BOTH KELLY & MY NEW CAMERA LENS CHECKED OUT A-OK TODAY

It wasn’t so much that we were up any earlier than usual but we were sure out the door & on the road earlier than we’ve been for a long time.  Kelly & I that is & we were on our way in the rain to London’s University Hospital for Kelly’s check-up appointment.  Of course we always arrive way too early but better early than late I always figure.  Not many people in the waiting room which was a bonus & Kelly was in & out of her appointment with Dr. Levstik in about 10 minutes.  All is good:))

FRONT ENTRANCE TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

YEP, GUESS WE GOT THE RIGHT PLACE ALRIGHT

EMPTY WAITING ROOM……BONUS:))

READING MY KINDLE

GOOD TO GO:))

KELLY FISHING IN HER PURSE FOR SOME MONEY, MENNONITE LADY WITH A TIM HORTONS COFFEE ON HER CELL PHONE & 2 OLD GUYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO STICK THE MONEY IN THE PARKING GARAGE MONEY MACHINE

It was only 5 minutes from the hospital to Henry's Camera Store where I had a question about a ‘click’ sound in my new lens.  The manager who’s name might have been Eric said the ‘click’ was normal & attached an identical lens to my camera which also had the same click.  Satisfied with that Kelly & I went next door to have us a look through a Pier 1 Imports store.  Not interested in buying anything but it’s just nice walking around looking at stuff in those kinds of stores.  I like all the shapes, colors, & scented candle smells.

  

THOUGH A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT THE TIME I AM IN THIS PHOTO SOMEWHERE

 

 

An hour later we were home & what a happy little dog we had waiting for us.  Never in my life have I ever met a dog that is simply 24/7 happy all the time.  We are sooooooo fortunate to have to have met the Pheebs back in August of 2011:))))))))

I JUST LOVE ALL THE GROOVY COLORS

Our rainy morning actually quit sometime while we were in London’s University Hospital this morning & our day turned out expectantly on the reasonably nice side sorta.  Mid 50’s here by the lake.  Sure better than last year at this time when we still had tons of ice on the lake.  Check my post & photos from a year ago…..Cooling Photos.

Okay so like here’s the latest dumb thing I just did.  Couple days ago I decided to hang out the Niger seed bird feeder for the Goldfinches.  Niger seed is black but when I opened up a container I had written ‘Bird Seed’ on it was a beige color but hey it did say birdseed.  Figured I had probably bought it last Fall for the feeders.  Without further adieu I filled up the long tube & hung it up a tree in our front yard.  Yesterday I saw a single Goldfinch sitting in a tall bush beside the birdfeeder.  Just sitting there looking at the feeder.  Couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t just hop over & gobble up some seeds like they usually do.  Sat for awhile trying to figure out it’s hesitation when ‘BANG’ the lightbulb came on in my head.  I had bought a package of grass seed last Fall & I must have absentmindedly dumped it in my plastic container marked ‘Bird Seed.’  No wonder that little Finch kept cocking it’s head back & forth at the feeder.  You can see that wee fellow’s confusion in my Sunday post.  You can see my confusion in any of my posts……………:((

ALL OF TODAY’S PHOTOS WERE TAKEN WITH MY CANON POWERSHOT SX210 POINT & SHOOT CAMERA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ONE KELLY TOOK OF ME WITH HER BLACKBERRY

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A woman called our airline customer-service desk asking if she could take her dog on board. “Sure,” I said, “as long as you provide your own kennel.” I further explained that the kennel needed to be large enough for the dog to stand up, sit down, turn around, and roll over. The customer was flummoxed: “I’ll never be able to teach him all of that by tomorrow!”

- A Canadian psychologist is selling a video that teaches you how to test your dog’s IQ. Here’s how it works: If you spend $12.99 for the video, your dog is smarter than you.

- We’ve begun to long for the pitter-patter of little feet, so we bought a dog. It’s cheaper, and you get more feet.

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- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward

 
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL. -Tomorrows are always a great opportunity to do something different from today....AL.

KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG SO SAT IN MY RECLINER TRYING TO LOGIC THINGS OUT

I’M WONDERING IF THIS MIGHT BE A BONAPARTE’S GULL

I knew soon as I opened my eyes this morning something wasn’t right.  When I had fallen asleep the night before everything was normal but now even when I put my glasses on things were still not right.  Blurry, out of focus, tipsy.  First thought was oh-no something has happened to me in the night.  Maybe a mild stroke.  Everything else seemed normal except for my vision.  Sat in my recliner for a few minutes trying to logic things out.  TV screen was blurry & so was the clock but not as blurry with my glasses on.  It was about the third time I took my glasses off my right hand touched & felt something abnormal about the right lens.  Looked down & noticed the left lens was it’s usual scratch coated self but I could see clear through the right lens.  Wait a minute!!  I poked my finger at the right side lens & my finger went right through without touching anything.  The whole lens was missing & there just to the right I could see where the frame had separated from the arm.  Good news, no stroke.  Bad news, my glasses were broke…………..or were they.

ONLY FOUND US ONE FARM HOUSE THIS MORNING BUT WE DID SEE A FEW SUNDAY FARMERS OUT WORKING THEIR LAND

It was about this time came Kelly came upon the scene & being kind of an old glasses mechanic quickly informed me they were not broke & in fact the tiny screw holding the glass frame to the arm had simply come out.  Luckily the screw had remained with the frame & not fallen anywhere.  And speaking of falling out, where was the lens??  I suspected the floor somewhere so cautiously extracted myself up & out of my recliner.  As luck would have it I spotted the lens right away…….I had been sitting on it.  Ok, enter Little Miss Fix-It:))

 

COLTSFOOT

TINY VIOLETS ON THE FOREST FLOOR

Took Kelly about 20 minutes to get that lens back in the frame & the screw tightened up.  Would have taken me about 20 seconds to lose patience & heave the glasses across the room.  We are so fortunate here at the Bayfield Bunch to have such a patiently inclined person with mechanical aptitude to boot.  I can’t even say I’m good at taking out the garbage anymore because earlier in the week I forgot to do that too.  Think maybe I had better get my name in at ‘The Home’.

I BELIEVE THESE QUACKERS TO BE MALLARD DUCKS

Realizing I was getting low on peanut butter I readily accepted yet another excuse for Pheebs & I to head off into the countryside.  Luckily there’s lots of rural Ontario between our place & Walmart in Goderich so we were soon dusting ourselves down the road.  A swing around the Goderich harbor is always in order so from Walmart that is where we headed.  Nobody at the doggy park so we soon had shoes & paws on the ground for a walk.  About the only photos I managed to find were a few of our feathered friends as well as a couple new Inukshuk guys.

LOOKS LIKE THE INUKSHUK GANG IS TRYING A COMEBACK

AMAZINGLY ENOUGH IT WAS THE MOURNING DOVE WHO EVENTUALLY WON THIS FRONT YARD STAND-OFF

^^ DUCK BUTT ^^

<<< GOLDFINCH

On our way home I managed to confuse myself at McDonalds when I asked for a single Burrito at the drive-thru.  The speaker box informed me their breakfast menu was over half an hour ago.  I nervously & too hastily stumbled over my options on the big food display board & then asked for a ‘Teen Burger’.  The speaker box again squawked at me saying, “you are not at A & W Sir”.  Guess I shouldn’t have been shuffling through a handful of A&W coupons earlier in the morning.  I had A&W on the brain.  In fact if it wouldn’t have been for the color of the building that’s where I might have thought I was.  Somehow I bumbled out of my fumble & heard myself say, “I’ll have a Quarter Pounder’ please.  I didn’t really want a Quarter Pounder but there I was pulling up to the wicket to get one anyway & with that Pheebs & were on our way on down the road munching happily away on our Burrito, wait a minute make that a Teen Burger…….alright alright already, a Quarter Pounder!!  Geeezzzzzzzzzz.

