A FEW PICS OF TADOUSSAC'S REAR END:))

GODERICH HARBOR WITH GRAIN ELEVATORS ON LEFT & THE EMPTY LAKE FREIGHTER TADOUSSAC ON RIGHT

A couple days ago I had a few errands to run so slipped up to the town of Goderich Ontario which is about a 20 drive north of Bayfield. Cloudy day & not great for photos but I took a swing down around the harbor & grabbed a few pics of a large lake freighter anchored there. It was sitting high in the water so was probably awaiting a load of grain or salt. Goderich is known for it's large underground salt mine stretching for miles out under Lake Huron. Kelly & I were lucky enough to get onto one of the last public tours of that mine about 12 years ago. Sorry, didn't take a camera with me that day. Goderich is a unique place & I hope to slip up there in early June & do a little photo shoot along the lake & around the harbor...........WONDER IF IT WAS POPEYE WHO SLUNG THE ANCHOR & CHAIN OVER HIS SHOULDER & SWAM IT TO THIS PILE OF ROCKS Goderich: http://www.goderich.ca/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goderich,_Ontario
http://www.goderich.worldweb.com/ SALT MINE BUILDINGS ARE ON THE HORIZON

A nice warm sunny day here & everything is really greening up fast. By June we will be into one of the nicest months of the year. Our yard is at it's best in June with everything looking very tropical. I sometimes get to looking a little tropical myself in June.......................................:)) ONE OF THE HARBOR TUGS RESTING UP FOR ANOTHER BUSY SEASON

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

BLOG JAM

SWING RIDE UNDER THE OLD APPLE TREE:))

I have been sitting here in front of the computer this past 10 minutes, head down & eyes closed trying to think of something remotely interesting to blog about to-night. But, I have run into a blog jam..............................:(( TULIPS ALONG A LANEWAY NEAR THE LITTLE SWING RIDE BOY

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

RV FOLKS ARE A HARDY LOT

Well, I managed to get 3 good working hours out of myself over at Deerpark Lodge this morning before having to come home & crash in my recliner for an hour. I'm not too impressed with this aging process. ANYTHING YOU NEED HELP WITH HERE DAD??

We are all just one heartbeat away from the unknown but it doesn't seem to be a concern in our earlier years. I'm creeping up on 65 now & every little bump in the night is a concern. Doesn't seem to matter if your 45 or 85, the world as we once knew it has changed as we peer out through aging eyes. We have changed.....and are changing. Priorities are re-arranged. Interests ebb & flow like the tide & time suddenly begins to take on a new importance. Slowly it becomes apparent this wild & reckless ride through life is beginning to level out & may even begin to take on a bit of meaning at some point. SOME DAY I WILL BE A MIGHTY MAPLE TREE

One of our main reasons years ago for embracing the RV lifestyle was based on health & well being. We were both in good shape & knew if we wanted to get out there to see & do the outdoor things we enjoyed we had better get a move on while we were still agile enough to enjoy it. Various illnesses & disabilities had already claimed friends & fellow workers & shattered the dreams of many others. I'm so glad we made the decision to travel when we did.

MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS

RV folks as a rule are a hardy & healthy lot. We have met people, though diagnosed with cancer have refused to take it lying down. A couple we know who both have cancer concerns rented out their house, bought an RV, & hit the road full time. That was about 3 years ago & they are still going strong. Doctors appointments, medical tests, & treatments are scheduled ahead of time in various cities where they are headed. It was their original doctor who after the diagnosis suggested to them they get out & enjoy life. And that is just what they are doing & I think the reason they are doing so well is simply because of their RV lifestyle, positive attitude, & zest for life. PRIMROSE

Whether week-end traveler, seasonal snowbird, or full timer, the RV lifestyle lends itself to a whole different mindset from the stay at home folks. I know it's hard for people who have never traveled or do not have an interest in traveling to understand why anyone would want to live in the confined space of a motorhome or trailer. A lot of things are hard to understand I guess but fortunately that was an understanding that came easy for us...........................................:))

