Meri Kurisumasu!

Salut! Since our last tête-à-tête, I can’t say too much has happened. Except for Birfday, Christmas, Spice Girls (see pictures on my Facebook page), and a trip to MB. So maybe a bit.



At work they bought me a ‘Hello Kitty’ ice cream cake since it’s the closest thing to a Japanese cake they could find in Abbotsford. My poor coworker, Deanna, who’s birthday is two days after mine, had to suffer this cake alongside my glee.

On my birfday Marty and I decided to do our gift opening since we weren’t going to be around for Christmas and we didn’t want to lug our gifts for each other to Manitoba, open them and lug them back.




Marty’s new toothpick holder

My birthday was without a major blowout this (like most years) and I spent the night with Jean and she made me tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) with rice and some egg rolly-thing. It was really delicious.



Two days after I go old, it was the appointed time to head back to our homeland of Manitoba. Thankfully, we carpooled to the airport, Mennonite-style with Grant and Rachel (women in one car, men in the other). This is due to the fact that the men work together in Vancouver and the women do not.





We were lucky enough to fly first class – no big deal! We used the Executive check-in and got our green sticker to whisk us through security. On the other side, we headed to the Executive lounge which was well stocked with showers, booze, food, magazines, leather chairs and free internet. After we boarded the plane (first, natch) we noshed on a (awful-tasting) dinner and I watched ‘the Simpsons Movie’.





After many delays, we arrived in Winnipeg at 1 AM with another 45 minute wait for our bags thanks to the slow workers at YWG. We arrived home (through the blizzard) at a whopping 3:45 AM, CST, twelve hours after we left Abbotsford.

I didn’t take as many pictures this round in MB as I was mostly preoccupied with family gatherings and the like…no one wants to see pictures of my family, except for me, and well, my family.


B and B


Grandpappy Amos


Little Kitten


Matthew

Next day, it was off to spend time with family number two…and thus began my introduction to the Christmas of Guitar Hero.






The Twins





After that, it was back to my fam and more gifts and a happy Pappy with GPS.




I got her those Ninja bandages in her stocking.


Yes, she actually wore those out of the house. So precious.


This is his “shpoucht” face

On Christmas, I wandered outside in my Dad’s boots, the now-infamous Barn Zips.


















The Barn Zips! I even wrote a song about them. It went something like this (ahem): “Barn zips, Barn ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPS!”





On the 27th we headed into Winnipeg to gather with my best school buddies and our men.












My old work! Sniff sniff.



Once we arrived at Jenna’s house, we busted out the Guitar Hero and there was even a baby too! (Thanks Suzy)






This is Suzy’s (and Nathan’s) baby, Bailey. He was the hottest baby at the party.




The Original Ugly Twins (who are clearly hot now)









Next day, I went for lunch (at Earls – his request) with my old friend, Queechon Carlos Cognosio, aka Joey Jo Jo Jr Shabadoo.



He showed me some Indigenous decor of the North End:




Later that night, we went for dinner with Kelly and Cephas to Montanas.



After heading back to Altona, the next few days were fairly uneventful.








More Guitar Hero


Cole’s Birfday

Later that night (it was New Years Eve), we headed to Shannon and Mat’s house where I was extremely social and outgoing.





HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The next day was back to Vancouver. We were flying first class again, so this time we got to check out the Executive lounge in Winnipeg (which was tiny in comparison to Vancouvers’.)






Our last snowy view of Winnipeg…


...actually, this was it. Mmm, pollution cloud.










I was watching “No Reservations’ – Catherine Zeta Jones movie.











Tadaima! Home!!