Bienvenue chez moi!

I still can't believe it's pink... haha.

Since childhood, I have been a disaster waiting to happen (or so my Mom tells me).  I have had cactus needles pulled out of the soles of my feet, broken my nose no less than twice, broken my ankle, gotten a concussion and have had stitches in my face three times (one of these occasions also required me to have my two front teeth reconstructed).  I have permanent scarring from oven elements, cheese graters and a parked vehicle, which I hit while riding my bike.  I have had pinched nerves, whiplash and an “almost” dislocated kneecap.  I have knocked a TV down a flight of stairs, walked into walls, lost fingernails and one time, got a hint of a black eye while putting away dishes (no, I didn’t tell off the man of the house, so don’t even go there!).  One time I even managed to slice my chin while shaving my armpit (hint – put down your razor if you’re about to sneeze).

These are just the things that I remember.  I’m sure my family could give you other accounts of times when things went horribly awry thanks to my presence in the world, but we’ll let them hold on to those for my wedding day (note to self – never get married).

Chillin after couch construction.

Regardless, one would think that after many years of dance lessons, ringette, skiing and playing soccer, I would have well developed grace and coordination.   Sadly, I have neither, so it should be no surprise that I was insistent on purchasing a couch with removable slip covers for easy cleaning… but the joke was on me.

What I discovered while putting my couch together (in true Ikea fashion), was that the majority of the covers go on BEFORE assembly.  Granted I put it all together single handedly, but it took nearly two hours and was far more work than I expected.  Short of cutting the wood, I pretty much had to do it myself (a wee exaggeration, but surely you get my point).

I guess the realization that I came to at the end of the day was that I will be eternally grateful for the covers that go on the cushions, but if, by some chance, I ever make a mess catastrophic enough for me to want to take the couch apart to wash the remainder of the covers – I’m just going to burn the whole damn thing and buy a new one.

sigh... so comfy, and it's all mine! It only took 1 year, 3 months, 9 days and 3 hours (approx.)

The rest of the move was fairly uneventful… I still have two of the five pieces of furniture to complete, but that will require another trip to Ikea to recover the missing parts.  At that time I will also have to purchase a dresser, which I forgot on the first run.

Once all my goodies arrive from Edmonton (date yet to be determined) I’ll be sure to post some more pictures.

It’s been a year of many firsts and a few lasts.  There has been so much laughter and love that I often feel overwhelmed by it all.  2008 was a truly monumental year and I am so happy that I was able to share it all with you.

Much love and best of luck in 2009!

xo

SB and I celebrated my arrival home by drinking champagne... out of coffee mugs :)

Little girly tears sometimes must flow

It’s been a particularly difficult week this week and not just because it was my first Christmas away from home.

When I made the decision to come to Montreal, I did it knowing that there would be times like these and felt that it was important for me to experience it.  I still feel the same way, but never imagined that it would be so tough.  I’ve experienced homesickness before but never with an unforeseeable end.  It’s what makes it so heart-wrenching this time around.

A few of my friends are facing potentially life-changing decisions and I wish I could be there for them.  Granted, I have offered my emotional support but it’s just not the same.  I wish I could actually be there.

At the same time, I am dealing with my own ghosts.  The details won’t be shared here, but the ghosts exist all the same.  Let’s just say that yes, the ones that you love are the ones you hurt the most, but also the reverse… sometimes they are the ones who hurt you… but I digress.

Amongst the flurry of Christmas celebrations, my friends are struggling with who they are, who they’re with and what their next steps should be.  It hurts me to hear about them going through so much and to be completely helpless.

One of the conversations that I had this week was with a dear friend who is having some difficulties in her current love life.  Despite these issues, her focus over the holidays was getting together with as many friends as possible rather than dwelling on the potential demise of her relationship.  She just wanted to spend her Christmas in a happy state of mind, so she focused on things that made her happy.  The sad part was when we were both brought to tears (like the silly girls that we are) when she talked about how, when gathering friends together, there always seemed to be somebody she was missing.  Every time, she would realize that that person was me.  I was so touched that I could barely speak.  Just thinking about it brings me to tears again.

With that said, I have had a lot of time lately to think about what it is that makes me happy and makes me unhappy.  I still struggle to pinpoint anything in particular, but I still know I am a genuinely happy person even though I am going through a rough patch right now.  I am very lucky to live such a happy existence, but to some extent, it also has been a matter of choice.

You see, several years ago, when I was still with S, I had a job that I really disliked.  He provided me with some of the best advice that I have ever received.

If you’re not happy, then do something about it.

