On our walk back from the fire hall the other day we were near what E and I, perhaps unimaginatively, refer to as deer hill.  For anyone on the island trying to picture where we were… it is the hill before gossip corner where we always seem to see deer.  The dogs were off leash running through the mossy forest and having a wonderful time when an eagle flew across the road. It was only fifteen feet in the air. It flew past us and straight into the forest where the dogs were…. Flew so low and so close to them that Piper thought it was a game and started to chase the eagle. Fortunately, Piper is freakishly large for a cocker spaniel puppy and the eagle chose an alternate lunch. But still.. scary stuff….

The shortbread and almond bark are now made and stored safely in the freezer along with the eat more bars and date squares . I am fully aware that my grown children do not need me to provide them with Christmas baking but since we are staying in a hotel room, its nice to have a piece of shortbread with my wine. There will no doubt be an opportunity to play a board game or two. So much easier for me to have a chance to win, if the kids are lulled into complacency with chocolate and tarts.

E found a wee Christmas tree on the back of our lot and tomorrow we will see if it can hold five or six decorations. Picture Charlie Browns tree but skinnier…. I remember my friend Bill’s dad once drilling holes in bare spots of their tree. He then took branches from the bottom and stuck them in the holes to make a fuller more impressive Christmas display… Growing up with no father around and subsequently no drill, we just assumed that bare spots provided more opportunity for tinsel hanging.

The skies these days are blue and the waters calm. The temperature is hovering around  7 degrees in the day and 3 in the nights. We are enjoying the added benefits of the range boiler. The water stays very hot in the tank and it acts like a radiator heating the living room around it. Without putting any wood in the stove over night we wake up to 18 degrees. Perhaps that will change when the temperatures drop lower but right now it is more than adequate.

Our daughter, when she was growing up had stuffed animals with original sounding names like bear and lamby. I have a sister in law with a cat named White Cat.  From my window, I can see round island, tree island and boat harbour. I live at the bottom of dead truck hill (it has three dead trucks buried in it). It would be unfair to criticize me about the name I use for a hill where there are always deer…. I feel I am quite

within my element