BYE BYE SUNFIRE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TROUBLE FREE YEARS HERE

After our walk this morning we headed over to the Holmesville area where the county dump is located.  In the back of the Jeep, I had 4 big old dysfunctional wooden stereo speakers, a ripped patio umbrella, and a busted weed whacker to throw out.  

 OUR AREA'S ANNUAL BEAN HARVEST HAS BEGUN

 THIS IS THE MACHINE THAT GOES ALONG THE ROAD'S EDGE AND CUTS THE ENCROACHING FOLIAGE BACK

From the dump, we headed west along highway 8 to Goderich.  Gas, a Tim Horton decaf coffee to go, and down to the harbor we went.  My favorite old lake freighter, the Saginaw was in port tied up alongside the Goderich Grain Terminal.  A cruise along the beach road to Rotary Cove & then off to Walmart to drop off a couple prescriptions.  A few groceries and we were on our way home.

 THIS AGING LAKE FREIGHTER  WITH ITS TILTED BACK SMOKE STACK AND ROUND PORT HOLES ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF AN OLD TRAMP STEAMER FROM THE HUMPHREY BOGART ERA

 I LIKE THE OLD-STYLE WHEELHOUSE UP THERE

 CANADA GEESE ARE FUELING UP FOR THEIR SOON-TO-BE LONG FLIGHTS SOUTH

Thanks to readers for their suggestions on what to do with our Pontiac Sunfire.  In the end, we decided to drive it to the Jenkins Auto Recycling yard northeast of Goderich late this morning.  Always sad to say final goodbyes to vehicles because of all the memories they have given us over the years.  Jenkins gave us $350 for Sunfire.  For me, vehicles always become part of the family.  Even favorite coffee cups can become old friends.  Here's a post I wrote about that on August 7th, 2012........Remembering My Old Southwest Coffee Cup  It begins with the second paragraph in the post.

 AT THE WRECKERS THIS MORNING

 TAKING THE LICENSE PLATES OFF THE CAR

 BYE BYE SUNFIRE AND THANKS FOR TREATING US SO WELL FOR THE 7 YEARS YOU WERE WITH US

We stopped at Goderich's A&W on the way home and had ourselves a couple double Buddy burgers.  Home again, and with inclement weather on the way over the next few days, I continued moving things out of our little Class C motorhome.

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A man was driving a horse and cart along a country road at an angle of 45 degrees. After three miles like this, he asked a passer-by: "How long does this blasted hill last?" "This isn't a hill," came the reply. "Your back wheels are off!"

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The girl knelt in the confessional and said, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."  "What is it, child?"  "Father, I have committed the sin of vanity. Twice a day I gaze at myself in the mirror and tell myself how beautiful I am."  The priest turned, took a good look at the girl, and said, "My dear, I have good news. That isn't a sin - it's only a mistake."

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A little boy walks up to the preacher after church one day and says, "Preacher, when I grow up and get a job, I am going to give you a lot of money."  The preacher says, "Why do you want to do that?"  The boy replies, " Because my Daddy said that you are the poorest preacher he has ever heard."

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BAD NEWS FOR OUR 2004 PONTIAC SUNFIRE:((

An earlier start to our day as we watched parts of the Queen's funeral this morning.  As a small boy, I still have recollections of her Coronation many years ago.  We watched it on black and white television at a time before color television was a standard in everybody's household.  I think one of the things I marveled at most these past few weeks watching this was the architecture of the magnificent buildings such as Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle.  The tapestries, the woodwork, the stained glass windows, checkered flooring, ornate walls, towering columns, and high domed and decorated ceilings.  The English people are sure steeped in a long history and they have kept that history close to their hearts very admirably.  Other countries would do well to pay heed to their strong sense of value and unity.

Our Pontiac Sunfire had an appointment at the Bayfield Garage this morning for its pre-safety check so it was a two-car convoy leaving our house shortly after 8 a.m. with Kelly in the lead followed by Pheebs and I in the Jeep.  Leaving the Sunfire at the garage it was a quick stop at the Bayfield Library before dropping Kelly off back at home.   Pheebs and I then slipped out into the countryside for our morning walk under a stormy-looking partial cloud cover.

