Day #95 Happy Hallowe'en, Kids

I sure do hope that all that candy is gone when I get home from work later on tonight so that I haven't got the job of eating it all.

Day #96 Goldfish, Golden Days, n Golden Dogs

Today, I had to take my 13 1/2 yr. old springer spaniel/collie mix of a dog to the vet.
My grandson and I waited for them to fix old Benny while we sat on a chair from the waiting area that I had dragged over so we could sit beside a huge goldfish tank, Mr. T on my knee, and the two of us watching these two fan-tailed goldfish lazily moving around the tank.
I took the opportunity, when the vet was finished, to ask him what dog he would recommend to walk/run beside me when I do the TransCanadaTrail on a bike.
I need a young medium-sized dog that can run some distance yet one that will always be gentle with people (esp. children).
It does not need to run long distances per day as I tend to stop to photograph so often.
It does not need to run fast, as I tend to dawddle, and seldom ride over 10-15 km/hr.
The vet suggested a golden retriever, and I'm so very happy about that as I have long wanted one of those.
(this pic from internet)
They have such a great sense of responsibility, and, with training, could probably become a very good cook for me like this one here, as well as a good running mate.
They were originally bred to work all day long.
Don't worry. I'd give it a 15 minute break every 2 1/2 hours just like I get at work right now.
The vet also said some recent poor breeding has resulted in a few golden retrievers having behavior problems so to be careful of its parentage.
I wonder if the guide-dog training companies might have one that didn't make the grade but is still considered an excellent dog.
I had better start looking into finding the perfect one for me, toots sweet, as Benny, though still active and healthy, is near the end of his life span, and could never make the trip.
He never could have made the trip, I'm afraid. Cat food became a daily staple for him for a month or two when he was still a puppy and it temporarily crippled him. He has always been rather weak-muscled since then.
Weak-muscled but always willing to try.
That has to be my attitude, too.

Day #97 Too Old

Dear Friends,

You're as old
as you think you are.

You're as old as you act.

You're as old as
your body tells you you are.

When I"m

TOO OLD

to Cycle over
for a Visit,

I'll drop You a Line.

Hugz n KISses, K

Day #98 A Few Moments of Fun

The following is a comment left on Day #100 of my blog:

Hi Mom!
265 days into the year past your birthday.
This is the 502nd official February with 29 days in it - good thing 2007 isn't divisible by four, or you would only be at Day #101 today.
Work hard and retire easy.
I bet that's a slogan somewhere.
:) ME

If it isn't yet, it will be now, ME.
Most retirees tell me that they have to make an appointment with their friends and family just to fit in a few moments of fun with them.
Perhaps we all need this as a slogan, eh?
Whichever way you choose to look at it, retire easy, folks, but keep kickin' n cyclin' n havin' fun!!!

Day #99 Having Fun Yet?

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Pumpkin.
I hope I get to have as much fun during my retirement as this couple seems to be having.
Only 2 digits to type in now on the countdown.
Is that FUN? or is that SCARY?
A bit of both, perhaps.

Day #100 One Hundred More

100 more days until I'm 65.
Having this blog has really taken the bite out of getting through the last year to retirement.
I want to thank my daughters, Jo and Mary, for setting this blog up for me.
It has been such fun for me and I especially look forward to finding good photo ops to include for each day.
100 days!!!
I should be playing hooky and going to one of The County's great restaurants instead of heading to work, but
'Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to work I go'.

Day #101 TBA

***101*** more days to go!
From this:
Algonquin Dreaming 101006




To this:
Winter Dreaming 020208




My Retirement - TBA

Day #102 Crafty

The Prince Edward Womens' Institute made many of these for table centres, and I was given 2 of them after the meeting.
When you retire, there are so many organizations that you can join, and activities you can engage in.
You can travel - by foot, bicycle, car, scooter, plane etc - even by motorcycle but read an earlier blog on statistics & more info' first, please.
You can stay home and take up a hobby. You can write, paint, take up a musical intrument or dance. You can play computer games or watch TV.
The Womens' Institute in particular, like the Masons which my Grandfather belonged to, has a chapter in every town across the nation, and even uses their power to lobby the government for issues they deem important, like the white line on the highways.
This is one group I might consider myself.
Old age may not be for sissies but it IS,
as Browning said of Ulysses,
and as I dearly hope it is for everyone,
to enjoy 'Life to the Lees'.

