While the weather for our Thanksgiving congregation doesn’t promise to be particularly favourable, we have nonetheless put ourselves in good stead for whatever transpires.  This evening for example we judiciously restricted our meal in anticipation of what is assured to be a bounteous festive board at the home of my sister and her husband tomorrow. Most of the day today was blustery and cold but in the late afternoon the sky suddenly brightened, showing the upriver view to advantage.

Earlier in the day we put on the nosebag at the golf club.  The primary reason for this morning’s resort was to collect a raspberry cheese cake prepared by the Chef on our behalf.  It is my sister’s favourite. It is our contribution to tomorrow’s proceedings.

The descent from tropical summer weather to gale-like autumnal conditions has been preciptious. Already my erstwhile physician reported this evening that he is preparing to depart for his southern seat. We on the other hand are devoting ourselves to digging out of our dusty winter wardrobe whatever fits. It has been over a decade since I last succumbed to long pants and woollen sweaters.  Happily a contemporaneous preoccupation is weight reduction, an objective which with the culinary help of my partner we have already partly succeeded to achieve.

In addition we are conjoining evolving national and international intelligence with respect to projected price alterations and amendments affecting automobile prices and travel expenses. Many of the esoteric projections from The London Times or my professorial friend in Paris, France are beyond our comprehension but we at least have the trace of due diligence. As a precautionary element we have in the meantime enacted restricted winter resorts for both 2024 and 2025.  If nothing else the limitations will afford us an opportunity to adjust to our new digs and to reacquaint ourselves with our former environment on this side of the river.  Only yesterday I commented to a fellow with whom I chatted by the park that our prolonged absences from the jurisdiction have unwittingly dissolved many of our prior social connections. I am for example often hesitant to ask a familiar face about the health of his or her spouse for fear of penetrating a delicate subject.