Where The Skies Are So Blue

I have to admit that the majority of my days in Manitoba this time it was cloudy and snowing but starting on Christmas Eve it was clear and cold, just like I remember many Christmases on the prairies. Although I may never live in Manitoba again there are a few things that made this trip great.

Rye Bread. The first time I ordered a sandwich in Ottawa on rye bread it came with some sort of bread that was made in a bread pan and no caraway seeds. In my mind that is not rye bread. It should be a free form loaf and be loaded with caraway seeds. I know they get stuck in your teeth but that's some of the fun. I ate a lot of rye bread while I was back in Manitoba.

Perogies Made By Babbas. I can get perogies in Ottawa but I can't seem to find good ones. I managed to eat some perogies made in Dauphin, Manitoba. There are none better. You wouldn't think mashed potato wrapped in dough could taste so good but it does.

Snow Crunch. There is an old Christmas song that tells us to hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene. It rarely gets cold enough in Ottawa for snow to crunch but in Manitoba it is a daily occurrence. I don't want it every day of the winter, but I sure liked it when it did.

Wide Open Space. I don't feel claustrophobic in Ottawa but you can't see for miles on a clear cold winter day. As I rode from Winnipeg to Brandon and back to Winnipeg, I was reminded of how big the west really is.

The Oak. There are several bars in Winnipeg that have changed the names on their signs several times since I started university. That being said, the name everyone uses never changes. One of those places is The Oak. It's in the Transcona Inn. I think the owners may have changed the name back because I heard it called The Oak on the radio, on different stations. Some things never change.

My Friends. I never seem to be able to fit everyone in to a visit but I got to see most of them. I laughed and laughed. I had a couple of serious conversations. I drank beer with them. I told jokes. I hung out with their kids. I started stories with 'remember when...' I have great friends who welcomed me into their homes, picked me up from the airport, drove me to my parents, loaned my their car, fed me, did my laundry, made a birthday cake for me, and generally made me feel important. I am so lucky to have such great people choose to be part of my life.

My Family. I spent a lot of time with my family this time around. I think we can agree that I am a bit different than the rest of my family. Not in a good way or a bad way, just different. They are so small town. They live in a small city and approach life in a small town way. I live in the middle of a city and live that way. That being said, when I'm there I feel like I never left. It feels like it did when I was growing up. I don't have to prove myself. I don't have to justify my position, I don't have to play a part. I just have to be me. It's a great feeling.

It was a great trip back to Manitoba. The worst parts were not bad and the best parts were amazing. It's not where I want to live but I will always have important people there so I will always go back to sweet home Manitoba, where the skies are so blue.