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7 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,January 31,2019 theifp.ca • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 Wehandleall insurance work. We handle all insurance work. Furnace Air Conditioning Gaslines Boilers Water Heaters Radiant Heating 905-877-3100 proud local dealer of Canadian made products .ca BEST BUY CORRECTION NOTICE NEWSPAPER RETRACTION FOR THE BEST BUY JANUARY 25th, 2019 CORPORATE FLYER In the January 25th flyer, page 2, the Sony 75" 4K HDRAndroid Smart LED TV (Web Code: 12334886/ 10422985/ GS 12382553) was advertised with an incorrect price. Please note that this product is available at $2499.99 after a $500 discount. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers. George Moir (left), committee manager of Ontario Air Cadets, presents the new 756 Georgetown Squadron charter to Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 120 president Henry Hale at the Georgetown Armouries on Jan. 27, 1969. That building is now owned by Georgetown Globe Productions. The Esquesing Historical Society has this photograph in its archives. EHS/photo THE WAY WE WERE Sometimes when I think back about my parents' generation, I have to smile. Their opinions, their at- titudes and their values were all different than those of today. And I still have warm fuzzy feelings when I think of them. One aspect was those lit- tle superstitions that they held tightly to as they went through day-to-day tasks. There were the usual ones - black cat crossing your path, walking under a ladder and a host of others come to mind. And I admit, I avoid going where a black cat has passed by. But one superstition that my mom always be- lieved was that "things hap- pen in threes." If something negative happened to you, chances are it would be followed by two more related events. As I grow older and more cynical, I know if you try hard enough, you can probably find three linked events that are bad every day. But last weekend, I was beginning to believe Mom's old "things happen in threes" superstition was out to get me. It was that brutally cold Sunday night. During the day our driveway had blown in full of snow. The Sidekick and I were out at an event, and driving in the lane, I knew I had to get out the snow blower to clear the lane so we could get out the next morning. I had plugged in the block heater on the tractor a few hours earlier, so it should have been an easy start. But as I turned the key, the tractor moaned in pro- test. After a couple tries, it finally fired up. After warming up a few minutes, I pulled it out of the shed into the darkness of that brutally frigid night. I engaged the blower and started down the lane, ready to conquer that snow-filled quarter mile of driveway. The tractor refused to rev beyond a fast idle - and a snow blower requires the motor to be revved up to maximum speed, to blow the snow out into the field. I knew the problem right away - the diesel fuel was jelled in the fuel lines. The tractor limped back to the shed at an idle as I poured some fuel condi- tioner into the fuel tank. Event No. 1- frozen fuel line. The conditioner took some time to thaw the line, but it finally started to rev. Once again, I engaged the blower and started out into the darkness. Halfway out the lane, I heard a bang. After a quick look, I saw the problem - a snapped shear bolt. Back to the shed, and with nearly fro- zen hands, I replaced the shear bolt. Event No. 2- broken shear bolt. Fuel conditioner in the fuel, shear bolt replaced - okay, once again I was ready to head out into the darkness. I turned the key.... rurr rurr click, click, click... nothing. The battery decided it was too flat to start the tractor. I removed the battery cover, got out my battery booster (which I was pray- ing would have enough juice to fire up the tractor) and after a few more ex- treme freezing moments, the tractor finally sprang to life. Whew! Event No. 3 - weak bat- tery requiring boost. Thankfully, the balance of the night was unevent- ful. Almost two hours later, I returned to the house fol- lowing what should have been a 20-minute job. As I walked in the house, The Sidekick asked if I had trouble - hmm, an understatement? "I'm glad things only happen in threes," I told her. "I'm not sure I could handle a fourth...". And that was it - I had three negative events, all related to each other. Cosying back in my re- cliner, I exhaled and settled down to get warm. And I thought to myself. "Mom, I think you might have been on to something there..." Ted Brown is a free- lance journalist for the IFC. He can contacted at tedbit@hotmail.com. IT SEEMS THINGS DO STILL HAPPEN IN THREES OPINION MOM MAY HAVE BEEN RIGHT, WRITES TED BROWN TED BROWN Column