Friday, December 14, 2018

A MILDER DAY LET’S PHEEBS AND I TAKE AN AFTERNOON WALK AROUND THE PINE TREE TRAIL

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‘COME ON DAD DON’T BE SCARED I’LL CHASE  ALLTHE BIG SCARY MONSTERS AWAY’

Looking on the positive side of a rainy day I figured it would be a good opportunity to get some of that corrosive road salt washed off the Jeep so Pheebs and I headed out into the morning’s downpour.

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ICY STREETS IN OUR PARK EARLIER TODAY

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FARM FIELDS ARE BEGINNING TO RE-APPEAR AGAIN

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After my high blood pressure test last week my nurse practitioner wanted me to drop into Goderich’s Maitland Valley Medical Center for another test sometime this week before I see her again next week.  On the way to the medical center we grabbed a coffee and popped on down around the harbor first.

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SAW THIS LITTLE TUGBOAT SLIPPING AWAY FROM THE DOCK

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THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS HEADING OUT TO ASSIST AN INCOMING LAKE FREIGHTER

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INSTEAD OF TURNING RIGHT TOWARDS THE LAKE IT SWUNG LEFT INTO THE HARBOR

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THE ‘DEBBIE LYN’ DIDN’T GO FAR,  PULLED UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOCK AND STOPPED

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THIS LONG LINE OF TRUCKS IS WAITING TO BE LOADED WITH ROCK SALT AT COMPASS MINERALS IN GODERICH

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A YOUNG COUPLE ENJOYING LAKE HURON’S ICY SHORELINE WEDNESDAY MORNING

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Stopping later at the medical clinic I fully expected my blood pressure to be totally normal again.  Once again it was consistently high with the top numbers being 155, 159, and 145.  The 145’s bottom number was 69.  Hmmm, not so good and the nurse wants me back Monday for another blood pressure test.  My nurse practitioner appointment is for Wednesday morning.  Think I’ll hold off loading the rig for a few more days and see what the nurse practitioner says about it.  And about that growth on my chin…..i think it’s getting smaller and that blast of liquid nitrogen last week may have done the trick.  Again, I’ll wait until Wednesday to see what the nurse practitioner has to say about that as well. 

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MY BLOOD PRESSURE TEST THIS MORNING AND YES THOSE ARE RAINDROPS ON MY HAT

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Rains finally let up by early afternoon so I slipped on a pair of mud boots and away Pheebs and I went for a walk around our Park’s pine tree trail.  With a slight mist hanging in the air it reminded me of an early Spring day with snow melting and and tree branches dripping.  I think we were up around 38 degrees today with Saturday predicted to be over 40 and sunny.  “Oh be still thy fluttering heart’.

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HEADING OFF DOWN THE PINE TREE TRAIL

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THIS WAS ONCE A NICE TRAIL THROUGH A TALL STAND OF PINE TREES UNTIL TREECUTTERS RIPPED THROUGH HERE WITH THEIR CHAIN SAWS

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SOMETIMES EVEN A STICK NEEDS A HUG

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HEADING BACK

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PARK’S POND STILL HAS A THIN LAYER OF ICE ON IT

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GROANER’S CORNER:(( A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other were their looks. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom and gloom pessimist.
Just to see what would happen, on Christmas day their father loaded the pessimist’s room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist’s room he loaded with horse manure.
That night the father passed by the pessimist’s room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.   “Why are you crying?” the father asked.   “Because my friends will be jealous, I’ll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I’ll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken.” answered the pessimist twin.
Passing the optimist twin’s room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. “What are you so happy about?” he asked.
To which his optimist twin replied, “There’s got to be a pony in here somewhere!”

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- STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backward.

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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.
  • Eggnog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines.

In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Holiday.

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15 comments:

  1. Caffeine raises blood pressure!!! Leave it alone for 72hours prior to next check.

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  2. Also, anxiety and panic raise blood pressure too. Before accepting blood pressure meds ask for half a milligram of atavan then recheck in an hour, if bp is normal you have solved the problem if still high then move on to find reason for it being high.

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  3. Was gonna say the same about the coffee, Al. Although what I really wanted to say it that it always amazes me how you can make such mundane things look so beautiful, like a gray, over cut forest in winter. And all the others, just such a beautiful way to look at the world. No matter where you are, you will always have this "eye" to behold such wonder and record it. Thank you for that.

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  4. Everyone is telling you about the Coffee and it's true. Even Chocolate.
    I trained Kathy to sit quietly, take a few deep breathes and think of her Happy Place (The Southwest Mountains) and her doctor thought her BP machine was broke. It Works. Good Luck on your next visit.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  5. A very good day. Love the pictures, so colourful and yet stark in many ways. Very nice. I'm glad you enjoyed your day Al.

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  6. Every one above here is right on with the coffee and chocolate. And if the test is normal or not is no reason for you to not leave. Did you tell her you are planning a trip. And of course the pictures are always so amazing

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  7. Goodluck with you blood pressure, like every one else coffee will sure raise it. Keep packing and you can soon get back on the road again.

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  8. I am on blood pressure medication. My "normal" is still higher than "The Normal". But I have made it to 75. By the way, my Dad passed just after he got to 50, so I have had 25 more years than he had. I feel blessed. (of course my Dad's brother lived to a hundred)

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  9. You could buy your own bp checker and see what it is while home. Maybe you have a touch of "white coat hypertension?" You could try decaff also and see what happens.
    Dave

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  10. Agree about the coffee. Those numbers won't stop your plans for the winter. Love the mist in the pine tree trail and the little tug that could.

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  11. Great pictures of a wet but mild December day!

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  12. Well you only have six more days of downhill winter. December 21st being the shortest day of the year.
    it'll start getting brighter after that . that would be something to look forward to.

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  13. I remember when those were considered "normal" readings and wouldn't be surprised if the drug companies/pushers aren't behind these current BP "normals," including the current cholesterol and lipid normals that are lower than they used to be. Do listen to the others regarding coffee, chocolate, salty stuff, etc., before your BP reading. I never eat before visiting the doc in case I need a fasting lab test unexpectedly. Relax, breathe and think calming things prior to letting the cuff be applied, and don't let this get in the way of doing what you want to do travel-wise. A happy traveler will have a better life than an unhappy grounded person. Seriously.

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  14. Everybody has good ideas for you, Al. My blood pressure is always higher when taken at the doctor's office. Get busy packing!

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