Back to School

So here I am during a break trying keep up with my blog duties. First, this is turning out to be a tough year for quite a few people. Hang in there and best wishes. Second, I am back in school. I am taking French classes again, 25 hours a week. On top of the intensity of school I am also volunteering at the YWCA and the YMCA. I am a volunteer assistant for the volunteer coordinator at the YWCA (Y des femmes). I go once a week and so far I have been making phone calls in French. It's tough, my face gets all red and I get very hot and nervous. I have a script to stick to but it still is a bit stressful. This is the best kick in the pants to prepare me for a real work environment though. I am also meeting with the volunteer coordinator at the local YMCA. I am serving on a task force to plan international events throughout the year.

My fabulous mother-in-law is in Austin for the week visiting my mom. *sigh* The two moms together. It has been fun calling and talking to both of them at the same time. My fabulous mother-in-law has been to the Oasis, seen a tarantula, and consumed Tex-Mex and margaritas. I'd say she's half way to heaven.

The seasons are once again changing here. The fall has been brilliant but we are now getting some whispers of winter. We had our first snow that accumulated. It had been raining when we took Zoe out and two hours later I gasped when I opened the front door. There was snow on the ground!!! But, gladly, it melted today and we may get to enjoy a few more chilly fall days.

Happy Thirty-onederful

Yep, that time of year again, my birthday. Tim surprised me this year by taking me to an amusement park, La Ronde. He got special tickets to see America compete in the International Fireworks festival.



This fireworks show was amazing! The theme for the show was a tribute to rock and roll. The sky lit up with color as you listened to U2, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, and the Beatles. The show made every other fireworks display seem like Kraft Dinner. Tim and I sat in the VIP section where we munched on popcorn and drank wine (when our jaws weren't hitting the floor). After, we hit some more roller coasters and rides. A great birthday!!

Mom's Visit

My mom came to see her daughter all grown up and fully established with a husband and a home. I ran my mother ragged dragging her to all the sights in Montréal. She was here for one week to celebrate her birthday. We had multiple birthdays to celebrate! My father-in-law coincidentally was born on the same day as my mom. My mom and I took the train to Ottawa on Thursday. We had a wonderful time showing my mom around Ottawa and enjoying some beautiful summer weather. Little did my mom know how refreshing it would be. Texas had brutal heat this summer. Tim joined us after work on Friday and we continued to celebrate with my brother-in-law, Keith, and his girlfriend.


My mom's visit couldn't have come at a better time. My father ended up passing away a week after she left. We were so happy to see each other. I do miss her but I am happy to have such a wonderful life to share with her. It's cool to talk to my mom and she can visualize where I am in our apartment. We hopefully will see each other at Christmas.

Snow Blown

In Texas droughts are known as the silent natural disaster. The same can be said in Canada about snow. There has been a record breaking amount of snowfall this year. Montréal hasn't seen this much snow since the 1970's.
My welcome to Montréal! I am referring to this winter as my initiation, otherwise known as baptism by snow. Remember that this area of the world is familiar with such meteorological phenomena and the city has the infrastructure to handle snow and ice. This city NEVER shuts down. Our chocolate lab, Zoe, loves the stuff. She wiggles on her back in the snow and we call this her snow dance.

School is always in session. . . until now. Last weekend we had a snowstorm that dumped loads of white stuff. Leave it to the Texan to go running errands in it. The wind drove the snow into my face. My nose may have been running but it was too numb to tell. I could hear the pelting of little bits of ice against my coat. A mountain of parking lot snow nearly swallowed me whole. Certainly I would have been lost until spring (whenever that is).
Anyway, there was so much snow the city didn't know what to do with it. Although it was a sunny day and there was no prediction of snow, schools shut down Monday to allow for snowplows to clear the roads and people to shovel their driveways. Unbelievable.

So now here I am again, home from school. Not that I am complaining. We were evacuated from school around 11 a.m. today because the administration was concerned about the roof collapsing. We have been given Monday off as well due to crews not working on the weekends or needing time to shovel all that snow off of all the school rooftops. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Woodsman Competition

Tim's cousin, Fredella, is part of a collegiate woodsman team. We attended one of her competitions last month. Kids, don't try this at home or anywhere else. These are trained professionals.

