Comox, 1996
Ever since my parents moved out to BC, I visit them every year in
December.
Fri December 20
Timothy drove me to Pearson Airport in Toronto, and I was able to check in
quickly and get on the plane. I was tired and slept on and off during the
flight to Vancouver, via Winnipeg. I changed seats at Winnipeg, the
original one I had was right in the path of frigid air blasting in from
the apron as they restocked the kitchens. The Rockies were beautiful as
always, and there was a gorgeous view of Vancouver as we came in to land.
I had a bit of a hassle with my bags since I'd brought my skis with me,
but then I got some food and talked with a lovely old woman who came from
Ottawa. It was a bit choppy on the way over to Vancouver Island, but I
eventually got to my parent's house. I was very tired, but I still managed
to get drawn into a discussion of genealogy with mum and dad. My brother
Marc had shot up and was quite tall all of a sudden. We had a rematch at
Trivial Pursuit and Dad managed to beat me this time. I went with Marc and
Dad to get the Xmas tree from the tree farm. I tried to avoid the overly
friendly dog there, Sam, since I was allergic to him. Marc took me out
shopping and we managed to find a pair of ski goggles for Dad that would
fit over his glasses.
Sat December 21
Dad shaved the back of my head for me, despite repeated "are you sure?"'s
when he understood exactly how much I wanted done. We then dropped Mum off
at the Superstore and he drove me to the army surplus store past Black
Creek, passing an emu farm along the way. Apparently there's an ostrich
farm further along the same road. We browsed through some antiques on
display (some of which Dad had used at one point ;) ) and then through the
sweaters. They were much cheaper there than in Toronto, and Dad bought me
a black navy wool sweater despite urgings that I should get a blue air
force one to honour his years of service. He's understanding like that. :)
I picked up a Zippo, only noticing the engraving from a store on the back
of it after I got home. I made too much spaghetti for myself and threw
together a pizza for the rest of the gang. After I browsed through one of
Mum's self help books on herbs and vitamins.
Sun December 22
Dad woke me at 8:40 and I sat shivering in a blanket until I talked to Sue
on the phone (from Bristol, I think, where she spent the holidays with our
aunt during the break from her exchange program in Dundee, Scotland) at
8:50. She assured me that she's taken lots of pictures, but then the phone
cut out. I went back to bed to warm up and sleep some more since I'd also
woken up when the emergency brake on the van had become stuck when Mum
was leaving for work, and the ruckus under my window disturbed my rest. I
got up for good when Dad went to pick her up from work. I showered, had
breakfast and called Tim, who promised to pick me up from Pearson when I
arrived home. I tend not to mind arriving on my own in Toronto, I know I'm
home and can find my way to my house, but it's always a bit disorienting
to not have anyone meet me in strange cities.
I dug into some of Marc's books, we share a taste in SF/Fantasy, reading
Sunrunner's Fire by Melanie Rawn. He also recommeneded Cold Fire by C. S.
Friedman, and I did eventually borrow his copies and enjoyed it immensely.
I wrapped his present and cornered Dad, getting an agreement that we'd go
skiing on Thursday or Friday. We had salmon for supper, something I tend
to miss in Ontario. Mum and Dad went out bowling, and Marc to a movie, so
I took the monster (aka Duke, the Lab/Newfie cross) for a walk. I watched
some TV then turned in to finish the book I was reading, curled up in bed.
Mon December 23
I read The Time Machine by H. G. Wells and started the Friedman
book. Mum, Dad and I went to the Comox Centre Mall just up from the
marina on the inlet, with a good view of the mountains. I wasn't able to
find any lighter fluid for my new Zippo though. I made a pizza with a
spaghetti crust for my lunch, and Dad deigned to try some. I walked Duke
to the video store and found out that the only comment people tend to make
on him is how big he is. I rented Independence Day since I'd missed it in
theatres, it was so-so. I made a stir fry for dinner, then disappeared
afterwards to read and watch the Simpsons, then Intimate and Interactive
with Annie Lennox - she's just a bit caustic. My throat started to get
sore around then, Dad made an appointment for me with my childhood doctor,
Dr. Horton.
Tue December 24
No one was around when I woke up, I made some lunch, and Dad appeared to
take me to see the doctor around 2. The holiday must have contributed to a
lack of patients, since I was able to get in to see him quickly. I didn't
recognise him at all, though the last time I went to him was when I was
less than 10 years old. I was diagnosed with the beginnings of strep
throat, and got the prescription. Dad had taken off while I was in, wasn't
back yet, so I waited for a while, then we filled the 'script and he got a
Magic Bag for mum at the pharmacy. I popped into the supermarket to get
some yoghurt to baby my throat with, and noticed anew that everyone was
very friendly - the west is a different world than back east. I milked my
illness for all it was worth, lazing about the rest of the day, and having
clam chowder for an early supper. I caught
Wallace and Gromit on TV and
was very happy, though I managed to almost let the fire die, not being
used to feeding it. I set up my old old record player so that Mum could
listen to Nana Mouskouri while she decorated the tree, with me curled up
and miserable in a chair. I braved the deck off of the dining area and saw
the full moon and the stars shining brightly; the next full moon on Xmas
will be sometime in the 2100's.
Wed December 25
I got some good loot in my stocking: epsom salts, a candy cane, 2 pairs of
socks, chocolate balls, razors, nail hardener and polish, a spaghetti scoop
and measurer, emery boards, bath beads and face cleanser. Sue had mailed
over her presents to us, and I found that she'd given me a very
delicate gold thistle
necklace, the official flower of Scotland. Marc gave me a late birthday
present, and Enya CD, and a turtle neck for xmas. The 'rents gave me a
gift certificate for fabric land, a turtle neck (hey, I needed them),
money for a comforter and casserole dish since they'd be too bulky for me
to carry back on the plane, and best of all, a lift pass for Mount
Washington. I also got some money from my
godparents and Sue's and from another aunt and
uncle.
