OUR DECK PROJECT IS ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY:))

HEY MISTER IS IT SPRING OUT THERE YET AND CAN I COME OUT TO PLAY??

With no wind or rain in the air and needing to pick up my 3 pounds of deck screws and missing 2x6x8 missing deck support plank Pheebs and I were off to Clinton first thing this morning......and sailed right past the hardware store.  Our missing the hardware store was intentional though.  Didn't want to be cruising around country roads with a big plank sticking out the back of the Jeep so our intention was to first have us a little Jeep ride then pick up the hardware stuff on the way home.

THIS IS ONE OF THE CREEKS FLOWING THROUGH HURON COUNTIES HULLETT MARSH 

Picked up our usual fare at Hortons and off we went under cloudy skies to look for some photos.  Well wait a minute….it wasn’t exactly our usual fare.  Stopped first at Bartliffs Restaurant & Bakery for some carrot muffins and then it was only a coffee I picked up at Tim Hortons. 

CROCUS

Cloudy days are not ideal for finding colorful photos so the bland gray leafless countryside was not too inspiring.  Oh well it was warm in the Jeep and we had us some great relaxing instrumental ambient music going so we just doddled along enjoying each other's company.  Us guys sure are the very much most best Pals:))

A ROBIN COMES IN FOR A LANDING

It was going on 11 by the time we made it back to Clinton and stopped into Langford Lumber for our missing stuff.  They had my 3 pounds of deck screws in a box at the counter and my missing board sat patiently out back waiting for me.  Minutes later we had the whole 8 foot plank inside the Jeep and headed the 8 short miles for home.

‘I CAN’T BELIEVE DAD WENT AND STUCK THIS WHOLE BIG DARN BOARD IN HERE

 

‘I’M GETTING STRESSED OUT DAD AND I WANT THIS THING OUGHTA HERE!!!!

I HOPE MOM COMES OUT AND SAVES ME FROM DAD’S BIG SCARY BOARD MONSTER

One of the reasons I always enjoy our annual Spring yard clean-up is the satisfaction of taking winter’s mess and cleaning it up.  I have almost always found that making something constructively nice out of a mess generally gives me a nice sense of accomplishment.  Today I mucked out the frog pond, re-planted half a dozen ferns, loaded some old rotten stumps into the utility trailer, and dug a short narrow trench to bury a section of garden hose.  Had myself a nice relaxed tired on by the time I came into the house and that ‘good feeling’ stuck with me for the rest of the day:)) 

SPRING CLEAN-UP FOR THE FROG POND TODAY

FERNS ARE BEGINNING TO SHOW SOME GREEN

PUTTING A SHORT SECTION OF A GARDEN HOSE UNDERGROUND

Our first burst of sunshine occurred at precisely 1:02 this afternoon.  The second sun splash hit us at 1:33 p.m and by 3 p.m. patches of blue were beginning to appear overhead.  Bruce dropped by and left a few tools in the carport.  He’ll be back at 10 in the morning and we will begin the back porch deck project.  Power tools will be involved……..wish me luck!!

OH-OH LOOKS LIKE SOME SERIOUS TOOLS HERE…..I HAD BETTER DIG OUT MY SAFETY BOOTS AND HARD HAT AND STRAP ME ON A FLAK JACKET

Spotted my first Spring Crocus this afternoon.  Having planted a bunch of things late last Summer I am very curious to see what comes up where now.  Because I can’t remember most of what I put into the ground 7 months ago I may very well be in for a few nice surprises.  Aren't these aging minds of ours just the most wonderful things eh…………….. 

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A fellow tries to cross the Mexican border on a bicycle with two big bags balanced on his shoulders. The guard asks, 'What's in the bags?'
The fellow says, 'Sand!'  The guard wants to examine them. The fellow gets off the bike, places the bags on the ground, opens them up, and the guard inspects... only to find sand. The fellow packs the sand, places the bags on his shoulders, and pedals the bike across the border. Two weeks later, the same situation is repeated... 'What have you there?'  'Sand'  'We want to examine.'  Same results... nothing but sand and the fellow is on his way again.  Every two weeks for six months the inspections continue. Finally, one week the fellow didn't show up. However, the guard sees him downtown and says to the fellow, 'Buddy, you had us crazy. We sort of knew you were smuggling something. I won't say anything - what were you smuggling?' The fellow says, 'Bicycles.'

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“For years, the fad dieter ate everything with prickly pears - he now eats everything with sorghums.”

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They say we learn from our mistakes which is why I make as many as possible.  I will soon be a genius.

MORNING LUMBER RUN AND LETS HAVE US A PEEK AT MERIKAY’S MUFFINS

How nice to feel warmer air when I stepped out with Pheebs into the early morning darkness.  Overnight rains still dripped from trees while a fine mist hung in the air.  No wind.

Not long after first light I was outside with pen and paper in hand.  Let me see now, 4 deck blocks, 7 eight foot pressure treated 2x6x8’s and enough 1x6x12 deck boards to cover a 6x12.  And don't forget the hardware and screws that go along with that.  Luckily I have enough 4x4's on hand to do the deck posts.

