We usually spend the entire month there, and we use this time to reconnect with my family and friends. It may be a little boring for Bear, but I do appreciate his patience and understanding. We do not do a lot of sight-seeing, although we do manage to squeeze some in, this time of the year is mainly about family.

We started our visit this year by going to Sherbrooke and celebrate mom’s 81st birthday. We went out to eat and then went to my sister Christyne’s house for the birthday cake and the gifts. I gave mom the afghan I had been knitting for her and she seemed to really like it.

We snuggled up under it, mom always likes to snuggle up to me, she does miss me a lot. It is hard for her to see me so rarely.

Mathew really grew up during the last year, he just turned 4. He is such a big boy now. He enjoyed a swim while at Christyne’s house.

Here he is, flirting with his girlfriend on his birthday.

We went one day to old St-Mathieu-de-Beloeil and had lunch at this Old Mill

They have a terrace on the Richelieu River. This famous river played an important role in the history NorthAmerica. It was used as a navigable gateway to the south; it makes its way into Lake Champlain and ultimately, Lake George.

There was a very pretty church in the village. Almost every village in the Province of Québec has its own church, and they are usually very ornate. People in these old villages were taking pride in building grand churches and each village was trying to outdo the next.

We spent one day in Montreal, traveling by Metro from one placed to the other. The Metro is very user-friendly and is the best way to move about without having to search for parking lots, which are very expensive in a big city.

We stumbled upon a McCafé, the gourmet side of McDonalds. It offers a selection of Lattés and gourmet coffees and pastries.

We went to the movies in the old Forum, where the Canadians used to play hockey. They moved out and built a new place, and the old forum was transformed into a shopping center and movie theater.

Then we went to Old Montreal and had dinner in Place Jacques Cartier

Bad weather was coming, so we rushed back to the campground and left the city behind us.

Stephanie and Jonathan built a new house this year, I only have unfinished pictures of it, because I totally forgot to take pictures of it finished…by September, they did have grass growing, and the house was very nicely decorated with curtains and all. It is a very pretty house. Steph is opening a day care on ground level, she did a very good job at organizing it and I wish her a lot of success.

I had dinner with my infamous friend Manon, with whom I did all my teenager’s stunts. She is responsible for a lot of laughter in my life. (No pics, I forgot the camera)
I also reconnected with my best friend Nicole, she and I have been friend since we were 14. She now has 3 grandchildren, so I taught her how to knit socks.

The month went by very fast and then we had to leave and make our way home again.