DOC ROBOT

TWO CANADA GEESE CHASE PHEEBS FROM THE WATER’S EDGE
Remembered to bring in our main bird feeder last night but thought maybe the others might be Ok. They weren’t. Found one smashed up on the ground & two others tipped over empty. This morning I took down all the bird feeders with the exception of two. Only other way to deal with this problem is to live trap the Raccoon & transport it a few miles away & release it. Can’t do that because it could be a Momma Coon with babies & I could not bare the thought of baby Raccoons starving to death in a nearby tree somewhere. I probably didn’t need to have half a dozen bird feeders up anyway!!


My Passport is coming up for renewal in a couple months so that means a new photo & application. New application – $86. Passport Photo – $20. It’s not cheap being a tourist!!

Had a reader question about our health care so I will answer that one carefully by just saying we will not be getting any knee buckling bills for any of my appointments or procedures with this kidney stone issue. In fact, we will be getting no bills at all, now or later. Nor will I have to pay for any drugs or medications required. You can see why it is sooooooo important for we Canadians to keep our health plans intact & not run the risk of losing them. In Ontario it is called OHIP. Ontario Health Insurance Plan & it is one of the main reasons which keeps us from moving Stateside to an all year round better climate. Medical issues may not seem as important when younger but they sure take top priority as we age. And, while on the medical topic again, let me tell you about………Doc Robot.

He enters & exits the room without a Hello or a Goodbye. No how are you or how are you feeling today. No introductions & no indications of familiarity. No identifications & no salutations. Doc Robot fixes me with a short icy stare as he enters the small examining room with an open electronic Note Pad in hand. He proceeds to & sits at a small table. Reading from the Note Pad he rapidly tells me in technical terms what’s wrong with me & what procedures are necessary to right those wrongs. No questions, no advice, no sign of recognition that he has an actual human life form sitting in front of him. No smiles or warm words of reassurance from Doc Robot.  A couple questions from the humans are quickly answered & then he exits the room. No goodbye, no take care, no hesitation, no problem. “Next”

WE’RE GOING THIS WAY……..NO, I WANT TO GO THIS WAY
Chris & Caron from TRAVELS WITH CC & DIXIE have an informative post starting at LAZY DAYS RV in Tampa Florida & ending up 14 hours later at TIFFIN MOTORHOMES in Red Bay, Alabama. This will be of particular interest to Tiffin Motorhome owners who may or may not have been to Tiffin’s big facility there. Sounds & looks like quite a place with additional points of interest in the surrounding area.

WE HAVE A LOT TURKEY VULTURES IN OUR AREA
RV folks are no strangers to break downs on the road. GEOGYPSY'S truck hauling her 5th wheel ran out of power on a grade near Flagstaff Arizona & is now in a repair facility. Russ & Donna from TRAVELS IN THERAPY had their trip come to a screeching halt near Pendleton Oregon & are now facing a hefty repair bill for their Honda Fit toad. Jerry & Suzy from OUR LIFE ON WHEELS are currently broke down at Roper Lake with a stuck transfer case in their Suzuki XL-7 toad. We know the frustrations these people are feeling at the moment.

How about a super deal on a great house & property backing onto a river in Wisconsin. Be sure to check out KAREN IN THE WOODS blog today. She & hubby Steve are hitting the road as Full Timers & are selling their beautiful home in the woods.  Just went on the market yesterday.  You really have to see this house & the great price they are selling it for. I’m thinking this house & property are going to sell very fast.
Kelly called the Vet today & we should have Motor’s remains back on Friday. We had taken her in just a few days before the Easter Week-end & that week-end backed everything up. Our little Mouse has not been lost after all.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A third grade teacher was getting to know her pupils on the first day of school. She turned to one little girl and asked,
"What does your Daddy do?" The girl replied,
"Whatever my Mommy tells him to do."
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

UROLOGIST’S APPOINTMENT TODAY WAS…..ROUTINE

REFLECTIONS IN A MOTORCYCLE

Well, I sure misinterpreted what I thought was the Urologists urgent phone call on Monday. With the question about my kidney stone pain level, (I didn’t have any) moving my appointment ahead a day, & saying the Doctor wanted to see me right away I thought for sure my Sunday morning CT Scan had shown the Doctor something that had to be dealt with immediately. In fact, the thought crossed my mind that I just might end up in the hospital today. But, no such luck. And I say that because I would sooner have all this dealt with right now rather than later. But, later it is going to be.

