BACK to SCHOOL--Again!!

This time it's another Religion course.  "Women in... Judaism".  There is a whole series of courses offered under "Women in...".
This is our sixth course in the Religion Department.  (Not to be confused with our two Theology courses.)

Pencils and minds are sharpened!!
Come, Fall, Come ;D

RHOTO

Montreal Sewing Blog Meetup

RHOTO's 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

RHOTO's 10th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY !
 (August 9, 2003)

TONY/TOON and I went to "my retreat" Bed & Breakfast for several days/night ;D There's no place nicer to explore and enjoy than our "home" town, Montreal, eh!! 


We did a LOT of walking!!  Tony ate 1/2 of my food ;D  We went aniversary shopping...  Let's see:  Traditional "tin" or Modern "Diamond Jewelry" ??  We picked my favourite, Swavorski's for earrings.


We went to Church in a Cathedral that has a fabulous, professional choir and organ.

We came home Happy and ready to rest...  We'll re-visit the Museum another day ;D

RHOTO

MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS - Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly--  An artist who uses blown glass as his medium.  And COLOUR!!  Lots of it ;D

RHOTO when to this exhibit especially because the pieces are bold, large and colourful.  TOny enjoyed himself thoroughly--wants to go back.  It does NOT matter that HIS colours through his eyes are different than the Artist's colours ;D

The highlighted piece here is called "SUN".  See how NEAT the rays of the sun are depicted!!  In Montreal it is placed OUTSIDE in front of the original museum pavilion.  Now THAT's public trust!!

RHOnda

R & R at Le Chasseur B&B

I, RHOnda, got a prescription from several doctors !!  "Take time off and take care of Rhonda, too".

So, I stayed three days/two nights at "Le Chasseur" (The Hunter)  Bed & Breakfast in Montreal.  Calming, peaceful.  Time to remember/realize who "RHOnda" is, by myself.

My dear friend Ewa joined me for Breakfast.  Also for some shopping.

I went to Church in a Downtown Cathedral.  Cried really hard because my Dad died.  (Had the emotional/physical space to feel those emotions.)

The only negative:  it was 38C/100F with the Humidex :O  Nice to walk around 8:00 PM.  The rest of the time was spent INSIDE somewhere with air-conditioning :O(

And, in the meantime, TOny "did very well" at home, by himself!! ;D  This was a good, learning experience for us BOTH!!

Next up, schedule another retreat--when the temperature cools DOWN!!  And include the Museum of Fine Arts, a movie, facial, mani/pedi... ... ...

RHOnda

IDENTICAL TWINS ;D

People can SEE and FEEL that we are very connected...  they just can't FIGURE OUT our "relationship".  Sooo, we say we're "Identical Twins" !!  Tee! HEE!!

We're Ewa (pronounced "Eva" in English) from Poland, 5'10" and Rhonda from Canada, 5'1"...  We're also 26 years apart in age--something Ewa refuses to say/believe.  SHE thinks we're the same age--and that's HER age...  Couldn't you just HUG a friend like that?? <3 p="">
RHOnda 

These were activities we did together the day after Daddy died...
Support can be amusing, too, eh...

Vieux Montreal - Old Montreal

'Just a little "silliness" to distract from seriousness of life... Want to share with you a wee bit of the charm that is "Vieux Montreal", or Old Montreal.

This photo is of a "caleche", or a horse-driven carriage. They are mostly enjoyed by tourists, but are ever-ready for that romantic moment for those of us who call Montreal home...

This is the interior of the Notre Dame Basilica (Our Lady Basilica). It was built in 1829. For those who are French-speaking Catholic and others who enjoy architectural beauty, it is a special place. RHOTO enjoyed Handel's "Messiah" and "Hallelujah Chorus" here at Christmastide.

There are many cafes inside and outside in Vieux Port. Old buildings, full of European flavour and savours. Oftentimes you will see artists outside selling their paintings, drawings of Montreal.

City Hall is quite magnificent. The building was constructed in 1872. Although these dates sound quite "young" in European standards, the Canadian Confederation was only formed in 1867.

Skating at Vieux Montreal. At the Port. Daytime and nightime. So very fresh and fun. Close to the water. A real sense that you are skating with old relations of the past...

View Montreal Port. Where the ships come in and out. Such an important site for the early settlers of Quebec. Still is. Also the docking marina for well-to-do boaters.


