Christmas Lights

Cookie bake yesterday, dozens of them and wine cakes too.

The rain is falling softly and we have warmed up a bit after a few chilly days when the winter coats came out, along with a scarf and gloves. Son John is home for the weekend and an invitation out to dinner is never refused, at least not by me. Where to go was the question as neither of us were famished so we decided on The Onion Grill. The owners used to have a Chinese restaurant but then went upscale and added all kinds of foods to their menu when they moved to a new building on the main street here in town. I was in the mood for fish and chips and it was served with sweet potato fries and a bowl of stewed onions, don't shrug your shoulders, they were delicious. John's steak looked very rare but then a lot of people like their beef 'on the hoof 'as the old expression goes. Our friend Peat wants it burned to a crisp and of course if I were to order it I'd want it to be medium rare.

After dinner John and I drove up to Azalea Park where the Christmas lights are ablaze. The folks who volunteered to string the lights deserve a medal, along with the business people and the individuals who sponsored each area. The lights were strung low on the pathway making it so easy to find our way around the park. Each nook and cranny was filled with thousands of tiny lights on every tree and bush in the park. the life size animals were colorful and fun to look at, especially the two pelting snowballs at each other and hitting the mark. The huge flag brought a sense of pride and the massive creche reminded us all what the lights were all about. The new Campanile is finished and it sits in a slight rise in the park, all lit up looking so inviting. My only regret was not having my camera so I could have captured some of the beauty for you to see. Maybe next year.

Meanwhile I had an e-mail yesterday showing 'the most patient man in the world', Stan Munro, who made a toothpick city using six million toothpicks and 170 litres of glue. He is only thirty-eight year old and works for the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse, New York. Imagine the patience it took to work six years on one project that truly is a masterpiece.

I wish I had a few pictures of the young lady who works with sand and does amazing real life stories on a huge board. She makes it look so easy as her talented fingers shake out sand, then moves it around like lightening bolts and comes up with scenes that are unbelievable. My claim to fame in the sand department would have been carrying a small sand pail to the beach and trying to make a sand castle which never did take shape. How much I admire the artisans of our world.

I hope you have a talent, we all do, and use it to make yourself and others happy. We may not have the patience or the creativity of some folks, but we do have enough to share and put a smile on some one's face. My granddaughter is a first class photographer and took my picture when she was home for Christmas. She put me on 'Facebook' for all the world to see . . . she did a great job but I wonder where she put her air brush . . . but then if she had used it I wouldn't be me and I worked hard to develop the cracks, the crevices and the avoirdupois. So dress up and smile, you just never know who may be lurking around with a camera.