Winter sunset over the empty marina beside my townhouse @ Lake Ontario

Of all places.. Canadian Tire. I had to make the run to Canadian Tire today to get a ladder. I am all loaded up with ladder and a bike trainer in my shopping cart and who do I see but the Designer guys, Chris and Steve who have show on CBC and HGTV. It certainly reminded me I am at the media center of Canada. There are serveral large film studios close to the Canadian Tire location. Earlier in the month I saw the broadcast of e-talk Canada with Ben Mulroony which broadcasts from a street front location so passers by can see the show as it is being broadcast.

I missed the Olympic flame visit as I had to make another visit to Services Ontario to get my vehicle licenced. It was an emotional moment as I screwed the Ontario plates on my jeep. ;-(((

My work place is undergoing more changes. I work with a team of 4 people, one is leaving this week, and one may be leaving in Feb as her contract is not being renewed. There is at least one farewell lunch a week, with people having babies, going back to school or other opportunities. There is a wave going through the health care system to cut back on contract positions due to the e-health ontario business. Every day a new ‘problem’ pops that that was unforeen but none that I can’t handle. There are some big differences between the health care system in Ontario and BC around how services are organized and I think I would prefer to be in BC if I needed home and community care. Services in BC are under the direct managment of the health authority and this makes it easier to switch patients between one service and another.

one of many festive planters in front of high rise buildings

I am heading to New Brunswick for Christmas to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law in Saint John. I haven’t spent Christmas there for many years so it is a flashback to childhood.

For all my Investool friends.. I now understand why the people on BNN keep flogging Shopper Drugs. There is a store on every corner in Toronto but no London Drugs. I really miss London Drugs. I also see why they keep flogging Loblaws as they are huge here. Rogers is also the major provider of internet and cell phone services and they have a store across from every Shopper Drug. Service is terrible though. On a scale of 1-10 they are about a 5. Timothys is the upscale coffee of choice. It’s better than Starbucks who are just not on the map here. All the big banks have huge flagship buildings here. The longest lineups are at the dollar stores.

Fashion wise, baggy pants with crotchs at the knees, hoodies and sideways baseball caps are the uniform of the moment. My personal style is now a choice between my white or brown down coat.

I wish all my friends best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.