Well, there are MANY more scenes to share here at Vieux Montreal. But I hope I have shared a bit of what is special about this part of our City. Perhaps you can come and visit us some day. You are always welcome!!

RHOnda

R & R at MMFA

I, RHOnda, went with my longest-standing Montreal friend (;D) Ruth (R & R) to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts ("MMFA") this week. We have looked forward ALL summer to attending the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit together!

VERY interesting to "do" the Exhibit with my Fine Arts friend... Ruth sees soooo much more detail than I do ;D.

Tomorrow I'll do a comparison of the two (2) fashion designers Ruth and I have experienced together... Yves Saint Laurent vs. Jean Paul Gaultier!!

RHOnda

PS The above t-shirt was on sale sold in the Boutique... $300+ yikes!!

Ewa and RHOTO Lunch Together

Ewa (beautiful Polish name, pronounced "Eva" in English)... RHOnda and Ewa met in French class last fall. Because of that class, we have great fun calling ourselves "Coco" and "Miss Dior", respectively. We just hit it off--instant friends. I've blogged about wonderful, regular breakfast, pedicures/manicures, lunch times together...

WELL, Ewa invited RHOTO to have lunch with her at a wonderful, Italian restaurant...Resto Lombardi (411, Ave. Duluth E., corner St-Denis). The food is superb, the waitstaff really exceptional, professionally, and come with charming personalities. This is where Ewa works--mostly evenings--and especially more so during the University summer break.

We all laughed; ate WELL (even Tiramisu with berry sauce); enjoyed each other. This was the first time TOny was with Ewa for a length of time. He is as charmed by her as I am!

It's WONDERFUL to "find" friends like Ewa... Friends for fun, sharing, laughing, caring, trying new things together. Speaking of, Ewa phone messaged me, "Do you want to play tennis?" I thought she had the wrong number!! :O Who, me?? RHOnda who reads, sews some, sleeps lots??

You're a blessing and a joy in my/our lives, Ewa!! ;D

RHOnda

RHOnda's Back!!

'Have been for several days!! Haven't blogged 'cos I've been busy!! ;)
Lots of catching up to do... I'm going to make this all one blog. Just read the parts that "interest" you, ok ;)

Heads up, Sewers: there's no sewing, except for starting "R" "H" "O" "T" "O" pillows for our bed...

SANTIAGO visited here while Michael volunteered there (India)
Father Santiago was in Canada for a conference (Toronto). We got to visit here in Montreal ;). He is also a Pastor in India, with 2,000 people attending Mass. (Imagine! India is NOT a Catholic country, eh.) We were very happy to help him with a special project: he's building a playground for the children to have fun while their parent(s) attend Mass. These are very poor children who don't get a "chance" to play...

In the meantime, "our" adopted nephew Michael (with dots missing on his name :( ) was in India, volunteering.

These two sat together at TOny's 80th Birthday party.

ERIK visited overnight.
Such a "sweetheart". Very understanding of my depression/depressive ways. "Made" me laugh, in spite of myself.

RHOTO to the annual Carribean Parade.
Downtown Montreal. "Lively" beat/rhythm. Scantally clad women--a bit "much" (or should I say "NOT much") at times. Well, we came, we saw, we won't be back... We were EXPECTING floats depicting each Carribean country and its culture...

RHOTO to MMFA for Jean Paul Gaultier
We covered about 1/2 of the exhibit. Will go back for the rest. VERY modern, very androgynous... The models talk! JPG talks!!

Interesting in a totally different way than Yves Saint Laurent... This is "fashion art", perhaps-- YSL is Couturier.

RHOnda Volunteers at Senior Non-Credit Office
I feel well enough to wash my hair and join the world. (Couldn't last week.) It's fun to interact with this "Senior" crowd!

RHOnda's carrying a burden...
(I know, Katie, I shouldn't be carrying...) Please remember us.


and last...

RHOnda received a Special Present

A long-ago, dear friend sent me an old, very special photo... A beautiful memory, a warm hope...special to save for myself. Big hug to Debs ;)

That's a brief update... Thanks for stopping by for tea!!

RHOnda

Park Picnic and 'Pontaneous Party!!

