Dec 15/16 - a winter wonderland

Here's the thing.  When you're inside by a warm fire, it's a winter wonderland outside.  If you're driving in it, not so much.

Yesterday we were driving in it much of the day as we tripped to and from Barrie, visiting MEC to buy a variety of equipment for our Kili hike.  We didn't exactly buy the store out, but we did spend a lot of money.  The service wasn't impressive.  Lots of staff but obviously not on commission because the fellow that was helping us dumped us for someone else.  Let's see ... two people climbing a mountain with a list of stuff to purchase -- would have been a gold mine for someone on commission. 

From there we went to Stef's, let the pups play for a bit and then headed to Costco.  Stef wandered around the store, called my cell when she was ready.  About the same time we were close to the cash so it worked out well.  We spent more in Costco than MEC, but that's partly because it included Stef's purchases and our annual renewal. 

We dropped Stef off and then dealt with my missing Costco card.  I'd realized on the way back to Stef's that it hadn't been returned to me.  I decided that instead of trying to get them to mail it to me, we'd simply head back.  Besides, Sandy wasn't able to get anyone on the phone.

So the normal 2.5 hour trip back and forth was more like 4 hours back and forth.  We had left here just after 8am and got back just before 8pm.  Busy, busy everywhere.  Barre was as busy as usual. It would drive me crazy living there.  Costco was a zoo. 

So that was Friday.  On the way to Barrie I had done some catching up, talking to Ched Miller, Pat Martin and Jim Matthews.  Jim had gone back into the hospital and had a re-do of his operation. Ched filled me in on his health issues.  Pat, on the other hand, talked about snow plowing -- the price to MTO has gone up and they are absorbing the difference this season but we'd better be careful budgeting for next.

On Thursday, I spend a huge chunk of time on the phone, all RUSA business, as we organized the Board for the new year. That has just about been squared away.  There are a couple of outstanding conversations but we're on the downward slope.

I haven't spent this much time on the phone over a two day period since I was gainfully employed. 

Today will be more about snow; clearing it. We had gotten the better part of 6" yesterday and it's coming down again.  It may be light and fluffy, but there's a lot of it.  I expect that we will have gotten 12" by the end of today. There were no driving issues on 522 or Osprey.  I expect that we'll get plowed tomorrow a.m. after this event has finished -- but there has been traffic on Osprey so it's nicely packed.

Onward !