A SNOWY DRIVE HOME FROM LONDON'S VICTORIA HOSPITAL TODAY

BAYFIELD'S PIONEER PARK THIS MORNING

Snowed all night so we again had a snowy wonderland going on today.  Had the sun been out it would really have emphasized the word 'wonder'.  Of course the first order of business for me as chief snow shovel operator was to quickly clear a path to the bird feeders.  Had a bunch of hungry feathered friends out there.

A FEW DRIVE-BY PHOTOS ON OUR WAY INTO BAYFIELD

CHECKING BAYFIELD'S BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION I SEE THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN A LARGE CRANE

WE ALWAYS TAKE A DRIVE ALONG MAIN STREET

THERE'S STILL SOME COLORED LEAVES AROUND

A CHECK OF THE TIM HORTONS SITE SHOWED THE SAME SOLITARY  WORKER AS YESTERDAY  SHOVELLING SNOW OFF THE ROOF BEFORE HE CAN NAIL A FEW MORE BOARDS TOGETHER

A SHORT SWING THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE

EVEN THE CORN FIELDS LOOKED COLD THIS MORNING

With having to leave for London later in the morning me and the kid didn't take Libby too far again.  Rambled through Bayfield and around one short country blog.  A short walk in a wintery setting and we were on our way home again.

STOPPED IN A NICE AREA FOR A SHORT WALK

SO WHERE IS THIS NICE AREA IN BAYFIELD??

WELL, IT'S BAYFIELD'S CEMETERY OF COURSE

The area snow squall warning was still in effect for early afternoon so figured we had better head to London on the early side just in case.  The London area has a habit of having themselves some very nasty storms over there.  My appointment at the cancer clinic was for 1:45 so we left at 11:30 just in case.  Weather was fine all the way there with roads being mostly snow covered except for highway 4 which was heavily salted and bare.  

SNOW PLOWS WERE BUSY TODAY

Luckily being early at the hospital they took us in early and we only had maybe a 20 minute wait.  Didn't get to see Doctor Mendez because he was in Brazil attending his brother's wedding.  However a Doctor David D'Souza was covering for him and he was the fellow we got to talk to.  He is one of the main Doctors who has pioneered this new SABR 5 day radiation treatment which I had.  A really nice chap.  He was quite pleased with my progress through the side effects after the radiation.  Said he or Doctor Mendez do not need to see me again for 3 months at which time I will have a PSA check done.  My PSA number before the radiation treatments was 15.6.  Said they are hoping for a PSA number around 7 when I'm checked near the end of February.  Also asked if we had plans to go away this winter and said if we did they can always work around our schedule.  And he said if the weather is bad at the time of my next appointment just phone and reset the date.  Thought that was right nice of him. (Doctor D'Souza has run 4 Boston Marathons) So I guess in a nutshell that kinda clears me for the next 3 months or so.  However, we will be back in London in about 3 weeks when it's Kelly's turn for an appointment with her liver Doctor at University Hospital. 

WAITING AT VICTORIA HOSPITAL'S REGIONAL CANCER CENTER FOR MY NUMBER TO BE CALLED

We left the hospital at 2 p.m. in a flurry of blowing snow.  The squalls had begun and the further north we headed up Adelaide Street the worse it got.  By the time we cleared London the heavy snow was sticking to the wipers and forming ice.  Visibility was sketchy a few times and at one point we had to pull over to snap the ice off the wiper blades and windshield.  Must say I was pleased with my fellow motorists this afternoon when everyone wisely slowed down and allowed lots of room between themselves and the vehicle ahead of them.  In my winter driving experience over the years that has not been the norm.

WE'VE LEFT LONDON'S VICTORIA HOSPITAL AND ARE HEADING NORTH ON ADELAIDE STREET

THE FURTHER WE WENT THE WORSE IT GOT

ABOUT HALF WAY HOME THE SNOW SQUALLS TEMPORARILY STOPPED AND WE ACTUALLY SAW BLUE SKIES TO THE WEST

The closer we got to Bayfield the better the weather got except for the last 5 miles but no matter we made it home safe and sound.  Before entering the house I had some more snow shovelling to do and bird feeders to top up.  Geeezzz, these guys are eating us out of house and home and it's not even officially winter yet.

BAYFIELD IS DEAD AHEAD AND IT'S LOOKING  SNOWY AND BLOWY THERE

A FEW SNOW SQUALLS NEAR VARNA THEN WE WERE HOME

LOOKS LIKE WE PICKED UP A BIT OF SNOW ALONG THE WAY

THERE IS A LOT OF CORROSIVE ROAD SALT IN THAT ICE AND SNOW

A

DOWNIE WOODPECKER

MALE CARDINAL

BLUE JAY

GROANER'S CORNER:((  You might be a redneck if...
Taking a dip has nothing to do with water.
There are more than ten lawsuits currently pending against your dog.
You take a fishing pole to Sea World.
The hood and one door are a different color from the rest of your car.
You've ever filled your deer tag on the golf course.
Santa Claus refuses to let your kids sit on his lap.
Your toilet paper has page numbers on it.
You think mud rasslin' should be an Olympic sport.
The receptionist checks the rat traps at your place of business.
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- My brain travels at the speed of light...One second it’s here and the next it’s 186,000 miles away.

