We all make investments.  Sometimes we don’t realize the type of investment we are making because we do it without thinking; other times we are fully aware of the investment and we hope for a good return.  People invest financially, emotionally, physically, and mentally.  We do this as individuals to secure our future, to make friendships and connections that will sustain us through our life.  Investing in individuals can build a foundation for us to stand on throughout life to assist us in becoming what we are to be.

Parents invest in their children without knowing what the end result will be.  They feed us, cloth us, and provide us with education and opportunities that will shape and guide us into our future.  They discipline us when we stray in hopes that we will take what is instilled in us to become more than they were and all that we can be.  There are some parents that do not invest in their children, they just procreate without thought of what the children will be or even caring what they will become…the community I grew up in some continue having children because it gets them a bigger monthly check and it is the only life they know.  A never ending cycle of abuse of a system that was started as an ‘investment’ in individuals (welfare) to assist them in getting back on their feet, but that became a crutch that people relied on to live their daily life relying on the government to supply them instead of investing in themselves and their own futures.

Individuals invest in others in hope of securing a future with someone that will love them and support them through life.  They give one hundred percent of themselves, to only find out that the investment was a bust.  There was no return on it, and they are left holding nothing.  No support system, no returned love, lost friendships and a foundation that has crumbled.  I personally have invested in someone that ended up depleting my storehouse of reserves.  You wonder if it would be considered “insider trading” if you publicly warn others of the poor investment <LOL>; but you realize that there are others that are already investing in the same program/person…some of them are back for round two (they left and invested in something/someone else…but have came back for seconds).  You want to give a public safety announcement to warn individuals of guarding against investments, so know their worth and know what to invest in and what to stay away from.

Young people are investments.  This is inside and outside of the church walls.  Teachers invest in them daily at school, providing them with education and opportunities to make the most of themselves.  Inside the church youth pastors and ministers guide them, and provide them with tools that will make a solid foundation.  They attend conferences and conventions and receive “powerhouse moments” with God that alters their life.  They come home changed, they stand in front of the congregation and make statements about “not backing down”, being “changed”, “taking stands”…yet as a year turns over and life happens the investment into their life is diminished and they lose sight of the end result.  They stop investing so much time and effort into the God aspect of their lives and they start focusing on the physical aspect (a dangerous step).  It makes me saddened to see young people that have had a powerful encounter with God, move away from it and allow little things (relationships) to move into its place.  Why?  Because I myself allowed “little things” into my life that altered it.  We must guard our investments and make sure that we are putting them into things that matter and that will secure our eternal goal…not just the here and now.

God has invested in each and everyone of us.  He secured our futures at the cross when he stated “It is finished”.  We have the opportunity to live eternally with Him.  But we must be ‘vested’ in the process.  Being vested in something, one becomes biased in it.  They have an interest in it that is personal.  God personally is biased toward each and everyone of us.  He loved us before He knew us.  He shaped us in the womb, forming us.  In Psalm 139:13, it states “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb”.  And in Jeremiah 1:5 it states, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you;…”.  God has a vested investment in each of us, who are we not to return the investment back to Him?  I have failed at this.

Over the past month I have been reevaluating my investments.  I know that I have some that are a bust.  I placed time, effort, and emotions into investments that did not give a return.  I was left bankrupt — emotionally and mentally.  I failed to invest daily in my relationship with God who was fully vested in me as an individual, I took that for granted.  Some investments can leave us feeling like we are not worth anything, that we are lacking and that we are failures.  But we must know our own worth, know when to walk away from the poor investment and become what God intended us to be.  If we focus on investing in the One that is totally vested in us the return will always be good.  We will have high returns, good dividends, and the retirement package cannot be beat (eternity with our Creator).

Investments into self and others is important, we must be willing to give of ourselves and to be willing to give of ourselves.  Is it hard?  Yes.  Once you have a poor investment you want to create walls and stop giving because you are afraid that all returns will be bad.  But when we invest wisely, and stay the course…then we have positive returns and the end result will be worth it.

