OH-OH AND YET ANOTHER SERIOUS DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES

The inevitable conflict between Canada and the United States began shortly after sunrise this morning, and it started with a difference of opinion between two prominent figures from both of these countries.  One on each side of the border!!  The issue revolved around an immediate environmental issue.  Both opposing Prognosticators stood on firm ground with their opinions, and there was no room for negotiations.  It was Groundhog Day after all, and Canada's Wiarton Willy, not seeing his shadow earlier today, confidently declared it would be an early Spring.  However, south of the border, America's Punxsutawney Phil, seeing his shadow, adamantly declared there would definitely be six more weeks of Winter.  It was immediately obvious that two of the world's greatest countries were at loggerheads...... I don't know folks, with our once closely united countries becoming further and further apart on so many things these days, it does not bode well for any kind of future togetherness.  It is now an uncertain future we two countries face, and I think the picture below of Punxsutawney Phil sums it quite well.

AND HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED TO PUNXSUTNEY PHIL FOR SPEAKING UP AND STANDING HIS GROUND

Needing to pick up a prescription at the Walmart Pharmacy, I toddled off to Goderich this morning.  A Hoar Frost overnight left tree limbs coated with something called Hoar Frost.  Hoar Frost is a deposit of interlocking leathery ice crystals that form directly from water vapor to solid on freezing surfaces, skipping the liquid phase.  Occurring on calm, clear, and cold nights, it creates delicate, white, fern-like structures on trees, branches, and fences, often resembling white hair. 

Picking up a coffee to go at McD's I headed down to the harbor.  I'm glad they have decided to keep the road plowed out to Rotary Cove.  A lot of people like to drive out and turn around there. 

A DIFFERENCE OF SEASONS HERE BETWEEN THE SIGN AND THE SNOW

 THE TUGBOAT OCEAN A SIMARD WORKING TO KEEP  THE CHANNEL  OPEN BETWEEN THE LAKE AND THE HARBOR

 THIS PHOTO FROM A HIGHER VANTAGE POINT SHOWS THE TUGBOAT WORKING HARD TO KEEP THE NARROW CHANNEL BETWEEN THE LAKE AND HARBOR FREE OF ICE FOR LARGE SHIPS COMING AND GOING

 THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE OPEN WATER OF LAKE HURON AND THE SALT MINE ON THE RIGHT WITH THE TUGBOAT IN BETWEEN CLEARING THE LONG NARROW CHANNEL

From the south side of the harbor, I slipped over to the north side closer to the two large ships anchored there for the winter.

TWO LARGE SHIPS ARE SPENDING THE WINTER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR 

 FISHING BOATS ARE SPENDING THE WINTER HERE AS WELL

THAT IS THE MASSIVE BOW OF THE OAKGLEN

 IT HAS A BULBOUS NOSE ON IT WHICH IS GENERALLY NOT SEEN UNDER THE WATER

 THE ?? ALMOST LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEACHED ITSELF ON AN ICEBERG

Al's Music Box:: Wicked Game by Chris Isaak

I TOOK THESE TWO FULL MOON PHOTOS THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW SUNDAY NIGHT

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The Mensa Test::

This is a test for Intelligent People. I have determined that you qualify. The following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you if you are qualified to be a professional. Scroll down for each answer. The questions are NOT that difficult. But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tested whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the Refrigerator?
Wrong Answer.
Correct Answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, Put in the elephant and close the door. This tested your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend....except one. Which animal does not attend?
Correct Answer: The Elephant.
The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there.
This tested your memory.
Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross, but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage?
Correct Answer: You jump into the river and swim across.
Have you not been listening?
All the crocodiles are attending the animal conference.
This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.
According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers.
AndersonConsulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.
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A gentleman entered a busy florist shop that displayed a large sign that read "Say It With Flowers." "Wrap up one rose," he told the florist. "Only one?" the florist asked. "Just one," the customer replied. "I'm a man of few words."

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In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and then He rested.

Then God created man, and then they both rested.
Then God created woman, and since then neither God nor man has ever rested.

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery

AND, WITHOUT LEAVING THE HOUSE, I EVEN WENT FOR A BIKE RIDE...''WHAT'!!

I SAW THIS LITTLE BUNNY UNDER A CEDAR RAIL FENCE IN BAYFIELD THIS MORNING MUNCHING ON SOME CEDAR BRANCHES

Checking my mind's rear-view mirror first thing this morning, I saw it right away.  Yes, there it was behind me and fading fast into history, right where all Januarys belong!! Glancing at my thermometer, I saw that we were starting February out with the temperature sitting right at 0F.  Let's hope we can end it 28 days from now somewhere at least above freezing.  Another nice orange sunrise through the pine trees this morning.

 THIS MORNING'S SUNRISE FILTERS THROUGH THE FROZEN TREE BRANCHES OUTSIDE OUR WINDOW

 IF YOU LET YOUR IMAGINATION GO, YOU WILL SEE CRITTERS HERE IN THESE SNOW CLUSTERS

 A TOUCH OF SUNLIGHT ON A TWIST OF SNOW AROUND THE REAR DECK'S RAILING

SUNSHINE EVEN MADE IT'S WAY INTO OUR KITCHENN THIS MORNING TO ALIGHT ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER

 NICE TO SEE CLEAR BLUE SKY BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND CARPORT

 A FINE LOOKING MORNING IN OUR PARK AS WELL

It was a nice morning for a drive, so I slipped into Bayfield, gassed up the car, and took a little drive around town.  Snapped a few pics here and there and headed home.  Although too cold for doing much of anything outside, the Sun did energize me enough to work on a few small projects inside.  And, without leaving the house, I even went for a bike ride.  What??

