Christmas Eve

Another year is almost finished zooming by. Our tradition for the day is to dig out the tree and decorate it, much to the interest and amusement of the cats. We don't know if they remember from year to year, but it seems to be a big deal for them. If I can, I'll get a photo of them in it. No promises.

I was in the pool for a swim today. I'm still not back to my form from a year ago now. My shoulders get tired and my stroke falls apart much sooner than it ever used to, though it's ever so gradually getting better. More gradually than that. There were a couple swim club kids gone slumming in the next lane. Zoom! The swimmer we called One Kick Girl was in the other next lane, churning out her workout. A couple of the regular guys were doing their usual workout, which looks like a series of races. Repsol was pretty empty, which I guess isn't a surprise.

Driving past Chinook mall made me glad I didn't have to go in. I could feel the stress and parking rage from the far lane. In contrast, the library was serene. I picked up a couple books for Linda, and had a nice chat with one of the staff who helped me find the hold. It wasn't where they normally are, still in micro-transit, on a cart within the library.

We drove past the new Costco on the way home from errands yesterday. Technically, we drove on the new ring road, but it's still very much a work in progress. Coming from the south, we are driving north in what will be the southbound lanes. There is a left turn in the middle of nowhere, leading through the remains of a traffic circle, then make a non-obvious left and drive down what will eventually be like a business access road. I think. There were several trucks unloading what looked like big rooftop HVAC units for the Costco. A bit of a dodge'm lane change and we're on the 130 ave bridge. And no, I still don't know about that new pedestrian bridge.

I'm not sure what to show you for a photo today. There's fewer than 60 in my 3 months backlog, but 552 in my one year backlog. Imagine that, if you will, that with all the photos I've shown you (inflicted on you) There are still another 552 from this year that you probably haven't seen. The oldest is a daylight skyline shot that was on Facebook for no reason I can now understand. It isn't very good, but I think I was playing with the new 600 mm lens.

There's only a couple, then I get into New Zealand shots. This is the first one that I think is worth showing you, and only because Linda is in it. Look again.

There were a couple of big panoramas that show the view to the left of this. You can see the actual panoramas here.

That little gazebo is where those panoramas were shot from. There are lots of days I've dreamed of writing or editing in that gazebo, with a faithful staff to bring the appropriate drink for that time of day.

Another view of that gazebo.

I swear I didn't plan those rabbit ears!

Two amazing old cars that made me drool every time I saw them

And I think that's it for the New Zealand photos that have remained unshown for whatever reason. Maybe more from the rest of the year will show up tomorrow or the next day.

I haven't done an AMA for a while. Feel free to Ask Me Anything, in comments, via Facebook, via email, via text. Whatever. You can look through previous years of blogs to see what you might get. It's fun for all involved. Really.

Deadwood of the Day
I don't know if this should have gone with Solstice, or on the first blog of the new year, or what. New life springing from a dead tree. Make of it what you will.