Thank you to the 17 208 unique visitors who came to my website in 2005!

This is my brother during last night’s power outage. He took 2 of the Christmas candle’s from mom’s table centre decoration and a bowl of donuts in the middle. His late night snack!

Today I made the fruit cake with butter sauce while mom was preparing the vegetables for my couscous! Here’s me at various stages of the process… We had them for dinner tonight and both were delicious! The couscous was just perfectly spicy with the harissa and the cake was so sweet with that butter sauce! MMMmmmMMM! Delectable.

Preparing the cake batter…

The recipe I wrote in my mom’s extra old cookbook when I was a kid. As you can see the recipe changed a tiny bit over the years.

The butter slowly melting for the sweet butter sauce…

The finished cake right out of the oven…

Introducing my new Photoblog!

I don’t know how long I will keep it… If I will fall in love with photoblogging or not. We’ll see. A new photograph to be enjoyed daily!

Why do we have to go out and celebrate on New Years Eve? Sure… It’s a new number in the year. But I don’t feel like going out to celebrate! Why? Because going out here in Blanc-Sablon on NYE is just like going out on any other night of the year. In Amsterdam people everywhere light fireworks! In Sydney everyone finds a spot, makes a BBQ and sits to watch the huge fireworks show on the Harbour Bridge! These two NYE celebrations were awesome! But here… Blah. So I don’t know what I am doing tonight. I haven’t called my friend yet… I should… Just don’t like the telephone much.

January

Fireworks and Sydney Harbour Bridge

The year 2005 started with fireworks in Balmain with a view on Sydney and it’s famous Harbour Bridge. I went with my good Aussie friend and his friends. We hung out all evening to keep our prime spot! At 21h there were a first series of fireworks. And then at 00h the real New Years fireworks! I enjoyed them a lot, sitting next to my friend. His mother also joined the group for the fireworks which was nice! She had let me in her house for the past 4 months, taking me in as her daughter. I really enjoyed the time I spent in Australia.

February

Côte-des-Neiges Cemetery

A bit of a lower point was my return to Montreal and the beginning of February when my boyfriend of 4 years left me and moved out. Upon my return I could sense something was different. Then a couple of weeks later he told me he was leaving. I tried to convince him to stay. But nope… Then he told me he also had met another girl on the plane during his holiday to Europe for Christmas/New Years! He felt something special for her, like he once did for me… But he felt that extra something special was missing between us. The next weeks were difficult because we lived together but didn’t share the same bed at night. He slept in the bedroom and I slept on the futon in the living room. It was hard for me to have him around but with no contact, almost not talking, etc. Finally he moved out to his new appartment and I was able to move on!

March & April

Concordia’s new building, EV, corner Guy & Ste-Catherine

In March and April finishing the semester at University was difficult. I was not motivated to do school work. I just felt like watching television and/or movies laying on the couch. I did finish all of my classes with alright marks but it was really tough!

May

The Tea Party at Corona

But May brought better days with school finishing for the Summer. Finally the first signs of Summer were here! My birthday on May 5th was a bit boring. I was on my own. But I did go to the Cirque du Soleil as an outing! Then there also was a heavy dose of Tea Party, 3 concerts in a row! I got to meet Stuart after 1 concert and hang out with a fellow Tea Party fan, Jeff Burrows and Jeff Martin at a hip club.

June

Williams at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal

In June the Formula 1 Grand Prix was exciting! I got to see a lot of the drivers! After the race with friends we waited for a couple of hours. It was worth it! I saw Fernando Alonso, Jacques Villeneuve, Kimi Raikonnen and so forth. Then mid-June I flew to Europe. A Summer in Amsterdam… How exciting! A few years ago I spend 1 year in Amsterdam in a Dutch family. They invited me back from mid-June to August first. The city had not changed much thankfully. I still loved it. The two boys in the family had grown so they could chat, play nicer games, help me around the house, etc.

July

Venice canal

July started with a weekend in Belgium to see Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein at a big outdoor music festival. It was great! So many people at that festival! The only thing was the rain during the day made the field gross, muddy and soggy. So I couldn’t sit. And standing from 14h to 2h took it’s toll on me! I was so tired at the end of the day I was feeling nauseous. Then I also travelled to Copenhagen and Venice! I liked exploring these special cities! Venice especially… So different from any other city I had visited before! And I loved my hotel room in Copenhagen!

August

Quebec city rooftops

August went by so quickly! I came back to Montréal at the beginning of the month, did an intensive class at Uni, “Power and Conflict”, for 3 quick credits. It was a lot of work with readings and assignments but it was over before I knew it… Within 2 weeks! Then visited my family in Quebec for a week! My mom and brother and aunts and cousins and uncles. It was nice seeing them all again!

