NICE SUNNY MORNING BUT ICY WINDS DROVE THE WIND CHILL FACTOR THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL

Looks can be deceiving and so it was when Kelly pulled back our winter curtains shortly after 7 a.m. and I saw an encouraging pink sunrise.  Yes we ended up with a nice looking sunshiny morning but hard blowing icy winds drove the wind chill factor through the bottom of the barrel.  A nice start to the day to look at but not a nice morning to be outside in the freezing wind.....and by afternoon the Sun was gone.  I think even Pheebs sensed the cold because she showed no desire to head out for a walk.  So, we didn't.

ROLLING OUT OF THE PARK IT WAS NICE TO SEE BLUE SKIES AHEAD

Our sunny but cold Jeep ride took us up around Goderich again.  A few things at the local supermarket and down to the harbor.  So cold and windy down there we never even got out of the Jeep.  Drove up atop the bluffs overlooking Lake Huron and the harbor and managed a few very quicks pics before scrambling back into the warm Jeep.

GODERICH'S HARBOR ENTRANCE TO THE RIGHT

SHIPS ENTERING HARBOR WILL HAVE SOME ICE TO PLOW THROUGH

LAKE HURON WATERS CONTINUE TO FREEZE UP

SHIPS ENTERING OR LEAVING  HARBOR PASS BETWEEN THAT STRUCTURE ON THE LEFT AND THE SMALLER STRUCTURE ON THE RIGHT

Continuing my sugar purge it was suggested by my diabetic nurse to discontinue my Cranberry-Raspberry drink despite me having already diluted it by two parts water to one part juice.  For my first substitution I will try apple juice.  Having to drink tasteless water is for the most part a last resort for me.  Diabetic nurse also suggested I lose 10 pounds so I begin my descent from my home scales reading of 204 pounds.  Personally, I would ideally like to double that weight loss but keeping in mind I also have to remain realistic about all this.  We'll see it goes.

ROAD BEGINNING TO DRIFT IN A BIT FROM THE LEFT

WINDS WHIPPING SNOW OF THE TOPS OF SNOWBANKS A TAD UP THERE ON THE LEFT

THIS IS WHAT WE CALL 'GROUND DRIFTING' AND IF THE SNOWBANK ON THE RIGHT HAD BEEN 3 FEET HIGHER VISIBILITY WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT

STOPPED IN THE LEE OF A FOREST OUT OF THE WIND

LOTS OF DEER TRACKS HERE FOR PHEEBS TO CHECK OUT

::An Archive Post:: It was December 7th 2011 while boondocked on Darby Well Road west of Ajo Arizona that we went in search of an old abandoned mine.  Here's my post for that day.... We Found The Mica Mine Today

::Al's Musical Favs::  The Impending Death Of The Virgin Spirit by Will Ackerman

GROANER'S CORNER:((   It seems that there was a little old church out in the countryside: painted white and with a high steeple.  One Sunday, the pastor noticed that his church needed painting. He checked out the Sunday ads and found a paint sale. The next day, he went into town and bought a gallon of white paint. He went back out to the church and began the job.  He got done with the first side. It was looking great. But he noticed he had already used a half gallon. He didn't want to run back in town and being the creative person that he was, he found a gallon of thinner in the shed out back, and began to thin his paint.  It worked out great. He finished the remaining three sides with that last half gallon of paint.  That night, it rained: it rained hard. The next morning when he stepped outside of the parsonage to admire his work, he saw that the first side was looking great, but that the paint on the other three sides had washed away.  The pastor looked up in sky in anguish and cried out, "What shall I do?" A voice came back from the heavens saying, "Repaint, and thin no more!"
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During a performance for the high school talent show at the local theater, a hole was cracked in the stage floor. Subsequent acts managed to avoid the damaged area until little Freddy, juggling bowling pins, accidentally stepped through the hole up to his knee. He apologized to the audience for his clumsiness. But a heckler in the back of the theater shouted:   "Don't worry, Freddy! It's just a stage you're going through!"
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THE HONEY HAS TO GO BUT I CAN KEEP MY PEANUT BUTTER:))

Woke up to 10F temps this morning with a windchill of -4 thrown in for good measure.  I was on the constant run today keeping our front yard birds and squirrels fed.  This cold weather sure has brought out their ravenous appetites.

SOMETIMES WHEN THE SQUIRRELS CAN'T GET ONTO THE BIRDFEEDER I HAVE TO BRING MY LADDER OUT TO HELP THEM GET UP THERE.....:))  >>>>>>>
I was at my 9 a.m. Maitland Valley Medical appointment on time this morning to talk with diabetic Nurse Tanya.  Nice lady and she took her time to explain to me about the diabetes I now have.  Luckily it is still in a reversible stage if I can make the necessary changes to reverse it.  I'm up to that challenge and have 3 months to get myself straightened out and my numbers down into an acceptable range.  Of course a lot of food talk this morning and as expected I will be dropping the honey from my peanut butter and honey habit.  Peanut butter is Okay and luckily I had switched over to 'natural' peanut butter a number of years ago.  No salt, sugar, or other stuff like the most popular brands.  Kraft makes Only Peanuts and that is what I eat.  I came away from my diabetes meeting this morning with a lot of helpful information and three words for myself.  And they were my words not the Nurses words.  "Smarten up Al"!!

