I DIDN'T WANT TO START ANY MORE BAD HABITS

It rained all night leaving us with a dull and dreary-looking day.  I considered staying in my recliner and just pulling a blanket over my head but I didn't want to start any more bad habits at this age.  Believe me, I have enough bad habits to last me a lifetime!!  With a couple prescriptions needing filled Pheebs and I headed off to Goderich in a light rainy drizzle. Coffee, harbor, beach area, Walmart, and home.  I have my fingers crossed for sunshine Wednesday...........  

 SPOTTED OLD LONESOME AGAIN THIS MORNING ON OUR WAY TO GODERICH

 MORNING BEACHWALK

 THESE TWO GALS ON THE BOARDWALK WISELY HAVE THEIR RAIN GEAR ON

 GRASS IS SOMETIMES GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY

Al's Music Box:)) Escape (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes from his 1979 album 'Partners In Crime'.

CORN STALKS ARE UP SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT FEET

GROANER'S CORNER:(( When I went to lunch today, I noticed an old man sitting on a park bench sobbing his eyes out. I stopped and asked him what was wrong. He said, “I have a wonderful wife at home. She rubs my back every morning and then gets up and makes me pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit and freshly ground coffee.”  I said, “Well, then why are you crying?”  He said, “She makes me homemade soup for lunch and my favorite brownies, cleans the house and then watches sports TV with me for the rest of the afternoon.”  I said, “Well, why are you crying?”  He said, “For dinner, she makes me a gourmet meal with wine and my favorite dessert.  I said, “Well, why in the world would you be crying?”  He said, “I can't remember where I live!”

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My plan for tomorrow is to go with the wife to get us both some new glasses…After that, we'll see!

I helped my neighbor this morning and she said to me, "I could marry you."  I couldn't believe it. You do something nice for someone and they threaten to ruin your life in return.

A girl agreed to go out with me after I gave her a bottle of tonic water...Schwepped her off her feet!

Did you hear about the bloke that always got angry when he was out of bread for breakfast?  He was lack-toast intolerant!

Husband: "Now that we are married, perhaps I might venture to point out a few of your little defects."
Wife: "Don't bother, dear. I'm quite aware of them. It was those little defects that prevented me from getting a much better man than you."

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State Mottos::

Alabama: Yes, We Have Electricity
Alaska: 11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong!
Arizona: But It's a Dry Heat
Arkansas: Literacy Ain't Everything
California: By 30, Our Women Have More Plastic Than Your Honda.
Colorado: If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother
Connecticut: Like Massachusetts, Only The Kennedys Don't Own It Yet.
Delaware: We Really Do Like The Chemicals In Our Water
Florida: Ask Us About Our Grandkids
Georgia: We Put The "Fun" In Fundamentalist Extremism
Hawaii: Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death To Mainland Scum, But Leave Your Money)

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KELLY'S LIVER DOCTOR WANTS TO SEE HER IN LONDON NEXT MONDAY FOR A 'TALK'

A VERY RARE SIGHTING THIS MORNING INDEED

Sunshine:))  How encouraging to pull the living room curtains aside and have an abundance of morning sunlight tumble through our window onto the floor.  And to think, that little patch of sunlight had just traveled 93,578,502 miles just to get here and light our lives:))

 I'M GUESSING THESE FLOWERS SEEN IN OUR PARK THIS MORNING ARE ZIMMIAS

A short country road drive for Pheebs and I because I wanted to get home and start on some Sumac tree cutting and Pine tree trimming in our backyard before the day heated up.  

THIS FELLOW LIVES ON A FARM JUST EAST OF OUR PARK

I wasn't long in filling up our utility trailer with pine and sumac branches.  Now, with fingers crossed I turned the ignition in the Jeep and it started.  I wasn't long in hitching up the trailer and heading for our Park's recycle area.  I was careful not to turn the Jeep off just in case.  With Libby safely back in the carport, I puttered around cleaning up and that was it for my day.  I was a sticky ball of paste by the time I was finished so I had no choice but to haul my sorry old sack of bones into the house and throw them in the shower.

BEFORE MY TREE TRIMMING PROJECT

 AFTER THE TRIM

 BEFORE

 AFTER

 A PILE OF SUMAC BRANCHES WAITING TO BE LOADED INTO THE UTILITY TRAILER

 SORRY FOLKS BUT KELLY MADE ME POSE FOR THESE PICTURES

For a while now Kelly has been having a lot of pain in her lower back so tomorrow she is off to see her Nurse Practitioner in Goderich.  Her itching problem has returned and her liver doctor in London wants to see her next Monday at University Hospital for a 'talk'.  We'll see what comes out of that.  Something has to be done, Kelly can't go on like this.  

Al's Music Box:)) Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn from their 1973 album, 'Tuneweaving'.   

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Elaine went to visit the much-heralded local fortune-teller.  In a dark and hazy room, peering into a crystal ball, the mystic delivered grave news: "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just be blunt - prepare yourself to be a widow. Your husband will die a violent and horrible death this year."  Visibly shaken, Elaine stared at the woman's haggard face, then at the single, flickering candle, then down at her hands.  She took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She simply had to know. She met the fortune teller's gaze, steadied her voice and asked, "Will I be acquitted?"

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Did you hear the story about the Irishman who drowned while he was digging a grave for a friend who wanted to be buried at sea.

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-“A cannonball is a party for artillerymen.”

