A bit about shopping (3)

If all you want is a Sainsbury's chipolata, you're in trouble ... [apple, cinnamon and cranberry, anyone?!]

Muguets

 

Making my room smell gorgeous

Atlantic Voices

Atlantic Voices is an amateur choir of approximately 50 members, primarily made up of expatriate Newfoundlanders, Labradorians, and those from the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton, and Prince Edward Island).  Not surprisingly, they sing songs of the sea (storms, waves, perils), tots of rum, whales, fishing and missing their sweethearts - mostly unaccompanied.  I had hoped to join a choir when I arrived in Canada, and I found a list of dozens based in and around Ottawa.  Some were 'discarded' straight away (women only, men only, wanted high levels of sight-reading, too religious, too professional), but Atlantic Voices was one of the ones I approached.  They were very welcoming, but by mid-April they were too far along in their rehearsals for the Spring Concert for me to join - but I was welcome to go back in September to rehearse with them.  I've since found a local church choir in Aylmer, and I'm going to choir practice on Thursday evenings for a concert that we're doing on the 26th June.  Not 'Atlantic Voices' level, but I'm enjoying singing regularly again.   We have a music director called David who is patient and enthusiastic!

 

However, last Sunday afternoon I had the pleasure of going along to the Atlantic Voices presentation 'Rocky Isle in the Ocean' held at Centretown United Church in Bank Street.  The church was absolutely packed and we listened to 'Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor', 'The Wreck of the S.S. Ethie' and 'Ode to Newfoundland' - the official provincial anthem - amongst other songs.  Great fun and very entertaining.

 

Also making an appearance was Tiika - she is the 6 year old mascot of the choir.  Her genes go back to the island of Newfoundland and - according to the concert programme - 'these strong waterdogs were loyal and loving companions who worked very hard on shore and at sea.  They pulled in fishing nets, delivered mail, and hauled logs from the forests.  They often served as 'living lifelines', rescuing people from the sea. 

Here she is .... Tiika

Meet the animals ...

 

 

 

This is Sirus.  He's a rather elderly cat (14) and he's all skin and bone.

.

 

He likes his water on draught, and is quite happy to let it flow over the top of his head while he's drinking.  Hmm, odd.

 

And this is Darius.  He has to be the most annoying dog ever.  I admit he is pretty, but he is large, hairy, smelly and slobbers.  He is 11 months old (yes, I know he is still a pup), and is excitable, wants constant attention and fuss.  He barks, whines, moults, makes a noise when he's drinking, waits for me at the bottom of the stairs ... [silent shriek].  I am teaching him English swear words.

Sunrise on the Sentier des voyageurs

The Voyageurs Pathway is part of the Route Verte; a network made up of over 4,000km of bikeways criss-crossing the most beautiful regions of Quebec.  Access to it is within 300m of the house.  Early on the 8th May, I got up just before sunrise to take some pictures of the river, and some signs of Spring appearing.

 

 

 

In the early 20^th century, there was a hydro-electric power station in Deschênes, but this is all that remains of it now.

 

 

 

 



                                                                     

 

 

I have to be taken on an walk and be taught to identify poison ivy - it isn't something you want to be stung by as its effects are unpleasant and long-lasting.



 

French classes, and how to find them

I have made several efforts to get enrolled on a French course. Arriving in the country in the week that most classes were starting for the summer term helped me focus. I spoke to a man at the CEGEP in Gatineau on my third day and he was most helpful – but their classes are only available (free of charge) to immigrants to Canada.

 

Then I found some grammar and conversation courses at a place called Heritage College – unfortunately the classes were running at the same time on the same nights of the week, but the price was good, they were starting that very week, so I rang only to find that they had been cancelled due to lack of interest.

 

Then I looked up the Centre for Continuing Education at uOttawa who were offering a three-day French grammar brush-up course in May, but it was very expensive.

 

At the end of the second week, I went to a private school for an evaluation regarding conversation classes. These cost $34 per hour, but they were aiming to match me up with someone of a similar level (to reduce the cost). I learned that my use of the subjunctive and the passé imparfait need improvement, and also my use of qualitative adjectives (I had to look what these are on the internet). A term-time course is over $1,000.

 

Close to where I live, there is the WQCC (Western Quebec Career Centre) so I cycled there only to find they haven’t run any courses for two years!

 

By now, I was beginning to feel quite despondent, so I went out and borrowed some French grammar books from the library in Hull Sector, and bought a third in order to do some practice at home. One of librarians told me about the Centre Nouvel Horizon offering lessons in the Gatineau area (a long way from Aylmer) but when I rang them, they were not starting any new courses before September 2013.

