DR. APPOINTMENT GOOD, WEATHER BAD, & A LEFT/RIGHT BRAIN THEORY

TONIGHT’S RANDOM PHOTOS ARE FROM MY FILES….TOOK THIS ONE AT BAYFIELD’S SUNSET PARK IN JUNE OF 2009…NO IDEA WHO THIS COUPLE WAS BUT WISHED I HAD GOT THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS TO SEND THEM THIS PHOTO……..

I’m certainly glad my Doctor’s appointment turned out better than our cold, gloomy, & wet rainy day. Yikes, is it ever going to warm up this year.

BAYFIELD HOSTS VARIOUS CAR SHOWS THROUGH THE SUMMER FEATURING CHEVY CORVETTE & FORD THUNDERBIRD DAYS AS WELL AS VINTAGE CAR DAYS WHICH THIS PHOTO IS FROM A FEW YEARS AGO.

My appointment was at 9 so of course I was there in the waiting room early. The blood work lab is here as well so one large waiting room serves all. If there were 50 seats in that waiting room, 49 & a half were filled with people waiting to get rid of some blood. I call it the Vampire Clinic & unfortunately I will be there myself in the coming days slumped in a chair with eyes cast to the floor holding a little number tag in my hand. “Next, number 89.” Oh crap that’s me. Here I go….ouchy, ouchy, ouchy.

I am extremely fortunate to have such a great Nurse Practitioner in Sue Leddy. Here is a lady who makes you feel like you are actually an important human being even if some of us out here have days where we doubt that sometimes. Where Doc Robot freezes your very blood upon entering the room, my Nurse Practitioner immediately warms your heart, puts you at ease, & makes you comfortable. She spent a fair bit of time with me this morning because my list of problems was unusually long.  Here’s the condensed version of what’s going on & what’s coming up.

AN OLD FORGOTTEN FOOT BRIDGE

She suspects the Varicose veins in my left leg (one of the reasons I don’t wear shorts) may be part & parcel of my overall left leg problem impeding blood flow. There are definite problems with my right knee because of old injuries & she is also suspecting possible nerve damage radiating into my legs from several lower back injuries years ago. She set me up with two additional appointments at the Goderich hospital next week. One for an ultra-sound on my legs & the other for X-rays of my lower back & legs with attention going specifically to my right knee. I am also scheduled for blood work shortly at the Vampire Clinic to check for a whole host of other things as well. It will be the results of those tests (diabetes, prostrate, cholesterol, etc.) that could lead to some additional yukky stuff procedures. In the meantime she has re-newed my Arthrotec prescription.

OUR HOUSE BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT IN LATE 2002

 

OUR HOUSE 5 YEARS LATER AFTER WE REMODELLED & LANDSCAPED IT

Also, over the next 2 weeks she is easing me onto a nerve pain pill for my legs called PMS-Nortriptyline. I see her again on May 14th to, amongst other things, see if those pills have left me stranded in outer space somewhere or are actually working. Or both. And, I think the PMS in this case stands for Painful-Man-Syndrome:)) You know how us cry baby guys can’t handle this pain stuff as well as you ladies can, right………..:))

AFTER DIGGING IN THE FRONT YARD POND YEARS AGO, FROGS JUST STARTED SHOWING UP EVERY YEAR AFTER

Geeeezzzz, looks like I’m filling this blog all up with boring medical stuff. But, it’s a cold rainy day so I just don’t have a lot of other stuff to blog about. Well, I do, but that’s for another dull day. I’ll give you a hint…….‘Blog Evolution’.

IN A FLURRY OF BLURRY BLUE JAY FEATHERS

Now, I do have another bit of a problem that cropped up last summer & has been getting steadily worse. My Nurse Practitioner said it is imperative I talk to my Urologist (Doc Robot) in the next few weeks before surgery about this because it could be related to the Kidney Stone problem. I’m hoping that it is. In either case, Ice Man Robo Doc handles both those departments & it is he who I have to deal with. This is really starting to sound like ‘General Hospital’ so let’s move on………..

