I found the birds!

So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of people in Peterborough. There really is a small town feel to this place, which is making me feel at home. Yesterday, after I left the café (where I am again now), I went to the TD bank down the street to get some cash for cabbing my groceries home, then called Capitol Taxi. My driver was phenomenally helpful in explaining which streets were important, where useful stores were, and which areas to avoid. He even shut the meter off to drive me closer to a crosswalk after I explained where I was going. Awesome.

I hit Shoppers first, as I didn’t have shampoo or toothpaste (gross eh?). I also grabbed a 7$ skipping rope, since I’ve had a random desire to skip lately. However, considering I live on the top floor of a house, I don’t think I can jump rope inside without being a nuisance to my downstairs neighbours. I’ll have to take it down the trail or something.

Then I went to Bell to get internet set up for my apartment. The girl who helped me there was incredibly friendly and helpful J she had gotten up to watch the royal wedding and told me that Kate’s dress was beautiful…I’ll have to Google it. So I should have my own internet by Monday or Tuesday – it’s set up to begin on Monday but the modem might not make it to me until Tuesday. Apparently if you’re not home they leave it on the step, so I hope no one steals it :s I should be home but I’m meeting my supervisor on Monday at 2 pm so maybe not.

After Bell I went over to the mall that’s attached to the Superstore. I made the horrendously embarrassing mistake of not pressing the button that activate the crosswalk signal, so I stood there through two circuits of lights, with drivers waving me across, stubbornly not walking because the signal was still the do-not-walk hand. Sigh. I will always look for buttons now.

Before getting groceries I explored the mall, just to see what was there/find a bathroom. It’s actually pretty great for the size of it. There’s a food court with Chinese, Thai, New York Fries, Tims, Orange Julius. There’s a Stitches, H&M, David’s Tea, Claires, etc. Not that I envision spending much time in the mall.

The Superstore here is huge! And so was the cart haha I found it easier to walk beside it pulling it like you lead a horse. Selection of food was great, extensive gluten-free section so at least I know I can find food here J but it’s way away across town, so for non-gluten-free things I think I’m going to try the no-frills store next time, it’s much closer. And who knows, maybe they do carry gluten-free things. I can’t say I’ve ever been in a no-frills. My cab driver on the way back to my apartment was also very friendly, answered all my questions as best he could. Got some recommendations as to where to look for a place for September, and which areas are drug houses…eeps. He also pointed out some good pubs. We drove past a place called, no joke, The Trasheteria. The name of the place is enough to stop me ever going in lol, and the cab driver’s comment was “That place is popular with people up to about age 25 or 26, but you’re past that so I don’t imagine that’s a place you’d enjoy.” Past 25?!?! I’m 22!! Do I look old?! Must remember to put on my anti-wrinkle cream.

When I got home I put away my food, then went downstairs to meet my neighbours. They are a very nice young couple, names are James and Tess….I think. I’m so bad with names! They also have a cat, named Ethel (I remember animal names much better) who has a crookedy tail since the cellar door fell on it L. Anyway, they’re very friendly J

I have discovered that I am scared of gas stoves. My stove is a gas stove. I had no idea how to light the burner, so ended up letting a lot of gas out then sparking it and the resulting flame was….substantial. I’m better at it now. But I went to cook a little pizza last night for supper and I could hear the gas hissing inside and smell it and all I could imagine was fireballs and explosions so I shut it off. The toaster oven will be my friend, I think.

After supper I read for a while, then poured a glass of red wine and watched October Sky, which was great. After much wrestling with my conscious I put the litter box outside my door and closed it, banishing the cat from the room for the night L I felt mean but I think I have some flea bites on my ribs so I didn’t want her in the bed with me, and I didn’t want to wake up to her vomiting again. She actually didn’t vomit anywhere last night which was a pleasant surprise.

This morning I got up and went for a walk/jog/run (in that order) on the trail across the river. It was very beautiful, it’s very sunny here today. And I found the birds!! I saw lots of mallards, an osprey with a nest right on the trail, blackbirds, grackles, crows, starlings, mourning doves, chickadees, robins, sparrows, and a northern flicker. I also saw a giant fish in the river, and many scary squirrels again. And I ate more bugs than I would have liked. I think swarms are hatching over the river, and you just have to run through them >< got them in my eyes  too, bleh.

