J.K. ROWLING.....YOUR WORDS MADE MY DAY:))

EACH ONE OF THESE BREAKWATER BOULDERS WAS BROUGHT HERE ON A FLATBED TRUCK

It has been one of those days that has left me at the end of it with not much to write about.  Some puttering in the Motor Home this morning followed by a short 2 hour drive with Town & Country's mini-van.  I'll be working both Saturday & Sunday as well.  We have had some pretty hefty RV related bills these past couple weeks with more to come so every little bit helps.  Sounds like I will be very busy Thanksgiving week-end as well with a lot of other drivers wanting the week-end off.  

        

WE'RE SLOWLY GETTING THE RIG ORGANIZED

Sounds like RETIRED ROD has come through his surgery just fine according to this message left on his site......... "This is Melissa, Rod's daughter in law. Just thought I would post an update here that Rod's surgery went well. He is out of recovery and in his room now - hopefully resting. I know he and Loyce really appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers."

              

A FEW PHOTOS AROUND THE GODERICH HARBOR  

Well, I've written 2 paragraphs in 2 hours so I guess that tells me something.  I'm not a big fan of the Oprah Winfrey show but Kelly had taped Oprah's interview with author J.K. Rowling who wrote the Harry Potter series of books.  I got caught up watching the interview tonight & was impressed with J.K. Rowling's honesty in describing the difficult times in her life.  She alluded to the fact that many people talk only about positive & successful things & too few people talk about the failures, the down times, the difficulties.  She talked about her moods & depressions.  And she talked about her determination.  A truly remarkable, very real & down to earth person.  At the end of the interview, under my breath, I said a silent 'thank you' to J.K. Rowling.  Your words made my day.

 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  I thought about making a fitness movie for folks my age, and call it 'Pumping Rust'.

You know, I spent a fortune on deodorant before I realized that people didn't like me anyway.

I've gotten that dreaded furniture disease. That's when your chest is falling into your drawers!

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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/

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

INTERNAL PRESSURE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR!!

LAKE FREIGHTER TAKES ON A LOAD OF ROAD SALT AT GODERICH'S SALT MINE

It is only 4 days since my decision to drop our 'comments' section from the blog & already pressure has been brought to bear.  Not only is it coming from blog readers but it's coming from right here at home as well.  Kelly pointed out to me Tuesday how much all the comments meant to her & her
Mother when her Dad died a few weeks ago.  She reminded me that if I had turned off the comment section before that, those appreciated comments would not have happened.  Also received an email yesterday from my Aunt Jean in Florida who stated, "I really miss the comment corner that you removed. Hope a lot of other people feel the same, & maybe you'll put it back in someday.  It was so nice to read what people had to say about Harry's big move, & also the comments regarding Kelly's Dad passing away." 

 

PART OF THE GODERICH SALT MINE COMPLEX

And then I read RETIRED ROD'S 
blog this morning & he brought up another couple of points so here I am now, thoroughly
caught between a rock & a hard place.....again!!  Will I ever learn to stop wedging myself in there!!  What is a feller to do:((  Yes it is my blog but as it was pointed out to me, I am not the only one living here & the Bayfield Bunch constitutes more than just Al.   I was also told I am not the only one who reads the blog comments here either!!!.  Needless to say........I have taken a pounding!! 

Of course if I re-instate the comments section there will be those who will accuse me once again of doing this to attract attention to the blog & making people jump through hoops & over barrels.  And yes, I did receive an email Tuesday stating the 'hoop' aspect of that.  Let's just make one thing perfectly clear here (no, I did not get that from Obama) I have never done that, nor would I ever do that!!!!  Conclusion............. I am not a stubborn, narrow minded, unreasonable or hard headed person to get along with, therefore I will re-instate the comment section & let the cards fall where they may.  May peace & harmony reign once again in not only Blog Land, but here at home as well................10-4 darn it!!  
  

