This is the second day in a row Laura’s exams have been suspended due to heavy morning fog. The buses will not run under any adverse conditions and the high-schools are pushing back the morning tests rather than rescheduling for afternoon writings.

The weather conditions have been producing some outstanding hoarfrost shows by the time we stumble downstairs for breakfast. Take a peak at some of today’s results.

Today I picked up my NEW car! It is a 2005 Toyota Corolla. It’s colour is called Cactus Mist and has tan interior with cloth seats. She has power windows & locks, a keyless entry, cruise control and cd player.
For my first drive, Josh and I went to Walmart and picked up winter floor mats to keep the carpets clean. If I start off right, I know I will get in the habit to keep her clean. (ie. no candy wrappers stuffed in the ash tray and arm rest like mom’s car)
No, I have not named her yet. Some of you may have known my old Chevy Cavalier’s name was “Tinker.” I am waiting to get to know her personality a little better before I pick a name.

This morning everyone woke up to sub-sub zero weather and blue skies Cozy up Catherine and Bill -31 numbs my brain! The snow plow has just gone down our road and we may venture out to church if we can get out of our driveway. Yesterday was a wild wintery day with everything from huge snowflakes to strong gusts of gale force winds. It left in its wake beautiful and unbelievable snow drifts to explore. Have a good Sunday !

How is everyone coping with the deep freeze that we are having? It registered -22c on the car thermostate this morning when I drove the boys to school. Catherine you may be used to this kind of weather but we who live on the banana belt are chivering to death.

For the past week I have been babysitting my friend Barb’s pets, an 11yr old black lab named Oliver and a tabby kitty named Muffler. They feel very comfortable at my place and it is nice having pets around again. Barb and Paul have bought a ranch side split and are in the process of selling their two story home. They are downsizing at age 50. They hide the pets at my place while the agents show potential buyers.

Well we made it home this afternoon safe and sound after a wonderful and restful two weeks vacation in the sun. Jackie is at work right now but had the house tidy, fridge stocked and everything looks “Homie”!
Lucus was our welcoming reception. He smothered us with rubs and has not stopped purring since we stepped in the door.
Life is good!
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We went for a stroll down the main drag and popped into an antique store and I made Nick take a picture of the dried up coconut that I found on the shelf. We laughed our heads off saying that, “we are copycatting your finds in Florida”. We even found a Snug Harbour restaurant. We did not go inside as it was more of a truckers drinking hole than a family pizza type place. We could not go crosscountry skiing as the trails were closed due to slushy wet conditions. The luck of the draw. There is snow all around but it is too warm 3c. Happy new years to all. We will be home in our hot tub toasting the past year and bring in the new. ps. The Butani family relatives were not effected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka. Thankgoodness.

I went for a nice walk today and strolled through the village with my camera. Brian found me with the help of our family radio walkie-talkies and I taught him to peek and pop down that alleyway “just to discover what was there”. We had an awesome time together checking out the historical architecture. We all went tubing under the lights at “peek’n’peak” ski resort tonight. I went down along with the boys. Not bad for an ol’gal and I reoxyginated by screaming my head off. We are going back for sure. For a few pictures follow this link.

Merry Christmas all from Chautauqa, New York. We arrived yesterday after driving through a whiteout from Niagara to Erie. That area is so renound for its unpredictable snow squalls. We drove west towards Erie, PA and then headed into the cottage country. The area is like Muskoka but with a Currier and Iyves atmosphere. We are staying on the “Chautauqua Institute” which is a gated area around Lake Chautauqua. We went to 10pm/midnight mass. I packed a parmeseasn shrimp and pasta dinner, wine and salad, and Christmas sweets, Chistmas table cloth and candles etc. I even have a turkey to cook for tonight. We are in a chalet style place for a week of R’n’R. Happy day everyone.

Thursday at 12:30am the boys came crashing into our bedroom and woke us up. They were frantic saying that something was scratching in the walls of Stephen’s bedroom. We checked the walls, looked out the windows and then ventured out onto the front lawn in our pajamas and flashlight. We found Rocky Racoon gnawing his way through our house. He came through the siding to escape somehow. He was not phased that he had an audience and that we were shining a flashlight in his face. We opted to help him out by setting up a plank of wood for a ramp once we noticed that he could not make the cliff hanging manoeuver, up and over the eaves.
The task at hand now is to repair the gaping hole in our house before he decides to come back to stay the winter.