EIGHT YEARS AGO ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.....

FOR TONIGHT'S PHOTOS & IN KEEPING WITH THE HALLOWEEN FEEL, LETS GO UNDERGROUND TO THE....CARLSBAD CAVERNS IN NEW MEXICO (December 21/06)

Halloween night 8 years ago was cold & pouring rain.  I remember that specific night because it was the night we drove out of the old farm house lane near Fullarton Ontario for the very last time.  Kelly had gone on ahead of me in her little 323 Mazda loaded with last minute household things.   I wasn't too far behind her with our 97 Dodge Ram pick-up truck loaded to overflowing with the very last of our possessions.  Just enough room in the cab for Max & I.  It would be another couple of years before we met Checkers & the Motormouse.  So, with windshield wipers slapping time in the darkened night & the truck heater keeping Max & I warm & toasty, we made the 40 minute drive to our new beginnings.  It was the night we moved from the cold & drafty old rented farmhouse we had lived in for 8 years to our newer home here in Bayfield Ontario.   It was Halloween night & despite a nasty 'trick' the weather was playing on us, it was a real 'treat' to be moving into our very own warm & very cozy little place.

It was truly an exciting time for us back in September & October of 2002.  We had signed the papers for our 'new to us' place the weekend after Labor Day & from that week-end on until we moved the last of our stuff Halloween night, it was many trips back & forth ferrying our stuff from point A to point B.  Our move from Fullarton to Bayfield was all made possible by my Uncle Harry.  It was one of the last times I remember being that excited about something except when we later bought our Motor Home of course.

Last year on Halloween night we were in Columbus, New Mexico for an overnighter in a quiet RV Park....we were the only one's there.  A little Mexican boy came to our door dressed up as a........ little Mexican boy.  Had been quite awhile since I heard the word, 'Trick or Treat.'  Three years ago we were recovering at a quiet little RV Park in Ellis Kansas.  We had just tangled with a nasty Kansas cross wind earlier that day & had part of our side awning destroyed.  This is my blog from that stressful day....BIG KANSAS WIND.

I have put together a short photo album of Carlsbad  below........

View Full Album

I am probably going to be using mostly file pics from now until the time we roll out next Saturday.  Our weather is cold, gray & damp.  Not many leaves left on the trees & our countryside has been transformed from beautiful Autumn colors to a drab gray forlorn landscape so not very photogenic.  We did have some hail go through late this morning & some snow showers late this afternoon.

We are down to the final 5 days before heading out on our southwest journey so this is the week the majority of pencil check marks will be be hitting our 'to do' list.  If our list had 50 things on it, 40 of the 'things to do' would all be last week stuff with the majority of those 40 tasks coming down to the last couple days & final hours & minutes before leaving.  Yes, it's going to be a busy week.........at last:)))))))))

GROANER'S CORNER: And, it is only because it is Halloween that I give you this one..............

A man is walking home  alone late one foggy Halloween night, when behind him he hears: BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
Walking faster, he looks back and through the fog he makes out the image of an upright casket banging its way down the middle of the street toward him.  BUMP...BUMP...BUMP...
Terrified, the man begins to run toward his home, the casket bouncing quickly behind him.FASTER...FASTER..BUMP...BUMP...BUMP.
He runs up to his door, fumbles with his keys, opens the door, rushes in, slams and locks the door behind him. However, the casket crashes through his door, with the lid of the casket clapping.  Clappity-BUMP...Clappity-BUMP....Clappity-BUMP...
Spinning around on his heels the terrified man runs.  Rushing upstairs to the bathroom, he locks himself in. His heart is pounding; his head is reeling; his breath is coming in sobbing gasps.  With a loud CRASH the casket breaks down the door bumping and clapping toward him.  The man screams and reaches for something, anything, but all he can find is a bottle of cough syrup!  Desperate, he throws the cough syrup at the casket...and,
!

!

!

!

The coffin stops........................

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

FEELING BETTER, BUT NOT TO WORRY....I WON'T BE LOSING MY GRUMPINESS!!

