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Am loving the green in my backyard.  Seems like everything is in bloom.  Robins hopping around the grass, squirrels chirping, bees a’buzzin.  And at night, the fireflies are out.  I love this place!Today I had a visit from the Dundas ‘Welcome Wagon’.  I saw the silver-haired lady at my door with a basket of goodies and was curious.  ’I'm from the Welcome Wagon, can I come in?’  First question: what is a welcome wagon?  Second question: are all those presents for me?  Turns out she’s been doing this for thirty years.  Local businesses promote themselves and their services by offering incentives for newcomers to drop by for a visit and pick up a gift so that when it comes time for a dental cleaning/dry-cleaning/massage/hair-do/two-by-four/insurance policy/safety-deposit-box, I’ll know who to call.

And the loot was worth the 15-minute box-cutting break.  A tooth brush, four pens, a tool belt, memo pad, white board, box of chocolate covered espresso beans, packet of bath salts, lens cloths, jar lid remover (it’s like they know me), crackers, green grocery bag, carpet cleaner, handy-wipes and a car garbage bag plus more in store when I go to say hello to the vendors.  ’No obligation to buy anything dear, these people just want to say hello, give you a little something, and when it comes time for you to need something in town, maybe you’ll think of them. They get discouraged about the program if no one stops in to say hello’.

There were also coupons for curtains, hair-cuts, a free lawn fertilizer treatment, drinking water test (that comes with movie tickets upon scheduling), free admission to the nature conservatory, a pamphlet on the Dundas Museum, dry cleaning discounts, and much more I can’t recall.   A little pleasant conversation and she was off.  Burden relieved and the faux-flowers pinned to her wicker basket blowing in the breeze.  I’m going to put my personally signed letter from the mayor on the fridge and read the Hamilton interior design magazine while I plan for my massage and hair-cut.

Neat-o.