Had a wonderful Christmas and spent time with Kevin and Allen, did crossfit and nearly died but who knew, I survived. I left for Ottawa on January 9th to meet my older brother. I came down the escalator at the airport and there he was. Waiting for me with open arms. I felt safe when we hugged, just as if he had been there all my life. Touching him, looking at him...it was real. He definitely was the missing link in my heart. For all that know Diane, Philippe and I, you would feel as if you knew him also and had always been a part of our family. I continue to thank God and Maman every day for this gift. And if that wasn't enough, you should meet my sister-in-law Hélène. She is just like one of us. We had great laughs. Poor her, we went out for Marc's birthday and all of a sudden Hélène had this pain in her stomach so I went to check on her in the bathroom and there she was bent in two. Of course I didn't help matters by telling her, Hélène, I won't let you go out bent in two like this, I'll bend in two also and we'll go back to our seats and you won't feel as bad. I just felt at home. My niece Mireille and my nephews Daniel and JP are adorable. They like me. Well, they looked like they did. I guess they were brought up to be polite, hahaha. The time went by fast. While I was in Ottawa, I went out for supper with past guides and 23 showed up and there was a storm. I had Marc, Hélène and Mireille with me. I also stayed a night with André and Christi and it's as if I had just seen them the day before. André as gentleman as ever and Christi as sweet as ever. And then, just like that, I was back in France with another 15 guides and a new session.
At the end of January I went to Oslo, Norway with my 2 travelling buddies, Renée and Arlene. It was Renée's mystery trip. I fell in love with Oslo. It is known as the happy place and let me tell you they are happy. We ended up at karaoke with lovely people that sure could sing. I have never met people as friendly as in Oslo. They invite you to their table, they talk to you, but that might be the drinking. However, Norway reminds me of Canada. There was snow and the houses are made of wood. Then Allen arrived for 2 weeks and plugged my kitchen sink. He put noodles down the drain but that's OK, at least it wasn't my computer. Our 3rd mystery trip was for Arlene and we went to Berlin. Allen and I stayed a few extra days . Berlin was not what I expected. There is a lot of history but no real old buildings as it had been destroyed. I saw the Berlin Wall or what is left of it. They are forever building things but it still was very nice. Allen left on a Sunday then I had company of Monday. Julie Gagnon who was Kevin's teacher in grade 5 and 7, her daughter Alison and Julie's father Marcel. Now I only found out her father's name the day before they left. I called him Monsieur Gagnon all week and it's just because they gave me a book and they all signed it and I said oh, so your name is Marcel. It was so nice having them here but poor Monsieur Gagnon, I put him to work the night they arrived. Remember when I said Allen plugged the sinks with noodles, well the noodles decided to expand to 10 times the size and they sure were not letting any water down that drain. Good thing Marcel was there, he took everything apart and fixed it. I cleaned the noodles out. Damn Kraft Dinner. So they left on Saturday, March 15 which by the way was Ste-Louise Day. It feels good having a day in your honor. Well I might not be a Saint, actually I know I'm not a Saint but I'm a Louise. However, they left and yesterday then Mirjam and Johannes arrived for the week. It was so nice to have them around. We went to Amiens for a day, then another day we went to Lille. Mirjam made my favorite supper, stuffed peppers. I even had one left over. We went to Vimy and I introduced them to the guides. Some guides asked me after if they were girlfriend and boyfriend. Funny. I said no, brother and sister and I told them how cute Dominik, her boyfriend was. Johannes is a very good catch too.
Well I started this post way back in March when Mirjam and Johannes were here and I then put it aside and just getting back into it tonight. Much has happened. We had our 97th Vimy Ceremony on April 9th, then Renée left and I drove her to the airport. It was sad seeing her go. She sure knew how to organize trips, read a map and get us places. Arlene and I went to Paris overnight and everytime she would say, I THINK IT'S THIS WAY, it was the other way. We managed to get lost quite a bit but we saw lots by doing that. Allen was here for 2 weeks and just left today. We went to Prague. We managed to miss our plane sitting at one or two gates away. NOT MY FAULT. Both were going to Prague but with different Airlines. When we were standing in line with the others to board the plane, a man saw our boarding pass and said, wrong Airlines, you're at the other one just beside. We ran, the plane was still there and the girl at the gate would not let us through. She said, oh that's too bad, you were the only two missing. We cancelled your ticket. WHAT... I pleaded, said we were on our honeymoon ( think she looked at my ring and saw that it wasn't shinny), NO, she said. Go to Customer service. This was the Sunday and nothing was flying out until the Tuesday. To say that poor Allen didn't feel bad would be lying. I didn't help matters, I made him walk behind me and rented a hotel room in Paris with twin beds. OK, stop saying that I am cruel. He admitted that it was his fault but I just said, well we'll try tomorrow. Poor man was up all night on the IPAD trying to figure out a way to get to Prague before Tuesday. By golly he did. Found us cheap tickets and we left the next day, which was Monday. Sometimes you have to give those men guff (is this a word), anyway we had a wonderful 5 days there in the pouring rain, not being able to get off the tarmac in Paris for over an hour because of thunder and lightning, then being stuck on the Hop on Hop off bus because again, thunder and lightning but all in all it is a beautiful city and I will be going back.
Are you tired of reading yet. Just a little more. So we got back from Prague last Saturday and Allen's friend Tom (he had been here last year), arrived for the week. Very well planned because Monday I came down with strepthroat and was in bed from Monday until Thursday, which when I woke up I had lock jaw on my left side. So at least Tom was here to entertain Allen and I could rest. Tom left Friday and Allen left this morning so it's Ella and me again until my vacation.
I will finish my blog for tonight and I don't think that it is very interesting but my next blog will be FOR WOMEN ONLY. Men if you read it, you have been warned. It's about women things and medication and body parts so I would probably refrain from reading it.
OH big news, Kevin is a Godfather to his friends Shaun and Ashley's new baby boy Mackenzie. He sure is proud of this. He already told me what he ordered Mack and it's pretty cute. I'm looking for little bérets and a stuff baguette.
So on this note, I will continue to roast in this 40 degrees apartment trying to get better for work tomorrow. Ella is enjoying running and jumping at every fly that comes in and goes back out. I tell you, these flies are trained. I haven't seen this new session of guides too much. I was going to bribe them with croissants and chocolat bread tomorrow for our meeting but again, it's a French Holiday. They have like 5 in May. I am very jealous of my friend Sophie. OH another big news, I bought a car (second hand) but still a car. I should get it on the week-end. I hope I remember how to drive standard.
Have a good night and talk to you soon, I promise. Here are a few pictures of Prague.
