Saturday, June 06, 2015

OK, SO HERE’S MY PLAN

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It has been the culmination of reader feedback on my blog that finally switched on a light bulb in my head this morning.   In particular was this comment in my Shout Box which in part said, 'Do you have any unusual or interesting landmarks or buildings in your area you could share’.  I know this has been suggested before by folks but for whatever reason this morning my brain latched on to those few words.  From the moment I read that comment there was a creaking & grinding of gears in my brain as rusted wheels slowly began turning.  I remembered other comments & emails I've received & slowly I became aware my mind was actually beginning to formulate an idea.  Alas, a plan began coming together.  Encouraging readers have been right all along.  Here I am with some great camera gear, a desire to write, several modes of reliable transportation, & all kinds of time on my hands.  What a great combination of assets for anyone to have if used correctly.  And therein lies the key.

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ALWAYS LOTS OF CURIOUS THINGS TO SEE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE & THAT IS WHY I PREFER TO SPEND TIME THERE…THIS PHOTO IS FROM AN EXOTIC ANIMAL FARM JUST A FEW MILES SOUTH OF DUNGANNON ONTARIO AT THE INTERSECTION OF HAWKINS ROAD & MILL LINE (PHEEBS FAVORITE STOP) >>>

The simple crux of my problem finally dawned on me this morning.  The reason I have 'nothing' days is simply because a lot of the time I have 'nothing' planned.  Back in the working days one wakes up in the morning with a purpose & a destination.  It's called a job.  As much as we retired folks may have complained about the working world over the years it does have it's merits & one of those merits is structure.  Waking up in the morning with no plans for the day, no focus, & no purpose, may sound wonderful to someone still grinding along in the 24/7 workforce and of course it is wonderful.....to a point.  However for some of us waking up without some kind of planned structure or purpose for the day is like a ship setting sail without a rudder.  Too often we drift aimlessly through the day at the mercy of winds, waves, & running tides.   We leave harbor but with no course plotted & no destination predetermined we never reach wherever we didn’t know we were going in the first place anyway.  In reality we are adrift & lost at sea.  In retirement being lost at sea for days, weeks, or months on end cannot be a healthy thing either mentally or physically.  We are in for stormy days for sure.  Ask me, I know about it…………….

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So here's my plan.  Yes there are interesting landmarks & buildings in our area.  There are things going on, there are stories to be told, photos to be taken, & events to be attended.  In other words there are things to do.  Just as in our working days one has to have some kind of structure, a destination, a purpose.  ‘One has to organize their own day' because it is no longer organized for them.  And that organization begins for me by planning & organizing my time better.  Noticed in the 2015 Goderich Visitor's Guide they have a calendar of upcoming events.  Some car shows & by golly even an air show later this month featuring the Canadian Snowbird acrobatic team.  Been a long time since I've seen those fellas perform.  Once a big air show fan years ago this is something I would enjoy.  Something to write about, something to photograph.  Something constructive to do.  A purpose, a focus, & it all hinges on me getting myself organized.  And that is my plan:))

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Our Saturday morning dawned bright & sunny so Pheebs & I headed for the countryside looking for a few photos.  Brown fields are turning greener as crops grow taller.  Rolled along stopping at a few of our favorite spots along the way.  At one point high atop a hill on Golf Course Line northeast of Goderich I could see the true scope of wind turbine encroachment across the countryside in that area.  I was totally surprised at how many wind turbines I was able to count from where I was standing.  My eyes counted 126 turbines & I know sharper eyes could have counted even more on the distant horizon.  And I understand there are hundreds more to come.  Maybe even thousands……………… 

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NOT ALL OF THE WIDE HORIZON IS VISIBLE IN THIS PHOTO BUT I COUNTED 126 WIND TURBINES FROM THIS SPOT

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OUR AREAS WIND TURBINES FOLLOW ALONG LAKE HURON’S SHORES CATCHING PREVAILING NORTHWEST WINDS SWEEPING IN OFF THE LAKE

It was nearly 1 p.m. before we made it home today & the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing in my recliner thinking about how to better manage my time & get myself organized now that I said I would…………………………Oh Dear:))

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  When U Black, U Black
When I was born, I was BLACK ,
When I grew up, I was BLACK ,
When I went in the sun, I stayed BLACK,
When I got cold, I was BLACK ,
When I was scared, I was BLACK ,
When I was sick, I was BLACK ,
And when I die, I'll still be BLACK .
              NOW, You 'white' folks....
When you're born, you're PINK,
When you grow-up, you're WHITE ,
When you go in the sun, you get RED,
When you're cold, you turn BLUE,
When you're scared, you're YELLOW,
When you get sick, you're GREEN
When you bruise, you turn PURPLE ,
And when you die, you look GRAY.
So who y'all be callin'
COLORED Folks?

17 comments:

  1. LOVE that groaner! It's a great one. Sounds like you've got yourself a plan. I too bumble around if I don't have something in mind that I want to do or that needs doing for the day. At the end of the day I look back and wonder what in the world I did with those precious life hours.

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  2. I know exactly what you mean about working people think it would be uptopia not having a schedule. personally it sometimes drives me nuts;....I make out lists of what I want to accomplish everyday some days I checkoff a lot others not so much. frustrating me because of physical limitations I now have. Hope to see you in a few weeks if everything goes as we have planned

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  3. I have found that I NEED to schedule one day a week or two mornings usually to not be productive or I just burn out. I try to always go to bed with a chore to be done first in the morning. But also keep in mind plans are only plans to be modified as life develops and offers other opportunities.

