Author: Bill

It’s a weather report from soggy England as well as a perfectly timed bit of stop motion photography. Chrissy Magill caught her daughter Kaitlyn in the act of testing her new rainsuit… a Christmas present from her grannie and our friend Kathleen, who is over visiting in Tonbridge right now.

Apparently the series has been around awhile, but I hadn’t heard of this U.K. phenomenon. There will probably be a North American knock off one day. If we bounce Rob Ford as mayor, he’d be a good choice to play our “Karl Pilkington”. Here’s a Karl quote, for example:

“I find that if you just talk,
your mouth comes up with stuff.”

In the following 3 minute clip, Karl explores Chinese cuisine…

A Tibetan monk burns himself to death in public protest. An Arab street merchant sets himself alight and touches off a series of despot-toppling revolutions.
In Canada, a native kid hangs himself. Another taunts commuters, drunk out of his mind. Many languish in prisons for stupid, sometimes vicious crimes. A chief starves herself in public protest.
I see comparisons. Self destructive behaviours motivated by social injustices. I don’t see fixes, and I don’t know that fixes could work, anyway. Attempts at assimilation only led to broken families, lost cultures, abused children and despairing adults. “Handouts” have delivered chronic poverty, marginalized workers, ignorance, bad health and corruption.

Here’s what Danica’s toonie [almost only a loonie… see funny video below] got her during our recent visit to the Monkey’s Paw antiquarian bookstore.

It’s a 1976 hard cover with dust jacket featuring such great Canadian authors as Morley Callaghan, Marshall McLuhan, Eric Nichol, Al Purdy, Robertson Davies and yes, our dear friend John Robert Colombo (Casa Loma: A Collage). In fact, editor William Killborn gives special acknowledgment to John for his help in putting the book together.
What a score! And even more… the inside covers were lined with an old map of Toronto that shows our part of East Toronto before most of the streets existed. Using a Google map overlay, I located our house (red circle, photo above) in what was then a large concession of land owned by one C.C. Small.
Coincidentally, the unique Biblio-Mat machine was designed and built by a Mr Craig Small. Here’s Danica, using it…

Of course she reported her bargain to the owner and turned in the uncollected loonie that was still owing. I found her dismay at being undercharged both charming and amusing, but completely in character.

Hint: Nobody knows what it’s for, but this strange, bony object is uniquely Torontonian and a source of constant embarrassment.

It’s probably a good time to bake these goodies because they are supposed to be gifts for neighbours. If my flu bug wasn’t robbing me of interest, some of these would not have made it out the door.
For the record, aside from tantalizing me with treats I can’t have, Danica has been the perfect spouse during my (hopefully brief) setback. I plan to be fully recovered in time for Christmas turkey.
Also for the record, the little snowman is filled with homemade caramel corn from my sister-in-law Kathy. I hope there will be some left when I start eating again. Danica is pretty good about sharing and self-restraint, but Kathy’s confections are a powerful force.

…and time in bed with an iPad, I might never have watched this marvellous film from our amazing NFB.

Flamenco at 5:15 by Cynthia Scott, National Film Board of Canada

I didn’t even know tha Laurier LaPierre had been made a Canadian Senator until I heard of his death at 83 today. I picked a photo showing him as I like to remember the co-host of This Hour Has 7 Days on CBC.

Is Mrs. Claus about to strangle the old boy? Or is she just putting a Hudson’s Bay blanket on his shoulders? You be the judge.

For the occasion, I suited up as a character from the last century. Danica and I had gift tickets (thank you Richard and Mark) and I still can’t believe I actually enjoyed a “musical”. Fortunately, it’s a pantomime kind of musical, with entertaining jabs at local politicians and conditions. Stuff I like.
Click here for tickets. The show is fun and the Elgin Theatre is gorgeous. If you can take some little kids along, you’ll enjoy it even more. The double entendre jokes will go right over their little heads. Ross Petty is a treasure. Show lasts until Jan. 5th.