NICE DAY FOR A WORKING DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY

 

WELCOME TO THE BAYFIELD BUNCH'S PLACE

Another nice mobility van drive today over to University Hospital in London, Ontario.  The hospital is in the north end of the city so didn't have to get into any downtown traffic madness.  Had a 2 hour wait & then it was back out into the quiet & scenic countryside & back home.  Sure am glad we don't live in, or anywhere near any kind of a city!!!!

OUR IRIS FLOWERS ARE IN BLOOM

A comment question from JANNA AT TIN TEEPEE/LOG CABIN about last night's blog photo of our little Motormouse on the porch wearing a long blue lead.  Both Checker's & the Motormouse are very crafty girls & like to wander off.  We always have to watch them closely when they are outside of their fenced in back yard.  They are both explorers & know we are easily distracted when people are around.  You get to talking & forget about the dogs.  Both Checkers & Motormouse know this & will slip away every time.  A couple weeks ago we got distracted doing some gardening & before we knew it we couldn't find the little Motor.  She had walked all the way over to the mail room to greet people picking up their mail.  Checkers has always been a happy wanderer & will do the same if we don't keep a close eye on her.

IT'S THE MOTORMOUSE CATCHING A FEW RAYS THROUGH THE SUN ROOM'S SKYLIGHT

Had another comment question from SAM & DONNA -5TH WHEEL VAGABONDS which asks, "Al how do you handle the Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde transformation when you climb in the van."  This is in reference to my blog A PLEASANT WEATHER & WORKING DAY.  In it I was talking about my job of transporting elderly Seniors & stated, "Of course they don't know me as a cranky old Cursmudgeon though. To them I am one of those bouncy, good natured & friendly young guys." 

To start with I have often heard people say that whenever they are around young people it makes them feel young as well.  I am the total opposite to that.  It is when I am around young people that I feel old & when around older folks I feel younger.

Now, about the Jekyll/Hyde  thingy.  Yes, it's true, I am basically a Cursmudgeon alright in these latter years, but on my mobility van job the transformation out of my Cursmudgeon character happens automatically & willingly as soon as I enter a nursing home facility, hospital, or a Seniors home & meet the person I am transporting.  I seem to get an extra little bounce in my walk & am easily able to talk with these people.  All of these folks are in need of help & that is why I am there.  It is my job to safely transport these wheelchair folks to & from their destinations & quite often that means right into the hospitals, medical centers, dentist offices, etc.  Up the elevators & down the halls looking for waiting rooms & Doctor's offices.  And I am always talking & kibitzing along the way trying to make them feel comfortable & at ease.  Years ago doing travelogues at Seniors facilities I used to get the very same feeling.

I feel very good about that so I am comfortable & able to relax & bring out that humorous young good natured friendly guy that still lives inside somewhere.......somewhere within the shadow of the Cursmudgeon!!  Don't want to get too deep here but sometime in a future blog maybe I will expand on my Jekyll/Hyde & Cursmudgeon theories.  It could get a bit lengthy though.................. And, while on the topic of Seniors I would just like to thank everyone for all your kind comments about my Uncle Harry in last night's blog.  Very much appreciated.  Thank You:))

JUDY & EMMA are in the process of moving into their new home.  'New to them' Motor Home that is.  Lots of excitement going on over there as they transfer things from their older Motor Home into the newer one.  Nice looking rig for sure:))

THIS LITTLE SIGN WAS MADE BY OUR FRIEND 'BUTCH' WHO HANGS OUT IN THE DESERT NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

Our weather just continues to get nicer & as I sit here at the computer looking out over our front yard I am always amazed at how such a barren & bleak yard-scape during winter & early spring can explode into a veritable jungle of green foliage & colorful flowers.

 

JUST OUTSIDE THE SUN ROOM WINDOW IN FRONT OF ME

My gardening style has changed over the years.  Gone are the manicured large lawns, the perfectly trimmed shrubs & razor edged flower beds with everything precisely measured out & planted like you see so often in suburbia.  Nothing wrong with that kind of landscaping where everything is crisp & neat as a pin.  Did that for a bunch of years & It's just not what I care for anymore.  Now I let the foliage grow in together giving the yard a more natural woodsy look.  Kind of a junglescape flavor.  In fact, I thought I saw a saber tooth Zebra near one of the Azalea bushes last week.

Much more critter friendly too with squirrels, chipmunks, bees, butterflies, & lots of birds flittering about.  And I like the privacy all the foliage provides because we do have a few prying eyes in our Park!!  Well, doesn't every neighborhood!!

HEY, WHAT THE HECK IS THIS PICTURE OF A JEEP WRANGLER DOING IN THE BLOG.....Hmmmmmmm!!

