Dear Friends

It is snowing outside, big wet flakes that stick to the tree branches. The potholes in the pavement, the sere remains of gardens, the imperfections of the world are rapidly being covered in white. 

This  lovely camouflage is one of the attractions of snow, of course.  Far easier to think of fresh starts when things look so untouched.  As we approach  a new year with its unbroken promises, its undashed hopes, I suppose we should take courage from the new beginnings that 2013 offers us.

But 2012 was a year when many unseen things bubbled to the surface.  Here in Montreal, we've been treated to a fall full of revelations about corruption in the construction industry and among government officials who at the best condoned it, and at the worst encouraged it.  Very discouraging for anyone who would like to think that working for the common good through government is worthwhile, and even effective.

And then there have been a whole litany of difficult political situations around the world.  Are the problems in Syria and Egypt likely to be solved in 2013?    Will the US finally adopt regulations that will do something about gun violence?  Will Stephen Harper see the Light?

Hardly likely, I admit, and yet when I look out at the "moon on the breast of the new fallen snow," as Clement Clarke Moore would have it, I can't help but be seduced into hoping that the clean surface before me will fulfill it's promise of  better times.  That, at least, is what I wish for all of you.

When it comes to us, a year with the good things of 2012 wouldn't be a bad thing to wish for either.  Lee and I hit 70 this fall without suffering a scratch.  He continues to spend much of his time in the basement, building lovely furniture.  The major project is a chest of drawers/changing table for Thomas, Sophie and Lukas's little boy who was born September 9.   (That's him at something less than 24 hours, looking for all the world as if he were breakdancing.) Lee is just about ready to start the finishing, but given the various activities of the next week or so, starting applying shellac will have to wait until the festivities are over.

Lukas, who's working on his Ph.D thesis, taught his first university level class this fall at the Université de Québec at Trois-Rivières. He and Sophie, who is on maternity leave from teaching elementary school, will be here for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, along with Thomas.  At three months, the little guy is smiling and wiggling around with all the energy hinted at in his first hours.

His cousin Jeanne, who will be here too with her parents Elin and Emmanuel, thinks he's great, although at Canadian Thanksgiving in early October when Thomas was not quite a month old, she was very disappointed at how "boring" he was.  Her appreciation of him has grown as he responds more and more to her hugs and kisses, and I'm sure that in years to come, they will be a real dynamic duo.

Jeanne spent five days with us in November when Elin was tour in the West and Emmanuel was giving workshops on  French Canadian history out of town.  At two and a bit, she held up very well, although she was very, very glad when she was back in her own house with her very own Maman and Papa.  She has been in day care since late August, and loves it.  The centre is one of the publicly subsidized, $7 a  day ones that make Quebec a very good place to raise children. 

As for me, besides spending Tuesdays helping out with Thomas and Saturdays playing with Jeanne when Elin teaches viola da gamba here, I've been writing and politicking.  In June I finished a first draft of the short story collection I got a grant to work on last year.  Now I'm going back to refine what I wrote then, and since I didn't run for the presidency of the local NDP riding association (our MP Thomas Mulcair is now leader of the Official Opposition in Ottawa, by the way) I hope do more on a non-fiction project which is still a little nebulous.

So now the snow has stopped, and before it begins again, I suppose I ought to go out and do some more to prepare for the holidays.  Hope you have lovely ones too.

Best wishes, bizous, beijinhos

Mary