This year, Ontario got hit by winter real hard. In fact, statistically the last time we had a November this snowy was 75 years ago. Weirdly, this didn't guarantee a white Christmas, as we sprung up to below freezing temperatures for a few days. It wasn't enough to melt everything, but the buildup was a little less dramatic than anticipated.
Traditionally, me and Lee-Anne go up to Brampton for her family's celebration on Boxing Day, which we upheld this year. Before leaving, we had a kind of Christmassy dinner with my mother and brother. I made fried ham, scalloped potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. The situation with mom's temporary loss of mobility has given an opportunity for me, Lee-Anne, and my brother to showcase our culinary skills. We've been meal planning together and rotating dinner duties between the three of us.
A couple weeks ago, Mom even volunteered to take a turn once per week doing something simple, as she's been feeling well enough for it. Her mobility has been gradually and steadily improving. She can get around the house and onto the patio using a walker. She's been able to shower with a shower chair, and was proud to be able to change her bedsheets on her own. She's allowed to bend her knee now, and put a little bit of pressure on it.
This family unit didn't do a gift exchange this year. Necessity has had us showing good will to one another regularly, so if felt redundant.
Me and Lee-Anne left for Brampton on the 24th. They don't do their main celebration on Christmas Day, but they do have a family breakfast, featuring their signature Breakfast Casserole. We had a traditional turkey dinner that night, just us and her parents.
Then, despite the subdued weather up to that point, there was a ferocious blizzard on Boxing Day.
Unfortunately, this meant that the furthest household that was planning to come wasn't able to make it due to safety. They're visiting on the day of this post to make up for it, but our paths won't cross this year as we've returned to Kitchener.
Lee-Anne's mother puts a lot of effort into Christmas gifts. The occasion is mostly for her numerous grandchildren, but the adults get treated pretty lavishly too. This year, she packed everyone's bundle into individual, giant gift bags.
I got a new pair of headphones, as I'd recently broken mine. I got a Joy of Painting DVD, as we're trying to use streaming services less and focus more on physical media. And I got a bird bath. Yes, this means the bag was large enough to contain a bird bath.
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