Day # 1 One Only One

Same area, one day later, and taken by Lucas Velthuis.

Bright, Light, and Sunny.
Mother Nature is trying to make it up to us for yesterday's storms, I guess.
Don't be fooled, though.

Day # 2 Storm-stayed

Winds 100 km. per hour. Sounds like a hurricane along the lake.
Gusting snow.
Flash freezing.
Right across Canada were extremes of weather.
This pic is taken just down the street 5 houses on Lake Ontario over-looking the village of Wellington.
Ice cones have been created. Photographers beware.
We've lost 2 to-date in The County.
The snow is hollow underneath, and you plummet right into the lake.

A very stormy day indeed.

Day # 3 Snow Hiking

Here we have another activity that one can do in the winter, whether young or retired.
That is, snowshoeing.
In fact, why not be the first person to snowshoe or cross-country ski in EVERY Canadian Provincial or National Park, including KannanaSKIS.
The parks are just sitting there waiting for your visit.
Nope! No bears today.

Day # 4 Icicle Toes

Mild

and

Melting

Making

Icicle Toes

Day # 5 Aquabus

Here's a favourite wintertime activity for retired folks,
such as I'm soon to be...going to the west coast for the winter.
It's where I was originally going to start cycling the TransCanada Trail.
I changed to starting in Calgary and going east to Nfld., and then returning to finish the trail from Calgary to Victoria, heading west in fall so as to miss bears in early springtime just out of hibernation.
Now it's my plan to do Newfoundland first.

Day # 6 Unicycle

This unicyclist is a Tuttle twin (Ronald or Donald).
He and his brother worked for me the summer of 1989.
They were also artists.
Their artistic endeavours, however, were much more successful.

Day # 7 Winter Gardens

Retirement activities continued:
Gardening inside on the window sill.
This wonderful window sill was created by Des Marcille from a single 18 foot long spruce board.
The Royal Albert holds its tea, beside an antique rocking chair (very uncomfortable) in which to dream of warm summer days yet to come and of those that went, and the whole provides the most endearing of winter retirement activities - that of watching the plants grow.

Day # 8 Swingers

Retirement is right around the corner for me now.
What to do?
Well, here is a pic of my old lawn swing.
Swingers like myself have even been known to swing in the snow while watching for Cardinals, Blue Jays, Nutcrackers, Chickadees and all their other pals to brunch from the birdfeeder.
Never a moment of boredom in old age.
Of course, I don't yet consider myself to be old.
I am just practising here.

Day # 9 Single Digits

Morrison Point Road, March 1991, after an Ice Storm

Imagine!
Single Digit!!
9 days left !!!

Only one magnet number on the fridge today.
First time
for this count-down
to being 65 years old.

Luckily, for me,
it's sunny outside.

It's hard enough
to keep the spirits up
on these cold grey winter days.

My reflection in the mirror is just as grey.

Day # 10 Snow Day

Also, a Mr. T day, but he doesn't mind being couped up with Grandma K playing with the cranberries that she found, and all her pens and pencils, and all the stuffies, and watching camera videos from days of yore.
Hopefully, I don't run into a snow day on the cycle tour.

Day # 11 Frozen In

It had been a very cold night, minus 18 celcius, and it's very windy.
Wellington Harbour outlet is frozen over, and the swans seem to be frozen into the ice flows.
The pans of ice are moving slowly back and forth in the harbour,
and a couple of the swans look to be almost free now.
On the other side of the dock are over 1000 Canadian Geese in the same predicament but it's morning, the camera looking into a wan sun, so the picture isn't any good.

Coming back into Wellington later that afternoon the geese fly over the car to their favourite corn fields north of the village, but the fields are snow covered so hunting will cost them extra energy.

My energy is flagging, too, but that's because of a shortage of sunlight.
February usually brings lots of sun, happily.
Not long now.

Day # 12 Serendipity

The Old Wellington Church
Yesterday, I was a little irreverent, so today I will show you a photo that I spotted as I was heading out of Wellington this morning.
A low morning sun is glancing through the south windows, setting the north side stained-glass windows alight.

Day # 13 Life's Journey

This from Ann, a very good friend.
The animated picture with this caption
(which won't copy here)
is of a 'mature' (old) man and woman
riding a motorcycle,
in the nude,
her on his shoulders.

WHO CARES HOW OLD YOU ARE, LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST...
Life's Journey is not to arrive at the grave safely
in a well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
totally worn out,
shouting,
"Holy shit... What a Ride!"

That's Life!

