Time flies when you are having fun

I really am surprised looking back at how quickly a month can pass by.  The largest contributing factors in this time anomaly would probably be that I was home on vacation and it was the Christmas season.  The travel adventure to return to work has rated the strangest of my travels to date.  Beginning with my departure from home I encountered an airport that had canceled all flights for the remainder of the day.  Not a good start but to have an extra day home was not bad.  Once the flights were all re-booked I flew east, then back west over top of home, then east again over top of home and the 2nd airport.  This part of the journey was a 13 hour flight in the middle of the middle row (not good - I'm a window man).  The flight was on one of the new A380's which was impressive.  Arrived in Dubai without a VISA (now required for Canadians) which meant I had to stay in the airport for 2 days without luggage.  Managed to get where I needed to be for transfer to terminal 2 with much chaos and made it to the non commercial flight to get here.  At this point I was certain my luggage was lost forever.  To end it all I arrived at my destination and was pleasantly surprised to see my luggage waiting for me.  And that - as they say - is that.

After another week of waiting for transportation on a C-130 (another interesting flight), I have settled in for another long stay here at home sweet desert home.

I have plans to go back and post in some details from the week in Dubai from my trip home on vacation as well as some vacation photos.  It is also my intent to try to post at least something of interest on a loosely regular basis.

I'll be home for Christmas......

Sooooo good to be home for Christmas!  Nothing makes you appreciate home more than a 6 month adventure in the desert.  They say you don't really appreciate something until you loose it and now I know the feeling.  Canada is a great country and the perfect spot to call home.  The travel home after Dubai was long but still not hard to deal with considering the final destination (hmm - that thought should be applied to life too).  I was greeted by Mom at the airport and finally had that relaxed comfortable feeling I had been missing.  Then my dog cried when she saw me get out of the car.  Even the Christmas tree was already up.  Welcome home!

 

I enjoyed my vacation a lot and always managed to keep just busy enough.  Most days I was able to take a walk in the woods which I missed a lot.  Thankfully the weather was not too cold so there was no shock to my system.  The first Sunday home I was able to see the choir Christmas cantata in the new church building which was nice.  Lots of time with friends and family was just what I needed.  I went to visit the farm several times while home as well - still miss that.

Spent Christmas eve with Dad building a front porch on my house.  It looks real good all decorated and furnished with family living there.  Went to some hockey games and practices to watch my nephew.  Got a rabbit hunting trip in.  More visiting with family and friends.  Worked a few Saturdays wiring with my brother-in-law.

Sounds like a great Christmas vacation right?  One of the best I can remember.  Before it seemed like I had been home very long - alas - as they say all good things come to an end.