Christmas Time

Hello All.

I thought it's time to update you on what my Christmas and New Year was like before it's too far in the past.  Time just seems to fly so fast and next thing you know we're already well on our way in the new year.

Well it all started out that I was going to go home on Friday, December 21/12 with the bus from Kitchener to Listowel and mom & dad would pick me up in Listowel.  I took Friday to tie up loose ends here in Kitchener and pack my things (and by the way when I pack I pack way more than I need), and go to the bus terminal in downtown Kitchener.  I already had a ticket in hand from September but thought I'll confirm anyways that the bus is running only to find out that the busline (ABOUTOWN) shut down for the Kitchener, Listowel, Harriston, Hanover, Chessley, Owen Sound Run because it most likely wasn't profitable enough anymore and it shut down on December 14th right before Christmas.  Now the only way to get up North is to take a bus from Kitchener to Toronto and another one from Toronto to Owen Sound.  How Crazy is that!!!

Now Mom & Dad as I suspected already went to Listowel a few hours earlier to go Christmas Shopping and when I collect called them from the bus terminal I couldn't get a hold of them, so I had to go back to my apartment and wait it out till mom & dad called either from Listowel (whhich they did or back home.  Mom called really soon after I was suppose to arive in Listowel because we had that kind of glitches before and they drove all the way to Kitchener to pick me up.  Thanks again mom and dad for that.

I went home from December 21 - 27 and had a really good refreshing time with mom & dad to talk about things, laugh and just hang out as well as go to Church.

Christmas Eve

On December 24th dad had the idea to go and have a Swiss Cheese Fondue down in the Trailer by the river - "Waldkaffi".  To me that was the highlight of staying with mom & dad.  We also played a game of Golf as in the Card Game, not golf as in what you don't play in Winter.

I don't know yet how well the video turns out, since I'm doing this for the first time and I'm experimenting with it, but following are also some pictures.

Some pictures are a bit blurry because I didn't know how to use the flash yet on my camera (which I had for a year now).  I never needed the flash at 16 megapixels.  Dad told me to just turn the flash off during the regular day shooting pictures.  After we got back to the house I asked dad to help me figure this flash thing out, it turns out it is actually very simple.  But yes for most of the time I'm in a situation where I don't need a flash.

Christmas Day

The next day December 25th, Mom, Dad and I went after church to Clinton to a Soup Kitchen where they invited as I understand it a lot of people (homeless and otherwise in need and maybe even disabled)  I'm not sure, for a Turkey Dinner and entertainment.  Dad signed us three (mom, dad and I) up to go and eat there and sit with people that come there and talk with them and eat with them.  It was good experience.

In the evening Mom, Dad and I sat around the Christmas Tree, sang some song and listened to mom read a story.  It was a good one too.  Then we opened presents.  One of the things I got that's important to me is a book along with a work book called: :  "The Way of the Wild Heart" written by Jon Eldredge  It's a very encouraging book written for men.

New Years Eve & New Years

It is the second year now that I went back to my apartment between Christmas and New Years, and the first  year that I worked two days (4 hours per day only really) between Christmas and New Years.  I used up almost all my vacation time, lieu time, and stat holiday hours in the summer when I went around Georgian Bay with Mom, Dad and Moritz for almost a week, and then 3 weeks to Switzerland.  And I have to say I truly enjoy the independence of not staying at Mom & Dad's between Christmas and New Years.

Now for New Years Eve and New Years, Mom & Dad who were already at the Liebenzell Center, visiting Jeff and Ursi and the girls, came to pick me up on Monday, December 31st, and I stayed all the way till January 2, since that was a Wednesday and Tuesday Evenings and Wednesdays I'd be at the Liebenzell Center anyway on a weekly basis volunteering and helping out with the family

Now Ursi was busy organizing her cubby hole and some shelves while mom & dad were baby sitting/keeping busy Katie and Maya.  Mom and dad took them to pick me up and even kept them busy on January 1st.  on December 31.  We unwrapped, presents, cooked and ate Fondue Chinua (Spelling???) and played Carcassone  the rest of the evening.  The next day we wen tobogganing and building fires.  I preferred not to go tobogganing, but took pictures and video clips instead.

Here I have to explain that Jeff got a really cool winter hat from Sarah and a carving chainsaw from Dad for Christmas.  This were his presents.

I got to try out Jeff's Winter hat of a "Wild Schwein" too.  It was awesome.

January 1, 2013

Winter tobogganing:

January 2,2013

It's Wednesday, and as I said it's volunteer day.  The two other  German volunteers were not here this week so it was just Jeff and I and since it was still just at the very beginning of the year we were taking it easy.  Moving and oiling and greasing the snow blower, putting air in the tractor tires, and after a while Jeff just said:  "Let's go for a drive".  and off into the bush with the tractor we went.  After lunch already I went back home to Kitchener.  I enjoyed the rest of the day off.

I hope this blog wasn't too long.  I wish all of you a very happy New Year 2013!

Markus