Only two more sleeps and we are on our way!  Of course Boomer is not coming but I had this photo in my collection and thought I'd include it in todays blog!  He has gone out to be a farm dog once again for the next three weeks.  Two visits in one year!  He's one happy pup!

Had a busy day of running around and getting last minute stuff done, the most aggravating and exasperating being a visit to our friendly local Bank of Montreal.  I rarely go into the bank nowadays as most of what I need to do can be accomplished with online banking, however today I needed some American dollars so had to make the dreaded trip.  I arrived at the bank, only to discover I had left my wallet at home.  Duh!!!!  Not the bank's fault but it does set the tone for what's to come.  I had to drive all the way home to retrieve my wallet, then back to the bank.  Got there to discover a rather lengthy lineup.  Cued up with everyone else and proceeded to observe efficiency at it's best.  At first there were four tellers working.  I'm not sure if the customers had extraordinary demands today or if the tellers were a little challenged but each customer seemed to be taking more than their share of time.  I even overheard one teller asking the customer if he was still with his girlfriend and had he considered asking her????   The line was pretty much not moving but was growing steadily.  I started listening in on conversations which I have previously confessed to doing on a regular basis and I heard one teller ask a gentleman if he was interested in some sort of Mastercard.  The guy answered a definitive "NO".  However, the teller proceeded to describe in detail what the card could do for him.  Reminded me of the telemarketers that phone my house almost on a daily basis, always at dinner time.  I pretty much got the same pitch from a clerk at the Bay yesterday.  No wonder everyone has so much credit debt.  People in the line were starting to get restless.  There were now fourteen people in the line and I was next up.  One of the tellers cleared her customer and as I started forward she quickly slid her closed sign across her wicket and said...."Sorry.  I'm closed".  The lady behind me was majorly inscenced!  "You have got to be kidding?" she said.  I tried to lighten the moment for suggesting there was something to be said for keeping your money under your bed mattress.  We were all starting to grumble.  In 30 minutes these tellers managed to serve 4 customers.  The snorter demanded to know where the bank manager was.  Well, when I finally did get up to a wicket there were two women sitting at desks behind the tellers (I'm assuming one might have been a manager) and they were having a jolly good visit and seemed oblivious to the problem that was occurring right on the other side of the counter.  Actually I doubt they were oblivious....they just didn't give a damn!  Unlike some of the other customers I did manage to hold it together (as you know I often don't) but honestly what is it with banks!?  I realize the girl was probably due for her break but surely another employee (ie the visiting ladies) could have stepped up to the plate and helped out?  Grrrrr.......

Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Kathy and my friend Margot who is here for the weekend from Montreal.  We were all together at the National Training Center for badminton in our youth and have maintained our friendship over the years.  Margot and her husband Tom are here for the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame Awards Dinner tomorrow night and have invited Bill and I to join them.  Should be fun!

Was thinking today about all my friends, kids of friends and family who are scattered across the globe!  Unbelievably here is the list of places they all are....Geoff and Lindsey (Brazil), Barry and Wendy (Morocco), Gary and Jenifer (Vietnam), Duane and Maureen (Maui), Kevin and Michelle (Mexico),
Chris and Amber (China)........I have a pretty well travelled group of associates and can hardly wait to add myself to the list!