Summer Feelings

I started this blog in June 2021, and writing each piece has brought me immense pleasure from the very beginning. With work and other commitments, I now write less frequently and spend more time enjoying life away from screens.

Perhaps that is not a bad thing. After all, there is something wonderful about stepping away from the screen and simply being present—to notice the little moments, to explore, to ride my bike, to spend time with friends and loved ones, and to let summer unfold around me.

And yet, I still love coming back to my blog and putting those moments into words. Writing allows me to pause, look back, and appreciate the summer season that is fading away...

Today is the last day of August, and I am determined to have this piece published as a way of documenting my summer feelings.

At the beginning of this year, I aimed to publish one summary post each month, but so far I have only managed a few:

1. January Moments

2. February Highlights

3. March Transitions

4. April Travels (Still Work-in-Progress)

5. May Reflections

It is a pity that I still haven’t finished my River Cruise piece. I took so many notes on my phone during my trip along the Danube River. Last year, I took a similar cruise on the Rhine River and ended up with the same result: lots of notes and photos, but nothing on my blog.

Well, it’s time to move on—with those vacations now behind me and the memories of summer still fresh.

So, instead of waiting for the perfect moment to finish those travel stories, I am writing this piece to record some of the moments and events that happened between June and August.

If I had to sum up this summer in one word, it would be fun—three times over: fun, fun, fun!

Here are the top Fifteen Happenings (old and new) from June into August, in my life and around the city:

1. 🥳: Birthdays: two important people celebrated their birthdays in June, my son Eric and my dear friend Anna. Eric came over for the weekend, and I was invited to have lunch at Google as usual. I bought him some souvenirs from my trip (a T-shirt from Vienna and a bottle of Chocolate rum), and I am glad that he liked them. With Anna, I spent half a day with her for her special day at her friend's place in South Shore. There was also a birthday in August for a very special person, and I got the impression that he liked what I had prepared for him 🎂🎈🎉

   
   

2. Fireworks: There were 8 shows, and I did not miss a single one. I watched 7 of them with others, and only one as a solo watcher. A movie before and after to finish added extra fun to the evening. I am happy China made it to #3 this year; it felt great to listen to those familiar, lovely tones while watching the splendid fireworks, and I did make the right prediction for that one 🎇🎇🎇

   
   

3. 🎺: Jazz festivals: Tons of people, tons of fun—and plenty of waiting in line, over and over again. I kept picking up free bottles of water every time I went. Little did I know they would later become welcome gifts when friends came over to my place. Seems like they all know this little hobby of mine 😆😆😆

   
   

4. 🆕: A private concert in Jin and Greg’s garden: This was the first time they had hosted an event like this in their backyard, with just six of us in the audience. The jazz singer was both charming and talented. To my surprise, most of the tunes sounded familiar, which made the evening even more enjoyable. It felt like a little private jazz club right in their garden.

   
   

5. Old but always fun: our weekly card games have become a cherished tradition. When the weather is nice, we gather in Jin's garden; when it rains, my place becomes our cozy gathering place. Either way, the cards come out, the laughter begins (sometimes it can be very loud), and the good times continue.

6. 🆕: Badminton tournament. For first-time participants, we received two free practice sessions and free entry to the tournament (well, the captain on our team generously paid for us all). It sounded like a great deal, and I got the chance to use an electric bixi twice to ride over the Jacque Cartier Bridge for practice.

   
   

   The competition itself, however, was brutal. We (all six members from the Watermelon team failed to win a single game, and the skill gap between the other teams and us was too great. I still enjoyed the experience, though 🍉🍉🍉

   
   

7. 🆕: A musical at Place des Arts, courtesy of the community centre: Évangéline. It was the first live musical I had seen since The Lion King many years ago when I lived in Toronto. The memory of that musical, though, was still very vivid.

   
   

   This time, the performance was in French, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The show was in the afternoon and lasted more than 2 hours. I must admit that I nodded off briefly at one point, thanks to the enchanting music. Fortunately, I did not miss much. I enjoyed the songs, the dancing, the costumes, and the performance combined to create a memorable experience. It reminded me how engaging live theatre can be.

   
   

8. 🆕: Contemporary Dance at Parc La Fontaine: It brought back memories of another summer evening. The last time I watched a live performance there was the Grand Ballet in 2022 with my friend Lily, when we waited in line for hours before the show began.

   
   

   Back then, we survived on hot dogs. This time, we treated ourselves to poutine from the famous place on Rachel Street before meeting up with a group that had organized the outing.

   
   

   To our great surprise, while hundreds of people were already lined up waiting for the doors to open at 8:00 p.m., some having arrived as early as 7:00, our group was directed through a side entrance. Instead of standing in line, we found ourselves seated in the front row. It felt almost too good to be true.

