Looks like February is about behind us, and that’s OK with me. Another birthday down the tubes, another great Valentine’s Day, a week of school vacation, a brief trip to Clearwater beach (near Tampa), and about 200 feet of new snow.  Most of Maine is taking ibuprofen thanks to all the snow shoveling, but there are some hold-outs, and we can hear them grunting with every painful step as they wander down the grocery store aisles.  I tell my daughters, the Galliwags, not to laugh, but it’s difficult at times.

So, bring on March, with longer days, stronger sunlight, and corporate taxes due.  Thanks to you folks, you Newsletter Victims, Feb has been a great month, so the Sales Report is positive.  That’s the way the College Fund likes it. We’re growing steadily, and the website is expanding too, with a lot of new stuff to gawk at.

I don’t know how much snow you’ve had in your area, but we’re getting to the point where some folks in town wait until the wee hours and then they’re pulling a little act of vigilantism.  They’re pitching snow over into the neighbor’s driveway or yard.  This is largely frowned upon, but it allows the Ninja-Shoveler to see over the snow banks so they can back the rig safely out into the street.  The rest of us, the law-abiders, have a much more sensible method of handling this.  I close my eyes, open my mind, and let The Force take over. Then I nail the gas and blast the old pickup out into the road, snow banks exploding apart, and hope for the best.  I almost caught the front end of someone’s Jeep the other morning, but that thing looked like it needed a good bashing anyway.  I’ll get ’em next time.

Seen any of the new leathers on our sorry excuse for a website?  Deer hide in black, deer hides in white, garment-grade horse fronts in black, and more sheep hides, all on the Lightweight Leathers page.  We use that page for hides that are under 3 oz in thickness (less than 3/64 of an inch which means under 1/16″).  Chestnut veg tan sides, medium brown cowhide sides with a lizard print (this is nice leather), Tempranillo sides (hard to pronounce, but a beautiful leather), black oil tanned sides (semi-glossy), and others on the good old Sides and Hides page.  New rivets, new tools, etc.  In other words, we’ve been doing more than just shoveling snow this month.

One last snow note – late last summer I made the mistake of leaving the porch light off one night, and some hardened criminal took advantage of the darkness to leave a bag of zucchini on the top step. I think I know who did it, but rather than bother the police force I think I’ll just tiptoe over there with some snow late tonight. Let’s keep this between you & me.

Thanks- Churchill Barton Brettuns Village Public Works Department Snow Dispersal Division Covert Action Task Force Squad Bravo