AFTER ALL, IT WASN'T WINTER TIME

'Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse' is a familiar saying around Christmas time, but it is not the case here in the last week of June.  A little mouse has been sneaking around at night and eating my peanuts!!!! My first clue was a week ago when I noticed peanut bits and shells in a corner of the washroom next to a small closet that contains the water heater.  There is a small space under the door where I figure the mouse squeezes through, but once the mouse has obtained a peanut from the kitchen, it cannot get that peanut squeezed back under the door to take back to its house, probably somewhere under the house.  So, it sits there, eating what it can, and leaves a peanut shell mess on the floor!!  Okay, so where does this furry little critter find the peanuts, you might ask.  Well, on a table right inside the kitchen door, I kept a small open bucket of peanuts for the chipmunks outside.  How that mouse crawls up onto the table I don't know, but then to get up the smooth plastic pail, drop down on top of the peanuts, get one in its mouth, and climb back out of the pail, is a bit of a mystery to me.  And then to do it a second time because there are always two peanut shells on the floor. This has happened three times now until today, when I switched the peanuts from the open bucket to a closed, secure container.  By the way, it was this same bucket of peanuts on the table by the door that prompted a Squirrel about a month ago to tear a hole through the kitchen screen door and twice help himself to the peanuts.  Both times I saw him, and both times I chased him down the hall into the sunroom, and swooshed him out through the sunroom door.  It's definitely neither a squirrel or chipmunk in here at night, but how does a tiny mouse carry a peanut in its mouth?  Tis a mystery I have going on here, but with the new security system container and its screw on tight lid, I am confident I have put a stop to the nighttime shenanigans of this bold Midnight Maurader!!  Now, here's something I didn't tell you about.  Also, about a month ago, I heard some scratching going on inside my tall plastic birdseed container.  I right away suspected a mouse, and I was right.  Cautiously peering down into the container, I saw the hapless little fellow and the predicament he was in.  There was no way it could get out. My first instinct was to help and not hurt or hinder.  That is always my instinct with creatures big or small.  I carefully leaned the container over, and the little chap was able to scurry out.  It immediately scampered across the kitchen floor and disappeared behind the fridge.  It was only then that my mind clicked in with the thought, 'I should have taken the container outside and let the little guy go out there'.  After all, it wasn't winter time.  I'm just not the brightest crayon in the box sometimes you know:((

 THE YELLOW BUCKET ON THE LEFT WAS MY FORMER OPEN TOPPED PEANUT BUCKET AND THE WHITE CANISTER ON THE RIGHT IS MY NEW SECURITY CANISTER

Al's Music Box:: Same Auld Lang Syne is actually a true story written and sung by Dan Fogelberg about an encounter he had with an old friend on Christmas Eve of 1975.  Dan Fogelberg has since passed away.

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GROANER'S CORNER:(( Harry had been feeling sick lately and was finally convinced to see the Doctor after his wife Suzy's urging.  After a thorough examination and much thought, the Doctor was ready to tell Harry and a very worried Suzy his prognosis:  Harry was too stressed out. He would need 6 months of pure relaxation. Suzy, very agitated, took out her notepad to begin writing down his list of orders for these months of relaxation. "How should I go about it?" asked Harry. "OK," said the doctor, "I would like your wife to take one tranquilizer four times a day......"

'OLD' Internet Axioms::

- The e-mail of the species is more deadly than the mail.
- A journey of a thousand sites begins with a single click.
- You can't teach a new mouse old clicks.

- Great groups from little icons grow.

- Speak softly and carry a cellular phone.
- C: is the root of all directories.
- Don't put all your hypes in one home page.
- Pentium wise; pen and paper foolish.
- The modem is the message.
- Too many clicks spoil the browse.
- The geek shall inherit the earth.
- A chat has nine lives.
- Don't byte off more than you can view.
- Fax is stranger than fiction.
- What boots up must come down.

- Virtual reality is its own reward.

- A user and his leisure time are soon parted.

