POST # 535
THE WHITE ROCK IN WHITE ROCK
Returning to Canada earlier this week, I was contemplating an easy time with Customs and Immigration, when I arrived in Vancouver. After all, the last couple of times that I interacted with these folks, it all went very smoothly, so I expected the same treatment this time around. STUPID ME!!!
With the extensive amount of times in the past, when I have had trouble with them, I should have at least kept that in mind when I fronted up to Canadian Customs at the train station. So I expected to just breeze right on through. Wrong. I had a bad feeling even before the agent began asking her numerous questions. This feeling was brought on by the angry look upon her face. And so it began. After the questions, she wrote something on my arrival form and then she directed me to a second room. Now what? A second agent had me put all of my belongings on a table in front of her, and after directing me to "Stand two feet away from the counter," she proceeded to pull everything out of my two pieces of luggage. While doing so, she also asked many, many questions. And then at one point she found three items that caught her attention. Three containers that had nothing except a variety of vitamin pills. She took exception to the fact that one of the containers wasn't labelled, and so she was suspicious of what the pills actually were. Somehow, I managed to talk my way out of this issue. She then brought up something from two years ago when I was questioned at the border. They know everything. For the second time, I guess I gave her a sufficient enough answer, to let her move on with her interrogation, as she continued pawing her way through my luggage. With her examination completed, while I remained two feet away from the counter, she was finally satisfied. Then it was my turn to re-pack the mess that she had sprawled all over the place, and after a few minutes, I was finally on my way. Of course, this too will all be on the record for the next time I show up. My lesson for the day? Don't ever again think that going through Customs and Immigration is going to be a breeze. A lesson re-learned.
Eventually I made my way to my current house sit location. This is a return engagement with an old Border Collie named Sami. She'll be fourteen this coming March, and she has certainly slowed down since my previous visit just last September. I'm not exactly sure what her age is in human years, but she's old. The perfect match for this ageing old fart.
We get out for multiple walks each day, but as I write these words, I am reluctant* to go outside as the rain is coming down hard at the moment. For whatever reason, Sami won't do her business in their yard, which forces us to go out the back gate each time. That's certainly not an issue when the weather is fine, but right now it isn't one of those times. Hopefully things will ease up as soon as I finish this post, and we can get our first of two afternoon walks in.
Ready to go.
I'll be here for a little while longer, and with any luck the weather will clear up soon, so that we can go for some longer walks around the neighbourhood. I'm sure we could both use the exercise, and it's a much better use of my time, than sitting in front of a computer.
grateful for every breath,
Paul
The Thoughtful Wanderer
PS. As always on this date, I have pleasant memories of my dear old mom. January 21st was her birthday.
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