December 24, 2004

Christmas Eve, 2004

DAY 190

 

Today is the second of three cold days. It should start warming on Boxing Day, with temperatures increasing daily until it's back in the mid-70's by the middle of next week. When Joanne walked Bo early this morning, a few little pellets of snow were falling. Now we understand why stores down here in the south use little polystyrene beads to simulate snow in their window displays. What passes for snow this far south is actually little ice pellets, and it does look exactly like little polystyrene beads.

Bo had a pretty uncomfortable night, groggy from anaesthetic, sore from surgery, and cold. I guess as a result of the anaesthetic, he's having difficulty maintaining body warmth. He's shivering on and off. I think the temperature outside is why the vet clinic wanted him to come home early. From what we saw, their kennels are unheated indoor / outdoor pens. I don't think they wanted to have a sick little dog in an unheated pen over night.

I got tired of the radio station we were listening to this morning, so I switched to a station from Mexico. We don't understand a word of what they're saying, but it's an interesting change in music.

This evening we attended the Escapees Christmas Eve potluck finger foods buffet, and talent show. SHEESH ... talent show ! I guess, to give credit where it's due, one has to admire people with such little talent, getting up in front of a large group, and "performing". Actually, that's one of the nice things about Escapees. As a general rule, they're not shy. I admire that.

As we were standing in a huge circle of people around the perimeter of the Activity Centre, participating in the Christmas gift exchange, we were pleasantly surprised to see George and Doris Cantelon, a couple we know from Ontario Chapter 18. They arrived here today, having left Ontario on Tuesday. Gee ... that's hard driving, especially since much of it was through snowstorms. We chatted with George and Doris for awhile, getting caught up on each other's travels this summer, since we last met at the Ontario Chapter 18 Spring Rally in Kingston in June, in our first week as full timers. George and Doris drove their large motor home ( and toad ) to Victoria and back this summer.

Tonight I saw the Christmas decoration that I want for our rig. A fifth wheel on the next road has a string of musical bells strung along the edge of their awning, entwined with lights. The bells, controlled by a computer chip, no doubt, are playing Christmas carols. It's not recorded music. Each little bell's clapper strikes its bell, like a teensy little automated choir of bell ringers.

DSK