Cusco to Lima to Cancun to Courtenay

 I can write about it now. Now that it's all over and I have actually set foot on Canadian soil --the best Canadian soil that is, which happens to be, in my estimation, Vancouver Island. Best soil. Best people. Best air. Best altitude: sea level. Hallelujah!

But, seriously, do you want to know what I went through to get here? It's a story of mesmerizing magnificence combined with trauma and intrigue and layered with maleficence --just as I knew it would be. I expected nothing less, even when it seemed as though I'd be stuck in Mexico for a very long time. 

There were blockades before me every step of the way. The first one was right in the airport in Cusco. And, of course it had to do with money because the enemy of my soul knows that money is my nemesis. I went to get my boarding pass at the Airline Agency and was told that I needed to pay $40 US ($56 Canadian) for my carry-on. Now, that didn't make sense since carry-on was supposed to be free, according to the ticketing agent. Yes, you had to pay for check-in bags, but not for carry-on or one personal item you were allowed to take on the plane with you. But, I went to an ATM to get the money.

That's when I discovered that my debit/Mastercard was not working. (That's another story in itself with regards to a block on my bank card due to an unauthorized online payment. However, my bank had UNblocked the card, so what was the problem?) Well, after trying three different ATM's, I went to Information to ask if there was another ATM around or even a Western Union. I knew I could use Western Union by going on my laptop and sending myself money. But, no, there wasn't one anywhere near the airport. I was told there were no ATM's near the airport either. However, a security agent offered to take me outside and around a barricade to another part of the airport to try an International ATM --also unsuccessful at retrieving money. Back to Information.

I stood there, "hat in hand" so to speak, utterly forlorn and unable to come up with a solution, planning to go back to my landlord and ask him for the key back so I could return to my Cusco rental. Then, I heard the Information girl (a lovely girl) say, "How can I trust you to pay me back if I lend you the money?" (WHAT?) That was a great question. A delightful question, under the circumstances. I thought about it. At length, I remembered that my granddaughter lived in Cusco and she could be my go-between. So, I gave my granddaughter's phone number to the girl at Information and we made a deal that she could get reimbursed through her. 

The Information girl gave me 160 soles. She couldn't get 155 out of the ATM. And that was a good thing because when I had to pay for my luggage at the boarding gate, they charged me 158 soles. AND they wanted to put my carry-on bag as check-in. I refused to allow that since I knew it would take too long in Lima for me to collect my bag before the next flight. They reluctantly allowed me "an exception" to carry my carry-on onto the plane! Go figure. 

Let this be a lesson for all you cheap flight seekers. Hidden costs. Not just "select-your-seat" costs, insurance costs, "buy-an-inflight-meal" costs, Kiwi Guarantee costs, hotel or rental car costs, preferential boarding costs, or any other ways they can charge you extra, but there are hidden costs, too. These are the costs you don't find out about until you're about to board. (In the small print Kiwi warns you that if you don't check-in with them, there could be check-in fees for which Kiwi will reimburse you. I have yet to see whether or not I will be reimbursed. When you try to check in with Kiwi, you get an air message that Kiwi is unable to check you in and you must check in with the Airline.)

So, I was able to leave Cusco. What a relief! I had a chance to be down at sea level again in Lima. During the 1 1/2 hour flight, we were given a FREE small cup of water AND a tiny cube of chocolate. BONUS.

In Lima, when I went to check in, there was a charge. Of course there was a charge. But, it wasn't for checking-in. It was for a tourist charge for landing in Mexico that had to be paid in Lima! At the airport in Lima, by the way, nobody knows where anything is. You more-or-less have to find it yourself. I was able to find the airline agency eventually after going around in circles a couple of times before someone sent me downstairs. (The airline agencies are downstairs.)

I tried my card again in Lima at the ATM's and found they would not accept my card. Therefore, when I was told there was a charge, my heart felt faint once more. I thought, "I can find an Air BNB, right? It might be nice to stay in Lima a while..." But, when the check-in agent took my card, I was shocked to see that my card worked. So! That means there's no block on my bank card after all.

The flight to Cancun was a little boring. I had a window seat but it was too dark outside to see anything. The upside was that the air hostesses allowed us to sleep through the entire flight without bothering us with food or drink. 