SALT IS BROUGHT UP A LARGE CONVEYOR BELT & THEN DROPPED DOWN THAT LARGE ROUND TUBE INTO THE SHIPS HOLD

And, on the lighter side.......I do not normally put slide shows, videos or You Tube stuff in my posts because it slows things down & plays havoc with readers dial up connections
& limited 5 Gig bandwidths.  But today I will add the following You Tube simply because I identify so much with the main red headed character plus it is my kind of humor:))  Also, at the end you will see two old codgers sitting in a balcony.  That is my Stratford buddy Jim & I ........in a few years of course:))  (speakers on)

I REMEMBER THIS SKIT WELL FROM THE DAYS I USED TO WATCH SESAME STREET (if you watch this, guess what tune is going to be rattling around in your head all day:))
 
Our weather turned out to be a complete reversal from Tuesday's rain.  Lots of sunshine with warmer temps had me in the Jeep about 10:30 this morning heading for the town of Goderich.  It's that time of year when vehicle license stickers have to be renewed.  Had the Motor Home & Santa Fe to do & from the time I walked through the licensing department door to the time I walked back out the door, only 5 minutes had elapsed.  Always a bonus when things go smoothly like that.  Took a drive down around the Goderich Harbor & spent an hour or so scrambling around taking a few pics.  It's a great time of year to be around the beach & breakwater areas because the noisy summer beach crowds are long gone.  Always glad to see crowds gone no matter where it is:))

I particularly liked what RETIRED ROD had to say in his post this morning when he wrote {QUOTE} "I feel as though I know you almost better than I would just sitting around a campfire.  There is something about writing our thoughts on a computer screen, that seems to mesmerize us into being almost more honest than we could be in person.  We explain our goofs, and dumb moves almost shamelessly and think nothing of it.  (I wonder if Rod was thinking of me here) Usually we get a bunch of comments, telling us not to be so hard on ourselves, and that the commenter's have done exactly the same thing.  Or encouragement and suggestions how to get out of our trouble.  So I have grown to really like blogging, and the friends it has brought me." {UNQUOTE}

THE SALT MINE EXTENDS UNDERGROUND FOR MILES BENEATH THE LAKE OUT THERE

Well said & I totally agree with Rod's thoughts.  Whether it be blogging, emailing, messaging or commenting, etc the written word has a way like no other of leveling the playing field.  It is by far my favorite form of communication.  I do not have an A type aggressive personality & when I come into head on contact with those types of people I feel very uncomfortable & characteristically will clam up & immediately work on an exit strategy.  Yet, if I were in email contact with the same person I would feel much more comfortable.  It is one of the things I like so much about blogging.  A person can sit down in the comfort of their own home, compose their thoughts without interruption, intimidation or confrontation.  Words & paragraphs can be reworked, ideas clearly expressed, & emotions controlled.  For people like myself, honesty is much easier in written form.  Emotions are easier to express & I find it much more pleasant to meet & get to know new people with my keyboard.  But, put me in a room of strangers & I am toast.  Drop me into an RV rally setting with all it's social pressures & I am more than just toast.....I am burnt toast with mud on it!! 

 

THAT LONG CONVEYER BOOM IS FOR OFF-LOADING THE SALT

So, when Rod wrote about probably getting to know people better than just sitting around a campfire, that struck a chord with me.  And it struck a another chord when he said, "there is something about writing our thoughts on a computer screen, that seems to mesmerize us into being almost more honest than we could be in person."  Well Rod, I know exactly what your talking about.........And a big 10-4 to all that too!!

A SLIGHT MIST IN THE MORNING AIR

GROANER'S CORNER:((  My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.  I asked her, "Do you know him?"
"Yes," she sighed,  "He's my old boyfriend.... I understand he took to drinking right after we
split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since."  "My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"
And that’s when the fight started Officer!!
----------------------------------------------------------------

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/

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

LIVING NEAR THE BIG WATER

LAKE HURON'S ENTRANCE TO THE GODERICH HARBOR

Took most of the day but we are finally in sunshine with record breaking warm temps predicted for the end of the week.  Yes, we are Canadian, & yes, we do talk about the weather a lot up here:))

STORMS CAN WHIP THIS LAKE INTO A FRENZY AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE

I have blogged about our two different lifestyles before & I was reminded of that again this morning as I stood atop a small cliff face in Goderich, Ontario Canada looking out over the vast expanse of blue/green water known as LAKE HURON.   It's the third largest fresh water lake in the world with the 4th being the Caspian Sea.  23,010 square miles of water with an encompassing 3,825 shoreline to boot.  This lake's maximum depth in spots is 750 feet with an average depth of 195 feet & to the unsuspecting eye it is akin to looking out over any of the world's large oceans.

