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Good morning. You know, over the years I have found that some words look good on the surface and others aren’t until you set them free. It’s a lot like life itself, sometimes you take a step and trip, other times you move forward and everything just falls into place. You can’t predict how things will turn out until you take the chance and let your thoughts, or yourself, out into the world. That’s the only way to find out what really works and what needs a second try.

Well, the weather’s looking like we’re in for another fine day here in good old Port Loring, Ontario. The sun’s showing off, and I have to say, when it hits those leaves with all their colors, it’s really something to see. It’s the kind of day where you could take your coffee out to the front porch and just sit there, soaking it all in. Which I think I might do once I get a few projects out of the way, or maybe even before.

…..On another note, yesterday my wife and I had to head into North Bay. The trip wasn’t really planned, but it became necessary after something that happened the day before. I was out back working, minding my own business, when I stepped right onto a big, rusty nail. It went straight through my boot and into my foot… let me tell you, that’s a feeling I wouldn’t recommend to anyone.

I limped inside and my wife did her best to clean it up, but then a thought hit me. When was the last time I’d had a tetanus shot? I wracked my brain and realized it must’ve been about fifteen years ago. Not exactly recent, and definitely not enough to keep me safe after something like that.

So, I started making calls. First, I tried our local nursing station, but they didn’t have any tetanus shots on hand. Next, I called Powassan—same story, no luck. Then I went down the list and tried every drug store I could think of in North Bay, and would you believe it, none of them had any either. By that point, I was starting to get a little frustrated. You’d think something as basic as a tetanus shot would be easier to find, especially around here where folks are always out working with their hands.

Finally, I tried the health unit in North Bay, and thankfully they had some. When I got there, I asked why nobody else seemed to have tetanus shots available. The Nurse seemed surprised and said every place ought to keep them on hand, particularly for those of us living up north and doing outdoor work.

The nurse then didn’t waste any time… she brought me right in, told me to roll up my sleeve, and that was that. My wife was with me, and when they learned she hadn’t had a booster in years either, they gave her one too. While we were there, the nurse let us know about a new pneumonia shot they’re offering, free of charge. It covers a lot of different strains and is a one-and-done kind of thing, so we figured, what the hell, why not? You hear about folks coming down with pneumonia after being in hospitals or waiting rooms, especially this time of year. Maybe it’s something in the air, maybe folks aren’t changing their filters like they should… I don’t know. Either way, it seemed like a good idea.

Once that was all taken care of, we stopped in at our favorite little family restaurant for a coffee (or three) and a burger. Afterward, we picked up some groceries and a few things at the local drug store as, they can prescribe more than they used to now. We then wandered around a bit, mostly me trailing after my wife limping away while she shopped. I like to think of it as keeping her company, as that was about all I was good for right then.

Any way, all things considered, it turned out to be a decent day, even if it started out a little rough. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.

So what are you up to today GW

Well, with today shaping up to be so nice, I’m planning to finish pulling the nails from those old boards I was working on… though this time, I’ll be paying a lot more attention to where I’m stepping. Still, seeing as I’m not moving around all that well yet, I think I might just spend a little time keeping that old lawn chair of mine company and soaking up the sunshine. Sometimes you have to know when to take it easy, which isn’t always simple for an old feller like me to do. I will say this though, I am getting better at it.

With that, I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has made for me, and after that, well, we will just have to see what the day brings.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive. GW