Toddlers in toques and grandparents with mobility devices often progress at about the same speed along the sidewalks downtown. Is there anything cuter than wee ones in warm and colourful toques? And anything better defining the word “loving” than grandparents enjoying a pre-Christmas day out, perhaps shopping for a last minute gift or two?

Time now for a sincere, loving, huggy rambling from our wonderful downtown NOTL Queen Street. I have said it before and still say it often: We are so fortunate to live here. It’s not perfect, but it’s darn good.

Let’s create a “cell free phone zone” downtown.

Let’s pass a local bylaw to make Queen Street, perhaps between Simcoe Street and King Street, totally cellphone free.

Especially during the past two years, I have seen so much downtown. Almost all good. Too bad so many visitors don’t maximize the enjoyment of their hours with us. This morning on the front step of the Court House, with nothing to do for awhile, I roughly calculated the percentage of passersby who are staring intently at the screens of their hand held devices. Almost 50 per cent! My friends, I’m not kiddin’ ya. Almost half.

Never one to love and respect the status quo, which by definition changes all the time, allow me to offer a few suggestions to our town councillors. A trifle tongue-in-cheek, but also a trifle seriously. For the betterment of mankind. Our French Canadian friends have a wonderful expression which translates to “The more things change, the more things stay the same, eh?”

Is there a more beautiful retail walk in Canada than our old town Queen Street? Walk past the historically photogenic Prince of Wales, Hatley’s, Fritters on the Lake, Bella Grace, Gyros on the Lake, Beau Chapeau, the award winning NEOB Lavender Shop, Cool As A Moose, then the Sunset Grill and on down the street. All the way to Hendrik’s Independent for great foodstuffs and a great team.

If your eyes are glued to a screen, you miss the charm, as well as the lovely Christmas trees and festive seasonal decorations.

Do we need a bylaw? If nothing else, parking revenues lost due to unwieldy and challenging and time wasting parking metres will be replaced by tickets given out by our determined and efficient bylaw enforcement officers.

While we are fine tuning our sad parking enforcement situation, let’s outfit the enforcers in bright Angie Strauss-like clothing. Instead of the current militaristic dark blue and black uniforms. Such an easy way to enhance the visitor experience — and proven to work in Bermuda and Hawaii.

While I am rambling from downtown, please join me feeling sorry for the lonely, ignored Bell pay phone attached to the west side of the liquor store. To be repetitive, how quickly things change.

Now, a rambling leap to the purest of Christmas traditions. Local yokel, engaging historical raconteur and tireless and enthusiastic and effective volunteer Rick Meloen has done it again. Back on Nov. 30, he gathered the sometimes faithful out at the wee Wayside Chapel near Walker’s Family Market for the annual au naturel Christmas carol sing. The best song book, a great sound system and the joyful, enthusiastic and talented Diane Ticknor leading the singing.

Coach Meloen had more coloured Christmas light bulbs around his neck than adorn the seasonal tree at the cenotaph. The lights accent his dashing black top hat.

For me, this unique and low key event is always the true kick off to the Christmas season.  Even more of a kick off than the start of the Grey Cup football game. To facilitate our planning for 2025, the Faith Fellowship Christian Reformed Church has wisely “frozen the date.”

Each year from now on, the carol sing will be at 3 p.m. on the last Saturday of November.

Mark it down in your daily planners now, in ink. Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, 3 p.m. At the Wayside Chapel. Overdress appropriately to suit the weather. And be in good voice.

Rambling to a close for the year 2024, “Don’t come to me with problems. Come to me with solutions and suggestions.”

If we can’t have a magnificently festive and effulgent Christmas tree on the wee island by the Cenotaph, let’s place a dandy at the classy new town gateway at Mississauga and Queen streets. That entrance to town is pretty low-key now, with soft wattage lighting and temporary, sand bagged signage.

Or better still, as my wise and pot stirring son Scott suggested, how about a statement making, brightly decorated 20’ balsam fir tree installed to mark the centre of the endlessly discussed, still controversial, future St. Davids roundabout?

Just a thought.

Happy New Year. Merry Christmas. Love to all.