I AM SURE GLAD THEY GOT UP AND WENT WHEN THEY DID

 NICE TO SEE OUR RESIDENT CHIPMUNKS OUT AND ABOUT AGAIN 

First thing I saw upon awakening this morning was orangy curtains again so I knew we had a sunrise going on out there.  It didn't last and the morning turned cloudy.  Not letting that put a grump in our day, Pheebs and I were soon out the door and headed for the Jeep.  I figured if I could get my right leg in we would be ready to go.  I first assisted Pheebs up into the passenger seat and then taking it slow at the driver's door and with a little help from my right arm guiding my leg I was soon seated squarely behind the steering wheel.  Everything felt perfectly normal and within a minute we were heading out the driveway for a cruise around our Park's road.  It was our first time back in the Jeep and on the road again in nearly 3 weeks.  Took a few pics along the way and even stopped to talk to a couple people out for a walk.  We didn't stop for a walk because the roads at the uninhabited south end of our Park were still muddy.  Soon, we were home again and chalked up our short little jaunt as a complete success.  Back in our driveway I took it slow and eased myself out of the Jeep with everything being A-OK.  After letting Pheebs out I cleaned the Subarus outside front windows, side mirrors, and back window.  Subie is in desperate need of a good wash.

 HERE'S PHEEBS AND I ROLLING OUT OF OUR CARPORT THIS MORNING

 THE BACK OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S HOUSE ACROSS THE ROAD TAKEN FROM AN ACCESS ROAD AT THE SOUTH END OF THE PARK'S POND

 A PAIR OF CANADA GEESE HEADING FOR OUR PARK'S POND

Saw my first Red Wing Blackbird of the year and it was on our bird feeding station earlier today.  Another sure sign of an early Spring and can you believe that in just a couple weeks we will be turning our clocks ahead already:)))))))  I don't know where the past 5 months went but I am sure glad that they got up and went when they did!!

 OUR WINTER'S SINGLE RESIDENT GRACKLE GRABS A SNACK THIS MORNING

I'm not sure where the rest of Sunday slipped away to but Kelly put a movie on that I really enjoyed called, Love and Mercy  It is the story about the 'Beach Boys' co-founder and leader Brian Wilson and his struggles with mental Illness during the 1960s and 1980s.....I enjoyed this movie simply because it dealt with the realities and realism of an individual's life.  And, in this case, it was of special interest to me because it involved a well-known musician's life whose music I grew up in the 60's and beyond listening to.    

A Blast From Our Past With a Difference::  There is a couple right now traveling around an area of our beloved southeastern Arizona that, with the help of our blog from years ago have been visiting some of our favorite places.  How thrilling it was for us this morning to see that Marlene and Benno from Marlene and Benno's Odysseys On Land And Water  actually headed into the Chiricahua Mountains retracing our tracks to find an elusive place we have been to on three separate occasions.  You can find my blogs on this place by typing into our search bar in the right-hand column, 'Mary Kidder Rak' or 'Old Fort Rucker' but it is Marlene and Benno's post I will leave you with here.....In Search Of Camp Rucker.  Marlene does a great job with the writing of this post and their photos brought back so many memories of an area that we loved so well.  And, on one of our 3 trips there, we took Aunt Jean who was visiting from Florida along as well.  There is a lot of history with Camp Rucker and the Mary Kidder Rak house right beside the camp.  Mary Kidder Rak wrote a great book about her and her husband's life at the ranch there.  Her excellent book is entitled, A Cowman's Wife.  So, if you are ever in the area, read the book first and then go see where it all happened.  It's all still there:))  

 THAT'S A CAMERA STRAP HANGING AROUND MY NECK

Al's Music Box:((A Beautiful Morning is a song written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati and recorded by the Rascals. Coming out in early 1968, it was the group's first track released after shortening their name from the Young Rascals. The single was one of the earliest released in stereo, as 7-inch singles generally were in mono. Together with the Doors "Hello, I Love You," it's credited with changing the industry standard of singles.  The song continued the theme of carefree optimism that had distinguished the previous year's "Groovin". It was written one morning in Honolulu, Hawaii when the band was invited to perform there by promoter Tom Moffatt. 

