PHEEBS HOLDS DOWN THE FORT FOR A FEW HOURS TODAY

A THIN SKIFF OF ICE ON THE PARK'S POND

Pheebs held down the fort this morning while Kelly and I Subarued ourselves over to St. Marys Ontario to meet our good friends Richard and Gayle for breakfast at Joe's Diner.  Good food and great company topped off the morning before we headed back to Bayfield.  Roads were bare and dry under semi-sunny skies so it was a nice morning for a drive.  And, it was nice to get out and blow some dust off ourselves.

It was an icy east wind for our afternoon walk around the Park's pond this afternoon but it wasn't icy or windy enough to keep Pheebs and I inside.  Tonight's photos are from our walk on this dark and dull gray day.

 FROZEN IN THE ICE

 ICY REFLECTION

Facebook threw me a couple memory posts today and the one entitled Just Sharing A Few Thoughts Today caught my attention.  I wrote it twelve years ago on December 10th, 2010 while we were boondocked East of Elfrida Arizona just west of the Swiss Helm Mountains.  We were there acting as security on a property for a month or so.  I read this post over and decided not much has changed in my thoughts from then to now.

 I THINK THOSE RED BRANCHES ARE THOSE OF A DOGWOOD

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Gladys was the preacher's wife and accompanied her husband each Sunday to church. One particular Sunday when the sermon seemed to go on forever, many in the congregation fell asleep. After the service, to be sociable, she walked up to a very sleepy-looking gentleman. In an attempt to revive him from his stupor, she extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn." To which the gentleman replied, "You're not the only one!"

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BUT IN A MOST ENJOYABLY CURIOUS WAY

 WE STILL HAVE A FEW PATCHES OF SNOW AROUND

In the 'Anne of Green Gables' saga, I finished 'Anne of Ingleside' this morning and am now well into the next book in the series, 'Rainbow Valley' which is the second to last book.  Rilla of Ingleside will be the final book in the series.  And as they say....the plot thickens.  But in a most enjoyably curious way.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( To those of you who are placing Christmas lights/decorations in your yards, would you please avoid anything that has Red or Blue flashing lights together? Every time I come around the corner, I think it's the police and I have a panic attack. I have to brake hard, toss my wine out the window, fasten my seat belt, throw my phone on the floor, turn my radio down, and push the gun under the seat. All while trying to drive. It's just too much drama, even for Christmas.

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Knock, Knock.
Who's there?
Amos.
Amos who?
A mosquito bit me.
Knock, knock!
Who's there?
Andy,
Andy Who?
And he bit me again!
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A ROUTINE MORNING DRIVE

 THIS MORNING, BAYFIELD'S OUTSIDE COFFEE KLATCH  MINGLED AT THE SHOPBIKE COFFEE ROASTERS ON MAIN STREET

A routine morning drive into and around Bayfield with a walk in the cemetery thrown in for good measure on this cold gray overcast day.

GROANER'S CORNER:((   A heavy snowstorm closed the schools in one town. When the children returned to school a few days later, one grade school teacher asked her students whether they had used the time away from school constructively. "I sure did, teacher," one little girl replied. "I just prayed for more snow."

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WE DON'T LIKE MAKING NUISANCES OF OURSELVES

 SPOTTED 'OLD LONESOME' THIS MORNING

I know Kelly and I are not on the list of Googlins top 500 most sociable people in the country but in a rare turn for us, we did visit with a couple good friends right here in the Park this morning.  It was nice to get caught up with former RV'ers Chris and Carin.  It had been well over a year since we had last been to their house.  We don't like making nuisances of ourselves you know:))  

Ellen's groove:)) A few words of advice for fellow musicians from Ellen.  And in this short video, you can easily see who Ellen gets her musical flair from as she and her dad play a guitar duet.

 I HAVE ALWAYS LIKE THE LOOK OF THIS LITTLE PLACE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE NEAR US

GROANER'S CORNER:)) "I've been racking my brains, but I can't place you,” one man said to another at a gathering. “And you look very much like somebody I have seen a lot—somebody I don't like, but I can't tell you why. Isn't that strange?”  "Nothing strange about it,” the other man said. “You have seen me a lot, and I know why you resent me. For two years I passed the collection plate in your church.”

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ALL THREE OF US IN THE SUBARU HEADING FOR LONDON'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

 A SMALL MIGHTY HUNTER IN A GREAT BIG WORLD

Under an overcast sky at 8:10 this morning, all three of us piled into the Subaru, rolled out of the driveway, and headed to London's University Hospital.  Kelly had a CT scan scheduled for 9:30 and after an uneventful drive to London we dropped her off at the hospital's front door at 9:15.