I promptly quit my job and found another doing work that I enjoyed.  Unfortunately for S, I also took his advice when I was making the decision to leave him.  I guess he didn’t see that one coming, eh?

Anyway, around this time last year, I went through some life changing stuff that came out as a result of my newly-single lifestyle.  I realized that sometimes, happiness is not just an end result from decisions that have been made, but it can also be a choice in and of itself.  It goes along the cheesy line about making lemonade from lemons.  Life is what you make it, so cut out the things that make you unhappy and fight for happiness as if it’s your dying wish.

So dear friends, whether you want my advice or not, here it is.  I think that you should do whatever you need to do to be happy.  When things seem crappy during times of change, find happiness wherever you can and embrace it.

I will be here no matter what.  I want you to love unconditionally and in turn be loved.  You deserve it.

My glorious new bed

After the snow stopped.

It’s been confirmed – I’m getting my apartment.  I have yet to sign the lease or get the keys but I’ve spoken with the Superintendent and these small formalities should be taken care of promptly.

To celebrate and prepare, SB and I braved a snowstorm to venture out into that great big blue, Swedish superstore, where I proceeded to spend a small fortune on furnishings for my new digs.  Because I opted to leave the majority of my furniture in my old house and the remainder with my parents, I needed pretty much everything.  Considering the quantity of items that I bought, the expense wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been if I purchased items from a store that didn’t require me to build my couch myself.

One of the highlights of the day was bouncing all over the mattress section in attempt to find the one that wasn’t too hard or too soft.  I wanted it to be just right… and I found my match.

I actually got so excited (and confused by the schmazzle that came with trying to get my new stuff shipped) that I completely forgot to buy a dresser.   I suppose that I will have to make another trip but I’m not too worried about it because the really big items have been taken care of.

I also invested in the heaviest, warmest duvet that I could find.  Last night, I unrolled it from its packaging and put its new cover on before curling up and going to sleep for the night.  Believe it or not, I was almost too warm but with the blizzard that was happening outside, I wasn’t going to complain.

During the fiasco of me trying to furnish an entire apartment, SB again proved himself to be a very tolerant and patient man.  He carted me and my new stuff around providing second opinions when I was stuck on colours, sizes, models and quantities.  I owe him more than I can ever express or repay.

So again, I have no pics of my new place because I haven’t been able to get into it yet (note to self – never try to move during the holiday season again) but they will come in time.  I should have all my stuff delivered on or around the 30th, so I’ll be sure to take some photos then.

In the meantime, I want to send all my love to everyone during the holiday season.  Have a wonderful Christmas and the happiest of New Years.

xo

Like a child

I have always loved seeing the look on a child’s face when they experience something new.  The look of wonder (or horror) can be refreshing because it alerts me to some of the many things that I take for granted.  In some ways, I’m sure that there have been several moments over the last few months where I have given the same reminder to the people around me.

Waking up everyday and not knowing what new things I will experience is a source of joy and giddy anticipation.  There are such variations in culture, climate and terrain in our expansive nation that it’s difficult to know where to start in attempt to absorb it all.  I sometimes wish that I could pause time so that I could see and do more things but having the opportunity to enjoy just a portion of these little moments has been a blessing.

One particularly memorable occasion happened a couple of weeks ago when Montreal had 15 centimetres of snow in a single day.  W and I both perceived it to be a snowstorm with standstill traffic and near-whiteout conditions, but to Montrealers, it just snowed.  Having large amounts of the white stuff in a short period is normal to them, but for us Alberta girls, it was a significant amount of precipitation that caused its fair share of stress (especially because W had a flight to catch).

Within a couple of days, the snow stopped and the skies cleared.  Much of the snow that had settled on trees had turned to ice and at night, when the streetlights came on, the branches would glow as if illuminated by strands of mini lights.  I had seen ice on trees before, but never like that.  It was beautiful.

What I didn’t realize was that the best was yet to come.

While chatting and preparing supper one particular evening, SB and I had the window slightly open and could hear a strange noise outside.  After pausing the conversation to listen, SB asked if I knew what the noise was but it was foreign to me and I couldn’t even wager a guess.  What I soon found out was that the noise came from the ice-covered trees crackling in the breeze.

For the remainder of our evening, when there were moments of silence, I would hear the breeze creating percussive rhythms in the trees outside.  To me, there was something magical about it because I had never heard something so unique before.  I felt like a child all over again and I’m sure my face showed it.  Even now, I still have to smile because something so simple and seemingly mundane was such a source of excitement and wonderment.

The ice has since melted off the trees but I’m certain it won’t be long until the weather pattern repeats itself.  I am eager to hear nature’s music again… I wish I could share it with you.

