Another week baking, so I fell into a predictable routine: Up at 4:30AM, walk to the coffee shop at 5:30, bake, prep, walk home just after noon. Then shower and sit like a zombie until supper. Lots of physical movement but no real outdoor adventures.
It changed within hours of my final shift on Saturday though. That evening, we bundled up and walked over to the Santa Claus parade. Thousands of people out, the usual floats and ruckus, but two floats in particular made it worthwhile. One was a van from the Glensheil seniors home across the street from our apartment. It was full of elders, all dressed in their Christmas best and waving at the crowd. And the second was a float for the local Indian banquet hall, complete with Bollywood DJ's. Two classic additions to the festivities.
Plus, most importantly, we saw a blue heron flying from the harbour to its nesting grounds in Beacon Hill Park. It was the first non-squirrel I've seen in ages.
early morning view of Chinatown