Dec 11th through 15th
We survive the night in our little hotel room after figuring out where the heat is. Cab back to the airport and use up our $15 coupons for a coffee and bagel.
Flight to Toronto is uneventful, I take the Park ‘n’ Fly shuttle to the truck and … she starts first time! Clean off all the ice and snow then drive back to pick up Christy who retrieved our bags and is waiting. Drive to Huntsville.
House is not as warm as we’d hoped given Scott turned on the heat yesterday but at least it’s above zero. Get the fire going fast and can feel it warming up. No pipes leaking either.
Christy goes for groceries while I do some work. Gotta phone install next Friday!
Not much rest though, this is Thursday and Saturday we are going back to Toronto to pick up Audrey and get a Christmas tree.
Leave early for Toronto to arrive around 11 am and pick up Audrey. Weather is great, a bit of snow on the ground in Oshawa, get a decent tree and off again. Stop at the White Feathers store of course and make our way back to Huntsville. Snow squalls pretty frequently on the way home.
We have a nice weekend with Audrey before Christy drives her back to Toronto on Monday. Meanwhile, I am preparing for my Stager install on Friday as well as an overhead speaker install at Algonquin Outfitters after Christmas. Gonna be a busy 3 weeks.
After Christy returns, we get out to Arrowhead for our one and only cross-country ski in 2026. It is a near-perfect day and conditions are great, especially for this early in the year. We miss the winter and the activities like skiing but by the time we leave for the south again, we will have grown tired of maintaining heat in the old cottage.
Dec 19th through 26th
We’re slated to go to the McCauley’s Caleigh Christmas at the Balmy Beach Club on Friday. This is AFTER I do a phone install at Stager Optometrists which doesn’t even start until noon. We’re staying at an Air BnB near Glen Manor we have used before.
The install goes pretty well though slow as I have to wall mount 5 out of 7 phones. I’m done about 4:30 pm and so Christy and I set off in her car for Toronto. We check in to the Air BnB and make the cold, windy walk to BBC. Always great to see our old friends but a little different without booze. Hoping this doesn’t hurt our relationships – is it possible our bonds are based only on our getting bombed together? Time will tell.
No surprises that night, but always nice to wake up with a clear head even after a late night.
On Saturday morning we pick up Audrey (I cannonball Ben) and head off to Lucknow for the Notte family Christmas. A nice drive through the countryside with a BLT sandwich part way.
Christmas is at Britt and Andrew’s place which is a truly lovely spot right on the river in Lucknow. We have a great time, then I drive Christy, Peter and me back to Kincardine where we will spend the night. Joy has to go to Guelph with the Sean and the grandkids Pearl and Frankie because evil Alex and her more evil mother Anne are taking the kids to Florida and Sean is not allowed to drop them off.
Next morning, we have a coffee with Peter then go to pick up Audrey who stayed with Gillian and Henry, then start the 4 hour trip home.
Ben arrived mid-afternoon on the 24th – ALAP of course. We had the usual fondue dinner then Scategories til all had enough. Cottage very warm and wintry outside.
Christmas day was nice with what seemed like more gifts for Christy and me than the kids. Later we went over to Juergen and Alyson’s to visit with them, Alexander and his girlfriend Erin, and Krishna and his family. (Krishna’s boys stayed hidden.)
The kids left on the 26th, our anniversary which is always sad, they never stay long enough for us but that’s life. Perhaps if we had a nicer spot …
Quiet anniversary dinner of leftovers.
Lots of animal life around, deer and turkeys aplenty. I need to get a tree cam. Many of these prints down by the lake and around the cabana/docks. Pretty sure it is fox.
Dec 27th through Jan 2nd
We visited with Marcel and Tracey on the 27th.
I had some overhead speakers to install at Algonquin Outfitters which took two trips. We took time to get organized and packed for our return to Martinique.
New Year’s Eve we spend quietly at home until about 10:30 pm when we went over to the Schutz’ place for the final event. Mike, Mark and their wives (Susan and Jan?) were there along with Beth and Glen.
Again, nice to wake up January 1st with a clear head.