STANDING THERE ON THAT GRAVEL ROAD

Why I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and stayed awake I don't know but it was the start of a long day because of it.  Imagine our surprise this morning when Kelly opened the living room window curtains to bright skies and no rain.  That was not what we had expected.  Pheebs and I did get out for a country road walk but it was only half of our half mile due to my hip bothering me.  Despite that, I marveled at the beautiful morning going on around us. Loafing along overhead under a deep blue sky were large white and gray puffy clouds.  Enthralled by nature's beauty unfolding in front of me I spotted something about twenty-five degrees above the horizon in the western sky that brought a warm knowing smile to my face.  It was my old long-time friend, Mr. Moon.  I gave him a wave and I think he returned a wink.  Standing there on that gravel road, I watched how the morning sunshine brought out the colors of a distant bush line.  Knowing that these nice weather morning walks would soon be at an end until next Spring, I took in all I could........while I could.  

 AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE WAS SNOW IN THOSE CLOUDS

 Here's my annual Halloween night memory about the night we moved here to our present digs....... Halloween night 21 years ago was cold & pouring rain.  I remember that specific night because it was the night we drove out of the old farmhouse lane near Fullarton Ontario for the very last time.  Kelly had gone on ahead of me in her little 323 Mazda loaded with last-minute household things.   I wasn't too far behind her with our 97 Dodge Ram pick-up truck loaded to overflowing with the very last of our possessions.  Just enough room in the cab for Max & I.  It would be another couple of years before we met Checkers & the Motormouse.  So, with windshield wipers slapping time in the darkened night & the truck heater keeping Max & I warm & toasty, we made the 40-minute drive to our new beginnings.  It was the night we moved from the cold & drafty old rented farmhouse we had lived in for 8 years to our newer home here in Bayfield Ontario.   It was Halloween night & despite a nasty 'trick' the weather was playing on us, it was a real 'treat' to be moving into our very own warm & very cozy little place. 

 THOSE WHITE FLECKS YOU SEE ON PHEEBS ARE SNOWFLAKES

 THIS IS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL SNOW OF THE 23/24 SEASON:((

 OUR BACK DECK

Al's Music Box:)) The Monster Mash was a 1962 song by Bobby (Boris) Pickett.  (Now you really didn't think I was going to let this one slide by on Halloween night did ya!!)  Pickett was an aspiring actor who sang with a band called the Cordials at night while going to auditions during the day. One night, while performing with his band, Pickett did a monologue in imitation of horror movie actor Boris Karloff while performing the Diamonds "Little Darlin". The audience loved it, and fellow band member Lenny Capizzi encouraged Pickett to do more with the Karloff imitation.  Pickett and Capizzi composed "Monster Mash" and recorded it with Gary S. Paxton, pianist Leon Russell, Johnny MacRae, Rickie Page, and Terry Berg, credited as "The Crypt-Kickers". Mel Taylor, drummer for the Ventures, is sometimes credited playing on the record as well, while Russell, who arrived late for the session, appears on the single's B-side, "Monster Mash Party".

A FLIGHT OF SANDHILL CRANES HEADING SOUTH LATE THIS MORNING

GROANERS CORNER:((  A customer at Green's Gourmet Grocery marveled at the proprietor's quick wit and intelligence.  "Tell me, Green, what makes you so smart?"  "I wouldn't share my secret with just anyone," Green replies, lowering his voice so the other shoppers won't hear. "But since you're a good and faithful customer, I'll let you in on it. Fish heads. You eat enough of them, you will be positively brilliant."  "You sell them here?" the customer asks.  "Only $4 apiece," says Green.  The customer buys three. A week later, he's back in the store complaining that the fish heads were disgusting and he isn't any smarter.  "You didn't eat enough, " says Green. The customer goes home with 20 more fish heads. Two weeks later, he's back and this time he's really angry.  "Hey, Green," he says, "You're selling me fish heads for $4 apiece when I can buy the whole fish for $2. You're ripping me off!"  "You see?" says Green. "You're getting smarter already!"

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What’s in a ghost’s nose?  Boo-gers.

What do ghosts wear when their eyesight gets blurry?  Spooktacles.

Why do female ghosts go on a diet?  So they can keep their ghoulish figure.

Where does a ghost go on vacation?  Mali-boo.

Why do demons and ghouls hang out together?  Because demons are a ghoul’s best friend!