   
   

   The performance itself was unforgettable. The music was a bit too loud, but the dancers were powerful and dynamic. Totally different from the ballet 🩰🩰🩰

   
   

   Before joining the group, I had an unexpected encounter. While sitting on one of the large beach chairs with Lily, a grey cat suddenly jumped onto my lap and settled there for a few seconds. It caught me completely off guard.

   
   

   Was it because the cat found me trustworthy? Perhaps. Cats are often attracted to people who are sitting quietly and not paying too much attention to them. Or perhaps it was simply curious and decided that my lap looked like a comfortable place to investigate. Whatever the reason, it was a small but memorable moment that added an extra touch of magic to the evening.

   
   

9. Lunchtime live music near work. Throughout the summer, live music performances were held on Thursdays near my workplace. Whenever my schedule allowed, I would head over during lunch to enjoy the music, sometimes with my colleagues, sometimes alone. It was a simple pleasure that is easy to get: all I needed was to step outside during lunchtime and a willingness to enjoy what is happening around us.

   
   

10. Biking trips on our own bikes. This summer, I went on four cycling outings, the same number as last year. The last ride was also the longest, covering about 50 kilometres in a single day.

    
    

    What I am most proud of, however, was the very first ride I did on my own in June. I set out at 6:30 in the morning and returned home before 9:00 a.m. The route covered 30 kilometres along the Lachine Canal, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of cycling solo.

    
    

    There was something special about being out so early. The streets were quiet, the air was fresh, and it felt as though the whole world was still asleep. With few people around and no schedule to follow, I was free to ride at my own pace and simply enjoy the morning. It was a peaceful and refreshing start to the day, and one of my favourite memories of the summer.

    
    

11. Movies on Tuesdays and beyond. Another summer tradition was going to the movies, especially on Tuesdays. Some films were in French with English subtitles, making them both entertaining and a good language-learning experience.

    
    

    Among the movies I saw, the following are worth mentioning: I Know Who You Are, and The Odyssey. One particularly memorable film was Redemption, which was filmed in Montreal during a snowstorm, adding a local connection that made the experience even more interesting. It was a French film with English subtitles.

    
    

    I may not remember every title, but what I do remember is how much I enjoyed these outings. Whether I went with friends or on my own, each visit to the cinema was a chance to escape into a different world for a couple of hours. As the Cineplex slogan says: Escape with Us!

    
    

12. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts: One of the best decisions we made this summer was renewing our museum membership for another two years. The pass encouraged us to take advantage of the museum whenever a new exhibition opened or whenever we felt like spending a few quiet hours surrounded by art.

    
    

    In addition, we also purchased a passport that provides access to five other museums. So far, I have managed to visit each of them at least twice. It has encouraged me to explore places I might not otherwise have visited and has turned museum-going into a regular part of my routine.

    
    

13. Ping-pong. I did not play as many times as I would have liked this summer. In fact, I only played once. But out of the three games I played, guess what? I won every single one of them🥇🥇🥇

    
    

    Table football. That is a different story. I still need a lot more practice, and perhaps one day I will win more games than I lose. For now, I am still working toward that goal.

    
    

14. 🆕 Games: This summer, I discovered a couple of new games that I quickly grew to enjoy: Bananagrams and Rummikub.

    
    

    They were not only fun but also a great excuse to gather with friends and spend quality time together in the comfort of a home.

    
    

    Sometimes the simplest activities turn out to be the most enjoyable, and these games certainly added to the many happy memories of the season.

    
    

15. The last weekend of August (28-30) was undoubtedly one of the best of the summer.

    
    

    1. Friday: After work, I joined friends for an evening of card playing that stretched late into the night. Good company, plenty of laughter, delicious food, and a few competitive games made for a perfect start to the weekend.

    2. Saturday: A long walk on Mount Royal and beyond. By the end of the day, I had logged more than 30,000 steps plus 14 km on BIXI. The outing was followed by drinks and dinner at Terrasse St-Ambroise near the Pink House, and then a refreshing moonlit walk along the canal. It was one of those days that seemed to go on forever in the best possible way.

    3. Sunday: A BIXI ride to the east end of Montreal, followed by a pleasant walk in Parc de la Promenade-Bellerive along the St. Lawrence River. By the end of the day, I had covered 24 km by BIXI and accumulated more than 24,000 steps. The combination of cycling, walking, sunshine, and riverside scenery provided a fitting conclusion to an unforgettable summer weekend.

Looking back, this weekend captured everything I loved most about the summer: love, friendship, exercise, good food, laughter, and the simple joy of being outdoors. From late-night card games to long walks, bike rides, riverside sunsets, and moonlit strolls, every moment reminded me how fortunate I am to have such wonderful people and beautiful places around me.

It was the kind of weekend that makes you want to slow down time — to hold on to the laughter, the conversations, the sunshine, and the feeling of being completely present in the moment.

If this was the summer’s farewell, it certainly went out in style.

Cheers to an endless summer — and to many more days filled with love, friendship, adventure, and sunshine. 🥂🥂🥂