Well, my Christmas holidays were definitely blessed, starting from the fact that I made it in to Toronto the morning of the day when a lot of flights started getting delayed or cancelled, and ending with a lovely flight back to Victoria during which I watched Canada win another gold medal in the World Juniors!!
On the way to Toronto, I was waiting in my seat as the people who had been sitting behind me were filing down the aisle of the plane, when one gentleman stopped to let me off ahead of him. I said thanks, and proceeded to deplane (I love that word). As I am walking up the exit ramp I hear the same gentleman whistling “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and yes I did start whistling along :). That pretty much made my flight, especially as I had just been reading one of the books of Nanna’s prose and poetry.
It was so great to be able to get to see most of my family, whether for little or large amounts of time. Getting to go sledding at Harrison Park for the first time was sweet, as was having Nanna over to visit, and I also appreciated the opportunity to cater to the every whim of my cousin Robi ;) (poor dear was laid up with a broken ankle).We got almost everyone together for a nice family dinner, a very delicious meal, on the 28th, which is always a highlight of my holidays. Getting to be part of a couple of advent services was also nice, because my church in Victoria doesn't do advent, and I miss it.
During the course of the 2 ½ weeks I was home I got to experience flurries – almost whiteout conditions at some times – as well as hail and pouring rain. We had some major flooding (as evidence by the pic below) going on for about ½ a week, the kind we usually see in spring. It was quite the challenge driving in some of these conditions, but thankfully we made it through with no serious mishaps :D