RHOTO and Tiger, too!! took advantage of a bee-u-tee-ful, sunny day to go on a Picnic in the Park !!
We packed a lunch in TOny's Concordia University backpack, settled Tiger inside, and off we went...
There were LOTS of people in the park... walking, bike riding, rollerblading. Lots of languages, too.
For lunch, we had leftover, cold Portuguese chicken, leftover olives, leftover cherry tomatoes, and leftover Easter chocolate... all yummier the next day, eaten in the sunshine.
We're gonna have MORE Picnics in the Park!! When the weather dries up... :(

Then, life-time friends John and Anna dropped by--with Easter goodies!! 'Stayed. We laughed, we danced, we had a wonderful 'pontaneous party!! Looking forward to the next time they "just ring" our doorbell!! ;)

RHOTO

The Warrior Emperor & China's Terracotta Army

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Today, RHOTO invited our "adopted niece", Elsa out to celebrate her 23rd birthday. We went to the above-captioned exhibition.
Our first impression: how many different items were there for the viewing. Also how many visitors were at the Museum (probably twice as high as "usual".)
It was a surprise that besides the Terracotta Army, there were numerous other creatures, actually too much to take in at one time. For instance, farm animals, an archery bow, etc.
We were astonished also to see how well this exhibition is organized, and we wonder how all these items got into the Museum. You can't just get a "big truck"!!
It was pointed out by Elsa (who saw these warriors at the place where they were found in China) that some of the artifacts dated from 600 BC to 200 BC. The soldiers and horses are larger than life. They all wore skirts (except the horses, of course!), while the officers had more ornate upper-body garments.
We will certainly visit again. And, in the meanwhile, we will do some research--via our computer--because we want to find everything there is to know about these discoveries!

TOny

NOT the Guillotine!! :-O

My Dear TOny... Several times the doors have started to close before a few of us have departed the Metro car at our University station. And we have had a "free ride" to the next stop :/.
WELL, this time the door closed on TOny's shoulders/neck. His head was outside and the rest inside the door. LUCKILY, two strong men on the platform started--and succeeded--to pry the door...and more importantly, TOny!... open and out!!!
HE wasn't at all concerned or worried during this time. I, RHOnda, either ;) I simply wanted a solution!! (Am very happy to say that emergencies do not "shake me".)
Afterwards, I asked the toll attendant, "Would I have had the right to pull the emergency switch?" (There's a large fine if I had "guessed wrong" :(.) "Yes!!", he said. He assured me, also, that the train wouldn't/couldn't have started off to the next stop with TOny's head outside the car...
So, no guillotine... Phew!!

RHOnda

PS TONy asked me to note that the above photo ISN'T of him ;)

Retreat at Le Chasseur

I, RHOnda need a l-o-t more quiet time than TOny...  So we decided I'd have a trial run and stay at a Bed 'n Breakfast for one (1) night.  'Found one on-line that's located Downtown.  Didn't know what I was "in for" but was "game" ;)
What a wonderful place Le Chasseur is!! And the owner is sooo very charming.  I snuggled in to a fluffy duvet, four soft pillows and slept like a princess!  And, in the morning, there was a buffet breakfast--complete with two (2) types of quiche, homemade croissants, toast, jams, fruit, coffee/tea/soya milk.  Yummy!!  The most FUN part of breakfast was meeting some of my fellow "roommates"--a group of professionals from Paris and London; a darling family of four (4) from China.
'Told the owner that I "had decided!  I was going to live there forever!!"  He smiled and said, "Wonderful, but not tonight--we're fully booked ;).
While not at the inn, I had lunch with Ruth, supped with Elsa, perused Fabricville (fabric store) and Indigo (book store), and had a manicure/pedicure.  (I also walked 20,000 steps in 24 hours.)  I had wanted to take in the Museum of Fine Arts and several never-have-time-streets (St. Denis and St. Hubert), but "the weather outside was frightful" :-O.
So, I'm looking forward to another retreat at Le Chasseur in a few months...  In the meantime, TOny did "fine", missed me--but not too much--and had long-stem roses waiting for my return.

RHOnda

HUBBLE 3D at IMAX

Look up in the Sky!!  It's a Bird!  It's a Plane!!  It's a HUBBLE telescope!!

RHOTO went to IMAX for their HUBBLE 3D showing.  Complete with--of course--their cool eyeglasses!!

Looking back now (which the HUBBLE telescope allows us to do) we were really floored and astonished with the pictures and views and vistas presented to us.  And the clear narrative explaining these phenomena.

RHOTO already had a certain level of knowledge of the subject of astronomy...  It has been TOny's hobby for decades--complete with his own telescope.

This time, we really got lost...  "Lost in Space"...   Lost in the majesty, the colours, the shapes, the vastness and the incomprehensible factors of time and space--both seemingly infinite.

