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Hello FS friends,
Do you ever have one of those days? Today was mine.
My little boat needs a coat of anti fouling paint. The closest place that had it was in Toronto, so thought to check whether there was any in Buffalo. Normally a trip across the border is easy peasy. A round trip to pick up what I need usually takes about 45 minutes.
Today's adventure - 1.25 hrs to get from the Fort Erie Side to Buffalo border control. Get into the Nexus lane, flash my card, stop at the booth only to be told I hadn't activated the new card (which I got renewed during covid).
The booth officer seized my precious identity card, radioed ahead to immigration my vehicle details. Another officer waved me over to the immigration control building, told me to park, and proceed through door 2. So I did. Waiting room was full. Waited a while, got really bored and thought I'd nip out to my car to grab a book. Nope. Was stopped by another officer who told me "Sir - go back inside". Sir? I'm a girl, have always been a girl and actually look like a girl. Admittedly, it was at this point I started to get nervous. Here I am in a foreign country without my primary identity card in hand.
Eventually they called my name and instead of being called to one of the booths in the room like everybody else, they told me to proceed to the back and go through the glass doors. Thought I was going to puke. (it's a nerve thing) Didn't know what to expect. Am I going to jail? It was a dumb mistake.
Long story short, the officers back there were super nice and teasing me about my failure to take direction well. They activated my card and sent me on my merry way with my precious id in hand, and an orange slip of paper. (orange - warning? stupid person bears this paper? - other peoples papers were white)
Left the building, handed that orange slip to the officer who maam'd me this go round.
Got the paint, returned to cross back over the Peace Bridge (a quick crossing this time). Went to the Canadian booth, got a grumpy agent (who unlike the us side is faceless and hidden in the booth). As always, I declare 100% of what I'm bringing back. Told her the USD value. What is the Canadian value she asked. So I asked what today's exchange rate was. She kept me sitting there for a good 5 minutes. Never did answer the question.
She then sent me off to the customs building to pay tax. (which I did). Another piece of paper, waved it at the Canadian officer outside and once again went my merry way.
Glad to be home. Wasn't expecting a 5 hour round trip. It was an adventure nonetheless. First time to cross since March 2020. Clearly I'm out of practice. Glad I wasn't with other people and on the way to a concert at Keybank or Kleinhams. (they would have been pissed)
Over and out.
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1106 kcal
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Fat: 49.62g | Prot: 69.73g | Carbs: 103.52g.
Breakfast: Orgain Organic Protein Plant Based Protein Powder Creamy Chocolate Fudge. Lunch: Apples , Kirkland Signature Natural Peanut Butter (32g). Dinner: Spaghetti, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Half and Half Cream, Onions, Sam's Club Orange Bell Pepper, Sweet Red Peppers, Yellow Sweet Peppers, Mushrooms, Cooked Mussels. Snacks/Other: Clover Valley Flavored Sparkling Water, Bacon. more...
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