Is it really February already?

I decided to give myself a well deserved time out over the silly season, and when I finally came up for air and opened up my Christmas post that has been sitting in my draft box since the 25th of December, it was February. Oh well, and to fully embrace my only New Years resolution about not  being so hard on myself all I can say is Que Sera, Sera

Deciding what to do with this last Christmas was an easy choice for my family. As an Australian my Christmas’s where usually spent enduring blistering heat eating cold seafood, and a lot of drinking, usually while listing to Christmas albums with songs that taunted us with what Christmas experience should be. There were never any sleigh bells ringing and there were definitely never any chestnuts roasting on an open fire Songs like Let It Snow, Baby Its Cold Outside, but none the less it didn’t feel like Christmas without those songs like Let It Snow and Baby Its Cold Outside playing in the background while we sweat over our Christmas feast. These Australians were determined to experience a white Christmas and with that in mind, we packed our bags filled with presents and thermals and headed to Quebec City for Christmas.

Waking up this morning was magical, there was a thick layer of snow covering our windows this morning as I looked out into the courtyard of the hotel in the heart of the old city. Something about the snow makes everything seem quiet. It was honestly the coldest I think I have ever been in my life and the wind-chill brought a tear to my eye, not only because your eye water in the cold weather but also because after 100m in -35 temperatures I realised that there was such a thing as being too cold, and no matter how much I wanted to explore this glorious city I had had enough and wanted to go back inside. But I persevered as wandering around the old town of Quebec City is a magical experience, I felt as if I had been transported to one of the many beautiful villages scattered throughout the Loire Valley in France.  

I must admit that I never really thought about going away at Christmas time before, but, I don’t know why I didn't do it sooner. We don’t have any family in Toronto, so there weren’t any social commitments so it was either celebrate Christmas buy ourselves in our condo in Toronto or go away. Although yes being on a holiday or planning one can be stressful especially if you are like me and feel responsible for everyone's enjoyment of the day. This was great, no grocery shopping, no cooking, no trying to find things at the last minute dash to the Eaton Centre. All I had to do was make some reservations for our holiday feasting, pack my bags and relax.

The only stressful part of our trip was a very willful three-year old that has fully embraced the word NO and refused to comply basic with air travel safety rules, like wearing a seatbelt and not screaming.  Yes, I felt many uneasy eyes on me I don’t blame these people as I am sure that I was once one of them. I guess know it was my turn.