 THIS LITTLE DICKENS IS SCOOPING THE BIRDSEED RIGHT OUT OF THE FEEDER!!

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned at Sunday school.  "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.  "When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely.  "Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."  "Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.  "Well, no. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

----------------------------------

What do you call it when your mother's sisters all gather at a funeral to avenge your death?  Vigil Aunties

----------------------------------

A friend of mine told her husband they had a Catholic bird in their yard.  "A what? How do you know it's a Catholic bird?"  "Because it's a Cardinal."

---------------------------------

=========================

Be with someone who brings out the best in you… Not the stress in you.

TODAY WE MET AN RV COUPLE WE HAVE KNOWN ONLINE FOR A LONG TIME

 THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN WITH KAREN'S SAMSUNG SMARTPHONE SITTING ON A PICNIC TABLE WITH A SELF TIMER

With temps in the mid 50's and a strong gusting wind from the north, I had to slip on a light nylon jacket over my short sleeve shirt on our morning walk.  Due to my hip bothering me and Pheeb's disinterest in a walk we only covered half of our half mile.  We soon jeeped our way back home and not long after that it was all three of us in the Subaru heading for.......no, not London, but a destination south of Grand Bend Ontario. 

Checking today's weather last night I was especially pleased to see it was going to be a nice day.  Not as much for me but for an RV Blogging couple now in our area at the Pinery Provincial Park south of Grand Bend.  We first met this couple online probably fifteen years ago or more.  I'm talking of course about Karen and Steve from What A View.  Older fellow RV Bloggers will know who they are when I mention their blog's previous name, 'Karen In The Woods' or 'RVing: The USA is OUR Big Back Yard'.  Karen and Steve are on a tour of Ontario with one of their destinations being Niagara Falls.  Traveling across The Straits Of Mackinac from their home in Wisconsin they followed Michigan's Eastern shoreline south to Port Huron and into Canada.  They then traveled north to our area to say hello.  Through a series of emails, we arranged to meet them at their campsite in the Pinery at 11 this morning.  We got hung up in Grand Bend so we were about ten minutes late getting there.  It was sure a trip down memory lane as Kelly and I drove into the Pinery for the first time in about 20 years.  It's a long winding scenic drive back to the campground section and everything looked the same as I last remembered from the first time I saw it way back in the early 1960s......How great it was to finally meet Karen and Steve, their dog Binney, and their new to them 2016 Winnebago View Mercedes Benz diesel Motorhome. Karen and Steve had traveled to some of the same spots that Kelly and I had traveled to years ago in the American Southwest after reading my posts about those places.  Jerome, Elfrida, Bisbee, Rucker Canyon, Old Fort Rucker, and Mary Kidder Rack's house all in Arizona.  Columbus New Mexico and Palomas Mexico (The Pink Store) as well.

 IT'S A REALLY NICE RV KAREN AND STEVE HAVE

 OOOPS, I CAUGHT KAREN IN DEEP THOUGHT HERE

 STEVE IS A VERY SOFT SPOKEN EASY GOING FELLOW

We talked about remembering RV people we knew, some of them still RVing and some of them not.  Some of then still on the Planet and some of them not.  We had a tour of their Motorhome which we both loved.  So great to see all the new technologies and innovations from the older RVs we used to have.  Steve, by the way, is one of those fellows with a great engineering mind who can do almost anything.  Karen has meticulously documented many of the renovations and repairs Steve has done with their previous Safari Motorhome.  On their site, you will find on their blog's sidebar many of those modifications.  Remember, their blog site is What A View . 

 HERE'S KELLY CHECKING OUT A BAG OF TRENARY TOAST.....WAIT, WHAT THE HECK IS TRENARY TOAST??  READ ON:))

