Thursday ; Raining, +8° C.
We spent a long, tiring day shopping for shoes for Joanne.
She has an ongoing heel pain issue related to Achilles tendonitis. For the last few days she has been doing research on shoes which would relieve / minimize the pain, guided by her podiatrist’s recommendations. SHEESH ! Who would have thought that buying a pair of old woman walking shoes could become so incredibly complex and complicated ?
Immediately after an early lunch we had the hotel’s shuttle take us downtown to the north side of the Bay Centre, very close to the first of many downtown shoe stores Joanne had planned to visit. We spent the entire afternoon trudging in the rain from shoe store to shoe store, trying on numerous makes and models in each store, until we were both really tired of it. At dusk, around 4:30 PM we phoned the hotel and asked to be picked up by the shuttle and returned “home”.
The best service came from the first store we visited, and Joanne’s likely selection … not yet made … came from the knowledgeable sales clerk in that store. She was an older woman whose commitment to good customer service reminded me of the level of retail customer service one gets in Europe, but is downright rare here in North America.
As opposed to the poor service we received from a young man at Sport Chek, whose knowledge level was low and he was WAYYYY more interested in returning to his yukking it up with two of his colleagues than he was in serving a customer.
From the time we got home until bedtime every time we opened the door to our suite, we were assaulted by the very strong odour of marijuana smoke. It was so pervasive and persistent, and I go so tired of getting a headache every time our door was opened briefly, that I finally went to the front desk around 10:30 PM to complain.
Friday ; Cloudy, +9° C.
This morning I walked across the street to the Best Western Plus ; Inner Harbour to view a couple of their suite layouts, their fitness centre, hot tub and sauna, etc. Their suites are slightly nicer than here at the Royal Scot, their prices are similar, they don’t permit dogs. However … Apollo is old, and won’t live forever. ( Ditto ) ! The Best Western Plus might be a viable alternative to the Royal Scot at some point in our future.
At 2:30 PM we had the hotel’s shuttle drive us to the McPherson Playhouse for a matinée performance of “A Wonderheads Christmas Carol”. It is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens as interpreted by the Wonderheads theatre company. It was wonderful ! My eyes filled with tears when Bob Cratchit and his wife visited Tiny Tim’s grave ! Joanne asked “How could that be ? Did you not know the story ?” HA HA HA … of course I did ! They just did that great a job of … emoting.
The Wonderheads is a husband and wife owned and operated theatre company based here in Victoria, performing all over North America. Both husband and wife are screenwriters and playwrites, directors and actors, set designers, lighting designers, sound designers … ! Their productions are wordless ! The actors wear huge, full face masks / heads. Some actors are inside huge puppets. Some control / employ smaller puppets. It’s hard to describe. See www.wonderheads.com !
After the play, as we were leaving the theatre, we noticed the huge, brightly lit ferris wheel behind the theatre, in Centennial Square. It was brought in to be part of the Wonder Of Lights exhibition for this final weekend before Christmas. We went outdoors to view the ferris wheel, and to watch a Christmas dance exhibition by a local children’s dance studio. We had been planning to phone the hotel to request a pickup by their shuttle, but decided to walk home.
The entire downtown area, all the way back to our hotel, was a busy, crowded, shopping / eating / drinking / dog walking / tourists taking photos Christmas event.
I made supper tonight. Wild Salmon chowder for me, French Canadian pea soup for Joanne, both purchased at Red Barn Market recently. And I made a Cheese Pie, a new recipe I got from www.eggs.ca. It turned out very well !
Saturday ; Cloudy, +10° C.
For our “early” walk with Apollo we walked across the Parliament Building grounds … Apollo likes to defecate on the lush lawn in front of Parliament … HA HA HA … across the street to the BC Royal Museum, to view the Christmas decorations display inside Helmcken House.
Helmcken House is a circa 1850 log home still in its original location, which is now in between the BC Royal Museum building and Thunderbird Park. It was the home of Dr. John Helmcken, Victoria’s first physician, the BC Governor’s son-in-law, founder of the BC Medical Association, eventually a politician, etc. The museum has decorated the inside of Helmcken House with Christmas decorations of the 1850’s era.
I went inside first to tour the house and view the interesting Christmas decorations of that era, while Joanne waited outside with Apollo. Then we switched, I waited with Apollo while she went inside. While she waited outside she had the “privilege” of watching a junkie shoot up, struggling to find some appropriate place on his abdomen to inject himself. Then while I waited, a few minutes later, I got to see the moment when his drug of choice took hold and worked its magic. <blink blink>
WOW ! That was shocking and … sad ! After engaging in loud conversation with himself for a few minutes, then he became obsessed with picking imaginary lint off himself. Everywhere ! Frantically ! I kept thinking … I surely hope he didn’t overdose and is about to drop dead in front of me !
After lunch while I napped with Apollo Joanne went downstairs to the laundromat and did our weekly laundering. Afterwards I sent “Season’s Greetings” and a “Christmas card” / picture by e-mail to family and friends. I received a reply that made me so happy I cried.
Earlier today a large bus load of seniors arrived at our hotel. From catching snippets of their conversations it seems as if they will be here until the new year. They seem to be … forty-nine old women and one old man. HA HA HA ! At 5:30 PM we took Apollo for his late walk. The herd of seniors was leaving the hotel and trudging two by two slowly down the street, heading somewhere for supper. They seemed remarkably similar to the lines of two by two day care centre children that we often encounter as we walk Apollo every day back home in Dugald. <heads snapping around> “Look ! Puppy !” HA HA HA <SNORT> HA HA ! ! !
At 6 PM we went to the fitness centre / swimming pool to do exercises and soak in the hot tub. Fortunately, we didn’t have to share the pool and hot tub with fifty other old people. HA HA HA !
