settling back in

We have been back for about three weeks and have settled in nicely back into "real life". Work is going well, still fun and full of challenges.
I have become accustomed to the climate again here. Actually, it has been quite pleasant considering it is November. Temperatures hovering around zero with occaisonal light snow. I even when for a run one day (that was lovely!).
I am, however, adjusting to the fact that it is almost Christmas! We missed Halloween and worked over Thanksgiving, so it really doesn't feel like it should be time for Christmas yet. That being said, I went out shopping yesturday and got a LOT of my Christmas shopping done!! It is amazing what you can accomplish when you have a plan!
Now, I am planning our next destination - San Diego. We are going there for a conference on Transesophageal echo. Luckily, we have a lot of staff people that month, and so have been granted an extra week after the conference. We are thinking of going to DisneyLand!! We have invited two of our friends to come with us. Gwynn isn't super stoked about going to DisneyLand, but I told him that if they could get the time off, I would be willing to go wherever. So we will see.
In the meantime, we are planning to go to Hornby for a bit after Christmas. We are going to go skiing at Mount Washington by Comox, then take our time coming home, maybe stopping in Calgary to do some shopping or do some skiing in Banff.
Let's see.... Since I finished I have been to Halifax, Montreal, Thailand, then off to Hornby and Banff, San Diego and possibly DisneyLand! Again, I marvel at how much Jurgen and I are enjoying our life now that I am done. We are debating on buying a house in the near future. And are thinking of where our next big trip will be.
Life is good as a "staff man". Life is good.