SADDLED UP THE MOTORCYCLE & RODE OFF IN SEARCH OF…….‘TWISTED PIPES’

WITH ALL THE HEAT & HUMIDITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY I THOUGHT WE COULD COOL OFF WITH SOME SLIGHTLY SNOWY PHOTOS I TOOK AT CANYON DE CHELLY  ARIZONA BACK IN MARCH OF 2011

It was a pinkish red sunrise peeking through our thick Pine tree cover off to the east this morning.  Oh how I miss those big sunrises & sunsets of the South-west every winter.  As much as we like our snug as a bug cozy Pine forest here near Bayfield it does have it's disadvantages.  No sunrises, no sunsets, & no wide open sweeping vistas or endless starry night skies.  Oh how I miss all that.  Just one of the many reasons we have not given up looking for our own little 'slice of serenity' in the countryside here.

Saddled up the motorcycle this morning & rode off out into the countryside looking for a place called, ‘Twisted Pipes'.  Had checked it out on Google Earth so had a good idea where it was but two separate directions led to two separate locations.  No matter, it was great morning to be out on the bike regardless of where I was going.  Mentioned awhile back both tailpipes on our Motorhome needed replacing.  They are 3" pipes so normal muffler shops cannot handle that.  Knew of a place in London but wasn't looking forward to dragging myself & the rig into a city.  Don, owner of the BAYFIELD GARAGE told me of a place nearby in the country called Twisted Pipes where a fellow specializes in larger exhaust systems.  My mission this morning was to scout that out.  And, scout it out I did.  The fellow at Twisted Pipes wanted me to go take off one of the rig's tailpipes & bring it back so he could see what he had to make.   Can you just see me scrunched upside down under the Motorhome with a hammer & a screw driver trying to take 6' rusted piece of tailpipe off:((     Um, I think I'm back to my original idea of taking the rig to the Autopro shop in London.

 

 

LOOK CLOSELY FOR THE DWELLINGS IN THE CLIFF

How fortunate I was to come over the brow of a hill this morning & see a Mother Deer & Fawn standing alongside the road.  No time to reach for a camera so I just enjoyed watching the two of them leisurely saunter off through a grassy ditch into the roadside forest as I slowly cruised by.

Got me a hankerin to change our living room around this morning.  I like those kinds of hankerins cause it means something is about to change & look different instead of the usual boring same old, same old.  Moved my recliner to a groovy new spot so I'm ready now for some slightly serious snooze surfing soon....sorta:))

  
Don't ever remember hearing or seeing Coyotes when growing up as a young boy in the small Ontario town of Tavistock Ontario many years ago.  Even back in the late 90's when Kelly & I lived in a solitary old farm house in the country I don't ever remember Coyotes being around.  Wasn't until nearly 10 years ago I first became aware of them after we moved to our present digs near Bayfield. We hear them almost nightly now & some nights they are very close.  Still rare to see one, but we know they are around us.  And, it is the same in the Southwest.  Coyotes are a nightly occurrence & we noticed at our house in Congress Arizona that the Coyotes are a close by nightly happening.  We had one walk right through our property one afternoon only about 50 feet away.  It is the reason 'new fencing' will be high on our list when we get to Congress in the Fall.  I think the old fence in the back yard was probably there before the Pilgrims made their landing at Plymouth Rock.  We had a pack of JAVALINA'S right in our our back yard most nights last March as well, so secure fencing will be an immediate safety priority for sure.  And, it looks like we will have to get us some kind of defensive 'firepower'.  It is just a way of life in the wild, wild, West where things can bite you, shoot you, claw you, sting you, knock you down & eat you up.   Love it:)) Least we don't got no darn Allimagators!!