Looking forward in seeing the results of investments that are being made in this stage of my life, and the benefits that are to come.

ERM

Today marked two milestones in my life; one was the two month anniversary of my new job (my first day was February 19) and the other was my birthday.  Just minor things…that can be make one stop and reevaluate where time has gone, what has been accomplished, and where one is going from here.  The reflection can be good with positive outcomes, or can be bad with negative reactions (ex: texting someone from your past and calling them out on life) Oh vey! <face palm>  Just because one reaches a milestone does not give one free reign to go helte-skelter into situations.

But that is nothing here-nor-there.  Some things I’ve realized over the past two months.  St Louis drivers stop for NO REASON on the highway.  You are in stop-go-traffic, or just stopped traffic, thinking the worst situations and expecting to see a major pile up on the freeway…there is nothing, anywhere.  It is individuals trying to get on/off the highway and they have traffic blocked, they cannot seem to understand that you just drive.  Push the pedal on the right, and make the wheels go round and round.  At home we of course had to worry about getting behind a tractor and not being able to pass…but eventually when the tractor reaches a drive way big enough to pull over, they check the traffic and wave the cars around.  They keep things going.

Medicine is medicine.  But sometimes it doesn’t feel the same.  That may seem weird, but when you work in a small county hospital, where the nurse does EVERYTHING (A-Z), when ancillary services (lab, radiology, respiratory) are ‘on-call’ and it takes about thirty minutes for them to arrive,  and when you get everything within a thirty miles radius and deal with whatever walks in the door (regardless).  Then  you move to a facility that focuses on cardiac, that doesn’t have a trauma room, that has ancillary services in house 24/7, has a case manager on staff in the ER to facilitate the process on admission <shocked Home Alone face>, and you have other facilities within two minutes that take all “stuff” that would liven up your day — you have to adjust.  I love my new job, the opportunities it is providing me (learning new software in a ‘non-crazy’ setting; new procedures; school opportunities), and the people I work for are all great.  But an adjustment…daily milestones.

My birthday milestone was good.  I spent it as I did last year, alone — celebrating the step into the new year of my life quietly.  Last year I went exploring in the woods and ate at Grandin Cafe; today I slept (due to working night shift), cleaned house, explored The Hill and took myself to the Circus.  The Hill is one of my favorite neighborhoods in St Louis.  I started by stopping by MO Baking Co (MBC) to grab some goodies for the weekend, then went to Favazza’s at the recommendation of the staff at MBC.  Then I headed out to Circus Flora for a night of figuring out the story of the Missing Bellhop.  Easter weekend I watched the movie, The Greatest Showman, there weren’t bearded women, giants, or midgets involved; there was only one ring instead of three; and though we did have a live band and two songs…no full on dance routines with songs to tell “feelings” were involved in the show I saw tonight. <smile>  Both, the Greatest Showman and Circus Flora, were good in their own right.

Funny story from this morning.  I got off work early and was in bed around 5:00 am instead of 8:00, and apparently passed out.  I woke up at 6:59 AM and jumped out of bed asking myself why I slept so long and overslept — the circus started at 7:00 pm.  I starting looking for clothes that I could throw on so I could make it to my plans.  I was upset that I hadn’t made it to the bakery, and I had wasted my day sleeping.  LOL.  Joke was on me…I finally realized that it was the morning (AM) and not night time (PM).  I calmly crawled back into bed to wait to kick-start my day.  <night shift woes>

April 19 has seen many milestones…Revolutionary War, Boston Marathon, First Woman running Boston Marathon, Branch Davidian (Waco, TX), and the Olkahoma City Bombing.  All of these events marked a significant change or stage in development of our world/communities.  Just as these milestones shaped and formed change; I want to allow my personal milestones to continue to change and development me into a better person.

On my journey to be a better person, to be shaped and changed into what God wants me to be…I will continue exploring my new world, meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, and just being free to move and be.  I have enjoyed the past two months…and there is so much more to do, see, and become.  I still have my moments of going helter-skelter into situations, having feelings of not accomplishing everything that should be <no kids or husband on the horizon>, and wondering where I will be when I reach my next milestone.  But I have learned from my past, from the milestones, and I look forward to where and what I will be.

