THE DOCTOR HAD 'VERY ENCOURAGING' NEWS FOR KELLY TODAY:))

 LOVELY OLD PINE TREES IN THE BAYFIELD CEMETERY

Looking out the window first thing in the morning and seeing no snow on the ground always works for me and with that, Pheebs and I headed for the Bayfield Cemetery for, as George always called it, a 'walkabout'.  A fine drizzle with a slight westerly breeze didn't bother us while walking under a thick canopy of tall pine trees and their spreading branches.

 UNDER THE TREES WE WERE PROTECTED FROM THE MORNING'S DRIZZLE 

 A STASH OF PINE CONES

 ONE OF OUR TWO PARKING SPOTS IN THE CEMETERY

All three of us in the Subaru rolling out our driveway at 12:35 heading for London.  Roads were bare but not dry and there was a threat of freezing rain predicted.  However, with intermittent wipers going we made it to the main entrance of University Hospital without any problems and dropped Kelly off at 1:45.

 IT WAS A WET 33F DRIVE TO LONDON AND BACK TODAY

 DROPPING KELLY OFF AT THE HOSPITAL ENTRANCE

Pheebs and I re-traced our steps back out of London and headed for our Medway Cemetery stop on Ten Mile Road.  A slight drizzle in the air didn't deter us from a short walk.

 A SLIGHTLY DRIZZLY WALK AT THE MEDWAY CEMETERY

I LIKED THE BACK OF THIS STONE

 AND THIS ON THE FRONT OF THE STONE

 THE FLOWERS ARE ARTIFICIAL BUT THE SNOW ISN'T

 ALTHOUGH CHRISTMAS IS OVER, MEMORIES OF PASSED LOVED ONES REMAIN FOREVER

From the Cemetery we drove around a big country block and then headed back into London and parked at the Masonville Mall's southern parking lot.  Hauled out my Kindle and read for a while before heading over to the Hospital in hopes of finding a parking spot out front.  Amazingly enough, I found one, and ten minutes later Kelly called to say she was ready to go.  Minutes after that at 3:40 she was in the car and we were headed for.......nope, not home.

 A DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

 AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL'S MAIN ENTRANCE

After Kelly had returned her new recliner a week or so ago she had decided to go with the first one she had looked at.  In the meantime, we moved a lighter RV semi-recliner from our sunroom out into the living room for her to use.  She kinda took a liking to this chair but it wouldn't recline as far as she liked.  Kelly found a place in London called, Austin and Taylor that sold similar chairs so that is where we headed.  I think this was the biggest furniture store I had ever been in.  I thought to myself, 'wow' this would be a nice place to live and nobody would probably even know I was here.  Kelly tried out a number of chairs and decided on a chair model called a 'Consul' which is made in Norway.   This kind of chair is called a 'stressless' chair and it can fully recline if needed.  It will be delivered next Wednesday free of charge. .....Back on the road again we headed north on the Ilderton Road with a stop at Ilderton's Tim Hortons for a couple 'Farmer's Wraps' and coffees to go.  With daylight fading fast, we had a mixture of rain and drizzly snow in the air but no matter, we followed our flapping windshield wipers all the way home and pulled into our driveway at 5:30.  There's no place like home Toto:))

Soooo, Kelly's appointment with Doctor Hudson this afternoon went very well.  It was green lights all the way across the board....almost.  Doctor Hudson had very encouraging news for Kelly and told her he is reasonably confident she will be approved for the liver transplant but the decision has to be first passed by the liver transplant committee.  The transplant committee will be meeting this Monday morning.  He said Kelly will receive a phone call Monday afternoon about the committee's final decision.  We are very optimistic:)))))))))))   

 KELLY TRIED OUT SOME CHAIRS AND EVENTUALLY DECIDED ON THE FARTHERST ONE IN THE TOP LEFT OF THE PHOTO

 THIS CHAIR SHE IS SITTING IN IS THE ONE SHE FINALLY SETTLED ON....DESPITE IT LOOKING BEIGE IN THE PHOTO IT IS ACTUALLY A LIGHT GRAY

