Home sweet home after spending holiday season in Ottawa

We recently returned from spending Christmas and New Year's at our daughter's home in Ottawa.

It was basically a green Christmas there too with one day of freezing rain which turned to light snow. Our drive up and back were terrific with only a few snow flurries in Quebec. One thing about travelling through Quebec in December: there is no road construction.

We had a wonderful time in Ottawa and experienced the most fantastic light show I have ever seen. Wesley Clover Parks Campground erects an unbelievable light show with displays ranging from a wonderful nativity scene complete with a hovering angel overhead to a full size front end loader – 12 Days of Christmas were there as were Disney characters.

The light festival is now in its fourth year with proceeds going to the Children's Hospitals of Eastern Ontario. The display takes place over two km and everyone stays in their car and no stopping is allowed. A large limousine was ahead of us in the ‘parade’ - an economical way to go! Admission price was $25 per car but it was all going to a great cause.

It was a great opportunity to take pictures and you can Google the park and see videos of the display. There were 1.4 million lights in the display, according to information received from the woman at the exit gate. Can you imagine the work to put up these lights? It appears they were on metal frames. We didn't see any burned out ones!

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I understand the Christmas Eve service at Malagash United Church was great.

Kudos to Jannie Berkelaar for making it happen. She reached out to Ottawa and imported her daughter, Julie, and son-in-law, Frederick to sing in the choir along with Nancy Purdy right here in Malagash. Nancy and Jannie also joined in a piano/organ duet which was very well received from the attendance.

The choir music was really good according to my sources. Russ and I attended Christmas Eve services at St. Peter and St. Paul's church in Ottawa and I must admit my thoughts wandered home here to Malagash at times. However, it was so fantastic to be able to sit with our daughter, Karen, and our grandchildren. Our son-in-law Brent is rector at this church so he was participating. A beautiful candle lighting took place and all joined in the singing of O Holy Night.

Christmas Day saw us all back at the church where they hold a Christmas dinner for anyone who would like to come and there are two sittings. Volunteers, which included Russ and I, had a table and we served those who sat there.

After serving them, we filled our plates and joined them. It was a true full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. The invitation is extended to all – the homeless, the lonely, families. Music is provided throughout the dinner by volunteers and it was really good.

After the meal we went back to Karen's house to relax and opened a multitude of gifts. Karen and Brent had a full house, which included for the first time their daughter-in-law, Nicoli. It is wonderful to see her family increase.

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As of press time, TV news coverage is full of the horrible plane crash which just took place in which 63 Canadians died and our thoughts and prayers go out to all relatives and friends of these people.

It's sad to hear some Nova Scotians were involved. Young lives snuffed out. It makes us realize that life is very fragile. No one knows what the future holds.

I have a reading entitled "If I Knew" and the last verse goes like this: " Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike. And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight. So I would give you a hug, a kiss and call you back for one more and say how much I love you and hope you never forget."

Have a good week and enjoy the snow, but more importantly, stay safe.

Marian Durling writes for the Malagash area for the Amherst News.