Hello November

Enjoy some photos of my recent walk along the beach. 

The way people are dressed and the way the sky looks in some photos it looks as if it was very cold and windy. I guess people dressed for the way the weather normally is at this time of year;  much cooler.

But in fact, it was a beautiful, gorgeous and warm day. 

It was expected to be one of the last warm days before temperature dips and rains begin in earnest.

I only had on a spring coat and a light sweater underneath. It was so warm I took off my outer jacket and walked wearing only my sweater. 

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Have a wonderful week!

My World is Good at the End of October 2017

I've been feeling so tired since my last post and I haven't been sleeping well. Many things I wanted to get done had to sit by the way side. I put off my much anticipated trip to town and walk along the waterfront.  However all was not lost. I did manage to get many smaller tasks done and out of the way and that adds to my gives me peace of mind.

I do have to get to the waterfront again though because rains are expected to start a few days earlier than I expected. I wanted at least one or two more walks along the waterfront before that happens as it could be months again before we have such warm and beautiful days.

I hope you are enjoying the weather wherever you are. I'm sharing some photos I took last Friday on my errand runs. I haven't shared any nature photos lately from my neighborhood or the adjoining neighborhoods. These ones show all the beautiful fall colours. I read on the internet that this year's fall colours on the west coast are more vibrant than usual due to the lack of rain over the summer and the sudden transition from summer heat to fall cold.

Sorry this photo isn't too clear. I used my phone camera.


These next two photos were taken near a small mall within walking distance of my home. The place is very old and has been there forever. The local school board owns it and is always under pressure from the government to sell it and use the funds for school district needs.  Those of us who shop at the small mall will be sorry to see it go some day.  Though rather outdated the place grows on you and provides all the basic necessities one needs in the neighborhood.

I haven't made much progress on the style course which I signed up for a few weeks ago. I knew that would happen and I tried to get out of signing up now. However the organizer said she wouldn't be offering the course "live" again so I signed up. Now I'm behind by several weeks. I'm keeping fingers crossed that I will be able to catch up soon.  I try to log in when sessions are live to at least listen to the teaching and discussion. It is helping and the good news is I can actually work at my own pace and will be able to access the course forever (or as long as the company and website last anyway), I've been very busy the past few weeks trying to buy new clothing items to "fill the gaps" in my wardrobe (jumping ahead in what I'm sure is much later in the course), look for new winter boots or rain boots for the cold and rainy weather. I haven't decided which one would be best but I am tired of having cold and wet feet on the wettest of days. I guess I will buy whatever fits and whatever I'm able to find first.  At least that will be ahead of where I'm at now.  I also need to get to the tailor to hem several pairs of slacks and jeans. I can do it myself but would rather pay someone else to do it if I have more than one or two items to alter.

One big thing I have managed to accomplish is Christmas shopping.  I've spent a lot of time comparison shopping and ordering on line.  I am a pragmatic person so everyone on my short list of recipients is getting clothing items that they need or I think they could use. One of the recipients is my niece.  I wanted to buy her several nice items of warm clothing for the winter and to match her newest (short) winter jacket.  I managed to find tops but am having more difficulty finding a warm pair of pants.  I decided to give her something I've newly purchased for myself instead but I will have to hem the legs for her before I can wrap it up.  Good thing I've taken her measurements.  I'm feeling rather good about getting most of the Christmas stuff done.  I still have a few others gifts to buy or make and parcels to wrap before the end of November so some things can be posted.  I often don't buy much in the way of gifts but now and then the spirit of generosity takes over and I want to buy for everyone!

When I'm running errands I often need or want to stop for a snack or a meal.  On Saturday I had Vietnamese Pho Soup and a roll dip. I prefer shrimp salad rolls to the roll dip but this is a special and it comes with the roll dip. Have you ever eaten this kind of soup? I like to put fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil leaves and chili oil in mine. I always order the house special which comes with cooked beef, rare beef, tendons, tripe and beef balls.

I love having a bowl of Vietnamese soup and a roll dip for dinner from time to time.

In about 2 weeks a friend and I will attend Verdi's Requiem performed by the Vancouver Music Academy.  Though put on by students, the annual productions are very professional and held at the beautiful Orpheum Theatre downtown. I can't wait to go.

I'm also trying to organize another friend to get to a Verdi Opera, Un Ballo in Machera (A Masked Ball) in the middle of November.  If that doesn't work out I'm hoping she will want to attend a performance of Handel's Messiah. It has been awhile since I went to The Messiah and it is one of my favourite pieces.  This year it seems we have a choice of 3 different choirs and venues.  I am so happy about that because these tend to get sold out very early in the season.  Even if you wish to go you will miss out if you do not get organized very early.  I hope to confirm tickets very soon but my friend has been slow to get back to me which isn't normal behavior on her part. I hope everything is well with her and her family and that we can connect soon.  Other than that I hope to attend some craft fairs in late November and early December.  There will be some artisans that I can only access once a year.  Maybe I will find a unique find.