And, by the way.....I'm from the old school with a brain which still prefers to function in miles, feet, inches, acres, & Fahrenheit.  I understand all our Canadian centipeders, kilomaxinators, celciousologies, hectariouses but what the heck, I'm 65 & don't really care!!

THE INNER GODERICH HARBOR WITH LARGE GRAIN SILOS ON THE LEFT & THE GODERICH SALT MINE AT FAR CENTER

For the past 5 months we had lived our daily lives in the desert regions of the American southwest where the largest body of water encountered each day was probably in the bottom of our toilet bowl & there certainly was no average depth of 195 feet there.  Here in our northern latitude summer home we live about a mile from a body of water that has a length of 206 miles & a breadth of 183 miles.  And no, we cannot see Michigan on the other side.

THE SALT MINE'S TUNNELS STRETCH FOR MILES OUT UNDER THE LAKE

This morning's lake was smooth with calming colors of aqua blues & greens.  No signs of white cap waves & no signs of the fury these great Lakes can churn into chaos & peril for unsuspecting ships & lives upon the water.  Remember the Edmund Fitzgerald!!  There are no tides upon these lakes & no salt in their waters.  Mysterious sea creatures are not found along their shores & they do not stretch from polar ice cap to polar ice cap.  But, from nearly any point of any of the great Lakes shores you would swear you are looking out over the ocean.

GODERICH SALT MINE AT BOTTOM RIGHT

Visitors & guests from other countries who visit DEERPARK LODGE where Kelly works have a natural tendency to call Lake Huron, the ocean.  People from England & surrounding countries find it hard to believe that our Lake Huron shores are not actually playing host to ocean waves.  So, for over half the year we live, play, & work, beside a body of water so huge that we occasionally see large ocean going vessels plying the waters up the coast for stops in the nearby town & port of Goderich Ontario & beyond.  And the other half of the year we have to content ourselves with floating the rubber duck you know where!!

SUN SPLASHES ALITE ON LAKE HURON'S SURFACE

Quite conceivably from where we live here in the 5 Season's Estates we could hoist a canoe over our heads, walk out the driveway & make our way through the pine & maple woods to the Bayfield River about half a mile south of us.  We could then put the canoe in the river & drift the short mile long distance down to Lake Huron.  With a bit of paddling & a generous smack of good luck thrown in we could paddle to the south end of Lake Huron & enter the St. Claire river which in turn would take us to the small Lake St. Clair, & into the Detroit River.  From there it is into Lake Erie & with a turn to the northeast we head off to the other end of the shallowest great lake where we would by-pass Niagara Falls via the Welland Canal & paddle into Lake Ontario from the west end.  A bit more paddle work in the water would put us at the Lakes northeast point whereupon we would enter the St. Lawrence River & that would take us all the way up & out past the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, & Newfoundland into the very Atlantic ocean itself.  From there the rest of the world is our neighbor.  Reverse that journey & you can see how the ocean going vessels of the world can end up off our shores here along Lake Huron.  Always nice to occasionally see the big freighters far out on the lake making their way to or from various ports all around the great Lakes. 

WITHOUT SUNLIGHT THE WATERS LOOSE THEIR VIBRANT COLORS

Equally as nice to watch are the tiny white fishing boats coming in with their early morning catches of the day.  Soon the weather will be warming up & that will bring the many sailboats out of the harbor & cast them like tiny bobbing & colorful butterflies upon the ever-changing moods & hues of the sparkling waters.  Blazing sunsets will sizzle into the lake leaving long shimmering sun trails in the water before disappearing into the orange & yellow horizon.  You can almost envision a great cloud of steam when that blazing orb touches the cooling water's surface.  Another beautiful sundown in Bayfield, Ontario.

