To drive the cold winter away

Even though I am not a church going girl, this is one of my favourite days of the year.    It is such a traditional day for for good food, good company and good cheer that it really does drive the cold winter away. 
As a single mother, necessity has always the frugal mother of invention .... and so visitors on this day have come to expect handmade hors d'oeuvres and canapes ... handcrafted chocolates and fudge ... and of course homemade eggnog:)
One of the joys of being a middle aged grandmother is that all my little holiday traditions have enough history to drive the holiday stress away.   What could be simpler or better or easier than a well choreographed routine one is already well practiced in, eh?
Unless of course one is, like The Mighty Quinn, experiencing one's first holiday season on the inside looking out.  Quinn must be wondering what the tree is doing in the house !   Clearly he is curious about the presents gathering under the tree.   
Does Quinn know that it is Christmastime?  Maybe not ... but he can clearly tell that there is good cheer in the air!   If it is good enough for the Foster Mum that he loves and trusts ... why then it is good enough for him!
Quinn's journey has touched the hearts of so many here in Nova Scotia and beyond.   We were horrified at his original condition when he was first rescued from his horrible old life.  We cheered for him along every bit of the way!   We have celebrated every successful new step!
Yet is even more than all of that!  Quinn's journey has been possible because of the collective kindness of the animal loving community.  The kind hearts who rescue, donate and help spread the word about No Kill.
To paraphrase Nathan Winograd, there is enough love in any community to create better outcomes for all the animals ... and Quinn has come to represent that in our hearts.
With so much love ... I know we will be able to find our way to No Kill Nova Scotia!
What time is it?   It is not time to break out the champagne ... but it is time to celebrate that!

PS ... this winter, "outside" is a place where Quinn goes to play ...wearing a comfy warm coat ... before coming back into the lovely warm house!

This time of the year is spent in good cheer,
And neighbours together do meet,
To sit by the fire, with friendly desire,
Each other in love to greet.
Old grudges forgot are put in the pot
All sorrows aside as they lay;
The old and the young doth carol this song
To drive the cold winter away
fr. the traditional English eighteenth century song, "In Praise of Christmas"

And that is how I see it on Saturday, December 24th ... the THIRTY - EIGHTH day since the dismissed shelter manager and the disbanded board created the renegade shelter