A strange Christmas

This year, it's a Christmas with a difference for me.....a very strange Christmas.
This year, the air of Christmas is all around me, but the magical spirit of Christmas is not with me.
With so many people displaced from their homes all over the world, I find it hard to have myself "A Merry Little Christmas" when so many others don't have that privilege this year.
I haven't made my famous Bajan Christmas Black Cake nor have I put up my Christmas tree.

 

Instead I have used my small white twig tree which I made for my Swap/Tea Party decor earlier this year....one single strand of white LED lights adorns its branches.

My friends and I have all decided there won't be any gift giving this year.  Of course there was one gift on my list, a wonderful bag of goodies for the special folks at the RSPCA who look after Brownie throughout the year.

Walking through the stores in the malls nothing jumped out at me at all......

....except this Christmas Tree mountain of chocolates...a dream come true.

Trekking into the city yesterday, I found a parking spot outside the Cathedral Church wall in an area between two clearly marked NO Parking signs painted on the street.
The area where myself and others had parked was not indicated as a No Parking area.
To my dismay when I returned there was a traffic warden issuing parking tickets and he had already stuck one under the wipers of Beast.
I approached him and asked him how come he had issued me a ticket and he said the entire stretch of that street was a No Parking zone.  How would drivers know this if not indicated as such I have no idea.
Another driver was standing quite calmly eating a banana after being handed a ticket by the warden....he was not enthused at all....his face was set up like rain and he shouted at me..."Wait wuh he tell you?"
"He said that this entire stretch is a No Parking area," I replied.
"So how duh expect people tuh know dat if it ain't mark out?" he thundered back.
"I have no idea," I said.
We exchanged pleasantries and wished each other the best for the season and headed off on our way.
It's amazing that the head day I park for a five minute run around the corner instead of a longer duration, that is the day I am issued a ticket.....my first ticket after driving all of these years.
Well....well....well.....like I said....a very strange Christmas indeed.