September

Old Montreal buildings

September I started my final year at Uni. I was motivated and wanted to maintain to get a higher GPA. The previous semester had not gone as well as I could perform so I had to catch up! I got a job at a big call centre, though people I worked with were nice I quickly found out it was not my place… Selling beauty products to ladies… I’d much rather do something useful for the community!

October

My photograph at the World Press Photo exhibition

October was a concert month! I saw Youth Group, Death Cab for Cutie, Matthew Good and David Usher. Actually the whole of Fall was filled with nice concerts! It was a great season for music! I also got to participate in the World Press Photography workshop and exhibition which was exciting. I met famous photographers, prepared an assignment, received interesting feedback and my photo was a part of the month-long exhibition!

November

Nine Inch Nails at the Bell Centre

November I went to the dentist’s a few times… For my check-up and cleaning, then for a couple of cavities. I hadn’t gone to the dentist in more than a year! I forgot… Also I went to a more enjoyable Nine Inch Nails concert! It got me really hooked on Trent and his band! Also this is when it started going bad at work, I was not as motivated as I was before to go to work. The ladies on the telephone were getting more and more annoying!

December

Lourdes de Blanc-Sablon sunset

December was time for work… Which I quit on December 6. It was enough! Also final papers were due and exams were scheduled at Uni for my 4 courses. I think it paid off though I have yet to get my grade for 3 of the 4 classes! Montreal is always a vibrant city. I enjoyed the fireworks at the Old Port on Saturdays, I went twice. And of course coming to my little hometown for the Holidays was nice! A long plane travelling day (longer than to go to London) as well as expensive (1500$ when I can get a flight to London for 500$) but worth it for the love (and good food) my mom has provided me with!

2006

What will 2006 bring? Maybe meeting a new someone special? Maybe extra good marks for my final semester at Uni? Maybe a more sociable Christelle, meeting more friends? Maybe a great job offer, or more work at job #1 which I still have? Maybe getting in at both the master programs I’ll be applying to, and having a tough time choosing which one to do? Maybe a nice trip to Europe: London, Italy and seeing my Aussie friends?

I’m writing this in the dark. My only light is the flame of a red candle burning. The power went out 15 minutes ago. I wonder how long it will last… I kind of like it. Everything is quiet… And candlelight is relaxing… I should purposely light candles more often. I do sometimes at home. But not enough.

We’ve had some freezing rain today. And now the electricity is having troubles. The power keeps fluctuating… And it just went out 2 times for a few seconds… I hope we don’t have a too long power outage! At least because I’m using my laptop and have dial-up Internet I can still continue what I am doing when the power goes out!

This afternoon I watched a movie with mom, Cinderella Man. It was alright… Though a bit violent… I enjoyed seeing how people lived during the tough times of the “Great Depression”. And two actors I enjoy, Crowe & Zellweger.

I’ve played around making a video… It’s based on my evening out a few nights ago. I realized that musical taste vary a lot. And in Blanc-Sablon country music is VERY popular… Sadly for me! The country song featured in this video is the song my friends kept playing on repeat in the car.

It was a nice dark cold Winter night. That day the snow had fallen. Cute little snowflakes graced the Earth with their beautiful whiteness. But it was at 4h18 that the devil appeared! The @(@*(#*@#&*! (@()!@))! @&#*#$& ^*%%$ loader/tractor came to clear the snow!!!!!! And woke me up. But yes… By now I knew. I knew as soon as I saw the snow that I wouldn’t sleep through the night. Now 10 minutes later, with Pretzels and orange juice, I am up at my desk surfing the net. The dog who was sleeping right outside my door on his mat (because he snores too much to sleep in my room with me!) wondered what I am doing up… Lifting his head to look at me and then going back to sleep. My mom also got up, went to the bathroom and ate a little snack in the kitchen. Then my brother got up and said “are we just all getting up now or what?” No we’re not! We’re trying to sleep but the @(@*(#*@#&*! (@()!@))! @&#*#$& ^*%%$ loader/tractor driver doesn’t have any common sense to come earlier or later. I feel like writing an official complaint. But I’m just here for 4 more nights after tonight. Hopefully these will be snow-free.

I think something’s wrong with Yoko the dog we’re keeping while it’s owner is away on holiday. The first day he ate well. Then mom gave him a big ham bone on the second day. He didn’t eat much of his dinner last night. Today he didn’t eat either because the food bowl is still just as full. When we went walking he seem to have difficulties going to do his business. I just hope he’s not getting sick! Mom said it might be because he’s bored and misses his owner. But I do play with him quite a bit, throwing his boomerang and hamburger toys around, fighting to get them back, etc. And we go on walks. And I pet him a lot. I just wish the dog could talk! And I finally found out what kind of dog he is… It’s a Old English Sheepdog, but his hair has been shaved shorter!

