Greetings Creekers!
This has been a dull week, at least for me. But hey, things are looking up. I checked the weather forecast and we are in for a few days of sunshine and colder temperatures.
That is the winter weather I love and a perfect time to shake those wintery blues and get outdoors. It will be a great opportunity to experience the snowy wonderland up at Dakota Ridge, enjoy a chilly beach walk or get out in the garden. These are all activities currently forbidden to me, but nevermind, I can still have a picnic.
Those of you thinking that I have my seasons confused are mistaken and I assure you that winter picnics are the best, although I did not always like them. I grew up in a family obsessed with the outdoors. Every winter weekend involved cramming oursleves in to our old Landrover and heading miles up various bumpy roads where we would hike to some spot and light a fire, often in the pouring rain or snow. Then we would eat tasty toast sandwiches and old fruit cake and stand around stamping our feet and trying to warm our hands. My mother thought this was “lovely” and I detested it. But guess what? Now I like winter picnics, although I prefer a more civilized version.
I enjoy few greater pleasures than gathering around a fire on a chilly (dry!) winter day. A beach is the perfect place and my preferred location but up the mountain or in your backyard are good too. You need food, preferably something you can cook on the fire. For me it’s a gooey tastey toast cheese sandwich with burnt edges (a tasty toaster is like a panini press with long handles available in the camping section), pickles and hot tea or a nice ale. For you it might be smokies and smores. It sounds like work but I assure you it’s worth the effort and you might discover that gazing into a fire is just exactly what you need in this season.
Some of you will have noticed the Diabetes Association donation bin outside the library. This is intended for usable clothing and accessories only. The donations are sold by weight to retail used clothing stores such as Value Village and the charity involved makes money in this manner. It will be convenient for those unable to make the trip to Gibsons or Sechelt thrift stores and hopefully people will use this bin instead of leaving items in the gazebo.
However, I would like to point out that our local thrift stores depend on your donations as fundraisers for our hospital and community services and to provide treasure hunting experiences for thrift store queens like me. So please, mix it up and consider how you want your donations to be used.
If you want to get some bucks for your treasures, the RCCA is planning a two-day flea market on March 18 and 19. Dianna, our hall manager, is taking bookings for space now. Contact [email protected].
Tonight is Robbie Burns night at the Legion and the Steve Hinton Band is playing tomorrow (Jan. 28). Word has it that they are all about dancing so if you want to rhumba, shuffle or swing into a two-step go on down. Don’t forget next Friday, Feb. 3, is Brain Freeze Trivia Night. I keep forgetting to go but when I have been it was a lot of fun so get a team together now.
Two upcoming hall events that you might want to plan for include Boudoir Rouge Burlesque for two nights, Feb. 17 and 18 and Five Alarm Funk who are playing two shows March 2 and 3. If you are feeling ready to groove do not miss this band. They have been around for quite a while but I saw them at the Vancouver Folk Festival last summer and they are as energetic as ever. They hit the stage with a great horn section and four percussion players for an evening of funk, reggae, ska and world music.
I don’t have info on tickets for Burlesque Rouge yet but tickets for Five Alarm Funk are available online.
I know there are so many other things happening out there so please let me know so I can mention them here.