<<< NICE COOL DAY FOR BURNING UP SOME GARBAGE
Surgery is set for May 28th unless a cancellation gets me in earlier. I’m hoping. The procedure is called a Ureteroscopy & that is where they take this old garden hose & stick it…….well, it’s one of those procedures us fellers don’t care to talk about much. Anyway, a stent is put in & the stone is then blasted to bits with some kinda space age technology stuff. Well, hopefully blasted to bits. The smaller the bits the better because they have to be passed through the stent & out. No sharp edges please!! Have to return in 3 weeks to see how things are going & maybe get the stent yanked, er, carefully removed. The Urologist guy said that only takes a minute & I am already thinking that could be one minute from hell!! Yeowsers..
 

I’M SURE JUDY WILL KNOW WHAT THESE BIRDS ARE…FOR NOW I WILL JUST CALL THEM ‘FRONT YARD BIRDS’
Anyway, not to get ahead of myself here…..my next step right now is another Ultra-Sound. Had one in Tucson but a new one is needed. There are additional kidney stones in the right kidney & the Doctor will try to get those out the same time he does the big stone in the left kidney. Have to make an appointment with my own Doctor in the meantime plus a pre-op blood work appointment back in Stratford. Sure sounds like a lot of rig-ma-roll to me & we’re just about buried in paper work here already.

Well I know one thing for sure…..I had better not be whining & complaining about being bored this summer again. Looks like it could be an interesting few months ahead.  And, 343 to 340…….. thanks for dropping around tonight Mel:))

AND, IT WAS A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE TURTLES TOO
I was disappointed to find out my leg problem is not connected to my kidney stone problem. Nor is my ankle bone connected to my elbow bone….remember that song:)) Looks like I am going to have to deal with that leg problem separately. After such a bad day Monday, my legs were just about perfectly fine today. So fine in fact, if I would have had the energy I could have ran around the morning trail instead of walking around it.

I THINK THIS LITTLE GARTER SNAKE IS A BIT SSSSSSSHY
Ok, that’s just about enough ‘General Hospital’ stuff for awhile so time to move on. Move on to what I am not sure though. Been having some pretty quiet days lately. We did stop in to see my Uncle Harry on the way to Stratford today though. We found him in the cafeteria for lunch.  He’s still doing good despite taking a tumble in his room a few days ago.  Scraped up his arm & head but he’s OK & came up swinging. Like his Doctor told him a few years ago, “Harry, you are one tough old Bird”.

I TOLD UNCLE HARRY I HAD A SPARE MOTORCYCLE HELMUT AT HOME IF HE NEEDED IT
Cold windy day with a cloud covered morning & a sun drenched afternoon. Too cold to ride the bike but I did check the oil, coolant, & tire pressures. Also noticed much of the chrome on the bike is becoming slightly pitted because of the dampness in this climate. Long cold & damp winters in storage take their toll.  I’m thinking I should leave it in Arizona.

I’LL SOON BE GETTING MY LITTLE RIDING BUDDY ALL SADDLED UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR

We were away about 4 hours today & aside from one of Kelly’s socks being slightly out of place, Pheebe was a real good girl again in not chewing or moving anything around. She was so excited to see us when we got home she nearly jumped right out of her fur. She is the happiest dog I have ever seen. I know they say not to make a big fuss over a dog that has ‘jumping up’ problems when first meeting them but we are just as happy to see her as she is to see us so it’s just one big happy greeting for all of us every time, regardless of how long we have been away:))

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It is never a comfortable feeling inside when one of our precious Pets is not feeling well.  We have certainly experienced that feeling more than once this past year.  Mike & Gerri from A VIEW THROUGH THE LENS WITH MIKE & GERRI had their little dog Nick into the Vet after she just ‘wasn’t herself’.  Always difficult with Pets because they can’t tell us where they are hurting.  Might want to stop by & wish little Nick well.  Mike’s always has some mighty fine photos on their site as well.

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Squirrels have not been my biggest problem at the bird feeders this Spring but we do have a rascally Raccoon coming in the night now & it has pulled down our main hanging feeder two nights in a row.  Kelly suggested bringing the feeders in at night so I have a big note written to myself here at the computer desk.  ‘Bring In Birdfeeders’!!  Also plan to put a piece of stovepipe around the bird station pole to stop the Racoon & Squirrels from climbing up there.