Al's Music Box:)) American Pie  is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released in 1971 on the album of the same name, the single was the number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972 starting January 15th.  The repeated phrase "the day the music died" refers to a plane crash in 1959 that killed early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, ending the era of early rock and roll. This became the popular nickname for that crash. The theme of the song goes beyond mourning McLean's childhood music heroes, reflecting the deep cultural changes and profound disillusion and loss of innocence of his generation – the early rock and roll generation – that took place between the 1959 plane crash and either late 1969 or 1970.  The meaning of the other lyrics, which cryptically allude to many of the jarring events and social changes experienced during that period, has been debated for decades. McLean repeatedly declined to explain the symbolism behind the many characters and events mentioned; he eventually released his songwriting notes to accompany the original manuscript when it was sold in 2015, explaining many of these, and further elaborated on the lyrical meaning in a 2022 interview/documentary celebrating the song's 50th anniversary, in which he stated the song was driven by impressionism and debunked some of the more widely speculated symbols.  Don McLean drew inspiration for the song from his childhood experience delivering newspapers during the time of the plane crash.  I first found out about the plane crash because I was a 13-year-old newspaper delivery boy in New Rochelle, New York, and I was carrying the bundle of the local Standard-Star papers that were bound in twine, and when I cut it open with a knife, there it was on the front page.

 WORKING ON TONIGHT'S POST

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Heavens to Mergatroyds! The other day a not-so-elderly lady said something to her son about driving a Jalopy; and he looked at her and said, "What the heck is a Jalopy?" He had never heard of the word jalopy! She knew she was old ...But not that old. Well, I hope you are HunkyDory when you read this . A month ago, somebody illuminated some old expressions that have become obsolete because of the inexorable march of technology. These phrases included: Don't touch that dial; Carbon copy; You sound like a broken record; and Hung out to dry. Back in the olden days, we had a lot of moxie . We'd put on our best bib and tucker, to straighten up and fly right. Heavens to Betsy! Gee whillikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy Moley! We were in like Flynn and living the life of Riley ; and even a regular guy couldn't accuse us of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop, or a pill. Not for all the tea in China! Back in the olden days, life used to be swell, but when was the last time anything was swell? Swell has gone the way of beehives, pageboys, and the D.A.; of spats, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes, and pedal pushers. Oh, my aching back! Kilroy was here, but he isn't anymore. We wake up from what surely has been just a short nap, and before we can say, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!" Or, "This is a fine kettle of fish!" We discover that the words we grew up with, the words that seemed omnipresent, as oxygen, have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards. Poof, go the words of our youth. Where have all those great phrases gone? Long gone: Pshaw, The milkman did it. Hey! It's your nickel. Don't forget to pull the chain. Knee-high to a grasshopper. Well, Fiddlesticks! Going like sixty. I'll see you in the funny papers. Don't take any wooden nickels. Wake up and smell the roses. It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter has liver pills. This can be disturbing stuff! (Carter's Little Liver Pills are gone too!) This leaves us to wonder where Superman will find a phone booth. See ya later, alligator! After a while crocodile. Oki-Doki artichokey!

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HOPEFULLY HE WILL HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR KELLY

 A PLUMP LITTLE DARK-EYED JUNCO

With a destination this morning it was just me in the Jeep heading for Goderich's Maitland Valley Medical Centre.  I  had a 9:30 appointment for blood work in preparation for a meeting next week with my Diabetes Educator person.  Today I began monitoring my blood sugar with my OneTouch Verio Reflect Monitor and blood pressure with my Omron Blood Pressure Monitor. I check in with her twice a year, once by phone and once in person.  I hope I am still in the pre-diabetic stage where I was six months ago.

