happy holidays cyber-siblings i tap at you from the heights of almonte, ontario, canada soon [as of jan 1st] to be known as mississippi mills. ontario, canada [i'll bet you suthern americans had no idea the great mississipp wandered this way] my transatlantic move has [finally] taken place apparently satisfactorily five suitcases and four cat carriers landed at the ottawa airport with some trauma but no permanent damage the balance of my 'stuff' accumulated during 16 years in bermuda has survived the sea voyage to montreal and is wending its containerized way to me now, even as i tap i'm waiting for culture shock to set in but haven't seen any hint of it yet [but i am looking at the land of my birth and first 36 years of life with fresh eyes] this northern landscape is beautiful in its own way the view from my window is no longer a pastel vision a monochromatic grey/white/black line drawing which has its own unique appeal i've been busy getting re-aquainted with my sister and her daughter [i have only seen my niece a few times during the past ten years] we've been having fun, putting up christmas lights running errands, cooking some good meals, getting generally goofy, in essence, absorbing 'family' in an in-your-face three-dee manner which up to now has been quite limited to this [now ex-] hermit during the past two years, 'you lot' have been my main source of 'family atmosphere' and now i find myself telling stories about you to this 'new' family [i hope your collective ears have been burning!] even though we haven't met in three-dee you are all just as real as could be to me and now i get to share the laughter and the tears from 'the list' with another 'layer' of dear family members it adds a sweetness and depth that i didn't expect i haven't written up to now since whatever 'routine' i had has gone out the window into the snow and i have also been struggling with learning aol's quirks [!] using my sister's compaq i feel like the other half of my brain is in that container packed in a box labelled 'computer' is that a bad sign? of computer/internet addiction? or simply a sign of these amazing times? my best wishes to all of you and yours from all of me and mine janet