 

CANYON DE CHELLY’S …… ‘SPIDER ROCK’

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A few good old Cowboy sayings.......
-His family tree was a shrub.
-He was so ugly he had to sneak up on a dipper to get a drink of water.
-She's so ugly, she could back a buzzard off a gut-wagon.
-He was ugly as a burnt boot.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

TIME TO TONE IT DOWN & KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR AWHILE:))

I was surprised by Thursday night's heavy humidity so this morning we did the trail early to avoid the bugs.  Didn't matter & Kelly returned with multiple aggravating bites.  Before the heat became worse I was able to get a couple hours in doing a bunch of tree trimming & yard work here at home & for a neighbor.  Pheebs & I spent the rest of the day in the nice cool house sticking pretty darn close to the air conditioning.  Kelly was at DEER PARK LODGE all day.

 
CAME ACROSS THIS INTERESTING HOBBY GARAGE IN THE TINY HAMLET OF AUBURN ONTARIO A FEW DAYS AGO
We haven't talked much about getting a little Brother or Sister for Pheebe since our little Motormouse passed on few months ago.  After having & traveling with 3 dogs for about 4 years I think we have just been kind of enjoying the simpler lifestyle of having just one dog.  I have always believed it's better to have 2 dogs rather than just one though.  Nicer for a single dog to have the company of a best Pal.   Been on my mind but just hadn't brought it up.  Had a surprise call from our Veterinary in Zurich Thursday morning saying they had a nice stray Benji looking dog in & would we be interested.  Well, that set off an immediate back & forth pros & cons discussion between Kelly & I & in the end we did hesitatingly decide to at least go over to Zurich & have a look at the little fellow.  I suggested to Kelly that she should just go alone because it doesn't matter what the dog is, I will want to bring it home right away.  Well, we both went & I should not have gone.

TRYING TO HANG ON TO THIS LITTLE FIRECRACKER FOR A PHOTO WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE >>>

Of course, right away I liked the little 1 year old energetic male furry face looking 20 pound fireball from another Planet.  But Kelly didn't see things quite the same way I did so needless to say, we did not bring the little Munchkin home.  Although feeling sad, Thursday morning's experience did tell me something.  We had not discussed a Pal for Pheebe but it was obvious that we are both opened minded & in agreement that yes, another furry addition to the Bayfield Bunch is entirely possible.  But, one condition!!  I told Kelly if she happens to see, finds, or meet's a dog she likes, then just bring it home.  No need for me to go & look at it & no need for me to even know about it.  That is how Checkers & Motormouse came to us.  Al didn't even know they were coming.  They just came & I loved them both right from the second each one walked in the door.  Makes no matter to me, I love them all.  And, in hindsight, Kelly was right Thursday.  That furry little stick of dynamite would just have been way too much for us.  The little guy was so full of testosterone he was all over Pheebs like a wet blanket over a piece of cheese.  I know, I have no idea what that means either.......

 
Our 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe spent a couple days in the BAYFIELD GARAGE.  Kelly noticed it had been getting sluggish & loosing power.  I suspected maybe a clogged fuel or air filter....but no such luck.  Catalytic Converters & yes, there are two of them on the Santa Fe & wow is that piece of South Korean engineering ever expensive.  $519.86 alone just for the double converter assembly itself.   And it had to be shipped overnight from Barry Ontario.  Final bill totalled out to just under $800.  Yeoch!! We have it home now but it has to go back early next week for an additional $88 heat & fuel sensor to be installed on the Converter because the converter was so plugged, it burnt out the old sensor.  But, we sure can't complain because this little Santa Fe has been an excellent trouble free car for us ever since buying it used back in 07.  It was our four wheels down tow car to the Southwest for 3 years.  It's a 4 speed stick shift with 5 forward gears.
  
AND, THIS IS WHAT’S LEFT OF OUR OLD PLUGGED UP CATALYTIC CONVERTER
And, by the way…..this is Corvette Week-end in Bayfield.  There will be lots of Corvettes in Clangregor Square Saturday for any Corvette fans in the area:))

And, click this link for a truly exceptional look at what just might be going on IN THE GARDEN.  Exceptional videography here as you watch the Hummingbird twirling through the air in pursuit of a bug.   And, just under the 3 minute mark watch for the Mother Bat with it’s baby attached.   Superb photography.