Day #103 RainyDays n Chocolate

Can't go cycling?
There's hot chocolate or coffee, and good conversation with other grounded new friends at the chocolatiers or the nearest coffee shoppe.
Isn't it neat how the colour of the leaves in the back parking area turned the same colour as Wayne Carruther's sign.
Rainy days don't get me down when they're like this one, where the rain is misty, the temperate moderate and the wind is absent.
The day has a dreamy quality to it.
Reminds one of the Vancouver area.

Day #104 Kitchen Hints

Making
spagetti
is
quick
and
easy,
unless
you
are
an
inventif
chef-type like my partner. That's how he has his best fun now that he is an octogenarian.
This means that he may be a little negligent sometimes about tidying up afterwards and putting an elastic band around the half-emptied pasta package.
Today, I decided to make macaroni and cheese like I used to, pulled a package of veggie spirals off his pasta shelf, and left the room.
Behind my back, I heard plop, plop, plopping noises, looked around, and watched a previously opened package of spagetti spilling methodically and casually onto the rug.
I called my 3-year old grandson to come look at this, and we laughed as the thin spagetti slipped out of its package and emptied completely.
This little guy insisted that he and Lion pick them all up and put them into the wooden bowl.
He would not come to lunch until he finished so, finally, I helped out, too.
When he gets to marrying age, the girls will be lined up.
If he is wise, he will auction himself off to the highest bidder.

Day #105 Lady-in-Waiting

Today is the 105th day before my 65th birthday.
I had expected to receive my first Old Age Pension cheque 105 days from now, February 2, 2008.
Not to be.
The letter I received this week reads that I won't receive my first cheque until April 2008.
It also says that if I earn more than $63,511.00 my pension will be reduced accordingly.
Do you ever wonder who, and how that WHO decides upon such an abstract amount.
One of Horton's Whos perhaps from Whoville?
Some civil servant has an office, and all day long he/she/it (an ape, perhaps) puts amounts arbitrarily onto government orders, letters, statements, and invoices.
Had I known there was such a job, I may have moved to Ottawa myself when I was younger.
Imagine being given a pension for doing a job like this for 40 years.
$63,511??? Why the eleven dollars. Why the $511? Why $63,511 and not $64,000?
My teachers let me down. Here was I memorizing poems and historical dates and learning trig, geometry and relativity when I should have been given a pencil instead to put arbitrary amounts onto government papers. Too late now.
Not too old, however, to have had a lot of fun in the meantime, thank goodnes, and still having lots.
Hope you are, too.

Day #106 Smile

Benny the Bumpkin says:

SMILE,
and
the
World
Smiles
with
You,
and
You'll
feel
Happier
Immediately.

Day #107 Home

Home is where the heart is.
Home is also where the nest is.
As long as they leave my cabin alone, I wish the red squirrels a happy home in this ancient old maple tree along our road.
The first year, after the cabin home-away-from-home was built, the red squirrels chewed a large hole at the bottom of the door.
The second year, the door blew open while I was away, and they chewed the top of the large cooler, trying to access the dried soups, cookies, raisins, sunflower seeds, chocolate bar, and perhaps the rosehip tea.
That was the price of befriending them.

Day #108 Autumnal Beauty

Army Reserve Road from the Prince Edward Preserve, 2007.
An autumn walk after a sick-day is a gift from the gods.