A GOLDFINCH STOPS IN FOR A DRINK OF WATER AT THE BIRD BATH

Haven’t heard from the Vet yet as to when when we can come over & pick up Motor’s cremated remains. I’m sure hoping they haven’t lost our little Beansy. Kelly, Pheebs & I are still missing her big time. It’s those quiet wee hours of the morning that are the hardest & a time when I miss all the guys the most.

GROANER’S CORNER:((   A local policeman had just finished his shift one cold November evening and was at home with his wife. "You just won't believe what happened this evening , in all my years on the force I've never seen anything like it.""
Oh yes dear, what happened ?"
"I came across two guys down by the canal, one of them was drinking battery acid and the other was eating fireworks."
"Drinking battery acid and eating fireworks!! What did you do with them ?"
"Oh that was easy, I charged one and let the other off".
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

- Home is where your pet is:))
- If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

stargeezerguy@gmail.com

‘OH OH’…… UROLOGIST PHONED TODAY & WANTS TO SEE ME SOON AS POSSIBLE:((

SET OUT OUR POND ORNAMENTS THIS AFTERNOON

It has been so warm here the past couple of days we have been able to leave our windows & patio door open with the Spring breezes blowing right through. More of a big wind today than a breeze but with intermittent sunny afternoon sky’s it has turned into a gorgeous day. Didn’t get far on our morning walk though when I had to turn back because of soreness & pain in my legs.

SPRING IS BREAKING OUT ALL OVER

Hooked up the utility trailer to the Jeep & picked up a couple big loads of pine needles I had raked up over the last few weeks. Pheebs always enjoys coming with me to unload the needles in our Park’s recycle area. Remember the nice clean Jeep photos the past couple days? Well, all that came to a quick end when we reached the recycle area. Recent rains have turned the sandy clay into oozy mud in spots so the Jeeps all mudded up inside & out again. And how did it get mudded up inside. Remember, the Pheebs came with me. Muddy little paw prints everywhere. And I had just washed the seat covers a couple days ago……..

HAIRY WOODPECKER

As is often the case whenever we have high winds or storms, our electricity was off this afternoon from about 1 to after 5. Over 900 homes affected in the surrounding area.

<<< AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

Received a surprise phone call from my Urologist’s office in Stratford. They had the results from my Sunday morning CT Scan & the lady on the phone said to Kelly, ‘your husband must be in a lot of pain’. Said they wanted to see me as soon as possible so we’re heading to Stratford tomorrow instead of Wednesday. Now, this may be a coincidence but my legs were the worst they have ever been today. Sore, achy & painful. I’ve mentioned a few times in the past about some problems I have been having with my legs so one of the questions I will have for the Doc tomorrow is if there could be some kind of connection between that large kidney stone & the decreasing strength in my legs. I’m kind of hoping the 2 problems are connected. Spent most of the afternoon in my recliner staying off my legs. Sounds like tomorrow will be an interesting & informative day for sure.

 
WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PRIMROSE

Came across another adventurous blog this morning that states, “A gal and her dog hit the open road in their Skinnie Winnie to explore America” LYNNE & MILLIE'S WINNIE VIEWS is another one of those lady Blogger’s I admire so much for their courage & independence to get out there & do their own thing, their way. You will find some interesting & informative posts plus sections such as ‘A Girl’s Guide To RVing’ & ‘Our Toad’ which deals with Lynn’s selection of a correct toad for herself. She also has some mighty fine photos on her site as well. When I clicked on her Blog Followers list to join up, a note popped up saying I was already a Follower. Oh dear, what am I going to do about this aging memory of mine:((

I DON’T MIND THE LITTLE CHIPMUNKS AT THE BIRD FEEDERS

And speaking of Gals, I was happy to receive an email from Cheryl & her little dog Cali this morning. Another one of those adventurous ladies out there kicking the dust off her DOLPHIN CLASS C RV tires whenever she can. With less than a month to go until retirement Cheryl’s blog, DESERT DIVA will be another one I will follow with interest as she contemplates & THINKS about her upcoming RVing future.  And again, some nice photography here.

