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Good morning, you know? I’ve witnessed how a simple habit, like going for a morning walk, or sitting and enjoying something as simple as a cup of coffee with your wife, “Can accomplish more than skill alone ever could.”

We’re waking up to some clouds here in cottage country this morning. But on the bright side—get it? Bright side?… we’ll be seeing some sunshine as the day moves forward.”

Highway 522 has been busier these past few days, with campers rolling into the area. If the sun shows itself and the temperatures climb, as they suppose to, I figure we’ll see even more traffic, especially from the folks on motorcycles, since their riding days are running short in this country.

On another note, sore foot and all, my wife and I managed to get the woodshed cleaned up, sorted out all the specialty lumber we keep for one-of-a-kind projects. Feels good to walk in and grab the right board without digging through a hundred of them. By the end of it, though, I was more than ready for my old La-Z-Boy and a chance to put my feet up. I’ve always said older folks need to know their limits, especially with health issues. Guess it’s about time I start taking my own advice. Sheesh.

So what are you up to today GW?

Well, today, depending on how my foot and side are feeling, I plan on straightening up my woodworking shop, getting it ready for some projects my wife and I have in mind for the winter. But we’ll see how that goes after I have my breakfast and a cup of hot tea, straight from England. I have to admit, those Brits do know how to make a proper cup of tea—probably better than they know how to drive on the left side of the road! We also buy the kind without any of those PFAS (Forever Chemicals) that most teas sneak in today. Thought I’d throw that in for anyone trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle—it’s one of those things not many people know about.

So with that, I am off for my breakfast that my lovely wife has put together for me, which will consist of some porridge made from “Stoked Oats Run of The Mill Rolled Oats.” That’s what they are called. If you like healthy porridge, give them a try…you won’t be disappointed.

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 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