PHEEBS AND I HAD PAWS AND BOOTS ON THE GROUND LATE THIS MORNING

 A NICE SUNNY 50F DAY WITH MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DOWN AND SOAKING UP THE WARMING RAYS OF SUNSHINE IN GODERICH TODAY

A nice looking sunny morning I thought to myself as I in my living room recliner shaded my eyes from the morning Sun.  Might be a good day to take myself outside for a walkabout in our driveway.  And I won't even have to put on my snowboots:))

 PHEEBS KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON ME

With my hip feeling a wee bit better day by day I have started stretching out the 'every 6 hours' time between pain pills.  Oh I will be so glad when I can painlessly run faster than a speeding bullet and leap over tall buildings again:))

 THIS LITTLE JUNCO SAT FOR THE LONGEST TIME LOOKING IN THE SUNROOM DOOR AT PHEEBS AND I BEFORE FLYING AWAY

It was exactly 11:25 a.m. this morning when Pheebs and I finally had paws and boots on the ground with our outside travels taking us to the end of the driveway and back twice.  No problem.  How great to be out in the sunshine walking on bare ground again.  And, I was able to do it all by myself without Kelly's help.  Lifting the walker down and up the steps proved to be much easier than I thought.  I am independently free now to come and go as I please except for driving.  And, I even managed to take a large plastic garbage can of paper stuff out to our burning barrel this afternoon and light it up.

 'OK DAD I'M RIGHT HERE IF YOU NEED MY HELP'

 OKAY HERE WE GO

Needing a few things in Goderich, Kelly fired up the Subaru and stuffed me into the passenger seat.  No way was I going to sit home on a nice sunny Springlike day.  I didn't have any problems getting into or out of the car.  I just had to use mode 'carefully slow'.  I do have a bad habit of doing things carelessly fast sometimes, but not today.....or tomorrow, or maybe even the next day.

 IN OUR DRIVEWAY READY TO HEAD OUT

 ON OUR WAY TO AND FROM GODERICH TODAY IT WAS SO GREAT TO SEE 99% OF THE SNOW GONE

 ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUITARISTS 'WILL ACKERMAN' ON SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO TODAY

Our Park's roads were abuzz with white Huron County pick-up trucks earlier today.  Old street signs came out and were replaced by new signs with some street names being altered.  Our street has always been called 'Maple' but will now be called 'Sugar Maple'.  Our house number will also be changed.  It's all part of a big address and 911 change and update to our Park.  Even our not-so-old mailboxes are again being swapped out for newer ones.  Nothing like a big blast of excitement to stir up all we curious Seniors here in the Park.

 WE NOW OFFICIALLY LIVE ON 'SUGAR MAPLE' DRIVE

Since coming home from the hospital nearly two weeks ago I noticed a curious mark on the top of my left foot.  I haven't the slightest idea what could have caused it but had this been back in my bad old drinking days the answer would be obvious.  I would no doubt have looked at that and thought 'I must have dropped a full can of beer on my bare foot yesterday while at the beach.'  An easy peasy logical answer in those days.    

 ALMOST HEALED UP NOW

Al's Music Box:)) You Belong To Me is a popular music ballad from the 1950s. It is well known for its opening line, "See the pyramids along the Nile".  The song was published in Hollywood on April 21, 1952, and the most popular version was by Jo Stafford.  You Belong to Me" is credited to Chilton Price, Pee Wee King, and Redd Stewart.  Price, a songwriting librarian at WAVE Radio Louisville, had written the song in its virtual entirety as "Hurry Home to Me", envisioning the song as an American woman's plea to a sweetheart serving overseas in World War II.  Afforded songwriting credit on the song mostly in exchange for their work in promoting it, King and Stewart did slightly adjust Price's composition musically and lyrically, shifting the focus from a wartime background "into a kind of universal song about separated lovers" (World War II having ended some years previously) and changing the title to "You Belong to Me".

 SO NICE TO FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch. Unfortunately, after just a few years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull from the stockyard in a far town so that they can breed their own stock.  They only have $600 left. Upon leaving, the brunette tells her sister, 'When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I'll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home.'  The brunette arrives at the stockyard, inspects the bull, and decides she wants to buy it. The man tells her that he will sell it for $599, no less. After paying him, she drives to the nearest town to send her sister a telegram to tell her the news. She walks into the telegraph office and says, 'I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I've bought a bull for our ranch. I need her to hitch the trailer to our pickup truck and drive out here so we can haul it home.'  The telegraph operator explains that he'll be glad to help her, then adds, 'It's just 99 cents a word.' Well, after paying for the bull, the brunette only has $1 left. She realizes that she'll only be able to send her sister one word.  After a few minutes of thinking, she nods and says, 'I want you to send her the word 'comfortable.'  The operator shakes his head. 'How is she ever going to know that you want her to hitch the trailer to your pickup truck and drive out here to haul that bull back to your ranch if you send her just the word 'comfortable?'  The brunette explains, 'My sister's blonde. The word's big. She'll read it very slowly ... com-for-da-bull.'

