I've seen others have breakfast with a dog lying down at their feet. The man asks the waitress if he was allowed and she reassured him that it wasn't a problem at all.

“Yeah, I guess I can do that. Yeah, see that’s a good solution.”

I thanked him and walked back to my table. As I sat down, Brendan gave me an inquisitive look as if asking “how did you do that?” Well, no reasonable argument was going to convince this person to turn off his car engine. No argument other than the comfort of his precious fur child. I was happy of the outcome, that’s for sure, even if the reason for the change in behavior seemed completely wrong. I smiled as I saw the dog twitching on his owner’s lap as the man was trying to eat his eggs.

At least I don't have to water the tomato plants

2009-08-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's raining again.

Still alive, but so busy with packing, unpacking and cleaning that I can only think of a good night's sleep when I'm done with my chores. Fortunately, I have been sleeping like a baby as we have purchased a new mattress for the duplex (incredible comfort), our neighbourhood is really quiet in the evening and the new home doesn't get as hot and humid as the apartment on Saint-Antoine (thanks to all the lovely trees). We don't even sleep in the apartment anymore, we make the trip every night to NDG to catch a snooze.

Now if only I could figure out how to keep the squirrels out of the plants (they haven't touched the tomatoes yet, but I'm not holding my breath). One of the pepper plants dad gave me had a tiny green pepper growing on it. It lasted two days. Damn furry rats. We're debating about purchasing a Super Soaker, but maybe a watering device attached to a motion detector would be more dissuasive. If we want to build a garden next year, it will probably have to be enclosed like the one my parents have up north.

Done!

2009-07-29T20:55:00.000-04:00

Papers are signed, I have more keys than I know what to do with, and I am, as of today, legally responsible for a really nice duplex in NDG. Woot! I can't wait to move in. Now if I can just get all the paperwork from the Vancouver sale and the all the money transactions to be completed, I will be one happy and blessed woman. Can't say this transaction was difficult or complicated, especially when I was surrounded by very competent folks. My real estate agents rock, my notary rocks, and even my banker rocks!

Now I just have to invest in a filing cabinet to store all the paperwork I've been accumulating for the past few months.

One piece of paper that I am not looking forward to receiving is the invoice from the city of Montreal for the privilege of buying a property. Montreal charges a "welcome tax" to home owners, and apparently not just first-time buyers. Every time you buy a property in town you pay this tax. My bills will be around $4,275, not cheap. I was curious to find out how this tax was used by the city, because honestly, Montreal also charges you also quite a bit of money every year for municipal taxes. A quick search of the city's web site returned nothing. I then turned to my trusted Google. And I found this really interesting description on the web site for the city of Hampstead:

The phrase "welcome tax" has a history which came about for reasons other than a "greeting" tax for new residents. In short, in 1976 a new method of municipal financing was proposed by a judge named Jean Bienvenue and, when adopted, became known as "la taxe de Bienvenue". Because "bienvenue" translates to "welcome" in English, the tax became known as the "welcome tax".

Interesting. But what exactly does this new method of financing finance? That I could not find, only that this tax will need to be paid within the next 60 days.

Welcome!

Holy storm batman!

2009-07-26T23:14:00.000-04:00

We will have no shortage of water in Montreal this summer. It's not as if anyone would care to water their lawn or garden anyways, we seem to get rain every day. I was testing my yoga legs when it started (and failing miserably) and an hour later it is still pouring outside, and windy, with the occasional thunder and lightening.

I was really looking forward to my first summer back in Montreal, but so far, have not spent much time enjoying any kind of sun or fresh air. I did get to visit the chalet on two occasions, have made it to the Jazz Festival once, and just the other night went to see a live comedy show at Zoo Fest (poor man's Just for Laugh), obviously set indoors. But no lazy Sunday afternoon at Picnik Electronic (we walked home in the rain after stepping out for groceries today), not many drinks with friends on terraces, no Old Port, biking around town, etc.

I guess you can't win them all. Hopefully August is nice and September, spectacular!

Little boxes, on the hillside...

2009-07-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

Little boxes everywhere in the apartment that is. Yikes! I know it might seem a bit early to start packing, but there is a lot to pack and nothing is going to happen during the week. So early packing it is. Books are packed, so are the DVDs, CDs, some of the dishes, decorative stuff... Today, I am going through my clothes and sorting out what I want to keep and what will end up in the Salvation Army bins at the corner of Guy and Saint-Antoine, joining the shoes and booties that I already dropped off on Monday. There will not be much to give out I'm afraid, I already went though this exercise less than a year ago when I left Vancouver.

Slowly but surely, things are sorting themselves out. I visit the notary on Wednesday to sign all the paperwork that will confirm my ownership of the duplex. That means that next weekend, Brendan and I are already busy prepping the place (a bit of painting and cleaning) before moving in. His stuff is in storage at U-Haul, we'll take care of getting all his things back next Sunday. My stuff is partly in Montreal (moving date is August 14) and part in Vancouver, being picked up as I write this. No idea when the things from Vancouver will make it in town, my guess is around the 8th. At least, that is what I am hoping. Then, we also need to coordinate deliveries, a mattress and bedspring from The Bay, appliances from Sears for the unit upstairs (Annie gets brand new kitchen appliances!!), and possibly a sofa and dining room chairs from Structube.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a nice sofa that does not cost $2,000? Let me tell you about that. We initially started by visiting IKEA, thinking maybe one of their models would suit us and not break the bank. Well, unless you really like the style of their Ektorp line (I already have a two-place Ektorp sofa bed), IKEA has nothing to offer. Most sofas other than the 100 variations on Ektorp are leather or really square. Not my thing. We then visited another few places, Mobilia on Maisonneuve (so, so), The Bay (expensive) and had a look at what Sears had to offer when we went shopping for appliances (ugly). Finally, last night, as we were walking back from work (Brendan was shopping downtown and came to pick me up), we stopped by a tiny Structube store on Sainte-Catherine. Not a huge selection, but it did include a nice, dark brown, three-seater and very comfortable sofa. For less than $1,000. Score! We also liked the style of one of their dining room chairs. I have a dining room set, it's pretty modern and right now Marc has it at his place (and offered to buy it). I have an old, oval table from my parents (it's a loan) that can easily sit 8 and will be perfect for the dining room. I just needed proper chairs.

Brendan is planning to buy a flat-screen TV in the fall, so our place is really going to start looking quite sharp.

We just have to get there first.

Little boxes...

Thank goodness for fans

2009-06-25T22:44:00.000-04:00

It's hot tonight, really hot. We had a formidable storm around 7 p.m., with hail and a heavy downpour. Somehow, it didn't clear all the mugginess that's been accumulating all day. The heat makes me sleepy, I'm think I'm gonna head to bed early for a change.

I'm thinking about a lot of things lately. Coordinating two moves (stuff from Vancouver coming back to Montreal and stuff in Montreal moving to the new place), changing my address all over the place, but also I've been wondering how come I haven't been spending much time with friends. We're all pretty busy, that's understandable, but I think there's more to it than packed schedules. I cannot speak for my friends, but I do know that I've been feeling rather tired these days. I think work has a lot to do with it.

I haven't been terribly happy with work, I'm realising that maybe consulting is not really my cup of tea. There are things I work on that really interest me, but the entire context under which the work is undertaken does not appeal to me. Consulting is a lot of politics and really more a sales job than I thought it would be. Fortunately, at my level, we do not have sales targets, but as I look at the career path that awaits me if I do well and one day get promoted, and it's all about selling. I'm not a sales person. My brother is a natural at sales, but I'm not. Well, I can get people interested in something, and I have managed to raise quite a bit of money for breast cancer over the past few years, but it's just not the same.

I'm thinking that I might start looking around at what else is available. It's the summer now, not a good time to look for work, but come September, kids will go back to school and business will return to normal.

I'm a bit sadden that I feel this way about my new job, but at the same time, when your heart is not there, it's really hard to get through the day. And right now, I'm working on a really stressful project while trying to wrap up two others, so it doesn't help. I end up working nights, evenings and weekends.

Maybe I'll even take a break in September. With a bit of money coming in from the sale of the condo, I might be able to manage a few weeks off. Since Christmas, I have only taken a week off to visit Vancouver and half of that week was spent taking care of unfinished renos and other errands to get the condo on the market.

Now, quick shower before going to bed and I'm sleeping with the fan on tonight. So happy my apartment has a ceiling fan in the bedroom, woot!

Finally summer?

2009-06-21T16:39:00.000-04:00

Happy Sunday and happy father's day everyone. Hope you are enjoying a day of rest with your loved ones.

Last night, I had dinner at my brother's with Brendan, Annie (who was visiting for a few days) and Philippe. It was really nice to sit outside, enjoy appies and white wine, and catch up with siblings. We talked about work, living arrangements (both sales are final, only waiting for the visit to the notary in late July) as Annie is renting the top floor of the duplex and wanted to know what the place was like. After dinner, we walked over to my brother's neighours place to watch the fireworks. Now that is an activity that makes it feel like it's finally summer. I love watching fireworks. We couldn't see all of them, our view was blocked by a building, but enough to make it magic and enjoyable.

