Lovely day...

The world was crystalline and foggy today. Ice melting off branches of trees; some rain, icy underfoot till midday, but visually beautiful and mild. I went past Parliament Hill by bus, the Parliament Buildings invisible except for the dark neo-gothic towers emerging above the fog.

Morning: I had breakfast with maaseru at the Mayflower. Then I went to Mags & Fags (my favourite magazine store) to see if the new Starburst was in, and it was - with a Torchwood cover picture! Then to the Silver Snail to pick up a month's worth of comics - a luscious big pile, heavy on Civil War stories - and not just one but two issues of Doctor Who Magazine. It was like a premature Christmas.

Then downtown to meet up with lmondegreen for Bubble Tea. I had pomegranate flavour; she had green apple; I liked the colour combination, and both were delicious. After shopping (and getting millet as a Christmas present for Logan), I came home and did my exercises while watching the Doctor Who episode "Rose", and then I started my new Tai Chi With Sword video-tape. Got as far as about 1/8 of the first position and almost whacked myself in the head with the sword a few times, but that's okay, I'll get the hang of it. Watched all the introductory part about what tai chi is - I already knew it, but getting to the part with the swords was very, very cool.

I also did a first draft of my New Year's Resolutions. I couldn't wait, and yes, I found it very exciting. Why? Anticipation of my future, I suppose, which I am hoping to shape. In a good way.

While at home, I was listening to John Barrowman A Musical Christmas on BBC radio. Enjoyed it so very much.

For supper maaseru, maaboroshi and I went to the Ben Ben Restaurant on Somerset Ave. and I got to have my favourite dish: BBQ Duck Congee. On the way home we did some looking around at the beautiful Christmas lights on so many houses and trees - especially beautiful where they are aligned along the other side of the canal. Then we came back to maaseru's place and opened our Christmas gifts to each other, while watching the burning log and listening to maaboroshi's new CD of Christmas music. Much joy and delight and squeeing.

They jointly gave me a book I knew about, and didn't even dare to covet: a huge, gorgeous glossy art book about X-Men characters, continuity and art. Pictures from every era. Not every character: we looked in vain for Pete Wisdom (mentioned briefly twice, with no pictures) and Rictor (mentioned twice, with no pictures) and Exodus (nada). But there are great pictures of Storm and Magneto and even Sam Guthrie - well, it's all rather breathtakingly wonderful to this X-Men fan.