Happy New Year, Dear Friends

To All, I Wish a Year Full

of Health, Happiness and Humour

an end is nigh

This week between Christmas and New Year's is a kind of dead zone. A time of cleaning up around the house and repeats on the radio and television. And a time of the Year End Reviews.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Year End Reviews. And now we have the End of the Decade Reviews to contend with. (I know it isn't really the end of the decade, but...)

The end of the Naughts.

I used to love reading these lists. I thought of them as a gentle reminder of things that had happened in the past year. I think I even saved some of them and kept them tucked into the last pages of my journal for the respective year. Now, somehow, I think of them as brain twisters. Was that this year? I thought he died years ago? You actually found that incident memorable?

When I was younger, it was so much easier to place certain events or songs. I remembered them according to what grade I was in. Once that reference point was gone things got a little murky. I would reference events according to where I was living. Not necessarily the year, though. I still have trouble remembering exactly which year I lived in High Park, or moved to that small town in Central Ontario. When I figure it out, I am suddenly more aware of how much time has passed and am shocked. Or perversely, was it only five years ago that that happened? have I really only been blogging for a year and a half?

My short term memory is confused. And reading these lists only confirms my suspicions.

I am getting older.

On another note, I am glad to start the new decade so we can stop saying - deep breath - two thousand and nine, and swiftly move on to saying twenty ten.

how to stretch your vacation time in an unpleasant way

By December 24th my final flight arrangements for a short trip to New York City were finalized.

Some stupid person didn't want the (by now quicker and less stressful) extra travel time to Buffalo, so opted for a Toronto Pearson departure. Hours of waiting only to have your flight cancelled due to... hours of waiting.

Hopefully this insanity will be over, or seriously diminished, in the next 10 days.

Seriously.

photo from Globe and Mail

Monday AMuse

SundayStills - odds and ends

It was mild on Christmas Day, the temperatures around 6C or 42F and still no snow. (odd for an Ontario winter) But it was not particularly quiet. The tree branches were squeaking as they rubbed against each other in the wind, the geese were honking while flying frantically overhead as they tried to scream at one another

over the noise of the waves crashing.

I went for a walk along the waterfront to capture the scene. Along the way I met a few other brave foolhardy souls, one couple who saw the waves from the Skyway and had to get off the highway to take photos. I took one of them standing in front of the breakwall and tried not to laugh as they ran from the spray. We were all suitably impressed. We all got wet. The above photo is an untouched version, but I thought it looked too grey, so I played around with the settings to highlight the waves

Then I came home and dried off, put on my new flannel jammies and had some spiked egg nog. And watched March of the Penguins, and was pleased with my lot in life. At the time, I thought: what an appropriately odd ending for the day.

SundayStills had no particular theme this week (or so I read it!) so check out what everyone else came up with and be surprised.

Snow may be in your forecast for Christmas,
but here it will be rain and freezing rain, then more rain.

Perfect time for tea and shortbread.

Have a safe and happy Christmas, everyone, wherever and however you spend it!

Monday AMuse

SundayStills - holiday lights and decorations

My city puts on an animated festival of lights every year.

So come sit by the fire a spell and keep warm.

and doesn't every town have one of these?

Someone who goes a little overboard on their lights?

This house gets scores of people wandering by to have a look and to enthrall. Even their small back yard is filled with inflatables and lighted trees. Fortunately, there is a conveniently located school directly across the street. (handy for parking, too!)

Now, back inside, for some cozy seasonal socks.

this is one of the 100 doors decorated for Christmas at the Botanical Gardens.

As for me, I am a simple decorator.

Check out more SundayStills photography

and you can see more of my holiday lights and decorations on Sightlines (also scroll down to here and here for last years with snow)

and now, the torch

watching in anticipation, still 20 minutes away, flags and noisemakers ready… the convoy begins, cheers rise up as we look beyond the big vans for the main attraction, still minutes away there he is, the torch bearer (don’t know his name, sigh) … and by the magic of post editing, the sky darkens to illuminate the main attraction who is almost obscured by the all the lights of the vans and cop cars and streetlights… in a flash, the flame passes by
somewhere in the melee the torch is passed…

The End (for today)

55 more days to go.

tis the time for giving...

Before I get too smug about having bought all my Christmas gifts before the end of summer, it should be noted that I will still likely be wrapping the gifts on Christmas Eve. Or, as has been known to happen, in the car, on the way to giftee's place.

But really, I wasn't shopping. All those presents were from craft and art shows, where there appeared in the sky above, an angel with a banner bearing someone's name in one hand and an arrow pointing, when I came across certain beautiful and perfects gift items. The message could not be ignored.

So I now find myself with some dismay, searching high and low for at least one of the gifts. And suddenly remembering that I had already bought a book for someone... somewhere.

Then, finding a couple of lovely whirly wind catcher things bought way back last March at the garden show that I had completely forgotten about. Completely. One of them was for me. I went all summer without enjoying my own present of a whirly wind catcher thing.

There was an herb planter from the same show, stored under the bed...

I now have extra gifts for next year. I'm way ahead.

But I'm not gloating.

Nothing is wrapped. Anything could happen in the next week.