It has been a few years since we were in Toronto in November/December. The last time it was Covid and that was definitely different, also not so cold. This December it has snowed, is very cold, and icy on my dog walks. The good news about Covid is that I got a parka from North Face then, and that is very warm, and special grippers for my Sorel boots to aid in navigating the icy bits on the sidewalks. So I am set, but I am ready for the Florida warmth where we will head the first week in January. This coming weekend we are going to Vancouver to spend Christmas with our grand daughters, something I am anticipating with great joy. Nothing like watching a 9 year old and her 4 year old sister on Christmas morning. More about that to come.

in our parkas

Now a very nice thing happened after my surgery. I received a get well card from a stranger. Well I am not a stranger to her because she reads this blog, but I was very touched as she had to do some sleuthing to find my address. So thank you, Barbara, your card was appreciated. The surgery went well and I can fly, swim and wash my hair in the shower without a cotton ball covered in Vaseline in my ear. There are no guarantees, but this surgery should keep my vertigo at bay. The tenotomy is performed in Europe quite a bit particularly in Vienna and has had excellent results with alleviating the vertigo, or at least to reducing the frequency and intensity of the attacks. I am hopeful about the results for myself, and grateful to Dr. Rutka who did the surgery in Toronto. I feel terrific and am starting to live my life. And drinking wine once again. I have gained back all the weight I lost during the attacks and a little more too, and happy about this (maybe not the extra) as my face needs the weight to not look drawn. It is now seven weeks since the surgery.

waiting for the surgery

hmm

after the bandages were removed and feeling all powerful thanks to AI and Charles’ humour

Meanwhile I still managed to attend some really fun events during the fall/winter music scene in Toronto. One particularly enjoyable evening was carolling with the Canadian Opera Company. This was held in the grand foyer of a private club. Young opera singers stood on the stairs and sang and then we all joined them singing traditional carols. The wine and appetizers were delicious and wonderful to start off the festive season. Speaking of the Canadian Opera Company, every year there is a competition and gala for the Love of Opera specifically called Centrestage. Young singers are chosen from across the country from over a hundred participants and the number is whittled down to seven. They sing one aria in front of the audience and there is a panel of judges as well the audience has a voting device at their seats, and the show is live-streamed so there is an audience chosen performer. The young people sing with the Canadian Opera Company orchestra and each of the contestants was excellent. It was fun to vote and of course with my background I knew who was the best and I was right, but so was the audience as she was chosen by them as well. Her name; Nikan Ingabre Kanate, quite a mouthful. She not only sang extremely well, she is gorgeous. Most fun was after the concert we headed for the stage where a brilliant dinner was set out at long magnificently decorated tables. The meal was delicious and we were serenaded by the opera ensemble singers. I sat beside the COC conductor, Johannes Debus, which was a delight as I enjoy his company, as well some of the singers were at our table. All in all it was an exceptional evening.

At the opera

Another highlight of our fall season was a french wine dinner at my club. These dinners are usually superb as the chef weaves his magic and often uses his sous chefs to cook. They introduce the dinner; things like duck l’orange crepe with confit, a savoury cheesecake with smoked salmon, dungeness crab and caramelized leeks, fois gras, turbot roulade and a take on steak frites. My mouth is watering as I remember this feast. All dishes were paired with french wines. It was also a delightful evening with our friends, Liz and Wouter.

Another dinner that was memorable was the tribute evening to our friend, the brilliant director/choreographer at Stratford, Donna Feore. I am sure I have mentioned her name many times as she has directed all the shows that we have sponsored, Chorus Line, Sound of Music, Billy Elliot, Guys and Dolls to name but a few. Each table had decor that spotlighted these shows. There was wonderful entertainment by Stratford luminaries like Dan Chameroy. But the best tribute of all came from Donna’s husband, the brilliant actor Colm Feore. His speech was of course heartfelt, but it was also funny and apt.

with Donna

We attended an excellent chamber music concert at Music Toronto with the Tetzlaff-Tetzlaff-Doerken Trio. the Tchailovsky was particularly memorable. Bumped into my old friend, Carol, sitting just a few seats away. It was good to see her and we promised to get together for lunch, which we did a few weeks ago.