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

OUR FRIENDS .....THE MnMnM's:))

STILL AT IT

The motorhome clean-up continued this morning & I finished the sides, wheels, & got all the glass cleaned inside & out. I should mention that the photo of the rig's interior a couple days ago was taken with a 28mm wide angle lens. That's a popular lens for photographing small interiors & is commonly used by real estate companies for inside house pictures. Also works well in small RV interiors but it does give the appearance of interiors being larger than they actually are. The human eye sees around 55mm so there is a bit of optical discrepency when using a wide angle lens. Roadtrek had an ad in one of our RV mags a few weeks ago showing the interior of their Class B van. You would have thought you were looking at the inside a Greyhound bus. They must have used an even wider lens than 28mm I think............So, that interior picture of our motorhome actually appears larger than what it really is. Just wanted to clear that up up after Kelly made the comment yesterday, "wow, wouldn't it be nice if our motorhome was really as big as it looks in that picture." DOUBLE PLEASURE......LAP TOP DOG & LAP TOP COMPUTER ALL ON THE SAME LAP:))

All the RV snowbirds we met these past few winters are back home now just as we are but our fulltiming friends are still out there enjoying the great RV outdoors life. I am so envious as I read their emails or follow their blogs & pictures. We first met Mike, Maureen, & Molly (MnMnM) in Cannonville Utah back in November 2008. http://adventureswithmnm.blogspot.com/ We had been unsuccesful in finding a boondocking spot that day so decided as a last resort to check into a $KOA$ campground. Another rig had just pulled in ahead of us & we were the only 2 RV's in the whole park. Turns out they were fellow Canadians from London Ontario which is only an hour's drive from Bayfield where we live. They were Mike & Maureen, fulltiming with their sweet dog Molly. Over the next few months we met up with them again near Zion Canyon, Kanab, & the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Also boondocked near each other in the Ajo Heights just west of Ajo, Arizona.

CANNONVILLE UTAH KOA.....WE ARE MIDDLE LEFT & THE MnMnM'S ARE MIDDLE CENTER

BOONDOCKING WEST OF AJO, ARIZONA.....MnMnM'S ON LEFT & WE ARE ON THE RIGHT

MAUREEN & MIKE AT OUR AJO HEIGHTS DARBY WELLS SITE

They spent the winter hunkered down on Vancouver Island with some snowy days & are presently in beautiful southern B.C. heading east. Molly, their beloved dog has not been well lately so our thoughts are with our friends...........MnMnM.

To-morrow I will head over to Deerpark Lodge & work on some of the spring clean-up there again. Been having problems with energy levels so we'll see how it goes. Wonder if that vitamin pills stuff works or is that just another big scam too........................

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

YOU ARE SO BIG & I AM SO SMALL

YOU ARE SO BIG & I AM SO SMALL

My very first car in late 1963 was a 1961 blue Volkswagon Beetle. I have been a Beetle fan ever since & that's even before the Beatles landed on the North American shores. Yes, I know it's a bit confusing. WHATCHA DOIN ON THE COMPUTER DAD??

There were many things I liked about my first car & one of them was it's size. Not only easy on gas but easy to park & wash as well. It was the washing part I was reminded of to-day as I stood bucket & sponge in hand, dwarfed by the 12ft high, 8ft wide & 33ft long giant monster motorhome. It looked so big & I felt so small. I was tired out by just the thought of having to wash it. Whatever happened to those days when I could have my Vw bug washed, dried, & half waxed in half an hour. Looking at this big white dinosaur in front of me I knew this was going to take days. I suddenly got even more tired. Oh, to have those 18 year old energy levels back again. PERRIWINKLE

