Wednesday, August 02, 2023

AUGUST ALREADY---WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN

 OUR FRONT YARD IS BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE FROGVILLE
Somehow, we have made it through our busy social calendar for this past week and a half.  For us, it was a bit of a whirlwind but everything worked out and went well.  And OMG here we are into August already.  When did that happen??

 A FEW PHOTOS FROM OUR MORNING RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

 BUZZARD ON A MANURE PILE
 BUZZARD NOT ON A MANURE PILE
With cooler temps upon us now I am feeling a bit more energized.  With yard waste accumulating in the utility trailer, it was a good morning to haul all that stuff to the Park's recycling area.  So, after doing our country road walk and slipping around a few country roads Pheebs and I headed home, hooked up the trailer, and got it emptied.

I FOUND THIS SET OF HOMEMADE STEPS IN OUR RECYCLE AREA THIS MORNING AND KNOWING A NEIGHBOR WAS IN NEED OF A SET OF STEPS I LOADED THEM INTO THE UTILITY TRAILER

 HEY YOU GUYS I BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD GROW THINGS IN YOUR UTILITY TRAILER EH
Kelly, Rebecca, and Ella had taken the Subaru to the beach Tuesday so by the time they got home there was enough sand in the car to build me a small sand castle. I had intended to clean the car but the humidity ramped up and sent the mosquitos into a frenzy and that in turn sent me into the house.  Hopefully tomorrow.  

 A  OLD BACKYARD GATE WE HAVEN'T USED FOR A FEW YEARS

 I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF FROGS TO CATCH AND TRANSPORT TO THE PARK'S POND THIS FALL
Kelly's itching' has ramped up again but only because it is over a week since her last plasmapheresis treatment.  The next one will be this coming Saturday and she may have to ramp up the treatments to get herself back on track again.

 A FRONT YARD GARDEN FLOWER
My overall health has taken a bit of a setback over this past week and a half.  I've been like a drunken sailor staggering down a narrow gangplank tripping over bowls of ice cream, staggering through piles of cookies, and stumbling over pieces of cake thick with icing.  Too many peanut butter and honey sandwiches and too many burgs and fries.  This morning I almost needed a construction crane to lift me out of my recliner.  I gotta get myself smartened up and back on track right quick before I get hauled out of here in the back of a dump truck!!!!!!

 ELLA MADE KELLY A WALKING STICK
I've been toying with the idea of joining the YMCA.  I was an active Stratford member over 40 years ago but that was then and this is now.  Taking up Tai Chi again has also been on my mind.  Probably been about 15 years since I last worked my way through all those 108 Tai Chi moves.  Exercising at home has never, and still doesn't work for me.  I just don't have the self-discipline for that.  As much as I feel uncomfortable being around groups of people, a group exercise class might be my only option.  With my walking cut way back due to my problematic hip, I might have to consider a YMCA cycling machine program to strengthen my leg muscles.  Kelly is thinking of joining the YMCA for the winter as well.  We'll see how things go.  But no matter what, we both gotta do something because healthy adventures and RV travels to the great American Southwest are regrettably no longer in the cards for us.

 I HOPE WE HAVE ENOUGH GARAGE CANS
Ellen's Groove:))  Haven't heard too much new music from Ellen lately but here's an older one I like she does with her Dad (on guitar) and a couple music friends.  My Angel      

 HYDRANGEA
Al's Music Box:)) The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant from the album 'Suddenly There's Gogi Grant'.  1956  This is another memorable song for me as a young boy.  I would often hear it on the radio.  I wish I could go back and visit those mid 50's years.  Things were so different then.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  An amazing 2 letter English word....A reminder that one word in the English language can be a noun, verb, adjective, adverb and preposition.

UP

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.'  It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep.], [adj.], [n] or [v].  It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?  At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.  At other times, this little word has real special meaning.  People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.  To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.  And this UP is confusing:  A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.  We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!  To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary.  In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.  If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.  It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.  When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP.  When it rains, the earth soaks it UP.  When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP.  One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . my time is UP!  Oh . . . one more thing:  What is the first thing you do in the morning and maybe something you have to do in the middle of the night if you are a Senior.  So, don't screw UP, send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book....or not.   It's UP to you.  Now I'll shut UP!

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Tuesday, August 01, 2023

KELLY SWIMS IN LAKE HURON TODAY AND IT WAS FINALLY TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO REBECCA, RICARDO, AND ELLA AS THEY LEAVE FOR SPAIN IN NINE DAYS

Our nights have been cooling off really nicely with temps in the low 50'sF.  With the car's windows down I had to crack on a little heat as Pheebs made our way out to our country road walking spot.  I had a long sleeve flannel shirt over my short sleeve shirt.  