Sue called and I got to talk to her for a bit. Dad, Duke and I went for a
walk on Airport Beach, where I'd spent a lot of summer afternoons when we
lived here. We walked almost to Kye Bay, and it was fairly clear, we could
see Powell River on the mainland. Salt and snow marked the high tide line.
We met two guys walking their Irish wolfhound puppy on the way back to the
car - the dog was huge! We had a turkey dinner at home, then watched some
TV and took a nice warm long bath, then to bed.
Thu December 26
Woke up at 7:45 to get ready to go to Campbell River for boxing day
shopping. We left around 9, Marc wasn't in a very good mood. I took Mum
looking for shoes, and she bought me a green turtle neck, saying she'd buy
me it in any colour other than black. *sigh* I found a really cool black /
silver shimmery long skirt that I bought myself. We went over to Tyee
Plaza, named for a salmon that weighs 30lbs or more. Went to Mark's Work
Wearhouse where I didn't find any jeans that fit properly. I popped out to
find Marc, and got sucked into a book store where I bought a cook book. We
drove back to Courtney and stopped at the White Spot for lunch. Home and
read for a while until Dad took me out to Fabricland, Superstore, and the
Chocolate Ranch where I wanted to get a present for Tim, but everything
was closed. I forgot to call my friend from high school, Tami, who lives
in Victoria now, since we tend to go skiing together whenever we get a
chance. Dad popped back into White Spot and reclaimed the hat that he'd
forgotten there at lunch. Had the first of the left over turkey for
dinner. I waxed my skis and got ready for the next day. I used some of
the epsom salts in a bath since I was breaking out in hives from the
penicillin I was taking for the strep throat.
Fri December 27
I dreamt that I'd had my lift tickets stolen, and woke up in a panic to
check them at 5:50am. Got up for real at 6:30 and Dad and I were on the
road up the mountain by 7:50. They'd paved the road the whole way since
the last time I'd been up, so it was a quick drive, with no need to stop
at the bottom to put snow chains on the tires. We handed in our gift
certificates and got lift tickets, but when I was putting mine on my
jacket, an employee came by with wire cutters and snipped off all of my
old ones and took them. I complained to Dad about it and he was able to get
them back for me - I like to keep them as souveniers from my old trips,
and had ones from White Face in Lake Placid, and Mt Tremblant on there.
The conditions were good, hard packed and groomed, but it was bloody cold.
We stopped mid morning and afternoon and at lunch to warm up frozen
fingers and toes. We ate our packed lunches to save mucho moula at the
cafeteria. Dad ended up doing one more run than I did, I went to warm up
the truck. We had a good view of the straight of Georgia on the higher
lifts. A RIDE spot check half way down the mountain didn't pull us over,
we were home by 5, had supper and crashed early.
Sat December 28
Mum wasn't having a good morning, she forgot the element covers on the
stove when she turned on the burners, and then the van refused to shift
into gear. I woke up then but went back to bed and didn't get up until Dad
left to pick her up from work. I did a couple of loads of laundry, then
drove myself to see Mars Attacks. A gaggle of French kids chattered
all the way through it, and I didn't enjoy the movie as much as I could
have since they gave too much away in the previews. The roads were
slippery, and I slid a bit here and there as I drove over to the Chocolate
Ranch to pick up some truffles. I threw them in the freezer so that they'd
be good when I got home. Marc had some friends over and they played
Trivial Pursuit. I made a crab and cauliflower quiche from the new cook
book I bought and Dad had some. Read some more, and babied my sore
shoulders from all the poling I did the day before.
Sun December 29
Packed. Read almost the whole day trying to finish Crown of Ice, but Marc
agreed to let me take it home with me and mail it back to him.
Mon December 30
I was up early and was greeted with the sight of two feet of snow adorning
the landscape. Dad drove me to the Comox airport and we got stuck briefly
at Anderton and Ryan since the plows hadn't been out yet. I wanted to get
home in time to rest up for the new year's parties the next day but it was
not to be. We'd called the airport before leaving, but the line was busy,
and we found out when we arrived that the flight was canceled. I waited
for the next one on stand by while Dad went to pick up Mum. It got
canceled also. I put myself on the stand by list for the 2pm flight to
Vancouver and got the last seat. It was a bumpy flight over the straight.
I tried to call Tim from the Vancouver airport to let him know I wasn't
making it home that night, but the line was busy. My fingers were getting
sore from carrying my ski bag all over the place, dodging the irate
crowds. I booked a room at the Fraser Arms from the hotel desk in the
airport, since I had to wait until the next day for a flight to Toronto. I
finally got through to Tim's house but he was on the way to the airport. I
hopped in the shuttle to the hotel, and got settled into my room. It was a
bit noisy since it was above the restaurant and they had a band playing.
Watched TV, read, took a bath then crashed out.
Tue December 31
I was woken by the front desk's wake up call, repacked and jumped the van
back to the airport. I had about an hour layover in Winnipeg, and it was
cold. I got in late to Toronto, and stood and talked with a lady as we
waited for our bags - my skis always come through the oversized baggage
door. I took a taxi home and called friends to ensure that plans were
still set for the night. I changed into my new skirt and a bustier top and
ended up freezing the whole night, and got a glass of red wine spilled
down the front of the skirt. We ended up not waiting for the streetcar,
but sharing a taxi with a woman since none of us wanted to freeze to
death. I hit two parties that night, the first a relaxed cocktail type
one, then the drunken IRC goth debauch after midnight rolled around. :)
Back to my diary page.