 AND TO THINK PEOPLE WILL BE SWIMMING HERE AT BAYFIELD'S BEACH IN ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS OR SO

THESE HEAVY BOULDERS HAVE BEEN PLACED RIGHT ON BAYFIELD'S BEACH

 BAFFIELD'S SOUTH PIER IS ALL BUT COVERED OVER WITH ICE AND SNOW

 ICE FISHERMEN ON THE BAYFIELD RIVER

 SUNDAY MORNING WALKERS IN PIONEER PARK STOP TO GAZE OUT OVER THE FROZEN LAKE

NOT EVEN A HINT OF OPEN WATER OUT THERE

 HERE'S THAT LITTLE BUNNY UNDER THE CEDAR RAIL FENCE IN BAYFIELD

With this Winter's inactivity taking a physical toll on both Woodsy and I, we had talked a few times about what to do.  We had thought about the Y.M.C.A. in Goderich, but that's expensive and neither one of us is interested in a regimented exercise program with a bunch of people.  So, we settled on something else.  I had seen an exercise bike for sale near Goderich and mentioned it to Woodsy.  She said for the price they wanted for that used bike, we might as well buy a new one.  So, after reading up on exercise bikes, I finally decided on one and ordered it from Amazon.  It is a Monsuny Exercise Bike 2025 and it was here within two days.  It must have been quite an ordeal in a crowded delivery van for the driver to slug around the heavy box that the unassembled bike came on.  Seeing it on the porch early Saturday afternoon, I had to drag the box into the house because I couldn't lift it.  Upon opening the box, I could see it was very well packed.  Everything had been well thought out to house all the pieces.  The bike ad had said, 'easy to assemble'.  For me, that is always a big red flag.  In my world, nothing is easy to assemble, and I dread all those instructions.  But, here it was, and here I was, so let the games begin. I very carefully and methodically took out all the parts and placed them carefully on the floor.  It is extremely important for me to take my time, be organized, and remain calm.  If not, the bike and all its parts could be swiftly exiting the building through the living room window!!  For a change, I followed the directions closely, and aside from a few expected small hang-ups, including getting the pedals on, I finally had the bike assembled.  It took me four hours, but that included one coffee break, seven trips to the fridge for snacks, half a dozen washroom breaks, a telephone call from Woodsy, two self-directed pep talks, and one prolonged gnashing of teeth over the pedals.  Anyway, it was finally done, and I climbed aboard and took myself for that spin I mentioned at the end of my first paragraph.  I right away liked the bike because it is completely noiseless, feels good to sit on, has a monitor, and a place to hold a cell phone.  I like the backrest and the two handbars on either side of the seat. The bike folds up and can be easily moved because of its two wheels, which I at first put on backwards.  I'll wait until Lorraine is here to figure out the monitor stuff, but in the meantime, I put my cellphone in the stand and set it for five minutes.  The tension gizmo on the bike goes from 1-16 so I've started off at 8 in 5-minute increments.  My first session late Saturday afternoon almost burned my legs off, (I am such a Wus), but I'm feeling much better today and have decided that is the setting and time period I will start off with.  When Lorraine (Woodsy) gets here, she will probably set it to 16 and boogie for an hour.  Afterall, walking and bicycling are two of her main things, and she has muscles of steel.  But, don't tell her I said that, or I will be in some very major trouble!!

 THIS WAS A HEAVY BOX

 THE PARTS WERE PACKED WELL

 OKAY, LET THE GAMES GEGIN

 WHEN I SAW THE FIRST PAGE OF INSTRUCTIONS I WAS ASCARED, VERY ASCARED

 WELL, DESPITE MYSELF, I'M ACTUALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE

 I EVEN HAD TO BRING IN THE BIG GUNS AT ONE POINT

 AT LAST IT WAS DONE

THIS MORNING I MOVED THE BIKE FROM THE LIVING ROOM TO THE SUNROOM

THE BIKE'S MONITOR

 UNTIL WOODSY FIGURES OUT THE MONITOR, I'LL JUST USE THE TIMER ON MY CELL PHONE 

The day ended under gloriously sunny skies and our temps rocketed up to 20F.  Shorts and T-shirts weather I'd almost say.

 HEY, I EVEN HAD A CAMPFIRE GOING IN OUR SNOWY BACKYARD THIS AFTERNOON

Al's Music Box:: Moonlight In Vermont by Margaret Whiting.

 SHOVELING THE DRIVEWAY IN A SNOWSTORM A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Sometime after Sidney died, his widow, Tillie, was finally able to speak about what a thoughtful and wonderful man her late husband had been. "Sidney thought of everything," she told them. "Just before he died, Sidney called me to his bedside. He handed me three envelopes. `Tillie,' he told me, 'I have put all my last wishes in these three envelopes. After I am dead, please open them and do exactly as I have instructed. Then I can rest in peace." "What was in the envelopes?" her friends asked. "The first envelope contained $5,000 with a note, 'Please use this money to buy a nice casket.' So I bought a beautiful mahogany casket with such a comfortable lining that I know Sidney is resting very comfortably. "The second envelope contained $10,000 with a note, 'Please use this for a nice funeral.' I arranged a very dignified funeral for Sidney and bought all his favorite foods for everyone attending." "And the third envelope?" asked her friends. "The third envelope contained $25,000 with a note, 'Please use this to buy a nice stone.' Holding her hand in the air and showing off her ten-carat diamond ring, Tillie said, "So, how do you like my stone?"

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- “I lift weights only on Saturday and Sunday because Monday to Friday are weak days.”

Jack: "Do you know how long fish should be cooked?"
Jill: "Probably the same as short fish."

- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their diets.

- "I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

- "If absence makes the heart grow fonder=, said a minister, a lot of folks must love our church.

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery