Shake, rattle and roll...

We just had an earthquake. It was about 8:39 p.m. and I was standing in the kitchen and all of a sudden everything started rumbling and shaking, as if a really giant truck was passing by outdoors, except we're on the fourth floor so really wouldn't notice that so much.

I instantly said to Randal that I bet we'd just had an earthquake, since it felt to me exactly like the earthquake I'd been in, in Quebec City in Nov/Dec 1989. I was going shopping with my dad and brother, and we were waiting at a street corner for our bus. I had my back to the street. All of a sudden all the lights went out, and everything started rumbling and shaking. I actually thought, "wow, giant truck going by." But when I turned around to the street, no trucks. It was an earthquake.

Anyway, no real news yet - CTV News at 9:00 had a quick mention of the 'quake but no details.

In grade 5, I was the only kid in the class who opted to do a science project on earthquakes rather than volcanoes. I am fascinated by them.

Better late than never...

It was my Grandmaman Cosette's 90th birthday on Monday, February 20. (Not the grandmother in the picture in the previous post with my dad - she sadly passed away in 2003 - but my mother's mother.) Lame excuse, I guess, but it's been a really busy week. I did send her a card (via my aunt who was going to visit her for her birthday) and a little package (ginger chocolates, of course!). I don't even know if she reads my blog (she does have email, and I gave her the blog address once), but if she does:


BONNE FÊTE, GRANDMAMAN!!!

All I know is, I can only hope that when I am 90, I am like my grandmother. She lives on her own in a condo in downtown Montreal. My uncle, who lives not too far away, goes to visit her at least twice a week, and helps her with any repairs, problems, etc., that she may have around her place. About seven years ago, she broke a hip, but still manages to get around. Once or twice a week, she picks up a bunch of her friends and drives them to wherever that day's bridge game is being held. In her house, she has a whole room just for her books. When she was younger, she travelled to some far-away places, like Australia and France. My grandfather (who died in 1985) was a botanist and in fact, I believe that's how they first met - in a botany class in 1939 at Université de Montréal:


My grandmother is the woman in the front row with the white lace collar, and my grandfather is sitting to her right. They got married in 1946, I believe, after WWII. My brother found this pic one day on the Université de Montréal archives' website.

Anyway, I will update you all on my thus-far much shorter life soon, but not tonight!

The Big Kahuna Turns 6-0

My dad (pictured here with his mother) is 60 years old today.
Happy birthday!!!