Minkyweasel World

One Girl's Outlook On Life

Archive for the ‘Fun’ Category

« Previous Entries

I can’t help it

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 13, 2012

laughter

laughter (Photo credit: withrow)

I can’t help it so people tell me but they jest, well I hope they do! No, what I mean is that I love a good laugh. Rib-tickling laughter is something many of us would benefit from, it is healthy and adds years to an otherwise boring and dull life. I find I can laugh at many things, even myself, that is important, to be able to laugh at one’s self. I love comedy in any form, especially slapstick comedy. I was watching a movie, well several of them lately all with slapstick comedy as a main theme, I couldn’t stop laughing and at times I was in real pain but couldn’t help myself. Sometimes one thing leads me to think of other scenarios and makes me laugh even more. E has a bit of a problem when she doesn’t see the same funny side of things as I do and looks at me wondering why I am still laughing ten minutes after seeing something or hearing something that has tickled me. Tears would be dripping from my eyes and she sits there pan-faced which makes me laugh even more! Laughter they say is the best medicine. I remember years ago when I worked for the electricity supply authority which had a contracting department, a plumber who walked about with a constant smile on his face. He was always laughing about something and his work never gave him reason to moan. He simply found life enjoyable and you could see it in his face. I haven’t quite mastered my work being totally enjoyable and free from causing me some annoyance but by and large I do enjoy my work. I must be doing something right. I find that by just stepping back from a problem for a moment and seeing the funny side often helps me get through it. After all, what is the point in moaning about things all the time? I can’t help laughing, I like laughing and it is usually contagious, a bit like yawning but at the opposite end of an enormous pole. Go on, have a laugh today and see what a difference it makes to your day. I will, I do it every day.

Shirley Anne

Related articles

Posted in Comedy, Fun, Laughter | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Crazy afternoon

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 10, 2011

English: Glass of cola

Image via Wikipedia

I wrote this letter (email) on Friday after a rather funny time I’d had with a friend on an afternoon out together. I thought it would be fun to post it here……

Hi Lucy. I hope you don’t mind me writing to you but I wanted to tell you something. Today I arranged to dine out with a friend, someone I’ve known since 1999. I went to collect her at her home so that she could enjoy a drink whilst I stayed with soft drinks as I was driving. She lives some 17 or 18 miles away from me. I asked where she would like to go and in the end we decided to go to a place about thirty miles away, somewhere we’ve been to quite frequently either alone or with my ex or my family. It is a lovely restaurant/pub and very popular. My friend ordered a bottle of red wine and I a cola and we sat there mulling over the menu. After a short while the waitress came over and explained that we couldn’t order a meal as their gas supply had just failed. We had to find somewhere else. We were not charged for the drinks. So off we went to find another place, which we did but there was no service, no bar staff and one waitress serving a host of Christmas partying people. We decided to leave and try somewhere else, all the time returning whence we came. We found another place and although not really an inviting place as far as atmosphere/decor go we were able to order a half-way decent meal, I suppose anything would have been alright as we were so hungry by this time. My friend was slowly getting tipsy on her red wine and we enjoyed each others company, laughing and joking about things and for part of the time talking about her transition experiences. She talked about hormones and the fact that she had not been taking the right amount. She was taking a third of what she should have been prescribed. I think she was concerned that they weren’t having the desired effect to which I replied give them time and you will see the difference. I told her about your recent post where you mentioned the same thing regarding changes or the apparent lack of them. I suggested she look at your blog via the link on mine to see your pictures. Then I mentioned your name. Well now, get this……..she knows you already! She told me about Lucy, Amanda and is it Alison? (It was Alice). Yes you know her too….Jane from Liverpool. A small world eh? I thought you might be interested in that.

Funny things happen around Shirley Anne……………LOL

(Lucy’s blog link can be found in my blogroll over on the right. Have a look at an interesting post she wrote in response today on her site)

Shirley Anne

Posted in Enjoyment, Friendship, Fun | Tagged: , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Appointments

Posted by Shirley Anne on September 20, 2011

Aneroid sphygmomanometer with stethoscope, use...