PIONEER PARK'S STAIRWAY TO THE BEACH

What a welcome bonus it was to wake up this morning in the exact same place I had gone to bed last night.  That could only mean one thing.....I had finally had myself a decent night's sleep thanks to the codeine in the Dimetapp medicine I took last night.  Am definitely feeling a bit better today & will hopefully be totally out of this thing by the time my anti-biotic program ends in another 9 days. 

Sleep has been a problem for me this past 7 or 8 years & it was one of the things discussed with my NP yesterday.  She has already scheduled me back to the Medical Center next week for blood tests regarding cholesterol etc, followed by another consultation on Sept 13th to work on my sleep disorder problem amongst other things........ Now, I think that's just about enough about all this medical stuff for awhile.  It seems my posts have become focused on this health issue over the past week & a half & I think it's time I moved myself forward.

Had the doggy guys on the trail this morning by 7:15 & when we got back I decided it was time I spent a little extra effort & fixed myself up a fine breakfast for a change.  Right from scratch I toasted myself up a nice stack of Eggo Waffles.  It sure pays off to go the extra mile for oneself once & awhile.  I can be quite a little creative food connoisseur when I want to be you know.

BAYFIELD'S MAIN BEACH CAN BE SEEN AT TOP CENTER

For lunch I squeaked myself into town & picked up a 6" Tuna sub (turning out to be quite a foody blog eh) to go & headed for Bayfield's quiet Pioneer Park which overlooks Lake Huron.  Ate two thirds of the sub & saved the rest for my furry Pals back home.  Took a few pics, drove down to the harbor, took a few more & headed back home.  It was sooooo nice to get out of the house for an hour & do something different for a change.  Am looking forward to getting the bike out for a spin again soon too.  Also realized today that I had better get scrambling on the Motor Home's preparation for this coming winter's travels.  A long list of things to be attended to & I don't want to get myself caught in a last minute crunch thing. 

A TRIO OF GUYS IN PERPETUAL MOTION:))

Noticed we have a couple new Bayfield Bunch followers on our list so would like to welcome heyduke50 aboard along with MARGIE & ROGER down there in Florida.  I do try & keep a variety of interesting posts going folks so hopefully you will find something from time to time that may perk your interest.

A CALM DAY ANCHORED JUST OFF BAYFIELD'S BEACH

And RETIRED ROD left a comment on yesterday's post that left me a bit concerned for a few seconds.  In it he say's, "And lets hope the pills get your wits back about you, and you finally get over the stuff. We need you railing on something soon. Can't have all these yes mam posts, they are not the Al we know.".......... Well, if a solution is found to my nearly decade long lack of sleep problem in the coming weeks, will this mean I may run the risk of losing my......grumpiness!! Could more sleep possibly be the end of my realistic thinking & maybe push me over the edge into that unrealistic group of positive thinkers I am always so careful to avoid.  Could it put my Cursmudgeon status into question.  Would it mean one less person in the world to objectively look at the negative side of things hoping to maintain some kind of balance with the smiley face gang on the other end of the teeter totter.  Well Rod, I can tell you this, sick or not, sleep or no sleep, I yam who I yam & that probably isn't going to change.   I will always see things as they realistically are & not as the world's do gooder's & scam artists would have us think & believe they are.  Not to worry my friend:))

THE 'BOYS' HEADING BACK FROM THE BEACH

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And remember, Never explain yourself to anyone  because the person who likes you doesn't need to hear it and the person who dislikes you won't believe you anyway.....And for sure you know your getting older when you & your teeth don't sleep together anymore!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UN-AWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN & A LITTLE BIT OF SUN

IT'S HARD TO THINK OF THIS VESSEL AS A 'LIFEBOAT'

I have decided to put Sunday's tour of the Coast Guard vessel into a Picasa photo album instead of the blog.  You can access that album here....CAPE DISCOVERY  & my post for that tour is here....VERY LARGE LIFEBOAT

 

HE HAS THE WIND IN HIS SAILS & FOR THE REST OF THE SAILING PICS CLICK...SAIL & CANVAS

With only minutes to spare after the first clap of thunder this morning I was able to zip outside in my PJ's, get the cover on the motorcycle & the motorhome door closed.  The rains were quickly upon us just as I slipped back inside the patio door.  By the looks of the weather map, we could be in for a very wet day.  But, that is OK because rainy days are good for getting caught up on inside stuff without feeling guilty about not being outside in the nice weather.

