The last entry has taken quite a few days to compose in my free time. Now today has dawned wet and cold, so I am taking advantage of the weather to update a little more the dissertation that encompasses almost my entire first month as a Canadian!
Last night I had a little more driving experience. Sylvie has been ill again this week with resurfacing and devastating allergies and sinus trouble, so I agreed to drive her to a prebooked appointment with the doctor in Varennes. He was their family doctor for most of her life, and when he relocated to the small township just Northeast of Boucherville, the family continued to consult with him. I was looking forward to driving on my "new" licence, and felt a little more comfortable with the truck this time. I didn't have any narrow squeaks to shatter Sylvie's already fraught nerves, and we arrived at the rather provincial looking town of Varennes in around fifteen minutes.
It seemed rather surreal going into a doctor's surgery on the top floor of what looked like a run down industrial unit, and still more surreal for an 8:30pm appointment; this doctor likes to work late, evidently! I don't tend to talk much out loud with my wife in these circumstances, but we were incredibly bored, and had to wait until nearly 10pm for Sylvie's turn. It seems that in Québec one can turn up at least an hour late for an appointment with impunity!
The drive home felt no less surreal, it seemed hard to grasp that here was one of my dreams being enacted, driving down a Canadian highway with my soulmate at my side, music playing softly and everything feeling right with the world! As well as a prescription, we collected a McDonalds, but as I had eaten already, my choice was limited to a Coke. It was comforting that dear Ronald rips off his customers in this country just as much as in the UK, by overdosing on ice in the drinks! It felt very freaky visiting the drive thru on the wrong side, especially in an oversized pickup truck, and we caused some amusement to the staff when Sylvie spoke the order into the remote mic, and yet a man was driving when we pulled up to the collection window! In more provincial Québec, I am discovering that I am turning into a strong silent type whenever the conversation gets more involved! Oh to be bilingual!
I am not so well myself today, and only managed to grunt a goodbye to Sylvie, let alone get her coffee this morning. In recompense, I fed the girls at 8am, and then enjoyed a couple of hours bed rest with a wonderful footwarmer: Bebitte! She is amazing her owner and those who lived with her, as normally she is a very nervous cat. Either I have some of Sylvie's natural scent on me all the time, or Bebitte has seen me in close proximity; or else, perhaps the kitty can detect that I am really fond of her. She paid the ultimate compliment of snuggling into our bed and sleeping between my legs yesterday and this morning, so it would seem that dad is firmly adopted! Little blue-eyes (Doudonne) is friendly on and off with me, though a much more independant cat. She vocalises a lot, apparently a character trait of Himalayans. Whatever, my introduction to keeping cats has been a great pleasure so far.
Sylvie is not a great deal better, with a horrendous cough, that is most likely due to her going on the patch this week, and being very good with giving up smoking. I hope she is well enough to enjoy our treat tomorrow: shopping and dining in the city, followed by a movie in the evening.
As well as catching up on all my internet work, I have been reading a lot more, though Sylvie's selection of books is not entirely my choice of literature: I purchased "Angels and Demons" as the film looks set to be an entertaining watch soon. I read "The DaVinci Code" following that book, and found them to be a very entertaining read, challenging my prejudices about contemporary literature.
I am off now to rustle up some lunch, and cudgel my brain for ways to help my wife with her allergies. Perhaps with some luck I'll find some inspiration in the afternoon's TV: not very likely!
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