24 hour Royal break

Prince William and Catherine had a 24 hour break.

So where did they go?

Skoki Lodge apparently.   It's located in Banff National Park.

Check out this blog that describes the lodge - plus photos!

The only way to get there is hiking in - 11 kms - four hours uphill  - using this map for directions - or if you happen to be royalty - you come in by helicopter.

The lodge was built in the 1931 and still has no running water or electricity (yes, they have outhouses - the Royal Loo!).  Very austere...but then, if you are coming to Canada - you might want to get that "backwoods" pioneer experience!

It certainly would give a little dose of reality for those in a world of Royal Protocols and such.

If I had my druthers....this is where I would stay

I would tend to forgo any sort of accommodation that is lacking the basics....but that's just me.   And I certainly wouldn't pay $265 per person for that kind of experience!

The Royal couple are young and love adventure, and might happen to think that a log cabin in the middle of nowhere is sort of - romantic.

Trip Advisor reviews on Skoki Lodge. Note the antlers!

I am pretty sure they didn't have to abide by the 2 night minimum stay - or if they did, the government of Canada picked up the tab anyway - for the entire trip, so what do they care.

I wonder if William chose the King-size bed?

Reindeer Games and MRSA



...notice the antlers....(inside joke for those who have been reading
my blog all the way along....)

 I had to laugh the other day.  My niece posted this on her Facebook:

"The only reason the other reindeer loved Rudolph was because he drove Santa's sleigh. No wonder we have so many self-esteem issues in our society. Would someone please write a song where the reindeer decide to be kind and love Rudolph after getting to know who he is really is as a reindeer?"

And then I read this: Rudolph Had Low Self-esteem Issues.  I have read stories of how traumatized he was and that his co-dependent behavior was cause for concern.  Here are some scenarios as to how it all might have played out.

***********

In real life though, I had a patient once that had the hugest MRSA infection on his nose.  It was just around Christmas time and he was wondering what to do about it.  He said all his friends at work were laughing at him and calling him names....specifically "Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer" and the like.

Telling all kinds of Reindeer and Santa jokes - ad nauseum. 

It wasn't very funny, really.  His nose was painful, red, swollen and shiny....  and it was going to take a powerful antibiotic to clear it up.

Meanwhile, I am thinking his co-workers could lay off the jokes already.  MRSA is a serious infection and can develop to the life threatening stage if not treated properly and promptly.

Borrowed from the www. It's the best
I could do.....

Come on! After all - It's Christmas for pete's sake!!!

AND - more Antlers....

So I am not the only one.....Catalogue Living also thinks antlers are blogworthy....  I love that website! I know I have mentioned them before....but their commentary just makes me laugh.

I couldn't resist ...

Look closely over the fireplace....what do you see??? This is a photo of the small sitting area downstairs of my folk's B&B. Yup. Antlers. See, I wasn't kidding. There is a fixation here. I am thinking that is actually the set of antlers that used to be above my bed with gauzy stuff floating down from it. That was in my "log cabin" phase of decor.
I am now into "Manly Golf Course Clubhouse" decor, thanks to my husband. :)



Just to make y'all feel better ....here is the view from their place.....

Good Question..........

If not..... you aren't Canadian, I guess.

More Antlers .....

Speaking of antlers.....


This is a photo from 1938, taken in the little log cabin that was my father's home as a child.....out in Saskatchewan.


Winters were severe, and they only had oxen as transportation and also to pull the equipment on the farm.


This was taken at Christmas. You can see the candles on the tree....yes REAL candles! Looking past the tree, you can see the deer head....the antlers are being used for draping assorted ties, hats etc......so I guess it's a Canadian thing.


The 3 boys are my 2 uncles and my dad.

How to Stop Traffic.......

.... in Downtown Vancouver. My girlfriend and her husband stopped in on their trek back to their Log Cabin up the ski hill - after graduating with her Dental Hygienist Degree - for which she came to the City.





Apparently it caused a stir in Downtown Vancouver. People were stopping to look. Not only did they stop to look but they were actually stopping them in the street to ask if they were Real Moose Antlers as they were driving. And yes - they are.

My girlfriend's brother lives on a farm and the sun-bleached Antlers were lying out in the field for years. He was going to burn them. As a First Nations Canadian.....my girlfriend thought that they were an appropriate home decor item.

Pretty cool.

And how Canadian can you get.

Reminds me of the deer antlers I had over my bed years back.
* * * * *

"Honey, don't forget the antlers when we go camping, eh?"