 

SOME MORNINGS WE CAN STILL GET A TOUCH OF FROST IN APRIL

Now, here’s a real coincidence. Sunday morning while I was at the Stratford Hospital for my CT Scan in the ‘Imaging’ section, fellow Canadians George & Suzie Yates from OUR AWESOME TRAVELS were literally just feet away on the other side of the wall where my CT Scan was taking place. But, they were in the Emergency department & we did not know of each other’s presence there. Last time our trails crossed was OUR LAST DAY ON PLOMOSA ROAD near Bouse, Arizona back in January.

A DEER PARK LODGE SUNSET OVER LAKE HURON IN BAYFIELD ONTARIO

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A parts manager for a small electronics shop, had occasion to order part No. 669 from the factory.
But when he received it he noticed that someone had sent part No. 699 instead.
Furious at the factory's incompetence, he promptly sent the part back along with a letter giving them a piece of his mind.
Less than a week later, he received the same part back with a letter containing just four words: "TURN THE BOX OVER."
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

A LITTLE GREEN HAPPY FACE GUIDES ME IN & OUT OF THE CT SCANNER THIS MORNING

ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK

To say we awoke to anything but a dull dismal rainy day would be an understatement. Heavy cloud cover was only a couple hundred feet off the deck as I Jeeped my way east for Stratford Ontario. Tops of tall microwave antennae's were lost in the clouds.

HOW NICE TO HAVE A SPIFFY CLEAN JEEP TO DRIVE TODAY:))

It’s a pleasant hour’s drive from Bayfield to Stratford if one knows the quiet & paved back roads. Having spent most of my life in this area, I know all those back roads. Despite the moderate & steady rain I enjoyed rolling through the South-western rural farm lands. Always nice to see old familiar places & touch base with old familiar memories.
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I was 50 minutes reaching the outskirts of Stratford & I was plenty early for my 11 a.m. CT Scan. I always make it a point to be early for wherever it is I am going. In this case I was early enough to stop at Sobey’s Grocery Store near the Hospital & pick up a few groceries. It was my first time in a grocery store since returning from Arizona & as usual I was dismayed at the price of things on the shelves.
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Another couple of blocks had me at the Hospital & having lived in Stratford for 20 years between 75 & 95 I knew where to park & avoid the heavy parking fees at the Hospital itself. A short 4 minute walk in a bit of drizzle had me at the main entrance in no time. I had skipped breakfast this morning so was anticipating a nice egg salad sandwich near the Hospitals main lobby. Whoooops, forgot it was Sunday…..snack bar closed!!

 

SCORE ONE FOR THE SQUIRRELS TODAY
Checked the directory board to see where the ‘Imaging Center’ was located & off I went on the main floor to the new section of the Hospital. Instantly recognized it as the area where I had met my Uncle Harry last year when he had been brought in from Mitchell by van for a CT Scan himself. Only difference this time, I was the only person in the whole department. Not a single person around anywhere, no people waiting, no staff, nobody. The whole Hospital seemed all but deserted. Now, how nice is that for a quiet little fellow like myself.

NOW, THIS IS HOW I LIKE TO SEE A WAITING ROOM…..EMPTY
As previously stated, I was very much on the early side so enjoyed looking at all the modern architecture & design of the new ‘Imaging’ waiting room with it’s 40 foot ceiling. Choked down a boring, but mandatory bottle of water & waited. At 10:45 a staff member walked in & registered me. She then took me to another room & made me take my clothes off.

MY HEALTH CARD SITS ATOP A VACANT DESK AWAITING SOMEONE TO PAY SOME ATTENTION TO IT

In a cubicle of course, & put on a blue backwards hospital gown over my shorts & socks. Well, over my shorts anyway. Socks were just too far away to put anything over. Another few minutes in a nearby waiting room & a second lady appeared in sweatshirt & blue jeans. She took me into another room & told me to lie on my back on a narrow bed affair with my arms & hands backwards over my head, or else.
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I right away recognized the big vertical doughnut CT Scanner from my previous trip into one 4 months ago in Tucson, Arizona. Well, I remember parts of that trip that is. They had me on intravenous Morphine at the time so my experience of traveling on a gurney to & from the big round doughnut machine is a little sketchy. The thing I remember most about my CT Scan in Tucson was the number of cell phone calls coming into the Scanner’s operator. Think I remember 7 or 8 calls he had to handle while processing me in the big round tube.
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Today’s procedure, with nothing more than a tasteless boring bottle of water in my system, remains much more vivid. First thing I noticed when looking up as I was automatically slid into the scanner was the little green profile of a ‘Happy Face.’ How nice I thought, the designers of the machine had incorporated some soothing humor into the large foreboding look & workings of their machine.
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YEP, STILL LOTS OF SUMMER STUFF TO GET OUT OF THE SHED YET

