Today...

is our last full day in Va-Des-Lacs, Canada.

It's windy, blustery, cloudy.

A lot like it has been for the four weeks we've been here.

Except the snow has all melted; the birds are back, and spring has definitely come.

The hills are green, a few wild flowers and perennials have popped up making it lovely.

I've learned a couple of things on this home exchange.

First, I don't like isolation. we are on a small lake (GAGNON) and I can see a few lovely homes situated all around this small lake.  However, there's not really a trail to walk around the lake, so everything AND everyone, is at a distance.

The town - if it can be called that - has a little corner market, that is woefully under shelved and seems sorrowful the two times I have gone in there.  I was hoping for a chatty saleslady, but they are aloof, unfriendly, and always in a hurry to get to the back room....daytime television watchers, perhaps, on-line gamers....who knows? But they are definitely not interested in chatting with a foreigner from the states.

So, unless we drive somewhere, we sit quietly in the rustic and charming home on the lake.  (Because, with spring, has come a plethora of gnats and mosquitoes.  Those have entirely prevented me from venturing outdoors the last several days.  The minute the door is opened, they attack with a vengeance.  It's unbelievable, so that has made this setting a lot less desirable for me.)

For me, I need more human interaction.

The 2nd thing I've learned is that ONE MONTH is entirely too long!

Which is quite ironic, because we've said it before to each other.  But we did it again and are doing it in France.  Perhaps if we had been in the centre of a city, one month would be okay, but out in the far-away little village, it's difficult.

We've seen some quaint and interesting little places to visit, but not enough to consume one entire month.

So, as a one-time adventure, it was alright, but I'm glad we are saying our good-byes tomorrow.

Modern Media

I'm grateful for:

The Internet,

Computers,

Phones,

YouTube,

Google Photos,

Google Maps,

Texting,

FaceTime,

Wikipedia,

Laptops,

Kindle reader,

ITouch,

What in the heck, did we do before we had all this stuff?

I'm so grateful for it all.  It means I can be away from home and still stay connected.

And, that is good.

The Power of Words/Movies/Media

I'm feeling a little down today.

But, for strange reasons.

Not anything to do with me personally, BUT, because of the books/movie from today's reading/watching.

I'm listening to VAnITY FAIR....

It's a bleak book about a vain, selfish, social-climbing woman, who cares for nothing and no one but herself.  It's very disheartening.

I'm reading BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, about a dysfunctional Russian family.  It's also a philosophical book about good and evil.  It's long, sort of boring, and also sad.  Families are so very complicated.  Honestly, I don't know why I started reading it.  BIG MISTAKE!

I just finished watching VALKYRIE...a true story about an attempt on Hitler's life.  They came so close, but failed and all involved were executed on the spot.  It was just so very sad.  Hitler was so EVIL....and yet, he persuaded so many to believe in him and follow him.

Then, on the news, over and over, they have replayed Melania Trump's brush aside of her husband's hand as they have gone on a foreign trip.  It's all so very sad.  HE is the president of the USA, and he's so rude, obnoxious, egotistic, and treats his wife like she's just a piece of his property....no wonder she brushes him aside.  And, it just makes me sad to see how they react and treat each other.  

So, those are my feelings today.

I need a good cheery movie, book, and news report.  

For sure.

SPRING....

has finally arrived in Val-Des-Lacs, Canada.

The trees are greening up, the snow has FINALLY all melted.

Flowers are appearing..

The birds are flying around....

the humming birds show up for a quick drink.

AND, the bugs are out!

But, it's all good.

It's a marvelous time of the year.....

No matter where one is.

And, I love it!

Such a Waste....

of money

to order something in a restaurant and have it not taste good.

That has happened a couple of times on this trip.....

And, it's just sad....

Here was a dish we ordered after several people told us it was a Canadian STAPLE.

Poutine....French fries, cheese curds, and meat gravy. 

The waiter who served it to us said most of the people who order this item are drunk!

Another man said, "YUCK!  Disgusting!"

Ah, such a waste of money.

As is getting a parking ticket.  Which we did when we parked in front of this restaurant.

Bad decisions all around.

And, a total waste of money.

WOULD WE?

......have come on this home exchange if we had known before hand how

COLD,

WINDY,

SNOWY,

RAINY

It would be?

The rivers are flooding all over this region.  Here it is coming up to the parking lot.
The rain has been pretty constant for 10 days.  

Likely not.

The rivers are just rushing waters overflowing banks all over the towns.  Montreal had flooding, Ottawa had flooding.
More serious water issues than in many, many years.

Today is the first day of full sun since we arrived here town days ago.

Looking out at Lake Gagnon from our back window.  The cloud cover is pretty much standard for the last ten days.

It is also probably only the 2nd day without any rain at all, but, of course, the day is still young.  (Just a note from later in the day...YUP, it's cloudy again before noon.  Total cloud cover.)

The lake is absolutely still today, which is different than any other day.  Today, I will finally feed the birds because it won't blow away or get watered over.

It's strange  how much weather really affects me.

I'm a girl who likes sunshine...

(Weather and LIFE!)

The Gospel

How would you like a Catholic Mass?

In French?

Well, that's what we did today....

Attended Mass at a Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church in Val-Des-Lacs.  The inside is rotting away, a little like their membership numbers, it would seem.

There were 21 people present, including the priest.

No one welcomed us.

Or said anything to us as we left.

But, that's okay.

I wanted to go as it is Sunday.  So, Allen acquisced.  And, we went.

The church is old; in decay, falling apart.

There were no young people there, only old people.  Allen said it was part of the decay.

But, as we sat listening, not understanding, I was so very grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

I love the people, the feelings, the camaraderie, the messages - it feels like HOME to me no matter where in the world I go to a Mormon church....

I FEEL THE TRUTH.

And, I'm so grateful to have been born a member of the CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.