GODERICH SHORELINE RESTORATION TO BEGIN, SQUIRREL BATTLES, CHRISTMAS DECOS, AND A 'CITY OF ROCKS'

Work begins December 1rst by the town of Goderich Ontario to restore and strengthen their damaged Lake Huron shoreline.  Cove Road and pedestrian access leading to Rotary Cove and the dog walking area will be closed at the water treatment plant until further notice.  I'm guessing this project could last a month or two depending on weather with it's Winter storms.  The next photos I take in that area may show a fully restored shoreline.  You can be assured I will be keeping an eye on the progress having now attained my Senior's 'Sidewalk Superintendent' status.

I'M GUESSING THIS IS ANOTHER ELEVATOR SHAFT BEING CONSTRUCTED AT GODERICH'S SIFTO SALT MINE

A CLOSER LOOK

Pheebs and I slipped up to Goderich.  I go through a fair amount of vegetables each week with my morning Sounds Yukky - Tastes Yummy shakes. (video)  Been doing these shakes for the best part of 15 years now but not on the road when RVing.  A banana goes into each daily shake so I'm always having to replenish bananas, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, and apples.  Keeps me on the run to the supermarket.  (Quick 2019 update on my shakes....I use only bananas, lettuce, carrots, celery, apple, cinnamon, and vanilla flavored Whey powder now)   While in Goderich we of course swung down around the harbor to Rotary Coves dog walking area.  With a big shoreline restoration project due to begin in a few days it may well be the last time this year we get down there.  

EQUIPMENT IS GATHERING NEAR THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR BEACHFRONT REPAIRS AND RESTORATION

Nobody at the dog walking area so taking advantage of that we took ourselves for a walk along the shoreline noticing along the way other damaged areas of shoreline from high water levels and wind driven waves.  I'm sure there must be a lot of cottage owners up and down this coast line with major structural damage to not only their beach areas but their docks, boat houses, and possibly their dwellings. 

SHORE EROSION IS TOPPLING A COUPLE TREES INTO THE LAKE

WALKING FURTHER SOUTH ALONG THE SHORELINE IN THE DOG WALKING AREA I SEE MORE SIGNS OF EROSION

YEARS AGO WHEN LAKE LEVELS WERE LOWER CHUNKS OF OLD CONCRETE, PAVEMENT. ROCKS, CEMENT BLOCKS ETC WERE PLACED ALONG LAKE HURON'S SHORELINE  AS A BUFFER AGAINST BATTERING WAVES

THERE'S A COMPLETE CEMENT PORCH AND STEPS FROM AN OLD BUILDING

LOOKS LIKE SOME COMMERCIAL FISHING GEAR SQUASHED UNDER THE CONCRETE STEPS

SPOTTED THIS YELLOW KAYAK WASHED UP  SO IF ANYONE LOCAL IS READING THIS AND KNOWS ANYONE LOOKING FOR THEIR LOST KAYAK THIS MIGHT BE IT

UNFORTUNATELY THE BOW (FRONT) OF THE KAYAK IS SMASHED UP

EVEN FOUND ME SOME ICICLES

A NUMBER OF WEATHERED BRICKS LAYING ABOUT

HERE'S A VERY INTERESTING PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD....COULD IT BE A WEATHERED TIMBER FROM ONE OF THE MANY OLD SHIPWRECKS OFFSHORE HERE

Home shortly after 10 I was soon out in the front yard working again at trying to stop Squirrely from beating up on our hanging bird feeders.  My single bird feeder baffle idea didn't work so I put together this morning what I call my double bubble bird feeder baffle bungle.  Wasn't long before Squirrely tried it out and failed in his first attempt.  However I won't be surprised if he breaches the defences and if so I have an idea already for an adjustment. 

