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.

THAT DARNED OLD HITCH ITCH IS BUGGING ME AGAIN!!

 

OUR AZALEA'S ARE BLOOMING

Randy over at the ROADRUNNER CHRONICLES had a good post Saturday about his thoughts on their first year of full time RVing.  It's a good read for full timers or those just transitioning into the lifestyle or thinking about it.  Although we are Snow birders I could identify with just about everything he said.

HEY, YOU THERE IN THE SUN ROOM!!

After reading Randy's post this morning it got those darned old hitch itch gears to turning in my head again.  That's a fine thing if your in a position to scratch that itch & just hitch up & roll on.  If your not, it can be a real darn pain in the asparagus!!

 

WEIGELA

We were very serious a couple years ago about the full time lifestyle & I would still very much like to have a go at that but it's a big decision & it's a two people decision.  If both parties are not on the same wave length it just isn't going to happen.   It's true, we have a very nice cozy, safe, & secure little place here in Bayfield but we have been here nearly 7 years now & for me staying in one place that long is a huge stretch.  Yes, it's nice to have a home to come home to but to sit still in one spot for 6 months of the year now that we have been traveling is extremely hard for me to do.  It would probably help if we could do a few short trips in the summer but with Kelly's work situation we just can't do that. 

SOLOMON SEAL

These past few years have shown me an alternative & much livelier lifestyle than this more customary & routine stay at home living.  There is still so much to see & do out there & luckily for us we are still healthy enough to do it.....so far!!  But whether we'll take that big step some day remains to be seen.   Most RV folks will understand what I'm saying here & most sticks & bricks people will not.  There, now I feel more like my good old Cursmudgeony self again.  D'ya suppose this dull gray rainy day had anything to do with my thinking.....Naw, say it isn't so, I love da rainy days!!

ONE OF OUR RESIDENT FRONT YARD PEANUT VENDORS

I had better clear something up about the photo of that yellow Jeep Wrangler I had in the blog a couple days ago.  At the time I put that photo in we were very close to making a decision on trading in our 99 Dodge mini-van on that Wrangler & I figured we had it in the bag.  However, after much thought & discussions about pros & cons we finally decided this morning that it just was not the right thing for us to do at this time.  We have too many unknown variables in the mix at the moment but I still see a Jeep Wrangler in our future somewhere down the road, but just not right now:(( 

I know a lot of people aren't into bird's & flower pictures all the time but unfortunately that's just about all I have right now until something more exciting decides to happen in front of my camera lens............................

GROANER'S CORNER  It's that time of year for us to take our annual senior citizen test. 
Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use it, you lose it!  Take the test presented here to determine if you're losing it or not.

OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.
1. What do you put in a toaster?

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Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast' give up now and do something else.. 
Try not to hurt yourself.

If you said, bread, go to Question 2.

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2.  Say 'silk' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink?

Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content yourself with reading a more appropriate literature such as Auto World.

However, if you said 'water', proceed to question 3.

3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from? 
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Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said 'green bricks,' why are you still reading these??? 
If you said 'glass,' go on to Question 4.

 
4 Without using a  calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales . In London , 17 people get on the bus.
In Reading , 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on.  In Swindon , 2 people get off and 4 get on.  In Cardiff , 11 people get off and 16 people get on.  In Swansea , 3 people get off and 5 people get on.  In Carmathen, 6 people get off and 3 get on.  You then arrive at Milford Haven ..  Without scrolling back to review, how old is the bus driver?

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Answer: Oh, for crying out loud! 
Don't you remember your own age?  It was YOU driving the bus!!

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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.

HOW AM I EVER GOING TO RETAIN MY GRUMPINESS IF THINGS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME!!

Think we have some rain headed our way & that is a good thing.  About 4 days back to back of any kind of weather is just about enough so I welcome the weather change.  Yep, atmospheric pressure variety is definitely the weather spice of life.

A CARPET OF PERIWINKLE BESIDE OUR HOUSE

Had a short mobility van run this morning from one little town to another & that was about it for today.  Lots of farmer's on the field's with their big planting machines this time of year so the dust was just a flying in the county.  This whole southern Ontario area we live in is mainly agriculture with lots of farms & fields of green.

                 

THE DARKER VAN IS THE ONE I GENERALLY DRIVE

                

OH OH, RADAR AHEAD.....NOPE, JUST A DUMMY CAR.  SEEN IN HENSALL, ONTARIO

Ever wonder what a real life oil man & fellow RVer does north of the Arctic Circle when he's not on the road with his rig?  Check out JOHN & BRENDA'S INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE. 

