OK, AND THIS IS HOW IT WORKS

NOW, THIS IS CONCENTRATION!!

Well, I'm just sitting here in front of the computer having myself one of those thoughtless Fridays.  Not thoughtless as in being inconsiderate, just thoughtless as in being clueless.  Just haven't got a clue what to write about.  Some days a blog idea will begin to formulate in the morning shower & other days it's a last minute scramble before unconsciousness settles in for the night.

A STUDY IN FACES:))

Dropped into my ophthalmologist (eye guy) today & made an eye appointment for next Thursday morning.  Imagine the eye Doc will just tell me to quit my complaining, take half a dozen aspirins before going to bed & come back again in another year!!  Thanks for the concerned emails & comments about this.

In between mobility van runs today I popped home & decided to take a few pics of the van set up to show how that hydraulic lift on the van works & how people are loaded up & secured inside the van for transportation.  We have an old wheel chair here at home so with the help of a couple unwilling suspects I took a few photos to show how it all works.

   

(click pics to enlarge)  Pics are numbered from 1 to 9 starting at top left.  Pic 1 shows ramp down with chair ready to be loaded.  Caution has to be used here so the ramp doesn't come down & whap somebody on the head...mainly me!!  Pic 2 & chair is on the ramp.  Safety belt is clicked in behind chair & the wheelchair's brakes are put on.   Notice the yellow safety plate at back has kicked up preventing chair from moving back & off the ramp.   I stand between that door & the ramp as it goes up.  Left hand on the switch & my right hand on the person's wheelchair.  The up-down-fold-unfold switch is on the left door.  Caution has to be exercised here so that I don't press the wrong button & flip the person right over the van & into the next county!!  Pic 3 shows the ramp in top position.  At this point I walk around & enter the van from the side doors.  Caution has to be exercised here that I don't knock myself out cold hitting my head on the top door frame while entering!!  Pic 4 shows the chair still out on the ramp. (not good on rainy days) I walk back, take the chairs brakes off & pull the chair into the van. Caution has to be exercised at this point because I have to bend forward close to the person to do this & I had an elderly lady grab my beard one time & nearly pulled my whole darn face off!! (true story)  Pic 5 shows the chair in place totally secured with 4 seat belt devices anchored right into the floor.  Caution has to be exercised here because of the awkward bending & kneeling on the floor to get the belts secured to the chair.  Prime back injury time!!  A shoulder & lap belt is then drawn across to prevent the person from falling forward.  Pic 6 shows the back of the van with wheel chair inside & strapped down.  It is at this point that I put the ramp back up into it's stowed position.  Caution has to be exercised at the point that I don't let the ramp catch a piece of my clothing & fold me up with it!!  Pic 7 & the ramp is stowed in place for travel. (notice I am not folded up inside it) You can see the control box on the left door.  Caution must be exercised here when closing the finger shortening rear doors!!  Pic 8 shows Tweet & Socky Geepers, my unwilling little helpers in this lengthy demonstration.  Caution had to be exercised here because these guys were really ticked off at me for interrupting their afternoon snooze!!  Pic 9 & final photo shows a couple 'jump seats' that can be used if a family member or nurse person has to ride in the back.  Caution has to be exercised here because these seats can come down as your walking by & tear your leg off!! Ok, end of demonstration............:))

                       

COUPLE OF HANGING FLOWER BASKETS KELLY BROUGHT HOME EARLIER IN THE WEEK

I have had 2 wheelchairs in the back of these vans a few times but it is very, very, crowded.  You have to be a bit of gymnast as it is to get around back there & secure the belts to the chair.........So there ya go JERRY...........better get that knee healed up or I'll have to come down there to that Benson town in Arizona & belt ya down right into that chair in the back of the van.   We could load up some cowboy cookies & head up to that paved Escapee Visitor's parking area, smoke up the tires, & do some whirlygig doughnuts:))  I'll bet Suzy would get a kick out of that.

GROANER'S CORNER And did you know that 'old' is when you are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

SHE WAS 101 YEARS OLD SO I HAD TO DRIVE CAREFULLY!!

STOPPED TO TAKE A FEW RURAL  PICS FOR TONIGHT'S BLOG ON MY WAY HOME TODAY

The mobility van job has kept me busy the past couple of days & I will be off again tomorrow morning.  Transported a 101 year old lady in a wheelchair today & that is the oldest person I have ever had in the van.  Had to be extra careful to avoid potholes in the road & made all my turns slow & wide. 

CORN ROWS WANDER OVER THE HILLS

The other retired 'full time' driver will be back from his month of holidays next week & that will pretty much spell the end of my hours for the rest of the summer.  Too bad because I've always liked the job but it's just the way it is!!