PHOTO BELOW LEFT SHOWS MY SINGLE BAFFLE ATTEMPT A FEW DAYS AGO WHICH FAILED THE SQUIRREL TEST AND PHOTO AT RIGHT BELOW SHOWS TODAY'S DOUBLE BAFFLE ATTEMPT

 

SQUIRRELY FAILS ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT

Kelly started on a few outside Christmas decorations today.  With all our snow gone now it's not looking too Christmasy but I'm sure it will before too long again.  We had a nice pre-Christmas two years ago but last year not so much.  We just couldn't seem to get ourselves into Christmas mode.  Two years ago we left for the Southwest a few days before Christmas and last year a few days after Christmas.  In the past we left once in September, twice in November, and eight times in October.

THAT'S A METAL SUNFACE STRUCTURE AND KELLY SIMPLY HUNG A CHRISTMAS WREATH ON IT

A gray November day sitting just under the freezing mark.  Roads were bare and dry and with country roads slightly frozen there was no dust or mud on them.  Although November is my least favorite month it does have it's own sense of beauty and appeal.  One just has to look a little harder for it.  But it's there.

Thanks to readers for your re-assurances.  Wished I had as much confidence in my own abilities as some of you have.  It's a long story I carry with me.

It was 11 years ago today in 2008 while in New Mexico we made the decision to switch from Satellite internet to a Verizon air card.  We've never regretted that decision although both those two communications systems had their own sets of problems.  Here is my post from the day we made an Internet Decision In Silver City New Mexico.  We were staying at City Of Rocks State Park.  Here is my photo album of our time there entitled A Day At City Of Rocks.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. However, all the league records were unfortunately destroyed in a fire. Thus we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled.

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-“I owned two racetracks but I rented them to others. I was the lessor of two ovals.”
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Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings... One by one... As each relative goes home.
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A father spoke to his son, "It's time we had a little talk, my son. Soon, you will have urges and feelings you've never had before. Your heart will pound & your hands will sweat. You'll be preoccupied and won't be able to think of anything else."He added, "But don't worry, it's perfectly normal... it's called golf."
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BEEN SICK…..ENDED UP IN A HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM THIS MORNING

PHEEBS IN THE JEEP TUESDAY MORNING RARIN TO GET ROLLIN:))

It was 8:10 this morning with Kelly in the Jeep's driver seat and me on the passenger side.  We were headed for the emergency room at Goderich's Alexander Marine And General Hospital.  Early Tuesday afternoon while unloading the Motorhome I began to experience dizzy spells.  I kept on working until one of those dizzy spells finally got worse and didn't go away.  Managed to get myself back into the house and that was the end of the day for me as far as getting anything else done.  Mainly spent the next 18  hours in my recliner.  Sometimes the room would spin on me and sometimes remain normal.  Feelings of nausea.  Had this happen to me 3 years ago and it was diagnosed as Vertigo.  ( Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. (BPPV) is the most common vestibular disorder and occurs when loose calcium carbonate debris has broken off of the otoconial membrane and enters a semicircular canal thereby creating the sensation of motion.) ---- There is a procedure called the Epley Maneuver which can alleviate this and we tried it Tuesday night but must have done it wrong because I became dizzier than before then started throwing up.  Overnight I slept well but the problem was still with me this morning so it was off to the hospital we went.  Still feeling very nauseas.  After a number of preliminary tests the Doctor had me lay down on a bed with my head hanging over the edge and did that head bending maneuver.  There wasn't the quick relief I had experienced before with this same procedure three years ago but I did feel a touch better.  We were back home around 10 and I went straight to my recliner again.  I didn’t have any room spinning today but every time I got up to walk I felt dizzy.  Still shaky on my feet, tired, can’t turn my head too fast, and no energy whatsoever to get anything done. 

