Life goes on

Saturday we brought back the wheelchair as it is no longer needed.

that feels so good! We can move one from there, a new chapter begins.....

That took a big old five minute from my life!

i gently coaxed Veronica (my stepdaughter) to stop at a thrift store nearby...

And I am so glad I did!

By chance I found 3 things I love......

 A car throw...100% wool and in great condition!

I very rarely turn down good condition blankets and throws.

They are always handy when you live in an old house in a cold climate!

 If you've been following 

the blog for a while you might remember that I had an Etsy

shop and that I sold quite a few Le creuset snail dishes...

I have regretted this for a llllllooooooooonnnnnngggg time!

So I was super excited to find one for a dollar....I am sure I will find 3 other fairly soon.

so since I have being jonesing for snails with garlic butter I bought 4 

stainless steel dishes for a dollar

It even says Le Creuset!

Last but not least as seen in the first picture, a Old Orchard Beach souvenir glass!

It is so tackylicious and I had to get it a total no brainer...

I got no flack from the boo because they are small items and Barware is always a go...

I am not the only one jonesing for some snails.....

On a more somber note....

yesterday January 28th marked the second anniversary of my Dad's death.

I had a long talk with him.

I miss him everyday and talk to him most everyday. The big heavy duty sadness is mostly gone, but I had an episode in late December.

What I do now is whatever thing I am doing that my Dad would enjoy...I think about him, or I chat with him.

So this is the beginning of my first year as a homeowner in Montreal.

I got my first municipal tax invoice today. Made calculations so we can pay them on time.

as much as I did not want to be a homeowner again....God decided otherwise and I will do my very best to honor him.

I am very excited as we made plans to paint and renovate (cheaply) one room at a time!

My faithful readers, take time to enjoy each day

and hang out with your loved one

Seen Around

Last Saturday there was a vintage church basement sale in Montreal.

I told Dan about it and he said I wanna go!

So off we went!

 Let's start of with a declaration! 

I need a plastic ottoman with plastic flowers in it!

That is seriously sweet!

 I do love a spaghetti lamp....but I had 2 in my apartment.

 Canisters are always a fave of mine....

I have no idea why I took this picture....lol 

 I was tempted by these milk

 pitchers, however I felt they were too expensive

 I should've grabbed this ashtray...but I did not

and it was only $5

Oh well live and learn...

This is what I came home with.

a Pyrex Citrus Daisy loaf pan and 2 cool glasses.

We really had fun but were really glad to come home!

Sleep tight!

Ice Ice baby

strangely enough the weather forecast here in Quebec has been strangely accurate.....Some readers are probably wincing at the use of strangely twice in the same sentence....

I apologize but always keep in mind that my Mother tongue is French....

I can write really (mostly) well in both languages and even in Insurance talk (my work tongue).

But in my day to day life I speak Frenglish...Half French, half English and it seems it is a Montreal thing..

Okay back to the story...So Meteo Media predicted snow last night, check, and freezing rain after continuing this morning and rain later in the day...

I had a dentist appointment at 10:00 am. The dentist is approximately 7 minutes away by foot....

I step on the first step with my boots with ice grips...specially worn for the occasion!

and I just slip and fall ...it is all in slow motion....and when it stops I find I am holding the rail with my arms that has the bad tennis elbow.....ow!

 I get up, I"m thinking I"m going to the dentist! and I proceed to wobble on the sidewalk. It is like ice skating rink but with bumps and dips and it is really hard to navigate....

I walk maybe 60feet and I think the F*** with it, I am going home and rescheduling that appointment...

 Look at those Xmas tree needles!

They look frosted, they are!

Unfortunately my pictures do not do the situation justice.

a lot more freezing rain fell after.

I never thought of taking a picture of my steps, my very icy steps before or after my fall!

Oh well! We can certainly count on the weather to keep us entertained! 

I iced my arm multiple times during the day.

Sleep tight!

Last Thursday

So we are gently settling down in our new life....I cook healthier with even more veggies, less fat and less salt and more lean protein...

