Christmas Update

I arrived in California safely and the parcel of Christmas presents got here before Christmas.  Spent the first couple of days relaxing and then got into the Christmas spirit or was that spirits. It has been very cold here at night - freezing in fact. I thought I came down to get warm but it hasn't turned out that way. 
We visited with the Gravers for an afternoon of Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve and then popped in for a few hours after lunch. Brian had arrived home around 10:00 am from a flight from New York (he was the pilot not a passenger so he was rather tired but was happy to see us. we will arrange to see them again for lunch or dinner before I leave.
We had a lovely Christmas. The kids liked the Canada T-Shirts and all the little things I brought. Gary and Chris appreciated the herbs, coffee, fudge and Canadian peameal bacon.  I had to go through special screening because of the Bacon.  I froze it so it would keep and the customs lady asked if it was a good brand and should she buy some. It was quite funny. Then I went through screening and I had brought Christine a teaball with a long handle and I had to open my suitcase as they wanted to check that it wasn't a weapon.

Gary and Christine and I are going on the Wine Train today.  I will blog about it later.

December ---- only 18 days to Christmas

I haven't blogged lately.  I have a lot to catch up on.
The wedding in Tahoe was beautiful and a lot of fun. I lost a few bucks on the slot machines in the Casino, but I'm not a big gambler so it was only a few dollars. We went up to the newlyweds resort timeshare in Nevada and spent a lot of time in the hottubs. Gary entered a video poker tournament and won a turkey, so we had turkey dinner in the mountains a week before American thanksgiving.  The funniest thing that happened all week was driving from Lake Tahoe to the resort.  We had come in separate cars but we needed to travel in one so we ended up with all the luggage in the trunk and the extra food and drink from the reception packed around us in the car. The driver was the only one who didn't end up with parcels etc on his/her knee.
Jade Graver had a cold and by the end of the trip I had caught it. We kept thinking it was allergies but by the time I got back to Toronto I knew it was a real cold.
Since I got back I have got a new toilet, a new furnace and air conditioning, and five or so inches of insulation in the attic. I am still looking for the guy who was supposed to stud the walls in the basement before I get spray-on insulation. I need to find a new contractor.
I am now working mornings in St. Thomas and afternoons in London. The job is getting busier and Christmas is coming.
I am leaving for California on Dec. 22nd and will be back  January 1st.  Just a few days without snow.  That would sound good except that we haven't had much snow in Ontario yet this year.  We had about 1/2 an inch yesterday but it melted by noon.
I have got 5 postcards in the last 5 days from Scotland, Malasia, Germany, Netherlands and Russia.
Well I'm off to bed. I will try to blog more often especially with Christmas coming.
Good night