What to do on Boxing Day

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That's Christmas over for 2010! The presents have been opened and already the empty packages are now in the garbage.

So far, there aren't any unwanted gifts. How could that be?! Normally there's always a couple of gifts that get returned. I don't mind in the slightest returning them. I always volunteer gladly. Guess what I do with the in-store credit I get? Go on a spending spree for myself!! LOL.

I didn't make it to the shops this year on Boxing Day. That's the best time to return things, even items that you purchased months ago and have no price tag. The shop assistants are so busy with long queues that they'll give you in- store credit without any problem. It was just too cold for one thing. Then, there was nothing to return. I'll go another day soon, however. Just stop me from rummaging through the goods on sale!



The local news was full of images of crowds of people mingling at the stores on Boxing Day. It got me to think about other things people can do on Boxing Day besides go to the shops.

1. Don't discard the wrapping paper that people ripped like crazy as they opened their presents. Instead, fold it neatly and keep for next Christmas. It'll come in handy for wrapping stocking stuffers.

2. Take a nice hot bath with the shower gel you got for the man in your life. It's normally more potent than the gel made for women. Guaranteed to keep you aglow with fragrance.

3. Skype your family and friends. Just remember to place your computer camera as far away as possible so that they don't notice your bloodshot eyes.

4. What made your eyes bloodshot? Oh. It must have been that good bottle of wine you were going to give your cousin twice removed. Was that what you drank last night?! Don't worry, your cousin twice removed will never know.

5. Eat the pecans from the chocolate pecan pie you made. They're not that rich in calories. Honest. Definitely less calories than eating the rest of the pie.

Did you go to the Boxing Day sales?

Christmas at Home

Christmas Lights in Edinburgh

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The Christmas lights in Edinburgh were cheery and enticing. Too bad about the snow, the ice, the slushy mushy stuff, and the frigid temperatures! Actually, if you bundle up in layers the cold isn't too bad. You've got to keep walking, of course, before icicles form in your nostrils!



Actually, the nice thing about the rather odd weather in Edinburgh was that it was easy to take photos. Although there were people out and about there weren't the usual crowds. So, nobody inadvertently meandered in front of me just as I was about to go snap.

There was an ice rink down on Princes Street Gardens. Much as I was tempted to run down the steps and get a better look, I refrained from doing so. What if the steps were icy?! I could slip and stumble and roll all the way down like a giant Humpty Dumpty. People might think I was just a drunken bum, a bag lady, of no importance, and leave me lying in the frigid air.




I still got a nice photo, so that was good.

How lucky not to be travelling to the U.K. right now! Heathrow Airport has had umpteen cancellations and delays the past few days, as had many European airports, including Edinburgh.

I can sit back and gaze on my photos and not worry about lost luggage, closed airports, cancelled trains and other annoyingly annoying events. Mind you, the trip was indeed an adventure. Who doesn't like adventures?!

Edinburgh, Scotland

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What an adventure last week was! Snow, ice, frigid temperatures, public transportation coming to a halt, in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was a challenge.

The above photo is of the hotel we stayed in. It looks old, but it really isn't. I think it was built in 1990. The architecture blends in with the other buildings on the Royal Mile, making it very inviting for tourists and locals alike.

In the photo below you can see the street outside the hotel. Slushy mushy icy stuff coats the road and pavements.



There was a bum sitting outside the hotel, all bundled up with blankets. His hand held out a plastic up and he'd ask for spare change. Any time I came by he started to smile and laugh. Why? I think he was astonished at the way I was walking! I was so scared that I'd fall on the ice. I ended up taking these teeny tiny steps. Well, it worked, for I didn't fall!

This fellow below must have felt the cold in places nobody wants to! I was so surprised to see a piper on such a cold, frigid day.



Down on Princes Street the Christmas lights were shining, and the carousels and the big wheel were beckoning. Believe it or not, there were lots of people out and about. Their boots probably didn't leak. Mine started to. At first I thought I was just cold, but then I realized my feet were damp as well. Do you know how long I've had these boots? Years and years. I hardly wear them, not even where I live in the United States. That's why I never knew that they leaked.



I was really glad we had a newspaper in the hotel room, for as soon as I got back, I shoved the pages into my boots, hoping that they'd somehow dry out. Why didn't I bring another pair of shoes with me?!

Have you ever encountered really bad weather on vacation?

Snowed In!!

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Have you ever been snowed in? Has the weather been so bad that you don't really want to go out?

It happened to me just last week. I was in Edinburgh, Scotland. Turns out they were having the worst weather in forty years! The airport was closed for a total of four days. Buses and trains were cancelled. People were stranded in their cars for hours and hours as the snow fell and ice accumulated.