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And it's real darn scary when you start making the same noises as your coffee maker too.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

AND TODAY WAS MY UNCLE HARRY'S 94TH BIRTHDAY:))

A RELAXING AFTERNOON

To-day was my Uncle Harry's 94th Birthday & once again he came all they over from Woodstock Ontario to spend it here in Bayfield with us.  His friend & ours, Grace, drove him up.  Until just a few short years ago Harry was always at the wheel but he finally sold his car a few years back & now lets others do the driving.  And, he was a fine driver right up to the day he decided it was finally time to step aside.

SO NICE TO SIT OUTSIDE ON THE PORCH TODAY

We were happy the weather cooperated today with sunshine & warmer temps.    Nice to sit outside on our front porch.  Uncle Harry has always enjoyed coming here & seeing all the improvements we have made to the house & grounds over the years & he is the fellow who made it all possible for Kelly & I to buy our place here nearly 7 years ago.

SITTING IN THE SUN ROOM WATCHING THE BIRDS AT THE FEEDERS

HARRY & MAX HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEST BUDDIES

We sat & watched the birds at the feeders & I showed him how I'm able to take the bird photos with the long telescope/lens & camera set up.  For supper we had Harry's favorite frying sausage from Krug's Butcher shop in Tavistock, Ontario.  Our family has been buying frying sausage there ever since I was a kid & it's always Harry's fav.  Scalloped potatoes with cheese sauce cauliflower &  creamed corn was followed by oven warmed apple pie & ice cream.  All Uncle Harry's favorites.

HARRY HASN'T LOST HIS APPETITE FOR GOOD OLD KRUG'S FRYING SAUSAGE:))

It was sad today to see that most of his mobility is gone now & even a walker is a struggle for him.  His voice is weaker & body frail, yet it was only a month ago we were playing pool together in Woodstock.   He hasn't lost that twinkle in his eye or his smiling chuckle but  as I helped him into the car after supper I seriously wondered if he was going to have enough strength left to ever make it back again for another visit.  

A HELPING HAND FOR THE MAN WHO FIRST EXTENDED US A HELPING HAND A DECADE AGO

With Grace at the wheel & Uncle Harry looking so very slumped in the passenger seat I watched as they backed out the driveway & then made their way down the road.  I watched, as I have done so many times before over the years..........................

HEADING HOME...............................

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You know, some days I get all the exercise I need just by pushing my luck!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

A PLEASANT WEATHER & WORKING DAY

Late getting to the computer tonight so might be a short blog.  Had us a great sunny day with temps in the low 70's so we are definitely headed in the direction of summer.

THIS LITTLE GARTER SNAKE FELLOW HAS TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN OUR CACTUS GARDEN & LOVES SUNNING HIMSELF ON THE WARM ROCKS

Managed to get myself another three & a half hours of work time in again today.  Picked up a couple of folks with the mobility van in a small town nearby & took them to another nearby town & dropped them off for a bit.  Returned them home a couple hours later.  Because of confidentiality rules with the company I drive for I can't really say too much about the people I transport or where they are going or for what reasons.  But I can say that it is just general things like medical appointments, visiting, errands & some grocery shopping etc.  All folks are in wheel chairs or  electric scooters & that is why it is a mobility van I am driving.  Been doing this for about 6 years now & probably 98% of all the people I have transported over those years are elderly Seniors.  Of course they don't know me as a cranky old Cursmudgeon though. To them I am one of those bouncy, good natured & friendly 'young guys.'  Yep, I like that job alright:))

TIME TO GET THE KID'S POOL OUT FOR THE SUMMER

I have half a dozen blogs or so I read every morning & another dozen or so I check periodically to see how people are doing.  It's just impossible to read everybody's blog & of course I feel guilty about that when I miss things or realize I haven't read so & so's blog for awhile.  We all pour our heart's & minds into these darn things & I do try my best to keep up with people's writings.  One of those half dozen or so blogs I read daily is written by a lady who goes by the road name of Gypsy.

AWWWW MOM, DO I REALLY HAVE TO HAVE MY SPRING BATH

I think it was a year or two ago when I first came across GYPSY'S BLOG out here in RV blog land.  Her postings caught my attention right away because she was down to earth with her writings & talked about how she felt about things.  It wasn't just a run of the mill 'nice-nice sugar & spice' blog that would fit quite comfortably into any glossy travel magazine.  I liked how Gypsy talked about the down days, the challenges, & hardships, of being a single lady RVer alone on the road driving a big truck hauling an even bigger 5th wheel trailer.  Although off the road now for awhile she continues to blog about her daily happenings & more importantly, how she feels about life from day to day.  The ups as well as the downs.  She approaches each day with the reality of challenges it holds for her.  No glossing over the difficulties with big happy face Cheshire grins or skipping through phony non existent never ending wondrous days.  No, Gypsy will give you her honest opinion & is not afraid to tell you how she feels.  If she's grumpy, she's grumpy & if she's happy she will tell you about that too. 

