2024 Canadian Grand Prix

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My appetite for Italy

 My friends, my loved ones,

We have finally arrived at my favorite weekend of the year: the Canadian Grand Prix of Canada!

For F1 fans, you have to agree that it was the most exciting Grand Prix until now! We savored all possible weather namely sunny skies, violent winds, rain, thunderstorms and hail! There was only missing a few snowflakes to make it complete.

The great departure

Beautiful weather

Bad weather is approaching...

Yowzy yowza!

A perfect weekend!

Drive back home!

And a delicious dinner with friends to end a great weekend.
See you next year!

As usual, after my unforgettable Grand Prix weekend, I run and hide at Notre-Dame-du-Portage too catch up on my sleep and regain strength for the next year.

First try: will my plants survive in my greenhouse?

My two new friends:
Oreo, the semi-albino squirrel and Caudecto, the squirrel with half a tail!

However, my orchids are travelling with me.

I have finally arrived!

Before I let you go, I have a small anecdote to share:

I decided this year to cut my grass myself with my new Ego battery lawnmower that works beautifully, I must say. The first time I used my lawnmower, everything was going smoothly until I heard a “ketonk”. Pretty worried, I leaned over to check for any damage and I saw, to my dismay, a small creature that the very sharp blade of my new lawnmower cut lengthwise exposing its internal organs and two small stumps where its feet were a few seconds before. Traumatized by the killing of this poor creature, I asked for its forgiveness for my inattentiveness and for the senseless murder I’d just committed! I put away my lawnmower and, as I walked back towards the scene of the crime, I crossed paths with a huge toad. With great sadness, I confessed the assassination of, what I thought was, his wife and redirected him to the back of the garden to prevent him from being traumatized by the death of his loved one. You can image that I now take much more time to mow the lawn because I must inspect the grass in front of me not to commit another murder! Cutting the grass is harder than I thought…

I am very proud of my work...
the cutting of the grass, not the murder!

My friends, my loved ones, have a great summer and see you soon, I hope!

Diane xxx...

A particularly important day: 42424!

 Version française

My appetite for Italy

 

My friends, my loved ones,

It’s officially spring and it was about time, because even if we had a mild winter, I still can’t wait to move on! I am sitting in the sun on my back porch and thinking of you.

First of all, I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart my dear friend, Cynthia, who served us a wonderful supper on January 6th with the traditional King's cake. The decoration was superb and the company endearing. A beautiful start for 2024.

This year starts with two significant events that will not be seen again in my lifetime namely, the total solar eclipse of April 8th and my birthday with the special palindrome date 42424. It is therefore important to highlight them!

Total solar eclipse of April 8th, 2024

Dinner of mussels tonight at Bistro Rebelle in Saint-Lazare to celebrate the 42424 day! 

Chef Rebel, Antoine Sicotte

The weather this winter has been fair in Saint-Lazare but not so much in Saint-Sauveur. Mamie and I tried to visit Dieter on his birthday, January 20, but the knee-high snow did not permit us to get close.

Happy Birthday my love

After taking advantage of a beautiful day in Saint-Lazare beginning of March, we visited Dieter once again, but this time in the great company of Barbara and Nicole (Catrina was with us via FaceTime), and despite the snow we were not expecting, we managed to get closer this time.

As for gastronomy, Mamie and I enjoyed a succulent meal at Restaurant Le Charleville in Vaudreuil-Dorion the same evening of Dieter's birthday. A delicious meal in his honor.

We also ate a few times at Bistro Rebelle and took advantage of our family's visit from Toronto to go back once more.

Also, Mamie and I returned to the Montréal en Lumières festival. We participated in this festival each year until the pandemic decided otherwise. But we are back and we found our longtime love, Europea. It was delicious!

Chef invité : Christian Têtedoie de Lyon

A painter at work during the evening

Winter being pretty quiet, I wish for a joyful, invigorating and warm spring so I can finally get out of my hibernation, take advantage of each moment of nice weather and start my seedling in my new greenhouse.

Assembly team : Madeleine, Benoit and myself

The greenhouse is finally finished and the assembly team a little worse for wear.

Ah yes, my orchid loves Saint-Lazare!
I hope I have as much luck with my vegetables in the greenhouse.

Lovely spring to all and big kiss,

Diane xxx...