Advent Reading...

I like to pull out books to read at different times of the year..

I always travel with a book, though I don't always read it...

I took two books to Toronto when I was there in November. I didn't open them! I did, however, read stuff online...

Now, during advent, I've dug out a few books I'd like to read...

I've chosen ones to make me reflect on the "reason for the season" of Christmas...

It will be interesting to see if I get any reading done... December can be a busy time!

Christmas Spirit ... in Dundas, Ontario

In late November, Terry and I spent an afternoon in Dundas, Ontario - a picturesque old town that is now part of the city of Hamilton.

Christmas spirit was evident everywhere...

The event was called a "Dickens of a Christmas"...

The town Christmas tree had been lit...

Santa was greeting passers-by.

There were free cookies and apple cider - as well as wagon rides!

A Dickens of a Christmas continues weekends until December 22...

Fun!!

Almonte... in Wintery Weather

The day was sunny - but cool.

Let's head out to one of our favorite towns - for a change of scene, I suggested to Terry. All too soon, roads will be covered with snow - and we won't go anywhere...

So we headed to Almonte...

We walked along a river path...

Then we headed over to see what "Baker Bob" was selling...

As we exited his bakery, we couldn't help but notice that someone had taken pity of the statue of James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, who grew up in Almonte.

He was wearing a hat and scarf...

He definitely looked warmer wearing them!

Play Spaces in Toronto

Visiting my granddaughter in Toronto, I've discovered that nowadays there are quite a few indoor play spaces where children can go to play...

On weekends, these spaces are booked for parties...

Parents, grandparents, or care-givers, of course, have to supervise the children they bring...

For the children, it's fun to play with new toys...

My granddaughter especially enjoyed grocery "shopping" and preparing pretend food...

Another time, she spent an afternoon at a place with trampolines and structures for climbing...

It was fun for her to mix it up...

And it was fun for me to sit back and watch!

ALL? (Or a SELECT Few?)

I did a double take when I saw this store sign...

So ALL coats are discounted 40%...

That’s interesting...

Wait!!

Don’t know if ALL are on sale... Or just a SELECT few?!

What does this sign actually mean?!!

Shopping at Canada’s First L.L. Bean Store

Like Marge Simpson, the TV cartoon mom in "the Simpsons," I wear the same style of clothing most of  the time. If I find a garment I like, I buy it in several colours to mix it up a bit.

In my teaching days, I purchase clothing from a Toronto retailer who sold skirts with large pockets, perfect for holding keys, pens, and chalk.

Since retiring, my clothing "style" has changed. Now I often buy cozy fleece tops - and coats - online from L.L. Bean, a store in the USA.

The main problem with online shopping is that you can't try on a garment before buying it.

So I was thrilled to learn that the company recently opened its first Canadian store in the Toronto area. Now I can actually try things on before deciding whether or not to purchase them.

The selection isn’t as large as the online catalogue, needless to say... But on my first trip to the store I found two soft fleece shirts I know will be perfect for cooler weather.

Making Gingerbread Cookies

I've never done a lot of Christmas baking - unlike my mother who always made cookies as well as two  kinds of Christmas cake, one light and one dark. She would freeze them and enjoy them for months.

I did have one Christmas baking tradition when my children were young: making gingerbread bears.

I repeated the same tradition with my granddaughter this year...

Hope she had fun..

I did!

It brought back a lot of old memories!