The Village

Dick was out pruning bushes this morning all around the house. It looks good, too. I went to the movies - the 11:50 showing of The Village.
(Is it still a matinee if it's in the morning, or is a matinee only in the afternoon. If so, what do you call a movie in the morning?) OK I just looked it up on dictionary.com and it says a matinee is an entertainment performed in the daytime, usually in the afternoon. So I guess 11:50 a.m. would also be a matinee.
Anyway, I was a little disappointed in the movie - I like scary movies. This one had too many ridiculous scenarios - sending the blind girl into danger for starters. Also, the "monster" outfit was just laughable, to be honest. What can I say - I wasn't scared, I wasn't very surprised at the "twist" ending, and I was disappointed. It was interesting, and I guess on a scale of 0-10 I would give it a 5. Or out of 4 stars, I would give it 1.75 maybe.
When I got home, we went to see Mother to empty her trash and visit for a while. I took her some delicious berries and the stamps I bought yesterday. She was very alert, and we had fun reminiscing about her younger days.

Dick and I drove around town to admire the Bay and to see how busy the downtown is. Today, it was extremely busy.

Treadmill day

Doug and Odette

This morning Dick worked at the Visitor Center - they had 76 customers in three hours. The total of visitors to the Visitor Center is down about 20% this summer. They're blaming it on the cost of gasoline. I went grocery shopping for tonight's dinner party with Doug and Odette.

They arrived around 3:30 p.m., and we sat around drinking coffee and eating veggies and sharing family stories. It really wasn't nice enough to go sit outside - very overcast and gloomy.
We ate dinner around 6:30, and they left at 8:30 p.m. We had a really good time - it was a pleasant visit, with lots of good stories.

They are such good family citizens to attend this Van Pelt reunion in Manton year after year. I think Doug feels an obligation to do it. Dick doesn't have the same attitude - he really doesn't enjoy that gathering. I'm secretly glad that we don't have to go. Shhhhh.

Back to the Boy Scouts

First of all, Dick spent the morning dancing the fandango with his boat battery. It wouldn't work, so he took it out on the town to have it tested, only to find out that there was nothing wrong with it. So he brought it back home, hooked it up, and it worked fine. Go figure.
After Battery Adventures, we went on an outing to town and geo-caching. In town we went to the library to return a book, and wound up checking out a dozen more. We picked up our cell phone from the Sprint Store, where it had spent the night trying to get charged up, and we bought some stamps for Mother (and me). By the way, it turns out that Mother is OK. She was in a lot of pain from her shoulder and her post-shingles pain, and I'm guessing that maybe she took too many Ibuprofen or something. Anyway, today she's fine.

The geo-caching began at Camp Greilick, where Dick had attended camp in his golden youth.
It was an easy find, and so we were off to a good start.
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=99587d87-0ca6-4254-af78-b2d4758f385a Scroll down to the log entries until you find Basswood Bend. That's us.

Then off to South Boardman for the world's weirdest cache. This cacher lives in the boonies of S. Boardman in a ramshackle ...well.... shack. On the edge of his property he has chained a plastic trash bin to a tree, and that's the cache. He came over and introduced himself while we were there, and he seemed very pleasant. But wow - it was weird.
Then we went to find a cache called Boardman River View. Well, two out of three isn't bad. And Dick had a chance to really wear himself out climbing up a really really big hill.
When we got home, I got a phone call from Dr. Burke with my test results from Tuesday. Wow! It was a really good report. I haven't had a report that good for a couple of years. The ferritin number is still a little on the low side, but he plans to check it again in 3 weeks. Hooray for me!

After some great home made burgers, we watched more of the Democratic Convention. Last night, our Governor Jennifer Granholm gave a wonderful speech. I especially liked the bit about how men hate to ask for directions. She said we need a new direction in this country, and if the driver won't ask for directions, it's time to get a new driver. In the Kerry speech I liked "Saying there are weapons of mass destruction doesn't make it so. Saying we can wage war on the cheap doesn't make it so. And saying Mission Accomplished definitely doesn't make it so."

Return to Geo-caching

This morning Dick left the house before 8:00 a.m. to go find some caches.  He hasn't gone out like that for a month because we've been playing with Dylan.

Dick got home around 12:30 after finding 3 or 4 caches  and picking up 2 travel bugs.
Meanwhile I was home doing the laundry.  Calling all sheets and pillow cases and linens of all description!   Please head for the laundry room.  By now, we have 3 clean beds, and stacks of clean towels.



