Lang May Yer Lum Reek

Posted in: History, Travel | 4

December 31, 2022 – Planet Earth

You and I have travelled 940 million kilometers since this time last year; that’s one full orbit around the sun.  If you consider the earth’s orbit around the galactic centre of the universe, our year-long voyage exceeded 7 billion kilometers, at about 230 kilometers per second.

I hope you found joy every mile of the journey.

Bear and I are weary from all this high-speed traveling, so we are spending a quiet New Year’s Eve at the cabin.  We have a wood-burning stove, two fat lazy chairs, and some leftover eggnog; it should be a great evening.

It is difficult to comprehend that our cabin, with us in it, is traveling at a speed equivalent to the distance from Crimson Lake to Millarville in one second. 

Wood smoke is rising straight up from the chimney, as if we aren’t moving at all.

Which brings me to my next fable.  My Scottish ancestors celebrated on the last day of the year with an event they called Hogmanay.  They would drink a wee dram of whiskey, clap one another on the back, and shout; “Lang may yer lum reek”, which translates as, ‘May you live a long life’ and literally as …

… “Long may your chimney smoke”.


In addition to traveling around the sun once this year, Bear and I went to Charleston SC, Denmark, Sweden, and Tofino, BC.  We did a road trip through the American mid-west and took short jaunts throughout western Canada.  It was fun to have you along for the ride.

Since WellWaterBlog.ca launched in April, the site has attracted 1300 visitors (5600 views), which encourages me to keep posting.  Bear and I are traveling to Africa in February, the UK in July, and Who-Knows-Where-Else in 2023.  I will send you invitations to travel along with us as we embark on each journey. I hope you will join us again this year.

Until then, Happy New Year! …

Lang May Yer Lum Reek!



4 Responses

  1. Myra Hanson

    Happy New Year to you and Terri
    Love your yarns!!
    I will follow you in your travels
    All the best in 2023 and be safe,
    happy and healthy where ever you go
    Cheers
    Myra

    • Russ

      Thanks Myra. You must keep fact-checking to a minimum to get the most out of these stories, but most of them have at least a grain of truth. Enjoy the Mexican sun!

  2. Terry J

    What fun it’s been to read your research, memoirs and travel escapades. Your writing is entertaining and educational. I hope you and Bear have a fulfilling 2023; I look forward to reading all about it.

    As I listened to Nana Mouskouri, I recall my husband’s story about attending her concert many years ago here in Saskatoon. He was in the Catholic seminary but was still dating. (Forbidden apparently) When the seminary director found out he took a woman to the Nana Mouskouri concert, he was punted from the seminary. I’m glad. I met him in Uranium City and the rest is history.

    • Russ

      Thanks Terry, what a great story… You have Nana Mouskouri to thank for a lasting relationship.

      All the Very Best in 2023!

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