An A+++++++++++++++++++++++ Old-Fashioned Family Christmas without the Bumpus Hounds or Squirrels in Trees

2 days after McKim-Mas Charlotte, Jackie, Stephane, and I, all went to drop me off at my Mom’s house...and to have a little lunch and had an unexpected visit from one of my family’s old friends, Alma’s lobster plant’s ex-owner Jim Wood and Stephane, Jackie and Charlotte got to meet them while having Dr. Oetker’s veggie and spinach pizza. My housemates each got an SPCA Moncton Pet Calendar. After chatting the rest of the house left and I stayed for the Christmas Holidays! The house had its tree up with the lights on but no presents yet. There was also the small wooden Christmas tree Dad had made me in 1999 after Molly’s arrival, the statue of Flick with his tongue on a flag pole from A Christmas Story, a model of Ralphie’s house in A Christmas Story, a small replica of the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, and Christmas books all over.

I brought a couple New York movies to remember last year: Home Alone 2, and Sleepless In Seattle, in fact purchased last year at the Empire State Building where Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks and Tom Hanks’s character’s son finally meet in the end of the movie! (See full story in New York Blog) We visited Jen, Brian, and the boys Danny, Pacey, Connor, and Brennan who was home from Mount A for the Christmas Holidays, who had their Christmas tree up with LED lights, but no presents under the tree yet. They had their Christmas books out, including Jennifer’s publication Gadzooks the Christmas Goose, a collection of stories including the above story, and a collection of stories including an entry by Jennifer called Of Waiting Rooms and Russian Blues.

This year, unlike past Christmases, I not only peeled apples for Mom’s Apple Pie, but I also made the crusts AND reminded her to use the extra crust for Christmas-shapes on the top of the pies.

Mom also made her traditional shortbreads with the red and green cherries on top.

As a tradition we watched Christmas movies like Elf, (also set in New York­) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and A Christmas Story.

When Christmas Eve FINALLY arrived, (one more sleep till Christmas!) Stephanie, Glen, and Mo, (their Coton de Tulear, Lupin’s grandson in fact) arrived at noon hour and we had Lasagna tonight, which Stephanie called “Fa-la-la-la-la la-la la Lasagna!” After supper we watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Stephanie asked for my e-mail password and changed it. 

On Christmas Morning, I opened my stocking. In it were Old Spice Timber deodorant, a DVD that had 17 Again and Hairspray, an Herbal Essences travel-sized shampoo, Olay vanilla-scented body wash, Orange San Pellegrino, and cheesies.

We had our traditional Breakfast Burritos, which we have every year on Christmas Morning.

Then my family started looking for and calling Ella and thought she had wandered somewhere, got lost, and/or gotten into some kind of peril! I thought it was flyer time. This continued while I was downstairs, and somebody got me to look downstairs for her, and though I didn’t hear any dog crying sounds or claw scratching sounds, I looked into the room next to Dad’s workshop with the laundry sink...and there she was.

When the presents could finally be opened, I opened Stephanie’s 2: a set of fizzy drinks and a book created by Stephanie about last year’s New York Christmas.

Then I opened some of Mom and Dad’s to me: DVDs Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy, Mist: The Roundup, Mist: The Great Challenge, Mist: A Helping Paw, and Project X starring Ferris Bueller’s Matthew Broderick at his teen age. Among the traditional gifts were a Dogs Annual and a Border Collie calendar.

Mom also conducted a treasure hunt leading to a small keyboard which I kept seeing in stock at Shoppers Drug Mart when getting the mail with Mom. The first song, seeing as it was Christmas, was the Charlie Brown theme. I also played My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music.

Erin got me another subscription to National Geographic Traveler Magazine.

Melody got me a novel called Understanding Border Collies.

Jennifer got me a cool book, called Finding Momo, about a Border Collie who travels across Canada and the United States, and it’s like Where’s Waldo because you have to find him because he likes to play hide and seek.

As an added bonus, Stephanie got me to come up while I was watching Hairspray... and gave me her I-Pad! Her office gave her a new one and she gave her old one to me along with its charger. Now I could use Face Time and Scrabble against the computer, email, and instant message.

When suppertime came Jennifer’s family, including Brian’s father Ron (who had lost his wife Loretta and I went to the beautiful funeral mass near Halifax), all joined us, including Mom’s Aunt Pat, who had lost her husband Bill. I had the turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce (which dad sometimes dubs “Cranberry Sarce”), turnip, and Jennifer’s Sweet Potato Casserole, which I make several times at McKim House, using the family cookbook with the pictures. I also had one of my sparkling drinks with supper.

When dessert finally came I announced that, as previously stated, unlike last year, I not only peeled the apples, but made the crust as well.

I had even peeled the potatoes and the carrots for the Turkey Dinner.

Some had plum pudding with hard sauce, but, as a tradition, I chose Mom’s Apple Pie with Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream.

I went to bed looking forward to seeing the new Star Wars movie now in theatres with the Kents and Stephanie and Glen...

