Carving The Turkey

My first time ever!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;



Tree decorated with gifts underneath. All ready for Christmas Day!

We are a house full of sickies today. Both Mom and I are still in our PJs. We wake up for an hour or so, moan about how achey we are, hack and cough and head back to bed. Snow and illness have a way of introducing an ebb to the flow of life!

Home Sweet Home

The first thing I did when I woke up this morning - was run and look out the window. What a relief. I could now see the cars in the parking lot! Next up, log on to weather.com and check out the forecast. Yikes, I only had about two hours before the start of snow flurries. I packed up quick, grabbed a bagel and was on the road. The route to the highway was still pretty icy and snow covered. I passed three cars spun out in the ditch in the mile and a half it took me to get to the QEW. I drove at about 20 miles and hour 'til Niagara Falls and then it cleared up and I was O-F-F !!

Picture taken from the same location as yesterday's "White Oooot" pic


Betty (my GPS) was a capable co-pilot and navigated me home safe and sound. I arrived shortly after noon and just in time for lunch with Mom!

Happy to finally be Home


After being snowed in for several days Mom needed to get out and pick up some supplies. We headed out to run errands just as the snow kicked up again. Snow flurries. Ah that's nothing - sure I'll drive!

Running Errands


We ended the day with dinner at Swiss Chalet. What better way to celebrate being home for the holidays?!

Quarter Chicken White Meat with Fries. One for Mom and one for me!

Almost ... But Not Quite

So I am almost, but not quite home.

I made it to my country and province of choice - but I am about 125 km short of my final destination.

I spent more hours than I care to remember in the Atlanta airport. I curled up in the corner at 5 am hoping for some sleep and that I would wake up to a flight leaving for Buffalo. Luckily, shortly before noon my wish was granted!

By the time we made or approach to Buffalo it was already consumed by a blizzard. The runway was buried under more than a foot of drifting snow and ice. We had an amazing pilot - he took us through the snow clouds and slid us to the gate with only the occasional bump and controlled skid!

Flight Board in Buffalo. Everything rapidly going to Cancelled Status



Plane de-icing.
Notice no visibility in background and de-ice solution is blowing *over* the plane.


Now that I made it to Buffalo the dilemma was what to do next?! I decided to grab my rental car and head towards the closest border crossing. The freeway was covered in drifting snow. I fought the poor visibility and plowed my way through for several hours and finally made it to the Canadian border. I had hoped it would start to clear but it never did.

White ooot
Wanna go for a drive?


I decided if I was the only one on the road - that was probably a good indication I shouldn't be - so I pulled off when I saw a sign for a gas station. The visibility was so bad I couldn't actually see the station and had to circle several times before I found it. Then I had to plow through snow drifts and slide on ice to make it to the front door. Once there I found a kind gentlemen just finishing up his shift and his daughter taking over for the evening. We sat and chatted and strategized for a while. I threw out the idea of taking back roads and they vetoed that - said I would get stuck in drifting snow for sure. We tried to figure out if the visibility on the QEW would be better if I could just push through to Niagara Falls. A truck driver came in and he said it was really bad at least as far as St. Catherines. Police were asking everyone to stay off the roads. Sometimes you just have to say 'uncle' and let Mother Nature win. My new friend realized with ZERO visibility giving me directions to the Holiday Inn was not going to do it ... so got in his 4x4 and kindly led the way! So here I am for the night.

A very tired and heavily 'layered' Tippie


In the morning I will try again...

My Flickr photostream for the trip.

Kindersurprise

My KinderSURPRISE chocolate egg was bumped around a little on the journey home - so I decided to open it.

Look what I got!

On The Road and In The Air Again

Chillin' in the nether regions of the Toronto Airport

Separated by a glass wall (and US Customs and Immigration)
from the Tim Horton Donut Shop


With the donuts inaccessible, I sat and enjoyed the turkey sandwich I packed for my journey.

Today was a l-o-n-g travel day. I left Mount Hope, Ontario shortly after 11 am EST and now 17 hours (2 books and several magazines) later have arrived safe and sound (and tired!) back at my place in San Diego.

No Tobogganing

Sign on the bottom of a snow covered hill full of kids with sleds.

A Trip To Harvey's

Today at lunch we went to my a burger place that is a favourite with my sister and brother-in-law. Harvey's is another 'only in Canada' restaurant chain.

Once again big brother Robert (Holla!) supplied us with gift certificates to underwrite our culinary adventures.

Heather Bites Into Her Harvey's Burger

Let It Snow

I woke up this morning to snow flurries.

Great, big, beautiful white flakes falling from the sky!

Snow falling on Mom's House


View From The Front Porch


Child of Wonder take off your shoes!!

Boxing Day

In Canada the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. It is traditionally a day for visiting. We were just hanging out at home deciding what to do when an old friend and colleague of my mother and sister dropped by. They spent the afternoon catching up on old times

Heather, Mom and Sheila

Christmas Day

Almost Dinner Time

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Tree Lit Up
Mount Hope, Ontario

Christmas Fountain

A fun surprise I found while strolling through an outdoor mall on Saturday evening.

The Fountain at The Grove, Los Angeles, California
Choreographed with Christmas music for the holidays