- Know what to expect before you connect.
- Oh, what a tangled website we weave when first we practice.
- Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach him to use the Net, and
he won't bother you for weeks.

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A tough looking group of hairy bikers are riding when they see a girl about to jump off a bridge, so they stop. The leader, a big burly man, gets off his bike and says, "What are you doing?" "I'm going to commit suicide," she says. While he doesn’t want to appear insensitive, he also doesn’t want to miss an opportunity, so he asks, "Well, before you jump, why don't you give me a kiss?" She does, and it is a long, deep, lingering kiss. After she's finished, the tough, hairy biker says, "Wow! That was the best kiss I’ve ever had! That's a real talent you’re wasting. You could be famous. Why are you committing suicide?" "My parents don't like me dressing up like a girl…"

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery

STEPPING OUT OF THE CAR IN MY PAJAMAS AND HOUSECOAT

 DEER IN A CORNFIELD

After yesterday's day-long super crappy windy, cold, and rainy day, I never guessed I would be out Thursday evening under a night sky filled with stars.  But, yes it did happen, and I couldn't believe my luck when, in early evening, our cloud-studded sky began clearing, and the first dribbles of sunshine had me out the door.  Subie needed gas, so I slipped into Bayfield and filled up.  From there, it was down to the beach and harbor area for a few pictures.  But, only a few.

 IT WAS A COOL WIND COMING IN OFF THE LAKE

From the beach area, and knowing it was going to be a nice sunset due to the cloud formations, I headed straightaway out into the evening countryside and found myself some rather ethereal photos.

 HEADING OUT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS AN OMINOUS LOOKING SKY

 TWILIGHT'S ETHEREAL EVENING GLOW ON AN OLD BARN

Arriving at my favorite night sky viewing place with drops of rain on my windshield, I spotted a rainbow.  Pulling into my spot alongside the road at the tall communication tower, I marveled at the view over the countryside.  I am usually here in the dark of night, but with the fading sunset still playing across the land, I was able to find a few more interesting photos.

LOOKING TOWARDS CLINTON, TWILIGHT'S YELLOW GLOW GAVE THE TREES A TOUCH OF AUTUMN GOLD

 PARKED AT MY NIGHT SKY SPOT WITH THE SUN SETTING OVER THE CAR

 WITH RAINDROPS FALLING FROM THE SKY, I SAW THIS RAINBOW

A LONG TELEPHOTO SHOT OF THE CLINTON CO-OP IN THE EVENING GLOW

 I THOUGHT THAT PINKY GLOW ON THE EASTERN HORIZON WAS KIND OF ODD

 I DON'T KNOW WHY MY CAMERA SAW THE SKY AS PURPLE BECAUSE IT WASN'T

 LOOKING WEST IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SETTING SUN

 HERE'S A LARGE CLOUD GATOR SWALLOWING UP A SCHOOL OF CLOUD FISH

It was getting dark by the time I headed for home, but the Moon, and Planets Venus and Jupiter were shining brightly in the darkening western sky.  I had been home for a while and had changed into my pajamas and housecoat when I remembered there was going to be a line-up of celestial objects in the night sky.  Rather than going to the bother of changing back into my clothes, out the door I went again, this time with only my pajamas, housecoat, and no socks.  I thought to myself, try explaining this one to the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) if I ever got stopped.  I decided not to go all the way back to my night sky place, so I just slipped out of the Park a short way and headed east to Whys Line, turned left, and rolled along a few hundred yards before pulling over and shutting the car off.  Stepping out of the car in my PJ's, I was immediately awed by the starry night canopy overhead, and yes, there was the quarter Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation, 'Leo The Lion'.  I knew that the Planet Mercury was in that line-up somewhere as well, and having a pretty good idea where, I hauled out my Bausch and Lomb 7x50 binoculars and soon found it low to the horizon.  I could tell it had to be Mercury because of its slightly reddish colors.  Stars are mainly always a whitish light.  Took a couple of snaps of the night sky with my iPhone and headed home.  After a really crappy weather day, it had turned out to be a mighty fine evening indeed.

