December 30, 2008
New York, NY

After a very long drive and more than one adventure I've finally arrived in Manhattan! Just succeeded in carrying my entire army of small red bags plus a motherload of musical gear up way too many flights of stairs. .I am so exhausted and I thoroughly surrender. There will be more tales to tell when I catch my breath and regain my brain.

Till then, dreamland is calling. Bonne nuit, x K 
 

I Surrender 

December 24, 2008
London, ON

Gentle Readers and Bestest Friends,

Bonsoir from swiftly-melting snowbound suburbia. I’m hiding away in my chamber at the Sweetland ranch, post family bonding and pre sugarplum fairy. Looking up from my nest on the white sheepskin rug I see a sky of glow-in-the-dark stars shining on walls I painted black in grade nine. I’ve spent a lifetime of Christmas Eves in this room, and somehow they all feel the same … How is it that the dark seems darker and the night more silent than on every other eve of the year? Nostalgia is a powerful magician and tonight I am his willing daughter. Against the wall, between the lamp and the Fender Deluxe Reverb is the shelf of ancient Sweetlandish manuscripts. Thirty-five journals and diaries (what I call “the archives”) have trapped my words and secrets in time and space for over twenty years. Every so often I do this thing I call “This Day in Time” where I go back and look though all my journals for entries on that day in any particular year. Tonight the ghost of Christmas past was calling my name and I knew I was going on a trip to sweet memoryland.

Twenty–three years ago on this day I was writing about chocolate, and Remington Steele. Ten years ago, a recipe for Pad Thai. Fourteen years, a note scrawled in a hotel room in the dark. Twelve years, lyrics to Richard Shindell’s song “Nora.” I have shivers just thinking of the melody as he sings of those angels “trumpeting in ecstasy!” Six years ago I wrote an epic tale after dreaming I was with Harry Potter on a class trip to an otherworld demon dimension. Somehow Mulder and Scully got involved and thank the goddess we all saved the world in the end! Five years ago I penned a hilarious letter to Santa and two years ago a workaholic list of things to do. And most importantly, seventeen years ago I wrote myself a whole page of wishes. #1 read: Never give up on your musical dreams. Keep writing songs! My ghost of Christmas past would be proud to know I never gave up. And most likely never will.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m expecting a visitor to drop down the chimney any minute. If it all goes well he’ll be tall, dark, handsome and carrying a chilled bottle of Veuve-Clicquot.

Thanks Santy … and Bless Us Every One.

Love,

K

December 19, 2008
Dalkeith, ON

Word up from Sweetlandish Siberia and the frozen glacial fields of Ontario farm heaven. It's a balmy minus 18 degrees Celsius (That's zero Fahrenheit my precious Americanos) BEFORE windchill, and dropping! Just in from a trip to town for supplies, hauled some wood and am now snuggling by the fire, waiting for the mother of all storms to hit tonight. Lyndell and I have perfected the recipe for hot toddies which I'm calling "Appley Snickets" in honour of the secret ingredient (cider!) and the omnipresence of true Lemony goodness. Try it at home, kittens:

Pour as much apple cider as you can dream of drinking in a big pot. Add pileloads of shredded and pressed ginger. Then, squeeze in the juice of one giant lemon ... or two. Bring to a boil then simmer gently for so long as you can stand not drinking it. When it's strong, strain out ginger then add the aqua vitae of your choice (whiskey is GOOD!) Drink and enjoy while it cures everything that's ever been wrong with you in your life.

And when you're done ... midnight snowshoe mission, anyone?

x
K

December 13, 2008
Montreal, QC

Ice princess of the North reporting for duty from bitterly frosty Montreal. I decided I needed a night on the town and came in from my warm toasty country lair for some roaming of the unforgiving streets. The recent major ice/snow storm here left roads more than a bit sketchy and driving -not to mention walking- is quite the adventure! Did some shopping then headed up to Le Cagibi for hot spicy apple cider toddies that cured me of all that's ever ailed me in my life. Next, I went to the Titanic artifact exhibition at the Eaton Centre. It was brilliant! So dramatic and magnificently presented ... worth the trip to Montreal just to see! Then it was time for The Day the Earth Stood Still on IMAX. No popcorn. Way fun.

Home, James. The dangling carrot of fireplace is calling my name.

Frozenbunnynoses,

x K

Tabula Rasa ... at Le Cagibi in Montreal (more photos)

December 9, 2008
Dalkeith, ON

Bonjour from the snow-covered countryside of Eastern Ontario. I've just come in from a tromp in the beastly storm for a fireside whiskey reward! The snow was up past my knees in parts of the path, and I kept falling over face down into pileloads of powder. There is photographic evidence! I can't believe I still have energy but I think it's time for my daily Coldplay airband flamenco dance performance ... wish u were here. x K

Le Petit Hiver

December 6, 2008
Farm Heaven

It's family weekend in farm heaven and all my ladies are here for a wee country vacay. I've been reading the Twilight series (like a good little girl) and have been joking that my gal pals are my "vampire family." Because of my usual need for photographic mayhem I declared it "family portrait night" in Dalkeith, Ontario. Made everyone get dressed up after dinner and glory ensued. Miss M called us "Mom, Dad, the Irish twins and the accident." But who's who? ... Ha ha, glad I am so thoroughly able to entertain myself in snowed-in farmhouse-land a million miles away ... kiss, K

P.S. we saw ponies!

The Whole Fam Damily