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A traveling salesman was held up in the west by a rainstorm and flood. He e-mails his office in NY: "Delayed by storm. Send instructions."  His boss e-mails back: "Start vacation immediately."

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MY WALKING IS GETTING BETTER

 WASCALLY WABBIT:))

Once opened, then having to partially pull back one side of our east-facing window curtain is always a good sign of an early morning sunrise.  If that one curtain isn't closed a bit I have the morning's sun full blast in my face.  Despite the inconvenience, morning sunshine in my face at this time of year is quite okay with me.  The morning later clouded over.

A Blast From Our Past:: It Was A Two Canyon Day in and around Borrego Springs, California March 1st, 2011.Once again, it turned out to be a very quiet Sunday and I didn't take any photos.  Couldn't even seem to come up with much of anything to write about.  My walking is getting better but I still have to use my walker.  

 WASCALLY GWACKLE:))

Al's Music Box:)) You'll Never Walk Alone was released in 1963 by the Liverpudlian Merseybeat group Gerry and the Pacemakers, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks.  After becoming a chart hit by the local band, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the song gained popularity on the Anfield terraces, and the song quickly became the football anthem of Liverpool F.C. which adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms. The song is sung by its supporters moments before the start of each home game According to former player Tommy Smith, lead vocalist Gerry Marsden presented Liverpool manager Bill Shankly with a recording of his forthcoming cover single during a pre-season coach trip in the summer of 1963. "Shanks was in awe of what he heard. ... Football writers from the local newspapers were traveling with our party and, thirsty for a story of any kind between games, filed copy back to their editors to the effect that we had adopted Gerry Marsden's forthcoming single as the club song." The squad was subsequently invited to perform the track with the band on The Ed Sullivan Show with Marsden stating, "Bill came up to me. He said, 'Gerry my son, I have given you a football team and you have given us a song'."

GROANER'S CORNER:(( An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.  He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull." Buddy didn't move.  Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull." Buddy didn't respond.  Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Jennie, pull." Nothing.  Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull." And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.  The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.  The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"

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- George Washington was such a great president.  He never blamed any of the country's problems on the previous administration.

- A guy walked into his friend's office, he found him sitting at his desk, looking very depressed.  "Hey, what's up with you?", he asks.  "Oh, its my wife," replied the man sadly. "She's hired a new secretary for me."  "Well, nothing wrong in that. Is she blonde or brunette?"  "Neither, He's bald."

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An old man was a witness in a burglary case.  The defense lawyer asked Sam, "Did you see my client commit this burglary?"  "Yes," said Sam, "I saw him plainly take the goods."  The lawyer asks Sam again, "Sam, this happened at night. Are you sure you saw my client commit this crime?"  "Yes, says Sam. "I saw him do it."  Then the lawyer asks Sam, "Sam, listen, you are an 80-year-old, and your eyesight is probably bad. Just how far can you see at night?"  Sam says, "I can see the moon. How far is that?"

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THE WONDERFUL WARM FEELING OF TOASTY TOOTSIES

 NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PHOTOS TODAY, JUST WHATEVER I COULD FIND THROUGH THE WINDOW

It was a gaggle of pine tree Crows I first heard when I opened the patio door early this morning to let Pheebs out on this frigidly cold 12F morning.  But hey, the Sun was shining and I knew this icy air was not here to last.  For this time of year and despite a few glitches, we have a nice warming trend headed our way, and in my life, warming trends are good.