JUST ONE OF THE MANY RIVERS & CREEKS FLOWING THROUGH OUR SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO REGION
Had myself 3 more paragraphs written for tonight’s post but decided at the last minute to cut them & save that fare for another night.  Just some more thoughts on all this blogging stuff, but got to thinking, maybe I should just back off that topic for awhile & keep things simple for a change:))  And, the BOX CANYON BLOG has disappeared off my blog roll & I can’t seem to get it added back on.  Will try again tomorrow………………………..
 GROANER'S CORNER:((    A woman went to the Doctor and said "When I looked in the mirror this morning, I saw my hair was frizzy, my skin wrinkly, my eyes bloodshot & I looked like a complete wreck.  What is wrong with me?".
The Doctor replied "Well, the good news is...... your eyesight is fine".                
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

IN PLACE OF TODAY’S POST, I GIVE YOU…‘THE STORY OF THE LAMP’

Taking a Blog break for a bit.  In place of today’s post I will leave you with a double post I wrote exactly one year ago.  First one is entitled, A STORY OF.....THE LAMP.  It begins about a quarter of the way into the post.  Second post is the second half of the story & is entitled, DAYTON'S LAMP.....THE CONCLUSION. 
GROANER’S CORNER:((  "It has been said that there is no fool like an old fool, except a young fool. But the young fool has first to grow up to be an old fool to realize what a damn fool he was when he was a young fool."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

‘BIG BAND LEGENDS’ … A TOE TAPPING AFTERNOON

CACTUS BLOSSOMS AT OUR ARIZONA HOUSE, RIGHT?  NOPE,  PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS BLOSSOMS RIGHT HERE IN OUR OWN BAYFIELD BACK YARD:))

Pretty exciting times here at the Bayfield Bunch 2 years ago tonight.  We were on the eve of driving over to Waterloo Ontario & bringing our new to us 2006 Jeep Wrangler home.  Remember the morning of June 28th like it was yesterday.  We went over fairly early in the morning with the Santa Fe because we had to change ownership & pick up new license tags.  Couldn't wait to get all that city slicker stuff done & get that Jeep the heck out of town & into the countryside.  Having never driven a Jeep before it was quite a learning curve on the way home.  Getting used to the 6 speed transmission was a temporary challenge & the Jeep had a quirky way of handling bumps & corners.  Had never driven anything with that short a wheel base before.   Had the urge all the way home to drive it down in the ditch & test that big 4 wheel drive option lever.  Wasn't exactly sure how it worked yet though so a couple days later I had to get a local Jeep guy in town to show me how all this transfer case stuff worked.  We've been up & over a fair few mountain trails since that day.  Love that little Jeep:))

PUTTING ON THE NEW PLATES IN WATERLOO ONTARIO…JUNE 28TH 2010

Another mighty fine feeling good morning here in the heartland of south-western Ontario's warm & breezy farm country.  Fortunately we have had enough rain to keep things looking green & lush.  Cleaned the pond pump, checked the rig's generator oil plus solar batteries water levels.  Pheebs chased some frogs around the Park's pond & the twittering sounds of songbirds in the early morning forest gave me a feeling of peace & relaxation.  I much prefer my tweets coming from real birds as opposed to mobile phone devices.  Matter of fact, I have never received a phone tweet.  Now, how lucky is that eh:))

After a few errands along the way & with a swing down around the Grand Bend beach area we were in seats 22 & 23 in aisle G at the Huron County Playhouse by 2 p.m. this afternoon.   It was a packed house & without stretching it too far I would say Kelly & I were two of the youngest people in the whole theatre.  Lights dimmed & we were off an a two hour toe tapping whirlwind of tunes from the 40's up into the 50's, 60's, & 70's.  'Big Band Legends' was underway.  I am always amazed at the superb talent of the young theatre troupe as well as all the 'older' musicians.  It is the whole production that interests me, from how the lighting is done, to the set designs & amazing choreography.