According to the weather forecast, we are heading towards some really nice and warm days. Could it be that the summer is finally here? The Montreal Jazz Festival is only a few weeks away, I can't wait to go listen to a few free outdoors show. Moving back to Montreal means that I get to enjoy all this summer activity. So far, I can't say that I have spent much time outside, work is keeping me really busy and the weather wasn't always cooperating. Hopefully the tide is turning.

I will probably have to work Wednesday, even though it's Saint-Jean-Baptiste. I have a deadline at the end of the month and there is still a lot of work to complete until then. What I am hoping is that I can take July 1-3 off instead (I also worked Victoria Day, so that would be two days I can get in lieu of) and make it an extra long weekend at the chalet. Work on the second chalet has begun, and I can't wait to get into work boots, grab a hammer and built stuff. My father is building a green chalet next to our existing chalet. This second chalet will be completely off the grid (like the first one) but will also use a "puit canadien" (geothermal system) to help cool / warm the place, and solar panels for electricity, obviously. I'm excited to be able to help build this place. It will be a nice change of pace from the long days spent in front of the computer.

Barely enough energy to come up with a post

2009-06-04T22:50:00.000-04:00

Here it is anyways. You've been warned.

I am so happy tomorrow is Friday (and Brendan's birthday). My life since last Thursday has been a roller coaster of events and I can wait to get off the ride. Fortunately, it all happened so quickly that I didn't have time to think about it and get too discouraged.

First things first. Last Thursday, I checked my Hotmail in the morning and saw that I had received the link for a new listing. My agent, also the brother of my good friend James, set me up with an account in his version of MLS, the same system that agents use. I receive the new listings at the same time he gets them. I get to look through them and if something interests me, I just let him know. I really like the concept. Well, that morning, there was a nice duplex in NDG and I immediately e-mailed my agent to ask him to set up an appointment.

We got an appointment for 6, the same evening that three lines of the metro were shut down because of a bomb scare at Berri station. The orange line was still running, but very, very slowly and at Bonaventure station, which is where I get on from work, the metro going West was on the opposite side of the tracks from where it normally is. Add confusion about the situation and voilà, massive delays to be had. Fortunately, I was only 15 minutes late.

The visit itself did not last very long, I knew right from the beginning that I really liked the place. Standing in the front of the building, I asked my agent to make an offer. Brendan and I hung out in NDG and had dinner at La Louisiane (Cajun cooking, the etouffee sauce was NOT my favourite) and met Alex at his office on Monkland to sign the contract. We offered $10,000 less than asking price, a reasonable offer but also an amount close enough to show that we were serious. Now we simply had to wait for the reply from the seller.

When I arrived home, I had a message on my cell phone (no service in the metro, I had missed the call). It was my realtor in Vancouver letting me know that I had an offer on the condo. What an amazing coincidence!! The offer was $10,000 less than asking price (I sense a pattern here) and we countered at $5,000 less than asking. Not only was I waiting for the seller of the duplex in NDG to get back to me, now I was also waiting to hear back from the buyer in Vancouver.

Friday was when everything happened. My offer was countered at $5,000 less than asking, and my counteroffer in Vancouver was accepted. Same day. Obviously, pending the usual conditions, but you have to admit that the timing was perfect.

This week was about going through the motions to get both contracts finalized and closed. Alex recommended a wonderful inspector for the duplex. He did an amazing job, spent over two hours inspecting everything and really taking the time to explain everything to me. We even climbed on the roof, inspected every corner of the basement and got a crash course on electrical boxes and oil furnaces. Now I'm waiting for his final report, which should show up in my Inbox any time now. The condo in Vancouver was inspected this morning, and I am hoping to hear back from my realtor soon. Today was also the day I sent all the paperwork to my bank so they could clear all the mortgage details.

By June 8 or 9, everything should be finalized. Fingers crossed.

The duplex is really nice, it has two 5 1/2 apartments, the ground floor kitchen and bathroom were recently renovated, new windows were installed about 8 or 9 years ago, the place has a very large backyard (well, by Montreal standards) and according to the inspector, it's in a good shape. It's located below Sherbrooke, only a few minutes walk from Vendôme metro and steps from a large park, Esposito, Rocky Mountain fruit & veggies and lots of little restaurants and shops.

While all this real estate business was going on, I was also preparing for my PMP exam on Wednesday. I had been studying for the exam on and off for about two months and was not entirely sure I was ready. Well, I did pass the exam and can now add this credential to my resume. I'm happy it's over and that now, I have my evenings and weekends back.

Only a few more days, and then I can stop worrying about real estate and start worrying about moving ;)

I take pictures of flowers

2009-05-25T20:09:00.000-04:00

And I'm having a grand time doing it, even if the mosquitoes and black flies were swarming me like crazy every time I stopped to take a picture.

I'm building a folder with all my wildflower pictures in Flickr.

Shame on us!

2009-05-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

"Canada has one of the fastest growth rates of greenhouse gases in the world, and a record that is far worse than in the United States." Click here to read the full article.

Shameful, really. Also not surprising, given our economy's reliance on resources (mining is not known for being an environmentally-friendly business) and the environmental nightmare that is the extraction of oil from the tar sands.

I also think that Canadian consumers could do their part, generate less waste and buy less stuff that they don't really need. I would say that, on average, most folks out in Vancouver were far more careful about their consumption habits than the folks in Montreal. I have no stats to prove this, I'm just going with my gut feeling. Often, when I warn the person at the cash that I won't be taking a plastic bag, I get an odd look, something that looks a bit like confusion. I feel they are wondering "how is she going to carry her purchase", even as I am unfolding my reusable bag. The Starbucks in Montreal also don't deal well with people bringing their own mug. Mine always ends up being filled to the rim, which is not OK when you have to screw the top back on. And I continue to be shocked by the amount of garbage people leave on the street. In the spring, it's really gross to see what the snow has been hiding. The city goes around with street cleaners and eventually turns our wonderful metropolis into something that is less of an eyesore, but I still wonder: why was it so hard to throw the stuff in a garbage in the first place? Couldn't find a garbage when you needed one? Although I don't fall for this excuse, as there are garbage cans all over the city, then why not simply keep the stuff in your pockets and throw it at home?

To cleanse or not to cleanse

2009-05-12T22:44:00.000-04:00

I came across this article on CBC while having lunch and it really reflected my point of view on cleansing, colonics and other methods of ridding your body of toxins. I have a many friends in Vancouver who have attempted cleanses and a few who even will go through elaborate programs once or twice a year to "clean" their bodies. Personally, I just don't buy it.

The human body was created to self regulate and while we are probably today exposed to more toxins than our ancestors were, we still have livers and kidneys to filter out the damaging substances we ingest over time. I'm not naive to the point of believing that our bodies are able to get rid of everything bad they come across, as studies conducted recently have reveled that our bodies tend to store some toxic chemicals such phthalates, mercury and bisphenol A (remember your old Nalgene bottle?). However, I don't think a cleanse will help the body get rid of those chemicals.

Friends who tried cleanses told me that they felt great afterwards, that their skin was glowing and that they lost a bit of weight. Well, since most cleanses involve changing your diet to cut out alcohol, red meat, coffee, processed foods and white sugar, I'm not surprised by the results. If you go back to eating and drinking all that stuff after the cleanse, was there really a point? I did a little personal experiment and cut alcohol completely from my diet for a month (ending May 22). Honestly, I don't see a difference, maybe a small increase in the amount of water I drink (instead of wine) which is obviously healthy. And then there are all these cleanse products you can purchase at health food stores (expensive products), necessary, according to the vendors, because of the vitamins and minerals you will need during the cleanse as you cut out so many different types of food. That's kind of a given no? I read about the Master Cleanse, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper drinks as your sole intake for days. No kidding you'd lose weight on that one. On the other hand, that same recipe (replace the maple syrup with honey) as a warm drink is wonderful to help you sleep when you're sick (home-made Neo Citran). But would you do a Neo Citran diet and call that healthy? I didn't think so.

As for the colonics, there are medical arguments against them in healthy people, so my position there is a resounding "no way". To quote a nicely referenced article in Wikipedia: "The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners, in addition to being based on a flawed understanding of the body, have never been scientifically validated."

It goes back to the basics. Eating healthy, nutritious and fresh food that you prepare yourself (as much as possible), sleeping well, exercising every day (even if it's just to walk to work) and going easy on the alcohol and the coffee. To that I would also add eating local, because local food is also better for the environment and, in many cases, fresher and more nutritious.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Rainy Sunday

2009-05-10T12:26:00.000-04:00

Perfect! I love rainy Sundays!! Before you give me the evil eye, let me explain. I needed a little help getting motivated to do stuff around the apartment, catch up on laundry, write a few things on my blog and clock in several hours of studying for my PMP exam. If it was beautiful and sunny outside, there's no way I wouldn't take advantage of the nice weather and stay indoors. Since I spent a bit of time outdoors yesterday at the cabin (walking in the woods in the rain - great opportunity to use my froggy gumboots), my motivation to handle all the boring items I'd like to deal with before the week starts is very high.