UNBEKNOWNST TO ME KELLY TOOK THIS PHOTO IN THE HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM THIS MORNING

Now to backtrack to Tuesday morning.  Pheebs and I didn't waste any time getting ourselves out the door and into the Jeep.  Minutes later we were cruising through the country side and I thought to myself, 'we are back in our own element right where we belong.' Through McD's we went for a coffee to go and down right away to the harbor to make sure all the water was still right there in the lake.  Yep, Lake Huron was looking as great as ever with it's aqua blue waters.  Had hoped to go for a walk but we had rain in the air.  Grabbed an armload of veggies at Zehr’s Supermarket in Goderich to resume my Sounds Yukky - Tastes Yummy shakes and headed for home. Started unloading the Motorhome and that's when the dizzy spells began.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN SO GRRRRREAT TO RESUME OUR COUNTRY ROAD MORNING JEEP RIDES

Thought I would write a short post Tuesday night but when I looked at the computer screen it made me dizzy.  Same thing when I tried to read my Kindle so most of my time was spent sitting with my eyes closed listening to music.

NICE TO BE HOME

Absolute beautiful coolish warm Sun and cloud morning today but of course I missed most of it sitting inside.  And when I miss a nice morning so does Pheebs.  Rain is forecast for Wednesday but if I feel Okay in the morning we'll be out rain or shine. 

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AT A REST AREA SOMEWHERE IN VERMONT LAST WEEK

Felt bad that I couldn't be outside helping Kelly as she walked armloads of stuff from the Motorhome into the house.  Although I feel better today than Tuesday I still get a sense of dizziness when I get up and walk.  I’m hoping I’ll feel better Thursday morning.  Got a big clean-up to do on that Motorhome that needs to get done soon as I can.

ON OUR WAY HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL WE STOP AT WALMART AND KELLY RUNS IN TO GET ME A PRESCRIPTION WHILE I WAIT IN THE JEEP FEELING LIKE AN OLD BAG OF DIRT

Watching hurricane Michael on TV come ashore at Mexico Beach Florida this afternoon it reminded me of the day last February 18th when Kelly and I drove into Panama City,  south through the Tyndall Airforce Base to Mexico Beach where we stopped and I walked out onto a long pier and Kelly popped into a local eatery for some Seafood stuff.  From there we drove down to St. Joe’s and headed inland.  We were staying a few day at the Pine Lake RV Park along highway U.S. 231.  Here is my post and photos of that day...…. Mexico Beach

I WAS SURE HOPING THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN FURTHER ALONG WITH THIS NEW TIM HORTON COFFEE SHOP IN BAYFIELD….LOOKS THE SAME AS IT DID 3 WEEKS AGO BEFORE WE LEFT FOR THE MARITIMES

At the time of posting tonight I’m still not feeling the best but better than I did Tuesday night at this time.  Oh ya, and it’s raining:((

GROANER'S CORNER:((  It was a celebratory mood with the boys at NASA; they had just made the scientific achievement of a lifetime.  As they were uncorking a bottle of champagne, Dr. Werner Von Braun, the head scientist at NASA, asked everyone to be quiet as he had received a congratulatory phone call from the President of the United States.  He picked up a special red phone, and spoke into it. "Mr. President," said Dr. Braun, grinning broadly, "after twelve years of hard research and billions of dollars spent, we have finally found intelligent life on Mars.  "He listened for a second, and his smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a frown.  He said, "But that's impossible . . . we could never do it. . . yes Mr. President," and hung up the phone. He addressed the crowd of scientists staring at him curiously.  "I have some bad news," he said, "the President said that now that we've found intelligent life on Mars . . . he wants us to try to find it in Congress!!"
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“Farmers engaged in paddy cultivation for generations are genetically ingrained!

DIDN’T TAKE PHEEBS AND I LONG TO SLIP BACK INTO OUR OLD MORNING JEEP RIDE ROUTINE:))

STILL A LOT OF ICE AND SNOW ON LAKE HURON BUT IN A MATTER OF MONTHS PEOPLE WILL BE SWIMMING HERE

A second night of uninterrupted sleep.  Yep, we must be home in our quiet little pine forest alright.  Pheebs and I didn’t let a dusting of snow in the night keep us at home.  Piled ourselves into the Jeep this morning, cranked Libby’s 4 wheel drive into snow mode and off we went out the driveway and into the snowy road countryside.   Oh how sweet it is to be off the busy Interstates and highways and away from all the mad maniac drivers possessed by whatever it is that takes over people’s minds when they slide behind the steering wheels of their their vehicles .  We may never leave home again!!

