KELLY’S HOME:))))))

Kelly made it home this afternoon about 2:30 and we sure had a couple pretty excited little puppy dogs racing outside to greet her.  Pheebe never barks but she was soooooo excited today that she actually let out a great big bark.  Little Motor's tale was wagging so fast it almost flew off.  So nice to have Kelly home:))

 

THE GUYS WERE SURE HAPPY TO HAVE MOM HOME AND PHEEBS WAS SO EXCITED SHE EVEN SURPRISED LITTLE MOTOR WITH A SMOOCH….IF YOU CLICK ON THE BOTTOM LEFT PHOTO YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE MOTORMOUSE WASN’T TOO KEEN ABOUT THAT:))

Below are a few pictures of Kelly's new Grandson Reeve and his proud Dad, Jason.  Jason and Kim are some pretty happy new parents over there in Cambridge.  And, a pretty happy Grandma Kelly here in Bayfield too:))

 

KELLY WITH HER OLDEST SON JASON AND JASON’S NEW SON,  REEVE:))

Had a question from ME AND MY DOG about Pheebs eyes in Tuesday night's post.  Question was... "The photo of DA PHEEBS yesterday, what is on her eyes? Looks like drops or something. Is she okay?"  Well, I have a little confession here.  I took that photo with my Canon Powershot using a flash.  Both Pheebs eyes came out as two round white circles in the picture.  My 'Redeye' removal tool in Picasa does not remove redeye from animals so I tried using the 'Retouch' tool in an attempt to blot out the whiteness and return the white eyeballs to something resembling a normal eye.  I didn't get it perfect and debated whether to post the photo but I liked the overall picture so decided to include it.  Didn't think anyone would notice.....but, someone did:))
 

PHOTO IN QUESTION IS THE ONE ON THE LEFT

Almost had to break up a scrap in our back yard last night.  Heard a commotion near our recycle bin so opened our patio door to have a look.  Well, Motor and the Pheebs had obviously heard it too and charged through the door so fast they nearly knocked me on my Keister .   Whatever it was ran under the deck with Motor in hot pursuit.  Tried to get her out of there right away because a cat could do her a lot of damage if that's what it was.  Motor has always been a fearless little dog and wouldn't hesitate to take a few rounds out of a Grizzly Bear but she just doesn’t understand the danger she can get herself into.  Had to quickly run in the house, grab a sausage snack and entice her back out from under the deck.  Of course to be fair I had to get another sausage snack for Pheebs too.  Don't want anyone to have their little doggy nose bent out of shape.

Kelly brought a few more photos home and I have included 3 of them below.

KELLY’S DAUGHTER SABRA HAS TWO BOYS AND THEY ARE ON THE ENDS HERE, LEFT TO RIGHT IT’S KEENAN AND LANGDON……KELLY’S DAUGHTER SARAH HAS THE BOY AND GIRL ON KELLY’S LAP, ADARA AND GABRIEL

 

KELLY HOLDS GABRIEL ON HER LAP                             ADARA AND GABRIEL

Noticed today we have a new Blog Follower so the Bayfield Bunch welcomes BUD RUSSMAN aboard.  Looks like Bud’s an Arizona guy:))  Thanks for dropping by Bud and we do appreciate your interest.

LOOKS LIKE 2 YEAR OLD GABRIEL ALREADY HAS A KEEN INTEREST IN COMPUTERS:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  For a holiday, an Irishman decided to go to Switzerland to fulfill a lifelong dream and climb the Matterhorn. He hired a guide and just as they neared the top, the men were caught in a snow slide.
Three hours later, a Saint Bernard plowed through to them, a keg of brandy tied under his chin.
"Hooray!" shouted the guide. "Here comes man's best friend!"
"Yeah," said the Irishman. "An' look at the size of the dog that's bringin' it

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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their  soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

A REPRIEVE FROM THE DOG HOUSE

THIS MEANDERING LITTLE CREEK FOLLOWS OUR MORNING PATH FOR AWHILE  (CANON POWERSHOT SX210iS)

By the time I woke up this morning I had myself pretty well convinced my Monday night post about 'differing dishes habit' had a good chance of landing me in the dog house.  It's not unusual for me to get up in the night or following morning in doubt of something I have written in the previous night’s blog and turn on the computer to rewrite, remove or add something.  Thought about removing my 'dishes segment' but decided to take my chances and let Monday’s post stand.  After all, I had written it as a humorous state of fact.  Upon the arrival of Kelly’s email this morning I knew I just might have gotten a reprieve:))