THIS IS MY IDEA OF A WAITING ROOM...SPACIOUS WITH HARDLY ANYBODY IN IT:))

Temperatures remained very cold for the rest of the day so I stayed inside except for a brief walk over around our Park's pond.  Too cold to go any farther.  Promised Pheebs extra Jeep rides and walks soon as it warms up bit.  Predictions for Saturday are 27F.  Could be tropical.

THANKS TO PHEEBS FOR GETTING ME OUT ON THESE VERY COLD DAYS

:An Archice Post::  It was March 16th 2011 when we Descended Into The Valley Of Death

THAT'S KELLY OUT THERE LEADING THE WAY IN OUR JEEP WRANGLER

::Al's Musical Favs::The Woman And The Stone by Andreas Vollenweider

TONIGHT'S SUNSET PHOTO COMPLIMENTS OF GRAND BEND'S YACHT CLUB LIVE WEB CAM

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The first woman was elected U.S. president. She called her mom to make sure she was coming to the inauguration. "I don’t know, dear. What would I wear?”"Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll send a designer to help you.”"But you know I need special foods for my diet.”"Mom, I’m going to the president. I can get you the food you need.”"But how will I get there?”"I’ll send a limo, Mom. Just come!”"OK, OK, if it makes you happy.”The great day came, and Mama was seated with the future cabinet members. She nudged the man on her right. “See that girl, the one with her hand on the Bible? Her brother’s a doctor!”
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Boy Monster: Did you get the big red heart I sent you for Valentines? 
Girl Monster: Yes, I did. Thank you. 
Boy Monster: Is it still beating?
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UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CALLED TODAY WITH MY PROSTATE CANCER PSA NUMBERS........

A MALE CARDINAL IN FLIGHT

Standing quietly looking out our living room window upon another cold and snowy overcast day I had to pull up my socks and have a little talk with myself.  I didn't want to go out there but knew I had to set myself aside because there was a furry little doggy standing beside me looking up with big pleading eyes.  It had been 48 hours since she was out for her last Jeep ride.  Half an hour later we were heading down the road.  

LAKE ICE IS AGAIN FORMING ALONG BAYFIELD'S SHORELINE

Overnight snows had covered area roads again but highways were heavily salted and free of snow.  With the amount of salt on the roads I can just feel the Jeep rusting out from under me.

YELLOW MACHINE IS LIFTING A HEAVY STEEL BEAM FOR THE BAYFIELD BRIDGE

THAT YELLOW MACHING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAYFIELD RIVER IS 'PILE DRIVING' STEEL BEAMS INTO THE GROUND

A quick swing through Bayfield and it was out into the countryside with us.  Snow in the air and a very low cloud cover but we managed our whole morning drive with Pheebs window down and she was mighty happy about that.  One stop along the way to gather a few corn cobs for our front yard Squirrels.  There are a few corn fields around that were not harvested last Fall so figuring they will be plowed under anyway I've been grabbing a few corn cobs for the crew.

CLOUD COVER WAS VERY LOW THIS MORNING

I WILL BE SO GLAD TO SEE BLUE SKIES AND GREEN FIELDS AGAIN

HARD TO TELL WHERE THE SKY ENDS AND THE EARTH BEGINS 

It was early afternoon when our phone rang.  Kelly had phoned London's University Hospital regarding my PSA numbers and our ringing phone was a triage Nurse returning Kelly's call with my numbers.  Last June my PSA number spiked to 15.4 and after several additional tests I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  In the Fall I underwent radiation treatments and had to wait until now to have my PSA numbers checked again.  Doctor Mendez at London's cancer clinic was hoping for a number around 7.5 to call the radiation a success.  Kelly said my PSA numbers came in this morning at .45 which to me is almost unbelievable and yes I have the dot in the right place.  I have an appointment with Dr. Mendez on February 25th at which time I hope he confirms that number.  The new cutting age radiotherapy treatment I had is called Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR)

Our front yard seemed extra busy today and at one point I counted 4 male Cardinals.  Our temperatures are dropping way down overnight and maybe the birds sense that and are stocking up on extra food.  Squirrels seemed extra food crazy this afternoon as well.  Our temps at time of posting tonight are 14F and dropping:((

FEMALE CARDINAL LOOKING DISGRUNTELED AFTER HEARING ABOUT COLDER TEMPERATURES HEADED OUR WAY

'GERONIMOOOOOOO'

I'm off to Goderich's Maitland Valley Medical Center in the morning for an appointment with a diabetic Nurse person to see what can be done about this diabetes diagnosis I recently received.  I hope she doesn't put an end to my peanut butter and honey habit.

::An Archive Post::  It was March 7th 2011 when we found ourselves in California's Joshua Tree National Park.  Not a place you can see and experience in a day but we gave it a try anyway.  Here's my post.... Joshua Tree - 'WOW'

::Al's Musical Favs:: Weird Love by Mooderama

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Mr. Jones is driving past the state mental hospital when his left rear tire suffers a flat. While he is changing the tire, another car goes by, running over the hub cap in which he was keeping the lug nuts. The nuts are all knocked into a nearby storm drain.  He is at a loss for what to do and is about to go call a cab when he hears a shout from behind the hospital fence, where one of the inmates has been watching the whole thing.  "Hey, pal! Why don't you just take one lug nut off each of the other three wheels and use them to replace the missing ones? That'll hold your tires on until you can get to a garage or something."  Mr. Jones is startled by the patient's seeming rationality, but realizes the plan will work, and installs the spare tire without incident. Before he leaves, he calls back to the patient. "You know, that was pretty sharp thinking. Why do they have you in there?"  The patient smiles and says, "I'm in here because I'm crazy, not because I'm stupid."
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