Landing in Cancun, I had a tight schedule. I had only 2 hours and 25 minutes to get everything done and get on my flight to Canada. It was touch and go for a while. First, I had to go through Immigrations, fill out the form and find the shuttle to Terminal 4. 

There was security for entering another country so our bags had to go through the scanner to get to Immigrations. Then, when that was done, it was onward to the free shuttle. 

Alas, I was intercepted by a taxi promoter who insisted that I needed to take a taxi or I would most certainly miss my plane. He informed me that the free shuttle was not dependable. It could show up in a half an hour or an hour or even two hours. Who knew? (This was all a lie, but how could I know that? He wouldn't allow me to get close to the free shuttle to find out.)

I tried to pay for the taxi with my card, thinking for sure my card would work in Mexico. But, it didn't. So, this taxi promoter took me back inside the airport to a group of ATM machines. They didn't work either. Back outside to try a different taxi payment method. Didn't work. I was left with no choice but the free shuttle. It was either that, or go find an Air BNB in Cancun. Not a bad prospect, but not quite good enough. I wanted to GO HOME.

When I got to the Free Shuttle stop zone, I noticed a digital sign telling the time for the next shuttle. But the shuttle showed up less than a minute later! It had been a total rouse that the shuttle was not dependable. The taxi was going to charge $40 US to drive me five blocks! Instead I got to Terminal 4 for free. A kind passenger helped me with my bag and I was on my way to the next check-in.

You should know that normally check-in is done online. But, when you buy a cheap flight with an agency like Kiwi, they quote you a low, low price by avoiding all these "extra charges" which are normally included in the price of the ticket. (My flight was only $500 Canadian to fly all the way from Peru to Canada.) 

At the Flair check-in, the agent told me I had to pay $20 for my boarding pass. But he didn't make eye contact. Instead he was examining his computer screen. I knew what the problem was. 

"Are you wondering why my passport has a different number? You see, my passport was stolen in Peru and I have a new passport," I said, handing him the Police Report from Peru. "This is the Police Report."

He glanced at me in a sort of frenzy saying, "This is a Police Report from PERU! We need a Police Report from MEXICO," he emphasized. It was as if I was supposed to know that and to have GONE to the Mexican Police to get this VERY important paper for his records so that HE wouldn't get in trouble for allowing a Canadian woman to board a flight back to Canada.

Two men with Canadian passports came up and I was asked to step aside while he dealt with their check-in bags, put labels on them and took their money. As I patiently waited, he glanced at me from time to time saying, "I'll be with you in a moment, lady." I just silently prayed and claimed Bible scriptures. His severe tension was totally lost on me. I was in God's hands, not his.

When the two men left, I said to him (using as much tactful reasoning as possible) "My passport was stolen in Peru, not Mexico."

He got on his phone and spoke in Spanish on and on about this Police Report and the conflicting passport numbers. Another guy showed up to judge the situation. Meanwhile, my flight time is growing nearer. I'm breathing to calm myself. But, I buttoned my lip so this guy would stop calling me "lady". "Just a moment, lady" and "Calm down, lady" and "Lady, this is a different passport number" and "Lady, I can't give you a boarding pass. You won't be able to get on this flight without a Police Report from MEXICO."

By then, I was wondering, "Where do these people come from with these crazy ideas? They're totally freaked out about a piece of paper." The Canadian consulate in Peru said I was fine using my other passport number to buy a flight. I stood silently waiting for the verdict from this frazzled agent.

"Okay," he said, "You can show your Police Report at the security before you board. Your boarding pass is $20."

My card worked again! These check-in desks seem to have the best terminals. 

On to security with my boarding pass in hand! They grabbed my carry-on suitcase and I was told to wait. With five minutes to boarding time, I got a little panicky. Actually, I was more than a bit panicked. (In the past, I had missed a flight because of getting held up at security.) My plane could be leaving in ten minutes and I knew that it was probably a very long walk to Gate 60. The woman at security gave me a blank stare when I mentioned that my flight was boarding.

The decision to be made here was: MISS MY FLIGHT or SURRENDER MY PURSE AND SUITCASE at security. Easy. I was NOT going to miss my flight. Not now. Not after all I had gone through to get to this point. I was going to be on that flight to Canada no matter what it took!

