TRAVEL WITH THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

TO LONDON'S VICTORIA HOSPITAL AND BACK TODAY

Pheebs and I drove out to our country road walking spot this morning but we didn't stop and get out for a walk despite the beautifully perfect weather morning. However, I did take a few photos along the way.

THE HAY HAS BEEN CUT AND RAKED AND AWAITS BALING NEXT

THIS DIRT FIELD WILL SOON BE TURNING GREEN WITH A NEW CROP OF SOMETHING

NOT SURE WHAT THIS CROP IS BUT THE ROWS ARE WELL DEFINED

Following my physio hip appointment last Thursday, I took the advice I was given and made it a point to get out walking more. Walked around a section of London's Masonville Mall Friday morning despite my hip twitching. Friday afternoon Pheebs and I took another faster walk here at the Park with my focus on stretching out my paces as per instruction. By the time we got back to the house, my hip was sore....and it got worse. I had trouble putting weight on my right leg Saturday morning and the day was gone. Same thing for Sunday and Monday. And that's why I skipped our walk this morning. I've got to do this at my own pace.

Kelly had a plasmapheresis treatment at Victoria Hospital in London today at 12:30. We rolled out of our driveway at 11 a.m. and just barely made Kelly's appointment time. Heavy traffic was down to one lane at the Adelaide Street underpass construction site. Dropping Kelly off at the hospital Pheebs and zipped over to the Westminster Pond and minutes later we were making our way along a shaded trail on the north side of Walker's Pond. If you click the Westmintser Pond link above you will see an aerial view of the area. Walker's Pond is at the top and where you see the letter 'r' in the word Centre, that is where we park now.

ABOUT 30 SECONDS AFTER DROPPING KELLY OFF I SAW THIS POOR FELLOW FLAT ON HIS BACK...I SURE HOPE HE WAS ALRIGHT

PHEEBS AND I QUICKLY FOUND OURSELVES A SHADY FOREST PATH

WE WALKED ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF WALKERS POND

BRACKISH WATER ALONG THE SHORELINE

THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF FROGS AND TURTLES OUT THERE

THOSE LITTLE GREEN LEAVES ARE CALLED 'DUCKWEED'

YES, AND I EVEN TRIED TAKING A PICTURE OF A FISH

A LONG-AGO ROMANTIC CARVING IN AN OLD LOG

WE SAW A FEW POND LILIES ALONG THE WAY TODAY

My hip was barking but as long as I walked slowly and carefully the soreness in my hip was doable. The day was hot and especially so in the Sun but along our shaded trail we were fine. We were back to the car (which I had parked in the shade) in about 35 minutes. Heated up a bit, I cranked on the A/C until we were both cooled down to a point where I opened the windows and sunroof for a short while. After that, I hauled out the lawn chair and we sat outside behind the car. There was a slight breeze.

JUST HANGING OUT WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING

It was around 2:30 when I became aware Kelly hadn't phoned yet. We've had a few little problems with my flip phone so that was foremost on my mind. When she hadn't called by 2:45 I thought 'oh-oh'. Checking my phone I saw the screen was not showing what it is supposed to show. I tried dialing the plasmapheresis desk but I had no dial tone. Quickly, I put the lawn chair back in the car and we headed for the hospital pick-up entrance B straight away. Pulling up to the pick-up alongside the curb I didn't see Kelly. Oh-oh, now what to do. Then I remembered Kelly saying to turn the phone off and on again so I did that. Walla, I had a dialtone. I called the Plasmapheresis floor and the nurse said Kelly was on her way to the entrance. Two minutes later there she was in all her splendor and off we went making our long dash for home on a beautiful sunny late May afternoon. Two Tim Hortons coffees to go along the way. We rolled into our driveway at about 4:45 and the first thing we did when we went inside was to turn on the AC. I love air conditioning in the summer as much as I love heat in the winter. We'll be back to London next week...............

'I THINK I SEE HER COMING DAD'

PHEEBS WASN'T THE ONLY DOGGY STUCK IN TRAFFIC TODAY

Kelly's plasmapheresis treatments are helping to relieve the terrible itching she has been having for so long and that has been a big help to her. The latest problem she has been having for about a week now is a very painful lower back with signs of bruising around the base of her spine.

Al's Music Box:)) Do You Believe In Magic? by The Lovin' Spoonful from the album 'Do You Believe In Magic? 1965

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Had a look on a dating site. Possible match, similar interests, described herself as 5 ft 3 blue eyes, blonde hair…Not sure I want to date someone with 3 blue eyes though!

- I hate when my wife gets mad at me for being lazy. It’s not like I did anything.

