SHE WANTED ME HALF NAKED AND THEN TOLD ME TO LAY ON THE BED

 SARNIA HOSPITAL'S FOOD COURT AS VIEWED FROM AN OVERHEAD WALKWAY AND KELLY CAN BE SEEN IN THIS PHOTO TOP RIGHT OF CENTER AT THE MO'CHA CAFE CHECKING OUT THE FOOD MENU  

Luckily, the weather did not throw us a curve this morning,  Under cloudy skies we rolled out of our driveway at 9:10 a.m. heading for Sarnia Ontario on bare and dry snow-free roads.  A bonus for this time of year.  It was an easy country drive all the way there with very light traffic, even in Sarnia.  We did make a quick stop at Tim Hortons in Forest Ontario for a couple coffees to go.  No problem finding the Sarnia Blue Water hospital and I was at the registration desk at 10:55.  My appointment was at 11.

 HOW LUCKY WE WERE TO HAVE DRY AND BARE ROADS ALL THE WAY TO SARNIA AND BACK....HEADING WEST ON THE 402

 WALKING PAST THE MO'CHA CAFE ON OUR WAY TO REGISTRATION

 PASSED THROUGH THE FOOD COURT

Everything went smoothly today as we first made our way to the third floor for a meeting with a nurse to go over my meds and do some extra instructional paperwork.  Next was a meeting with an anesthesiologist person to go over more stuff.  Nice lady.  Next, it was down to the 2nd floor for blood work.  I don't think the lady there left me with a whole lot of blood.  Now down to the hospital's main floor for an EKG where a lady there told me I needed to be bare-chested and lying on the bed.  I took it to mean, 'get yourself half naked and lay on your back on the bed and don't move or else'!!  From there, it was off to the X-ray department for X-rays of my right hip.  At least that lady didn't make me take half my clothes off but I forgot to tell her I had a metal jackknife in my pocket and when she turned on her X-ray machine, it nearly blew her out of the little lead-lined control booth.  And that was it, I was done.  And, at no time today did anyone have to give me a slap upside the head except for maybe the X-ray lady.  I found all the medical staff I encountered were very friendly.  Before leaving the hospital, Kelly ordered us up a couple of sandwiches to go from the Mo'Cha Cafe.  It was 1:15 when we left the hospital, walked to the car, and wolfed down our sandwiches.  From there we drove half a dozen blocks to an Orthopedic Store where we picked up a special pillow and one pair of pressure stockings.  The stockings are to prevent blood clots following surgery.  Two minutes after leaving the Orthopedic Store we were eastbound on the 402 making fast tracks out of Sarnia.  We never made any stops on the way home and rolled into our driveway shortly before 3 p.m.  Although we hadn't gone far like in our RVing days, we were both sure tired and glad to be home.  With today's medical tests behind me, the only thing that could sink my hip surgery now is if my diabetes number from today's blood test comes in too high.  We'll know in a couple days.  

 KELLY PATIENTLY WAITS WHILE A NURSE GOES OVER MY MEDS WITH ME

 I'M BACK

ANOTHER WAITING ROOM FOR THE BLOODWORK

 WAITING FOR MY EKG

 SHE WANTS TO WHAT!! AND THEN LAY ON MY BACK THERE

 HIP X-RAYS WERE LAST ON THE LIST

 BEFORE LEAVING THE HOSPITAL KELLY ORDERED US UP A COUPLE TOASTED SANDWICHES

I don't know how it crept up on me so quickly but it did.   It seems that only a short while ago it was Christmas and 'poof' here it is only a few days before Groundhog Day already.  How the heck did that happen so fast.  Had it not popped up on the news, the big day might have blown right past me.  Ground Hog day this Friday is going to be a real nail-biter because the weather forecast is for Sun and clouds.  I hope those folks in Wiarton Ontario will know enough not to bring Willy out during a sunny stretch because that will mean 6 more weeks of Winter when he sees his shadow.  Not good!!!!  And, just think, in two short weeks it will be Valentine's Day.  Can St. Patrick's Day be in the not-too-distant future following this, the shortest month of the year??  I think not:))  