Day # 14 Peter and the Frog

The man who sits beside me at work, occasionally has a coughing fit.
It's from our sometimes poor air circulation.
He coughs and coughs, and then he hacks and hacks,
trying to clear his throat.
As Mr. T would say: "TOO LOUD!"
Tonight Peter apologized for the racket he made
when finally he got through it all, and said
"I must have a frog in my throat."

"Well," says I, "whatever you do, don't croak."
Then I looked down at the floor and said that our lead come over and ask:
"What's Peter doing on the floor with a frog in his mouth?"

Then I would have to say
"He croaked! I told him not to but you know men - they never listen."

Day # 15 The Working Dead

When you're young, retirement seems an illusion.
When you've only 15 days left, the idea makes one a bit anxious.
I should be ecstatic.
Maybe in 15 days I will be.
The following from a faithful reader:

'Do you think you'll still work when/after you retire?
Or maybe try it - see what it's like to earn that much money!
Working probably seems a lot easier - on bad days/calls you can think about how it's only about 150 days left! Less? 135?
I have about 13,000 left!
If I saved $10 a day I'd be pretty happy!
~Beware the person who says "we need to talk". ' ME

Thanks, ME.
Just like cycling across country, try it - saving $10/day - you might like it.
But is it possible with a child, esp. after he starts to school?

As for me, probably 'yes' - I will work the months leading up to Christmas as they always need extra help then.
Please note that by 'the months leading up to...' it doesn't include the months January through September. Or maybe February through Sept. March through to...? April...? Certainly not May, June, July, or August...


WORK!
Truthfully,
I think I will try to
WORK around it.

Here is a piece of art WORK
by a senior, Pauline Winkle.

That may well become
the closest
I will come to WORK
after I retire.

Day # 16 The Proper Perspective

This comment from a faithful reader, Mary K:
'Just checked your Blog and see you have 25 days
(16 days now actually)
until the government starts to pay you
what you have paid dearly for, all those years of taxes.'

So TRUE!!!
I will never feel quilty about receiving the old age pension nor CPP.
In fact, would love to taunt Mr. Harper about getting the OAP,
feeling as I do that he would jump at any excuse to do away with it,
...but, then, why waste MY precious time.


Back in the 50's
when old age pension cheques
were first sent out,
my husband-to-be's parents
both refused,
at first,
to cash their cheques
as it seemed to them like welfare.,
They left their cheques untouched,
until a dutiful son
put it in the right perspective.

I hope I get to receive
The Old Age Pension Dole
as long as did they!!!

Almost time to celebrate!

Day # 17 Energy Food

When you're on a cycling tour, it's a good idea to remember to bring along vitamin pills.
In an earlier blog, I mentioned that while doing the Confederation Trail in PEI, my blood got very low on iron, unbeknownst to me, and I had severe dizzy spells.
I had to leave the RCAF Reunion just an hour after getting there. Couldn't stay in the dinner line-up.
I thought I was having a stoke, actually, and laid low a couple of days.
Too much seafood, no beef.
Here is a tip I just read in a magazine at work.
Chocolate milk will give you energy, and a boost, just the same as energy drinks.
The proof of that is easy: just drink a chocolate milk before bedtime, and see if you can then get to sleep. I sure can't.

Day # 18 Winter Afternoon

Occasional sun,
and above zero.

What to do?
Go down to the Fieldhouse,
of course.

Will it have blown over
in the last storm?

Will it have been vandalized?

Set on fire?

Nope.
None of those.

Open the door
and be greeted by
my Froggy Slippers,
loyal and waiting patiently.

Build a fire.


Take Benny for a walk.

Set up the neighbours'
hockey stick bench,
blown over again
from the winter winds.


January 13th,

no snow,

but found colour

in spite of a brown world.


Winter sun

...

in Spring-like weather

...

Time to return home.

Day #19 Reach for the Sky

Montana Sky
looking south towards Yellowstone National Park

Dinner at the Chinese buffet,
finishing up with a fortune cookie that read:
'Be content: even a tree never reaches the sky.'

I disagree.
The way I look at it, the sky starts at the ground.
It's all around us, the trees are in it and so are we, from the feet/roots up.
My head is in the sky.

Day # 20 Bear Attack

Today was a very good day.
Someone special talked to me about cycling and scootering. I have recently been considering scootering the TCT.
He cycles highways and meets many interesting people whereas I prefer the quiet solitude of trails.
Now I'm re-considering. A scooter will make noise, and, also, I will have double the threat of theft to worry about. But I will also cover more ground, and be less exhausted at the end of each day.
Driving home, I remembered when I first started this blog having received a forward from my daughter about an 80 year old American lady WALKING across the US from California to the Atlantic. People came out to greet her and many gave her a place to stay at night.
So why, then, should I suddenly be getting so nervous about cycling just because my start date is nearing.
There should be no stress about this trip, and no definite start and finish date.
I'm just going to go. Maybe I'll always be going. Why not!?
I may just go back to my original plan of starting in June from Calgary and cycling east to Nfld., and then returning to Calgary in Sept. (this year or next) to then cycle from Calgary to Victoria. Might be safer than starting in Victoria in June. This way I miss the bears coming out of spring hibration in starvation mode.
If one invites me to dinner, I hope they're having sushi and not homosapien.

