First of all, thank you all
so much for your kind thoughts while I was without power from Dec 22-25. I was going to post this card on Christmas Day but an ice storm hit Toronto on the night of December 21st. I woke up at 4:00 a.m. on December 22nd to the sound of branches and entire trees falling, crushing cars, landing on houses and blocking the road. My alarm clock was black so I knew we had lost power. Knowing that it was ice meant trouble for all. This was the first ice storm Toronto had been hit with, at least in my lifetime. I'd lived through one when I was living in Charlotte, North Carolina, and didn't really want to experience it again but there it was. Behold nature's beauty and destructive power all at the same time.
My son had just gotten sick and we had planned to take him to the walk-in clinic which, thankfully, had power. It was an ordeal just getting into the car which was coated in a sheet of ice one inch thick. With the ice scraper
inside the car, and no electricity to boil water to melt the ice, my husband somehow managed to get in through the trunk. It closed on him and froze in seconds, locking him in the car. Luckily, he had a flashlight and his iPhone with him. I was just about to check on him since I could tell that he was inside the car and I was wondering why he hadn't started heating up the car. That's when he called for help.
I didn't know it yet but my Dad's car was damaged. Luckily for them, and us, they still had power so we packed up to stay with them after the temperature in the house dropped 12 degrees in the same number of hours. About half our neighbours left to stay with family or friends but others had to book hotel rooms while those with wood-burning fireplaces and/or gas stoves tried to stick it out. Despite having somewhere to stay, none of these options are the same as the comforts of home. With young kids, more stress is involved. A day later, there were piles like this every few houses. Most of these trees are 80-150 years old.
Since both my parents and my son were sick, I got sick, too. So much for a quick catch-up on baking and all-things-crafty! Things could've been a lot worse and I'm glad they weren't but after two
bad Christmases, I'm feeling rather Grinchy towards next year. I won't ever forget last year's misery during the holidays - a miscarriage, flu, respiratory illness and broken rib - all while participating in the Go-To Gal auditions. I still have no idea how I made it through all of that. I certainly didn't feel that strong this year. Of course, I will always make a great Christmas for my son but I'm always going to be wary of what could happen.
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I hope you and your families were warm and cozy, and that you were able to celebrate Christmas in its entirety. I'm really behind because of the pre-Christmas preparations that weren't completed. I had been texting with family and neighbours through the entire ordeal and we all shed tears when power was restored. It was really unbelievable and the stress weighed on us more than we knew at the time. Nothing brings people together like a crisis and I'm so grateful to my family, friends and neighbours for everything. We plan to ring in the New Year with plenty of alcohol and laughter. Next year has to be better.
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