Mush...

Dating back to 1894...Carnaval de Quebec has begun.

Crepes for breakfast.

Coffee for dessert.

Dogsled races for entertainment.

 To witness the eager dogs is compelling.
With each paw that makes contact with the snow I could feel the willingness to please and the desire to go.

This year, with the festivities only minutes from my front door, carnival is sure to be well documented.

Click here to read more about the Carnaval de Quebec

A.m.

Just a few photos to describe my morning.... Scratch that! I'll let you conjure up the images on your own.

6:40 a.m.
The sidewalks were a sheet of ice on my walk to the bus stop. Every step needing to be calculated for slip free shoe-sidewalk contact. I arrived 30 minutes early for my first student, so I walked across the street to a restaurant. All appeared normal until the waitress walked out in stripper attire. Note to self: a room of sweaty men and mirrored girly silhouettes on the wall equals... ladies of the night serving eggs over my hammy.  Just to prove I was o.k. with being the only fully clothed female I sat at the bar, yes...the bar at 7:30 a.m. and ordered an orange juice.

My hopes for the pretty young thing walking around in 5 inch heels that early in the morning...big tips.

One photo to describe my evening....

That's more like it.... ahhhh!

Good morning...

I hope you had a nice weekend.  With below zero temperatures all weekend we nestled in and stayed warm. Saturday evening we shared a wonderful dinner with good friends at our place. It was a relaxing night with home cooking, wine and engaging conversation. It's the kind of night when they walk out the door you're already looking forward to the next time.

I declare it comfy sweater day!

I was up with the roosters (the coq) again today.  

With both feet I jumped back into work teaching English as a Second Language. (ESL) I started teaching the first week we arrived in 2007, so I didn't need a lot of preparation just an alarm clock. Up around 6 on a bus by 7 is a new thing for me. Oddly enough getting up hasn't been difficult, but going out into the cold has.  The first few steps always leaves prominent prints in the snow as I stiffen to brace the cold.  Then about 5 minutes into the walk the top half of my body warms up.  I get a little sweaty (never a feminine thing to say) and after 10 minutes I'm peeling layers off. 

My city living adventure has changed the way I do things.  First things first, I set down the car keys and got myself a bus pass. The parking spots here are small and few. Parking was the only stressful thing about living in the Old City thus far, so I needed to come up with a solution, after consulting a rocket scientist, I've decided to walk  or take good old public transportation.  With temperatures anywhere from -4 to 3 degrees(f)...I'm usually bundled beyond recognition. The one day I tried to look cute, as in fashionable, leaving the house left me with numb fingers, borderline frosh bite, and a red nose. 

What are you doing to say warm?

How do you get to work? Have you ever changed your routine?

Photos from WeHeartIt.

Alice Swaim

Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go;

 it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.

Alice M. Swaim

Last night we had a snow storm. 

This morning it took hot coffee and warm mittens to get me out the door at 7:00 a.m.

As silent bundles of both men and women traipsed past me through the snow I envisioned fragile blossoms. 

Bonjour

 Idaho to Michigan to Quebec City....2,735 miles

We are back in Canada for our final 3 1/2 months. I found the cutest place right in the city.  

It's super small, but perfect for the short period of time that we will be here. 

It has internet, a parking spot and we are seconds from lots of amazing restaurants, stores and historical sites. This is going to be a great adventure. I can't wait to share it with you

(I'm back in action with a new computer and high speed internet.)

Interstate I 80

1912 miles...31 hours....

That is a lot of "us" time in the truck. Don't tell my husband... I enjoy every minute.

Along the way:
~ Twinkling Christmas lights  provide hours of entertainment
~ Take time to thank the employees at gas stations with clean bathrooms
~ Eating in instead of driving through is a great way to meet locals
~ Black ice is so scary!
~ Stopping at every Cabela's and Bass Pro...is not my favorite, but provides great people watching and puts my husband in a good mood
~ Nebraska has a lot of cows! Moo