Twas the Night Before Christmas...

How did Christmas come upon us again? It seems like it was summer only yesterday, and now the snow is falling outside again (or still) and instead of being in Halifax like I have been for the past two years with Ryan's family, I was lucky enough to make it home to BC for Christmas with my family. I think it's my first one home in about 5 years? Something like that. Luckily, we have decided that Christmas is going to be pretty chill this year. No mass quantities of presents, just a good old fashioned choose-one-name-gift-exchange. And since I was on the ball, I had Dad's gift finished before I left for Canmore at the beginning of November, so this year was free of Christmas stress. Of course being in Canmore makes life easier too. You don't have to deal with the masses of crazies that Christmas brings in Toronto. The crazy drunks I usually have to serve at work. The roads packed with people who shouldn't drive in the summer let alone the winter snows.... It was a pretty relaxing winter in Canmore, we have yet to go skating on the pond because of the -40 windchill, but it's supposed to clear up this week, so I'm pretty sure we'll be making up for lost time.

So now my parents' house is full of relatives. My aunt and two cousins from Rocky Mtn House, my aunt from Australia, my grandma will come over tonight, and my sister and her boyfriend arrive tomorrow afternoon. And I am hiding downstairs, cooling down after my run and watching the snow fall peacefully outside. I think it's time to go for a walk. And maybe play some Christmas music on my Dad's guitar... 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

The Waiting Game

Being at an airport is not new to me. I've been doing it since I was 2 weeks old on my first flight to New Zealand. Since then I have flown all over the place, sometimes waiting at the airport, sometimes going straight on the plane, sometimes being called over the PA to come to the gate. Every once in a while my bags get misplaced, an engine or another part of the plane needs to be looked at so the plane is re-routed or turned around so they can fix it. And more often than not flights get delayed. Such as right now. I am currently sitting in the Calgary airport waiting for my 910pm flight (which is now 1030pm) so I can go home to BC for Christmas. I had to come early because two other people I live with were flying out earlier, so I've been at the airport since 430. Them's the breaks I guess. I'm not sure if it's because I have been doing this for so long, but it always amazes me how people's attitudes and behaviour really "shine" when something goes wrong at the airport. We had to wait in line to check in for almost an hour, and had at least 4 people try to cut in the line. There was a guy in front of us freaking out because the WestJet Customer Service Agent had the nerve to actually talk to someone checking in instead of simply getting her in and out. As if she should have been a robot. Now I am the absolute first person to complain about something going wrong (like when Enterprise called us an hour before we were going to get our rental car on Wednesday to say that they had no car) or how Canada Post has issues during the holiday season when they can't deliver mail on time. But when there is a blizzard on the other side of the country and your flight gets delayed, is it really in anyone's best interest to scream at someone who is only trying to be helpful?

I guess because I am a people watcher (and the airport has free wifi) I can handle the wait well. I could probably write a few songs if I wanted to. I have a book, my ipod, my computer, some snacks.... I'm set. So why is no one else prepared? 

All I can say is that if our plane crashes in Hawaii like in Lost, I might have to kill some of my cast mates if they are anything like the jerks that are in the Calgary airport today. 

That's a promise, Freckles.

postnote:

9 hours in the Calgary airport, 1 tall nonfat latte, 1 hour on the tarmac, last bag off the carousel, getting home at 3am BC time = priceless.