From the time we leave home in the fall until the time we return in the spring I never wash the motorhome. What's the point. Not a lot of extra water floating around in the deserts of the southwest & 5 minutes after you start to wash it the big Arizona winds will just whoop up a big dust storm all over ya anyway!! Besides, we travel a lot of dusty back roads & camp out in the desert so a big shiny white rectangular blimp really looks out of place in Mother Nature's wonderland . Best to have a layer of dust on the rig with some mud on the tires thrown in to blend it all into it's surroundings. And besides, washing it all the time kinda takes away that nice desert pin striping effect we have so dutifully earned. NEIGHBOR'S MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS

I know some RVers out there who will not drive on a dirt road let alone camp anywhere other than in RV campground with lots of water to wash their rigs when they get there. Guess it's all where one's priorities lie. For some it's more important to have a big shiny looking rig I guess. You folks are sure missing out on the wonders & beauty of nature by clinging to those Interstates & RV Parks. BUMBLE BEE IN THE AZALIA BLOOMS

I was one of those guys who went through that sparkly stage from about 16 to 20 years old spending hours & hours washing, waxing, polishing, & spiffing up my car in a never ending effort to make big impressions. Especially with the girls. That is, if it were possible to do that in a 61 VW Beetle back in the days of big beefy muscle cars. Yes, the competition was stiff alright but me & my little Beetle bug made out alright:)) Luckily I grew out of that sparkly car phase somewhere in my early 20's. Have always kept a vehicle neat & clean inside but if the outside got dirty, it just wasn't really, really, important to me anymore. Besides I've always enjoyed getting off the beaten path & exploring back roads, laneways, bush paths, whatever. Not really conducive to a sparkly car aficionado. The occasional trip to the car wash nowadays is good enough for me.
So, with a huff & puff I started the huge task of cleaning the motorhome to-day. Geeeezzz, why do they have to make them so big. Figured I would do it in stages this time & not try to climb the mountain all in one day. Concentrated my efforts on the front of the rig because that's where the dead bugs were holding their annual dead bug convention by the looks of it. Tried some Turtle Wax Bug & Tar remover & about the only thing that removed was about an inch off each my arms. Remembered I had some Best-Black Streak Remover & that did the trick very well. I know Gypsy http://gypsy97.blogspot.com/ just did her 5th wheel with a product she liked & John http://johnbrendasincredibleadventure.blogspot.com/ has a product he readily uses but can't remember the names of them. I think JoAnne & Doug
http://www.mytripjournal.com/ourdream have a magic cleaning product they like as well. So many things on the market these days compared to years ago. BUZZING FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER

To-morrow, if the spirit moves me, I might do the back end of the rig. That will require some step ladder work for sure. Never needed a step ladder with my little 61 Beetle Bug. But then again it didn't have a Queen size bed in it, full washroom with shower, clothes closets, refrigerator, micro-wave, television, etc. etc. But hey, I went to Sarasota Florida & back in the summer of 64 for about $20 worth of gas one time & that's gotta beat how far we go for $20 worth of gas in the motorhome. That's about what it costs to fill up my spare gas can now...........................................:((

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

WHY DON'T WE PUT A COUPLE OF SHELVES THERE

FINALLY FINISHED PAINTING THE REST OF THE SLIDE WALLS AWHILE BACK

I sometimes wonder if the designers & builders of RV's ever actually spend any time living in them. Doesn't take long for even the untrained eye to see where improvements could be made. At first glance RV's look very compact & well thought out. Everything looks so nice, colors match, finishes sparkle, mirrors give the impression of spaciousness. They are heavy into the WOW factor. But, try sleeping on that pull out couch or sitting for any length of time in that tiny tub chair. Better wear knee pads getting in & out of that breakfast nook & don't plan on any extended meals if you don't want to end up with flat buns. There are many classes of creature comforts in the RV's just like cars & in the end you get what you pay for I guess. I've never spent any time in a high end coach but I'm sure they have a superior quality to them. Maybe even pull out couches that are actually comfortable to sleep on.

