Best Laid Plans Of Men & Mice

No matter how careful we make our plans to do something it seems things out of our control get in the way.

Made my plans to go back to the US for the first tme in over two years and carefully went over my checklist. Car serviced, motel booked, travel insurance up to date and road side assistance purchased. Figured I had everything covered but the grelims had other plans.

Had a small noise in the front end but was told nothing to worry about so figured good to go. Headed to St Thomas yesterday to chase OSR and that noise that was nothing got louder so cancelled my travel plans as would never be comfortable going to the US with the thought something was going to go wrong.

Headed back to CTC and they took it in right away to see what the problem was. Hopefully they can find it and I can head out tomorrow morning feeling safe. Nothing worse than having a breakdown in the middle of nowhere or on a Interstate highway. I don’t blame the mechanic as it is a noise that comes and goes in intensity so hard to find.

Rain was forecast for the Bellevue area today anyway so leaving one day late not a real problem but more of a inconvenience.

Keep tuned as my trip gets under way and it head to adeventures unknown.

I Need To Buy A Horse

In rural Southern Ontario a car is not a luxury but a requirement as no bus service and taxis are very expensive.

I have been lucky as I mandated no repairs while COVID was raging as was not going too far so not much wear and tear. Off to the US next week for the first time in over two years so figured time to get everything checked, fixed and good to go.

Took it in last week for new front brakes and rotors and some front end parts and knew I would also need a couple of new tires. $1200 and the brakes and front end work done. Last time I was in the US and had new tires on the front hit a pothole swerving to miss a car that came onto my side and damaged the front right tire. Got it fixed in Fostoria but had to pay for the new tire. Continental has a good warranty and when I got back to Canada CTC could not refund my money but did give me a brand new replacement tire no charge. Well time to use it so only had to buy one new one. This morning having it and another put on the front and the front ones moved to the back. Front end alignment as I did not have it done when the new parts were put in as knew I would be installing new tires.

Also have a small noise in the front end now that may be because of the front end parts and not being aligned. Hopefully once new tires on and alignment done it will be gone as do not feel safe driving it with the sound. Figure about $500 this morning as the new tire is about $170.

Plan on leaving Monday the 11th and stay down till the following Monday. I have registered with TravelCAN and have my vaccine proof and passport all up to date. Motel booked and travel insurance purchased. Going there a breeze as just have to show passport and proof of vaccination. Coming back to my own country a little tougher as have to register 72 hours in advance of coming back with TravelCAN telling them when and where I will be crossing into Canada and then again when I get home. Pretty dumb but what do you expect from the people uninformed voters elect in Canada.

Weather looking good with sunshine and warm temps. Getting excited and looking forward to getting back on the road. You never know when your health will change so do things now while you can.

I will keep you updated on my travels to Ohio next week.

I Thought Life Got Easier

I was sure somebody told me as you get older life gets easier. Retirement, no alarm clocks or deadlines to keep.

Well it seem our sad Government of Canada led by a rejected drama teacher never got the meassage.

Invoking the War Measure Act against peaceful protesters in Ottawa to draconian laws regarding crossing the border. Crossing into the US is easy as you just have to show you are vaccinated but getting back into Canada is a nightmare or rules and conditions.

First you need to have an fairly new phone that can run the Travel Canada app and install it on your phone. Add passport, vaccination and other personal information in it to show Canadian border guards you are okay to return to your own country. You must fill it in with travel information, dates you are going and returning and do this before you travel and when you return to Canada. Might be easier to get into Russia than back into Canada. I am surprised as of March 30 only 64,508 people have downloaded it. Just show people think it is dumb and delaying their travel plans which is costing each country millions of dollars.

All these rules even thought many hundreds cross the border every day to go to work and thousands of truck drivers also cross. Forcing mandatory vaccine shots is another dumb idea. I have 3 shots and have had COVID so am not a danger to anybody. No plans to get a 4th shot as after the 3rd seems there has been an interaction with a shot I get every 6 months to keep my bones from getting brittle. Every since the 3rd shot my bones seem to ache and feel sore some days and this only happened after the 3rd COVID shot. My doctor has no answer as there is no data on interaction as the vaccines are so new.

People need to stop living in fear and take off those masks and start living again. States and location where masks and lockdowns were not put in place have almost the same death rates and infection and places that when postal on their lockdowns and mandates. Sure Florida might be higher but the percent of their poulation that is over 70 is much higher than other locations.

Get over it. We had flu epidemics and other airborne viruse in past years and never had to wear masks or have lockdown. Yes, masks may have prevented the spreading of COVID in the period where we had no vaccines. Now over 85% of the poulation has had one shot but we still apply the same rules.

I have quit the mask masses and will start living the years I have left under my rules and not somebody who has never met or even cares about but makes dumb rules that make no sense but justifies their salaries and job.

Have a great day.

Hurry Up & Wait or WOKE This

Getting new front brakes and rotors and new front end suspension parts as well as oil change at CTC this morning. Been here sice 8:30 and figure maybe readsy by 1:30. Not much you can do but wait.

