Sixty-two dollars in my pocket

Here I am back in Toronto after travelling to the Okanagan and then back to the Toronto airport to jump in the car and drive to Erie Pennsylvania to enjoy a fabulous suite for the night before heading onto Durham North Carolina.  

I flew back last night (after three weeks) with sixty-two dollars in my pocket.  If the US and Obama's economy doesn't improve, I can at least say I did my part!  It's into the bank today to transfer more money.

Not only was my cash flow almost below zero, so was Toronto's weather.  Upon clearing customs (do you know how long the walk is to customs? Somebody should fix that!) I went outside and was almost slapped back indoors by the first real cold snap of the winter.  Coming from a balmy 18 to a -10 was a shock.

I searched out the airporter to go downtown. I missed it. The next one would be ten to twenty minutes.  A limo driver asked if I wanted a ride. How much I dared ask?   Sixty dollars he said nonchalantly as if it was a small price to pay. He had me. It was dang cold, I had three bags and just wanted to get home.  I told him hopefully, I had twenty US bucks and forty pretty dollars. He said sure.  I got in.

The long ride to downtown was quiet. I really wanted coffee.  With only two dollars left, I decided I would make some as soon as I got in the door of our apartment.

The apartment looked familiar albeit all cleaned up by my partner. The kitchen was well stocked he told me, (he comes back next weekend) so I would not have to go out right away,  I set my bags down, opened the cubbard to find a brand new bag of coffee beans. With my winter coat still on, I opened the bag, poured the beans into my grinder and a sweet rising smell attacked my senses.  The aroma from the ground beans filled the room, I could almost taste the coffee.

Then for some reason I plugged an old portable (it's 60 years old, so portable is not quite true) electric heater in. I took my coat off, the lights went off.  I blew a fuse.  Now my apartment is 40 years old, they have those glass fuses.  I rummaged around looking for a flashlight. Whew, it was on the top of the fridge like it always is. Something was working as it should.  While at the fridge I thought maybe this job requires a beer.  I opened the door to find smiling back at me, a whole 2-4 of beer.  My partner really does look after me. I then searched out the tool drawer in the kitchen.  I found the fuses.  I took a handful.

Into the dark hallway to the fuse box in the closet.  I opened the door and tried to determine the right one to replace.  I took the first one out and replaced it.  Still no lights. I set that aside and did another, no luck.  I did it five times. No luck.  I went back to the drawer and found another fuse.  Eureka!  It worked, now back to coffee.  I also unplugged the heater!

My beer is half gone by now.  I open the door where we keep the coffee filters. They're not there.  I open the door next to it, none.  What the heck!  How could he tease me with a full bag of what are the most useless things in the world without a filter. I continue searching.  By now I have opened every door in the kitchen. Not a filter to be found. Now I was reconsidering how well my partner looks after me. You would think that if we were out of filters and he bought beans he would have also picked up filters.

I finish my beer and decide it is helping me think, I open a second.  It was now 11pm, I had been home less than thirty minutes.  I have two dollars, I could go out and buy a coffee, its only two blocks in what is now -15 and a howling wind. I'm not that desperate yet but its going to be difficult call soon.  I finish that second beer and decide I will try using a paper towel as a filter.  The beer is working!

I walk into the kitchen, and for some reason open the door to the cubbard by the stove, I look in and see the elusive filters. The beer did help. I pour water in the coffee maker. I'm feeling better about my partner now. I open the top to put the filter in. Guess what, we have a permanent filter.

I was only gone three weeks. We have had this elixir making machine for three months.  How could I forget?

The coffee was good, I still have two dollars. I feel pretty well done by!