You may recall somewhere around 2010 or 2011 I got a parking ticket in Penticton, paid the $10 fine, but my cheque arrived one day late, so the City of Penticton put me over to a collection agency for the $25 they alleged was owing.

I refused to pay, so had dozens, if not a hundred calls, from a company named Wiggins Adjustments.  Whenever the phone rings, I look at it, and if it says Wiggins Adjustments, I don’t answer it.  I notice they’ve stopped, so maybe that’s that for them and the illustrious City of Penticton.

Then in October I parked a bit outside the lines in an Impark lot across from the art gallery during the docent training.  I had bought a ticket and put it on my dash, but they didn’t care, sending me a bill for $62 for being an ‘obstruction’ in an almost-empty lot!

In the letter it said I was being put over to a collection agency, and I wrote them back and said I didn’t even know the money was owing as nothing was on my car when I left the gallery to drive home.  Obviously, they don’t care, and now I’ll have two or three years of staring at the phone and seeing a new collection agency’s name.

I wonder how collection companies manage to collect anything with call display.  Who’d answer their calls?  As well, I don’t even have to listen to the message as I just hit erase instantly.  I notice in the letter it says civil action may be taken, which I welcome, as I want to tell my story to a judge.

I suppose I’m lucky to have these types of things, as we know adrenalin’s a good boost to the nervous system.  If my life was without conflict it’d be quite boring.

The new gym opened, and I went on Saturday and today.  It’s quite a noisy place with open warehouse-like ceilings, so I’d never be able to spend more than my hour working out there.  I mentioned this in the change room and one of the women said she just loves din, and I said I meditate and want silence.  To each his own.

I bought a little hyacinth today and am hoping for spring already.  Not that I want all the gardening work that goes with it, but I love seeing spring flowers in the stores in January.  I’m off to Osoyoos this afternoon for a dinner party at mom’s for Jerralynn’s birthday, so will give her the plant as part of her gift.

Luke’s working in minus 44 degrees temperature in southern Saskatchewan but as he works inside he’ll be cozy and warm in his trailer.  I happened to be speaking to a young man the other day who works as a roughneck on the rigs, and when I told him about Luke’s job he said he’s so lucky to be working inside.

Are you ga ga with excitement about 2014?  I am.  Not sure why, but I think a lot of good changes and things are coming my way.  If nothing else, I have my big 60th birthday reunion with the women I went to elementary school with in May in Palm Springs.

Until then I have to remain focused on some goals, one of which is to have the house exterior re-painted and also to get bees again, both of which will occur in the spring.  And as well, there’ll be the many phone calls from some hapless collection agency to ignore.