If missing out on not having sweet potatoes fries at Fuddruckers wasn't bad enough, ROD & LOYCE arrived back at their rig in Des Moines Iowa to find water cascading out their rig's door & down the road.  Definitely not a couple of happy campers there!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An RVer in a motorhome got hopelessly bogged down in an unexpected muddy hole along a dirt road. After a few minutes, a passing farmer drove by on his tractor and offered to pull him out for only $20. After the motorhome was back on dry ground, the RVer said to the farmer, "At those prices, I bet you're pulling vehicles out of this mud day and night."
"Nope," replied the farmer. "Night is when I haul water to fill up the hole again."

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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.

NICE DAY FOR A WORKING DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY

 

WELCOME TO THE BAYFIELD BUNCH'S PLACE

Another nice mobility van drive today over to University Hospital in London, Ontario.  The hospital is in the north end of the city so didn't have to get into any downtown traffic madness.  Had a 2 hour wait & then it was back out into the quiet & scenic countryside & back home.  Sure am glad we don't live in, or anywhere near any kind of a city!!!!

OUR IRIS FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM

A comment question from JANNA AT TIN TEEPEE/LOG CABIN about last night's blog photo of our little Motormouse on the porch wearing a long blue lead.  Both Checker's & the Motormouse are very crafty girls & like to wander off.  We always have to watch them closely when they are outside of their fenced in back yard.  They are both explorers & know we are easily distracted when people are around.  You get to talking & forget about the dogs.  Both Checkers & Motormouse know this & will slip away every time.  A couple weeks ago we got distracted doing some gardening & before we knew it we couldn't find the little Motor.  She had walked all the way over to the mail room to greet people picking up their mail.  Checkers has always been a happy wanderer & will do the same if we don't keep a close eye on her.

IT'S THE MOTORMOUSE CATCHING A FEW RAYS THROUGH THE SUN ROOM'S SKYLIGHT

Had another comment question from SAM & DONNA -5TH WHEEL VAGABONDS which asks, "Al how do you handle the Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde transformation when you climb in the van."  This is in reference to my blog A PLEASANT WEATHER & WORKING DAY.  In it I was talking about my job of transporting elderly Seniors & stated, "Of course they don't know me as a cranky old Cursmudgeon though. To them I am one of those bouncy, good natured & friendly young guys." 

To start with I have often heard people say that whenever they are around young people it makes them feel young as well.  I am the total opposite to that.  It is when I am around young people that I feel old & when around older folks I feel younger.

Now, about the Jekyll/Hyde  thingy.  Yes, it's true, I am basically a Cursmudgeon alright in these latter years, but on my mobility van job the transformation out of my Cursmudgeon character happens automatically & willingly as soon as I enter a nursing home facility, hospital, or a Seniors home & meet the person I am transporting.  I seem to get an extra little bounce in my walk & am easily able to talk with these people.  All of these folks are in need of help & that is why I am there.  It is my job to safely transport these wheelchair folks to & from their destinations & quite often that means right into the hospitals, medical centers, dentist offices, etc.  Up the elevators & down the halls looking for waiting rooms & Doctor's offices.  And I am always talking & kibitzing along the way trying to make them feel comfortable & at ease.  Years ago doing travelogues at Seniors facilities I used to get the very same feeling.

I feel very good about that so I am comfortable & able to relax & bring out that humorous young good natured friendly guy that still lives inside somewhere.......somewhere within the shadow of the Cursmudgeon!!  Don't want to get too deep here but sometime in a future blog maybe I will expand on my Jekyll/Hyde & Cursmudgeon theories.  It could get a bit lengthy though.................. And, while on the topic of Seniors I would just like to thank everyone for all your kind comments about my Uncle Harry in last night's blog.  Very much appreciated.  Thank You:))

JUDY & EMMA are in the process of moving into their new home.  'New to them' Motor Home that is.  Lots of excitement going on over there as they transfer things from their older Motor Home into the newer one.  Nice looking rig for sure:))

THIS LITTLE SIGN WAS MADE BY OUR FRIEND 'BUTCH' WHO HANGS OUT IN THE DESERT NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Our weather just continues to get nicer & as I sit here at the computer looking out over our front yard I am always amazed at how such a barren & bleak yard-scape during winter & early spring can explode into a veritable jungle of green foliage & colorful flowers.

 

JUST OUTSIDE THE SUN ROOM WINDOW IN FRONT OF ME

My gardening style has changed over the years.  Gone are the manicured large lawns, the perfectly trimmed shrubs & razor edged flower beds with everything precisely measured out & planted like you see so often in suburbia.  Nothing wrong with that kind of landscaping where everything is crisp & neat as a pin.  Did that for a bunch of years & It's just not what I care for anymore.  Now I let the foliage grow in together giving the yard a more natural woodsy look.  Kind of a junglescape flavor.  In fact, I thought I saw a saber tooth Zebra near one of the Azalea bushes last week.

