Blaine, WA - The Software Update Tango

Library day for Nancy and Gary. Nope, we didn’t plan this one, it just came up. In fact, we had planned a day in Vancouver, right over the border from where we are. Fun and frolic in Vancouver. Nope. not gonna happen. Cross it off the list. Let’s go to the library.
OK. And, so, here we are. Nice library: very good wi-fi, and nothing to distract me. I can find lots of things to distract me at home but there’s not much to distract me at the library.
Why we’re here goes back several years and it’s all computer related. We use a software program named Quicken to handle our checking, credit cards and investments. We use the Microsoft version since it’s more robust than the Mac version. And then we use a software program called Fusion which lets us use Microsoft programs on our Mac. Quicken, Microsoft, Fusion, Macintosh. Oh, yeah, what I’m trying to do is download our financial information from Wells Fargo. 5 (count them) 5 things that have to interact correctly or I can’t get my job done. Whew.
Our Microsoft is Windows XP, our Quicken is the 2013 version and our Fusion is the 2012 version. Hey, we only use these 3 when I go online to download info from Wells so why install costly updates? So far we have successfully resisted. Although, about 6 months ago, since Quicken won’t download from Wells any more, I had to use a work-around to get the info. That was a clue that things were going to get dicey. Yesterday, I couldn’t even do the work-around. They’ve cut me off entirely. They want me to update my software.
Hmmm. So, Gary set to work trying to see what we needed - and how much it would cost.
        Quicken                111.29
        Windows                127.19
        Fusion                 52.99
                                _____
                                Whoo-eee.
Hmmm. Now we see why we haven’t updated our software until now. It’s all about the money.
What’s the alternative?
        I can get out my green accounting paper and do it all by hand
        I can hire an accountant
        I can make educated guesses
Well, looks like we spend money. Ooh. Ouch. I can feel the pain already. And, that’s why we’re here in the library. Downloading all of these would take all the data we’ve got for this month and more.
But, I’ve got things to do, it’s overcast, cool and windy so what better place to spend time than here in the library? And, yes, we made a donation to the library for the use of their electricity and wi-fi. No library ever turns down our donations.
At 3:00, they kicked us out of the meeting room where we were using the table because the LEGO contest was scheduled. So we went out to the lounge chairs where Gary had just a little bit left to download.
LEGO contests, children’s reading hour, computer geek lessons - we were amazed at how busy this small library was. Adults, kids, teens, pre-teens all milling around, looking for books, reading, computing, LEGOing, doing homework. Really busy - busier than most libraries we’ve been in. Truly a community center.
At 4:00 we left, put our stuff in the car and walked around the town. Lots of shuttered store fronts. One had a sign thanking all their loyal customers for their previous business. Sad to see this. But further on, Blaine has done lots to beautify their town/harbor area. New bike paths, new park, big patios overlooking the harbor. But, few people - at least as far as we could see. We did see a new building - the Edaleen Dairy. A dairy? The last thing I would open in a town with shuttered store fronts. Sure enough, lots of refrigerated cases inside selling milk, cheese, sour cream and other daily products. We could see this from the windows.

We then headed into the harbor area. Cool views. Lots of pleasure craft in the marina. Oof da! What’s that smell? Ye-e-w-w, ah, the commercial section of the harbor.
Cool statues in the park.

Ah, but it’s time to head home. As we walked back to our Jeep in the library parking lot, we passed two cars, both drivers with ice cream cones in their hands. Huh? Coming from the Edaleen Dairy. Lots of parked cars, people streaming in and out. One guy had at least 20 gallons of milk in his shopping cart. One lady had a sack-full of cheese. But - it was the ice cream that most were going for. 5:00 and the store was packed: the outside tables were filled, the inside tables were filled and the line was 5 deep. It’s all about the ice cream.
Yeah, we’ll ruin our dinner too. Ummm.
Why would anyone put a dairy here? Ah, lots of Canadian license plates. It’s right on the way to the border crossing. I don’t know why that’s there’s a connection between lots of Canadians and a Dairy near the border especially with the exchange rate in our favor. but it’s what we observed. You figure it out. I’m eating my ice cream.