YES I HAD DEFINITELY BETTER GET THOSE BIRD FEEDERS FILLED UP

PHEEBS AND I HEAD OUT OUR SNOWY DRIVE-WAY

A FEW SNOW PLOWS OUT

STILL A BIT SNOWY HERE IN RURAL SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO CANADA

We slid right back into our old routine and headed for McDonald’s in Goderich.  I especially wanted to get down around the harbor to see all the snow and ice on the lake.  Luckily nobody was in the dog walking area so we parked and headed off walking along the bank overlooking Lake Huron.  I had dressed warm and with snow only about 3 inches deep we made out just fine.  Thankfully there were no icy cold winds blowing.  Our day was a mixture of sun, clouds, and snow showers with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark.

ON OUR WAY DOWN TO THE GODEERICH HARBOR

THIS IS THE WAY TO ROTARY COVE BEACH

STILL A LOT OF ICE AND SNOW OUT ON THE LAKE

AHHHHH YES A TIM HORTON’S COFFEE ON A FROSTY MORNING WALK ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON

Up from the beach and harbor area we popped into Zehrs Supermarket, Walmart, and Canadian Tire.  I had what I needed to now resume my morning Sounds Yukky - Tastes Yummy shakes.  No the birdseed I picked up at Canadian Tire was not for my shakes.  When traveling my usual breakfast consists of peanut butter and honey on a flat bread tortilla.  I’m very much looking forward now to getting back to my usual healthier breakfast.

PHEEBS LOVES THE SNOW, BUT THEN AGAIN PHEEBS LOVES EVERTHING…OH, EXCEPT WATER OF COURSE

Pheebs and I were home somewhere shortly after 11 a.m. and as per usual we simply cruised relaxingly through the rest of the day.  I did get all our bird feeders replenished but I can tell the birds are really cheesed off at me for leaving them high and dry late last December when we headed south.  I did not see one bird at any of the feeders all afternoon.  Not even the little Woodpecker.

LOOKING SOUTH DOWN THE LAKE TOWARDS BAYFIELD 13 MILES AWAY

 

Very disappointed our land line phone is not yet hooked up despite Kelly making several more phone calls to Bell Telephone.  If we weren’t such old Dinosaurs with our archaic telephone thinking we would dump that land line and do like everyone else and just go with our cell phones.  Some changes we are quick to adapt too, but others……well you know, it’s that old Dinosaur thing:((

Sure have been getting my upper body exercise shoveling snow these past few days but that’s Okay, I can use the exercise.   I don’t mind shoveling snow as long as it’s not a whole winter’s worth which of course it hasn’t been for a bunch of years now.  Looks like we may have some milder days coming up soon.  After all, it is that time of year:))

AND HEY OUR CHRISTMAS TREE IS STILL UP FROM LAST DECEMBER:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  During a terrible storm, all the highway signs were covered with snow. The following spring, the state decided to raise all the signs twelve inches at a cost of six million dollars. “That’s an outrageous price!” said a local farmer, “but I guess we’re lucky the state handled it instead of the federal government.” “Why’s that?”  “Because knowing the federal government, they’d decide to lower the highways.”

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Doctor Doctor I feel like a racehorse.
Here take one of these pills every 4 laps!

Doctor, doctor my sister here keeps thinking she's invisible!
What sister?

Doctor, Doctor Can I have second opinion?
Of course, come back tomorrow!

Doctor, Doctor you have to help me out!
Certainly, which way did you come in?

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A man's wife is sitting in the backseat while he's driving.  A cop pulls him over and says: Your wife fell out of the car about a mile back.  The man says: Thanks, I thought I'd gone deaf.

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