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday, Monday, I had an appointment with the nurse at the doctors’ surgery. It was a routine check on my health because of the medication I am taking, estrogen. This time it was simply to check my blood pressure. It appears that the systolic pressure reading is too high. It’s my own fault really because lately I have to admit to not exercising as I should and of course being a little ‘lax’ with my diet. I will get it all under control before my next appointment in one month’s time. Whilst I was waiting in the surgery with my tag in my hand I noticed the guy sitting nearby had a black coloured tag, mine was silver. The system they use in the surgery is to give each patient a tag depending on which doctor or nurse they are seeing. That means nine different coloured tags. A display board shows the colour associated with each doctor/nurse and when the buzzer sounds and the relevant light is illuminated then the next patient makes their way to the appropriate room. The tags are numbered so that the patient will know if it is their turn. When it is your turn you place your tag on the relevant hook beneath the board and proceed to the room. It sounds complicated but it is very easy and almost fool-proof. I smiled to myself when I saw the guys black tag because the colour is assigned to the Midwife! LOL. I still can’t figure that one! About an hour and a half later I had another appointment with the dentist 21 miles away but before I drove there I had to buy some flowers and pay a visit to a woman I know who has just returned home after having a brain tumour removed. She works in the kitchen as a chef in my local pub. It was less than two weeks ago when I last saw her and when I was in the pub on Saturday night I learned about her illness for the first time. She lives about two and a half miles from my house in the direction I was travelling to get to the dentist so it wasn’t out of my way, not that that would have made a difference but I had an appointment to keep. Anyway she was up and about and let me inside for a few minutes to speak with her. When she told me what they did to get at the tumour I was horrified! It appears that they peeled the skin down from the top of the head to gain access to the skull and then replaced it as if pulling back a blanket on a bed! Absolutely amazing and the only real damage is temporary bruising and water retention swelling. She looks remarkably well after such an operation but she is still weak. I left after five minutes so that I could make my appointment with the dentist.

Last week I had a tooth removed and this time I was to have preparatory work to ‘cap’ another tooth which I will get done next Monday. Although the dental work is covered by the NHS I am still having to pay £204. Just imagine what it would cost if done privately! So that is another appointment for next week. As the journey to the dentist is over 21 miles I was beginning to need the toilet on my arrival there. Another woman beat me to it and was waiting outside the only toilet’s door. We stood there laughing at our predicament along with an old guy who was sitting nearby. After an embarrassingly long wait the old guy said,’Did you try the door’? The other woman was reluctant to do that so I stepped over and discovered the room was empty! I had assumed that she knew that someone was inside. What a laugh!

Monday evening saw me at the pub having a good time. Not many ‘regulars’ there but I wasn’t bothered (where have you heard that one before?). I spent time reading the newspaper whilst sitting on the most comfortable leather couch. Later I had a meal and then some more drinks, actually I had purchased a bottle of red wine so I finished the bottle. Naughty girl I am sometimes and that won’t help my blood pressure but  I am not worried about that, I will get it under control as I said I would. I met with a couple of people but by and large spent most of the time alone. I sometimes welcome that.

Shirley Anne

Related articles

Posted in Fun, Health, Life, People | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

My weekend

Posted by Shirley Anne on September 19, 2011

Wembley Stadium, London England

Image via Wikipedia

Well Saturday morning I had a good lie in bed for a change but somebody telephoned asking if I could do a job for them. It was an urgent job but as I was still in bed and didn’t feel like doing any work I declined. I had it in mind to go to the pub in the afternoon but later, when I was up and about I decided against going there too soon. Here in the UK it is the football (soccer) season and many pubs play live games on their television, my local being no exception. This means a pub packed with football fanatics all getting drunk. O-oh no way Hosea! I have been to these events before but not often and they are not the sort of events to go and see when you want a quiet drink with friends. I decided to go a little later but even when I went at eight in the evening there were still many guys milling about, most of them drunk. I sat with three friends for ten minutes but they left and I was alone for a half hour. Two more friends came in and we sat together in a quieter spot. Soon we had the pub to ourselves with only a few regular customers to keep us company. We had a great time laughing and drinking and late in the evening my two friends left but asked me to join them again on Sunday afternoon for an hour or so. I told them that it was unlikely that I would be there but they continued to ask. Well Sunday afternoons at the pub are similar affairs to Saturdays because they have the football on-screen again until early evening. When the weather is fine, as it was on both days, many more local people are often seen in the seating area outside, so much so that one can hardly find anywhere to sit. I didn’t go to the pub at all on Sunday as I thought I wouldn’t, well I just couldn’t be bothered! In fact I did almost nothing at all on Sunday but when I was sitting quietly watching some television in the evening I decided to pick up my guitar for the third time that day because a song suddenly popped into my thoughts and I wanted to play it a few times and get it down on paper. It took me ten minutes to produce. This is the way all my songs and poems come to me, on the spur of the moment and usually almost in one go. I have no idea why that is. It is another Christian song which I will add to my collection. So that about sums up my weekend, restful, boring at times, fun at times and productive at times.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Activity, Friendship, Fun, Leisure, Lifestyle, Music | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