CRAP!!!!!!!!!!

I just wrote a super long story about today and then something went wrong and it just dissapeared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#@($&($&@ &#*&@*#@* #&O@!@#$ %^($* #@$%$#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Short version:
-Late brekky.
-Meeting at the radio station, they liked the website, go on with the rest.
-Money from making the website will go for new digital camera.
-New bank card at the Caisse to replace old one.
-See that 1200$ from Quebec Government loan has been deposited.
-Pay Uni tuition and fees of 1030.62$.
-Roast beef, potatoes, veggies and demi-glace gravy for dinner, lemon pie for dessert. MmmmmMMM.

Earlier this evening I was watching a movie in my room, comfily snuggled up under a warm blanket. Then someone knocks on the door. My mom gets up from the living room (which is way further than my room from the door) to answer. Usually I would get up but I was feeling lazy/comfy. It was 2 friends. They asked me if I wanted to come along. Along for what I thought? Well we stopped by the appartment (yep… there is 1 multiple stories appartment block in Blanc-Sablon!) of someone they knew where I had a beer, etc. Then I was thirsthy so I drank a glass of water and we were off again! The friend who owned the car had drank a bit so another friend who drank less took the wheel. Not totally safe… Then we drove around the village a bit. And stopped at the Arena where a one-man-band guy (who once played “the squeeze box” aka piano accordion) was performing! There were a lot of people I recognized from but didn’t remember the names. A few I knew better. But I didn’t feel like chatting… The music was too loud, the music wasn’t my usual taste, etc. So after about 10 minutes there I left. I had a good time and am glad my friend took the initiative to come pick me up to go with them but I’m just not used to this “going out” scene anymore. So much more different than an Australian pub where people arrive at 20h (or maybe 18h?) and not 1h15! So much more different style than a comfy Irish pub downtown Concordia campus/downtown area! So maybe this also all explains why I don’t come often to my hometown? It’s nice scenery and all but for socializing forget your own musical taste and merge into the local tunes! I felt like listening to Nine Inch Nails. And I got country (I don’t enjoy country). I feel like sitting and chatting. I get people who want to dance (I don’t dance). My brother is the one who came to pick me up as the girl with the car was now at this point not in driver order anymore!

Somehow writing tonight’s story reminded me of Matt’s post about auto-censure and really saying what you want to say…

I only know two pure bloggers. The first once told me that the trick to successful blogging is not censuring yourself because you’re afraid of how others might interpret it. The other provides a daily example of what a fantastic world this might be if everyone was as honest with themselves as she is.

And Jen’s story of her evening out, without the bowling and getting sick parts…

Then the real trouble began.

So last night’s dinner wasn’t all that good. It was nice sure… But it won’t become my favorite meal like it is for my brother! The raclette is a kind of cheese. You are supposed to melt the cheese with small cubes of bell pepper and then pour that over a potatoe. Meat is cooked on the top of the hot plate. That’s the thing I liked best from the meal… The beef meat! I didn’t even taste the raclette cheese… It stank too much! Usually I do try new things out but that scent just cut my hunger. Here’s the table before we started eating…

I’m tired of writing about food… But it’s the only thing happening here!!

This evening I played a game of Monopoly with my brother! I found that board game in my closet yesterday when I was on my rampage for old treasures. The game looked like new, not used much! I wanted some practice for an upcoming game in Montreal… But tonight I lost! I was just so unlucky with the pick a cards… And my brother got all the good pick a cards! Grr! I think he was happy to beat me…!

I’m now listening to music and drinking a Grolsch. My mom’s boyfriend bought a 6 pack. I took the liberty of opening one for me and am now enjoying it slowly.

It’s 4h. And the loader/tractor woke me up again! Yep… Because of the snow that fell yesterday the loader is now busy clearing it away. It pisses me off. Why can’t he come at 7h before people start arriving for work? Or at 0h when people are about to go to bed? Would be much better than in the middle of the night when people are already asleep… Well trying to sleep anyways!

On a nicer note the Yoko the dog decided to sleep in my room! Maybe it’s because I’m the only one who kept the bedroom door open and placed a comfy rug on the floor! Or maybe it’s because he really likes me! But I wanted Yoko to be comfy and not alone in this big house all night! It’s funny… When I wake up to turn around in bed or take a sip of water I move in my bed. I can see Yoko lifting his head to look at me and then going back to sleep. Or sometimes he starts licking his paws. “Slurp… slurp… slurp…” with his big tongue! And he’s been changing spot and position too! He was laying on the rug, then right next to my bed, etc. I love dogs. They are the best pets!

