Earlier this week I told Janis I needed to buy a new metal cutoff saw. The two old ones I owned were very ancient and had been severely cannibalized to keep my last operational one running. But after many years of faithful service it had given up the ghost. None of the old machines were worth rebuilding with new parts. All were leftovers from when we had a large crew, well over a decade ago. It was time for a new one at last. I started doing my research online and found good quality saws were not cheap. Janis' visiting uncle suggested a tool store just across the border in the USA as he had found their prices were very reasonable. I looked it up and they were indeed much less money for the very same tools. I brought my findings to Janis and she agreed we should take a trip to the States.

In looking up the regulations for avoiding duty we found we needed to stay 48 hours. So the discussion turned at this point to us enjoying a mini holiday... but neither of us were particularly fond of the idea of shopping and sight seeing in Bellingham for two whole days. The more we thought about it the more we got into the mood for a real holiday. We hadn't had time off in quite a while. We wondered if it was possible to instead head a little further south to our favorite place - in the name of research and inspiration of course. So we looked up the price of air flights to Disneyland... and found an amazing seat sale. Reasonable room rates were also located. The few days quickly turned into a week... just to make it worthwhile.

As luck would have it, being as we were booking t the last minute, the only flights we could get left on a Saturday and came back the following Saturday. Oh well, it worked for us. The arrangements were made. We needed a holiday... er working trip.

Eventually the subject came back to the cutoff saw. It turns out the tool store is closed on Saturdays - the days of our coming and going to the airport near the tool store. We wouldn't be able to buy the saw on our trip after all. But we decided it wasn't a big deal. We have plenty to do before the trip and since we will be gone for a week the saw has no big rush. We'll think about that saw when we get back. :)

-grampa dan