Not all heroes wear capes. Sometimes they wear bathrobes.

At 3:38 this morning my dog, Archer, began to whine. This was not his, "I'm bored," whine. This was his, "Please can you take me out right now because if you don't I'm going to make a big mess on the floor," whine. 

I grunted, pushed myself up, and stumbled to find something to cover up my nightgown. I put on my big fluffy bathrobe, because it's not like I'm going to run into anyone at 3:38 on a Monday morning. I grabbed the keys and stumbled outside with Archer. 

Now I'm gonna stop right here and warn you. This trip outside ends in grossness. I kept the description to, what I feel is, a tasteful minimum, but maybe you don't want to read about it. This is your chance to stop reading. You've been warned.

Canadian Adventure: Country Mouse's First Few Weeks in the Big City

After about a year of talking about it, I'm finally in Montreal, Canada. And I can say that my first impression is, as I thought it would be, that it's overwhelming.

My second day in the city Steven and I walked to the grocery store where I promptly had a panic attack. One second we're walking down the aisles looking for peanut butter, the next I'm grabbing for the cart to steady myself, repeating, “Oh God, please don't let me pass out in the dairy aisle, they'll take my vegan card away.”

I don't know what happened. It could have been that everything was in a strange language. Maybe it was that there were too many people. Or maybe I was still tired from the move, but we had to stop our shopping and leave.

Once we got back to the apartment and I had a moment for my heart to slow down, I felt ridiculous that I had such a reaction. Steven gently reminded me that I didn't like grocery shopping in the states either. Still, I feel foolish for panicking and leaving like I did.

From that incident, I made the resolution to go out into our neighborhood everyday. Fortunately I have Archer to go with me so I don't feel totally alone. I know that I eventually will acclimate to the new surrounding and it won't bother me as much.

Through our walks I have discovered a nearby hiking trail next to the University of Montreal and that Mont Royal Park is nearby.

I'm convinced that my biggest fear is coming across someone while walking and they try to speak to me in French. Of course I wouldn't be able to answer and I'd have to scurry away like a crab.

Last week that fear was faced when a lady said something to me in French as Archer and I walked past. I stopped and said, “Pardon?” Which wasn't the right thing to say because she immediately repeated herself in FRENCH. So I said, “I'm sorry. I don't know any French.”