Watched a movie M12 about terrorists and London Police whch used up a couple hours, watched some train videos and now writing this. At least you can keep yourself busy. I can’t remember what I did before the Internet and online movies and videos.

Nice sunny day but was pretty cold at 8 am this morning. Hopefully will be able to get out and enjoy it soon.

Plan to fill the car up as gas going up 11 cents a litre when our a hole so called pm burdens us with another carbon tax BS. It not only raises gas prices but will raise the cost of evreything that moves by train or truck. What does that blood sucker care? Canada is laughed at around the world and he is condemmed by others leaders for his communist dicatator moves of bringing in the War Measures Act for a few peaceful demonstrators during the trucker protest.

Sorry but with him in power and the NDP idiots kissing his ass and supporting him Canada is doomed and going to hell.

Of course with WOKE, BLM and other minorities and add in the green tree huggers Canada is being changed as minorities now make the rules. Free speech is deads as any alternative point of view is labled racist or phobia something.

I feel sorry for those mislead youth of today who have been led down the path by these misdirect leaders and will suffer the consequences and never get to experience the Canada I know.

I feel so lucky to have been born when I was.

This Is Insane

I sold a small cassette mp3 converter on Marketplace for $20 and the person lives in Pickering Ontario and wanted to know if I could ship it. I said sure and probably only be about $6 to ship. I wrapped it up and once wrapped up this is a parcel 4 inches by 3 inches by 1 inch and weighs about a pound. Took it down to the post office to ship it and almost had a heart attack when they told me it was $17.86 to ship 50 miles. Are the kidding? This is insane.

Of course when you pay people $38 an hourto put some mail in a few mail slots, sells a few stamps and garbage tags and then add in about the same for benefits I see why it would cost so much. Even with gas at $1.75 liter I could have drove to Pickering and back cheaper.

These jobs do not require a university education as how much training does it take to stick some letters in a slot and hand out a few parcels? They only work about 3 hours and gossip hanging over the counter for the other 5 yet we pay them these ridiculous wages and even supply them with uniforms. $60,000 or more for what they do is insane.

No wonder I never use them and businesses that do must be pulling out there hair.

Next adventure was I used the McDonald app which I always do to get reward points and everything seemed fine. Arrived at Mcd’s and pulled up the app to get my order number and let them know I was here. Dam think froze and nothing I did would unfreeze it. The staff had no idea how to fix but after about 10 minutes I had to shut down my phone and restart it to allow me to delete the order. Second time I ordered everything when fine. After blaming the app I figured out I had set up my CyberGhost VPN account on my phone and it thought I was in New York City.

At least I now know I have to turn it off when connecting to a local WiFi service or it will block the connection as I think the location app needs to know your location to let them know you are at the McDonald’s you sent your order to.

Live and learn.

I have now come to the conclusion that senior drivers need to take a road test as most I doubt actually know how to drive. Many are not aware their vehicles come with turn signals, that if turning right should be in the right land and not the middle of the road, same goes for turning left, slamming on your brakes or slowing down before your turn and putting on your signal as you make the turn is not the way it is written in the drivers manual. Roundabouts are not made to stop and look both ways but smoothly go through them. Four way stops are not social events where everybody sits and sees who goes first. If you arrive at the same time the person on the right has the right of way.

When coming upon on speed limit sign 50 does not mean 42, 80 does not mean 65 and if you are afraid to drive at the limit then stay off the roads. Everybody knows you have at least 10 kph grace period above the limit not below it.

The day is half over and not too bad.

Now to get home without any more memorable moments.

Just Drive In Idiot

Headed to Woodstock to just get out for a while and it never fails. Both places the idiot I was following in the parking lot stops suddenly and starts backing up into a parking spot they just drove by. So they don’t care I have to back up and wait with others while they try at least twice to back into the spots and still don’t get It right. Why not just drive in? I know people think it is safer but it isn’t in my mind.

First, most people are really bad at backing into a parking spot and just use their mirrors which can be more dangerous as people walk behind your vehicle as they think you have drove past them. Second, vehicles are made with backp lights so people know you are about to back out of a parking spot but if backed in all of a sudden you drive out with no warning.

You have to back up either going in or coming out of a paking spot so why the insanity and rudeness of backing in especially in busy parking lots? Just drive in idiot.

Looks like the weather sucks for the next week after teasing us with some warm weather and back into the cold with snow forecast over the next ten days. Only good thing it will not last but will make this winter drag on.

Had been looking forward to heading to the US for a change of scenery and visiting new places after a long winter. I had planned to go next week but as you can see weather looks poor so will have to delay. I was hoping to beat the border rush as testing ends March 31st but will have to wait. Seems like it was years ago since I was there and it was. Last visit was Feb 2020 just before the border closed.

I am sure I can keep busy until then.

Later

Gobs Of Gremlins

Today started out fine as I finally received the replacement cable for my drone and today was to be surgery day and install it. Everything worked fine and took about an hour of dissecting the drone, installing the new cable an putting it back together. Moment of truth came and fired it up, re-calibrated the gimbal and it worked. It work just like it did before I slammed it in backwards to the ambulance four months ago.

