Christmas, Dickens, Icicles

As Calvin said: “The days are just packed.”

Especially around Christmas.

That’s our tree, not quite complete. I still have to string the cranberries.

On Thursday, after working a few hours on the edit, I went down into the basement and brought up boxes of Christmas ornaments.

Alas, I could not find the lights for the tree. Since I had not torn myself away from the computer in time to make dinner, this worked out well. Putting on my long coat, red hat, scarf, boots and gloves, I walked downtown. (These icicles photographed on today's walk.)

It snowed almost all day Thursday, so by late afternoon it was a winter wonderland. I felt full of cheer as I walked. My black coat was glistening white by the time I reached Covent Garden. But I was warm. My secret? Long underwear.

Went first to Strano’s. Bought delicious lasagna for dinner. The man who runs the stand does all the cooking. Italian, he’s broad and graying. He wears a white apron and a black hat rather like a fez to keep his hair covered. His smile is great. I told him I was supposed to have made a meatloaf, but hadn’t and he was a lifesaver. He said, “That’s why I’m here.”

Went on to Field Gate for organic milk.

Next stop was the Red Apple store for Christmas lights. Since I was just down the block, I also stopped in at Starbucks for a coffee and a friendly word. Before heading home I bought Angus a sundae at McDonald’s as a surprise, since he likes them. It was below freezing outside so I figured it would keep on the walk home. (My neighbor Sylvia put out this little evergreen bear.)


On Friday I took a break from the edit because I had an idea for a new story. I spent the day writing down my thoughts and doing research on the Internet to see if it would be realistic to place my story where I was thinking.

After quitting the laptop for the day, I made what turned out to be the best meatloaf of my life, put it in the oven and decorated our tree. I had just finished and was vacuuming up pine needles when Angus came home.

We lay on the couch after dinner, I put my head in his lap and we talked and laughed.

Today, Saturday, Angus got his hair cut. Then we walked through Harris park and fed our leftover bread heels to the ducks.

Angus walks across the park with the old jail (it looks like a castle) in the background.
We caught the end of the Farmer’s Market that is held outside Covent Garden every Saturday morning until Christmas. I bought maple syrup since we were out, and asked the ladies selling it if I could take their picture. Brrr.
Took a photo of the young woman at the newspaper stand. This is where I get The New York Times or London Free Press although I'm thinking of starting to read The Globe and Mail.
We walked over to Starbucks and sat at the counter in the window. I read a bit of the old, leather bound volume I have of Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop. I’m up to page 108.
Although I bought this beautiful little book last year as a result of reading Robertson Davies, who wrote that it is a “must read,” I hadn’t made time for it. PBS aired a three-part series on Dickens this past week, so that clinched it. Now or never.

Yes, those are reading glasses. I’ve given in. I need them and wear them now – and this is the first year – for all reading and writing, including computer work. The line between my eyes is fading. I guess I was squinting a lot.


This is the view we had as I read Dickens and Angus read the paper.

We walked home, Caroline came over and I played a few Christmas carols on the piano.

We had meatloaf sandwiches before heading out shopping with her. But that’s another story, and more photos not yet downloaded.

No work today and it’s much later than I meant to stay up – it’s nearly two. I would like to go to church tomorrow morning, but if I don’t get enough sleep, I’m worthless.

I’ll see how late it is when I climb into bed. Angus went to sleep a couple of hours ago, but I wanted to get these posted.

Rumi:

An eye is meant to see things.
The soul is here for its own joy.