Finally

Saturday December 22, 12:22 p.m.

Well, we finally got that snow. So we have a White December 22, but whether or not that can be extended to a White Xmas is debatable. And the stuff out there is more powdered sugar than a blanket. Weather Canada has officially said that the probabilities of getting a White Christmas in Toronto in the 21st-century is basically down to 33% compared to 66% back a few decades ago. So, may one-third of your Christmases be white.

 A few days ago, I got a nice little care package from my former students Shiho and Ayumi. They even themed it for the New Year's. Included in the package was a few packets of Maru-chan Seimen; I guess they meant it to be consumed on December 31st since the tradition is to eat toshikoshi soba or noodles of any sort as a way to link (figuratively through the noodles) the Old Year with the New Year. I remember one year back in Ichikawa when I stayed there for the Holidays and I made myself some of those toshikoshi noodles with a couple of huge shrimp tempura. Ended up stuffing myself to sleep during the Kohaku Utagassen.

It'll be a quiet day today....will just be blogging throughout the afternoon and then I've got Mr. Moriya's final lesson for the year tonight. Tomorrow will herald the official start of the Holiday social calendar as I meet up with some friends for possibly some dim sum downtown.