CLOSE CALL FOR LANDING MYSELF IN THE OLD DOGHOUSE………….AGAIN  (NIKON D90)
We are certainly having ourselves some bonus weather for this time of year.  Quite often the trees are bare by now but I'm surprised at how many trees are still sporting their colourful Autumn leaves.  I recall one November in the early 90's when we had snow in the first week of November and it basically stayed for the whole winter.  We hit 50F today under sunny skies.

DA PHEEBS  (CANON POWERSHOT A730iS)

Any Snow Bird packing up in preparation for a long trip south knows that a lot of loading is last minute stuff.  Our satellite dish and tripod along with a couple lawn chairs and a few other things travel in the Jeep but for obvious reasons cannot be loaded up until the day before we leave.  Because of the cold nights and chance of freezing we do not load in any canned goods or stuff like that.  Anything requiring batteries such as flashlights, cameras, radios, etc is kept in the house until the night before we leave as well.  I don't fill the Motor Home's gas tank until the day before we leave because I don't want the rig sitting for a long period of time under the weight of a full gas tank.  Last minute tire and coach batteries check, etc,   Aside from puttering around with small stuff these day I patiently await those last couple of busy days coming up at the end of next week.

<<< THE JEEP IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A JEEP AGAIN  (NIKON D90)

November is not a good month for travel in our area of the northeast.  Winter storms can happen very quickly and unexpectedly as we have just seen along America's Northeast coast.  November is also not a very scenic month as a rule.  Generally, the cold gray days and icy November winds have stripped leaves off trees and the landscape takes on the look of a gray barren waste.  Much of our beginning journey is through flat boring farm land with little to see.  The threat of freezing rain is always possible so we do not waste any time once we hit the road.  Our objective is too clear this whole Northeast region of the country as quickly as possible.  The sooner we can get ourselves south into warmer weather, the better. 

Normally, I avoid the Interstates and much prefer the more relaxed and scenic secondary roads but for the first half of our journey we use the Interstate highways exclusively because they are simply the fastest way to get from point A to point B.   If we decide on our Indianapolis, Little Rock, Texarkana and Gainesville route again this year I look forward to a left turn just west of Gainesville Texas in a little place called St. Jo's.  That turn marks the end of our 4 lane traffic journey and puts us on quiet back roads all the way to Tularosa, New Mexico.  Next Interstate is at Las Cruces but from here on in any Interstate driving is mild compared to the east side of the country.  If we choose the more westerly Chicago route we will be more susceptible to unpredictable weather and will have to play each day by ear as to where exactly we will go.  But, that's all part of the great traveling experience that I enjoy.  Each day is an unknown and I find excitement in that.  Every journey we make is different than the journey before and it's that newness each time that makes RVing more of an adventure for us.

BEECH TREE LEAVES  (NIKON D40 AT 300mm)

And here’s Kelly’s latest update from Cambridge, Ontario…….. “Gabriele (one of Sarah’s twins from Vancouver) had to go to the hospital after supper last night..... couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen, crying and flailing....  a rough few hours, Sabra (Kelly’s daughter) took her to the hospital.....  they put in a ventilator with steroids to open up airways, took chest X-rays.... could be asthma, but too young to diagnose.
Ben & Bri (Kelly’s youngest Son and soon to be Daughter-in-law) came over to help with pumpkin carving, supper,  Derek (Sabra’s husband) took kids out trick & treating,  etc.... pretty hectic...Jay (Kelly’s oldest Son) just called to say Kim (Jason’s wife) is in labour, and at the hospital now... called Jay at work at 2:30 a.m. so more excitement!
Sarah just called from Ben's.... guess she had a bit of a rough night.”

 

THIS IS THE SIZE OF OUR POT PIES IN THIS NECK OF THE WOODS…..GOOD THING I DIDN’T STRAY TOO FAR OR I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD CHICKEN POT PIE FOR SUPPER TONIGHT:))  (NIKON D90)

Sure looks to me like Kelly is going to have to get on home here real soon for a big rest.

