"Memory Lane" February

I have decided to start a series of posts, once a month, which I shall call "Memory Lane". The idea is that each month I shall take a photo or an item which reminds me of something in the past, and tell the story which is associated with it.
This photograph was taken about ten or twelve years ago, do you recognise what is in the background? That's right, it is Niagara Falls! At this time I was living in Paris, and during my summer holidays I had met and become friends with a Canadian lady, let us call her Alice. Alice and I remained in touch after our holiday, and I nearly visited her a few months later when I came to Pittsburgh for a conference, but in the end I just did not have time. She invited me to come and stay for Christmas instead, and on impulse I accepted.

The cheapest flight was with KLM, so I had to fly first from Paris to Amsterdam, and from there to Toronto. I remember the first evening in Toronto; Alice drove me around her neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights, and what really impressed me was the snow, which was several feet deep. Actual steam was coming out of the drain covers, just like it does on the movies, but just like it doesn't in the South of England! Or in Paris, come to that. We had been invited to a friend's house for dinner, and at about 9pm I nearly fell asleep in my dessert, as it was about 3 in the morning for me, and I had to be taken back to Alice's place for some sleep.

It was a lovely Christmas, very very cold outside, and I enjoyed visiting Toronto, which seemed to me to combine the energy of the New World with that sense of the past that I am used to in Europe. I wasn't much into photography in those days, so this is the only photograph I have of the trip. Alice was very worried that I was not used to real cold and would not dress up warmly enough, so as you can see I look like Michelin woman. I think I had about four coats on and the earmuffs just complete the picture.

This trip did not take place during one of my knitting phases, so I purchased no yarn, but I did buy a delightful jacket, which I still have.


After writing this I went to my wardrobe to try the jacket on this morning. I had forgotten how nice it is! It came from a shop called Ms Emma Designs. In this shop, you chose a garment and it was then fitted to your shape by pinning. A few days later, the custom fitted garment was ready to pick up. What really pleased me is that it still fits perfectly even though it was fitted to the shape I was over ten years ago!

Alice and I stayed friends for a few years after that, but sadly have lost touch now. But I still have the warmest memories of my magical, white, Canadian Christmas.