I changed the template for the blog, after receiving a comment about the pastel polkadots. I had to agree, not because the pastel polkadots didn't represent my fiery impression of Montreal but mainly because that template was a bit bland. At least this one has colours, bright greens and orange. Much more fitting.

I also added a few new links to interesting sites about sustainability and an RSS feed from a blog on recycling not your typical green-bin items, but mostly on how to reuse old items instead of discarding them. I'm getting back into reading and following more closely sustainability and environment-related events in and out of town. I never really stopped trying to live a sustainable lifestlyle by making conscious decisions about what I buy and where I buy it; however, I'll start sharing my discoveries again, as I did when I was living in Vancouver.

Oh, and happy mother's day to all mums out there (and to mine who stayed at the cabin for the weekend with dad).

Vancouver is so pretty in the spring

2009-04-19T13:04:00.000-04:00

Very difficult not to like this city when the flowers are in bloom everywhere, the weather is mild (ish) and you get a few days of bright sun. While the past few days have been all about lunches, dinners and drinks with friends, the next few days will be all about putting the finishing touches on the condo before it goes up for sale. I was really happy with the outcome of the upgrades done so far (hardwood floors on the stairs and top floor, new counter in the kitchen) and once the tiles are done in a few weeks, the place will look stunning.

Since I arrived on Wednesday, I was asked several times if I missed Vancouver. Well, I do miss the beautiful sights and I really miss my friends, but other than that, I can't say I do. I find the city quiet, too polite and proper. I'm not saying I want to live in chaos, but a little passion and excess does inject your life with bright colours, intriguing smells and beautiful sounds. If the cities were colours, I'd pick grey for Vancouver and bright red for Montreal. Water and fire. Being a Leo, my sign is that of fire, maybe there's a reason why my subconscious was always attracted by the passionate fire of my home town.

The other question I was asked is whether or not I regretted the time spent in Vancouver. The answer is a big "no". I really enjoyed my time here and made the most of it by taking up several new sports, spending weekends in nature, traveling up and down the West Coast (all the way down to San Francisco), visiting restaurants around the city, traveling East to the wonderful Okanagan region, and many, many other experiences that will stay with me forever as incredible souvenirs. But, there does come a time when you are simply ready for something different. I was ready to return to my roots.

I promise to not spend the next 72 hours indoors, fixing and adjusting things. If it's nice one afternoon, I will visit the Van Dusen garden, it will be quiet and hopefully the rhododendrons will have started blooming. Maybe I'll even bring my book and read a bit in the garden. So lovely. On Tuesday, Annie and I will enjoy cured meat, cheese, and wine pairings at Salt, hopefully with Sarah.

That's why there are three Rs...

2009-04-15T12:40:00.000-04:00

Interesting article on CBC about challenges faced by recyclers around the country. Help them go through this difficult period by exercising the other two Rs: reuse and reduce. I know I will.

Spring means new beginnings

2009-04-13T14:33:00.000-04:00

I love spring. The days are longer, some brave flowers are colouring the brown lawns with hints of green, people are out walking, and I feel that I have more energy. Now, I do miss spring in Vancouver, at this time of the year, lots of trees and shrubs are already blooming, especially around the area where I used to live.

This week, I'm heading to Vancouver, ready to turn the page on that chapter of my life. Not that I won't go back to keep in touch with friends, but I really feel like I'm ready to embed myself in Montreal again. I am selling the condo, my trip back West is mainly to finish preparing the place to be sold and have a frank discussion with my realtor about pricing. It's a big step, because I love that condo, but I am sure that I can find a place I'll love just as much in Montreal. I can't wait to go for long walks around various neighbourhoods to check out places. I find that's the best way to discover whether or not you'd like to live somewhere. You listen to the noise, check out the businesses in the area (especially important if you have no car), get a feel for the type of people living on the street.

At this point, because of the economy, I don't know how quickly I will be able to sell, but a few hours after changing my status in Facebook to let people know that I'm selling, I already have a few questions. It could happen really fast. Now, I just need to get the tiles finished in the bathroom and kitchen, install the handles on the kitchen cabinets, clean the windows, plant some flowers outside to give a bit of spring cheer to the balcony and hope that someone falls in love with the place, just like I did six years ago.

Turning point

2009-03-16T20:19:00.000-04:00

Wow, welcome back. This is addressed to me. I don't know where I've been for the past three weeks. Not blogging, that's for sure!

Well, I have my fingers crossed (and all my toes) that today marked a turning point in my series of failed attempts at getting back into a moderately fit lifestyle. Since I moved to Montreal, it's been incredibly hard to do any exercise on a regular basis. First, there was all the traveling. I know, that's not necessarily an excuse, but the gym at the hotel where I was staying was lamentable. Then, there was the cold. My poor body was trying to adjust to the freezing weather and NOT motivated to step out unless I needed to work or feed myself. At one point, I actually made it to Allez Up, a climbing gym along the canal, to check out the facility and ask about their prices. I wasn't fond of the area where the gym was located, but there was a bus that could take me there. Unfortunately, I hurt my wrist and you kind of need two hands to climb. Finally, last week, I visited the YMCA downtown and signed up on the spot for a year. I like the facility, it's enormous, has a large gym, a pool, lots of classes... Two days later, my gym bag waiting for me by the door, I catch a nasty cold. Why, or why (she pleads with open hands, looking at the sky).

I am determined to make today a turning point. I walked to work, something I intend to do a lot more. I don't even plan to buy a bus pass in April. At 6:30 a.m., it was still dark(ish), a bit cold and windy, but I was bundled up and ready to hit the elliptical machine. I did a light workout, mainly cardio, stretching and abs. No need getting sick again. I was showered, dressed, and on my way to work by 8:20, in the office before the rest of my colleagues who usually trickle in after 9. Very cool.

In the morning, the downtown Y is great, busy but not packed and the crowd is older. The afternoon I signed up, I visited the gym and was a bit turned off by the packed gym area. The gentleman giving me the tour said to avoid the place between 5-8 p.m. because it was always super busy. Duly noted. I am going to try the spinning classes early morning a few times per week, maybe even get a programme started (the membership allows you to get an appointment with an instructor for the gym every six weeks, for free!).

I feel better.

What's with all the blood stories?

2009-02-22T22:04:00.000-05:00

Squeamish readers have been warned.

I hurt my hand Wednesday night. It was a bizarre accident, I tell the story to people and they look at me funny, didn't help that I had a bandage around my wrist that made it look like I tried to off myself. Worry not my friends, I love life too much to purposefully hurt myself.

However, I'm a klutz. Here I was, preparing dinner after a long day at work, and while the eggs were almost ready in the frying pan, I reached in my cupboard to get a plate. What I didn't see was that there was another, smaller plate at the top of the pile, and when I pulled my intended dish, the other one slipped, heading straight for the counter.

At that point, boys and girls, the safe behaviour in a kitchen is to step away from the pending accident and let the plate smash on the counter. My reaction was not quite smart, as I tried reaching for the falling plate to catch it before it became mosaic material. Not a good idea. The plate broke in several pieces, and one large piece made contact with my left hand which, I am assuming, was in full swing towards the jagged ceramic.

It didn't take me long to realize that I had a cut at the junction between my hand and my wrist. I turned the cold water on and tried washing away the blood that was starting to pour out of the cut, but that made things worse. I barely had time to grab a scott towel to dab the blood before it became clear that this was going to bleed a lot.

I live alone. Two things immediately crossed my mind: one, stop the bleeding and two, if I feel faint and pass out, I'll have to deal with a lot more than a cut. So I headed for the bathroom, sat on the floor and pulled the emergency medical kit from the cabinet. Yes, I have a medical kit at home. Everyone should. Comes in handy.

I found sterile gauze pads and started applying them against the cut, lifting my hand over my head (higher than the heart). Both maneuvers intended to slow the bleeding. It kind of did, and for an hour or so, as I sat down in the living room and watched a movie, I continued applying pressure. Unfortunately, the bleeding didn't really stop, each time I changed the gauze it would start again. It only meant one thing: I needed stitches.

Now, put yourself in my shoes. It was about 9 p.m., I had no idea where to call to ask about the closest clinic (opened at this time of the night), couldn't remember the names of the hospitals in the area (it's been a while), so I called my parents. Yes, at 34, when I hurt myself, I still call mom and dad. I wanted to know where they recommend I go, so I could call a cab.

Well, at 24 (that's a typo but I'm leaving it in!), you're apparently not too old for your parents to take care of you. Dad offered to come and pick me up, then drive me to the hospital. "You pay for parking", he said. Deal! We drove to the Montreal General, found parking close to the emergency and then proceeded to embark on one of the longest nights I've had in a while.

