Brought to You from December 2006

and Two Thousand Years Before

http://jsmagic.net

Welcome Winter

December 21st - the first day of Christmas and it certainly looks like it here in Cobourg, actually almost everywhere in Canada. I was of two minds whether to stay home this morning or to brave the weather, but the attraction of our church's annual Christmas Carol Service followed by a pot luck dinner was too much. Besides, I had made a cabbage roll casserole to take. It seemed like quite a few people didn't venture out but I got there and back safely.

This evening, though, I succeeded in driving my car into the little ditch at the end of our driveway and getting royally stuck (sorry, no pictures). By the time my son, Stephen, had come out to help, two neighbours had arrived with shovels and it took all four of us to get the car out. Chalk up one reason not to move - great neighbours!

I was coming home from the annual Christmas concert presented by the Cobourg Concert Band, one of the finest town bands in the country. In spite of the challenging weather there were few empty seats in the concert hall. These concerts used to be free but now you have to pay all of $5 with net proceeds this year going to the Salvation Army's Christmas Hamper Program.

More snow is promised for later this week and a white Christmas guaranteed.

Birth Announcement

I have just received the following e-mail from a member of the Cobourg Museum Foundation Board of Directors:

Everyone: After a 9 month gestation, I am proud to announce that the Cobourg Museum Foundation website is finally born! It can be accessed at http://www.northumberlandheritage.ca/


Here I am with the Board Chair, Joan Chalovich, and two representatives of the Ontario Trillium Foundation outside our "barracks" building. Why don't you click on the link above and join us?

Christmas Cheer

Halfway between Cobourg and Port Hope, on Highway #2, is this eyestopper. Whenever I drive from home to church or back during the Advent and Christmas seasons I pass it. It's a fine gift to the community. I should stop by and say "Thanks!"

The Priceless Christmas


Rick McKee, Augusta, Georgia, The Augusta Chronicle (GA).

Expensive Pens!

It's Saturday night and someone will be checking this Blog tomorrow morning so here goes.

This has been a significant week. I'm up two ball point pens - one cost me around $10,000 (that's how much my realtor will get if he sells my house) and the other cost about $200,000 (that's how much my new condo will set me back if my house sells.) And I still have to get a pen from my lawyer!

Today the frink (our controversial downtown open-air skating rink and sometime-to-be-added fountain or other attraction) had it's official opening in Cobourg, with fireworks, free cookies and drinks and lots of skaters doing their thing. I didn't see any protesters. Now that it's here for sure, we're going to try to make the best of it. (OR - Now that it's here, for sure we're going to try to make the best of it.)

Being out of action for 5 weeks has done strange things to my Christmas planning - basically it's shot. For better or worse I have decided to opt out of gift giving, except to very close family, and instead make extra contributions to a couple of charities. I realize that this might have a significant negative impact on the economy in these already bad times, but you can't win them all!