semester at sea 2

Back home again without Bess! How I miss her. We had clear roads all the way, blue skies and bright sunshine most of the way so that Northern Ontario looked at its most beautiful; the pines dark green against the sky, the lakes frozen or snow covered still too dangerous to walk or skate upon and the glare from the pristine snow blinding at times.

But it's lovely to be back in Dundas and in contact with family and friends. We shall be going to Fiona's place in Kirkwall on Christmas Eve for supper, sleeping overnight and waking up with Bryn (what am I saying?!) to open his gifts. We are not doing adult gifts this year but donating to MS research in honor of Tessa and in the hope that all the new research might finally bring about a cure.

Looks like a green Christmas for us but a very white one for Tessa up north. As we ate our turkey last night the snow fell softly outside and it was evryone's favourite Christmas scene. We gave presents to Liam and Katie. Katie's all Olympic themed and Liam's about his February ski, (or should I say snowboarding), trip. It was such a happy meal and we shall al remember the upside-down turkey....sorry Tess!

As I get older time seems to fly and I remember Christmases past....at this age so many family and friends have gone and there is nostalgia and sadness mixed with the inevitable excitement I always feel at this time. I remember the many years of tropical celebrations, still with all the trimmings but days spent on the beach in the hot sunshine of the southern hemisphere.

I look round the apartment and know how much remains to be done before we leave...oh dear! I'm off to bed, it's all too much............