There are lots of things not to hit on this particular drive. Apart from the usual suburban obstacles,
and the gratuitous iconic ones for overseas readers
there are some incongruous ones for lost Canadians. (Surprise 1)
On closer inspection we agreed it was, indeed, a jolly reindeer that we should avoid running down at this time of year in particular. This photo may soon find its way into envelopes masquerading as a Christmas card if I ever get around to writing any.
There were cows and horses and ducks- oh My!
There's a bit of the river that was under in the floods last Christmas which has still not recovered. (Surprise 2)
Of course there was the obligatory country, corner store.
I know these are everywhere but if the husband hadn't zealously thrown out all the discarded palings I'd rather love to make one of these for the front gate! (Surprise 3)
Then we were back in one of these places but it was considerably quieter and, strangely, cheaper, than the city. Flossy RAN to Santa's lap to tell him she is M, she is two and she would like lol-lols for Christmas. She loves Santa! (Surprise 4)
After driving back and swapping the toddler for three more boys we headed to Ramp Attack which after another forty minute drive turned out to be closed tonight to scooter riders. After returning again, I remembered the Street of Many Christmas Lights where we have been going for ten years. So instead of barrelling at Ramp Attack we ended up carolling at Lamp Attack. (Surprise 5)
There was a lot of tumbling, wrestling and laughter from this hefty bundle of testosterone. They are still not too old or too cool to enjoy the happy contagion of some pretty lights.
These people all decorate their homes as a neighbourhood tradition now and every year there are more lights and more neighbours involved.
I do believe the lads were singing in front of this one although it may only have been on the inside!
And, surprise 6, I finished shopping for all the Christmas carnage with one swoop of my be-tinselled broomstick today! Bah, humbug, hooray!
Wow, that last house is even crazier than the one I showed! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's some light display!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're done with the Christmas shopping you say ... can I borrow that broomstick, only Christmas here will need to be rescheduled for late January at the rate I'm going!
Whoa, those are quite the lights. Is that sign(you know the one I mean) real???
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that reindeer sign was made just for Deb.
ReplyDeleteYou're trip is so nostalgic for me.
I'm positive I saw that corner store many years ago on a special trip I had as a child.
There must be a positive Santa gene and a negative Santa gene.
It must be recessive as all my children and grandchildren have inherited it in all negative glory from each parent into the third generation.
I distinctly recall taking our eldest son (and child)to see Santa at 2 and three quarter years , and being excited to possibly witness some form of extroverted excitement in the wee lad.
He looked askance and said "His shoes are different from the one in the other shop. Let's go."
That more or less sums up the rest of his life's journey.
What small country town did you go west to? I want your week this week. I'm still frantic over here!
ReplyDeleteCow road: I have to go back there a third time for Shorty who has not yet been this year.
ReplyDeleteAnnie: I still haven't unloaded the car from yesterday as I have nowhere to hide it all.
Deb: I will let you know if it is still there after Christmas but I think it is! There are some wild deer around that area.
Anna: Ipswich! My secret to not franticness is stay in the car driving them about and cook/ make NOTHING!. If I tried to be all domestica they would go nowhere and get nuttin'!
DMC: The best Santa we had wore a real beard so the boys were suitably impressed and deemed him the real one that year- until he pulled up an hour later at the traffic lights next to us in a beat up minnie and a manky camouflage T-shirt!
Cannot believe you have completed your shop duties. We are getting Aussie christmas songs on repeat over here, Roboboy is obsessed with "Six white boomers" about the kangaroos that pull the sleigh down under while Rudolph and the gang work on their tans at Noosa. Our tree is not even up and while Xmas shopping today, all I could find was things I wanted as I so rarely get to shops other than opping. melx
ReplyDeleteBG: I remember when Lala was at kindy. She sang Six White Boomers for weeks with a "one more time" on the end to boot!
ReplyDelete