I'm watching Iron Chef for the first time in 8 months. This makes me happy. I don't miss a lot from living in the UK, but Iron Chef is one of those things :)
Tag: I am Canadian
What I got for xmas
I must've been really, really nice this year. It seems that I've been celebrating xmas for two weeks: in Leicester, in Montreal and at my parents'.
It's weird though. It's xmas day itself and I think I'm a bit xmas'ed out. I just want to spend the next few days doing SFA. I have some books to read and some music to listen to and I'm going to be a very happy camper.
If you're curious what I got, in no particular order:
– stainless steel electronic scales
– a digital camera
– a fedora
– a granit mortar & pestle
– a book by Bill Bryson
– a set of really nice headphones for my laptop
– a new webcam for my laptop
– two cotton trader rugby shirts
– really, really ugly fridge magnets (and some nice ones too!)
And because my memory is shit poor, I forgot the following:
– tickets to the Santana concert in London
– an “earth seen from above” desk calendar
– a rosetta stone ceramic tile
– M*A*S*H season 9 DVD box set
I also got a ton of waterstones vouchers and some money as well (my parents went overboard, really!). I'd mentioned that I would like a KitchenAid mixer, so my mom gave me the money for it (as if she bought it, it wouldn't work overseas).
I'd also asked as a joke for a foot of snow. My mom decided to improvise by dumping two bags of glitter confetti on my head (which required a shower to get rid of – that thing itches like mad!).
In other news, I've decided to give Boris to my sister. I wouldn't be able to bring him over for at least another 10 months. We can't move until april (and it's still not guaranteed that we'll find a pet-friendly apartment) and then there'd be a 6 month delay for bloodwork to be processed. It would be unfair for both Boris and my sister, cause they're really bonding together and he's really, really settling into her apartment. He eats her plants, he showers with her, he sleeps in her bed. It just wouldn't be right. So… yeah. She'll take care of him and I'll still be able to visit once in a while.
Speaking of the pussycat, he's currently sleeping somewhere downstaits. He's getting a bit braver. Apparently, he was up nosing about upstairs during the night last night and even jumped in my parents' bed. That did not go well with the little doggy. That's her bed :) Still, there's been no real pet-induced chaos, so that's good.
And now for something completely different
Things I have learned today:
– Two people can fit in the tshirt I'm wearing today. My sister and I have demonstrated this fact.
– We drove down with more things than can be (or rather should have been) fitted in a small car.
– We're starting to feel a bit rundown. I've been having weird headaches and Katy's voice/throat is giving her a bit of grief. I think it's a good thing that she's going to be seeing her ENT when we get back, if only to swear at him.
Besides that, my parents are going warp-speed at the thought of all of us being here for the holidays. If my mom gets any more giddy, she'll run the risk of spontaneously combusting. She's been up since 4am.
There is a definite possibility that we will explode from the massive quantities of food that my mom is offering us. All the time. Constantly. I have secret fears that she's trying to fatten us up for nefarious purposes.
Boris is currently hiding somewhere in our basement. His first meeting with the little dog might be a bit traumatic. We'll see.
Bit of an update for the last few days or, plans? what are plans?
Lets see what I can write about the last few days.
When we got to my sister's place last wednesday night, there was a power failure and we were all wearing tuques and scarves inside the apartment. We went to bed (which was nice for snuggling) and zonked out. We were still on UK time apparently as we were up at 7am to have coffee with Nat.
Headed to Eggspectation for breakfast, where we didn't get to steal a nice full-colour menu but we did score some take-out ones so at least Katy has a souvenir for her scrapbpook. Did a bit of window shopping then headed to the Jardin Botanique and the Biodome before meeting up with people for sushi. The garden has to rank as one of our favouritest places in Montreal. In winter, it's beautiful. Had a bit of a panicky moment when I walked into the Biodome with my shiny new camera. Going from minus digit very dry weather to a tropical rainforest enclosure means that your lense fogs up to hell and gone in the blink of an eye. Go figure. That sorted itself out when we entered the boreal forest enclosure and saw two otters getting it on. So cute!
Sushi was, in a word, glrrmph!!! It sort of freaked me out a bit. Michel and I used to go there every two week or so, sometimes more. When I moved to the UK, Michel continued to go there because it's damn good fish. The management kept on asking about me, and expressed sadness when they were told that I moved overseas. When Michel made reservations last week and told them I was coming, they not only still remembered me (remember that I've been gone since April), they were looking forward to seeing me again and made a huge fuss when we got there. I mean, dayum. I know I was a regular but we never exchanged more than polite conversation. Gave me a nice feeling in my heart but made me blush as well. Sushi was reeeeeeeally good too! It's nice to see that all my friends from various backgrounds like each other.
Then there was Hurleys, which was a bit of a letdown :S It was full of people and we had trouble finding a table. A friend showed up and though I was happy to see him after a such a long time, he pissed me off to no extent by spending the entire evening speaking french to his girlfriend, even though I'd explicitely told him that Katy's french was poor. Hell, he didn't even say hello to her properly beyond introductions. What also pisses me off is that I didn't realize this sooner. Since my french and my english are just as good as each other, I honestly lose track of which language I'm speaking. It's really unfair for Katy when that happens. To be perfectly frank, I'm less than impressed at the boys for their attitute around Katy (this doesn't apply to the people around the sushi table – you all rock and we love you for it). The only person who's made any effort to speak in english to her is the one whose english is the poorest. I appreciate him all the more for that.
