NOW I AM GOING TO FREEZE MY FACE OFF WHEN I GO OUT TO FEED THE BIRDS

 PARK RESIDENT MIKE AND HIS BEST PAL ALFIE OUT FOR THEIR MORNING WALK ON THIS SNOWY MORNING

Our temps dropped to 9F overnight and we woke up to it snowing.  I think we had about 5 inches of snow come down and that snow has continued all day today. We are so much looking forward to temperatures possibly reaching 40F this coming week with a chance of some sunshine.  If that's the case I might even get my neon lime green and pink sprinkled Bermuda shorts out.

 HEADING WEST ON OUR STREET

 A FEW PHOTOS AROUND OUR PARK BEFORE HEADING INTO TOWN

 THIS STREET IN OUR PARK IS KNOWN AS TAMARACK DRIVE

Pheebs and I headed off into Bayfield, plowing a little snow along the way.  Because it was Saturday and not a school day, the snowplows were not yet out and about on the secondary roads.  It was a routine drive into and around Bayfield before heading home again.

  A LONE MORNING WALKER ON THIS SNOWY ROAD TO BAYFIELD

 THERE WERE A LOT OF FELLAS OUT WITH THEIR SNOW BLOWERS THIS MORNING

 DID YOU SEE THE TWO OLD CROWS IN THIS PHOTO AND YES, THAT HOUSE IN THERE IS ACTUALLY A DARK BLUISH PURPLE

 A FEW FOLKS SHOVELING OUT ALONG BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET

 BAYFIELD'S HAUNTED ALBION HOTEL

 HEADING HOME ON A COLD WINTER'S DAY

It snowed most of the day but it was a light and fluffy snow so it was not hard to shovel.  I'm not shovelling as many pathways as the past couple of winters and I'm quite alright with that.  Roland, our driveway snowplow guy rolled in not long after noon and cleared the snow in our driveway so I was glad I didn't have to do that.

 ROLAND, OUR DRIVEWAY GUY PLOWING SNOW WITH SOMEONE RIDING SHOTGUN

Friday, while running all our Goderich errands something caught my eye when we were in the Parson's Used Furniture Store.  It was the stand-out bright colors from clearly across the large room I spotted.  When I walked over to see what it was, I knew right away I wanted it.  It wasn't exactly something we were looking for or really needed.....or did we??  I quickly reasoned it would be perfect on our wall to help us get through these cold and gray depressing Winter days.  A form of 'feeling good' light therapy I figured and here's the kicker....it has the sound of running water with a volume control.  It also doubles as a night light.  Check out the pics below.  We love it:))

 IN THE MIRROR FRAME YOU CAN SEE THE REFLECTION OF MY BLUE FLANNEL SHIRT AS I TAKE THE PHOTO

 WE MOUNTED OUR WARM 'SLAND OASIS' ABOVE PHEEB'S COUCH

Kelly is still really liking her new chair and I am beginning to think this one is a keeper.  It took her four tries to find the exact right one but I'm reasonably sure this chair is here to stay.  But, don't be surprised if.......oh, never mind, I think we're good this time:))

 I THINK THE MODEL OF THE CHAIR IS A 'MAYFAIR'

Catching a sideways glance of myself in a hallway mirror this afternoon I quickly made a decision and cranked a left turn into our washroom.  Without hesitation or further ado, I grabbed my seldom-used electric clippers, plugged it in, and with a few deft swipes aimed at my face I buzzed my sideburns off again.  Try as I have over the years I just can't seem to grow sideburns and the sides of my face end up looking like the bedraggled dead mouse that the cat dragged home.  No regrets except that now I am going to freeze my face off when I go out to feed the birds.  

 I WAS SURPRISED THIS MORNING TO SEE THE BAYFIELD RIVER ICE BREAKING UP

 I WAS ALSO SURPRISED TO SEE A FISHING BOAT IN THE RIVER AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE OTHER DRYDOCKED FISHING BOAT'S STACK 

SOMEBODY MUST BE IN THERE COOKING UP A MESS OF SATURDAY MORNING BACON AND EGGS

 I DON'T THINK THE MARINA WILL BE SELLING MUCH GAS UNLESS AN ESKIMO PADDLES UP IN HIS GASOLINE-ASSISTED KAYAK....OUT OF GAS OF COURSE

 ANOTHER SURPRISE WHEN I NOTICED AN EAST WIND MUST HAVE BLOWN ALL THE SHORE ICE OUT INTO THE LAKE

 AND I'M ALSO SURPRISED THERE HASN'T BEEN A BIGGER BUILD-UP OF ICE ON THE PIERS YET

Al's Music Box:)) Walk Don't Run  After hearing a Chet Atkins recording of "Walk, Don't Run", the Tacoma-based instrumental rock band The Ventures released their version of the tune as a single in the Spring of 1960 on Dolton Records.  Personnel on this record were Bob Bogle on lead guitar, Don Wilson on rhythm guitar, Nokie Ewards on bass, and Skip Moore on drums. It was recorded and engineered by Joe Boles, who had a basement studio in his home in Seattle. This single, the Ventures' first national release, became a huge hit and vaulted the group to stardom. The song was recorded before the band officially had a drummer. The Ventures' website lists the drummer on "Walk, Don't Run" as Skip Moore. Moore was not interested in touring and never was a full-time member of the band. As payment for his session work, Moore was given the choice of $25 or 25% of any royalties from sales of the single. He took the $25. The band later re-recorded the song in 1964 and became the first band to score two top-ten hits with two versions of the same tune.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Harvey's Grandfather clock suddenly stops working right one day, so he loads it into his van and takes it to a clock repair shop.  In the shop is a little old man who insists he is Swiss, but has a heavy German accent. He asks Harvey, "Vat sims to be ze problem?"  Harvey says, "I'm not sure, but it doesn't go 'tick-tock-tick-tick-tock' anymore. Now it just goes 'tick...tick...tick.'" The old man says, "Mmm-Hm!" and steps behind the counter, where he rummages around a bit. He emerges with a huge flashlight and walks over the Grandfather clock.  He turns the flashlight on and shines it directly into the clock's face. Then he says in a menacing voice, "Ve haf vays of making you tock!"

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 “Doing nothing is very hard to do because you never know when you’re finished.”

My wife and I are a temperamental couple...
I’ve got a temper and she’s mental.

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