THIS PILE OF PLOWED SNOW SHOULD BE GONE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS

The strengthening warmth of the Sun penetrated through our sunroom windows to the extent I considered bringing in and setting up a standing fan to cool me off.  Another benefit of the sun shining through our windows is that it warms up our floor and whenever I walker walk across a section of carpet in my bare feet with sun shining on it, I have the wonderful warm feeling of toasty tootsies  At this stage of life, toasty
tootsies is good:))  

LATE AFTERNOON SHADOWS ON ONE OF MY PATHS

 HAVING TRIMMED THIS TREE WAY BACK IN THE FALL I AM CURIOUS IF I WILL SEE ANY BUDS ON IT THIS SPRING

 A SCRAMBLE OF RED DOGWOOD BRANCHES

Al's Music Box:)) I've Been Everywhere is a song written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959.  A version of the song with different lyrics was popularised by Hank Snow in 1962.  In 1962, the song was a number-one US country hit.

First verse

Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota, Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota, Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma, Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma, Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo, Tocopilla, Barranquilla and Padilla.

Second verse

Boston, Charleston, Dayton, Louisiana, Washington, Houston, Kingston, Texarkana, Monterey, Ferriday, Santa Fe, Tallapoosa, Glen Rock, Black Rock, Little Rock, Oskaloosa, Tennessee, Hennessey, Chicopee, Spirit Lake, Grand Lake, Devil's Lake and Crater Lake.

Third verse

Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Ombabika, Schefferville, Jacksonville, Waterville, Costa Rica, Pittsfield, Springfield, Bakersfield, Shreveport, Hackensack, Cadillac, Fond du Lac, Davenport, Idaho, Jellico, Argentina, Diamantina, Pasadena and Catalina.

Fourth verse

Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, Gravelbourg, Colorado, Ellensburg, Rexburg, Vicksburg, Eldorado, Larimore, Atmore, Haverstraw, Chatanika, Chaska, Nebraska, Alaska, Opelika, Baraboo, Waterloo, Kalamazoo, Kansas City, Sioux City, Cedar City and Dodge City.

 STAG HORN SUMAC

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A college's student body is composed of the sons and daughters of the very rich who could not meet the academic requirements of any other college. Lo and behold, the college basketball team wins every game and dominates their league. All this success is due to one amazing player - a cross between Larry Bird and Michael Jordan.  This kid is terrific. The player and the team become the center of nationwide media attention. The student body is thrilled. Now, the NCAA goes to the college and asks for proof of this player's academic eligibility. The college administration promises such documentation in a few days. The faculty works night and day coaching the student for the crucial test.  The day of the public examination arrives, and the entire student body is there to support their star player. A professor stands, and announces the first question, "How much is five and two?" The student frowns in deep concentration - he thinks, he sweats, he shakes with effort. At last he shouts the answer, "SEVEN". The entire student body rises, and as a single voice, they cry. "Give him another chance. Give him another chance".

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"Man who stands in front of car gets tired, man who stands behind car gets exhausted."

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The new army recruit was given guard duty at 2 a.m. He did his best for a while, but at about 4 a.m. he went to sleep. He awakened to find the officer of the day standing before him.  Remembering the heavy penalty for being asleep on guard duty, this smart young man kept his head bowed for another moment and looked upward and reverently said......... 'Amen'.
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I HAVE COME TO A FEW MORE CONCLUSIONS!!

PHEEBS MADE IT OUT TO THE DRIVEWAY TODAY BUT I DIDN'T

A magical morning sunrise with a touch of pinky-orange mist riding atop fairytale shafts of giggling sunbeams wandered laughingly through our tall pine trees to start my day off on the right foot. (literally:))  If only it had lasted.

 COULD THIS SHADOW BE THE REAL SPIDERMAN IN OUR OUTDOOR PORCH LAMPSHADE

With the iPad jingling me awake at 4 a.m. I popped my pain pill and reassuredly drifted back to sleep knowing I wouldn't be woken up later by a grinding pain in my right hip.  I was off to a good start.  Much better than a week ago.

 HEY WAIT A MINUTE, IT'S TOO EARLY FOR RASPBERRIES

 OKAY, SO THEY WERE JUST TINY LITTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Had it not been a cold wind driving the windchill factor to below freezing today I would have taken Pheebs for a walk in our driveway.  Saturday's high of 23F is not doable either but Sunday and Monday we will be back up around 40F with sunshine so Pheebs and I plan to be outside doing laps around the house:))  Wednesday, Kelly and I will be back at the Sarnia Hospital for a post-op check-up with the surgeon whereupon he will take my stitches out.  The day before on Tuesday, Kelly will drive me to my first Physio appointment in Exeter, Ontario.  I hope they go easy on me and don't try to bend my leg around behind the back of my head:((

OUR SQUIRREL CORN SUPPLY IS GETTING LOW BUT I HAVE MORE IN THE CARPORT

TWO PEANUT BUTTER JARS FULL OF CORN KERNALS

With a list of errands, Kelly and the Subaru slipped up to Goderich early this afternoon.  I kept myself busy with my exercises, a load of laundry. and another deck Safari with Pheebs.  Not very many front yard photos to find but I did scrabble together a few.  I also washed my hair in the kitchen sink and never even hardly made much of a mess.  I surprised myself.  Found time to make a coffee and a smoothie as well.  Needless to say, my hip is definitely on the mend.   