It’s a bit of a laugh innit?

Posted by Shirley Anne on September 19, 2011

Best Viewed Large

Image via Wikipedia

I realised something yesterday about a previous post I’d written regarding not being bothered and how it seemed to picture me as a lost soul who was tired of living. That couldn’t be further from the truth as I love life and really do enjoy it. I realised too that every day I find myself laughing at something, in fact I cannot remember a day when I didn’t laugh even just a little. The only time that would not be true is when I am ill but that isn’t often. I see the funny side of things in life and find myself laughing at myself sometimes. The slightest thing can set me off laughing sometimes but I do have a serious side too. I think that if we cannot find humour in our lives we are indeed sad people. Many things in my life frustrate me but I never let them get the better of me and I never worry about anything, what’s the point? Worrying doesn’t change a thing. Life’s a long song, a gas, as the songwriters say and that is only true if you have the right attitude to it. I am not saying that I never feel down because I do at times but I make every effort to snap out of it. I find myself trying to justify my actions or desires and there is sometimes a tug-of-war going on in my brain as to whether I should or should not do something. It is at times like these that I find myself laughing at myself and then saying ‘Oh just get on with it’! One of the main priorities in life is to be happy and laughing is one of the ways we can show it. Life is a bit of a laugh at times isn’t it? Well for some people this doesn’t seem to be the case. I know of a couple of people who never seem to smile. It’s as if they have the problems of the world on their shoulders and some people I know just don’t know how to let their hair down and have a good laugh. Such a shame really. For myself I will continue to laugh and keep a smile on my face.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Celebration, Enjoyment, Fun, Happiness, Philosophy | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Something new

Posted by Shirley Anne on July 9, 2011

I wouldn’t call myself very photogenic, in fact I am told the real me looks better than my pics! Well to me that is a compliment. I was messing about with the webcam on my lap-top, it is built-in and you would only know it was there because of the tiny little lens at the top of the opened screen. I am not one for taking pictures really but I took a few of myself whilst sitting in front of the computer. Obviously the quality does compare to a hand-held camera but here are a couple of them for your perusal,

My favourite is the third one.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Fun | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

One day off and one day not.

Posted by Shirley Anne on June 26, 2011

Yesterday I became a lady of leisure doing no work all day as is my usual behaviour on a Saturday, although occasionally I will work at home on this day. It is important to me to keep the sabbath day as a day unto the Lord always remembering that the sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath. I go as far as working at my profession if somebody asks me to do a job in an emergency situation. This fortunately has only happened a couple of times and all other requests are deferred until the following week. So all I did yesterday was watch television, go online or amuse myself on the computer, play my guitar and generally pottered about the house and garden. It wasn’t too warm in the morning but that didn’t stop E from messing about outside and later in the day she dug out all of the potatoes that had been cultivated in our raised cultivation bed between the two greenhouses. For such a relatively small area she recovered a large bucket full of potatoes. They look good enough to eat! LOL. It got much warmer as the day wore on and by evening it was quite warm and sunny, not as warm as the Cote D’AZur but just as sunny. Today promises to be at least warm and perhaps it will turn out sunny too! I hope so because we are entertaining family, friends and neighbours by having a barbecue in our new patio. Today I shall be working by ensuring they all enjoy themselves! One of my friends is presently on the other side of the world nearing the end of her three-month tour of the far east including Australia, Thailand, Singapore and I’m not sure where else. I haven’t heard from her for some time so I hope she is alright. She enjoys herself when she is our guest and we both will miss her presence this time. I am not sure how the day will go but I am determined to enjoy it no matter how it goes.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Community, Enjoyment, Entertainment, Family, Friendship, Fun, Life, Lifestyle, People | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