 

Someone gave me the name of another local language school in Aylmer, Academie de Formation Linguistique, but again – one-to-one conversation is $32 per hour.

 

The end of the tale is that I have now registered (and paid up) at Éducation Permanente in Ottawa*. They run intensive month-long courses all year round, with breaks of a week between.  I start on the 27^th May. You have three hours in the class room, and three hours online every day. I can’t wait to start.

 

 

* The school is situated on the other side of Ottawa, and I have just looked it up on Google maps (who now have a handy bicycle directions tab). It is 18.6km each way -  1hr 7mins (I doubt this is LadyMieleRider speed) – and I can get there most of the way on a cycle path. This distance is equivalent to London home to work, back home, and then turn round and go back to work again. Each way. The good cycle fairy (you know who you are) tells me that doing this once in the first week, twice in the second week, three times in the third week, and four times in the fourth week "would be very beneficial to your cycle training". The alternative? Two buses there and three back – or vice versa. The Quebec bus system (STO) and the Ontario bus system (OC Transpo) are completely separate, different buses/routes/timetables/fares. They don’t have a Zone system here, but a transfer one instead. Go on however many buses you like within a 2 hr period. Which is great until you are in a 3hr class. Mutter, mutter.

A bit about shopping (2)

Part of the fun of going to live in an unknown place is not having any idea of what the shop sells (until you get inside). Well, Bureau Gros and Pharmaprix give you a clue.  But I mostly go into Loblaws, IGA and SuperC - all varieties of épicerie (rather than supermarché).  There are dozens of kinds of fresh fruit and veg, but also endless shelves stuffed with convenience foods.  But masses of choice, which I like as I spend lots of money on food.

Also, KFC is known here as PFK (Poulet Frite de Kentucky) which just looks odd on the signs because it seems like a completely different brand.  Anyone know if it's PFK in France - as they've surely got a market there by now?

 

 

 

 

I haven't found a cheddar that is mature enough - the 'aged, extra fort' is medium flavour ... cheese is surprisingly expensive - especially European imports!

 

 

 

 

 

Coloured cauliflower -  orange and green varieties here ... I stick to white.

So many onions - they even have button onions in different colours.

 

 

Apples?  My apple crumble was made with Granny Smiths and it tasted great.  And I'd never seen red delicious before coming here.

 

 

 

Horsemeat is on sale, but labelled as such - haha!

An introduction to where I'm living

I'm renting a room in a spacious but untidy house.  My room is large and airy - it faces east, so it's sunny in the mornings. (On the mornings that it is sunny).  I packed some photos and bits and pieces to put on the walls, and I've bought an extra light (from Walmart) and a plant (from Rona).  My sister has suggested I keep an image of my current wardrobe contents in mind for when I get back home so that I can keep my clothes storage under control (?!)  Helping me pack up my bedroom stuff and move it into the attic before my Canada departure will haunt her for some years to come.

 

So here are a couple of pics:

 

  

Everything is on a larger scale, even the pillowcases!













More on the house, the garden and the pets in a future post ...

This helps explain my blog identity!

She's a Miele Umbria - it doesn't matter that she was in an end-of season sale!
 

Téléphone cellulaire

So, on my fourth day, I'm off to Walmart to by the cheapest mobile phone I can find.  (£43.00 - we're not talking about a smart-phone here).  Later on, I ring Virgin to register the phone with my pay-as-you-go voucher.  I have transcribed some of the automated responses (not translated as well ... I chose the English-speaking option ....)

• "we are starting to feel neglected over here!" [me not pressing the buttons fast enough]
• "our award-winning service assistants will help you" [not UK-trained, I'm guessing]
• "Success!  But we're not quite done yet ..." [thank you, machine]
• "Hang on real tight while we hook you up with one of our service assistants" [too cheery]

Do I have a functioning telephone?  Yes.  Alright, I'll be quiet then. 

A bit about shopping (1)

When is a brazil nut not a brazil nut?  Or just in case you're worried that the brazil nut might contain something else?  Or are we living in a very litigious society and we're worried about what is being put on the packaging?

For openers ...

But where to start?  I have been living in Deschênes [Aylmer, Gatineau, Quebec] since 8th April 2013, and began writing a journal (in order to turn it into this blog) and on re-reading it, there's nothing of interest to anyone but me - except my very nearest and dearest, and that would be a push! 


In order to start somewhere, here's a picture of the Rivière des Outaouais when I first arrived in early April ...

 

and another of the same view taken this morning - a month later ...