The trucker protest is getting a lot of TV news time down here. I'm waiting for someone to mention it to me so that I can point out a couple of things. First, our truckers blow their horns. Their protesters try to blow things up with pipe bombs (like they previously attemapted with the Vice-President and yesterday with her husband). Second, while we have had over 32,000 deaths from Covid, and that should translate to about 350,000 in the U.S., they have lost over 900,000 people to the virus. Half a million wasted lives. Maybe our Canadian mask rules, etc. have been effective. Maybe that's part of the reason that we live four years longer than they do. --------------------------------------- While we're talking about the differences in our two countries, we should mention credit cards. With hundreds of banks in play, access is mixed. Less than half of the businesses offer credit card tap. So far, on three or four occasions we have had to go back to the primitive practice of signing the credit slip. The major gas stations are almost up to date. Most don't allow tapping, but if you insert your card and enter a five digit zip code you can get gas. For Canadians, take the three digits from your postal code, e.g. for a postal code like L8G 5Y2, take the 852 and add 00 and voila! (that's a Canadian word for "holy cow") and you can pump gas and get a receipt. Except if you get your gas at a Circle K station. I'm convinced that they refuse to load the receipt paper into their pumps in the hopes that you will go into the store for your receipt and buy something. I always check my receipts against the credit card bill. I've uncovered about $2,000 in fraudulent billings so far - my card was copied in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and used for some high end electronics and McDonald meals, had a double billing from a motel in Santa Clara, California, and double billing of meals in Peterborough, Ontario. In Canada today the risks are limited due to tap and password. We can keep our cards in our possession. But here in the U.S. your card gets carried away. Be aware. Words of wisdom from an old Canadian traveller. --------------------------------------- A few days ago we went into the local Walgreens drug store because we had heard that they offered PCR tests, They do, but the young lady told us the results could take three to five days because they are sent out for processing. But we got the address of a drive in location in an Otlando suburb and that's where we headed today for Ewen's test. He's flying home on Friday.

Then, he and I went for a boat ride, while Mardi "tended to her knitting". That can be a pejorative colloquialism, but not in this case. It was cool and breezy and she shose to stay back and work on a toque for the homeless. Actually, she changed her mind and shopped. The boat ride was picturesque. Especially in the man made canals that join three lakes.

--------------------------------------- A better day. Except that the fix on my computer doesn't work any more, so the blog is being created on Mardi's right now. Stay warm and well.

Cool and Drizzly

A quiet day. But Mardi found a way for me to get back into my computer - small print only, but better than I had. Yesterday some of you didn't receive the blog. Had to do with a couple of food pictures I think. Also talked about our search for a test site for Ewen. Not all that interesting. And today isn't much better. Mardi went for a swim. Ewen and I are just vegging out. Stay well.

Reporting From Daytona Beach

 A long day, but no problems, other than my attitude (three hours of driving late in the day will do that to you).  We appear to have avoided the "weather bomb" that is on its way.  Good living I guess.

We're settled in a hotel on the beach at Daytona Beach.  The good news is that the air conditioning sounds like waves washing ashore.  Too late for pictures tonight.  Something to look forward to tomorrow.  

On the way, we stopped at a Georgia Welcome Centre.  Saw a couple of weird dudes.

OK, so now I've offended both of my travel companions.  Retribution is coming, no doubt.  Optimism or not!

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Interesting to observe the mask mandates as we travelled south.  New York and Pennsylvania were much like Ontario.  

But, at our hotel in West Virginia, the staff were not masked.  Nor were the guests that were registering ahead of us.  So, we ordered pizza delivered, to avoid further contacts.  Papa John's - very good!

In the Carolinas a few people were masked - I assume tourists.  Sales clerks were not masked, but were usually behind plastic shields.

The clerk at our hotel tonight had no mask, but she did have a plastic shield.  So, it's ordering in once again - Captain Pizza and Grill.  I had pizza, the other folks grill.

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David Bagshaw sent me the following link to a Spectator letter to the editor.  Good reading.  Thanks David.

http://thespec.pressreader.com/article/281771337579090

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Tomorrow we arrive "home" at Orange Lake.  

Stay warm and well.

Reporting From Princeton, West Virginia

 We had a good drive today.  Cold and blustery, but the snow was plowed from the roads and they were dry.  And the sun shone!

Mardi was obviously content with the quality of Ewen's driving.

My wings will be clipped when Mardi finds out that I've posted this picture to the blog!  Life was good while it lasted!  But I was past my "best before" date anyway😎.

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Did a shop at the Grove City Discount Mall.  Pants and shoes for me.  Sneakers for Mardi.

Otherwise just drove and filled the gas tank.

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Tomorrow - Florida!

Stay well.

On The Launching Pad

 Sadly, our Optimist Club has lost, at age 60, one of the best Presidents we have ever had.  Shelley D'Angelo was a non-stop community volunteer who somehow managed to keep our Club functioning at a high level despite the pandemic.  The Club and the community have lost someone special.  She will be missed.

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David and Sue invited us today for dinner and a birthday celebration for the twins.  Sarah-Jean attended virtually.

She even blew out the candles, with Ewen's help.

Their actual birthday is the 30th.  We'll have to do this again in Florida.

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Today seemed to last forever.  We are packed and impatiently waiting to get away. 

Stay warm and well.

A Waiting Game

Today is grandson Kyle's 31st birthday.  Haven't seen him for a few years - he went grandma's way when we split up.

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Last night we completed our travel insurance arrangements.  Total cost for the two of us is $5,810.30, which covers Covid and multiple 33 day trips and is a hell of a lot cheaper than Costco or CAA for similar coverage.  Got it through Medipac - thanks for the lead Wayne!

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Finally got the windshield chip repaired.  The main players were all booked up until February.  Found a little guy who did a good job.

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I'm going to wear my mask with Canadian flags on it, in the hope that it will start conversations where I can point out that we live four plus years longer than U.S. folks, and why.  

I hope that they aren't carrying guns which might spoil my longevity advantage!

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But, my arguments may fall on deaf ears.

It's more than a constant now.  It's pervasive!

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We're mostly packed.  Just a waiting game now.

Stay well.

Getting Ready

 Nice view this morning as the rising sun (behind us) lit up the western shore of the lake.

Afterwards, we saw six squirrels fighting over the nest in the top of the tree.  One protecting it and the other five challenging, but not winning.

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We took Mardi's plants to the greenhouse.  Sean has volunteered to look after them while we're away.

While we were there, I checked up on Monica's fern baskets.

Oops.  Wrong one.

These are better!  Trust me Monica!

They'll be blocking out the sun by the time they're ready to sell.

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They're redoing the trench under the door to the underground parking here and there will be no in/out access from 9 to 4 on Wednesday and again on Thursday.

So, we'll be parking above ground on Wednesday in case we need to do some last minute errands.  We'll pack the van Wednesday night and bring it back underground.  As long as we meet our plan to head out for Florida by 7 a.m. on Thursday we'll be OK - we'd better get up on time or we could be delayed by several hours.

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Just read that the most important sex organ is the brain.  At a certain age it's the only sex organ!

Smile, and stay well.