The highlight of our December was our Christmas visit to Vancouver to be with our grand daughters and sons, and my lovely daughter-in -law. We spent a week in the marvellous hotel Georgia, a Rosewood property. I had booked a suite for our lengthy stay and this worked well with our kids, as the afternoon of our arrival they came to the hotel all ready for a swim in the wonderful pool. Neve and Sway hung out in the water. We had the pool to ourselves for well over an hour. Then Kate took some orders and went to get our takeout dinner that we ate in the living room of our suite. It was terrific to reconnect, although we had seen Corby a few weeks earlier.

At the Rosewood all decorated for Christmas

The next day we visited their future home in North Vancouver. They move in on the 25th of January. What a lovely house with many different levels, lots of space, on a cul de sac, and near an almost completed recreational centre. We headed to lunch at the White Spot which was yummy. I had booked dinner at The Keg which is appropriate for the girls. Neve was exhausted so Kate stayed home with her, and just the four of us went. I was totaly surprised and impressed by the Prime Rib I ordered. It had to be one of the best I have ever had. And it was fun talking to Sway who was acting very adult and had lots to say to me. It was a very enjoyable evening. The next evening we met our friend, Sheila, her sister, Linda, and Peter her husband, for dinner and enjoyed catching up. The restaurant, The Italian Kitchen was very good, and Sheila treated all of us. What a nice Christmas surprise.

Our Christmas gift to the girls was on the agenda for the 23rd of December, the following day. We met at Indigo, the large and wonderful book store, and told the girls that they could choose anything they wanted up to $100. Neve didn’t quite understand as she said very sweetly, ” I left my money at home”. Then we explained that we would be paying for everything. She got very busy and chose many Dogman books, that although she can’t read just yet, she loves sitting and looking through the books very carefully, and will sit for an hour doing this. I am sure she will be reading before she is finished her first kindergarten year. Charles and I sat in very comfortable chairs and for the next while the girls had a very good time shopping. Lunch was casual at 5 guys. That evening just the four of us went out for an adult dinner to one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver, the Blue Water Cafe, a seafood lovers delight. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

deep in reading at Indigo

my sashimi at Blue Water yum

Christmas eve we ate Ethiopian food brought in, and 8 large carrots , milk and a beer were left out for Santa and his crew. The excitement was palpable. We left for our hotel and promised to return first thing in the morning. And at 7:00 when we arrived we were the only ones awake. What a giggle, but soon everyone else joined us including Uncle Niels who we had seen the day before. He was visiting from Gibsons Landing. The joy and excitement of the girls and our own was filling the living room along with discarded wrapping paper. What fun! And then Kate made crêpes that she had prepped until 1:30 am and they were simply delicious. Eventually we departed for our afternoon naps and returned for an excellent Christmas dinner. Corby had brined the turkey overnight and then put it on a rotisserie over the barbecue for a few hours with his special seasonings and although I love my turkeys that I have cooked for years, his was simply the best, very tender, moist and flavourful. Kate made a squash pie and there was stuffing, beans, sautéed brussel sprouts and pies for dessert. We supplied many bottles of wine. What a feast!

pictures from Christmas

The next day, our final one the kids came for a swim and we all went out to an excellent restaurant called Seasons in the Park with a fantastic view over the city. The food was terrific and we had a very good waiter. I should mention that most days we sat in their living room and watched, read with, and got much pleasure from the girls. What a brilliant Christmas week. Our flights to and from Vancouver were on time, amazing with the snow that threatened. We felt very blessed on our return.

at Seasons

New Years arrived quickly and we spent it with Liz and Wouter. We had fois gras, fresh oysters, caviar, and lobster tails that I did under the broiler with a special butter marinade. We also celebrated Christmas together, a change from doing it on Zoom. In person is much better. And then my real work began in preparation for entire bathroom/clothes cupboard renovation that was to start Jan. 5. We removed all our belongings and deposited them in our living room and dining room. Quite a feat, but done. I had organized our packing for Florida to be accomplished by the 30th of December so all that had to be done was pack the car for the two and a half day journey.

clothes lounging in dining room

New Years pics

I am writing this from Florida. Our border crossing was easy. I had prepared a file dossier of all needed forms, but our customs guy was only interested in whether we were carrying fruit or snacks. The trip was uneventful, although when Charles was packing the car the battery died so he couldn’t open the doors, but that is another story for another time. It is great to be back south and getting settled in our lovely home and small charming town.

More stories to come. Happy New Year!