 

I would love to watch the fellow at the huge sound board during a production as well as the lighting director at his computer keyboards.  And to see all the 'backstage' action during a show as well.  The talent level always amazes me as the actors, singers & musicians are always top rate.  Great voices & harmonies.  I enjoy watching a music director interacting with band members & band members interacting with each other.  I enjoy watching how professional musicians handle & play their many instruments.   Love keeping an eye on what's going in the background.  The Clarinettist dropped his music sheets on the floor.  Cool:))  All & all, another superb performance & I'm already looking forward to next summer's musical fare at Grand Bend's Huron County Playhouse:))

 

FIRST TIME I EVER SAW A WHEELCHAIR RAMP ON A LARGE TOUR BUS

  

I SAID TO KELLY, “OH DEAR, THIS IS OUR FUTURE PLAYING OUT IN FRONT OF US”  

SCOTTY, RADAR, & DOGGIE BOWSER have left Zion Canyon. But not before some major trouble with a pesky slide on their Mom & Dad's 5th wheel.  Repairs are presently underway near HURRICANE, Utah.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And a few Q & A's about men......

Q: What should you give a man who has everything?
A: A woman to show him how to work it.
Q: Why do only 10 percent of men make it to heaven?
A: Because if they all went, it would be called Hell.

Q: When would you want a man's company?
A: When he owns it.

Q: What has eight arms and an IQ of 60?
A: Four guys watching a football game.
Q: What makes a man think about a dinner by candlelight?
A: A power failure.

Q: How are husbands like lawn mowers?
A: They're hard to get started, they emit noxious fumes, and half the time they don't work.
Q: Why don't some men have a mid-life crisis?
A: They're stuck in adolescence.
Q: How does a man show he's planning for the future?
A: He buys two cases of beer instead of one.

Q: What’s the difference between men and government bonds?
A: Bonds mature.

Q: Why did God create man before woman?
A: Because you're always supposed to have a rough draft before creating your masterpiece.
Q: Why does it take 100 million sperm to fertilize an egg?
A: Because not one will stop and ask for directions.

And last but not least............

Q: Why do doctors slap babies' bums right after they're born?
A: To knock the penises off the smart ones.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))

- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)

- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

A SURPRISE PHONE CALL BRINGS SOME GOOD MEDICAL NEWS

Sure am enjoying these cooler temperatures & I sure did enjoy getting a good night's sleep last night.  My Nurse Practitioner prescribed some mild sleeping pills back in May & fortunately they have been a big help in restoring my sleep patterns.....when I can remember to take them.  The night before I had forgot to take one of the pills & spent most of the night awake which course really trashed the entire following day for me.  I don't like the idea of having to take a pill to help me sleep but when I compare the difference in myself the following day it is like I am two different people.  No sleep makes me irritable, grouchy & dungeon like.  A good night's sleep can sometimes set me right on top of the rainbow itself.  Guess you have all noticed those two types of personalities writing my posts from time to time eh.  Think I will just have to accept the fact it is better for my overall well being, both mentally & physically to do as the Doc says for a change.

SPOTTED THIS FELLOW & HIS DOG FISHING IN THE MAITLAND RIVER MONDAY MORNING

Had a surprise phone call from my Nurse Practitioner's office this morning. It was only yesterday (Monday) morning that I had given blood at the Med Clinic for my 2nd Crestor cholesterol check so I was surprised to receive the results so fast. For the first time in memory, my tests results were excellent. Both good & bad cholesterol levels were not only at acceptable levels but they were beyond that & the Nurse who phoned was very pleased at those results. Tests also showed there was no ill effects on my liver etc from the Crestor drug. Now, I should add that there has been another factor at work here as well. About a month & a half ago I made some serious changes to my eating habits & have been able to drop 9 pounds so far. No burgs or fries & in fact, nothing fried whatsoever. Cut my milk consumption by about 90% & no pastries aside from maybe half a dozen sandwiches in all that time. Other major changes as well but I'm thinking everything has worked together with the Crestor drug & made this unbelievable change to my cholesterol levels possible. Never thought that would ever happen.