We got to the hospital at 9:45 p.m., probably saw the triage nurse by 10:30 and then waited until 5:45 a.m. to see a doctor. Yes, I understand, my cut was not a life-threatening condition, so I was at the bottom of the priorities. Yes, I was told, the General, Montreal's trauma centre, only had one doctor on staff that night. What I don't understand is why I didn't have more options. Don't we have 24-hour clinics that can handle minor emergencies, hell, even private would have been fine with me? Didn't seem so, although now I'm curious enough to find out for next time.

Spending the night at the emergency, I found myself thinking about how lucky I was. My dad stayed with me (all night), kept me company, and for most of the night, we chatted about this and that. Some people were at the emergency alone. Also, I am so healthy compared to the people I saw in there, I should remember this and not take it for granted.

Here's a picture of the cut, four days later (the bruise is probably from the impact). The stitches come out Thursday.

I gave blood today and feel drained...

2009-02-16T20:03:00.001-05:00

Ha ha! Been waiting to make that joke all day!

It has been over two years since my last blood donation. I went three or four times in Vancouver but didn't keep it up. Today, as I was walking back to the office after lunch, I noticed a mobile Hema-Québec clinic in the entrance of PVM. I stopped by the registration table and signed up on the spot for an appointment later that afternoon.

Back at work, I can honestly say that the reaction with colleagues is always predictable. It ranges from "you're doing what?" to slight discomfort to some even feeling slightly noxious as they think about the needle. Nobody jumped up and volunteered to join me. Oh well.

The process of donating blood is pretty much the same between the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, so I knew the drill. I had eaten a good lunch, drank a large juice before going, but unfortunately, felt a bit dizzy after the half-way mark and wasn't able to complete my donation. The nurses know the drill, as soon as someone mentions that they are not feeling well they unplug you, lower your upper body, place a cold towel on your forehead and then monitor you until they feel you're good to go. I felt better almost immediately, I must have been a bit tired (didn't sleep too well last night) and my temperature was a bit high, so maybe I'm fighting something.

I plan on going back in 56 days, once whatever I donated is fully regenerated by my body. It was so convenient to have the clinic come to work!

Dry

2009-02-12T20:10:00.001-05:00

Live somewhere else for a few years and then move back, you'll obviously notice differences (big and small) between your home town and adoptive city. I thought the irony of today's weather in Montreal would provide a perfect backdrop to a little discussion about moisture.

Winters in Vancouver are everything but dry. Anything you leave on a balcony (flower pots, BBQ, chairs) ends up as a breeding ground for moss as the city is drenched for weeks at the time in heavy rain. All your shoes end up leaking at one point or another, even your umbrella one day just gives up. But, to be fair, all this moisture in the air keeps the skin naturally soft and hydrated. I always used face moisturizer, but never bothered lathering up from toes to shoulders when I was living on the West Coast.

Let's talk about Montreal now. I can deal with the cold, love the sun and bright winter days, but why is it so dry? I knew something was wrong when my little home thermometer's moisture level indicator did not bother reading the air's water content. "Low" is what it said. My hair became limp and very unruly, all at once. Add a tuque to the equation and you then have to also deal with static. I started using a humidifier, but it's so much work to keep the damn thing clean and I think a spider has moved into mine. I feel I should leave it alone, it must be eating whatever bacteria is growing in the water left in the tank.

My bathroom counter is now host to a collection of moisturizers, body butters, scrubs, leave-in conditioners, baby oil, lip balm, and several other products that promise to keep me from madly scratching my otherwise dry, itchy skin. Fortunately, I have managed to stay away from scented moisturizers, because I would otherwise smell like a mix of strawberries, lavender, ylang-ylang and lemongrass, surely a combination that would keep any potential suitors at bay.

Day 1

2009-02-02T20:20:00.000-05:00

Even though I've been working at the new job for four months now, today felt like the first day where I was doing what it is that we do (or are supposed to do). My first mandate in Halifax wasn't entirely a "typical" mandate and although it kept me busy and had me log a lot of billable hours, it shielded me from some of the regular activities undertaken by my team. How can I explain this... Imagine information as water. Imagine a hose, heavy pressure, wide diametre, being fed by ten or twenty sources. Imagine the pressure at the other end when you are responsible for receiving the rush of water and transforming it in a mist gentle enough (and at the right temperature) to spray a delicate orchid. Repeat daily.

That's how it felt.

The biggest problem when you join a firm in the knowledge industry is that there is a LOT of existing knowledge already developed and the biggest challenge is finding the right pieces to repurpose, reuse, or further develop, and as fast as possible.

To my colleagues, this must feel almost natural but to me, it's as if this was my very first day in the office. Maybe it is.

Tonight, however, I have to admit that I was happy to be home after work and to prepare myself a tasty dinner (I bought some groceries this weekend and cooked a bit). This morning, I loved being able to pick an outfit from my closet and then change my mind about it. Not something you can pull off when living out of a suitcase.

Hello Montreal. I'm happy to be spending some time with you for a little while.

Last night

2009-01-28T19:25:00.000-05:00

Tonight is my last night in Halifax. My mandate ends tomorrow, I fly back home late afternoon (fingers crossed that the snow doesn't delay flights too much) and then will be staffed on a mandate in Montreal for a few months. As I sit on the bed at the hotel, finishing some odd tasks for work, with my nose itchy from the dry air, I'm also thinking about all the things I never had a chance to get started since I moved back. For instance, I miss climbing and I feel like I need to get back into a regular exercise program. I've been looking at the downtown YMCA schedule, the gym is close to work and has a pool. Swimming is a great exercise, it would feel great to do laps a few times per week.

I'm also feeling a bit of pressure about the climbing since my good friend Typhanie, who was away in Burkina Faso for 18 months, is moving to Montreal in March or April. Typhanie is an awesome climber, I look forward to have the opportunity to learn from her again. Obviously, it would help to rebuild the climbing muscles a bit before she arrives. I'll make it a point to visit Allez Up this weekend, a climbing gym in my area.

And... the saga continues

2009-01-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

A little while ago I wrote about my experience dealing with the SAAQ (and not the fine people at the SAQ) to get my driver's license from BC exchanged for a license from Quebec. Well, it's January 20, I still don't have a license and because my temporary license expired yesterday, I'm not even allowed to rent a car this week. OK, I'm partly to blame for this little mishap, but why oh why is this entire process so painful?

When I arrived in Halifax yesterday (on time, woot!), I walked over to the car rental counter, and handed them my credit card and temporary license (a piece of paper that honestly doesn't look like anything official, I wouldn't even rent myself a car with this ID). The lady at the counter handed me back the license and said it was expired. What? Yes, in the right-hand corner of the paper was the expiry date (in French, because Quebec does not publish bilingual documents it seems): January 19. And since that was the only license I had, she said she couldn't rent me a car. However, if the fine people from the SAAQ were willing to fax her an updated paper, she'd be happy to give me a set of wheels.

So, sitting near the rental counter, my luggage, laptop and purse plopped on the seat next to me, I try calling the SAAQ. The 1-800 number I initially try refuses to let me through, as I am calling using my cell phone which uses the 514 area code and should be calling the 514 number instead. Since I'm not entirely sure how this will show up on my phone bill, I use my calling card instead and phone the 514 number. Lucky me, I'm only on hold for a few minutes.

I explain the situation to the lady on the phone and she sounds a bit stunned, then asks me to confirm my home address to make sure the license was mailing to the right place. That's when I look at the temporary license and notice the root cause of all my problems: 2848. My address is 2248, not 2848. You would figure that I would have noticed that, but it is a new address and the numbers never jumped at me for being wrong. It only took 30 minutes for the rep at the SAAQ to complete my file and type in a few pieces of data (and I do get my Hydro bill, so I'm sure the address it gave her was correct). But she got the numbers wrong. So my license was probably mailed on time, but it had no way of reaching me.

OK. I can deal with this situation later. How do I get an extension to my license so I can rent a car a make it to the client? Just so happens that I can't. They cannot issue another temporary permit, unless I show up at an SAAQ office in person to sign more paperwork. None of my pleading is getting through. If I was staying in Halifax for the next two months and needed a license, they could possibly mail a new one to me, but since I'm back in Montreal this weekend, they can't help me.

At this point, I'm slightly discouraged and ask if they can change my address and mail me the license again. Can't do. I need to go back to an SAAQ office, explain the situation, wait in line to get a new temporary license, get my picture taken and sign a few times for the process to start all over again. Oh goodie. But don't you think they would have my picture and signature on file, I was there on December 30. Nope. Pictures and signatures are erased from their system after ten days. Just perfect.

No choice then, I'm stuck all week in an industrial park without a car. I took a taxi from the airport ($58, tip included) but fortunately am getting lifts between the hotel and the client from another consultant who happens to be staying at the same place as me. Also good is the fact that 2848 doesn't exist, so I don't really have to worry about my license being misused by someone. It's probably on its way back to the SAAQ with the letters "undeliverable" stamped on the envelope.

I look forward to spending more time Friday morning in line at the SAAQ office to fix this little boo-boo. Word.

An angle?

