Month: December 2020

Posted on

Christmas Cheer!

If you have read the last couple of entries, you will have noticed my curmudgeon mood for the past month. The incessant rain has for now apparently ceased for a while, but the dark days are still with us for a few more weeks. (I haven’t felt the sun on my face for over a month now.) I have a telephone consultation booked with my rheumatologist in hopes of adjusting my meds. But in the meantime I am not used to this painful limited range of motion. With the coronavirus continuing to spread around the world, we are all having to get used to a more limited range of motion, so I shouldn’t complain…

Charlie says “hang in there”!

Betty & I will miss getting together with our family in Winnipeg for Christmas. There are so many traditions we have taken for granted that will not occur this year – from many small and large family gatherings, to joining with the rest of an audience to stand as Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” is performed.

Some twinkle lights and garland brighten the long dark evenings.

As is her nature, Betty has worked hard to bring some Christmas cheer into our little home on wheels. Following are a few of her handicrafts:

There’s not really room for a Christmas tree in our motorhome, so Betty quilted one that lights up at night!
These colourful candles shouldn’t burn our house down.
Betty’s been busy knitting bright socks to keep our feet warm on these cooler days.

So we just have a few more weeks until the dark days are over (or should that be as Florence + the Machine sang – The Dog Days Are Over. lol).  Lighter days are to come, and vaccines for COVID-19 are on the horizon. My arthritis meds will be adjusted, and Betty & I will dance with Joy To The World! In the meantime, she is forcing me to watch every sappy Christmas movie on TV. Guess I can’t stay a curmudgeon forever!

“Away in a manger…”

Hope you can recognize the true gifts of peace and joy in this world, whatever your circumstances. For now, keep social distancing, wear your masks, but still have some wonderful Christmas cheer.

Our palm tree lights up our island get-away with festive brightness.

Cheers!

Posted on

Have Yourself A Very Little Christmas!

Betty quilted another Christmas tree for our home on wheels.

Have yourself a very little Christmas
Let your bubble be tight
From now on
Our COVID will be out of sight.

Have yourself a very little Christmas
Keep the virus at bay
From now on
Our families will be miles away.

Wish we were as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Could gather near to us once more.

Through the years we hope to be together
If the rules allow
Wear a mask and never let your guard go down
And have yourself a very little Christmas now…

Six feet apart, of course!

A few more of Betty’s masks, made with love.

Those of you who have read previous posts will know that I often have a song rattling around in my head while contemplating the theme.  We have all experienced a lot of holiday music for the last few weeks, and when I went to bed last night, it was Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas going through my noggin. 

Betty created this festive runner for our table.

But when I got up at 2:00 am to begin writing, I couldn’t help but think that the words and sentiments were off, just a little… With apologies to the original songwriter, I re-wrote some of the verses to reflect the fact that we are more likely to have a very little Christmas, instead of a merry little Christmas this year. Hope you can still find some humour somewhere though.

Following is a pictorial update:

Saw this palm tree when leaving the bank the other day, & couldn’t help but snap a pic.
This one is on a boulevard between two major Nanaimo streets.
Looking across the harbour from downtown Nanaimo, to the snow-capped mountains beyond.
I finally got out to a golf driving range last week. The course, open year round, is about 7 minutes from our campsite.
For fun you can try to hit your ball into this minivan, or into the green dumpsters beyond.
Betty is continuing her quilting. Here is one of her latest creations.
Here’s another.
And some more colourful socks. You won’t get confused with the ones from the department store. lol
Been in Nanaimo for more than a month now, and finally got some Nanaimo bars. Yeah!
One of our Christmas traditions is a large family trifle. This little one is for just the two of us this year. (sad face.)
We will miss all of our family this year, but particularly our dear grandkids: Isabella, Georgia and James.
We still have Charlie with us, with visions of sugarplums (or big juicy bones) dancing in his head as he naps on the couch. lol
We will be missing all of those family traditions, including having Santa keeping watch beside our tree. He’s been there for over 60 years! BTW, I recently saw a documentary on the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet. Film footage from his 1950s family Christmas showed the exact same Santa in the background. Makes me wonder about the history. I know Buffet was invested in Coca Cola. Was this a Coke Santa??

Anyway, I hope everyone can have yourselves a very little Christmas this year! Wear your masks & keep safe!

“Wish we were as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who were dear to us
Could gather near to us once more.“

Cheers!