I waved good-bye to the security and she waved back at me with no intention of returning my possessions. Then I walked fast past all the shops, down the long halls and towards the gates. Each gate was spread far apart so it was a long walk to Gate 60. 

It was boarding time when I arrived. However,  nobody was boarding. I asked at the counter when the doors would close and was told I had 20 minutes before they would finish boarding. She said the crew hadn't arrived yet. Great! I had enough time to go back and claim my bags. So, I did. 

What a test! I had sacrificed all to get on this flight but now I got all my earthly possessions returned to me. Not only that but there were blessings ahead. I got a WINDOW SEAT with TWO empty seats beside me and my seat was at the back of the plane so that nobody could sit behind me and kick the back of my seat. It was definitely the BEST seat on the plane. 

But, that's not all. Flying over the States, I had a perfectly clear view of the ground. We first flew over the Gulf of Mexico, then over Texas. Then the landscape changed as we approached Colorado and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Magnificent. I was gob-smacked. I even got a few amazing pictures with my phone that looked like Google Earth shots. 

You can see the wing on the upper right. It seemed to me that, considering the immense size of the plane, that wing was awfully skinny. Don't you think so? Skinny and fragile is what it looked like to me. Here's a picture taken over the Gulf of Mexico. Clear skies all the way as we crossed from Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula clear across the gulf to Texas. 

Once over Texas, I started seeing the earth beneath us all divided up into squares. It was a God's Eye view. 

Then there were circles, perfectly round inside of the squares. I couldn't figure out how they got to be so round nor why they were inside of these squares. 

I believe we were over Texas for quite a stretch of time because we were flying in a beeline it seemed directly to Vancouver. 

A long, brown, windy river extended below us but the river bed seemed to be dry because I couldn't see any movement of water or any shine off of it. It was just brown.

After a while the scene changed to lumpy brown ground with speckless off to the side that were trees.

Then, snow-capped mountains shining in the sunlight for miles and miles..

                                 You gotta love God's creation. Planet earth in all its glory. The good

                                                              ol' US of A at our feet. 

The over 6 hour flight "flew by". It didn't matter that I was hungry. (I hadn't been able to buy anything in the airports since my card wasn't working.) It sort of mattered though that I was thirsty. I started imagining Canadian food. There was a menu in the pocket in front of me with yummy hamburgers and sandwiches pictured in living color. So, I ordered a breakfast sandwich, coffee and water.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the airline host said, apologetically, "The only hot food we have is noodle soup. When we boarded the flight, all the other food had been taken."

WHAT? What a strange situation. All the food had been taken? And not replaced? No bread? Nothing?

Well, I got a cup of Raman soup, a bottle of water and a cup of instant coffee and guess what it cost? $15 Canadian. I'd have to wait until I could find a Tim Horton's in Vancouver. 

It was tempting to want to kiss the ground when we landed. Beautiful BC. Clean, organized, English. I took the Sky Train from the airport and got off in downtown Vancouver where people were waiting for the light to turn green before crossing the street in orderly fashion while the cars STOPPED to allow the pedestrians to cross. Imagine that. Yes, I was home at last. 

There was a Tim Horton's. Of course there was. That's one thing that hasn't changed. I got a medium sized coffee that was twice the size of a coffee in Peru and really hot. The Horseshoe Bay Express bus arrived too late for the 3:45 pm ferry, so I waited in the waiting room, inserting my card into a vending machine that ATE IT. Two security guards helped me jimmy the slot to pull out my card. Then they told me I had put my card into the wrong slot. It was the slot for cash only. The slot above that one was where I should have put it in to pay. But, I was just glad to get my card back and didn't want to take any more chances. 

Since I arrived on the island at 8 pm or so, the express bus to Courtenay was not running and I had to take a taxi. The driver said it would cost $300 but he cut me a deal for $250.00 and got a $20 tip. It was raining when we drove into the driveway of my new home.

The lady of the house welcomed me and, after meeting the big Samoyed dog, I went straight to bed. It's a nice, soft double bed in a nice, clean room with a view of the tree-filled yard. The sweet smell of wood burning in the iron stove permeated the house. Cushioned in a tomblike silence, I dozed off. 

