Distractions, reflections

Our family has a pattern — not yet a tradition — of skiing at Blue Mountain on December 24.  On the day before Christmas, the slopes are relatively quiet … and the people working the lodge and lifts aren’t yet stressed out by the holiday crowds that will arrive in the following days.  We haven’t been consistent on this event, because it’s only worth going if snow conditions are good, and pre-Christmas weather is variable.  In 2008, conditions were favorable,and we were on the road as the sun rose.  Since we ski irregularly, we rent equipment at the lodge for the day.  We’re not very practiced in getting dressed in the gear.

As oldsters, Diana and I prefer the tradition of Alpine skiing.  Adam and Noah have been on snowboards in prior years.  Ryan decided to stick with skis, and followed his parents for the first few runs.

Taking the ski lift up is more straightforward for skiiers than snowboarders, who have to release the binding for one foot.  After riding the lift to the top of the hill, Adam and Noah demonstrated the procedure of reattaching snowboard bindings while seated.

Unlike prior trips sunny enough for sunglasses, this day was overcast and cold both in the morning and afternoon.  From a north facing ridge, the clouds were low on the views of Georgian Bay and Collingwood. Read the rest of this entry →

Since we’re in a three-storey house (plus basement), the upper floors are too warm and the basement in too cool in the summer. Since I’ve added another PC in our bedroom — as a Mythbuntu personal video recorder — it makes the room even warmer. We have a ceiling fan above the third floor landing. Since we were going to install a fan into the master bedroom, we decided to install in all three bedrooms. We asked Don to teach Adam how to do it.

Don came over with the family. I don’t advocate video games — the boys have funded their own recreation — but it was something for Ryan to do with Anderson and Michaela.

Of course, we wouldn’t let everyone go home without have dinner. Read the rest of this entry →

While the Lowkong society visit to the cemetery monument draws a large group that needs to plan for rain or shine, our more immediate family would schedule in pouring rain. On this Sunday, the weather turned out to be wonderful.

We set the time, and people gradually showed up. Waiting provided a good time to catch up on news with cousins and uncles.

Active social lives means that at least someone will be tired from a late Saturday night.

The cemetery is well-kept, presenting an opportunity to enjoy sitting on the grass. Read the rest of this entry →

Every spring, the LowKong society schedules a day to visit the cemetery, to pay respect to our ancestors. The meeting at Pine Hills Cemetery was set, for either rain or shine. On this day, everyone was huddled under umbrellas in the rain.

After a few speeches, the roasted meats, baked goods and fresh fruit was served as a picnic lunch.

It’s a tradition to have at least a little snack to honour ancestors. It’s not quite so relaxed when everyone is under umbrellas.

We went home for a few hours, and then for the regular evening banquet. Dinner, in the usual restaurant, was more predictable. Read the rest of this entry →

The LowKong society had a good turnout for the spring festival dinner. The table for our immediate family was full, so Diana and I sat at the next table and met some cousins farther removed in the Ing clan. In a change of format from prior events, speeches were given both in Toisan dialect of Cantonese and in English for the first time. The number of attendees not fluent in Cantonese over 50 years old — including myself — is now so significant that the society has needs to change. The elders of the society came to the stage for a toast.

Karaoke is now a regular part of the dinners. An older couple makes regular appearances to sing Chinese opera . This time, Adam stepped up and looked through the catalog to find a tune that he knew. He then proceeded to sing a pop song in Mandarin. This is an irony, because the elders of the society would never have studied Mandarin in school as they were growing up.

We know that we have a large family when everyone shows up, and we take more than one table of ten. Read the rest of this entry →

It’s now becoming a tradition for us to go to Rosaline and Tom’s house for Chinese New Year. When we arrive, we always find Rosaline in the kitchen cooking.

Since she always has the dinner well under control, we have time to socialize. Ariel is comfortable with her grandfather Tom.

Read the rest of this entry →