Wednesday 26 December 2018

Jan's relatives: two sisters, a brother, three siblings-in-law, eight nieces, three nephews-in-law and five grandkids, have been deprived of the full experience usually enjoyed by regular families. They're functional - close, mentally stable, successful, nice (well, they are Canadian) and everyone gets along. It's a bit bizarre, but this needn't arouse sympathy as they seem to have adapted as well as can be expected. Even their friends seem unusually nice (well, they are Canadian).

As expected last night everyone named Jack ate too much before then having to sample all of the numerous desserts to show appreciation to hosts - didn't want to seem rude. The three attending children were quite good... for kids on a sugar, adrenaline, Santa high. Hardly ever felt the urge to kill them. It seems a characteristic of parents and relatives to have a colossal forbearance for these little things. Who knew?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere we go (somebody should write a song). Holiday music emanates from every door, colored lights adorn every house and the persistent snow gives everything a picture postcard aura. This is first white Christmas since 1992 in Minnesota and with any luck at all will never be repeated. Don't misunderstand, this is a wonderful time of year full of good cheer, bright lights, great music, feasting and getting together with friends and family, but Mexico or Grenada or Key West, etc. have everything else and we can fly the folks down to picture postcard white sand beaches, palm trees and sunsets over crystal clear waters where air temperatures are more humane. Canada is delightful in late spring and early autumn. Associating Christmas with toe numbing temperatures is just a cruel trick to keep large numbers of people in the north all winter (for obscure reasons this opinion is not shared by everyone).

Jack & Jan

PS If anyone is made apoplectic by assertions contained in any of these entries, a reading of the Full Profile, Extra section may help. Otherwise I long to hear from you.