Girlfriends

With everything that happened around here in the last couple of months, it sure put what's important into perspective. I am so lucky to have good friends - some of whom I've never even met, but I consider them friends nonetheless.

Maybe it's an age thing, but I don't think I've ever had a period in my life when I enjoyed and appreciated my friends as much as I do now. Last night I had dinner with 3 old friends - Trudy, who I call my forever friend as we've been friends since we were 5 years old - and two other girlfriends that I've known since highschool. We've been through a lot together - the loss of another dear friend to cancer, a long ago divorce of one and a very recent divorce of another, death of parents, births of children and grandchildren, lots of good times and sometimes more than our share of bad.

I am also very lucky to have friends who I met through quilting and I feel we share a very special bond. You know who you are and I hope you know just how much you mean to me.

Time to put the Kleenex away and talk about food. We had the most delicious meal last night - pecan crusted catfish served with risotto and asparagus. We dined at The Water Street Cooker which overlooks Lake Ontario. It was a beautiful clear night and you could see right around the Golden Horseshoe from our table at the window. I say 'dined' as Marg related a story from an elderly lady who told her you can eat out anytime, but when she went out, she liked to dine! I like her attitude!

Today was spent running around taking Ben to the vet for his heartworm test and annual shots. I could rant on about the cost of that visit but I'll save that for another day. Let's just say between the vet visit and my sewing machine repair this week, I spent the best part of $500. Oh well, no cost is too high to keep my baby well.




I made it to the Passport Office and only had to wait a few minutes which was a pleasant surprise.

What took me forever was finding someone to give me change for the parking machine. The only lot near the passport office has a machine where you deposit coins only to get your ticket then display it on your windshield. Amazingly, I actually had cash on me, something I very rarely have (how could I, I gave it all to the sewing machine dealer and the Vet!) but I only had bills - no coins. I went to six grotty little stores nearby asking for change of a ten and not one of them would give it to me.

One of the stores was called "Aromatherapy" and the windows were all heavily curtained. When I walked in, I was greeted by a lady wearing nothing but a sexy bra and thong with a see-through robe over top. I have a feeling a lot more than aromatherapy went on in there.

I went into a hamburger joint and asked for change and was told no, they didn't give change. To be fair, I'm sure these stores get people in all day long looking for change and it's not their job to provide it. I resorted to going around the tables in the burger joint begging people at tables for change for a ten. I felt like a street person begging for a dime.

Downtown Hamilton certainly leaves a lot to be desired. It's time they got with the program and updated their money making machines - and they also might want to check out what goes on in that aromatherapy store!