Chow time at our house is always a bit of a 3 ring doggy circus.  Checkers is on a medicated type of dog food & little Cora's food is a smaller kibble making it easier for her to chew.  The two big guys, Max & Checkers wolf down their food so fast it makes lightning look like slow motion.  Cora, aka Motormouse, is a slow eater & likes to have a drink of water with her kibble & this is where Kelly or I come into the food picture.  We have to rigorously defend Motor's food dish until she gets back from the water dish.  When she is eating, the big guys hover very close by like a couple of buzzards with their eyes zeroed in on the little Motor's food dish.   They are hoping she will leave some for whoever gets to her dish first when she walks away....... Yep, always a big 3 ring meal time circus alright. 

PLEASE DAD, DON'T LET THESE BIG GUYS GET MY SUPPER AGAIN.......

Only ever had one serious incident over food sharing though. Couple years ago while boondocking in Borrego Springs Kelly dropped a piece of chicken on the floor.  Both Checkers & the little Motormouse lunged for it.  That resulted in a very nasty scrap & by the time I got the two of them separated blood had been drawn on both sides.  We could tell they both felt really bad about the whole incident & we're not sure who apologized to who first but they have been their usual best pal selves ever since. 

HAD TO LAY FLAT ON MY BACK FOR THIS PHOTO & THAT'S MY RIGHT FOOT AT BOTTOM RIGHT

I was surprised to see we had two new 'Followers' today.  Things have been really slow in that department since returning from the west a few months ago so I really do appreciate both followers for climbing aboard the Bayfield Bunch travel blog.  A really big thank you to Karen & Jedsmom.  You gals know how to pick up a feller's spirits alright.  Hope the blog doesn't get too cranky for you sometimes.

FIELDS OF BEANS

My van travels on Wednesday took me through a little burg with the name of Molesworth.  Now, I don't really know how much a Mole is worth on today's market but I bet the few people living in Molesworth do.

WE ARE A MAINLY FLAT TYPE AGRICULTURAL LAND HERE

My travels today took me to the town of Winghan Ontario.  I was on the early side so rolled into Tim Horton's parking lot to set a spell.  Counted 19 cars lined up going through the drive-thru & I'm sure that daily morning line up was repeated hundreds & hundreds of times all over the area at every other Tim Horton's as well.  They sure do a booming business.

LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE LOCAL REGULARS HEADING IN FOR HIS MORNING COFFEE AT TIM'S:))

SQUEAKING INTO THE DRIVE-THRU LINE..."MOVE OVER YA BIG BUNCH OF MOSSMAGATORS!!!!"

An email just came across my desk & maybe across yours too.  Haven't had a chance to read it all but I think the gist of it is having to do with RV Parks & RV Park reviews etc. Has something to do with iPhone access too. (I'm still on rotary dial 101) As you all know, we are not big RV Park people but I will include the link here if you want to have a look at it.   I'll take a second look at this later....RVparking Just figured all you RV Park folks might be interested.

GROANER'S CORNER  We are born naked, wet, and hungry.   And then we get slapped on the ass.  And then things get worse.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

HATS!!....WHO NEEDS EM ANYWAY!!

THIS HERE HAT'S MY FAV...RIGHT FROM THE 'HIGH LONESOME' STORE IN ELFRIDA, ARIZONA.......YES SIREEEEE:))

For over 60 years I got away with not having to wear hats.  Never did like the darn things anyway.  Always figured they made people look kinda silly & what useful purpose did they serve besides making people look....well, kinda silly. 

And, what do I mean by looking silly??  Ok, it doesn't get much more silly looking than those ridiculous things sitting on the top of Queen Elizabeth's head over there in that England place.  Coon traps, Beaver dams, old  rusting battleship gun turrets with wild paint splashed on them?  Not just her, but seems like all those royalty fluffs have their head's adorned with some kind of goofy looking foreign & lost machinery parts of sorts!!

 

AWWW C'MON DAD, ENOUGH WITH THIS HAT STUFF!!

Now, back here to this side of the pond!!  I never liked ball caps & that's probably because they were always popular & all the guys were wearing them.  Curved brims, flat brims, big letters, flashy logos & whatever else could be dragged through the garden & put on them.  Never did like those Dutchman caps either.  Reminded me of some little kid standing around with his finger stuck in a dike somewhere.  And besides, they looked kind of wussy or something.  Always liked Cowboy hats though but up here in our neck of the woods in Ontario a feller runs the risk of being carted off in an unmarked white windowless van to the funny farm if he were spotted wearing a cowboy hat.  Kinda like Woody, from the cartoon character in the Tom Hanks movie, Toy Story.  Ya just kind of stick out like a sore thumb!!

DAISIES BY DAYLIGHT

Never had to wear a hat until we started RVing a few years ago.  And, I say I had to because I sure wouldn't stick one of those clothy mossmagators on my head if I didn't have to.....but here's my problem!! 

