A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/the-guilt-that-haunts-me/

And with NaNoPoblano officially over for 2015, it’s back to your regularly scheduled program, which looks a lot like it has for the past month.

I do have to say that I can’t believe it’s December already.  I am pretty sure I say that every year (and probably every month, for that matter).  December just seems to creep up on you every year.   It never really feels like December out here in Victoria though.  No snow falling to drape over the ground, or to shovel.  Fair enough. I prefer not having to shovel snow first thing in the morning before slogging it to work.  But I do miss the look of it.  No, here it rains.  At least not the freezing rain I remember from my few years living in Ottawa (not normally anyway), but rain, not snow, nonetheless.  Again, not that I’m really complaining – I prefer being here in the rain to being in Regina in -40C any day.

It just never feels like December.

That is all.

And now…

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/ballerina-fireman-astronaut-movie-star/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

It’s the last day of NaNoPoblano, and I think I’m back in the swing of my blogging – thanks Rarasaur, for helping me get my blog-groove back!!

And for today, what can I say?  Yesterday it was laundry day (while Kevin worked on his books) and then a few errands running out late in the afternoon…

Our errands included the grocery, where Christmas has been in evidence since November 1

But really, what yesterday was about was taking pictures of Elliot and Jasper to post on today’s final NaNoPoblano.  2/3s of our happy kitty family (Nico hiding as always under the couch).

Tomorrow – back to your regularly scheduled blog (which will look remarkably like the blog you have been watching for the past 30 days…)

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/bloggers-unplugged/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

Yes, the annual Christmas Parade.  The first of a few this year in Victoria.  Last night was the one that goes through Victoria itself.  Next week is both the Truck Parade, which starts nearby, but then head up through Oak Bay and then West of the city, as well as the Inner Harbour “boat parade”.  I think there is another one in Esquimalt sometime too.  We love our “parades” here in Victoria (and by parade, I mean mostly decorated cars and trucks, with a few dancers thrown in for the mix – a bit of a strange tradition for a city that spends a lot of time talking about the environment and emission standards).

Ah, but it’s not the season for sarcasm, is it.  And Kevin and I did stand in the freezing (for Victoria) cold last night so I could take pictures for y’all.  So, here you go!

This is on the way to the parade.  Assorted “floats” lined up waiting for the beginning.

Got to get a closeup of the big kahuna before he went off to the official float.

As we waited, we saw the strangest, and cutest, puppy we’ve ever seen.  Took a few looks to realize it was actually real!

And it began…

I was hoping superheros would be there.

But stormtroopers?    No Darth Vader though 🙁

Here are some of the cars and trucks lit up.

And buses

And horses

And trains

And boats

Nothing says Christmas parade like a marching band, and, of course, a bagpipe band.

And bicycles

Clowns

And pole walkers?

One float had a different kind of band on it.  One of them almost fell off when the truck lurched trying to turn the corner.

And, of course, lots of old friends, and new ones (and some I have never heard of before – PJ Mouse??)

Gotta say, I loved the beer truck, especially with the guy in a toque drinking a beer walking along beside it!

And here he comes!

Ok, we were freezing and left before Santa officially went on his way.  Shot these last two pics and then hurried home to a warm fireplace.  Will we venture out next week to the boat parade?  I’ll let you know then!

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/humble-pie/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

It was good to see my Cousin from Sequim, and my Aunt and Uncle (who actually live in New Hampshire, but were visiting my Cousin for that American Thanksgiving thing) yesterday (along with Mom and Dad – Kevin unfortunately had to work and was sad to miss everyone).  Turkey lasagne, asparagus, salad, gluten free bread, ice cream and sugar cookies, in case you were wondering.  As well as fizzy water, wine, and some fine local beer.

Also, no kitties escaped, which is kind of my current benchmark for a good day 🙂

And now, on this frosty November morning, the march into the holiday/Christmas/festive season truly begins.