I signed up for a French class today…

… and it all became very real.

I’m really doing this, aren’t I?

It’s no longer some strange, extended vacation.  It’s good, but wow… I’m speechless (a rare occurrence, I know).

All I want for Christmas

It was seemingly appropriate that on the day that marked the three month anniversary of my departure from Edmonton, I found my new home.  It’s officially the longest duration of time that I’ve ever been away, so finding somewhere to live on a more permanent basis felt really, really good.

About a week ago, I stumbled upon an online add for an apartment that fit my desired size and location requirements.  It had several pictures and I fell in love instantly.  When I arrived this past weekend to see it in person, my fascination was amplified by the warm welcome that I received from the Superintendent.  Today, I sealed the deal by applying for the lease and giving my first month’s rent.  Assuming that the property management company is satisfied with my application and references, I’ll have my keys on the weekend.  The Sup and I even devised a backup plan for what we would do if the management didn’t like my unemployed status.  Apparently, he likes me as much as I like him.

The building is located in the neighbourhood of Côte-des-Neiges, just north of Downtown Montreal, and is situated in a more affluent area that’s nestled up on a hill away from the busy streets.  The uphill climb is a tad treacherous during the winter months but there is a bus that stops right at the doorstep for those days that I don’t feel like slipping and falling on my face.  It’s a safe, quiet neighbourhood where I will have easy access to transportation, grocery stores, pharmacies and banks.  A quick uphill walk will take me to one of the most beautiful residential areas in Montreal and a quick downhill walk will take me to a gorgeous cemetery and the mountain.  As far as I’m concerned, the slightly high rent is justified by the location.

The apartment itself is cozy, cute and has ample closet space for all of my shoes.  It has a magnificent view of the parking lot and a pink-tiled bathroom.  It’s perfect… absolutely perfect.  I can hardly wait.

How many pairs?

Okay folks… I decided to do up some tallies to mark all the things that I’ve seen and done since I became officially unemployed on September 1.

 

Here goes:

• I’ve been to 17 cities/towns in 7 countries.
• I’ve had to tackle getting by in 4 foreign languages (not to mention several English dialects and accents!)
• I’ve used 6 currencies (including Canadian $)
• I’ve had 4 phone numbers
• I’ve travelled by bus, boat, train, subway, scooter, plane, car and gondola (boats used in Venice).  My trusty feet were always in the mix too.
• I’ve eaten McDonalds in 3 new countries, which now brings my total to 12 (outside of Canada)
• I’ve narrowly missed hurricanes, gotten trapped in thunderstorms and sweltered in 35 degree heat.
• I’ve met countless people and reconnected with many old friends.  These were the true gems of my experiences.

Oh yes, how could I forget?  I’ve also purchased 8… yes, 8… pairs of shoes.  Oops.

 

Here are some of my favourite pictures:

JB and I at the Alamo in San Antonio

The most expensive shoes I’ve ever purchased. Bought in London.

The Colosseum in Roma

Replica of David in Firenze atop the Piazza Michelangelo

Gen (from Ottawa) and I on the Gondola ride in Venezia

The symbol of Ljubljana. The dragons are said to protect the city.

Strawberry Field in Central Park, NYC

The SMW(SB) reunion!

SB and I on the glass floor of the CN tower in TO. It took him about 5 tries to get me to stand on it. Apparently, I’m afraid of heights. Who knew?

My donkey has a broken leg

I am just picturing the stunned and confused looks on all of your faces and can’t help but laugh. 

When SB and I went to meet W in Toronto, we went for drinks one night and I ordered a bellini.  When my drink arrived, it had a little, green plastic donkey sitting on the edge.  I picked it up, giggled and said, “I really like my donkey.”  For some odd reason (perhaps it was the mojitos that we started with), we all found this ridiculously hilarious and it just kind of stuck.  I kept my donkey through my journeys but sadly, somewhere along the way, one of his legs broke off so I had to pay homage to my little friend (and his missing limb) by telling the story behind it.

I think I named him Chuck

My trip to New York was fantastic.  It was great to spend a few days with AV and her roommates.  I might have spent just a tad more money on shoes, jeans, sweaters, accessories, food and drink than I wanted, but it was well worth the expense!  It was a welcome (3 day) break from planes and trains and it was nice to catch up with AV since the last time we saw each other was August.

I returned to Montreal on December 6th and was greeted by W and SB.  W flew in that day from Edmonton so she could properly welcome me back home and SB has been kind enough to again offer his spare room to me until I get settled.