 

SPLISH SPLASH I WAS TAKING A BATH 

Awhile back I had an email from a reader/friend with some interesting food for thought.  Ever meet somebody you just kind of unexplainably hit if off with right away while maybe the next person you meet just kind of turned you right off.  I’m sure we have all experienced this.  Or maybe you have met someone, took a liking to them & struck up a friendship only to find out after awhile the two of you really don’t get along that well because of….differences.  You might have a lot in common with this person, have respect for them & yet your personalities begin to clash.  You just can’t seem to agree with each other’s take on things in a lot of areas.  And then it get’s personal & the brief friendship is destroyed in a flurry of hard feelings.  Could this, unfortunately be a ‘Right Brain/Left Brain sort of thing.  Two people with similar interests but each one thinking with opposite sides of the brain.  Neither is necessarily right or wrong.  They just think differently & approach things from different perspectives & it’s hard for each one to understand the other’s logic, or lack of it.  I Googled LEFT BRAIN vs RIGHT BRAIN & came up with what I consider to be a sensible & possible explanation of this theory.  You can click on the colored link above for that.  Thought it was an interesting concept.  And why did I write about this Left Brain/Right Brain thing??  Let’s just say it had a bit of something to do with Blogs, Bloggers, & Blogging & a lot to do with my Right Brain thought patterns.  And yes, I think it is the right side of my brain that does most of my thinking for me, with some welcome left side crossovers of course:))

 

HEY, YOU TALKIN TO ME!! 

Another Canadian Snow Bird arrived home today after an 8 month journey south of the border.  TRAVELS WITH CC & DIXIE have a lot of photos heading north up the eastern seaboard through Tennessee, Virginia Washington DC & New York State.  You may remember them from their stop at Tiffin Motor Homes in Red Bay, Alabama awhile back.

HEADING OUT FOR A LAKE HURON SUNSET CRUISE AT THE MOUTH OF THE BAYFIELD RIVER

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Here’s a few diddy’s about men & women.  And, remember folks, I don’t write these things, I just pass them along………….. 
- A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need.
- A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
- To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.
To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
- A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.
- A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

PHEEBS TAKES AN UNEXPECTED DIP

Well, on to some lighter blog fare. If I can’t think of any material in the next little while I’ll just have to get myself out there & create me a batch of new stuff. We have warmer weather headed our way this week & that should make for some nice Spring photo opportunities, motorcycle runs, & back road Jeep tours. I will be bopping around the countryside between medical appointments as well so I fully expect to find some interesting blog fodder in my travels. Yes indeed, could be an interesting summer coming up.
NEW BEACH UMBRELLAS AWAIT THE SUMMER GUESTS ON DEER PARK LODGE’S BEACH >>>
Bringing in our 4 bird feeders every night means I have to carry them out again in the morning. Pheebs always helps me with this little chore & I think that is pretty nice of her. It’s funny how the birds wait for those feeders to come out. Soon as I step onto the porch with a couple feeders in hand the joyous chirping begins & the birds are all a-flutter in the trees & shrubs around our front yard. Breakfast is served. Pheebs quickly darts about making sure that rascally Raccoon isn’t hiding behind a bush somewhere. She also disperses any lurking black Squirrels or Cats from the area as well. Neighbor’s cats are a problem because they kill the birds, frogs, small red Squirrels & Chipmunks in our yard. We don’t want Pheebs to hurt any of the Squirrels or Cats but we do want her to put the scary bajeebers into them just the same!!
 <<< DOGGY TRACKS & DRIFTWOOD
Kelly will be back to work full time for the summer at Deer Park Lodge in a couple weeks. Very handy for her because Deer Park is only about a mile from our place right on the shores of beautiful Lake Huron. A lot of renovations & landscaping going on there right now before all the tourists & summer guests come rolling in.  Loaded up the Pheebs & took a drive over for a look see around. Nice new pond & waterfall up & running. Cabins are looking great with their new coats of interior paint, new floors & walls etc. Deer Park probably has one of the finest private beaches in this whole area so we headed down for a walk along the water’s edge. Lake Huron was showing off her beautiful aqua marine greens & blue colors again today. Tried to coax the Pheebs in for a dip but she would have no part of it. She’s just not a water dog. Kinda like me, I’m not a big water critter either. Swimming pools & hot tubs just don’t cut if for me. Guess I’m just an old desert rat at heart.  Max & Checkers loved the water but the little Motormouse just hated it.

