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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

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Good Morning! You know I kinda figure being a writer, if an old pen can still write a new story. That means every day is a chance for something good and different to happen.

So here we are, the last day of September. Man, time sure flies by. One minute we’re swatting black flies and dealing with those bloodsucking mosquitoes, and all of a sudden we’re getting our gardens ready for winter and raking leaves. Kind of makes a fella think about how important time really is, doesn’t it?

Well, looks like Port Loring’s got itself a fair stretch of weather coming. Today you can count on plenty of sunshine, with the air warming up to about 65 °F (19 °C). Good day to finish up them garden chores without breaking too much of a sweat.

By tonight it’ll cool right down, slipping to around 36 °F (2 °C). That’s the kind of chill where you’ll see your breath if you step out to check the sky. Might be a good idea to set your thermostat on your old furnace or pull the quilt up a little higher.

Tomorrow the sun’s hanging around again, climbing to near 62 °F (17 °C). Come evening, she’ll drop to about 42 °F (5 °C). All in all, a fine couple of days, just enough nip in the air to remind you summer’s almost packed up and left town.

Highway 522 has been busier than usual the past few days, bringing a steady stream of folks into our gift shop, most of them leaving with one or two of our one-of-a-kind pieces tucked under their arm. It’s always good to see new faces mixed in with the regulars. However, now, we’re coming up on that time of year when we’d normally lock the door and close up shop for the winter. But… the weather’s holding nice, and if it keeps up like this for another week or two, we might just leave the lights on a little longer.

On another note, we’ve had our home on the market for four months now, and while plenty of folks have shown interest, most seem a bit hesitant to pull the trigger with the way the economy’s been going. Can’t say I blame them. What we didn’t expect was the number of people who came by or called just to tell us they hoped we’d stay. That warmed us up more than we thought it would. So we’re pulling it off the market today. Winter’s no time to be packing boxes anyway, and truth be told, we’re in no rush. Come spring, we’ll see where we stand. Life has a way of working itself out.

On another note: I finally got my new desk finished yesterday and set up where it belongs. There’s a picture of it at the top of this post. It’s got the look of a proper writer’s desk now, which suits this old writer just fine. My wife has plans to paint something on the front when she finds the time, and once she does, I’ll snap another photo. Until then, it’s serving its purpose, and I’m not complaining.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today, being that the weather is so nice, I’m planning on mulching up a good pile of our maple leaves and spreading them about a foot deep over the vegetable garden. I’ll let them settle in for a week or so, then run the rototiller through and work them into the soil. By spring, that’ll break down into some of the richest dirt you could ask for. There’s something satisfying about putting the fall to work for next year’s planting. Leaves don’t cost a thing, and they do more good than half the stuff you can buy in a bag. So yeah, that’s what I’ve got on my plate for today.

With that, I’m off to the breakfast my lovely wife’s made for me. Afterward, I’ll pour myself a cup of decaf tea and sit a spell with her before heading out to the garden. I’ve always been a tea‑first kind of man. Life’s already got plenty of speed built into it without me rushing through the quiet parts. A slow cup and a few minutes to let the day settle in makes everything that follows go a little easier.

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

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Good morning, every blank page is a chance to start over. Don’t waste it worrying about yesterday’s scribbles.

Here’s the weather outlook for Port Loring, Ontario, today, tonight, and into tomorrow:

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🌧️ Today & Tonight (Sept 25)

• Now / Daytime: Mostly cloudy, about 16 °C (60 °F).
• High: Around 21 °C (69 °F)
• Evening / Overnight Low: Down to 12 °C (53 °F)
• Conditions: Periods of rain expected through the day and into tonight.

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⛅ Tomorrow (Sept 26)

• Sky: Mostly cloudy
• High: Around 18 °C (65 °F)
• Low: Near 9 °C (48 °F)
• Precipitation: There’s a chance of a passing shower.

Highway 522 has been pretty quiet these past few days, although there are a few hunters entering our area. As for myself, I don’t go hunting anymore. At my age, things have changed in that department. If some meat is needed, I head to the meat store we buy from and pick up some grass-fed beef. It seems the older I get, the less things like going hunting mean to me. It’s funny how life changes, or should I say, how the mind changes.

On another note, yesterday I managed to get my new desktop cut out, sanded, and stained twice with an Early American stain. I have to say, it turned out mighty fine. It makes things nice when everything comes together. On top of that, I picked some more tomatoes and put them out on our wagon for sale. They are getting close to being finished for another year, and I am going to be sad to see them go. But, in saying that, we do have a lot in the freezer, which should last us for the winter and into next spring.

So, what are you up to today, GW?

Well, today I am planning on putting two or three coats of urethane on the new desktop and letting it dry in the old woodworking shop. Once I get that finished tomorrow, I can install it onto the frame of my old desk. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

With that, I am off to have the breakfast my wife has prepared for me. It should give me the energy I need for a full day of projects, stories, or whatever else comes my way. But as I always say, you just never know.

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

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Good morning. You know, over the years I have found that words are a bit like an old wood stove. If you fill them up carelessly, they smolder half-burned. Keep at them, stir them, and tend them properly, and suddenly they light up the room. But neglect them, and you’re left with a room full of smoke.

Well by the looks of things were are in for a nice day here in good ol Port Loring Ontario Canada.

Currently 62° · Mostly sunny

Today	71°56°	Partly sunny and pleasant
Thursday	69°53°	Periods of rain
Friday	65°51°	Considerable clouds with a passing shower

Highway 522 wasn’t all that busy yesterday. There were a few campers passing through, but with this nice weather, I figure we’ll see more day-trippers out and about. Especially the bikers, since it won’t be long before they have to tuck their bikes away for the winter. Winter is slowly edging closer. Truth be told, I can feel it, it’s like that first nip in the air when the loon calls from the far side of the lake, as if to say, “Get ready, the long sleep’s coming.”

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On another note, yesterday was one of those days that sneaks up on you and makes you wonder what you were thinking. I finally got my new desktop pretty much all made and sanded, so I decided to clear my old desk—monitors, wires, the whole mess—so I could lay the new top down and mark it out. Simple enough, right? Well, you’d think so.

I only had two—no, three—wires to worry about: one from my Starlink and two running to a few other things. I figured I’d remember where they went. Ha! Wires ended up everywhere. I spent over three hours trying to untangle the mess after marking the new top, and still couldn’t get anything working.

By the end of the day, I figured my son Karl, being home from work, could help. I called him and tried to explain what I’d done. He laughed, asked a few questions, and somehow—somehow—he had it all figured out in fifteen minutes. All of a sudden, my computer was up and running again.

I have to tell you, I’ve never been so happy to sink back into my old La-Z-Boy. I didn’t do a thing the rest of the evening. Truth be told, if it weren’t for Karl, this computer might never have run again.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today I am going to cut this new desktop to shape and size—that is, after I mark some wires. My son says to label each end of where they should go for future projects, which I am going to do. Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that can save a whole—and I mean a whole—mess of stress.

And then, if the weather holds, I am planning on heading to our front porch and doing some front porch sitting, as these nice days aren’t going to be around forever. There is no better time of year to sit outside than now, with the leaves all turning color and taking in how nature is slowing down for another year.

So yeah, that’s the plan. Whether it all works out that way—well, we will have to see.

So with that, I am off to enjoy the breakfast my lovely wife has made for me—pan-fried bread covered with fresh berries and all sorts of delicious things. I have to say, that woman of mine has a knack for creating meals that would put even a five-star restaurant to shame.

Until the next time: Keep Your Minds Open & Your Stories Alive.
—GW, From the Desk Where I’ve Seen It All