December 31, 2012:  The last day of 2012!  Half of this year was full of anxiety;  1/4 full of preparation and anticipation;  the last 1/4 full of excitement, relaxation, and a sense of coming into my own!
Saw Les Mis last Friday - great movie - a really good interpretation, very worth seeing. Generally good singing, although a few not quite spectacular performances.
I took my RV for a spin today - got my hair done and bought some B for the BYOB party starting soon.
Happy New Year to everyone - I'm thinking of you all!

Thursday, December 27th, 2012:  A bit of history, since I haven't blogged for a few days.  Sunday the Moody choir sang the Christmas cantata which we have been practising - it seemed to go fine, and was well received by the listeners.  After church, Helen and Rob and I had a quick bite at a restaurant, then went to see The Hobbit.  I enjoyed the movie, but it's very much a prequel to Lord of the Rings, rather than the story intended by Tolkien. Lots of foreshadowing, and scenes which just have to be straight out of the Silmarillion, obviously providing background to LOTR.  Afterwards, we went last minute Christmas shopping at Palais Royal and Kroegers - all in all, a great day!
The Christmas Eve services were fun - we had about twenty in the choir at 8:00;  eight at 11:00.  I was struck by the similarities between these services and those at GSJ - looking out at the candles being held by everyone at the end of the service, I had a moment of memory overlay - felt like I could be in the choir loft at GSJ.  I missed all my friends there - hope your service went well!
Christmas Day was awesome - I got to skype with all my kids and their spouses, and also talk on the phone with Sherry and my adopted grandkids, which was a real highlight!
Boxing day was a total watch-movies-and-relax sort of day -thank God for Netflix!
Today, I'm going out with Helen and Rob to see Les Miserables (the movie just came out), then potluck dinner with the rv community.

Monday, December 24th, 2012:  Christmas Eve day!  Wow!  It's 11:00 a.m. and I'm not dressed yet - plan to hit the hot tub, take a walk, eat lunch - then sing at two services tonight - 8:00 and 11:00.  Tomorrow I'm arranging a Skyping schedule with family and friends - and I've bought myself a turkey breast and stuffing, etc. for Christmas dinner.  I wish a very Merry Christmas to anyone who reads this!!

GSJ - if you think your robes are hot - these are heavy polyester and they don't breathe at all!  This is Rob - he and his wife, Helen, are also staying at the Jamaica Beach RV Park, and Rob also  sings in the Moody Methodist choir - so they often offer me a ride with them, which is pretty cool!

Thursday, December 20, 2012:  Just got back from the hot tub - a chilly evening (11 C.) with some wind.  Last night the wind woke me up a few times - it was rocking the RV like crazy, and when I went to type on the computer, I kept making mistakes because of the erratic movement!  Ottawa, I notice, is currently at -1, with a wind chill of -8.  Just keeps things in perspective . . .
This evening was also our Thursday potluck - plus a Christmas gift exchange, which was lots of fun - what a great little community is in this park!
Yesterday we spent the day on the mainland, shopping and eating lunch together - Wednesdays are generally opportunities for exploring shops and malls and restaurants on the mainland - this week, of course,  the emphasis was in Christmas shopping. I bought a little Norfolk pine for my RV - lots of people have strung lights on the outside of their rigs.  Tuesday we had a cookie exchange - although most people baked their own, I wasn't the only one to resort to store-bought (nice, though - Mrs. Fields' cookies - not the cheapo kind).
Last weekend, I drove to a spot across from the seawall and walked out onto one of the many walkways out into the ocean - took lots of pics - I just love the ocean and all of her moods!

Retired drilling rig which has been turned into a museum - I haven't been in it yet, but it's supposed to be fascinating.

Drilling rigs are apparently constructed in Galveston and then towed by tug out to their destinations.

Part of the group, wandering around the harbourfront.

We had lunch inside this building, right on the water.

A random shot of the RV park, with the Jamaica Beach watertower in the distance.

Walkway into the ocean.

Stairs connecting the sidewalk to the beach.

From the walkway

You don't want to slip between the slabs of rock!

A bit choppy today!

Looking back from the middle of the walkway - note my rv parked across the road.

Just love the waves!

