10 pounds

Some things don't change. We may be metric in this country but we diet in pounds and inches. So far I have lost 10 pounds and 6 inches. For those who are concerned about this, there is now less of me to love, but I am more concentrated, and you'll probably have me around for longer.

Hampton alert: I'm heading back home to the Bay Shore for a couple of nights once I've finished work here today.

letters to Santa

On writing letters to Santa: All letters sent to the North Pole used to end up in the dead letter department in Montreal, Canada. This is because flights to the eastern Arctic, the closest to the North Pole, flew out of the Montreal Airport. Some volunteers at the post office took it upon themselves to send replies to these letters. This took off and is now handled by computers. Letters to Santa get replies. Now the postal codes for Motnreal Island begin with the letter "H". So the "North Pole" was given the postal code: H0H 0H0, alternate letters and digits, in this case a zero. Now in the community Santa Claus Parades there is a postal van and postal employees who collect the letters from the children lined up along the parade route. So here we have all these children wildly jumping up and down excitedly waving their letters. It adds to the fun. Because as we know: he's making a list and checking it twice, and it always helps to get in one's requests.

more parade

This being Nova Scotia Santa Claus could not possibly arrive in town without the pipers. However, the parade marshall put the red coated band right in behind the western horses. When the pipes started the horses were terrified. The music stropped, the band retreated three floats back, and then the parade moved on with the new arrangement. Western horses do not appreciate the Scottish element. The Clydesdales were unperturbed. They know their own heritage. I wonder if the western horses would have appreciated a country band.

'flu shot

Waiting at the swine 'flu clinic, and it wasn't a long wait. I turned up at the clinic at the shopping mall, was given a number, and then I went off to Tim Horton's to get a cup of tea. When I returned I found my place in line and was ushered into this room. Everyone was given hand cleanser and then a clipboard and pen with the usual questionnaire. By the time I had finished it and drunk my tea, my number was called. It was a quick prick and then we were sent to those chairs you can see on the other side of the room and told to sit for fifteen minutes. After the alloted time filled with good conversation, I was out the door. Piece of cake!

parade

I was heading out for a nice invitation to dinner, but we were all new to Truro, and didn't know about the Santa Claus parade. I was one and three quarter hours late. I went out my front door and found that the street blocked off and the people lined up three or four deep. So I got myself a spot to watch the proceedings.

The parade took an hour to unwind, Every organization and many businesses had floats. There were performing dogs, fake fuzzy bears, clowns, lots of candy being handed out and excited children. The most important person was at the end of the parade in a wagon drawn by "reindeer". They were my absolute favourite.

and, of course, there was:

I suppose that I had better start shopping.

November

It's November. This bush grows by the apartment front door. November is brown. Really, though, November is often quite enjoyable in Nova Scotia. It is still warm, often sunny. I have seen fall weather linger into December.

On a different note, Hugh (grandson) and I went to a concert last evening, mostly Hayden with a bit of Mozart. It was his first plunge into classical music and I threw him off the deep end. It worked out swimmingly.

Annapolis Royal street

I was walking along the street in Annapolis Royal, passing the usual eclectic mix, when I relooked at the stone lion. This is so, so typical. There are many Buddhists here, down home in Nova Scotia, with a cross cultural spirituality.

I walked by thinking nothing of it, then I turned back and snapped the photo.