The next challenge is on the way

Posted by Shirley Anne on June 17, 2011

Teak garden furniture and wooden decking

On Wednesday E and I went to do some shopping after I returned home from a job. We bought furniture oil for our outdoor furniture (seems logical) and some more brick sealant (we ran out of the stuff when we treated the patio brickwork last time). That will keep me occupied for a day or two I am sure! Whilst we were out E paid a visit to the store where we bought the materials and furniture for converting our toilet/cloakroom into a shower/wet room and cloakroom. Coats will only be left there temporarily by visitors, our own coats are stored in our bedrooms. It is the only room downstairs that can be used as a temporary cloakroom. I digress. She went into the store whilst I sat in the car. We were wondering why it was taking them so long to deliver our goods, E was told that it would all be delivered the same day, a matter of two hours later! They were true to their word and it was delivered as promised. This means when it is raining I have a job to do indoors and when it isn’t I have plenty yet to do outside! There is no escape. All this depends of course on my availability, I do work as an electrician too!
Next weekend we hope, weather permitting, to have our first barbecue of the year (we did have a small one a week or so ago, just the two of us) where we will invite family, friends and neighbours. This will make good use of the patio too, well that was one of the reasons for building it! If the weather is not fine we simply eat indoors but that means cooking indoors too which takes more time I find, especially when it comes to cleaning up! As long as it isn’t raining or it isn’t too windy we should be alright. I like having people around for drinks, food and fun. We usually have music, games or a quiz to help things along. As long as my guests are happy, I am happy.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Drink, Enjoyment, Family, Food, Friendship, Fun, Life, Lifestyle | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Just for the fun of it

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 29, 2010

The passage below contains no repetitions of words and it nearly makes sense! LOL.

After the aforementioned veritable obnoxious undulating excursions into an indescribably infectious and dangerously debilitating romantically inclined superfluously endowed extraordinary extravaganzas, which, notwithstanding caused overwhelming nausea, violent, virulent madness culminating, as it did in every conceivable corporate way to teach us about our frail, diminutive, indistinct inadequacies forthcoming but typical, results from such escapades never before taken eagerly with innocent meanderings for people not aquainted nor experienced intellectually, manually without forethought or otherwise seemingly mindless animated difficulties expected, therefore resulting predictably, I might say, towards obvious outcomes very painfully slow then inevitably spiralling downwards until stopped by agonisingly excruciating manipulations of involuntary bodily functions overcoming inmost thoughts relieving burdensome dire feelings, most unusual related circumstances covering a host, at this time, meaningless expressions thoughtlessly described herein giving each external encounter overall needless agonising reports too verbally horrifying ear-wise, we left forthwith reluctantly expressing quite rightly all misgivings manifested.

How about this one….

Two builders, Phil and Eric, are seated either side of a table in a rough pub when a well dressed man enters, orders a beer and sits on a stool at the bar.

The two builders start to speculate about the occupation of the suit.

Phil: I reckon he’s an accountant.

Eric: No way he’s a stockbroker.

Phil: He ain’t no stockbroker! A stockbroker wouldn’t come in here!

The argument repeats itself for some time until the volume of beer gets the better of Phil and he makes for the toilet.
On entering the toilet he sees that the suit is standing at a urinal.
Curiosity and the several beers get the better of the builder.

Phil: Scuse me.. no offence meant, but me and me mate were wondering what you do for a living?

Suit: No offence taken! I’m a Logical Scientist by profession.

Phil: Oh! What’s that then?

Suit: I’ll try to explain by example… Do you have a goldfish at home?

Phil: Er… mmm..well yeah, I do as it happens!

Suit: Well, it’s logical to follow that you keep it in a bowl or in a pond. Which is it?

Phil: It’s in a pond!

Suit: Well then it’s reasonable to suppose that you have a large garden then?

Phil: As it happens, yes I have got a big garden!

Suit: Well then it’s logical to assume that in this town if you have a large garden then you have a large house?

