I think we may have a flock of partridge in our back yard...

I just hope they have no relation to that former pop group on TV - some of those guys have been big trouble in the last few years...

How Christmasy would that be, to have a partridge in the yard, with or without a pear tree?? Mrs.That Dan Guy happened to spot a couple in the back yard, and thought they were just some of the rabbits we typically notice there on occasion. However, when a few more flew in to join them, she reconsidered her theory. For the record, we won't be adding Bailey's to our coffee until TOMORROW morning (by the way, just a little over 10 hours before the traditional Christmas Eve gift opening!! Just one, sadly, but I hope it's the long one with the round bottom that Mrs. That Dan Guy won't even let me close to...).

I went to a local website, and the Gray Partridge is in fact native to our area, so we just may have a true sign of the holiday season, crapping in our back yard!! How inspiring!!!

Aside from the birds, we did our last bit of holiday-themed gallivanting yesterday. We drove out to Heritage Historical Village, to see the 12 Days Of Christmas experience - in a recreation sort-of like Little Houses On The Prairie. After everything else we've seen this year here in Calgary, we thought this turn-of-the- century Christmas recreation might be pretty cool - carol singing, wagon rides, specialty shopping...

We didn't get to see so much the 12 days of Christmas, as we did the last two hours. The last two hours of HUNDREDS of people squeezing into an area better suited for tens of people.

A delightful prairie polar breeze was pummeling us as we tried to find shelter in tiny pioneer stores, filled to the rafters with surly last-minute gift shoppers. If you did get inside, the lines were fifty people deep, so the best you could hope for was to have your forehead thaw just enough to sprint over to the next store, where another mass of people were squeezed like toothpaste into a 40 sq. ft. retail outlet...

We ended up still having 60 minutes left of the two hours we paid for when we were sliding down the hill back to our car. Colder and wiser, we'll probably pass on this event next year...

Chow for now!!

PS - 9 hours now before Christmas Eve gift opening!!!!