Well! I don't even know where to begin!
July has been an interesting month so far!
It started with some Canada Day celebrations in our town
then a road trip to Quebec where Kevin and I enjoyed a weekend of touristy fun!
Of course we enjoyed good food. I had to go to my favourite restaurant La Grolla for Fondue and Raclette
If you're not familiar with Raclette it's cheese that melts and you just keep scraping the melted cheese and eating it.
I even got my own little bag of baby baked potatoes to eat with my cheese!
There were so many people and activities since unbeknownst to us, it was the start of the Quebec summer festival. Apparently over 100,000 people come to the city to enjoy the many music concerts.
We also took in a little history and learned about the battle on the Plains of Abraham which secured the land for the British.
Of course poutine is a MUST in Quebec. We enjoyed this poutine at a resto called "Frite Alors!"
That is the funniest name ever in my opinion!
We rented bikes and did a tour of Ile D'Orleans. A farming community just across the bridge from Quebec.
Electric bikes are the best!
The bike tour involved some fun stops along the way!
A quick stop to see Montmorency Falls
Well, I couldn't go all the way to Quebec and not go see my Chicoutimi mom, Chantal! Chicoutimi is about 21/2 hours from Quebec
She is the lovely lady I spent 5 weeks with during my French immersion program two years ago. (See a past blog post about that HERE)
I really wanted Kevin to meet her in person. Although she is an older lady, she has so much energy, kindness and generosity!
She was thrilled to host us in her home.
I had planned to work from here so I set up my remote work station and made myself at home!
She cooked for us and showed us her garden.
She took us to her non official beach which was literally a spot on the side of the road. The water of the Saguenay river was so cool and refreshing and the view was amazing. This is the river that leads to the St. Lawrence River.
I just found it a bit astonishing that this lady would park her car on the side of the highway, hop out of her car, carry a lawn chair on her back, climb over the highway guardrail, carefully go down a gravel hill in order to access this "not official" beach.
Kevin is more the outdoor nature type so this expedition to the non official beach was very much acceptable to him. I loved the view and the experience but I couldn't help thinking what if there was some kind of emergency...there were no safety rings or life jackets anywhere. (remember it's a non official beach) and I could only hope that if anything happened to my dear Chicoutimi mom while she was there alone that some nice local would help her. Yes, she was not the only one who knew about this non official beach on the side of the highway. There were a few other people there as well. (who also parked on the side of the highway, climbed over a guardrail and went down a gravel hill) I feel like if anyone did that in toronto, the police would have towed the car away in short order!
The next day, a Tuesday, I wanted to take Kevin to the university where I studied during the immersion program. Universite de Quebec a Chicoutimi
That's when I noticed what seemed like flashing lights. I asked Kevin if he thought the lights were weird in the university.
By the time we drove back to the home, I had many black floaters, and lines affecting my vision in my right eye.
I'll skip all the drama that occurred afterwards as we tried to find some appropriate medical personnel and in the end decided that the emergency room was the best place to go.
My french speaking skills served me well at the hospital as I talked with the nurse in triage and then about 7 hours later the emergency room doctor.
I got an appointment with an ophthalmologist first thing Thursday morning.
My french skill again came in handy as I spoke with the office staff, got a file started and clarified payment issues.
I was relieved to find out that the doctor spoke English very well so after she looked in my eye I got the diagnosis of a retinal tear. She told me to head to the hospital after she was done her day at the office and she would do laser surgery to the eye. The idea is to laser around the tear to create scar tissue that would prevent the tear from worsening or causing the retina to detach altogether (which would cause blindness in that eye)
She informed me it takes about two weeks for the scar tissue to form and in the meantime I should try to not to do too much active movement that would jostle the eye. She knew we were planning to start driving back to Toronto that day. We even had the car all packed when we went to the doctor.
She said it really depended how much risk we wanted to take because it's hard to know how bumpy the route would be back to Toronto. She said if I chose to stay in Chicoutimi she would do the follow up in two weeks time.
My mind was racing because I was supposed to go up north for the missions trip at the end of the next week. I knew that the camp we would be sleeping at had a very bumpy roads and when I went it wouldn't yet be enough time for the scar tissue to form.
Well, in the end Kevin and I made the decision that I would stay here in Chicoutimi Quebec and Kevin would drive back on his own to our home and start preparing the final details for leading the team for the Thunder Bay missions trip. My Chicoutimi mom was more than happy to have me stay for another two weeks.
So I got my eye laser treatment in the basement of a very old hospital but in a very efficient manner....I was in and out in about 30 minutes!
Then back to the house to bring back everything I had packed to return home and discovered that a spare room had been transformed into a little office for me!
Kevin had suggested just moving a couple of items off a table so I could work there instead of the kitchen table but I guess she went over and above and now I'll have a more separate place to work instead of feeling like I was taking over her kitchen table and common space.
So that's my adventures so far!
So grateful to have spent so much time with my husband and that I have been so well taken care of in so many different ways. With the miracles of technology I have been able to keep in close contact with the kids as they go about their summer activities.
Kevin has headed home and I am doing non head jostling things like washing lettuce from the garden, planning upcoming Team STIC and Stampin4fun activities and eating the many many baked goods which continue to be created at an amazing rate by Chantal.
For all of you who kindly participated in the kit fundraiser or donated, even if i am not going on the mission, the money will still be used for the mission team and service activities up North so your donation is very appreciated. It's not too late to participate! Make a purchases of all inclusive kits $32 or more and $10 will be donated! (Check out the kits
HERE)
You can also donate directly through our church
HERE please put the name KO in the notes section when donating. Thank you
Don't hesitate to drop me a line and tell me about how your summer is going!
Any Orders $100 or more will receive the current month Global Creative Tutorial Bundle FREE! That's 12 written tutorials with videos.
July focus: Take to the Sky Suite
Shop online 24-7 or contact me to help you place your order
Need help shopping online? Watch this video
HERE
July online shopping Offer:
- Don't forget to get your free class in the mail when you place an online order $60 or more using host code:
4Q39SAXA
Do not use the host code if your order is $200 or more before tax/shipping so you can claim your free stampin' reward product. I'll still give you any stampin4fun perks |
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