AIRPLANE IN THE MIST

I still had our utility trailer hooked up from taking a load of pine needles to the recycling area Sunday so little Spoogers and I hopped into Libby and headed for Home Hardware's Langford Lumber in Clinton.  It was a pretty foggy drive all the way there and back again.  And wouldn’t you know it…..I forgot to pick up the deck screws.  I also noticed I was short 1 2x6x8 after I got home.  That’s what I get for not double checking the count after the lumber was loaded into the utility trailer.  There were 6 instead of 7.  I’ll pick up the screws and 7th board next time Pheebs and I roll by the hardware store.  And we all know that won’t be very long. 

LOADED UP AND READY TO HEAD FOR HOME….LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS SHORT ONE BOARD AND HAD FORGOT TO PICK UP THE DECK SCREWS

Been nearly 6 weeks since I got my new Dell solid state laptop and I am still liking most everything about it.  Boots up in about 10 seconds, is light as a feather, and I have not had any bugs or glitches with it.  No moving parts in this computer so no noisy fan or heat problems.  Nice.  Only thing I don't like is the location of the small 'Start' button on the thin edge of the right side.  Would have preferred the power plug inlet on the right side of the computer instead of the left but aside from those two little things I am totally happy and satisfied with my new Dell:))

THAT TEMPORARILY PLACED  2X6X8 SHOWS THE WIDTH O THE DECK EXTENSION

Puttered myself around outside for a bit prepping the deck extension site.  Rains held off most all day but without a speck of sunshine the air remained damp and nothing dried up.

RE-LOCATED SOME PEA STONE GRAVEL, DUG OUT A CORNER GATE POST, AND REMOVED A DOZEN SMALL PATIO STONES

MOVED THE PEA STONE GRAVEL FROM WHERE THE DECK IS GOING OVER TO THE LEFT WHERE THE NEW ENTANCE WIL BE

Hey if you haven't seen Merikay's glorious muffins yet here's a good chance to slip on over to Jojoba Hills California and have yourself a peak at what she's got:))  Merikay's Glorious Muffins In The Morning

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man went to the police station wishing to speak with the burglar who had broken into his house the night before. "You'll get your chance in court," said the desk sergeant.  "No, no, no!" insisted the man. "I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife. I've been trying to do that for years!"

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I'd live life in the fast lane but I am married to a speed bump.

- A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand!

- A clean kitchen is the sign of a wasted life.

- Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.

- Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.

I HAVE RESUMED MY ‘SOUNDS YUKKY-TASTES YUMMY’ SHAKES AND AN OUTSIDE DECK EXTENSION PROJECT IS UNDER WAY

KEEPING A LOW PROFILE
Been in the back of my mind for a couple months now to once again resume my long ago morning soy shakes after a lull of maybe 3 or 4 years.  Long time readers may well remember my posts about this very much most amazing drink concoction I had mixed up for breakfast just about every day for 10 years.  Can't remember why I finally stopped these super tasty shakes and switched over to peanut butter and honey sandwiches for breakfast but I did.  Well as of this morning I'm off the peanut butter and honey wagon and back into my veggies and fruits.  What!!  Yep it's true folks I am back into my Sounds Yukky - Tastes Yummy shakes again and Kelly’s happy about that because she said the honey wasn’t making me any sweeter and the peanut butter was just making me even more nuttier!! 

A COUPLE HEADLESS PIGEONS LANDED AT OUR BIRD STATION THIS MORNING
No rain overnight or this morning so Pheebs and I were out the door by 8:30 with a fruits and veggies mission in mind.  Sauntered ourselves up to McDonalds for a 'drive-thru' carrot muffin and a coffee.  I paid extra special attention to what I was doing and totally focused myself on remembering to go to the second window to pick up my stuff after paying at the first window.  Girl hands me my coffee and muffin and I pull up a few feet......and stop.  Just checking to make sure I had my muffin and coffee beside me.  Yup I did and I was good to go:))

GODERICH’S MARINE MUSEUM IS THE ACTUAL WHEELHOUSE OFF THE ‘SS SHELTER BAY’

THIS MUSEUM HAS BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE AND I BELIEVE THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO REMOVE IT FROM IT’S SPOT NEAR THE HARBOR
It was down to Goderich’s north harbor with us to check on some lake ice and noticed all the chunky ice from a few days ago was gone.  Just nice aqua green water in the harbor now.  An icy cold wind coming in off the lake made a walk in the doggy area unwalkable so we kept on going and headed for our mission destination.

