An early phone call (relatively speaking) from family members in Bracebridge woke me up and helped me escape from a troubling dream, one in which I’d been demoted from a full-time teaching position to a part-time one in a Grade 2 class under the watchful eye of two principals (one inspector wasn’t enough??) standing at the back of the classroom.
(I’ve been retired from teaching for over seven years. Why am I still having recurring dreams - usually stressful - about being back in school? Do I need therapy? Sorry, I digress).
After I put coffee on the brew I looked outdoors. Not a flake of snow. Rain instead.
While sanding my front steps my closest neighbour (to the north side of the house) stepped onto his porch a few meters away.
“Merry Christmas, Gord,” he said.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Dave,” I said.
His wife joined him, coffee in hand.
They both had gifts to share with my wife and I.
Let me tell you about what we were given.
In a small gift bag from the very organized woman of the next household I found three jars of home preserves. Maple apple butter, peach jam and rhubarb jam.
They’ll get us through ‘til mid-March - if I go easy. Yummy.
Dave provided a gift for The Shed. It was a homemade 2010 calendar with a picture of a Scotch whisky per month we should sample with friends.
["The makers of the 2009 calendar aren't producing one for 2010," said Dave]
Brilliant. I was even his willing but unwitting accomplice. (Earlier in the month he’d asked for pictures of the shed - for a friend to look at, so he said).
["My old photos now decorate The Shed's new 2010 calendar"]
The calendar will get my friends and I (sippers of wee drams all) through ‘til the end of December. And we’ll go easy. (My boot-shaped whisky glasses only hold 1/2 ounce. See, I'm Scottish!)
Yum again..
["January's wee dram - Edradour. It's made at Scotland's smallest distillery: photos GAH]
***
And, so far, the rest of the day has been even better.
Keep well.
.
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