ROBBLOG #994- NO HO HO HOliday Shopping

 

I guess we won't see Berlin or Paris or London this coming Holiday Season.

We've made two appointments during the time period we usually go. We didn't go last season due to covid but we had hopes that this year would be different.

It's not.

Perhaps it's even worse.

Documents needed. Masks. Do this. Don't do that. I'm NOT doing that.

Be safe.

How the hell can we be sure?

Oh, we could go to London and do some of our fun Christmas things like window shopping at Selfridges or having a meal at our favourite Oxford Street Pub The Three Tuns. The question is- if we were exposed to this new strain of covid or the next we'd have to stay another 14 days in a hotel at our expense.

That would break the bank.

Worst scenario- we get covid 4.0 and we'd have to stay in a hospital and accrue medical expenses.

None of this sounds like a good plan.

I know I'll miss the Holiday Spirit conjured up when we've gone in past years. The shopping at Primark

for clothes especially. It's a must when visiting Oxford Street at Christmas. We'd fill a Primark shopping basket with new things- even though we had no need of yet another shirt or pair of socks.

Primark is remarkably inexpensive and yet the store always has the latest in fashions. Hanging in my closet from past years is a grey duffel coat that cost me 30 pounds. The one with the oblong wooden buttons you slip through a small hoop, then turn to secure.

There's the leather jacket that cost 35 pounds. At the time I bought it, I didn't need another leather jacket but I couldn't pass up the price!

In my closet you would also find shoes and numerous styles and colours of shirts all bought for 10 pounds or less. This stuff lasts way longer than the six dollar T Shirts at Wally World!

The tragedy is because of covid we are waiting for next year unless a big miracle happens between now and the first of November. I'd be happy going for an extended weekend instead of the 10 days or so that usually makes up this excursion.

I would love to know I'd be strolling along the Champs-Elysees in Paris ogling the Christmas lights or checking out the Christmas Market. Buying some little thing and having an afternoon coffee at Le Depart de Saint-Michel. 

~heavy sigh~

Not this year.

We had even contemplated starting our Holiday Trip in Berlin. Visiting an Aunt and then taking the train to Paris and then the Eurostar to St. Pancreas in London.

Again, not this year.

Damn.

Damn covid and damn those unvaccinated who are fueling this 4th wave.

The numbers tell the story.

Up to 80% of people hospitalized or in ICU's here in British Columbia are unvaccinated.

Our daily numbers are as high or higher than the wave prior to this past summer.

So the Mister and I are not about to sacrifice our health and safety and head to England- or France, because of the uneducated un-jabbed.

Only this past week we were talking to someone we have known for a few years who works in a busy store here on Vancouver Island only to discover this person is NOT vaccinated. This person is absolutely convinced they will NOT get covid nor pass it along to someone else.

They believe it's all a ruse perpetrated by the government.

They read it on the internet.

Huh, must be true.

Give me strength.

ROBBLOG #993- Any "portico" in a Storm

 

A portico.

I want a portico.

Seems like something someone might shove in my Christmas Stocking. Alas, a portico would be too darn big. 

A portico is a structure- usually made of wood.

I saw one in a House and Home Magazine from a year ago. I bought the magazine last fall but because of our move to this mountain home, I suppose I only briefly glanced through its colourful pages. One of the feature articles was about a Gay couple who had bought at 1795 Georgian home in Chester, Nova Scotia. They called their home "White Cottage" for it is- white. It also has several bars so I would expect "Bar Cottage" would have been suitable as well. I don't suppose they'd mind me mentioning they had several bars since they were featured in the magazine.

From their main living room a covered walkway led the way to this "Portico". A covered portico.

It had a roof- as porticos do- although some may be open like a pergola. 

That's another Blog.

The portico had a river-rock, wood-burning fireplace and plenty of seating. Three sides of the portico were open to the elements, so in a stiff winter wind- as I am sure Chester has, it would feel a bit nippy- even with a blazing fire.

A pile of colourful blankets sat on one of the surrounding benches so one could cozy up tight.

