Happy New Year!

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Drive It 'Til The Wheels Fall Off... A Christmas Miracle!

2015 Lincoln MKX with All-wheel Drive.

On Friday I decided I would drive down to Chatham (60 miles) to buy a new (used) car. I knew I was driving my 16 year old car on borrowed time, but it just keeps going. I always said I would "drive it 'til the wheels fell off". I had seen a beauty in the Auto Trader and decided it was time to get rid of my trusty, or should I say, just old, 2002 Buick Rendezvous. Erin volunteered to come with me. What you will see next, you will NOT BELIEVE!

As we wheeled into the dealership, the rear passenger wheel decided to abandon ship.

Thank God it didn't separate while speeding down the highway at 110 km/hr only minutes earlier.

The whole wheel and brake assembly was only held on by the drive shaft, brake hose and upper ball joint. Ironically, we had earlier today, dropped off Erin's Elantra to have our mechanic repair... the ball joints.

The last 50 feet of our trip was unbelievable. I went back to look at the little bump that we went over as we turned into the dealership. There was really nothing there that would cause such a calamitous ending.

 I dragged the poor old Buick into a spot on the used car lot and we strolled into the dealership.

My bargaining power was completely destroyed as Santa and I contemplated my strategy. I decided not to mention the incident until after the test drive in the new car. My hands were still shaking. I had trouble concentrating on the new car.

As luck would have it, we arrived at the Staff Christmas Party for Victory Ford Lincoln. We were invited to a fabulous pot luck lunch with the workers at the dealership. Roast beef, scalloped potatoes, falafels and many other entrees followed by a marvelous desert table with a great selection.

Here I am conferring with the mechanical Santa.

Puts new meaning to "tire kicker".

Our sales rep Mark Jackson introduced us to his Sales Manager, Sa'id Hammoud and I finally explained the problem with "our trade-in". To my complete surprise, they were very understanding, and bent over backwards to put a deal together for us even though they knew...

... we really HAD to buy this car. It was that or take the bus home. Ha ha. They even offered me the scrap value of $200 for my "trade-in". They must have pitied me because they still gave me an even better deal on my new awd Lincoln MKX. This is truly a first-class dealership!

Christmas is a magical time of year and this little tale truly verifies this. Our story could have been much different if the sequence of events had changed, even a tiny bit. Disaster was was so close! Only the miracle of Christmas can explain the happy ending.

 As different as day and night! Ha ha. Goodbye old buddy.

Merry Christmas to all.
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It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas 2017

As I awoke, I was favoured with a beautiful view from my bedroom window.

Still snowing at dinner time.
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War Is Hell And Worse At Christmas.

I now think that the song "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is one of the saddest songs I have ever heard. Of all the Christmas songs, this one most stimulates my memories of Christmas's past. As I advanced through my most formative years, moving through those same years as my Dad when he was younger, during the war. I now think of the precious and important times in his life when he was isolated from the world as we know it. I now realize that no one that hasn't been there can ever truly imagine the horrors of War.

When I was young I had no knowledge of the terrible tragedies endured by my father. He tried to hide the terror from us by not talking about it. I remember singers on the Ed Sullivan Show like Bing Crosby and Perry Como would croon heartwarming Christmas songs. Seasonal thoughts and get-togethers with family were very important to him. I never really stopped to analyze the words to the Christmas songs until a few years ago. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has to be one of the most heart wrenching of them all.

My Dad was a pilot who trained in Canada after volunteering in WWII and was shipped over to join the RAF in the North African campaign when he was barely 20 years old. He would rarely tell me about his adventures overseas. I think he might have wanted to spare me from the horrendous stress and pressure that he endured.

These young men gave up everything to fight for our country with little worry about ever coming home. His plane was shot down in the Mediterranean and he and his crew floated around for 3 days in a rubber dinghy after the plane sunk. When the war ended, membership in the Royal Canadian Legion gave many of them a place to be with others who had endured the same kind of hardships. Although I was later invited to become a member, I never felt I belonged there. I had never experienced the pain of war. I felt I was not really entitled to the camaraderie as I sat and listened to these brave and courageous men. I let my membership lapse years ago and never returned.

How sad must it have been to be alone, a world away, in a hellish nightmare and dream of your loved-ones back home, knowing that I might only return "in my dreams".

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas" have to be two of the saddest songs ever written.

Have a Merry Christmas, but "Lest we Forget".

I'll be home for Christmas

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

REPEAT


Songwriters: BUCK RAM, KIM GANNON, WALTER KENT



The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, writing a letter to his family. In the message, he tells the family he will be coming home and to prepare the holiday for him, and requests snow, mistletoe, and presents on the tree. The song ends on a melancholy note, with the soldier saying, "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams".Kim Gannon claimed on at least one occasion that he was not thinking of the soldiers when he wrote the lyrics but of all people who are unable to be home for Christmas. When he pitched the song to people in the music business, they turned it down because the final line was too sad for all those separated from their loved ones in the military. When playing golf with Bing Crosby, however, Gannon sang the song for Crosby, who decided to record it. The flip side of the original recording (Decca 18570B) was "Danny Boy"

Our Christmas Tree for 2017

The annual trek to Rona for our Christmas Tree occurred earlier this week.