In our RVing days not long ago, one of our favorite things to do was to get out and explore whatever area we happened to be in.  Ten years ago today is a good example of that.  Boondocked on the west side of the Kofa Mountains south of Quartzsite, Arizona for a few days we set off in the morning to find something called, Ladder Tank.  We Found What We Set Out To Find Today  We had many days like this over the years and those great days live forever in my memory now thanks to my blog.  Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Al's Music Box:)) Uncle Albert  is a song by Paul and Linda McCartney from the album Ram and was released in the United States as a single on 2 August 1971.   It became McCartney's first gold record after the breakup of the Beatles.  "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is composed of several unfinished song fragments that Norwegian engineer Eirik Wangberg stitched together in a similar manner to the medleys from the 'Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road. The orchestral arrangements by George Martin were recorded in New York at A & R Recording, along with other instruments by McCartney and his new band. The project was moved to Los Angeles where vocals were added by Paul and Linda McCartney—her first experience of recording in a professional studio. The song is notable for its thunderstorm and environmental sound effects added by Wangberg in Los Angeles; he had been invited by McCartney to mix and sequence the Ram album in any way he saw fit, and he copied the thunder from a monaural film soundtrack, then fashioned an artificial stereo version of it for the song.  McCartney stated that "Uncle Albert" was based on his uncle: "He's someone I recall fondly, and when the song was coming it was like a nostalgia thing." He also stated: "I had an uncle – Albert Kendall – who was a lot of fun, and when I came to write 'Uncle Albert'/'Admiral Halsey' it was loosely about addressing that older generation, half thinking, what would they think of the way my generation does things? That's why I wrote the line 'We're so sorry, Uncle Albert.'  McCartney also told an American journalist, "As for Admiral Halsey, he's one of yours, an American admiral", referring to Fleet Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey (1882–1959).  McCartney has described the "Uncle Albert" section of the song as an apology from his generation to the older generation, and Admiral Halsey as an authoritarian figure who ought to be ignored.  McCartney additionally explained: "'Hands across the water/Heads across the sky' refers to Linda and me being American and British."

 SORRY.....I DIDN'T MEAN TO SCARE YOU

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver's license.  First, of course, he had to take an eyesight test. The optician showed him a card with the letters: 'C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.'  "Can you read this?" the optician asked.  "Read it?" the Polish guy replied, "I know the guy."

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She: "Sweetheart, what's your gift for our 25th anniversary?"
He: "A trip to Thailand."
She: "That's amazing! And what about when we hit our 50th anniversary?" she asked.
He: "That's when I come back to get you."

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A customer walks into a coffee shop. She asks the barista, “How much for a cup of coffee?”  The barista points to the menu and says, “Five dollars for a cup of coffee and refills are free.”  The customer responds, “Thanks. I’ll have a refill.”

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Q: What do you call a sad cup of coffee?
A: A depresso.

- If you replace your morning coffee with green tea ….You can lose up to 87% of what little joy you feel in the morning.

- Don’t ever let anyone tell you fairy tales aren’t real. I wake up every morning to drink a potion made from magic beans that brings me back to life.
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HEADING TO SARNIA'S BLUEWATER HOSPITAL IN THE MORNING

Slipping the Jeep into four-wheel drive, Pheebs and I rolled out of the Park and headed East down to the end of Bayfield River Road and back.  With temps at 33F, the falling snow had a lot of moisture in it making roads a bit squoozy.

 A SNOWPLOW GOING BY OUR PARK HEADING WEST

 THAT SNOWPLOW IS PROBABLY CARRYING A HEAVY MIXTURE OF SAND AND ROAD SALT

AND SOON THE PLOW DISAPPEARED IN A SWIRL OF SNOW

It is that time of year now when I begin checking the long-range weather forecast daily for any early signs of a warming trend.  I look for dominant weather patterns bringing sunshine and steady above-freezing temperatures.  And, that is what I am seeing for the next couple of weeks which will get us halfway through February.  I hang on to every positive weather forecast I can find in these gray and dreary winter days.  If I were an 'inside' person I probably wouldn't give a hoot about what the weather is doing but being an outside person the weather is a big deal to me.  Hey, I'm Canadian eh:)) 

 HEADING EAST ON BAYFIELD RIVER ROAD

In the morning we will head to Sarnia Ontario's Bluewater Hospital for an 11 a.m. orientation appointment regarding my upcoming hip surgery in two weeks.  It looks like I will undergo bloodwork, a hip X-ray, and possibly an EKG, etc.  Well hey, at least we're going somewhere and doing something different when we get there.  I'm hoping this current drizzle doesn't turn into freezing rain overnight.

 IF SOME OF THESE PHOTOS LOOK A LITTLE FADED, WASHED OUT, MOTTLED, OR GRAINY, IT IS BECAUSE I AM LITERALLY SHOOTING THROUGH THOUSANDS OF SNOWFLAKES 

Back at our Park this morning, I drove around a bit taking a few more pics and after backing the Jeep into the carport I proceeded to move some wet snow around and top up the birdfeeders.  By this time it was kind of a fine drizzle coming down and that continued for the rest of the day.

