Christmas 2005 to New Year's 2006 - Introduction

  
introduction picture
Mid-winter!
Bow River, Calgary, 2005.

Peggy, Lisa's mother, visited us for Christmas. We had very warm weather, so no skiing, but just relaxing in the sunshine, reading books, going for short walks, and eating. This suited us all this year.

We also were cat-sitting Smoke. He is the cat that Lisa and I looked after when his foster parents left him in the cold. While he was with us, Heather and Pat stopped by. Heather fell for him immediately; it is hard not to; he is a very soft, well socialized cat. Later, Heather and Pat adopted him. They went to Toronto for Christmas. We got to look after Smoke. A good deal from my perspective.

His Royal Fluffiness, Smoke

His Royal Fluffiness, Smoke

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Peggy went back home a few days before New Year's. We had a small party with Laurel, John Ghitan, and John Newton. Laurel and John G. came over early. We ate appetizers, drank negronis, and cooked dinner together. John G. had previously made a most delicious (mammal-milk free) pear tart for desert.

John G.'s Pear Tart

John G.'s Pear Tart

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I received a Canon Rebel Xt digital SLR camera for Christmas/Winter-Solstice. Here are some of the first results of it. Of course, these results are subject to interpretation. All of them were shot using the "raw-data" from the camera and then converted to viewable images on my computer. The ones that were shot indoors without flash could have had the warm, amber glow of the incandescent lamps removed, but I rather like the warmth. They are more or less (often a bit less) what the camera decided was the white balance. Lots more to learn here. At least, digital removes (or mostly removes) the dust problems one has when scanning film.

Lisa, read the description that goes with this picture.

Somehow, we (Lisa, Laurel, John N. and John G.) got onto reciting poetry. Probably mentioned something that triggered a poem in Lisa's brain. We had to get out some books - no Internet on New Year's Eve - to find the correct words.

Poetry Recital

Poetry Recital

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As usual, the larger pictures often have descriptions with them that add more information and context. At least, interesting to me.

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