We haven’t gone on about it too much here on the blog, but when we moved into this furnished apartment it was a *disaster.* Filthy from the drawers to the floors, broken appliances, an unmade bed with a pile of crumbs on the chair next to it….just… [Read More]
A Day in Brockville
For Sylvain’s birthday, Manon organized a day-trip to Brockville, Ontario, “City of the Thousand Islands” — a historic town on the Saint Lawrence.
Some of the 1000 IslandsWe took the train from Montreal, a two hour journey, arriving mid-morning.… [Read More]
Crabapple Redux
In response to my Crabapple evolution post, one person commented to me that “[T]he trees are ugly 51 weeks out of the year. They’re only pretty during the one week that they bloom.… [Read More]
(aka ‘Victoria Day” in the R.O.C.)
(R.O.C. = Rest of Canada, whose federal holidays Québec likes to rename and rebrand as Québec-centric celebrations.)
Victoria Day, which celebrates the birthday of Queen Vicky, isn’t so popular here in Québec due to the many years of oppression of the Québec French by the English ruling class.… [Read More]
Crabapple Evolution
From the front-facing window and small balcony at the apartment, there’s a view of the street below and the shaded courtyard of the house across. When we first arrived, the trees were mostly bare or just beginning to leaf out.… [Read More]
Just Don’t!
Because our travel day to Montréal is long and tiring, and because checking in to a new rental requires a lot of attention and energy, we stay in a hotel the night we land in MTL to rest, and then move into our rental the next day.… [Read More]
The Maple Report Returns!
Maple Butter and Taffy Cones by L’Erable au Fils du Temps
These looked intriguing, not only because I presume anything in an ice-cream cone is likely to be good, but because they are being marketed as a collation énergétique (“power snack”).… [Read More]
Spring Colo(u)rs
Did I just mention that one of the advantages of our north/south migration is experiencing some seasons twice? Well, here’s some Springtime evidence of that.
At the botanical gardens, the magnolias are in bloom, and the Japanese garden has a variety of fruit trees still with blossoms: cherries, crabapples, and plum trees.… [Read More]
Sure you do, from our 2022 rental building:
That voice! Sexy Elevator!Now, in 2024, we have Banshee Bathroom Fan:
Banshee Bathroom Fan, or “Boggart of the Bog”The shrieking usually goes away after a couple minutes, but: le sigh.… [Read More]
To get to the parking spot on the other side!
This is a delivery vehicle for St. Hubert, a massive restaurant chain and frozen/ready-to-eat food enterprise here in Québec (not unlike Marie Callender’s in the States, with less emphasis on dessert pies).… [Read More]






