AFTER SIX MONTHS IN ONE PLACE I WILL BE HAPPY TO GET MY TRAVELING HEAD BACK ON AGAIN

Had my fingers crossed it wasn’t going to be a rainy morning and it wasn’t.  However it was under some mighty stormy looking clouds that Kelly, Pheebs and I motored ourselves north up to Goderich in the Big EEE.   A quick stop at Rona Hardware, topped up both our fuel and propane tanks then hit A&W with a couple breakfast coupons.  Sky’s began clearing and it was a nice sunny drive back to Bayfield.  Everything checked out fine in the Motorhome so she is ready to roll Tuesday.

HEADING NORTH UP HIGHWAY 21 TOWARDS GODERICH

HAD A SQUEAKY SIDE DOOR ALONG THE WAY SO OUR CHIEF MECHANICAL ‘MISS FIX-IT’ ENGINEER SLIPPED BACK TO CHECK IT OUT

A busy day again around the rig and property doing things that Snow Birds normally do before heading south for the winter.  A particularly busy and sometimes frustrating time for Kelly waiting and waiting on the phone to put our Bell telephone and Eastlink cable on hold for the winter.  Also more phone waiting time while activating our Shaw satellite dish plus Verizon internet and T-Mobile cell phone.  Always long wait times and built in confusements with all these companies.  Just seems to be the way it is and Kelly is always so pleasantly patient with those people.  If it was up to me to do all that stuff I’m afraid we would probably end up sitting at home all winter.

PHEEBS AND I HOLD DOWN THE FORT WHILE KELLY SLIPS INTO THE RONA HARDWARE STORE

WAITING PATIENTLY FOR MOM TO COME BACK

We have pretty much decided to get ourselves a tire monitoring system for the Motorhome and Jeep so it’s just a question now of where and when we can do that.  With 2 close call tire ‘blow-outs’ behind us in the last 3 years I am understandably nervous about tires now and that is ‘one’ of the reasons we put all new heavy duty tires on the Jeep a few weeks ago.  We are currently leaning towards the ‘Tire-Minder’ system.

A week from tonight will be our last night in Spencerport New York and we will pull out early the next morning heading for Florida. Our first days on the road going anywhere are usually long ones & I look forward to that.  After a 6 month stay in one place I am always very happy to be out on the open road going somewhere and doing something totally different for a change.  I have always been a driver of long distances and even at age 72 that enjoyment has never left me.   It’s just as strong as ever.  We will end our first day or two somewhere we have probably never been before and we likely won't know where that place is until we actually pull over wherever and shut it down for the night. I love that open ended style of travel & freedom of spontaneous thought. 

HEADING HOME THIS MORNING THROUGH OUR GORGEOUS AUTUMN COUNTRYSIDE

I’m still kicking around a couple routes between Spencerport NY and Sarasota Florida.  Some people suggested I-95 down the Eastern Seaboard but after checking my map and seeing that it headed past places like New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC etc. I quickly determined I was not interested in having anything to do with all that big mega city stuff.   ‘Might’ use 95 for a short stretch north of Jacksonville Fla but that would be just about it.  It is Atlanta Georgia I really want to have no part of so I figure we will keep well East of there.  Well that’s what I figure anyway………………….

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Top 10 Reasons God Created Eve::

10. God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because men hate to ask for directions.
9. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote.
8. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when his seat wore out and would therefore need Eve to get one for him.
7. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor's appointment for himself.
6. God knew that Adam would never remember which night was garbage night.  5. God knew that if the world was to be populated, men would never be able to handle childbearing.
4. As "Keeper of the Garden," Adam would never remember where he put his tools.
3. The scripture account of creation indicates Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.
2. As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone!"
1. When God finished the creation of Adam, He stepped back, scratched His head and said, "I can do better than that."

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A Few Good Thoughts For Today::

- Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
- There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
- People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
- And when God, who created the entire universe with all of its glories, decides to deliver a message to humanity, He WILL NOT use, as His messenger, a person on cable TV with a bad hairstyle.
- When trouble arises & things look bad, there is always one individual who perceives a solution & is willing to take command. Very often, that person is crazy.
- The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

BOTH BEING COW TALKERS WE STOPPED ON A COUNTRY ROAD TO CHAT UP A HERD OF LOCALS

YEP IT WAS UP CLOSE TO AMISH/MENNONITE COUNTRY WE WAS THIS MORNING BUT IT WASN’T PHEEBS I HAD WITH ME THIS TIME

Had ourselves a warm Wednesday night which gave way to cooler morning temps brought in by a narrow traveling band of rain showers in the wee small hours of the morning.  And guess what.....I had previously made sure the shed doors as well as the Motorhome door was closed and the Jeep's windows wound up.  No scrambling around in my pajamas dodging buckets of rain the middle of the night.  Now how about that eh:)) 