--------------------------------------

Tourist: "The flies are awfully thick around here. Don’t you ever shoo them?"

Native: "Nope, we just let them go barefoot."

--------------------------------------

Late one night at the asylum, one inmate shouted, "I am Napoleon!"

Another patient asked, "How do you know?" The first inmate said, "Because God told me!" Just then, a voice from another room shouted, "I did NOT!"

------------------------------------

Sunday, May 28, 2023

TODAY

Saturday, May 27, 2023

TO WALK A TRAIL UNDER CLOUDLESS SKIES

No wind today, not even a breeze. Not even temperatures low enough to freeze. The sun shone bright, such a delight. The kind of day that makes things right. Off we went, Pheebs and I to walk a trail under cloudless skies.

Al's Music Box:)) Traces by The Classics IV from the album 'Traces'. 1967

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The bride, upon her engagement, went to her mother and said, "I've found a man just like Dad!" Her mother replied, "So what do you want from me, sympathy?"

- There will never be a shortage of Arithmetic teachers because they are always multiplying.

-----------------------------------

Friday, May 26, 2023

WE WERE UP WITH THE CHICKENS FOR AN EARLY DRIVE TO LONDON TODAY

OUR FRONT YARD SUNBURST LOCUST TREE LEAVES ARE OUT

Our destination early this morning was again London's University Hospital where Kelly had a scheduled Endoscopy procedure for 8:30 a.m. so we were up with the chickens. (an old saying) Rolled out of our driveway at 7:15 on another less cold but clear sunny morning. A nice scenic drive through the quiet countryside to London.

PHEEBS IS LASER-FOCUSED ON OUR FRONT DOOR THIS MORNING WAITING FOR MOM TO COME OUT

AND HERE SHE COMES NOW

SEE YOU GUYS IN A COUPLE HOURS PHEEBS

Dropping Kelly off at the hospital's not-too-busy front entrance at 8:10, Pheebs and I headed north out of the city thinking about maybe making our first pit stop at the Ten Mile Road cemetery. However, since talking to the cemetery's caretaker Thursday afternoon when we stopped there, I nixed the idea remembering him telling me they had an internment scheduled this morning. He had been there yesterday with his tractor and auger attachment to create a hole in the ground for an urn. Pheebs and I instead turned west on Eight Mile Road and wandered ourselves through horse country along a couple country roads taking in the morning's lush green rural scenery. Our average country road speed is generally about 20 mph and this morning was no exception. Even managed a few photos along the way. Pheebs and I really like these little side road trips of ours.

MOM AND HER YOUNG ONE FROLICKING IN A FIELD

'HEY MOM WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE'

FARMERS WERE BUSY PLANTING TODAY

I THINK THIS FARMER IS CUTTING HAY

I THINK THIS FELLA IS OUT CHECKING THE LUG NUTS ON HIS TRACTOR WHEEL:))

THERE ARE A LOT OF NICE HORSES ON THESE FARMS AND RANCHES NORTH OF LONDON

It was about 9:15 when we began angling back towards London heading for the parking lot at Masonville Mall north of the hospital. Parking the Subaru we exited the car and took ourselves for a couple face paced walks around the large parking lot. We had only been back to the car about fifteen minutes when my cell phone rang with a nurse telling me Kelly would be ready to be picked up at 10:15. We slipped over to the Hospital and Kelly was wheelchaired out ten minutes later a wee bit on the sleepy side. She always chooses where to stop for snacks and coffee on the way home and this morning it was McDonalds. With eats and drinks in hand, we headed for home on a cool but beautiful sunny sky morning. It was high noon when we rolled into the driveway and it wasn't long before Kelly laid down for a snooze and I drifted off in my recliner with my laptop on my lap. (well that's why they call it a laptop dummy)

WE FOUND A NICE SHADY SPOT IN THE MASONVILLE MALL PARKING LOT WHILE WAITING FOR KELLY TO CALL

A HOSPITAL ATTENDANT HELPS KELLY OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR AND INTO THE CAR

Kelly said her endoscopy went very well this morning, unlike her last one which went very wrong and she ended up with a seriously sore throat for three days. No bleeding was found in her esophagus this time and she doesn't need another endoscopy for six months. That was good news for her. We now don't have to be anywhere for the next three days. Tuesday afternoon will be London for Kelly's plasmapheresis treatment and Friday morning will be hip physio for me in Exeter.

THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY REALLY NICE HOMES OUT HERE

AND HERE COMES A BARKING FARM DOGGY TO CHASE PHEEBS AND I DOWN THE ROAD

I don't think Pheebs and I had been out for an afternoon walk since last week so off we went for a brisk stroll down around the Park's forest road and back along the pond.