Although I love the program I’m in at NSCC, I am also loving having a break from it for three solid weeks. Even though much of that time I am shovelling – we’ve easily had a few feet of snow in the last week and a half. And so far the snowblower Adam’s been talking about getting has not materialized.

Here are some photos from my holidays so far. The first one up there is one of my Mom’s two cats. This one is Ginger (original name, I know!).

Oh and I must mention, if you love cartoons and you love family/Cape Breton/Christmas, check out Kate Beaton’s Twitter and/or Tumblr for her day-by-day cartooning of her visit home to Mabou for Christmas. It is brilliant, funny, heart-warming stuff. (And butt-warming too, from sitting on the pellet stove.)

Anyway, back to me. Ha. But seriously.

Have I mentioned that I love me some walking track? Well I do. Even when it’s cold and snowy.

Woo Christmas shopping! The malls are a zoo. It’s to be expected, I know. But it’s still unnerving when you’re standing by Future Shop waiting for your boyfriend to meet you, and people are just walking so close to you, on their own little important missions. Personal space people!

Easy decorating, it’s what I’m allll about. Stick some Christmas ornaments in a basket and call it done.

The parking lots of the CBRM are slushy at the moment. Top is Walmart in North Sydney (yep, I shop at Walmart sometimes, so just go ahead and judge me now, it’s cool), and bottom is Doktor Luke’s coffee shop in Sydney.

Hey it’s me! Out of the house AND wearing eyeliner! Something must be going on…

It was a gathering of women for a Secret Santa potluck, and it was the best. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt.

No joke, food is the best thing about the holidays. Or a very close second to like, family, and all that. I guess.

Later the mister and I went out (that never happens!) and saw some bands play at the Phoenix in North Sydney. This is Adam’s cousin Connie in The Pranks.

And the next morning we partook of banana chocolate chip pancakes. And I made enough that I could snack on them for days afterwards.

Which I will need to do from all the shovelling.

Adam got my bird feeder up on the railing and the crows visited soon after.

More walking track love. Those footprints are all mine! There was a bit of freezing rain going on so I had the place to myself. (I was going to walk at the Emera Center, indoors, but it’s been closed for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.) And honestly, the freezing rain wasn’t so bad, just a light sprinkle.

And then this morning I woke at a very early hour and made my way over to Sydney to the CBC building on George Street. I’m on the Cape Breton Information Morning Issue Panel, which means sometimes I go in on a Thursday and have a chat with two other folks on the panel, as well as the host Steve Sutherland. So for Christmas Eve, the producers at the show asked the Issue Panelists to come in throughout the morning and have an informal chat about holiday traditions and books. And also, eat shortbread cookies.

This photo is by Steve Sutherland and was on the Information Morning Twitter feed, which I encourage you to follow if you’re into that Twitter thing. Left to right: Yvonne LeBlanc-Smith reading the news; Michelle Stephens, musical guest; and three of the numerous Issue Panelists: Vanessa Childs-Rolls, Grant Haverstock, and myself. All of us looking rather cheery for 6:34 am.

So now it’s time to head to Baddeck to visit my Dad, and then come home, finish wrapping presents, and then curl up with my fella. I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and hope that your holidays are everything you wish for. I’ll write again before New Year’s Eve with a bit of reflection on the year that was, and the one coming up.

And stay safe!

xo Leah