Me and Ray and a Dog Named Grey: A Day Trip to Montreal

2013 August 13

A Day Trip to Montreal

About eight or so years ago, I found a site called "I Heart Paws". It was a nice internet connection for people who loved their pets, though, it is now defunct. It was one of my first forays into meeting folks online. Many of the people I connected with way back then, are people I still call my friends, either on Facebook, or through some other internet interface.

Among the people I met and have developed relationships with, is a woman named Prin, or more formally, Princess. I remember when I first met her, on I <3 Paws, she seemed very intimidating to me. She also seemed intelligent, and not one to back down from a challenge, even with some of the stronger personalities on the site. While I liked that about her, it was also the thing that scared me a little.

When I <3 Paws disappeared from the ethernet, I stayed in touch with some of the folks via email. Then, eventually, I rediscovered some of them on Facebook. Prin was among those.

She has become what I hesitate to call a good friend. The hesitation comes because, although we have messaged each other a lot, and shared the depths of our souls on some subjects, we had never met in real life (IRL). And I am afraid I am so old that I still make demarcations like 'online' and 'IRL', that, perhaps, a younger generation does not.

One of the bonus features of this trip to Mooers Forks, is that we are extremely close to the Canadian border. It was my hope that our proximity would allow me to finally meet some of my Canadian friends. Prin would be the first. Hopefully, not the last.

I was excited to finally meet her, yet concerned to be driving into Quebec, since I have no French. Nothing to worry about, as it turned out, Prin's directions were excellent. Although, to be honest, I did have my Google maps, turn by turn app turned on, as well. Prin's directions were better.

I was a little nervous, still, as I rang her doorbell. [Way back in June 2012, I met up with another of these internet friends in Wyoming, but maybe that's a post for another time.]

Let me just say this: Prin is my friend, both on Facebook and IRL! I felt more comfortable and less self conscious than I had expected. It was a very nice meeting and I still like her after meeting her, her doggies and her husband. It was a good time. The only bad thing about it was the traffic in Montreal, and I wasn't even in the city proper! That said, the city of Montreal looked very scenic off to my right, as I crossed one the many bridges in the area. I did not take a picture, though because I was very busy concentrating due to the volume of traffic.

These are some of the pictures taken by either Prin, or her husband, Mike, to record the event for posterity.