LONDON AND BACK, KELLY'S DOING GOOD, AND ANOTHER NEW FEATURE TONIGHT CALLED 'AL'S FAVS'

Overnight snows took the greyness out of Huron Counties landscape leaving us once again with a covering of chilling white.  Having a drive to London coming up Pheebs and I for the second day in a row kept our morning Jeep ride very short.

CAN YOU SEE THE MUMMIFIED REMAINS OF A LARGE GORILLA'S HEAD WITH A TARP PULLED UP OVER IT'S SHOULDER....WELL IF YOU CAN'T, IT'S IN OUR FRONT YARD FROG POND

It was 12:30 when we rolled out the driveway heading for London.  Roads were icy for the first few miles heading east but once we reached the highway we were fine all the way to London except for sections on Parr line that had some drifting snow build ups.  Dropped Kelly off at University Hospitals front door and headed for Henry's Camera Store.  They didn't have the particular tulip lens hood I wanted but did give me an on-line lead where to get one.  In the meantime I picked up a cheaper rubber hood.  Any lens hood on a camera lens is better than no hood at all.  Still familiarizing myself with the Nikon CP900 camera I had a couple technical questions for the boys which had them baffled but finally figured out one of them.  I have a book on the CP900 coming possibly Monday so maybe I can figure it out from that instruction book.  From Henrys it was on to McDonalds for a small de-caff coffee to go then back over to the hospital where I was lucky enough to find a free parking spot right outside the main door.  It was quite awhile but finally my cell phone rang and five minutes later Kelly was in the Jeep and we were headed for home.  It was 3:45 P.M.  Quick stop at Exeter's A&W and we were home about 5:35.  Sure had a happy little doggy waiting for us.

I ONLY TOOK ONE PHOTO THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS IS IT.....IT'S AT LONDON'S MASONVILLE MALL AND LOOKS LIKE JOHN DEERE IS WELL REPRESENTED

'HEY YOU TALKING TO ME MISTER'

It appears Kelly's liver disease is not progressing as fast as first thought so her next appointment at University Hospital will be January 27th for an endoscopy.  Depending on the results from that she doesn't have to see her liver Doctor again until  April.  

SQUIRRELY WAS AT IT AGAIN THIS MORNING

WHAT A LITTLE DICKENS THIS GUY IS

::Al's Favs:: I've decided to add another feature to my blog.  Along with 'Memory Lane' and Foibles and Fumbles' I'm also going to add a music feature which I will simply call 'Al's Favs'.  Long time readers of my blog will know how much I love my music due to the many times I have written about it over the years.  Being fortunate enough to be born in 1944 I spent my earliest years hearing the sounds of  Big Band music and I still listen to that great music to this very day.  I morphed through many changes in music over the next bunch of decades and I must say I enjoyed most of them.  Still do and yes that includes Disco.  I surround myself with music every day but it's not the music I once listened too.  Let's just say I got a little tired of repetition over the years and leave it at that.  First and foremost my musical preference for the last bunch of years has leaned towards instrumental music.   The music I listen to now has probably never been heard by the majority of readers.  It's not the standard tunes you hear every day.  I can sometimes listen to this particular music and never hear the same piece twice.  Nice.  I guess you could call it a form of ambient electronic new age with maybe a little space age thrown in for good measure.  This music as a rule has solid bass lines and for me that's where it's all at.  Not everybody's cup of tea of course but it sure is mine.  I'll add one song with each post for awhile and see how it goes.  Wished I knew a way to post just the music without all the annoying and tacky advertising that goes along with most You Tube videos.  Okay, so I'll kick of Al's Favs tonight with a nice light and breezy little tune called Mountain Ride by Marcos Ariel.  This piece of music just makes me smile.  And it's not easy to make Al smile.....

DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS STANDING AT HENRY'S CAMERA STORE COUNTER THIS AFTERNOON BUT PLEASE TELL ME IT ISN'T ME.....I'D SAY WHOEVER IT IS HE NEEDS A NEW HAT!!

GROANER'S CORNER:(( In light of the rising frequency of human - grizzly bear conflicts, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert of bears while in the field. They advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears that aren't expecting them. They also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear dung. Black bear dung is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear dung has little bells in it and smells like pepper. 
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Her: What do you do?
Me: I race cars. 
Her: Do you win many races? 
Me: Not really, the cars are much faster.
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NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE TODAY BUT CLIMB ABOARD ANYWAY FOR A TRIP TO OLD FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTANS

Had I not had a blast of energy by mid morning the day would have been a bust.  Short Jeep ride around Bayfield earlier today and we were home again almost before we knew we had even left.  Only took myself four photos and two of them were bridge construction shots.  Temps were up a couple degrees from Tuesday and I found myself with our leaf blower blowing out the carport plus front porch and deck.  Ran an outside extension cord for more Christmas lights in the front yard then headed inside where I kept the pace going .  Had a lot of camera and computer stuff piled up in drawers in the sunroom so I spent a fair bit time organizing going through everything, tossing this and keeping that.  I think some of the stuff dated back to the 1800's.  Amazing how things accumulate over the years.  Tore through my clothes closet like a hurricane on fire and hauled shirts out I hadn't worn for the last five years.  A lot of those shirts I've been hanging on to in case I lose weight.  Geeezzzz, who am I trying to kid.  This ain't high school no more.

MORE STEEL GOING IN FOR THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE

Thursday we are off to London's University Hospital where Kelly has a 2 p.m. consultation appointment with her Hepatology Gastroenterology Doctor.  While she's there I will zip over to Henry's Camera Store and pick myself up a protective lens hood and filter for my Nikon CP900.

::Memory Lane:: In tonight's Memory Lane post we go back to March 14th 2009 when Kelly and I went back into the Chiricahua Mountains for the second time in search of Old Fort Rucker and this time we found it.  No easy feat.  Not only did we find old Fort Rucker but we were to find out the old house on the property once belonged to Mary Kidder Rak and her husband Charlie.  It is the house you will see in my Photo Album as well as Old Fort Rucker.  She wrote a book called The Cowman's Wife which chronicles her and her husband Charlie's lives in the very house I have in my photo album.  I really recommend this book.  The hard struggles they endured, the good times, and the in between times.  This was the true west many years ago when endurance was a common factor.  Kelly and I visited Old Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak's homestead a number of times during our ranch sitting days and what I think I will do is keep the whole Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak story together and feature some of those trips over the next few posts.  

OFFICER'S QUARTERS AT FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

MARY KIDDER RAK'S HOMESTEAD

CHARLIE'S BARN

<<< Fort Rucker's bakery door
GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

Office Holiday Memo

To: All Employees
From: Management
Subject: Office conduct during the Christmas season

Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council).

• - Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged.
• - Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill)
• - Work requests are not to be filed under “Bah humbug.”
• - Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house.
• - All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25.
• Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines.
• 
  
• In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Holiday.
• ---------------------------------
• Q: Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
  A: Because he had low elf esteem.
• ====================

COLD CLOUDY DAY AND 'NOT THE BRIGHTEST CRAYON IN THE BOX' FROM 'FOIBLES AND FUMBLES'

It was a cold gray early December day and motivation was definitely not on my side.  Figure I had better start putting in some overtime with my Verilux Happy Light.  With bare and dry roads Pheebs and I headed off to Goderich.  Needed a few things and I was curious as to where they had blocked off the road leading to Rotary Cove.  Work is underway in that whole area to repair and restore stability to Lake Huron's shoreline and no time has been given for completion.  Guess it will depend on upcoming storms on the lake and how badly it affects the work's progress.  For sure I will miss my drives along the shoreline there as it had been the source for many of my photos.  For those interested here is an article about the record setting Great Lakes water levels.....From Record Lows to Record Highs.  