I JUST LOVE MY COUNTRY ROAD DRIVES HERE IN ONTARIO’S RURAL FARMLAND
Hadn't made it down to see Uncle Harry last week but Kelly had today off so we loaded up Pheebs & headed for Mitchell. Weather was nice & we were able to take Harry outside in his wheelchair. He really enjoyed watching Pheebe racing around the lawn. He is still holding his own but we both did think he seemed a bit frailer.

 

Wednesday afternoon we are off to the Grand Bend Playhouse to see, 'Big Band Legends'. We generally try to take in one musical performance every summer. Last year was a tribute to Elvis Presley. Excellent. Year before was a 'Musical Tribute to The Beatles'. Excellent. Year before that was, 'The Golden Age of Rock & Roll'. Again, totally excellent. Year before that we saw musical plays about Buddy Holly & Patsy Cline. Excellent again. Love the sound of 'live music' professionally done:))))))

A LITTLE ONE ROOM MENNONITE SCHOOLHOUSE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Well, it's time for me to deal with a long ongoing problem I have been having with a fellow Blogger.  I have been silent about this for nearly a year & half now & have not directly responded to this fellow out of respect for my fellow Bloggers & Blogland itself.  However, I see it has now degraded to the point of name calling so it's time to speak up.  It is time for me to respond to Mr. Rick Doyle.
---
I am informed periodically by blogging friends when Rick uses his blog  or comments to negatively speak of me or my blog.  I stopped reading his blog way back in early Spring 2011.  Had an email this morning informing me Rick had referred to me this time as 'Sunshine AL.'  Must say I had a little chuckle over this one even knowing he was being his usual sarcastic self.  However, I take it as a back handed compliment & today I actually see that Sunshine reference as a positive step forward.  Despite all the criticism levelled at me personally over the last year & a half I have to consider where it is coming from & why.  Especially the why part.  Shortly after that email this morning I was again informed by another source of another probable reference in his latest post.  I didn't go & read it but I understand it had something to do with ‘windbags’ & ‘old bags’.  Well, knowing my old arch enemy I can only assume that is another passing reference to me.  Nothing to do with Paranoia & everything to do with simple fact.  One does not have to be a rocket scientist to put these things together.
--- 

Now, having read the above paragraph I'm sure some are thinking, 'oh no, these two guys are headed for a flame war."  Normally in cases like this that is exactly what happens.  I have seen it tear forums apart before.  50+ was a good example of that years ago.  Aside from alluding to Rick in the past as my 'old arch enemy' & 'Mr. Sourgrapes Anonymous' I had chosen not to name him for reasons previously stated.   Respect for my fellow Bloggers & Blogland.   I chose to stay on the high road with all this & keep my anger & frustrations to myself.  Until today that is, & no, there will be no flame war because I intend to only publicly mention this problem one time in my blog.
---
First, let me tell you a little bit about Rick & I.   Would you believe we were once good blogging Buddies.  We even met each other on a cold blustery Sunday afternoon in Borrego Springs California years ago.  Even had our picture taken together.  I know this might come as quite a surprise to many newer readers but older blogging friends will remember our friendship well because we both had a habit of trying to help fellow Bloggers with a few problems.  I knew a little bit about the photography end of things & Rick new a whole lot about the computer end of things.  I will give credit where credit is due & say, Rick has gone out of his way to help folks with their computer problems over the years.