ERM

It’s been a month.  A very busy month.  A move, that I lassoed two of my friends into helping with.  We loaded my car and my mom’s van down to the hilt, and made a one day trip out of it.  My dad and cousin, Elmer, had brought my large items up the week before, we were left with bringing all the small things and the cats.  Several trips up the steps later…I was on my way to a new adventure in the second story apartments (a.k.a. condo) set in a quaint neighborhood.

After move day I spent two days putting my life/house in order in preparation of my brother and his family arriving for their weekend in St Louis.  Do I still have a few things that need a home, most definitely.  I have two boxes that are not going to be used — which is amazing, because prior to this move I had a room full of boxes (about twenty) and some in the living room of things I had not touched (except to move) when I left my house in 2013 (after selling it to my brother and his family).  In preparation of this move I uncluttered my life — threw away stuff, gave stuff away, and donated stuff.  It is nice to know that I am using what I own.  Then of course I have the standard seven years of “papers” that is mandatory for me to keep.  bleh!

Then work started.  Two weeks of in class orientation — they went through skills and information.  Meanwhile also assigning online courses.  <eeek>  So it’s been busy.  Add to that hitting the floor for staffing shifts.  I LOVE my job.  I love nursing, and I am glad that I decided to change my life when I was 32 and went back to school (it’s never to late…until you die).  And I love being able to nurse, and nurse only.  Not wearing several hats and being held responsible for things outside of my scope of practice or training.

On top of adjusting to a new job, new software, and learning my way around a facility that is big enough to fit all of downtown of Doniphan in it…I am also looking for a new home church.  <boo>  There is nowhere like West Point.  I was spoiled having the opportunity to grow up under the pastorate of Bro. Carr and Chuck, and the music department can do circles around some of the best.  The people at West Point have your back, regardless.  Do they have their ups and downs?  Of course, everyone does.  We are not perfect, but that is what makes it perfect…being imperfect together and assisting each other along the road we are traveling.  I am still searching for church that will be “home” to me.

Then the city noise. <wide eyed look>  I definitely will not be listening to the crickets chirp, or the whip-poor-will’s acknowledge the beginning of summer.  Paul and I were joking at work the other night that I would be visiting the local pet store to hear the insects <hehe>.  Has it been an adjustment?  Yes.  getting accustomed to there always being something happening, that takes getting used to.  Coming from a town that closes most the stores by 6:00, having access to food and bakeries until 3:00 am  is something that I am not accustomed to.

But all-in-all, I have loved this new beginning in my life.  There are adjustments that have to be made.  Leaving some old haunts and situations behind, walking into new opportunities and learning situations.  Now to just complete settling in by finding a doctor and dentist…I at least have an Aldi’s two blocks away.

ERM

New adventures make for some mental adjustment.  I often took long weekends in St Louis, visiting my favorite haunts; eating some great food; and crashing at a friends, my aunt’s house, or grabbing a motel room.  I have now been in STL one week today, it’s been a crazy week with moving; setting up the house; having company; and starting my new job.  I know that I now live here, but a part of me is thinking I will be going back “home” soon and my time off will be over.  But…I am home.

It is weird how some things become second nature without trying and yet other things are still ingrained from the “before”.  I know my new address without fail, yet when I am giving someone my zip code I want to say 63935 and I pause and have to think about it for awhile before giving my new zip code.  Trying to remember who I have contacted and updated my information with, who I need to contact, and the joy of finding new doctors, dentist, oil change place, and bank. <bleh>  My bank at home has the best options, and I will keep them, but I will need a local bank to deposit cash easier, and possibly extract cash easier.  So much stuff!!

