A Snowy First Leg

It was a busy Friday at 20/20 Optical Services but even so, Paul and Kathy were gracious enough to let me off early to get a head start on my drive to Waterloo. I would stay the night with Geoff and Karen Vanderkooy who are joining me on this adventure and we would head to the airport together in the late morning.
I had completely loaded everything but my pet ferrets, Seamus, Duncan and Lulu, into the car before work so that it was just a quick stop home to scoop up the fuzzies and head east. Paul and Kathy did comment that they were amazed that I could fit so much stuff into my 2 door cavalier. I said it was amazing that the shorter the trip I was taking, the more stuff I seemed to pack. 5 yrs ago I spent 9 weeks cycling across the continent with only a hockey bag and 2 laundry baskets. Last summer, I spent 2 weeks driving the Canadian east coast with a suitcase, 2 duffle bags, camping gear and a cooler. Now here I was leaving for 1 week with 4 suitcases, 2 duffle bags, a laptop messenger bag and a pet carrier.
What should have been a 1 1/4 hr drive turn into over 2.5 hrs in the blowing drifting snow, 50km/hr winds,  once getting caught in a white out and hitting a drift that I am pretty sure came up over my front fender. I was grateful to have the extra weight and snow tires to hold the car on the road.

Safely arriving at the Vanderkooy house, We unloaded my vehicle and set about repacking so that all the suitcases fit the required weight. Geoff and Karen's daughter's Emily and Miranda helped us sort donations and glasses and got the ferrets settled into their home for the week. Yes we are leaving Geoff's parents in charge of 3 kids (ages 11, 13, 15) and 3 ferrets. Actually, I have left the kids in charge of the ferrets with strict instructions that they have been given 3 beloved creatures that are living animals and are to be fed and watered and loved and played with and cuddled on a daily basis-even the one that bites! I am to come home to 3 ferrets that have had SO MUCH attention that they don't ever want to see a human for at least 2 days. They looked me in the eye and said they understood.

So here is the results of our hard work.

3 suitcases filled with the gifts we have been entrusted with, all just about 40lbs.

and a 2X2X2 44lb box with an Autorefractor.

Ready to go. Hoping for better weather tomorrow. Going to bed for a good night's rest.