Sunday, August 29, 2010

Mont Royal.

There is a mountain in our neighborhood and we ran up it today. I cried about ten minutes from the top because I just needed to have a good cry at that point I think. Mitch is one million times faster than I am and I was lagging behind on the stair sprint to the lookout point of the mountain and that was enough to pitch my body forward on the rail, catch my ragged breath and have a blast cry. Out with it. I am happy to be running again, but MAN is it ever different on the body with the new addition of incline and decline to my running repertoire. Mountain rookie. I have to run off all these bagels and cafe au laits.

I felt sad today. I still do a little bit for no real reason.

I miss my mama.

Megan

Lisa King.

I miss you like crazy. I think this photo captures your goodness to a tee. I love you girl.

Lisa at Dave & Tracy's wedding; Winnipeg, Manitoba, 2010.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sansevieria.

Small Italy. There is nothing better than Italian food and coffee. Today Mitch and I ventured to Little Italy in search of the best coffee, the best pizza and Montreal's famous Jean-Talon Market. Holy-a-molia!!!!! We found the market by chance after a Michelle Hooey came for dinner one night and regaled us with tales of said market. I had a vague idea in my head of what it would be like, but when we got there we wandered around for half an hour with our mouths slightly agape and our eyes darting at all the colors, shapes and variety in wonder. I was in heaven.

Purple and orange cauliflower. Leaks as round as teen tree bark.

Every kind of tomato in the universe (it seemed), vegetables in every size of the spectrum from miniature to grande grande grande! Rags, I cannot WAIT to take you. We will choose a meal to cook together, go grocery shop, stop for coffee along the way, choose with care, and then we will cook something amazing! I thought of so many people today, all at once and separately, all for different reasons. Rags, it is obvious; that is our perfect playground I think. Rebecca, a quick journey back to Italy with you and Kitten. Drinking one million espresso, getting razzled by greased men and all of the obvious laughs. Erin, I caught your smell in the mushroom stall which made me swallow back tears the hardest so far. Right to the gut, I felt that one. Donna, Mitch and I cannot wait to take you here and then for beer and pizza in the park afterwards. Mike, I heard Sweet Caroline playing softling at the Pharmaprix today while picking up the mail. Aw, I miss you all.

I chose green and white beans (one dollar fifty), corn on the cob (6 for two dollars), shallots (one dollar), tomatoes (I am in love with tomatoes right now; all we have been eating here is tomatoes and basil in everything from soup, to reworked chili, to sandwiches, to eggs in the morning, to potato scrambles. The list is endless of things that could be cooked using those two ingredients alone!). After the tomatoes (a BAG full for two dollars), came baby potatoes (two dollars per pound!) and Ontario peaches (our most expensive produce at roughly one dollar per piece). After that were the million choices to make over dill, sage, thyme, oregano, cilantro, summer savory, mint (one dollar for a humungeous bag. WTF?). The list was kept simple, but I did cave (without hesitation) and buy a healthy and full Mother in Law's Tongue (aka Sansevieria in both Francais and English). I can never resist house plants when I am without them. Thankfully, when I walked into JJ's old apartment (the one that has been transformed into our new home; thanks JJ, I owe you big time) it was filled with happy plants. Her babies, she is a very good botanist.

So we have this new home. It is spacious for a one bedroom. Long and lean, I'd say with a funny layout that I have fallen in love with. Last night after a hilarious home renovation dans la cuisine (in the kitchen) starring Mitch and I, we sat back and admired what only a few screws can for a workspace. The pot rack bar is now hung and so is a spice shelf. A very serious spice shelf above the stove. I have been pretty obsessed with glass vessels of any type in that last few months and we are slowly trying to switch every powder, dry good and sugar into glass. It looks nicer and easier to monitor in a tiny kitchen like this new one I have. I am quite lazy and tend to waste food when cooking (yikes, I am working on this big time) so I find the glass holds me somewhat accountable. The last few days have been nuts here, trying to cook with some of JJ's kitchenware that I unpacked from her side of the living room out of desperation. Without jobs, I find myself spending the most time sitting on my tiny brick-and-blue balcony (also long and lean. I just moved my new Sansevieria plant in the red planter I have had forever out into the skinny leg of sun on the deck. I am so happy, writing here, watching my new baby and listening to Mitch put his bike together). More on bicycles later when I have actually experienced first hand what it is like to cycle in Montreal. Again, I have yet to put my bike together. I guess I am happy enough just cooking, eating, doing laundry, writing and learning the neighborhood on foot at the moment. Life is good! Sadly, I will have to find work very soon. "Hi do you want to buy a debit machine?", oh shit.

