AND, THANKS TO READERS COMMENTS

 FEMALE CARDINAL

Another cold gray day and although Pheebs and I took a cruise into Bayfield and back I was not inspired to take even a single photo.  Tonight's pictures are from my early 2021 January photo files.  Aside from checking the oil and topping up the windshield washer fluid in both vehicles upon returning home, I spent the rest of the day in my recliner reading.

Thanks to a phone call from our good friend and handyman Bruce, I will be returning the 'grab bar' I bought yesterday back to the Canadian Tire Store.  He said all those types of medical aids can be had free of charge from the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Goderich.  Items can later be returned or a donation to Saint Vincent de Paul can be made.  The Canadian Legion in Goderich also offers the same medical aids free of charge.  We are at the moment compiling a list of things we will need.  And, thanks to reader's comments, we will not go the 'suction grab bar' route for our shower.  

Al's Music Box:)) Now And Then  (This is a remarkable piece of engineering) "Now and Then" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 2 November 2023. Dubbed "the last Beatles song",  "Now and Then" is a psychedelic soft rock ballad that John Lennon. wrote and recorded around 1977 as a solo home demo but left unfinished. After Lennon died in 1980, the song was considered as a potential third Beatles reunion single for their 1995–1996 retrospective project The Beatles Anthology, following "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love", both based on Lennon's demos. Instead, it was shelved for nearly three decades, until it was completed by his surviving bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, using overdubs and guitar tracks by George Harrison (who died in 2001) from the abandoned 1995 sessions.  The final version features additional lyrics by McCartney.  Lennon's voice was extracted from the demo using the machine-learning-assisted audio restoration technology commissioned by Peter Jackson for his 2021 documentary The Beatles: Get Back.  Jackson also directed the music video for "Now and Then".  The song received acclaim from critics, who felt it was a worthy finale for the Beatles. It topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Austria, and reached the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. It is the only Beatles United Kingdo number-one single not attributed to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership.  John Lennon wrote "Now and Then" in the late 1970s, and recorded a five-minute piano demo in around 1977 on a tape recorder at his home at the Dakota in New York City. The lyrics are typical of the apologetic love songs that Lennon wrote in the latter half of his career. For the most part the verses are nearly complete, though there are still a few lines that Lennon did not flesh out on the demo tape performance. Writing for the Los Angeles Times Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Lennon's composition "a wispy, melancholy ballad", while Billboard's Kyle Denis described the song as "a lovelorn guitar-centric rock ballad".  Referring to the original demo, Craig Jenkins of Vulture said "'Now and Then' languished in an unfinished state, its vocal and piano melodies enshrouded in too dense a thicket of abrasively scratchy hiss to massage into the high-quality recordings the Beatles were known for".

 MALE CARDINAL

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Why does the Canadian Army even bother with guns, tanks, bombs, and other stuff?  Just give them hockey sticks then say, there you are boys, the enemy has the puck. 

If you have been struck by a headache, follow the instructions on the aspirin bottle: KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN.

If you think nobody cares if you’re alive, try missing a couple of bank payments.

 It may seem like I’m doing nothing, but I’m actively waiting for my problems to disappear.

Sometimes we just need to remember what The Rules of Life really are: You need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the duct tape.
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THE MYSTERY OF WHAT WAS DREDGED UP FROM THE LAKE BOTTOM IS SOLVED

We had a thin one inch white layer of the cold white stuff covering the ground this morning and a temperature of 27F to keep it there too.  Contemplated pulling my blanket over my head and staying in my recliner all day but knowing that wouldn't be fair to the Pheebs, I got up, got dressed, and we headed off to Goderich looking for a 'grab bar'.  Our usual coffee, harbor, gas, and Walmart with an additional stop at Canadian Tire.  

A SNOWY ROAD ON OUR WAY TO GODERICH

 WE ALWAYS STOP AT THIS SPOT IN THE HARBOR FOR PHEEBS TO GET FOR A WIZ

With my hip replacement slated for next month and Kelly's pending liver transplant, we are beginning to make a few recommended adjustments that will make our recovery times easier.  First is a 'grab bar' in the washroom which enables one to pull oneself up from a seated position to a standing position.  I picked up the said 'grab bar' at Canadian Tire this morning.  Under normal circumstances, it would be an easy installation but I am not a normal circumstance.  With my 'Mr. FixIt' track record I would probably end up with 37 holes in the wall and the bar would be a twisted piece of metal lying on the floor!!  I will have to farm this job out.  I also have to get a suction 'grab bar' for the shower.  I will have to farm this little job out too because knowing me as well as I do I'd likely end up with the 'shower grab bar suctioned to my forehead'.  Like I always say, 'if I gotta get something done right I gotta get somebody else to do it.       