HEADING OUT INTO LAKE HURON

Not being a big city feller I'm not used to those taller buildings where you vertically travel up & down from one floor to the other in those small fancy moving rooms.  On Monday we moved my Uncle Harry out of his assisted living quarters on the 4th floor of a building in Woodstock Ontario.  That meant a lot of trips up & down in an elevator for me.  Three times with loads of stuff under my arms I stepped off the elevator when the doors opened only to realize I was on the wrong floor.  I would then quickly make a lunge for the button before the doors closed & the elevator sped off to who knows where for another bunch of minutes.  But, it was when I got on the elevator sometimes deep in thought about the move, & stood there for 30 seconds or so before realizing the elevator wasn't moving that bugged me the most.  Press the button dummy!!  Darned fangled contraptions anyway!!

KID'S AT PLAY ALONGSIDE BAYFIELD'S PIER

My Uncle is on the ground floor of the new facility he is in so luckily for me I did not have to try jockeying any elevators from floor to floor when we got there.  Elevator stress can be rather bad news for a small town boondocker oriented older feller if you know what I mean!!

   

 

BOAT FOLKS

And just a note about home care facilities.  It has been my experience over the last number of years either because of family members or with my part time mobility van job, to be in & out of many various care giving places.  Without exception I am always impressed with the staff & how much care & concern goes into looking after all the folks in their care.  When my Dad was dying of cancer at home many years ago I saw first hand how the ladies coming in from the Victorian Order of Nurses went all out to make his final months & days as comfortable as possible.  I will never forget that.

WATERY REFLECTIONS

Compared to our move on Monday this day turned out to be a very quiet Tuesday.  A little bit here  & a little bit there with not much of this & not much of that thrown in for good measure.  Some members of Kelly's family were up to Bayfield this past week end staying in a couple of the Deerpark cottages.  I slipped over Saturday night to do a bit of socializing with the folks but of course I was careful not to overdo it.  Wouldn't want people thinking I am some kind of a wild party animal.  Took me a lot of years of hard work to live that reputation down you know.....:))

SABRA, ONE OF KELLY'S TWIN DAUGHTERS HOLDS ONE OF HER 2 BOYS

And this is my second attempt at posting this blog tonight.  Error 400 sank my first effort again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You know your getting over the hill when your idea of weight lifting is standing up or it takes longer to rest than it did to get tired.  Maybe our memory is shorter and your complaining lasts longer too.  How about when your sitting in a rocking chair and can't get it going.  And here's the one that really hurts....It takes twice as long to look half as good these days!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

JEEP FEVER.....IT'S WEARING ME DOWN:((

DAISIES IN A CLOVER FIELD

Well, after all the time & effort I put into Wednesday night's blog finding & arranging all the photos I am tonight......discouraged:((  All the photos for Wednesday night's post were on our external hard drive & I had long & hard time retrieving them because the external drive kept failing.  I'm wondering if that somehow had something to do with the blog not publishing because of incomplete photo data or something.  

DOCKSIDE IN GRAND BEND

I had trouble with that drive a few months ago & took it into the shop.  It was checked over & found to be working OK but it's acting up again.  I might be in the middle of getting some photos & it will just quit.  I then have to pull out the power cord & keep re-plugging it in to get it working again.  Had to do that 7 times last night & in the end my pictures didn't publish anyway.  We are going to get another external drive & see if we can get all our stuff out of the troublesome one into a new one.  May have to use my hammer & crowbar!!  (

(My heart stood perfectly still tonight as it took 85 seconds for the blog to publish with no error message)

AN OLD FORGOTTEN FOOT BRIDGE

I think tonight I am just going to keep things simple & use some file photos from the desktop computer.

