Highland Line Number 39

November began on a hopeful note. Having voted by absentee ballot, we were pleased to see that, this time at least, our votes counted.

Early in the month we attended a most enjoyable event in the village's White Church Community Centre, the Strathearn Ramblers' Association's Scottish Night. Many of the men (Don included) wore kilts and ladies dressed up either in a white blouse, long tartan skirt, and tartan sash or just dressy clothes. Everyone looked spiffy but men in kilts make such a dashing appearance that they stole the show. See the 4 November blog to find out why Don said he felt like "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" walking through the Comrie streets and lanes on the way to this event. [To view blogs in November earlier than the past week, scroll down the opening page until you see Archives on the right column. Click on November 2006. This will give you all posts in November starting with the most recent. You'll have to scroll down to get to the beginning of the month.]

We were a bit late in taking our annual autumn drive through Glen Lyon, but fortunately, we weren't too late. Once again we fell under the enchantment of this wild and beautiful part of Perthshire as we viewed it through the special light of autumn. You'd think after driving through this area for the umpteenth time, we'd begin to get a bit jaded, but we "ooh" and "aah" like tourists every time. The blog of 5 November features a number of gorgeous photos to show just how spectacular this glen is when in colour—and to think we can be there in about an hour or less.

The middle of November found us in Upstate New York enjoying our annual tour to see family in Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany. We flew to Toronto on the 10th, spent the first two nights in Buffalo with cousins Ruthellen Bunis and Russell Baker, drove on to Rochester for a couple of days with daughter Jill and her husband Julius as well as our grandsons Tom (12) and Kevin (9), then moved on to Albany for 3 days with daughter Molly and her husband Mark and wee Iris (4) and Cameron (1), and then returned to Rochester for another couple of days before flying home.

The blogs of 21 through 29 November give details and provide photographic evidence of just how the family is growing. A special bonus of this trip each year is getting to see our oldest and our youngest relatives: Aunt Shirley in Rochester who will turn 102 in January and our grandson Cameron who turned 1 at the end of October. We also enjoyed seeing friends Jack and Kathleen Howell in Buffalo as well as cousins David Bunis and Leslie and Charlie Ohl. An added treat in Albany was getting to see daughter Shara, who had driven up from Virginia, and granddaughter Brittanie, who is now a college student in the Albany area. While in Albany, Don also connected with two of the musicians he had played with for 15 years before we left there in 1979, John Fusco and Frank Coca.

We hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving with friends and loved ones. We just missed having Thanksgiving with family but felt we were pushing our luck by being in New York so late in the year. Normally we try to make this trip in October but the week in Cognac and my quilting workshop in late October pushed our schedule into November. As it was, the day we left Rochester for Toronto to catch our return flight there had been snow showers in the morning. That's close enough for us!

Lynn's chorus concert was held last Saturday night. Billed as "A Night in Vienna" the concert featured selections from Die Fledermaus, The Merry Widow and two other waltzy operettas. The chorus has already begun rehearsing for its late March concert and will do so through December 18th.

You are no doubt preparing for Christmas or Channukah, which starts on the 16th this year. Don will make his brisket and I'll fry up some latkes for a special meal that evening. We've invited Haig and Trish Hamilton and Gordon and Helen Rae to join us in lighting the Channukah candles. We got many gift items taken care of while we were in New York and I am busy making some items for crafty gifts. A few will be online purchases.

We don't know if you keep up with the blog but if you do, you'll know we've had a lot of wind and rain lately. It's been amazing how often Don has been able to play golf, all things considered. Last night as we were getting ready for bed, we noticed that the toilets were flushing sluggishly. As we suspected (and our plumber confirmed today), the sluggish drains are evidence of area drains being overtaxed with the volume of rain. Don and I were both up in the night, having been awakened by the driving rain, loud and persistent wind—occasionally at gale force—and hearing some of the drains gurgling. We were both worrying about the fact that it was still raining. Eventually we got back to sleep and woke to a bright, dry morning. Before going back to bed, though, we unset the alarm as Don figured the golf courses would be closed due to soggy conditions as it was pretty bad yesterday. But when the day proved dry, Don phoned to see if the courses were open (they were) and then phoned John Southorn to see if he'd like to play. That's where he is now. Meanwhile his waterproofs from yesterday are still drying on various radiators.

The forecast calls for more rain to come, perfect weather for me to work in the studio on the baby quilt I'm making for Amelie, the baby born in November to Simon and Sophie, owners of our local deli. Our days are moving rapidly to the shortest day of the year. Sun-up is approaching 8:30 and sunset is now at 3:45 with darkening skies beginning a little bit before 3! Rain is forecast for at least part of every day for the next 5 days, but for now we're comfy and cozy in our sitting room by the fire, Don with a book and me with my knitting.

We'll be having Christmas dinner with the Sutcliffes this year at their cottage in St. Fillans. Happy Channukah or Christmas or Solstice or whatever you celebrate. The January 1st Highland Line will be either early or late, as we are set to spend the first week in January in Dingle, Ireland, our first time in Ireland—can you believe it?

Love,

Lynn and Don