WINTER COATS AT THE BEACH TODAY

Rest of the afternoon we did about the whole square root of nothing.  Hung up a couple more bird feeders, checked the 4 deep cell batteries in the Motorhome, fired up the Motorcycle to keep a charge on the battery & that was about it.  We have an early start in the morning & have to be at London’s University Hospital by 8:30.  Kelly has a check up appointment with her Specialist.  Luckily Henry's Camera Store is near by because I want to stop in with my new lens to ask them about a click I keep hearing inside.  Doesn’t sound normal to me & my old identical lens never had that click.  Only clicks when the VR (vibration reduction) button is on so I figure it’s got something to do with that.  We’ll see…………

GROANER’S CORNER:((  Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since
his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

• Knowing when to come in out of the rain
• Why the early bird gets the worm
• Life isn't always fair
• and maybe it was my fault

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers:

1. I Know My Rights
2. I Want It Now
3. Someone Else Is To Blame
4. I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because in this day & age so few realized he was gone………………

NO POLAR BEARS OR PENGUINS IN THE MARSH & A SATURDAY AFTERNOON COFFEE BLOW-OUT

One glance at the 31F thermometer this morning had me climbing back into my winter lined pants.  With a north wind blowing & knowing Pheebs & I were headed for the open air Hullett Marsh I figured I’d better dress on the warm side.  I’ve never liked the feel of cold denim on bare skin so it wasn’t until late morning after temperatures had come up that I switched to my blue jeans.  Although a bit cold it wasn’t cold enough for Polar Bears & Penguins in the marsh:))

 

I’M GUESSING THESE BIRDS ARE SWALLOWS & IT SURE WASN’T EASY GETTING A PHOTO OF THEM IN FLIGHT

 

METHINKS IT’S A GRACKLE

HULLET’S MARSHES & PONDS ARE DIVIDED BY THESE GRASSY BERMS MAKING FOR EASY WALKING & A NICE RAISED PLATFORM TO TAKE PHOTOS FROM

I HAVE A NUMBER OF FAVORITE AREAS IN THE MARSH & THIS IS AN EASY ACCESS ONE

Not a sole around in the Hullett so Pheebs & I had ourselves a nice uninterrupted stroll with only the sounds of Peeper Frogs, Canada Geese, Red Wing Black Birds, Ducks, & Tweeting Sparrows to serenade us along.  Pheebs did chase 2 Muskrats into the water & we did hear some Deer splashing through the wet swamp land off to our left at one point.  I caught a fleeting glimpse of a white bobbing tail.

FARMERS WERE BUSY ON THE LAND TODAY

Pheebs & I were back home before 11 & not long after I was back in the Jeep by myself heading for Seaforth Ontario.  My good Stratford Ontario friend Jim & I had agreed to meet on the stroke of ‘High Noon’ for a coffee at Tim Hortons.  Jim & I are known for our marathon coffee blow-outs & this one was no exception.  It was 5:20 in the afternoon before we both struggled to our feet suffering from that darned old flat arse syndrome again.  Those hard plastic 20 minute seats are not designed for comfort & are especially excruciating for a couple old overweight guys well out of their teen age days.  Say, I wonder what Tim Hortons would say if next time Jim & I walked in there with a couple of big white fluffy pillows strapped to our butts.

A FEW MORE FARM HOUSES ALONG THE WAY TODAY AS WELL

I was late getting to the keyboard tonight so I’ll just leave it here & maybe stand for awhile.  Maybe get the blood flowing in my legs again.  Heaven knows I’ve had my share of sitting for one day.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long?  Polaroids.

What kind of music do chiropractors listen to? HIP-POP!

Why did the skeleton go to the party alone?  He had no body to go with him!

What type of music do mummies listen to? WRAP MUSIC!

Why did the elephants get kicked out of the public pool? THEY KEPT DROPPING THEIR TRUNKS!

What is the definition of a good farmer? A MAN OUTSTANDING IN HIS FIELD!

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"A writer is a writer not because they write well & easily, because they have amazing talent, or because everything they do is golden.  A writer is a writer because, even when there is no hope, even when nothing they do shows any sign of promise, they keep on writing anyway"...... Author Unknown