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Man's best friend-- if it's cool I just came back from a week of vacation, during which time I worked for another boss-- me. And, I'm both sorry and happy to say, I'm proud of the fact I'm such a taskmaster... but only to myself. You see, being an old guy, I receive lots more vacation time than The Sidekick, so I find I set down a `list' of sorts, of things I want to see done that week, before I return to my day job. It's sort of my own `honey-do list'-- from me to me. Now, I was pretty pleased with myself, and was able to nail all items on the list, which included a road trip to Mennonite country to purchase a sheep feeder. But the final job I had set aside for myself was by far the most challenging, simply because I left it to the very last day. I'm in the process of replacing some sliding doors on the barn, and after having the foundation stonework pointed, the door frames built and installed, and the new headers installed over the door frames, the time had come to attach the track for the door. Ordinarily, it's not too bad a job-- provided it's done in reasonable conditions. But I decided to do this job Sunday morning. We all remember Sunday-- probably THE hottest day of the past week-- the day I decided to install the tracks. The Sidekick suddenly had somewhere else she had to be-- that was her story and she was stickin' to it-- so I tackled it alone. Man it was hot.... like, smokin' hot. Hamish the dog, my faithful and fearless border collie companion, happily followed me, panting and smiling with his tail wagging, to the end of the barn where the new track was to be installed. That area of the barn is like a parabolic mirror, concentrating the heat into a closed area. I set up the ladder, got out the drill and other tools, and prepared to lag the track in place. I looked around to see where the dog had gone. After calling him a couple 17 Day Spanish Odyssey | October 25 2011 Vision 2000 Exclusive Bonus: US $100 per stateroom Onboard Credit & Pinnacle Grill dinner for 2 7 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, July 21, 2011 TRANSATLANTIC SAVINGS! Ted Brown times, I returned to the main barn, and found him stretched out, laying on the cool concrete floor. "What are you doin' in here pup?" I said. "You should be outside with me." His expression said it all: "Man, are you nuts?!!!" he panted, "It's freakin' hot out there, and it's only 9:30 a.m.!!!" (Hamish is a very perceptive dog.) I went back out, and reached down to pick up a bracket that had been lying on the ground, in the sun. Wow! Was it hot! Geez, it felt like it had just come out of a blast furnace. I kicked the remaining track parts into the shade to cool off and proceeded to attach the track. I set the level on top to make sure it was bang-on level-- the galvanized finish on the track was like a mirror, blinding me with the reflection from the sun. I struggled for an hour and a half, before finally getting the track in place, all set to start making the doors for the barn. And I was totally whacked-- but the last job was done. I gathered up my tools, the ladder and assorted parts, and headed back to the main barn to put things away. The dog was still in the same spot, laying in the cool of the old stable, stretched out on the concrete floor, his back up against the stone foundation wall. He yawned, stretched and looked sleepily in my direction. I was wasted, totally beat and used up, and my shirt was so soaked with sweat you'd think I'd fallen into a lake. Once again, his expression said it all... "Told ya so..." he yawned, through half-closed eyes-- and laid his head down again as he dozed off. Rome to Ft Lauderdale aboard the m.s. 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Call Michael Anderson 24-7 TOLL FREE 1-888-792-9278 Or send him a confidential message at www.DiamondAnderson.ca Police blotter: Boat, trailer taken Halton Police are investigating the theft of a boat and trailer from a Trafalgar Rd. (9000 block) business between 9-10 p.m. Monday. Taken was a 23-ft. white Sea Ray with black trim and a black canopy, a ShoreLand'r trailer and MerCruiser 260 hp motor. Police are looking for two suspects, described as white men aged 20 to 30 years old, who were in a dark pickup truck. ··· Halton Police responded to an alarm at Norval Pancake Factory Saturday about 5:40 a.m. When they arrived they found windows had been smashed to gain entry and a cash register containing an undisclosed quantity of cash had been taken. ··· A Georgetown man is facing charges after police stopped a vehicle on Maple Ave. about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Charged with impaired driving and having over 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood is Stephen Peggie, 47. ··· A Toronto man was charged after police responded to the parking lot at Halton Hills Village Plaza on Mountainview Rd. about 10 p.m. Sunday after receiving a call about a suspected impaired driver. Charged with impaired driving and having over 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood is Robert Downey, 30. Thank you for your input! 100 (Left) Robert Knox, Chair of the Steering Committee on sustainability, captures residents hopes and dreams for Halton Hills at the Earth Day Fair. (Right) Stakeholders discuss economic sustainability at an `Economic Think Tank' hosted by Laurent Thibault, Co-Chair of the economic working group.