I keep thinking of things that I could do to keep sane after returding home from a dull 9 to 5 job at a call centre. That is terrifying.

Happy as a clam.
Megs

ps. Ha! I read this once more after pressin Publish Post and burst out laughing at the word RETURDING. Jillian, I am thinking of you, turd. Love to all, thanks for reading this thang.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Land of Talk.

We are here. Jessica Alba and the Giant made it as well, unscathed, which is nothing short of a miracle. This feels so weird, being here, tucked away in our new entrance of our new home, poaching the internet from our next door neighbor, Starbucks. Thanks Starbucks. I had a little blast cry today while lying down on JJ's comfy bed that she left for Mitch and I (while we wait for our house stuff to march in on the weekend) and stopped short after feeling silly for feeling sorry for myself. What is to feel sorry about? We live in this gorgeous new apartment in Mile End, a pretty neighborhood filled with kids and plants and interesting people and little bakeries and cafes. There is French in the air and spots of English. Walking passed a young english speaking family this morning made me grateful in a way that I have never experienced before. I know already how much I will miss the ease of language I took for granted in Winnipegtown, but I am ready for the challenge of French. Mitch and I are eager to get into some language course to help in this area. I want to be polite and respectful.

Last night after dumping our bags and our bicycles in our new home, we took to our new streets and walked and walked. A bagel here, coffee here, new shoes there, listening, looking, tasting, smelling. The smells! We are in a big city now, you can tell by all the smells. We are alive and happy. I feel a tiny hollow notch in the center of myself, probably from the act of detachment. We had to break ourselves off and out of the life we had there. It is strange being a minority, but also good. The idea of being jobless is daunting as hell, but I keep having to remind myself of all the reasons I chose to move. I chose this. We chose this and now we are here, together. My Mitch, my kind and gentle Mitch.

I don't really know how to put into words what I am feeling now, this birth of a new part of life: excitement, whole sadness, missing, fear, wonder, appreciation, humility, respect, curiosity, softness and slowness. For the first time in weeks I feel calm and at ease. Tonight I am slated to meet up with a bunch of friends from the spring Plant. I guess I am a Montreal person now, which is a very confusing thing. Especially considering there is nothing here except a black suitcase of my clothes and my computer. Weird. This is all very strange. Strange and exciting.

Okay mama, this entry was for you. Sorry if it was lack luster and depressing, I am in transition. Now I am off to find Mitch and then go to my new school to pick up the portfolio that started this entire process all those months ago. We are here now. Crazy. I love you all, and miss you incredibly.

Love, Megan

Hello from Montreal. I took this photo this morning after breakfast on my first balcony of life! Oh, small novelties; how sweet you are.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Kings of Art City.

Boys, you are wonderful at what you do. My time at Art City was wonderful (partially because of you two, and partially because wearing a crown while making art was totally expected).

Josh Ruth for Art City; Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2010.

Handsome Aaron for Art City; Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2010.
Tender tie-on; Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2010.

I want you too; Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2010.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Lady Longbody's.

Brain Break. Lisa King taught me that. Whenever one becomes tired while working on a project (or anything for that matter), one can simply stop and say, "Brain Break" and that is it. A rest. I have been resting/roosting/nesting pretty hard; as hard as I ever have these past weeks in preparation for our Great Migration to the Land of Talk. And somehow, amidst all the still, still chaos (we have some how managed to freeze the chaos in the air and thus are in limbo before we choose to jump into spiralling, looming vortex of change [at least, that is my current state of mind]), I have found fabric and stray sewing machines like cats. A collection has begun.

Introducing the concept behind my first line of Lady Longbody dolls, the longest dolls in the world. At least, that is what I am calling these things. Olga, Tilly and Bea have already been made. They are all different, all long, all unique and strange in their own ways, and all beautiful. When I look at them burst out laughing. So far so good, I think.

Yesterday I went to Grandma's to learn how to operate her age old Elna machine. Old haggard beast as old as the hills, but stitches a beauty line row on row when the time is right. Now I am sitting at Ronny Rouge's working on Leila while Ronny Rouge is away at her work, making kites to fly with her rough neighborhood kids. What a job, what a woman, what a workspace. My house is a right off due to empty boxes and low light, but hers is well equipped. Lately, I am eating sleeping swallowing fabric by the meter. The day Lisa chopped my nest off into a row bang made for my face, I found my jam! Dolls.

I have just started and am enjoying the playfulness in errors that come from nothing other that rookiedom. I like the challage of the machines. I swear. I had no idea the fabric stage of my life would begin this soon, but I am open and pleased thus far. I can't stop thinking of my wee ones clutching these long legged queens in their pretty sleeps. Keep close, take care all.


Love, M hat no hat.