AN OLD SHIP'S ANCHOR KEEPS WATCH OVER THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

And so, it is quite a contrast we see, & live in, with our traveling lifestyles.  From fiery sunsets over looming jagged mountain ranges of the southwest to equally fiery sunsets over a vast body of ocean like water stretching from horizon to horizon, north & south here in Ontario.  Aw yes, what a life it is, what a life it is indeed:))

LITTLE MOTORMOUSE INSISTED WE GET HER A BLANKET THAT MATCHED HER EYES

GROANER'S CORNER:))  Fred got home from his Sunday round of golf later than normal and very tired. "Bad day at the course?" his wife asked. "Everything was going fine," he said. "Then Harry had a heart attack and died on the 10th tee."
"Oh, that's awful!"
"You're not kidding. For the whole back nine it was hit the ball, drag Harry, hit the ball, drag Harry."

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

A WALK-ABOUT IN THE GODERICH HARBOR

HISTORIC OLD LIGHTHOUSE ATOP THE BLUFFS OVERLOOKING THE GODERICH HARBOR

Forgot to include the link for DOUG & JOANNE'S website last night but made the change this morning. They are beginning the first part of their round about journey across country to Florida. TINY TUGBOATS WRESTLE A MIGHTY LAKE FREIGHTER INTO POSITION FOR LOADING

On the off chance somebody might have picked up my blue baseball cap the other day in Goderich & hung it on a post, I headed for the area of the harbor to-day where I figured I'd lost it. Of course there was no sign of my hat but noticed a large lake freighter being maneuvered into place by a couple of tugboats. FILLING THE CARGO HOLDS WITH SALT FROM THE GODERICH SIFTO SALT MINE

GODERICH has a large salt mine with shafts running out for a couple miles under Lake Huron. Large lake freighters come here to fill their holds. The salt is mainly used on icy roads during the winter & these big freighters deliver their cargos of salt to many port cities around the Great Lakes. A LOOK INTO THE BRIDGE OF AN OLD LAKE FREIGHTER

Kelly & I were fortunate enough to get in on one of the very last public GODERICH SALT MINE tours about 10 years ago. I remember big caverns of pure salt but the walls were not white as expected, they were blackened from many years of diesel exhausts belching from large trucks, dozers, & drilling machines. A huge underground crusher breaks the large salt deposits into small managable segments & conveyers them to the surface. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that December tour years ago.Watched two hard working little tug boats wrestle Cuyhoga, a large lake freighter up to the jetty alongside the salt mine. Within minutes a large onboard rolling crane began lifting off huge hatch covers & a mammoth conveyer system from the salt mine protruded out & began loading tons & tons of salt into the ships cargo holds. PROPELLER BLADES & SHIP'S WHEEL ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MARINE MUSEUM IN THE HARBOR

In the inner harbor was another large freighter tied up alongside tall grain elevators. Could see crew members on the Algoway's deck with welders working on various pieces of equipment. I remembered years ago when I drove for the Stratford Airporter coming here to Goderich with a ten passenger van just a few days before Christmas & picking up half a dozen or so sailors with heavy dufflebags full of gear. Their ship was wintering over in the Goderich harbor & they were all heading for the Toronto airport to fly home for Christmas. I remember picking the fellas up somewhere around the grain elevators. FISHING LESSONS IN THE HARBOR MOUTH

Somebody recently asked where I get all those old groaners at the end of the blog each day or do I make them up myself. I can tell you no, I don't make them up but I do know where to find them. The inquiry did give me an idea though so beginning to-day the groaners at the end of the blogs will be called......Groaners Corner:)) THE GODERICH LIGHTHOUSE

I sometimes think big cushy recliners are designed for the sole pupose of rendering it's occupant totally unconscious in as short a time as possible. Upon returning from Goderich this afternoon I brewed up my 2 o'clock coffee, gently wiffled myself into the recliner, switched on CNN news, & promptly floated off to la la land. By the time I got back my full cup of cold coffee was still in my hand sitting on my lap. The recliner had won another one............................!! CANADIAN COAST GUARD VESSEL DWARFED BY THE MIGHTY LAKE FREIGHTER, CUYAHOGA

I added a new photo album of the pictures I took at the Goderich harbor to-day. You can see them HERE.

