Christmas Letter 2008

December 2008

Dear Friend/Family Member/Facebook Acquaintance,

I am delighted to be wishing you and your husband/wife/kid/kids/cat/dog/other a Happy Hannukah/Merry Christmas/Joyous Economic Downturn! It’s been an exciting couple of months – hard to believe that Jack Layton/Gilles Duceppe/Stéphane Dion almost took down the government.

I’ve included my 2007 letter as well in case you want to spend your entire holiday reading about my life! I apologize that I didn’t send out Christmas cards last year, unfortunately I was trying to save the environment/couldn’t figure out how to use the printer/the dog ate my address book.

Well, okay I didn’t have a dog last year but I do now! Her name is Georgia O’Beeffe, named after the artist formerly known as Georgia O’Keeffe. She’s an orange coloured mix of Australian Cattle Dog/Finish Spitz/Sheba Inu/all of the above. I’m having a great time with her but I really wish that she would stop eating the Christmas tree ornaments/white chenille couch/black leather shoes/all of the above.

Unfortunately she was a bit of a replacement pet after finally saying goodbye to my old kitty Gustav last Spring. Still happy to have Simba though who has been renamed Spare Cat/Putin (for his attitude towards Georgia)/cat-who-lives-downstairs-with-the-neighbours-now-as-he’s-upset-that-I-got-a-dog.

The animals are not the only ones keep me busy as David and I have been keeping actively jogging/meeting Robin Williams/weekending in Paris/planning New Year’s in Whistler. David’s had a heck of a Fall though getting a few bits (not those bits!) surgically removed, causing him to taking some time off work/spend more time sleeping/learn to ring the little bell when he’s ready for his dinner. All involved are hoping he will be feeling better soon! We are planning to spend a lot of time this summer in Spain on a bike riding/Paella eating/wine trip.

Of the places I traveled this year, the one with the most wine was the Okanagan’s Naramata Bench and the least amount of wine was found in New York/Muscat/Dubai/Doha. They all tied for heat and sand. This year I am most looking forward to completing the Penticton Ironman in August/taking piano lessons again/starting my term on the Board of the Arts Club. I am also hoping to spend more time relaxing (ha)!

I am still working at the Fraser Institute and am happy to have evolved into a new role – launching and hosting our new Fraser TV series on YouTube. I’m still hosting our Behind the Spin current affairs events series downtown – my favourite guest this year was David Frum/Ralph Klein/former VPD Chief Jamie Graham/Chief Justice Don Brenner. I will welcome former Australian PM John Howard here in February (he’s heard that there might be a job opening in Canada).

I hope that this note finds you well, and I really hope to see you soon for a coffee/run/snowshoe/bike ride/gossip session/dinner at your house/pedicure/long winter’s nap!

Much love,

Leah/Fluffy/Boo Boo Bear