May 3rd.

Almost 3 months since my last post.  I survived the winter and have already pulled the bike out for a ride -- albeit way too short a ride.

I suppose the highlight of the three months involved a business trip to Vancouver, a short sojurn in Whistler (no skiing -- which is good because it was warm and there was little snow). AND THEN the trip home by train.  Yes, a train ride from Vancouver to Toronto -- it was an adventure of a lifetime.

Why a lifetime -- because I would not do it again.  The employees of Via Rail were very, very nice.  The food was very, very nice.   The view to Jasper was very, very nice.  Otherwise, I tried to jump or be pushed from the train but I could not get that lucky.

Three and half days on a train without television or the internet.  For a person with HDADDDDDD - it was like being locked up wherever!   The room was small as could be expected -- two chairs, a large window, a washbasin with mirrors and a very small washroom in which I kept my carry on luggage.

At night, the chairs would fold down and the two (yes two) beds would be lowered.  My wife was having none of the upper berth and so, remembering my love of my bunk beds when I young, climbed up and lay down with straps from the bed to the ceiling to keep me from falling out.  All was going to be good until about ten minutes later when I realize that I get most of my exercise in a day by having to get out of bed at night, at least a couple of times, to use the washroom.  Normally that would just be an inconvenience.   But on a train, while in the upper berth, it became a comedy routine.

I was able to do it once and realized that it was only going to happen once.  In addition to that, my wife of 42 years told me she was lonely, so I joined her in a bed that was probably smaller than 3 feet wide.  It was a little different than sleeping in a king size bed at home, where if I wanted to speak to her I either had to yell or consider calling her on her phone.

Obviously I survived.  It was an adventure -- it cost more that a business class ticket from Vancouver to Toronto but worth the adventure.  If you are having marital issues -- it will definitely confirm whether you will stay married or travel on different trains.  In my next life, I may come back as a family lawyer with a permanent office on a train.  It could be lucrative.

Anyway, I have now been able to cross that off my bucket list and go back to my new list which had been described earlier.  The new list is so much easier to deal with.

amf