IT WAS A LOOOOOOONG DAY INVOLVING TWO LONDON HOSPITALS

PRETTY FLOWERS IN BAYFIELD THIS MORNING

It turned out to be a long day but it started out with Pheebs and I slipping into Bayfield for a short walk in the cemetery.  I consider this to be the best weather day of the year so far and at long last there was finally some wonderful warmth in the air.  With my leg doing better I puttered around the yard this morning moving a few more summer ornaments out of the shed.

 I THINK THESE MIGHT BE CALLED SNOWDROPS

 SOON THIS HARDWOOD FOREST ALONGSIDE THE CEMETERY WILL TURN FROM YELLOWS AND BROWNS TO MANY SHADES OF GREEN

 PHEEBS AND I SLOWLY WALK BACK TO THE JEEP

 A FRIENDLY WAVE ALONG  BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET THIS MORNING

It was 11:25 a.m. and with all three of us in the Subaru we headed off to London's University Hospital where Kelly had a 1 p.m. appointment with a Nephrologist specialist by the name of Dr. Faisal Rehman.  As soon as we dropped Kelly off at the front door Pheebs and I headed north out into the countryside with our first pit stop being at a cemetery spot we like.  

 DROPPING KELLY OFF AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

 THIS SPRING CREEK RUNS THROUGH THE CEMETERY

 I FOUND TWO MORE INTERESTING SAYINGS ON A COUPLE TOMBSTONES AND YES THAT IS MY REFLECTION IN THE STONE AS I BENT DOWN TO TAKE THE PHOTO

I LIKED THIS FLORAL ARRANGEMENT AND COLORS 

From there we headed west on a dusty country road figuring we had an hour or so to put in before picking Kelly up again.  

IT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTELY MIGHTY FINE DAY TO BE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TODAY

 JUST AS I SNAPPED THIS PICTURE GOING BY IT LOOKS LIKE A TWIG HAS SNAGGED THIS FARMER'S HAT RIGHT OFF HIS HEAD

I WONDER IF COLORFUL BEE HIVES MAKE FOR HAPPY BEES

 AND PHEEBS IS LOVING THE DAY AS WELL

And then my cell phone rang and our plans went haywire.  It was Kelly on the phone saying she was ready to be picked up BUT there was a hitch........Oh-Oh

PICKING UP KELLY AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE TIM HORTONS COFFEE SHOP IS OPEN AGAIN IN THE LOBBY

Her appointment had been for a consultation to see if she was eligible for a treatment called Plasmapheresis. (plasma exchange) She had blood work done and when Dr. Rehman saw the blood work numbers he immediately set up an appointment to begin the first of a two-week treatment plan requiring Kelly to have this done three times a week.  This procedure is not done at University Hospital but is done on the other side of London at Victoria Hospital (London Health Sciences Center)  When he said he wanted Kelly to start the treatments right away he didn't mean first thing next week, he meant today and within the hour.  When I picked up Kelly at University Hospital it was already after 2 o'clock and the appointment was at 3.  Off we went Lickety-split with a quick stop at Mr. Submarine for a sub.  Luckily, Victoria Hospital in the south end of London is the same hospital I had my radiation treatments for my prostate cancer a few years ago so I knew how to get there.  Traffic was heavy of course but we made it with time to spare. But here's the kicker, it was going to be a three-hour treatment so Pheebs and I had to figure out where to go and what to do for 3 hours.  

 WE DROPPED KELLY OFF AT THIS ENTRANCE AT VICTORIA HOSPITAL

And here's where a piece of luck kicked in.  When I drove a Clinton wheel-chair van years ago I was sometimes required to bring folks to the 4 London hospitals for various appointments and treatments.  In the wheelchair van days, I had scouted out the Victoria Hospital area and found a great naturalist area about a mile south of the Hospital.  In fact this most amazing area is across the road from Victoria Hospital behind Parkwood Hospital.  I think this area was once an army base many years ago.  Some of the buildings are still there.  Well, after dropping Kelly off it took Pheebs and I less than 5 minutes to get ourselves over there walking on a forest trail beside a lake.  We actually got two walks in because my leg was doing so good.  I did use my cane though and walked carefully slow.  

 IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR PHEEBS AND I TO GET SOME PAWS AND BOOTS ON A FOREST TRAIL

 A VERY NICE AREA ALMOST RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LONDON

 YOU CAN SEE PARKWOOD HOSPITAL THROUGH THE TREES

WHILE WAITING IN THE SUBARU I READ PHEEBS SOME DOGGY STORIES

 THAT'S THE SUBARU ON THE LEFT

 HEADING FOR VICTORIA HOSPITAL ON THE LEFT

It was about two hours later while sitting in the Subaru reading when my cell phone rang with Kelly saying to pick her up in fifteen minutes.  So that's what we did.  Kelly had a big bandage on her right wrist where they had left a port in for her next treatment coming up in a few days.  She was very, very, pleased with Dr. Rehman at University Hospital as well as the staff at the Nephrology Clinic at Victoria Hospital.  The Spectra Optia machine Kelly was hooked up to today is an amazing machine with many medical functions.  A nurse told Kelly it is not often used for the condition Kelly has but when it has been used it has been highly successful.  If all goes well it will stop the terrible itching Kelly has been dealing with.  So, it is going to be a very, very, busy couple of weeks coming up with Kelly having a total of eight appointments and me having one.  Nine for Kelly if they can fit in an iron infusion too..........It was after 6 o'clock tonight before we got home and Kelly was totally exhausted.                 

 THAT'S QUITE A BANDAGE KELLY HAS ON HER RIGHT WRIST

 TEXTING WITH HER DAUGHTER SABRA

Al's Music Box:)) Time Passages by Al Stewart from the album 'Time Passages'.  1978

 AND HERE SHE IS ALL HOOKED UP THIS AFTERNOON,,,,,PHOTO BY HER NURSE

GROANER'S CORNER:(( “People are choosing cremation over traditional burial. It shows that they are thinking outside the box.”

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Q: What do you get if you cross the Atlantic with the titanic?  A: About halfway.

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Optometrists watch a lot of tell a vision.

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How many ears does Captain Kirk have?
The correct answer is Three...
The left ear, the right ear, and the final front ear.

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'OMG' I THOUGHT THE SKY WAS FALLING

 THIS RESIDENT FROG SPENT THE WINTER IN OUR FRONT YARD POND

We sure are enjoying this nice run of sunny weather and with each day becoming warmer it certainly puts the icing on the cake.  With the utility trailer unhooked, Pheebs and I were once again back into the Jeep for our morning excursion around a few of the area's country roads.

TINY FLOWERS IN THE GRASS 

With a neighbor lady needing a pile of yard waste hauled away, I hooked up the utility trailer to the Jeep after we got home.  Slipped over to the neighbors and loaded it up with pine needles and branches and headed off to our Park's recycle area, to unload it.  All went well and my leg didn't give me too much grief.  After a break for lunch, I was able to get our front yard pond pump up and running so we now have the sounds of a waterfall again.  I also wheelbarrowed out some more summer lawn ornaments and managed to clean a short section of eavestrough on our back deck.  However, by 1 o'clock my legs sent my brain a message saying it was time to shut it down for the day.  My energy level meter had slipped into the red zone and it was time to give my lower extremities a rest and recharge my batteries.  Kelly was having a cup of tea on the front porch so I sat down as well.  It's the first time this year that the weather has been nice enough for a little outside sit down.  Nice:))

 PICKING UP SOME PINE NEEDLES AND BRANCHES THIS MORNING

 ALL DONE TIME TO GO HOME

Driving along in the Jeep this morning with my hand at the top of the steering wheel I happened to notice a curious mark on the back of my right wrist.  It wasn't there Monday and I have no idea what could have made a mark like that.  Okay all you seriously knowledgable UFO enthusiasts.....any thoughts??

Later in the afternoon with batteries recharged Pheebs and I along with my camera and my cane took a walk over by the pond.  Moving along slowly on the east side of the pond I was suddenly startled by a great whoosh and whopping sound in front of me just to the right.  'OMG' I thought, the sky is falling!!  Nope, it was a Mother Goose suddenly lifting off a nest of eggs about six feet from me.  Pheebs had walked right by the nest about twenty seconds ahead of me and never saw it and Mother Goose never flinched a feather.  I didn't approach any closer to the nest but quickly took a couple pics before hastily vacating the area so Mama Goose could get back on the nest.  Pheebs and I moved around to the other side of the pond and headed back home.......Compared to the past 4 days it was a good day for my right leg and hip area.  Sore, yes but I didn't have that short sharp jabbing pain in my right groin today.  You don't suppose my mind has found out about the Doctor's appointment next Monday morning and is running scared do ya??           

