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The Fickle Finger Of Fate..

(That title is from an old TV show..."Laugh In"...I believe)



Happy Valentine's Day

To be honest...Valentine's Day...Mother's and Father's Day...and some other special "Days" don't mean as much to me as they seem to mean to others. To me...showing someone that I care about them for one day and then ignoring them the rest of the year dosn't ring true. I want that person to know I care ALL year round. That's a responsiblity I don't take lightly. I really enjoy giving surprise gifts or doing an act of kindness that's totally unexpected. Many of us...(myself included)...get bogged down in the drudgery of day to day routines and need a mass wake up call...but I also sense that these "Days" are when many consciences are eased by one thoughtful gesture a year. I find that sad. I'd rather Derek or Mitchell to do an act of kindness towards me that I didn't expect than one where I thought they were obligated to do.

Speaking of unexpected acts of kindness...I want to tell you about Heather's recent birthday. She and her husband...John...went out to dinner to celebrate. I'm going to let her tell you in her own words...she's a VERY good storyteller. I'll edit it to protect her privacy.

John and I had a nice dinner. ////////////// We went to Applebees. Do they have that up there? It's a place that makes steaks and fancy-schmancy burgers and stuff. We've only been there once before, way way back when J.J. was just a baby. That time, when we had J.J. with us, a couple bought us our dinner. I think it was my birthday that time too, but I'm not sure. We were so thrilled that someone bought our dinner, we never forgot it. So last night, we're walking to our table, and we passed a couple with a little baby girl. I thought, "We should buy their dinner" but we sat down, and I got distracted before I said anything to John. A few minutes later John was like, "Did you see that couple over there?" I said, "The one with the little girl?" He nodded. I was like, "Should we buy them dinner?" John was like, "That's what I was thinking." Hehehehe. It was awesome. So we did. We bought them dinner. We told the waitress not to point us out, but she must have misunderstood, because she told them that we bought their food. They were so happy. They brought their baby over to see us, and we told them about the time we had J.J. there and someone bought our dinner. The guy was like, "Well, I guess next time it will be our turn."

Isn't that GREAT? I think that may be the best thing I've ever done on my birthday. It felt so good!!!! I almost cried cuz it made me feel so happy.

That's the Heather I know and respect. Her and John are a great couple.

I feel like telling stories today for some reason...I have LOTS of things I should be doing...that NEED doing...but they can wait for a bit.

One of the places Derek, Mitchell and I have gone to over the years is a favorite fresh water beach. During the summer we'll bike there. It's about an hour and a half ride one way. The first half is through rural farmland and then up a very steep hill and the last half is through forest covered lands until we come to the cottages. That steep hill starts out from the bottom of the valley and works it way up to the top several miles later...with the final half mile or so at about a 30 degree climb. Usually Mitchell and I can do the whole hill without stopping...but I don't think Derek has made it up without walking his bike at least part of the way yet. This usually leaves Mitchell and I time to enjoy the view while we're waiting for Derek to trudge up the hill.

There's a campground at the top of the hill. It never seems to be very busy whenever we pass by...only a few tents or trailers...not at all like the other campgrounds in the area. They all seem to be filled up.

One hot muggy summer day, after a slow climb up that hill, I decided that some pop would be just the thing we could all use before carrying on with the second part of our bike ride. We had never stopped at that campground before. The young lady in the canteen asked if we'd like straws with our drinks...Mitchell and I said no but Derek wanted one. No big deal...unless you happen to be Derek. The Fickle Finger of Fate seems to have a way of tapping him on the head to remind him that he's but a plaything for the amusement of powers higher than us.

We were drinking our pop just outside the store when we notice the girl that had served us come outside and gather up all the straws from a few empty pop bottles left at a nearby picnic table. We looked at one another...finding this kinda odd. She left the empty bottles where they were...just taking the straws back into the canteen with her. This got us curious so we went back inside...pretending to buy something...when from in back we could tell that they were washing the straws so they could reuse them again.

Mitchell and I had to run out of the place as we couldn't stop laughing. Derek left his unfinished pop bottle and straw in the canteen and came out swearing. I know all the cutlery and glasses are washed and reused in restaurants but I've never heard of straws being reused before. Mitchell and I got a big kick out of that. Derek failed to find it very funny though.

Actually...I shouldn't laugh. Derek inherited his "wrong time...wrong place" gene from me.

I remember driving with my guys on the other side of our province several hundred miles away. We were on our way to one of our favorite salt water beaches and with it being such a nice sunny summer day I was taking the scenic way along the winding coastline.

Everything was normal that day. The guys were looking forward to the big waves and I wasn't thinking or worried about anything inparticular...when I suddenly started having deep stabbing pains in my back. They took my breath away. I couldn't even speak...all I could do was scream out in pain. My guys have known me to pull jokes on them before...but the person with me in the front seat had never heard me cry out like that. She took the wheel and was able to steer the car to the side of the road. I was starting to feel more sharp burning pains all over my chest and even one under my arm.

As soon as the car had stopped I ran out of the car and ripped off my T shirt. I still had no idea what was wrong with me. It turned out that a hornet must have got sucked into my open window and down my T shirt. The little beggar must have stung me 7 or 8 times. I had all these big red welts on me. Once everyone saw the welts they became worried that I might go into shock. I felt better after a few minutes rest. That car was a stick shift too and no one besides me could drive it. In the end we all realized how lucky we were that we weren't on the much busier highway instead of the coastal road when that happened.

I best get going. I have lots to do.


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