Day # 21 A Pure-bred Accidental

The Pure-bred Accidental that I am presently owned by,
it turns out,
is not 13 1/2 years old as I mentioned previously,
but 12 1/2years old.
He knew that;
it's me, in my 'mature years', who forgot.
The dog that I need for this trip
needs to be born to run,
and, consequently,
I have chosen the Nova Scotian Duck Tolling Retriever.

I was told it is very much like a Golden Retriever,
such as the vet reccommended I choose.
Upon checking it out on the internet,
I find not only is the NS Duck Toller like a Golden Retriever,
but it is actually a pure Pure-bred Accidental itself.
That is, it has been bred from various retrievers, spaniels, setters, collies, and even spitz breeds.

Once called Little River Duck Dog,
it is high-spirited, lively,
friendly (not a good guard dog, as my Benny has proven to me
as he tends to love everyone and consider them his new best friend),
intelligent, (Benny is a bit of a bumpkin) and long-lived.
They need regular grooming because of their long hair
(quite silky and lovely to put ones fingers through).
Actually, I find it's better to just get him shaved in the spring.
Looks naked afterward,
but sure keeps the burrs at bay
that are so attracted to the large plume of a tail,
waving unceasingly, due in part to the dog's friendliness,
and lovingly stroking every burr bush in The County.
Benny's tail rarely stops.

ME mentions weight in her comment this week,
suggesting I get a female because they are lighter.
NS Duck Tollers weigh anywhere from 37 - 51 lbs.
Perhaps this may be because food is NOT their main interest -
ours will not touch food if he thinks something else
- like a walk or a drive -
is in the offing.

One big problem,
and perhaps the only one in this case -
they're hard to find!

Day # 22 Just a Number

Day 22!!!
That should be reading age 22, should it not!!!

1965

Now I really AM
getting nervous
and stressed out.
Didn't think
this would happen
to me
when I first
started this blog.
Would it help,
do you think,
if I did
the next 21 blogs
without day numbers.

Day # 23 Small Stuff

~It's better
to be
at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb,
than to be half-way up one you don't.
(also from :) ME)

Of course, it's better NOT to be at the bottom of the ladder you were trying to climb, and slipped.
Well, this trip is ONE TALL LADDER.
And I'm afraid of ladders after the fourth rung.
I can get up on the roof,
but only just barely,
with intense concentration and effort.
But I CAN do it, and HAVE done,
so why sweat the small stuff.

Remember:
It's all small stuff.

Day # 24 Duck Toller

This comment from another reader:
'I highly recommend getting a duck tolling retreiver over a golden - mainly because of its size.
And be sure to get a female as they are more loyal, and they do not weigh as much (5-10lb less approx).
And, I also highly recommended getting one with just a slight mix.
Purebred is another word for inbred - that is why so many purebreds have issues - behavioural, medical etc.
I'd ask someone to look for a duck toller in NS and try to find one that the owner doesn't think is purebred, or is sure isn't inbred.
But if you're going this summer, you might want to get one that's already a year old.
If you get a puppy, you better get one quick so it's ready for the trip.
Either way, get one in time so that it's (she's) loyal to you by the summer.
I wouldn't go for a dog over 30lbs, personally.
Go to www.quintehumanesociety.com every now and then, too.
I wouldn't go for ANY Terrier types (including Jack Russell Terrier) because they bite, nor would I go for any dog that has a lot of hair in it's eyes, unless you don't mind keeping it trimmed - they tend to bite because they cannot see as well.
I also wouldn't recommend any collie mixes, nor would I recommend any black dogs, including black labs. :) ME'

I had planned on a male dog, because my present pure-bred accidental is so gentle and loving (what dog isn't, eh?) but maybe a female would be better, esp. because of the weight issue, since I'll be using a little trailer or the back rack to give the dog a rest when it wants one, not to mention carrying the tenting equipment.
The vet mentioned the issue of inbreeding, as well, so ME is right there, too.

Day # 25 Lovely Latin Languages

This comment from a Spanish speaking reader day #27:
Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.