 IF IT LOOKS COLD OUT THERE IT IS BECAUSE IT IS

LAKE DUCKS

 COLD BOULDERS

 THIS OUTER HARBOR STRUCTURE WILL SOON BE COATED IN ICE AND NOT BE RECOGNIZABLE AS A STRUCTURE

 THERE IS A WEE TOUCH OF BLUE SKY IN THIS PHOTO

Thursday of last week and this past Sunday I had photos in my blog that showed large pieces of metal on a flatbed truck near Bayfield's Marina and also near Bayfield's fishing pier on the north side of the river.  These pieces had been underwater for a long time and only recently dredged up.  Today, in the Bayfield Breeze is the story behind those large pieces of steel.  It turns out all those separate chunks of metal had once been joined together to make something very seaworthy. Rather than me trying to explain it all, here is the story..... Steamboat Remains Removed From Lake

 SPOTTED THIS FELLOW IN THE ICY-COLD LAKE WATERS OF LAKE HURON 

 HE APPEARS TO BE WAITING FOR JUST THE RIGHT WAVE

 HE'S GETTING INTO POSITION

 AND, HERE HE GOES

 'KA-FLOOOOF'

Facebook this morning let me know that fifteen years ago today while boondocked at the Clark Dry Lake Bed north of Borrego Springs California Kelly and I decided to head off to a little town up in the mountains called Julian.  I had it in mind to find the final resting place of a man called, Marshall South.  The Julian Cemetery....Final Resting Place Of Marshall South 

 A WEE TOUCH OF COLOR AT THE BEACH ON THIS DRAB DAY

 AND, HOW ABOUT A 'BIG SMASH OF COLOR' TOO

Al's Music Box:)) Strawberry Fields Forever is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was released on 13 February 1967 as a double A-side single with "Penny Lane". It represented a departure from the group's previous singles and a novel listening experience for the contemporary pop audience. While the song initially divided and confused music critics and the group's fans, it proved highly influential on the emerging psychedelic genre. Its accompanying promotional film is similarly recognized as a pioneering work in the medium of music video.  Lennon based the song on his childhood memories of playing in the garden of Strawberry Field a Salvation Army children's home in Liverpool, England. Starting in November 1966, the band spent 45 hours in the studio, spread over five weeks, creating three versions of the track. The final recording combined two of those versions, which were entirely different in tempo, mood and musical key. It features reverse-recorded instrumentation, Mellotron flute sounds, an Indian Swarmandal, and a fade-out/fade-in coda, as well as a cello and brass arrangement by producer George Martin. For the promotional film, the band used experimental techniques such as reverse effects, jump-cuts and superimposition.  Lennon viewed "Strawberry Fields Forever" as his finest work with the Beatles.

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A magazine reporter is traveling through a rainforest, in search of a fabled cannibalistic tribe. He falls into a trap, goes unconscious and wakes up tied to a stake with a fire burning slowly underneath him.  He cries out for help, and is answered by what is obviously one of the tribesmen, who informs him that he is going to be served as dinner to the leader of the tribe.  "But you don't understand!" he cries, "You can't do this to me! I'm an editor for the New Yorker magazine!"  "Ah," replies the tribesman, "Well soon you will be editor-in-chief!"

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Q: How did the bishop make holy water?
A: He took some tap water and boiled the hell out of it.

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WOMEN are honest, loyal, and forgiving. They are smart, knowing that knowledge is power. But they still know how to use their softer side to make a point.

Women want to be the best for their family, their friends, and themselves. Their hearts break when a friend dies. They have sorrow at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
A woman can make a romantic evening unforgettable.
Women come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes. They live in homes, apartments and cabins. They drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin! Women do more than just give birth. They bring joy and hope. They give compassion and ideals.

  
MEN are good at lifting heavy stuff and killing spiders.

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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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