THROUGH THE ANDES TO CHILE

 We decided to leave Buenos Aires. Yes, the architecture is amazing. The people are friendly. The media lunas (croissants) and cafe con leche are great. But, the narrow streets with skyscrapers blocking out the sun made the city a little daunting, especially when it came to using my granddaughter's GPS. We were constantly walking in circles and getting lost for hours. It was fun for a while but then it was time to move on.

Go figure that South America is cold enough to have to wear a jacket and sweater in the middle of what is summer in Canada. But, it's winter in Argentina. And, although it makes sense, it messes with your head.

Probably the most fun about Argentina was their money. You could get a whole fistful of thousand peso bills for a couple of hundred Canadian dollars. 

Outstanding architecture was everywhere in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Very European esthetically.

We headed for Cordoba and were we ever impressed by the scenery. Going through the Andes was the adventure of a lifetime. I'm so glad my granddaughter, Anastasia was there to experience it with me.

We were a little surprised when disembarking at the border to find snow on the ground. It was cold.

Cancun to Sao Paulo Brazil

 I flew to Sao Paulo in April and took a couple of buses out to a podunk little town in Brazil by the name of Concecao dos Orous where my family has rented a house on a piece of land. My son and his kids are raising chickens, cows and horses and growing their own vegetables. 

However, my granddaughter was living in a one-bedroom apartment in this little town that has a small population of only twenty thousand or so.
The streets are bricks and the hills are steep. It's picturesque but difficult for walking.

What can I tell you about Conceicao dos Orous? It's old. The showers don't work. At least the showers I came into contact with didn't work. The water never got hot and there was no water pressure so you sort of shivered and stood under trickling water, trying to get your whole self washed but struggled to actually enjoy it. 

The restaurants were few and far between. Two of them served full-course meals with hot meat and vegetables but they were only open for lunch. There was no breakfast restaurant as we Canadians would know it. For breakfast, people ate croissants and drank coffee con leche. That's the usual for breakfast in Brazil and other South American countries it seems. 

People eat a lot of croissants as well as a sort of pastry thing made from fermented plants or grains of some sort. It's a long piece of airy, light, bubbly stuff. I don't know exactly how to describe it. I haven't seen it anywhere else in my travels but it's abundant in this little town.

As you sit drinking your coffee and eating your sandwich in the coffee shop, you'll often hear a horse come trotting down the cobblestone road outside. It's a soothing sound. An ancient sound. These are the cabellaros of Brazil we've heard of. 

                                                           Waterfall in the town.

                                                                  The red red dirt of Brazil.

One of the neighbour's cows who decided to take a walk down the road in front of my house.

This floppy-eared cow hung out on the cliff just outside my house where I rented half a house for a couple of months. My house stood in front of this cliff that sometimes shed its red dirt right into my backyard. 

It was not bad for half a house except that the tin roof made a racket whenever the local cats decided to walk on it, which happened frequently unfortunately. Thus the reason I wore ear plugs to bed at night.

CANCUN!

 Well, here I am in Cancun, Mexico. I landed a month ago and found a great Air BNB right downtown in Cancun. That is, if you can call anywhere in Cancun "downtown". But, it was in the middle of town and it cost a mere 400 pesos per night. And this wasn't your shared type of Air BNB. It was a private room with a double bed and private bathroom. Complete with air con that you don't have to pay for. What more could you want besides a teensy swimming pool in the entrance way? Which they have.

Walmart is right around the corner only four blocks away. It's not exactly a Walmart as we know it but close enough. They have a McDonald's where you can get a great cup of coffee and (if you're brave) a double big mac burger. I won't do that again though because, well, it went right through me. I still have to get adjusted to the environment.

Not long after arriving, I looked up on Craigslist for a private house to rent and found a cute little apartment on the opposite side of town. It was fully furnished and had three overhead fans and two air conditioners along with all the kitchen utensils one would find necessary. 

                                                            All this for 10,000 pesos. 

However, what you really want to know about is the beach! Right? Well, the beaches here are... TO DIE FOR. And that's an understatement. Ask any tourist. This is thee tourist destination for the majority of tourists worldwide. If you love warm, turquois water touching a pristine white beach, Cancun is for YOU.

Or, if you happen to be a total tree freak like me, you'll love it here, too. Gorgeous trees. 

GERONIMO NANAIMO!

 Geronimo is an American legend. Nanaimo is a Canadian place. It's a town on Vancouver Island. And I live there now. 

RIGHT ON THE BEACH.