What do you get when you put a spider on an ear of corn?  A cobweb.

What do you call a spider with 20 eyes?  A spiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiider.

What kind of monster loves to boogy?  The boogieman.

Why didn’t the scarecrow eat dinner?  He was already stuffed.

What do you call a fat pumpkin?  A plumpkin.

How do you fix a broken jack-o’-lantern?  With a pumpkin patch.

Okay, Okay, that's enough of that for another Halloween:))

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AND COULDN'T FEEL FINER

 BAYFIELD'S BEACH AND HARBOR MOUTH AREA

A cold rainy day dampened my spirits and I couldn't seem to pull myself out of it.  Climbing into the Jeep I put Pheebs window down and cranked up the heat.  Tuning the radio I shuffled my feet and we were off.  Off to where I didn't know but going there I knew we'd be going slow.  With some gravel under the tires and some mud on the fender, I had a feeling this day was gonna be a dead-ender.  Nevertheless, we put on a few miles but fewer less were our Monday smiles.  Home again, our day went slow and I had no energy to keep up with the flow.  So I turned up the heat and put up my feet, tipped back in my recliner, and couldn't feel finer:))

 IT WAS A COLD AND WET DRAB DAY AS PHEEBS AND I ROLLED OUT OF OUR PARK HEADING FOR BAYFIELD

 A NICE SWATCH OF COLOR

Ellen's Groove:)) I like this short little bass line Ellen does called, Victa.  Watch her fine fingerwork on the fretboard and the voice you hear in the background is her dad Hovak clowning around.   

 IT WAS THE LEAVES AND THE COLOR OF THE CAR IN THIS SETTING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

Al's Music Box:)) Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is by Chicago first appeared on their debut 1969 album, 'Chicago Transit Authority'.  Robert Lamm who wrote and sang the song said. "It's not a complicated song, but it’s certainly a quirky song. But that was my intent. I wanted to write something that wasn’t ordinary, that wasn’t blues-based, that didn’t have ice cream changes, and would allow the horns to shine.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A bookseller conducting a market survey asked a woman, “Which book has helped you most in your life?”  The woman replied, “That would be my husband’s check book.”

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TEACHER: What do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
PUPILS: A teacher.

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One rainy evening,a couple emerged from a restaurant only to find that they had locked the keys in the car. The husband insisted he could open the door with a wire coat hanger, so we went back to the restaurant to get one. There were none to be found.
The husband then ran to a department store a few blocks away and returned with a hanger. After a few attempts, he got the door open and they both climbed in.  As they sat there, soaked and cold, he stuck the hanger under his seat. With a smug grin, he said, “Now if this ever happens again, I'll have one.”
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AND THERE WENT ANOTHER DAY BANG ZOOM

Pheebs and I slipped up to Goderich and back under cool cloudy skies this morning.  It was our routine route with all the usual stops.  

 TREES ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE ON A BARE LOOK

 LOOKS LIKE A FLAT TIRE AND THEY ARE CALLING A TOW TRUCK

 CANADA GEESE ALONG LAKE HURON'S SHORELINE

Spent an hour outside this afternoon raking up more pine needles and leaves.  Also drained our outside hoses.  And there went another day bang zoom.

 OUR RED BUD TREE STILL HAS MOST OF IT'S LEAVES

 ONE OF THE LAST SPLASHES OF COLOR IN OUR FRONT YARD

 OUR HOSTAS ARE DEFINITELY DONE FOR THE SEASON

Al's Music Box:)) Memories by Barbra Streisand.  Streisand recorded this song on September 12, 1973, with Marty Paich doing the arrangements. The song was released as a single later in the month, and the movie came out on October 19, 1973. The film was very successful and helped popularize the song, which entered the Top 40 on December 22, 1973 and became Streisand's first #1 hit on Groundhog Day, 1974.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Reasons Why The English Language Is Hard To Learn

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

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A priest was sent to a very small church in the backwoods of Alaska. After a couple of years the Bishop decided to pay the priest a visit to see how he was doing. The priest said that it was a really lonely job and that he didn't think that he could have made it without his Rosary and two martinis each day. With that the priest said to the Bishop, "Would you like to have a martini with me?" The Bishop said, "Yes, that would be nice." The priest turned around and hollered toward the kitchen, "Rosary, would you fix us two martinis please?"