YES, THIS IS DEFINITELY A POND OF FROGS

I have great respect for people who face reality & who understand & accept the realism around them.  I admire those folks who have the courage to break from the herd & think for themselves.  They are definitely in the minority but I feel they are definitely on the right track.  Keep up the good work Gypsy....you go girl:))

A LONE CANOE AWAITS A LONE PADDLER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Irishman Patrick Finnegan came home drunk every evening toward ten.  Now, the Missus was never too happy about it, either. So one night she hides in the cemetery and figures to scare the beejeezus out of him. As poor Pat wanders by, up from behind a tombstone she jumps in a red devil costume screaming,  "Patrick Sean Finnegan, sure and ya' don't give up you're drinkin' and it's to Hell I'll take ye'".  Pat, undaunted, staggered back and demanded, "Who the hell ARE you?".  Too that the Missus replied, "I'm the divil ya' damned old fool".  To which Finnegan remarked,  "Damned glad to meet you sir, I'm married to yer sister."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

IT WAS NICE TO BE WORKING TODAY:))

OUR FRONT YARD TREE FROGS ARE BACK

JUDY confirmed my mystery bird guess yesterday as a female Baltimore (Northern) Oriole. 

Judy also wondered how I did that self portrait of myself in the pond too.  I used a 200mm lens for that shot Judy.  ISO 640 F5.6 at 1/500 of a second shutter speed. I later added a bit of contrast, saturation, & sharpening, in the Picasa photo program.  I used the 'sharpening' tool because I figured that was the only way to sharpen myself up a bit!!  Oh, & I had to use the 'Retouch' tool to remove my white beard & mustache too.  For the actual photo itself I mounted the camera on a tripod & set it on the pond bank, activated the self timer, & then scurried down the bank & hopped in the water quick as I could.  Just got myself flippered around in time to face the camera.

Sooooo nice to be working for a few hours today.  Only three & a half hours but it was nice to get out of the house for a drive though the beautiful spring countryside.  I'm off again in the morning & with a bit of luck I'll get another 3 or 4 hours in & that should darn well keep my mind off myself for awhile:))

               

POPPA GOOSE STANDS WATCH ON THE OLD SILO WHILE MAMMA GOOSE SITS IN THE GRASS BELOW......DAY AFTER DAY.  This is the couple who had their nest eggs eaten by the Muskrat.

Noticed a fair few people clicked on the photos of our television renovations from two summers ago so figured I better take a few new pics today to show the the TV & where we finally had it mounted & how.

THIS SHOWS TV EXTENDED OUT... Cupboard door was taken off & our handyman friend Bruce made 3 new pieces of wood to fill the space & the TV is mounted on the center piece.  The other two pieces flip up so there is still storage behind.

I LEFT ONE OF THE TROUSER BELTS IN THE PIC.  NORMALLY WE NEVER HAVE THE TV EXTENDED OUT THIS FAR

THE CUPBOARD DOOR FROM BEHIND THE NEWER TV WAS MOVED OVER HERE TO THE CENTER WHERE THE OLD CLUNKY TV USED TO HANG DOWN.  BRUCE DID A GOOD JOB IN FIXING UP THE BIG GAPING HOLE THAT WAS LEFT

And thanks to JANIE & JOHN for some kind words in their blog.  Never thought of myself as that way guys so the reference did send me scrambling through the dictionary pages to look up that 'P' word you used.  It has given me some ideas & opinions for a future blog sometime.

MAYBE IF I HAVE AN AFTERNOON SNOOZE DAD WILL TAKE ME FOR A RIDE ON THE BIKE AFTER

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And, an important reminder....... never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

SO NICE TO SEE SUNNY DAYS AGAIN....& THERE ARE MORE ON THE WAY:))

TODAY'S MYSTERY BIRD (could it be a female Northern Oriole)

I hung a hummingbird feeder up Saturday afternoon & Sunday morning Checker's frantic barking told us the raccoon had struck again leaving the feeder busted up on the ground.  A few repairs, a new batch of sugary juice, & the feeder is back up & this time with a locking clamp.......so we'll see!!

DOWNY WOODPECKER

Noticed SAM & DONNA are wondering about a flat screen TV for their 5th wheel which reminded me of our change over from a clunky old TV above the dash to a nice 23" Toshiba flat screen that we mounted on the wall near our entrance door.  It was one of the best things we did & are still amazed at the great HD quality picture we get even with just the rig's wind up antennae.  The TV is also able to extend, swivel, & tilt, making it much easier & practical to watch. 

