The irony of Canada Post announcing that it will be stopping urban delivery on the same week Amazon proposed private drone delivery was delicious.

But it also reminded me of how important the delivery of the Christmas box was growing up in Revelstoke. Our Montreal relatives would put everything into one big (I seem to recall it as huge) box which I’m sure rode the rails to get to us on time. It’s arrival was as good as Santa’s sack with beautifully wrapped presents spilling out, all our names on them, piled high under the tree creating exhilarating Christmas Eve expectations. I guess it will become another one of the “when I was a kid” stories I’ll tell my kids and grandkids – along with punch card main frame computer programming and week long production of cassette mix tapes.

All is well in Longhurst land. Mark is having to “get real” in Grade 10 as academic results now have implications for the Gr 11 & 12 choices, which will in turn affect his post-secondary options. Mackenzie is in her last year of elementary school and has been looking forward to highschool since the 2nd day back. My inability to follow the “new” math processes continues to frustrate everyone and makes it challenging for me to share all the short cuts and cheats I always thought were the coolest part of the process.

Both kids are still active in sports (Mark – hockey, soccer, baseball / Mackenzie – soccer, field hockey, gymnastics, cross country) and Mark enjoyed another summer working as an instructor at the West Van Soccer Club camps. Nina had to dial back her running as anything over 90 minutes results in alot of foot pain. Years of wear have caught up but she seems happy to get out just as often, if over shorter distances. I’m still enjoying hockey and when it isn’t pitch black (I’m talking to you December) – my daily morning circuit class.

We enjoyed a great spring break on the Big Island of Hawaii and another glorious week up at the cabin on Shuswap in the summer with Mom. Cousin Max joined us for the 3rd consecutive year and we enjoyed the wonderful company of Julie Walker as well.

Of perhaps greater interest, Nina spent two weeks in Honduras in October as a member of a Service Team helping at an orphanage in Tegucigalpa. The experience was profound and raised alot questions about how, what and where we can best contribute going forward.  

On the decadent side, after years of discussion we finally pulled the trigger and bought a place in Whistler in partnership with some good friends. We’re looking forward to alot more skiing this year and plenty of time up in the summer months too. If you have plans to be in Whistler please don’t hesitate to ask about using the place. It is a two bedroom townhouse in the Upper Village.

All the best to you and yours in 2014.

Grant, Nina, Mark, Mackenzie and the hounds