Day #109 Old Relics

Like myself, this old relic has seen better days.
Better days? Maybe. Maybe not!
We're both still here, aren't we, and 2007 has been as good to me as any year has ever been.
Other years, this old pickup truck's owners have filled the back of it to overflowing with domestic flowers.
This year, though, wild grasses were allowed to grow in abandon.
The mice, the songbirds, the chipmunks and squirrels are rejoicing.
Their little plates were filled to overflowing with all sorts of delicious seeds this Thanksgiving.
2007 has been good to them, too.
Cycling, hiking, and driving around has such great photo ops.

Day #110 Breathing Hard

There are 48 steps up on this lovely stairway where I work.
The decorations are still up from 'Casino Night'.
The other stairway is more direct, and has only 24 uncarpetted stairs.
I prefer to use these to help keep my legs in shape for cycling the TransCanadaTrail next year.
One thing I've always had trouble with when ascending stairs and hills is a terrible heaviness in my legs which stops me for a few moments until it eases up.
Recently, I noticed if I breathe hard, take in deep breaths, then I don't get that leadened feeling in my legs, and don't have to stop midway.
I think it means shallow breathing, my normal way of breathing, causes a lack of oxygen in the blood stream. I'm only guessing, of course.
Whatever works best, right?

Day #111 Bummer!

It's a bummer, man!
111 days left.
And many of those will be at work.
Yes, indeed, it's a Bummer Man!

Day #112 By-gone Era

Coming down the Black Creek Rock-cut.
Wilbur Miller loves to farm the old way.
As far a cycling goes, even though cycling isn't that different from one hundred years ago, the newer bikes are much easier to use, and I'll be buying one in the spring.
Whatever your choice, old or new, do it whichever way makes you happiest, as long as it hurts no one else.

Day #113 By-gones

As you cycle across the country, or any short distance thereof, you will see mostly barns and houses, old and new.
Taking pictures of old barns and sheds is one of my favourite hobbies and I have lots of pics of old barns, many of which have since disappeared.
This one, Keogh's, was on Morrison Point Road for all of the years that I lived there.
Now it is gone, along with all of the original farmers from that road, as well.
Old barns are going down all over the country. Only a few are being preserved.
Farmers don't need big barns anymore because they wrap their hay in garish white plastic and leave these gigantic bales outside.
Even though cows give off enough heat to keep warm in unheated barns in the heart of winter, smaller barns seem to be taking over.
Perhaps, one day, photographers will be snapping pictures of the last of them.

Day #114 Old Coyote

Sitting outside on the deck of my cabin yesterday, in sun and coolness, I heard the yipping of a coyote through the cedars near the gate. My dog did not respond as, being in his 13th year, his hearing has diminished.
Rather than howling, it was yipping.
Many nights at dusk down there, I HAVE heard them burst into song, though, and it does not give me chills or raise the hair on my arms but fills my heart with delight.
I am not afraid of them.
I walked beside this one on the Icefields Parkway to take its picture at least 10 years ago.
This is one of the marvelous adventures to look forward to when cycling trails.

Day #115 Sissies at Home

Old age
ain't no place
for sissies.
-Bette Davis-

These old fogies
frequent a shoppe
in Wawa, ON.

Only 115 days more
before Mr. Harper,
or, hopefully,
somebody else,
pays me to stay at home.

Day #116 Cycling Site Seeing

Hay Bale Monster and Friends
Some of my best friends are monsters;
some even have little monsters of their own.
See why cycling is so much fun - it's interesting and entertaining at the same time.

Blog #117 Gratitude

I drove another employee home after work last week - 11 pm. Although she lives in town, she is still over a mile away from downtown where she lives, and the road from work is long and dark. The buses stop running at 9 pm.
She left a parcel on the floor of the car which had 3 gifts she was giving her son for his birthday, and a box of KFC with one piece left in it, which I left in the car overnight.
Next morning, my companion and our dog went for coffee per usual.
When I got to work, I handed her her parcel and said to her "Carey, here is your parcel but I must apologize. My dog ate your Kentucky fried chicken. He says Thank You!"