In fact, my bedroom window overlooks a backyard beach with a whole beautiful harbour in front of that. What a view it is. It's everything, always moving, daytime beauty, nighttime charm and mystery. It's ferries crossing the harbor to Gabriolla Island, crossing each other going and coming, shedding a most glorious light into the darkness at night and glowing white even in the sunlight. 

                                               VIEW FROM MY WINDOW!

The Rocky Mountains are in plain view today with their snow peaked caps and far horizon-ranging range. Just glorious for a background. The up-close brown beach is pebble-covered and the stage for wildlife such as Canadian geese in their flocks, ducks with their two inch sized babies, sea-gulls, and a graceful heron that patiently stands at the edge of the water for hours on end. He's not there now.

                                             NIGHT VIEW 

So far, living in Nanaimo has been like living in a dream. And it's not just the weed. I experienced sleeping on a sailboat a few nights ago. It was surreal. The rocking, the knocking, the taste of the sea air. It was like being in ancient days. Of course, the sailboat is 40 years old! So that probably played into it nicely. 

Nothing like enjoying a cup of fresh ground French-pressed coffee on the deck of a sail-boat early in the morning.  A tidy seagull sits patiently on the cabin roof waiting for his regular sausage treat. Then he patiently waits for another. 

                                      VIEW OF NANAIMO FROM A FRIEND'S SAILBOAT   

                                

Nanaimo is an island town with a friendly island demeanor. If you thought Canadians were polite, this place is triple polite. You just can't be too polite when you're in this country. Moreso here. Don't be surprised to hear, "Thank you so much" several times a day. And, in fact, several times per thank! And don't be afraid to be ever so polite that in any other country, you might feel a little awkward. Don't be. People expect it of you and of each other. You just can't be too polite. 

People apologize to you when you step on their foot. I'm not kidding. It has happened to me. I'm like, "But I stepped on your foot. I should be the one to apologize."

Their extreme politeness is part of what makes Canadians so darn likeable. Here in Nanaimo, people treat you as if they have known you for years when you've only just met. It's like that. If you don't believe me, come to Vancouver Island and see for yourself.

  One morning, Heaven came down to look at itself in the mirror in front of my window.

If the people don't do it for you, maybe the massive displays of roses will. Or the ocean to snow-capped mountains view. Or maybe the birds. I have a tree outside my window just burgeoning with birds. It's nonstop tweeting but not on Twitter. This is real life chit-chat between birds that reaches a stormy peek of noise in the evening and after the rain. They seem to be very intensely discussing things to the point where you might think they're screaming at each other in bird tweets. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful noise. I love it. 

                                                Did I mention the flower gardens?

The Calgary Tower

Are you into towers? Well, we've got one in Calgary. What would a city be without a tower? And, my son and I thought, since I've been living in downtown Calgary for 1 1/2 years, it wouldn't be right for me to go a day longer without visiting the top of said tower. Especially since it's so cheap. (General admission is $18, seniors are $16, and children are $9.)

Apparently, one could:

Experience a spectacular 360° view of the foothills and majestic Rocky Mountains. Step onto our glass floor for an unforgettable perspective of the bustling streets below and learn more about our history in our brand-new theatre room.

                   The Calgary Tower Standing Tall with a Candy Apple Red Globe at the Top.

So, we made plans to take my grandsons up the tower for dessert on my eldest grandson's birthday --February 15th -- or close to it. We called the phone number for it and made a reservation. Although it's not necessary to make a reservation, the guy on the other end of the phone suggested that it was a busy day and that if we wanted to have a seat in the restaurant, we should. So, we did.

Mind you, this was on February 18th which is a stat holiday --Family Day, which is probably why we needed to make a reservation. We were off in the car, found a lower level parking spot no problem, and boarded the elevator to the level where the tower entrance was. There was a security guard at the door to greet us with,

"I'm sorry, but the elevator to the tower has been shut down."

"WHAAAT?" we all four of us looked at each other puzzled. And I said, "What are the odds?"

If you think about it, isn't it a bit strange that at this very moment in time on this very day we chose to finally go up there, the tower elevator is shut down?

"Why?" we asked.

"On the way down, water started to leak into the elevator from melted snow or whatnot and it fritzed up the electrical works," the guard explained as best he could.