STOPPING TO SMELL THE BUTTERCUPS

I'm pushing 66 & still have a full head of hair & it's naturally curly.  I can quickly look like a bushy gray Brillo pad on any given damp day.  I have a tendency to grow my hair a bit on the long side because I don't care for that shaved billiard ball look that is supposed to be so cool these days.  Don't want to be thought of as 'going with the flow' you know!!

AN OLD CROW KEEPS A WARY EYE ON THE BAYFIELD BUNCH WALKING BY

My hair problem begins sometime in the night when I'm sleeping.  I go to bed looking reasonably civilized for 65 but by the time morning rolls around my head looks like the whole Chinese Army did a route march right from one side of my left ear to the other.  And, by the looks of it they all apparently wear hob nail boots too!!!!

BLUE SKIES ABOVE THE SUMAC LEAVES

When we are home for the summer I can get away with this because I have a shower every morning & wash my hair.  I can get it wrestled down into some kind of controlled flattened pattern of sorts & if I mousse it to death enough the pattern might hold for the day thus preventing me from scaring small children on the street & elderly folks on my mobility van drives.

CLEMATIS FLOWER IN OUR BACKYARD

Boondocking is our preferred lifestyle while we are on the road during the winter season.  Because of a limited water supply I am unable to have that daily morning shower or even wash my hair in a bucket.  The only option I have is to plop one of those misguided monkey caps on my head to cover up the scary hair plume.

HEY, YOU LOOKIN AT ME AGAIN!!!!!

Luckily, in the American Southwest cowboy hats are the norm & preferred head coverings for all the locals.  Big hats in a big land just seem to go hand & hand.  I blend right in with my big 22 ten ton cowboy hat & I am totally comfortable with that.  However, there are some problems here too.  We have a small car & I have a big cowboy hat.  Only room for one of us in the car at the same time.  The wide brim interferes with my picture taking as well but then again so does the brim on a ball cap unless I spin it around backwards which by the way you can't do with a cowboy hat or your going to end up looking like the east end of a horse going west.

I tried wearing my black cowboy hat to work one day a couple summer's ago.  There isn't a lot of room to maneuver around in the back of the mobility van & it kept falling or getting knocked off while I tried to fasten the floor belts to the wheelchair frames.  The last straw came when I bent over to pull an elderly lady's wheelchair into the back of the van.  Hat fell off & landed in her lap.  She quickly beat it to death thinking she was being attacked by a giant black widow spider!!

Now, here's the really scary part.  This winter time RVing hat habit of mine has followed me home again this year!!  First noticed back in 07 that I was beginning to wear those menacing head muffins even though we were home & I was back into my daily shower routine.  Without even thinking anymore I just automatically reach for one of my goofy ball caps before heading out the door every morning.  Guess I should mention here that girls can wear these ball caps much cuter & better than guys do.

CLOVER

Years ago I beat an alcohol dependency & then a tobacco dependency.  Now, here I am again at 65 dealing with another dam dependency.  A 'hat on my head' dependency!!!!!!!!!  Ya, ya, I know.............get a haircut, quit my griping, & go to bed!!  Say, how about a nightcap.  A cappuccino perhaps:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( And remember to be extra nice to your kids because they could be the one's choosing your nursing home someday!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

WE HAVE A PAINTER IN THE FAMILY

MARKING OUT A DESIGN ON AN ELFRIDA GOURD IN THE BACKYARD

A month ago I was grumbling & complaining about having too many 'nothing days' & today I am happy to have a....nothing day:))  No mobility van runs until Wednesday so it was a quiet day at home getting caught up on a lot of computer stuff plus outside jobs. 

Kelly started a couple of paint projects that kept her busy for most of the day.  She decided to repaint some old & peeling deck furniture.  While the first coat of paint was drying from that project she moved on to painting up some gourds.  Last winter while at the ranch near McNeal Arizona we had picked up some gourds at the Elfrida Community Gardens.  Figured they might make for some colorful bird houses.  Today Kelly tried her artistic hand at some creative paints & designs for the gourds. 

 

KELLY'S DECK FURNITURE PAINT PROJECT...THAT WHITE COLOR IS ONLY A BASE COAT OVER THE BLUE & DARK YELLOW

Some of my time was taken up with transplanting some Hostas & weed trimming.  Most of my time was spent on the computer.  I always get excited whenever an email comes in from someone asking for permission to use any of my photos.  That is always very personally rewarding for me & just kind of puts the icing on the RV lifestyle cake.  Last night an email arrived from Pearce Arizona wondering if a few of my Camp Rucker photos from two winters could be used in an article on the GRAPEVINE CANYON RANCH blog site.  Sure can:))

Looks like we have a lot of rain headed our way & tomorrow is going to be a soggy one.  I will be out with the mobility van in the afternoon so better remember to take my rain coat.