The machine was all awhirl with sounds I’m sure I’ve heard before on the deck of the Starship Enterprise. “Take it up to warp speed Scotty”. “Aye Aye Captain”. The theme from Star Trek was interrupted by a loud recorded voice saying, “Take a deep breath”!! The little green Happy Face switched to an amber little puffy face holding it’s breath. Cute:)) The bed under me moved back taking me out of the scanner. The big voice boomed, “Breath.” Thank you:)) I was then moved back into the scanner & the same procedure repeated about 4 or 5 times. And, that was it. Total time spent in the big doughnut….maybe 5 minutes, if that. Before rolling off the bed I winked a silent goodbye to my new found little green Happy Face friend & his puffy faced buddy, Amber boy.
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The lady scanner operator told me my kidney stone is definitely on the left side. She also told me to go get dressed & hit the road. Well, not exactly but she did wish me well with my Doctor’s appointment this coming Wednesday. Minutes later I exited the sleeping Sunday hospital, saddled up my Jeep & headed for home. None the worse for wear I may add. However, I know this is about to change & that change will soon be ramped up a bit beginning Wednesday when the Urologist has the CT Scan results in his hands. And, he has me quivering & shaking on the other side of his big desk:((
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I KNEW WE DIDN’T HAVE A LOT OF SNOW THIS WINTER WHEN OUR OLD WOODEN RAIN BARREL ENDED UP ONLY TWO THIRDS FULL OF WATER >>>
Again, nice drive back to Bayfield enjoying the scenery & listening to tunes of the 40’s on my Sirius Satellite radio. Rain had stopped & the skies had brightened. I miss seeing my mountains all around but the rural scenery here in south-western Ontario is pretty in it’s own right. Even on a rainy day kind of…………….:))
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And welcome to our latest Blog Follower INGER who I am assuming was a Swedish native at one time but now lives somewhere in the mountains of California. Welcome to our blog Inger & hope you can hang in long enough until we are in travel mode again:))
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Oh, & to clear up a sharp eyed reader’s concern that I was driving my Motorcycle with an expired tag. First bike photo was taken yesterday after I had started it. Second rear view file photo from April 2011 was added later last night. Soooooo, just to set the record straight, I took a third photo this afternoon to prove that “yes” I do have the appropriate up to date tag on my bike for 2012:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( An old woman says to her friend: “You know, last night I was shivering all over from cold.”
Her friend: “Do you remember if your teeth chattered?”
The old woman: “I don’t think so. We haven’t slept together for ages.”
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
stargeezerguy@gmail.com

AFTER 5 CRANKS…..IT STARTED:))

SPRING CROCUS

At 44F early this morning it was warmer in Bayfield Ontario than Congress Az at 41F. Not surprising because desert nights can get pretty cold.  But, here we are Saturday night & our temperature outside is 56 while Congress is struggling along at only 44F.  Hey, what the heck’s going on down there!! 

The rain surprised me this morning.  Didn’t think we were going to get it till afternoon.  Had to scramble around closing shed doors, etc. Turned out to be a good opportunity to get some inside cleaning done again so hauled my Shop-Vac into the Motorhome for digging into those corners, cracks & crevices the normal floor vac can’t get into. Don’t know where I am getting all the energy from this week but I sure welcome it with open arms & had better make the best of it while it’s here:))

 

Our weather straightened up around noon with warming temperatures.  Following a short snooze I pulled my battery off the trickle charger & headed outside to the carport with it.  Five crank’s on the starter switch had my Motorcycle up & running at precisely 1:41 P.M.   Always a big bonus for me to get any kind of a gasoline engine started after hibernation.  Took the bike for a short spin around the Park.  All systems looked good for another two wheeling summer.  With the price of gas these days I had better get used to spending more time using 2 cylinders instead of 6.  Of course I say that every Spring……….