Day #118 Tranquility

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian friends and neighbours. In Ontario, at least, it may be on record as the pleasantest, warmest ever, so far.
When you're on a cycling tour, you will sometimes find yourself starting out on misty mornings, like this one, warm or cool.
Although the TransCanadaTrail is over 10,000 km, much of it passes farms and houses.
The 20' or 30' path of trail in between is about the only natural and relatively quiet, private area you will see.
Enjoy! It's still worth it to be out there on the trail.

Day #119 Wetlands

These pictures were taken yesterday just west of Kingston on Highway #33 at the Parrott Conservation Area.
The sign put up by the Ministry refers to this park as a wetland.
Indeed, it was wet. Remember, when you're cycling, and/or hiking, and it looks shiny, you might just be looking at wet and slippery rocks up ahead as shown in the bottom left photo here, so slow down. Some of the rocks on the paths at the Parrott are as big as a sundeck.

Wetlands are very important. They act as a sponge and release water slowly. They reduce the impact of floods and drought. They filter pollutants. They provide homes for 100's of species of animals, birds, fish, insects etc., some of which are endangered. The wetlands provide these creatures with food and refuge.
www.ducks.ca is a good source of info'.

Day #120 The Forest Will Provide

Hopefully, I complete my trip across the TransCanadaTrail on bike, and not on foot like my friend here.
However, it's encouraging to know that the forest is always ready to provide a cane if need be.
This helpmate (aka walking stick) looks a little rickety to me, as does the person its helping. That'll be me next year at the finish line.
Maybe I'd better keep that stick.

Day #121 Death Rates

Death Rates per 1 million miles travelled:
00.2 pedestrian
00.2 cyclist
27.6 motorcyclist
01.3 car

Injury Rates per 1 million miles travelled:
003.9 pedestrian
015.0 cyclist
551.0 motorcyclist
099.0 car

Thanks for this email, Josie.
Fascinating. Guess I won't get a motorbike afterall.
Perhaps I'd best wait for the Smartcar to become affordable - (will I live that long?).
The method of transportation shown below should be fairly safe, though.

Day #122 Be Prepared!

Green Leaf Hopper, maybe?
I love to photograph insects, even if I don't know their names. What's in a name, anyway.
You need to use the close-up function on the camera.
Insects don't like seeing people up close. It makes them feel insecure.
Likewise, people don't like seeing a bug up close, either, whether it's looking at them or not, as bugs make people feel insecure, for the most part.
Not all, though. Not me. I love to look at bugs.
Today, a beautiful green bug landed right near me, and let me take its photo...hand-held up close...before it left. What luck!
When you're out cycling, you will rarely get an opportunity like this unless you stop and picnic on the ground. Cycling is too fast.
However, you still get to see animals crossing your trail, birds flying overhead or taking off right in front of you from nearby ponds, and sunsets will stop you right in your path.
I stop so often to take pictures when I'm cyclling that I get exhausted from all the starting up again.
Getting good photos, however, is just serendipity.
Like the Guides and Scouts say,
'Be Prepared'.

Day #123 Algonquin Moments

The top of Ragged Falls, Algonquin Park.

These next few days are usually the best days of the year to go to Algonquin Park to take colour pictures, as were the last few.
The trails are varied (gentle, medium, rough, short, long, hilly, flat) and some - especially the old rail line from Whitney - are perfect for cycling.

Zoom! Zoom!

Day #124Algonquin Fun guy

Algonquin Red Fungi
Rock Lake in October

Day #125 The Struggle

In the deep woods of Algonquin, there are many interesting roots one can see above ground. Watching them valiantly struggle above ground, across rocks, their tips burrowing in between rocks, brings to light for me the struggle for survival in all living things, including the moose we see here, the stumps of trees which have given up the Ghost, and every day we see, of course, the never-ending human struggle.
I watch in wonderment. I snap photos where and when I can. I record.





Whether I cycle across Canada, or opt for going to various parks to cycle and hike, either of which I will photograph, I see the most fascinating future for myself after retirement.