IT WAS ONLY DAYS AGO THIS HARBOR WAS CHOKED FULL OF LARGE FLOATING ICE CHUNKS

STILL MINI ICE BERGS ALONG LAKE HURON’S SHORELINE

A handful of apples, a bag of orange carrots, some big leafy romaine lettuce, half a dozen long celery stocks and a flock of bananas in the grocery department along with a jug of soy milk and a big tub of strawberry flavored Whey powder was enough to get me started on my yummy-yukky morning breakfast binge again.  As I go along I will likely add a bunch of my usual side ingredients such as raisins, flax seeds, cinnamon, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, wheat germ and whatever happens to be in season such as strawberries, blue berries, peaches or raspberries.  I tried a raw egg a few times and some apple cider vinegar once but they didn't quite seem to do it for me.  It was probably the words 'raw' and 'vinegar' more than anything else that put me off although that cider vinegar really did shake up the overall good taste.

We were home from our grocery mission by 10:30 and I wasn't long in getting the blender out and whipping myself up a big shake.  You would not believe how absolutely great this tastes.  I think I am very happily hooked again:))

Despite today's cold cloudy wind I wasn't long in getting myself out the door and right into our next little outside house project.  Late last summer Kelly suggested the idea we should maybe enlarge our back porch deck and this morning I began getting things ready for that little project which our good friend and neighbor Bruce is going to help me with.  Well alright it’s more like me helping Bruce. 

THE DECK EXTENSION WILL COVER THAT 6X12 FOOT STONE AREA


WE’LL BE GLAD TO GET THAT TEMPORARY PORCH CLUTTER ORGANIZED AND CLEANED UP SOON…..OUR BBQ IS LOCATED THERE AND WE MAY TAKE THOSE REMAINING 2 LATTICE PANELS OUT BUT HAVEN’T DECIDED ON THAT YET
The deck extension will be 6x12 with no roof.  I removed one section of lattice work and railing today as well as a gate leading into our back yard.  That gate will be used again when we change the back yard entranceway to the yard.  I also had to dig out a batch of ferns to make room for a new walkway area as well. 

INSTEAD OF THE ENTRANCE TO THE BACK YARD BEING ON THE LEFT THAT GATE WILL COME OUT AND BE RE-INSTALLED TO THR RIGHT WHERE THE RED HANDLED RAKE IS

Been on my mind for quite awhile now to make some changes to my diet and with a few recent health concerns I figured now’s a good time as any to try and get myself smartened up a bit and try eating better.  I do not like vegetables or salads that much so I have a tendency to avoid them.  For me the only way to make veggies tolerable is to overpower their boring taste by blending them in with things that taste better and that is why I am back on my soy shakes.  Who would have ever thought carrots, lettuce, and celery could be made to taste like a Strawberry-Banana Milkshake eh.  Well I’m here to tell ya it can:))

THIS BLUE JAY IS TOTALLY CONCENTRATED ON HIS LANDING
GROANER’S CORNER:(( A couple in their early seventies were discussing their future plans. The husband asked, "What will you do if I die before you?" The wife thought for a moment before replying, "I will probably look to share a house with three other single or widowed women, maybe people a little younger than me since I am still active for my age. What about you? What will you do if I die first?" He answered, "Probably the same."
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What's round and bad tempered? A vicious circle.

RAINY DAY, NOT MUCH DOING, BREAKFAST AT BARTLIFFS IN CLINTON

We woke up to a wet rainy morning so my day’s efforts were pretty much confined to inside the carport and sheds which was Okay because there are always lots of things to do in those places this time of year.

Kelly wanted to go to Clinton this morning to check out a few things in a couple of her favorite stores but didn’t like the idea of driving in the steady drizzling rain.   I saw it as an opportunity for a mess of bacon and eggs so seized the day. Probably been about 10 years or more since we last stopped into Clinton’s popular Bartliffs Bakery and Restaurant so this morning between a couple store stops that is exactly where we went.  Bartliffs great bacon and eggs breakfast was just as good as always and I was pleased to see they hadn’t jacked the prices through the roof and took short cuts with quality which  seems to be so often the case with things nowadays.  And of course the coffee was included in the price.  Did you hear that AMERICA…..I’ll repeat it…..’the coffee price was included in the breakfast price’.  And the toast was buttered!!!!  Picked up a couple excellent carrot muffins on our way out too.

COMING IN FOR A CRASH LANDING

THE HAZARDS OF LANDING ON STIFF WATER

We were home about noon and I really had convince myself to get back outside in the cold and damp and continue working away in one of sheds. 

Had a couple folks ask about the Morning Glory Muffin Pheebs and I picked up at Bayfield’s Charles Street Market Friday morning.  Here’s a recipe for making them.  Morning Glory Muffins

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Years ago someone in California hollered “Gold,” and people drove from all directions. That’s the way they still drive in California to this very day…….in all directions!!

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What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef.

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OLD HIKERS never die, they just trail away
OLD HIPPIES never die, they just smell that way
OLD HOCKEY PLAYERS never die, they just achieve their final goal
OLD HUNTERS never die, they just stay LOADED
OLD HYPOCHONDRIACS never die, they just imagine it
OLD JOKES never die, they just get retold by the young
OLD JOURNALISTS never die, they just get de-pressed
OLD KAYAKERS never die, they just roll back over, and do it again
OLD KEY PUNCH OPERATORS never die, they just punch out