 

Photo tip.....If your subject is in shade on a sunny day, use your camera's flash.  It's called 'fill-in-flash' & it puts a puff of light on your subject. Your camera's meter is probably reading for a correctly exposed background so your subject will be too dark.  Fill in flash was used on all these photos today except the frog below.  I brought in some natural morning sunlight for that shot:))

I have never been comfortable with the word, retired.  Always figured that mostly applied to folks who had worked long & hard for many years at their jobs.  People who stuck with careers through thick & thin.  Retirement always had a ring to it that smacked of success.  Retirement was a reward at the end of a long & dusty employment filled road.  Sometimes people ask me if I'm retired & my answer is always a quick,'no!!'  Don't figure I will ever see myself as a retired person.  Just don't like the sound of it & I don't think it applies to me anyway.  In fact I get a little embarrassed when somebody even asks me that question.  Retired??  Retired from what!!  And, am I really that old already!!  My rambling, sporadic, & adventurous work history over the years reads like a tall tale out of a Charles Dickens novel.  I will do a blog about it sometime, but not tonight.  In fact, think I'll go retire.............. to bed!!

  <<< Isn't she just a lovely little creature:))  xoxoxo

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You know your over the hill when you're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

A NICE WORKING DAY CRUISING THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

AN OLD MILL ACROSS THE RIVER IN GORRIE ONTARIO....(All of today's pics were shot with my point & shoot Canon Powershot A720IS.)

FOUND ME A NICE SHADE TREE TO PARK UNDER BETWEEN CLIENT RUNS THIS AFTERNOON

Nice to see the long shafts of early morning sunlight peeking through the pine trees.  Looks like a big bright sunny day ahead.  We need a good drying out for sure.

RICK just hit the 100 mark on his blog 'Followers' list on Sunday.  Rumor has it he's going to invite everyone from the list out to Cowichan Bay next week for an, 'all the cookies you can eat fest.'  Yay Rick:))  Neither Rick or I care for the word 'Followers' but that is what Google has decided to call blog readers who decide to publicly 'follow' along reading Google sponsored blogs so I guess that is the way it is.  Can't be messin with Gargantuan Google you know!!  Besides, they might put a hex on the 'Cookie Fest!!'

VIEW FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT

The folks over at RV LIFE ON WHEELS just had a new Blue Ox tow package installed on their Jeep.  The photos show a mighty fine set up & they are pleased with the results.  I think John & Judy may be explaining a little more about the set up in tonight's blog too.

NOT OFTEN YOU SEE SIGNS LIKE THIS ANYMORE ALLOWING SWIMMING.....USUALLY IT'S 'NO SWIMMING' OR 'TRESPASSERS WILL BE EATEN!!'

Was surprised to see we had a new Follower today.  A big welcome to N & J.  Just about when I had about given up on seeing any more 'Followers' you guys rode into town & saved the day.  JERRY had left a comment on Rick's blog about their 'Follower's list hitting a plateau.  Don't feel bad Jerry, we're flat out over here on the Bonneville Salt Flats. 

GEE, I WONDER WHY ALL THE FORMER GHOSTS LEFT TOWN!!

Now, speaking of Jerry & N & J.  Jerry is just home from the Tucson Hospital recovering from knee replacement surgery so if there is anyone in the Benson Arizona area with a hockey stick & puck, how about going over to Jerry's & getting him outside for a good old game of road hockey in the next few days.  Probably more fun than the upcoming physio he is dreading!!  And check out N & J's DIARY OF A MIDLIFE CRUISER for a younger twist on their upcoming fulltime RV adventures.  It's a blog layout with posts having a lively, light, bright & refreshingly springy feel to them.  They are excited, & literally counting down the final few days before hitting the road.  Just a little over 2 weeks to go.  Drop by & share in their enthusiasm.  Oh, & don't let the dental picture scare you.....Yikes!!

RURAL ONTARIO

Another busy day & my mobility van travels again took me to & through small towns with names like Blyth, Londsborough, Belgrave, Bluevale, Wroxeter, Gorrie, & Fordwich.  Which witch??  The little town I grew up in was named after another small town in England, Tavistock.  About 6 miles east of my old home town is a little place called Punky Doodle's Corner.  I have no idea what country Punky Doodlers come from.  Do you suppose some of the young ruffians there might be called Doodle Punks.  If there was a pet grooming place maybe they would even do Poodle Dunks:))  I better knock this off & get out of here.....me thunks!!

<<<< MENNONITE HORSE & BUGGY TRACKS IN THE SOFT GRAVEL NEAR THE TOWN OF GORRIE

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And did you know a skeleton is nothing more than a bunch of bones with the person scraped off!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/ (a work in progress)

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.