MORNING COFFEE TOUR AND AS TEMPERATURES BREAK HEAT RECORDS TODAY OUR A/C QUITS

 THE RHODODENDRON DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF OUR SUNROOM IS NOW IN BLOOM

With predictions of 90F temps today I was already dreaming of next week's 70F temps.  A short drive into Bayfield and back for Pheebs and I earlier today.

 A LONE SAILBOAT FAR OUT ON THE VAST BLUE WATER EXPANSE OF LAKE HURON.....800mm NIKON COOLPIX900 

 IN MY OPINION, THERE ARE NOT AS MANY BOATS IN THE WATER THIS YEAR

 IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MAY BE A BAYFIELD MEN'S WALKING CLUB

 THIS NEW CLOCK ON BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET SHOWS THE EXACT TIME PHEEBS AND I DROVE BY THIS MORNING

Richard picked me up at 9:25 this morning and off we went to find us a couple of Tim Hortons coffees to go accompanied by a couple of tasty carrot muffins.  Our meandering travels took we two chattering Magpies through Bayfield, Varna, Carlow, Auburn, and Clinton, with a bunch of scenic country roads in between.  And, I will say as I mostly always say, a great couple of hours well spent in meaningful conversation.  In two weeks we will do it all again......and then some.

 THIS MOURNING DOVE IS ALL POOFED UP AFTER ITS THURSDAY AFTERNOON BATH ON A HOT DAY

Kelly returned from her Nurse Practitioner appointment regarding the discoloration of her lower back at the base of her spine.  Her Nurse Practitioner had never seen anything like that before.  So as it stands, Kelly will keep an eye on it and see if anything changes.  The NP also gave Kelly a different exercise to try for her sore back.  And here's an 'oh-oh' for us today......our A/C quit working.  Temperature records were broken and our sunroom got up to 88F  We have two calls in to our A/C installer and in the meantime, I am sitting directly in front of our high-speed fan dreaming of cooler Spring and Autumn days.  And no, I NEVER dream anything good about Winter days!!  Oh, by the way, try this one on for size....In only 20 short days we'll hit the longest day of the year and after that, each day will become shorter as we start the long inevitable, and unavoidable slide toward those cold and dark winter days again.  Geeeezzzzz I hate when that happens!!   

Al's Music Box:)) My Guy by Mary Wells from the album 'Mary Wells Sings My Guy'.  1964

 IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE 'OLD LONESOME' OUT AND ABOUT AND LOOKING WELL

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Once there was an old rich man who was afraid of dying and leaving all his wealth behind on earth. So, he took up the matter with God. He pleaded day and night to be able to take all his earthly possessions with him. Finally, God conceded. He said the man could take as much as he could fit in one suitcase. The old man immediately went out, bought a huge suitcase, sold all he owned and filled the suitcase with gold bars. Shortly after that, the old man died. Awkwardly dragging the big, heavy suitcase, he approached St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter stopped him, asked him to open his luggage, and then told him he couldn't bring his gold bars into Heaven. The man was irate. "You don't understand," he said. "I got permission directly from God himself for this. He told me whatever I could fit into one suitcase, I could bring with me."St. Peter, shrugged his shoulders and simply said, "Fine with me. But we've already got plenty of pavement here."

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THE LONDON HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE PHONED KELLY TODAY.....THE BALL IS ROLLING

 POPPY'S ALONG THE ROADSIDE ON PORTER'S HILL LINE THIS MORNING

With an arthritis prescription to pick up at the Walmart Pharmacy in Goderich, Pheebs and I headed north up Porter's Hill Line this morning.  Shelled out over $70 for half a tank of gas at Goderich's Solo gas bar.  A McDonalds coffee to go and down to the harbor we went.  One large ship loading grain at the Goderich Grain Elevators while another big ship maneuvered around at the harbor mouth angling itself to back down the narrow harbor entrance channel to the loading dock of the Goderich Salt Mine.  From there it was a drive out to Rotary Cove where work continues on the shoreline bank in the dog walking area.  Following that, it was a stop at Walmart to pick up my prescription and from there we were on our way home.  

 THE ALGOMA COMPASS MANEUVERS AROUND AT THE HARBOR MOUTH

REVERSING THROUGH THE NARROW HARBOR CHANNEL ESCORTED BY THE HARBOR TUG ??