Al's Music Box:)) For The Good Times is a studio album by country music artist Ray Price. It was released in 1970 by Columbia Records.  For the Good Times was Kris Kristofferson's first No. 1 hit as a songwriter. The album also included another Kristofferson song, "Help Me Make It Through The Night". 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the car several miles back?"To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"

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Why did Dorothy get lost in Oz?
She had three men giving her directions.
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Q: Did you hear about the Irishman who was tap dancing?
A: He broke his ankle when he fell into the sink.

Q: What's Irish and sits outside in the summertime?
A: Paddy O'Furniture!

Q: What are the best ten years of an Irishman's life?
A: Third grade.

Q: How do you sink an Irish submarine?
A: Knock on the hatch.

Q: How can you identify an Irish pirate?
A: He's the one with patches over both eyes.
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Doctor: What's wrong with your bother?
Boy: He thinks he is a chicken.
Doctor: really? How long has this been going on?
Boy: Five years.
Doctor: Five years!
Boy: We would have brought him in earlier, but we needed the eggs.

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I DELETED THEM

The half-dozen photos I took this morning were so poor that I deleted them.  Maybe tomorrow...  

Al's Music Box:)) Wake Me Up Before You Go Go is a song by English pop duo 'Wham', first released as a single in the UK on 14 May 1984 It became their first UK and US number-one hit.  It was written and produced by George Michael. It was recorded within two days at Sarm West Studio 2 in London, with a live rhythm section. The song, according to Michael, had been done in one take without any drop-ins (overdubs) at all – production-wise, he noted that the two options to him were "either to be like Trevor Horn and go for stunning sounds on your own, or just get a great sound on each instrument and go for a live take".

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Why is it that if you donate a kidney, people love you. But if you donate five kidneys, they call the police

- "I wish there was a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence. There’s a knob called brightness, but it doesn’t work."

- "I'll never forget my Grandfather’s last words to me just before he died. "Are you still holding the ladder?""

- A doctor calls his patient and says; the check you gave me for my bill came back.

The patient replied: So did my arthritis!

- “Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It’s cheaper.” 

- “People say money is not the key to happiness, but I have always figured if you have enough money, you can have a key made.”

- “Misers are no fun to live with, but they make great ancestors.” 

 - “All I’ve ever wanted was an honest week’s pay for an honest day’s work.”

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YES, IT HAS BEEN THAT LONG

 FEMALE CARDIAL

Hardly a vehicle stirring, not even a house.  And that's how quiet it was for another one of our Sunday morning Jeep rides.  Cloudy and gray so I didn't end up with many photos again.  Fewer birds at the feeders today too.  For me, it was another day tipped back in my sunroom recliner reading and thinking of days to come.

 I MUCH PREFER THE COLOR GREEN TO THE COLOR WHITE

 SKIES LOOKED CLEAR NORTH OF GODERICH

 THE LAST OF OUR OUTSIDE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS CAME DOWN THIS MORNING

Curiously glancing back in my blog to see what we were up to 10 years today I saw I had written this....(we were staying at our Congress Arizona house at the time) 'Seeings how we had a trip to Wickenburg anyway this afternoon for Pheebs Rattlesnake vaccine shot, Kelly figured she might as well get her monthly blood tests taken care of again.  I remember when she had to have those regular blood tests at the time because she had been sick a lot and had already been diagnosed with the early stages of her liver disease. I was surprised to see Kelly has been dealing with this liver disease for over 10 years now, but thinking back I do remember that yes, it has been that long............ 

 MALE CARDIAL

Ellen's Groove:)) I came across this little ditty by Ellen and her Dad playing a short tribute to the guys from Cory And The Wongnotes.  I can tell it's from maybe a year ago or so because Ellen is using her light blue colored bass which I haven't seen her use for quite a while.  It's easy to see in this video who Ellen gets her musical chops from.    

Al's Music Box:)) Make It With You is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by American pop-rock group Bread, of which Gates was a member. Gates and drummer Mike Botts are the only members of the group to appear on the recording, The song first appeared on Bread's 1970 album, On The Waters. Released as a single that June, it was the group's first top-ten hit  "Make It with You" was the No. 13 song of 1970, and it was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over one million copies.

 MORNING TICKLES

GROANER'S CORNER:(( You might be a redneck if, your wife's hairdo was ever ruined by a ceiling fan!

You might be a redneck if, you refuse to slide during a softball game because you don't want to crush your cigarettes!

You might be a redneck if, you're mowing your lawn and find a car.

You might be a redneck If, you were shooting pool when any of your children were born!

You might be a redneck if, the interviewer asks, '"Did you know that we are a Fortune 500 Company?'" And you answer, '"What track do y'all sponsor that race at? I ain't been to that one yet."

You might be a redneck If, you've ever been involved in a custody fight over a dog!

You are a redneck if your prom date is your brother, or if you went to the prom in your father's pickup truck!

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