A DOG DAY AT THE BANK!

Don't go to a bank first thing in the morning, on the third remaining business day of the month. Just don't. Or if you do, be prepared for long lineups because seniors have received their pension cheques.

I didn't know that when I dropped into my bank. I had to go to make a large cash withdrawal. There were a dozen people ahead of me, eight more quickly lined up behind me, and four more waiting for seated service. I overheard one woman telling another how she'd only had time to throw on her clothes and wash her face, before catching her lift in. I could have told her she forgot something... her TEETH! I didn't say a word. :)  She looked kinda cute without them.

I thought " I am here for a while!" It went surprisingly fast though, so I was in a great mood as I skipped down the back steps of the bank, only to be brought up short by furious barking from inside the minivan on my left. It was already a very warm day, and through the tinted windows I could see a little Shitzu type dog throwing himself at the window.  I noticed right away that ALL the windows were closed tight. Not ONE was cracked open even an INCH.  A gentleman sitting in a car on my right, told me the owner hadn't been gone very long. I knew he could be gone a while though, since they were so busy in the bank. I checked the car doors. They weren't locked. I was scared to let the dog out however,  because he was so upset. My pet rescue last summer?  I took the dog out, because he was half dead. I put him on my dog's leash, and waited for the police to show up. Not an option this time though.

I am impulsive, or so I have been told! Not spontaneous, but impulsive. So I marched back into the branch , and announced loudly, in both our official languages, that there was a dog in a car with the windows closed tight. I'd say at least 15 pairs of eyes ALL turned and stared at me, customers AND staff.  No one said a word. No one came forward either. Coward! Then I stated just as loudly, "I am going to call the police." One woman at the wicket turned and said "Police Headquarters is right behind you." Oh yeah.... she was right. I had forgotten that fact.

As luck would have it, when I dashed back down the steps, I saw a young officer headed to his vehicle, from across the parking lot. I yelled and waved my arms. He was only 100 yards away and walked right over. I showed him the vehicle, and explained the situation.  He was talking into his shoulder walkie-talkie when the IRATE, and do I mean IRATE owner comes out of the bank, y-e-l-l-i-n-g at me that he had only been gone a few minutes. That's what they ALL say.

I replied rather testily that had the windows been cracked open, I would not have interfered.   I ask the officer if he concurs, that the windows needed to be left cracked open. He does concur. He is as cute as a button by the way! Oh to be twenty again...SIGH, SIGH.  Anyway, I thank him and hightail it out of there. Jiminy Cricket is parked around the corner, and as I leave, I see the owner being lectured to by the police officer. The owner may forget my face, but if he'd seen Jiminy Cricket, he would remember me for sure! No need to get him all riled up again now, is there, every time he sees a green Mazda?

ANOTHER ADVENTURE IS PEEKING AROUND THE CORNER!

That is a GOOD thing too, because things have become W-A-Y too quiet and routine around here! Mind you, it has been a wonderful, hot, sunny summer with lots of activities, visits and outings, but I haven't experienced any REAL adventures. Well, except when my RPIB (=rabid, politically incorrect brother) took me for a 4 km ride on his Harley, when I thought we were going around the crescent.  I still haven't recovered from that!

I am beginning to wax nostalgic, because last year at this time, I was hiking the 820 km of The Camino Francés, in northern Spain.  Looking back, I realize that THAT TREK, would become one of the TOP FIVE, CRITICAL, ORIGINAL AND PRIMARY EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE! I have had two children, so of course, they are Number 1, together. 

 

Would I hike The Camino again? In a heartbeat... in a heartbeat. I am a person who doesn't like to do anything twice, but I plan to return.  Although it won't be this year, I have found a hike to bring me back into "Peregrina" mode.

 

Wednesday I leave to hike the 41 km of the very challenging Fundy Footpath, along the jagged cliffs of our fabulous Bay of Fundy. The Footpath is listed on "The Great Canadian Adventure Bucket List".  It has also been listed as being one of the TOP BEST 50 Hikes in the world, by Explore Magazine. It cuts through ravines, and two tidal rivers, so it is not for the faint of heart, nor the inexperienced.