My new apartment feels like home.  The cats are having some difficulty because they hear neighbors on the stairs and they think that there are visitors coming.  My cats don’t like visitors very well, Pixel will come out and look at people, but rarely does he interact with them (unless he is performing night time chest compression’s  on unsuspecting guests (my brother)…to let them know he was leaving their room. <LOL>).  Callie hides, and stays hidden for hours after the episode is over.  But they have both adjusted well for the most part, and they come out while I am here — which is an improvement from the first couple of days.  But coming in, there is comfort here and it feels like a home…my home.

Everything happened fast with this move.  I have wanted to move back to St. Louis, or somewhere, for awhile.  To get opportunities and to have options of things to do.  To get a new start and broaden my horizons.  To get away.  I interviewed around the first of December and had a job by December 22, with a start date of Feb 19.  The apartment I’m living in was a God thing, one of the doctors I worked with had one open at the exact moment that I needed one.  It is in a good neighborhood with security that was signed off on by dad. <hehe>  Things fell into the place, and worked out in a way that made the transition good.

The opportunities that are being presented and given to me here are numerous.  I have been blessed, and things have fallen into place.  From the job opportunity and hire within two weeks, an apartment being available, and the way I was able to have time between my last shift at Doniphan and my first one here.  I have already learned new things just in orientation, and the tools and equipment that are being presented as “everyday use items” are things I have never seen or come into contact with.  Does it help that it’s an innovative hospital in a large city, yes, but there are some things that they are saying are federal regulations that I have never heard of, or came into contact with.

With all that said, Doniphan will always be “home” and I will always have ties to small town life.  I will forever be grateful for the opportunity of working at the hospital in my home town and being available to loved ones, friends, or friends family.  I understand the comfort of having a familiar face meet you at the door in a critical time in your life or in your families life.  But to promote growth, and to learn new things, sometimes one has to leave the familiar and branch out into the unknown.

To better myself, to get clarity and freedom from things, and to accomplish new goals I had to change things.  I have a home that will always be home regardless of where I go, but for now I am home.

ERM

When reading a book it’s always exciting when you start a new one, exciting to see how it ends and the steps to get you there.  A good suspense book keeps you turning the pages, there are some books I barely get past the first chapter (yes, though I love to read and have a very eclectic genre of reading I do have some unfinished books laying around my house), other books I stay up all night reading because I want to see what happens and I cannot put the book down and make myself go to sleep.  When I was little my dad read a lot of Louis L’Amour books, he would come to the dinner table late and say “they were in the middle of a gun fight, I couldn’t leave them hanging”.  Reading is a way to experience the world and stay in your own cozy environment.

There are times though that getting out of the norm, breaking free from the ordinary and what is, and going out to experience the world for oneself is beyond anything one can get from a book.  It’s like when they make a movie of a favorite book and it follows EXACTLY how you envisioned in your head how it should be.  I have had a great opportunity, as a small town to see and experience places that some people only read about.  I have been to China, Taiwan, Honduras, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, Ireland, and to several (40 i think) of the fifty states.  I am blessed.  Breaking out of the ‘norm’ has pretty much been my life.

As with any good book, or experience, there are pages to be turned and chapters to be finished.  I personally will be finishing a chapter in my life and starting a new one within the next month.  I will be leaving Southeast Health of Ripley County, my “home” of nursing, and venturing out on new opportunities and into a new chapter.  It took me all day to hit “send” on my resignation letter (at both Southeast and Arkansas Methodist).  This is my home, the only place I know as far as nursing — of course I’m also case management, respiratory, and lab…here at SEHRC nurses do everything.  The nurses are a one-man-band, playing all the different instruments (job positions) involved in patient care.  I had a very well rounded on the job training.

I would not change anything about my book so far, the experiences are what has made me the person that I am.  If life were laid out like a ‘choose your own adventure’ book and we were able to backtrack or make it as if decisions made earlier in life never happened…I would have chosen some different options, and done some things differently.  But it is not…therefore I will embrace what is and move forward making new memories and writing this new chapter in my life.

My new chapter will involve a new hospital, new home, new church <sad face>, and old friends that I will rekindle friendships with.  I will be revisiting an old haunt from a chapter in my life previously lived, and return to St. Louis.  I am looking forward to this opportunity that has opened for me at this point in my life, and am excited about the new beginnings.  Nervous about what is on the next page, but looking forward to what will be written.