Phil: As it happens I’ve got a five bedroom house…built it myself!

Suit: Well given that you’ve built a five bedroom house it is logical to assume that you haven’t built it just for yourself and that you are quite probably married?

Phil: Yes I am married, I live with my wife and three children.

Suit: Well then it is logical to assume that you are sexually active with your wife on a regular basis?

Phil: Yep! Four nights a week!

Suit: Well then it is logical to suggest that you do not masturbate very often?

Phil: Me? Never.

Suit: Well there you are! That’s logical science at work!

Phil: How’s that then?

Suit: Well from finding out that you had a goldfish, I’ve told you about your sex life!

Phil: I see! That’s pretty impressive…thanks mate!

Both leave the toilet and Phil returns to his mate.

Eric: I see the suit was in there. Did you ask him what he does?

Phil: Yep! He’s a logical scientist!

Eric: What’s that then?

Phil: I’ll try and explain. Do you have a goldfish?

Eric: Nope.

Phil: Well then, you’re a wanker.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Fun | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

A good idea

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 17, 2010

Once in a while a good idea crops up. Our Government is always bemoaning the fact that our NHS (National Health System) is short on funds. It is often stated that there are too many demands on the system, too many people needing medical treatment and too few doctors and other staff. Medicines cost money and so do staff but there always seems too little money to fund it all. Whilst I take no part in what the Government do I often wonder why they waste money on other things, wars for example but that is another story. More money would be available to fund the equipment that many hospitals lack if the cash wasn’t wasted elsewhere. One of the main problems is the volume of patients; people don’t look after themselves, we are told that we are turning into a nation of couch potatoes. It is one thing being ill but when it is self-inflicted because of lifestyle perhaps they should levy a fee to offset the cost. That very issue has been discussed recently but as yet nothing has been decided. Maybe it never will, there are arguments both for and against the idea. It would encourage us all to take better care of ourselves should there be a charge for services. I suppose that these days there is really no excuse for not knowing how to look after ourselves, what to eat, how to exercise and so on. Many people just do not exercise or if they do they don’t do enough. Then along comes an idea that is admirably suited to such people and encourages them to take some form of exercise without them realising the good it is doing for their health. I am not suggesting that it is all that one should do to exercise but it gets even the most lazy off the couch! It is the Wii. It started as a simple games machine directed at children but it is becoming and is developing into an ideal tool for adult exercise regimes. Providing the software the machine uses is structured properly there are endless possibilities to encourage people to exercise. Perhaps one day we will be a more healthy nation by taking more care of ourselves and putting less strain on our NHS. Everyone will benefit from that and using a simple thing like the Wii is a step in the right direction. Personally I prefer using the treadmill and other gymnasium equipment but for those less able to do so or for simply marrying exercise with fun, the Wii is a good idea.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Exercise, Fun, Health | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Flight delay..

Posted by Shirley Anne on September 10, 2010

Just like some commercial airline flights which get delays so it was with our proposed ‘flight’ today in a hot-air balloon. We got ready for the drive up north and began the journey by car but stopping off near to one of our favourite restaurants on the same route. We had to check if the flight was going ahead else it was pointless driving up there. With a little sense of disappointment on hearing that the weather wasn’t suitable for flying balloons we dined out instead! We were going to dine out after the flight anyhow if time permitted. E telephoned the organisers when we got home and it appears the flight has been rescheduled for tomorrow afternoon. So it looks like my Saturday plans have been made. Watch this space though, the weather may have other ideas!

Shirley Anne

Posted in Enjoyment, Fun | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Monday morning blues.

