Holiday Season 2021, Issue 65

What did I write last year? About the slow march from March 13 to December 25. I was hopeful that we would have a sense of normalcy by Christmas 2021. Mid-way through November, I remained hopeful. It looked like we would get to England for a couple of weeks and come back for a family Christmas.

Then, A New Variant discovered in South Africa!

Omicron means “little O” compared to “great O” as in Omega. Well, Omicron has caused a big mess. I hope we never see an Omega variant. It promises a “greater” mess? 

I cancelled our trip to England. The size of our holiday celebration has dwindled. We planned for 16 people and we are now down to five. Maybe this wild-fire COVID19 variant will burn out so that we make Paris at the end of February. I think any plans for Bordeaux are shot. 

There is much material to write a diatribe about the lack of real political leadership which has caused this outbreak to be worse than needed. But, I have spent too much time being angry and frustrated. And, there will be time for that in the New Year.

So Some Suggestions for this Holiday season:

Enjoy the outdoors
  • Don’t watch too many newscasts. All day news does nothing but raise anxiety levels. We can get all the information we need from one news show a day.
  • Dispense with the analysis. Analysts don’t thrive on making people feel better but on feeding paranoia. 
  • We all know – well, most of us know – what we should be doing. Masks, fewer contacts, get all of the vaccine doses offered, avoid crowds, used rapid testing. 
  • Get outside. Walk! Bring a thermos of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to enjoy on a park bench or sitting on a snowbank. In a warmer climate – adjust activities!
  • Smile and be kind! It is too easy to be mad! 

Celebrate

Oysters – taste the sea

Contribute to the charities of your choice and only then…

  • Buy and, more importantly, drink Champagne
  • Splurge on better wine – it is such a shame to waste calories on bad wine
  • Don’t think turkey – think oysters, lobster, crab, shrimps, smoked salmon
  • Think roast beef with foie gras
  • Roast your potatoes in duck fat ….. black or white truffles anyone? or fresh and fragrant Rosemary?
  • Get fabulous cheese. If you can find it, buy Mascarpone Gorgonzola – very decadent
  • Prepare and deliver care boxes to those who should be celebrating with you in person 
  • Oh! and drink champagne with breakfast!

Rest

I don’t know about you, but I still feel guilty just crashing in front of the TV but I feel so good after “losing” an afternoon doing just that, so:

  • Take an afternoon nap
  • Indulge a guilty pleasure such as watching television sports or bad movies or whatever, as long as it isn’t illegal
  • Wear out your TV subscriptions
  • Get to bed early, get up late
  • And don’t forget the champagne

Holiday Season 2021

Don’t Forget the Chanmpagne

With apologies to the poets in the family: 

It is to easy to be sad or mad

As Omicron has stolen all our fun

Lets make an effort to be glad

And enjoy Holiday Season 2021. 

Lisbon – A City on the Rise?

March 7, 2023

Lisbon’s seven hills and waterfront make it visually spectacular. The second oldest capital in Europe, the city has energy. Busy streets and squares, full restaurants, and vibrant night life – the city pulsates. And, the population seems young. All signs of a city on the rise? Earthquake A 1755 earthquake destroyed 85% of the city […]

Cities and Towns, The Affordable Housing Problem

February 8, 2023

People living on the street have come to symbolize the global housing crisis but they are only the tip of the iceberg. While the examples of Finland and Houston demonstrate a focussed plan pursued diligently can resolve the housing situation for the chronically homeless, addressing the affordable housing problem is much more complex.  Defining Affordability […]

I Love to Dance

January 29, 2023

I love to dance. This is not something new for me. I can’t remember when I didn’t like to move to the music. My first memories of watching others dance come from my childhood in Cape Breton where I would watch the adults square dance. Then, there were the step dancers who would often accompany […]

Cities and Towns 8, A City is About People

January 19, 2023

Kings Cross, once a thriving industrial and transport centre in London, was effectively closed  off  to the public by the end of the 20th century.   Then in 1996, the decision was made to move the British terminus for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St-Pancras. The landowner saw a re-development opportunity for […]

NEOM - the Wall

Cities and Towns 7, Cities and Towns Evolve

January 8, 2023

I have postulated that cities and towns evolve. That towns and villages first grow in areas where the basics to support life were plentiful. Typically, that means good agricultural land and good access to water. Other valuable considerations include safety, and resilience. The bonus – access to trade routes.  Walt Disney and the Fully Formed […]

Christmas Poem 2022

December 22, 2022

A Visit from Saint Nicholas A Poem by Jonathan Potter – December 2022 ‘Twas the first mask-free Christmas, when all through the stores  The vaccinated children were spewing their spores;The shoppers were eagerly starting to riotAs the introverts longed for some quarantine quiet. The public healthcare workers were tracing the pathOf the flu and RSV, […]