Christmas 2008 and then 2009

Well, made it home in one piece from Beijing through Vancouver that had snow...first time I think I had ever seen snow that stayed there...it stayed until I left again on Jan 1...will include some family shots

Met with Tony in Calgary and dropped off the gifts that I had brought. Jan didn't come because of the weather....we had a good meal at Montanas and had a great talk. We almost didn't find each other but eventually with the help of Cell phones we were able to locate each other. Air Canada was a little behind woth their flights so I was an extra 3 hours in Calgary...meant that I got in at about 3 in the morning in Regina. Doug was there to pick me up. It took about 6 days to get over my jet lag and then had to go back to China to get re jet lagged again....the question that almost everyone asked was "Are you going to stay another year?".....Who knows?

Had a great time overall with the family....stayed with J and Doug for the first couple of days....went to Saskatoon on the 22nd and met with Marlene and Norm Paproski....also with Jerry Demeria and also my financial investor, Waylon Danyluk...stayed overnight with Norm and then left for Chaplin stay with mom overnight before J and Doug picked me up as we went to Marks for Christmas day...

Mom and Clarence are doing well..mom still a not wearing her hearing aids enough but still active....still wanting me to stay in Canada but then realizes that I am not her little boy anymore...

Spent Christmas eve and day with Mark and Tammy and part of her family....lots of presents to open and kids scrambling around and opening presents and paper and bows and the Hetherington singers in the background...a nostalgic touch as that was what we always listened to.....even though the two kids complained vociferously....my last present was a Christmas card that J gave me with a note referring to my 5 hmmm 5 grandkids....they are expecting another some time in August.....a great surprise and another great day.....and a great meal topped off the day....even with the cranberry sauce...woo hoo....

Mark's job is going well and he is hoping to move back to Sask as soon as he can sell the house in Redcliff...we all went tobogganing and I thought Jaxon got hurt as he wanted to go down the hill by himself and hit a patch of ground and was tumbled head over heels...he stayed down a few moments and then got up and went down with Grandpa on the two man toboggan..we had a blast...well at least old grandpa did....

Took a quick afternoon trip up to see Janet...we spent the afternoon there and showed some of my photos and returned some watches to Janet that I had left at Jennifers.... Kenzie had stayed with Janet in the summer....she had a blast there....we spent a good afternoon talking and laughing...returned to Marks later that night.....

Returned to Moms the next day...J and Doug returned home....I stayed a couple more days and talked with some friends....spent a day with Jack and Renee...asked the question about returning from China...left and stayed a couple more days.....we went to a New Year's Eve get together at the Ramada Hotel...they had comedians...it was a good evening...the dance went into the morning....we stayed at the hotel as it was storming outside.....J drove me to the airport in the morning and Marina met me at the airport as well....a nice touch......had a very quick trip to Vancouver and a short layover and then a quick trip to Beijing...with a spare seat beside me which allowed me to sleep a couple of hours on the flight.....so a good start to 2009.....even had a massage by Wang Yang Lan..... spent Jam 3rd getting some food and supplies for the start of the year....tomorrow will mean the planning for the next few weeks and then we are off for another holiday with Chinese New Year...wand we are off to Malaysia...just to see what that is like....

Happy New Year ...best wishes for 2009