- I was watching the London Marathon and saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another runner dressed as an egg...  I thought, "This could be interesting."

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PLEASANT AND EASYGOING LIKE HIS MOTHER

Another dull and dreary day but Pheebs and I did get out for half an hour this morning.  

 A DISTANT YELLOWING BEAN FIELD

 IT APPEARS AREA WINDS HAVE BEEN HAVING THEIR WAY WITH THIS BANK OF SOLAR PANELS

Kelly's son Ben phoned from Sauble Beach 85 miles north of Bayfield saying he was heading home to Cambridge but would swing down through Bayfield to meet us for breakfast.  At 10:45 we did just that at Renegades Diner.  I've always liked Ben, he's pleasant and easygoing like his Mother:))  

Al's Music Box:)) Diamond Girl by Seals & Crofts from their 1973 album, 'Diamond Girl'.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent, but had not phoned in. Needing to have an urgent work problem resolved, he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted by a child's whispered, "Hello."  "Is your Daddy home?" he asked.  "Yes," whispered the small voice.  "May I talk with him?"  The child whispered, "No."  Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?"  "Yes."  "May I talk with her?"  Again the small voice whispered, "No."  Hoping there was someone with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anyone else there?"  "Yes," whispered the child, "a policeman."  Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"  "No, he's busy," whispered the child.  "Busy doing what?"  "Talking to Mommy and Daddy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer.  Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that noise?"  "A helicopter," answered the whispering voice.  "What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.  Again, whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed a helicopter."  Alarmed, confused, and a little frustrated, the boss asked, "What are they searching for?"  Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle..."Me!"

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A FEW PRE-AUTUMN PHOTOS

A cloudy and cool morning.  I am in need of some sunshine.  A few pre-Autumn photos today.

Al's Music Box:)) Rainy Day People by Gordon Lightfoot from his 1975 album, 'Cold On The Shoulder'.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  As a sergeant in a parachute regiment, I took part in several nighttime exercises. Once, I was seated next to a Lieutenant fresh from Jump School.  He was quite sad and looked a bit pale so I struck up a conversation.  "Scared, Lieutenant?", I asked.  He replied, "No, just a bit apprehensive."  I asked, "What's the difference?"  He replied, "That means I'm scared with a university education."

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Q: What does a Hindu wish someone on their birthday?
A: May you have many happy returns.

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I QUIT LOOKING AT FLYERS YEARS AGO

Holy ka-smoley we just went from string bikini and speedo weather to sweaters, jackets, and warm hat days in less than 24 hours.  And, I love it.  I can now go outside to play in our front yard again.  

Under gray drizzly skies Pheebs and I headed off to Goderich.  I was looking for some stuff I didn't need because I mistakenly looked at our latest Canadian Tire Store flyer.  I had quit looking at flyers years ago because I sometimes ended up buying things I didn't need just because they were supposedly on sale.  'On Sale'.... hogwash, what a gimmick that usually is!!

 HEADING TO GODERICH

 HEADING HOME FROM GODERICH

Ellen's Groove:))  This Bass Recording Session is an excellent video approximately 15 minutes long and will be of particular interest to musicians and producers alike.  It is a studio recording session between Ellen and her Dad Hovak.  Hovak starts off by showing and explaining the equipment being used.  With Ellen on bass and Hovak handling the recording side of the session, he coaches and patiently works with Ellen to lay down a particular bass line track.  I think the lead guitar heard on this track was recorded by Hovak himself who incidentally is an excellent guitarist.  Hovak is the founding member of the band Octavision.  You can see Ellen's determination and humorous side here as she takes serious direction from her perfectionist Dad and you can see how well Father and Daughter work together.  It is easy to see why Ellen will likely someday take her place in the annals of great bass players.  Music technicians will enjoy this video as well as serious musicians.  Especially touching is the end of the practice session when they wrap it up and the kibbitzing breaks out between Ellen and her Dad.  Also of interest, you will notice that Hovak is not speaking English to Ellen throughout this session.  Hovak is from Armenia and is speaking Armenian which of course Ellen speaks and understands as well.       

 SEEN IN OUR FRONT YARD THIS AFTERNOON

Al's Music Box:)) It's Not For Me To Say by Johnny Mathis from his 1957 album, 'Johnny's Greatest Hits'.

GROANER'S CORNER:)) A fifteen-year-old boy came home with a Porsche and his parents asked him, "Where did you get that car???!!!" He calmly told them, "I bought it today."  "With what money?" demanded his parents. "We know what a Porsche costs."  "Well," said the boy, "this one cost me fifteen dollars."  So the concerned parents began to get very upset. "Who would sell a car like that for fifteen dollars?" they said.  "It was the lady up the street," said the boy." I don't know her name--they just moved in. She saw me ride past on my bike and asked me if I wanted to buy a Porsche for fifteen dollars."  "Oh No," moaned the mother, "she must be a child abuser. Who knows what she will do next? John, you go right up there and see what's going on." So the boy's father walked up the street to the house where the lady lived and found her out in the yard calmly planting petunias! He introduced himself as the father of the boy to whom she had sold a Porsche for fifteen dollars and demanded to know why she did that. "Well," she said, "this morning I got a phone call from my husband. I thought he was on a business trip, but it seems he has run off to Hawaii with his secretary and doesn't intend to come back. He asked me to sell his new Porsche and send him the money.  So I did."    

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