Cloverdale Santa Parade of Lights 2011

For those of you who missed Cloverdale's Santa Parade of Lights this year, here are a few shots of some of the well decorated big rigs.

Last Christmas lights up in Cloverdale?

Proving better late than never I think all the lights may now be hung in Cloverdale - 5 days after the Santa Parade has been here.

Today I was driving on the Bypass during a torrential downpour. Really ugly rain and I see 2 cherry pickers near a large tree just off the Bypass, close to the ambulance station, about 176th Street and 58A Ave. I wondered if they were putting up Christmas lights and boy did they pick a really bad morning to do that. They must have gotten absolutely drenched.

Sure enough tonight when I was walking my dog through Cloverdale those big trees are lit up with Christmas lights.

Playing at the Clova from December 10 to December 16 2010

This week at the Clova December 10 - 16 is:

7pm: Secretariat

9:15pm - Morning Glory

Show ends just after 11pm. Admission is $8, stay for one or both movies. If 2 people are in your party the admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your party. Tuesday night is $5 per person. Bring your own reusable popcorn and drink container and fill up at the concession for $2.50 each.

Playing at the Clova from December 3 to December 9 2010

Playing at the Clova starting Friday December 3 until December 9:

7pm: RED

9:10pm - Due Date

Movie lets out at 10:45pm. Times are approximate. The Clova won't start the movie until the lobby has cleared of concession patrons. Admission is $8 for either one or both movies. For two people the admission is $15. Add $4 for each extra person in your group.

What's happening in Cloverdale during December 2010

Well there's not too much going on in Cloverdale during December 2010 other than the Santa Claus Parade. The Santa Parade of Lights is on Sunday December 5 on 176th Street starting at 5:30pm. The parade starts in the fairgrounds, makes its way down 176A street to 58A Avenue then along 176th Street down mainstreet Cloverdale. Once it hits Highway 10 they double back on the Cloverdale Bypass and return to the fairgrounds or they go home. Its kind of interesting watching the trucks blend in with the regular traffic. For more information check out the web page here.

On Saturday December 11 the Cloverdale Legion is holding a pancake breakfast from 8am to 11:30am. $4.50 gets pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee, tea, and orange juice. On Sunday December 12, the Legion is having breakfast with Santa, same price same menu. 9am to 11:30am.

Don't forget to stop by Potter's on the corner of 192 Street and 48th Avenue to wander around their Christmas store. Or stop by at night to admire their lights.

Clothing bins at old Cloverdale Mall

On the northwest corner parking lot of the old Cloverdale Mall - on 58A Avenue just before it bends to become 58th Avenue - there are several donation bins. Mostly accepting clothing and one is for books.

One of the clothing bins either isn't locked or the lock can be easily broken into because we often see people rooting through the clothes in the bin looking for something to wear.

Most of these look like homeless people, likely living in the tent city just south of the Clydesdale Inn, though there are other bush areas around Cloverdale that look like homeless people have set up living quarters.

With the recent bout of snow and rain there are a bunch of soggy clothes dragged out of one of the bins and scattered around. I saw quite a few people there on Sunday November 28 when I went past. The clothes are wet and nasty now but I guess that doesn't matter if you need them. They'll eventually dry out.

This post is kind of a heads up to well meaning citizens who bring clean clothes to the donation bins thinking they're going to a charity but instead they're scattered around the parking lot left out in the elements. I'm not sure how often the charities that own the bins show up to pick them up but apparently not all that frequently. Your best bet is to take clothes directly to the charity of your choice or phone them because many offer pick up service.

Surrey Now newspaper dumped under a hedge

I was out walking the dogs and noticed a bunch of Surrey Now newspapers dumped under a hedge down the street. One newspaper is sitting on the grass between the sidewalk and hedge, the rest of the stack stuffed under the hedge. A pretty soggy mess by now!

When we moved into this house a few years ago it had been vacant for awhile. The people that owned the house lived elsewhere and rented it out. Tenants were gone, it was up for sale, we bought, and took our time moving in. I guess in the interim whoever is delivering The Now in our part of Cloverdale decided the vacant house was a good place to dump extra copies that he (she?) didn't want to deliver. As soon as I moved in I contacted The Now to let them know I wasn't happy about dealing with 20 or 30 newspapers - really fills up the old recycling bin! - and asked them to stop all newspaper deliver to my house which they did.

From time to time when I'm out walking my dogs I'll see extra copies of The Now dumped in the next block.

This time I looked up their contact information on the Internet and phoned the number for circulation. They're closed on the weekend but the recorded message said it was the Langley Advance. I'm not sure if they handle the circulation for The Now too so I just hung up and sent an email instead to the address for deliveries asking them to come and clean up their mess.

The house in front of where the stack of Now newspapers has been dumped has renters living there. The hedge is quite thick and on the corner of the property. I'm sure they'll never notice the papers there unless they happen to be out for a walk.

Hopefully The Now will show up to pick up their unwanted newspapers.