A different kind of envelope from the Gubbermint.

 

Usually when there’s one of those brown envelopes from “Da Gubbermint”,  it’s from the “Revenuers”.  And it’s not often anything close to good news.  Thankfully, as a result of the whole “Ex-Pat” experience,  there’s an accounting firm that has been retained to sort through that nonsense.  Just the same, I tend to not open them,  just to avoid the stress. *shudder*

 

Hey, at one point we were getting tax letters from three different countries.  Helps if you can read Dutch, German and of course English.  There’s something about “taxese” in Dutch and German though, that can be quite perplexing.  Sure glad those days are over.

 

Anyway, this one had a different “heft” to it.

You believe that, right?

“Look Honey, you got some money”,  was my greeting for T.C. when she got home yesterday. 

So, for those of you south of the 49th,  there’s this thing called the Canada Pension Plan.  We call it CPP for short.  Anyhoodle,  T.C. decided to start collecting hers.  

I don’t recall the math involved, but waiting until you’re 65 offers very little financial advantage.  Nowadays you can go on the line and see just how much and for how many years you’ve made contributions.  Apparently I was “self employed” during the time I worked for Arby’s Restaurants.    Not sure how the heck that worked, but the contributions were there, so that’s the main thing.  I do seem to recall that we had someone doing “the books” who was not necessarily the sharpest tack in the box. 

I guess I should have been paying closer attention.  Silly me.

 

I started to take pictures of the omelette I made for dinner last night,  but I guess I got sidetracked.  Hunger seems to do that to me.

Never hurts to cook up some bacon,  chop it up and put it in.  Having some extra cooked bacon on hand is also a good thing.  After all,  “The Swine is Devine”.  I don’t remember what cook it was who said that,  but it’s something that stuck in my pea brain. 

Sorry all you Vegans. 

Don’t misread that as “Sorry FOR all you Vegans”.  You can certainly decide what you want to put in your pie hole.  It’s whatever works for you.  So, good for you.  Everything in moderation is a pretty good guideline.

 

My hidden agenda was to try and get rid of the lingering smell of garlic from whatever it was that T.C. cooked up on Sunday.  Some sort of Beet salad with garlic and something and something.  I think.  I don’t know.  I didn’t have any.  Mostly a texture issue.  She was kind enough to leave me some “uncorrupted” beets that I had with my dinner. 

I do have “texture issues” with certain foods.   Lobster comes to mind.  I quite like the taste,  but there’s just something about the texture that doesn’t do it for me.  So I’ll pass.  Gah!

 

In other “news”,  I sold our bike rack today.

Hadn’t planned on it, that’s for sure.  And well, the money hasn’t changed hands yet, and as this is a person whom I know,  I did offer the caveat that she should come and look at it,  and not just look at a picture.  If it doesn’t work for this person, then that’s perfectly OK.

No harm, no foul.

 

There it is.

It’s certainly well built,  and I’ve been hanging onto the thing since I sold my pick-up truck (*sniff*) in 2008.  Had it tucked away in the back room of the shed.  Thought I’d be using it again someday.  Again, silly me.

It spent most of its time on the back of the motorhome, since we never did have a “toad”.  Just the bikes,  but they were North American style bikes.

I’d certainly be able to get my current bike on the thing (you know, “New and Shiny”?)  but the way Travelling Companion’s bike is built,  it’s neigh on impossible.  Hers is a proper “step through” style,  and I can’t begin to figure out how it would go on such a rack.  This is why most European style bike carriers are built as a sort of platform onto which the bikes sit,  all the while strapped in. 

Kind of like this idea:

 

It just so happened that one of my Facebook friends was looking for a bike rack,  and we struck up a dealski.  It’s going to a good home, so I’m willing to part with it.   You know, a fellow and his things?  It can be tough to give up some sh*t.   I’m just sayin’.

 

I’m thinking we’ll likely end up with something like this:

Seems like it would work on a Mazda Miata, but I don’t think that will be in the cards.

We’ll see.

And….that’s about it..

 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

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