A seventeen foot seawall has got to attract graffitti artists, of course - and this is the edge  of downtown Galveston.

And there she is - my home!

A shot from the balcony of the clubhouse. showing the Gulf of Mexico side  - just cross the road and you're at the ocean!

And there's a pond and water fountain in the park, too.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012:  This evening, I attended a prayer vigil for the victims if the Sandy Hook shooting - very moving - each child and teacher's name was read, as well as the shooter and his mother, and a candle was lit for each of them.  Some very scary discussions going on around here - many people say that the government is planning to arm teachers and school administrators and train them to shoot.  Like I said, scary stuff!

December 12, 2012 - or 12/12/12!  I can't believe it's been 11 days since I last wrote in this blog - I need to be more consistent!

Monday night, we went to a "Walk Through Bethlehem" put on by a church on the mainland.  It was absolutely fantastic!  Outside, there was a camel, a donkey, some sheep and goats - plus the three wise men, showing off their gold (gold-wrapped Hershey kisses) frankincense and myrrh (which we got to smell) - and centurions, guarding the premises.  We spent about ten minutes in a tent, hearing the story of the census, and the hope of the jewish people for a messiah;  then we went inside the church, through an area that wound around booths where people in period costumes showed how they baked bread, mixed spices, wove thread,  and lots of other things one might have seen in Bethlehem.  The floor was covered in straw and wood chips, the booths were draped in cloths and backed by painted wooden scenes - an amazing amount of work went into this evening - and the other two evenings when it was also available.  At one point, a wedding party wound through the visitors, authentically dressed and making lots of noise.  In an alcove at the end, Mary & Joseph and the baby Jesus sat beside a manger (baby Jesus was Dora's grandson - Dora and Ron are the owners of the Jamaica Beach RV park).  The whole experience was just amazing!

Just another view of the park, showing the pond with its waterfall and one of the many, many palm trees.

I opened my door one morning to be greeted by this guy, who obligingly stood there while I took pictures of him.  He's a duck, although I haven't figured out what kind, yet.

Hibiscus flowers, growing outside the office building!

Sue-Jane, you would love this - and would take far better pictures of this hibiscus, I'm sure!

Remember the pretty flowers from when I first arrived?  Well, they're oleanders - unfortunately, they\'re past their prime right now, but at least you get the idea . . . 

The camel in the Walk Through Bethlehem.

One of the wise men (these pics are blurry - forgot my camera, so used my cell phone camers - no flash)

Villagers explaining their wares.

I know - crappy picture - but you get an idea of the backdrops created for this evening!

Grinding grain - visitors could take some grain and grind it between  these two stones.

A loom - kids got to have a go.

Mary and baby Jesus.

Saturday, December 1st, 2012:  OMG it's December already . . .  After breakfast in the clubhouse again,  fourteen of us went off in the Jamaica Beach van to visit Dickens on the Strand.  The Strand is the name of a street, and each year, for two days, Galveston puts on activities and opens up the whole area for people to dress in period costume, from the time of Charles Dickens.  About half of the people who attend do dress up, so a really cool atmosphere is successfully created.  The Strand and its parallel street, Mechanic Ave., are also part of what's considered the "historic" district of Galveston, so the architecture is pretty interesting to begin with.  There's a parade which takes place twice a day, called the Queen's Parade - it's really a hoot!  Lots of buskers performing all kinds of acts - some involving decks of cards; some with flaming hula hoops; all in period costume!

Guys with guns - there's a lot of that going on around here . . .

This guy was particularly proud of his eyes - check out the contact lenses, if you can see them!

They created a little fenced-in area filled with snow.  The kids  had fun, and the people with me asked if  I missed the white stuff  -  ha!

Your basic page girl . . .

Just a nice couple who dress up every year (there's a contest)

More locals

I was sweating - can't imagine how hot some people were!

Now this was interesting

A high school choir

Yep, this was Christmas on the Strand

Would you believe - an elephant ride?

Not sure which group this is, but they sounded great.

Cute little elementary school choir.

This lady did actually play this instrument - very cool.

Judy, if you're watching, this one and the one below are for you!

I was sitting on the (very high) curb to watch the parade.

Period bicycles!

That's what it's all about.

And the guys with guns finish it off!