Back in La-La land.

I'll try and make this as painless as possible, since we've now gone to Canada and back to the Netherlands, and I haven't uttered a peep.


First of all, the flight overseas was basically uneventful. It was a 747 that was packed to the brim, and we were back in steerage in row 60.

Swell.

Fortunately I had the aisle, since there's bugger all to see over the Altantic anyway, and the guy at the window was not only nice and slim (Gabe can tell you all kinds of stories of sitting next to big fat smelly guys) but apparently had a bladder the size of a football, since he never once felt the need to head for the head. I wouldn't have minded anyway, since I'd rather get up and let someone out rather than have to basically tell a total stranger that I have a pitifully weak bladder, and then climb over two seats.

We had been checking the weather, and it did look a little grim. Just past Ottawa somewhere, our pilot Hans came on the blower and reassured us that they had in fact taken on extra fuel for the bit of circling that we'd be doing. We did that for the next 45 minutes, somewhere over the Kawartha Highlands. Good thinking (that extra fuel part) since it's tricky business to dead stick it into Trenton or wherever.

Pretty sure Gimli was out of the question.


I had managed to forgo booking a rental car since I couldn't seem to get a price that I liked, so the plan was to simply cab it home and sort that out later.
Not so. Seems we were one of many with that plan, as there was a supposed hour long wait for a car.
So fine...we rented a car and drove home, all the while managing to avoid the poor unfortunates spinning out all around us.
I say "poor unfortunates", when what I really mean to say is "complete idiots", since there seems to be no lack of dummies on the roads in a snow storm who are not equipped to handle the task.
(i.e., get a clue, and if not, at least get some snow tires!)


Seems that Canada had the first nation wide white Christmas since sometime back in the 70s.


Ugh.

It wasn't too long after I took this picture that I went out and got some fresh gas and a spark plug for ye olde snowblower which, after having to tighten one of the manifold bolts, (how in tarnation does something like that get loose?) ran as well can be expected. Next year it might need the carb rebuilt, but we'll see.

There were only going to be 21 mouths to feed on Christmas Eve, so that wasn't too much of a concern. I was no longer able to simply borrow extra chairs from my employer, so I tabled a motion to serve buffet style and it passed unopposed. Rather liberating actually, since I then didn't need to set up and then disassemble a second table. We had enough of those wooden TV trays to go around.

We had already been forewarned that a new puppy was hanging around, and he was a constant source of amusement.




Ok so, he doesn't really sleep like that, so here's another view.




He's cute* and his name is Kermit, which he almost knows. Or it could also be that he can be a stubborn little bugger.

Along with doggie comes doggie responsibilities, and I couldn't help take note of this unlikely pair.





Now I finally see the problem, he's not going to do anything, they're way too far from the hydrant!



Tomorrow, what really goes on in the garage.






*the one on the right.