Last Sunday, coffee was made as it is this morning. The one difference being that then it was poured into our thermoses; we were now ready to roll.

6:58 Sunday morning, a short two beeps of the horn and we left Northern Comfort in the rear view mirror – for a second or two. Turns out that we were blanketed in with thick fogs. 

It’s fairly common for the lake to have morning fogs which don’t even extend to the main road. This was different. This fog lasted the full hour and a half trip to Sault Ste. Marie, and across the International Bridge which connects Canada to the USA. In fact, I could barely make out the lighted signs displaying which crossing control kiosks were open. One mile into Michigan and it was clear and sunny.

The rest of the trip quickly became the normal ‘blur’ – sometimes a bit too fast, other times way too slow. We did it safely though.

”Tourists don’t know where they’ve been,
Travellers don’t know where they’re going.” ~ Paul Theroux

So, last Sunday it was a long 12-hour race back to Southwest Ohio immediately followed by some serious sleep. It was then that I realized that things were going really well until I noted it was Tuesday. It didn’t take me long to discover that the rest of the week was WTF.

Homecoming – Leave for a day or two and nothing changes at the old homestead. Leave for a week and maybe a little dust can be seen and possibly the place smells a bit musty. Leave for months on end and it’s a different story. Now it’s dead flies on the window sills, cobwebs, and a solid layer of dust on everything. Also, it’s beginning to dawn that just airing the place out will be a multi-day event.

Not this year. We came back to what could pass for the penthouse suite in an upscale hotel.

Jason and Cathy had embarked on a complete home redo and while that was in progress stayed at our Condo – then left it sparkling!

How wonderful to walk into the kitchen and spot a large pot of fresh flowers, fresh bread, wine, and a fruit bowl. Even the bathroom had new soap still in the wrapper. Thanks guys, it was much appreciated.

Nexus – There exists a program between Canada and the USA which streamlines the travel between the two countries – a Nexus Pass. I applied and when I got home my card was waiting for me ready to be activated.

“But”, you say; “Sault Ste. Marie has a single lane entering into the border control kiosks, how does that help/”

“It just does, it’ll expedite how fast I get processed by the Border Control agent.”

“If it takes say 15-seconds how much faster can it get?”

“Much!” (That’s my curt response). “Besides, were I to cross say, in Detroit, I’d have a special lane.”

“But, don’t you then first have to have your car inspected before you can use that lane?”

”So?” Now I insert a clever Segway into the discussion; “besides, at airports I now have Pre-Check status.”

“But, since you retired you hardly fly anymore.”

“When I do it’ll be immensely helpful” Followed by; “I can see this discussion is really going nowhere so let’s change subjects.”

Finis – Marcia ran to Aldi’s and Fresh Thyme Market the day after we got home. Luckily she put it all away (I’m excluded from this important phase of the grocery shopping experience). Just hauling about one-hundred pounds of groceries into the place was work enough. Whew.

And, since the temperature is still hovering near 80 (something we’re not used to) we’ll take in the sights, smells, and sounds of our outdoor Findlay Market a little later this morning.

Vai graciously allowed me to sign her cast. That will come off on Wednesday. We also sat her and Vili for a couple of hours after school last Thursday. A major change since last spring, they now play together wonderfully. And, the times they aren’t playing together they do so independently. Yup, change is in the air.

Make it a great week everyone.

Cheers.

Dirk