Today ended up being a long day

Tuesday this week, Winston Rowe died... he was 66.

Winston and Marilyn Rowe have been close family friends ever since we moved to Ontario in 1977.

They have 3 kids.... Bob, Bonnie and Paul .... who are pretty much the exact same age as Carol, Bruce and me.... Bob Rowe was about my closest friend when we were growing up.

It's hard to see a close friend lose his dad... knowing that some day, I will lose mine.

For whatever reason, Winston and Marilyn have always been appreciative when I sang..... Marilyn called me yesterday and asked if I would sing at Winston's funeral.... she worded it this way.... " I said to your mom... if Paul is coming to the funeral, he can't come to the funeral and not sing "

oh yes I can!!

but to be honest, as much as I'm stressed right out of my tree, I'm honoured.
My sister Carol is coming to the funeral too, so she is gonna play for me... She lives in Oshawa, and is not going to be here until 10 ish tomorrow morning... and the funeral is at 11, so it'll be a mad rush to PRACTICE!!

So my plans for the rest of the week took a sudden change... my car was scheduled to have the A/C repaired on Friday morning in Brantford .... so I cancelled that appt, and booked one today in Stirling at Wells Ford .

I packed my stuff up this morning, did two inspections, and then left Peterborough just after 12:30.... Mom picked me up in Stirling and brought me back to their house.... no sooner was I in the door than Wells Ford called.....

you want the good news or the bad news?

ummmmmm

The good news is... we know what is wrong with your car.

oh dear.... if that's the good news, what is the bad news?

Compressor thingy switch..... $575 plus your front left suspension whaddayacallit thing ..... $175 ... plus labour.... total, taxes in $947.00

crap.

well I gotta have my car and I can't breathe in there NOW ... what will it be like in July....

better fix it....

but they can't get the part now, until tomorrow, so it won't be done until 3.... so much for bee-lining it back to Brantford to get my kids at 3:30 after school....

anyway... to make a short story long.... I don't have any dress clothes here... they are all back in Brantford... and I don't think I should sing in work pants and a Hoody..... or in coveralls, for that matter!!

There really isn't any point in driving 3 hours back home to get my good clothes...it'd be $45 or more in fuel, each way .....skip that idea...
I'm going to Value Village.....

I tried on 187 sports jackets ( give or take ! ) I even cut off my circulation a couple of times, trying to get a size 42 jacket off, after I'd squeezed INTO it.... funny how all those suit jackets have SHRUNK ....

anyway.... I found some pants that fit, they even have lovely cuffs on them, for $14.99 ... found a belt that was brand new that was only 16" too long ( SERIOUSLY ) for $4.99.... and bought some shoes....( cause my Doc Martin's are in the trunk of my car up a hoist in Stirling :S )

I really didn't mind though, cause the shoes are GORGEOUS ... they're probably $200 shoes, and I only paid $7.99
Mind you, the left foot is a size 11, and the right foot is a 10 1/2, and I normally wear 9 1/2... on BOTH feet....
who cares... I look GOOOD IN THEM SHOES BABY!!!

anyway, from there, it was on to Moores... I found a jacket, two shirts and a tie... $402.00.

Then I had to run to Zellers to get some clippers for my beard... i already HAVE two lovely sets of trimmers...but they're both in Brantford :S .....
It was cheaper to buy a new set for $14,99 than to go to First Choice and have my hair cut.....

I was relieved, cause I was starting to look like Grizzly Adams .....

anyway, I'm sitting in my mother's car driving out of the Zellers parking lot, tallying up my day.......... what did the day cost?

I hear a Mastercard PRICELESS commercial coming on...

Pants $14.99
Shoes : $7.99
Jacket $199.00
Belt : $4.00

Remembering that my boxers and socks are in my suitcase... in the car .....up a hoist..... in Stirling? PRICELESS!!

Back to Zellers a SECOND time to buy socks and underwear.... and just to make it a LITTLE more stressful, I end up in line with my lingerie and I'm waiting and waiting and waiting..... cause they have 18 cash registers, and ONE... count it..> ONE, is open......

Once I finally got hom, I went with my folks to Picton to the funeral home.... and then out for supper.

When I got home, I spent 20 minutes practicing on the phone with my sister.... who KNOWS what it will sound like tomorrow..... But it's not about me, or about singing, but about Winston.... and about the Saviour, who's presence Winston is now enjoying!

anyway, I'm off to bed.... this blog is almost as long as my day.... whadda ya bet Jamie quit reading half way through? tsk!!