Dec 30 - good days keep on coming !

Jeffrey, Sara, Lauren, Emma and Zoe headed into Sudbury, but not without issues.  That van of theirs, even with new all-season tires, isn't that great in the snow -- in our driveway, that is.  We'd have been able to work him up the bottom part using the traction pads but that would have taken some time ... he simply drove out in reverse.  Front wheel drive has its limitations !

Once at Science North, however, they had a great day.  Facebook was full of pictures of the girls. 

Lauren loved it !  I hadn't realized that she'd never been.  It was likely Zoe's first time too as prior visits would have only included Emma. 

Matthew was a little angel, requiring little attention until later in the day when he was hungry.  He didn't sleep as long as expected and had no interest in me picking him up either when he woke up or later. 

Sandy and Kylie went snowshoeing.  I'd expected Sandy to feel the effects this morning but she's ok.  Kylie was setting a good pace, apparently.  The went well back almost to what we call Lake Louise, but of course that's not the real name.

After dinner -- my chili con carne along with home-made bread and Sandy's coleslaw, Jeffrey, Sara, David and Kylie played a party game - Cards Against Humanity - from about 9pm to 11:30.  They were making quite a ruckus but that didn't stop me from sleeping.  I always sleep in a fairly deep sleep until midnight ... after that, not so much, depends on the night. 

Cassie is always getting hold of little toys or bits of plastic and crunching.  We have the gate in place between the kitchen and living room all day long and remove it when I put her in the kennel in the den; back in place when Sandy gets up.  Before that, there's not much attraction for her in the living room but she sure gets excited when people get up, although not as much as Abby.

I'm working with her trying to get her to stay on her pillow during dinner but there's always one of the kids running around and it's too tempting.  That will be easier to train in Florida.  Abby was always pretty good about staying on her pillow until she sensed that we were basically finished and then she'd come over for a head rub ... ah yes, memories.

I exchanged emails and messages with George and Geri yesterday re Merlin.  Geri figured that it was his pancreatitis that finally took him down.  Poor little guy.  You hate to see them in so much pain.  They knew that he didn't have a lot of time left but he still had more good days than bad. 

Today ... New Years Eve ... we'll have our traditional fondue, meat and shrimp in oil, chocolate wrap-up.  The kids don't know it yet but Sandy has prepared a pinata, so that should be fun.  I'm not sure what timing she has in mind for that particular item ... it took a lot of trunk space on the way up, even though it didn't weigh anything empty. 

I prepped the beef yesterday for it's usual 24 hour marinade.  I used my Mom's recipe from memory -- a teaspoon of hot mustard, red wine, oil, soya sauce, salt, vinegar ... always good.  We always hope for some leftovers because it makes an excellent stir-fry.  Oh yes, sliced onions go into the marinade as well.  Sandy will prepare sliced bananas, clementine oranges, pineapple perhaps more, for the chocolate fondue. 

Yes, we have another busy day ahead of us.

The weather is cooperating nicely.  Not too cold and not too warm to melt the snow.  Matthew was out yesterday in the snow, briefly.  It took longer to get him ready, I think.  Sandy gave him a little sled ride but it wasn't very stable.  We needed one of those ones with rails and back, not the little plastic thing. 

The plow went by first thing and I went up with the snowblower to clear the end of the driveway.  Al came by later to do the driveways and no doubt did a number on the road (Troupe ?  Maurice ? I want to say Matthew but not any more ?), but not ours although he did come down and push the banks in a couple of places; makes it easier for him later. 

We got a dusting of snow yesterday, literally a dusting, which is what's expected for the duration.  The lake is frozen, just, with patches of wet from the dusting yesterday.  The temperature is 22F.  It's much colder in Sudbury; if we had their weather we'd have been building up some ice thickness but we won't be on the ice this year.

Let's wrap this year up !  Jeffrey isn't allowed to go sledding ... I don't want to spend New Year's Eve at Parry Sound hospital again ! 

Onward to 2016 !