'HOUSTON'.....WE HAVE A JEEP PROBLEM

 A SUNDAY MORNING SUNSPLASH ON A PEONY FLOWER

'YAY':)) Google's Blogger has finally fixed the annoying glitches that have caused me stress and extra workarounds these past three weeks.  Anything that makes my life simpler is always a plus for me these days.  Thank you to Google's Blogger crew:))

OUR ANNUAL LILY SEASON HAS BEGUN

 ALL FLOWER AND ORNAMENT PHOTOS IN TONIGHT'S POST WERE TAKEN IN A NEIGHBOR'S FLOWER GARDEN

ORNAMENTAL BUTTERFLIES IN FLIGHT

I'm really enjoying this cooler weather we have upon us at the moment and I have been making the best of it.  However, hot sticky days are on our doorstep, and heat warnings are being issued so I will ride that out inside with my nose stuck in my next book which incidentally is entitled, The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.

 THERE ARE THREE HORSES STANDING HERE

Pheebs and I under pleasantly sunny Sunday morning skies headed out in the Subaru instead of the Jeep this morning.  'Houston.....we have a Jeep problem'!!  A couple years ago I began noticing oil drips on the cement floor in our carport.  The Jeep's engine had an oil leak somewhere.  When I had it in for one of its oil changes in 2022 I had them have a look at the problem and give me an estimate on a repair.  They said the oil pan was in bad shape and leaking as well as the engine oil pressure switch.  To repair and replace the oil pan, gasket, and switch, plus labor would be $ 1,317.41.  Of course with it being two years later now I'm sure that estimate would be substantially higher.  At our last oil change a month ago they also said, the oil pressure sensor is leaking, the transmission lines are very rusty, and the brake flex lines are in poor condition.  For the last couple of years, I have checked the oil every three weeks and add a small amount of oil each time.  It was only ever down an eighth of an inch on the dipstick.  But last week when I checked the oil it was down well over a quart and there was more oil on the floor.  'Houston, we have a Jeep problem'.  Decision time.  Couple those costly oil leak and other repairs with the fact that the Jeep is steadily rusting out we have decided to park the Jeep for now and try our hand at getting along with one vehicle instead of two.  With Kelly not needing to head down to Spencerport New York for lengthy periods of time anymore, we just might be fine with one car.  We've decided to give it a try, alter our routines when necessary, and see how we make out.  Certainly would be a lot cheaper for us.   

Al's Music Box:)) Chances Are by Johnny Mathis is one of the compilations by the Stillman-Allen team that were chart hits in the 1950s. It was listed on Billboard's "Most Played by Jockeys" survey for Johnny Mathis, charting in 1957, and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998.  The song, released on both 45 RPM and 78 RPM formats, was also included on the 1958 Mathis compilation Johnny's Greatest Hits. The album was certified a gold record on June 5, 1959.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A cat dies and goes to Heaven. God meets him at the gate and says, "You have been a good cat all of these years. Anything you desire is yours, all you have to do is ask."  The cat says, "Well, I lived all my life with a poor family on a farm and had to sleep on hardwood floors."  God says, "Say no more." And instantly, a fluffy pillow appears.  A few days later, 6 mice are killed in a tragic accident and they go to Heaven. God meets them at the gate with the same offer that He made the cat. The mice said, "All our lives we've had to run. Cats, dogs, and even women with brooms have chased us. If we could only have a pair of roller skates, we wouldn't have to run anymore."  God says, "Say no more." And instantly, each mouse is fitted with a beautiful pair of tiny roller skates.  About a week later, God decides to check and see how the cat is doing. The cat is sound asleep on his new pillow. God gently wakes him and asks, "How are you doing? Are you happy here?"  The cat yawns and stretches and says, "Oh, I've never been happier in my life. And those Meals on Wheels you've been sending over are the best!"

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- Have you heard about the elephant with diarrhea?  It's all over town!

- Three years ago my doctor told me I was going deaf...  I haven’t heard from him since

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A wife started doing her makeup as soon as she woke up.  Her husband asked the reason.  She replied, "I have locked my phone with facial recognition and it's not recognizing me without makeup."