We sort of stood there, looking at him, trying to absorb what he'd just said, getting pictures in our minds of people stuck all the way up there in an elevator that's being flooded with water, wondering how long it's going to take before we can get out of there.

I can't speak for the others, but, I was coming up with a dozen questions like: Are there people still stuck up there? How many people were or are stuck in the elevator? How long did it take to get the people out? Will the elevator be running again soon? Does this happen every time it snows? Can we expect the elevator to get stuck again or will it be permanently fixed? Is this on the news?

At least two of us breathed a heavy sigh of relief and looked down at our feet that were standing on solid ground. Neither of us asked about the poor elevator passengers nor inquired about exactly how much water we were talking about. I don't think we even asked the guard whether this was a common occurrence. Maybe it was partly because he didn't seem to be in the mood to answer any more questions and partly because --you know-- we'd find it on the internet.

I found this on the official site.

Milestones

1967 Construction began February 19, 1967 and was completed in June 1968 at a total cost of $3.5 million dollars.
1971 On November 1, 1971, the Husky Tower was officially renamed the Calgary Tower as a tribute to Calgary citizens.
1985 In 1985, the Tower completed a renovation of the observation areas at a cost of $2.4 million. This project added a grill and souvenir shop.

1987 A natural gas-fired cauldron is installed on top of the Calgary Tower by Western Canadian Natural Gas to serve as an official Olympic Flame during the upcoming Winter Games.
1988 A hand-held replica of the Calgary Tower with an Olympic flame crosses Canada during the Torch Relay. Tens of thousands of international guests and athletes visit the Tower during the Calgary Olympics.
1989 Fresh off its Olympic exposure, the Calgary Tower initiates and is a founding member of the World Federation of Great Towers (WFGT).
2005 A glass floor spanning 36' wide by 4.5' was installed on the Observation Deck as a gift to Alberta on its Centennial.
2014 LED lights are added to the exterior of the Calgary Tower complementing the downtown skyline nightly with spectacular light displays.
2018 The Calgary Tower celebrates its 50th anniversary as an internationally recognized and iconic symbol of the city.


Sky 360 is the restaurant we'd made reservations for that was now unreachable. They graciously cover the cost of the elevator ride when you purchase an entree. You're also allowed to visit the observation deck for up to half an hour before and after eating. But, since this was no longer a possibility, we looked around for another restaurant that would please two young teens.

We ended up driving to the Cheesecake Cafe where we dined on chicken stir-fry, fish 'n chips, clams, and a cheeseburger. They brought the Birthday Boy a piece of cake with a sparkler on the top as a gift. (The cheesecake is to die for!)

Perhaps we'll get up to the tower in March (around my Birthday) after the elevator is no longer under construction. If we have the nerve to try it.

Spring is Here so Merry Christmas!

It's been a long time since I contributed a new post to this blog but this crazy weather in Calgary has given me something to say. And, what I have to say about the weather is,

"'T-ain't funny, McGee!"

As I wrote on my Facebook profile, it's starting to be like a really bad joke. And, I'm one person who hates bad jokes. Sorry, but, zero tolerance. For some reason, a bad joke can ruin my whole relationship with someone. That's pretty severe, I know. But maybe I just figure that if somebody has to try so hard, they should quit the funny business.

So, here I am going across the street to buy some yogurt. (For some reason, I had a craving for real, unflavoured yogurt that night. And, no, I'm not pregnant. That's another bad joke.) So, I feel the wet snowflakes whipping my face, pull up my fluffy hood and head out. On the other side of the street, I see an elderly fellow and shout out, "Happy spring!" He replies,

"Merry Christmas!" We both laugh and carry on down the street.

I buy some peanutbutter cups, having not found any yogurt at the gas station convenience shop and as I'm coming out of the store, I greet another person who calls out,

"Merry Christmas!"

I think we Calgarians and Calgary dwellers are FED UP with this extension of winter. It's just not funny anymore. Not that it ever was. But, at least winter during winter is much more tolerable than Christmas weather in spring. Even the birds seem to be fed up with it. They seem a little cranky when they flip the snowflakes off their feathers as if to say, "Come on! Enough snow already!"

Anyway, when the weather finally breaks and we get an actual spring day for a change, I'm sure we'll all appreciate it even more than if it had happened on schedule. You know. Or not. We'll see.