Posted by Shirley Anne on August 23, 2010

No it isn’t what you think! I’m as happy as a hippopotamus in a mud-hole! I had a job this morning which entailed installing a complete cooker circuit in a house. There was some other work too but it was only minor. So I arrived on time and began assessing the best way to go about the task. I had to go under the floor. Now most houses have either simply floorboards with little space between floors or they have cellars which can be walked about in but this house, that is its ground floor had neither. There was space enough, about a metre in-depth, to crawl around in. On went my blues, my overalls (coveralls), my hat, my boots and gloves and under the floor I went. It was the only option. Now it has been quite some time since I last had to do that so it was a novelty. Despite it being under the ground floor of the house and despite it being a concrete floor too, it was rather warm down there. I get all the best jobs…LOL. As you can imagine the floor was strewn with bits of rubble in places. There were pipes and cables hanging from the floor joists and cobwebs all over the place. Now what kind of spider spins a web in the dark of a cellar in order to catch flies? There aren’t any flies flying about in the dark! Nevertheless the cobwebs were there. On top of all that the whole area was filled with brick walls with only a small opening in each of them in which to crawl from one area to the next. Difficult as that is, it is made even more so by the fact that I had to drag a cable along with me which kept getting snagged on different things and a flashlight to see my way around. There is never a direct route from A to B and this was no exception. Eventually I got the cable installed between the kitchen and the electrical supply cupboard some distance away. Now all I had to do was crawl from out of there! Did you ever see the movie ‘The creature from the black lagoon’? It gives you an idea what I looked like after doing that. Despite wearing protective clothing I still managed to get dirty! The remainder of the job went easy, well easy for me…LOL. Now I don’t want you to get the wrong impression here, I don’t do this crawling around under floors often, thank goodness but when required I just get on with it. That is the beauty of my job, I never quite know what to expect sometimes and that is why it is so interesting. I was paid handsomely and was still back home mid-afternoon! What a contrast today is from yesterday. Today it hasn’t stopped raining and yesterday it was so sunny, so much so E and I had a BBQ. Just the two of us. What tomorrow will bring I have no idea but I’m ready for it!

Shirley Anne

Posted in Fun, Work | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

A bit tired

Posted by Shirley Anne on July 30, 2010

I am feeling a bit tired today and a little out of sorts as they say. I was at work this morning until one-thirty and when I got back home all I wanted to do was lie on my bed, which I did for an hour. Yesterday I was full of energy and even did a spell on the treadmill after a morning’s work at home. Maybe my age is catching up on me. I know I am not as energetic as I used to be but I am certainly no couch potato! It could just be a simple case of a cold. I hope it doesn’t spoil my plans for Sunday. E and I are holding an all day party for family and friends. If the weather is fine we will incorporate a barbecue but we will be having a hot and cold buffet anyway and loads of lemonade (yeah sure). I have no work until Monday except what I will be doing in preparation for Sunday so hopefully all will be fine. After this gathering we will be looking to have another in the Autumn, maybe November. Hey, I could have it on my birthday, or near enough! That is on the 21st. Too far in the future to think about, crikey it’s still Summer, although it doesn’t look like it at the moment! We are having some heavy rain.

Shirley Anne

Posted in Fun | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Nice day.

Posted by Shirley Anne on April 19, 2010

We had a great day on Sunday with family and friends over for the afternoon. Plenty of food, drinks and later quiz games. This morning I bade farewell to the friend who stopped overnight after drinking too much wine! That was pre-arranged though but she knows she is always welcome to stay at any time. She left at 7 o’clock without having breakfast and to be honest I didn’t feel like eating either! I set about cleaning and tidying up for an hour and a half then set off out to work. I was paid handsomely for my efforts and returned home around 1.30. It didn’t stop there though and I have been sorting a few other things around the house and chatting to callers who came to give their estimates for work. Now all I have to do is set the ball rolling and get all the works done.
Looks like I’ll be eating chicken for a couple of days though! We always seem to end up with too many chicken drumsticks and breasts after a party!

Shirley Anne

Posted in Family, Food, Fun | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

On the town

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 16, 2010

Recently I came across this item written by Jillian, a girl I met whilst on holiday in Canada last year. I kept it for sentimental reasons at the time but now I have found it again I thought I might share it with you.
Jillian was a couple of months away from her operation when we met and is now enjoying her life as the woman she knew she was all her life.

