Christmas in Granville

It is Christmas eve andI am spending Christmas in Granville Ohio. My Brother and Sister-in-law's home is decorated in every nook and corner with trees,wreathes,lights and christmas nick-nacks nativity scenes , and Angels everywhere

Advance showing of TINTIN

I went to see "the adventures of Tin Tin" today. It was an anamated 3D movie.
It was my first 3D movie and I felt a little sea sick when it was over. It was Fantastic! The story goes like this.
Having bought a model ship, the Unicorn, for a pound off a market stall Tintin is initially puzzled that the sinister Mr. Sakharine should be so eager to buy it from him, resorting to murder and kidnapping Tintin - accompanied by his marvellous dog Snowy - to join him and his gang as they sail to Morocco on an old cargo ship. Sakharine has bribed the crew to revolt against the ship's master, drunken Captain Haddock, but Tintin, Snowy and Haddock escape, arriving in Morocco at the court of a sheikh, who also has a model of the Unicorn. Haddock tells Tintin that over three hundred years earlier his ancestor Sir Francis Haddock was forced to scuttle the original Unicorn when attacked by a piratical forebear of Sakharine but he managed to save his treasure and provide clues to its location in three separate scrolls, all of which were secreted in models of the Unicorn. Tintin and Sakharine have one each and the villain intends to use the glass-shattering top Cs of operatic soprano the Milanese Nightingale to secure the third. With aid from bumbling Interpol agents the Thompson Twins our boy hero,his dog and the captain must prevent Sakharine from obtaining all three scrolls to fulfil the prophesy that only the last of the Haddocks can discover the treasure's whereabouts. (Written by don @ minifie-1)

"HAIR"

Saw the opera "Faust" at the Cinemax last Saturday. Today i'm going to see the musical "Hair" at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theater. It is part of my subscription of shows by Mervish.

I am planning to drive to Columbus next week to visit My brother and his family. I hope the weather is good.

This Week

This week I saw the Opera "Rodelinda."At the Cineplex. I got my flu shot and saw the Toronto production of "Mary Poppins." Tonight is the Palace Pier's Christmas party and Saturday I will see the Opera "Faust" by the Metropolitan Opera at the Cineplex.

Mega bus Return trip from Durham NC

The trip back on the Mega

bus was nice. My son and his friend got me there about 1:30 and so we went to a local pub there for beers and nacho chips

I had a strawberry beer and they had cider like beer? The bar was in a old Tobacco facility turned into shops and offices there in Downtown Durham NC. It has a river flowing right through it with waterfalls . It was raining but the walk along the river was covered by awnings

After hugging my son goodbye I found a seat on the bus . It was one of four seats facing a table with cup holders and electric outlets for computers. we left at 3 pm for Washington DC with a short stop in Richmond VA.

We arrived in Washington at 8 pm It was dark and we drove by the Washington Monument and the Capital building It is an impressive sight. At the union station I went downstairs to the shopping level. and had burgers and a large coffee at Macdonald’s. Boarded the bus to Toronto at 10:15 it stoped in Baltimore MD, Harrisburg PA and Bath NY for rest stop then on to Buffalo NY and Canada customs at the peace bridge. Arrived at 10.45 am in Toronto . The trip could be compared to an airplane ride to Australia

Megabus trip

I am in Chapel hill NC spent Thanksgiving with my Nephew and his wife. My son had to work so I brought him a nice plate of turkey, Ham and trimmings. I rented a car here after surviving the 21 hour journey on the Megabus It was an overnight trip but i was not able to sleep.
I will return Monday-Tuesday .I will update this post then

Road trip by Megabus !

I am planning to visit my nephew and son in North Carolina USA on the 21 th of November. It has been over a year since I have seen my son and I am taking the journey on a big bus called "Megabus" the bookings are done on the Internet and paid for by credit card. I will leave Toronto on Monday at 9:00 pm and get to Washington DC at 8 30 am in the morning Tuesday then I have a four hour wait and get another Bus to Raleigh/Durham North Carolina and arrive at 5 50 pm.I hope it is a comfortable ride. it will save me from the long drive there. I will let you know how the trip was later.

Met opera broadcast in HD "Siegfried"

I went to see Wagner's "Siegfried" Today Started at noon and ended at 5:15 with two intermissions.

In part three of the Ring, Wagner’s cosmic vision focuses on his hero’s early conquests, while Robert Lepage’s revolutionary stage machine transforms itself from bewitched forest to mountaintop love nest. Jay Hunter Morris sings the title role and Deborah Voigt’s Brünnhilde is his prize. Bryn Terfel is the Wanderer. Fabio Luisi conducts.

Jay Hunter Morris steps in for Gary Lehman and did a super job.

I just love OPera at the Cinemax !

Lake Side Sentinels

From a distance they look like people standing along the lake. They are totally balanced stone sculptures by a man in the area that is famous for this art form. (Forgot his name) Just amazing really !

Fall walk along the lakeshore

I took a walk along the lake shore this afternoon to enjoy the colors.

