TO LONDON'S VICTORIA HOSPITAL AND BACK TODAY

 CHICORY FLOWERS UNDER A BENCH

It had been a week and a half since Kelly's last plasmapheresis treatment and in the last couple of days her severe itching problem had returned.  So, it was all three of us in the Subaru this morning heading for London's Victoria Hospital.  Being Saturday, traffic was a tad lighter.  Dropped Kelly off at the hospital for her treatment at 12:20 and minutes later Pheebs and I under cloudy skies with a light drizzle in the air had ourselves out of the car for a walk at London's Westminster Ponds Nature Area

 A COUPLE SHAKY PHOTOS THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF AN ORNGE AIR AMBULANCE  UNLEADING SOMEONE TODAY AT LONDON'S VICTORIA HOSPITAL

 ON OUR WAY TO THE WESTMINSTER PONDS AREA I SPOTTED THESE THREE CANADA GEESE ON THE ROAD 

 THESE GUYS NEVER GAVE AN INCH AS WE SQUEAKED BY

 OUR PARKING SPOT FOR A COUPLE HOURS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON

 OFF WE GO ON THIS SHORT STRETCH OF  OLD PAVED ROAD

 I WAS GLAD TO SEE SHE WALKED AROUND THIS PUDDLE INSTEAD OF THROUGH IT

 HAD THE TRAIL NOT BEEN SO MUDDY WE WOULD HAVE DEAKED IN HERE

 I HEARD THE AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER LIFT OFF THE PAD AT THE HOSPITAL AND WAITED FOR IT TO FLY OVER

 IT IS PROBABLY HEADING TO IT'S HOME BASE IN LONDON'S EAST END AT THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Overnight rains had left the trails muddy and the grass wet but we did manage a half-hour walk in the baseball diamonds area before the light drizzle turned to rain.  We spent most of our time in the car but did get out for a shorter second walk later.  I do all the reading and Pheebs does all the snoozing.  Later, noticing an error message on my cell phone I knew right away it wasn't working correctly.  That meant Kelly couldn't call when she was ready to be picked up.  Tried turning the phone off and on several times but that didn't fix it.  I guesstimated the time (2:30 p.m.) that she might be done and drove over to the hospital to park near the door where she would be coming out.  The timing was perfect as Kelly walked out the door just as we pulled up to the curb.  

 HEADING BACK TO THE CAR THROUGH THE WET GRASS AND YES, MY TOES GOT SOAKED THROUGH MY RUNNING SHOES

 VISIBLE IN THIS PHOTO IS THE CUPOLA ON THE MAIN BUILDING HERE AT TOP LEFT, THE LOWER BASEBALL DIAMOND UPPER CENTER, SUBIE'S ROOF UPPER RIGHT AND PHEEBS AT LOWER RIGHT

 BACK TO THE CAR ABOUT TEN SECONDS BEFORE THE RAIN STARTED

 A BIG DRINK AFTER A HALF HOUR'S WALK

 MY READING PLATFORM

 A COUPLE OF HAPPY CHARACTERS

It was a rainy day drive most of the way home and we never stopped anywhere for coffee or eats.  It was shortly before 4 p.m. when I backed into our driveway.  If not sooner, we'll be back to Victoria Hospital in a week.  It will depend on the severity of Kelly's itching. 

 A FEW THINGS WE SAW ON OUR WALK TODAY

 JUNIPER BERRIES

 CHECKING OUT A BEEBLE BERRY BUSH

Before heading to London this morning, Pheebs and I took a swing through Bayfield to see whatever we could see.  For a summer Saturday morning there wasn't much going on along Mainstreet and I think the inclement weather had something to do with that.

 HEADING OUT FOR A SATURDAY MORNING CRUISE ON LAKE HURON

 CALM WATERS FOR A PADDLE

 THIS LADY PREFERRED A STROLL ON BAYFIED'S BEACH WITH A CUP OF COFFEE IN HAND

 KIND OF A STUBBY LITTLE BOAT

 ANOTHER COLORFUL HYDRANGEA SEEN IN BAYFIELD

 AND A  RATHER SNAPPY LOOKING CAR ON BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

Al's Music Box:)) Crazy Mama by JJ Cale from the album 'Naturally'.  1971

GROANER'S CORNER:(( If you are from the northern states and planning on visiting or moving to the south, there are a few things you should know that will help you adapt to the difference in lifestyles:

1. If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in a four-wheel-drive pickup truck with a 12-pack of beer and a towchain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.

2. Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store. Do not buy food at this store.

3. Remember: "Y'all" is singular, "All y'all" is plural, and "All y'alls'" is plural possessive.

4. Get used to hearing "You ain't from around here, are ya?"

5. You may hear a Southerner say "Oughta!" to a dog or child. This is short for "Y'all oughta not do that!" and is the equivalent of saying "No!"

6. Don't be worried about not understanding what people are saying; they can't understand you, either.

7. The first Southern expression to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "big ol'," as in "big ol' truck " or "big ol' boy." Most Northerners begin their new Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.

8. The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.

9. Be advised that "He needed killin'" is a valid defense here.

10. If you hear a Southerner exclaim "Hey, y'all, watch this," stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.

11. If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.

12. When you come upon a person driving 15 mph down the middle of the road, remember that most folks here learn to drive on a John Deere, and that this is the proper speed and position for that vehicle.

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