Although being back in Montreal is a little bittersweet, I am genuinely happy to be here.  It has been so wonderful to talk to my family and friends again without worrying too much about time zones, etc.  I also finally bit the bullet and got a Montreal phone number so having these cherished conversations will be substantially less expensive for me.

That said, reality hit a little hard my first day back and I teetered a bit on the edge of a meltdown… oh, who are we kidding… I had a meltdown.  The good news is that both W and SB seemed to know it was coming and were there to help me drown my distress in fabulous Chinese food, chocolate cake and wine/martinis/tequila (oops).  The good news is that now I’m back in the swing of things, hanging out on SB’s couch in my yoga pants avoiding my apartment and job hunt.  It’s almost like I never left… almost.  The lack of leaves on the trees and the presence of tons of snow is a reminder of my hiatus but otherwise, life continues on.

I know I need to do something about this homeless situation because I need that bed pronto, but had decided yesterday (when the snow was nearing blizzard proportions) to take today as a snow day.  That means no work, right?  Really though, I’ll start looking tomorrow because the weather today is dreadful and my all of my winter gear is still in Etown so it’s a perfectly good day to procrastinate.

Much love… xo

Brrrrrr…

North America is cold.  Why I decided to come back for the first of December is completely beyond me.  Better that than January, I suppose.  Perhaps I should have gone to Fiji for a few months first.  Damn.  These things always come to me too late.

My departure from Copenhagen was fairly uneventful, though it was very sad for both E and I.  We remain very close and have agreed that keeping in touch is of utmost importance.  Beyond that, we do not know what the future holds.

I arrived in Chicago last night and was able to stay awake until around 2200.  I nearly fell asleep in my room-service salad (like Garfield in his lasagne) but I was able to hold out for a couple of hours before retiring to my king-size bed.  Having free wifi was a particular bonus when I awoke at 0300 and could not get back to sleep.  I was able to occupy myself online for awhile before settling back in bed and crashing for another few hours.  I am very happy that I didn’t book a hostel as I would have been very unwelcome in a dorm room while roaming about in the wee hours of the morning.

I got up this morning to find Chicago in a layer of snow and ice.  What a welcome (blech)!  I fiddled around for the majority of the morning before heading off to the Art Institute of Chicago for the afternoon… and what a great decision that was.  The museum is massive and one could easily spend the whole day there.  There were several parts closed for renovations but I still found myself enjoying all the collections spanning through cultures, eras, techniques and mediums.  The permanent collection is huge and includes but is not limited to European tapestries, Chinese pottery, sculptures, furniture, paintings, and paperweights – yes, paperweights.  I guess you just have to see it to believe it.  I highly recommend going there if you’re ever in town.

Oddly, I found that the absolute highlight of the museum was the high school choir that was singing on the Grand Staircase just inside the entrance.  Now, please understand – I’m not a huge Christmas person, especially when it comes to Christmas music.  I won’t get into details because that would require an entirely new post but let’s just say that it’s not my thing… BUT, the combined talent and acoustics of the performance were enough to de-Scrooge anyone.  I fairly quickly found myself enjoying the snow and allowing a tiny flicker of Christmas spirit to ignite my (normally cold) heart. 

One of the things that I miss the most when I am away from home is how festive we are in North America.  Although it’s almost entirely laden with consumeristic nonsense, there is a celebratory nature about our culture that is more difficult to find in Europe.  It’s easy to forget about when you are cruising Rome in 15 degree weather.  There was something about all of the massive decorations, snow and music that made me feel warm and fuzzy.  It finally clicked that it was December and I had a sudden urge to be surrounded by my family and friends.  I guess there is a small Christmas-loving part of me afterall.

The remainder of my afternoon was spent strolling along the Magnificent Mile, which although nice, wasn’t nearly as magnificent as I had hoped.  In all fairness though, I have recently been in some of the more major shopping districts in Europe.  Very few things can even compare to those. 

I am now sitting in my hotel lounge (since I checked out 7 hours ago) scooping their wireless signal and enjoying some red wine.  I need to stay awake for a few more hours, so I chugged a bit of java first so that the wine wouldn’t knock me out.  Now you all know why I’m always so dehydrated!  Unfortunately, jetlag didn’t give me much of a choice regarding the coffee but the wine is entirely my decision.

I am stupidly eager for the next part of my journey.  I haven’t seen AV since August and I just found out a couple of days ago that W will be there with SB when I arrive in Montreal.  If that isn’t a welcome back gift, I don’t know what is!  I can’t say this enough… I am a very lucky person to have such good people in my life.

Love you all to bits!!  xoxo