July 23, 2005

July 23, 2005

West Hawk Lake day 67 of 113

YEAR 2 DAY 36

 

Today was sunny and very warm.

I slept very late this morning. By the time I finished showering, and morning routines, it was time for lunch. I had difficulty falling asleep last night. The bar was extremely noisy. It's becoming tiresome.

After lunch, I did preventive maintenance and inspections, then we went blueberry picking. We wanted to pick some blueberries to give to Sharon and Bud when they come to visit us tomorrow, as a sort of thank you gift for the sofa table Bud made us. I can't do wood working, but I can pick blueberries with the best of them. Maybe I can sort of trade off Bud's wood working skills for a big batch of blueberries. On the way back to West Hawk we stopped in Falcon Lake for a newspaper and soft drinks. Back at West Hawk I remembered that I was low on beer, so I went over to the beer vendor at the bar to buy a six pack. I witnessed the worst customer service I have ever seen. The customer in front of me was an elderly, indecisive woman. The sales clerk was a mid thirties biker type, typical employee in beer vendor operations here in Manitoba, I've noticed. As the old woman dithered over whether the beer she selected was the correct one, he used the most profane language possible to exhibit her contempt for her, and at her. I was stunned, and indecisive myself, whether to leave in protest, and take my business elsewhere, or make a comment to him about how appalling I considered his behaviour, or comment to the woman in supportive fashion. I rejected the first option because there is nowhere else around here to buy beer. I rejected the second option to avoid incurring his considerable wrath myself. I patted the old woman on the shoulder, and told her what I thought of his behaviour, and lack of etiquette and customer service skills. His profane comments to her were really distasteful.

I read the newspaper for the rest of the afternoon, until I fell asleep for awhile. I took Bo for a long walk. I was going to do an obedience training session, but I decided we were both too hot. I did first aid on a scrape on my knee that has become infected. Over the last few years, I seem to be susceptible to infection on minor wounds on my legs, from the knees down. I wonder if it has something to do with poor circulation in my lower legs ?

I worked on reconciling the MasterCard statements while I manned the barbecue. I spent the evening reading today's newspaper, while Joanne did some baking. It was another night of noisy drunks, staggering through the campground late in the evening on the way to the noisy bar, despite the best "zero tolerance" efforts of both the Parkies and the RCMP.

DSK