A REFLECTIVE RAINY DAY

THIS ROAD IS CALLED PORTER HILL LINE & IT'S OUR QUIET PATHWAY TO & FROM FROM THE CITY OF GODERICH

My, my, how things do change with time.  When I was a kid it always took a team of Doctor's & nurses on horseback to round me up if I was to get any kind of a needle.  This morning I walked into the medical clinic, sat in the big chair, 'prick' & I was back out the door in minutes.  No fuss, no muss, no bother.  And no running for hours through dense underbrush with a swat team of Doctors & Nurses on horseback chasing me down with a big needle!!

It has been a real roller coaster of emotions for Kelly these past few days.  There has been sad times & there has been happy times.  There have been stressful times & their have been quiet reflective times.  Her daughter Rebecca flew in from Spain a few days ago & another daughter, Sarah, flew in with her husband & new twins from Vancouver.  Kelly had never met Bradley or the twins before.  Son's, Jason & Ben & daughter Sabra all drove down from Cambridge, Ontario bringing with them their friends & families as well.

 

A TOUCH OF RAIN ON THE ROAD THIS MORNING

Kelly said there were throngs of people at the visitation Wednesday & she met some relatives that she had not seen in 50 years.  Many great stories about her Dad that she had never heard before.  Frank was one of those guys who had a knack for turning total strangers into friends in just a matter of minutes.  The funeral was at 11 this morning.

KELLY TOOK THIS PICTURE OF HER DAD IN THE FALL OF 2008

Kelly thinks she might head for home Friday morning despite the heavy Labor Day traffic which will congest the highways & make for long line-up's getting across the border.  But, Kelly is an exceptionally strong person & will handle the journey like a pro, just like she efficiently handles everything else in her life.  There are exceptional human beings in this world & it has always amazed me how I was so fortunate to end up with one of them.

Yes, it sure looked like the Jeep was parked overlooking a mighty ocean in yesterday's blog but it is actually one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world.  We are so fortunate to live about 3 minutes from the beautiful sandy shores of Lake Huron on it's eastern Canadian side.  Excellent swimming with no salty water to encrust the swimmer.  And we don't got no sharks in the water or anything else that will eat you up either:))

Overnight rains finally brought down our heat & humidity & despite an overcast day it is OK to go outside again.

Now that September is here it is once again that time of year to bring out......the lists!!  If it wasn't for the lists I would be in a total ker-fuffle.  The lists are the same as last year & the year before that because each year it is basically the same items that have to crossed off the list.  I'm talking about the RV Pre-Trip list of course.  As any Snow Birder knows there is a multitude of things to take care of before finally transitioning from Home # 1 to Home # 2.  Sticks & bricks to RV.  One home has to be systematically decommissioned while the other home has to be slowly brought up to speed.  I won't go into all the things on my list because there are too many, but I do have them arranged under a few headings such as....'Things To Start Now' - 'Things To Work On' - 'Outside Stuff' - & 'Last Minute Stuff' etc.  Under these headings are of course sub categories & so on.  

Everybody has a different way of doing their lists & once again there is no right & wrong way to do it.  Whatever works for you is the important thing.  There are lots of sites on the internet for helping RV'ers prepare a checklist & I would recommend the RV NET FORUMS for all the help you will ever need.  I believe the RV Net Forum is the best all round RV help site on the Internet.  Any question you can think of you will find lots of fellow RV'ers in the forums ready to help you in a moment's notice.  And they cover every aspect of RV life that you can think of.  These are the people on the road with the every day practical answers.  And most of them are the people truly living the RV lifestyle..................

GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

'MONEY'

-It can buy a house
But not a home
-It can buy a clock
-But not time
-It can buy you a position
But not respect
-It can buy you a bed
But not sleep
-It can buy you a book
But not knowledge
-It can buy you medicine
But not health
-It can buy you blood
But not life............
So, you see money isn't everything and it often causes pain and suffering. I tell you this because I am your friend and as your friend I want to take away your pain and suffering!!
So, send me all your money and I will suffer for you!
Cash only please:)))))))  (it's a joke, it's a joke)

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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/

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his radical fan clubs that causes me grievous concern:((

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

YABBA DABBA DOOOO, COOLER WEATHER IS FAST APPROACHING:))

BAYFIELD'S PIONEER PARK TODAY

It was the first night in nearly 3 weeks that I wasn't jolted awake at some point in the night by coughing spasms.  Aside from a few minor sputters this morning, there are no inklings of congestion in the head & chest & no headache.  I am cautiously optimistic I will be totally out of the woods within the next couple of days.  Fortunately for me I was healthy going into this viral thing & I would hate to think what this bug would do to someone who's health was not up to par.