FROG ROCKET ON A LAUNCH PAD

It was a long day.  The toilet in our rig doesn't hold water anymore so that means the seal is shot & has to be replaced.  That is not a job for the faint of heart like myself so will have to find somebody who is willing to do that.  Wanted to make sure the black tank was sanitized so I drove the rig to our nearest dump station in Exeter which is a 40 minute drive away & flushed a couple full tanks of water through it with a copious amount of bleach included.   Between each tank full of water & drove the rig around for a couple miles to give it a good slosh.  I will probably do that whole procedure one more time before finding someone to fix that seal.

THE BONNIE DOON MANOR OVERLOOKS GRAND BEND'S BEACH & LAKE HURON

This afternoon I had a mobility van run to London & back.  Heavy torrential rains made for some bad driving again so by the time I got home late this afternoon I was beat.  Luckily I have tomorrow off so hope to catch up on things at home here.  Grass is about 20 feet tall & there seems to have been some kind of nuclear weed explosion with all the rain lately.

SPLISH SPLASH I WAS TAKING A BATH

We have just been going round, & around, & around, with this Jeep thing.  Up until last night I was leaning strongly toward the 2005 four cylinder red Jeep in Goderich but after receiving emails & comments yesterday I became discouraged about the 4 cylinder Jeeps being underpowered.  Kelly spent way over an hour last night reading Jeep forums & reviews.  I emailed some Jeep friends for their opinions & emailed some other fellows about their thoughts. 

MY HEART IS STILL IN THE OLD WILD WEST (This is the cover off a picture book I had as a kid)

This morning my head swung back to the 2009 yellow 6 cylinder Jeep in Exeter & for the rest of the day I was mentally exhausted with red Jeep this or yellow Jeep that!!  Which was the better deal & why.  For sure the yellow Jeep is the better vehicle but for sure it is the vehicle with the biggest price tag too.  Pros & cons back & forth.   Should I trade the motorcycle or not.  The red Jeep place will take the bike on trade but the yellow Jeep place won't.  Tonight I am totally all Jeeped out & am going to have to go stick my head in a pail of cold water for half an hour just to put the fire out.  Say, has anybody out there got a good Jeep deal for the Bayfield Bunch:))

<<<< A SUNSET SAIL IN BAYFIELD

GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

Let's put the seniors in jail and the criminals in a nursing home.

This way the seniors would have access to showers, hobbies, and walks.  They'd receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental
and medical treatment , wheel chairs etc.  And they'd receive money instead of paying it out.  They would have constant video monitoring, so they could be helped instantly if they fell, or needed assistance.  Bedding would be washed twice a week and all clothing would be ironed and returned to them.  A guard would check on them every 20 minutes and bring their meals and snacks to their cell. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.  They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counseling, pool, and education.  Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, P.J.'s and legal aid would be free on request.  Private & secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard & gardens.  Each senior could have a P.C., A T.V., radio, and daily phone calls.  There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and the guards would have a code of conduct that would be strictly adhered to.

The "criminals" would get cold food,  be left all alone, and unsupervised.
Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week.
Live in a tiny room, and pay $5000.00 per month and have no hope
of ever getting out.    Justice for all.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

                                 and

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

MAY 24TH WEEK-END....THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER:))

GEARED UP FOR SUMMER & READY TO RUMBLE

In Canada we commonly refer to this as the May 24th week-end & it is the traditional kick-off to summer.  It's a big celebratory week-end with folks pouring out of the cities & heading for cottage country & the beaches like here in Bayfield, Grand Bend, & Goderich.  Many boats will be going back into the water after a long winter in storage.  Cottages will be opened & aired out.  Stores, shops, art galleries, eateries, & cafe's will be open for another busy summer.  Lots of parties & fireworks going on.  The teenagers will flock to Grand Bend about 20 minutes down the coast from us & the police presence there will be tripled & quadrupled for the week-end.  A lot of the rowdy teenagers who used to hang out in 'the Bend' back in the 60's have since grown up & are now retired in Bayfield........ including me.