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/the-luckiest-people/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

Yesterday after work I finished cleaning the house (the Americans are coming, the Americans are coming!!), got some things ready for today’s “luncheon”, and then decided, in the spur of the moment as it were, to decorate the house.  I love decorating the house for Christmas.  I don’t go overboard, but this house does look like a Christmas house (especially now that it’s red and green), so maybe I will have to get a few more decorations this year…we’ll see.

Anyway, it goes without saying that whenever you have boxes out, with decorations in them or not, kitties will come checking them out.  So, without further ado, here is Elliot in a box.

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/teach-your-bloggers-well/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

Someone suggested that it might not be nice that yesterday I called American Thanksgiving, Fake-Thanksgiving.   Sorry Americans.  Be thankful for everything you have today, for tomorrow you shall go forth and stand in insane lines to get more stuff (but at a discount).

Oh, and while I know this has been posted before, but I think no American Thanksgiving would be complete without this (don’t worry followers – there are kitty pictures at the end):

And now, kitties.

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/i-cant-stay-mad-at-you/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

So, it’s already Wednesday.  In two days some of my American relatives, Aunt and Uncle from New Hampshire and Cousin from Sequim in Washington State, come up for Fake-Thanksgiving.  They are only going to be here for a few hours (you know, you could stay longer!!), so I’m planning a Fake-Thanksgiving luncheon.  This also means I’ll be cleaning the house, and might I say that the house is thankful for this.  I’m so bad at keeping up with the vacuuming and dusting when it’s just us.  Other things to do, you know (well, really not, but there does always seem to be something “better” I want to be doing…imagine that.)

Yesterday I took a few non-kitty pictures, as we get back to normal here.  Thought you might like to see some of them.

Bob at work was given a couple of vintage Leica cameras – I thought they were cool, and here they are.

Then there was the moon off our back deck.  I saw it and couldn’t NOT take a picture of it, and then play with it in my Camera+ app.

But, have no fear.  Kitty pictures are, at last, here.

Jasper, content having completely forgotten his weekend adventure.

And Elliot still staying away from Jasper.

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/seat-guru/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

Back to normal.  And we are very grateful for normal!

A response in avoidance of the Daily Post’s Writing Prompt https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/literate-today/ AND in non-avoidance of NaNoPoblano 2015 https://rarasaur.wordpress.com/nanopoblano-2015.

This was us last night.

I just was impressed with how many things have obviously been posted here…

And this is us this morning.  But wait, before I show you those pictures, let me tell you what happened.

So, last night, Kevin went on one final walk-around for the day.  Back to the street we saw Jasper left, behind our house.  He ran into one of the neighbours who lives right behind us and he told Kevin that last night he thought something came in and out of his bedroom window (which he always leaves open at night), but he wasn’t sure if it had been Jasper.  Kevin told him to call us anytime if it happened again.

So, this morning at 3:57 am, Kevin’s phone rang.  We knew it was something about Jasper – had to be.  And sure enough, our wonderful neighbour had heard something come in and had trapped it in a spare bedroom.  At 3:57 in the morning!  We rushed over with our cat carrier, knowing it might NOT be Jasper, but it WAS!!  We finally got him out from under the bed into our carrier, thanked our neighbour (in tears – him and his partner are SO going to get a gift certificate to the nicest restaurant in town!!!) and took Jasper home.  We immediately (to his consternation) threw him in the shower, checked him over (he is fine – a bit thinner, but no injuries), and then dried him off and let him go.  He chowed down and ran around the house like he never left.  He is so happy and affectionate, and we are SO relieved.  Elliot is not sure yet, but he’s not hissing so I think all will be ok.

Thanks for everyone’s good thoughts over the past couple of days.  I can honestly say I NEVER want to go through this again.  We will be coming and going out of the house through the basement (the cats aren’t allowed down there) for awhile to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

And now, a few pictures of Jasper happy to be home – really, it’s like he never left.  When we saw him at the neighbour’s house, it was like he didn’t know us at all.  Now that he’s home, he can’t get enough of us.

Elliot’s not so sure yet, but he’ll be ok.  I actually think he’s a bit jealous because he was getting ALL the attention for the past couple of days.  He’s not a sharing kind of kitty.