Making It Up As I Go Along #447

There and back again…

No, it’s not a Hobbit’s Tale. It’s my trip to Newfoundland.

Few trips home have gone by as quickly as this, one of my longest trips. Eleven days felt like four. I didn’t run around too crazily, trying to get everything in… yet still I did most things I like to do.

Yes there were friends not seen. Bev and Joanne being two examples. But still, time was spent with Dave and Del and Craig and Jim. And multi visits were had with family… seeing Wayne and Sylvia several times, and Wince and family as well.

The trip began as a great Tolken like journey. With no time for sleep, I meet Paula and Eddie and venture to the airport with them in a beer buzz state.

The plane ride home is a smooth thing. Good weather, apart from some strong Halifax winds, and my head is bobbing much of the way. Working the night shift previously, meant I’m flying not having slept at all since 3:15 the previous afternoon.

Yet I perk up off the plane. And only sleep for a few moments on it.

Still, after a fine supper of fish, some cookies for desert and some sofa time with the TV while mom and dad are at church, I’m falling asleep by 8:00 and decide to head to bed at 8:30 Christmas Eve night.

By 3:30 Christmas morning, I’m awake. Totally out of sync, I lay there for two hours… refusing to get up.

It’s a battle for sanity, much as the battle between those Lord of the Rings characters and that precious ring itself. A see saw fight for survival. Rise in the wee hours, never getting back on track sleep wise… or fight… fight to sleep more on this night.

Good wins over evil and I fall back asleep for about two hours… finally up for good at 8:30 AM… a twelve hour time in the bed.

Christmas Day with mom and dad is nice and fairly quiet. We take turns opening gifts and share in the thoughts and experiences. I think of those I know who don’t believe in gifts… who’d rather just give and receive a case of beer and save the $100… and I’m glad I’m where I am on this Christmas morning.

Wince and Wayne and all the significant others join us for supper… and Christmas is a fine one.

Many experiences stand out over the time home.

There is the trip to Cape Spear. In the middle of winter yet with bright blue skies, light winds, and a temperature hovering around 5 degrees. We wander the cliffs without gloves and winter coat, chasing Killdeers (a small bird) and watching distant great waves breaking on the coastline.

Lunch is had after this, and fries, dressing and gravy double nicely with some pea soup.

There are our New Years fireworks. While the main show at the lakefront were postponed, we had a local show from the sunroom. Sitting there, sipping on bubbly wine, and looking across at the show put on by a neighbour. Twenty minutes worth of store bought fireworks… rising into the air as a flare… and turning the black of night into faint shades of red, green, yellow and gold as each flare pops, lingers for a moment, then descends slowly, fading from existence within seconds. It is the greatest home fireworks display of all time.

There is the movie extravaganza. Three great films in five days. The first, True Grit, watched with five of us there. One of the best westerns I’ve seen, and the best one I’ve seen on the big screen.

The second is the King’s Speech. Three of us go to see top notch acting… tension and drama, smiles and admiration… all emotions created without the use of CGI, explosions, or catch phrases. The night of this movie gives us a New Years meal at Wince’s, followed by cards and snow.

Yes, it was a green Christmas, but there was snow for New Years… and the drive home is a little slippery that night.

The last movie is seen two days later, with just dad and me. The snow, in typical Newfoundland fashion, is gone again. Fog and drizzle make short work of it. And we go see the Fighter. Another great movie, with darkness, struggle, and inspiration all rolled into one. And the most realistic fight scenes I’ve seen in any boxing movie.

There was also the trip to Outer Cove. A visit with Jim and the family. And my first time out on the trails with them… venturing out behind their home, through the woods and to the coast. Nothing was seen that day. The fog and drizzle mentioned regarding the Fighter is the same as here. Upon reaching the coast, we look out into a sea of cloud. The ocean can be heard beneath us… but is never seen. And yet such a thing can be as magical as when you can see everything. Jim and I standing atop a cliff, he sweeping a lanky arm as he explains, on a clear day, all in front of us would be the sea… he’s as Moses… proclaiming for me to “Behold”. Rarely can the view of nothing be so inspiring.

