so it was an epic journey to calgary. the endless onslaught of christmas deadlines loomed large and near up to the wee hours of the night when wednesday met thursday morning ... incidentally, the day of my flight. i secured the last sticky on the last gift, and started the process of packing. and so it wasn't until 2am when i could start to clean the house ... and leave notes for diane (also known as holiday angel) to navigate her around my home. writing little reminders and navigational clues took longer than i thought would.

2 sticky pads and an hour later, i thought to myself, what's the point of sleeping?

so i turned on the last episode of dead like me season II, and waited for my 445am departure to my brother's, who had kindly offered to give me a ride to my 7am flight to calgary.

all that green tea i had drank was helping. my body, especially the muscles, felt like it was struggling for a bit, but the mind was sharp and clear. i kept waiting for the wave of sleep to ride over me like it usually does, but the lowering of the eyelids never happened. the last episode came and went ... but i stay up.

it's 445am. time to get the show on the road. i start hauling luggage and christmas presents down the stairs. at this time of the day, you could hear a pin drop. trying not to wake up two households but hustling at the same time was hard. fifteen minutes later, i struggle out of my calgary-winter-parka, trying not to drip the sweat onto the freshly wrapped presents.

the howling wind greeted me as i opened the front door. cocooned in the warm and cozy shelter of my humble abode, i had been spared the effects of another storm approaching the sleeping city of vancouver. dashing quickly between front door and car, i managed to place all travel contents, sans jeanie, in the car.

5am. time to roll. standing by the car door, i look back up at my house. with the christmas lights switched off, it sleeps like any other house on the block. i can almost see it moving slightly with each inhalation and exhalation of air.

see you later, i whisper under my breath, before i step into the driver's seat.

an hour later, the hustle and bustle of the early flight passengers break through the tranquil serenity of the predawn morning. gone are the thoughts of snow-covered trees deep in the heart of a faraway forest.

i hustle and bustle with the best of them. up for 12 hours and counting, i silently thank my personal gods after passing through the last security checkpoint. sinking into my allocated seat, i let my body rest for a while. it will be 920am in the morning when i get to calgary, but for now ... i sleep.

last batch! in the oven! it's been a whole week spent with the trusty oven, but i know the efforts will pay off with happy munchers at the upcoming

candice and jeanie's drink-the-nog-till-ya-drop open house
yes'm! come one, come all! come and check it out! we're decked out with lights and holly, and ready to spice up your eggnog, any way you like it! cheer in crazed christmas shoppers with us as we lean out my front window to egg 'em all on to shopping, shopping, and more shopping!

and of course, if you're so inclined, you may pick at our food. we've got it covered!

this is an absolutely rare, hard to come by, once in a lifetime portrait of the generally elusive artist photographer. thanks to a curious friend, toying around with the artist photographer's camera ... my hat off to you, miss kyla-rose, for a really really really awesome portrait!

oh that we should all start so young! wouldn't his dentist be so proud of his young patient's early disposition towards dental hygiene! parents too, of course! i have never known any other young'un who is so particular with personal hygiene. it started with the diapers - he couldn't stand being in a wet or soiled diaper ... and he went through the my-hands-are-dirty-please-clean-them-for-me-mommy phase ... and now, the flossing. aaaaaah the flossing. sends me to giggles everytime. thanks for a good laugh, mattie!