Although this blog is mainly about my experiences of the places I live or travel to and things to see, eat, or do, every now and again I write about tidbits from my life because why not? It’s my blog. I’ll use it as I please! I wanted to write about my recent trip to the cities of Vancouver and Victoria but was hit by writer’s block… Since my last blog entry I have been recontacted by two people that…
This week the mailbox has been extrordinarily full with letters from old friends and new penpals. A few years ago, when I participated in a European study abroad program (ERASMUS), some of my friends and I kept in touch by regularly writing letters to one another. We were all away doing our own thing and exploring various European countries so we usually had a lot to write home about and I still get excited about receiving personal letters and postcards….
Shortly after arriving in my new home on Vancouver Island, I was fortunate enough to fall into a job at the local animal shelter, replacing my sister who has returned to university to study veterinary medicine. She has a natural gift for dealing with animals so was in her element. It’s safe to say that I am not quite as comfortable in my new position. It’s not that I don’t like animals. I do. We have quite a menagerie at…
As usual months have passed since the last entry but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a rollercoaster. First I was going to write something inspiring (at least to me) around Christmas time and the season of ‘good will’ and joy and happiness… then I was of course going to restart blogging on the 1st of January to be symbolic of the new year but naturally I put it off and failed in one of my resolutions on day one;…
Even the cat seems depressed; a definite sign that something’s not quite right. Who would have thought that several weeks of nothing would be quite so exausting? I’m sat staring at our lethargic lump of black fur as he takes his umpteenth catnap of the day, flicking his tail in mild annoyance that the sound of the TV has caused him to stir. What can a cat possibly have to be depressed about? Surely his days should be spent out and…
Sitting out on the front porch, on a little wooden bench like in the movies, under the evening sunshine, listening to the birds chirping as I read and write is quite different from how I was spending my evenings this time last year. At best it would have been on some terrace in front of an overcrowded, over-priced café with the sound of traffic, and the rumble of the metro beneath my feet. If there’s one thing about the rural…
On the subject of typical Canadian pastimes, I thought I’d talk about our last few weekends in Winnipeg. Over the past few weeks we have been actively searching for a base, a new (or new to us) house in Manitoba’s capital, the city of Winnipeg. In Canada, one of the major techniques for selling houses is to hold an Open House. This means potential buyers just show up at the advertised time, without having to call ahead to arrange viewings…
Five Things Left to Do in Paris So here I am, down to my last five weeks in Paris and unlike at the end of my Erasmus when I had a strong feeling that I would be back as soon as possible for an extended stay, this time I know that I won’t be back so soon and that next time probably won’t be serious, more likely a brief fling with an old flame. To be sure to leave Paris…
A love affair with Paris is not an easy one. At first glance, it’s almost impossible not to be seduced by its glamour, night-life, architecture, art and culture. But as with so many beautiful things, there is the danger of being swept off of one’s feet, caught up in a haze of romance, only to be left bitterly disappointed. This, for me, is a weekly occurrence. Perhaps the biggest challenge is having the energy and time to get the most…
As the saying goes lightning never strikes twice in the same place… which makes taking photos pretty difficult! I was pondering this saying and what it might mean as I uploaded my video (unwatched at this point) of the impressive storm threatening to break for hours above Paris on Tuesday night. I had come to a few conclusions when I decided to watch back my snapshot – only to discover that lightning actually does srike twice in the same place!…