 AND HERE SHE IS REALLY CHECKING IT OUT

STEVE'S PERSONALITY IS JUST AS RELAXED AS ALL HIS PICTURES SHOW

We found Karen and Steve good old down-home type folks really easy to talk to and enjoyed our visit.  Years ago a blog reader of mine tipped me off to something they thought I would really enjoy and was only sold at Trader Joe's.  The next time we were in Prescott Arizona we dropped around Trader Joe's store and I bought a jar of 'Cookie Butter'.  This is like peanut butter on an Oreo high.  Of course I loved it right away and wrote about it in my blog.  Karen, reading my blog, headed off to a Trader Joe's in Wisconsin, bought herself a jar of Cookie Butter......and has been buying it ever since.  So, guess what Karen gave us today.....yep, two jars of Cookie Butter.  Well, we were no sooner home and I had the lid of that jar and my face right into that Cookie Butter for sure.  And, if Kelly hadn't been closely watching me all the way home today, I would have had the lid of that jar of Cookie Butter even before we got out of the Pinery.  Oh my, when I did get that lid off I instantly remembered how great it tasted and knew right away what has been missing in my life all these years since I last tasted my last jar of Cookie Butter.  Karen also gave us two bags of Trenary Toast (Cinnamon and Cinnamon Raisin)  We had never heard of it before.  Well, I liked that right off the bat as well and as soon as I could get my after supper coffee going I was dunking a thick tasty slice of Cinnamon Raisin Trenary Toast in my coffee.  Why?? Because Steve said that is how he likes it:))))

 A SPLIT SECOND AFTER I TOOK THIS PHOTO I SNATCHED THAT SLICE OF TRENARY TOAST OUT OF KAREN'S HAND AND WOLFED IT DOWN

Our visit lasted nearly four and a half hours and it was soon time to say goodbye.  In the RV world, goodbyes are often last goodbyes because of the nature and distances RVers live from each other.  I am always twinged with sadness at those final hugs and handshakes because I know we may not meet again.  And that's how I felt today.......Thanks Karen and Steve for coming to see us and like I said at our parting, if ever we get beyond all this medical stuff of ours and snag ourselves another RV, maybe the next time we see you will be in your driveway in Wisconsin:))))  But oh hey...not in the wintertime!!!!       

 THIS PHOTO AND THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS WERE ALL TAKEN BY KAREN

 BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I THOUGHT I HAD A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE UNTIL I SAW THIS PHOTO

 KAREN TAKES A LAST PHOTO AS WE LEAVE

Al's Music Box:)) Yesterday When I Was Young by Glen Campbell from the album 'Houston' (I'm Coming to See You)  1974

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Paddy is smashing back a few at the local bar until everything is forgotten. The bartender who is also a family friend continually tells him he's had enough and to go home.  Finally, after several last calls, Paddy declares "I'm going home", promptly falls off his high bar stool, and drags himself to the door.  He hails a cab while face down on the curb, manages to open the door, and drags himself from his sprawled position into the backseat. The cabby drives him home with Paddy singing nonsensical music to himself the whole way. Paddy rolls out of the cab manages to drunkenly flop his way across the lawn, gets the front door half open, and passes out.  The next day because the bartender is also a good friend he checks on Paddy, and seeing him lying on his back in the doorway says, "Paddy, you were drunk last night weren't you?". Paddy replies, "Yes, but I didn't think I was that drunk, how did you know?"  To which the bartender replies, "You left your wheelchair at the bar".

----------------------------------

- Did you hear about the psychic amnesiac? He knew in advance what he was going to forget.

- Did you hear about the new restaurant that just opened up on the moon? Great food, but no atmosphere.

----------------------------------

BREAKFAST FOR THREE IN ST. MARYS ONTARIO

ROLLING EASTWARD THROUGH ST. MARYS THIS MORNING....THIS NORMALLY BUSY MAINSTREET IS LOOKING LIKE A GHOSTOWN

It was under sullen gray skies that Kelly and I in the Subaru rolled out of our driveway early this morning heading for St. Mary's Ontario.  We were there to meet our good friends Gayle and Richard at Joe's Diner for breakfast.  However, it was only Richard waiting for us.  Gayle was too ill to make it so it was only we three heading inside.  Kelly had had a difficult night as well and was not feeling the best either.  Luckily they serve a good breakfast at the diner and Kelly was able to eat almost everything she ordered.  Had it been a few decades or more ago our breakfasts may very well have been the same but our morning conversation would have been of a much different nature.  It was another era for all of us at that time.  We may have talked and remembered those crazy, wild, and zany things of life that we have all lived at one point or another and we would have talked of hopes and dreams, future plans, projects,  challenges, and accomplishments.  But, time has traveled on for us and we have reluctantly entered into our Senior years where the words 'wild and zany' no longer hold the same zip, sparkle, and excitement they once did.  Well, not to the extent that some of those shenanigans we all were once a part of did that's for sure.  We now find ourselves in the world of aches and pains, doctors, procedures, illnesses, ambulances, nurses, paramedics, pharmacies, emergency rooms, medical appointments, daily pills, and just about anything else that can happen with an aging body and mind.  Can't help it, but it's just the reality of where we wild and zany folks are now.  The movers and shakers before us are gone and the movers and shakers behind us are fast upon our heels. But still, we try our best to accept where we are in this journey and understand and deal with the frailties of life as it plods steadily onwards carrying us to our final destiny.............and perhaps beyond.