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If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing.  The world has enough critics!!

DESPITE NOT QUITE KNOWING WHERE WE WERE FOR HALF AN HOUR TODAY, ALL WAS GOOD:))

 I THINK THERE IS A BUMBLY BEE WRAPPED UP IN THAT VETCH FLOWER SOMEWHERE

It was a special mission we had before us this morning with all we three in the Subaru heading off to a place north of London Ontario to look at an RV.  NO, not for us, but for a couple of RV friends who are currently out of the country but will soon be returning to Canada.  The RV is for sale and the couple wondered if Kelly and I could slip over, take some pictures, and have a look at it for them.  It turned out to be a really nice sunny Saturday morning for our purposeful road excursion.  The Class B Airstream RV was located on a farm southeast of Ilderton Ontario and we didn't have any problem finding it.  We were met by a couple of nice older folks (brother and sister) who showed us around the van.  I took a bunch of pictures and after a wee chat with the nice folks we were on our way in about half an hour.  Nice morning for a road trip so we headed back through Ilderton and picked up a couple sandwiches and coffee to go.  Kelly hadn't seen a quaint little place west of  Ilderton that Pheebs and I had stumbled across a couple years ago called Coldstream.  So, off we headed for a drive through the place and a looky see.  From quaint little Coldstream I decided on a well traveled country road heading north, so off we went in the basic direction of Bayfield.  Needless to say I got us temporarily lost but that's always the fun of doing things like that on nice weather days like these.  Kelly remarked how nice it was to be going somewhere and doing something that didn't involve medical appointments for a change.  I wholeheartedly agreed.  Following my inner compass we finally blundered upon a little place called Arkona and from there we knew our way home.  Shucks, I was kinda hoping we could have stayed lost for a bit longer.  From Arkona, we headed northwest through Thedford and later reaching Grand Bend we knew of a place there that makes the greatest of ever Morning Glory muffins.  So, it was at the Highway Girl Cafe' we stopped for two muffins to go.  Wished I had taken a picture of my muffin but I gobbled it up so fast there wasn't even a pile of crumbs left wandering around to photograph.  And Kelly knew enough not to hand me her muffin for a picture because she knew I was liable to hand it back to her with a great big bite out of it!!  From Grand Bend, we headed north up highway 21 through Bayfield and the final short stretch home.  How great it was today to get out and about, do something helpful, see some new scenery, stir up a little excitement by not knowing where we were for half an hour, and then topping that off with a tasty five-pound Morning Glory muffin.  Okay, maybe not that heavy but when you pick one up the word 'heavy' will pop into your mind.  There's sure a lot of yummy ingredients in one of them there square muffins.  We were home shortly before 2 p.m.  And a good time was had by all:))

 AT ILDERTON'S TIM HORTONS COFFEE SHOP PHEEBS WAITS ANXIOUSLY FOR MOM'S RETURN

 YAY, HERE SHE COMES WITH THE GOODIES:)))

 AT GRAND BEND'S HIGHWAY GIRL CAFE' I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, 'HOLY SMACKERS IS THAT CAR EVER YELLOW'

It was late afternoon when Pheebs and I took ourselves for a sunny but cool later afternoon one turtle walk around the Park's pond.  All and all, it was a good day because we got to get out and do something different for a change.  Just like we used to do not all those many long years ago:))  

 A SUNNY BUT COOL LATE AFTERNOON WALK AROUND THE PARK'S POND

 I THINK THIS MIGHT BE A KIND OF VETCH FLOWER

Al's Music Box:(( Sealed With A Kiss is a song written and composed by Peter Udell and Gary Geld.  In 1962, Brian Hyland, who often performed Udell's and Geld's material, covered the song. Hyland recalls Geld saying the song was "based on, but not totally based on, a Bach finger exercise."  Hyland's single began its run on June 9, 1962,   The personnel on the original Brian Hyland recording included Mundell Lowe, Al Caiol and on guitar, Gary Geld on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Blackie Shackner on harmonica, Gary Chester on drums, Sticks Evans and Al Rogers on percussion. The lyrics are from the point of view of one of two lovers who have had to part ways over the summer. The narrator promises the lover who has had to leave that he will send his love and dreams in daily letters "sealed with a kiss". The two also bind each other to a pledge, under seal of a kiss, that they will reunite in September.

