Portage 2023

  NOUVELLE OPTION: Version française

My appetite for Italy

My friends, my loved ones,

Last night was my first sunset at Notre-Dame-du-Portage… I am at Portage since June 25^th! 😲

 

I’ve been taking advantage of the tranquility and the salty air for ten days now. You know how I love the river banks, even when Mother Nature brings me rain instead of nice weather. I am always busy writing, painting, reading or sleeping. However, for novices, I can understand that the last ten days have been deceiving:

 

Here are the majestic Pèlerins

 

 

Here is Île aux Lièvres

 

 

 And here is the ferry leaving Rivière-du-Loup

 

or is it here?

 

 

It is difficult to identify the true culprit. It could be the smog from the forest fires in northern Quebec. But it could also be drizzle and/or mist. I think that this year, we are looking at these factors all at once. So, for those who came from far away to capture the mythical sunsets of Notre-Dame-du-Portage, better come back later.

 

However, a great advantage of being in the Lower St-Lawrence this time of year: it is cold. Here, no heatwave.

 

I wish you all a great summer,

 

Big kiss,

 

Diane

Goodbye Dieter

 NOUVELLE OPTION: Version française

My appetite for Italy

My friends, my loved ones,

It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Dieter, un great man, literally and figuratively. His body was eaten by cancer and, having lost all quality of life, he decided it was time to go. He leaves behind a beautiful big family and many friends who loved and respected him for his personality, his originality, his passion and his love of life.

Among you, my friends, my loved ones, who have known Dieter or who are family, I offer you my deepest condolences, as you must also feel a great void and great sadness.

My mother and I have taken a few weeks to collect ourselves and find our balance after such a whirlwind of emotions. It is why I have taken so much time to write to you and I am sorry for that.

There will be no funeral, but his close family will celebrate his life in an intimate setting, as he wished.

Big kiss,

Diane

Once again, I've made a fool of myself!

 

NOUVELLE OPTION: Version française

My appetite for Italy

My friends, my loved ones,

Write down this date: Friday, 20 January 2023. It’s the day when I really made a fool of myself, not only in front of strangers, but also in front of friends, and their family and friends. You will tell me that you have already seen me make a fool of myself in the past so, what's different this time? Read and draw your own conclusion.

This story begins with bad news: Josée, the mother of Martin, Stéphane and Patrick, a mother I knew many years ago when I worked for the Coast Guard, an exceptional mother, as her sons say, passed away. Family and friends were invited to celebrate her at the Très-Sainte-Trinité church.

It was my first outing in a crowd in three years. I did go to the Place des Arts twice last summer, but I was doubly masked the moment I got out of my car therefore, it doesn’t compare. I had many dinners with family and friends, but they know the situation I find myself in, a shitty immune system and family members that are old and/or sick so, everyone is really careful, and this also explains my extreme prudence.

I arrive at the church masked, of course. Celebrating this exceptional mother, the church was jam-packed. There was a maximum of five people wearing a mask, me included. I already felt uncomfortable. I felt people questioning themselves about me: what’s wrong with that one? Of course, they don’t know why I was so determined to wear a mask hence, I understood their questioning.

However, Martin invited us for a drink after the celebration to catch up on old times and recall the crazy things we did in our younger days at the Coast Guard.

You see where I’m going with this, don’t you?

I was too happy to see my friends, even my ex-husband was there. Without knowing it, we were all experiencing a beautiful reunion. I did not want to miss this occasion therefore, I decided to take a calculated risk by going to the reception.

Let me explain what happened in my little brain:

- If I take a drink and a bite to eat, I won’t be able to wear a mask;

- Only a certain percentage of people at the church will attend the reception so, the probability that I catch something diminishes a lot;

- If I stay in one place, in a corner, I minimize the risk even more;

- The worst-case scenario, I stay confined at home for a week to make sure I don’t contaminate anybody.

So, I went to the reception without a mask, but Josée being an exceptional woman, the whole church switched places: It was once again jam-packed. 

As I drank my wine, I looked at the people that saw me masked at the church, but not at the reception, the same people who don’t know about the reasoning going on in my little brain and I put myself in their shoes. I only had one thing in mind: You poor idiot! I’m sure that is what every person said to themselves when they saw me and I understand them. You can’t imagine how I laughed when I arrived home! I laughed to tears and the only words that came out of my mouth were: you poor idiot! I’m still laughing as I write this blog … poor idiot! 😂😂😂

So, for my friends who were present… I’m really sorry. Sorry that you had to witness this insane behavior and sorry for putting you in an awkward position when your friends or family members asked you: “Who’s that idiot?”

Even Martin, bereaved on the day of his birthday said to me: “Not the same when you drink?”

My friends, my loved ones, please forgive this poor idiot and tell yourself that you will have a good anecdote to tell at your next party! 😉

Diane