THAT BREAK IN THE WOODS LEADS TO THE START OF OUR PINE FOREST TRAIL AS  MORNING SUNLIGHT CASTS LONG SHADOWS ACROSS OUR PATH  (NIKON D40)

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "I cant believe it," said a tourist in Billings, Montana. "I’ve been here an entire week and its done nothing but rain. When do you have summer here?" "Well, that’s hard to say," replied a local rancher from near Big Timber. "Last year, it was on a Wednesday."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their  soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.

SNOW SHOWERS, SOME HAIL AND A FINAL DEPARTURE DATE OF SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12TH

Had ourselves a lite dusting of snow showers early this afternoon. Sky's later cleared with Pheebs and I hitting the forest trail for a leisurely afternoon photo walk.  Air was cold, but how nice to feel the warming rays of a late day sun.   Many trees still holding on to their colourful Autumn leaves made for a pleasant scenic walk along the forest trail.     

I had really been hoping we would be out of here on Saturday November 5th but I was told today it will be November 12th now:((  I ask you, how many repeated departure delays can an overly impatient travel oriented fella take!!

Beginning to suspect the internet provider company COMCAST may be responsible for some folks not being able to access our Bayfield Bunch blog site.  Two of the folks we have heard from have Comcast and one of those people, Lakeport Al, said when he switched over to his Verizon card he was able to access our site with no problem.  Our neighbour Monica who traveled to Florida last week said she called Comcast and they told her it wasn't their problem.  So, I don't know:((  Does anyone have any ideas for these folks who can't access our site?

I like toast.  I think I could live on toast alone.  I had to basically stop buying bread many years ago because I would bring a loaf home, toast it all up and eat in a matter of days.  I probably have not personally bought a loaf of bread in maybe 10 years.  But, Kelly buys bread and I have been known to sneak a slice or ten and toast them up when she’s not looking.   That wonderful aroma of toasting bread always gives me away though despite putting the stove exhaust fan on and holding the toaster under it.  Kelly has been known to hide her bread.  When I stopped buying bread years ago I switched over to something called Tortilla flat bread.  Flat bread doesn’t toast well, in fact it doesn’t toast well at all.  Too floppy to stand up straight in the toaster.  For a week now I have been eating toast again.  Kelly brought home bread from the health food store which she assured me is made differently than the high preservative wheat based breads.   I took her word for that and nearly toasted myself to death in one short week.  Next week, I have to work on not eating toast again.  May even have to sign myself up for TA.  Been many years since I have been to a 12 step program but I understand ‘Toasters Anonymous’ has a high rate of success:))

Big week-end coming up for Kelly in Cambridge.  Not only does she have two daughters and a set of twins flying in from Vancouver but her Son and daughter-in-law are expecting their first baby on Halloween.  She will be staying with yet another daughter and son-in-law who themselves have two young boys aged around 4 and 5.  The Vancouver twins by the way are just turning 2.  The twins father will be flying in from Vancouver shortly as well.  Add to that mix yet another son and fiancé babysitting a friend’s energetic dog for the week-end.  It’s been quite awhile since Kelly has been together with her whole family all at once so the agenda is going to be hectic especially with one daughter already having to fly right back to Vancouver on Monday.  Kelly certainly has her week-end excitement cut out for her.  She heads out Saturday morning.

Myself and the two furry kids will be holding the Fort here at home.  Doesn’t make a lot of sense adding another person plus two dogs into an already crowded situation in Cambridge.  With Pheebe’s boundless happy energy and love of people and kids it would just be chaos in the house to say the least.  And, all that commotion would really upset our quiet little Motormouse for sure.  The original plans called for Kelly’s daughter Sarah to bring the twins up to Bayfield for a couple days and stay at one of the Deer Park Lodge’s cozy cabins but all the cabins are booked right up.  Plus, Sarah has a lot of visiting to do with friends in the Cambridge area for the short two weeks she will be here.  Kelly figured it would just be much easier for her to slip over to Cambridge for a few days.  I agreed. 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  I went to the psychiatrist, and he says "You're crazy." I tell him I want a second opinion. He says, "Okay, you're ugly too!" (Rodney Dangerfield)

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-Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their  soul remains un-awakened.
BAYFIELD BUNCH PHOTO ALBUMS https://picasaweb.google.com/117858411710794543295
The only thing better than right now  will someday be the memories of
right  now...AL.