Thursday 26 December 2013

IN WHICH WE MARK BOXING DAY

Boxing day traditions include giving the servants the day off. That's true for the dishwasher and oven this year, but I think I am going to need to use the microwave to heat my lunch. (I didn't have any breakfast — didn't need any, with all the food we have had recently.)

It's still too cold to take the camera outside, but I've got this nice picture of our house from around the time we moved in.


Front door to the left, living room and main bedroom in the middle,
the two floors of solaria to the right.

Today is also the day that my wife and daughter go shopping together. I read somewhere (earlier today) that close to half of all Christmas presents are purchased on Boxing Day. Could this possibly mean that even Black Friday is a second-rate shopping day? Boggles the imagination!

And, following years of tradition, they went to a move last night. I had the house, particularly the fire place, all to myself for a while. 

Time for lunch, then go out and shovel the snow which has accumulated. Snow shovelling seems a reasonable activity for the day. That's good.

And since we're still in the Christmas season, Christmas blessings and Bear hugs!

38 comments:

  1. Easy on that shoveling! Enjoy the peace and quiet.

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    1. The shovelling keeps me in shape. I need to do that.

      Blessings and Bear hugs!

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  2. Happy Boxing Day! We had a lovely Christmas and I am also one of those who can't wait to go shopping and exchange one of my gifts! Haha! Susie

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    1. Happy Boxing day. I trust you survived!

      Blessings and Christmas Bear hugs!

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  3. I really enjoyed that bear hug!!

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  4. Your house is very pretty. My "retirement" job was working part-time at a Macy's in Illinois. The day after Christmas was much more difficult than Black Friday.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. I trust you have been rescued from that "retirement" job!

      Instead you get Christmas blessings and Bear hugs!

      Delete
    2. Oh, yes. I can't be on my feet long because I broke my back. It saved me from working retail! Now I tap, tap on my laptop and edit books and papers and all sorts of interesting things. I appreciate the Bear hug and send you a Dogtown hug.

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    3. A bad back is no fun. Never broke mine, but lots of other back injuries! Even staring in the kitchen and cooking is a bit of a trial after a while. I'm sure you've found that. Computerizing is pretty good, and leads me into all kinds of interesting places and peoples' lives. Like yours!

      Blessings and Bear hugs!

      Delete
  5. I have heard that about shopping and Boxing Day... glad I don't work retail... gosh you have a sweet little house! How deep is the snow there?!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed seeing the house. We get snow almost every day, but it hasn't amounted to much. Up to my knees, but we're only in December.

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  6. I have only known about Boxing Day since I moved to the Pacific Northwest, close to Canada. Enjoy your solitude! What movie did they go see and did they enjoy it or not? Just curious since I love to go to good ones. :-)

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    1. Strange your education should have been so badly neglected for so long.

      Janet and Margie when to "Mr. Banks"; Janet gave it a good review.

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  7. Beautiful home....
    Happy New Year, Bear.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jackie. Hope you have a wonderful 2014!

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  8. Your home looks cozy, warm, inviting! Enjoy it to the max, Rob.

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    1. It is indeed a delightful place, Helen, and I am enjoying it.

      Blessings ad Bear hugs!

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  9. I have never heard of this holiday. I must go Google it! Be careful with the shoveling...and have a most pleasant time in front of that fireplace. It sounds wonderful to me...a good book...quiet, lovely!

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    1. It's largely an old British holiday. I am careful with the shovelling, but I need to do it to stay fit. Mostly, I like being inside, reading ad writing.

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  10. I hope you enjoyed a lovely day. :)

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    1. it's been a great day, thanks, Dana. Hope yours was grand as well.

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  11. Thank you Bear and best wishes to the rest of the sloth!

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  12. Too bad that you don't have a photo of all that snow you shoveled. Now we only have your word for it. Your house looks lovely and like a proper bear den. It looks like the right sort of place to be happy in.

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    1. I've got a winter picture of the house in winter on my latest post (done today). It looks happy and is comfortable.

      Blessings and Bear hugs!

      Delete
  13. I never thought so many Christmas presents are bought after Christmas. o_O

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    1. Live and learn, Misha. I knew Boxing Day was important, but I had no idea how important. Another day to avoid stores!

      Blessings and Bear hugs! Best wishes for 2014!

      Delete
  14. Evil Twin loves Boxing Day but I have to keep reminding her that it isn't a tribute to Mohammad Ali. Sigh.

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    1. Oh dear! Well, yes, I can understand Evil Twin's problem there. Did you try checking the tv guide for boxing matches yesterday? That might have helped. Or you could declare that Boxing Day is the day in which Evil Twin is to be kept in a box.

      Best wishes in sorting that out.

      Blessings and Bear hugs in the meantime!

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  15. Bear, thank you for showing us a picture of your house...it really does look like a home, sweet home.

    Best wishes to you for a fine 2014. (I actually like snow shoveling...think it's fun, as long as you don't let it accumulate too much before you start trying to move it around. Weight of the shovel makes a big difference, too. But you already know about those techniques, I am sure!)

    xo

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I have some winter pictures of the house in my next blog post.

      Shovelling snow is actually good exercise. Which is part of the reason we moved out of the apartment and into the house.

      Blessings and Bear hugs!

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  16. Enjoy the reading and writing when shoveling is done. Lovely house, lovely snow.

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    1. Lots of reading and writing today. More snow maybe coming tomorrow; I'll do the two lots together then.

      Blessings and Bear hugs! Best for 2014.

      P.S. I've got some winter pictures of the ouse on my next blog post.

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  17. No shopping for me today! Your place looks great.

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  18. Thanks, Lisa. The only shopping we did today was at the butcher shop.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!

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  19. Cool house!
    Here it ice and snow an other layer of ice and snow and no power all over the place. No dishwasher, stove, or microwave since they need power. Shovelling makes no sense because there's no way to warm up. Movies? perhaps if the theatre has power? Good place to warm up and get some warn junk food!
    Boxing Day this year had it's challenges so not part of the historical norm.
    Bear hugs are the best now:)

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    1. We have a cool house, and you have a cool house, but two different types of "cool." I hope they get things back to normal before summer.

      Blessings and Bear hugs!

      Delete

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