I HAD HOPED THE CONSTELLATION SCORPIUS WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP BETTER IN THE CENTER OF THIS PHOTO TAKEN WITH MY iPHONE

 TO THE WEST, THIS iPHONE PHOTO SHOWS THE MOON, AND THE PLANETS VENUS AND JUPITER....PLANET MERCURY WAS NOT VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE, BUT IT WAS DOWN THERE AT THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE PHOTO

 THURSDAY NIGHT'S CRESCENT MOON

Woke up this morning to brilliant sunshine flooding the living room where I sleep in my recliner.  The temperature was only 55F but hey, finally no big winds to drive the windchill factor down into the high forties.  I had a most enjoyable morning walk, followed by a drive to Goderich to pick up several prescriptions at the Walmart Pharmacy.  Following that, it was a spin down to and around the harbor.  Lake Huron was looking so blue and green today.  With a Harveys coupon in my hand, I slipped through their drive-thru and emerged out the other side with a hot dog, a few onion rings, and a root beer.  Not the most healthy meal of course, but hey, it was only $6 and I tried to be good for the rest of the day.

 SPOTTED THIS DEER IN A YOUNG CORNFIELD ON THE WAY TO MY WALKING ROAD THIS MORNING

 PARKED OUT AT GODERICH'S ROTARY COVE

HERE, LAKE HURON MEETS ONTARIO'S WEST COAST SHORELINE

Home again, I took things slow for the afternoon and just tried to soak up some sunshine and warmer air.  Filled a pocket up with peanuts and sat on the front porch for a while waiting for my furry little Pals to drop by.  And, they weren't long in finding me sitting there with my pocket full of peanuts either.  Chipmunks are the cutest little muffins. 

 A FEW  ROADSIDE FLOWERS ALONG THE WAY TODAY

Al's Music Box:: Smooth Operator by Sade. (pro-nounced Shawday)        

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Anagrams::

- Dormitory: When you rearrange the letters: Dirty Room
- Evangelist: When you rearrange the letters: Evil's Agent
- Desperation: When you rearrange the letters: A Rope Ends It

- The Morse Code: When you rearrange the letters: Here Come Dots

- Slot Machines: When you rearrange the letters: Cash Lost in Em
- Animosity: When you rearrange the letters: Is No Amity
- Snooze Alarms: Wen you rearrange the letters: Alas No More Z's
- A Decimal Point: When you rearrange the letters: I'm a Dot in Place
- Eleven plus two: When you rearrange the letters: Twelve plus one

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Little Sonia was shouting her prayers. "Please God send me a new doll for my birthday." Her mother, overhearing this, said, "Don't shout dear, God isn't deaf."
"No, but Grandad is, and he's in the next room," Sonia replied.

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A zookeeper is ordering new animals. As he fills out the forms, he types “two mongeese”. That doesn’t look quite right, so he tries two mongoose, and then two mongooses. Giving up, he types, “One mongoose, and while you’re at it, send another one.”

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When the wise company president learned that his employees were drinking no-trace vodka martinis during their lunch hours, he issued the following memo: To all employees; If you must drink during your lunch hours, please drink whiskey. It is better for our customers to know you're drunk than to think you're stupid.

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Boyfriend: "Honey, on this Valentine's Day, I want to tell you something... I'm not rich like Robert. I don't have a mansion like Gary. I don't have a Porsche like Martin. But I do love you and I want to marry you."
Girlfriend: "Oh dear, I love you too... what was that you said about Martin?"

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Two college classmates met for the first time in years. "How goes it with you, Pete?" asked one. "Not good at all," mourned Pete. "My wife ran away with the mailman, my son is a juvenile delinquent, my bank failed, and all my teeth will have to come out." "Gosh, I'm sorry to hear that," sympathized the classmate. "What business are you in now?" "Some old line," answered Pete. "Selling good-luck charms."

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Al's Art Gallery