Sunday ; Overcast, intermittent light rain, windy, +9° C.
The neighbourhood … and our hotel … are filled with recent (yesterday and today) arrival Christmas week visitors. HMPH ! Tourists ! HA HA HA ! This morning we drove to Thrifty Foods to replenish groceries and refill our five gallon water jug. While Joanne paid for our groceries I walked across the street to Pharmasave to buy some antibiotic ointment. I recently sustained some deep scratches on the back of my leg. And … <shrug> … I don’t know how or when !
One of the items I was planning to purchase when (if ?) we visit Saltspring Island was some exotic, outrageously expensive goat cheese concoctions from a goat farm cheese maker. This week their products are available, advertised special, slightly discounted (twenty bucks for a teensy tub !), at Thrifty Foods. I bought a tub of their goat cheese with smoked salmon and capers. WOW … it’s really good ! And I’m not usually a fan of goat cheese.
We have just returned from walking Apollo (5:30 to 6 PM). On Menzies Street, behind our hotel, was a large wagon, drawn by two large draft horses (clippety clop, clippety clop), wagon filled with carolers singing. How nice ! Merry Christmas ! We are really enjoying downtown life here.
Our new Sunday evening ritual is watching back to back episodes of “All Creatures Great and Small” on PBS, a BBC adaptation of the book by the same name. I was introduced to the stories written by the veterinarian James Herriot when I received an earlier version of the book, under a different title, as a gift from my animal rescuing mother. Testament, I suppose, to the adage that apples don’t fall far from the tree.
Monday ; Intermittent light rain, +10° C.
YIPPEEE ! ! ! Joanne finally bought new shoes !
We left our suite at 2 PM heading out to run three errands. First errand was to visit another shoe store. I was convinced that she would not find a better choice than the ON brand CloudMonster 2 model of shoe to mitigate her Achilles tendonitis pain issue. It was recommended to her at Running Room, the first shoe store we visited. But today at FrontRunners Shoe Store the very knowledgeable and helpful young female clerk recommended a new model of ON brand shoe, the CloudEclipse. That was what Joanne eventually bought. But not before trying on MANY other brands and models, until she had finally tried every brand and model her online research recommended for her condition. Who knew that shopping for “specialty” shoes would be as complicated and trying as shopping for a new mattress ? ! ? I surely hope these shoes will provide her the Achilles tendonitis pain relief she so desperately needs.
Next errand was grocery shopping at Market On Yates, an upscale supermarket with plenty of exotic and/or gourmet choices. Well, honestly … all of Victoria’s supermarkets are more exotic and gourmet than Winnipeg area supermarkets, which are, for the most part, pretty “meat and potatoes” by comparison. We finished grocery shopping at 4:30 PM, exactly as planned. That was the opening time of the Egyptian food take-out restaurant where Joanne wanted to purchase dinner. We had reviewed the restaurant’s menu online, and were intrigued by their “limited time” three course (four, actually) dinner offering called “Holiday Delight & Surprise Bag”.
We drove in the dark to this very difficult to find restaurant, placed our order with the very friendly Egyptian fellow running the place, then took Apollo for his “late” walk in the restaurant’s residential neighbourhood while we waited for our meal to be ready.
We had our “Holiday Delight & Surprise” meal at home at 8 PM. It was very good. Despite it being almost totally unknown foods. We recognized only the falafel balls appetizer. Our meal was ;
Mama’s Salad Mix
Crunchy Falafel Balls
Tahina dip
Mama’s Signature Chicken Bowl
Mama’s Baba Ghanouj dip
Balady Bread
an Egyptian version of Baklava ... probably called “Mama’s Baklava”. HA HA HA !
This is the first year since my father died on Christmas Eve in 1995 that I have not felt a blanket of depression weighing heavier and heavier on me every day in the last few days leading up to Christmas. What a relief ! Finally ! ! ! I can find no explanation other than the good news I received the other day in a reply to my “Season’s Greetings” e-mails sent.
Christmas Eve ; Sunny (WOO-HOO), +10° C.
Today I remember my father, who died on this date … a long time ago.
We had a lazy day, by design. I walked Apollo at 9 AM while Joanne slept late (as usual), we both went for longer walks with him at noon and again at 6 PM. This afternoon we baked sugar cookies together. Joanne’s idea. After Apollo’s late walk we went to soak and relax in the hot tub (both of us) and swimming pool (Joanne).
As always on Christmas Eve, Joanne prepared tourtière / French Canadian meat pie for Christmas Eve dinner, her family tradition. I began reading a book to her (and Apollo, who seems to enjoy being read to), a Christmas gift request of hers. She chose the book ; “The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa”. <shrug>
Christmas Day ;
Mostly cloudy, occasional very light rain, windy, +7° C.
Again by design, we had a very lazy day. We slept very late. At 1 PM we had a FaceTime phone call with Joanne’s sister. After a walk with Apollo we opened our gifts to each other. Had a very late lunch of leftover tourtière. Apollo and I had a long nap. At 5:30 PM we went for another walk with Apollo. BRRRRR … windy and chilly.
Joanne prepared Christmas dinner, wonderful as always. Mandarin salad with Asian dressing, roast turkey breast stuffed with cranberry dressing, roasted small potatoes, brussel sprouts, turkey gravy. For dessert, brandy laced dark fruitcake from Victoria’s Murchie’s Fine Tea & Coffee store, a Christmas gift from her to me, along with other products from Murchie’s. Thank you, my dear. Hope you enjoy those Purdy’s Chocolates.
<blink blink> Maybe I should revise that to past tense ... enjoyed ? HA HA HA !
In the evening I made all of our hotel reservations for our return trip home in April. I was hoping I might find some Boxing Day sales on hotel reservation sites, but … NO !
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
DSK
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