 FOR THIS DULL GRAY  OVERCAST DAY WE MAINLY HAD BARE AND DRY ROADS 

 WE DROPPED KELLY OFF AT THE MAIN DOOR OF THE HOSPITAL

Pheebs and I didn't waste any time in hauling ourselves right back out of London and into the countryside.  North up highway 4 and turned east on Ten Mile Road.  We usually head west the other way but we were in need of some new scenery and different roads for a change.  I don't think the landscape is as interesting east of highway 4 as it is west of highway four.  

 OUR FIRST OF SEVERAL PIT STOPS

 SPOTTED AN AIRPLANE TUCKED IN WITH SOME FARM MACHINERY

 SAW THIS OLD PUMP IN A FIELD WHICH SUGGESTS THERE WAS ONCE AN OLD HOMESTEAD HERE

 NICE FOR FARM ANIMALS TO BE OUTSIDE THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH NO SNOW ON THE GROUND

 SPOTTED THIS  LONE MOUSE HUNTER IN A FIELD

IF WE HAD OUR OWN PLACE IN THE COUNTRY I WOULD HAVE LOTS OF THESE KINDS OF PINE TREES AROUND

We did find a scenic country cemetery where we could pull in and take ourselves for a little walk.  

 THIS CEMETERY WAS A GOOD FIND TODAY

 CEMETERIES ARE ALWAYS A SAFE PLACE FOR A WALK

 OLD PIONEER TOMBSTONES LINED UP AGAINST A FENCE

 I THOUGHT THIS AN ODDLY SHAPED TOMBSTONE

 THERE IS A NICE HARDWOOD FOREST ALONGSIDE THE CEMETERY

I'M SURE PHEEBS AND I WILL BE BACK HERE AGAIN

From there it was nearly 10:30 so we headed to our favorite 'waiting' spot in Arva Ontario which just happens to be another cemetery.  Twenty minutes later my cell phone rang and Kelly was ready to be picked up.  In less than ten minutes I was at University Hospital's front door.

 OUR ARVA WAITING SPOT

 NICE TO BE OUT WALKING AROUND ON GREEN GRASS IN DECEMBER

 PHEEBS KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON THE HOSPITAL'S FRONT DOOR WATCHING FOR 'MOM[

 AND HERE SHE COMES NOW

From the hospital, we headed to a nearby Wendy's for some burgs, fries, and free coffee. From there we were soon on the road home.  The closer we came to Bayfield the rainier it got.  But it wasn't bad and we were home about 12:35.  And of course, that pretty much wraps up another day.

 PATIENTLY WAITING FOR SOME BURGER SNACKS

 AND BY GOLLY HERE COMES THOSE BURGER SNACKS NOW

 LOOK AT THOSE TWO BUMS CARRYING ON BACK THERE

WE RAN INTO RAIN JUST BEFORE WE ARRIVED HOME

Long-time reader Don from Oklahoma asked in a blog comment (which I forgot to answer) not too long ago why we had decided not to head for the southwest again this winter.  The high cost of medical insurance and health concerns were the two biggies for us.  Last March when Kelly suddenly took sick (liver-related) and had to be rushed by ambulance to the Goderich hospital for two blood transfusions and then taken to London's University Hospital for another blood transfusion which led to her spending a week undergoing tests and procedures......it was a wake-up call for us.  Suppose that had happened while we were boondocked out in Arizona's Sonoran desert somewhere or over in the wilds of southern California's Borrego valley.  It's a reality we can't ignore.  Now, having said this, have we thrown in the towel and completely given up thinking about future travels to a part of America we love so much and that has given us so many great memories over these past years??  No we haven't.  I don't know what the future holds for us but if we have any say in it and the stars align just right, maybe, just maybe we will be able to return once again someday soon to all our old favorite New Mexico, Arizona, and California haunts:))        

GROANER'S CORNER:((  It's that time of year to take our annual senior citizen test. Exercising the brain is as important as exercising muscles. As we grow older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use it, you lose it! Below is a very private way to gauge your loss or non-loss of intelligence.  OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.

1. What do you put in a toaster?
Answer: "bread." If you said "toast," give up now and do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question 2.
2. Say "silk" five times. Now spell "silk"
What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. If you said "milk," don't attempt the next question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content yourself with reading a more appropriate literature such as Auto World. However, if you said "water", proceed to question 3.
3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks , what is a green house made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said "green bricks," why the heck are you still reading these??? If you said "glass," go on to Question 4.
4. It's twenty years ago, and a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany (If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany .) Anyway, during the flight, two engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately, the engine fails before he can do so and the plane fatally crashes smack in the middle of "no man's land" between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors? East Germany, West Germany, or no man's land"?
Answer: You don't bury survivors.
If you said ANYTHING else, you're a dunce and you must stop. If you said, "You don't bury survivors", proceed to the next question.
5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?
Answer: Oh, for crying out loud!
Don't you remember your own name? It was YOU!! Now pass this along to all your friends and pray they do better than you.
PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!!

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