Years ago David and Donna nearly came to blows while they were trying to put the lights on their Christmas tree. David says they were spinning the alimony wheel. Just at the moment that they were about to sink carving knives into each other, an old friend Bob Hamper knocked on the door. He sat them both down, put a drink in their hands and proceeded to put the the lights and decorations on the tree and that is how Bob saved Christmas. He is their family's hero and has an open ticket to their home/
Donna thought this was such a good idea to have Bob arrive to decorate the tree that they decided to hold an annual party to accomplish the task. Over time people have arrived as strangers and left as friends, some people accompanied others only to bring more inductees the next year.
We enjoyed a wonderful meal and lots of good wine and music in the living room. David played his trombone, Mike Malone played his horn and Don Thompson played the piano. Everyone had so much fun listening and playing the music. We listened to Don's new CD 'Pink'. I am going to get a copy when we get home it was only released yesterday. Diana Panton is the singer. You should google these folks
There were some large and sore heads this morning.
We ate a lovely breakfast cheffed by Chuck and Dave. Chuck is a music prof at U of Michigan Lansing and his lovely new bride Deb is a visual arts prof at same uni. Funny thing, there is more than one common thread connecting all of us. The obvious ones are good music and great reads but growing in importance is the love of food. Good food, Well prepared and thoughtfully presented food. Of course everything ingredient is carefully sourced and reverently chosen for the recipes that are often competetively created.
There is nothing like a bunch of foodies hanging over your plate waiting your critique.
So, rural Ontario on a winter's day in December is snowrain. No snow on the roads, but thick cold slush is building up on the patio. The path through the woods over the bridge to the mill pond is squashy and damp. It is 5:00pm as I type this and the dark descends. The McMurdo's house is a a solid old brick Ontario farm house. Or at least it looks like one, actually I think it was built in the sixties and so it has better insulation than most. Lovely dormers on the front of the house add to the charm.
I do like the old architecture, not so sure about living in it but the charm just oozes, particularly in the comfortable neighbourhood in which the Cassidy/Mohr clan live. Although I think their house is a sixties house as well. Liza and Derrick who are Heidi's bro and wife live in the town of Clarence in an ancient house with exposed beams and lots of character. Liza was kind enough to take our pictures and she is another one you should google as I am so impressed with her photography that I was eager to see what she could do with us.
I will be posting pictures when I find the cord to connect to the lap top but in the mean time you will have to use the ones I have planted in your head.
particularly the ones of Niagara Falls. I know it sounds kooky but we drove up from Williamsville in the late afternoon with a goal in mind of seeing the falls in daylight and then in coloured lights at the night fell. Along the way Dan drove us through the ever popular tourist attraction of Love Canal and then to the American Falls on Goat Island.
There is so much spray from the falls that when it hits the trees and freezes great chunks of ice fall to the ground with groans and slaps. You want to keep your wits about you and your eyes open wary of a falling chunks of ice.
The ubiquitous Keg dinner rounded off our day and we drove home to fall into our beds to sleep perchance to dream.
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