2009-01-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

Two posts in two days? I must be on a (mini-) roll ;)

I had an idea that I wanted to share. Part of my rediscovery of the lovely city of Montreal is also learning all about the talented people who surround me. I would like to share these discoveries with others, tell more people about the artists that I know and meet. I'll use this blog to write about Montreal talent. In a sense, this is very much in alignment with my interest in sustainability, because I plan to also support Montreal talent when I purchase clothes, jewelry, art, music, and so on.

Inspiration

2009-01-12T19:22:00.000-05:00

Every day, as I go about my day, I think about interesting things I could write about in the blog. As soon as I return home (or to the hotel room), I draw a blank and the inspiration is gone. The fact that I'm often tired in the evening, especially when I'm traveling, probably doesn't help.

Maybe I need a system. A system to either capture these elusive ideas, or a system to shake the brain cobwebs in the evening and generate new ones. I really enjoy writing, I want to do it more often. My system should not involve anything heavy to carry around (like the agenda I got at work that is currently on my table in the kitchen), or any complicated steps.

Any suggestions?

I'm in Halifax again this week, and for the following two weeks, but after January, I believe I will be back in Montreal. Well, unless my next mandate is also out of town again. Everything is possible. I scored this week with the rented car, mine has heated seats and when it's cold outside and you are trying to warm up the vehicle, the seats are the first things to warm up. Love it!

Food for the belly, food for the brain

2008-12-28T19:11:00.000-05:00

Did everyone have a good Christmas? I sure did! My holidays were filled with lots of meals shared with the people I love, lots of lovely chats catching up with those I hadn't seen in a while, and the feeling of having been spoiled repeatedly.

On the 24, Marc dropped by to pick me up before heading to my parents' place in NDG. Thank goodness for the lift because all the heavy snow of the morning and early afternoon had suddenly turned into rain and it was slippery! Our original plan was to drive to the airport to pick up Annie, who was flying in from Vancouver. Unfortunately, Annie did not land in Montreal until 1:35 a.m., almost ten hours late. We were lucky she made it, my favourite airline ended up canceling many, many flights between Vancouver and Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, on December 24, forcing hundreds of people to come up with new plans for the holidays. What a disaster. So, Marc and I had dinner with the parents, a lovely five-course meal beautifully prepared and presented. After dinner, we watched some old movies on TV and went to bed around 11 p.m. for a quick nap. We woke up around 1 and made our way to Trudeau, cursing the slippery sidewalks on the way to the car. Annie arrived quite tired, so we didn't stay up late.

Christmas tradition has always been to wake up together at my parents', enjoy a hearthy breakfast together and then open the presents. I slept over to wake up with the family, as I always did when I was visiting from Vancouver. 34, yet still a kid. I know. Marc slept at his place, so he met us for brunch around noon (nobody woke up really early after the late evening the night before). Brunch was again a feast with lots of yummy treats and even some bubbly. No better way to start a festive day like mimosas (bubbly and orange juice).

I received several fantastic presents, including snowshoes, earrings, beauty products, and a few books: The Origin of Species, from Nino Ricci and Outliers from Malcom Gladwell (his latest, after Blink and The Tipping Point, both of which I have read). I'm currently reading The Origin of Species and really enjoying it. The book is set in Montreal in the 80's and uses the city as a backdrop for the story of Alex Fratarcangeli, a thirty-something student / ESL teacher who seems to be going through a bit of an existential crisis.

In the evening, we had yet another big dinner with my grandma and aunt making their yearly visit. The dinner started with Slovak soup (I think it's called kapusnica), a cabbage soup with spicy sausages and ribs. My great-grandmother used to make it when I was a kid, then my grandmother and today, my aunt is the keeper of the family recipe. It's incredible to be able to enjoy this traditional dish year after year. I cannot imagine Christmas without it. I believe the only year I did not have this soup was my first year in Vancouver, as I did not return home for Christmas. The rest of the dinner was again incredible, with two roasts as the main course and a very chocolatey Christmas log for dessert.

I ended up staying another night at my parents', to spend more time with Annie. I returned home on the 26, only to head back to NDG on the 27 for a post Christmas brunch with dad's side of the family. With the weather being nasty and the roads slippery in the Eastern Townships, we weren't sure people were going to make it to Montreal but in the end, everybody showed up. There was so much food! Cut veggies, cheeses, meatpies I made with dad, a ham, croissant, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, tomato pies, and so many other dishes that I forget what I had. Before jumping in to the desserts, we had our gift exchange. Normally, in a gift exchange, you buy one gift and receive one but some folks probably didn't read the fine prints. I ended up with many gifts, including two books (The Upside of Down from Thomas Homer-Dixon and The Everyday Activist from Michael Norton), cherry jam, a t-shirt, a pot, a beautiful rack (for spices or other jars) handmade by my godmother and a purple tuque, handmade by my cousin. My family includes some very talented and creative individuals.

After dessert and coffee, it was time to go home, pick up my fondue set and head over to James' place for dinner. Yes, more food. I prepared the meat fondue, James made a salad, and we snacked on baguette and cheese while watching Traitor (starring Don Cheadle) in blu-ray on a 52" flatscreen. It's amazing how much detail you get to see in this format.

Annie slept over last night and since neither of us had plans today, we went to AMC to watch Slumdog Millionaire, the story of a poor boy from the slums in Mumbai who ends up answering all the questions correctly on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire and then, as he is about to answer the final question for 20 million rupees, is accused of cheating and has to tell the police how he managed to come up with all the right answers so far. Very entertaining, I recommend it.

Enough movies and food, tonight I'm having a light soup, some cheese, and will go to bed early, reading.

I made my choice

2008-12-15T22:34:00.000-05:00

In life, you can face difficult, unexpected and negative situations two ways: you can fight, complain and let the negativity fester inside, generate stress and make you sick, or you can shake your head, smile and carry on with your life. I made my choice.

Today, I waited three hours at the airport for my delayed flight to Halifax. I took a conference call in the departure area, barely able to hear what was being discussed while a very small baby was crying and messages were being relayed to travelers over the intercom. I arrived in Halifax at 8:30 and didn't make it to the hotel until 9:30 (after waiting for my luggage, going through the motions of getting my rented car, and driving from the airport on a very windy stretch of highway). Right now, I'm working on a presentation I should have finished earlier and need to have ready (more or less) for tomorrow. My Tuesday is filled with meetings, I think I have about 15 minutes to have lunch.

I shook my head, smiled, and carried on with my life. I ordered Swiss Chalet for dinner and it came with holiday trimmings (stuffing, cranberry sauce, chocolates). I took a long, hot shower and changed into freshly laundered pajamas. I escaped the crazy weather in Montreal for windy but dry (and mild) weather in Halifax. My week will be busy but I have the office Christmas party to look forward to on Thursday (back in Montreal), a day of cooking meatpies with dad on Saturday, and then only three more days of work until my Christmas break. I get to see Annie soon (visiting from Vancouver, how is that for the world being upside-down?), spend time with my family and friends, enjoy yummy holiday treats, and maybe even sleep in a morning or two.

I'll never see those three lost hours again, but I am going to bed with a heart filled with positive thoughts.

I'll tell you a story

2008-12-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

Just as I am settling down after a day spent doing laundry, dusting, cleaning, and catching up with some work, I realize it's already time to pack the suitcase for another trip to the Maritimes. This week is the last that I am traveling to Halifax this year. I return on Thursday and then get to enjoy two weeks without dealing with winter travel. Bliss.

My place is quiet during the day, and once I made myself a cup of coffee, set the laptop on the kitchen table and sat down in front of the computer, I was able to get quite a bit of work done. I have a presentation to give on Thursday and coming up with the narrative is very hard when I'm in the office. There are too many interruptions, whether I'm working in the project room in Halifax or at my desk at PVM. I've seen a few of the presentations put together by colleagues for other clients, and the bar is set high. Forget death by PowerPoint: the slides we are expected to prepare for clients read like stories and are graphically very striking. Fortunately, I have a few decks of sample slides to use for inspiration (and also to save me time when "designing" slides). Thinking of a presentation like a story is really helpful and every time I create a slide I've been asking myself "so what?" It's one thing to show how the client's revenue has grown over the years, it's another to tie that growth (or absence thereof) to revenue trends of their competitors, the industry, etc. So much more relevant, but also so much more work.

Speaking of stories, I also need to start planning for a couple of white paper abstracts I am submitting with one of the Directors. My company is organizing a white paper contest and the contest is a great opportunity to get your name out there. The 800-word abstracts are due December 19, and if our abstract is selected by the jury, we submit the full paper some time in the spring. Not only do winning authors get prizes, but their papers are also published on our web site and distributed to clients.

It's snowing again? I wonder what the weather is like in Halifax. Last week, while Montreal was struggling with the first big snowfall of the season, we were dealing with rainstorms. It was raining so hard one evening I thought someone was washing the windows of the hotel with a pressure-washer.

Flick! Winter

2008-12-08T19:14:00.000-05:00

Just like that. Yesterday, I did some Christmas shopping with mom and dad, and on the way home, it was snowing quite heavily. It continued snowing until the early evening when the wind blew the clouds away.

