Wishing You a Happy New Year

 On New Years Eve I went down the City Hall and they had a party just getting started for the City TV concert. The skaters were out and it was beautiful!

  

From the City Hall blurb: "But it's known all over the city that after the rink guards leave at night (usually 10 pm), shinny hockey often breaks out on the rink -- a very good game, lit by the hotel windows across the street. The game doesn't usually go later than 1.30 am because by then too many lights are out at the Sheraton Hotel and skaters can't see the puck."   Is this funny, or what? 

After a while, they cleared the rink for the zamboni. It left the ice and people returned to skating. (I took this with a cell phone -- and it was impossible).

The Concert was beginning and I made it home.

On New Years Day I went to pick up Erin and Dan at their house. Rory and Hayley were having a dinner for all of us. I hadn't had leg of lamb before with potatoes with cheese, sweet potatoes, carrots, salad, Plum Pudding with sauce, Peppermint ice cream and wine.

Erin's cat, Morgie, showed off his silver bow  

Rory and Hayley are wearing antlers - you can't see the antlers,
but they are there!

Erin kissing Dan

A wine stopper - Believe it or not 

All DONE. Happy New Years to all of you! 

The Zoo - Christmas Treats Walk - December 26th

I went to the zoo with Erin and Dan on Monday, Christmas treats day. The animals are given treats from the zoo to enjoy. Here, Erin and Dan were watching the very tiny little monkey with his eyes on the treat.

It was a beautiful day with the sun shining through most of the day. We went outside, to the polar bears, penguins, giraffes (they weren't there, of course) and the elephants (they weren't there. I haven't heard whether the elephants are still there or not but the elephant building was locked) and inside to the five pavilions and one rhinoceros building.

 

Sheridan Nurseries Lunch - Dec 20th 2011

Ah, that I shouldn't have a problem being late for lunch ... taking the streetcar, subway and bus from my place to Sheridan is always a problem ... but it was anyways. I made it on time. The nurseries are empty and the blue sky with clouds. Anne showed me a picture of what it what it will look like after the renovations and it looks kind of cute with garage doors around the place making it warm (or at least not cold) in the winter and spring. This is the scene before it gets renovated...

This is where I used to work before Christmas 2011. It can be wild sometimes, it can be crazy but, in fact, is all about working at Christmas. And I LOVED it. It is so empty now! Just a few people buying their final Christmas tree.

We get together for lunch. The staff are doing their a half hour and I can stay for the little bit longer. The food is lovely.

At the end, I go back outside and take pictures of the place and the people that I know.

Brent with the Christmas hat bundling up Christmas Trees

Andrew working on a Christmas tree

Nadine

Mike

Trees - there were very few trees left 

This is Anne 

Two huge wreaths - They didn't sell for Christmas.

Trees... on ropes

The Festive Season and Bannock

It's now the December  18th 2011 and I wish you a Festive Holiday Season.
The lights in this downtown city are beautiful!

The tree at Dundas Square

The Tree at Yonge and Eglinton

Eaton's Centre - This is just HUGE. You can see the people around it.

Eaton's Centre 

Eaton's Centre - Sparkly lights

Eaton's Centre - The Tree and all the reindeer.

Eaton's Centre - You get the picture ...

This tree had Christmas Ornaments Annual Edition 2011
made by Swarovski sparkling up it design.

The tree - was finished with Christmas Ornaments 2011 -
the large for $95.00 and the small for $55.00.
I took this with my cell phone camera ... I need some lessons on it!  

I went to 'Bannock' - the restaurant at the side of The Bay (York and Queen) by Oliver and Bonacini. It was GOOD! I had a seared BC albacore tuna teriyaki, BC Shiraz and fireweed butter tart... The tuna was cooked perfectly and the glazed heirloom carrots were wonderful.

I went along to the City Hall. Mr Ford (the Mayor) had a rink outside brightly lit up with lights. People were skating.  That's really nice for Mr Ford.

The Tree at City Hall

When I went home, the CN Tower was lit up this way ... you can't really see it but the tower was all red and green. The Roger's Dome is purple.

So I wish you a Merry Christmas .... 

Jen

OK ... It's Nearly Christmas and ... I Got a Job!

I have got a job for the Christmas season. I'm doing my Architectural Drawing Tuesday nights, Website Design in the morning and volunteering at the Hospital so, of course, I'm very busy.

But, I have a job working at Sheridan Nurseries outside in the wreaths, boughs, berries, sticks (some are marvelous colors) and bright pine cones (gold, silver, red, natural), stars, various fruit (fake) and everything else to make their own displays. (We have Christmas trees but the tree specialist ..."the guys"... are supposed to do trees... I don't do trees, especially with carrying them and moving the 8 or 9 ft tree to the car, they get a tip for that ... )

After my shift, I got laid off for about 3 months. I can continue to go to Sheridan Nurseries for April 2012 - the planting season where the will be LOTS of questions from the clients into this new year - and get hired.

Trick or Treating ...

Trick or Treat is the customary practice for parents who have children. They travel from house to house with their children saying 'trick or treat' to the neighbours.

Erin took this photo... Dan's pumpkin is on display. Hers is against the house and in the window.
 That's me in the doorway!

'Trick or Treat' has been in North America since the late 1950's. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!

The homeowner's decorate the place with plastic spiderwebs, skeletons and pumpkins craved out with faces on the front. This year, everybody's going as a zombie. Erin and her boyfriend went to 3 parties as a zombie farmer Saturday night.

I went to my daughters house for Halloween on Monday. She was cooking chile and Pumpkin Beer. We handed out some candy and looked at the little ones (and the big ones). Not many people where around the neighbourhood.