NICE DAY FOR A WALK ON THE BEACH

Pheebs did take an unexpected dip though when I called her from across a shallow pool of water next to the lake.  As she came running down the beach I think she thought she could just race right across the top of the pool.  ‘Ker-Ssssplash’  I could tell she was startled as she quickly hauled herself back up & out of the cold, wet watery water.  She then raced around the end of it running up to me shaking the water off in all directions as she came.

OOOOOOPS 

SAVE ME MOM……

PHEEBS HAULED HERSELF OUT OF THAT DARNED WET WATER PRETTY QUICK
Our temps had dropped to about 28F last night & I forgot to crack on a little heat in the Motorhome but after a quick check this morning everything appeared fine. Think it was two years ago a pipe broke in our kitchen faucet when the temps dipped well below freezing for a couple nights in early April.

NICE WASHROOM ON THE BEACH WAITS PATIENTLY FOR PATRONS TO BE SEATED

Enough warmth in the sun this afternoon to warm up the metal on the Motorcycle allowing me to have another go at all the pitted chrome with some rubbing compound. Shined up well but I’m afraid once chrome is pitted, that’s it.

THIS OLD DRIFTWOOD TREE HAD BEEN IN THE WATER A LONG TIME & MAY HAVE FLOATED ACROSS THE LAKE FROM THE MICHIGAN SIDE
Three new Blog Followers today. I think ROBBIE came aboard Saturday along with Don & Donna from DRIVING MISS DONNA. Noticed CINDY joined our travels this afternoon. The Bayfield Bunch welcomes you folks aboard & thanks you all for your interest:))

BEACH CHAIRS WAITING ON THEIR RETURN TRIP TO THE BEACH SHORTLY
I have a 9 a.m. appointment with my Nurse Practitioner in the morning to see what we can do about these legs of mine. Just too much pain in my legs to be Arthritis I’m thinking.  My mobility is now being affected.  Also have to get a couple other problems looked at that have cropped up as well. Imagine these things are going to result in more appointments, tests & probably some more yukky unmentionable procedures. But, first things first so we’ll see what comes out of tomorrow. If things get too rough I think I’ll just jump in the Jeep, drive back to Arizona, & hide myself behind a big old Saguaro Cactus for awhile.

THERE IS MORE TO DEER PARK LODGE’S BEACH THAN JUST A SANDY BEACH
GROANER’S CORNER:(( A Christian missionary was making his first visit to a Cannibalistic tribe in Borneo. The missionary asked the chief, "Do you people know anything about religion?" After a pause, the chief answered, "We got a little taste of it when the last missionary was here."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