I woke up this morning thinking it was a bit chilly in my place. It's an old building, badly insulated, so I wasn't entirely surprised, but I was starting to worry about my comfort when the weather eventually turns nasty and the temperature dips to -20 celsius. I packed my suitcase, called a cab, ran out to meet the car in front of the building. Sitting in the back, I'm quietly listening to the radio when I hear the weather report: it's -18 outside. Yikes! But good, this means that I will feel a bit chilly when it's really cold outside, but nothing a warm sweater and sox cannot fix.

My flight to Halifax was on a small Bombardier regional jet. Regional service at Air Canada (and/or Montreal airport) is the Lada of flight services: passengers wait in a terminal with no seats (or only enough seats for about one quarter of the passengers waiting in the area), with limited options for breakfast (I fortunately remembered to grab a coffee and pastry at Starbucks) and, even when it's brutally cold outside, wait in line outside to board the plane (I remember getting off on the tarmac in Mexico, but with the tropical weather, it was a lot more pleasant). At least the flight was on time (left/arrived within 30 minutes of schedule = on time in my books).

When I landed in Halifax, the scene was beautiful. The entire region had received several centimetres of snow. The Halifax airport is surrounded by trees and they were covered. The drive back from the airport to work was a bit stressful, with winds blowing the cars sideways and the roads not being cleared nicely.

Tonight, I can hear the wind howling outside, it's still cold (-10) and will remain for another day. Just like that, somebody turned on a switch and it's winter.

Too bad it's going to warm up and rain later during the week.

It's time

2008-12-07T11:23:00.000-05:00

Life-changing events (like starting a new career and moving across the country) have a tendency to impact your day-to-day routine. I guess that's why they are called life-changing events, and not life-slightly-throwing-you-off-course events. However, eventually, you have to take a step back, pause the craziness for a few seconds, and make a conscious decision about forcing some of the routine back into your daily schedule.

It's time for a pause in my life. First, I need to start exercising again. I know it will require a bit more planning because of the dual residency these days (Montreal-Halifax), but it's definitely time to get this lazy body of mine back into shape. This week, I'm testing a new hotel in Halifax and their gym looks much nicer than the tiny room I found at the Future Inns. This new hotel also has a pool, the idea of swimming laps once or twice a week really appeals to me. Also, I posted a message on the Wall of the Allez-Up Facebook group. I'd like to find someone to climb with on the weekends. I miss climbing and the gym is so close to my place, I should take advantage of it. Eventually, I would like to also start running again, but I need to find a physio first to get going on a program for my knees.

Second, I need to get through the pile of paperwork I've accumulated and make a list of companies with whom I still need to update my address. I have subscriptions that are expiring and also need to gather my receipts for the move to submit at work (new job is covering part of my moving expenses, woot!). Every week I'm just barely keeping up with whatever paperwork needs my attention. I know I'm just asking for trouble and one day, I will simply forget to pay something important. Doh!

Finally, I should set myself weekly objectives (or to-do lists) to get moving on a few projects. These days, it's Christmas shopping, but I also need to set some time aside to prepare for my PMP certification, and last, but not least, more time aside to see friends (yes, I know it's dorky, but I need to plan for play time). It's been a challenge to meet with friends, I'm only in Montreal for a few days a week and those are not always the days when people are available.

Obviously, all these nice thoughts of getting back into a routine are currently taking a back seat to nursing myself back to health. I haven't had a bad cold in a while but what I'm fighting now is pretty nasty.

Beauty, pain

2008-12-02T17:04:00.000-05:00

-- start whining

I just ordered room service: an extra box of kleenex. I'm going all out ;)

Today has been simply miserable. I made my way to the office, coughed and sneezed for most of the morning and was sent back to my (hotel) room by my colleagues. Not a bad idea, considering the sorry state I am in. I bought over-the-counter decongestant but the relief is still very slow to come. Hopefully the night version knocks me out completely and I wake up rested and feeling better tomorrow morning.

The flight to Halifax, in the middle of the afternoon yesterday, allowed me to witness a beautiful sunset above the clouds. We were flying over a thick carpet of white clouds, so thick they looked like they could be solid. A little above us, another layer of clouds, more dispersed, was reflecting the light from the sun in a wide array of colours. All this against a backdrop of blue sky. Beautiful. Then we broke through the bottom layer of clouds and descended towards the airport.

That's when it started hurting.

My ears would not pop, no matter how often I tried equalizing them. The pain on one side was sharp and I felt that my entire head was under pressure. Fortunately, I didn't rip an ear drum in the process. The pressure must have released at one point. Flying while congested? Bad idea.

I was so preoccupied with my ears that I hardly noticed our descent into fog. It's always a bit of a shock when you only see the ground half a second before you touch down. Thank goodness for electronic flying equipment.

Now, if only the hotel staff could hurry up with the kleenex, I could stop wiping my red, sensitive nose with this rough toilet paper.

-- end whining

Can it be?

2008-11-30T17:07:00.000-05:00

December, tomorrow we're in December. Wow. It's not a surprise as such, because if you do any amount of shopping this time of the year, you are conveniently reminded of the holiday approaching. There are a couple of streets that are nicely decorated around Montreal, McGill and Crescent being a few that I saw recently. But still. I've just been too busy to notice the month of November go by.

Do you know what I really look forward to at Christmas? Staying in one location for more than a few days, not taking the plane for a little while. I will be on site in Halifax until December 19, and potentially back for a few more weeks in the new year, but the last two weeks of December, I'll be in Montreal. Woot!

After Friday night's evening with Dina, Suzie and Liz (until 2 a.m., that's a serious girl's evening), I spent a really quiet weekend at home. I'm nursing a cold and a sore throat, so this felt like the best approach to avoid dragging myself back to Halifax with a blocked nose and watery eyes. I feel better today, but I still need a good night of sleep. I did manage to hang curtains in the bedroom, a blessing both for drafts and light reduction in the bedroom. It was hard to sleep with the street lights shining through the door (my bedroom has a door with nice glasswork, very pretty but obviously it lets light through). Last week, I also decided to condemn the door with plastic sheeting, so now the combination of a plastic seal and the curtain block most of the cold air. Let's see how this combination holds up when the temperature outside turns frigid. I took a few pictures of the place and posted them online. I even took a picture of the squirrel that almost ate my stuffing last week, I'm sure it's the same. It was sunbathing on my railing. I stood in the window, watching him doze off. He didn't seem to mind, little bugger.

Yesterday, I did a bit of shopping downtown. To my surprise, it only takes 15 minutes to walk to the corner of Guy and Sainte-Catherine from my place. Very cool. I hadn't realized how close I am to downtown. In the summer, it will be amazing to walk to restaurants to meet friends, to walk to the movie theatre, to work. I haven't done the trek to work yet, most of the time I am dragging my laptop around and it's heavy. I love walking around downtown, it's so busy and vibrant, especially this time of the year. The sidewalks are bare, people are out in numbers, shops are lit and decorated. Downturn of the economy? Whatever! Nobody I saw yesterday seemed to be too concerned about their investments, judging by the number of bags people carried around. Plastic bags. LOTS of plastic bags.

That makes me sad. As much as I enjoy Christmas, the time spent with family and friends, giving and receiving gifts, I am always stunned by the amount of waste generated. I know it's hard to remember to bring reusable bags when you go shopping, I sometimes forget mine. But still. I took one bag with me and used it to bring back the clothes I bought. And I always carry a folded bag in my purse, for unplanned purchases. They are available everywhere, most of the stores have them now. It's just a question of changing our habits.

Says the girl who severely contributes to global warming by flying every week. That makes me sad as well.

Rule #1: Do not leave food to cool on the balcony unattended for more than a few minutes

2008-11-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday, Grey Cup day, and I get to finish my laundry, pack my suitcase and head to the airport to fly back to Halifax. I normally fly out East on Mondays, but because of the major influx of travelers to Montreal this weekend, all the flights out were booked solid. I had to pick THE flight leaving 15 minutes after the start of the game. At least I'm avoiding the crowds, unlike Friday when I returned home. There were hundreds of people waiting for their luggage, five deep along the carousel, and an hour lineup to catch a taxi. Fortunately, my traveling companion (nice gentleman sitting next to me during the flight) offered me a ride home and I just couldn't say no. I would have otherwise arrived at home around 10 p.m. Thank you again Serge!

I had a busy day yesterday. I was attending a dinner in Rigaud, a small municipality in southwestern Quebec, a place you would drive by on the way to Ottawa. The dinner was organized by a colleague of mine (who lives out there and works downtown Montreal, yikes) and the theme was American Thanksgiving. You can guess what was on the menu. It was a potluck affair, so every guest was preparing one dish and I ended up (or picked, can't remember) stuffing. I have never made stuffing, but I knew that my friend Steve often cooked a mean turkey, so I contacted him for a recipe.