 A VIEW TO THE SOUTHWEST FROM THE GHOST MOUNTAIN TRAIL AND SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA IS JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAGUNA MOUNTAINS ON THE HORIZON 

Three RV memories of years ago on this date.  January 8th, 2011...A Return To Old Fort Rucker and Return To Ghost Mountain on January 9th, 2009.  While linking the Ghost Mountain post I noticed something that happened the day before on January 8th that is an example of Kelly's tough resolve... Mountain Palm Canyon Hike And An Injury    

GROANER'S CORNER:((   Eleven people were hanging on a rope under a helicopter, ten men and one woman. The rope was not strong enough to carry them all, so they decided that one has to drop off, otherwise they are all going to fall.  They were not able to choose that person, but then the woman made a very touching speech.  She said that she would voluntarily let go of the rope, because as a woman she was used to giving up everything for her husband and kids, and for men in general, without ever getting anything in return. As soon as she finished her speech, all the men started clapping their hands.

---------------------------------

My mate recently got divorced from his wife.  They decided to split the house.  He got the outside.

---------------------------------

IT HELPS ME EACH DAY TO KEEP MY AGE AT BAY

OH DARN IT'S SNOWING IN OUR FRONT YARD AGAIN

We've always had soft lighting in our front yard by the frog pond but the southwest corner of our yard has always been on the dark side.  With Kelly putting up more outdoor Christmas lights I figured I'd better get on the band wagon and help out with a few Christmas lighting ideas of my own so it was off to the Canadian Tire Store in Goderich this morning to browse their Christmas lights.  Found a couple colorful rotating Noma lights and chucked them in the Jeep.  

SPOTTED THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD SHIP LIMNOS IN GODERICH'S HARBOR THIS MORNING

THE FISHING AND TUGBOAT PIER IS STILL SLIGHTLY UNDER WATER

Next over to Walmart for a few things plus a few double AA and triple AAA batteries.  Had looked at batteries in Canadian Tire but was staggered by the price.  It seems every time I buy batteries they are about double the price of last time I bought batteries.  And here's another thing that really bugs me about those types of batteries.  There was a time when one could buy a pack of two.  But  oh-no now they have these mega-packs with enough batteries in them to lift an aircraft off the ground.  So anyway I managed to find a pack of 4 Triple AAA's and a pack of 6 Double AA Energizers.  Way more batteries than I really need for now.  I go to the cashier and she politely and in a most helpful manner suggests I could save myself some serious dollars if I were to get the larger packs on sale.  Well Okay then so back I go and sure enough there are the ones on sale I missed.  So instead of paying nearly $20 I was able to save about $4 and go home with 36 batteries instead of the 9 batteries I had originally picked up.  Now I have about 32 batteries more than I had set out to buy.  I thanked the lady cashier and told her my wife will really be proud of me when I get home and tell her about saving some big bucks.  "Of course." I told the lady, "I will have to tell my wife 'another woman' was involved in my good fortune."  I don't know who's face was redder when I left the store, hers or mine.

THIS SHORELINE RESTORATION IS TAKING PLACE AT THE NORTH END OF ST. CHRISTOPHERS BEACH ALONSIDE THE HARBOR'S SOUTH PIER

When I pulled the Jeep into Goderich's south end car wash about ten this morning it was cloudy and when I backed it out five minutes later I backed it out into sunlight.  Oh now nice when things like that happen.  Twenty minutes later we were home and I set about hooking up our new Noma lights in the front yard.  I really enjoyed feeling the warmth of today's sun beaming through our sunroom windows but just as I was about to take Pheebs for a sunny afternoon walk it was like somebody up and shook a snow globe.  Within 5 minutes our ground was white and it just kept coming down.  At the time of posting tonight all is clear.

