two weeks ago: Nov 16-22

Things have been on the busy side, what with the winding down of the Fall term and planning for Christmas. Here's a synopsis of recent highlights and events:

• Sunday, Nov 16 - The Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade started at 5:30pm; we went last year, too, so it looks like this is becoming an annual event for us. The floats line up along Chapman Mills, which is basically next door to us. We stopped at Starbucks before walking down Strandherd. We walked quite a distance, since lots of young families with strollers lined up, understandably, near the front part of the parade route. It was less windy than last year, but colder. I was hoping parents had bundled up their kids well enough to withstand the chill. Last year's parade was captured on video (I've tried watching it before and it took too long to download the whole thing, so don't click that link unless you truly want to waste precious time). This year someone posted photos on Flickr. Whoever took these photos is a genius with the camera, 'cause the real thing didn't seem half so spectacular.
• Tuesday, Nov 18 - a Winnipeg friend of ours underwent surgery for cancer. Many people were and still are praying for and thinking about her, as her CaringBridge Website journal (blog) and guestbook attest.
  
• Thursday, Nov 20 - I convinced a reluctant James to accompany me downtown to the UM Alumni Association Event at the Chauteau Laurier from 6-8pm. He's a much better mingler than I am. While I was checking my coat, he was off mixing it up with Dean Doug Ruth and staff and former grads of Engineering. We met Rod Bruinooge, MP for Winnipeg South (our former riding). We caught glimpses of Gary Filmon, former premier of Manitoba, in the midst of a throng of people - reminiscing about Filmon Fridays of yore, perhaps. Marcie and Craig found us about halfway through the evening, and the photographer took a photo of the four of us.
• Friday, Nov 21 - I debated about including this here, since it's a minor happenstance, but I stumbled upon The Body Shop's buy 2 get 1 free sale. Last winter I raved about the cranberry-scented liquid hand soap I bought - it's so festive, I gushed - and it's only available during the winter holidays. As with so many things, my memory grossly exaggerated the appeal of the soap. It's OK, I guess, but James keeps remarking that the bathroom smells like ammonia. Not the scent-sation I was aiming for. Nov 21 was also historic in that it marked the first time I've gone to bed at 9pm since I was...in junior high?
  
• Saturday, Nov 22 - I woke up so well-rested, I vowed I should go to sleep at 9pm every night. (Sure.) We drove to Merivale for something completely different, but ended up at the Linens'N'Things going out of business sale. We picked up a few deals: a storage ottoman & an espresso-colored throw that fits into it for downstairs. It's too bad the store's going out of business, because it was part of the triple crown of home stores on Merivale, which included Home Sense and Home Outfitters. (There's also Pier 1, but it's usually out of my league.) We met Dave & Ci for supper at Mexicali Rosa's. Nicole joined us for dessert (fried ice-cream). It bills itself as serving "California-style Mexican food," meaning it only burns once. Anybody remember Chi-Chi's at Polo Park? (Sheesh, that's where I went for one of my first dates ever!) Mexicali Rosa's is sort of like that: good food, but not authentically spicy.
  

So that's a bit of catch-up; stand by for a bit more.