We left Ottawa on Tuesday morning. The weather was okay when we left but it started snowing about an hour into the trip. We were trying to make good time to go have lunch with Johnny and Karen and then make it home by Wednesday evening. I guess we were a little too cocky after being fine on the trip to Detroit and the trip up. Jay was driving. We hit some bad snow. GiaGia and Pappou were leaving for NYC that morning as well, so we called them and told them to stay in Ottawa an extra day, wait out the storm. They did not listen, and neither did we. We should have stopped ourselves.

We were in Kingston, Ontario when it happened. We hit a “white out”–visibility was minimal, snow was everywhere. Jay saw brake lights ahead of him and tapped on the brakes. It was 8 am. We were on a solid sheet of ice and that slight tap was all it took. We swerved and lost control. All of a sudden we were facing the wrong direction on the interstate and fast approaching a retaining wall. I saw it coming at my side and just watched it the whole way. I kept thinking…please don’t let this hurt. We hit the wall. Air bags deployed. I realized I was ok. We kept moving. We spun around, facing the right way now. Jay got control of the car. We looked at each other, I said, “I am ok, are you ok?” He said, “I am ok, are you ok?” We were both fine. Thank God.

Against my better judgement, thankfully he did not listen to me, Jay kept driving the car. He pulled to the side after the guard rail ended. As soon as we had the car stopped, an 18 wheeler came behind us going about 60 mph. If Jay had not been so swift on his feet, that truck would have crashed into us.

We were close to the exit, so we pulled off, went to a service station that directed us to Bridgestone in town. They checked the car, said it was driveable, taped up the air bags, and did a balance and alignment. We were on our way in 4 hours. Shaken but not stirred. We ended up not being able to see Johnny and Karen, so that was a major disappointment as well. We are very lucky to be ok though and now have another reason to go visit again soon (or have them come visit us-hint, hint!)

We later learned that we avoided a 40 car pile up by 5 km (about 3 miles). Ever think someone is watching out for you?

PS-We got the car back last week and it is better than ever. We had paid it off in 2005, so Murphy would have had a good chuckle if it got totalled! Luckily, we hit the wall at just the right spot that there was no real damage, the air bags were the biggest chunk of change.

Jay and I arrived for the last weekend of Winterlude 2006 on a 7.8 km canal. It was freezing…minus 30 degrees Celsius…good thing we had Beaver Tails, hot chocolate, and hand warmers! It was so cold, I wrapped a scarf around my nose and mouth but had to stop every few minutes to wipe the condensation from my sunglasses so that I could see. We skated up and down the Canal and stopped at Rideau Center’s Elephant and Castle on one side for some Stella Artois and at Dow’s Lake for some Baileys and Coffee to warm up. There were ice sculptures and even an Ice Cafe along the way. The ice was a little rough in spots but so much fun. Saturday and Sunday were busy on the canal but Monday was pretty quiet and we got a chance to try out our new skates. All that skating definitely gave us the bug, when we got home we started skating lessons at Southern Ice Arena.

It had been since the wedding since I had seen most of my family from Ottawa, and since we are approaching the 3 year mark, I was definitely missing them. Plus, quite a bit had happened…Steve and Julie welcomed Dimitri LaVictoire Halikas into the world in 2004, Aunt Sue fell earlier this year, and Jay had never met my cousin, John, and his wife, Karen. It had also been since summer since we had seen GiaGia and Pappou. A trip was definitely overdue!

GiaGia and Pappou had gone up to Ottawa when Aunt Sue came home from physical therapy, so they were still there when we arrived. Being the good Greek family that we are, Gia of course asked what we wanted to eat during our visit. I made the mistake of telling her that the Oral Surgeon treating me for my TMJ had put me on a soft diet for 2 months. I thought Jay was about to turn into a rice ball by the time we left–we had every variation of rice and soup you could have over the course of 2 days before she finally let up and made some food he had to actually chew.

Prior to our trip and, for a matter of fact, our entire married lives, I kept stressing to Jay that he “had no idea what winter was really like-if he did, he clearly would not like it so much.” Well, I finally have proof that God is a man. The entire trip, with maybe the exception of 2 days, was balmy by Canadian standards. Snow, except when we got to Ottawa, where it was less than expected, was almost non-existent. There was no blizzard (except if you went to Dairy Queen) and there was no monstrous exhertion to exist. And Jay loved the snow we did have–kept saying, I could live here! After being with family so much, I must admit, it was pretty wonderful and fairly tempting-until Steve told us about the taxes. Yikes!

Aunt Sue was doing great and she looked great, too. Steve had helped fit the house a few years back with all of the things to help make getting around easier. The hobbit house (you should see Jay in the basement, he has to bend down to walk through the hall!) did seem a little smaller with all the enhancements, but it is definitely making things much easier for her to get around.

Kathy next door has been a huge help in Aunt Sue’s recovery as well. Jay and I got to spend an afternoon with her in the Byward market right before we left and get caught up on all the latest. What a hoot! Maren sounds like she is doing FABULOUS in Rochester and we are sorry we did not get to see her this visit…next time though!

One of our last nights, we went to a fantastic Greek dinner. Then we were off and headed home the next morning.