Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow Blues:Tuesday, December 11th!

Woe to that nation whose literature is cut short by the intrusion of force. This is not merely interference with freedom of the press but the sealing up of a nation's heart, the excision of its memory. -Alexander Solzhenitsyn, novelist, Nobel laureate (11 Dec 1918-2008) 

Hi Judy Blue! Thanks for the snapolas of wonderful evening! Here are some of my prized mittens along with Duke readying himself to help Lady Dar make snowballs this morning! Cheers, Patrizzio! Love the mitts!!! I sure hope you got a new piece of parchment paper!!! Mitts go well with my new slippers. Bridge gang were very impressed with them last night as I took them to wear at Olga Polga's. You might dream of a new sheet of parchment paper but we know his fur helps the snowballs bind! Cheers, Dad!

Hi Patrick, Your home looks lovely, looking forward to seeing it “live” in all its glory. I’m afraid we will not be able to entirely live up to the moniker (our business model is B2B only, so travel agent doesn’t qualify unfortunately 😊), but we’ll keep a stack of business cards on hand for when we meet your friends. Slight change of plans from our end though. Since our daughter had to change flights due to an exam to an evening arrival (9PM in Kelowna) we will join you earlier, but cannot stay until the end unfortunately. See you in a few days, Kimo

Hi Kimo! Terrific that you will be able to join us even if we can't introduce you as our Travel Agents! I hope we are able to meet your daughter another time, perhaps at Chloë's place over the holidays, while she is here. Thank you for the compliments on our home. We are very fortunate and certainly don't take things for granted, especially when so many, many people are unable to even enter the housing market. 

Have you collected your tree? I'd been past the farm a number of times, last week, as we had two hikes, one a Christmas picnic, on the KVR out that way. Yesterday we had a fabulous day snowshoeing at Apex. You would be welcome to join group if this activity interests you. Anyway, must away as Lady Dar is back from running some errands and we have to start re-arranging furniture for Saturday. See you then. Come as early as is convenient. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Dearest Jean and John! Thank you for the lovely, lovely card and heartfelt wishes. The Salisbury Cathedral Choir added to the sheer wonder of the scene. We have been fairly busy readying ourselves for Christmas. Bought two trees a couple of weeks ago, one for Chloë and helped her set it up at her place. We will have Christmas Day dinner there so looking forward to that. Lady Dar has been busy decorating the house and baking goodies of one sort or another. 

As you know, we are hosting our Open House this coming Saturday so have to ready the place for that. [She and Chloë drove to Kelowna last Saturday to Christmas shop and have lunch together before stopping at Costco there for many of things we needed for the Open House. I went for a gorgeous ride as although it has been pretty chilly, I bundle up and roads are still dry and still clean of grit.] Good friend, Branko, is driving up on Wednesday to attend and stay for a few days so looking forward to playing bridge with him. He has become a regular so many of our friends here know him.

I've been busy splitting kindling ad chopping firewood to keep our living room and kitchen cosy. Latter is nicely cured as over a year old so pretty easy to split and it burns cleanly. What ash is produced I put into our compost bins. Went snow-shoeing for the first time this season, [see album below.], and it was a terrific outing. Chloë wants to join me this winter and since I'm getting to know some of the routes I'll be able to take her out on the easier ones. Not that I'm an expert, or anything, but it is more a question, at least for me, of sticking to the well-marked trails as opposed to heading cross-country, as do many of the people who know the countryside hereabouts. Still, plenty of places for beginners like us, even around Sendero where she lives.

Must away as I have to make a start on putting away bins in which Xmas decorations were stored in the large built-in storage units in the Rumpus Room. We will need this space for the Open House. As well, need to tidy up my "office" as it is a place where people can also congregate, just off the kitchen/living. Fondestos from Lady Dar at a Grandmothers for Africa meeting and Christmas Lunch, to you both. Stay well. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Lady Dar at dinner this past Sunday; host, Judy Blue, being kissed; my birthday mittens, present from Judy Blue; Cookie Cat; Christmas Tree Cat; Window Cats!