Dreaming

Last night I was dreaming a lot. I had decided to hitch hike across the country. I found myself on foot in St.Lewis downtown. I found a tricycle to ride it has 3 speeds!. I tried to ask a police man how to get to the highway but he ignored me and kept talking on his cell phone. on the way to the highway I went into a building that I think was a house for homeless but they were all teenagers there and one was running around hitting the others. I left and rode the trike around to the highway but there was no entrance . I took a road that went up a hill and around it and the road became a path then got too narrow so I had to turn back. There was a stream below and the teenagers were shooting at the fish in the water. I finally woke up.

Sometimes dreams seem so real and the memories linger.

Halloween Treat !

Today is Halloween. So I decided to make a yummy treat

Blue Cheese Sliders !

Metropolitan Opera- Mozart-"Don Giovanni"

I went to see the Metropolitan Opera Mozart's "Don Giovanni" broadcast live in HD at the Cineplex theater in Etobicoke Ontario. It was a great performance !

I also saw "Anna Bolena" October 15.

The cinema HD presentations of live Opera, shows, & Ballet are a great opportunity to experience these performances in your own locality that most people would not be able to see.

Driving back to Toronto from Ogdensburg NY.

Driving back to Toronto from Ogdensburg NY.

I crossed the St, Lawrence river over the International bridge at Ogdensburg to Prescott Ontario. the weather had been overcast all weekend but the sun came out soon after i got on the 401 highway. I decided to take a detour to rt.2, The thousand Islands parkway. the side trip was worth the extra time. The road goes along the river and there are no (large) trucks allowed . the scenery is spectacular.

Mildred's Memorial

I traveled along the northern side of lake Ontario from Toronto to the international bridge to the USA at Ogdensburg NY. I went to attend a memorial service for my Sister-in-law's Mother Mildred. who passed away at he age of 104 years old. HerBrother, husband, sons and daughter, grandchildren,nephews. nieces aunts and uncles,and many friends from far and wide came. I was charged with the errand to pick up her good friend Ann and Husband Desi from the Massena airport . They arrived via a private jet. That was very impressive!

There was a very beautiful service at the Scotch Prebeterian Church, After they served a beautiful lunch. Many went back to her Brother's for a social afternoon and evening It was very much like a great family reunion.

We stayed at a rustic Motel in Waddington Ny with a view of the St.Lawrence river.

Private Lives

I am going to take the streetcar into downtown Toronto today it see "Private Lives by Noel Coward

with Kim Cattrall and Paul Gross. It is from London and on it's way to Broadway NYC.

I am sure I will enjoy it.

Update: Kim Cattrall was wonderful in this show about two newlywed couples on their honeymoons encountering ex spouses at a casino hotel. Kim's Character , Amanda sees her ex husband ,Eloyt (Paul Gross) on the adjoining balcony after arguing with their new spouses who both left in a huff. They talk about their new lives and discover that they still have deep feelings for each other. What happens next is a total hilarious riot.!

I discovered by chance watching "Star Trek the Undiscovered Country" that a Vulcan crewman is played by a very young Kim Cattrell.!

St Louis Arch and Labor Day Weekend 2011

Labor day weekend

I just got back from Oklahoma City. I was there for an annual Labor day getaway weekend with friends. We drove 2 days down and 2 days back. I sat in the back seat the whole trip. It is a cool city with great museums and the memorial for the The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of 6,^[1] and injured more than 680 people.^[2] The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a sixteen-block radius, destroyed or burned 86 cars, and shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings

On the way we passed the Arch in St.Louis it is huge ! I think I would like to spend a few days in this city too.

Visit to London (Ontario)

I went to London (Ontario) yesterday with Joe and Frank for Joe's sister's 25Th wedding anniversary. It was a beautiful day. The party was held in an old mansion owned by the city if London and cared for by the Heritage Society. It was nice with wine and finger food. we sat outside for a while in the sun and enjoyed our wine.

8/18/11

Today I am bored and feel like writing. I really can't think of anything . .... I am going to make coffee now.

Flowers & Weeds

When flowers bloom in the garden it is beautiful .The opposite applies to weeds.

But

When flowers and weeds bloom indoors then it is a great event!

August 13 2011

A beautiful day today. I walked to the pharmacy (2 Blocks) to pick up my meds.) the Pharmacist fills my pills in medipacks . The pills are put into blister packs for each day of the week and separated as morning ,lunch,supper, and bedtime dosages. it is very convenient.

The drugs cost $532.00 a month and I pay only $100.00 a year deductible .The rest is paid by Ontario Health plan. It is different for people under 65. Canada treats the seniors very well here.

I sat outside and had coffee and enjoyed the cool lake breese this morning after my walk.

My 69TH Birthday

Today is my 69 th birthday. A lot of cake has passed my lips since I was born among other things.

Joe took me and 4 friends out for dinner at a swank Chinese restaurant. Frank bought me a great mango mousse cake and after dinner we went back to the apartment for coffee and cake. It was a nice birthday and I got calls from my children and my brother.

Tosca and Turandot

July 30 2011.

I went to see Puccini's "Tosca" in HD this week at the Cineplex . It was a summer encore of the Metropolitan Opera HD series . A wonderful production with great music singing and acting. and it was half the price of the regular shows. next wednesday I will see Puccini's "Turandot"

I just love opera in the cinema !