GODERICH HARBOR AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST UNDERGROUND SALT MINE

THE ALGOMA NIAGARA TAKES ON A LOAD OF SALT

WELL I GUESS THAT SAYS IT ALL

THERE GO PARTS OF THE OLD WOODEN BOARDWALK

TO THE RIGHT OF THE TRAIN CAR FLOWS THE MAITLAND RIVER INTO LAKE HURON

ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL FISHING BOATS TIED UP THIS MORNING

Feeling rather drab we (me, not Pheebs) headed back home again, came inside, and stayed there.  Could have hooked up the utility trailer and taken a couple big loads of leaves and needles to the Park's recycling area but I had no mental energy for that.  Just too cold and damp for this guy!!  At the time of posting this tonight it's snowing.

ON THE WAY HOME I SPOTTED THIS FARMER PLOWING HIS CORN STUBBLE UNDER

EVEN SAW A COW

OKAY SO WE SAW A WHOLE HERD OF COW BUNS TOO

::Foibles And Fumbles::I wrote this back in October of 08.  We were just about ready to head for the southwest with our new to us 33’ 2003 Class A Damon Challenger.  I entitled it 'Not The Brightest Crayon In The Box'...…..  
Well, my brain did it to me again just a few days ago!! The hose connection on the side of our motorhome has always been a pain in the butt for attaching or detaching the water hose. In fact attaching a garden hose to a tap has always been one of those things causing me grief.  Usually end up having to use vice grips. Figured there must be a better way of doing things & wondered about some kind of hose quick disconnect apparatus. I don't use that system at home here but remembered seeing a couple of plastic dis-connect pieces laying in a box somewhere. Rounded them up, grabbed the rigs water hose, & had a look at hooking everything together. No problem getting the larger piece threaded onto the rig but then the hose end didn't seem to match either one of the plastic fittings. Figured there must be a piece missing or something or maybe it's some kind of special RV device that is needed. At no point did my brain step up to help me figure out this problem. A few years ago it would have said, "hey dummy, try the other end of the hose!!" But, oh no, it was gonna keep that little tidbit of information to itself. Sometimes brains do not like to share things with their owners. Especially in these later years & I'm convinced my brain derives great pleasure in driving me right round the bend whenever it sees a golden opportunity to do so. With the 2 plastic pieces in my pocket, Kelly & I head down to Stormrunner RV Sales, (no longer in business) our local RV dealer. Well, it didn't take Harry long to size up the situation & realize he's obviously dealing with someone as thick as a brick here. He quietly pointed out I was trying to connect the wrong end of the hose to the right end of the coupler!! So embarrassing:(( I made a comment about not being the brightest crayon in the box & I heard Harry's wife Dianne over at the counter give out a little chuckle. "Hey," she said, "at least you do a good job with your blog & we enjoy reading it." Hey, I thought to myself, now there's a kind person who understands the thickness of a human brick & the failings of an aging male brain. Harry, on the other hand was probably considering submitting my name for the annual dunce cap Darwin awards:(( Needless to say, I felt pretty stupid for the rest of the day.    

I took the above photo using a tri-pod & self timer on the camera. Do you suppose my brain reminded me how to use the self timer?? Not a chance!! Had to go in the house & get out the camera manual, but hey, the old foggy brain must have taken a little pity on me because it gave me a break & told me right where to find the camera manual. Now, how's that for some rare co-operation in a man's brain eh:))
By the way we were good friends with Harry and Dianne over the years and did meet up with them several times in the Southwest.  We all had breakfast together in Bisbee Arizona's Bisbee Breakfast Club and they dropped around to our boondocking site on Ogilbe Road west of Yuma.  Sadly, Dianne passed away several years ago and I never saw Harry again until about 3 weeks ago in Seaforth's Tim Horton coffee shop.