But on Boxing Day morning Stephanie, Glen, and Mo, had to go back to Halifax as they were forecasting most of Atlantic Canada to get a huge snowstorm.

Nonetheless we saw Star Wars and it was gripping and tense.

I was both preparing to jump and wishing Stephanie and Glen were there to watch the movie with Glen wearing his Star Wars shirt.

Next day it started storming, but my Mom and I took a walk in Mapleton Park, Mom with Sprocket on leash, and me with Ella on leash, and it made me think of the time I carried Linus in that park during that storm (Remember that, Erin?).

When we got back to the car we were just about to go from the park to Sobeys and Shopper’s Drug Mart...when we ran into our friend and dog-sitter Caroline, now taking care of a coonhound, and Ella started crying excitedly and started licking Caroline’s face.

After a long chat we got in the car and went to Sobeys to get a few groceries and to Shopper’s to get the mail, and noticed on the way home some cars had the wrong tires, making the common misconception that the term “all season tires” means the tires cover all 4 seasons, spring, summer, fall, and winter, and were spinning and having trouble down the now snow-covered roads.

I played Scrabble with Mom and won by playing a J on a Triple Letter Score, an X on a Triple Letter Score, SUQ on ZAGS for a Triple Word Score, and a few 3-, 4-, and 5-point letters on Double Letter Scores.

When I got home I continued Hairspray...when Mom came down and invited me to come with her and Dad to a Miracles’ home game at the Moncton Coliseum, though it was still storming, but this was one of few early birthday celebrations for me. Though they lost by turning the ball over and making poor shots, we had fun. 

Early Birthday Gift

Next morning Mom went to the gym...while Dad and I went to Champlain Place, not only to find a battery for his now 30+-year-old Swiss Army Watch, but to find me an early birthday present, and I was surprised that he took me not to HMV...but to the watch department of Sears...and bought me a Timex Analog watch with 3 dials, date, and chronograph.

I took a picture with my BlackBerry and shared it with my sisters and later Victoria at my house.

That afternoon Mom and I AGAIN took Sprocket and Ella to Mapleton Park...and ran into Caroline and the Coonhound AGAIN for the second day in a row and Ella started crying and licking Caroline’s face again and we chatted again. We proceeded with the walk and went home.

That evening we had an early Birthday celebration supper.

Next day there was another storm and Jennifer joined us for a Scrabble game and I beat her!

The next day I packed, headed to the bus station...and headed home with my I-Pad, new watch, new movies, and new books, magazine, and calendar to bring home. And I got home safely! 

My L’Arche Friends

L'Arche Saint John celebrating at the 10th Anniversary Dinner. 

Gray Gillies, an Assistant from L’Arche Saint John, has helped me with healthy choices, been with me to Toronto for the last Autism Symposium, has been with me for a few vacations, and was with me for most celebrations.  She and I cook together sometimes and she took part in the concert at Imperial Theatre and she was with us for 50 Fest.  She was with us for the Growth ad Goals Meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2015.  She and I were together on my first Exchange to Antigonish and I shopped at Superstore with listening stations, visited other houses, and attended mass at St. Ninian’s Cathedral, on the campus of St. F. X.  A future wish is, to honor Gram, since most of my family, except for me, has been to a Blue Jays home game, is that she and I go to Toronto to catch a home game with my Blue Jays water bottle and a poster that reads L’Arche Saint John loves the Blue Jays so if a Sports Net camera shows us L’Arche friends and family can see us, then we’d get worldwide publicity.  And maybe we can stay in Royal York or Gamble House again.  And maybe I could get my water bottle autographed by Jays past and present and a Blue Jays book about their present and past players and their past successes. 

Gray at a listening station

Jocelyn Worster, the Community Leader, also has helped me with healthy choices, has been with me for Atlanta 2012 and 50 Fest and a few Vacations, and has been to things like Epiphany Concerts, the recent Imperial Theatre concert, the recent 10th Anniversary Dinner at KV Church, AGMs, and other L’Arche Atlantic Region celebrations, like 25th and 30th Anniversaries.  She was at our Growth and Goals Meeting on May 26th.

Victoria Woods, who prefers to be called Vic, was with us for McKim-Mas, and she and I have been good shopping friends together.  She was with us for the 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church and in fall took part in our number in the concert at Imperial Theatre, which was Hakuna Matata from The Lion King.  She and I cook together sometimes.  She joined us for the Growth and Goals Meeting on May 26th.

Maren (I don’t know how to spell her last name) is one of many of our Assistants from Germany, and she and I also have shopped together and she and I are usually the duo who goes to the Loch Lomond Villa on most Fridays if it is Gray’s Day or Weekend Away or Vacation.  She was with us for the recent 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church.  She and I cook sometimes.  Maren takes some of us to Zumba on some Wednesdays. 