How small we are!!  Mother Earth, our Moon, and our life-giving Sun with our Sister Planets...  And our Sun, which is middle-sized and middle-aged, also has many relatives.  We think roughly 200,000,000 of them in our beautiful Milky Way.  Let us stop right here, as far as family is concerned.  Because that, too, is vast!  Suffice it to say that HUBBLE can look through all this and can peak into infinite space.

This IMAX presentation lifted only a part of the veil obscuring our view of the Heavens.  But, this is enough to whet our appetite and compel us to "ask for more".  "Starry eyed", "moon struck" and "sun warmed", we both heartily suggest that you see this presentation.  You will be the richer for it!!

TOny

Pattern Review Week-End Montreal

Bonjour!!  C'est moi, Rhonda!!  Having a WONDERFUL time with 56 sewing friends!! ;)  PatternReview.com--a gathering place for sewing enthusiasts all over the world--has a long week-end meeting every year.  And, guess what!!  It was in MONTREAL this year!!  Yippy!  Yahoo!!

I want to introduce you to the Founder of PatternReview...  Deepika.  Isn't she beautiful??  INSIDE and out!!



And here's a photo of SOME of the gals who attended.  Isn't it FUN to get all gussied-up?  There was a  Cocktail/Dress-up contest--these gals all made their beautiful outfits!!--and then we enjoyed a sumptuous, catered French dinner...  Oh, la la!! ;)

AND, this magnifique Event was organized by the following lovely Team:  (from left)  Connie, Kay, Claire and Anne-Marie.

I got to spend some one-on-one time with SEVERAL of these great gals!!  Also "got to" help out with French sometimes.  And "helped out" with eating French fried onion rings!!

Oh, yes...  One day, we had TWO (2) very professional presentations.  (I didn't understand much, but enjoyed being there!  ;).  There was also a full day of shopping...  For fabric, patterns, trims, etc., of course!!  That evening, there was a "Show & Tell"  of our "catch".  Guess who shared a prize for the least amount bought ($0.00)??  moi ;)  Guess I'm not really a "Material Girl", eh...  I'm a "People Person" !! ;)

DIDN'T "get to" talk with TOny the whole time (Thursday evening to Sunday morning)!!  He joined us on the last leg of the Week-End--the McCord Museum's special exhibits.  We were THRILLED to see one another & TOny was excited to finally meet ConnieBJ.  RHOTO was very, very glad that PR Week-End had come our way!!

Come BACK!!  Come BACK, Everyone!!... ...

RHOnda


Photos "snitched" from other Bloggers & PR.com :0

I've Tagged Myself!!

Sooo, Connie BJ of "Couturesmith " was tagged....  and then said, "There, that was fun!  Now it's your turn...  I tag any fellow blogger who was at the PR Weekends in either Philadelphia or Montreal to answer the same questions!
Well, as you'll soon see :/, I am a blogger who was at the Montreal PR Weekend...  (For now, that's a secret, OK!!)
Sooo, off we go...

1.  Which pattern/vintage style have you been thinking about lately? I really LIKE vintage styles ;).  Unfortunately, my "middle" doesn't fit their tiny circumferences well... :(  Did these women not EAT in "those days"??  I do ave an '80's pattern coming in the mail...

As my sweet friend Anne-Marie ("Mahler") would advise, "Pick EITHER the frilly top OR the frilly bottom".  I CAN'T, Anne Marie :0!!  I'm a frilly girl!!  I WILL "petite" the ruffles down to my proportions, though ;)  When I saw this pattern, I GASPED!!  "That's ME/MOI!!" Much more so than the classic/sporty looks I actually R-T-wear...

2.  What is the one place you want to visit that you've never been before?  Oh gosh!!  That's most of the World!!  But especially the quiet villages where one can encounter and share life experiences with the local women ;).


3.  How do you relax?  I withdraw from the maddening "loud" crowd--either to a quieter outside "environ" or to my Sewing Studio! ;)


4.  What is your favourite holiday/vacation?  RHOTO sometimes succeeds in having a "Sabbath Sunday"--a day set aside to BE and not DO.  To relax, snooze, read, visit friends.  A day to set the table with finery, candles and COOK :O.  A day to say, "If it's not done by now (the laundry/ironing!), it can wait for Monday!!"  Sooo, we have the potential to have a favourite holiday/vacation EVERY week!!