It all looks very romantic- being the feature was shot for the Holidays. A nearby gate adjoining a white picket fence, sported a huge, real evergreen wreath tied with a  holly berry red bow.

A hot toddy, hearty flames and good conversation would make this portico a grand spot to be- even if it were a bit chilly.

Chester by the by is located on Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia, west of Halifax. Possibly their winters are milder because of the proximity to the ocean and the protected bay.

This is an elegant entrance portico.

The cottage is gorgeous and now I want a portico at the front of Palm Villa. We have an automatic, retractable awning installed there now but a solid, all wood, covered portico would be lovely. Not being a carpenter I believe I can see that it would require two stout pillars on one side and the other would be lashed to the house just above the studio window. I would prefer a covered roof so during inclement, rainy weather one could comfortably sit beneath it, coffee in hand.

Again, not being a professional carpenter, I should think the price of construction would be reasonable- meaning not too intolerably expensive. How much can a couple of pillars, a few brackets and a bit of wood set one back? I'll let you know when I find out. It could quite easily be my next major project after we receive the estimate for wooden shutters on four of our windows.

We had roller blinds installed a year ago when we moved in but they have proved unworthy. The original idea with blinds and not shutters was to allow us to roll the blinds up to reveal our million-dollar view. What we quickly discovered come late spring and throughout the summer, there was no view since we had to keep the blinds pulled down eight hours a day to keep the sun from fading furniture and artwork.

Who knew?

Anyhoo, now we are beginning the expensive process of installing wooden shutters which should have been our initial choice. We've lived with shutters in our previous two homes and we know they look classically traditional and allowed us to move louvers up and down to re-direct sunlight.

We're never too old to learn a valuable lesson in decor- are we?

Maybe one day in the near future- after we are shuttered, I can convince the Mister that a portico is the way to go.

Wish me luck!

ROBBLOG #992- Holy Snappers!

 

Holy Snappers! It's September first!

Cool, crisp days are ahead. Like sticking your head in a frost-free refrigerator. Not so crisp right away here in the Mediterranean climate of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. We still keep mild and there'll be lots of sunshine before the rains roll in come November.

Boy do we need the rain.

It's the same every summer.

Drought, fires and brown.

The "winter" greens up nicely. Anemones, Winter Jasmine, snowdrops and Camellias bloom shortly after the new year a time that our friend Tall Steve calls "spring". There always seems to be something in bloom on our Island.

September first.

School.

Elections (Bah-Humbug)

Harvest decor. Thanksgiving. Light parades. 

Santa Claus Parades and then "BOOM"- Christmas.

It seems to fly by faster every year.

Come September and the first cool, damp day I can't help myself. I pick up my stack of Christmas Magazines that go back more than 20 years. 

I sort them by titles as well as by years.

Some of the Home Magazines from the 80's start to look a little dated. I may flip through their colourful pages like a kid in a candy shop but mostly it's just a flip through.

Here on the Island we don't have raking to do like back at Pine Tree House. Our trees and most shrubs are evergreen- at least on our property. People do have Maples but a tall, Arbutus keeps leaves year round and looks spectacular in January.

Costco will have their assortment of trees ready soon and last week I could see Home Depot was shuffling summer stuff out of the aisle to make way for seasonal decor. Of course, because of the weather here lawnmovers, blowers, mulch, bags of dirt and more are available year round. You won't see a display of shovels and scrapers appear until we have a few centimetres of snow and then it's all very last minute.

Last year just before a freek, February snowstorm the Mister asked the fellah in Canadian Tire for a snow scraper. We hadn't brought one from Ontario.

The fellah scratched his head and said- "We should have a box of them around here somewhere, if I could just remember where. Could you come back tomorrow?"

The Mister assured him we could to which he answered- "A credit card works!"

"We use debit mostly."- replies the Mister.

"No, No."- The Canadian Tire man says, "I mean to scrape your windshield!"

The Island, eh?

So as the light fades a little more each evening and we feel a bit of a "chill" in the air, thoughts- my thoughts at least, turn to another season not too far off where I dream of pumpkin pie, whipped cream,

oatmeal for breakfast and holiday shopping.

I'd better get making a list...