Steve kindly offered a recipe from Cook's Illustrated and I am going to keep this one as a reference for future stuffing experiments. The base recipe is what I prepared, it could not have been simpler. I only made a few substitutions: instead of drying my own bread, I bought white bread croutons from the bread section at Loblaws, and used salted butter, but didn't add any salt to the recipe. The stuffing came out moist and flavourful. I got a lot of compliments on my dish over dinner. However, my contribution to dinner could have turned disastrous, if my timing had been a few seconds off.

After the stuffing finished cooking, I took the baking pan outside to cool. I left the aluminum sheet over the stuffing to keep the moisture in and left the dish on the steps of the back balcony. When I returned to get the dish, it had been pushed off the steps to the floor and a large grey squirrel had started to tear the aluminum paper. "Oh no you don't!", I screamed to the squirrel as I stepped outside to save my stuffing. Such a close call. The dish could have tipped over and made a mess of stuffing on the balcony, but it didn't. Mister squirrel could have been a few minutes quicker and have started snacking away at the tasty stuffing, but he wasn't.

Rule #1: Keep a close watch on food left out to cool on the balcony, or else be ready to share dinner with the squirrels in the neighbourhood.

Rant, rave

2008-11-18T19:56:00.000-05:00

It's snowing in Halifax!! Mind you, this is wet snow and it will be gone by tomorrow, but I'm happy I brought my boots this week. Warm feet = happy feet.

OK, this is my sixth week traveling for work (wow, time flies) and I have to dedicate this post to the good and the bad of being being on the road (and in the air) so much. Let's start by the things that bug me.

So far, flying has been reasonably tolerable. I've only had delays on two flights, one because of a mechanical failure on the plane and one because the bridge at the airport was stuck. I count myself lucky. However, it would be nice if the staff at this particular airline-I-won't-name-but-you-can-guess-which-one-I'm-referring-to was friendly to passengers. I've flown another airline-I-also-won't-name-but-you-know-which-one at a few occasions and check-in staff and flight attendants were always lovely. No so with the airline-I-have-to-book-my-flights-with-because-it's-office-policy. I had a flight attendant once point at my laptop in the overhead compartment, ask to find out whose computer it was, then look annoyed as I said it was mine and told me to move it to another compartment because she could not close the door. Never mind "please", "thank you" or "would you mind if I moved it"... At Halloween, one airline decorated its check-in counters, the other, didn't. At a random time in the middle of the afternoon, my airline insists on having only two employees check in everyone (doesn't matter if you checked in ahead of time online), no matter how long the lineup.

Fortunately, MOST staff is friendly, but being friendly is not really how you'll get a promotion at this particular airline.

Second rant: taxis. I take a taxi to and from the airport in Montreal, about two every week. Most of the time the service is fast, but I would like to request that taxi drivers not shower themselves in strong cologne before their shift. There's nothing painful like being stuck in a car with an overwhelming smell of eau-de-too-much.

Now on to the raves. First, being recognized at the car rental counter, getting a smile and a cheerful hello after an hour spent on the plane. Then, checking in to the hotel and being upgraded to the executive floor. I think they noticed I was visiting them every week. The executive rooms are not that different from the regular rooms, but they are on a quiet floor, have better bed sheets, nicer products in the bathroom, and every morning, the local newspaper is delivered to your door. These little touches make my stay a tad more enjoyable.

Finally, being called "dear" with a Nova Scotian accent by hotel staff. Atlantic Canadians are really friendly and I think it's cute. "What can I get you dear?" How can you not smile to that?

I miss Montreal

2008-11-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

My apartment is still full of boxes, my fridge is empty, my bed is hidden under bags of clothes, I have no Internet access and no blinds (and no phone), but boy do I miss my apartment.

I moved in on November 1, then left for Halifax again on November 4 and have been in Halifax since. I was so fortunate to get tons of help for the move, but obviously there is just so much you can do in 48 hours. But I just can't help it, I can't help looking forward to spending more time at home to set up my new place.

At this pace, I might start inviting people over when the tulips break ground ;)

Are you kidding me?

2008-11-11T14:48:00.000-05:00

When I moved to Vancouver in 2002, I obviously needed to get a driver's license from British-Columbia, as well as a Health Insurance Card (which is called a Care Card in BC). The process could not have been more simple. One week day, in the morning, I walked into an ICBC office (no appointment), took a number, waited about five minutes, filled in a bunch of papers, handed them my Quebec driver's license, had my picture taken and walked out with a brand new BC license! As a proof of residency, I think I brought my rental agreement and my passport. The entire process must have taken me about half an hour. Getting a Care Card was even easier, it was all done through my employer (BC charges a monthly fee for health care, a fee that is usually paid by employers as an employee benefit).

Now that I am back in Quebec, I need to, once again, swap my cards for local ones. I started with the driver's license.

As someone who moved from another province, I am spared having to take a driving exam. However, there is no fast-tracking here. First, I had to call the SAAQ, between the hours of 9 and 5, something I hadn't been able to do yet because I was busy working. Silly me to try contacting a government office on a Saturday. Calling the SAAQ as mandatory, you don't just drop in a local SAAQ office, no sir. You need to call to set up an appointment to get a license. All right then. At this appointment, you need to bring my passport, my BC license (so far so good), get a copy of my driving record in BC for the past six years (what?), a hydro or phone bill with my current address (no rental agreement, 'cause that piece of paper is NOT an official enough document), and my Care Card (they would have preferred getting my Quebec Health Insurance Card, but I don't have it yet). By the way, the earliest appointment you can get is on December 30 (December? I made the lady repeat the date three times) and the closest SAAQ office you can have your appointment at is on Henri Bourassa West, in Ville Saint-Laurent.

Welcome to Quebec. Now I dread calling the Régie to learn what kind of hoops I have to jump through to get my Health Insurance Card. I'm already not too happy with having to prepare two income tax returns in April.

Cape Breton road trip

2008-11-09T19:17:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a weekend. I added 1,150 km to the odometer of the red PT Cruiser since Friday afternoon, that's some killer mileage! I drove to and from Baddeck in Cape Breton, and around the 300 km Cabot Trail. What an experience. I uploaded some pictures here.

The trip started around 4 p.m. on Friday. I left work a bit early to take advantage of the couple of remaining hours of daylight. Yeah, not so much, it was already dark at that time. I left Halifax in rainy, windy weather. I have to admit, the 4 1/2 hours it took to make it to my destination were quite difficult. The rain was at times a downpour, mixed with fog and gusts of wind. Even with the limited visibility, I only took a wrong turn once, trying to pick the right exit out of a roundabout with signs barely visible because of the heavy fog.

I had reserved a room at the Inverary Resort in Baddeck. From what I had read, Baddeck was a great starting point for the Cabot Trail. When I arrived, I asked the ladies at the front desk where I could find a good place to grab a bite. It was almost 9 and I hadn't had dinner. They thought about it a bit, told me that most places would be closed at this time of the year, and finally sent me to Tom's Pizza. Pizza? I was hoping for a small pub where I could sit at the bar, have a pint and some local specialty. But the pizza would have to do. Tom's Pizza is a small parlour where kids drop in for slices. They made a decent meat lover. I then headed back to the resort and went to bed.

I woke up early, initially at 4:30 with the room's alarm buzzing madly (not my setting, thanks a lot), and then at 8 a.m. to shower and have breakfast at Flora, the resort's restaurant. I have to be honest: the food at Flora was nothing to rave about, and the breakfast buffet wasn't worth $14 (with taxes). I leave at 9:30 and start my drive around the Cabot Trail.

The first part of the drive heads North towards Margaree Valley, cutting across the island (Cape Breton is an island, connected to the rest of Nova Scotia by the Canso Causeway). It's a lovely drive, through small villages of farms, over rivers, including the Margaree River that is supposed to be known for salmon fishing. I made a quick stop in Margaree to look around, but didn't stay long because I still had a long way to go.

The road eventually comes to an intersection where you can chose to head straight North towards Chéticamp, or South towards Inverness. I pick North. The drive is pleasant, and I can tell that I am close to the ocean. Unfortunately, I can't see the water, the fog is thick and rain is falling down. I'm hoping that the fog clears at some point during the day.

Chéticamp is in Acadian Canada, and the names on signs along the road, originally more Scottish sounding, now sound very French: Aucoin, Doucet. Just before I get to Chéticamp, I stop at a tiny store called Charlie's Music Store. Charlie's is not only a place where you can buy French Acadian and Celtic music, but also rent movies and buy snacks. I chat a bit with the owner, who speaks French. Lovely. I love the Acadian accent. I buy a couple of CDs to keep me entertained along the drive.

In Chéticamp, I stop to have lunch at All Aboard Restaurant. The waitress doesn't seem surprised to see me alone, and once she has taken my order, brings me a coffee and the Saturday newspaper. How thoughtful. I order a pan-fried haddock and fries. Apparently, the fish is caught locally. The dish is delicious, I don't eat much of the fries but the coleslaw is fresh (tastes like cabbage) and the fish, moist. The place gets really busy during lunch, it looks like a spot where locals come to eat.