 

'GRAND BEND BEACH'....PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THOSE WILD TEENAGERS FROM THE 60's.....REMEMBERING WHEN:))

Unlike the tourists who flock to Bayfield we remain hidden in our little pine forest about a 5 minute drive from the heart of the village.  Traffic will be chaotic & the small local grocery market will be shoulder to shoulder with people picking up everything from bags of ice to an endless supply of wieners, charcoal, & suntan lotion.  We learned years ago to make sure we have all our groceries or anything we need before the week-end tourist gang rolls in & especially on the long week-ends. 

ALONG BAYFIELD'S COLORFUL & PICTURESQUE MAIN STREET

It is a perfect week-end to stay home because the roads & highways can be heavy with people racing to & from their cottages.  Camp grounds & Provincial Parks will be jammed packed full & will basically stay that way right up to the Labor Day week-end in September.  The only times we would ever go to the Provincial Parks anymore around here is either before the May 24th week-end or after the Labor Day week-end.  The Pinery Provincial Park which is a half hour south of us is totally beautiful in Spring & Fall when the hordes of people are not there.

ANOTHER BAYFIELD SUNSET

Noticed on Facebook that MOTTY & PATTI are now in the Bryce Canyon, Cannonville, & Kodachrome Basin area of Utah. (you might want to read their post about returning to their rig after 3 weeks to find a very much most nauseating stench)  The places Motty & Patti are visiting right now bring back a lot of memories for us.  Utah is one of my most favorite States simply because of it's beauty.  That whole southwest area of the United States is like no other.  I have picked out 3 separate blogs & photo albums of our memorable times in & around Cannonville Utah.  Check out...............WILLIS CREEK SLOT CANYON...SLOT CANYON PHOTOS

ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH...GROSVENOR'S ARCH PHOTOS

DESCENT INTO BRYCE CANYON...BRYCE CANYON PHOTOS

MAX CROSSES THE SHALLOW CREEK IN WILLIS CANYON

LOOKING BACK & DOWN INTO BRYCE CANYON WHERE WE HAD JUST HIKED THROUGH THE 'QUEENS GARDEN' FAR BELOW

NOVEMBER 15TH, 2007 - VIEW FROM ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH AFTER A HEFTY CLIMB FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR BELOW....I FIRST CLIMBED THIS IN 1992

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "Grannie, do all fairy tales begin with, 'Once Upon A Time?"  "No darling.  There is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with, "If Elected I Promise'."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

SOME DAYS ARE DIAMONDS SOME DAYS ARE STONES

STORMY WATERS ON BAYFIELD'S BEACH

John Denver had a song years back called, 'Some Days Are Diamonds,' & the first few lines of the chorus goes... 'Some days are diamonds, some days are stones. Sometimes the hard times won't leave me alone.  Sometimes the cold wind blows a chill in my bones. Some days are diamonds, some days are stones.'

A WET WALK ON THE PIER

Depending on our circumstances, our personalities, & our attitudes, it is generally possible to control what kinds of days we are going to have.....or want to have.  We are all responsible for our own feelings & depression is the power of negative thinking.  Some days are diamonds, some days are stones!!

BAYFIELD ALWAYS HAS A BUSY SUMMER HARBOR

It was a nice sunny morning in the neighborhood until the thunder boomers rolled in over the lake this afternoon.   I actually had a 3 hour mobility van run Tuesday with another one scheduled for Thursday morning.  Nice to be out & about doing something useful.  One of the main drivers has a month of holidays coming up shortly so I am hoping to have some constructively busy & positive days ahead of me.

FISHING BOATS ARE IN WITH THEIR CATCH OF THE DAY

Deciding what kind of car to tow behind a Motor Home can be a daunting task.  So many vehicles to chose from.  Four wheels down, tow dollies, automatic or standard transmissions, makes & models!!  For us the decision was easy, 4 wheels down & standard transmission.  Kelly & I are both old stick shift drivers from way back so that made the decision easier.  No transmission coolers, etc.  Honda CRV's were our first choice but good used one's were rare as hen's teeth & super expensive to boot.  Decided on a used 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe & have never looked back.  Only 3 things to remember before towing....1. Key on Acc---2. Emergency brake off---3. Gearshift in neutral.  That's all there is to it.  Great cars.  If your thinking of buying a Ford Escape though you might want to check out ROD'S blog first.  He is in the market for a new tow vehicle & has been doing some detailed research!!