DIANNE AND HARRY MERO IN BISBEE ARIZONA

'HEY BERT WHY THE HELL DID HE SET THAT SUET FEEDER OVER THERE'

MY BIRDBOOK TELLS ME THIS IS A TUFTED TITMOUSE

HERE COMES SQURRELLY LOOKING FOR THE SUET FEEDER THAT ISN'T THERE ANYMORE

NOT A HAPPY CAMPER

OOPS A BIT OF A SQUABBLE HAS BROKEN OUT ON THE BIRD STATION

'BOYS BOYS'

OH GOOD, PROBLEM SOLVED

'NANANANANAAA ':))

'OH-OH I SEE VENGENCE IN SQUIRRELY'S EYES'

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You might be a redneck if:: 
More than one living relative is named after a Southern Civil War general. 
You think the stock market has a fence around it. 
You've ever lost a loved one to kudzu. Your boat has not left the driveway in 15 years. 
Your coffee table used to be a telephone cable spool. 
You keep a can of Raid on the kitchen table. 
You've ever used a toilet seat as a picture frame.
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- “I spent five dollars for a weather app on my phone. I got two dollars and fifteen cents back in 'climate change'.”
- What kind of alien makes the best of friends?  The one that is down to Earth.

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A TOUCH OF WINTER, SQUIRRELY WINS, OUR STUFF, AND HE'S ONE OF MY TWO BEST FRIENDS

It was Sunday's rain which late in the evening turned to freezing rain which in turn overnight turned to snow.  Treacherous footing this morning with a soft layer of snow on top of ice in places.  Not good for the local 'Bones-a-Breakin' early morning Senior's jogging club.

ANOTHER NICE MORNING TO BE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

FOUND A FEW STANDING CORN FIELDS

WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BUS

It was only a light skiff of snow hardly a quarter inch deep.  Seeings how it was Monday morning I figured I had better make my 'Sidewalk Superintendent' rounds and check the usual spots.  Bayfield's Bridge project was well under way, Lake Huron was calm, all the fishing boats were out, and about 90% of the Tyvek plastic sheeting workers put on the roof section of Tim Hortons has been torn off by recent winds.  With the pace of work there I'm guessing that will easily set them back another 6 months.

BRIDGE WORK UNDERWAY

STEEL POSTS FOR TEMPORARY BRIDGE GOING IN

ON SITE COSTRUCTION TRAILERS

TRAFFIC STILL FLOWING ON OLD BRIDGE

SUMMER'S OVER SO NOT MUCH GOING ON IN BAYFIELD'S MAIN MARINA

NOT MUCH ACTION HERE TODAY

THIS IS WHERE SUMMER'S SAILBOATS COME TO HIBERNATE FOR THE WINTER

LAKE HURON'S CALM WATERS

COLORED BINS AWAIT THE FISHING BOATS RETURN

IT'S THE ONLY COFFEE SHOP IN TOWN AND I HADN'T BEEN IN SINCE WAY LAST SUMMER SO IT WAS A SMALL COFFEE TO GO THANK YOU VERY MUCH

OH MY WHAT A FIASCO THIS IS

It was our usual country route southeast of Bayfield again and I was lucky enough to catch a few icy tree shots before it all soon melted off.

As quite often happens as soon as Pheebs and I were home the Sun came out.  It was just a brief splash but by early afternoon we had a fair patch of blue sky overhead.  Those Sun's rays sure tore into and made short work of the overnight snow.