THE SUNFIRE AT THE BAYFIELD GARAGE THIS MORNING

 CORN STALKS ARE 6 FEET TALL NOW

MOODY LOOKING SKIES TO THE EAST

Did you know a Bayfield Ontario resident once had a special connection with Disneyworld?  Probably few people outside of the Bayfield area knew about a man called Tom Penhale and his world-renowned wagons and carriages.  A true perfectionist.  Penhale Wagons

There is still humidity in the air and that of course hampered some of my afternoon activities.  I began cleaning and clearing out our little Class C Winnebago Itasca Spirit (Scooter) late this morning.  It makes me sad but it has to be done.  Usually, at this time of year, we would have been loading it up for our winter southwest travels.....not unloading it:((

 A NUMBER OF TODAY'S FLOWER PICS WERE TAKEN WHILE SITTING ON OUR FRONT PORCH

Pheebs and I ventured off for an afternoon walk in an area of our Park we hadn't done much walking in before.  It turned out to be tough walking and resulted in a tumble for me.  Luckily, the only thing I hurt was my pride. 

 IN HINDSIGHT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE TRIED WALKING THROUGH HERE

 KINDA SPOOKING LOOKING IN SOME AREAS

 PHEEBS LEADS THE WAY UP THERE

The Bayfield Garage called late this afternoon and the news was not good about our Pontiac Sunfire.  In fact, the news was really bad:))  The car needs two new rear tires, both front sway bars are broken, needs a right front wheel bearing, and there is a rust hole in the frame near the passenger side rear door.  And add to all that it needs a new window motor and that alone is over $400.  The hole in the frame is where the car sustained a T-bone accident in that area and was repaired many years ago.  We're deciding now what to do.  Try selling it 'as is' for maybe $500 or just drive it to the wrecking yard and be done with it.  The car doesn't owe us anything.  We bought it 7 years ago for $3,000 and hardly ever had to spend any money on it.  It has a great engine and took Kelly to Spencerport New York and back half a dozen times these past half dozen years.

We are just about on the official doorstep of Autumn and I am a little surprised that I haven't seen any real touches of color appearing in the leaves yet.  Our nights just haven't been quite cold enough I guess.       

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A terrifying explosion occurs in a gunpowder factory, and once all the mess has been cleared up, and inquiry begins.  One of the few survivors is pulled up to make a statement. "Okay Simpson," says the investigator, "you were near the scene, what happened?"  "Well, it's like this. Old Charley Higgins was in the mixing room, and I saw him take a cigarette out of his pocket and light up."  "He was smoking in the mixing room?" the investigator said in stunned horror, "How long had he been with the company?"  "About 20 years, sir"  "20 years in the company, then he goes and strikes a match in the mixing room, I'd have thought it would have been the last thing he'd have done."  "It was, sir."

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If you howl and curse at the moon, does it make you a Swearwolf?

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You might be a redneck if.......

You think you are an entrepreneur because of the "Dirt for Sale" sign in the front yard.

You're still scalping tickets after the concert is over.

You don't think Jeff's jokes are funny.

Your house has a kickstand.

Your girlfriend has ever called YOUR parents "Ma and Pa".

You've ever pruned your trees with a shotgun.

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A FLASHBACK TO FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY

 A COUPLE YOUNGSTERS HANGING OUT AT THE OLD SCRATCHING STUMP THIS MORNING

Showers overnight, but we didn't let a few drops of rain on the Jeep's windshield deter us from our morning walk.  No sooner had we arrived back home later when it began to rain steadily and that pretty much put the ky-bosh on doing anything outside for a while.  Skies finally cleared around noon and we had a nice sunny afternoon.  I did some puttering.

TULIP LANE FARM IS HOME TO ALL THOSE CUTE HIGHLAND CATTLE

YES IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

My annual frog round-up has begun.  I know for sure we have 5 frogs in our front yard pond but I suspect more.  This afternoon, I caught two of the five and took them over to their new home in the Park's pond.  Up until a few years ago, it would be nothing for me to haul 20 or more frogs out of our little pond but for some reason these past 3 years the frog population in our pond has been way down.

And speaking of travels lately, this is where we were and what we were doing 4 years ago today....We Travelled Farther On Water Today Than We Did On Land

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A sweet grandmother telephoned St. Joseph's Hospital. She timidly asked,  'Is it possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?'  The operator said, 'I'll be glad to help, dear. What's the name and room number?'  The grandmother, in her weak tremulous voice, said, ''Norma Findlay, Room 302.'  The operator replied, 'Let me place you on hold while I check with her nurse.'  After a few minutes the operator returned to the phone and said, 'Oh, I have good news. Her nurse told me that Norma is doing very well. Her blood pressure is fine; her blood work is normal and her physician, Dr. Cohen, has scheduled her to be discharged on Tuesday.'  The grandmother said, 'Thank you. That's wonderful! I was so worried! God bless you for the good news.'  The operator replied, 'You're more than welcome. Is Norma your daughter?'  The grandmother said, 'No, I'm Norma Findlay in 302. No one around here tells me anything!!

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TEACHER: Why are you late?

STUDENT: Well, because class started before I got here.

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