Much more critter friendly too with squirrels, chipmunks, bees, butterflies, & lots of birds flittering about.  And I like the privacy all the foliage provides because we do have a few prying eyes in our Park!!  Well, doesn't every neighborhood!!

HEY, WHAT THE HECK IS THIS PICTURE OF A JEEP WRANGLER DOING IN THE BLOG.....Hmmmmmmm!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And it's real darn scary when you start making the same noises as your coffee maker too.

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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.

AND TODAY WAS MY UNCLE HARRY'S 94TH BIRTHDAY:))

A RELAXING AFTERNOON

To-day was my Uncle Harry's 94th Birthday & once again he came all they over from Woodstock Ontario to spend it here in Bayfield with us.  His friend & ours, Grace, drove him up.  Until just a few short years ago Harry was always at the wheel but he finally sold his car a few years back & now lets others do the driving.  And, he was a fine driver right up to the day he decided it was finally time to step aside.

SO NICE TO SIT OUTSIDE ON THE PORCH TODAY

We were happy the weather cooperated today with sunshine & warmer temps.    Nice to sit outside on our front porch.  Uncle Harry has always enjoyed coming here & seeing all the improvements we have made to the house & grounds over the years & he is the fellow who made it all possible for Kelly & I to buy our place here nearly 7 years ago.

SITTING IN THE SUN ROOM WATCHING THE BIRDS AT THE FEEDERS

HARRY & MAX HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEST BUDDIES

We sat & watched the birds at the feeders & I showed him how I'm able to take the bird photos with the long telescope/lens & camera set up.  For supper we had Harry's favorite frying sausage from Krug's Butcher shop in Tavistock, Ontario.  Our family has been buying frying sausage there ever since I was a kid & it's always Harry's fav.  Scalloped potatoes with cheese sauce cauliflower &  creamed corn was followed by oven warmed apple pie & ice cream.  All Uncle Harry's favorites.

HARRY HASN'T LOST HIS APPETITE FOR GOOD OLD KRUG'S FRYING SAUSAGE:))

It was sad today to see that most of his mobility is gone now & even a walker is a struggle for him.  His voice is weaker & body frail, yet it was only a month ago we were playing pool together in Woodstock.   He hasn't lost that twinkle in his eye or his smiling chuckle but  as I helped him into the car after supper I seriously wondered if he was going to have enough strength left to ever make it back again for another visit.  

A HELPING HAND FOR THE MAN WHO FIRST EXTENDED US A HELPING HAND A DECADE AGO

With Grace at the wheel & Uncle Harry looking so very slumped in the passenger seat I watched as they backed out the driveway & then made their way down the road.  I watched, as I have done so many times before over the years..........................

HEADING HOME...............................

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You know, some days I get all the exercise I need just by pushing my luck!!

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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.

A PLEASANT WEATHER & WORKING DAY

Late getting to the computer tonight so might be a short blog.  Had us a great sunny day with temps in the low 70's so we are definitely headed in the direction of summer.

THIS LITTLE GARTER SNAKE FELLOW HAS TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN OUR CACTUS GARDEN & LOVES SUNNING HIMSELF ON THE WARM ROCKS

Managed to get myself another three & a half hours of work time in again today.  Picked up a couple of folks with the mobility van in a small town nearby & took them to another nearby town & dropped them off for a bit.  Returned them home a couple hours later.  Because of confidentiality rules with the company I drive for I can't really say too much about the people I transport or where they are going or for what reasons.  But I can say that it is just general things like medical appointments, visiting, errands & some grocery shopping etc.  All folks are in wheel chairs or  electric scooters & that is why it is a mobility van I am driving.  Been doing this for about 6 years now & probably 98% of all the people I have transported over those years are elderly Seniors.  Of course they don't know me as a cranky old Cursmudgeon though. To them I am one of those bouncy, good natured & friendly 'young guys.'  Yep, I like that job alright:))

TIME TO GET THE KID'S POOL OUT FOR THE SUMMER

I have half a dozen blogs or so I read every morning & another dozen or so I check periodically to see how people are doing.  It's just impossible to read everybody's blog & of course I feel guilty about that when I miss things or realize I haven't read so & so's blog for awhile.  We all pour our heart's & minds into these darn things & I do try my best to keep up with people's writings.  One of those half dozen or so blogs I read daily is written by a lady who goes by the road name of Gypsy.