When I was in my late 30's,
I worked for Blue Giant on Heart Lake Rd. in Bramalea, ON.
The owner hired many S. Americans, and since I often went into the plant to pull information to do the cost accounting, I decided to learn to read and speak Spanish.
(At that time, I was the only woman who was or ever had been allowed into that plant itself. Up to then women had a tougher time getting jobs like that.)
Even the janitor was S.American. He was a gentle man who had previously worked in the plant, which made lift trucks, but one day he tried to stop with his hands a pile of steel plates from falling, and was badly injured.
I never needed Spanish again once I left there, in 1974, so don't know what these sentences mean.
I'm sure it is a welcome, inspiring message though.
Gracias.
It has long been my intention to go to Cuba in my retirement for an extended period of time, hopefully teaching English in trade for learning Spanish, so I may well discover the meaning of these words yet, and to cycle around the island where-ever I am allowed to.
There is a significant tiny island off-shore from the n.e. side of Cuba which holds particular interest for a nature photographer, like myself.
Perhaps I would get to seen, and hold!!!, the Glass Butterflies, such as these whose pic I took from an internet forward from a dear friend.

Day # 26 Snowdom

The Prince Edward County Trail in snow.
If you had/have a snowmobile, wouldn't this scene make you feel like starting out on the TransCanadaTrail early, like now, on a snowmobile?

Day # 27 From Captivity to Freedom

As hard as it is sometimes to make a decision, once made it surely does free one up, and release them to being able to start in earnest to plan for an activity, like the trip across the TransCanadaTrail.
I am so glad I've made my decision to use a scooter instead of a bicycle.
I will likely do it on a Vespa, but haven't researched them all yet.

Day # 28 Feeding Time

Wellington had 2 Canada Geese winter over one year.
It was a good year, and so the next year, their friends joined them.
And the next, their friends' friends, and the next, and....
A lot of farms grow corn around here.

Day # 29 Dog Days of Winter

Dog gone it.
Winter does get one down.
Why can't we hibernate like other creatures?
This 'happy' old guy was waiting for his owner to come back out of Canadian Tire.
If I owned a dog that looked like this one does,
I might be too depressed to EVER return to the car,
or be still standing in the parking lot looking for alternatives.

Day # 30 W.O.R.K.

"There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand.
This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK).
If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues,
your boss, or anyone else via any means,
DO NOT TOUCH IT.

This virus can wipe out your private life completely.
If you should come into contact with WORK,
put your jacket on and take two good friends with you to the nearest
Life-Correcting-Bottle-Office (LCBO).

Purchase the antidote known as
Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE)
or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER)
or even Simple-Cooling-Off-Through-Cold-Hydration (SCOTCH).
Take the antidote repeatedly
until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.



You should forward
this warning to
2 friends asap.
If you do not have 2 friends,
you have already been infected. "

This amusing advice from Val F.,
Sydney, N.S.,
dear friend,
and advisor of New Years Resolutions.
(photo from internet)

Day # 31 New Year's Resulution

If it's good for the psyche, the soul, and the body,
and doesn't hurt anyone,
including yourself,
and you know you will love doing it,
like buying and riding a bicycle,
JUST DO IT!

Day # 32 Live Life to the Lees

This is the 1st day of 2008,
'the start of the end' one might say (about me, anyway),
and the 345th day that I've been blogging, sort of, because I missed a couple of blog days when the internet was down,
and a couple when I thought it was down but turned out only to be the fault of my own personal computer.
This is very scary in a way - 32 days left until I hit age 65.
Some people refer to it as being downhill from here on in.
It will be my job to make it uphill,
or, rather, to make it a completely balanced time,
neither up nor down the hill.
Yes, I will do the TransCanadaTrail this year.
If I can't physically do it on a bike, then I will do it on a scooter.
When I read Murray Snyder's blog, www.crazyguyonabike.com/msnyder I was intensely inspired although I've been planning this trip for 5 years now.
However, when I recently read his part about his Dempster Highway cycling tour,
I suddenly realized through the beauty of his marvellous photos and the crazy wonderful experiences that he wrote about, that I felt instantly driven to do The Dempster/The Alaska Highway also,
and perhaps many more places like the trail around the periphery of Ireland,
and Haiden's wall, and China, and..........
How am I going to do it all and keep my health unless I switch to doing it on a scooter? The price would be too high - knee replacements etc.
Shoot! I've been seriously thinking lately, maybe I should just scoot the TCT.
Any reactions, folks?
Does it make any difference in anyone's life, other than mine, if I use a scooter instead of a bicycle?
Like the little engine who said
'I think I can.'
I'm sure I can - (try, at least)
and will consequently, as Browning suggested:
'Live Life to the Lees'.