LOOKS LIKE THAT 'COVER CROP' IS DOING IT'S JOB

With the Squirrel war still on and Squirrelly wining all the battles so far I've had to make a strategic retreat for my own peace of mind.  We had one last battle this morning and I lost again.  While Pheebs and I were out Kelly said Squirrely tried four times to get at the suet feeder and on the fourth try he made it.  As expected my defences were breached yet again.  I hauled my ladder out and spent some time with very cold fingers re-configuring my feeder contraption all over yet again.  Took the whole thing down then re-rigged with a tough fishing line.  With only one garbage can lid baffle this time I hung the suet feeder lower to the ground figuring Squirrely couldn't shinny down that long thin fishing line.  Had just completed that and re-hung the suet feeder when Kelly called me for lunch.  I was hardly in the house 15 minutes and when I came out there was my whole hanging bird feeder flat on the ground with the garbage can lid totally smashed up broken and cracked.  I don't know why I didn't have a tantrum and jump up and down on my hat but I didn't.  Maybe it's my Happy Light working. I calmly picked up the pieces and put them away.  Placed the suet feeder on the bird station and returned my tall ladder to the carport storage area.  As I said, the war is not over but for now the battles are.  The suet feeder will be safe on the bird station because ever since I installed the PVC pipe pole no Squirrel has ever been able to climb it and gain access to the birdseed.  Nope not even one...............ever.  Ya, I know what your thinkin!!

I JUST MIGHT LEAVE THE SUET FEEDER HERE AND FORGET ABOUT HANGING THE FEEDERS FROM A TREE LIMB CAUSING MYSELF SQUIRREL GRIEF

Our Park model home is just not big enough for all our stuff.  We either got to get rid of stuff or move to a bigger home.  We like our stuff.  I like our stuff and I am a bit of a stuff keeper.  To get rid of all our stuff and go full-timing in our Motorhome was once an option we did think seriously about for awhile back in 08.  But why get rid of stuff I liked and still do.  Some of it I haven't seen for years and chances are I just may not open those boxes and see them ever again.  But I know my stuff is there and I am content with that.  My whole life is in that stuff.  It's who I was and who I am.  My stuff will all be dispersed some day and to who, where, or when I have no idea.  But as long as I'm still here it's still my stuff.  And I intend to keep it that way.

KELLY'S STILL WORKING AWAY AT OUR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS....I HELP WHEN NEEDED:))

I guess what got me started on that stuff kick was my attempt this afternoon to re-arrange things in our sunroom.  No matter what I did or where I moved things there still was just too much stuff.  Some of it has to go but go where??  Can't put anything in either one of our sheds because there's too much stuff in them like outside summertime lawn chairs and tables, bicycles, garden tools, etc.  Our carport storage area is full too.  Got all our RV stuff in there piled up waiting to go back into another RV if we ever find one.  

MOVING THINGS AROUND IN THE SUNROOM

THIS IS MY NEW RE-ARRANGED COMPUTER STATION SET-UP

For any of you folks who haven't been keeping up with Jim over at Lifetime Sentences you are being left in the dust.  He's turbo charged and has a lot going on over there if your looking for witty humor, well written articles, things with a twist, opinions, and a lot of self revealing stories from home.  Scroll through Jim's current and past articles where he has something for everybody like A Little Kitty Lost.  Jim made journalism his life, worked at several newspapers and taught journalism at Kitchener's Doon Valley Conestoga College for several years.  A columnist and author of several books you will find his writings well worth the entertainment.  And besides all that........he's one of my two best friends:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The Priest was preparing a man for his long day's journey into night. Whispering firmly, the Priest said, "Denounce the devil! Let him know how little you think of him!"  The dying man said nothing.  The priest repeated his order.  Still the man said nothing.  The priest asked, "Why do you refuse to denounce the devil and his evil?"  The dying man said, "Until I know for sure where I'm heading, I don't think I ought to aggravate anybody."
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A head-on collision occurred between a man and a woman. Both emerged from the scene intact while their cars were totally demolished. The man said, "This is quite a predicament. We should drink a toast to celebrate this miracle." The woman replied, "What a great idea; I just happen to have a bottle with me." With this she handed it to the man. The man downed half the bottle and handed it back. The woman would not take it back and said, "I think I will wait until after the police arrive to celebrate."
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