HOPE IS BACK IN HER HEART AGAIN

 CLEAR BLUE SKIES, BARE ROADS, AND NO SNOW IS ALWAYS A WINNING COMBINATION AT THIS TIME OF YEAR

When Kelly and I talked with the liver transplant surgeon in London a couple of months ago he told her she only had a 4% chance of a live liver donor's blood being compatible with her blood.  That has weighed heavy on Kelly's mind ever since and I could tell she was slowly losing hope.  We don't know when those blood type comparison tests were done but last night (Thursday) Kelly's anonymous liver donor contacted her saying she had received a call from London's University Hospital telling her that the blood tests had been done and that the donor's blood matched perfectly with Kelly's blood.  It is not often I see tears in Kelly's eyes but I saw them last night.  Hope is back in her heart again.  But, in the meantime, the liver-related itching is becoming so much worse.  She had a bad night and today wasn't any better.

OUR SINGLE WINTER GRACKLE STOPS FOR A DRINK FROM OUR FRONT YARD FROG POND

Needing to pick up a few things, the furry Kid and I under sunny blue skies and 45F temps piled into the Jeep, hoisted the sails, and set a northern course for Goderich.  Coffee, harbor, Walmart, and home again with nothing exciting in between.

 THE OCEAN-GOING SHIP WICKO IS AT THE GODERICH GRAIN TERMINAL

 TWO WORKERS MONITOR THE LOADING OF MAYBE GRAIN , SOYBEANS, CORN, OR WHEAT INTO THE SHIPS HOLD WITH THE TWO LARGE HATCH COVERS STANDING VERTICALLY ON EITHER SIDE

 THE WICKO HAS ITS COMMUNICATION GEAR IN A FOLDED-DOWN POSITION.....NO LOW BRIDGES AROUND HERE TO GO UNDER SO THE CAPTAIN MAY HAVE SEEN A WHOLE HERD OF SEAGULLS APPROACHING AND QUICKLY DROPPED HIS  ANTENNAE GEAR

Marilyn in our 'Shout Box' asked a question regarding my Thursday post.  A couple photos showed an area in our Park where future homes may soon be arriving next summer.  She asked, 'Do you mind that more homes are coming??  My short answer is 'Yes' but with an explanation.  First, we have been very fortunate over the past 21 years to have lived here so close to nature's forests with their quiet walking trails and wildlife.  For our particular kind of low-key lifestyle, we have been lucky that there hasn't been a large influx of new homes and people.  Of course, we knew the Park would eventually expand and that when new units came it would bring more people and traffic.  However, change is inevitable and we understand and have to accept that.  But, like I said, we have been so fortunate to have lived here for as long as we have in the quieter era we did and currently do.

 A FRIDAY MORNING FARMER OUT SPREADING A LOAD OF GOOD CHEER ON HIS FIELD

Getting used to her new recliner's remote control Kelly pressed one of the buttons today which tossed her out of the chair and backwards into the wall.  Picking herself up she said, 'I guess that E button stands for EJECT!!  Okay, okay, so that didn't really happen but can you imagine if it did:((  

 WAVES ROLLING IN ALONG GODERICH'S SHORELINE

Thirteen years ago today while in Arizona, I wrote this post entitled, The Old West Is Still Alive In This Little Boy's Memory   You can take the boy out of the Wild West but you can't take the Wild West out of the boy.

 WEST OF TOMBSTONE ARIZONA I STAND GAZING AT THE DISTANT HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS  

Al's Music Box:)) Sixteen Tons is a song written by Merle Travis about a coal miner, based on life in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.  Tennessee Ernie Ford recorded "Sixteen Tons" in 1955.  With Ford's snapping fingers and a unique clarinet-driven pop arrangement, it quickly became a million-seller.  On March 25, 2015, Ford's version of the song was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.

 SEEN IN GODERICH EARLIER TODAY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A buyer was considering purchasing an aging thoroughbred but wanted a veterinarian's opinion of the horse before finalizing the deal.  When the vet had completed his examination the potential buyer asked, "Will I be able to race him?"  The veterinarian looked at the buyer, then at the horse.  "Sure," he replied, "And you'll probably win!"

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- Thank you, student loan, for helping me through college...I don't think I can ever repay you.

 - I think the worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades.

- Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

- I'm sitting in a cafeteria next to a woman who was engrossed in her newspaper. One of the headlines blared: "12 Brazilian Soldiers Killed."  She shook her head at the sad news. Then, turning to me, she asked, "How many is a Brazilian?"

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