Reminiscing of snow

Too much writing, not enough pictures! I hear your silent cries and I'm here to sort it out. Also, because after three days of up to 20ºC pretty much all the snow is gone and we're left with the various browns of mud and grass that hasn't seen sunlight in four months. I miss the snow, let's reminisce...

Pointe-au-Père, January

  

Lucky the dog, in snow and looking bashful (for good reason) in front of the snowy balcony window

Walking on the frozen St-Lawrence river, checking out the ice fishing and admiring the town from a perspective I never expected.

And finally, my favourite thing to do on sunny days when I was fed up with unemployment: walking along the riverside and taking photos of the frozen waters.

Making myself at home

The intervals between posts are getting shorter. Honest. And I've not written recently because life has been a little bit manic.

A week ago I was propping my eyes open, trying to be polite as our housemate had friends over. Friends who are also good friends of Denis. Also because I was waiting for Denis to get back from teaching a Rockabilly Jive class. And all because our Winter Wonderland/early St Patrick's Day event had been a hectic success. 

Decorating started at 9:30 a.m.. Although it felt like 8:30 a.m. as the clocks chose the night before our big day to jump forward and "save daylight". And I got home that evening at 6:45 p.m.. Between these times there was, as I said, decorating, there was also: dancing, hot chocolate, live music, homemade maple marshmallows, 400 guests, lots of talking, a small girl who played with my twirly owl skirt, people other than myself snowshoeing, face painting, networking and trying to raise as much awareness as possible of the organisations involved in the event.

The event was brilliant but totally draining. So then most of this week was spent feeling like I needed a weekend. It was also a bit odd because there was hardly anyone in the office. For several days we were just two. Still, had plenty to be getting on with.

I'm quite desperately looking for a car. The problem is that it will be by far the most I've ever spent on anything so I don't want a pile of poo nor something I dislike *cough*Hyundai*cough* but trying to find something fitting, within my budget and no further away than Quebec City is something of a challenge. This is where the small surface area/large population of England makes car buying more convenient. Clearly my parents are taunting me as last week they bought a very specific make and model of second hand car without having to drive six hours. Or maybe it is the universe that is taunting me because one of my friends rocked up in the exact car that I've been looking for. 

This weekend has been pretty relaxed. Friday night was a night of grand vins (if names mean anything to you, they were apparently: Châteauneuf-du-pape Domaine de Nalys, Châteauneuf-du-pape Clos des papes, Cayus, Modus and le Clos St.-Thomas). All I know is that there were different levels of yum. Everyone brought a wine and something to eat. Denis brought the Modus, I brought Brie and Walnut Scones, Crab Choux and Chocolate Melting Moments (a chocolate biscuit base with chocolate ganache topping). Saturday involved brunch with Denis, his mother and brother, looking for secondhand teacups, trying out the new café in town, running into people I actually kind of know and a family dinner. And today has been quiet. Denis had a political brunch followed by a drive to Montreal and is now on a plane to Vancouver. I watched the Australian Grand Prix and very much enjoyed all the action. I was even not too disappointed with the result. 

Denis should be back late Thursday night. It just sucks that for the next four days all the people I'm emotionally closest to are the geographically furthest away. At least I have plenty to be getting on with - yay I have a job!

The cunning use of video games

My housemate has stolen my boyfriend. With the cunning use of retro video games. It might look like a playstation remote plugged into a Wii-mote but really it is the highly pixelated Punch-Out! 

I'm leaving them to it for several reasons: 

1) Housemate only has two remotes

2) I'm rubbish at video games (except dancing ones, Plants v Zombies and Peggle)

3) I think they need a little bonding time. I don't know if it was since I arrived but I have rarely seen them behave like friends (which I'm led to believe they were before they moved in together)

Also, since I got a job, I've fallen behind on my fashion blog reading - shameful, I know. Although, given the choice (which I essentially do have) I would choose my new job over fashion blogs. It makes the waiting for the next post go so much quicker!

Things I need to do: find a flat (with Denis, don't worry, things are still good), buy a car (I'm hoping they'll accept cake in payment) and sort out the legality of me staying here past October. Otherwise, I'm sticking Denis with a seven-month contract on a flat, and that would be unfair. Also, if my new job continues as I hope, and believe, it will, I won't want to be going anywhere.

In other news, I went to dinner with my new boss last night. We had sushi and wine and talked about swing dancing and looked at pretty dresses. Could I ask for more? While it is friendly at work, there was definitely a different feeling - a feeling of two anglophones, who have both been through the British school system and who wound up in some dark corner of a desolate land. I joke because I love - I walked 30 minutes to work today in temperatures that with windchill were getting on for -20 and involved large amounts of snow blowing in my face. I didn't mind but I could really do with a car... if only to be able to get where I need to be going for job-stuff.

I'm looking forward to this weekend (my first event with the new company) - a Winter Wonderland with face-painting, ice sculptures, free hot chocolate, a live band and dancefloor. Will let you know how it goes.

I'll stop now. The elaborate québécois swearing directed at Super Mario is far too distracting.