Time to take it out and put it through its paces to see if it is really repaired and good to fly or sell. A bit windy but would be a good test for it. Drove to where it was wide open and decided to fly over the flood plan and take some images of it and the look out pavillion on the Beachville Trail.

I should have checked the batteries as had not been charged for about a month as 2 only had about 10 minutes and 3rd maybe 20 minutes. Loaded it up, recalibrated compass and gps and off I flew. Took some high shots and some fly over shots as wide angle views. Canada Geese in the ponds did not even fly away. After 20 minutes battery was getting low and fingers were frozen so decdided to land as thought I had some nice video.

Of course I had nothing as Gremlins were riding with me and I noticed I had never pressed the record button. Should have known they would be around. Okay nothing to now will go have a coffee and put the batteries on the charger and come back later. You guessed it auxilliary battery I carry which has a inverter attached was not charging for some reason so when I turned on the inverter I got a low battery warning and could not charge the batteries. Best laid plans and all that crap. At least I know the drone is fixed and good to go.

Headed to McD’s for a coffee and burger and write it off as another day those little pests won.

Some days they come in bunches and there has to be a reason but so many in a row I just stand there and laugh. What else can I do?

Gremlins win again.

TRASH the MASK

Tonight at midnight the mask mandate ends and some people are freaking out. I posted the image you see here on a couple of Facebook pages and was immediately called names and told we will go back to where we were. How long were they planning to wear them, the rest of their lives? Over 80% of the population has had a least one shot and many others now have immunity after having had COVID so we are in a much better place.

I was in Giant Tiger yesterday and Walmart today and many have already quit wearing them. They have proved they are not that effective especially for those that only cover their mouth. Many are living in fear and have been brainwashed by our governments who want to take away our freedoms and control us. I have lived through worst flu epidemics and we never had to wear a mask but maybe they were good at the beginning but COVID is mostly behind us. The number of people already tearing them off show we have had enough.

Now they are talking about a 4th shot which I have no plans of getting as seems like money hunger pharmaceutical companies don’t want to kill the golden goose yet. I have been having some pains and other strange symptoms and could be the vaccines interacting with some of the medications I am on. They were rushed out and who knows what long term effects they might has. I am glad I did get them as when I did have COVID is was pretty mild but will not get anymore.

I feel sorry for those that will continue to wear them and fear going out or meeting people. There are germs on everything we eat or breath in but our bodies are equipped to fight them and need to develop immunities to them. Preventing this from happening and lowering you bodies immunities is more dangerous than walking around without a mask.

Get over it and let Ontario get back to where many states and countries have been all along and are no worse for it. Florida showed that and did have a few higher deaths but their percentage of seniors is also much higher and were the most vulnerable. Life went on while we stayed in and watched two years of our lives go by.

I will take my chances and live the years I have left not worrying about what if but doing what I enjoy.

You should too.

Am I Getting Excited?

You bet. After over two years of putting most of my life on hold I can see there is really a light at the end of the COVID tunnel. Crossing the border into the US has now caught up to the rest of the world and a test is no longer required to get back into Canada. Still have to register with NavCan but who cares as you can do that ahead of time.

I am already planning my trip to the US as early as the 28th of April as when I come back the test required will have been ended. Just getting away and on the road again is lifting my spirts and can’t come fast enough. Maybe stay down a week then back the first week of May for Toledo Train Day

Getting back to Fostoria, Bellevue, Bucyrus, Willard and Sandusky and seeing friends will put some life back in this old body.

Just getting out and actually back to normal will feel so good and I will feel years younger.

I will never get back the two years I lost but plan to make up for it but enjoying every day that I have left.

Take care and be safe but get out and enjoy life. Throw those masks away and quit living in fear.

Short Sleeve Shirt, Shorts & Sandals

Can it get any better? Seems like it was so long ago and in two days get to trash the mask. Life is good.

I feel sorry for those that have been media mobbed and are so scared that they will still wear the masks. Teachers and their unions crying the sky is falling if they remove mask from schools. What BS. It is not any more dangerous wearing a mask now as just another flu season but they want you to believe it will mean you will die if you take off the mask.

Hundreds of housand have caught COVID myself included and had a few days of feeling lousy and then it was gone. I have felt a lot worse with the flu or even a cold than I did with COVID and I am 78.

Time to move and with what is happening in the world with Russia and the WOKE crew I will live my life to the fullest as who knows when it will be your last day. I am sure nobody said on their death bed I should have stayed in more.

Spring is coming so get out and enjoy it, put all those doom and gloom thought that our governments and the media have pounded into out heads for the last two years and start living.

I may be getting on in age but thought of summer and scenes like this keep me thinking young. Looking forward to heading to the US in the next couple of weeks and seeing old friends and discovering new places and things. Not sure how many years I have left but not going to be sitting around trying to figure it out.

We all need to put COVID behind us and start living again and I am doing that starting now. 🙂