WINDY DAYS ALONG THE SHORELINE

Kelly has been following the adventures of Pepper & her Mother traveling around the country in their Class B van.  They do get themselves into some tight spots occasionally so I have added them to our 'Blogs We Follow.'  They are, LITTLE HOUSE ON WHEELS.

A BAYFIELD VIEWPOINT OVERLOOKING LAKE HURON

AND BAYFIELD'S PIER IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "Doctor, Doctor, You've got to help me - I just can't stop my hands from shaking!"   "Do you drink a lot?"   "Not really - I spill most of it!"

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

THE OLD HOME TOWN BRINGS ON A REFLECTIVE MOOD

BAYFIELD'S PIONEER PARK OVERLOOKS THE REMAINS OF AN OLD LAKE HURON SHIPWRECK IN THE BACKGROUND

Woke up to a cold gray morning with the thermometer dipping below the freezing mark.  Didn't take long for my mood to match the weather & I knew the early stages of 'cabin fever' were beginning to inch their way into my mind. 

EVEN THE DAFFODILS WERE TOO COLD TO OPEN TODAY

Took the 2 big furry guys out for a short hike & could tell they weren't really into walking this morning.  An icy wind coming in off the lake turned us around & headed us back home.

BOATS AWAIT WARMER WEEK-ENDS ALONG THE BAYFIELD RIVER

Threw the camera bag & a couple cameras in my little blue mini-van, cranked up the heat & a few radio tunes.  Rolled out of our park about 8:45 a.m. with no particular place to go.  The heavy dark cloud patterns looked like a winter's sky laden with snow & there was no hint of sun anywhere.  Picked up a few back roads & headed east across the dull & overcast landscape.  I don't even think the birds were flying this morning.

BAYFIELD'S TWIN PIERS TO THE RIGHT

By 10 a.m. I had reached the outskirts of my old home town of Tavistock, Ontario.  Last time I was down around that way was two years ago on a sunny summer afternoon on my motorcycle.   There is a Tim Horton's in Tavy & it was time for my second coffee of the day anyway so I slipped into town & through the drive-thru.  Parking lot was full.

Don't know about anybody else but for me it's always a strange kind of feeling going back to 'the old home town.'  So many memories everywhere & so many emotions connected with those memories.  It's rarely ever a happy time for me when I drive around the streets past what used to be the elementary school or down to the old baseball park.  Probably a third of the kids I grew up with are gone now.  My imagination can still see them though on their bicycles, in what's left of the old schoolyard, on the street corners,  & hanging out at all the old favorite places.  I can see their faces & I can hear their voices.  And I can remember the good times.  And I can remember the bad times.

                  

PONTOON DOCKS STACKED ON THE BEACH AWAITING THEIR SUMMER SPOTS ALONG THE  BAYFIELD RIVER'S EDGE

Stopped at a cemetery to visit some old friends & family members.   More memories, more emotions.

I never stay long in the old home town anymore.  A passing nod to a house here, a smile at a street corner there, & then it is time to leave & let the heavy doors of time slowly close behind me until someday I pass this way again..............  Someday.

WOODEN STEPS LEADING FROM BAYFIELD'S PIONEER PARK TO THE BEACH & PIERS BELOW

It was a quiet meandering drive back to Bayfield with my mind in reflective thought.  Snow flakes were in the air & I saw a few brief sun splashes far off on the western horizon.  It was one month ago today we left Borrego Springs California on the first leg of our journey home.  It seems like a hundred years ago....................

  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Very early one morning two birds are sitting at the side of a large puddle of oil. They see a worm on the other side. So ... the one flies over and the other one swims through the oil.  Which one gets to the worm first................... The one who swam, of course, because "Da oily boid gets da woim."

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.