Mom, is that...?

overcast, cold, temps minus 13

Wow, was it ever cold yesterday. Minus 16 and very windy, which is, of course, the killer! But not so bad today.

Had a fun day yesterday. Michael, Doug and I went to Cowansville for breakfast...almost didn't go since there was a bit of a snow storm...in fact we were part way to Sutton instead when it cleared so we changed course and headed to the Station. It's always such a treat.

The kids were asleep in the cottage...teenage boys would sleep until their wedding night I think. But they finally got up, so Doug and I dropped them at Mont Sutton and we took off to the bistro in the village to chat. It's one of the treats of his visit - a chance to get caught up. Doug's just back from a couple weeks in India. He's a follower of Amma and always comes back fortified after a visit to her ashram.

We love talking about things like belief and faith and how we screw things up. Doug more than me, of course.

Then picked the kids up at 4pm. They were yearning for one thing. Cereal. Go figure. So we stopped at a store and got them Fruit Loops.

Everyone came back to our place (the Big House - a short walk from the cottage) for dinner and a movie. We made roast beef (I way over-cooked it) with potatoes and parsnips...and maple syrup pie for dessert. Oh, dear Lord. Take me now. It's like a giant butter tart...and that can't be a bad thing.

Theo told a hilarious story about a lobster his mother brought home a few years ago and he thought it was meant to be his pet. (It was alive). He named it Chester and played with it. But doesn't seem to have recovered from the trauma of dinner that night. However, he admits, he loves eating lobster. Hope that wasn't a hint. Hey, we got him Fruit Loops, what more could they want?

The kids put a James Bond film on in the TV room and the three of us chatted...then it was time for bed. 8pm. Apparently the kids and Doug went back to the cottage and watched another couple of movies. We were bagging 'Z's' by then.

Tonight we'll have an easy dinner of left-overs. And they're heading back to Toronto tomorrow morning early. Weather's supposed to be good.

Everyone's sick around us these days. Poor Tony's down with the flu and Gary's been bed ridden...at least...hmmm. That's what they tell us. Though Gary did manage to get up to the cottage to pound some siding that wanted to go 'walk-about'.

Today's the first quiet day in a long time. I had some interview questions to respond to, in writing, which I just finished. And now will take a book and sit by the fire. Trudy managed to get up on the counter and eat 1/4 pound of butter, some fudge and shortbread cookies. Frankly, better her than me. But it was a race.

We don't stay up to see the New Year in. Haven't in years. Honestly, even when I was younger I never really saw the point...and most of the parties seemed strained. I actually think I'm just too lazy. I think we might re-set the clocks so they say midnight, celebrate, then go to bed.

Happy New Year!