My latest adventure was to Quebec, Canada, to spend an extended weekend with a friend. This was not an adventure presented by a trip to a client site, although in a roundabout way, it is the result of my consulting job. You see...I was off to Canada to spend time with a friend that I had met over the phone on one of my assignments.
I met Lucie while managing a project for a company in Tampa, Florida. She had been a team leader there before moving back to her home country of Canada a few years ago. She retained employment with the company as a telecommuter. This is one of the longest telecommutes I am aware of!
Lucie and I talked on the phone several times per week while I worked for this client. We had many opportunities to get to know each other as we waited for others to join our conference calls, and quickly discovered that our personalities fit together perfectly, and that we have similar interests including gardening and being outdoors. I was always curious to know what was going on in Lucie's greenhouse, and how her garden was doing. Just for the record....she never said to me "Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" (not that this would have made me like her any less).
I am not even sure how the trip to Canada came about...I figure it was God's leading, as Lucie and I immediately sensed the connection of our spirits. It was like a reunion, not a first-time in-person meeting!
Our extended weekend included exploring Quebec City (hmmm...did I really think that Quebec was not hilly?), having dinner at the pub in which Lucie and Claude spent a lot of time while courting, visiting Montmorency Falls, exploring Lucie and Claude's farm (1 mile long), visiting local villages, eating lots of yummy homegrown and homemade foods, and just getting to know each other better. I even learned a couple of French phrases: Merci Beaucoup, or "thank you very much", and La Releve de la Garde..."the changing of the guard". The first phrase definitely came in handier and was used more frequently in day-to-day conversations!
When you go to a new place, you always make unexpected discoveries and observations. Here are a few of my takeaways from Quebec:
- While the outlying land is "fairly flat", Quebec City is very, very hilly. My calves were still tired 2 days after exploring Quebec City!
- Tomato sandwiches on the menu at the local family restaurant. Yum!
- The tracts of land were deeded in long narrow strips so that the homes could be built side by side for protection.
- There are a lot more pools on private property in Quebec than in Pennsylvania. It seems *everyone* has an above-ground pool. Apparently, the Canadians want to take full advantage of every good weather day. One can hardly blame them. Here we are in September, and they've already had their first frost.
- There are a lot of classic cars in Quebec.
- There are a lot of beat up old cars in Quebec.
- Motorscooters are a popular form of transportation in the Quebec countryside.
- A live goat is part of La Releve de la Garde at the Citadel in Quebec. Apparently, the goat is the Regiment's mascot...
- Brown seeds in an apple are a good way to determine the apple is ripe. I know - not a useful tidbit for supermarket shoppers, but very handy when you have your own apple tree(s).
After enjoying several relaxing days at Lucie's farm in Quebec, I returned home with a renewed sense of wonder regarding the 2 acres I'm blessed to live on (and kindof own), and the joy of knowing that I have a lifelong friend with whom I'm bound to experience more adventures. These adventures might include the American desert southwest, Yosemite, and winter in Quebec (I definitely need to learn how to snowshoe!).
Lucie, thank you for being such a great hostess and wonderful friend!
Posts