YES, I KNOW THIS WILL COME AS A GREAT SURPRISE TO SOME OF YOU, BUT RICK & I WERE ONCE UPON FRIENDS:))
Rick & I used to email each other different times discussing various things such as fellow Bloggers & Blogland itself.  We commented on each others blogs daily & agreed on a number of things.  Yep, it's true, Rick & I did agree on some things amazingly enough back then.  But, somewhere along the line this friendship train began to wobble & sourly ran off the tracks.   As I see it,  it all began when Kelly & I were camped in the Kofa Mountains near Quartzsite Arizona about 3 years or so ago.  Received a surprisingly critical & totally unexpected email from my friend Rick after Kelly & I had hosted a get together for a bunch of RV friends we knew to be in the area.  I had a habit of sometimes making references & comparisons about the boondocking lifestyle as opposed to the RV Park lifestyle, Motorhomes as opposed to 5th wheels, etc.  Let's just say I was freer, looser & not quite as bright with my opinions in those days.   Rick took great offence to my opinions & made it quite clear in his comment that night.  Rick had some good points & I immediately apologized.  Rick either emailed or commented an apology back about some of the things he had said as well.  The troubled waters were quickly calmed, right?  Afraid not. 
---
I did email Rick several times after that suggesting that if we had any differences between us in the future we should email each other & work out our problems that way.  I felt, out of respect for Blogland & our mutual friends we should not drag our differences into the forum.  All was reasonably well for quite awhile & Rick & I continued to remain friends, exchanged a few emails & continued to comment on each others blogs.  All appeared well again, or so I thought. 
---
It started slowly at first but the shaky friendship train hit a few new bumps & snags along the way & it wasn't long until it was off the tracks for a second time.  Unnecessary & uncalled for negative comments began appearing on my blog again.  I often referred to these comments as rude & sarcastic.  Some comments came with Rick's name on them & some came from a so called....'Anonymous.’   Damage was done & there was no turning back.  It was obvious we had opposing personalities & the friendship was not going to work.  Rick chose to level his sights on me & I chose to stop reading his posts in hopes of ignoring him.  And that, brings us up to today.
---
It is time for me to draw a line in the sand.  Enough is enough of all this because I can see where it is effecting our mutual blogging friends & readers.  It is easy to put 2 & 2 together & know who he is referring to in his latest 'windbag' & 'old bag' comments.  And, in Rick's own words....you can take that to the bank.   I will give Rick the 'Windbag' one though because my style of blogging lends itself to long winded posts sometimes & I have often referred to my own self as Mr. Blabberfingers.  I have always been open & honest with feelings in my blog & that of course opens me up wide to anyone’s criticism.  But, Rick is right, I can be quite a Windbag alright.  But, I hasten to add….and honest Windbag.  It is just my way of writing.  But, I do not want to dwell on the negative side of all this.  There is another side to every coin.
---
I did go & have a look at Rick's second last post, the 'Sunshine AL' one & I was encouraged by a little something he said when he referred to himself as maybe needing a 'personality upgrade.' In my opinion there is not one single person on this planet who could not use a personality upgrade or a tweak of some sort.  Not one.    We all have our faults, shortcomings & character defects.  All of us, & you sure have heard more than enough about all of mine over these past 5 years.  Yes, he’s definitely right about that Windbag part:))
---
I don't know where this is all going or even if it will go anywhere, but I just felt it was time that I responded to & said something about this festering open wound.   I don't know if there is any hope of Rick Doyle & I ever being friends again but I do feel it is time to stop the bickering & pettiness.  Blogland, fellow Bloggers, & readers do not deserve this.   If my blog & I bother you so much, I ask that you just simply stop reading it.  Maybe not exactly offering an Olive branch here Rick, but  if you feel there is any way or any interest to resolve our differences, I then again suggest to you, just as I did years ago, lets open up a communication dialogue between the two of us via email because this will be my only public response to you.
---
In conclusion, I have said a few things in this post tonight which I would rather not have said, but considering what has been coming from the other side for so long, I just felt it was time for me to speak up.  I see us having 3 options.  Firstly, we can agree to disagree, have ourselves a cyber handshake & try to tolerate each other & maybe even open up some kind of civilized dialogue in hopes of resolving some of these issues.  Or secondly, you can take your sights off me & my blog & move on.  Or thirdly, nothing changes.  You just keep on being you & will have no choice but to carry on trying to ignore your jabs & barbs.  But, at least now, our mutual friends & readers will have a better idea of what has been, & what is presently going on here………………… 