 ON MY WAY TO GODERICH

Following my Maitland stop I grabbed a Tim Hortons coffee to go and swung down around the harbor and beach areas.  Up the hill and back into town I headed straightaway for home with a few brief sunsplashes along the way................ 

 GODERICH'S ROTARY COVE

 THE SAGINAW WAS DOCKED A THE GODERICH GRAIN ELEVATOR THIS MORNING

 ALSO IN PORT THIS MORNING WAS THE ALGOMA INTREPID DOCKED AT THE GODERICH SALT MINE

Wednesday we head for London's University Hospital again where Kelly has a mid-afternoon appointment with a Doctor Hudson.  Hopefully, he will have some good news for her regarding her liver transplant status.

 'HI, MY NAME'S WOODY AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU MISS DOVEY'

 'AWWW SHUCKS WOODY YOU SURE KNOW HOW TO MAKE A GAL BLUSH'

 'NO I AM NOT A PENGUIN'

Al's Music Box:)) Rise Up Rise Up  is another song from the mid-80s I remember.  "Rise Up" is a pop song recorded by the Canadian group the Parachute Club on their self-titled 1983 album.  An upbeat call for peace, celebration, and "freedom to love who we please," The song was a national hit in Canada, and was hailed as a unique achievement in Canadian pop music.  Rarely does one experience a piece of music in white North America where the barrier between participant and observer breaks down. Rise Up rises right up and breaks down the wall.  the song was not written with any one individual group in mind but as a universal anthem of freedom and equality.  Band member Lorraine Fernie described the song's lyrics as having been inspired in part by West Coast First Nations rituals in which young girls would "rise up" at dawn to adopt their adult names as a rite of passage.

GROANER'S CORNER:((   If you want someone who will listen to you every time, do everything you tell them to do, and always be there for you for better or for worse, get a dog.

- If you’re not supposed to eat at night, why is there a light bulb in the refrigerator?

- If you’re using the phrase “easy as taking candy from a baby,” try taking candy from a baby.

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AND SO IT GOES EACH NEW YEAR'S MORNING

'Wowsers,' a pinky sunrise kicked off a blue sunshiny morning.  Now, how's that for starting the first day of the first week of a New Year off eh:)))))

JUST GOTTA LOVE THESE BLUE SUNSHINY DAYS

 YOU CAN MY EYES WERE DRAWN TO THE BIG BLUE SKY THIS MORNING

With temps sitting at 27F I knew the muddy road at our country road walking spot would be still frozen so Pheebs and I headed out there straight away to get a walk in.  Due to an icy north wind and slippery conditions underfoot we had to limit our walk to a quarter mile.  I knew the slightest slip could cause me a mountain of pain in my right hip even if I didn't fall.

 A FEW PHOTOS ON MY WAY OUT OF THE PARK EARLIER TODAY

 OFF WE GO UP THE ROAD HEADFIRST INTO AN ICY NORTH WIND

 FROZEN WATER PUDDLES ALONG THE WAY

LONG GRASS WITH A DUSTING OF CRISPY FROZEN SNOW

 THE FROZEN MUD IN THE FOREGROUND MADE FOR TRICKY WALKING

Continuing on, we jeeped ourselves around half a dozen country roads soaking up the rural scenery as we went.  A great way to start the new year off unlike a week ago on Christmas day when it was a miserably rainy cold day.  In all our travels this morning we only encountered two other cars. I like when that happens:))  

 WE DROVE ALONG SLOWLY FOLLOWING THE BIG BLUE SKY

 A LONG BUNDLE OF HAY BALES WRAPPED IN PROTECTIVE PLASTIC

It wasn't long after we got home that we lost the Sun to a thin cloud cover.  But, that was alright because we were able to be out earlier and get a few steps in while being a part of the morning's sunshine.  

