A Few Announcements.

It's Thursday. Which means it's a great day to answer somebody's question.

Q [from Alicia]:

I was going to hesitate to ask, but then the end of your post said "Don't hesitate to ask." So here's me not hesitating: For how long will you not be able to work or go to school or whatever in Canada? Also, what are their reasons for not letting you do so? Don't get me wrong--I think you should do whatever you please with your time, but it would be nice for you to have some options (I'd think).

Also, on a related note, what do you think you will do once you are allowed to work and attend school?

That's all I got, but I'll keep thinking of questions for you. :)

A [from me]:

Thank you Alicia, for your question(s). They are valid, and I will answer them.

I can't work yet in Canada because I am not a Canadian citizen, nor have I completed my paperwork allowing me to work (similar to a Green Card in the United States). When I do get that paperwork finished, I will be considered a resident of Canada. Not a citizen. I will not be able to vote, but I will be allowed to work. And pay taxes. [And, if you are wondering, I am already allowed to be on the Canadian Healthcare plan, simply because I married a Canadian and live here. I think that's pretty nice of the government, though I haven't had to tap into it yet. Thankfully. And anyway, I don't think Alberta Healthcare offers laser treatment for volcanoes in right nostrils, which is what I'd really like.] For more information on how you can marry a Canadian and fill out paperwork, see The Government of Alberta. It's fun. Really.

I can go to school here, but since I don't have my paperwork finished, I am technically considered an international student, which means my tuition would be $11,000/year. Which is more than twice what I'll pay as a resident. Initially my plan was to finish my paperwork by last December and get back into school by January, but the paperwork has taken a lot longer (about 10 months longer, actually) than I expected. It's still not finished, but I am anxious to finish school sometime in this decade, if at all possible...

...which leads me to announce that I will be starting classes in January.

See? Me and my acceptance letter. Wahoo.

I have applied to the closest University and likely have another 1.5 to two years until I graduate. I never really considered myself a dropout. But I guess I have been, technically speaking. How depressing.

On the bright side, last year when all my high school friends were graduating from college, I had done some brilliant things with my life that others might never have the opportunity to do. As much as I'd like to already have my degree, if it meant that I couldn't have taken off a year to move to Europe and get married to a certain Poor Canadian, I wouldn't choose any differently.

And, to further answer your question, Alicia [i.e. "what do you think you will do when you are allowed to work and attend school"], I intend to work and attend school. I have no job prospects, but I will be getting my degree in Museum Studies and Art History, with {maybe} a minor in...French.

That's right. French. Parlez-vous? It's just an idea I've had kicking around in my brain, and I haven't told anyone about it yet. Not even Poor Kyle. {Hi, Poor Kyle! [He doesn't much care for French.]}

Just remember, you heard it first on Archives of Our Lives.

And, as always, I'm open for any more questions you may have. Don't hesitate. Really.

{Truffleupagus}

I made truffles. That's right--not a typo.

Inasmuch as I am not legal to work in Canada, and not eligible for in-province tuition prices, I basically spend my days thinking of things to do to entertain myself. I am not complaining--who wouldn't want six months of completely free time to do anything she wanted? I have all kinds of fantastic ideas floating around in my head--home renovation projects, how I want to design our bedroom, what I am going to plant in my square foot garden come spring. I really am enjoying this phase of my life. {Explaining to other people what I do during the day, however...that's a different story entirely.}

But I lost track of what I was originally talking about: truffles. Now, I have never to my knowledge eaten a truffle before, but I happened upon a recipe for them during my daily foray into the blogging world, and became obsessed with wanting to make them. I've had lots (and lots and lots) of Lindor Lindt Balls, but these are kind of different. Here's the low-down, should you ever decide to make truffles of your very own:

Finely chop some baking chocolate (your favourite kind) and place in a mixing bowl. Then take whole whipping cream and pour into a stove-top pot. Heat the cream on the pot and when it's almost boiling, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl over the baking chocolate. Stir the cream and chopped chocolate together until smooth (oh, so deliciously smooth). What you will have created is a ganache (guh-nawsh). [Watch the three-minute movie on the "ganache" link to see what it will look like.] After you have made your ganache and let it solidify, you can either roll it in straight cocoa powder and be done, or you can roll it around in straight melted chocolate and then in cocoa powder (thus forming a chocolate shell, similar to that of a Lindor Lindt Ball). Refrigerate in an airtight container and send them to work with anyone who will take them. This is when a husband comes in handy. For me, anyway.

Since I am not a food blogger (I know, I know--my blog has no defined purpose. It has an identity complex already, so don't bring it up), I am not going to do beautiful step-by-step photos of the entire process. {Someone else already did that.} Instead, I will just show you the finished product:

Et voila! Bon appetit!

{le francais}

Septembre {sept*ahmbreh}: The French word for that pivotal time of year when everything bad becomes good, and everything already good becomes magnified one hundred times through a rose-colored lens.

Sometimes I think people don't believe me when I say I speak French. Well here's proof (albeit at the three year-old level).