Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 After a tough, cold, snowy early-winter in Northern New Hampshire, my wife, Linda, and I awoke to a gorgeous sunrise in our rental condo in Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Photo by Linda Lane We both love our home in the North Country, and the beauty of the area, but this winter started early and will not give up its hold anytime soon . I am not exaggerating when I tell people that i t almost never stops snowing where we live . There always seems to be at least a few flakes falling. And the winter sun is often obscured by clouds.  The only bad news is that our temporary South Carolina getaway is supposed to get significant snow (meaning 2-5 inches down here) starting tomorrow. And the highway departments have little equipment to get rid of it. God and nature will have to melt it and clear the roads.

 My wife and I recently walked in to Anytime Fitness in Pawleys Island, SC, to join for three months with their "former" Snowbird" membership - only to be told the gym had changed hands and that temporary deal was no longer available. This was the same facility for which I had written a very-positive review the previous year. No longer. The monthly cost had risen to roughly $90.00/month for each of us - meaning a total of $540.00 for the three months. No way! On to Planet Fitness down the highway. We had been members a few years ago, and we joined for a total of $25.00/month - knowing that cancelling upon leaving the South would be easy .  The business plan of Planet Fitness is to charge low money ($10.00/month) which comes out of members' checking accounts. Many gym members join and then stop going, but for so little money, most "quitters" will not cancel. That works so well for dedicated "gym rats" .  Planet Fitness isn't for everyone ....