THIS IS WHERE I COME IF I HAVE PICKED UP SOMETHING TO EAT IN TOWN

Even Max new it was too hot for a walk this morning & stayed behind while Checkers, Motormouse & myself did about half the trail.  By the time we got back Max already had the A/C turned on in the house.

I can tell by Kelly's emails that she is going to be soooooo happy to get home again.  Neither Kelly or I are used to non stop masses of people & the go-go-go stress that it entails.

THESE BENCHES WILL FILL UP FAST AS SUNSET DRAWS NEAR

Never did get out for a motorcycle ride Tuesday night.  Just didn't have enough energy units left at the end of the day.  Another heavy humidity one right now so me & the furry guys are hanging out inside. (yes, yes, I know about the grammar)  This central air we had put in 3 summers ago sure has us spoiled alright and I figure our Provincial electric company is at this very moment greedily smirking as they are getting ready to send us our 4.5 million dollar summer electric bill!!! 

A NICE PLACE TO EAT MY TUNA SUB

One of the nicest advantages for me of being home alone is I can watch whatever I like on Television whenever I want.  Now, there isn't much on TV I care for anymore but at least I have the option of the Biography, Discovery & History channels plus a few more that deal with the true realities of life.  I do not watch the news any more except for a couple minutes at the top of the hour sometimes & that is just to see what perpetual madness man has recently wrought upon himself & how it might effect little old me here in the Piney woods of Bayfield, Ontario.  Instead of television my hours are generally filled with soothing ambient music.

Welcome to our latest blog supporters over there at THE SAUNTERING SAMPSONS.  Thanks for taking an interest in the Bayfield Bunch folks:))

First thing Thursday morning I have to be at the Goderich Medical Clinic to give them a bucket of blood.  Seems they're going to run some tests on me & stuff.  Hardest part about all that is no food or drink after 6 o'clock tonight which is in about 7 minutes.  I have spent the last hour cramming as much food into myself as possible & my keyboard is now knee deep in crumbs of all descriptions.

I have blogged a few times about the foolishness of youth & how so many young people & especially males get themselves killed or injured by being too immature, rambunctious & careless with new pieces of powerful equipment.  Whether it's a car, snowmobile, motorcycle, a new chain saw, power drill, Jet ski or whatever.  They simply do not have the experience or maturity to operate new equipment.  Well, I should pay more attention to my own musings & practice what I preach because if I had done that I wouldn't have had an accident this morning.  I was too confident with my latest toy, going too fast & not paying close enough attention to what I was doing.  Before I knew it I got myself into a serious speed wobble, skidded precariously around a tight corner & plowed directly into the under side of my chin taking a huge chunk out of my beard with my new electric razor.  No injury to the razor of course but my beard & my pride sure suffered some big damage.  I guess there is still some of that young rambunctious & careless male spirit left in me........10-4:((

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A 6 year old and a 4 year old are upstairs in their bedroom 'You know what?' says the 6 year old. 'I think it's about time we started cussing.
The 4 year old nods his head in approval.
The 6 year old continues, 'When we go downstairs for breakfast, I'm gonna say something with hell and you say something with ass..'
The 4 year old agrees with enthusiasm. When the mother walks into the kitchen and asks the 6 year old what he wants for breakfast,
he replies, 'Aw, hell, Mom, I guess I'll have some Cheerios.'
WHACK! He flies out of his chair, tumbles across the kitchen floor, gets up, and runs upstairs crying his eyes out, with his mother in hot pursuit, slapping his rear with every step.  His mom locks him in his room and shouts, 'You can stay there until I let you out!'
She then comes back downstairs, looks at the 4 year old and asks with a stern voice, 'and what do YOU want for breakfast, young man?'
I don't know, he blubbers, 'but you can bet your fat ass it won't be Cheerios!'

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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/ 

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his radical fan clubs around the world that causes me grievous concern:((

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

WHERE DID OUR NICE COOL CRISP EARLY AUTUMN AIR GO??

Kelly was on the road at 08:05 this morning heading for Spencerport NY.  She's not sure if she will be back Friday or Saturday.  Her Dad's funeral is Thursday morning at 11.  I'm sure there are some folks wondering why I did not go.  We have 3 dogs to look after here & to stuff them all in the car & take them to Spencerport would not be fair to the dogs.  Could have maybe taken the Motor Home & parked it on her Mother's lawn but with the numbers of people that will be coming & going there over there in the next few days things would have been very crowded.  Family members are returning to stay at the house as well, adding to the heavy people traffic.  I also have an appointment at the Medical Clinic here for Thursday morning plus I am still carrying this nasty virus.  It was simply a logical decision for me to stay & look after things from this end.  Some people will understand our decision & some will not.