5.   What sewing skills do you want to learn/try out?  I've just started learning how to FIT a pattern with my DF "Margaret".  It's FUN!!  I want to learn how to make clothing that not only expresses "moi", but also fits "moi's" figure ;o.

6.  Can you knit?  Crochet?  Other crafting talents?  Well, I TRIED to knit at seven-years old...  (There's a story behind that one!)  Ended up with a triangular square :o!!  Don't have any other "crafting" types of talents... TOny find me quite "crafty" at times, though... ;)


7.  What garment/accessory do you wear most often?   My beautiful marriage rings...  AND gorgeous French lingerie--oh, la la!!  Highly recommended to enhance your... self-esteem!!  Oh, yes...  And Chanel No. 5--daily/nightly.  Not for "special occasions".  LIFE is a special occasion, non??


8.  How much time do you spend reading blogs (per day)?  I check in several times per day to see if one of my "Wonderful Blog Friends" has recently posted.  I DO keep my list of "WBF" down on purpose 'cos there are other websites that attract my attention:  PatternReview.com !!, Facebook, e-mail, the weather forecast...


9.  What is your Motto/Mantra?

I can't be contented with yesterday's glory

I can't live on promises, winter to spring.

Today is my moment; now is my story

I'll laugh and I'll cry and I'll sing.

- "Today", sung by John Denver  *

Sooo, there, that was fun!  Hopefully you enjoyed our cuppa tea together.  Now it's your turn...  I tag my Wonderful Blog Friends to answer the same questions and share about yourselves!!

RHOnda


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp0I5N0yeXE  *


PS  See Sue's TAG on "Sew, Stash, Sew" !!

Sacred Sites - Multi-Faith Chaplaincy

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - "Exodus" 

Painting by Pnina Cohen Gagnon (Montreal)
This particular painting struck me the most...  It a MODERN shoe in the expected place of an ancient sandal.
"So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God."
This painting placed the story/command/thoughts in OUR day...

RHOnda

The Quilt of Belonging

RHOnda visited this Sacred Site three (3) times:  once with the Chaplaincy, once with TOny, and once with "Margaret", my sewing friend from PatternReview.com.  Of course, each person brought their specific/special input into this massive project...
The Quilt of Belonging is a massive undertaking.  EACH & EVERY country that has one (or more!) immigrant to Canada is represented her.  Plus the First Nations.
The COLOURS, the TEXTURES, the interesting symbols of each nationality!!  Oh, Canada, our home and mosaic land!!

RHOnda 

McCord Museum of Canadian History - Montreal

WATHAHINE

Photographs of Aboriginal Women by Nance Ackerman

"Wathahine, which means long journey in Mohawk, is a collection of black-and-white portraits, poignant in their powerful and solemn presentation and accompanied by strong and compelling testimonials." - McCord Museum

RHOTO saw wonderfully inspiring photos of women who have/are making a big difference in their communities.  Impressive.  And also sad...  One woman * was celebrated because she is a university-degreed Social Worker in her community.  Unfortunately, she is part of a very, very small minority of Aboriginals who have a formal education. In contrast, how many non-Aboriginal women could be photographed who have received a good education? There is much catching up to be done to have equality amongst Peoples... 

* not the woman pictured.

DREAM WEAVERS 

Cirque du Soleil Costumes

This exhibit showed the costumes, make-up, preparation done by "our" infamous Cirque du Soleil.  Beautiful, fanciful...  Of course, the costumes also have to be functional.  RHOTO had a hard time seeing the wonderful details, as the room is lighted for "magic", and not a "senior vision" way...  We still are glad we went.

RHOTO

Montreal Heart Institute ;)

TOny went to his Family Doctor yesterday...  She listened to his heart--too fast!!  Off he went to the Montreal Heart Institute...
Waited for one patient's turn to be finished.  Then his turn!!
"'Want you to stay overnight.  We're going to give you some new medications & see how you tolerate 'em."--Doctor
SO, he stayed over.  'Listened to his radio and sang LOTS of songs to the Staff.
And RHOnda picked TOny up today.  Everything was VERY WELL explained.  Apparently, "SINCE TOny can't stop palpitating fast when RHOnda is around, HE has to take meds to prevent a stroke!!  THAT's IT!!" ;)
We picked up said meds, along with lots of (repeat) information.  TOny's Family Doctor called to see how he was, so TOny stopped by for a visit.
Yippy!!  Yahoo!!  Bravisimo for the "Canada Health Care System"!! ;)

RHOTO