PAST ?? BLOOMS GOING TO SEED

I did manage to scare up a blog showing pictures of that project.  TV PROJECT ONE.  Also included the blog about why it's best for me to let someone else do these things if I want them done right!!   IF I WANT IT DONE RIGHT!!  Click the small pics to enlarge them.  Also, you will notice in the pics the TV mount was first on the end of the kitchen cupboard.  I wasn't comfortable with that so had a friend of ours re-do it & mount it properly to the cupboard arrangement on the wall behind the TV. 

THE TV IN IT'S CURRENT POSITION.  IT CAN EXTEND OUT FROM THERE, SWIVEL & TILT

I just slipped out to the rig & took a few more pics of it secured in it's place by a couple of trouser belts.  The belt idea was mine although we did travel the whole winter a couple years ago without the belt idea & the TV was fine despite some of the worst bumps we had ever hit.  The two securing leather belts on there now give me greater peace of mind.

The full time mobility van driver who replaced me 3 years ago is off on a month of holidays so beginning tomorrow I am slipping into his spot (my old  spot) & hope to have myself a busy month.  I'm glad to be doing............ SOMETHING!!

THIS IS A PICTURE OF AL SWIMMING IN THE POND THIS MORNING

I managed to grab a couple quick pics of the orange bird I saw at the feeder on Saturday.  After a look though my bird book I am guessing at a female Northern Oriole.  Whaddya think Judy?

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And remember, if I want your opinion........ I will give it to you!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

'PEANUT BUTTER'.....THE EXCITEMENT HIGH FOR THE DAY

GODERICH HARBOR MAY 2009 (all but one of today's photos are file pics from May 09)

The absolute most exciting thing that happened in my life today was that I snuck into town to buy a jar of peanut butter.  Now, it hardly gets any more exciting than that I'd say!!

BRUCE & MARGIE aren't having themselves quite as an exciting day because they are currently held up in Owensville near St. Louis somewhere with a hydraulic jack on their Motor Home stuck in the down position.  Reminds me of November of 2008 when we were in Oliver Lee State Park near Alamogordo New Mexico with a similar jack problem.  I have a few photos of that situation on OUR BLOG for that day.

OLIVER LEE STATE PARK NEAR ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO...2008

RAY from beautiful downtown Gleeson in southeast Arizona is having a tongue twisting Pyrrhuloxia problem that is only solvable by applying an easy repeatable tongue pacifying Kazoot-kazoot solution.  And, the CAVE PEOPLE living in a town called Sandwich, Illinois actually chose RVing over embroidering back in 2008.  Imagine that!!

AND THEY CALL IT ART!!

Once again JUDY was able to identify my very poor mystery bird photo last night as that of a Green Heron.  Am suspecting we may have had an Oriole at the feeder today so I have the camera beside the computer as I keep a close eye on the daily outside Birdville shenanigans......

ONE OF THE LOCAL FARM BOYS SPREADING A LITTLE AGRICULTURAL HAPPINESS ON THE FIELDS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The Laws Of Golfing:

LAW 1: No matter how bad your last shot was, the worst is yet to come. This law does not expire on the 18th hole, since it has the supernatural tendency to extend over the course of a tournament, a summer and, eventually, a lifetime.

LAW 2: Your best round of golf will be followed almost immediately by your worst round ever. The probability of the latter increases with the number of people you tell about the former.

LAW 3: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

LAW 4: Golf balls never bounce off of trees back into play. If one does, the tree is breaking a law of the universe and should be cut down.

LAW 5: No matter what causes a golfer to muff a shot, all his playing partners must solemnly chant "You looked up," or invoke the wrath of the universe.

LAW 6: The higher a golfer's handicap, the more qualified he deems himself as an instructor.

LAW 7: Every par-three hole in the world has a secret desire to humiliate golfers. The shorter the hole, the greater its desire.

LAW 8: Topping a 3-iron is the most painful torture known to man.

LAW 9: Palm trees eat golf balls.

LAW 10: Sand is alive. If it isn't, how do you explain the way it works against you?

LAW 11: Golf carts always run out of juice at the farthest point from the clubhouse.

LAW 12: A golfer hitting into your group will always be bigger than anyone in your group. Likewise, a group you accidentally hit into will consist of a football player, a professional wrestler, a convicted murderer and an IRS agent -- or some similar combination.

LAW 13: All 3-woods are demon-possessed.

LAW 14: Golf balls from the same "sleeve" tend to follow one another, particularly out of bounds or into the water (see Law three)

LAW 15: A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

LAW 16: "Nice lag" can usually be translated to "lousy putt." Similarly, "tough break" can usually be translated "way to miss an easy one, sucker."

LAW 17: The person you would most hate to lose to will always be the one who beats you.

LAW 18: The last three holes of a round will automatically adjust your score to what it really should be.

LAW 19: Golf should be given up at least twice per month.

LAW 20: All vows taken on a golf course shall be valid only until the sunset of the same day.

 

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.