The Homecoming - A Christmas Story

Growing up in southern Oregon, and living in places like the Willamette Valley, Texas and Louisiana, and Washington’s San Juan Islands, there are very few white Christmases in my memory. It looks like I will be adding this one to the short list. We received 6 to 8-inches of new snow last night (see photo). But the snowy Christmas I remember best happened two years ago in British Columbia.

Does anyone remember the old TV program “The Waltons,” specifically the Christmas special, The Homecoming, where the family is waiting for father to come home on Christmas Eve, and there is a raging blizzard going on outside? Well I was reminded of that episode when Bob drove 70-miles into Terrace on Christmas Eve for holiday dinner components that he had ordered at Safeway… and almost didn’t make it back.

Shortly after he left the cabin, snow began to fall and continued with dense flurries all afternoon. Given the unpredictability of weather and road conditions, we always had an understanding that if things looked too bad, we would stay in Terrace rather than take any risk on the return trip, but without a telephone there was no way for Bob to let me know. Just as evening darkness approached and the heavy snow was making me apprehensive about Bob’s return, I saw the Jeep’s headlights coming down the driveway… a welcome sight. With arms full of bags and packages, Bob told me about his drive home. He had come through blizzard conditions, several times having to pull off the road when visibility was reduced to zero… the only car he had seen during the long two-hour drive home was the RCMP (Royal Mounties.) Bob’s biggest worry was that they were going to close the highway. Safely home, we opened presents, drank eggnog, ate cookies, and played a couple of games of Scrabble. All’s well that ends well. I can just hear the voices calling out, “Goodnight John Boy.”

... PLM