WE GOT TO SEE BOTH A SUNRISE AND A SUNSET TODAY

GRAND BEND'S BEACH

It was all three of us in the Subaru this morning rolling out of our driveway at 8:15 heading for London's University Hospital.  Roads were bare under a semi-cloudy sky and we made good time getting there despite London's morning rush.

 WE CAUGHT US A RARE SUNRISE THIS MORNING

 DESCENDING INTO LONDON

 DROPPING KELLY OFF AT THE HOSPITAL ENTRANCE

Dropped Kelly off at the main entrance of the hospital at 9:18 a.m. and then headed back north out of the city.  Of course, our first stop was the Medway Cemetery on Ten Mile Road for a leg stretch and a big drink of water for Pheebs.  From there it was a few miles northwest to Tim Hortons in Ilderton, Ontario for a small decaf coffee to go.  Our slow meandering travels with sometimes sunny skies took us through Ailsa Craig on a continuing northwest route which led to Grand Bend where we grabbed a breakfast sandwich at McDonalds.  

 OUR USUAL LEG STRETCH STOP AT THE MEDWAY CEMETERY

PHEEBS TANKS UP ON SOME WATER

 SLOWLY ON OUR WAY HOME

 CAUGHT A LUCKY BREAK HERE...THIS ROAD GOING DOWNHILL WAS SHEER ICE AND HAD I BEEN COMING THE OTHER WAY I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT UP THE HILL EVEN WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE

 HOW GREAT IT WAS TO BE DRIVING ON A ROAD I HAD NEVER DRIVEN ON BEFORE

 SO NICE TO SEE MORNING'S SUNSHINE CASTING THIN SHADOWS ACROSS THIS FIELD OF GREEN

 SPOTTED THIS BODY OF WATER AND DECIDED TO GO HAVE A CLOSER LOOK

 IT'S A GOOD THING THIS SLANTED SLOPE TO THE WATER'S EDGE WASN'T ICY OR PHEEBS AND COULD HAVE FOUND OURSELVES SUBMERGED

 HERE WE ARE IN GRAND BEND AT McDONALDS SHARING A BREAKFAST SAUSAGE AND EGG McMUFFIN

From the Bend, it was a twenty-minute drive north to Bayfield where we stopped at the car wash and the Bayfield Garage for gas.  Pheebs got two treats at the gas bar.  We were home five minutes later.  I had planned on heading back to London about 1 p.m. but Kelly called just before 1 saying she was still in the waiting room.  Her procedure slated for 11:30 was already an hour and a half behind.  Not having any idea when she would be done she said she would have the hospital call me when they knew how much longer it would be.  She had very little sleep last night and said she was contemplating lying down on the floor and going to sleep.  Knowing Kelly as well as I do she would be just likely to do that too.      

THE ENTRANCE TO GRAND BENDS FAMOUS MAIN STREET......I WONDER  HOW MANY AMERICANS KNOW THAT MITT ROMEY ONCE HAD A HOUSE HERE

 HEADING WEST ON GRAND BEND'S MAIN DRAG AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ABOVE THE CARS YOU CAN SEE LAKE HURON

 IT'S PROBABLY VERY PRETTY HERE AT NIGHT

 I WAS EXPECTING CAPTAIN NEMO TO STOP OUT FROM BEHIND THIS NAUTILAUS

The hospital finally called at 3:45 saying Kelly would be ready to be picked up at 5 p.m.  Pheebs and I were out the door minutes later and into the Subaru heading for London.  All the way there we had a nice slow sunset happening and I was able to grab a few pics out Pheebs window.

 WE ARE SOUTHWARD BOUND HEADING BACK TO LONDON

 A COUPLE OF SHOTS OUT PHEEBS WINDOW OF THE FARAWAY SUNSET

 DESCENDING INTO LONDON FOR THE SECOND TIME TODAY

I was at the hospital's front entrance at 5:05 firmly embedded in the usual chaos of cars, taxis and medical vans.  Kelly, with a nursing aide, came through the doors less than 10 minutes later and we were soon on our way home.  A stop at Lucan's Tim Hortons for coffee and sandwiches to go.  I went in with Kelly to carry things out because she had strict orders not to lift anything heavier than a fork with her right arm for the 48 hours.  It was in her right wrist that they inserted the Angiogram wire.  They didn't find any blockages but the Doctor did tell her that her heart is showing signs of aging.  This could compromise her liver transplant chance so now we wait again on pins and needles for probably another couple weeks to see what verdict the liver transplant committee arrives at with today's Angiogram results.  To say Kelly was feeling exhausted by the time we got home would be putting it mildly.  After a poor night's sleep, it had been a long day for her.  Like she said, we left in the dark this morning and came home in the dark this evening.  But hey, we got to see both a sunrise and a sunset today and the last time that would have happened was in the last year of our RVing days when basically we saw sunrises and sunsets almost every day............Tomorrow morning we will be on the road again heading east to New Hamburg, Ontario.

 THE USUAL TRAFFIC CHAOS IN FRONT OF UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL'S MAIN ENTRANCE

 A MALE NURSE ACCOMPANIES KELLY TO THE CAR

Al's Music Box:)) What A Wonderful World is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single. In April 1968, it topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom but performed poorly in the United States because Larry Newton, the president of ABC Records, disliked the song and refused to promote it.  After it was heard in the film Good Morning Vietnam, it was reissued as a single in 1988 and rose to number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. Armstrong's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.  George Weiss says he wrote the song specifically for Louis Armstrong, as he was inspired by Armstrong's ability to bring together people of different races.  Armstrong was playing at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, so he chose to record the song nearby at Bill Porter's United Recording Studio. The session was scheduled to follow Armstrong's midnight show, and by 2 am the musicians were settled and the tape was rolling. Arranger Artie Butler was there with songwriters Weiss and Thiele, and Armstrong was in the studio singing with the orchestra. Armstrong had recently signed to ABC Records, and ABC president Larry Newton showed up to photograph Armstrong. Newton wanted a swingy pop song like "Hello Dolly", a big hit for Armstrong when he was with Kapp Records, so when Newton heard the slow pace of "What a Wonderful World", he tried to stop the session. Newton was physically removed and locked out of the studio for his disruption, which resulted in Newton later refusing to promote the song.  A second problem arose with the taping session: nearby freight train whistles interrupted the music twice, forcing the orchestra to start over. Armstrong shook his head and laughed off the distractions, keeping his composure. The session ended around 6 am, going longer than expected. To be sure the orchestra members were paid extra for their overtime, Armstrong accepted only $250 musicians union scale for his work.

 A QUICK SHOT OF PHEEBS AND THE SETTING SUN

GROANER'S CORNER:((  I have a smartphone, a smart fridge, smart water, a smart TV, and a smart thermostat.  So now I am officially the dumbest thing in my house. 

The teacher said: Tommy, this is the fifth day this week you've had to stay after school. What have you to say for yourself?  I'm certainly glad it's Friday, said Tommy.

I weighed myself today and it is clear I am too small for my weight.

If you dropped something when you were younger, you just picked it up. When you're older and you drop something, you stare at it contemplating if you actually need it anymore or even have the ability or the energy to bend down and pick it up.

-----------------------------------------

=============================