I seem to have returned to the world, after pretty much hibernating over the holiday. Christmas finally came and we were ready, despite all my faithless predictions that we wouldn't be. All the presents were wrapped and everything ready for Santa, and boy was the sled lighter when he left. This year, the emphasis seemed to be on things to build: there was a Lego Viking Ship and a Hungarian Horntail, K'Nex Ferris Wheel and Pirate Ship, Playmobil Pony Stable and Petting Zoo (plus several smaller sets) and a barrel of Lincoln Logs. We've put together the Playmobil, the Horntail, part of the Viking Ship, and the enormous Ferris Wheel so far. (Balancing the heetering teap of other presents for the girls was an engineering feat in itself.) Bob was very happy with his camera, and promises to post pictures, although I'll probably have to nag him.
Me? I got books, a killer indestructible music stand, a small amount of clothes, a set of terrific brain-destroying computer games (if I wasn't answering the phone or an in-house bellow, that's what I was doing), and many other nice things. I wanted an MP3 player that takes SD cards, which our cameras also take, but it seems to be a rare bird. The Ultra player Bob ordered from Tiger Direct did not arrive - it seems to be back-ordered until the end of February, which is not good enough. (The SD card that came with did arrive after Christmas, delivered by expensive "three-day" UPS who tried once to deliver it on the 23rd but we were out and one cannot pick up a UPS delivery at the depot, one must possess one's soul in patience, not go out, and attend the holy messenger. And after all that the big box did not have the player in it. Argh.) We're going to cancel the order and get a different model - the Snowfox XT105 - only available from the UK, for heaven's sakes. With a bit of leftover present money, I'll get a new USB drive Dad found me a good deal on, some CD's I've been wanting (we did get some nice Christmas ones), shop for new portable phones, and take a serious look at something to run Skype Video with.
A sad engagement last week was the funeral of Steve Woodcock, a stringed-instrument craftsman who lived near us on King's Road; he pretty much singlehandedly took care of all the support and repair for the strings of the Suzuki program and the Symphony, and hundreds of violins, guitars, mandolins, double-basses around the city. Eleanor's violin is among what must be dozens rented from him (paid up for a while yet, I'm glad to say). He died of a massive heart attack on December 22nd at the age of 53. The STEP Fiddlers played at his funeral, where Caul's chapel overflowed with musicians and friends. I was looking forward to long-term enjoyment of a big bonus of being a violinist here: having Steve to count on to keep the instruments going and share his knowledge and conversation. No more. Here's the CBC article. I've downloaded the video of the Here and Now report as well.
Over the week, we visited the elder Pateys (twice), Bob's sister Wanda and her husband Larry, the Taylor-Hoods, the Bauers, saw Aunt Catherine at our place and at New Year's Day dinner, ran into Aunt Nina on a trip to Hava Java, actually made it to church at the Kirk on Christmas morning. We had the T-H's in for New Year's Eve. That evening was well spent eating prodigiously, ignoring the kids watching Thomas the Tank Engine on video, and putting together some of the Lego Viking Ship and seamonster (with almost-three-year-old Katherine's help, very amusing). At midnight, we walked down to the waterfront to see the fireworks, which we hadn't done since before Jean was born. It was Katherine's first fireworks, and she was impressed. All the girls were thrilled to stay up till midnight, and to sleep in till all hours the next day! All of our sleep schedules got well screwed over the break, but seem to be back on track - the girls played in the snow yesterday (although they rode their bikes in the park on the 30th) and so hit the sack at a pretty reasonable time, and were up and got violin practice done before I went to work today. Jean starts school Wednesday, Eleanor Thursday, there are Suzuki violin group classes to be gone to on Saturday, and so 2006 gets into gear and hits the highway.
I didn't make any large resolutions this year - I have plenty of good ones left over from last year still in progress. But I do have a little book in my night-table drawer, that I will write in every day to say what I did to live better - healthier, more organized, richer, better relationships, anything. I may do a periodic roundup for the blog, and I may not.
While having supper at the Bauers on the 27th, we let the four kids have the dining room table as the kids' table and relaxed in the living room with our plates, just in earshot. I had a happy vision at that time of fifteen or so years into the future: the four of them around a table in a favourite pub with beer and pizza, carrying on with as much enjoyment of each other's company as they did that day. If they achieve as much joy in life as we do from our family and friends, they'll need no other blessings.