A NICE FEW HOURS IN ST. MARYS, ONTARIO

DOWNTOWN ST. MARYS HAS ALWAYS REMINDED ME OF OLD ENGLAND

I have run into a huge problem tonight with the desktop computer & Picasa.  Tonight's blog is coming to you from our older laptop so may look a little different than usual.  Am only putting in two photo because I have all 3 computer's scattered about here in various states of frustration.  Will work on this problem in the morning................:(((((((

It was a working Saturday with my travels taking me on a 120 mile round trip through the small towns of Wingham, Belgrave, Blyth, Walton, Dublin, Fullarton & St. Marys Ontario.  You can see the international flavor of the area in the names of the towns where settlers, coming to this area from Europe a couple hundred years ago, built their towns.

A perfect weather day with no humidity, big white fluffy clouds in a clear blue sky.  I saw Puppy dogs, Rhinosaucerusus, big goofy faces, Dinosaurs, Castles, Elephants & just about every other shape & form a free imagination can find in those kinds of clouds.

I was driving the companies white mini-van today because the elderly fellow I picked up did not require a wheelchair.  We had a great drive through towering fields of waving corn stretching as far as the eye could see.  Smaller fields of golden wheat bordered by endless fields of soy beans.  Seems to be a lot of potatoes planted this year as well.  This is a big agriculture area with scenery second to none.  We don't have the mountains & canyons of the southwest but we have acres & acres of green, green , green.  At no place can a person stand in one spot & look around without seeing forests of green trees somewhere.  I think we sometimes take our beautiful trees for granted.  If it wasn't for the miserable summer humidity we would have one of the nicest areas of anywhere right here in rural southwestern Ontario.

I dropped the gentleman off at an address in St. Marys where he was met by a Niece & family members.  It was noon & I wasn't due to pick him up again until 3 P.M.  That gave me 3 hours in one of the prettiest towns in this entire area.  St. Mary's is an old stomping ground for Kelly & I.  We lived in an old farm house just a few miles north of St. Marys for about 7 years prior to moving to Bayfield so we spent a fair bit of time in & and around the town.  It was in these first early farm house years that we became seriously interested in RVing & bought our first rig.  A 17' 1979 Class C Dodge Centurion.

My 3 hours were spent visiting old familiar spots & reliving many great memories.  Took a lot of photos which I will spread out over the next several blogs.  Canada's Baseball Hall of Fame is here.  One of Canada's Prime Minister's is buried here & another colorful Prime Minister had one of his famous photos taken here.  And, I took pictures today regarding all that.  The old stone architecture in St. Marys sure reminds me of many old English movies I have seen.  Have always said that if I had to live in a small town in that area then St. Mary's would be my first choice.

Picked up my passenger at 3 & we were off back out into the countryside on our scenic journey north to Wingham, Ontario.  Just one of those great days.  It was nice to be a part of this elderly fellows day as he thoroughly enjoyed his outing in the countryside & I was able to get him laughing many times with my 'Cursmudgeony' sense of humor.  I like when that happens...........reminds me of my old zany self:))

FAMILY FISHING DAY (more pics of this family later once I get the problems sorted out)

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You are driving down the road in your car on a wild, stormy night, when you pass by a bus stop and you see three people waiting for the bus:
1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.
2.. An old friend who once saved your life.
3. The perfect partner you have been dreaming about.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your small car? Think before you continue reading.
This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once
actually used as part of a job application.
You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first.  Or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life and
this would be the perfect chance to pay him back.  However, you may never be able to find your perfect mate again.
The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble
coming up with his answer. He simply answered, "I would give the car keys
to my old friend and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and
wait for the bus with the partner of my dreams."  Sometimes, we gain more if we are able to give up our stubborn thought limitations. Never forget to "Think Outside the Box."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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