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| QUITE A MOTLEY LOOKING HALLOWEEN CREW AT MY DOOR THIS AFTERNOON |
'Repetition' has become an important word for me. Not only an important word, but an essential way of doing things in these senior years. I could give you many examples in my life where repetition is now a necessary daily feature, but today I will center on my shopping routine. And yes, it is a repetitive routine that keeps me off the 'bonkers' list. Let me start this way, and I will use Goderich's Walmart store as an example. Upon entering Walmart's parking lot, I always head for the same parking area near a 'cart return' corral. This way, upon exiting the car, I can slide by the corral and usually find myself a small cart to retrieve and walk into the store with. Too often there are no small carts available in the store. I kind of treat the cart as my personal battering ram in case I might have to defend myself against irate and out-of-sorts Walmartian customers. And this happens more often the closer it gets to Christmas. And I do emphasize a small cart and not one of those big M1A1 Abrams fully loaded army tank carts!! Have you noticed the repetition yet? Same parking area, same cart corral, same small shopping cart. Okay, here we go into the store. Let me tell you right here that my goal is to keep my shopping stress level at a minimum, so I always go in with a steadfast and same predictable route plan. Of course I have a necessary shopping list with me, and as long as I stick to my route and my list, I have a reasonably good chance of making it through the next fifteen minutes in some kind of reasonably good state of mind and body. As a rule, ninety percent of the things on my shopping list can always be found along my unwavering shopping route. And it's important to not deviate from my route, because to do so can easily cause me some high stress confusement levels. This deviating is absolutely to be avoided for my own good. Again, my repetition stands out. But oh geeeezzzz, how I hate it when the Walmart staff moves things around and stuff isn't where it is supposed to be. Instant chaos and delirium for me, big time:(( Not good!! However, sometimes I have to legitimately head off from my route, and here's where I have to pay strict attention and be kind and patient with myself. If I have to go and find a jar of Bolivian Swamp Pickles because Woodsy told me too, I have to make a special effort not only to remember where the pickles are, but to get back to the point where I reluctantly had to veer off course and get myself back on track. Anyway, with my mush mind straightened out, I continue on my route, having to deak and dodge the ever-present A1M1 Abrams tank drivers clogging up the aisles. Now, just in case you might be wondering what it is that I repeatedly pick up on my shopping excursions, I will say this. Upon entering the store heading north, I make a left turn heading west for the veggie section where I can find my bananas, apples, mandarins, and garden salads, etc. South, across from the veggie section, is the Pharmacy, where I can grab some vitamins, hand soap, shampoo, or whatever other manly things that they might have kicking around. Razor blades come to mind. From there, I head west again and swing north around the bakery section where I might grab a loaf of bread. But only a loaf of bread. No muffins, tarts, cookies, or donuts. Then, it's a right turn down the dairy aisle heading east to grab some milk, then a quick deak left and a quick deak right down the cereal, honey, peanut butter, and coffee aisle. My favorite aisle I might add. Sensing the home stretch, I then turn right at the end of the aisle and make a mad dash for the cashier. And from the cashier, it's a second mad dash to the car to get myself the heck out of that Walmartian parking lot. No hanging around to watch people walk by. 'Bang-Zooooom', I'm out of there like a herd of turtles in a cloud of heifer dust. So, that's it, and I hope you understand now why I feel that repetition is so important to not only me, but to many other folks like myself dealing with their Senior years. If you're not sure, take a look at yourself and your day, or recent days, and I bet that you too will see how your own repetition has helped you through the day. But here's a tip. Don't head off now to Walmart looking for Bolivian Swamp Pickles!!
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| SAW A FEW IDLE FARM MACHINES ON MY WAY TO GODERICH THIS MORNING |
A cloudy day here, but despite the morning's 47F temperature, there was no wind to speak of to deter me from heading out. A walk was doable, so do it I did. Followed that with a drive to Goderich with a McD's coffee to go with me down to the harbor. Not much going on down there, so it was off to Walmart (thus my Walmart story) and then a quick stop at the Canadian Tire Store before heading home.
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| TWO LARGE SHIPS IN THE PORT OF GODERICH TODAY WITH THE ALGOMA INTREPID TAKING ON A LOAD OF SALT AT THE GODERICH SALT MINE |
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| THE MARIA G VALLETTA ONLY A FEW YARDS AWAY AT THE GODERICH GRAIN TERMINAL |
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| YUP, THIS HERE'S WHAT I WAS DOING AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON |
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| THE GOODWILL HALLOWEEN' CREW'S SPEEDY TRANSPORTATION WAGON |
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| THIS IS WHAT THEY BROUGHT ME, AND I SURE WASN'T LONG IN GETTING AT THEM THERE SMARTIES EITHER |
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| I RECOGNIZED THREE OUT OF THE FOUR, BUT THAT COWBOY HAS ME STUMPED, BUT I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN IT WASN'T WILLIE NELSON |
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| I CAUGHT TWO MORE LITTLE FROGGIES IN THE FRONT YARD FROG POND AND TRANSPORTED THEM OVER TO THE PARK'S POND |
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| IN THE CENTER OF THIS PHOTO YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THE TWO LITTLE FROGS IN THE PARK'S POND |
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| SATURDAY MORNINGS MOON IN THE WESTERN SKY AND DON'T FORGET TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK TONIGHT |
GROANER'S CORNER:(( A policeman pulls a man over for speeding and asks him to get out of the car. After looking the man over he says, "Sir, I couldn't help but notice your eyes are bloodshot. Have you been drinking?" The man gets really indignant and says, "Officer, I couldn't help but notice your eyes are glazed. Have you been eating doughnuts?"
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A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"
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Knock Knock
Who's there?
Willie!
Willie who?
Willie be home for dinner!
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Willis!
Willis who?
Willis rain ever stop!
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The counselor was giving advice to a young man: "To gain self-confidence, you must avoid using negative words, such as can't and not. Do you think you can do that?"
The young man responded, "Well, I can't see why not."
Doctor my son swallowed my pen; what do I do? .....Use a pencil until I get there.
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Q: What did one casket say to the sick casket?
A: Is that you coughin?
What do you get when you cross a Buddhist and a Druid? Someone who worships a tree that is not there.
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Little Johnny's father took him on a fishing trip to Canada. On returning home after catching only three fish, his father says, "The way I figure it, each fish cost us $400!" Little Johnny replied, "Well, at that price it’s a good thing we didn’t catch any more of them than we did."
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Al's Doggy World
Meanings::
