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7 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,D ecem ber 20,2018 theifp.ca The photographer captured the soaring beauty of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, showing the soaring 20-foot wrought-iron depiction of the second coming of Christ by Gastone Fantuz. Amica is currently building on the Maple Avenue site. The 1965 sculpture was transferred to the new Holy Cross on Argyll Road. Peter Jones/photo THE WAY WE WERE Christmas is one of those times of the year when we accumulate memories. We remember the good and the bad - the loss of a loved one, or, at the other end of the scale, moments of joy. Five years ago we were hit by that ice storm from hell. Memories of Decem- ber 2013 are deeply etched in my mind. Many have said Christ- mas 2013 was spoiled by the storm, as limbs and trees collapsed around us. Some folks left town to bunk with family, while others stayed home to tough it out. The Sidekick and I had no options. At the time, we had a barn full of sheep, so we had to stay close by to watch over our flock. Like countless others, we endured seven days with no power. To maintain the needs of the barn and two houses, I ran our tractor driven generator at the barn to water the sheep, then moved it to the farm- house to run the furnace and water pump for a cou- ple hours, then over to the second house to do the same. To add to the problem, the tractor couldn't be shut off for any extended length of time. Being a diesel, if it got too cold, there was no- where to plug in the block heater. The Sidekick and I estab- lished a routine to keep things running, living in the living room, with the fireplace lit for some warmth. The tractor was fuelled daily, to the tune of about $60 a day. When Dec. 24 rolled around, we decided the Brown family Christmas would have to be cancelled or moved to another loca- tion. Due to the power outage and ice, the Christmas Eve service at Limehouse Pres- byterian Church was can- celled. My second daughter had power, so we dropped by for her annual Christ- mas Eve reception, then we attended the Christmas Eve service at Knox in George- town. Driving home through that dark silent night of the rural areas, I thought of how peaceful it had be- come. No traffic, no sounds, nothing to shatter that sol- itude. Peace on Earth - it was almost comforting. We stoked up the fire in the living room, and I went outside to start the genera- tor to run the furnace and warm the house a bit. Unknown to The Side- kick, I had wired the Christ- mas tree into the furnace circuit. As I flipped on the power, the living room was bathed in the warmth of the Christmas tree lights. I entered the house, and found her standing there with tears running down her face. "Thank you," she said. "It's Christmas," I said, "We're entitled to be a little bit frivolous. I'm gonna run the tractor and generator so we have heat all night." Before the early light of Christmas morning crept into the room, I lay there on the sofa, pondering Christ- mas. It was 6 a.m. Suddenly the tractor outside started to sputter and cough. In seconds we were bathed in dark silence - no fuel. Cursing it, I grabbed a fuel can, knowing full well I had to bleed the fuel lines. A diesel won't run with air in the lines. Braving -16 C tempera- ture, with The Sidekick holding a flashlight, I pumped that little primer with my bare hands. It wasn't a typical Christ- mas morning. But days later, as others complained how their Christmas was "ruined," I had to disagree. Christmas 2013 wasn't anything like previous Christmases. It was stripped bare to the basics. But in doing so, it made us realize how precious Christmas really is. This year, take a mo- ment to reflect upon those less than perfect Christ- mases, for just a moment. Then immerse yourself in the glory and warmth of the season around you. Wishing a merry Christ- mas to all, and all the best in the coming year. Ted Brown is a freelance journalist for IFP. He can be reached at tedbit@hot- mail.com. 5 YEARS AGO? SEEMS LIKE A DECADE OPINION ICE STORM MADE CHRISTMAS 2013 SPECIAL, WRITES TED BROWN TED BROWN Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 Wehandleall insurance work. We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 11 Mountainview Rd., N. Georgetown, ON L7G 4T3 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 28 times • Visit our showroom