I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE A BEAVER IN THE PARK'S POND

 

 A PAIR OF CANADA GEESE ON THE PARK'S POND TODAY

With the Sun shining full tilt and only a slight breeze moving the cold morning air around I figured I would take my hip and leg out for a test walk.  Without further ado Pheebs and I headed off to our country road walking spot and away we went.  I set a brisk pace and walked the quarter mile up the road and back with no problem.  However, I have to be careful about turning or swiveling that hip so I have had to give up practicing my Chubby Checker Twist moves in the front yard.  And no more Elvis Jailhouse Rock moves either!!

 I WAS HAPPY I COULD WALK THIS STRETCH OF ROAD AGAIN WITH NO LEG OR HIP PAIN

 PHEEBS CASTS A BIG MORNING SHADOW

 THESE FIELDS WILL SOON BE SPROUTING FORTH WITH CROPS

All three of us piled into the Jeep shortly after ten this morning and headed off to the South Huron Veterinary Clinic in Zurich.  Pheebs had been shaking her head a lot again and had a swollen ear.  Her ears definitely needed to be looked at.  She has had problems with her ears for years and this morning she was treated for an Aural Hematoma  The Vet said both her ears were infected and will be treated with something called Claro Otic Soin and Prednisone.  Pheebs also had her rabies vaccine and nails trimmed.  We were all back home again by noon.

 WAITING FOR PHEEBS AT THE VET THIS MORNING

 KELLY DOES A WALKABOUT IN THE LOBBY

 AND BY GOLLY HERE COMES OUR PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL NOW:))))

Not wanting to waste the sunshine and fresh air I once again busied myself around the yard this afternoon.  By all the yardwork I seem to be doing it makes it sound like we have about forty acres here.  Nope, just a small corner lot in a Pine forest with a bunch of other folks but we do have a lot of vegetation around our place and that makes for seemingly unending yardwork.  Pine trees, cedar trees, oak trees, maple trees, a sunburst locust tree, mulberry trees, and sumac trees, plus an assortment of flowering shrubs, vines, grasses, moss, flowers, and ground covers.  Keeping ahead of our growing jungle is quite a task at times.  But, it is good to have something to do.  Well, most of the time anyway.

 WE HAVE TRILLIUMS GROWING IN OUR FLOWER BED

 I RAN OUR LAWNMOWER OVER THE BUNNY TRAIL THIS AFTERNOON

 OUR HAPPY DAFFYS ARE STILL BLOOMING

Intentionally leaving my cane at home Pheebs and I headed off for an afternoon walk which took us down around the far end of our Park.  I had no problem walking and no hip or leg pain.

 IT WAS NICE TO BE BACK IN OUR PARK'S PINE FOREST AGAIN

THINGS ARE SLOWLY GREENING UP

 'OH MY THAT SKY'

 AND YES WE HAVE DANDELIONS FINALLY BLOOMING

On the way back I saw something curious along the shoreline of our Park's pond.  Methinks we might have a resident Beaver.  I know for sure we have Muskrats in the pond but I saw evidence this afternoon that suggests we might now have a Beaver as well.       

 THIS SURE LOOKS LIKE THE WORK OF A BEAVER ON A TREE IN THE POND

 THOSE SURE LOOK LIKE TEETH MARK ON ANOTHER TREE THAT IS ONLY A FEW FEET FROM THE EMPTY GOOSE NEST

 ACROSS THE POND I SPOTTED THIS FUR BALL 

 SECONDS LATER THAT FUR BALL JUMPED INTO THE POND

 AND HERE IT IS SWIMMING OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE POND

ALL THE COMMOTION DIDN'T FLUSTER THESE CANADA GEESE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY

 FURTHER ALONG THE POND, I SAW THESE TWO PAINTED TURTLES ON THE SHORE SUNNING THEMSELVES

 WHILE TAKING THIS PHOTO OF A SURFACED TURTLE I HEARD A SPLASH TO MY LEFT

 THAT SPLASH TURNED OUT TO BE THIS FELLOW

 I HAVE A FEELING THIS IS A MUSKRAT BUT I'M NOT SURE

Al's Music Box:)) Sultans Of Swing by the Dire Straits from the album 'Dire Straits'.  1978

GROANER'S CORNER:((  On the sixth day, God created the platypus. And God said: Let's see the evolutionists try and figure this one out.

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What does a plumber say in a library?
"Pipe Down!"

What vegetables do plumbers hate?  Leeks.

Why was the plumber tired after a day's work?Because the work had been too draining.

When the plumber had a near-death experience, he almost saw his entire life flush before his eyes!

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AFTER TODAY'S PLASMAPHERESIS TREATMENT, KELLY HAS ONLY ONE MORE TO GO

 PHEEBS MEETS A NEW PAL THIS AFTERNOON

A cold, cloudy, depressing morning found Pheebs and I jeeping ourselves around a few country roads.  Not too inspiring but I do enjoy listening to my Sirius Satellite Radio along the way.  We were back home by 9 a.m.