 I WASN'T ABLE TO GET A CLEAR SHOT OF THIS LITTLE FELLOW'S HOOVES AGAIN

At midnight last night, lots of Seniors were driving wildly around our Park blaring their horns, flashing their lights, and yelling out the windows.  Some of them even had hats and horns and appeared to be quite tipsy.  Okay, okay, so that didn't really happen, but it could have.  You know what we Seniors can be like sometimes eh:)) 

 I THINK THAT LITTLE CLASS C RV LEANING AGAINST THE DRIVING SHED IS HOPING THAT SOME KIND SOUL WILL DRIVE HIM DOWN SOUTH FOR THE WINTER

WITH THOSE LARGE EXHAUST FAN TUBES I AM GUESSING THIS IS A PIG BARN

 WE'RE STILL CRUISING ALONG UNDER THE BIG BLUE SKY

It was nice to wake up this morning and see 2023 in the rearview mirror.  Looking ahead to 2024 and although it's a foggy outlook I'm mildly excited to get the year underway and deal with the challenges ahead whatever they may be.  And, next year I will probably wake up on this very same first day of the year and see 2024 In the same rearview mirror thinking to myself, well I'm sure glad that year is over!!  And so it goes each New Year's morning.

 THE SWEEPING SHORELINE OF LAKE HURON IS LESS THAT THREE MILES STRAIGHT AHEAD

 CANADA GEESE HANGING OUT ON A FARM POND

I finished my latest book called, Stories From The Messengers: Accounts of Owls, UFOs and a Deeper Reality by author Mike Clelland.  He is the author of the previous book I liked so well called, Unseen.  There is always a lot to think about in Mike Clellend's books and his non-fiction book 'Stories From The Messengers' was no exception.  I certainly will be more attentive to any Owls I encounter from now on.  Kelly and I did try to save several young Great Horned Owls right here in our own Park a number of years ago over near the Park's pond.  The first one was on June 14th, 2010.  Our Monday Morning Mission of Mercy and the second one was on June 12th, 2012.  An Unsuccessful Ending to a Rescue Attempt.  From around the house, I have today gathered together a collection of four little gray unassuming stone Owls and have them now sitting together ahead of me on our sunroom's computer desk.  It is those four little Owls that you see at the top of today's post.  With one of my Picasa photo-editing tools, I have given them a deservedly mysterious Neon look........... For my next book I have chosen Two Years Before The Mast by author, Richard Henry Dana Jr.  It is a thirteen-and-half hour read and that I should think will keep me quite entertained while I wile away these cold and gray Winter days..................

Al's Music Box:)) Up Up And Away  I thought we'd start the New Year off on an upbeat note:))  "Up, Up and Away" is a 1967 song written by Jimmy Webb and recorded (as "Up–Up and Away") by US soul-pop act the 5th Dimension with backing from members of The Wrecking Crew.^] A canonical example of sunshine pop themed around images of hot air ballooning, it cleaned up at the 10th annual Grammy Awards in 1968, winning for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Performance by a Vocal Group, Best Performance by a Chorus and Best Contemporary Song.  

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A doctor of psychology was doing his normal morning rounds, and he entered a patient's room to find his patient sitting on the floor, sawing at a piece of wood with the side of his hand. Meanwhile, another patient was in the room, hanging from the ceiling by his feet.The doctor asked his patient what he was doing, sitting on the floor.  The patient replied in an irritated fashion, "Can't you see I'm sawing this piece of wood in half?"  The doctor inquired, "And what is the fellow hanging from the ceiling doing?"  "Oh. He's my friend, but he's a little crazy. He thinks he's a light bulb."  The doctor asks, "If he's your friend, don't you think you should get him down from there before he hurts himself?"  "What? And work in the dark?"

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Son: “Dad, did you get the results of the DNA test back?”
Dad: “Ya, call me George.”

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"Mr. Clark, I'm afraid I have bad news," the doctor told his anxious patient. "You only have six months to live."  The man sat in stunned silence for the next several minutes. Regaining his composure, he apologetically told his physician that he had no medical insurance. "I can't possibly pay you in that time."  "Okay," the doctor said, "let's make it nine months."
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