Last Huff of Winter

Being on the Wet Coast of British Columbia we seldom get snow. Perhaps once in a 5 or 7 year cycle it would be bad with most years receiving none. By bad we mean a snowfall may remain on the ground for a few weeks. Mostly it goes away in a day or so


(This place is known across North America for their . . .)

with temperatures hovering just above and below freezing which means frost every morning and melted before noon. Not good conditions for riding my 'Strom when I leave for work around 7am

I think I am more suited for the warmer temperatures of NZ or KW but for now I must tend to my chores which were to shovel the snow from my walkway



my walkway is fairly long and wide so I had to rest a few times and try not to aggravate my back . One thing about getting old is to take things a bit easier and lift less weight so I shovelled with less gusto and made sure my snow shovel had less snow as I tossed it over to the side.



I finally make it to my curb and find that our road is covered with snow with an ice layer below, which makes it very slippery



I've noticed something else about the aging process, food input and lack of exercise. I find that it is exceedingly difficult to lose weight. I try to eat in moderation and choose healthy food groups but still I could stand to lose a few pounds. I don't know how Jackie does it but he has a system and has shed many pounds.



On Saturday mornings I meet the guys for an early breakfast. I try not to have anything until dinner which is normally around 7pm but that is a long period without nourishment so I have my usual snack in the early afternoon, not a meal but something to "tide me over" .

This particular day found me in a line up at a fast food restaurant. I was going to order my usual value menu double cheese burger, or chicken wrap, or both depending upon my mood and how much change I had in my pocket. There were two elderly ladies in front of me sort of in line but with a big gap to the customer in front. They appeared affluent but were struggling to figure out what they wanted to order. It was as if they had never been in a Golden Arches Cabaret before. They motioned me to go ahead of them, which I promptly did comply.

I turned around and asked what they wanted. They were unsure. They were struggling to make sense of why they had stopped here in the first place. I decided to treat them to a beverage and a snack and they seemed very appreciative. They couldn't believe that a stranger would pick up the tab. They ordered two coffees and two banana pies. I paid for my meal and theirs and wished them a good day, and left.

Later, I got to thinking about this scenario . I have been doing a lot of thinking how my life would change when I retired. I would be watching every penny and account for all my purchases, no different from these two ladies who were obviously struggling to make sense of this frivilous purchase, but it gave me a good feeling to be able to help them today.

Here's my BlueKat inspired Self-Portrait: