Just NB

A friend was just telling me that when his son was learning to walk, he was unsure of himself….and he’d fall. His son was capable of walking...but his insecurities wouldn't let him. So they gave him (a clean, unopened) tuna can. Once he was holding on to the tuna can (how they came up with the tuna can itself, I forgot to ask), he could magically walk. This tuna can distracted him from his fear, and he was able to then walk (and run and then later get into tons of trouble… ;)). As much as I completely detest my current place…how small it is, how crappy the furniture is, how dirty it gets in 3.5 seconds, how it feels like a college dorm when I'm in my mid (or late?) thirties…it's my can of tuna. I feel like this apartment and everything about it, rescued me. It gave me life when mine was falling apart. The joy of living here, moving here, distracted me and kept me going. One step at a time. Before the move here, I was unhappy, tired, feeling as if I was a busker, ...

 I did A LOT of cleaning this weekend. I wish I could say that it was at my soon-to-be ex apartment, but it's at the new place. The previous renters left it in a freaking disaster. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating... but it isn't pretty. And my appliances are GIGANTIC. (And yeah, it's common here for the washer and dryer to be in the kitchen).   So, here's the view of the cleaned kitchen: My bedroom - I think, I can't decide if I want this room or the other as the master bedroom. The cool part for this as my bedroom is that there's enough room for my bed, bed frame, and 2 small end tables. Which basically means my room will be SPOTLESS at all times because there is no room for anything else. #lifehack The view from the hallway from one patio to the other...yes the walls in the kitchen are green and the hallways are red but I promise it looks better in person.     A partial view of my spare bedroom/workout room. Urghhhhhhhhhh. And this gia...

Earlier this year, my grandma told me she would be coming to Montreal to help me move. I kind of just figured she'd come and have a vacation around the time of the move, and never thought too much about it. My aunt decided to come as well and I thought I'd have two weeks with my family in Montreal, arranging scenic tours for them, having dinners with them, and letting them help unpack my boxes. Nope. That wasn't their vision. Thank God for that. My new place was built in the early 1900s. I like that. It's so cool. But the old tenants painted the place in three different colors, installed all kinds of shelving and crap, and had way, way, way too much stuff. So when I saw the apartment, I saw the turn of the century charm, and not the work that comes along with renting a turn of the century character apartment. The painting - manageable. The...bits here and there....the new appliances...the dirt, OH the dirt...the slanted patio in the back, the stairs that are very...

Years ago, I downloaded the song, Dance with Me . From the second I heard it, it reminded me of my grandpa: I stopped listening to it a long time ago, after he got sick. It was just...too painful...too confusing. I mentioned the song to my grandma on the phone shortly after he passed away. She told me that was the singer of one of his favorite songs, Today, I'm Going to Try and Change the World . So that's why it reminded me so much of my grandpa. I knew his style. My grandma thought it would be fitting if one of his nieces would sign it at his funeral (which she sang, after a slide show, were everyone in the entire church was sobbing. I have no idea how she managed to have the strength to sing....but I'm sure my grandpa had to have been helping her). That's the last time I listened to that song. I just couldn't. This week, a random Facebook post reminded me about the first song, which I then listened to. And then I listened to his favorite song. And memories fr...

As of June 25th, I officially will have like 9 billion channels to watch on TV, super-ultra high speed internet, a router, and other technology-like things in MY NEW APARTMENT. I don't know why this, of all things, is what makes me so incredibly happy. But it makes me so incredibly happy. And yes, it's a promotional package and after six months, I'll downgrade to have only a few channels and crappier internet, but for now, I'm going to live the high life and have cable and fast internet. Things I haven't had in a year. (#firstworldproblems). On June 24th (a provincial holiday that is celebrated much more than Canada Day here), I'll be spending the day with my man friend, as it's his birthday. On the 25th, I'll be going over to my new apartment with my television in the back of my car, a bunch of cleaning supplies, and the dog. I'll clean while I wait for the delivery of my appliances (fridge, oven/stove, hood, washer, and dryer) and wait for Vide...

I’ve been all cocky how my move is causing me ZERO stress. That I have an amazing apartment to move into and that I just can’t wait. Well….on Sunday…that idea was….altered.       (A small example...) In my current province, a damage deposit or first/last month’s rent is not required. A move in/move out checklist is not required. Painting between tenants is not required, even if the tenant painted the walls grey/red/yellow-green/blue, and then hung up a ton of shelves, then used white spackle to patch the holes after they moved out.   So my current apartment is pretty dirty (I will have to wash all of the walls and baseboards) and requires painting. Somehow the colors actually kind of match together, that’s not my problem, but having six inch white patches everywhere….well, it isn’t ideal.   I’m learning VERY quickly about the rental laws in la belle province….and I’m not impressed. I’m cleaning my apartment,...

Welcome to the very first QBB, Quebec Bitch Blog. I was telling my friend today, that I am really starting to feel comfortable here, but comfortable in the same way that I felt in Madagascar. I don't HAVE to stay here, I don't always LIKE it here, but I feel like staying here and living here. BUT, there are some unique aspects of Quebec that totally drive me INSANE. Which prompted me to create this series (we'll see how far or how long it will go. And if by chance you're from Quebec, don't take any offence, you would find the world backwards in Alberta if you visited). Let's talk about cyclists. Ok, first let's talk about fashion. Montreal downtown works are quite fashionable. They wear their skinny pants and skinny ties and are a quirky balance between funeral attire meets fashion show meets Micheal Kors Addicts meets hipster. Yep, that's pretty much the style I've been trying to copy, so I have a lot of black and...well, that's the o...

I've had moments the last couple of weeks where I realize, woah. I'm like a real Montrealer! The first was when I just had a root canal and was totally high on whatever drugs they gave me and instead of taking a taxi, I just hopped on the bus, like no big deal. Last week, I stopped at the grocery store on the way home, but didn't want to use plastic bags, so my purse was filled with cucumbers and frozen berries while I rode my bus home. I felt so...like, urban. Sounds silly, but when I first moved, I would totally have taken a taxi, or went and got my car, but now it's just like, hey a little stop and back on the bus. I also have a hairdresser, a nail lady, and an eyebrow lady ($4 and the best shaped eyebrows you'll ever have). I don't have a favorite restaurant. I don't have a family doctor. I don't have a favorite grocery store. But I'm getting "my places". A guess six weeks ago, I decided I needed to do something nice for myself. O...

I read this article today....kind of made me feel better after my mini-meltdown last night. What Love is Like After Divorce It's been a long road getting to "healthy" since I got divorced five years ago. Between legal matters, single parenting, starting a new career and exploring the dating/sex trenches, my life often felt like one giant ball of CRAZY.   But there came a time, about two years ago, when I realized I was 100 per cent happy on my own. I was healed, confident and passionate about my new life. And I felt that if/when a serious relationship was to come my way, I would be READY. (Cue the universe laughing.) My boyfriend Jacob entered my life seven months ago. And all I can say is that all my "readiness" didn't prepare me for the forthcoming growing pains; turns out, my being 'happily independent' spawned a new set of challenges I hadn't anticipated. You see, somewhere during the course of my post-divorce singlehood, my ...