Doniphan will always be home, but for now my new chapter will be written in St Louis.

To new chapters!!

<prayers appreciated that the move goes smoothly>

ERM

Wow!  I cannot believe that 2017 is already drawing to a close, this year has seriously flown by.  So much has happened this year that part of me is glad that it is closing and part of me wishes that we could go back and start over…and have different outcomes.

This year greeted us in January with the loss of my Aunt Claudette.  It was one of the hardest experiences of my life, personally and professionally.  I still miss her, look for her in church, and consider the experience something that has shaped me into something different the past 11 months.

I turned forty in April. <gasp>  I cannot believe I have hit this milestone, some days I feel every day of 40, other days I can’t believe I’m actually 40.  It all occurred without a blip on the radar, I took myself out to lunch and celebrated it.  No “Fabulous Forty” parties or craziness.  I did catch an opera in St Louis a couple of weekends later.

The end of April we had a historical flood in Doniphan, water levels reaching 32 feet, the Current River bridge had water going over the top of it.  Life was shut down for about a week in our community.  Our church worked with the Southeast Action Agency and assisted in providing food, water, and cleaning supplies to families in our community that were affected.  Hope International, Billy Graham programs, and a couple other groups from across the nation came to help us in the aftermath of the flood.  It was a crazy time, and we are still currently dealing with the devastation, and some businesses are yet to reopen.

Speaking of the opera, I marked that off my bucket list.  I went to see Madam Butterfly with my Aunt Becky Courtney the weekend of Memorial Day.  It was a small set in St. Louis, but I can say that I have seen an opera.  My next goal is going to see one in New York…preferably one where they wear the horned headsets, but for now this will suffice.  Call me crazy…I will do anything once, and to be able to say…”Yes, actually I have done that”.  Adding culture to this small town girls life! :)

August my niece Peyton moved to Scotland for school.  <EEEK>  I am seriously jealous (in a good way) and excited for her.  She is having the experience of a lifetime, getting to see a lot of different countries, and immerse herself in the culture.  I’m excited because I am getting to plan a trip (hopefully it pans out) of going to her graduation.  Yay Scotland!! :)

September found me getting to run away for awhile.  I took a short trip to Quebec, Canada.  It was a beautiful city, I enjoyed getting to spend time with my friend Melissa for a few days.  Getting to walk around the old cobblestone streets, eat great food, and just be away to breath for awhile was nice and relaxing.  I was disappointed that my passport did not get stamped, but hopefully soon I will get to go somewhere where that will happen.

It has been a good year overall.  I continue to work at Southeast Health of Ripley County and also at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould, AR.  I am blessed two have to great work “families” that I get to share life with — I see them more than I do my own family.  I love being a nurse and getting to work in the emergency room, helping people at crazy times in their life.  Becoming a nurse was the best decision for me.

I hope this letter (recap of my year) finds all of you doing well.  May each and everyone of you have a very blessed holiday season, hold your loved ones close and let them know what they mean to you.  For those who have lost loved ones this year, may your hearts be comforted during this season.  May the coming year bring health, happiness, and peace.

Love to all my family and friends…

Eleisha

Today I finally had a day off.  I worked five straight, the last two being night shifts (something I haven’t done in awhile).  I came home from vacation and went right to work, had two days last week to clean and run errands then have been working since last Thursday with a day for a wedding, it was time to get some groceries.

I had a car appointment to get my windshield wiper recall done in Poplar Bluff (PB), so I was excited to get to visit the newly remodeled Aldi store, check out the new 10Box, and of course do my monthly Wal-Mart run.  After getting a quick nap after work, I headed to PB to get my day started.