TRUCKS ARE HAULING IN VARIOUS SIZES OF ROCK TO FILL IN AND BUILD UP ERODED SHORELINE AREAS....DID YA SEE PHEEBS?

SHORELINE RECONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ARE SHOWING UP

One of the main reasons for adding 'Memory Lane', 'Foibles and Fumbles' and 'Al's Favs' to my blog is simply to keep myself busy, to challenge my mind to rid itself of the ever advancing age related cobwebs.  Digging back through Bayfield Bunch archives, trying to find photos on external hard drives, locating old photo albums, pieces of music, etc. then pulling them all together may not sound like much for many folks but for me and my aging mind it's getting to be a real effort but it's one I must continue every day.  Repetition is the key for me.  Where once my mind could have slipped through these procedures reasonably well I now find myself sitting at my keyboard in blank mode at times completely forgetting how to do something I had just done minutes before.  As frustrating as it is at times there is an enjoyment in re-visiting days gone by whether by photos or words.  It's a form of therapy for me I suppose and also a way to keep at bay the daily weaving of new cobwebs.  Not an easy feat anymore.

CANADA GEESE HANGING AROUND THE GODERICH GRAIN ELEVATORS WAITING FOR TRUCKS LOADED WITH CORN TO COME IN AND SPILL A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR LOAD

Adding to the above paragraph I find myself leaving cupboard doors open, heading inside or outside to either do or get something.  It is regularly a challenge when I have to stop and try to remember what I'm doing or where I'm going.  I say to myself, 'Okay I know I've come outside here to get something but what the hell was it I came outside to get.  There was a time when these little slips of memory were thought of as normal, laughable, and not to be taken too seriously.  Another 'ha-ha' moment to be shared with friends.  That is not the case now.  It's not funny or laughable for me anymore and I find I am not only frustrated but angry for these continuous daily slip ups and memory lapses.  I've always been critical of myself but not as much as I have been recently.  Always something going on with all of us eh...…...

ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW SEAGULLS CAN FLY AROUND WITHOUT THEIR HEADS ATTACHED AND STILL FIND A POST TO LAND ON

::Memory Lane::  In keeping with the Fort (Camp) Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak homestead theme from two posts ago tonight's Memory Lane takes us back to a day when I posted, We Are At The Ranch...But Our Jeep Is 63 Miles Away.  It was January 10th 2012.  I do have to apologize for some of the underexposed photos in this post but fixed the worst ones and put them into a photo album entitled Fort Rucker and Aunt Jean.  Bear with me on of this folks because some of this 'Google Photo' and Google Album stuff is either a relearning curve for me or something totally new to me.  But we're getting there and putting these 'Memory Lane' and 'Al's Favs' along with 'Foibles and Fumbles' posts together with my blog is helping me each day to keep my age at bay.

SOMETIMES I HAVE A LITTLE DIFFICULTY LOCATING MY COFFEE

::Al's Favs:: Sleep Early Rise by Weatherman.  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The symphony orchestra was performing Beethoven's Ninth.  In the piece, there's a long passage, about 20 minutes, during which the bass violinists have nothing to do.  Rather than sit around that whole time looking stupid, some bassists decided to sneak offstage and go to the tavern next door for a quick one.  After slamming several beers in quick succession, one of them looked at his watch and said, "Hey! We need to get back!"  "No need to panic," said a fellow bassist. "I thought we might need some extra time, so I tied the last few pages of the conductor's score together with string. It'll take him a few minutes to get it untangled."  A few moments later they staggered back to the concert hall and took their places in the orchestra.  About this time, a member of the audience noticed the conductor seemed a bit edgy and said as much to her companion.  "Well, of course," said her companion. "Don't you see? It's the bottom of the Ninth, the score is tied, and the bassists are loaded."
-------------------------------------
Hebert was being examined by the family doctor who, after carefully examining said, "Yes, it is chronic evil which has deprived you of health and happiness."  "Shh!" cautioned Hebert. "For heaven's sake doc, speak softly as the wife is sitting in the next room."
========================