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It’s December 29, 2011.  Should be snow on the ground and sleigh rides humming!

We awoke to a weird sound.  Rain on the roof.  Not reindeer – rain on the roof.

Our son was to head out on a trip to Edmonton.  He has postponed that for a few hours, or days.  He packed his suitcase into his car – after slipping down the driveway and finding the incline too hard to return to the house.  Instead, he walked across the lawn and was able to slide to the door.

This is unusual.  In fact, we cannot think of  a time when this happened in previous years.  And we can actually speak with some experience!

The weather is warming, but we suspect the ice will remain for some time. 

Change comes hard – particularly if you are hitting the ground!

Here we are – everyone was able to make it home this Christmas!

Yesterday was the turkey dinner.  With all the stuffing and fixings.  And leftovers!!

Which is what I love.  For the next while we will have turkey sandwiches and marshmallow salad and potatoes and everything that makes up the big meal, only simply warmed over – and tasting just as good.

The afternoon saw us playing tile rummy while the turkey cooked.   At first we went without a timer – a little too boring.  But then we set 30 seconds as the limit for each play.  My daughter, who has always been able to see the next play, would lay down tiles at such a rate it was rather dizzying.  My older mind (which never was fast at this type of thing) just limped along and enjoyed the company.

And so, with the kids home this year, I’ve just been enjoying the bringing together of the nuclear family and not seeing it blow up, as other families have, who have become more nuclear than family.

God blesses – today my sister and some of her family join us for lunch.  Hamburgers and sausage – my favourite!!

As we sat at home this afternoon we received a phone call.

In this case our faithful answering machine took the call.  “This is the Air Canada Baggage handling in Ottawa.”  They went on to explain that our son Tim’s luggage was in Ottawa.  With no tag.  They had found his name and cell phone upon opening the luggage.

We were left with a phone number to call.

Imagine – our son is somewhere thousands of feet in the air – probably just over Thunder Bay.  He has no inkling of the lack he is about to face.  Perhaps his cell phone is off.  He’ll arrive to a full airport – a twirling luggage roundabout with nothing of consequence to be found.  What to do next? 

Well, it’s not the first time his arriving in Saskatoon has been greeted without luggage.  But that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable.

So, the day will be a little more stressful, but I hope the anticipation of gathering with family will overcome some of that!