When my car appointment was complete, and I had completed a favor for a friend, I headed to 10Box.  This store is the new version of the Harps store in Poplar Bluff.  I loved their Harps, it had a great bakery and a lot of food options that were not available at other stores (i.e. my zevia sodas).  I was looking forward to getting to check it out.  Walked in and I almost started twitching.  Seriously.  If you are someone that likes order, you are organized, or don’t like going to thrift stores that can be crowded…I DO NOT recommend this store.  You walk in to pallets everywhere, with items just thrown in.  The isles are very narrow and it is hard to get around with a cart and dodge other people.  Then the fact that the price shown is “cost” and they will add 10% at the register, so you have to sit there and try to figure out how much it will actually be.  All the while people going everywhere in the narrow isles.  I about went coo-coo.

Am I crazy (debatable) but as an individual with MS crowds and crowded places make me uncomfortable sometimes…to the point where I feel like I want to come out of my skin.  It’s normal for those who aren’t so normal — check out this story: Sensory Overload.  Therefore, it was too much. Trying to shop, trying to figure out prices, too many people.  Not a place that I will probably ever shop at again unless I want 20 steaks.  I quickly left and headed to Aldi.

Aldi had such a great face lift and remodel.  I liked the old Aldi, but when I started working in Paragould their Aldi’s was awesome.  Our new Aldi is more like theirs.  Unfortunately I arrived after the school hour, so there were more people there than normally when I shop, but I was able to get some of my favorite items at prices I knew when putting it in my cart.  I didn’t have to sit and try to find out what I would ‘really’ paying at the cash register.  I’m glad it is opened again.

Of course I topped my trip to Poplar Bluff off with a stop at Wal-Mart.  My one stop shopping, with prices that often cannot be beat.  I support buying local, and supporting our local stores…but when a box of cereal in town is $5.78 and the same exact box wal-mart is $3.48, I will probably wait to purchase that till I go to the Bluff.

All in all, I personally did not care for the new 10Box store.  I will continue making sure I have my 25 cents for a cart and my carry bags in my car to bag my groceries and shop at Aldi’s…rather than the chaos of 10Box.  But to each their own.

Later…ERM

My final day of vacation was spent traveling, not as bad coming home as going.  I did get up and ‘at em’ at 3:45 (couldn’t sleep), and was at the airport by 5:30 am.  The security and check-points leaving Canada were a lot more secure and thorough than when I left St Louis.  Shortly after 9/11 the security at St Louis rivaled that coming out of Canada, but this trip I basically walked through with no issues.  In Montreal they herded us through like cattle, asked and re-asked what I had been doing and what had been purchased while I was gone.  I went through three “check points” each one verifying that I was who I was and had a ticket.  It took about 45 minutes, and there was not that large of a crowd, I would hate to see it on a busy day.

The one time I missed my large digital SLR camera this trip was when I was flying into LaGuardia airport in New York and was able to see the bay and Lady Liberty holding the torch high, was not able to get a good shot with my new Sony quick shot camera I purchased.  I love Lady Liberty and all she stands for, I had the opportunity to explore her when I was about 7 years old when my family vacationed in New York (and visited my Uncle Alder and Aunt Becky).  We also had a blow out on the Brooklyn Bridge and a bomb threat at the play in Central Park (Much ado About Nothing), among some other teachable/learning situations…so that trip was very memorable.

Flying to St Louis we arrived 30 minutes ahead of schedule, had a great tail wind coming form New York.  Called for my motel shuttle and went to get my car.  Was nice to be behind the wheel again.   Grabbed some lunch at St Louis Bubble Tea and headed home.  Of course I topped my day off with unpacking, doing laundry, and relaxing with my feline friends who were happy to see me (I guess, at least they didn’t bite me). <LOL>

Recap of Vacation:

If you like to travel, don’t think you can afford going across the seas to a foreign country, but want the feel and experience…I suggest Quebec City/Montreal Canada.  Quebec City over Montreal (Montreal has a TON of traffic — to many people, but neat non-the-less), but either will work.  To be immersed in a city that has a different language being spoken as the primary is an experience worth having.