 THE FEDERAL ASAHI TIED UP AT THE GRAIN ELEVATOR DOCK

 GRAIN COMING DOWN THAT WHITE SHUTE INTO THE HOLD OF THE SHIP

 ON THAT RAISED HATCH COVER CAN BE SEEN A WHITE H PAINTED ON A GREEN CIRCLE....THAT IS A HELICOPTER LANDING PAD

 THESE FELLAS ARE MONITORING THE GRAIN POURING INTO THE HOLD TO MAKE SURE IT IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED

 BEACH GROOMING IS A PRIORITY OUT AT ROTARY COVE

 A SEAGULL DISCOVERS A PIZZA BOX

 IT'S DEFINITELY CURIOUS

 CHECKING IT OUT

OPENING THE BOX

 HMMMM, MAYBE NOTHING IN IT

 OKAY, SO HOW CAN I GET THIS BOX HOME FOR THE KIDS

 SAW THIS NICE 1956 FORD CROWN VICTORIA PULLING INTO THE WALMART PARKING LOT

Despite the day quickly heating up and my sore hip, I was able to mow the grass across the road from our place and take the mower around the bunny path.  Kelly is still having a lot of trouble with her lower back.  If it doesn't let up soon she will have to make another appointment with her Nurse Practitioner and go from there.  We're quite a pair right now as we slowly limp, gasp, and bungle our way around trying to do things that were not long ago no problem for us to do.

 LILAC FLOWERS

At 1 p.m. this afternoon, the London Health Science Centre (University and Victoria Hospitals) phoned to speak with Kelly.  After a number of medically related questions she was informed that in four to six weeks she will receive notice of an all-day meeting she will be required to attend at University Hospital with the Liver Transplant Committee.  At this meeting, they will assess whether Kelly is an eligible candidate for a liver transplant.  The lady on the phone told her that this is an all-day meeting and Kelly will be very tired before it is over.  She will be meeting with a surgeon, dietician, physiotherapist, and a social worker, etc.  An Echocardiogram will be done too plus probably other things we don't know about.  I'm guessing that this meeting is also designed to be a stress, stamina, and endurance test for Kelly to see if she is strong enough to proceed to the transplant stage.  If she is, this meeting is only the first in a number of meetings that will take place where she will be required to jump through and over a number of hoops and barrels in a series of tests.  But that's okay because at least it's finally a step forward that may result in many better days ahead for Kelly.  It now feels like the ball is rolling.

 THIS WILD TURKEY'S COLORS BLEND IN WELL WITH THE BACKGROUND

Update:: At 1:23 this afternoon the phone rang again and this time is was the Maitland Valley Medical Center in Goderich.  Kelly had me take a picture of the bruising (or whatever it is) at the base of her spine yesterday and she sent that picture to her Nurse Practitioner.  The phone call came from Kelly's Nurse Practitioner's office telling her to come in Thursday morning at 11:30 to see about her painful back.    

 NO THIS IS NOT A GIRAFFE, IT'S A LLAMA

Al's Music Box:)) Benny And The Jets by Elton John from the album 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'.  1973

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An 8-year-old girl went to the office with her father on 'Take your kid to work Day'.  As they walked round the office she started crying and getting cranky.  Her father asked what was wrong.  As the staff gathered round she sobbed loudly, "Daddy, where are all the clowns you said you worked with?"

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1. Why is pirating so addictive?
Because once you lose yer first hand, you get hooked!

2. Why don't pirates shower before they walk the plank?  Because they'll wash up on shore later.

3. How do you save a dying pirate?
You give him CPARRRRR.

4. What happened when Bluebeard fell overboard in the Red Sea?  He got marooned.

5. Why do pirates suck at card games?
Because they always stand on the deck.

6. What did the pirate wear on Halloween?
A pumpkin patch.

7. A pirate goes to the doctor to have the spots on his arm examined. The doctor says: "They're benign."  The pirate replies: "No, no, doc, there be 11. I counted them before I came here."

8. Why'd the pirate go to the Apple store?
He needed a new iPatch!

9. Where can you find a pirate who has lost his wooden legs?  Right where he left him.

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