This morning we removed ourselves from the apartment in anticipation of the arrival of our housekeeper. We allow her to work without interference. Besides we had Christmas shopping to do. And of course we left a little something for our housekeeper as a Christmas gift.

First stop on our list was Levi Hardware for an 8” shoehorn (which turned out to be yellow should you care to know), tea lites (for the tiny dark blue crystal candle holders on the dining table) and Bic lighters (ditto).

From there it was next door to Hummingbird Chocolate to collect the trove of delicacies we had ordered on-line. But we were told to await receipt of an email that the package was ready (which at the moment it was not). They were busy handling the Christmas rush. Unperturbed we then fired off to Stittsville where we gassed up with Ultra 94. The car wash was busy with a line up. So we tried the Petro-Canada further down the road but it was closed and under maintenance. We then aimed for one further into the city but before we could get there we encountered a traffic jam for road construction. Accordingly we diverted into the western hinterland of Stittsville-Kanata in which we passed very attractive homes. Our sense of direction soon had us back on Hwy#7 towards Almonte.

Once on home territory – listening to “Walking in the Air” from Howard Blake’s The Snowman – we tackled Jonsson’s Independent Grocery (basically a President’s Choice outlet) and the Almonte Butcher whence we purchased an assortment of food to complement the season.

A wet flurry of snow began. A gentleman breezed out of his car wearing a red tasseled hat with white faux fur trim, looking terribly determined and confident in his ornamental garb. Across the street from the grocery store parking lot two men fussed and banged  hammers onto a new building roof. Christmas has not yet entirely overtaken the commercial world; that is, not to the point of deprivation.

Then suddenly, while sitting the the parking lot, my car door opened. My erstwhile physician had materialized from nowhere. Well, from Florida actually.  He hastily summarized events aux tempêtes (specifically Sarasota) and casually hinted he might in the New Year prefer a more indolent focus. In the haste of the moment we sidelined detail and agreed instead to rally when convenient in order to catch up before once again he heads off (this time to the South Pacific and beyond). Some people find it impossible to remain stationary.

Naturally the instant we arrived back at the apartment building and judiciously guided the car into its subterranean parking space an email from Hummingbird Chocolate arrived, notifying us that our order was ready to collect. After a moment’s deliberation we resolved to complete the task. The bounty consisted of Dark Chocolate Covered Orange Slices, Handcrafted Cherry Almond Ginger Bark and Milk Chocolate Covered Blueberries.

And now at last, late in the afternoon, beneath a drizzly grey sky, I have recovered my cushioned wooden chair at my desk overlooking the dreary landscape and frosty river. This, with the benefit of fruit and cashew butter, enhanced my espresso.