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WITH A COMFORTABLE FEELING OF USEFULNESS

A MULTI-COLORED SUMAC TREE IN OUR PARK

A definite drop in our temperature overnight as a cold front moved in.  I'm guessing yesterday's 70F was the last comfortably warm day of the year and it's not likely we'll hit that temperature mark again until maybe six or seven months from now in mid to late May next year.

 RAIN PUDDLES ON A BASSWOOD LEAF

With a slightly cold and rainy drizzle in the air, Pheebs and I slipped into Bayfield and back without stopping anywhere for a walk.  We are now past the peak of our Autumn colors and leaves are falling.  It won't be long and the countryside will transform from October's beautiful Autumn colors to November's stark grays, muddy browns, and dark moody skies.  For many folks in this climate zone, including me, November can be the most depressing month of the year.  So, brace yourselves my fellow depressers for those cold and dark sodden days ahead.

 ALL THE BOATS ARE OUT OF THE BAYFIELD RIVER UNTIL NEXT SPRING

 A FEW PHOTOS AROUND BAYFIELD ON A DULL SATURDAY MORNING

Tucked into my sunroom recliner reading this afternoon I became aware of a slight brightening in our grey cloudy day.  Moments later, a ray of sunshine alighted on my right arm and slowly moved across my lap.  I could feel my batteries charging and within ten minutes Pheebs and I were out the door walking in sunshine around the Park's pond and back.  Just in time too, as clouds once again closed in and re-darkened the day.  Not to be daunted, and while my batteries were still in charge mode, I lifted the wooden trap door in our front deck, dropped myself rather clumsily through the hole, and proceeded to wiggle around and turn our outside water valve off underneath our unit.  I am already looking forward to the day when I can again return back down through that trap door and wiggle my way under our unit again to turn the water back on.  After that little job was done this afternoon it was out with our leaf blower and I blew all the leaves off our front porch and deck.  I followed that up with more leaf raking.  Later, with a comfortable feeling of usefulness of having accomplished something, I finally slipped back into our warm and cozy little house where Kelly was busy in the kitchen fixin us up something yummy for supper.  I like when that happens:))            

Ellen's Groove:))  A short clip of Ellen's progress. Come On, Come Over.

 I LIKE THIS NICE SECLUDED FRONT VERANDA IN OUR PARK

Al's Music Box:)) Against The Wind by Bob Seger from his 1980 album, 'Against The Wind'.  Seger pulled from his high school years as a cross-country runner to form the song's title–a metaphor for growing old. The song includes backing vocals from Eagles singer-songwriter Glenn Frey. Seger and Frey had met in the mid-1960s when they were both working the Detroit club scene and had remained close since.  A year prior, Seger co-wrote and made a guest appearance on the Eagles' "Heartache Tonight".

GROANER'S CORNER:(( How do you decide who to marry? (written by kids)

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all the way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kristen, age 10

What is the right age to get married? Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person forever by then. -- Camille, age 10

How can a stranger tell if two people are married? You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. -- Derrick, age 8

What do you think your Mom and Dad have in common? Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8

What do most people do on a first date? Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date. -- Martin, age 10

What would you do on a first date that was turning sour? I'd run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns. -- Craig, age 9

When is it okay to kiss someone? When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that. - - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. -- Howard, age 8

Is it better to be single or married? It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

How would the world be different if people didn't get married?There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? -- Kelvin, age 8

How would you make a marriage work? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck. -- Ricky, age 10

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Sixty may be the new forty but the $100 dollar bill is the new $20 dollar bill.

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WITH SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR HE WORE LIME GREEN SOCKS WITH ORANGE RUNNING SHOES AND A SPORTY ORANGE WATCH

 A BEAUTIFUL LATE OCTOBER  AFTERNOON AT THE END OF OUR STREET WITH OUR DRIVEWAY ON THE LEFT

For late October our mild 61F morning temperature compensated for the heavy cloud cover and at least it wasn't raining.  An almost warm breeze rustled the dry corn stalk leaves alongside our country road as Pheebs and I took my legs for a walk. 

CORN STALK LEAVES RUSTLED IN THE MORNING'S BREEZE

A DRIVE AROUND OUR PARK THIS MORNING

As hard as I tried today to haul myself outside to clean some dirty windows, I failed miserably.  It bugs me when I can't convince myself to do something that I don't like or feel like doing it.  However, I did spend an hour or so trimming more branches from several other overgrown trees.  Raked more leaves and caught or recaught 5 more frogs which I transported to the Park's pond.  Rehung a couple bird feeders too.  #&!!%^**#!! Squirrels!!  Our outside thermometer said we hit 71F today.  It was so nice this afternoon that we left our doors open and I was outside in a short-sleeved shirt.  Oh my, the payback we will have to pay for this lovely weather will not be nice.  