 

SPOTTED THIS HORSE AND BUGGY BESIDE THE ROAD AND THERE APPEARED TO BE NOBODY AROUND

NOPE, NOBODY AROUND

WASN’T UNTIL WE GOT OURSELVES  TURNED AROUND THAT WE SAW THE FOLKS COMING OUT THIS CORNFIELD WITH A LOAD OF COBS ON THE HORSE DRAWN WAGON

Neither threat of rain or cloud could keep Richard and I from our Thursday morning country coffee run and away we went for a two and a half hour drive through Huron Counties colorful Autumn scenery.  Always lots to talk about and again it was quality time well spent sorting out the complexities of life.  We'll do it all over again about 6 months from now when we once more hit the local country roads next year for our annual Spring coffee run catch up.  Richard is seven years older than me so by next Spring I know he’s gonna be a whole seven years more smarterer than me again too……….. 

BOTH RICHARD AND I ARE COW TALKERS SO WE STOPPED ALONGSIDE THIS COUNTRY ROAD TO CHAT UP SOME OF THE LOCALS

RICHARD’S CHATTING IT UP WITH THAT LITTLE WHITE FELLA

WORRIED THE LITTLE GUY WAS HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING HIM RICARD TALKS TO HIM IN SIGN LANGUAGE AND THAT DID THE TRICK AS THE LITTLE FELLER MOOED US BACK A BIG ‘GOOD MORNING’

STANDING LIKE THAT ON THE HILLSIDE WE WONDERED IF THIS LITTLE CHAP WAS ONE OF THE NEW HYBRID COW-MOUNTAIN GOATS WE’VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT

NOW WE DID KNOW THIS HERE WAS A REAL COW WE DID

“YA KNOW CLEM I AM JUST SO PROUD OF OUR LITTLE DAISY”

HILLSIDE COWS UNDER A STORMY LOOKING CLOUD TOSSED SKY

Our yellow pine needles were falling like snow in today's wind covering the ground in a golden glow like the very yellow brick road itself.  We're fast approaching the time of year when the weather can turn on a dime and become nasty  so we have our fingers crossed that we will be out of here and on our way before it happens.  We have been very lucky over the years regarding bad weather happening around our date of departure with the exception being last year when we got the heavy snow dump on October 19th that busted up our trees real good.  We did end today under mainly sunny skies but it sure felt cold at 50F compared to over 70 on Wednesday.  In the morning we plan to take the Big EEE for a short run to make sure all systems are go for our Tuesday launch………:))

PINE NEEDLES ON THE JEEP FIRST THING THIS MORNING

 

FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD TO OUR HOUSE

THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN HAD AN EERIE YELLOW CASTE TO IT

Dropped around to see our good friends and fellow RV Bloggers Chris and Caron this afternoon.  (Travels With CC And Dixie)  We didn't have far to go as C and C with their dog Dixie live in the same Park we do.  You may remember Caron and Chris moved into our Park just a year ago after reading my blog for a few years and deciding my writings about the Park perfectly suited their future plans.  I'm pleased to say they have been very, very, happy with their decision and it makes Kelly and I feel very good that it has worked out so well for them.  When I asked how they liked it here after one year Chris responded with a resounding ‘LOVE IT’.  Good stuff guys:))

STANDING AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY I AM LOOKING TOWARDS RICHARD AND GAYLE’S AND BECKHAMS PLACE THERE IN THE BIG TREES TO THE LEFT…FURRY FOUR LEGGED .BECKHAM AND PHEEBS ARE BIG PALS

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The owner of a drug store walks in to find a guy leaning heavily against a wall.  The owner asks the clerk, "What's with that guy over there by the wall?"  The clerk says, "Well, he came in here this morning to get something for his cough. I couldn't find the cough syrup, so I gave him an entire bottle of laxative."  The owner says, "You idiot! You can't treat a cough with a bottle of laxatives!"
The clerk says, "Of course, you can! Look at him; he's afraid to cough now!"

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Bumper Stickers::

- I.R.S.: We've got what it takes to take what you've got!
- We are born naked, wet, and hungry. Then things get worse.
- Artificial Intelligence usually beats real stupidity.
- Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off now.
- Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.
- We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
- Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

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At an Easter mass, at which some young ladies were to take their final vows to become nuns, the presiding bishop noticed two rabbis enter the church just before the mass began. They were seated at the back of the sanctuary and insisted on sitting on the right side of the center aisle. The bishop wondered why they had come but didn't have time to inquire before the mass began. When it came time for some announcements, his curiosity got the best of him. He announced that he was delighted to see two rabbis in their midst at the mass but was curious as to why they were present at this occasion where the young ladies were to become the "Brides of Christ." The eldest of the rabbis slowly rose to his feet and explained, "Family of the Groom."