For the next little while, as I drive into the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, I notice that there is very little traffic along the Cabot Trail. The entrance to the park is wide open, I guess they don't make you buy a permit in the low season. As I continue my way around the Trail, I am disappointed when every view point is a view on pea soup, not a breathtaking bird's eye view of the Atlantic coast. View point? Fog. Another view point? More fog. The only time I see anything is when I drive down to the sea level, any point high in the mountains is stuck in a thick white mist.

Well, too bad then. I keep on driving, I'm singing along with the CDs, and I can't help but enjoy the drive. I'm basically alone, with the odd car driving by every 10 minutes or so. When I stop to breathe the fresh air (and let the car cool down from the hike up), if I happen to meet anyone, they give me a very surprised look. "You're driving the Cabot Trail by yourself? Good for you!" It's not a dangerous drive, but obviously, you try not to push the car too hard and keep the tank filled. This is not the place to run out of gas.

The rest of my trip will be a series of stop and go, as I sometimes see a nice place to sneak a peek. I'm scanning the forest around me carefully, this is a place where you have moose, and I know very well what happens to a car when it hits one of the large animals. Not good. I return to the resort around 4, a full day of driving under my belt.

I had noticed that the resort had a small pub and after eating a snack, I decide to drop by. There's a local musician playing Cape Breton folks music, and he's very good. James MacDonald I believe was his name. I initially sit at the bar, and have a glass of Canadian whisky (cannot be called scotch if you're not in Scotland) from a local distillery called Glenora. It's very smooth, and I decide to visit the distillery on Sunday. I wanted to visit the Louisbourg fortress on Sunday, but it's a long way out and my Frommer's travel guide mentioned that the museum was closed after the end of October. Louisbourg would seem like a place you visit to get the whole experience, including the costumed interpreters.

A guy drops by the bar to get some beers, and asks me to join his group in the back of the bar. Dan is from Halifax and is visiting Cape Breton (for the first time) with his girlfriend. Another couple is also local to Nova Scotia. It's fun to see people visiting their own province. We chat for a little while and exchange contact info. They told me about a pub that I have to visit in Halifax. I look forward to an invitation in the future.

Sunday morning, I pack my stuff and leave the resort around 10. No buffet for me, I stop by Tim Horton's for a breakfast sandwich and coffee. Atlantic Canadians sure love their Tim Horton's, they are all over the place, even in the most remote towns. I then head towards Margaree again, the same road I initially started my trip on Saturday. I have to admit, the drive is priceless. There is nobody on the road, it's dry, and most parts have been recently repaved. Just like in a car commercial.

I take the turn towards Inverness and drive along a road that makes me feel like I'm in another country. From the rugged coast of the Trail, I have moved to rolling hills that I would imagine Ireland and Scotland to look like. There are even sheep grazing in one of the fields, c'mon!! My spirits are high, until I drive up to the entrance of the Glenmora distillery and stare at a large "Closed" sign. Pooh. I was looking forward to this tour.

Well, maybe this is my hint that I should be heading home, which is what I end up doing. Along the way, I end up getting a few rays of precious sun. Very nice. The sun won't last long, but I'm not complaining. After missing, again, the turn I'm supposed to take out of the roundabout (they have to rethink that design, it's not intuitive, especially when the fog is thick), I drive my merry way back to Halifax and my hotel.

Great memories: driving alone on a country road Sunday morning, discovering Glenora whisky, meeting new friends, standing on the beach with the ocean wind blowing my hair around, listening to FM 92.5 Acadian radio.

Disappointments: my Frommer's guide (probably the worst travel guide I've bought in a while, most places they recommended were closed, what about catering to the traveler who does the Trail off season?), not being able to visit the distillery (while the Frommer's guide said it was opened year long and offered daily tours), missing out on some of the great views.

All together, I'm happy I took this trip. I would do the Cabot Trail again, maybe as a camping and hiking trip. To the bird on route 19 South: I'm sorry, the sickening thump I heard probably means I killed you, but I had to chose between making a crazy manoeuvre and hitting you. You lost.

Living out of a suitcase

2008-10-25T18:33:00.000-04:00

I am back in Montreal but I only live here part time. That's because I spend my weeks in the Maritimes, Halifax to be more specific, working at a client site. The job is interesting, lots of project management, some business intelligence, a bit of strategy...

My first week away was very tiring. There's something about living in a hotel that can pretty much guarantee that you don't exactly sleep soundly. You hear noises in the corridor, the pillow is too hard, the air too dry... And for a week, I lived pretty much the opposite of how I've lived in the past six years. I had a car to drive to work every day, and also to drive to the local malls to grab whatever seemed a tad healthy out of a fast-food menu. I didn't have my travel mug so I bought coffee in disposable cups. I had no time to prepare before I left... there had to be a better way.

Week 2 was also spent at the hotel, but this time I asked to have a fridge in my room ($5 extra / day, well worth it) and I went to the Superstore on the first evening (think Loblaws) to buy yogourt, blueberries, granola and orange juice for breakfast, and whole wheet pita, cold cuts, cheese, humus and some lettuce for lunches. OK, my diet was pretty much the same every day, but at least the meals were a lot healthier. I ate out in the evening. I also made my way to the hotel's gym (a tiny room where about two people can exercise at the same time, but it was empty when I went) one evening.

Week 3 (this week) will be shorter, as I am flying back to Montreal Thursday evening. I am trying to spend some time in the Montreal office so my colleagues don't completely forget about me :-) Starting in November, I will probably live in a furnished apartment in Halifax, with a kitchen so I can cook meals, not just eat cold stuff. And I will spend a weekend now and then in Nova Scotia, to visit the area and avoid having to fly every single week. My carbon footprint is going to be terrible this year.

Any suggestions on things to see while in Nova Scotia? I'd like to drive to Cape Breton and do the Cabot Trail, maybe a weekend in early November. The view should be stunning, now that the trees have lost most of their leaves. I will also spend time around Halifax. My current hotel is close to the client site, but not exactly downtown, so I haven't seen the harbour and haven't walked around the city yet. Things to look forward to.

Funny thing isn't it? I'm spending my first few months of rediscovering my home town actually discovering a new city.

Home sweet home

2008-10-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It's a lovely weekend to be back in the province. Mind you, I would like a bit more sunshine, but after the glorious weather on Saturday, I'm not complaining.

Getting back to a regular blogging schedule has been a challenge, especially with the new job and evenings / weekends dedicated to looking for an apartment. OK, maybe not ALL evenings and weekends, but still. The good news is that I have found a place and am moving in on November 1.

My new home will be a cute 3 1/2 close to the George-Vanier metro station. The location is a mixed blessing. It has some very positive attributes, including the proximity to transit, to the Atwater market, to the bicycle path that leads to the Old Port and to work (I'm estimating a 20-minute walk to Place Ville Marie, I have yet to walk it). Unfortunately, the building faces a highway currently undergoing some major construction. In the summer, it might be a bit too noisy to leave windows open. That's OK, I'm willing to settle for something less than ideal, I don't plan on living there for very long and the rent was very affordable.

The apartment itself is quite charming. The bedroom, living room and kitchen all have exposed brick. The kitchen is quite large and was recently renovated, it has bright red cabinets and brand new appliances. The bathroom, also a decent size, was renovated and even has heated tiles. That's a nice feature when you step out of the shower. The place has two balconies, one small juliette-style balcony facing the street and one larger balcony facing the backyard. The back balcony is big enough for a BBQ. The ceilings are quite high (nine feet maybe), and both the front and the back have large windows to let in a lot of light. I also get a washer-dryer combo in a nook outside the bathroom. Many places I visited did not have insuite laundry, something I was adamant I wanted in my place.

Apartment hunting in the city was greatly facilitated by Craigslist. I recommend the site for anyone looking for a place. Not only did many ads include pictures, but you could also link to Google Maps or Yahoo Maps to see exactly where the apartment was. Nothing like a map to show you that "close to XYZ metro" really means you'll have to walk 15 minutes in the blistering cold before reaching the station. If you're looking to rent a place, think about listing it online. My recommendation: include pictures, and not only of the outside of the building. I skipped so many ads that had no pictures. The pictures really help getting a good feeling about the place. Oh, another tip: clean up the mess. A few ads had pictures with what can only described as major clutter. It makes a place look small and seriously makes me wonder if the apartment comes with any closets or storage. Just a thought.

It has become more expensive to rent in Montreal, but in all honesty, it's still possible to find a decent place at a reasonable price. My rent starting in November will be $200 more than I paid for rent in 2002, before leaving for Vancouver. My old apartment did not have insuite laundry and was in dire need of some TLC. If you're looking at renting in very trendy neighbourhoods (Plateau, some parts of NDG, Old Port), yes, it will be expensive. I just think there are still a lot of great finds under $1000. No so in Vancouver, where rental prices are a bit insane.

It's good to be home.

It's been six years

2008-08-19T21:28:00.000-04:00

It's been six years since I left Montreal to live on the West Coast. In October, I am returning to my hometown and have no doubt that, no matter how much I think I know about this city, I'll be relearning a thing or two.