Dan is going to physiotherapy and doing the exercises and doing better.

I find that since things are calmer I am more tired and lazier.

I believe that is my way of heeling and coping.

Tuesday I worked in the office, Wednesday at home and was just too lazy to go out after...Thursday I could not wake up and kept snoozing...

Finally 2 hours later I messaged my boss and said sorry I will work from home, I could not wake up!

Yes I am grateful that my employer is flexible and I can work from home pretty much when I want!

So Thursday at around 5:00 PM , I decide that I need to go pick up essentials at the grocery store...

So I go outside and I see a lot of firemen.....and one tells me : Maa'm you can't stay there....this is closed up.....

So I just went back home....

 Good firemen but not calendar worthy....

They evacuated a lot of our neighbors....

 The street was blocked off for 2 hours because it turned out there was a 

gas leak.My SD came back from work and could not get in her apartment.....We sent her to a restaurant... And then they turned off the power for 28 blocks....

so I figured that I might as well use the BBQ to

cook turkey quesadillas!

 Since I was on the balcony I decided to take a picture of the snowed yard.

Sorry about the pic definition...since there was no light it is kind of fuzzy...

To be honest this really stressed me out!

Ever since the 1998 ice storm, I guess really stressed whenever we have a power outage...

Total Mish Mash

Today I'm offering what I call a wish mash

mish·mash

  (mĭsh′măsh′, -mäsh′)

n.

A collection or mixture of unrelated things; a hodgepodge.

---

[Middle English misse-masche, probably reduplication of mash, soft mixture; see mash.]

I took down the Xmas tree, I know, I know!

The ornements are waiting in Pyrex bowls to be stored until last year...

 This year these are my favorite ornements. I got them a couple of years ago

in my go to church basement when I lived in the burbs.

I paid a big old quarter for them. I think they we ment to be hung from a chandelier....

But not sure. They are all handmade.

Next up a plumbing issue....

When it is very cold in winter, the bathtub drain freezes....

The first time I freaked out but thank God, Dad was around to explain

that this situation didn't cause damage, that it would thaw as soon as the weather

is milder and that he had tried to correct this but nothing fixed the problem

and this had been happening for 30 years....

I was very surprised to notice that the shower drain was super duper

lazy.....And when I noticed it Dan was in the hospital and it

never occurred to me that it might be clogged by a wig!

Ew! Problem fixed!

 I was so glad I had this nifty tool on hand!

 Since Dan wasn't mobile and at one point I couldn't stand cooking anymore...

So we had some really amazing salmon tartare Japanese style delivered.If you like sushi there is a 

very good chance you will like tartare.....

I marinated and cooked lean pork cutlets on my

new Le Creuset grill pan....

It was free , the grill pan not the pork.....

Grilled pork, with celeriac salad and collards

I need to revise the collard recipe....It needed something
I don't know what but I will figure it out!

Have a great evening

I'll be watching the X-Files!

Seen Around

I was planning to post about something else, but I am having issues with the pic download as usual....

Just a street over there is a little Portuguese grocery that has been at the same location since the 60's.

I started shopping there in the 80's when I had a shitty apartment just across the street from where i currently live.

The grocery store is a staple of Portuguese culture and food. people come from all over for their specialty meats, cheese and groceries.

 The ground beef, and bifanas (pork steaks) are really good.

They make the most fabulous smoked bacon.

 last night 2 of the butchers were fixing chorizo, the most wonderful

sausage! It is smoked and dried and stored in the cabinet

in the picture below.

you can order a mild or spicy chorizo.

it can be served grilled or sliced and served with 

Caldo Verde the traditional Portuguese kale and potato soup.

I really love this store and so did my Dad.

He didn't want to move from his neighborhood because of this place and other

spots.

I am really happy that I enjoy posting again!

I hope it lasts!

Have a great night!

Wednesday

Good news!

Dan went to the Orthopedic surgeon today and the ankle is mostly healed. The wheelchair is now optional!

We are settling nicely in this new life.