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  4. You can probably guess why I volunteer a lot...

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  5. I'd like to use your comment section to congratulate the Canadian women on defeating China in the opening game of the 2015 Women's (Soccer) World Cup that's being hosted by Canada. I know that sports is not typically one of your points of focus, but since you see to be looking for things to write about, you might try this international tournament of 24 countries that will be occurring right in your own back yard, OK your national back yard. :-)

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  6. You are spot on...What we think is boring and laxydazial..(is that actually a WORD?).. other peeps think is a really neat thing to read about...I guess, as bloggers/ writers, we need to remember it isn't about what WE think is interesting...it's about people who don't live around where we do find very cool...Lessons learned, right?

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  7. Well I do hope you go see a car show or two and for sure the Snow Birds the best airshow in the world. I do not agree with the rest, because I am lazy and enjoy watching grass grow. We make lists just to make sure we meet life obligations. Everyone is different.
    Enjoyed the post.

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  8. Yes, plans and pursuits are important for us all. Glad you reminded me.
    I always enjoy your country area photos. Also didn't realize you had such a
    large Amish or Mennonite population in your area. In some areas they sell
    yummy baked goods. Good neighbors too.
    Always enjoy your blog!

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  9. OK I give up, what is that farm machine? Great artistic photo, but do you have one of the whole machine? Is it a plow or cultivator or perhaps something else completely? The tread tires usually were used to power something.

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  10. Good plan to keep yourself occupied, I always find something to do everyday. There is so much to see in the area of southern Ontario you will be very busy.

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  11. That llama photo is hilarious.... makes me happy my mom made me go to the dentist!

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  12. Glad those rusted wheels will still turn! And I agree, structure and routine is what keeps you going and healthy in retirement. Look forward to lots more photos from your neck do the woods. Can you keep track of the ships in Goderich harbour? I'm always fascinated when I visit there, but don't get there often enough.

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  13. For someone who has never been to the northeast or Canada, I always enjoy seeing what you share with us. I too have had to remind myself that there are local things happening all the time. Of course now that you've teased us with the idea we'll be expecting to see it :-)))))))

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  14. I'm pleased that you are rediscovering your focus.

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  15. Okay Al you did really good
    As Paul Harvey would say,,,,,standby for news

    It seems largest ever planned in Ontario — is set to start after a victory for the company at the Environmental Review Tribunal.

    Workers are being hired and construction is to start before the end of March, the companies behind the K2 Wind Power Project said Thursday.

    The project north of Goderich will dwarf existing wind farms in the province, with a capacity of 270 megawatts and 140 giant turbines. It’s expected to start providing power by the second half of 2015, enough to meet the energy needs of 100,000 homes.

    The project will require construction of 90 kilometres of new access roads in Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township just to service the turbines.

    Local opponents of the project had appealed its approval to the review tribunal, arguing the project will have far-reaching negative impacts on the lives and property of township residents.

    But the appeal was rejected.

    “We are now hiring, in the process of filling jobs,” said Matt Dallas, spokesperson for Pattern Development, one of the three companies developing the wind farm in partnership. The other two are Samsung Renewable Energy and Capital Power.

    According to K2 Wind Power, the project will employ more than 1,000 workers from across Southwestern Ontario in the manufacture and assembly of the wind turbines and will inject between $5 million and $6 million into the local economy each year once the wind farm starts operation.

    The turbine blades will be manufactured in Tillsonburg, and the wind towers in Windsor.

    “We look forward to being good neighbours for the long term and making meaningful contributions to community-based initiatives and local families,” Mike Garland, chief executive of Pattern Development, said in a statement Thursday.

    Like other wind farm projects in Ontario, K2 has run into local opposition from people who maintain the industrial wind turbines will lower property values, compromise their health and drive up electricity costs.

    The company has tried to blunt that opposition in the Goderich area, offering anyone who lives within one kilometre of a turbine $1,500 a year.

    Other moves include setting up a $15-million fund to pay for community projects over the next 20 years and donating $25,000 for playground equipment for a local school.

    K2 has also promised to hire local workers.

    A job fair this month in Goderich attracted 270 people.

    Dallas said the company expects there will continue to be opposition to the wind farm.

    “There is always some who are against a project, but we have found there are a lot in support of it as well.”

    Dallas predicted the opposition will dissipate once people are hired and the community starts to see the economic benefits.

    Jane Wilson of Wind Concerns Ontario, the provincial group fighting wind farm development, said local groups are increasingly turning to the courts in an attempt to halt projects.

    Opponents have only won one case before the review tribunal — a ruling last year that a nine-turbine project in Prince Edward County posed a serious risk to turtles.

    “Now the government is appealing its own decision,” Wilson said.

    In the London region, NextEra Energy Canada, a subsidiary of Florida-based NextEra Energy, is moving ahead with a series of major wind farms — Adelaide (60 MW), Bornish (74 MW), Goshen (102 MW), Jericho (150 MW) and Bluewater (60 MW). Construction of those wind farms is expected to be completed in 2014.
    THE K2 PROJECT

    140: number of turbines

    270: megawatt output, enough to power 100,000 homes

    $1,500: what company is offering to pay a year to people living within 1 km of a turbine

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  16. I'm all for alternative energy but why can't we do this in moderation. Miles of wind farms are ugly, noisy and kill bats and birds. My rant. Great plan. I'm a list maker.

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