-  “I painted half of my face like a clown today and went for a drive. I'm not sure everyone saw the funny side.”
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SNOWY DAY, SNOW TIRES ON, SNOW SHOVELLING, SN'OW PROBLEM

IT'S STILL SNOWING HERE

Had an appointment at Clinton's Huron Tirecraft at 11 this morning to have the Jeep's snow tires put on so that meant Pheebs and I didn't venture out to far beforehand.  A check on the ongoing Bayfield bridge construction with a run down around Bayfield's harbor and beach area followed by my usual cruise along Bayfield's main street.  (Hey 3 Bayfields in one sentence) From there it was a stop at Foodland for some bananas and a check on the Tim Horton coffee shop's blistering progress.  I think they nailed a board on last week.  After a stop at the town's cemetery for a short walk in the gently falling snow we were home again.

THROUGH THE SNOW I COULD MAKE OUT A FISHING BOAT ON THE LAKE

A COUPLE HARDY FISHERMEN ON THE PIER

THESE HARBOR PICNIC TABLES HAVE GONE INTO HIBERNATION FOR THE WINTER

A YEAR FROM NOW THAT OLD BAYFIELD BRIDGE WILL PROBABLY BE GONE

COMPARED TO SUMMER BAYFIELD'S MAIN STREET IS LOOKING PRETTY DESERTED

I THINK TIM HORTONS FIGURED WHY WORK ON THE BUILDING WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICE

WHY NOT WAIT UNTIL IT'S SNOWING, BLOWING, AND FREEZING COLD

AND YES WE EVEN HAVE A BRICK STREET IN ONE OF BAYFIELDS SUBURBS

A snowy drive to Clinton had me at Huron Tirecraft on the early side but I had anticipated that and took my Kindle.  I think it was close to noon by the time I rolled out of there with the snow tires on.  Next stop up the road was Clinton's Sun Country Eco Store for a 40 pound bag of birdseed, 2 peanut butter suet blocks, and a smaller bag of mixed seeds, fruits and nuts.  A short distance north of Sun Country I filled the Jeep's gas tank and headed for home.  It was snowing pretty good by then.

SNOWY ROADS ON THE WAY TO CLINTON

LIBBY WAITING TO GO IN FOR HER TIRE EXCHANGE

EVEN SNOWIER ROADS HEADING BACK TO BAYFIELD

Home again I stored the summer tires away and promptly got myself on the end of my snow shovel again.  By Spring my arms should look like Popeyes.  Might as well because my grumpy face looks more like Popeyes every day.

BAGGED SUMMER TIRES AND A 40 POUND SACK OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS

I like to mix my own birdseed so in a big galvanized garbage can this afternoon I poured copious amounts of black oil sunflower seeds mixing them with various berries and nuts along with dried raisins.  Hung up another birdfeeder in the front yard and retreated into the house out of the cold. And the snow just kept coming down.

MIXING MY BIRDSEED BLEND

OOOPS THERE GO MY DENTURES AGAIN

DARK-EYED JUNCOS

OF COURSE AS SOON AS I PUT THE BIRDFEEDERS OUT 'BLACKY' THE SQUIRREL IS DETERMINED TO GET INTO THEM.....BELOW HE MAKES AN ATTEMPT AND IN THE LAST PHOTO HE HAS FALLEN OFF THE FEEDER BUT I WASN'T FAST ENOUGH TO CATCH THE SHOT.....ONLY THE SNOW FALLING DOWN ON TOP OF HIM

YEP BLACKY TOOK A HEADER INTO THE SNOW ALRIGHT

!!#&**@*#%!!

THIS JUNCO  SAW BLACKY FALL OFF THE FEEDER AND SAT ON THE SNOW COVERED BIRD BATH NEARLY LAUGHING IT'S FEATHERS OFF

Despite a snow squall warning out for Tuesday afternoon we head to London's Regional Cancer Center where I have an early afternoon appointment with my Oncologist, Doctor Mendez.  With blowing snow probable we'll have to leave home plenty early.  It's a good thing we had the Jeep's snow tires put on today.  We've got a full tank of gas and chocolate bars.

CAUGHT THIS LITTLE JUNCO A SPLIT SECOND BEFORE IT LANDED ON THAT BIG BRANCH

GROANER'S CORNER:((   Bill meets Doug shopping at the mall and sees he has a small gift wrapped box.  "It's my wife's birthday tomorrow." Doug said. "Last week I asked her what she wanted for her birthday."  "And???" Bill asked.  "Well, she said 'Oh, I don't know just give me something with diamonds in it'."  "So what did you get her?" asked Bill.  "I bought her a deck of cards!!" 
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- “A frightening earthquake happened. I refused to let it shake me.”

- A kid asks his dad, "What's a man?" The dad says, "A man is someone who is responsible and cares for their family." The kid says, "I hope one day I can be a man just like mom!"
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