Monday

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I probably have many, many times....

I AM SO GRATEFUL I CAN WORK FROM HOME! Thank you!

I give thanks for this and that Dan is still with us every single day...

I find myself sneaking up to him and checking if he is still breathing....I am so afraid that one time I will check and he will be blue.

What do you do after a heart attack? You are stressed that this will happen again.....You are aware of all the changes in behavior......you poke and probe....

of course they don't tell you everything...how is your body going to react with all these meds....what you can eat or not....just guidelines.....

how are all your close ones are going to react...I tell you some of them will have to step up to the plate BIG TIME!

So that was the Monday vibe... 

Sleep tight!

All Good

So we went and picked up Dan and brought him home......

Everyone is happy.

we are now embarked in the low sodium,low fat, low sugar lifestyle adventure.

After while Dan was enjoying the conforts of home (remote control), we ran some errands and stopped at a church basement vintage sale!

Vintage is my crack....and I got so excited that I didn't even take pictures!

And I spied from afar....can it be? Are my eyes deceiving me?

I just wanted to push people out of the way! OUT OF MY WAY YOU FOOLS! The great Baroness Vonlipi must get closer, must confirm.....

Heck I felt like Indiana Jones on the cusp of a great discovery!

I have looking for this glorious casserole for quite a while now....

The 4 quart Charcoal Snowflake in all its glory!

I have been looking for this one for a good 8 years....

Yes I did see some on Ebay but either shipping was too expensive or

they didn't ship to Canada!

this was what I saw on Friday morning when i went to

go to work.....Yikes and freezing cold too!

For supper I am fixing turkey sacllopinis, broccoli and marinated mushrooms.

(all low sodium.....no animal fat......all good)

Stay warm and stay safe!

Good News

So I went to visit the Dan meister this afternoon and it seems he's doing super good and will come back home tomorrow...rats the vacation is over!

I miss his presence, the sense of humour and not being alone in this really big apartment.

However I can't wait to see that boot going and the wheelchair too!

 The mess behind the wheel chair is made of the empty Xmas boxes that I didn't have the strength

to put away before Xmas.

 Yesterday on my way home, I saw this...

you all know of my love of vintage so my heart went

pitter patter when I saw this suitcase. Unfortunately

it had a lot of interior damage...so I left it there!

I have loved Asian cooking as long as I remember. My parents would 

take me to Chinatown quite often.

we would have Chinese vermicelli, chicken Soo Guy,

Sui Mai, butterfly shrimp with and oyster and wrapped in bacon.....

those were amazing!

I remember the formica booth where you could remove a partition and you could share double booths...I also remember the old grandma behind the cash who made sesame candy....

I have never had the same since.....

i cook a lot of Asian food at home and when time allows...I watch food and travel  videos on Youtube.

and I have been slowly but surely obsessed with Japan, most notably Tokyo.

so the other day I ordered a Umai box full of Japan ramen.

I had one yesterday and it was delicious! of course I had to pimp it...

I added chinese cabbage, green onion, enoki mushrooms, leftover blade roast and sliced daikon.

so delicious!

I guess I am all tapped out. So have a great evening my friends

and sleep tight!

Already failed!

You remember when I wrote that I would post every day?

Well I was all set up to do so when I had to call 911 because Dan was having chest pains....we still thought that it was because he hurt his shoulder when falling from the wheelchair....

well no it was a heart attack! With an artery blocked at 100%.....

Byebye butter, cream and salt....

we will survive and thrive that's what we do. The apartment feels empty and the cats have odd behaviors....

This is the view from the room. It is really gorgeous at night.

In the background you can see Jacques-Cartier bridge.

A Montreal must see sight.

This is the brand new French hospital, funny enough we have a brand new

English hospital and a French one...not really but all the people from the west of the island , the majority being Anglos go to the English hospital and the people in the east, the majority being French go to the French hospital.

in the Cardiac emergency all the room are singles and super duper modern.

there is an interior parking!

and everyone is super nice and helpful!

Tomorrow is the cardiac echography.

