Sunday ; Sunny, +8° C, seemed chillier than that.
Most of the (American) dogs in our hotel “dog wing” checked out this morning. AWWW ... no more dog parties and dog fights in the hallway. HA HA HA !
This afternoon I did monthly preventive maintenance on the car, checking tire pressures and fluid levels. I paid our monthly condo fees. I processed yesterday’s Santa Claus Parade pics, and when that was finished, I was able to post last week’s daily journal to my blog.
Joanne walked to Thrifty Foods to buy some groceries, and asked me to come pick her up with the car so that she wouldn’t have to walk home (about a kilometre) carrying a heavy jug of milk.
In the evening I did regular monthly computer maintenance ; scans and backups of all files, etc.
Monday ; Overcast, occasional light rain, +7° C.
I spent the early part of the day working on month end and month beginning financial matters ; paying bills, reconciling, etc.
At 4:30 PM we departed to run some errands, have dinner, and visit Butchart Gardens. First stop was Wal-Mart at Uptown Shopping Mall. We’ve been to this location last year, and it’s not quite as goofy as the Wal-Mart we regularly visit at Hillside, but it’s a further distance from Royal Scot. From Wal-Mart we headed to our choice for supper, Gyrosa, a fast food Greek restaurant in Royal Oak Shopping Centre. The meal was good, the friendliness and efficiency of the staff was superb. After supper we headed for Butchart Gardens, halfway up the Saanich Peninsula, in the middle of nowhere, near Brentwood Bay. Thank goodness for GPS !
Today was the first day of Butchart Gardens Christmas displays season. And from 8 PM to 10 PM dogs are allowed. The intermittent drizzle of the day held off between 8 PM and 9:30 PM. It started again as we were leaving the display gardens and walking back to our car in their massive parking lot, so all we were subjected to was a few minutes of drizzle, and on our way from the gardens to the parking lot we picked up a loaner umbrella, a common amenity offered by Victoria businesses.
The Christmas lighting displays in the gardens were quite spectacular. And I still don’t recall ever having been to Butchart Gardens in the past, but Joanne is certain that we have been, many years ago. <shrug> Much like at the Victoria Santa Claus Parade a few nights ago, Apollo was captivated, especially as we watched people skating on Butchart Gardens slightly elevated skating rink, so that the people’s skates were at Apollo’s eye level. I would guess that he’s never seen people on skates up close before. HA HA HA ... good dog, Apollo.
His exuberant “Happy Dance” upon our return to our suite about 10:30 PM was indicative of how much he enjoyed the outing, and particularly how much he enjoyed returning “home” to Royal Scot.
Tuesday ; Overcast, +7° C.
Today was another “start late, do little” day. That seems to be our new normal following a busy day. <sigh> Being old is so wonderful ! <sarcasm> However ... low energy / stamina is better than ... the alternative, n’est-ce pas ?
I continued working on financial matters today, necessitating a phone call to Steinbach Credit Union and another to Service Canada / Govt. of Canada. Lots of time spent on hold. And I downloaded and processed photos and videos from last night’s visit to Butchart Gardens. I cooked dinner tonight. Baked Steelhead Trout with creamy pasta and vegetables.
Wednesday ; Overcast, +7° C.
Joanne decided we should go out for lunch today, so at 1 PM we headed out to walk to her choice for lunch, Little Sweet Cakes, a bakery about one kilometre from our hotel. When we arrived at the tiny bakery they advised us that they no longer offer lunch, only baked goods. Well for crying out loud ... then change your website !
No problem ... Joanne had a plan B. We walked a few doors down to Smile Chicken and had lunch. It was superb ! We had purchased take-out Korean chicken from Smile Chicken last winter. After lunch we walked back to Little Sweet Cakes and bought a slice of Tiramisu to have as dessert after supper tonight.
On our way back to our hotel we stopped at Victoria Public Library. I wanted to use the restroom, and I’m always interested in libraries. They had a section of free books. I helped myself to two oddball cookbooks that must have received so little interest as library books to be borrowed that they ended up on the free shelf. They will be part of my “Santa to me” Christmas gifts. If they turn out to be disinteresting ... <shrug> ... no big loss ! HA HA HA !
I noticed while in the washroom that Victoria Public Library’s washroom was being used by some homeless people as their place to perform daily toilette / hygiene. HEY ... great idea. Great use of public facilities. And the fellows washing up in the washroom seemed to be particularly careful and respectful of the privilege. Bravo ! Homelessness is a HUGE social issue and problem here in Victoria, especially downtown. The climate here makes it not only desirable for us elderly Snowbirds, but is one of the few places in Canada where winter is more or less survivable by the homeless. Helped by the BC government’s enlightened attitudes towards safe consumption sites and harm reduction policies and programs for the addicted.