Yoko is a big dog. Actually he’s huge. He’s white. He likes to play with me and his boomerang toy. He lays down on the living room rug when we watch television. He likes when I pet him on his head. He enjoys going out for a walk with me. He listens well. We’re dogkeeping Yoko until January 4th. So I have a new friend to take care of until I leave for Montreal! He’s now laying down on the floor/little rug near my chair! I think he likes me…

Yoko eating…

Yoko laying down…

Yoko licking his paw…

Well the storm arrived later than expected. This morning at 5h when I got up to go to the bathroom I looked outside and it was still clear… Just a lot of wind! Then at 10h when I got up for real the snow had started to fall!

I spent the day doing nothing much, watching television, rooting in old stuff in my closet, playing around on the Internet. I also watched a movie with mom, Childstar, but once again she didn’t get much of the movie! She says she can understand when watching movies in English original version but I don’t believe her anymore. And I hate watching the voice-over French version!

After the movie I went outside to shovel the snow! The back porch was full of snow, the steps leading to it also as well as the whole parking lot! Thankfully I don’t have to shovel all of the parking… The loader should come and clear it away. I did all the rest though! It was fun… A good exercise shovelling snow! A part of the porch once I was done shovelling…

Then I walked to the postoffice. Of course it was closed and no mail came in today. But still I felt like taking a little walk with the gusting winds and the cute snowflakes. On my way to the postoffice the wind was blowing in my face, making it really cold with the snow flurries! Plus then the snowplow passed and sent even more snow flurries my way! Brrr! I put the Childstar DVD in the mailbox. Then I went inside to check our little postoffice box. And there was a letter… A Christmas card for mom! When I arrived at the postoffice I saw a man leaving, crossing the street and continuing with his shovel to clear his driveway. Inside the postoffice smelled of cigarette. I suspect the man went inside the postoffice to take a break and smoke a cigarette there! Yuck! On my way back home the strong wind was blowing on my back. And it was pushing me home! I only had to lift my feet and the wind did the rest, helping me walk! At one point there was an extra extra strong wind gust that made me run! But I didn’t want to run!

Tonight we are eating raclette. I’ve never had it before. It’s my brother’s favorite meal. He even helped mom peel the potatoes! He has not been out of his room much since he’s arrived! I was surprised to see him help…!

More of today’s photographs here (just 2 today, the first two on the last row)…

I enjoy looking through my old stuff in my room’s closet when I come to Blanc-Sablon. It always brings back nice memories, I’ve had a nice childhood. I thought I’d share a few of the things I remember/enjoyed as a kid!

First are some books. I was an avid reader growing up. My favorite books were from “La Coute Échelle”, I had some in all of their collections of books, for younger kids to adolescent. I’ve photographed a couple of titles I still remember liking a lot! I don’t remeber what the books were about though… Maybe I should re-read them someday! With my kids… When I have some… In a long time from now!

Un monstre dans les céréales…

Le complot…

As well as this book about a girl that does a bit of a rebellion agains’t her parents and runs away! Ève Dupuis, 16 ans et demie…

When I was a kid I had this book also. There is one story for each day of the year… Short paragraphs… Or a poem… The page that is the most damaged is the one with the story of my birthday, May 5th! I guess I read that one often… Because it was on a special day!

Labyrinthe is a board game I played very often! With my best friend at the time, with my brother, and sometimes with my mom!

This is my old piano lesson book. I wanted to learn piano… My kindergarden teacher showed me a few tunes from this book but I did not have a piano at home and didn’t practice much. Someday I will learn properly how to play!

This is my doll Jessica! She’s seen better days…! I used to put make-up on her, comb her hair, dress her with all kinds of clothing. I remember my best friend and I even brought our 2 dolls on the long snowmobile rides and days where we stayed in that isolated cabin! We rode in the back of the snowmobile in the cometic with our dolls! Jessica has experienced many things! On this photo she’s wearing my baptism dress…

With my best friend I had a favorite game… It’s called “playing school”. We’d both be teachers, both have a blackboard and chalk, both have old books and tons of papers (we’d collect papers from mailings at the postoffice, the ones people left behind because they didn’t need them) and old papers from the hospital where our moms worked. We’d set the school up in her storage/shed, her dad would light a fire in the little fireplace during Winter time to keep us warm and we’d play for hours! Giving assignments to our imaginary students, explaining things on the blackboard, etc.