 THIS IS THE NEST THE CANADA GOOSE FLEW OFF OF

 THAT'S MAMA GOOSE OUT ON THE POND AND THE NEST IS AT THE LOWER LEFT

 I THINK THAT IS PAPA GOOSE ON THE LEFT AND MAMA GOOSE ON THE RIGHT AND IF YOU LOOK JUST ABOVE CENTER IN THE PHOTO YOU WILL SEE ONE OF THE GOOSE EGGS APPEARING AS A WHITE DOT

AND I SPOTTED THE PARK'S MUDWHOMP MONSTER AT THE NORTH END OF THE POND AS WELL

 AT THIS DRAB-LOOKING TIME OF YEAR IT'S NICE TO SEE SOME COLOR IN OUR YARD AGAIN

 AN AFTERNOON SIT DOWN ON THE PORCH

Al's Music Box:))  A double whammy tonight.  Two versions of the same song and I like them both. First is Willow Weep For Me by Chad and Jeremy from the album 'Willow Weep For Me'.  1964 ..... Second is Willow Weep For Me by Lou Rawls from the album 'Stormy Monday.  1962

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Pete and Larry had not seen each other in many years. Now they had a long talk trying to fill in the gap of those years by telling about their lives. Finally, Pete invited Larry to visit him in his new apartment. "I got a wife and three kids and I'd love to have you visit us."  "Great. Where do you live?"  "Here's the address. And there's plenty of parking behind the apartment. Park and come around to the front door, kick it open with your foot, go to the elevator and press the button with your left elbow, then enter! When you reach the sixth floor, go down the hall until you see my name on the door. Then press the doorbell with your right elbow and I'll let you in."  "Good. But tell me...what is all this business of kicking the front door open, then pressing elevator buttons with my right, then my left elbow?"  "Surely, you're not coming empty-handed."

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Officer: Soldier, do you have change for a dollar?

Soldier: Sure, buddy.

Officer: That's no way to address an officer! Now let's try it again.

Do you have change for a dollar?

Soldier: No, SIR!

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CARRYING MY CANE FOR 'JUST IN CASE'

 ONE OF TWO CANADA GEESE ON THE PARK'S POND THIS AFTERNOON

With the utility trailer still hooked up to the Jeep, Pheebs and I again took Subie for a drive into and around Bayfield.  My upper right thigh was feeling reasonably decent so we headed over to the cemetery for a walk around the perimeter road.  I made it three-quarters of the way before I ran into trouble and limped the rest of the way back to the car.  I do have a cane to help me but the big trick is remembering to take the cane with me.  Home again, I got right at what I needed to accomplish outside today.  Cleared the pathway across the road through a treed area between our house and the Park's pond then loaded up half a utility trailer with pine needles and leaves and took that to the Park's recycle area and unloaded it.  Anybody watching me would have seen a bent-over man working in slow motion.  Returning to the house I backed the utility trailer into its spot and unhooked it.  Mission accomplished.  Most of the rest of the day I spent in my recliner reading and making it a point to stay off my right leg and rest it.  Well, that is until a certain four-legged little doggy coaxed me to take her for a walk......Sorry about complaining about this sore upper right leg of mine but it has kinda become an 'in my face' concern for me right now.  It just seems to have rapidly become worse over these past few short weeks for some reason and even these past few days.......I did call Goderich's Maitland Valley Medical Center earlier today and made an appointment to see my Nurse Practitioner next Monday morning at 9:30................

 A QUIET WALK ON A SUNNY ALMOST WARM MORNING

Carrying my cane for 'just in case', I was able to take Pheebs for a slow walk around the Park's pond this afternoon and snap a few pics along the way.  

 AFTERNOON REFLECTIONS ON OUR PARK'S POND

 HIDING OUT IN THE REEDS

 THIS PAIR OF CANADA GEESE MIGHT BUILD  A NEST ALONG THE SHORELINE

Al's Music Box:)) Sandman by America from the album 'America'.  1971

COLTSFOOT

GROANER'S CORNER:((  After a long illness, a woman died and arrived at the Gates of Heaven. While she was waiting for Saint Peter to greet her, she peeked through the Gates. She saw a beautiful banquet table. Sitting all around were her parents and all the other people she had loved and who had died before her. They saw her and began calling greetings to her - "Hello!" "How are you! We've been waiting for you!" "Good to see you!"  When Saint Peter came by, the woman said to him, "This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?"  "You have to spell a word," Saint Peter told her.  "Which word?" the woman asked.  "Love."  The woman correctly spelled "Love" and Saint Peter welcomed her into Heaven.  About six months later, Saint Peter came to the woman and asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day. While the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived.  "I'm surprised to see you," the woman said. "How have you been?"  "Oh, I've been doing pretty well since you died," her husband told her. "I married the beautiful young nurse who took care of you while you were ill. And then I won the lottery. I sold the little house you and I lived in and bought a big mansion. And my wife and I traveled all around the world. We were on vacation and I went water skiing today. I fell, the ski hit my head, and here I am. How do I get in?"  "You have to spell a word," the woman told him.  "Which word?" her husband asked.  "Czechoslovakia."

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ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?

WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

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