We walk the winding path. Coming to sections where rock face falls away into mist. Having shadowy silhouettes of his boys reminding us to be careful of the wood here, or the rock there… “It’s slippery!”

There was pizza with Del and Fish. Hanging out eating as in days gone by. Only when then, we’d finish up the food for a round of poker, now we’re doing it with Del’s boys playing video game hockey downstairs… while the youngest is crankily crying, not happy about his nap time.

And there was lunch with Craig. A venture downtown. A meal at the Ship. Entering the pub with only a bartender in one corner, and a pair playing pool near the entrance. You almost feel as though you’re intruding, but we’re welcomed in, able to sit in privacy, and share pints of local draft as we eat and talk. Such a time is made perfect by a stroll down the road, to Fred’s Records. Neither of us buys anything there on this day… but Fred’s is a wonderful place, even when it’s just for looking.

So much more goes on. A Christmas Carol watched as a family… Alastair Sim as Scrooge brings smiles at just the right times… even for those watching for the 30th time. World Junior Hockey… watched sometimes alone… sometimes with just dad… and sometimes with family gathered around. All in the shadow of the Christmas Tree… with mixed nuts to be cracked open within arms reach.

And then it’s all over. A flight delay allowing me to see Wince and Brenda one last time, as they pop by for a visit to my parents, surprised to see me there. And allowing me a five minute meet with cousin Jeremy… seen for the first time in years… as passing ships… in the night… that is my parents house. He arriving for supper just as I prepare to head to the airport.

And music plays within my ears as I fly over a perfectly clear nighttime vista of Sydney NS before Halifax… and some of the small towns along the outskirts of Montreal before the final landing in Ottawa. A peaceful moment, looking down into the evening of a town… with Tom Waits music in the ear, 30,000 feet up, and travelling along at more than 600 km/h.

There’s always much magic… at Christmas Time.



WEDNESDAY…
--- Brilliant day. Sun and 5 degrees. We head to Cape Spear for a walk about. Over to Bidgoods for lunch. Out to the GeoCentre for a look around at rocks and such. A drive to Middle Cove for a look about there. And then home for supper and hanging about.

THURSDAY…
--- Movie night. Mom and dad and I hit the mall for supper… than meet Sylvia and Wayne for True Grit. Good western.

FRIDAY…
--- New Years eve visit to Del’s in the afternoon. Fish and I go and get pizza with Del.
--- Evening at home with mom and dad and the Crockers. Nice supper, some TV for me while they play cards, and some fireworks in the neighbourhood ring in the new year.

SATURDAY…
--- Another movie. An afternoon show with mom and dad… the King’s Speech is very good… likely will be the cause to shut out True Grit when it comes to Academy Awards.
--- From there to Wince’s for supper with he, Brenda, Christine, Peter and Kelly. Some cards afterwards and too much food.
--- Drive home is a bit slick as around 5 cm of snow fall while we’re at Wince’s.

SUNDAY…
--- Don’t leave the house today. Some TV and computer stuff… lots of hockey. supper with Paula, Sandra, the husbands and kids joining mom, dad and I.
--- After the crew leave, we watch some Mad Men on Netflix. A nice evening.

MONDAY…
--- Out to Jim’s. Go for a hike with he and the boys in the fog, some street hockey, and then hanging for a little.
--- Dad and I do the movies. The Fighter is good… quite good… although compared to True Grit and the King’s Speech, it’s likely third. Still, I may have seen 3 of the 5 best movies of the past year in the past week.
--- Canada vs. USA junior hockey ends the day.

TUESDAY…
--- Travel day. First a great lunch with mom and dad. New local place with great sea food.
--- Flight delays in St. John’s set things back about an hour and a half… more delays on the tarmac in Halifax (just waiting for a couple of people to reach the plane… blah. All in all, I arrive in Ottawa about two hours late.
--- Unpack everything, get some groceries, and off to bed.