Todays plans were a bit hectic. We met Michel and Isablelle for a *very* early breakfast then pootled a bit downtown. Katy's legs were feeling the walk from yesterday (which was made all the worst for not being used to walking in ice and snow). We were supposed to meet the Sequence folk (my old employers and coworkers) for a sushi lunch but – in what seems to be a repeating picture – those plans fell through from lack of time and lack of energy. I went to have coffee with one of the guys (as he was the only one there, the others being called away to other commitments).
So tonight, we're going to take it easy. Katy is in her jammies, I will soon be in mine and I'm going to cook some curries to thank my sister for letting us crash at her place.
other quickies
-It's shocking that if I miss a day of LJ, I have to scroll back 140 entries to catch up. I think I'm watching a few too many communities.
-Chocolate milk in canada rocks. It tastes so much better than what I can find in the UK.
Oh, and just so you all know
A quick entry
A few quick bits that I will expand on later:
– Lugging 30 pounds of prezzies is fucking heavy
– Met Michel and Sara at Weinsteins. Food porn. Watermelon porn. All good.
– My cat is now fucking HUGE! yet still insane and addicted to catnip.
– I have been awake for 2 hours and doing computer tech support for 1.5 of them. Such is my lot in life.
More later, must go eat.
Canadia – day 1 – The more things change…
The key points from yesterday:
- International air travel is boring. We spent 7.5 hours sitting down at 36,000ft
- The little screen above us had shit-poor picture quality and the larger screen at the front of the cabin was projecting in sepiatone. WTF? I watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and it was painful because it was between fuzzy reception and blurry sepiatone. Fun.
- Customs at Ottawa airport were interesting because I didn't know if I should declare myself a visitor or a resident. Given that I don't have a current address in Canada, I had to declare myself a visitor to my own damn country :)
- It's somewhat amusing that all our clothing fits inside a carry-on bag, but we still brought a fucking huge and heavy suitcase full of prezzies.
I finished wrapping most of the presents up this morning while Katy was having a nap. It's good that she's finally getting some rest – it'll do her good. I want this trip to be stress-free and fun-filled. I'm looking into how we're going to get to Montreal tomorrow. I'm thinking the train, because that would drop us off directly at Bonaventure, right at the Salon des Metiers d'arts.
It's weird a bit to be back in Canada. It seems that I really settled into Cambridge life. When I walked into my folks' house, I saw all the old surroundings and all my old stuff that I couldn't bring. Like my TV. Damn, that thing was big. From talking to Katy, it probably wouldn't even fit inside our flat.
As to the title of this post, I'm currently fixing my dad's computer :)
You know you're from Montreal when…
- You have ever said anything like “I have to stop at the guichet before we get to the dep.”
- Your only concern about jaywalking is getting a ticket.
- You understand and frequently use terms like 'unilingual,' 'anglophone,''francophone,' and 'allophone.'
- You agree that Montreal drivers are crazy, but you're secretly proud oftheir nerves of steel.
- You know that the West Island is not a separate geographical formation.
- You have to bring smoked meat from Schwartz's, Blue Dry and bagels from StViateur if you're visiting anyone west of Cornwall.
- You know how to pronounce Pie IX.
- You believe to the depth of your very being that Toronto has no soul but your high school reunion is held in Toronto because most of your classmates live there now.
- You know at least one person who works for the CBC, and at least one other person who used to work for Nortel.
- You're not impressed with hardwood floors.
- You've been hearing Celine Dion jokes longer than anyone else.
- You order fries 'with sauce', not 'with gravy'.
- Shopper's Drug Mart is Pharmaprix and Staples is Bureau en Gros, and PFK is finger lickin' good.
- For two weeks a year, you are a jazz afficianado.
- Everyone on the street – drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists – think they're immortal, and that you'll move first.
- You know that Rocket Richard had nothing to do with astrophysics.
- You've seen Brother Andre's heart.
- You know the difference between the SQ, the SAQ, and the SAAQ.
- You measure temperature and distance in metric, but weight and height in Imperial measure.
- You show up at a party at 11 p.m. and no one else is there yet.
- You know that Montreal is responsible for introducing the following to North America: bagels, souvlaki, smoked meat and Supertramp. Also, Chris de Burgh.
- You don't drink pop or soda, you drink soft drinks.
- You have graduated from high school and have a degree, but you've never been in grade 12.
- The margarine in your fridge is the same colour as lard.
- There has to be at least 30 cm of snow on the ground in less than 24 hours for you to consider it too snowy to drive.
- You remember where you were during the Ice Storm.
- You know that your city's reputation for beautiful women is based on centuries old couplings between French soldiers and royally commissioned whores (aka Les Filles du Roi).
- You don't understand anyone from Lac-St-Jean, but you can fake the accent.
- You've been to the Tam Tams, and know they have nothing to do with wee Scottish hats.
- You discuss potholes like most people discuss weather.
- You encounter bilingual homeless people.
- While watching an American made-for-TV movie, you realize that “Vienna” is actually Old Montreal, that “New York” is actually downtown and that the “The Futuristic City” is actually Habitat '67.
- You have yet to understand a single announcement made on the Metro PA system, no matter what the language.
- You don't find American comedians speaking “gibberish” French even remotely funny.
- You don't find it weird that there's a strip club on every corner downtown.
Montreal will do me good
I think that going to Canadia will do me a bit of good. I miss the guys and I haven't seen my family in over 6 months.