I took a walk today in the snow-covered, perfectly-icicled and
delicately-lit, neighbourhood where I have spent most of, and indeed
the very first, Christmases of my life. I have officially traveled
back in time.

The winter walks are best in the evening when the sky is a purplish
blue and everything is completely silent except for the music with a
hop to dancing in my ears. This is life, slowed down.

If nothing else, (for all you bah-hum-buggers out there), the end of
the year is a time when, hopefully, you can find a minute for solace
and reflection. If you're snowed in, you may have no choice.
(Hopefully, too, you enjoy the company of whomever you're snowed in
with… otherwise, it's "Shining" time.)

The rest of the year life seems to carry on in a hectic and harried
pace, and it's painfully easy to lose yourself to it. The weather,
the delays, the nasty roads, the barricades and the seemingly
unmanageable stress seem to me right now like Mother Nature having a
laugh. "See folks? You can do a lot, sure. You have your planes your
trains and your automobiles, but I have control of the weather. Slow
the eff down."

(Some of the roads out here are dangerous, btw, I agree with nature,
slow the eff down and be careful on 'em. Your family and/or friends
love you even though they may eat your favorite chocolate out of the
box.)

I've been the designated tree-decorator in my family's house since I
was about five. I still am. Seriously. When I'm not here, it doesn't
happen. She's pretty this year, and after some carefully plotted out
lighting, (after various unsuccessful attempts at sticking lights up
his butt), Santa sits gracefully on top of the tree.

It was going to be a star. I thought, you know, the '80s are back
this year, might as well use one of these old-school stars. Knowing
full well that the lights on said star would no longer work, I
decided to head the problem off at the pass. All new lights,
arranged and shaded in such a way that my five-year-old self would
be proud. Then I plugged it in. Then it blew up.

(...well, it was more of an instantaneous burning out type short of
all of the lights. For a moment though, I am pretty sure it was
super impressive. Enter Santa.)

Santa's sitting there right now, atop the tree, light in hand as a
lantern to help him navigate through the snowy nights and give all
the presents and horde all the cookies. We forgive him his hoover-
like cookie-love, the ol' lug.

There are knit stockings, decorations, too much food, too much
drink, music, stories shared (even about the stress of getting to
and from the GD malls… commiseration is underrated sometimes!), old
friends seen and hugged, and those lost remembered.

My grandpa loved Spongebob. My grandad loved the ginger chocolates.
My grandma was into astrology. My uncle introduced me to "Dorf on
Golf".

This Christmas I get to see one nephew get super-excited about
Christmas, and my other nephew have his first Christmas EVER!!

This winter, I get to see friends on both Canadian coasts (weather-
permitting) and embark on new adventures and look back at old ones
and smile. I got the chance to sing and play and meet new friends
and hear their stories and share some of mine. Chances are I will
make new friends in airports whenever I experience weather-delays.
I'll have to laugh when they lose my luggage.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing humans come together in
times of stress and throwing up their hands and saying, you know
what? Life IS too short. Let's enjoy what we have while we have
it 'cause in a second it can change, whether for good or bad. Let's
celebrate the positive and negative from this year, and of the years
past, and the years to come. Everything is ever moving, always
changing. Have a look at what goes on around you, it's life, and
it's what we're here to live.

Peace, Merry Christmas and happy winter, everybody.

Alley :)


Please send happy thoughts and wishes to my friend James who is
still in hospital healing, and whom we all love very much, and to
his lovely wife Kim.