Boundry Bay Wildlife Management Area

We had lunch on Wednesday at Kings Links by the Sea.  It borders on the dyke right by Boundary Bay.  We could see a lot of bird watchers.  These two birds have been seen at the golf course and are gorgeous.

The American Wigeon (Mareca americana) is a species of dabbling duck.  There are many all around the golf course in the lakes!  They are really pretty but whistle and make a lot of noise.

This beautiful bird is the Mountain Bluebird.  They live in the north shore mountains but they migrate into Boundary Bay!  They are plentiful in Boundary Bay now and drawing quite a crowd.

There are lots of eagles during the spring and many other birds throughout the year.  They don't usually draw a crowd, but right now the bird watchers are loving it!

Tipping

I've noticed tipping is everywhere now.  Even at Dominos when I got a pizza, that I ordered online and picked up myself, they wanted a tip at the credit card machine.

In early years of cruising you received envelopes and handed the tips to your room steward, waiter, and assistant waiter.  You could always add to the tips if they deserved more and thank them for their wonderful service.  It was personal and nice on the last evening.  Cruising has changed.  Now you rarely have a cruise when you get the same waiter and assistant waiter.  The room stewards have so many rooms to clean, they introduce themselves the first day and you rarely see them again.  Don't get me wrong, they do an excellent job but they don't have time to talk to you.  They don't do turndown service at night any more and pillow chocolates are a thing of the past.  I would keep all my chocolates and put them on Lexie's pillow at night.

Now the cruise lines are automatically deducting tips on your shipboard account every day.  I never mind this, but they go to all the staff, not just the people you formerly gave envelopes to.  When people complain about tips on a cruise, my answer is, if you ate out three times a day and stayed in a hotel, would you tip more than $16.00 a day?

On our last cruise, after final payment, I received an email from Royal Caribbean saying the gratuities were increasing to US$16.00 a day per person.  Today NCL announced gratuities are now US$20.00 a person.  

Why don't we treat all people with a salary they deserve so they aren't depending on tips?  It works in Australia!

Stockings for Seniors

 For a few years, London Drugs has a campaign called "Stockings for Seniors".  

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors is back for 2022 at all London Drugs locations across Western Canada. This has been another challenging year for all of us, but especially continues for our seniors. We know the effects of isolation and loneliness from the pandemic are still significant and we want our seniors to know we care, and we are thinking of them. Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program partners with local care homes and charities with a mission to bring more holiday cheer to seniors, in all the communities we serve.

The Stocking Stuffers for Seniors campaign brings extra holiday cheer to seniors across our communities! Your donated items don’t need to be purchased from a London Drugs store — any new, non-gift wrapped item is accepted. Please be sure to check the signage beside the Christmas Tree in your local London Drugs store to see exactly where your gifts are going. We will also have information on the signage from the care home on how they would like to manage the gifts. You still may see very specific instructions or timelines to quarantine gifts before Christmas. We will be tailoring the giving to the needs and wants of each partnered care home.

Yesterday a business I deal with donated 40 bags to this wonderful cause.  I asked what they put in.  Everyone asks for shampoo, conditioner and tooth paste.  Some ask for a new toothbrush and one lady asked for a lipstick!  This year they asked for non-skid socks, chocolates, blankets and one lady wanted a blouse.  Each bag is individually addressed to a specific senior.  This business gives them everything they ask for!  A lot of shopping at many different stores and a lot of time to stuff and address them all.  Anyone can write a cheque, but this this a gift of love.  

When they walked into the London Drugs with the filled bags, the manager was thrilled!   She didn't know why 40 bags were gone as she wasn't there when they took them.  40 seniors in care homes will have a nice surprise this Christmas!

Happy Wednesday!

 

Letters to Santa

We didn't start answering letters until last week which is a week later than other years.  The volume this year so far is very low.  If you know of any little ones who would like to send a letter to Santa, please get them to do it asap.  Please make sure they put their return address on it including the postal code. 

Here is a link to templates that your children can fill out.  We love it when they colour the drawing.

Letters to Santa Templates

If you mail within Canada, no postage is required.  Send to:

Santa Claus
North Pole
H0H 0H0
Canada

So far we've had no greedy children.  I did have one that only wanted his dad to get well.  Those break your heart.  I've had about 30 with no return address!  

We never post letters online, however, this was from a few years ago, before COVID.  After reading letters there is always one that you never forget.  I didn't get this letter, another volunteer did.  I've taken off the signature, but Matthew still cracks me up!  

Yesterday one of the volunteers got two letters, one from a special needs student and the other from his teacher.  Her answer was awesome to the teacher!  We answer every letter, even from adults.  And yes, we answered Matthew!

To get a reply before Christmas, deadline for mailing is December 9!

Harry and Meghan

I've been watching The Crown Season 5, Episode 8.  Of course The Crown is fiction but probably close to what happened when Diana opened up to Martin Bashir of the BBC.  I truly hope the Harry and Meghan docuseries isn't as damaging to the monarchy.  Is history repeating itself?

On January 8, 2020, Harry an Meghan stepped down as working Royals from the Royal Family for privacy.  Then they go on Oprah and have an interview for an hour in prime time.  They've reached an agreement with Netflix to do an explosive six part docuseries about their lives.  Imagine bleating about your privacy and doing a kiss-and-tell reality documentary about your private lives!

Meghan announced her first pregnancy at Princess Eugenie's wedding.  Now they drop the Netflix trailer at the same time as a US visit by William and Kate where they attended the Earthshot Prize awards.  Meghan and Harry upstaged these Royals with their news and they want privacy!  

I don't believe much of what I read in the press about the Royal Family.  However, when they initiate the interview, you can believe it.  What will they say about the other royals?  I hope they are positive to both King Charles and Prince William.  They say in the trailer, you are hearing the story from us.  They've made big bucks and maybe it's about the money.  Will I watch their special on Netflix on December 8?  Yes, I have Netflix and I will watch it.  

The trailer is shown in the article from Hello Magazine below:

Hello Magazine

Elf on the Shelf

Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that started with the release of a book in 2005.  The book tells a Christmas themed story, written in rhyme that explains how Santa Claus knows who is naughty and nice.  It describes elves visiting children from US Thanksgiving to Christmas eve, after which they return to the North Pole until the next holiday season. The Elf watches over your family during the day, and then checks in with Santa each night to reveal who is being naughty and who is being nice.  After these nightly trips, they return to a new spot each day.  Parents around the world are moving the elf every night.  It gets difficult to find places so someone made this list: 

Jimmy Kimmel had a good suggestion for parents who are finding it difficult to place the elf in a different spot each night:  find a positive COVID test, say the elf has COVID and put him in quarantine for 14 days!

Here is the book if you are looking for a Christmas present for a little one.  It will drive the parents crazy in a few years!  

The Elf on the Shelf comes in a keepsake box that features a hardbound picture book and a small scout elf.