Coincidence. On the same weekend that Kodak announces it will no longer be producing their legendary film, Kodachrome, I go out and buy a digital camera. Finally. My old Canon bit it during the Knockout so it's a relief to have a new box.

On Saturday I went to visit my dad and then ran a bunch of errands (which included the camera purchase). The guys were planning this downwinder and we had tentatively discussed meeting at the club around 4. By 2 pm it looked like the wind, which wasn't strong to begin with, was dying. Feeling antsy about getting out there, I headed to the club around 3:30. Missed it by that much. I took my time getting my stuff together. Seriously, looking at conditions, I was pretty sure the guys had bailed. Still, I hung around until 4. Carrie and Attila were driving by so I chatted with them for a bit before heading down to get my boat out. They told me to drop by after my paddle since the Sarges were coming over for dinner. I pushed off the dock at 4:04 and was kicking myself afterwards for not waiting a few more minutes. The wind and waves weren't anything special but decent - I did 14km - 7km of work + a 7km conveyor belt ride back from buoy off the pier at Petro Canada. When I got home around 6:30, there was an email from Doug, sent at 3:32, saying they'd be down at the club around 4-4:15. I just missed the email, just missed the ride to Oakville. Oh well, it's not like I would have been paddling with them but a change of scenery would have been nice.

I dropped by Carrie and Attila's afterward. Sarge and Marie were there. Wow, they are both in amazing shape from all the running they've been doing. We don't have much of a chance to see each other - Hamilton's pretty far and they're so busy between the dogs, teaching and running - so this was great. I mean, I see Sarge at regattas but you know how that goes, he's so busy with coaching. Anyway, they really scored on the baby stuff! Carrie had all kinds of things for the upcoming pregnancy/birth. Marie doesn't look pregnant yet but will soon, I'm sure. Like all of us at that stage, she's excited to get a little belly showing.

On Sunday, I picked Marisha up at Starbucks after rowing practice and we headed out to St. Jacobs for some shopping. We hit the Outlet mall and the farmers market and the main strip...it was a full day. I only bought a few things, some sea salt, chili sauce, avocado slicer, silicone basting brush. I almost bought a cashmere coat for $800 but they didn't have my size. I should qualify that, there was an 8 there but I could see a spot where someone had spilled and then wiped something off. On the black cashmere it was so obvious, it wasn't even worth haggling on the price. Too bad or lucky, I can't decide which. It was a beautiful Mark Aurel coat though.

Also, I didn't know Home Hardware sells furniture. Yep, there are about 4 Home Hardware stores in the St. Jacobs area and one of them is a giant furniture store. Mostly the same old-same old but there was one item, a semanier made of reclaimed wood that was quite a nice piece. Unfortunately, there was one spot where the dovetailing didn't quite meet. Probably just as well since both Marisha and I were interested in it.

We stopped for a beer from a local micro-brewery (F&M?) on the restaurant patio mid-town, checked out a few more stores and then headed back to the city. Oh, I almost forgot. On our way up there, I bought a shoulder bag at this place that was basically a head shop on the side of Hwy 85. It was called Grasshopper Imports and they sold Djembes (drum), indo-shirts, bags, didgeridoos, jewellery, candles etc. Plus they had WALLS of various sticker designs and I spent quite a bit of time looking for something to stick on my scorpion paddle before I realized 85% of them were Grateful Dead stickers... moving on. It was dark as I was getting home, too late to go for a paddle and I was tired and hungry so I rented Tarsem's The Fall and had popcorn for dinner. Such a beautiful film. For some reason I couldn't get to sleep (probalby the whole popcorn for dinner thing) and I ended up watching Friends reruns until 3 in the morning. All the more reason for me to go to bed now.