I flew round trip for $269.00.  If you watch airline flights you can more than likely get a good deal.  If you have a large family you want to experience the whole thing with, you can drive.  Montreal is not far across the boarder, and Quebec City is just three hours further north.  Quebec City is approximately 20 hours from Missouri, easy accessible and there are a lot of things to see between here and there (the northern states are full of history and things to see — before they decide it all needs to be torn down too, like the southern statues).

I had a great time exploring the city, walking the cobblestone sidewalks and seeing the old city.  Some of it had been commercialized, but for the most part you could still feel the personality of the place.  I enjoyed getting to view old churches (some where better than others, because they too have been commercialized).  The food was amazing.

Things to keep in mind:

Travel when you can.  Make it happen.  Don’t wait till “tomorrow” because sometimes tomorrow never comes.

If you are in certain states, you will need to update your driver license, even to travel within the states.   Missouri License will not be accepted after January 2018 and you will need to have a second, acceptable, form of identification.  Please be vigilant in what is needed, it is sometimes complicated to travel without draw backs…not make it harder than it should be.

I love to travel, and will continue to do it as much as possible.  It keeps one mind open and allows for new experiences that would otherwise be lost.

Until later…ERM

Today is my last day in Canada…I’m happy and sad.  I’ve totally enjoyed my time here, but I am ready to be home in my own bed and to see my cats.  I’m sure that they will voice their displeasure with me being gone all week when I return.  My mom and dad has been taking care of them for me this week, and keeping an eye on my house (THANK YOU mom and dad…for being willing to take care of my animals and allowing me to get out of dodge for awhile and explore the wide world outside of Ripley County).

Today we traveled the two and a-half hours to Montreal via car, much better than the bus ride to Quebec City on Tuesday.  We started the visit off with a stop at Mount Royal.  This is the highest point in Montreal, with a huge cross on top that was placed in 1643 , the initial cross was replaced in 1924 with an illuminated cross, and accepted as a park in 2014 with trails being added and it becoming more accessible to the public.  We walked a 3 1/2 mile trail to view the cross and to overlook the city.  Very neat getting to see it all from a birds eye view.

We left Mount Royal and headed down town for the opportunity to check out Maison Christian Faure pastry shop.  Doing what has become par for the course of eating dessert before dinner.  The desserts were beautiful to behold…and tasty.  We walked through the old town of Montreal.  After dessert we went to Suzette’s for dinner.  CREPES!  I asked for a coffee with a pretty top, I wanted hot chocolate, but he said the top would not be pretty so I opted for a latte. <lol…crazy I know>  Our waiter went to and told them that I wanted “something pretty”…they did not disappoint, my latte came out with a maple leaf and two hearts on top <happy>.  I again experienced eating my meal in a window seat over looking the street activity.  I have decided that that is what my life is made for, to be where I can eat in little cafe’s that overlook streets.  They make one feel cozy.  I had a lovely crepe, that was totally worth the walk.

We were walking along Rue Saint Paul, the oldest street in Montreal.  Part of it was cobblestone, and for pedestrians only.  It was a very neat area.  The whole water front was very neat.

The evening was topped off with as top at Wal-Mart, so I could pick me up some snacks.  I rather enjoy me some Canadian candy called coffee crisp and fuzzy peaches.  I sometimes am able to talk others who are traveling to Canada, and one person who has a connection to supplies of them to obtain coffee crisp for me.  But today I was able to purchase them myself, and they had a new flavor!  I was a little excited about it.

We arrived at the Crown Plaza to crash out for the night so I can start my journey home tomorrow, and they had wedding parties everywhere.  We stopped and peaked into the room for the wedding tomorrow, very beautiful.  We contemplated being wedding crashers, and even contemplated methods with the couple that we shared the elevator with on what would be the best method.  We decided that if we wore our pj’s they would undoubtedly know that we were the crashers. <haha>

It was a great day to top the week off with.  I have packed my bag to verify that I can carry all my goodies home…so far it works.  If not I am afraid that clothes will be left behind and not my cookies.

Until later….ERM.