I’m a big fan of both Manitoba’s and British Columbia’s NDP governments. Once a pinko, always a pinko, je suppose. HA HA HA!
I cooked supper again tonight, making egg and (cottage) cheese pie. Well done, Daniel. We had supper while watching Survivor, then Amazing Race, our usual Wednesday evening ritual. This is (probably) the fourth time I have made this egg and cheese pie recipe, and it turns out better each time I make it. Well, except this time I forgot to spray the bottom of the casserole dish I baked it in and ... <whispering> ... it stuck to the bottom !
The Tiramisu was ... mediocre.
Thursday ; +7° C, light rain all day.
We had planned to go again to the Esquimalt Farmers Market this afternoon, but got sidetracked. Walked with Apollo this evening to the Inner Harbour to see the annual Harbour Light Up event.
Friday ; +10° C, windy, intermittent drizzle.
At 11:45 AM we all headed off for Apollo’s noon walk, and to replenish groceries at Thrifty Foods. The leisurely <rolling my eyes> walk to Thrifty’s went fine. While Joanne went into Thrifty’s to pick up a few items (35 minutes !) Apollo and I waited outside. After about half an hour, Apollo’s feet were so cold from standing in one spot on cold concrete he was shivering. I had to pick him up (21½ pounds !) and hold him in my arms, wrapping my hands around his feet to warm him up. Like us ... he’s old ! And also like us, seemingly much more so this year than last ! I think we shouldn’t combine his walks with shopping trips to Thrifty’s any more.
We’re planning an outing tomorrow ... with him ... to another parade ... that will involve walking 1.7 km. then back the same distance. I hope that doesn’t prove to be too much for him. Or Joanne !
Today was the first day of another holiday season of daily Christmas concerts in the rotunda of the BC Legislature building ; some bands, some choirs. At 3:50 PM we left to walk half a block to the Legislature Building to attend the 4 PM concert featuring the Vancouver Island Chamber Choir. It was pleasant, and helped improve my negative mood, a common problem for me during the ... <ahem> ... “Christmas season”. Yes, yes, my depression turns me into one of those “Bah, Humbug” people.
This afternoon we left home at 4:30 PM to walk to Dallas Road to watch the Christmas Truck Parade. BUT ... I decided shortly before leaving that the chilly, strong wind coming in off the Pacific Ocean would make it uncomfortable to walk there, watch the parade, and walk back, and ... run errands in both directions. So we took the car !
We drove to Thrifty Foods and parked in their lot. While Joanne went into Thrifty Foods (our errand planned for the walk back to the hotel) I crossed the street to Piggy & Paisley, a snooty bakery café to make reservations for afternoon high tea just before Christmas (our errand planned for the walk to the parade).
Last year I had planned an afternoon high tea outing to the Fairmont Empress Hotel, very close to the Royal Scot where we are currently staying. The price for afternoon high tea at The Empress is truly ridiculous, but ... it’s a classic tourist activity in Victoria. I had planned and made reservations for it as a Christmas gift for Joanne. But she decided that she would rather have afternoon high tea at Butchart Gardens, equally outrageously priced, in conjunction with a visit to Butchart to view the floral gardens. So ... this year when we decided to go to Butchart Gardens during their Christmas (lights) season, and bring the dog, allowed after 8 PM, that eliminated Butchart Gardens as the choice for afternoon high tea. So ... she researched all the snooty places in Victoria that offer afternoon high tea, and many of them are in our James Bay neighbourhood, and she selected Piggy & Paisley. But I digress ...
So after Piggy & Paisley reservations and purchase of lettuce and mushrooms at Thrifty Foods, we drove a bit further south in our James Bay neighbourhood and found a parking spot on a side street about a block from Dallas Road, the Pacific Ocean waterfront road that runs along the coastline that defines the southern tip of Vancouver Island. We walked the last block to Dallas Road, and found a spot to stand and watch the 2025 Christmas Truck Parade which started a few minutes later, at 5 PM, from its starting point a couple of blocks down Dallas Road. It would take three hours to reach its finish line in Langford. It was quite spectacular. And Apollo thought going to another parade was GREAT ! Good dog, Apollo.
The amazingly decorated big commercial trucks zoomed by at a pretty quick clip, and it took only about 15 minutes for the parade to pass by us. We walked back to where our minivan was parked, and drove the short distance home to Royal Scot Suites Hotel.
While having supper we watched Saturday Night Live, broadcast LIVE ... FROM NEW YORK ... surprisingly early here on the West Coast at 8:30 PM.
HEY ... guess what ? Tonight Apollo and I discovered that we both like Egg Nog mixed with kefir. HA HA HA HA HA !
DSK
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