GROANER'S CORNER: I couldn't quite remember how to throw a boomerang, but eventually it came back to me.

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

HALLELUJAH JAMBALAYA

GODERICH HARBOR.....SALT MINE TOP CENTER & FREIGHTER CSL TADOUSSAC ON THE RIGHT

Well, it just don't figure. Now that I've decided to sell the motorcycle......I just can't stay off it!! Spent another enjoyable 4 hour cruise this morning wandering the back roads of Huron County. Found one secluded road that I had never been on before so that was a bonus. New scenery. This particular narrow gravel road (Balls Line) wound it's way through a swampy forest eventually dead-ending me in a gravel pit. The canopy of trees in places made it so dense it took on the look of a tunnel. Good thing I had on my leather jacket & Helmut because the mosquitoes in there were as big as baseballs. JUST GOTTA LOVE THESE OLD COUNTRY ROADS

Can you imagine the commotion I caused this morning as I rode through the farming community with Hank Williams tune, Jambalaya roaring out of my wind pipes. I was making more noise than the motorcycle & it's a good thing I was moving because by the time the farmers made it to the ends of their laneways with those rotten eggs & tomatoes to throw, I had already breezed on by...........Hallelujah Jambalaya!! TYPICAL RURAL SCENE

I eventually worked my way back to-wards the Bluewater highway near Lake Huron north of Goderich. Stopped at the Goderich airport & had me a look at some airplanes in various stages of being re-painted. Sky Harbor Aircraft is a well known company specializing in aircraft painting. Word has it that some movie stars have flown in here to have their planes done. Think a few years ago actor Kurt Russell flew in to have his plane done here. He is an FAA licensed Private Pilot holding single/multi- engine and instrument ratings.
SKY HARBOR AIRCRAFT PAINT COMPANY AT THE SKY HARBOR AIRPORT NORTH OF GODERICH'

From the airport I headed about a mile & a half into Goderich swinging down to-wards the lake & the north side of the Maitland River. Saw a strange looking craft in the water on the far shore so swung back out of the north harbor, into town, & back down to the lake on the south side of the river where this blocky, square looking vessel was anchored with a bunch of people milling about. Name on the boat or barge or whatever it was said, Point-Counterpoint II. In much larger letters on the side of the craft it said, American Waterways Wind Orchestra & beneath those letters was a complete sound stage. This boat, based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a floating concert hall & art center complete with Galleries & lodgings for some of the master students who perform in ports across North America. They had arrived in the harbor Friday & performed a waterfront concert last night which we sorely missed. We knew the concert was coming but forgot all about it. Too bad because I would really have liked to hear them. Overheard some folks saying the opening number last night was Aaron Copland's, Fanfare For The Common Man.HARK, WHAT STRANGE CRAFT DOTH YONDER LIE!!
THAT IS A COMPLETE SOUNDSTAGE IN THERE & THE SIDE COMES DOWN WHEN THE BOAT IS OUT ON THE LAKE. CAST OFF THE BOW LINE MATEYDWARFED BY THE MIGHTY TADOUSSAC.POINT-COUNTERPOINT II DEPARTING THE HARBOR YOUNG MUSCIANS WAVING GOOD-BYE BOAT, CREW, & MUSCIANS, HEAD OUT INTO THE LAKE MAKING STEAM FOR THEIR NEXT PORT OF CALL & MOONLIGHT CONCERT

It had been awhile since I had laid a good cleaning on the motorcycle so from Goderich I headed back to Bayfield & spent the next few hours washing & waxing the bike. Hmmmmmm, am I sub consciously trying to convince myself to not sell the motorcycle now.........????

TO-DAY'S HUMOR: An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

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