JUST TRYING TO HELP

Long post tonight so I will get right to it......I wrote, re-wrote & revised the original following post a few years back with the thoughts of new Bloggers in mind. I had been Blogging for a couple years & after reading many Blogs & interacting with other Bloggers I felt I had a reasonably good understanding of what just might make up a good RVing Blog. My following thoughts & opinions are only suggestions. They are not to be taken personally by anyone. I can tell you that many of the things I suggest  to do or not to do, I have gone through myself at one time or another & it was fellow Bloggers & Readers who thankfully brought my follies & miss-steps to my attention. Ok, my turn, so here goes……………
---
- I recommend not putting music on a blog. It can be annoying. If you insist on music then offer it as an option. Put a button at the top of your blog which people can click on if they really want to hear your favorite tunes. Some people put in a video option but the key word there is 'option.' I wouldn’t recommend making it a default video that people have to sit through. Same thing with 'Slide Shows.' Remember, there are still a lot of internet folks out here with slow internet speeds plus all the Air Card people with their 5 Gig limits. That audio visual stuff just totally chews up download times & bandwidth.
---
- I suggest not loading your site with aggravating advertising, regardless of how much you think you need the .49 cents a month extra income. If I click on a site that is loaded with stationary or pop up advertising I immediately pop right out of there & I’m not likely to return. I remember seeing one blog so full of advertising that it was hard to find the actual post itself.  Advertising can be OK but the key words here are, ‘not loading your site’.
---
- Try not to fall into the rut of starting your blog off everyday with the same words & morning routines you used the day before or the day before that, or...... Be creative, be imaginative. You do not have to start your blog from the very beginning moments of awakening. The blog does not have to have a standard beginning or ending. Again, be creative & think outside the box. Start each day from a different perspective. In any book, that first paragraph can make or break the reader's interest in the rest of the story!! I had to drop a blog last summer because after about 3 months I could not get past the first paragraph anymore because of basically the same routine every morning. Nice people I'm sure, but after awhile I just referred to it as, 'the coffee blog' & moved on. I have to be careful with my own Blog in not starting it with a weather report every day. But hey, I’m Canadian:))
---
- If you don’t like a Blogger or a Blogs content, just don’t read it. How simple can that be. There are those who will read blogs for no other purpose than to find fault & ridicule the Blogger with rude & sarcastic comments. I have dropped some Blogs because of content & one Blog so far due to the personality of the Blogger.  Don’t let yourself be goaded by so called Anonymous commenters.  I have fallen into that baited trap more than once. 
---
- Suggest you stay away from all that glitz, glamour & glitter stuff. Dancing bears, frolicking flamingos, Las Vegas billboard lights, reams of happy faces & flying Brazilian billboards proclaiming that you, 'Have A Nice Day!!'
---
- Suggest you not ramble on with long drawn out blogs like I do sometimes. Make them shorter & keep them interesting. And yes, I know my blog photos are too big & messes with people’s slower connections.  I have made a lot of changes to my Blog but have been unable so far to make myself make that photo size change. 
---
- Write your post in short paragraphs & avoid running your whole blog into one big long rambling hard to read block of wordy mush. I used to do that until a couple readers straightened me out. I may not be grammatically correct with my paragraphing but it is much easier for readers to read & that takes priority.  In fact, readers have straightened me out on a lot of things so I suggest you listen to readers & make changes where applicable.
---
- Try to vary your blog topics every day & avoid getting tunnelled into the same project, mood or subject matter over & over. Yes, I know this is another one I fall into occasionally, especially on the moody side of things. In other words, keep people guessing as to what your next post is going to be about. Make tomorrow's post different from today's. Try to avoid a repetitive daily routine.  Make yourself unpredictable.  Just my opinions of course.
---
- A step by step, blow by blow description of a button factory tour can get pretty dry pretty fast. Add a link to the button factory & let the reader click on that if he wants' to know how many colored buttons are sewn backwards onto a checkerboard jelly bean shirt on assembly line B.
---
- If your going to add photos, treat them the same as your writing & make them the best they can be. Take a few seconds in your photo editing program to straighten out those annoying tilted horizons for example. A tilted horizon is not how you saw the picture & a tilted horizon is not how I want to see it either. Spend a little time & get to know your photo editing program & make your already good photos…..better.
---
- Some folks have a habit of using short forms. Fine for them & maybe a few close friends of theirs who have the inside track but it sure doesn’t work for me. How much more effort & time to type, University of Western Ontario as opposed to UWO. Or, how about GTSIBTMBICGU…..??
---
- Remember to add your thoughts, feelings, & opinions about what you are seeing & doing. I feel it adds character to a Blog instead of just, "well, then we went to Bill's Bargain Mart & I got a fly swatter & then we drove to Ambercrombieville & Hank got an ice cream cone with birdseed sprinkles on it & then we decided it was time to go home so we went home & George drove the car but not too fast because we met Ralph and Alice, Ed & Trixie and Bert and Ernie and Fred & Wilma and Rosie & Rufus and, and, and, and, etc. etc. etc!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:(( Be creative & use your imagination. Throw in some humor, add some feelings. Again, get yourself outside the box & push some boundaries.
---
- And, I wouldn’t recommend doing as I have done in the past by poo pooing certain areas of the country or States just because they are not in MY area of interest. Be understanding & considerate of other people's choice of RV vehicles or style of RVing. Because you don't agree with or care for certain things does not mean you have to put it in your blog. Some things are best left un-said. Trust me on this one folks.....I know what I am talking about:))
---
- If you must take a fellow blogger to task over something be respectful & sensitive enough do it in a private email & not in your blog. I have never used my blog to criticize another Blogger nor have I ever left rude or sarcastic comments on a fellow Blogger’s post. Disagreeing with a Blogger’s opinion is normal & acceptable, but to trash a Blogger personally, using ridicule & sarcasm, to me, is totally immature & egotistical.
Remember, principles before personalities.

