The Holidays

Ok, so as not to leave this any monger and be forced to go over weeks and weeks of what happened and catch-ups it’s time to nail this on the head and post an update about my holidays.

In one word they were lovely, bit of ups and downs but overall a good time I believe was had by all. The weather did no one any favors, except by not being too cold when Derek was visiting but it snowed (sometimes a lot) and rained and froze and it was a true feeling of a real winter, not like here were it’s -1 today and I’m not sure I can bring myself to go outside again!

My travel over to Montreal was rather uneventful and typical, sore bum and bored out of my mind. The trip for my bags was a little different as I only found one in Montreal instead of the two I’d hoped for. Alas orange bag was left behind in Paris. Now as you may know I am used to not getting my bags when I arrive in Montreal, this is the third time I’ve gone home and been delayed exiting the airport because I have to get in line to describe what colour and size my bag is.

I have to say this time, compared to previous times with British Airways, Air France surprised me by doing the one thing that BA lacked, and they uttered the word Sorry. It amazes me that sometimes politeness can do a lot to help a situation. The fact that Air France also delivered my bag the next evening at 11pm after a snowstorm also helps their case but it was the sorry that mattered the most. I have on my list of things to do to write a letter to Air France, not because they told me I could spend up to €100 on essentials and claim back my undies, pjs, socks and a top, but I think it’s important that their efficiency and politeness be recognized. That being said I don’t want my bag not arriving to happen ever again. Funny I only ever loose my bag on the way to Montreal and ever on the way home from!

I had a few days with my family before Derek arrived to I took care of a couple of must dos (renew drivers license… check) and spent some time with my parents and had an ol’ slumber party with my sister. It was good to have this time before Christmas to unwind and relax.

Derek arrived on Christmas Eve and I believe has nothing, not one single even forced, good thing to say about his trip. The flight was delayed leaving, he missed his connection and then the flight almost didn’t land in Montreal and was diverted to Toronto before they cleared the runway of ice and they were allowed to land. Frankly, I don’t think I could find much good to say about that either! Thankfully, after my suitcase’s absence on arrival he decided to travel with just hand luggage and that bit was speedy… that’s about it.

But he did arrive and I think he had a good time but to travel all the way from Ireland to Montreal for just 4 days was exhausting, although he insists this had nothing to do with the 4 nights pre-trip that he spent out drinking and working the next day had anything to do with the fact that he felt so rotten when we arrived back.

Yes, we both go hit with a case of the Sick in the New Year. Derek’s started a little earlier on the way home from Canada, lucky him right on the flight with a case of the barfs and the cough and cold. And for New Year’s he passed on the cough and cold for me to have on my last few days of vacation and this first week back at work.

Like a typical guy he’s not giving much feedback as to whether he liked the Christmas in Canada other to say it was different and good, he’s so diplomatic and doesn’t want to offend Ireland!

Last day...

Today is my last day at work for this year, it's my last days in Ireland and the last day to get anything done that need to be done.

Thankfully I have nothing left to do. I'm all packed, weighted the bags, repacked and security ties them shut. Now all they have to do is to arrive when they're supposed to in Montreal! Please please god let them arrive!!

Today is a half day at work, we're all heading off early this afternoon for our Christmas lunch/party. It's a big recession if you haven't heard and therefore there's no more going out an big parties that last all night, it's just an afternoon off and lunch at the Purdy Kitchen in Dun Laoghaire.

This is fine with me as we're having 'Christmas' at Derek's parents tonight and have to be at the airport early tomorrow morning so I'm fine with a not too late night tonight and certainly not having a hangover for tomorrow's travels!!!

I will post again before the holidays, once I arrive in Canada and all that, till then! Enjoy!

I'm looking forward tomorrow to: arriving safe and sound with my ass not too numb and my bags with me, seeing snow and family for the first time in almost a year and having dinner at Katherine and Alwyn's new apartment... it really has been far too long!!

TTFN!

Can't wait

Is this week still not over yet??!!!

Have I started the countdown yet???

I have to admit I'm so very excited to be going home to Montreal for the holidays in only 5 days!!!

I also have to admit that every part of my being is dreading the trip home on Saturday. Granted I'm flying via Paris again so thankfully there's no Heathrow worry this time and it all went really smoothly last year but I'm waiting for a disaster to strike.

I'm not a bad flier, I'm not scarred or feel the need to drug myself with prescription medication to get myself to the final destination I just really despise the whole ordeal. Now once I get there... with all my bags, I'm the happy camper but for the 10 or so hours it take for me to get to that stage (one time thanks to BA loosing my luggage and all my Christmas gifts it took 5 days to get to that stage but anyhow...) I believe it's all worth it.

I'm impressed with the whole 'adventure' that I leave here at noon and travel for an eternity and arrive in Montreal at 6pm. If only the journey only took 6 hours I might not feel the need to complain about sheer boredom and a sore ass but alas I paid a lot of money for that opportunity!