Oy Vey!  Today I bummed around the house for a bit then headed out for a day in lower “Old City“.  The lower part of the old city is more tourist, though it does have several older buildings that are marked with placards that show the year the building was built.  A lot of rock structures, that have been turned into restaurants or souvenir shops.  There was a cruise ship that had docked that has A LOT of people milling around, but they cleared out after a short bit (they were called back to port) and it was just a basic number of people.

Prior to making it down town I stopped in St. Roch, the rehabilitated district of the city.  I perused the streets here and stopped in the Eglise Saint Roch church.  The care and work that went into constructing such a magnificent building amazes me.  The era that they were built, wooden scaffolding was used.  Being raised in a carpenter’s home, and building a house myself, I often look past the basic and absorb what is behind the actual building.  What it takes, how it was put together, and just the awe of the actual structure.  They had a pipe organ that was being played at the time of my stop in to view the church, it was interesting to hear the music being played, the natural acoustics of the building allowed the music to reverberate throughout the place.  Outside the church was a box set up with a refrigerator and cabinets that churches and other organizations put food in for the homeless people that live there in that district.

Hoped back on the bus and headed down to the lower district.  Did the whole tourist thing (snapped pictures, purchased a souvenir, and mingled in with the crowds).  I then took lunch at a quaint little cafe Casse Cou (which means ‘break neck’), with a window seat that overlooked the street.  I felt like I was further away, in a place that would have actually stamped my passport, and it was a relaxing lunch getting to watch the street traffic and enjoy my poutine.  Walked back through the Old town, contemplated walking up the steps to the upper level, and then headed back out to catch the bus back to the industrial neighborhood where I am currently staying.  My calves, heart, and fat self voted NO to walking up the steps. <hehe>

Side note:  It’s a small world.  As I was browsing in one of the shops, I met a couple (the DeRamus’).  They were off one of the cruise ships.  They currently pastor in Pennsylvania, but hale originally from Louisiana.  While they lived in Louisiana, they pastored at a church where two guys I grew up with (Chris and Bobby Turner) attended.  So two people that had connections to Doniphan, MO, ran into one another in a souvenir shop in Quebec City, Canada. <play Disney’s “It’s a Small World After All” music here>

The bus system.  For a girl that lives in a town with NO public transportation system at all.  That is trying to navigate in a city that all the signs are in French.  That the bus drivers speak ‘some’ English.  Who did not have a bus map available.  Today was an adventure.  The buses only stop at certain stops, and you have to catch the bus with the number (1, 800, 801, etc) that will take you to the next stop, to catch the bus that will actually go to where you want to go.  Then the bus stops themselves are little cubicles, with plexiglass walls that act as a magnifying glass to scorch the fair Irish skin of the foreigner in their midst.  I barely missed my #1 bus when I FINALLY found the bus stop (the guy at the museum said “See that light, go there and it’s there” (while pointing to the stop light across the road).  In reality, it was up two blocks and turn left, the stop I needed was across the street and half way down that block.  But I persevered, found what I needed, and got myself back where I belonged. <smile>  And, hey, now I can say I can navigate the public transportation system of Quebec City. <bleh>  Oh and by-the-way…definitely sit in a seat that is facing forward, or have your yoga core ready…you will be thrown out of your seat if you sit in the sideways seat and are not properly braced (just saying).

We headed out this evening to the neighborhood of Levis, to get ice cream, watch the sun set over the city, and then we grabbed dinner.  Very cool little neighborhood, great view of Quebec City from across the water, and great ice cream at Chocolats Favoris, the original location.  We did it a little backward and had dessert prior to dinner, but that’s how I roll.  I was a glutton (I do love my ice cream) and I had a dipped cone and some gelato.  I got the baby size in both (and didn’t completely finish the gelato).  Watching the sun set over the city, and the “old city” coming to life with lights was cool.  We also saw some kayakers in the river.  When we left the water front, we stopped in a Cosmo’s for dinner.  Very interesting, eclectic, restaurant.  Great food!

All, in all, it was another great day.  Full of soaking up the city and enjoying just being without a schedule or needing to be at work.  Tomorrow I head to Montreal.

Until Later…ERM