Here we are in December already. Time has just flown by.
We got our Christmas tree up in November. I really needed a change of scenery. Bella’s Christmas ornament arrived in time to put her on the tree with the rest of our dogs. Every year when I put up the tree it takes me quite a while to decorate it as I reminisce about not just the dogs but all the ornaments hand-made for Christmas. This was something that my daughter and I painted together when she was little. I kept one of hers! It is a wonderful reminder of Christmas’s past.
This year we hope to be able to catch up with some of our family. Jim and I have had our booster shots for Covid19 and all of our Grandchildren have had their initial vaccines. We are so proud of them all. We saw pictures of Ellie, our oldest Granddaughter holding her brother’s hand. As you recall she got her first vaccine in August when she turned 12. She subsequently got her second shot as well. What a time for anyone who ever had a fear of needles! Thinking back over the 2 years of Covid19, vaccines (already in the works for years) completed development and were also tested on young children so that they too could receive protection. Science is truly amazing. It still is hard to believe how this pandemic has affected our whole world! We truly are a Global village that needs to help each other.
I look at Canada and the world and am shocked by how Global warming is affecting everywhere. British Columbia has gone through terrible fires and now floods and mudslides that have wiped out family farms. Major roads have crumbled. Thousands of animals perished. This occurred to a slightly lesser degree on the East Coast as well. The ice flows in Northern Canada melt more each day. We must in our own small way try our best to be more conscious of how to improve our planet. I know we only have one bag of garbage per week and most of that is plastic from foods we buy. We try to buy things with less packaging when we can and recycle as much as possible. We also compost a lot. Every Spring that goes back into the gardens. I think for the most part that people are trying their best to minimize waste. I believe when electric cars have better prices that people will purchase them as well.
On a brighter note, our street is almost finished. The roads are paved and the grass just got put in yesterday. The double grates have been very effective and so far no more flooding of our property. It was such a relief to not go out with a metal rake to clean the grates with every storm. The street looked like a fast-running river a few days ago and it all went into the new storm sewers. In the Spring we will get another layer of asphalt. There are some driveways that will wait for the sand and gravel to settle in before new concrete.
I had some fun decorating my planter for the Christmas season. I decided to do it myself as they are so expensive to buy. Food Basics had a busted container strewn around and I asked if I could take it. They were happy to oblige. I got some things from Dollarama and some birch bark limbs from Home Depot. I was pretty happy with the results. I just used the container I bought from Heeman’s in the Fall.
Our neighbour just got a puppy. Kona is a chocolate mini schnauzer. He and Bella are getting to know one another. They played in our backyard and Kona bowled Bella over a few times. She always came back for more. When it is not so muddy in the yard we will let them have some more playtime. Bella slept for hours after this! We keep on socializing her as much as possible.
Tomorrow I am going to celebrate with Wellspring at the YMCA. There are set times and limited people to keep us all safe. It will be wonderful to connect with my Wellspring family again even if briefly. They hope to open again in the New Year, but we will have to see how it goes. We must all be careful as our cancer members are vulnerable.
I want to wish each and every one of you a Very Merry Christmas. May you find joy in this season. I for one, truly appreciate it when we are able to reconnect with family. It is something I will never take for granted again.
May 2022 fill us with renewed hope for a better year. Count your blessings every day and most of all be kind to each other!
Sue