I'M NOT SURE WHOSE TURN IT IS TO DRIVE THOUGH

 OUR FIRST CROCUS SHOOTS OF 2025

A cloudy start to the day as Pheebs and I rolled out around a couple of country blocks.  Farm fields are now about 98% clear of snow and many are already turning green.  By the time we got home, skies were beginning to clear and I wasted no time getting hold of my lawn rake and began raking up more snow-free areas.  It didn't take me long to spot two separate patches of Crocus leaves poking through the cold ground cover.  Early buds on our front yard White Magnolia tree can be seen too.  And, I can hear Robin's in our backyard.  It has been a long winter waiting for these early days of Springlike weather like this

 iT'S NOT OFTEN ONE SEES AN OLD FISHING BOAT IN A FARMYARD

 SO NICE TO SEE GREEN AGAIN INSTEAD OF WHITE

 KIND OF REMINDS ME OF ACTRESS LAUREN BACALL

Before heading home to Stratford, Woodsy and I slipped up to Walmart in Goderich.  I was running low on a few things.  Coffee at Hortons Drive-Thru and down to the harbor we went.  Glad to see the road to Rotary Cove is snow-free and open again.  Back to Bayfield, we went and a couple hours later Lorraine headed for home.  She'll be back soon.  She doesn't like me living on cornflakes and peanut butter:((  I of course see absolutely nothing wrong with that:))

THREE LAKE HURON CROCODILES LURK IN THE ICE-FREE WATER AT GODERICHS ROTARY COVE

I called Aunt Jean this morning and as difficult as it is for her at the moment, she is holding her own.  Her voice is still weak but with the help of oxygen, she is determined to get through this medical setback.   Her spirits are good and there was a bounce in her few chuckles.  She told me that at her facility she has picked up the nickname, 'Tenacious'.  I find that a very fitting name for Aunt Jean.  I will be phoning her again in the morning.  

WINTER STORMS HAVE BROUGHT DOWN A LOT OF BRANCHES

I was not shocked by Richard's passing a few days ago because it was something we had talked about the last time we were out for a coffee cruise nearly two weeks ago.  Actually, Richard and I have talked a lot about death, dying, and 'the other side' these past couple of years,  His health has been steadily declining for the past 6 months.  I find myself in kind of a limbo state now.  I know he's gone and yet I still think of him being a short 6-minute drive away and that we'll be heading out for another coffee run this coming Thursday morning.  I'm not too sure whose turn it is to drive though.......

RICHARD WITH PHEEBS AND THEIR LATE DOG BUBBA

A Blast From Our Past On this day in 2009 Kelly and I drove Up And Over the Chiricahua Mountains To Portal Arizona.

Al's Music Box Running Scared is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and sung by Orbison. An operatic rock ballad, the recording of the song was overseen by audio engineer Bill Porter and released as a 45 rpm single by Monument Records in March 1961 and went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold over one million copies in the US alone. The song was included on Orbison's 1962 album Crying as the final track on the album.  Noted for being a song written without a chorus, the song builds in the lyrics, arrangement, and vocals to a climax that, without vibrato, demonstrates the power of Orbison's clear, full voice. It is written in the bolero style; Orbison is credited with bringing this to the rock genre. Fred Foster, producer of the session and of Monument Records, did not want the powerful high note that ends the song to end in falsetto but in full or natural voice. According to Foster, the last note that ends the song is G above (G5) High C (C5) in full natural voice. The note is actually high A (A4), over Middle C (C4).  While "Running Scared" was an international hit, the B-side "Love Hurts" also picked up significant airplay in Australia. Consequently, chart figures for Australia show "Running Scared"/"Love Hurts" as a double A-side, both sides peaking at number five. This makes Orbison's recording of "Love Hurts" the first version to be a hit. "Love Hurts" later became better known in a version by rock band Nazereth, who had an international hit with it in 1975.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man was walking in the street when he heard a voice: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you."  The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished. He went on, and after awhile he was going to cross the road. Once again the voice shouted: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you and you will die."  The man did as he was instructed, just as a car came careening around the corner, barely missing him. "Where are you?" the man asked. "Who are you?"  "I am your guardian angel," the voice answered."Oh yeah?" the man asked... "And where the hell were you when I got   married?"

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"Would you continue to love me if I were completely bald?" she asked.  "Absolutely, my dear," he answered.  "What if I had no ears? Would you still love me?"  "Just as much as I do now, sweetheart."  "What if I had no arms at all?"  "Even then, my love."

"What if I had no toes?"  "Ew, no!"  "What?!?"  "Darling, you know I'm lack-toes intolerant"

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Harry and his neighbor Joe often borrowed things from each other. One day, Harry asked to borrow Joe's ladder.

Joe said, "Sorry Harry, I've lent it to my son."  Remembering a saying that his grandma often used to tell him, Harry said, "Joe, you should never lend anything to your children because you'll never get it back."  Joe replied, "Don't worry, it's not my ladder - it's my dad's."

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Al's Doggy World

Meanings::

Kelly's World

 AUNT JEAN AND KELLY IN TOMBSTONE ARIZONA

 IN A TOMBSTONE ARIZONA HAT SHOP

 TRYING ON A HAT

Al's Art Gallery