We've been getting out to the Dog Park more often now that the weather has warmed up to single negative digits. Our dog park has been in the news lately because you need an access card to get in (and out). It's free for Saint-Lambert residents (with purchase of dog license) but over $100 for others per year. It's nothing special...no doggie roller coasters or anything. It' s just a big open, fenced space where dogs can run off-leash (with a separate area for petits chiens). So it has caused a bit of controversy because it is exclusionary. Anyway, as I was attempting to enter the park with my chien gâté card, the gate refused to open. I was pretty sure they hadn't canceled my access because I had been found out as an Anglophone- the dog park is one of the few places I know I'll find others speaking perfect English. On purpose. However, on this particular day there was only one other man in the park, and he was just leaving through the petit chien gate. He noticed I was having trouble and said something to me in French. I, of course, didn't know exactly what he said, but figured it was something about the gate being frozen. I replied, "sorry, I don't speak French." He immediately donned a "grumpy face" and said in perfect English, "You better learn" and huffed away leaving me to figure out the gate on my own. Salaud!
The next day Ellie shocked us all by making a new friend. She's usually pretty anti-social at the dog park, preferring to stay close to her humans. However, a large mean-looking doberman sauntered up to us as we were walking, making both Nick and I a bit nervous. Standing on all fours, he was almost as tall as our petit garcon. I know that dobermans can be sweet, but they sure don't give that "fuzzy" first impression no matter how friendly they are. Ellie was immediately interested in him, which has never happened before. Nick and I exchanged a look of surprise as she followed him closely-getting a good sniff of his smelly dog parts. Next, she faced him and actually tried to play with him! He was mildly interested, giving her a bit of a chase.
I get it now...she likes the "bad boy" look.
Salon de coiffure
Today I conquered another hurdle you don't really think about until you have to face it...where to get your hair cut in a new place where not everybody speaks your language. I was sure that I was going to have to over-pay someone who didn't fully understand what I wanted. Ok, so I've never been really sure what to do with my hair anyway. I chose a place near our house but on a busier street across from the grocery store where I caught my cashier speaking English last week :).
The woman who cut my hair actually grew up in Windsor so her English was pretty good, and I paid the same as I would have in Wisconsin. She was very nice, but when I replied to her question about where I lived before moving here she said, "I knew it. I could tell by your accent!" Accent?
The coiffure ordeal was not as scary as I had imagined. It went quite well and I will go back to the same place in 6-8 weeks. However, I kept thinking of the Seinfeld episode with Elaine and the Korean nail salon...
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