They use axes, chainsaws, and saws to see who can cut, slice, dice, and julienne a log of wood. Men and women are competing and wear plenty of protective gear. Chain mail at the chins and ankles, gloves, and steel-toed boots. They also have competitions in log rolling and snow shoe races. The axe throwing competition made me the most nervous. My stomach stopped every time the axe blade would get close to the throwers back.

I had to post this to prove that I was out in -13 c weather. The golden lab had shoes on not only to be fashionably warm but also to protect it's little paws from splinters. If you look closely at the photo of the guy hugging the tree trunk you will notice his good luck charm. That would be Lambchop on his belt. :) I guess when you are running up a telephone pole you need all the luck you can get.


This last photo is of Fredella doing a water boil competition. For this you have a coffee can filled with a little bit of soapy water. You must chop a log and create a frame for the can. Then, cut some shavings and build a fire that will make the water boil over. Easy right? Riiiight.

Who's Bored?

Phew. Just when I thought I would be sitting at the apartment with nothing to do. The last few days have been occupied with taking care of business. However, there is always time to mix in a little fun! Last week Tim and I had a double date with his brother, Keith, and his girlfriend, Patricia. We went to see Juno. Earlier that day I met up with a friend to peruse the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, http://www.mbam.qc.ca/fr/index_flash.html. She and I found out that we are avid fans of the artist Gustav Klimt. Luckily the museum had two of his sketches on display! I love his work and the whole Jugendstyl/Art Nouveau genre. It feels good to be going out and making friends.

On the business side, earlier this week I had a medical exam for my immigration application. It wasn't so bad. I only had to be stuck with a needle once. Then I had to go to the American Consulate to renew my passport that is due to expire at the end of March. The lady at the consulate said it would take about 10 days for me to get my new passport delivered to my door. Shocked? So am I. I had to step out of the consulate briefly for a makeover, I mean passport photo. You see, I wasn't prepared for such and expedited process and had no passport photos with me. The nearest pharmacy that took care of such things was one block away. A nice gentleman took two digital photos and decided my face was too shiny. He said I needed to speak to the lady in cosmetics. That's when he made eye contact with her and merely made a gesture at me. She instantly knew what her task was. I suppose this made me feel better. As she applied the powder I couldn't help but think hey, since you're at it why not some mascara and lipstick?!

Then, I walked two blocks and got finger printed to prove that I am not nor have I ever been a criminal. One copy of my prints go to the Austin DPS and the other to the FBI. The gentleman who took my fingerprints said Austin would take a few weeks to send me my clean record whereas the FBI may take 2 months. : (

In other business, I have registered for French classes. They start at 8:15 a.m. on Monday and will total 20 hours a week. Back to school! I look forward to learning French!

Things weather wise have been . . . cold. Last week was strange. Most of the snow had melted and it looked like an early thaw. However, give it a few days and we got more snow. Once again I live in a winter wonderland. It's tolerable with the right clothes/layers. Tim and I took Zoe for a walk last night and I neglected to layer. I thought my legs were going to fall off.

Married life is still wonderful.

Medical Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175
Passport-sized photos(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $26
Immigration Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,200
Criminal Background Check . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . $41
Being with the man you love every day . . . . Priceless

Just Married

Tim and I were married around 4 p.m. yesterday. It was a beautiful civil ceremony at Tim's parents home. Tim's aunt Helen is a Unitarian Minister and officiated the ceremony. About 30 people sat surrounded by candlelight and white Christmas lights. There was laughter and tears. Luckily no one was hurt when one of the chairs broke. We ate, drank, and were merry. An Ipod supplied great dance music and we cut a rug. It was perfect.

FAQs

Why a red dress?

Why not? Tim and I were wanting to get married and to have something simple. We had a deadline because I wanted to move to Canada and be able to celebrate my great aunt's 100th birthday in Poland next November. When applying for residency you aren't allowed to leave the country until your residency has been processed, about 8 months. So, with a budget and a deadline I wore a dress already in my closet. Tim and I would like to have a church wedding in 2009 where we will invite my friends and family from Europe and Texas. I will then wear a white dress.

Are you taking Tim's last name?

No, they don't do that in Quebec. In fact you can't do that in Quebec.

Is your mom moving to Canada too?

No, she did her time in the cold growing up in Poland.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I am very blessed to be surrounded by such loving and supportive people. Tim and I weren't at all nervous. So here I am beginning my life as a married woman. It was so special to have the wedding a small, intimate, family affair.

Best wishes to you all in 2008. Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Eva