A Weekend in February

Merry February!

Another whirlwind weekend has come and gone and by the looks of this week's forecast Montreal could welcome in a green March! Snow begone!  This Friday, while Phil was continuing on with the basement renovations (new hot water heater for the upstairs, relocating water and electrics for the washer and dryer), Fernanda was busy surprising us by cooking a special "Christmas in February" turkey dinner - a good reason to also celebrate Amy's third week with us! She is well and all we can hope for! Marie and I spent the morning at Sears ordering furniture for the new house - a red leather sofa and chair to be delivered in August! Saturday, while Marie and Rosalia drove out to the north part of the city for Pilar's baby shower (girls only), Cesar and I walked up to see Lara and Jessie, home baking a carrot cake and planning their upcoming trip to Florida. It felt like spring in the air even though the wind was still cold, but there seemed to be more people strolling about than usual.

Pilar and Pablo

Pilar, you are going to need more than 136!

On Sunday Marie, Cesar and Rosalie and I attended morning mass at St. Patrick's Basilica then afterwards walked a few blocks to Chinatown for lunch at Jardin de Jade-Poon Kai restaurant. They have a great buffet there - a must stop for anyone hungry visiting downtown. They specialize in Dim Sum, Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine and, as usual, the place was jammed with people all stuffing themselves. Believe me it's hard not to go back for seconds and even thirds!

outside St Patrick's Basilica

St Patrick's Basilica, rear view

entrance to Chinatown, one of the 4 paifangs (gates)

outside Jardin de Jade-Poon Kai

 After lunch we attended a free Serenata at St. Johns Lutheran church on rue Jeanne-Mance, featuring members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and other well known local musicians in a repertoire of mixed string, wind and vocal chamber music. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon after a heavy meal! Not for everyone - I tried to imagine Phil sitting through the program - but the selections were very enjoyable - the Four Seasons of Vivaldi (they actually played just Winter and Spring), followed by a quartetto in c major from Michael Haydn, the Austrian composer and younger brother of Joseph. The session concluded with Bach's Weichet nur, betrubte Schatten, a lively, bright Baroque cantata (202) superbly sung by the mezzo-soprano Julie Ryning. It was a fitting end to a beautiful late winter Sunday...gws

Yield, I say, ye brooding shadows,
Frost, and tempests, take your rest!
...the world again is new, To hilltops and the valleys
Would gracious charm be twice as fair united
The day is from the chill now free...
(from Bachs Sonata No. 202)
 

outside St John's Lutheran church