Winter
Brrr…Here’s a look at winter out our front window. Normally, those are beautiful green elm trees, but right now they’re just sticks that hang on to the snow. (Sorry for the poor quality, but Trina has the camera, so the laptop will have to do.)

Hello. As you can see spring hasn’t exactly arrived in Regina yet. Since arriving back home 10 days ago, it’s snowed and snowed and snowed. And it’s been in the -20s most days with the windchill.

Not exactly a warm welcome home.

Having said that, minus the cold weather, everything else has been going well. My friends, families and colleagues have all been very understanding and empathetic toward my plight of adjusting back to winter, and a much more structured and predictable lifestyle.

I’m sure if I asked they would be willing to run me down in their car when I crossed the street, or even blatantly bud in front of me in line or blankly stare at me for minutes at a time with their tongue slightly sticking out of their mouth – these are the things that Canadian Prairie-folk do for one another.

Even the annoying, but well meaning people that keep asking me – “How was the trip?” are only just trying to be nice. (I have to admit though what I really want to say to these people is – “A trip? A trip? Really, you think going to Sri Lanka for two years to work in a psychiatric hospital is a trip? Unbelievable.”) Of course I don’t say this to them because I really know they have no frame of reference and are just trying to make conversation.

Only once has someone completely left me speechless, after saying, “Hi Shaun. Good to see you. I thought you’d come back with dreadlocks.” Huh? Did they think I was in Jamaica? I guess they both are hot and end in the letter ‘a’? I don’t know.

Anyway, I’ve also almost settled back into our condo, although I still can’t find everything. One thing I have found is that I’m only living in a very tiny space in the condo – basically in and around my bed – mostly because it’s warm. The kitchen, living room and dining room seem just like extra space that I don’t need. I guess I’m going to have to invite some people over soon to fill it up.

I also haven’t used the TV, microwave or oven yet, which I have obviously gotten used to not having.

I am enjoying having a car again though and running outside in the extremely fresh air through Wascana park is something I will never take for granted again. Even though it feels like I’m skating in sand, playing hockey again with my boys on the Kaisers has also been a highlight. (We really need to work on getting earlier ice times though – 10.30 p.m. start times on a weeknight are killers. I can survive the 1 game we have left in the season, but next year is going to be rough.)

While sometimes eery, the calm and quietness of the streets and at home is also a nice touch. I feel my clarity of thought and ability to concentrate is slowly coming back – even though my body is still completely out of sorts.

All in all, while it still feels weird and strange to be back – it is nice to be home. Having said that, I wish they could perfect time travel because it sure would be nice to be in Sri Lanka too. There’s no doubt I am torn these days and will be for some time to come.

Time to set and soak my dreadlocks. Later friends.

Shaun