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The South Marysbursh Mirror (Winter, continued from page 4) neglected to open the storm window, and the fire cracker bounced back into the dining room and ex- ploded with a roar on the carpet. He ran for his life from my mother, and the dogs stayed where they were. Anyway, I really looked forward to shoveling Mrs. Garrett’s walk because apparently she didn’t have any appreciation for the going rate. I could do a good job in ten minutes and she’d fork over two bucks. A kinder and more honest kid would have told her she was paying too much. That never oc- curred to me. If she gave me fifty bucks I would have taken it. I got to know the paying habits of my neighbors. Generous payers were called on first, and I did a pretty good job. I knocked on the door of skinflints last and did a half-hearted, messy job teaching them, I suppose, to be even cheaper next time around. Tradesmen of all sorts work this way too. At my advanced age I have to admit there’s not much upside to winter. I stopped snowblowing my driveway because the snowblower would never start, and the guy who plows our road does a good job at a fair price. Besides, it wasn’t much fun exe- cuting the snowblowing task. I take that back. It was no fun at all. My mailbox is one kilometer from the house, and to get my morning paper I must put on NEW tig reins SOLUTIONS Mo DUuLaR BUILDINGS We build to suit! Sheds Garages Houses Cottages Please call for details 613.476.2300 or 613.813.0377 or visit us online at www.canadianthermalmodularbuildings.ca ST. PHILIP’S ANGLICAN CHURCH MILFORD 2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Yard & Rummage Sale May Sth Canoe Trip May 21st Pork & Corn Roast August 8th Turkey Supper Sept. 19th Yard & Rummage Sale Sept. 29th Christmas Tea Nov. 10th Watch for further detaile about these events in futare issues of the Mirror, footwear of some kind, a jacket, scrape the ice off the car windshield and drive to get the darn paper. In the summer, it’s a pleasant task; in the winter, it’s not quite the same. How about when you visit friends? When you arrive, you must divest yourself of all the bulky outer garments, then take off your shoes so you don’t track snow, slush and salt over the carpets. What a pain. Then you must spend the visit in your stocking feet, or think far enough ahead to carry a bag with slippers or another pair of shoes. It’s al- most better to stay at home. In case you think this article is depressing, let me give you a few tips on “Breaking Free of the Midwinter Blues” as related in the newspaper. “Jnitiate an unusual conversation” is one tip. “Share something of an intimate nature,” it suggests. So I’m to go up to a lady at the bridge table and inform her that I haven’t changed my underwear in a week. I could do it, but I don’t think that’Il cure my mid- winter blues. It might cure her blues however, as she’d be able to tell all her friends how I’d finally slipped over the edge. How about this? “Make a date with your- self.” Here you are to determine what you want to accomplish over the next couple of years and set timelines. Puleeze! If I did this I would become even more subject to the midwinter blues because I have no goals. Well, I guess I have some, but they are so i q 1 as to be d ing, like get- ting two pieces of coconut cream pie at the next church supper. So the message is, it’s winter. Nothing can stop it. All we can say is the days are getting longer and in a while it will be spring.