Saturday Dear Hubby and I decided to hit the road and find a quilt shop in Montreal.  We did our internet searches, found a shop address and plugged it into the GPS.  I even called the number that we’d found online.  Just to make sure it really still was a quilt shop.  I had found another one to try, but when Dear Hubby plugged the address into his GPS, it came up that it was a tavern.  Called their number and it said it was disconnected.  Not good.

But Quilte Classique actually had an answering machine that said their name on it!  So we took that as a good sign and headed out.

Our GPS brought us right to it!  Which cannot always be said for the GPS.  In fact, GPS and I don’t usually get along.  But I’ve learned to cope.  A boy and his toys….. and all that.  I’ve had to adjust to waiting long hours for things to be downloaded and plugged in.  Only to go someplace that we’ve already been 4,329 times before.  Really?  We don’t know how to get there?  A boy and his toys…..  Does anyone besides me have this issue?  But I digress.

So all looked promising when I first saw the sign.  And then…..

I looked down in the window and saw this sign.  For those of you who do not know French, let me just tell you.  This sign is not a good thing when you are looking for a quilt shop.  This sign in English would say “For Lease.” 

See?  Not a good thing.  Things looked a little empty inside.  Bummer.

What’s up with quilting in Montreal?  I actually looked for quilt shops here back in 2001 without any luck either.  The guys at Dear Hubby’s work had a hard time even figuring out what the French word for “quilt” is.  How can that be?  I know that there are quilt shops in France.  I’ve seen them at the Houston Quilt Festival.

So I’ve decided to officially stop looking for a quilt shop in Montreal.  If any of you Montreal citizens out there are reading and you know where there is a quilt shop, quit hiding them!  And leave a comment here on my blog to tell me where they are.  I really would like to drop a few Canadian bucks there.

Michelle left a comment here the other day telling me about a couple of places just over the border in New York.  On my next visit to Montreal?  I’m going there.  Or maybe Toronto.  I bet they have quilt shops I can visit.  And I have a friend I want to see there too.  I’ll let you know how it all comes out.

In the meantime, I appeased my saddened heart with these:

Timbits!  Remember I told you that Tim Hortons was a Canadian staple?  I really, really, really meant it.  I swear, there is a Tim Hortons restaurant at every exit on the freeway.  There are two within walking distance of the apartment.  So I knew I had to go there while I was here.

Timbits are wonderful.  The absolute best little donut holes you could ever have in the whole world!  The powdered sugar ones?  They have jelly filling in the middle.  Who takes the time to put filling in their donut holes?  Apparently Tim Hortons does.  Oh, my.  I could eat a million of them.  We ordered a box of 20 and I was sorry we didn’t get the box of 40.  There’s always tomorrow.  Wonder if they’d make me a special box of 200. 

I’d consider bringing some home for the girls at the JSS retreat that’s coming up.  But they’d never make it to retreat.  Sorry, girls!

They have coffee at Tim Hortons too.  And it’s yummy and mellow.  And you can buy it at any grocery store.  I’ve been making Tim Hortons’ coffee every day at the apartment.  Wanna run by for a cup tomorrow?

More goodies at Tim Hortons.  Kind of like Starbucks.  I’m sure all these things are good, but I highly recommend the Timbits.

You can even have lunch there!  But if you’re in Montreal, you either need to be able to read French or you better have really good eyes to read the small print.  Or you can point at the pictures.  Or just order Timbits.  I recommend the Timbits.  Can you tell I liked them?

This guy has nothing to do with Tim Hortons.  Or Timbits.  (But I bet he loves them.)  I just saw him while we were out and about and had to have a picture.  And you had to see it.  No other reason.

After the Timbits we drove around some more and ended up at this ski resort town that’s just a few kilometers up the road from the apartment.

Look at the snow on those runs!  It is the cutest little ski town.

It was 59° outside and the people were all eating at outside cafes.  Yes, you Texas friends, you read that correctly.  Fifty-nine degrees.  They are a hearty bunch here in Canada.  Dear Hubby says in Texas water freezes at 60.  We certainly don’t eat outside when it’s that temperature. 

And here’s a sight you don’t see in Texas….. ever!

A phone booth!  Really.  When’s the last time you saw a phone booth in Texas?  I can’t remember when.  And they are all over up here.  Every gas station has one or two.  I had to take a picture.

It was a fun outing all in all.  Even without the quilt shop.  And I pacified my disappointment with Timbits.  So today if you have a hard time finding me.  And maybe tomorrow and the next day……

Try looking here.  Tim Hortons.  Toujours Frais.  Always fresh.  Remember you’ll have to look on every corner.

I’ll be the one diving into a box of Timbits.

Hugs,
Barb