 STORMY-LOOKING SKIES THIS MORNING WITH THE WEATHER CHANNEL SAYING 'A CHANCE OF SNOW'

Later, under partially sunny skies, it was all three of us in the Subaru by 11 a.m. heading for London's Victoria Hospital where Kelly was scheduled for her fifth plasmapheresis treatment.  Pheebs and I dropped her off at 12:20 and headed the short distance to our 'Serenity Acres' spot behind Parkwood Hospital.

 HEADING FOR LONDON

 BUSH LINES ARE BEGINNING TO COLOR UP AFTER WINTER'S GRAY

 A SMALL GATHERING OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LONDON'S EAST END

 I HEARD KELLY SAY TO PHEEBS....'SEE YOU IN A COUPLE HOURS'

With flecks of snow in the air, Pheebs and I set off on a walk in an area where there are two large baseball fields.  It was cold enough to make me wish I had brought my mitts.  At the southeast corner of the ball fields, we found a small obscure trail leading off into the forest so we followed that until it petered out and we saw a broader trail ahead.

 IT WASN'T MUCH OF A TRAIL WE DECIDED TO FOLLOW

 PRETTY SOON THERE WAS NO TRAIL AT ALL

 LUCKILY, WE SPOTTED A BROADER WELL WORN PATH

 WE HADN'T SEEN THIS POND BEFORE

 PHEEBS SCOUTS THE WAY AHEAD

 IN A MONTH FROM NOW THIS WILL ALL BE GREEN

I had a feeling this was the 'dog leash' trail I had seen on a sign a couple of weeks ago.  I didn't have a leash with me but because of the cold gray day, we luckily didn't encounter any people.  The trail eventually led into another trail and we took that one in what I figured was the direction back to the ball diamond area.  I figured right but we really got ourselves into some muddy spots along the trail where I nearly got myself a couple of soakers.  I had my cane with but I didn't have to use it regarding my hip but it certainly came in handy while making my way down a slippery slope on the trail.

 MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH A SWAMPY AREA

 THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF LONDON IS NEVER TOO FAR AWAY

 PHEEBS GOES RIGHT THROUGH THESE MUDDY SPOTS WHILE I HAVE TO TRY AND PORTAGE AROUND THE EDGES

GOING DOWN THIS MUD-SLICKED LITTLE HILL WITH MY OLD NO-TREAD SNEAKERS WAS TOUCH AND GO

 HERE COMES PHEEBS RACING DOWN THE MUDDY TRAIL DOING ABOUT 185 MPH

Finally, off the muddy forest trails, we made our way back out onto the green grass of the ball fields and from there headed back to the car.  

 AHHHH TIS THE COLOR OF SPRING IT TIS

 AND IT WAS HERE PHEEBS MET A NEW PAL WHO WAS OUT WALKING WITH HIS MOM AND DAD

 ALMOST BACK TO THE CAR

It was about 1:15 when we climbed into the Subaru and I opened up my Kindle reader while Pheebs curled up in the passenger seat for a big snooze.  

It was close to 2:45 when my cell phone rang with Kelly on the other end saying she was ready to be picked up.  Pheebs and I scooped her about ten minutes later and we began making our way north up Adelaide Street on our way out of London.  Kelly was feeling hungry so we made a stop at Wendys where Kelly got a baked potato and chile.  A small hamburger for me and we were soon back on the road again.  It was a quiet drive home with moody skies overhead made up of a few slivers of sunshine and heavy clouds.  We rolled into our driveway shortly after 4 o'clock under a solid cloud cover again.  However, we did later end the day under bright blue sunny skies:))

 PICKING UP KELLY AFTER HER TREATMENT AT VICTORIA HOSPITAL

 HERE COMES THE PRETTY LADY WITH THE GRUB

Feeling better today, Kelly said she thinks the plasmapheresis treatments are finally taking hold.  She has had two nights in a row with no itching which has allowed her to get some sleep.  Her next and hopefully last treatment will be this coming Wednesday.  Tomorrow (Tuesday) is Pheebs turn for a medical appointment.  She has been shaking her head a lot and one ear has become swollen again so we will be at the Zurich Vets at 10.30.  Thursday and Friday it is my turn with blood work at the Dyancare Lab Thursday morning followed by X-rays of my right hip at the Goderich Hospital Friday morning.  Next week I have an appointment with my Urologist to go over the results of my blood tests regarding the PSA numbers in relation to my past prostate cancer bout.  My numbers have been excellent for a couple years now so I'm hoping that trend continues.          

 WE CAME ACROSS THESE MAYAPPLES ON THE FOREST FLOOR TODAY

 MOSSES OR LICHENS.....HMMMM

Al's Music Box:)) Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress by The Hollies from the album 'Distant Light'.  1972

 I THINK SOMEBODY JUST WOKE UP

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Trying to control her frizzy and dry hair, Kay treated her scalp with olive oil before washing it. Worried that the oil might leave an odor she washed her hair several times with strong soap.  That night when Kay went to bed, she leaned over to her husband and asked, "Do I smell like olive oil?"  "Why ?" he asked, pulling back. "Do I smell like Popeye?

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- What do you call a guy in a Nascar screaming slurs?  Speed Racist.

- Confucius say: "Man who run behind car get exhausted, but man who run in front of car get tired."

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