On the Town

Shirley Anne has quite the sense of humour, as the citizens of Quebec who cross her path are learning. Today, Shirley Anne, her friend E and I visited St. Sauveur — in the Laurentians north of Montreal. It is very much a resort area, particularly in the winter when its many ski hills are in operation. But it is popular all year round, with arts festivals, the current Saka horse show and so much more. And it’s teeming with boutiques and fine restaurants.
Our first stop in St. Sauveur today was at the renowned Pagé bakery on Rue de l’Eglise. It’s full of delicious breads, pastries and other yummies. Of course, I’m watching my figure, so declined the calorie splurge, but my two guests indulged in something sweet. While they were choosing and munching, I strolled across the street to the local Catholic church, which was open to tourists. I sat in a pew for a little while and prayed. It’s a pretty rural church, though not anywhere near as ornate as Mary Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal (my fave). Still, it’s a quiet place for reflection . . .
Next door to the bakery is a medieval clothing shop I very much wanted to visit. So, once Shirley Anne and E had finished munching their pastries and I was done in the church, into the shop we went to look over the creations of gifted designer Anne Larochelle. Well, you gotta know that we didn’t leave the shop empty-handed. Shirley-Anne bought a beautiful full-length medieval-style coat, while I bought a black medieval-style skirt (50 percent off) — with slits on the sides to show off a bit of leg! Even we medieval gals like to provide a peek, yes? Smiles . . .
By this time, Shirley Anne and E were thinking they would like a drink in “a pub.” And “pub” we found not far away, on Rue Principale. Shirley Anne and E made themselves at home immediately at the bar, and Shirley Anne was soon regaling the locals there with stories and her humour.
I don’t drink alcohol (bit of wine once in a while), so decided to check out some of the boutiques while my pals relaxed in “the pub.” Lordie, there are soooo many nice boutiques in St. Sauveur — and there were so many items I would have liked to have purchased. Sigh . . . But I exercised amazing control over my shopping urge (addiction). I ended up buying a very long silver necklace with silver leaves and dangly matching earrings for a mere $30 (plus tax). Hey, I could have spent thousands on some of the beautiful jewelry and clothes I saw there . . .
Back at “the pub” with Shirley Anne and E, I discovered them in full gaiety mode with the locals, who had suggested a restaurant at which we might dine. So off we went . . . to Restaurant Le Rio on Rue Principale, which opens for dinner at 5 p.m.
Well, where to begin? With Shirley Anne’s sense of humour? Or with the owner who came to our table to greet us (and who had my heart fluttering) . . . Sigh . . .
First things first: the menu. Shirley Anne and E chose to have rib-eye steaks. Shirley Anne went the table d’hote route and had some delicious deep-fried mushrooms (yes, I had a taste) and soup as entrees. I passed on the table d’hote and chose a tilapia filet meuniere from the fish menu. The fish was cooked in a tasty thin batter and was served with homemade fries, garden salad and rice. The portions were huge — too much for a weight-conscious girl like me. But it was delicious, even if I did leave some of the fries and most of the rice on my plate.
Now to Shirley Anne’s sense of humour: Not only was our French Canadian waitress excellent at her job, but she was also a good sport. Shirley Anne kidded her — kindly — with odd British-isms and such whenever the young lady came to our table. I told Shirley Anne that the young lady deserved an extra special tip . . .
I was quite touched when the owner came to greet us before our dinners arrived. He chatted with us for a while, thanked us for coming . . .
Not too long after our dinners had been served, the chef paid us a visit: “Is everything to your satisfaction,” he asked. When we told him everything was excellent, he replied, pumping one arm in the air: “Wonderful! I still have a job!” Another sweet guy. Sigh . . .
Not too long afterward, the owner returned to ask if all was well. Shirley Anne told him everything was terrible — kidding, of course. Oy. That British sense of humour . . .
And the restaurant owner was sooo nice . . . sigh . . . When he found out I live in Ste-Adele, he urged me to come back to his restaurant . . . Smiles . . . (Did I say I was off men? Oy.)
Well, to make this very long story a bit shorter, the food, the service, the welcomes were wonderful at this restaurant, and I recommend it to my readers.
And off we went back to my house . . .
As is always the case for me these days, everywhere I went today, I was called “madame.” Obviously, that is how the world at large sees me, and it feels so good. All those people today helped me shake off a depression that had set in during the past week. My prayers in that small church were answered.
Shirley Anne and E are in Montreal until the 20th of this month, so if any of the local regulars who frequent this blog want to see them, write to me and I’ll give you their contact info.
Cheers
Jillian

Shirley Anne

Posted in Fun | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

« Previous Entries