---
- Some Bloggers answer each & every commenter. That’s a nice personal touch of course & I think I might have tried that once in the early days.  It’s a way of having folks return to your site to see how you have responded to their comment. Nice way to interact with folks & increase your Sitemeter daily visits number as well, if your into numbers that is. But remember, it does mess up the accuracy of your numbers if your trying to get a true Sitemeter feedback count on your Blog. If you receive 20 comments & answer each one then your counter will state you have received 40 comments. Mighty impressive & a quick way to boost your numbers…..but not accurate if you are interested in actual incoming comment numbers. All depends where you place your priorities.
---
- Be creative with your comments on other people's blogs. Make them original, sincere, helpful if possible, & heartfelt.  And, don’t forget the humor.  Remember, the more comments you leave on other people’s Blogs, the more comments you are likely to receive on your own Blog. But, don’t get caught up in the numbers game here again. Make your comments meaningful to the Blogger. On a side note….I see some really fine Blogs out here but often times they do not receive a lot or any comments simply because that Blogger is not in the habit of leaving comments on other people’s Blogs. Always felt this was unfortunate but it just seems to be human nature. Kind of like, ‘if you do something for me I will do something for you’.
---
- Some folks write a few lines, publish it & then come back a few hours later, write another paragraph & publish that. This is a supposedly clever method used by some to keep people coming back again & again clicking on their site maybe 5 or 6 times a day & that way increasing the numbers & advertising revenues on that particular blog. Again, probably nothing wrong with that except to me it is putting the numbers or advertising dollars first instead of the readers. Not in my nature to do that.
---
- Suggest making your blog printing font size large enough for weaker eyes to read. Not everyone has eagle eye vision out here anymore. And don't let your font color bleed into your background color making it nearly invisible.
---
- And remember, our blogs are mainly geared to the RV Lifestyle & related matters. Like minded people come to our Blogs because of that. If one starts preaching or pushing their religious or political views it only encourages some types of personalities to come roaring out of their caves with flame throwers in their hands & jump all over you.  You may find your Blog numbers rapidly falling off.   And no, this is not one of the many Blogging mistakes I have made.  (well OK, with one little slightly political rant last summer) If you want to blog about politics & religion I suggest you start up a second blog & target those particular audiences accordingly.....and good luck with that!!
---

---
Well, there you have it. Just wanted to share a few opinions on blogging with the hopes I may have said something here that may help someone. At least get people thinking on how to make some improvements to their Blogs & maybe generate more interest & traffic. Remember, there are no hard & fast rules for Bloggers, just opinions:)) Oh, & GTSIBTMBICGU…..’Got To Stay In Bed This Morning Because I Can’t Get Up. But you already knew that……right:))

---

THE LAST PARAGRAPH:  OK, here’s the bottom line & probably the most important line in this whole post…..It’s your Blog & it’s up to you to write it the way you want:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( It takes a thousand workers to build a castle, a million soldiers to protect a
country, but just one Woman to make a Happy Home. Now there’s a thought eh:))
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

PHEEBS & I SPLIT A HARVEY BURGER & HEAD FOR THE BEACH:))

NOTICED THIS MORNING MOMMA GOOSE HAS LAID 4 EGGS BY THE POND
I was relieved to get today’s sad memories behind me & feel it’s time to turn a corner & move on.  Bright sunny day but we had an icy Arctic wind coming in off the lake.  Stayed like that all day & tonight we are dropping down around 28F so cracked on a little heat in the rig, brought my hose nozzles inside & turned the house’s outside water taps off.  We really need some heat in the air to get things growing & blooming again.  This lengthy April cold spell has already put our Spring into hibernation far too long now.