GROANER'S CORNER:)) A self-righteous man went to the doctor for a check-up. He said, "Doc, I feel terrible. Please examine me and tell me what is wrong."  "Let's begin with a few questions," said the doctor, "Do you drink alcohol?"  "Alcohol!!" said the man. "I'm a teetotaller. Never touch a drop."  "How about smoking?" asked the doctor. "Never," replied the man. "Tobacco is bad, and I have strong principles against it."  "Well, uh." asked the doctor, "do you have a sex life?"  "Oh, no," said the man. "Sex is sin. I'm in bed by 10:30 every night and I always have been."
The doctor paused, looked at the man hard, and asked, "Well, do you have pains in your head?"  "Yes," said the man. "I have terrible pains in my head."  "O.K.," said the doctor. "That's your trouble. Your halo is on too tight"!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

BING CROSBY, A VANISHING SUPPER, & A COUPLE LADIES WAVED

ALL OF TODAY’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN ON A WEE DRIVE THROUGH OUR PICTURESQUE RURAL COUNTRYSIDE THIS MORNING

It is not uncommon for me to spend the majority of my night stretched out in my recliner.  Some of that time I am able to sleep & other times like last night I just sit there awake with soft ambient music in the background.  And some of that time I have a little 45 pound doggy sound asleep on top of me.  I never have the heart to tell her to get down because she likes sleeping on Dad's lap.  What a precious little heart warming Princess our Pheebe is & she can sleep on my lap any time she wants:))

 

Had a slight coincidence this morning.  Noticed the date on the computer said June 25th & it reminded me that Christmas day was exactly 6 months from away.  About half an hour later I stepped out of the shower to the strains of Bing Crosby singing, ‘White Christmas’.  The cassette tape I had in the cassette  player was called, ‘Radio Days’ with various artists from the 40’s & it just happened to be playing that song.  Cool:))

Started my day off with a trip to the Medical Center in Goderich.  They were needing another gallon of blood for a second round of checks to see how my body is reacting to the anti-cholesterol Crestor drug I started over a month ago.  Didn't get a call back from the first round of tests so am assuming the body is co-operating with the drug.  I have not experienced any of the possible side effects from the pills either.

Turned out to be one of those picture perfect mornings with big fluffy cottonball clouds in an endless blue sky.  Fresh cooling breeze off the lake chased any hint of humidity out of the air.  Following my blood work at the Lab I grabbed a coffee & headed myself right out of town into the country side.  I knew with that kind of sky there would be some nice photos waiting just around the corner somewhere.  Maybe we don't have any mountains to hike or desert canyons to explore but we do have lots of back country roads running through fields & forest greens.  Wheat & barley fields stretch over hilltops & around river bends.  Wavering wagon tracks on gravel roads tell of early morning Mennonite buggies heading to & from markets & stores in nearby sleepy little Hamlets.  Couple ladies in long dresses & bonnets waved from a roadside vegetable garden.

Some may remember a few years ago when I started up the Motorhome one morning & forgot I had done so.  Headed off to Goderich & when I returned home 5 hours later the Motorhome was still running.  Well, I basically did the same thing with the rig's generator this morning.  Hadn't run it for awhile so fired it up, got busy with some things around the yard & in the house & it wasn't until a couple hours later I happened to open the patio door & could faintly hear a motor running somewhere......Awwwww nuts!!!!  Think I might have done that one day last summer too:((

And, Kelly’s supper went missing tonight.  She had just set her plate of food on the table when the DEER PARK LODGE phone rang.  She just finished with that call when a second Deer Park call came in.  I was in the living room eating a bowl of strawberries & while Kelly was on the phone in the sun room…….her untouched supper mysteriously vanished.  Now, we are not sure what happened,  but a certain little dog was seen in the vicinity of the kitchen just prior to the disappearance.  Only other logical explanation would be that an Alien spaceship came down & beamed up Kelly’s supper.  Now, how’s that for a bit of realistic thinking eh:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other claimed the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom and gloom pessimist.
Just to see what would happen, on the twins' birthday their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.   That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.
"Why are you crying?" the father asked.
"Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken." answered the pessimist twin.
Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" he asked.
To which his optimist twin replied, "There's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

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- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com