Climbing out of the car into the brisk cold of the evening air served as a crisp reminder that it has been an unusually snowy and cold winter.

As a result of the snow and cold the extreme weather protocols for the opening of extra beds for the homeless have been in effect most nights since the beginning of December.

The consequence for the local churches that signed on to provide extra beds in December (Grace Church), January (Seven Oaks Alliance) and February (Emmanuel Mennonite Church) was the need to be open most of the nights in the month they were covering. These churches have also stepped in to provide beds for our continued unseasonable weather this March.

Thank you, it was and is much appreciated.

A Thank You needs also be extended to Faith Bible Church and all the volunteers who stepped in to provide a sheltered place for the Thursday night barbeque to be held. Shiver. A very warm Thank You.

Again Thank you, it was and is much appreciated.

Then there is Pastor Andy Kwak and his magnificent Sunday Brunch together with the usual suspects: the folks of the Calvin Tuesday dinner, the FVCC with music and a meal on Friday night, the good people of the Sunday blue bus and the ever popular pancake breakfast at the APA.

Thank You all.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Canada great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:
-This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.
-It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting.
-It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

A quick note of THANKS to the kind people who collected then delivered candles to me over the past few days.

They were very much appreciated by the homeless seeking candles on a blustery Monday. This weather driven run on candles seriously reduced the level of candles on hand and has me seeking additionally supplies (hint, hint).

For those who are weathering out artic temperatures in their camps the candles can well be life savers.

Thank You all.