BURGUNDY TRILLIUM IN THE WOODS THIS MORNING

Space is cleverly maximized by the designers up to a point but for anyone living in an RV.....not cleverly enough. Kelly found another wasted space in the bedroom under a counter top kind of affair. A bedroom stool came with the motorhome that was meant for someone to sit on at this counter & put on make-up or something. It's located at the foot of the bed so you had to be some kind of contortionist to seat yourself on that stool with your legs ramrodded under the counter & do to yourself whatever this counter & stool were intended to help you do. We left the stool at home last year & the space under the counter remained just that......space. On Saturday Kelly said, "why don't we put a couple shelves in there or something." Don't know why we hadn't thought of that before. Just one of those Senior moments I guess. First thing this morning I scrounged around gathering up wood for something I would hopefully later call a couple of shelves. Out came the tape measure & the pencil. Straight lines were drawn on wood surfaces & before long the whole park was awakened by Al playing with his power saw again. I even closed the shed's window & door to minimize the sound but it was Sunday so it was extra quiet outside. Tried whistling loud but that just made the whining saw worse. Wasn't until I belted out a few good bars of Johnny Horton's Honky Tonk Man that I overpowered the skil saw & took charge of the air waves. ROBINS NEST IN OUR CAR PORTSome days ya just can't do anything wrong no matter how hard ya try. Geeeeezzz, I like when that happens. All my first measurements were right on, the saw cuts were straight, I actually got all the wood stain on the wood this time, & the squareheaded wood screws even went straight into the wood when I assembled the shelf pieces. The 2 shelves fitted snugly into the space where Kelly wanted & I was even able to get them level & hold them there while I screwed the shelves into place. No, it's not something a professional carpenter would brag about but it's functional, looks OK, puts a feather in my cap, & kept me on an even keel for the rest of the day. Maybe even got me a few extra brownie points with the boss. Geeeezzz, I like when that happens...................................:)) TWO SHELVES INSTALLED WITH 3 OF KELLY'S IKEA TOTE BASKETS ON THEM

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

BLOGGING.....IT ISN'T ALWAYS EASY

AWWWW, WHAT A LIFE

As much as I enjoy blogging, it isn't always easy to come up with interesting topics on a regular basis. Easier to do when traveling I think. My blogger dashboard tells me I've posted 410 blogs since September of 07. I probably have another 30 or 40 on Microsoft's My Space as well from a trip to the southwest 3 years ago. Blogging can be a spontaneous thing or a well thought out piece of work with re-writes & edits. I have a habit of falling into the first category but would recommend to new bloggers the second method. The second method will probably save you some embarrassment & regrets. It will also give your blog some spit & polish. I think the best scenario is to write the initial blog & then let it sit for awhile. Put it on a back burner if you wish & let it simmer. Add ingredients such as thoughts & ideas whenever they occur to you. Ideally, let the blog percolate for the night & come back to it the following day after having slept on it. Your final re-write might look a fair bit different than your original draft the day before & chances are you will feel more comfortable before publishing it on the web. For impatient bloggers like myself, the first category is the one into which we generally stumble. Whatever thought process occurs in the cranium instantly finds it's way onto the keyboard, up onto the monitor, & out onto the web. Not always a good thing. Words or phrases may pop into the mind that I normally wouldn't use and whooooops, there they go for the whole world to see. This is where it's important to put your blog on the back burner, give it some time, & then come back to it. Chances are when you read it a second & third time your mind will catch the mistakes & re-write them. This will save you from waking up in the middle of the night with that nagging feeling that you have written something in your blog that really didn't need writing in the first place. Take it from an old blogger who knows about such things. But, it's from our mistakes that we learn....or so I'm told:)) VIEW OF OUR SIDE YARD FROM ATOP THE MOTORHOME

And remember.......Make sure your skills levels match your confidence levels or at the end of the day you may very well end up a disappointed person. Not all people are created with the same abilities. Know your limitations & be realistic with both your optimistic & pessimistic views.......... In my opinion............................ realistic thinking is the key:))

And on a lighter note:
It was once said that a black man would be president when pigs flew. Well behold 100 days into Obama's presidency.............. swine flu!!

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/