Wendy examined every tree, checking for damaged branches, curved trunks and correct pruning technique.

This year we decided on a more compact tree. After cutting an inch or so off the trunk to facilitate water uptake, it was duly hung from the hook in the living-room ceiling and water added to the pail.

The tree hangs, suspended from the hook in the ceiling.

Cats love Christmas! Benz supervised the whole procedure. Wendy began to work her magic decorating the tree.

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Where is Erin? - Whitehorse In The Yukon...

Our daughter Erin took the week off work to fly to Whitehorse and visit her roller derby friend Erinkate who has recently relocated there.

Erinkate and Erin.

Looks like Erin participated in a roller derby practice.

It was very cold when she got there, but all the rest of the week it has actually been a little warmer than we've had it here.

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Fifteen Years Since My Cancer Surgery

December 6, 2002.   Men, get your PSA levels tested!
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No More "Whistle Tooth"

I went to my dentist because I needed help. The part in my teeth was causing me to whistle every time I said anything with an "S" in it. That may sound funny but it was driving Wendy mad.  So...(with a whistle)

My great dentist, Dr Gillis, is without a doubt, truly an artist! I am really going to miss him when he retires next year. He explained that teeth move as we age and the gap had widened. He told me closing the gap might work so he made a temporary patch and we tried it out. No more whistle!

But braces at my age are not an option so, on my second appointment he set to work. He sculpted a new profile using some miracle "Bondo" which cured onto the existing teeth. He said he had to leave some gap in his work of art or nobody would recognize me.

I'm thrilled with the way it turned out. Thanks so much Dr. Ted Gillis!
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Circle of Friends Christmas Party 2017

I can't believe another year has gone by. We spent an enjoyable evening at the Marienbad Restaurant on Carling St. in London. This private spot has become somewhat of a yearly tradition. Our daughter Erin drove Greg, Patricia, Wendy and me to the restaurant.

Greg, Peter and Murray, above.

Restaurant manager talks with the ladies. Joyce, Pat, Anne, Tricia and Wendy.

Thanks to Joan for booking this lovely place again this year. Tom brought his friend Donna again this year.  I enjoyed a long chat and told a few stories. I didn't get a picture of myself. Ha ha.

A good, high noise level as everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I know I was!

Unfortunately Joan was not feeling well and couldn't show up, but we enjoyed talking with Peter.

What a lovely way to kick off the holiday season. Greg, Patricia, Wendy and I finished the evening by taking my second only Uber ride. Home safe and sound with one stop at Tricia's for $15 plus tip for the four of us. Great value.
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We Mulched All Our Leaves... Our Neighbours Didn't!

Well, it's that time of year again when we grind up all our leaves with the riding lawnmower. Our good neighbours across the street don't have a grassed area to mulch in and thus no lawnmower so...

They worked into the night bringing bags of yard waste to the curb.

In the picture above, our 4 bags in the foreground are dwarfed by our neighbour's 100 or so bags across the street.

 The bags actually form almost a complete double row of leaf bags. I counted about 100.

Click any pic to enlarge it.

The garbage men will have quite a load from this pick-up in "Yard Waste Week". Even though the city does re-use the leaves as mulch, it's a shame the neighbour's leaves can't be disposed of in a better way than using 100 crummy bags. You can see my neighbour's problem in the picture above... All trees, no lawn. I think I might invite him to bring them over next year (sans the bags) and I'll grind them all up. Too good to waste!
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OK, Another Cat Picture...

Click the pic.

Sorry, I had to post it. Ben-Z was posing for me.
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Holly and Barry Are Back

Holly and Barry switched ships last Sunday, disembarking the Koningsdam and embarking on an extended 7 day cruise on the Eurodam.

Barry sent an email:

"Hope all is good, miss you on this cruise. The ship is great over 1200 Canadians on board and the Captain is Canadian!!, Just back from a visit with Debbie, a short visit as we leave at 3.00 and Deb and Chris were meeting some folks at 1.00. Deb sends her best. Even got De King to take us down, he has a brand new white van, had a good yak with him.

Bumped into Donna From Vancouver, sister Laurie, met them on the Massdam  yesterday just outside of the fort in Martinique, she stopped us and said I know you. Once she took her glasses off I recognized her right away. She sends her best, will send some picks when we get home. Have to run for the boat.

Cheers
Barry, Holly,"

Back, tied up at FLL. Sounds like they had another great cruise. Have a safe trip back to Canada.

Barry sent these two pictures when they got home. Debbie at her Loxs-een Bar (above) and one of our favorite drivers, De King poses with his brand new van (below).

Here's part of Bary's email:
"Sending a photo of De King and Debbie when we were in St. Kitts. Deb has a new chair man looking after the beach and has her daughter working with her in the bar, had some good kidding around with them. Debbie sends her best and will be looking forward to your next visit. The bar did have some damage as they had to change around some of the plywood on the walls but in general it was still in tack.The King just got his new van in May. There is now a couple of more bars on the beach so the whole beach now is lined with chairs and bars. Funny how things change, as the first time we went down, there was only the one bar at the end the rest of the beach was deserted."
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