AWWWW MOM, DO I REALLY HAVE TO HAVE MY SPRING BATH

I think it was a year or two ago when I first came across GYPSY'S BLOG out here in RV blog land.  Her postings caught my attention right away because she was down to earth with her writings & talked about how she felt about things.  It wasn't just a run of the mill 'nice-nice sugar & spice' blog that would fit quite comfortably into any glossy travel magazine.  I liked how Gypsy talked about the down days, the challenges, & hardships, of being a single lady RVer alone on the road driving a big truck hauling an even bigger 5th wheel trailer.  Although off the road now for awhile she continues to blog about her daily happenings & more importantly, how she feels about life from day to day.  The ups as well as the downs.  She approaches each day with the reality of challenges it holds for her.  No glossing over the difficulties with big happy face Cheshire grins or skipping through phony non existent never ending wondrous days.  No, Gypsy will give you her honest opinion & is not afraid to tell you how she feels.  If she's grumpy, she's grumpy & if she's happy she will tell you about that too. 

YES, THIS IS DEFINITELY A POND OF FROGS

I have great respect for people who face reality & who understand & accept the realism around them.  I admire those folks who have the courage to break from the herd & think for themselves.  They are definitely in the minority but I feel they are definitely on the right track.  Keep up the good work Gypsy....you go girl:))

A LONE CANOE AWAITS A LONE PADDLER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Irishman Patrick Finnegan came home drunk every evening toward ten.  Now, the Missus was never too happy about it, either. So one night she hides in the cemetery and figures to scare the beejeezus out of him. As poor Pat wanders by, up from behind a tombstone she jumps in a red devil costume screaming,  "Patrick Sean Finnegan, sure and ya' don't give up you're drinkin' and it's to Hell I'll take ye'".  Pat, undaunted, staggered back and demanded, "Who the hell ARE you?".  Too that the Missus replied, "I'm the divil ya' damned old fool".  To which Finnegan remarked,  "Damned glad to meet you sir, I'm married to yer sister."

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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.

IT WAS NICE TO BE WORKING TODAY:))

OUR FRONT YARD TREE FROGS ARE BACK

JUDY confirmed my mystery bird guess yesterday as a female Baltimore (Northern) Oriole. 

Judy also wondered how I did that self portrait of myself in the pond too.  I used a 200mm lens for that shot Judy.  ISO 640 F5.6 at 1/500 of a second shutter speed. I later added a bit of contrast, saturation, & sharpening, in the Picasa photo program.  I used the 'sharpening' tool because I figured that was the only way to sharpen myself up a bit!!  Oh, & I had to use the 'Retouch' tool to remove my white beard & mustache too.  For the actual photo itself I mounted the camera on a tripod & set it on the pond bank, activated the self timer, & then scurried down the bank & hopped in the water quick as I could.  Just got myself flippered around in time to face the camera.

Sooooo nice to be working for a few hours today.  Only three & a half hours but it was nice to get out of the house for a drive though the beautiful spring countryside.  I'm off again in the morning & with a bit of luck I'll get another 3 or 4 hours in & that should darn well keep my mind off myself for awhile:))

               

POPPA GOOSE STANDS WATCH ON THE OLD SILO WHILE MAMMA GOOSE SITS IN THE GRASS BELOW......DAY AFTER DAY.  This is the couple who had their nest eggs eaten by the Muskrat.

Noticed a fair few people clicked on the photos of our television renovations from two summers ago so figured I better take a few new pics today to show the the TV & where we finally had it mounted & how.

THIS SHOWS TV EXTENDED OUT... Cupboard door was taken off & our handyman friend Bruce made 3 new pieces of wood to fill the space & the TV is mounted on the center piece.  The other two pieces flip up so there is still storage behind.

I LEFT ONE OF THE TROUSER BELTS IN THE PIC.  NORMALLY WE NEVER HAVE THE TV EXTENDED OUT THIS FAR

THE CUPBOARD DOOR FROM BEHIND THE NEWER TV WAS MOVED OVER HERE TO THE CENTER WHERE THE OLD CLUNKY TV USED TO HANG DOWN.  BRUCE DID A GOOD JOB IN FIXING UP THE BIG GAPING HOLE THAT WAS LEFT

And thanks to JANIE & JOHN for some kind words in their blog.  Never thought of myself as that way guys so the reference did send me scrambling through the dictionary pages to look up that 'P' word you used.  It has given me some ideas & opinions for a future blog sometime.

MAYBE IF I HAVE AN AFTERNOON SNOOZE DAD WILL TAKE ME FOR A RIDE ON THE BIKE AFTER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And, an important reminder....... never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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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.