 FLOWERS BESIDE OUR PARK'S MAILROOM

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother’s house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.  “Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer,” said his mother.  “I don’t need to,” the boy replied.  “Of course, you do,” his mother insisted. “We always say a prayer before eating at our house.”  “That’s at our house,” Johnny explained. “But this is Grandma’s house and she actually knows how to cook!” 

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When my 14-year-old son, Patrick, stepped up to the plate during a Colt League baseball game, the young announcer declared, "Now batting, the right fielder, number 12, Pathogen!"  After some confusion in the stands, the announcer came back on over the loudspeaker. "Sorry folks, that's PAT Hogan!"

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A radio announcer was introducing a record, "The next one is for Charlotte Burke, who is a hundred and eleven. Hey, Charlotte, that's a ripe old age, isn't it?"

There was a short pause and then the DJ said, "I'm sorry, I got it wrong. This next one is for Charlotte Burke, who is ill."

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CHECKING OUT ALL THE NEW CRITTER SMELLS

Storm warnings with possible tornados were issued late Thursday afternoon but all that bad weather went well north of us.  But, we did have a nasty twenty-minute storm cell packing torrential rains roll over us shortly after 10 p.m.  So convinced we'd lose power I made sure I had my flashlight close at hand.  Our power miraculously remained on.  Looking out the window this morning, one wouldn't even know a heavy rainstorm had gone through.  Living as close to Lake Huron as we do, our soil here is a sandy loam mixture and water drains away quickly.

 PHEEBS AND HER FAVORITE TOY

 A COUPLE MORNINGS AGO I SMOKED UP OUR LIVING ROOM WHEN I BURNT A PIECE OF TOAST

Knowing our country road walking spot is not of any interest to Pheebs anymore, we bypassed that road and headed southeast of Bayfield to another favorite walking spot of ours on Pavilion Road.  The Linwood Conservation Area is not a big hiking area but walking alongside a hedgerow of small trees between a couple farm fields is far more interesting for Pheebs.  She was just fine this morning exploring here and there and checking out all the new critter smells.

 IT WAS A NICE WALK FROM THE JEEP (BACKGROUND) ALONGSIDE THIS HEDGEROW OF SMALL TREES

 ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HEDGE ROW ARE TWO SEPARATE CORN FIELDS

 HEADING BACK TO THE JEEP

On the way home, we stopped at Gold Coast Landscaping to pick up three additional bags of brown mulch.

 OUR RURAL COUNTRYSIDE

If I didn't get anything done outside Wednesday and Thursday, I more than made up for it in today's much cooler and comfortable air.  I was tearing around like the energy Bunnie.  Okay, okay, the Energy Bunny in slow motion:((  Mulch spread, frog pond, and pump cleaned, a suet feeder strung up, and with significantly cooler air upon us I was even energized enough to haul out the lawnmower and mow an area across the road from us plus clip back a bunch of overhanging branches encroaching on the road.  I always try to keep that area relatively neat and tidy looking.  

 FERN SHADOW ON A ROCK

 A PEEK-A-BOO FROG IN OUR FRONT YARD

 SPIREA FLOWER

A short jaunt with Pheebs over to the Park's pond and back this afternoon.  I like nature's smell that the pond's new fountain has created.  Quite often, one can smell when they are close to water whether it be a lake, a pond, or a river and I for one have always liked that earthy smell of water.  

