Building An Ice Palace

So I guess I WAS completely frozen in the end. Maybe not because of the freezing weather... I just read my last post and thought to myself that, in those almost two months since I didn't give a sign of  life, the situation didn't change much. I continued to struggle and to ask myself if I made the right decision. This really was a big change for me and it isn't over yet. What frightens me is that on the one side I appreciate the security and the stability of the job but on the other side I am overwhelmed by the desire to do something big and crazy. Like moving (again!) far away. Or creating my own company. Both of the ideas sound tempting and frightening at the same time. It's almost like a life decade thing. In my twenties I did the usual: studying, marrying and having kids. In mu thirties I started a new life and a new career in Germany. In my forties, I came to Canada and started another, completely new life and career. Well, okay, I didn't change my husband nor my kids, but everything else was new.

As I was taking a walk last week near my work place, I was passing by a construction site of the "Bonhomme  Carnaval" Ice Palace. It struck me that I was given the opportunity to build my life like the ice palace. I had to work hard and in difficult circumstances in order to build something strong and beautiful for my family. But unfortunately it couldn't last, so I had to do it all over again.

Sure It was different each time but beautiful non the less. I'm very proud actually of those palaces I had built even if they weren't meant to last. Am I ready to tackle a new one? I sure miss the excitement of it!

And as someone said it so wisely: change is the only constant thing in life... Thank you for being so patient with me!

Building An Ice Palace

White Christmas in Quebec

One thing is guaranteed in Quebec: we are going to have white Christmas for sure! If you are dreaming of a white Christmas this year, you may want to consider spending a day, or even a couple of days in Quebec City. Even if I'm not really a fan of a cold and long winter, I must admit that the time before and around Christmas in Quebec City area is magically beautiful. The snow is white and crisp, covering everything like icing sugar over the cake. In the evening, with all the decorations and lights, it glistens and glows like a billions of little diamonds covering the city. It pays to get out and to brave the cold, marching slowly and listening to your steps making a crunchy noise in the snow, gasping for breath in the cold air and getting rosy, healthy glowing cheeks. You may have winter and snow in your country and in your city - but the experience of the winter in Quebec is rather unique.
Today we had a very cold day, around -20°C (-4°F) so I finally preferred to stay at home and dig out the pictures from last winter. Those pictures were taken during a stroll in the Domaine de Maizerets parc.

Here is a little description of the atmosphere in the city that I found on the Internet:

Click on the picture to go to the web page.

Sounds wonderfull! And it's true! I'm really lucky to live here...

White Christmas in Quebec

First Snow

Don't you think first snow is always beautiful? I still can't believe it's not icing sugar (see? icing, made from ice) carefully spread allover in the night by Snow fairy. When  I was little, it rarely snowed in my city. And if, the sparely white flakes melted  floating  in the air before they touched the ground. I was often disappointed and I dreamed of a day when it will be snowing so much I could go out with my spoon and eat all of it...

Yeah, I remember the time when I was excited about the first snow of the season after I moved with my family to another  part of my country with more white goodness to enjoy. Well, not anymore since I live in Canada and we have tons and tons and tons of snow every winter till may. Now I need something bigger then spoon, say shovel! We have so much snow each year that it would kill the excitement of any winter lover in the first winter. Well, maybe in the second... Nuff said !

And even if I'm not really winter lover anymore, I anticipate with joy beautiful things that come with it. Cocooning is one of them. Nobody speaks of it any more,  it isn't "in" anymore but it is surely one of the reasons I can survive winter here without going nuts. Let's see: you take a basket, you throw in a nice warm blanket and a pair of hand knitted socks, couple of nice books or magazines (deco thingies, hmmm) and you cuddle on the sofa with a cup of coffee or tee, watching the snow flakes dancing in the wind...

First Snow