I was in a hotel, right down on the Royal Mile, the old part of Edinburgh. At least I had a good view from my room. You can see the roof tops in the first photo. And in the next photo you can see Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano that overlooks the city.



I still went out for a walk. There were tourists braving the weather as well, up by the castle. Edinburgh always has tourists! There were some local people out and about too, doing Christmas shopping. But there weren't the usual crowds that you find.

I'm so thankful I didn't have to drive, catch a bus, or train, or plane. Travellers simply weren't going anywhere for the first few days of my trip. And I was lucky that I arrived in Edinburgh with just a short delay. The day before my arrival and the day after, the airport was closed due to bad weather.

What a cosy hotel room I had, with nice views.

What's your favorite view?

Who said we love the Four Seasons?

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Did I hear the word 'snow'? Snow way. We've jumped from falling leaves to luscious snow.



Now, instead of raking leaves we're into shovelling snow, slipping, skating on ice, trying not to go down with a thump, hoping the car will get out of the driveway.

And we tell ourselves that we love the four seasons. Ouch! Roll on the Spring!!

Here's some inspiring music to help us through the winter. Vivaldi's Four Seasons

The Red Lobster-La langosta roja

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I'm not a lobster person. No, not I. I do go red, however under the Spanish sun, or any sun for that matter. Twice a year we get live lobster which we cook in boiling water. "Ouch!"

I hear the lobsters scream in pain.

Ever wondered why the words in 'La Vida Loca' end in 'a'? Probably not. But, just in case you have, it's because 'vida' is feminine. The article and the adjectives have to agree with one another in Spanish.

La langosta roja. The red lobster. Similarly, the noun is feminine, therefore the ajective is also feminine.

Who cares, right?

I cared when people would tell me that I was as red as a lobster. Never have had a tan in the whole of my life, despite living along the Mediterranean coastline of Spain.

Which is worse, do you think? Looking like a red lobster or a glass of milk? Yes. In the winter I'd be told I looked like a glass of milk. It's nobody's business what we look like. Is it? Well, maybe if we're so horribly ugly that people get offended by our funny face, then perhaps we should hide. Come to think on it, being as red as a lobster is rather odd-looking. I should have buried myself in the sand, or better still, used more sunscreen!

As for the lobsters? They were gobbled up, not by me, however. The people who ate them liked the appearance of the lobsters, all chunky and wriggling, and devoured them ferociously. Maybe appearances are important? Maybe the lobsters would still be alive if they hadn't looked so enticing, if they had been smaller and insignificant?

We'll never know.

How important do you think appearances are?

Who Writes Letters?

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When was the last time you wrote a letter?


It's been so long for me, that I don't remember. Nowadays I e mail or text. I very rarely put pen to paper, never mind seal an envelope. I'm not sure that my brain can function properly using a pen! I seem to have more to say when I use my laptop.



It was lovely, years ago, receiving letters in the mail. I used to get lots from family and friends who all lived so faraway. I kept the stamps as most were very pretty, and some were actually works of art.



The letters I put in drawers, inside books, or anywhere I felt like stuffing them. I hated to throw them out especially the ones from people who were close to me.



I'm delighted whenever I come across a letter!



I find them in odd places - inside heavy, gigantic dictionaries, even inside old handbags. I tend to come across them when I'm looking for something else. I even have some that date back to the 1970's.



Have you saved old letters and post cards?

Thanksgiving in March?

It’s the month of November, and here in the United States we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving. Time to entertain long-lost relatives by serving them turkey and all the trimmings.

We used to drive to Illinois to spend Thanksgiving with my husband’s relatives. There would be around thirty people all diving into turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, etc. Some years we’ve flown to San Diego where we had Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Another time we flew down to Key West.

This year, we’ll be at home. That way we avoid the crazy traffic on the roads and the equally crazy times at the airports.

So, who’s going to be cooking? Hmm. I can’t think of any reason why it should be me. Let’s see how many reasons there are for NOT cooking Thanksgiving dinner.




1. The poor turkey deserves to go gobble gobble even on Thanksgiving day.



2. You can never get everything ready at the same time.

3. Who really wants to watch Aunt Bertha belch?

4. Hasn't a new restaurant just opened up? Oh, it’s Chinese? Chinese turkey might be quite tasty.

5. Time for change! Let's celebrate Thanksgiving in March. There's nothing much going on in March, is there?




How many more reasons are there for not cooking Thanksgiving dinner?

What Illusion?!

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The other day, a Tuesday, early afternoon I think it was, I was out walking. The sun was shining, the temperature was warm for this time of the year. Lots of people were out jogging and walking. There were kids playing in their front yards. For a second I felt as if it were the summer. But, the illusion of it being a different season dissipated fast as I suddenly remembered about the teacher strike. That's why there were kids out playing!



