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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 13:36:23 GMT
Yippee, the young one is back.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 13:51:24 GMT
Yeah! Welcome back EC!
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Post by imec on Jan 5, 2010 14:26:19 GMT
Hey! You didn't wave when you flew over my house.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 5, 2010 16:11:23 GMT
She was too busy sobbing into her mittened hands. You'll remember that Existentia is not keen on spending winter in the colder part of Canada.
Hello and welcome back. I already needed to get shushed in The Library for making a ruckus when I saw you there.
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Post by existentialcrisis on Jan 6, 2010 8:10:01 GMT
Oh, if only I had had mittened hands, bixa. Didn't even bring mittens or a winter jacket to NS. Didn't need them. But the day I flew back to Calgary it was minus 30-something... and there I was with no warm clothes and a huge backpack and had to take 2 buses and two trains to get home.... the last bus, of course, didn't show up and I almost froze to death so I had to find refuge in the YMCA and called a cab which took another half an hour to show up. All in all it took me about 3 hours to get home from the airport - yay Calgary... so typical.
So that was New Years Eve and I fell asleep at 5pm and slept until 9am.... weee!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2010 11:38:50 GMT
This is funny,as you describe the weather up in NS,yesterday morning we had this arctic blast arrive. My husband had to pick up someone from the airport here and transport him down to Port Fourchon,to one of the oil rigs. The man he picked up was from Nova Scotia,and while my husband was in a down vest,this guy from NS was wearing a t-shirt!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2010 17:35:36 GMT
My Canadian friends here used to go around really under-dressed for cool weather by my standards. We'd shiver on their porch while they crowed about the glorious temperature and mocked me for being wrapped to the eyeballs. At some point their body thermometers must have shifted. Now they are sometimes quicker than I to point out that it's frigid out. (below 70F).
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Post by existentialcrisis on Jan 7, 2010 9:31:49 GMT
Nova Scotians also suffer from denial when it comes to winter. Since our winters are so mild, and rain often follows snow, it is not uncommon to see people jogging in shorts and t-shirts when there is snow on the ground. Here I am in Calgary where it's FREEZING and I just took out the garbage wearing a tank top and sandals ... won't be doing that again!
lol ... just remembered when I travelled to Slovenia years ago... it was in March, I believe, and we were all very happy to be in the nice warm weather. I took a shower one morning at my hosts' house and was getting ready to go outside, when my hosts' mother started shouting at me in Slovenian, which I guess translated to: "You can't go outside with wet hair, it's cold outside, you'll freeze!" and she literally had to chase after me with a hair dryer (I hate hair dryers)... the Slovenians were shocked at our body thermometers! lol
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2013 18:14:41 GMT
I am not going anywhere for Christmas.
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Post by htmb on Dec 6, 2013 19:21:26 GMT
Me either.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2013 20:13:08 GMT
Nor me. For me there's nothing better than spending Christmas with my family, at home. I love it. I enjoy looking out on Christmas day and seeing the snow covered trees and pretty landscapes. And being all cosy and warm inside with the tree lights sparkling. And love all around. Nothing better.
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Post by fgrsk8r1970 on Dec 6, 2013 21:26:44 GMT
Well… We are still going to Paris. The reason I am saying still is - my hubby had another health scare and I was very close to canceling. But the doctors don't see any medical reason to not go and we have the wheel chair reserved and a wonderful apartment that even if he has to stay there more than I can wheel him around (we'll see how the weather holds up and my arms & legs LOL) … he'll have a beautiful view of the Seine. We usually spend Christmas with family either in CA, NM or 2 years ago in Germany with my dad and siblings… but I realized that - even though that's all wonderful - we never had our OWN Christmas. Me being German and him American I want to combine it and just be the two of us without having to do it the way "The Family" (whichever one that is) does it. I know that may sounds strange and is a bit selfish but I think we deserve it to be our way for once… and our way only! So I am praying that all goes well, weather, his health, traveling… and I can't wait to share it with ya'll ! It's getting hard to come on here - so please forgive me if I don't contribute as much as I used to! Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays … which ever way you celebrate it ;D
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Post by htmb on Dec 6, 2013 22:35:54 GMT
Looking forward to hearing wonderful stories about your Paris Christmas, Skater. I will have a houseful of family, including five grandchildren who are old enough to get really excited and to understand about the holidays. There will be lots of decorating (soon), and a live tree for the first time in years (not my idea). I anticipate lots of baking, cooking, mess, and clutter, but as long as everyone keeps their sense of humor it should be great fun.
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Post by mez on Dec 6, 2013 23:44:06 GMT
I am off to London for Christmas/NYE celebrations. I am very much looking forward to it with my ability to cope with the weather the only hesitation. It definitely won't be a shorts and t-shirt kind of Christmas.
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Post by mich64 on Dec 7, 2013 0:34:51 GMT
No traveling for Christmas as my husband is on shift through Christmas this year (and next) but we may travel to Ottawa on the 19th to take my girlfriend out for dinner to celebrate her 50th birthday! This will all depend on the weather forecast... shipping her present this week to her mom in case we can not get there.
But now looking forward to some reports from Paris and London!
