And the quiet is the quietness of softly falling snow.

I have no idea what poem this comes from. It was a line in a poem I had to memorize in public school back in the early '50s. I've tried finding the poem by talking with school principals and librarians and the like but no leads.

And the quiet
is the quietness
of softly falling snow.

A glimpse of life in London, Ontario

I like my posts to say something about the city in which I live: London, Ontario. London is smack dab in the middle of snow country and come winter kids start thinking "snow". Two of my granddaughters are excited that the ski hill will be opening in a month and all three of them can't stop talking about making a snowman. Snowperson may be politically correct but the word hasn't gained any traction in my home.

Since there's not enough snow to make a true snowman, a snowman made out of marshmallows had to suffice.

To satisfy their snowman-making urges, Eloise, left, and Isla, right, got down the hot chocolate, some marshmallows, a few pretzel sticks and some candy corn leftover from Halloween along with a tube of chocolate icing.

Soon, their drive to make a snowman was satisfied. But this snowman didn't hang around to slowly melt. He was quickly eaten, and being washed down with hot chocolate was an added bonus.

Paver Pattern

As one member, Kate Mura, pointed out, "What an interesting pattern on the bricks!" Exactly why paving stones cause this pattern to appear as warm sun melts the light covering of snow is a mystery to me.

Paving stones were very popular in London, Ontario, when my suburban neighbourhood was developed. Over the intervening decades many homes have had the stones removed and replaced with concrete.

Paving stones, also known as paving bricks or simply pavers, are still used for sidewalks and driveways but other materials are also often used, such as concrete and asphalt. And instead of using simply using compressed gravel and sand as the supporting base under the bricks, today, a smooth concrete base may be poured first and then the pavers placed on top in an attractive pattern with a little sand between and below them.

First True Snowfall and Not a Dusting

It wasn't much but it was enough to rate as a true snowfall. If your car was parked outside overnight, you had to sweep it off and once cleaned and on the road, drivers found neighbourhood roads slick and slippery. The salt trucks are not out yet apparently. It is only November 8th, after all.

Adding welcome to a cold entrance

The building is fairly new, it replaced an aging facility that has been on the property for year. Located in one of the nicest residential areas in London, old north, it is not surprising that a large part of the building is dedicated to providing residential for seniors.

The sign above the entrance says Advanced followed by Medical Group and Senior Living. I was there to receive treatment for my sun-damaged skin. I arrived with only an address but once there it was clear this place was more than a medical facility. My question was: "How much more?"

The welcoming fall scarecrow was light on the scare but heavy on the welcome. And the large Apple a Day Bistro sign indicated that there was more to this place than medical offices.

When I got home I discovered there are a number of Internet sites related to this place. First, the senior residences are part of The Manor Village chain. It appears there are at least eight of these Aging in Place facilities.

It is said a Dr. M. Garth Mann started The Manor Village Life Centers out of a belief that staying healthy in one's senior years should be easily accomplished without having to leave the area of one's home. His first Manor Village was built for, and inspired by, his mother some 30 years ago. Linking the London Manor Village with a local medical group was an natural fit.

My guess is that lots of folk living in the immediate area take advantage of the Advanced centre. The little bistro fills a neighbourhood need and the walk-in-medical-clinic is a plus for any neighbourhood.

Medical Treatment is Covered; Cosmetic Treatment is not

When one needs medical treatment in London, Ontario, for the most part it is covered by OHIP or the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. (Dental work is not covered.)

I got too much sun as a kid. Not an uncommon story to tell for a senior. How do I know I got too much? Skin cancer.

There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Plus, there are other less common types of skin cancers.

My family doctors sent me to a specialist, the specialist took some scrapings and yesterday the results were in. Three areas tested were non-cancerous sun-caused skin blemishes and one was squamous cell carcinoma. It would have been removed immediately if it were not for my pacemaker/ICD. I need another specialist. The vast majority of skin cancers do not spread. Still, waiting another six weeks or more for removal is worrisome.

The other skin blemishes, the non-cancerous ones. were removed with blasts of liquid  nitrogen. The cost? $100 plus $13 sales tax. As the removal was for purely cosmetic reasons, the provincial health insurance plan does not cover the removal. At least, the doctor guarantees his work. If the blasted blemishes return, he will blast them again at no charge.

Will winter be severe? Maybe woolly bear knows.

The banded woolly bear caterpillar is said to forecast the severity of the coming winter. Supposedly, the wider the reddish-brown centre band, the milder the coming winter. Of course, there is a more prosaic explanation; the reddish-brown band simply gets a little wider each time the banded woolly bear molts and these caterpillars can shed their skin about six times before reaching full size.

At this time of year, banded wooly bears are a common sight in London, Ontario. This one was caught crawling over a decorative squash in front of my home on Halloween. The caterpillars are easily spotted crawling over concrete sidewalks or crawling on walls as they seek shelter from the coming winter whether mild or severe.