Canadian Thanksgiving and Other Joys

Monday, October 14th was Canadian Thanksgiving Day. It is a different celebration to the American holiday in that the Canadian version arose from the traditional Harvest Thanks that was celebrated in English churches, and still is in Britain and Canada. There is always a beautiful bounty of harvested goods displayed in the church around the altar and steps.Giving thanks for a good harvest arose in pagan times in Britain and is celebrated in various forms around the world, usually close to the harvest moon. The following link from Wikipedia gives more details.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival     
One aspect that is the same for both NA Thanksgivings is the turkey and trimmings feast! Here in Pedasi, Don and Connie put on just such a feast for eight of us Canadian expats, and was it good? Oh, boy, was it ever! We had a merry time (preparing for Christmas), met some new friends, Larry and Wendy who  live nearby, and went home stuffed like the turkey! Many thanks to good friends for a happy time!

The next day we were off to nearby Limon to gather with some American friends and enjoy a restful afternoon with a lighter repast (thank goodness!). Paul and Marilyn will finally get their house next to us started later this month. We learned about a newly started Spanish class while visiting, and deciding we would join also, off we trotted the next morning to meet Dania at Buena Vida school. She holds classes for beginners on Wednesday mornings on her patio. We found her to be a good teacher - bilingual, easily understood, with a sense of humour and very charming. So now we are students once more and maybe my grammar can improve - it is about time.

Meanwhile, at the house, pool construction continued apace. Six outlets for jets were installed, the sides of the pool were back-filled, steps were planned, drainage pipes were laid and much of the cement surround was completed by Thursday. Off for three days, the crew returns Monday for final prep before patio tiles can be laid, and the pool painted and tiled. There are still the shower and pump housing to complete. Much depends on weather now - several dry days are needed for cement to dry and before paint can be applied! The crew poured a small cement slab for me to prepare as a marker for Bogey's grave...they were so nice about it! I was choked...
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Hard at work

A well-deserved break

Bogey's plaque

The cats are as blase as ever about the activity, but still give us a rousing welcome home whenever we return. Mitzi tries out everything new - typical feline - as a potential bed or hiding place.

This time our shopping bags got the once over! We still get curious looks when we shop with these Save-On bags! The use of plastic here is criminal, and Paul (retired state rep for Illinois!) is getting involved with a recycling group that needs help. I bet he ropes us all in as willing volunteers...