 

Mind you, I HAVE NOT yet hiked the Footpath.  These 41 km may be more taxing than the 820 km I did in Spain, though I don't see how.  I hiked almost 100 km in three days, 38 of them in one day, through the Meseta, in 35 degree Celsius heat. Surely, I

can hack 41 km of rough terrain, up and down 200 metres, in much cooler weather, over a four day period?  Can't I? I will be sleeping in a tent though.. and if it rains.... YEAH, that is going to be TOUGH!!!

 

Stay tuned to see if I make it.  I may be eating humble pie upon my return.  Many have attempted this hike, but not ALL have succeeded.  Some hikers had to be evacuated because of the rising tide.  They couldn't have been Maritimers. :)

 

 

 

 

http://www.canadianbucketlist.com/experiences/fundyfootpath/

 

http://www.fundytrailparkway.com/en/the_fundy_footpath/

 

 

 





 

 

Economical=frugal but does NOT EQUAL cheap!

I have been an a-v-i-d consumer. As a wife and mother, I did MORE than my share of contributing to the Canadian economy by shopping, shopping and shopping. No more so than during the eighties and nineties, when I was raising a family.

When I hit my fifties and my birds flew the nest, I started to consume less... and less...and less. I bought, but my mantra became "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle." I had always been a " frugalista", but I became even more frugal.  It wasn't hard.  It was a skill I already had, but that I started to perfect.

My priorities shifted. I wanted to spend my money on travel and adventure, so I decided I would buy nothing "NEW", if possible, if I could beg, borrow, mooch, or buy secondhand in a thrift shop or garage sale. As you know if you read my blog about the trapezoid table,  I am not above "curbside" pick-ups either. However, I DO draw the line at "dumpster diving".

Over the years I have laid my hands on some SWEET finds. A couple of recent ones, lead me to write this blog.

My one and only "sista" is a super shopper extraordinaire. Plus she has an eye for fashion and decor, as well as gardening. Did I mention she is also a foodie, and super techie?

Anyway, on a recent trip to our provincial capital, Lou had our "upscale" thrift shops all lined up. UPSCALE THEY WERE! What fun! Plus she was the personal shopper for both my mother and me. "NO, you do NOT use "I" in that sentence!" I ended up with 11 items at an average cost of $12 per item. MY REAL STEAL?  I found it on my own, by the way, after my personal shopper told me the ones I had first picked out were NOT a good buy. Velvet flats... oh so chic and exactly what I was looking for. Price? $24.00 The brand name caught my attention and prompted me to check out the name online.  I found them there.. starting at $498.00! Can you believe it? Remember that name ladies...  Stuart Weitzman.

 

 

A garage sale item yesterday, a "Le Sport Sac" to hold my yoga gear for the princely sum of .25 cents, yielded a $90.00 "on sale" price tag online. HAPPY DANCE!!!!

 

 

Of course, there are screw ups. Like the lovely tunic I bought to match my brown leggings and high boots, to wear this fall. At home I discovered I had bought a "maternity top!" Oh well... I never recognized the item as being maternity clothing. (Shrug) I obviously have to bone up on those labels. :)

Midlife can still be full of "FIRSTS"!

For the first time in my life, I went into the sand trap on three different holes, while golfing nine holes in an invitational tournament. ARRGH!

 

We have been having a heat wave here for the last month.  My back yard neighbour has a beautiful above ground pool.  Up until yesterday I had never seen a single, solitary soul swim in that pool.  Yesterday I saw my neighbour IN his pool. However, he was NOT swimming in it.   He was standing in his pool, waist high, P=A=I=N=T=I=N=G the fencing around it.

For the first time in my life,  I had an emergency vehicle parked in my yard, and it WAS NOT an emergency.

 

By the way, it is for sale. Anyone interested in turning this vehicle into a FOOD TRUCK? 

 

 

GROUNDHOG UPDATE

 

 

Revisiting my poor little sunflower plants that he nearly nibbled to death.

 Here is a picture of my sunflower plants TODAY - TALLER than me.

 

So my strategy of smoking the critter out ( figuratively speaking only, of course) WORKED!!!!  I know for a fact that the groundhog has moved on because my neighbour next door, Blair, informed me last night that a groundhog has dug himself a home under HIS shed.

OMG, I had a hard time keeping a straight face as I told him how the creature had been living under MY shed until recently. I laughed and laughed, and so did Blair actually, as I recounted how I gotten rid of my tenant by "dousing" his lair.

Blair might have to follow the same procedure that I did! It will be a heck of a lot easier for him though. SHEESH!  MEN get all the breaks.