PHEEBS & I HEAD OUT IN THE JEEP THIS MORNING

Been cooped up in the house for awhile so grabbed the camera’s, piled the Pheebs into the Jeep & off we headed for Goderich. Picked up a few items & split a Harvey burger with the Kid. I had suggested Burritos at McDonald’s but she wouldn’t go for that.  Not a lot of Mexican in this girl.  Stopped & looked at a little house & property for sale in downtown Goderich & then headed for the dog walking area on the beach. Twenty minutes near the water’s edge in a screamingly cold wind was enough & we were back in the Jeep headed for a hot coffee & carrot muffin at McDonalds. From there it was back home. Just too cold to spend any enjoyable time outside so it was only a few chilly photos I took. 

YUM, LOOKING GOOD DAD 
Finally put a piece of stovepipe around my bird station pole a couple days ago hoping to stop the Raccoon but I see muddy paw prints all the way up so looks like that idea is a bust. Except it might deter the half dozen black Squirrels we have.
 
RETIRED ROD in a comment yesterday had a question where he asks ….. “can you re-tell the story of how Kelly pulled Swamper (Checkers) from the lake”? In January of 2009 I wrote a post entitled, TRAVELING WITH OUR BEST PALS in which I wrote about the original Bayfield Bunch & how we came to be. In that post I tell how Kelly, back in 2006, swam out into Lake Huron to save a dog in distress. If you click on the above colored link entitled, ‘Traveling With Our Best Pals, you can read about that. And, not to worry, this is not another sad story so I encourage you to click the link & read the post about our most best Pals of ever & how they came to be:)) And a big thank you to Retired Rod for reminding me of that post I had written years ago. Makes me now wonder what’s in all those other 1500+ posts I wrote……….:(( 

PHEEBS SNIFFS OUT A DOG WALKING AREA AT GODERICH’S ROTARY COVE BEACH
In searching for the above post I used the search bar on our blog site plus the Blogger Dashboard. At one point I head up to a100 posts visible to me from late August 2008 to January of 2009. That page also showed how many comments we received on each of those blogs. I was surprised to see that most days we had no comments at all & out of 100 posts we only managed to garner a grand total of 96 comments which averages out to less than 1 comment a day. So, for any of you new Blogger folks discouraged at not receiving any or many comments out there, hang on, keep plugging away at your blog & make it as interesting as you can. And, that just reminded me of something else. 

A LONE MALE MALLARD DUCK ALONG THE SHORELINE TO THE RIGHT

I did write a post about 3 years ago in which I gave my thoughts & opinions of what what makes a good blog & what doesn’t. Of course that ruffled some of my fellow Bloggers & I had to deal with some jibs, jabs, & barbs. I did re-write the original post awhile later toning it down a bit. Now here’s an interesting thing. I just went back & re-read that post……. and I still stand behind every word I wrote back then. If anyone is interested in that post, let me know & I will post a link to it & put my head back on the chopping block again……silly fool that I am:)) 
 

LOOKING SOUTH ALONG THE SHORELINE OF LAKE HURON TOWARDS BAYFIELD ABOUT 12 MILES AWAY  
GROANER’S CORNER:(( DRESS CODE FOR A MAJOR FIRM: It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary. If we see you wearing $250 Prada sneakers & carrying a $400 Gucci bag we assume you are doing well financially and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress in- between, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

ON THE EVE OF A SAD DAY ONE YEAR AGO TOMORROW

VIEWING PLATFORM OVERLOOKING A STAIRWAY TO THE BEACH FROM SUNSET PARK, BAYFIELD ONTARIO CANADA

Been starting the motorcycle up every couple days in these colder temps to keep the battery up. Because of our inclement weather I have yet to get a wheel on pavement. Today was another yukky weather day with a constant drizzle making anything outside, including motorcycle riding, undoable.