A HARBINGER OF OLD MAN WINTER’S APPROACH

ALL OUTSIDE PHOTOS IN TONIGHT’S POST WERE TAKEN THIS MORNING IN THE BANNOCKBURN CONSERVATION AREA

Losing a tooth filling last week Kelly was the first one out the door this morning for an 8 a.m. Goderich dentist appointment.  Pheebs and I were out the door not long after her but thankfully there were no dentists in our destinations.

I’M SURE GOING TO MISS THE NICE COMFORTS OF OUR SUNROOM WHEN WE’RE GOINE AND I CERTAINLY HAVE WRITTEN A LOT OF POSTS FROM RIGHT HERE

About 3 miles from our house is the Bannockburn Conservation Area which is one of Huron Counties many hiking places so Pheebs and I headed ourselves over there for a refreshingly early October morning walk.   Only a few distant Blue Jays did we hear and a couple flitting Black Cap Chickadees did we see.  An ominous stillness lay over the land, a harbinger of Old Man Winter’s steady approach .  All of our summer song birds have long since headed south leaving forests and meadows ominously silent in their absence.  Bannockburn is a truly diverse area with swampy lowlands, several small rivers running through it with trails winding up an over hills and gulley’s through an old growth forest of hardwood trees and stands of cedars and pines.  Bannockburn is a little known treasure tucked away in Southwestern Ontarios rural farm lands and is sure to get your heart rate up with it’s steep little hills and overall beauty.  Right now is the best time of year to hike there.  Below is a couple Google maps of Bannockburn’s location in relation to Bayfield and Varna.

BANNOCKBURN’S WOODEN WALKWAYS ARE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

 

PHEEBS LOOKS FOR THE GREAT SWAMP MONSTER THAT TOOK A BITE OUT OF THE HANDRAIL ON THE RIGHT

Hooked up and un-hooked the Jeep to the rig this morning to make sure I remembered how to do it and no vital towing parts had gone missing over the summer.  Made sure all lights and turn signals were working properly.  Noticed Libby was in need of a big clean-up so I did that as well.  More puttered organizing and checking things off lists.  And how nice to be outside doing all this stuff on a beautifully warm 75F day with a lite breeze.  Best to get a lot of this stuff done now before the predicted rain gets here over the next few days.

Kelly’s dentist told her today that it is popcorn which sends a high number of clients his way.  It seems occasionally biting down un-expectantly on those hard little BB like kernels are a darn good way to crack those fillings in your teeth.  I bit down hard on a rock one time and it totally cracked me up:))

DUE TO HEAVY SPRING FLOODING THE WOODEN WALKWAYS ARE SUPPORTED BY STEEL BRIDGES IN SOME PLACES

In case any readers missed RV Sue’s latest post you can catch We're back! on my sidebar.  Ya gotta see that rascally little Reggie rippin and tearin around in the sand dunes.  Nice to see you guys up and running again Sue and thanks for the mention.  You da best:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A Texan, while visiting Toronto, found himself in the back seat of a taxi cab on the way to his hotel. Passing by the Royal York the Texan asked the cab driver, "What's that building there?"  "That's the Royal York Hotel," replied the cabbie.  "The Royal York? How long did it take to build that?" asked the Texan.
"About 12 years," replied the cabbie.  "12 years? We build 'em twice as high, twice as wide and four times as long down in Texas, and we do that in six months." A while later the cab driver makes his was past the Metro-Toronto Convention Centre. "What's that building over there?" asked the Texan.  "That's the Metro-Toronto Convention Centre," replied the cabbie.
"Convention Centre? How long'd it take to build that?" asked the Texan.  "About three years," replied the cabbie.  "Three years? We build 'em twice as high, three times as long and four times as wide as that down in Texas, and it only takes us about two weeks." Shortly thereafter the cabbie drives past the CN Tower. "What's that building there?" asks the Texan, pointing at the tower.  "Danged if I know," replied the cabbie, "It wasn't here when I drove by yesterday."

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Coach: What this team needs is life!
Manager: Aw, coach, don't you think thirty days is enough?

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Did you know deep cuts were made in the guillotine industry and heads rolled.