 ANOTHER NICE RIDE THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE THIS MORNING
 A RARE OVERHEAD RURAL RAILROAD BRIDGE
 I CAN ALWAYS SPOT SENIORS TRAVELING BETWEEN DESTINATIONS
 'OH DEAR, LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER AMAZON PARCEL HEADED FOR OUR HOUSE'
 SPOTTED IN GODERICH THIS MORNING
After our walk, we headed for Goderich where I had a prescription to pick up at Walmart after a McDonalds coffee and swing down around the harbor and beach area.

 IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE ALONG GODERICH'S SHORELINE
 A COUPLE MOMS OUT FOR A STROLL
 I SEE THESE TWO FELLOWS OUT AND ABOUT ALONG THE BOARDWALK QUITE A BIT
 NO RIDING IN THE CART FOR THIS LITTLE FELLOW....HE'S A BIG BOY NOW
 ANOTHER LITTLE POOCH OUT FOR A MORNING DRIVE
 THIS ROADTREK DRIVER IS MAKING FULL USE OF HIS BOW AND STERN
 NOW HERE'S A FELLOW TOTALLY ENJOYING HIS MORNING AT THE BEACH

Rebecca and Ricardo had a check-out time of 11 a.m. at the Ashwood Inn this morning so they came over to our house just before that.  For Ricardo, it was still a working day so he was able to utilize our kitchen table.  Years ago, Kelly's daughter had traveled to Japan to teach for a few years.  After that, her travels took her to England, India, and Spain.  It was in Spain she met Ricardo.  Married, they moved to Andora and then from there to Canada first settling in British Columbia and then Ontario.  Rebecca loved the lifestyle in Spain and is happy to be returning there where they will live near the Mediterranean Sea. 

 ELLA IS GOING TO MISS ALL HER BAYFIELD PALS WHEN SHE MOVES TO SPAIN

 A BUSY DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR RICARDO
Shortly after posting Monday night's blog I heard kind of a strange slurping sound emanating from somewhere other than the sunroom.  I thought maybe it was Ella with a long straw slurping up the remains of a homemade milkshake or something.  But then I noticed the sounds were definitely coming from the bathroom so I went to have a look.  It was our bathroom sink making the slurpy gurgling sounds and that right away told me were about to have water again.  And, we did:))  Kudos to our Park's owner who was here all day working on the installation of new water valves.  I think it was after dark before he finally got to go home 33 miles away.     

REFLECTIONS IN OUR PARK'S POND THIS MORNING
 IN OUR FRONT YARD THIS AFTERNOON
 HOSTA FLOWER
In the Shout Box, long-time blog reader Sally Browning mentions a post by the late Rod Ivers entitled, 'Roomba'.  I think it is about the most popular and remembered post from the old blogging gang years ago.  I'm sure many of us remember Rod whenever we see the word Roomba.  We met Rod three times, once at an RV Park just west of Albuquerque New Mexico, once at our house in Congress Arizona where he dropped in to see us and the last time we saw him was at the second Bloggerfest in Quartzsite Arizona.  Here then without further ado is Rod's memorable post from Tuesday, March 4th, 2014.....Roomba

 THIS YOUNG FELLA TROTS OUT TO HAVE A LOOK AROUND THE CORNER
 CHECKING OUT THINGS OVER THE EDGE
Kelly, Rebecca, and Ella all headed off to the beach in Goderich this afternoon.  They spent a few hours there and really enjoyed themselves.  Kelly even got into the lake for a swim.  

AT THE GODERICH BEACH TODAY

 HOME AGAIN, ELLA TAKES A PICTURE WITH HER CAMERA

 JUST OUT OF THE SHOWER WAITING FOR HER HAIR TO DRY

Home again by late afternoon they scooped Ricardo and headed off to the Black Dog Bistro in Bayfield but it was closed so they went to the Bayfield Landing Restaurant.  I elected to stay home with Pheebs and have myself a big fat peanut butter sandwich.  I'm just not much for eating out in noisy crowded super expensive restaurants anymore.   

 AT THE BAYFIELD LANDING
 ROSIES FOR ICE CREAM

Al's Music Box:)) Rocky Mountain High by John Denver from the album 'Rocky Mountain High'.  1972

 IT WAS FINALLY TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
 ELLA'S GOING TO MISS PHEEBS AND PHEEBS IS GOING TO MISS ELLA

 FINAL HUGS
 WAVING THEIR GOODBYES
 AND THERE THEY GO.....MAYBE THE NEXT TIME WE WILL SEE THEM WILL BE IN SPAIN:))
GROANER'S CORNER:(( The psychology instructor had just finished a lecture on mental health and was giving an oral test.  Speaking specifically about manic depression, she asked, "How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?"  A young man in the rear raised his hand and answered, "A basketball coach?"

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My wife made me join a bridge club.  I jump off next Tuesday!!!

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- A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.  A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need.

- A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.  A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

- To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.  To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

- A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.  A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.

- A woman has the last word in any argument.  Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

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