Challenge for me tonight was to come up with a post not matching the weather. Started off with a CNN rant but quickly squashed that one. Maybe another time. Had a few lines typed regarding a comment on my Thursday post but decided to let that one go too. Looked at some on-line house properties for sale in our area but that quickly became pretty discouraging too.  No super deals in these parts like in Arizona that’s for sure. Kelly spent time purging through some old photo albums & occasionally called me over to look at photos of myself years ago. Not a good thing to do to a fella on a dull depressing day.  Those once youthful photos had me thinking about how many times lately I see my Dad, in his latter years, staring back at me from the mirror…………..

I thought RETIRED ROD had a good point regarding my Wednesday post when he mentioned about typing maybe not being taught in schools anymore. I hadn’t thought about that & if it is true, that in part might explain all that short form texting stuff.   I’m sure others beside myself consider ourselves very fortunate to have learned those typing skills when we did years ago.  Anyway, as long as I’m not on the receiving end of a text message I have no idea how to decipher, I guess I shouldn’t complain. Better to turn my attentions & energies to things I enjoy & understand. 

And on the same topic, my friend Gordon W from up around the Ottawa way included a link with his comment showing that yes, you can get a wireless keyboard for an iPAD, along with other logical accessories. I found that encouraging. I could see an iPad in my future but I think a smart phone would really be pushing my luck. And, as long as my keyboard outlasts me, I will continue to remind myself to be a happy guy:))   And, by the way, if you want to see professional photography well done, you had better check out GORDON'S SITE.
And, thank you to my Anonymous commenter at the end of Wednesday’s post. My feelings exactly my friend…………:))

A year ago tonight was a very sad time for us here at the Bayfield Bunch.  Just one short week after having to have our lovable border collie Checkers put to sleep we knew we had to do the same thing for our boy Max the next morning.  The appointment had been made.  His mobility was rapidly giving out & we were afraid of him breaking a hip trying to get up or down the steps outside.  His hearing was gone, we were beginning to question his eyesight & he could no longer get up onto his favorite couch.  He was always a very independent fellow & even to the end did not like us helping him with anything.  Max will be in my thoughts & memories tonight & again tomorrow, along with Checkers & the little Motormouse.  My best Pals are always close to me, in my heart.

 

MAX, OUR NUMBER 1 BOY 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1000 bet. The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron. Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money. Many people had tried over time (weight-lifters, longshoremen, etc.) but nobody could do it.
One day this scrawny little man came into the bar, wearing thick glasses and a polyester suit, and said in a tiny squeaky voice "I'd like to try the bet"
After the laughter had died down, the bartender said OK, grabbed a lemon, and squeezed away. Then he handed the wrinkled remains of the rind to the little man. But the crowd's laughter turned to total silence as the man clenched his fist around the lemon and six drops fell into the glass!! As the crowd cheered, the bartender paid the $1000, and asked the little man "what do you do for a living? Are you a lumberjack, a weight-lifter, or what?"
The scrawny little man replied "I work for the IRS."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

ARE COMPUTERS GOING THE WAY OF THE DINOSAUR:((

WON’T BE LONG & THE LOCAL CRUISE NIGHTS & CAR SHOWS WILL BE IN FULL SWING
So happy our weather has improved to the point we can leave our patio door open once again during the day.  Amazing how therapeutic the warming rays of sunshine can be.  Have always noticed it’s all part of the feeling good Spring Tonic we folks in the northern latitudes look forward to so much each Spring.  Now having said that, guess what it’s going to do tonight & tomorrow……yep, rain:((