I'm a worrier and as a worrier I don't like the whole travel bit. It starts around now, I worry about what to pack. Then I start to worry about getting to the airport (which didn't used to be suck a big issue until I missed a flight this summer... disaster) and then I worry about getting my bags checked in and the scales.... will I be over - the shame!!! Finally I relax a bit and I'm ok... I'm bored with a numb butt but I'm otherwise relaxed until we land and then I start to worry about whether my bags have arrived, I have no problems with customs (here's hoping that I haven't jinxed that and end up with a cavity search on Saturday) but that long time standing at the carousel waiting for my bags containing all of the joy and effort in gifts that I have worked so hard at for the last few months is so long and feels like longer than the flight itself.

This year I'm going to try it differently. I'm going to relax, I'm going to under pack my bags. I'm not going to struggle with a carry-on the very maximum size allowed. I'm going to be a better traveler and when I do arrive and my bags are left in Paris, I'm going to be OK with it because it will only be the 20th and they have 4 days to turn up in Montreal in time for opening the gifts on Christmas morning.

Of course, I say that now......

Good news...

There's been a snow fall in Montreal and it's been a good one.

My multiple wishes on every little thing possible have been answered.

Now all it has to do it stick around and snow some more!!!

A few cm is not enough... I want this:

...once again my mother's going to kill me!

Relax....

I'd like to say I haven't been posting here lately because it's been quite and nothing to report but the truth is it's been a bit crazy busy followed by a slump where you do nothing and then busyness returns!

I am excited about the holidays, less than two weeks to go and I'm home! But I feel like I have so much to do before then so that makes me feel rushed!

This week I have the AGM for the complex where I live on Wednesday, I expect that to be a late night with the heat up on full and will need to bring lots of Gatorade and snacks to last the night! On Thursday my friend Lar is supposed to be coming over so must prepare for that by having a clean apartment when mine is a total disaster! - why is it that getting a cat caused complete and utter chaos in my neat and clean lifestyle?! So now cleaning takes a little longer as the place always looks a little messier. Then it's the weekend where I plan (ooo love a plan) to get ready for the trip!

I have been working up to this by getting all the laundry finished and then not wearing my best clothes... this leads to me inevitably going to work for the next week and a half looking like a mismatched hobo sometimes but I'll look great in Montreal!!

Regardless, the apartment will need a good clean before I leave because that way I can expect to return to it looking just as nice! Take that Derek!!! But I tried that last time we went away and returned to muddy footprints from the cat all over everything... and I mean EVERYTHING! But sure I'll give it a go!

Any way you look at it the holidays are coming and soon and mostly that makes me feel all warm inside, now all I have to do is remember to bring in my favorite Christmas album into work and it will be perfect!

The Christmas Season is well underway…

So I’ve finished all my Christmas shopping, actually I’ve been finished mine since around the first weekend in November… but I covered that in my last blog, so on to new things…

Derek and I were out in Dublin on Thursday finishing up a few bits and bobs and that sort and over dinner afterwards Derek asked if I preferred a surprise or something to look forward too.

Immediately my mind went into jumping around to every possible scenario, something that can make surprises a lot less fun. I figured maybe he was fishing for Christmas gift ideas and the possibility of a trip somewhere (although we have all of our Vacation days for next year pretty much all planned away now!!) and figured that I liked a surprise much more than something to look forward to. So that was my response and it was left at that.

When he came home from work on Friday he sat down and announced his surprise… Derek booked tickets to Montreal for Christmas! Now, you don’t know all about the wheeling and dealings of our daily lives together however one of the things we’ve been unable to work out is how to spend the big days of the holiday season together.

It was one of the stipulations that I put on the deal of me moving over here to Ireland that I would get to spend Christmas back home in Montreal where there was snow and family and the traditions that I follow. Also you should know that I love Christmas, and love everything about it in Montreal. However with Derek’s job in retail he is forbidden to take vacation days over the months of December and January and therefore cannot ever make the trip… until now.

The little sneak!!! You see Derek; back in July worked out that Christmas fell on the perfect days this year to allow him to make the trip from Dublin, via Paris (So far so good with Air France at Christmas and no lost bags!!!) to Montreal on Christmas eve and then return with me on the 28th to be back at work in time for the 30th with just the holiday days and his 2 days off per week… the little genius!

So for me this is great news, although I now have this fear that perhaps I have talked up Christmas a little too much and that Derek will have all of these high expectations of the season… I suppose that as long as there’s a good dumping of snow he’ll be happy he came!

My family on the other hand is thrilled, in particular my mother. This year has not been the best and with the death of my Grammie in May I think part of us all were dreading Christmas Day, she was a big part of the holiday, and for the last few years it has just been the four of us plus her to celebrate, as there was going to be an obvious missing member this year I think my mother in particular was having a hard time getting into the holiday season, with Derek’s news on the weekend my mother kicked the season into high gear, she had something to look forward to, something different on the day and went Christmas shopping on Sunday and bought her first three gifts… all for Derek!