ALONG THE MORNING TRAIL

Took the dead battery out of the motorcycle Monday morning & put it on the trickle charger.  This morning I put the battery back in the bike, fired it up & took myself for an hour long cruise in the countryside.  Nice to be out riding again but the heat & humidity today did not make for a nice comfortable ride.  At least I was able to get out & get a good charge put on the battery.  Came home & spent the rest of the day in A/C comfort inside the house.

Debated whether or not to jump into the Bear Pit again after reading a fellow bloggers opinions on Font Sizes & the 'Comments' thing this morning but decided in the end not to get into it by posting about it.  I've been through both those discussions before on my blog & I'm sure everyone knows how I feel about all that.  Nuff said!!

MORE PICS OF THOSE COWS UP A CREEK WITHOUT THEIR PADDLES

Just a month or two ago we were beginning to come to grips with the thought that we might not be heading for the southwest this winter.  With Kelly's Dad being so sick & my Uncle Harry teetering between his assisted living place & a possible nursing home move we were beginning to ask ourselves, 'what are we going to do?'  With my Uncle Harry's move to the Ritz Lutheran Villa a couple months ago & the excellent care he is receiving there & now the death of Kelly's Father a few days ago we are going to have to do a bit of scrambling over the next 6 weeks or so to once again move ahead with our travel plans.  A decision has to be made about the rigs tires & what about a tire monitoring system.  The towing gear has to transferred from the Santa Fe to the Jeep.  Our leveling jacks need to looked at & put back into working order.  Some minor fixes & renovations inside the Motor Home need to be attended to.  A departure date has to be hammered out.  I'm ready to go 5 minutes after Kelly gets home from Spencerport later this week but realistically it will probably be sometime around mid October again.  We have to get in touch with the Ranch people to see what their schedule is.  When do we want to head for the ranch & how long do we want to stay there.  I would like to leave earlier this year & take the southern Colorado route through the 4 points area but that's not likely going to happen with the way Kelly's job is.  Lots of decisions coming up for us in the next few weeks.  Do I detect a little excitement in my typing fingers.......I sure hope so because my excitement levels have literally disappeared right off the chart this summer again!!

  

I THINK THIS WAS A SUNDAY MORNING CORN ROAST FLY IN NEAR EXETER, ONTARIO

And speaking of excitement I see Ivan from ROADTRIP 2010  posed with a Grizzly Bear they had to tranquilize when it became bothersome at a local camp ground somewhere near Lake Louise in Alberta.  They re-collared the young bear before he regained consciousness in hopes they could track his future movements in the area.  And check out Ivan's new traveling companion Hailey, she's a real cutey:))

You will want to have a look at WANDERING WILLY'S latest mouse dispatching devices in his determined effort to rid himself of the 4 legged vagabond travelers who have decided his trailer is a nice place to call home.

Also, you might want to keep an eye on the folks over at, THE SAUNTERING SAMPSONS as they make plans to sell their essentially fully furnished home in an over 55 manufactured home community near Asheville, North Carolina.  They are looking to get on the road fulltime with a not yet purchased truck & fifth wheel.  Might be a nice opportunity for an RV couple looking to finally come in off the road.  Sounds like a nice area there in the mountains.

                  

HAD THIS SPIDER GUY NOT MOVED I WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN HIM

Welcome aboard to our newest Blog Supporter, csmith2884.  Chris comes to us from Kelly's side of family & friends over in Spencerport, New York.  I don't think I've met Chris but I have met some members of his family.

Anyway, that's it for another post.  Plan to Publish it earlier than usual & then maybe take the bike for a spin tonight.  See you all on the flip side..........10-4:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Questions a dog would ask God.............

Dear God:  Is it on purpose our names are the same, only reversed?

Dear God:  Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?

Dear God:  When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story?

Dear God:  Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the  colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a Dog? How often  do you see a cougar riding around? We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the 'Chrysler Eagle' the 'Chrysler Beagle'? 

Dear God: We Dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?

Dear God:  More meatballs, less spaghetti, please. 

P.S.  Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my testicles back?

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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/ (a work in progress)

It is not the concept of God I have a problem with.....it is his fan club that causes me grievous concern:((

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