2006-12-06 - 9:32 a.m.

...Niklaus came!!!...

Another tradition new to the New World - Happy St. Nicholas Day! St. Nicholas comes out on the eve of December 6th and leaves goodies in the shoes of good little girls and boys. (if the shoes are left out by the door).

Well, St Nicholas has moved to Vancouver. I know, because I observed him preparing prezzies and candies for our landlords and their two-year-old son last night. I even got to help St. Nicholas, by tying little red bows on the laces.

And you know what??? Nicholas came for MEE too! ('cause I leave my shoes out all over the place...). Several months ago, I was listening to CBC and I heard the Angstones performing 'Do-Re-Mi' from The Sound of Music. I had tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard. And apparently they've done a cover of the entire musical. What better way to complement the tradition of watching this schmalzy musical on every holiday???? I did a web search to find the CD, but couldn't find it on sale anywhere. Sigh. Hard to find the music of a Canadian jazz group that went defunct in the 90s.

Well....Nicholas went online and found the contact info of one of the original bandmembers. Nicholas sent him an email, and had him send one of the last CDs, which wound up in my shoe this morning!

If you've never heard Climb Every Mountain as a Leo Kottke-esque rap, Do-Re-Me as Klezmer, The Lonely Goatherd as a Conga-line...This CD is totally cool!

THANK YOU NIKLAUS!!!!