Plan for the day: try out the bus system. Big day eh? Haha I also might break out the flute – it’s been a few months since I played so it could be interesting. I’m off!! <3

The Borough of Peter

Hello Mama-llama, Emree, Maisy, and whoever else wanders onto this ramble. This blog comes to you from Natas Cafe on George Street, where I just had a lovely greek salad and gluten-free banana bread, and a coffee, finally, thank God.
I arrived in Toronto last night 1 hour and 45 minutes after I was supposed to thanks to 2 medical emergencies as the plane came from Vancouver and thunderstorms over Toronto. Getting my two ginormous bags off the conveyor belt and pulling them behind me was not nearly as hard as I thought, so things were going well...then I couldn't find the booth for the coach canada van service to take me to Peterborough. I lugged my stuff all the way to the other end of Terminal 3, only to be told that all van services were at the end I just came from. So back I went. My shoulders are angry with me.
I had great timing - found the booth and almost immediately the driver arrived, loaded my stuff and off we went. There were only three people traveling to Peterborough at that hour; myself and two men who were on break from driving rigs out west. They were good company - told me I would love Peterborough, and one man's son also has celiac disease so he was able to tell me where to look for gluten-free food :) they jokingly offered me some whiskey but never followed through. Mildly disappointed.
Got to my apartment around 1230 am this morning. As I was taking my first suitcase up the stairs I turned and saw the banister post and thought it was a man and screamed. I'm sure my downstairs neighbours heard, and think I'm a nutcase. They're probably not far off, but I plan on apologizing as soon as I meet them. The cat, Tao, who I'm looking after for the summer, was crammed into the crack of the door and I thought she was going to make an escape attempt but really she was just lonely and looking for love. We're going to be good friends I think.
After I got my stuff inside I found my pajamas, ate a celebratory Cadbury Cream Egg (yay Easter candy), and crashed...kind of. Tao decided she wanted to sleep on my face, but I managed to convince her to move down to my side. Then she jumped off and I could hear her peeing somewhere in the room and there was mass panic until I realized that her litter box was in my bedroom. I was relieved...until this morning when she made a very large stink in there. I would move it out of my sleeping area but I'm afraid she'd continue to use that corner, litter or no. Anyway, after I found the litterbox I drifted off again....only to be woken about an hour later by "galunkgalunkGALUNKHORKHORKHORK" which was Tao vomiting on the bedroom floor. After that I shooed her out of the room and closed the door, litter be damned. This morning I found out that vomiting is an everyday part of life for her, poor thing. On the list of things to buy today: paper towel, spray cleaner, and room deodorizer.
I got up at eight thirty, which felt wonderfully like nine thirty thanks to time zones :) found a note from Hazel explaining everything I had questions about which was awesome, and she recommended this cafe. Had a shower (couldn't find my soap so that was interesting), put things from my kitbag away (did I mention there's a solar panel in my bag?? hells yes), and ventured out into the city. On list of things to do: coffee, eat, blog, look up cab numbers, internet providers, and the gluten-free places the nice van man told me about (I didn't get his name lol). I suppose I had best get going. More updates soon I'm sure, this blogging thing is more addictive than predicted.
Love to everyone :)
P.S. forgot to mention: no birds seen yet but a cardinal woke me up, and a robin sang to me in the shower (nice skylight that opens in my bathroom). I did see a scary giant squirrel.

Here we go!

My flight to Ontario-land is tonight at 6:45! Am I done packing? Of course not. Am I close? Of course not. What am I doing? .....blogging.
I should probably go make sure I have footwear packed...and all my Easter candy :D

Testing, testing, uno, due, tre?

Well, here goes my first blog ever. I leave tomorrow from my home on PEI to travel to Peterborough, Ontario, where I will be pursuing my Master's degree at Trent University. I'll be studying the haying practices in southern Ontario and how they affect the grassland birds in the area, particularly the bobolink, eastern meadowlark, Henslow's sparrow, and some others. This blog is my link to my wonderful friends and family who I must leave behind. Hopefully it's not a complete flop :P.