 

2002 HONDA SHADOW AERO 1100
Always interesting how people make major decisions & the events leading up to those decisions. Buying a house, a Motorhome, or deciding on a lifestyle change can be meticulously planned or sometimes just happen by chance. It’s interesting how Canadians Peter & Bea from AMERICAN TRAVELER, having already decided on a location change for their next house, pulled up stakes in Alberta, full timed for a year, & then stumbled across a little Island off the east coast of Maine. Now, how did that happen?
 

AS PROMISED, A PICTURE OF….’THE SOLUTION’

Kelly & I had the idea in the back of our minds for a couple years to find us a little piece of property or a house in the Southwest. Kelly always checked the Real Estate for whatever areas we were traveling in & we did look at a fair number of properties. But, it was by pure accident that we ended up in a little whistle stop of a place called Congress, Arizona. Had we not had a bad day going through Lake Havasu a few weeks prior to choosing a secondary route through Wickenburg Arizona, we never would have come across our little house in Congress. Strange how happenstance events can sometimes lead to major decisions. Kind of like Peter & Bea finding Campobello Island.

Sunday morning I am off to Stratford early to have myself put in the big round vertical doughnut tube machine, sometimes referred to as a CT Scanner.  I don’t expect any traumatic happenings unless I fall asleep on them while stretched out on the board.
The weather map tells me we have a big blonk of rain headed our way tomorrow so looks like Jeepy Jeepers is going to be back to her dirty old self again by the time I get back.  Oh dear:((

EVENING WALK

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A man is driving down a country road, when he spots a farmer standing in the middle of a huge field of grass. He pulls the car over to the side of the road and notices that the farmer is just standing there, doing nothing, looking at nothing.
The man gets out of the car, walks all the way out to the farmer and asks him, "Ah excuse me mister, but what are you doing?"
The farmer replies, "I'm trying to win a Nobel Prize."
"How?" asks the man, puzzled.
"Well, I heard they give the Nobel Prize . . . to people who are out standing in their field."

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- Tourists see the world, travelers  experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
-  If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right  now...AL.

stargeezerguy@gmail.com

PHEEBS……THE BABY SMOOCHING DOG:))

HAD MYSELF A BUSY CLEANING DAY AGAIN

When I woke up this morning I was aware I was still in clean-up mode from Thursday so without further ado after my morning shake I slipped outside, hooked up the water, & had me a go at the Jeep. The directions on a jug of something we picked up in Quartzsite this year said you can use it as a waterless wash but that is a concept I can’t get my head around so I washed the Jeep first & then went over part of it with….the ‘Solution’. I don’t care what a product claims to do, I was not about to take a cloth & rub a liquid into or onto a shiny smooth & painted metal surface without first washing off the abrasive sand & grit. Figured we have enough desert pin striping on the Jeep without adding a lot of new swirls & twirls.

I LOVE MY LITTLE JEEPY JEEPERS:))

The washing went fine but as always here with our overly chlorinated water, the Jeep ended up with it’s usual multiple white water spots. Using a chamois only pulls those spots into streaks so figured this was a good time to try…..the ‘Solution’. Yes, that is what it is really called. (I will remember to take a pic of the bottle tomorrow)

Well, it did take out those water spots alright but I’ll have to use it a few more times before I am convinced it is an overall miracle product like some claim. Reminds me a lot of Armor-All. Must say the Jeep is looking very spiffy now & it’s like we have a new vehicle. Maybe I just better keep it off the gravel roads this summer….ya right!!

RIGHT SIDE OF THE RIG IS WASHED & THE LEFT SIDE ISN’T

No sooner had I finished the Jeep when I swung around & tackled the front end of the Motorhome. Boy, was that a mess with all the bugs & road grime from the past 5 months on there. Took a lot of water, bug & tar remover, a stiff brush, a brillo type pad & a whole lot of elbow grease to get that windshield & front end all cleaned up again. And much of that work has to be done from atop a tall ladder to reach high up the windshield & front roof line. It was well into early afternoon before I was able to finally step back & breathe a heavy sigh of relief knowing the Motorhome’s front end was finally done.

SURPRISING WHAT JUST A LITTLE SOAP & WATER MIXED WITH SOME ELBOW GREASE CAN DO…LEFT SIDE DIRTY & RIGHT SIDE CLEAN
Sensing I still had some energy units left I then slipped inside the rig & tackled the driving & passenger compartment. Boy oh boy, was that ever a mess as I scrubbed & scrubbed the dash, windows, coffee holders, etc. And to think, this is only the start of the annual big Motorhome clean-up. When I thought about it I had to come in the house, stretch out in my recliner, & think about it some more…zzzzzzzzzz.

DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS MY BED OR PHEEBS BED BUT US TWO OLD DOGS SLEEP HERE EVERY NIGHT

And, speaking of Motorhomes. After reading RETIRED ROD'S post yesterday about all the rules & regulations he will be facing in his new winter place in Mesa Arizona next season I realize how lucky we are to be able to park our rig right on our own property not only here in Bayfield but in Congress Arizona as well. Can’t imagine not being allowed to have our Motorhome at our own place.

 

MIKE, ABIGAIL, KAYLA & PHEEBS

A couple of years after moving into our present home here at 5 Seasons Estates we decided it was time to put an entirely new roof on our place.  One morning after a particularly bad winter storm we met a fellow out front who had driven into the Park to help with the storm damage clean-up.  Some downed trees & many tree limbs.  His name was Mike O’Brien & over the next few months we became friends with Mike & got to know him.  One day I asked Mike if he knew anyone who could put a new roof on our house.  His answer was quick……“I can”.  With those words began a project that lasted for the next couple of years.  Not only did Mike single handedly build us a brand new roof but he built us the lovely sun room we now have, added a deck to join the sun room & front porch, repaired walls where needed & completely sided our whole house with vinyl siding.  He did all the electric, plumbing where needed & just about anything else you could think of.  A very, very, handy fellow.  Mike doesn’t live in the immediate area any more but has always kept in touch.  Today, Mike dropped in to say hello with his daughter Kayla & newest member of the family, 6 month old Abigail.  What a little sweetie pie she is & Pheebs thought so to. 

 

A LITTLE PHEEBER SMOOCH FOR ABIGAIL

 

NOT ONLY IS PHEEBS A ‘COW SMOOCHING DOG’ BUT SHE IS A BABY SMOOCHING ONE TOO
Kelly & Pheebs were out running some errands this morning & came home with some take out Tai food from the new ‘Our Tai Restaurant Of Huron restaurant in Bayfield. As readers know, I am not a very adventurous food person & anything from another country kind of leaves me with the shivers. Anything hauled out of the ocean gives me double shivers. I was not too optimistic about whatever it was she had in the brown paper bag. Would it be fish heads with empty gazing eye sockets? Well, I was pleasantly surprised as I cautiously ate my Mussaman Curry Chicken & Springer Rolls. Anytime someone can add flavor to otherwise boring tasteless rice, I am interested. The Thai food tasted just great.

 

 

Below is a photo of a 3 foot section of tail pipe off the Motorhome. It was our last night on the road & we had just stopped in Lansing Michigan for the night. Upon walking around the rig doing a circle check after another long day I noticed this section of tail pipe on the driver’s side hanging down just a few inches from the pavement. With a couple twists & a short tug it came right off in my hands. How lucky we were this pipe had not come off on it’s own which I suspect it would have the next day. At 65 mph that pipe could easily have punctured the rubber black tank above it & ricocheted straight back into the Jeep’s front tire, radiator, windshield, or wherever. Could have been a very nasty incident indeed if it had continued through the air striking following traffic. It had broken or rusted out at the clamp under the Motorhome so we didn’t know of the potential danger until I saw the pipe hanging down. Close call for sure!! Checked the tail pipe on the other side & it is rusty as well, but not loose. We will definitely get that section of pipe replaced this summer as well.

THIS CHUNK OF STEEL PIPE COULD HAVE CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE  HAD IT FALLEN OFF ON THE INTERSTATE

  
It was one month ago this morning while having breakfast with Peter from AMERICAN TRAVELER near Vulture Peak Arizona that we got the cell phone call we had been patiently waiting for. It was our Real Estate agent up in Prescott phoning to tell us our Congress house purchase was a done deal. Already it seems like so very, very, long ago.

 
GROANER’S CORNER:(( One morning a man came into the church on crutches.
He stopped in front of the holy water, put some on both legs, and then threw away his crutches.
An alter boy witnessed the scene and then ran into the rectory to tell the priest what he'd just seen.
"Son, you've just witnessed a miracle," the priest said.
"Tell me where is this man now?"
"Flat on his arse over by the holy water," said the boy.
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- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- If one's thoughts are positive about the landscape, one's eyes will appreciate what they see...AL.
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
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