Balmy December

We have had a "Pineapple Express" most of December, blowing that warm wind here from Hawaii, so although we have had a fair amount of dark sky days and rain, the temperatures have been record-breaking high for December.

A weather highlight for the month has got to be last week's thunderstorm and lightning, a rare treat, as we seldom see lightning and hear thunder but the warm air meeting the colder air at five fifteen one night brought on the dazzling array of sights and sounds and a big boom to start as a transformer was hit over a mall. Evacuations followed. Lots of power outages. The five o'clock commute was one vehicle across the unlit intersections at a time and people were polite and careful.

This is the season Butchart Gardens has the only outdoors skating rink on the island and Tim and I were two of its first customers. Reminded me of Quebec in our youth on the rinks Margy, Lucy and I used many cold winter months, vying for ice time with the hockey players.

Tim and I finally got to see The Rolling Stones at IMAX. Mick, Keith, Ron, Bill & Charlie, two storeys high, was quite the amazing sight. We hope to have a return visit. Linda McCartney has a photo showing at the museum, I will definitely see it. John Lennon's yellow Rolls Royce painted in large flowers is in the lobby. We miss you, John, and Happy Christmas, the war is over if we want it.

We got to The Irish Times Pub Restaurant many occasions this month trying to earn a lunch on the house by gaining credit punches for visits. We did not achieve this, but had fun trying. Tim and I finally got to see Kitangus and the band is hot! The nachos and fries there are the best as are the meals.

Tony was over in Vancouver one week supervising on a Safeway roof. It was an interesting time.

Noah Kasper's CD Release party was held to honor a young man who fulfilled his dream of making a beautiful bluesy recording before he left this earth. He was the miracle 5 organ transplant recipient and lived a couple years with the new parts. Talented singer songwriter, guitar & sax player. We miss you, Noah, and congratulations on a very fine record.

Made it to a Sunday Hootenanny and Carolyn was giving away some CDs, regifting them.We got some good ones. Saw J, Carolyn, Dylan, Joey and others sing a few songs each. Fun. Neighborhood pubs such as Logans are such a treat, it's like walking into your own living room and Carolyn greeting you from across the room as you enter, "Hey Allison!" even though J is singing at the time.

Tony and I saw Boris The Hypnotist at UVic. He is from Moscow and lives in Toronto and is about to have a syndicated television show start in the UK which will make its way to North America eventually. He is amazing. Without making fun of his twenty volunteers, he provides drama, humour and irony. River rafting expedition, true love encounter, couple with baby the male was pregnant with, lying woman, petulant parrot, one hundred dollar bills acquiring, disco dancing, muscle-flexing, it's all here.

Mufaro Marima took part in a Parade of Boats in the harbour. Their host boat, Tango, a catamaran, placed 4th for beautiful Christmas lights. Tim was given the prize as he had done a lot of ground work towards the marimbas getting safely onto the boat, and is going on another whale-watching trip, this next time on a Zodiak. The Parade was magical, twinkling lights from sixteen boats circling on the water, heading out and back. Marimba music filling the air.

In November, we received news that Pat and Tim are expecting a baby in June. Our grandparenting days will be rich for sure.

Christmas Open House with a large family and friends is what it's all about. We were invited to The Maguires. Tim's highschool friend, Carmel, and her family took a trip to California when he was sixteen and Tim was invited. Disneyland and Pismo Beach camping and a visit to Uncle Art and Aunt Dawn in Carmel. Anyway, we had lost touch over the years, but ran into Carm's father Tony and sister Carolyn in the streets and were invited to the party coming up in a few weeks. It was delightful and there was a new baby there and two three year olds, and folks kept arriving, mainly family & their mates, and we all got pictures with Santa. The room was filled with Christmases past, advent calendars from the past 25 years were on the ceiling, ornaments abounding on a giant Christmas tree. This is truly what Christmas is about, the family, the love, the warmth.

Tim and I took in the many decorated Christmas trees throughout The Empress. Being in such a revered building always feels Christmasy to us.

We usually spend Christmas at home and this year it was lovely. Tim and Pat came over at two and we talked on the phone to family and opened gifts. I got headphones from them and they got a flat screen wide screen tv from us. Tony got a really cool set of Henckels knives from them. I got jewelery, clothing, music and music magazines and books. Dinner was yummy, thanks to Tony, and included squash, potatoes, stuffing, carrots, brussels, turkey, gravy, cranberries, creamed onions and pumpkin pie and whipping cream.

Christmas calls to family makes the miles melt a bit. We caught up with Margy, Grandma Lois, Lucy and William, Dad and Nancy, Uncle Art, Lesley, Doris, Tony's mum, and more. I talked to Kara in Nova Scotia this month, that was fun. Hey, Kara! Hey, Janet and 'Possum! Hey, Jain and Paul and Aunt Liz! Tony talked to his brother Alan, Dave and Deb.

Movie matinees are always fun. I saw the Johnny Cash film "Walk The Line" and loved it.Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon deserve all kinds of awards for their portraits of Johnny and June. Also, Tim and I saw King Kong, we quite enJOYed the adventure story. I have a whole new respect for dinosaurs and zombies and a big ape.

A New Year is coming, what can we ask for but PEACE and HEALTH and HAPPINESS for all.

Allison