 'NO DAD, I AM NOT GOING TO LET YOU TRY GOING DOWN THESE STEPS WHEN MOM ISN'T HERE'!!

Being 11 days out from surgery now I have come to a few more conclusions.  Hypothetically speaking, 'what if my other hip at some point in the future also developed severe arthritis??  Would I make the same decisions about where and how I had my right hip surgery done.  I would answer that question with a resounding 'NO'!!  And, here's why.  First, a few observations since my surgery.  It seems the United States, in regard to hip surgery, is far ahead of Canada.  Kelly's sister Becky had a pain-free knee replacement as well as a pain-free hip replacement.  She said in both those cases the anesthesia person injected the operation site previous to surgery with pain meds and freezing.  I never had any of that and it's no wonder I woke up in the recovery room in 'excruciating' pain.  Becky also said that the Physio people had her up and walking after both surgeries and she went home the same day.  She also said that right away the Physio people came directly to her home the next day and the physio program continued on from there.  There was no waiting a week or two to begin physio.  Also, there are two ways to do hip surgery.  One is called the 'Lateral' approach which I had done through the side of my hip with muscles being cut.  The other newer one is the 'Direct Anterior' approach which is done from the front of the hip and is not as invasive.  Muscles are not cut doing it this way.  Also, next time, if I couldn't have it done in the States I would choose London's University Hospital over any of the other smaller hospitals doing this.  I could be wrong here but I would have more confidence in University Hospital not making the mistakes that were made in my case at Sarnia's Bluewater Hospital.  I don't mean to knock the hospital, the surgeon, or the nursing staff, but I for sure would have a big bone to pick with the anesthesia guy and his unprofessional attitude!!!!  

 I AM COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TO WHEN MY WHEELBARROW AND I CAN TEAM UP ONCE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SPRING YARD CLEAN-UP

 IT WASN'T EASY FINDING COLOR IN OUR FRONT YARD THIS AFTERNOON

Al's Music Box:)) In The Early Morning Rain sometimes styled as "Early Mornin' Rain," is a song written, composed, and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song appears on his 1966 debut album Lightfoot! and, in a re-recorded version, on the 1975 compilation Gord's Gold.  Lightfoot wrote and composed the song in 1964, but its genesis took root during his 1960 sojourn in Westlake, Los Angeles. Throughout this time, Lightfoot sometimes became homesick and would go out to the Los Angeles International Airport on rainy days to watch the approaching aircraft. The imagery of the flights taking off into the overcast sky was still with him when, in 1964, he was caring for his 5-month-old baby son and he thought, "I’ll put him over here in his crib, and I’ll write myself a tune." "Early Morning Rain" was the result.  I also like Peter Paul and Mary's version of In The Early Morning Rain as well.

A Blast From Our Past::  An All Round Nice Day At Our Congress Arizona House 

 OUR BACK YARD'S SOUTH END AT OUR CONGRESS HOUSE.....I THINK WE HAD AN ACRE HERE

 LANDSCAPING OUR CONGRESS HOUSE, PHEEBS DUG THE HOLES IN THE HARD GROUND AND I PLANTED ALL THE CACTUS PLANTS....WE HAD 3 SAGUAROS RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE WITH TWO OF THEM OVER 12 FEET TALL AND ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 150 YEARS OLD

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Bill was short of money and was out looking for a job. Pastor Nelson offered Bill $500 to buy paint and paint the church. Well Bill went out bought some paint and started painting the church. He discovered that he was using more paint than he expected so he added some thinner to the paint. It still covered but not as well as it did at first. Bill was still using more paint than he wanted to use. The paint was too thin to cover well but Bill still kept on painting. All of a sudden there was a bolt of lightning and a loud voice from the sky proclaimed, "Bill!!"......."Repaint and thin no more."

 I was raised as an only child.  That got on my brother’s nerves.

How do you get a man to do sit-ups?  Put the remote control between his feet.

 "Frank, if you have 20 dollars and Bill takes away 14. What would you have?” said the teacher. "A fight!” answers Frank.

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