 ENJOYING THE MID-AFTERNOON SUN

 WITH WARMER TEMPS UPON US IT WAS A GOOD DAY TO CATCH SOME FROGS

 HEADING FOR THE PARK'S POND

 AND THIS IS WHERE I SLIP THE LITTLE GREEN FELLERS INTO THE PARK'S POND

 PHEEBS AND I HEAD HOME ALONG A  COLORFUL LEAFY TRAIL

A surprise phone call this morning at 9:15 from Kelly's liaison lady at University Hospital.  We didn't expect to hear anything for probably a week or more.  The liaison lady, Amy, already had Dr. Skaros's report regarding our meeting yesterday, on her desk.  Things are moving ahead but there are more hurdles coming.  The next biggy will be the results of a test mixing the donors O type blood with Kelly's O type blood to determine how compatible the anti-bodies are between the two bloods.  They can tell from this test alone the risk level involved for the recipient during surgery and recovery afterwards.  If the  two numbers are not within an acceptable and compatible parameter then the liver transplant will not happen.  In that case, with no other donors, Amy said the wait for a matching cadaver liver is very long.  With her Pruritus worsening, Kelly doesn't have that kind of time delay on her side.  On November 21rst Kelly now has an appointment for a more in-depth MIBI stress test with two parts to it.  She will get a two-hour break between tests.  And, she has another appointment two days later on November 23rd at the Pre-Admission Clinic with an Anesthesiologist.  This will involve some medical stuff.  Also, she has a November 17th dentist appointment in Exeter Ontario following my November 16th hip appointment in Sarnia the day before.  The last half of November is going to be very busy for us.  Discussing yesterday's happenings in London, Kelly amusingly reminded me this morning of Dr. Skaros's attire yesterday.  After he blew into the room the first thing we both noticed about him was his lime green socks, orange running shoes, and a sporty orange watch.  Now, I do think those are definitely encouraging signs of a confident and competent surgeon.  Also, when talking to Kelly about getting her weight up he strongly recommended a protein drink he himself drinks.  He said he buys it by the case and his favorite is the Caramel flavor.  He even told Kelly exactly where to find it (behind the flowers) at the Costco Store on London's Wonderland Road.  It's called Premier Protein.  Kelly actually slipped up to Goderich this morning and found it at Walmart.  She bought one four-pack of Caramel and one four-pack of Chocolate.

 OUR PARK IS BEGINNING TO LOOK VERY HALLOWEENY

Al's Music Box:)) El Paso by Marty Robbins from his 1959 album, 'Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs'.  El Paso is widely considered a genre classic for its gripping narrative which ends in the death of its protagonist, its shift from past to present tense, haunting harmonies by vocalists Bobby Sykes and Jim Glaser of the Glaser Brothers, and the eloquent and varied Spanish guitar accompaniment by  Grady Martin that lends the recording a distinctive Tex-Mex feel. The name of the character Feleena was based upon a schoolmate of Robbins in the fifth grade, Fidelina Martinez  Members of the Western Writers of America chose "El Paso" as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

 ONE OF OUR FRONT YARD FROGS NOW IN THE PARK'S POND

GROANER'S CORNER:(( When the waitress in a New York City restaurant brought him the soup du jour, the Englishman was a bit dismayed. "Good heavens," he said, "what is this?"  "Why, it's bean soup," she replied.  "I don't care what it has been," he sputtered. "What is it now?"

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- I need to get medication so I can slap stupid people and blame it on the side effects.

- When I opened my birthday card and loads of rice fell out  I knew right away who sent it...It was my Uncle Ben.

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There's quite an art to falling apart as the years go by,  And life doesn't begin at 40 that's a big lie.  My hair's getting thinner, my body is not;  The few teeth I have are beginning to rot.

I smell of Vick's-Vapo-Rub, not Chanel #5;
My new pacemaker's all that keeps me alive.  When asked of my past, every detail I'll know, But what was I doing 5 minutes ago?

Well, you get the idea, what more can I say?
I'm off to read the obits like I do every day;
If my name's not there, I'll once again start
Perfecting the art of falling apart!

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