Brandon Lanteigne and I have shopped together, been to a Sea Dogs game with Stephane, have been to O’Leary’s together, have been to special things like Christmas parties and art days, to church together, and shared a room at the Chocolate Lake Hotel in Halifax for 50 Fest.  He was with us for the recent 10th Anniversary Supper.  He took part in singing Hakuna Matata from The Lion King for the concert at Imperial Theatre and he was at The Sound of Music at Imperial Theatre and Anne of Green Gables at St. Malachy’s Memorial High School with us.  He takes some of us to Zumba on Mondays, though he sits it out and works on his computer. 

Debbie Turnbull and I have been on most Vacations together, summer camps at Hampton Bible Camp, 50 Fest, the concert at Imperial Theatre, Good Shepherd Church, Epiphany Concerts, Faith and Sharing Retreats, the recent 10th Anniversary Supper at KV Church, The Sound of Music at Imperial Theatre, and Anne of Green Gables at St. Mac’s High School.  Years back she joined Gray and me for Fiddler on the Roof at Harbour View High School.  She is in the In Key Choir at Key Industries with me and joins me for Zumba classes on Mondays and some Wednesdays. 

Kristina Cooper, though she cannot speak, has ways to communicate.  When we ask her questions, when she raises her eyebrows, that means yes or that she is happy or excited about something coming up or she is looking forward to.  She has movies in her room that I like.  She has been with me for some vacations, most of the ones where Janet Christy was with us, and she was at 50 Fest and all AGM’s. 

Krista Simmons has almost the same taste in movies and music I do.  We both like the movies Frozen, High School Musical, Camp Rock, Princess Protection Program, and any movie, as long as there is no nudity or cuss words.  She likes country and Disney music, though she likes some of the music they play at Zumba classes we dance to.  She goes to Camp Rotary in summer. 

Stephane Bastarache, originally from Bouctouche, can play guitar and sing hymns, but he cannot play chords, so he sings and goes strum strum strum... on open notes with no fingers.   He prays for priests, the Saint John area bishop, Raise up an Army, his KI and prayer meeting friends, and any problems in the news or with his family and friends.  He plays Wii Bowling on certain days.  He also goes to Hampton Bible Camp with me in summer and winter.  He and I have been to hockey and basketball games together.  We go to and watch movies together.  He is also a member of Key Industries’ In Key Choir. 

Justine (I forgot her last name), from Kenya, taught us some Swahili, like Karibu means “Welcome”.  She and I traveled on Community Exchange to Antigonish close to Halloween not last October, but the October before, and we went to a Halloween Dance, shopped at Wal-mart where I bought Home Alone 2, visited other houses, and went to a couple beaches together.  Last summer she joined us for Community Vacation, also in Antoginish, and we got a tour of St. F. X., where Jennifer, Brian, Dad, and Mom, all graduated from University and I had seen their varsity basketball team play at Halifax Metro Centre various times, 3 times with my Mom, once with Janet Christy, and once with Blake Cameron before I moved out of their house and later lost Molly and later got Ella and later moved into L’Arche Saint John.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, she moved back to Kenya and I wish she’d come back. 

Janet Christy, from Gujarat, India, has been with us for Community Vacations, stepped in as House Leader after Marilyn Moore retired, helped me make healthy choices, and taught us her language, which is in fact called Gujarati.  For example, Mito ane Marie, means “salt and pepper”.  Supratri means in fact “good night.”  Kem Chho and Mazama means “Hello” and “How are you doing?”  Oujo (spelt correctly, Janet?) means “goodbye”.  When she was with us for vacation, the songs she chose for the mix CD, dubbed “Babe Mix”, were both funny and catchy. 

Tiago Ortega, (sorry High School Musical and Dirty Dancing fans, no relation to Kenny the choreographer) from Toronto, was with us for 2 short times:  Once for summer, and once for 2 Christmases seasons ago.  He joined us for Vacation in Antigonish 2 summers ago where we visited other houses and went to beaches where I saw a couple of Border Collies playing Frisbee with their handler, was at Mama George’s Restaurant with us on Canada Day which was the first time I tried clams, and took me shopping before McKim-Mas by bus so I could get a Sony Dream Machine clock radio with 7 time zones and Auto DST option and to buy a DVD.  Some of his favorite movies, also some of mine, included Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Tommy Boy. 

Sophia (I forget her last name), from Germany, was with us for Sea Dogs games, Vacation, McKim-Mas, Epiphany Concerts, movie nights, and snow days. 

Silvana Springer (sorry comedy fans, no relation to Jerry, right?) is also from Germany.  The adventures together for us included my first curling match, last summer’s vacation, Epiphany concerts, and McKim-Mas. 

Anna Bingel, also from Germany, took me and Krista a few times to my first Zumba classes, joined us for the Vacation in Cape Breton, was with us for McKim-Mas and Epiphany Concert, and loved Bob Marley and Eva Cassidy.  She loved to sing Someone like You by Adele, though sometimes she could not sing the high C# originally sung in the chorus. 

Andreanne Grondin, from Quebec, had a friend/relative who took us to the Hilton room he was staying at and I got to see Alpine Country Star in progress on the boardwalk from the 10th floor room and watch the LG flat screen.  She also joined us for Community Vacation in Cape Breton.