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Two policemen call the station on their radio.  "Hello. ..... Is this the Sarge?"  "Yes?"  "We have a case here, Sarge. A woman has shot her husband dead for stepping on the floor she had mopped."  "Have you arrested the woman?"  "No sir. The floor is still wet."

MY TWO MORNING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS CHECKED OUT A-OK SO WE’RE GOOD TO GO:))

I had two destinations this cool and bright sunny October morning.  The Clinton Hospital and Goderich's Maitland Valley Medical Center.  First off to Clinton for a 9 a.m. appointment with my Urologist regarding the results of my latest PSA test.  Numbers have stabilized and I'm good to go.   Next appointment was with my new Nurse Practitioner in Goderich at 11 a.m. but had some time to kill between appointments so Pheebs and I slowly wandered our way along a few scenic country roads from Clinton to Goderich.  Grabbed ourselves a Tuna Sub in Goderich before rolling into the medical center.  Everything checked out fine with my Nurse Practitioner at the Maitland Valley Medical Center and she said my test results were all A-OK.    Can't argue with that and with those two medical appointments out of the way we are set to roll out a week from today.

While in Goderich today I slipped around to where I saw that older blue car I had in Monday’s post in hopes of getting some front and rear end photos but alas the car was no longer there.

Think I have finally moved the last two front yard pond Frogs to the big Park pond across the road.  While catching the frogs I noticed about half a dozen or more small one inch fish in our pond and I am still completely baffled as to where those minnow like fish came from and how they possibly could have got into our small front yard pond in the first place.  Another one of life’s little unexplained mysteries for me.  Almost seems the more further I myself goes the more behinder I myself gets.  Well at least in the grand mysteries of life department that is.   Well Okay, a few other departments too…………….

I always find pre-travel days difficult.  Well make that almost ‘pre’ anything these days.  I have never really done well at waiting for stuff to happen and with patience levels eroding these past number of years I am finding myself increasingly edgy when it comes to a lot of things and just want to get out there and get whatever it is that needs doing or going………..done and gone.  I know a week from today I will be feeling much better than today, tomorrow, and the past bunch of days and that is simply because the waiting will be over and the doing is ‘finally’ under way.  I know from 10 years of Snow Birding that finally getting on the road for another winter season is the only cure for my nagging impatience and wanderlust.  In my mind’s eye I see and feel the beauty of the great American Southwest beckoning to me once again .  The deserts and the mountains await with their dark starry skies, sunsets and sunrises every day.  New and old memories await as our lifestyle literally changes overnight from the very day we leave our house in Bayfield.  Oh how I so much look forward to that change every year.  Just as I so much look forward to our change in the Spring when we once again return to Bayfield.  It’s why I love this Snow Bird lifestyle so much.  Every six months there is a complete upheaval of change as we transition from one lifestyle to another.  Now I must admit the changes seem to be getting a little harder each year with so much packing and organizing to do but still in the long run it is all so very worth it and with the first sighting of longed for distant mountains far ahead on the hazy horizon I will be again instantly filled with the comforting feeling that I have once more made it back for yet another year to my very own favorite home away from home……………….:))  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Computer Technology for Country Folk...

1. LOG ON: Makin a wood stove hotter.

2. LOG OFF: Don't add no more wood.

3. MONITOR: Keepin an eye on the wood stove.

4. DOWNLOAD: Gettin the farwood off the truk.

5. MEGA HERTZ: When yer not kerful gettin the farwood.

6. FLOPPY DISC: Whatcha git from tryin to carry too much farwood.

7. RAM: That thar thing whut splits the farwood.

8. HARD DRIVE: Gettin home in the winter time.

9. PROMPT: Whut the mail ain't in the winter time.

10. WINDOWS: Whut to shut wen it's cold outside.

11. SCREEN: Whut to shut wen it's blak fly season.

12. BYTE: Whut them dang flys do.

13. CHIP: Munchies fer the TV.

14. MICRO CHIP: Whut's in the bottom of the munchie bag.

15. MODEM: Whut cha did to the hay fields.

16. DOT MATRIX: Old Dan Matrix's wife.

17. LAP TOP: Whar the kitty sleeps.

18. KEYBOARD: Whar ya hang the dang keys.

19. SOFTWARE: Them dang plastic forks and knifs.

20. MOUSE: Whut eats the grain in the barn.

21. MAINFRAME: Holds up the barn roof.

22. PORT: Fancy Flatlander wine

23. ENTER: Northerner talk fer "C'mon in y'all"

24. RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY: Wen ya cain't 'member whut ya paid fer the rifle when yore wife asks.

25. MOUSE PAD: That hippie talk fer the rat hole.