This illusion of it being a different time of year got me thinking about the 'people' I've photographed over the years, in different places. Most are statues or sculpture, but look sort of real, in an unreal way, if you get what I mean. Some are real people who try to give the illusion that they look like statues.



Others don't look at all like a real person, but there still fun to photograph. Real people sit next to them to get their picture taken. Some even put their arm around the statues, pretending that they are real.



Some statues just pull you in and make you want to join them.



If I were a child I'd like to play with these children. It looks as if they're having a lot of fun.

This boy is enjoying fishing.




Here's another example of a real person trying to give the illusion that they are a statue.




Now, for a split second I did think that this man was real. I could do with him to sweep away the leaves in my backyard.



There's absolutely no way that anybody would think that these two are real. No. Now, perhaps if they were smaller, somebody might indeed think they're real.



Maybe we should join them anyway. After all, it's the illusion that they're enjoying dancing together that's beguiling. Let's dance!

Tripping to the Dentist

How I wish I had perfectly perfect teeth.

I just had extensive dental work performed on my upper jaw a few months ago. I'm pleased with the results, but was hoping that that was me as far as tripping over to the dentist's for a long while. I don't run to visit the dentist, I tend to trip and stumble.

Well, last night whilst eating a lovely chunk of grilled Italian bread with olive and garlic, about half a molar on the upper jaw fell out!

I had no choice but to make a trip to the dentist today. At least all he did was look. Next week will be when he'll get down to the serious business of preparing the molar for a crown.

No more crispy, crunchy, toasted Italian bread!

Excuse me whilst I dash into the kitchen and have some olive and garlic. Maybe I could also have a teeny tiny piece of Italian bread to dip in it?

Might as well. If I break any more teeth at least I already have an appointment with my dentist all set up for next week.

Have you ever experienced a broken tooth?

Five Good Reasons for not Raking Leaves

Hate raking or blowing away the leaves?! Me too. I just worked for hours yesterday removing the leaves in the back yard and in the front lawn. Today, you'd never know. The wind has blown more leaves from the trees. Both the front and back yards look like leaf carpets!

I'm ready for good reasons NOT to remove leaves. I don't even care if they're GOOD reasons or not!!

1. The wind will remove them - into your neighbour's yard!

2. The deer like the leaves, don't they?

3. You always wanted lovely brown, golden and orange carpets on your grass.

4. Might as well wait until ALL the leaves are down, right?

5. They're not MY leaves. They blew in from someone else's trees

Can you think of any other reasons that I don't have to rake the leaves?

Signs of the Village

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Sometimes I walk in the village close to where I live. It's flat and has sidewalks, unlike my immediate neighbourhood. It's a cute place to wander around and admire the large, Victorian houses. It's also a good place to enjoy a pleasant lunch.

Several of the local businesses, however, are closing down, or are already closed.



There are many signs like these ones throughout the village.



What's going on? Why are the businesses failing? At the local shopping centers and malls the stores are busy, and people are buying. Maybe the antique and gift stores in the village just didn't offer essential wares that the public need and want?



Maybe the rents are too high? Haven't a clue, economics not being my forte. But, come to think on it, I never have purchased many things in the village shops. I usually just go to the supermarket or the drug store. Now, both of these are still in business. On a positive note, some new enterprises have opened up, and maybe more merchants will be encouraged to establish themselves here.

There are other signs in the village besides all the for lease and for rent ones.
This sign is intended to lure people to come to the village and hopefully shop.



This is a cheery sign.



Pedestrians have the right of way here, something which is attractive to walkers.



Guess we just have to hope that people don't keep on walking right out of the village, and that no more businesses fail.

Who or what is available?!



Maybe success is!

Why do you think so many small businesses are failing?

Signs of the Suburbs

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Here in the suburbs there are so many cars that look just like mine. They may be a different make of car, but they still look like mine. At least that's what it seems when I'm wandering around in a parking lot looking for my car. Where did I park it?
Hmm.

I came up with a solution. I got myself an Ecosse sticker sign and a Scottish flag sticker sign. How many people have these two stickers on their car?! Do you know what 'Ecosse' means in English! Can you guess? It's the name of a country.

Much as I enjoy driving, I also love to walk. I walk around the neighbourhood most days for about two miles. There's a teacher strike just now, and the parents are not at all happy.




You can tell by this sign how annoyed people are.

There's a sign that I pass basically every day when I'm out walking.



Every evening around seven p.m. a weather balloon appears high in the sky. I often wonder where it ends up!

There are other signs in the suburbs. One was waiting on me when I got back home. A sign that Autumn is still here. Still loads of leaves to remove!



At least we back on to the woods, so we can dump the leaves out there.



Things to ponder: What do you think of teachers going out on strike? Do you have lots of leaves still? How do you deal with removing them? What stickers do you have on your car?