Lord Of The Pings: Return To Jimbuck2

I'm back in Le Grand Fumee. Flew in late last night. Back at work today. Ugh.

Had a nice time back home for the holidays though. Mostly just hung with the family. Every year we have a pre-xmas gathering, usually at the home of one of my three sisters who live in Summerside. My brother Ron lives in Charlottetown, a 45-minute drive to the east (ícourse on P.E.I. that's half way across the province!) Because they all have families and in-laws and competing holiday commitments, we try to all get together sometime before things get too crazy. Plus my dad's birthday is the 21st, and there are a few other December birthdays, so it serves multiple purposes. We have a meal, the younger nephews and nieces exchange presents, and there's a collective birthday cake. It was my dad's 78th. The last several times I was able to make it home, I missed the Gathering, so it was nice to be there this time.

I was the only sibling home from away this year. (The phrase "from away" is used by Prince Edward Islanders to refer to anybody who's a non-Islander. Sometimes "PFA" is usedóPeople From Away. I always get a kick out of that. It's like there are two types of people on the planet: Islanders and People From Away. I'm not joking. This is real sociological shit. The Island psyche is an interesting thing.) Actually, I think this is the first time that there are as many siblings who live away as there are who live on the Island. A 4-4 split. My brother Bob and his family moved to Yellowknife, NWT, earlier this year; my brother Grant lives in Oshawa; Anne is in LA; and, of course, I'm here... in Jimbuck2. So that leaves Patti, Kathy, Paula and Ron on the Island. And Mom and Dad, of course. Ron has three kids and one grandchild and is freshly divorced after 27 years of marriage, but has been seeing a lady who grew up in our neighbourhood, and it seems to be going okay. Patti, Kathy and Paula are all married and have two kids each.

So when I say I spent time hanging with the family, that's not quite the laze-fest that it might seem. It can be pretty time-consuming. There's a lot of hanging to be done! But I don't get to see them very often, and I was able to spend time with everyone at one point or another, so that was good. Don't mean to sound like an old codger or something, but as I get older, I certainly appreciate my family more and more. They're all wonderful, nice and kind people, especially my lovely and crazy sisters, and I'm very fortunate to have them. To me, that's what xmas has always been aboutófamily, gathering together, community.

And of course lots of food, bacon and eggs every morning, and tons of eggnog and sweets. Oh yeah.

And I got to see my great-nephew (grand-nephew?) Liam for the first time. He's about to turn one year old and already walking, with a little assistance. Spitting image of my nephew Nyall, who's 27. He and his wife June live in San Jose, CA. They were married this summer in her hometown of Dawson's Creek. No, she's not a TV character. Dawson's Creek, B.C. Somewhere in the interior of the province. First time meeting her too, and I was happy to see that she seems nice and genuine. She certainly didn't seem out of place jumping right into the middle of the family gathering, so that's a good sign.

Didn't get to see any of my friends in Moncton, though. We moved there when I was 13, so all of my high school friends hail from there. Just wasn't time to fit it all in this year, so family came first. Sorry guys. Next time.

Travel was generally fine. No major problems. With the new airport security, I lost a pair of scissors on the way up (didn't use them anyway; didn't even realize they were in my head-shaving kit, still wrapped in plastic with the other attachments for the clippers). And on the way back, they gave my umbrella a closer inspection, and swabbed the outside pocket on my carry-on bag. For drug residue, I guess? Bomb residue? Dunno.

And now the New Year is upon us. I think 2003 will be a good year for me. I really do. I was born on the 23rd of the month, so numerologically, they both add up to 5, which is a good number for me, I think. I used to think 4 was my lucky number, but I've changed it to 5. Can you do that? Well, I am. Just try and stop me!

Cheers and Happy New Year!