This blog is a catch up blog as we've been in Canada for the past 10 days. So I'm going to divide it into 2 sections. I also find that Blogspot on my Nephew's iMac doesn't seem to give me the font options that I get on Windows.

GETTING THERE

Today

We travelled from Heathrow to Toronto via BA. The flight was at 11.00 am so we went up the night before and stayed at the Sheraton. Becky joined us for supper and we had a lovely evening.

I'd already checked in online so we whizzed through rapid baggage drop and soon were ensconced in our traveller plus slightly larger seats (makes a massive difference). They remembered my vegetarian meal as well.

We had stacks of luggage, what with snow boots, Christmas presents and all.

At Toronto there was Mark to meet us and take us the shortish drive to his house in Acton.

In My Day

We first went to Toronto back in 1980. It was out of the question to afford a flight direct. My Sister Carol had offered to pay for the trip but we wanted to be independent if we could.

Therefore we decided to fly Freddie Laker to JFK, where Carol and co would collect us. Freddie Laker offered
the first cut-price air journeys. What you did was scan the papers for ticket availability for the flight you wanted and then frantically go and buy them.

The day came; My brother told me that he'd seen tickets for the day we wanted advertised in "The Telegraph". He lent me the money till I could get mine out of my savings account, we bundled the kids next door and drove up to the booking office at Victoria from Eastbourne. Arrived, breathless, at the counter. Could they see our passports? Passports? Why do we need passports to buy a ticket? Well we did. Straight back into the car to go and get them.

At Uckfield the car broke down (regular readers of this blog will know all about our shocking cars). Finally took a taxi to get the passports and get back to London. Back by train the next day.

Whew!

Then packed up the girls, sandwiches and baggage. Caught the flight.

At JFK there was Carol to meet us in a big camper van. We drove through the night to get to their town house in Toronto.

It's true that being broke gives you more hassle and in an odd way, can cost you more.


CHRISTMAS

Today

This has been the first Christmas we've spent without the girls. We've spent a few away from home before, but always together. We set up the house with tree and presents and left it to the girls. We left out food for cuzzmas (the cousin's Christmas), decided to leave most of the gifts we'd been given at home to open later.

Our Nephew and family couldn't have been more welcoming. My Niece is Jewish so the festivity has had a definite multi religious feel with Chanakah menorah being lit and there being plenty of latkes, herring, and beetroot (for breakfast?),. along with stockings, turkey and crackers. My sister was there, my other niece and all of my Nephew's in-laws.

We worked away at the food - I cheered up all those of English extraction by bringing Christmas Pud and making custard and roast potatoes. There were about 20 guests and we had a loud and jolly time.

Boxing Day was a repeat at Suzee's house, with some of the same relatives and a host more.

In My Day

Daddy never wanted visitors at Christmas. I only remember one on one occasion - my French Penfriend Anne Davis. He felt that Christmas was strictly for the immediate bosom of the family. We had some strict traditions; some of them were based around the fact that David, being a St Paul's chorister, didn't arrive util about 4.00 pm.

Daddy wrote a family hymn, which David set to music. We sang this every year - "take the friendly hand, love and understand, stand together in a ring, lift your voices up and sing, lomg live the ......." I found it embarrassing at one time - now it makes me weep to remember it.

The moring was spent in preparation. The house was tidied, the fires lad, the table decorated. The meal never varied:

Tomato soup
Turkey, stuffing, ham, red cabbage, chestnuts, sprouts, roast potatoes, gravy
Christmas Pudding

We lit candles on the tree and opened gifts after dinner. Sometimes we sang carols as well.

Boxing day was quiet, with us enjoying our gifts and taking a chilly walk somewhere - probably Crystal Palace Park.

What is clear is that both events were full of a sense of family belonging. How wonderful to know that there's a whole family 3000 miles away with their arms held out.