Christmas tree and decorations all up...total time 10 minutes.

My Dollar Store village...

Advent calendar we bought at Whistler one year when skiing with the Curlings.

Christmas wreath that Fern made...I just love it!

Richard's stocking,  the running shoe,  was bought at Whistler with the Curlings one year and our tartan ones were bought at Muirfield Golf Club in Scotland one summer of all things.

Christmas tree and decorations up today...

Elaine's wonderful package of presents arrived yesterday.  She just mailed it Nov. 30 and did regular parcel post since she was assured it would get here by Christmas.  I am under strict orders not to open before Christmas!  It will be fun to have some things under the tree.  I will expect my usual books from Jim and he is working on that.

Erna and Marvin have invited us to share Christmas dinner with them so we're really looking forward to that!   Erna assured me it will be a no fuss Christmas dinner...rack of lamb.  We love rack of lamb so that might become our Christmas tradition in the future.

Yesterday,  we did a library run,  hit Penny's for Jim's favourite shoes,  Dollar Store to get a $1 case for Jim's iPhone 5 (can't get cases for this older phone anywhere else!),  and Trader's.

Elaine's package....what a surprise to find this in the mail so soon.

Golf books aren't quite a "dime a dozen" but pretty cheap deal.  Last year, "Romance novels" were on sale for 5 cents.  Make your own conclusions....

Sunflowers from Trader's

Elaine's presents waiting for the one minute Christmas tree.

Jim's old shoes for bare feet that he loved.   The new ones like these had changed so didn't really work as slip-ons like he was using these but they had slip-ons that were perfect so even better.

The label from the new ones so we know what they are.  With all the various discounts,  the cost ended up to be $41.24.

And these ones even have memory foam insoles.

The new shoes....

Now,  Jim still thinks the old ones have some wear left in them.  You be the judge...that's my finger poking through.

Amazon's no-line grocery

Well,  this is pretty interesting.   The article was in the USA TODAY supplement.  It's being tested in Seattle with employees only at the moment.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/12/05/amazon-go-supermarket-no-checkout-no-cashiers-artificial-intelligence-sensors/94991612/

I can certainly see the appeal especially as I stand in line but it is all a bit of a crazy fast paced life.  The weekly market still thrives in France where people are so happy to be there they don't even worry about prices and they get to chat with neighbours.

Stong's in Vancouver still seems to have some of that magic.  The new store opening recently and Carol is thrilled since she shops like the French....walking and more frequent since she is carrying the groceries home.  Her blog post on it:

http://mountdunbar.blogspot.ca/2016/12/stongs-at-last.html#comment-form

Not quite sure where the day went....

Well,  the usual reading of the paper and our morning swim which ended up to be almost at noon today and I did various organization chores.

After lunch Jim managed to figure out a way to get the "set screw" out of the curtain rod as we were changing the curtains.  A handyman put them up and even the smallest screwdriver wouldn't work so he came up with this brilliant idea of using a drill bit (screwdriver) and a pair of pliers.  Brilliant!  And he found a great new Huxley letter and is now making dinner while I post to my blog watching the fireplace.

Fern,  you will recognize your little Christmas quilt.  I just may get the Christmas tree and decorations up tomorrow.

You can experience the good old days of flying...

...except you won't actually take off.

There was an article on this in the Desert Sun today.  Your flight takes place in a movie studio in LA specializing in aviation-themed filming.

Carving the chateaubriand....

http://panamexperience.com/panam-experience-event-details/

Rockin' it up at Las Casuelas

We lucked in again with a great table by the band and dance floor.  We were a little later today so caught the second set.  Our lady in the red top was there but left after the first set.  They played lots of
hispanic stuff.  Weather was perfect...super afternoon.


The little guy was having a great time and someone gave him a tambourine....those photos didn't seem to turn out.

This couple were absolutely amazing dancers...wow!

Festival of Lights parade...

We're starting to see a lot of really nice displays around town.  These photos are from Hal Castle of the Festival of Lights parade.

Winter seems to be arriving in Canada

Goodness...snow predicted in Vancouver and Calgary is getting the coldest temp in two years..yikes!

It hasn't arrived yet...this is a file photo.  Will be interesting to see if it amounts to anything.

Some great Georgia O'Keefe channelling by Susan

Susan and Dick are in Maui and I just love what she's been sketching there....her sketchbook has turned into a travel journal as well....great stuff!

http://passionforpaper-passionforpaper.blogspot.ca/2016/12/more-sketchbookery.html

I'm waiting for the cooler days to resume my painting

Just a beautiful sunny and warm wonderful day today....

We went to the Palm Springs Library today and we got some DVD' and also I picked up Ann Patchett's "Commonwealth" in the new books section.  Well,  now, we've hit four of the five libraries we go to....just La Quinta left to go.  And of course,  Jim found a book to buy in the bookshop there...a cheap indulgence at 50 cents.

I do love the mid-century vibe of the PS library.  Christmas decorations are getting up everywhere.  Tonight the big "Festival of Lights" parade downtown.   We'll keep cosy by our fireplace....

Some pretty big carp in the fish pond.

The new Woody's last night....

We were really looking forward to seeing the new venue and seeing Rose Mallett again.  Well,  the venue is much better and you can get the old Woody's menu as well as a more upscale menu.  We went for the Blue Burger and split some fries....cheap and very tasty.  Even more blue cheese than before.

When we arrived we were told Rose wasn't going to perform but there was this group with a great male singer.  The band wasn't bad especially the guy on sax but the vocalist was very weak,  not great material,  and really no stage presence.    You really kind of felt sorry for the guy and it made it rather uncomfortable as he was always begging the audience to clap and show appreciation and at one point he even said "I like to take the temperature of the room.  If you're not having a great time,  we might as well shut it down right now."   I guess someone encouraged him and he continued.  We left before the end of the first set.

It was an experience and makes us appreciate the great music (no cover) at Woody's.

Of course I should have realized Rose would be on YouTube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdnp-szVtGo

Photos from last night.

The singer is the fellow on the right.   Before he began,  he came around and talked to everyone in the audience.  He seemed like a nice guy.

Book Sale at Rancho Mirage Library

Well,  of course,  we don't need any more books but we have lots of room here and it's fun and cheap entertainment.  Jim got a pile and I got a Matisse all for $6.50.

I got a real laugh out of the young fellow who checked out some DVD's for us.  When Jim went into his wallet for his library card,  he remarked that he was down to his last dollar so I gave him some money.  The young fellow said,  "I only have a dollar in my wallet!"  Cute.

It's such a gorgeous library...always a pleasure to go there.

Our treasures....

Making Caesar dressing and saw the sunset out the kitchen window so went out to take a photo.