My reading has slowed down a lot.  In August I met my goal of 35 books for 2017.  Since then I have read several more books including the very long  A Column of Fire  by Ken Follett.  I enjoyed it a lot but reading the reviews some of his fans didn't seem to enjoy it as much as I did or as much as they enjoyed his other books.  Right now I'm reading a book that is taking me forever to read. It isn't that bad but definitely not the kind of style I usually enjoy.   It's called Birmingham Blitz by Annie Murray.

This book is 928 pages long.

If you've been reading me for awhile you know I like to collect loyalty points where I shop at the local pharmacy. I don't shop often in other stores with loyalty points because I don't like all the work involved in keeping track of them and trying to maximize the points obtained.  But I can make good use of pharmacy products since they sell lots of things for day to day household needs.  They also see a lot of food products and some basic technology stuff.

In my last 2 shopping trips I earned about 30,000 points.  That brings me about 250 points shy of a grand total of 95,000 points which will give me $175 Canadian dollars.  I must use all this money to buy stuff at the pharmacy.  I don't normally need to spend  $175 at a pharmacy but it comes in handy when looking to purchase something more costly like a humidifier, electric toothbrushes or water piks, etc.  I have my eye on an air purifier or two but I like buying one big item and then using the rest for the daily household needs.

Whenever I am at the pharmacy I take my blood pressure. Lately it has been optimal or very close to optimal. The diastolic pressure has been lower though (more like 56 or so). The pharmacist doesn't seem too worried though I've asked several different ones about it. I will be seeing my regular doctor in about one month.  Blood pressure readings are usually a bit higher when I am at the doctor's office. They call it white coat syndrome but also the machines they use are probably more accurate than the ones at the pharmacy.

I wish you an excellent week until next time!

Joining up with

 Our World Tuesday

Nature Notes Tuesday

for the last day of October, 2017.

Catching Some Light

October

By Robert Frost 
 

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—

For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~

And, on another note.......

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Public Sculpture

It was another beautiful day today after several days of heavy rain. I didn't get to the waterfront as I'm feeling quite tired but I enjoy seeing the sun through my windows. 

I also enjoy seeing these photos of the waterfront and reminiscing about my time there.

Joining in with Our World Tuesday today.

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Beautiful Fall

Joining in with Saturday's Critters.

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My Favourite Place In the City

My favourite place in the city is the waterfront along Beach Avenue downtown.
I take the shuttle bus number 23 at my transfer point and get off at the Aquatic Centre.
There I progress northwest along the green way and along Sunset Beach.  I people gaze and take photos as I go along.  I am in no hurry.

I usually go as far as the Inukshuk (shown in the last photo below) and then return by bus on Davie at Denman or get back on the 23 proceeding east on Beach Avenue to downtown.

In bygone days this was a favourite shared walk with my late mom.She loved this walk and we would stop afterward along Denman Street near Davie to have cake and coffee or get some Greek calamari before returning home.
We always had a wonderful time and a few laughs too. 

These days I usually like to go alone on this walk.
That way I am free to focus on the beauty of what I am seeing and just truly relax and recharge or take photos.  Sometimes though I go down with a friend or a relative.

My last accompanied visit down to the beach was with a cousin when we went for a very long walk on Canada Day (a year ago last July 1st).
We ended with fireworks at Canada Place, an ice cream and long walk back to our bus afterwards.

I don't have a lot to say about these photos other than I never, ever get tired of the scenery.

These photos were taken after the sun was going down as I got there a little late.

I also love to see the dogs frolicking in the water. They have so much fun fetching sticks, over and over and over again.

Or playing ball with their masters.

I loved seeing the many sailboats sitting calmly on the ocean.
It also gave me pleasure to see the birds perched on the rocks  & silhouetted against the ocean.

There is the Inukshuk (the tall rock formation) standing in the distance.
There were many people on the seawall the last day of the Thanksgiving weekend.  Rain was predicted for the following day but it didn't arrive until Thursday.
People were out in full force to soak up the sun and the atmosphere before returning to work or school the next day.

In case you are coming to Vancouver for a visit, the map below shows the bus routes for downtown and the major train stations (red dots though some of the red dots are ferry boat pick up and drop off locations).

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I'm joining up with Skywatch Friday, 

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and

Saturday's Critters.

For A Rainy Day

We've been having beautiful sunny days all week, even yesterday when it was supposed to rain.

During the week I'd read in neighborhood paper that a long-time family umbrella business was going to close by the end of year. They have been in business for over 80 years!  I've known about this business every since I moved to Vancouver but I've never actually purchased an umbrella there.
When I read the story though I decided it was now or never.

I made a point of stopping by the location closest to my home and was disappointed to learn that it was closed. I looked through the windows. It doesn't look like there is much in the way of selection and this particular location will only be upon until Wednesday.

I guess I'm going to have to try and get downtown to it's last open location. Hopefully I'll be able to do that. These days I don't really carry an umbrella but if they have one or tow I like I will purchase them as they are likely to last me a lifetime.

(The next three photos are indicative of our rainy season. These scenes were taken on Vancouver Island at Yellow Point Lodge).

I will also look for a good rain hat though I'm not sure they carry them. I always find it sad to see the end of an era and the closing of family businesses but I certainly understand it.

This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. We are having ham at my house this year rather than the traditional turkey. We will have turkey and usual trimmings at Christmas.

Fall colours on young maple trees

  I take this time to wish you and yours a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.