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 7, 2013 2:05:48 GMT
I know that may sounds strange and is a bit selfish Not at all! And I'm sure all the couples in both families have either had or badly wanted their own special Christmas at least once, so will applaud your decision. so please forgive me if I don't contribute as much as I used to! NO. It sounds like lovely Christmases for all the stay-at-homes, too. I may or may not be among that number. Although I have really nice things I could be doing here, I'd really like to take a jaunt to the coast of Veracruz over the holiday. We'll see.
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Post by questa on Dec 7, 2013 4:47:38 GMT
I won't be travelling far, the roads are choked with people setting off for holiday houses, boats on the river and off to visit relatives.
I will go to my son's place in the Adelaide Hills for Christmas lunch. My other son joins us as well as my daughter-in-law's parents and her brother with his wife and 2 kids. My 2 grandkids make up the team. We all enjoy each others' company.
For lunch we have various salads, heaps of prawns, oysters done in various ways, a home baked ham and turkey served cold. My contribution is a monster trifle (which takes 3 days to make) and my own recipe fruit mince pies. Other nibbles and bottles of sparkly are brought by the other husband and wife
Before and after lunch we relax with a swim in the pool and watch the 4 kids play with their new presents.
Christmas in Adelaide is just so good!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2013 14:35:34 GMT
Going to NY next week. More out of necessity but, hope to be able to enjoy some long walks on the winter beach, one of my favorite things to do. Will be BRRRRRSKI!!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2013 19:50:14 GMT
I'll be on the road briefly next week and will make a couple of 'diplomatic' holiday stops to see friends of the family. Then I'll be holed up in Paris until next year.
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Post by rikita on Dec 27, 2013 22:04:43 GMT
i just visited my mom on the 25th/26th, but i guess that doesn't really count as travel, as she only lives an hour from here.
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Post by lagatta on Dec 30, 2013 0:36:21 GMT
I didn't go anywhere. It is cold and miserable, and I didn't feel like going to visit family and friends in Gatineau/Ottawa, Sherbrooke (a pretty small city in the hills southeast of here, near Vermont) or Québec City. Of course, I'd like to go somewhere warmer, but not down to a beach in Cuba or the Dominican Republic, as so many people here do. I don't like Christmastime very much, but I'd just as soon stay at home, have some small suppers with friends, read, listen to music, and stroke my ancient cat.
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Post by onlyMark on Dec 29, 2020 19:53:55 GMT
The good old days when we could travel at Christmas. One thing about covid is that friends have been sharing about how unstressful it was this year. Yes, a lot of family wasn't seen face to face but video contacts were made as an alternative. Most were happy enough even though it wasn't ideal.
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Post by mich64 on Dec 30, 2020 1:21:45 GMT
We have never had to travel over Christmas but have experienced the worry about family traveling here (winter storms/road conditions) through the years. I would agree that this year was less stressful, but whenever I get the opportunity to enjoy family time in smaller groups, is always best for me.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 30, 2020 16:37:39 GMT
We have always stayed home at Christmas, in the past I was usually working at least on 25th and 31st, but these days I quite fancy the idea of staying in a little country cottage for a few days.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 30, 2020 16:51:38 GMT
I'm glad I made my little trip to Nancy on the 26th because I was going stir crazy. For some reason, train tickets and hotel rates have dropped in price quite a bit, even when reserved just a week ahead of time. Of course, it should be mentioned that Nancy was the city with the highest Covid infection rate last week, but I had no intention of being in contact with anyone. Dinner was a take-away box of chicken wings from the place at the foot of the hotel. The Covid crown has now been passed along to Nice. As a reward, both cities will have a 18:00 curfew starting the day after tomorrow (plus lots of other cities of course) but in Paris we will be allowed to continue to dawdle outdoors in the freezing rain until 20:00.
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Post by htmb on Dec 30, 2020 17:33:51 GMT
This was certainly the calmest Christmas I’ve experienced as an adult, and has kind of appealed to my introverted side. The beauty of only putting out one little fake tree with attached lights and one “Merry Christmas” hand-painted plaque is the cleanup later. I can have Christmas decorations put away in five minutes. I’ve often wondered how I’d feel if I spent Christmas in Paris instead of with my rambunctious family. I think I’d miss them a bit, but the short, cold, rainy days would be more of a deterrent.
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Post by onlyMark on Dec 30, 2020 18:07:38 GMT
The last few Christmases I've been cooking dinner for between eight and twelve. The worst was about fourteen years ago when I did it for all the immediate family - that meant fifteen. This year was just five so of course the turkey was far too large and roast potatoes were coming out our ears.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 30, 2020 18:46:09 GMT
This was certainly the calmest Christmas I’ve experienced as an adult, and has kind of appealed to my introverted side. Ditto! I commented on that to a friend who has been stuck up in the States and she responded that she'd also felt the peaceful calm we all talk about for Christmas, but seldom experience.
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Post by lugg on Dec 30, 2020 19:58:35 GMT
I agree - it certainly was peaceful and restful for me.. just Em and I but I missed seeing Enzo and his Mum and Dad of course ...maybe next year it will be different but in a good way.
I am glad to be back at work tomorrow for sure.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 31, 2020 22:37:40 GMT
Glad to be going back to work because of boredom, or because you know you are needed?
That is a shame about missing the little guy & his mommy and daddy, but next Christmas will be more fun for him, as he'll be old enough to get what's going on.
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