Can I tell you a secret?

I am sooooo tired.

I am going to feed the cats.

have a great evening,

hugs to all and tell your loved ones that you love them and appreciate them

because in the end life is fleeting.

2 challenges

Good evening everyone!

At the end of December for the third year in a row I signed up for Apartment Therapy's January Cure.

I get an email every day with a mission....today I had to clean out a drawer any drawer. I cleaned out my night table drawer....oh the crap!

Lots of mini lock keys, paper clips, religious images (my Dad's), usb sticks (my Dad's), Canadian coins, US coins, coupons, bills....no wonder I could never find my lip balm!

I must tell you that I am looking forward to tomorrow's mission!

First year , 2016, Dad passed before the end of January so I did not complete it and last year I did not either, but I find it a fun and free way to help you organize your space or at least start thinking about it!

My second challenge.....and that one just popped in my head earlier this evening is....

Post a blog update every day in January. So far so good! It might not be an essay overtime but I will try to at least post a picture.

Speaking of pictures.....

Ever since I became the official owner of the house, I have been looking at all the houses in my neighborhood.....and I see some doozies!

 Every time I walk past this window, I feel cold.

I believe that if I push in the window it will fall inside that apartment!

It is as if they did not screw the casing in and just caulked it in place!

If I was the tenant, the landlord would be on speed dial 

This sad old house was built around the same time as mine.

It has been in the same family for 5 generations.

It was sold in October 2017. The last homeowner was an hoarder.

How do I know? I had a nice long chat with the realtor....

 Look at those steps....so scary

From the exterior this is the scariest part for me...

the home owner hasn't been able to close this window

in a lot of years....imagine the birds, the poop, the moisture,

the rot......EW!

so when I see that I feel really good about my house!

The realtor was supposed to take for a tour but never called me back (If I sell I won't be 

calling him....) however while on one of my walks in November, I happened to walk by 

when they were emptying the house....

THE SMELL! OMG!

Dog poop, dust, old people, cigarette smoke and a lot of old perfume.....

I had to pull out my inhaler!

Maybe it is a good thing he never called me back!

Sleep tight and stay warm thrifty peeps!

Hello 2018!

So I've had my New Year breakfast (egg, hash brown and bacon).

I made the traditional New Year lunch...Hoppin' John (black eyed peas and rice)...I know it is not a Quebec thing but I enjoy and endorse most traditions that involve prosperity and food....

Like eating pancakes on Friday the 13th which is suppose to ensure that you get enough money to pay your bills...Who doesn't like that? Really?

I was lying in bed and wondering what word would give my year direction. The last 2 years have been taking care of business (TCB).

This year my word is OWNERSHIP. Taking ownership of my house. Taking care of this great old lady, drafty old lady. I have already purchased new front doors and the difference is unbelievable!

And just in time before Winter too. So far winter is whooping our asses...It is unbelievably cold for December.....This night the mercury will dip to -15 F (-26C) brrrrrrr

The house had settled and the old doors did not fit quite right and putting draft stoppers would not cut it anymore.....

 The rain and the snow actually would go under this door.

 One of the new doors

 Some yahoo at the workshop cut to mail holes!

I am still waiting for after sales to bring me the new one!

this particular door was so crooked that you could see outside

and not from the windows.

Most of the things I plan to fix are more labour intensive than 

expensive.

repaint the kitchen, fix a couple of cracked window panes,

grind and repaint the iron staircase outside....

Fix some plaster.

In an ideal world where money grows on trees...

gutting the kitchen and redoing everything would've been my fantasy

but realisticly it is not worth it. I can't make it bigger and the cub bards

are mostly ok, so paint it will be

 I went to The Nutcracker with friends and I really enjoyed it.

It is always a strange feeling to see my Dad's work.

 Some Xmas peeps, you know I love my blow molds!

 The mantle all dressed up.

my tree a little lopsided....
I felt the same way.

I am right side up now.

and I will be extra careful with money.

no cray-cray spending!

Be well faithful readers!