 
Kelly reminded me Clinton Optical had phoned Tuesday saying my new eye glasses were in so I hauled myself off to the little burg of Clinton this morning.  Glasses fit fine & with a quick glance in the mirror to make sure they still gave me my Nerd look, which they did,  I was out the door with a much lighter wallet.  Distant objects were a bit blurry for awhile but I knew it would take my eyes a few hours to adjust to the new prescription, & they did.  My close up vision is much better now so I may not have to keep switching glasses at the computer anymore.  And, that would be good.  But I still look like a Nerd:((

 
PHEEBS PATIENTLY WAITS FOR MOM TO COME HOME, BUT WHOOOOPS….ZZZZZZZZZZ
Caught the tail end of a phone in radio talk show this morning on a.m. radio.  Topic was the rapidly changing technology of our computer age.  Seems computers as we know them are quickly going the way of the Dinosaur.  With Apples phenomenally successful iPoop everything these days & the stampeding techno advances in Smart Phones it is only a matter of time before our PC’s as we know them will disappear forever.  Desk tops are already on their way out followed closely by laptops.  iPads are the rage it seems.  Personally, I felt a little sad at all that news.
 
 
1956 FORD
I like my desk top, my lap top & my keyboard.  I enjoy my big screen monitor & do not look at any of these things as lumbering dinosaurs.  But, like many of we older folks know who were once on the edge of some mighty exciting break through computer stuff a decade ago, I am beginning to see the end of days approaching.  Like they said on the program, once they have figured out a way to eliminate the keyboard, the computer is dead in the water.  That probably doesn’t mean a thing to the new speedball knee jerk Twitterers & Texters but it sure impacts folks like myself who enjoy taking the time & making the effort to use our minds creatively & constructively with our Blogs.  We are the one’s who will be most negatively impacted by the new technology.  For speed warped Techno heads caught up in the latest trend frenzy it’s all about faster gidgets, smaller gadgets & speed, speed, speed.  Oh ya, & who’s the coolest guy with the latest toys, right.
 
 
I’ve had both an iPad & a Smart Phone demonstrated to me & must say I was very impressed with what I saw & what they can do.  All those Apps, all those really cool new graphics, etc.  Yes, even I like gadgets….but to a point.  I could easily see an iPad in our future, maybe even a Smart Phone somewhere down the line.  But to give up my keyboard for this new technology, to give up my expressive creativity, my emotional outlet & my favored form of communication, is just not going to happen with this fellow.  When it’s time to pull the techno plug on me, just give me an old typewriter, a piece of blank paper & just let me be, will ya.  Oh, and maybe an old battery powered Sony portable radio to keep me company…………………………………

OOOOHHH DAD, TELEVISION IS SOOOOOO BORING THESE DAYS
Now, in reference to my Tuesday night post about a few blogging thoughts.  Figured I'd include a comment from CHINLE tonight because she directed her comment to all Bloggers.  Chinle says, "To my fellow bloggers:"  “Thank you one and all. There have been times that your blogs are all I've had to keep my perspective on what the world is all about and not go nuts!
There have been times when your blogs have pulled me out of some serious depression.
There have been times that your blogs have comforted me that there really are good kind people on this planet.
I know also that there are folks out there who are unable to get out and do things like you all do and your blogs are their only links to things of interest.
Keep on blogging”!  ………….  Thank you Chinle. I occasionally lose site of my blog’s main purpose & occasionally get a little too caught up in myself. I sometimes need a good shake to get my attention back on track again. It’s what makes me human & not perfect.


  
Again, I forgot to bring the bird feeders in last night so the Coon got em for the second night in a row. At least I have learned not to fill them right up anymore. Now, if I could just learn myself some more better memory techniques!!  And yes, I did have to once again make some hasty repairs to the wooden feeder in the photo below.  More duct tape & wire had it back up in the tree about an hour later.  It’s future is hanging by a thread I might add.

SAM P joined us Tuesday as our latest Blog Follower. Welcome aboard Sam. Always handy to have a Collision & Repair person along:))

BIG SNOOZY DOG ON MY BED AGAIN TODAY
GROANER’S CORNER:(( God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones that I do,
And the eyesight to tell the difference.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com