The Year of the Fox

Medicine Hat

Good morning Swift Current! Another early start to our day.  Destination: Stan and Liz's in Calgary.  It was a pleasure driving in good weather. We had a quick break in Medicine Hat and visited the World's Largest Tee Pee.

One of the medallions on the Tee Pee

We arrived in the beautiful sprawling city of Calgary in the afternoon, bad weather all behind us with temperatures hovering a tropical -4c. 

if pigs could fly....

Wow, three years went by so fast since we saw each other.  Many hugs and kisses later, we picked up where we left off just as if it was yesterday.

Stan, Bob, Hillary, myself, Liz
 

Shopping.....Girls, only.....Today, Liz is my tour guide and personal shopper. We dropped off Hillary at the Chinook Mall for the afternoon. Now, off to Vespucci's women's consignment shop.  This was no ordinary shop.  The size of a department store, this "consignment shop" was all high fashion, designer wear ready for the taking. The frugal spirit inside me was screaming to jump out. Liz suggested we ditch the purse (wallet and credit card excluded), scarf, mittens to be left in the truck. "We need our hands to be free to sort and select our finds. The only phrase to come to my mind as we entered was OMG!!!! And " Away we Go"  Shop, Shop and Shop some more!  We collected as much as we could carry to the attendant in the change room.  Cleverly, she ties a pretty blue scarf around a dozen clothes laden hangers for me to hold while we hunt for more.  Three trips in all! Time to play dress up and decisions to make.  A Rossukon Thai silk dress, reversible fur/leather coat, Alpaca purse, evening purse, an assortment of tops, shoes and jewellery.  I did have my eye on a purse, and asked a staff member if I could have a look. Retail price was $6,000.00, yes the zero's are correct. consignment price was a bargain at $ 1,500.00. I made a wise decision on this bargain and placed it back on the shelf. We both left with giggles and smiles.  I will be back in the spring for another round.


Spruce Meadows

The evening crept up on us quickly. Stan's turn as tour guide. We hopped up into his Harley orange Avalanche to visit the Spruce Meadows Equestrian Facility.  From November to December, Spruce Meadows is bathed with red, blue and green Christmas lights adorning trees, buildings surrounded by acres of rolling hills and equestrian building.

 I hoped to photograph many sites on this foggy cold evening, except the temperatures drastically took a negative dive as my camera lens froze and prevented me to capture the brilliance of the magic in the air. I did manage to capture a few shots.

December 31: pre nap is in order as a late night will be guaranteed.











New Year's Eve.

  Farewell to the year of the "Pig" as we welcome the "Fox"  This is the first New Year celebration Gala for Bob and I. Usually we enter the new year's attending dinner parties. All dressed up and somewhere to go...how exciting.  A fabulous and funny evening at Jubilation's Dinner Theatre to experience the "Best of Friends Reunion", dinner, DJ and dancing. Ten years ago the television series Friends played their last episodes and it instantly became on of the biggest hits of television. Now Ross (Brad Zacharias, Rachel, (Kara Swayze), Monica (Gillian Moon), Chandler (Kevin Pownall), Joey (Luke Salmon) and Phoebe (Jill Martin) have returned to the coffee shop we came to love.

The cast of Friends Reunion made us laugh till we cried.  An interactive evening combined by all staff (actors) playing various parts of the sitcom "Friends" Our server Hans Freedman (role character) aka"Hans Free", Phoebes analyst gave us some good advice on life.

 Good job to all. 

Stan & Liz on the stage of Friends Reunion

Nice Shirt

It is now the year 2014, the Year of the Fox. What will this year bring? What does the Fox Say ? ?
http://youtu.be/jofNR_WkoCE

In China, fox animal symbolism revolved around the afterlife. Lore has it that a fox sighting was to be a signal from the spirits of the deceased.

 Fox animal symbolism takes a turn of intelligence in the Celtic realm, as the Celts believed the fox to be a guide, and was honored for its wisdom. The Celts understood the fox knows the woods intimately, and they would rely upon the fox as their guide in the spirit world.

In Japan, the fox was considered one of the rain spirits, and a messenger of Inari the rice god. Here the fox also symbolizes longevity and protection from evil.

In Native American lore, fox animal symbolism deals with two interpretations. One perspective (Northern tribes) observes the fox as a wise and noble messenger. The other (Plains tribes) views the fox as a trickster playing pranks, or worse - luring one to demise.