Emmanuelle de Brigham

After 9 days in Montreal it was unfortunately time to return to the property and resume work on the house. Christina and Sarah came over the last night for supper - Isabelle had to stay home with Patrick with strep throat - and Marie made a delicious lasagna supper. I felt bad about leaving little Amy who has grown quite attached to me but we will see them again later in January when we go back to pick up the rest of the furniture from the duplex. On our way we stopped in the little town of Brigham, near Farnham, and picked up our little caniche Emmanuelle de Brigham! She is a red toy poodle born on October 25th to parents Mandy and Red King and as you can see by the photos an adorable little thing. So now we are safely back on the mountain, after a long slow drive in deplorable weather and road conditions from the time we crossed the Champlain Bridge and ready to face another 3 months of winter. The days are now getting longer so we have to keep a brave face and count our blessings! This will be the last post for 2012 so I will again take this opportunity to wish everyone good health, prosperity and peace in 2013. gws

Sarah opening Christmas gifts

enjoying Marie's lasagna and Fer's salad

Highway 10, following 3 snowplows in tandem

me and Emma

Marie and Emma

me and Amy, who always falls asleep on my lap!

Record Snowfall!

Clifton Ave, Phil's Nissan and my Dodge Ram, outside our duplex

Well it seems wherever I go the record breaking weather follows me and again it was no exception as we watched helplessly from our windows yesterday as Montreal got walloped by 50 centimeters (18 inches) of snow! This beat the one day record of 3 March 1971 which I remember vividly, being in Ontario at the time. I had just returned from Christmas at home in Moncton where the family were living, already up to their ears in snow that the city is well known for, and made it back to Ontario before all the flights were cancelled. Now the digging out here begins...so we can head out to the property on the weekend and do it all again! Scroll all the way down to see some more photos from the 'Storm of the Century' which I'm sure it will end up being called...gws

Rich, Carolyn, Dee, Lyn, Mom and me, Moncton, NB, 1971

We had decided to stay a few more days in Montreal and wait for Christina and Patrick and the girls to drive down from Ottawa to wish them a happy Christmas before returning to our house in the mountains this weekend. It was a fairly quiet gathering downstairs with Phil, Fer, Amy and Lara and Jesse Christmas Day. Fer cooked one of her delicious turkey dinners and we opened gifts, and, judging by some of the pictures of me, had too much wine!

Auntie Lara and Amy

bless you, my daughter

Phil, Amy, Lara and Jesse

playing with one of Amy's gifts

view from our bedroom door to the balcony

height of the storm and our Ram

Phil's Rogue

Phil trying to figure out where to start!

Fer loving every minute!

Christmas Eve Mass

Marie and I, along with Phil and Fer took Amy to her first Christmas Eve Mass last evening at St. Patrick's Basilica here in Montreal. The choir was magnificent and the words of peace and love very welcoming in this troubled time. Amy behaved - like an angel! What a blessing she is to all of us, and as she showed last night, to all she meets. God bless you one and all and a very merry Christmas! gws

Happy Holidays

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful and safe holiday season and a very special and sincere wish for prosperity, health and, most importantly, peace in your life during the new year ahead. - Gary

First Major Snowfall of the Season

We woke this morning to a foot of fresh powdery snow, our first big dump of the year. First priority was to clear a path to the vehicles and then remove the snow that accumulated on the solar panels. Even an inch of snow reduces the panels efficiency by 95%. It was a pretty nice day, no wind and above freezing, so the exercise felt good. Earlier this morning before light I had heard the fellow show up to plow our road. Later on in the morning Chemin Maxime was done and of course we had to go down and shovel after he left a pile alongside our entranceway! Lots of birds around this morning as well at the feeders and except for their calls silence was the order of the day. Winter is here for sure. gws

Pine Grosbeak

a feeder by the deck

Squiggles the squirrel burrowing in the snow for sunflower seeds

cleaning the solar panels

Squiggles keeping an eye on me

Woodrow the woodpecker

Marie the snow shoveller

So ya wanna live on the mountain, eh?

Snowplow on Maxime

cleaning up at the foot of the driveway

L'il Man, My Grandson

 Marie and I watched the life broadcast Saturday afternoon from UC Baby of Lara's latest ultrasound. I took these photos off our small monitor and although they are a bit fuzzy you can get the general idea of how the L'il Man is doing - he is 33 weeks old! The happy parents haven't agreed on a name yet hence we call him L'il Man. I like Benjamin and will be tossing this name into the hat should I be asked. Hint hint. gws