 I LIKE THE NATURAL SMELL OF OUR PARK'S POND AND YOU CAN SEE THE 'REST-A-BIT' BENCH IN THE BACKGROUND

 PHLOX GROWING NEAR THE POND

Al's Music Box:)) Springtime In Alaska is a 1959 single by Johnny Horton, written by Tillman Franks and released through Columbia Records. The single was Johnny Horton's sixth release on the country chart and the first of three number-ones on the country chart.  The song takes place in Fairbanks, Alaska in the springtime. The narrator/singer is a prospector making a trip to Fairbanks after two years in the wilderness; he decides to visit a saloon and hears "redheaded Lil" singing the title words. He and Lil spend the evening dancing, but the singer is unaware that Lil is "Big Ed's wife-to-be." Big Ed discovers the two dancing and throws his knife at the singer, who predicts that he will not survive his wound: "When it's springtime in Alaska, I'll be six feet below."

 SPREADING MORE MULCH

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Things Rednecks Will Never Say::

-I'll take Shakespeare for 1000, Alex.
-Duct tape won't fix that.
-Honey, I think we should sell the pickup and buy a family sedan.
-Come to think of it, I'll have a Heineken.
-We don't keep firearms in this house.
-Has anybody seen the sideburns trimmer?
-You can't feed that to the dog.
-I thought Graceland was tacky.
-No kids in the back of the pickup, it's just not safe.
-Wrestling's fake.
-Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?
-We're vegetarians.
-Do you think my gut is too big?
-I'll have grapefruit and grapes instead of biscuits and gravy.
-Honey, we don't need another dog.
-Who gives a crap who won the Civil War?
-Give me the small bag of pork rinds.
-Too many deer heads detract from the decor.
-Spittin' is such a nasty habit.
-I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-Mart today.
-Checkmate.
-She's too young to be wearing a bikini.
-Does the salad bar have bean sprouts?
-Hey, here's an episode of "Hee Haw" that we haven't seen.
-I don't have a favorite college team.
-Be sure to bring my salad dressing on the side.
-You ALL.
-Those shorts ought to be a little longer, Darla.
-Nope, no more for me. I'm drivin' tonight.

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I HAD THINGS I COULD HAVE BEEN DOING

Hot in the Sun this morning but oh so nice in the 75F shade with a warm breeze willowing through our Park's tall Pine trees.  I had things I could have been doing outside but my energy levels were not up to the task.  Heat and humidity does that to me. 

Al's Music Box:)) Tell Laura I Love Her is a teenage tragedy song written by Jeff Barry and Ben Raleigh. It was a US top ten popular music hit for singer Ray Peterson in 1960 on RCA Victor Records.  The song tells the tragic story from a witness' perspective of a young man named Tommy who is in love with Laura and wants to marry her, so he enters a stock car race, despite being the youngest and most inexperienced driver, hoping to win and use the prize money to buy Laura a wedding ring. The second verse tells how his car overturns and bursts into flames, although nobody knows what had happened. Tommy is fatally injured and his last words are "Tell Laura I love her... My love for her will never die". In the final verse, Laura prays inside the chapel, where a church organ is heard, and where she can still hear Tommy's voice intoning the title one more time, before it fades out.  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A Chinese person walked into a bar in America late one night and sees Steven Spielberg. As he was a great fan of his movies, he rushed over to him and asked for his autograph.  Instead, Spielberg gives him a slap and says "You Chinese people bombed Pearl Harbor, get out of here."  The astonished Chinese man replied, "It was not the Chinese who bombed Pearl Harbor, it was the Japanese".  "Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, you're all the same," replied Spielberg.  In return, the Chinese gives Spielberg a slap and says "You sank the  Titanic; my forefathers were on that ship."  Shocked, Spielberg replies "It was the iceberg that sank the ship, not me."  The Chinese replies, "Iceberg, Spielberg, Carlsberg, you're all the same."

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- If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

- Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Stop singing and get on with what you were doing!!

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So I walked into this bar and heard two girls speaking in what sounded like a lovely Scottish accent. I said: So, are you two girls from Scotland?  One of them said: "Wales Idiot!"
So I said: "Oh, I am terribly sorry about that. So, are you two Whales from Scotland?"  That's the last thing I remember.

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