This afternoon we went to visit Mother and pick up her recycling items.  She was remarkably weak and sleepy - I've never seen her like that before.  She could hardly speak from weakness.  I don't know how alarmed I should be.  There doesn't seem to be anything I can do for her.  She just wanted me to sit there with her while Dick went to recycle the stuff.  I'm hoping she'll feel better tomorrow.  

Hot and spicy pork with rice for supper, followed by watching more of the Democratic Convention.  Jennifer Granholm is speaking tonight.

What a Great Day!

We started out at Thirlby Clinic for an appointment with Dr. Burke at 8:45 a.m.  What was I thinking?!?  Dr. Burke and I  mostly just chatted and then I went to the lab for every blood test known to modern man.
  

After that Dick and I went out to breakfast downtown at the Burch Grill on Front Street.  We ate right out on the sidewalk and it was really fun - it was a glorious morning.


After a pleasant drive around town, we came home and got to work.  Dick mowed the entire yard, and I made a comprehensive grocery list and  went to Glen's.    The yard looks great, and the fridge is full.
  

We spent a very low key afternoon, and then went for a ride to Interlochen to do some recycling. 


 We drove around Long Lake and back into town for another look at the bay.  We feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.
I'm enjoying watching the Democratic Party National Convention.  We probably won't even watch the Republican Convention unless they come up with some really good speaker.  We loved Bill Clinton's speech last night - it was on too late for us, so we TiVo-d it.  (Don't know how to spell tivoed!?)  

  

Bye Bye Laurie Chip & Dylan

We were on the road at 7:05 a.m. driving to Grand Rapids to put them on the plane.  Beautiful day for a drive - Dylan was very very good in the car.  We made one stop, and got to the airport at 10.  Lots of hugs all around.  It was hard to say good-bye.
Breakfast at Denny's, then back on 131 heading for T.C.   We were home before 1:30 p.m. 
We've both had a nap, and still feel a little groggy - I think it will take us a while to get back to normal.
Laurie called at 7:15 to say that they were in Chicago and on the plane to Miami.  They'll get home late.  They had a long wait but the G.R. airport had a video game room, so Chip and Dylan had fun. 
I see the Doctor tomorrow at 8:45 a.m.  Dick is coming along.  We'll probably go out to breakfast afterwards.
Doug and Odette are coming on Friday for the Van Pelt reunion on Saturday.  Dick doesn't want to go.  We'll just see them Friday evening I think.

Lance Wins

This morning we watched Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France.  Or rather, we watched Tom Boonen win the last stage.  Nobody had a camera on Lance as he finished.  I did get to see him receive his 65th lion and his 6th winners trophy.   It was great fun to watch the bikers in Paris. 


Then we went in to town to visit Mother - while we were there, Uncle Fritz and Aunt Ruth dropped in.  Laurie and I can't remember if she's ever met them before.  Anyway, we visited for a while and we all left at the same time. 
We went shopping on Front Street, but the store that Laurie was interested in was closed because of it being Sunday.  So we weren't downtown very long.  We ate out on the deck at North Peak - a great place to eat - very casual and yummy.  We pretended it was Chip's birthday even though his b-day isn't till the 30th.  We went to Moomer's for dessert - also casual and also yummy!  

Now the Gillespie's are packing and trying to figure out how to get home tomorrow since the flights out of TC are all full.  We'll be driving them to Grand Rapids where they have a better chance of getting out.  Cross your fingers.

Our Last Saturday with Dylan

Dylan says:

We climbed up the sand dunes and I ran down, then I climbed up again, then I ran down.  Then I climbed up again and then we went to another mountain on top of the sand dune and then I climbed up that one.  Then we ran down the other side and found some words made with logs.  And then at the next section Daddy forced me to climb up the cliffs and jump off them.  Then Daddy made me jump higher.  And I pretended to play dead when I hit the ground.  It was fun.
____________________________________________________________________

   
 This morning we went out to breakfast at Rico's.  There were four motorcycles parked out in front. (foreshadowing)  
 We came home to get ready to spend the day at the sand dunes, while Dick took Marco to Jiffy Lube.
It was a day with temps on the chilly side for July - and a little breezy too. 

 The Dunes Climb was really crowded, and that means good people-watching!  Laurie, Chip and Dylan went up and up and up while Dick and I sat and watched everybody.  Somewhere in there I even took a nap!  When they came back, Chip and Dylan went up and down again....and then Dylan did some more dunes climbing!!  Dylan enjoyed the warm sunshine and the sand more than anybody.  


Late  lunch at Boone Docks in Glen Arbor. Couldn't get a table in the sunshine, so I wished I had brought a jacket.  But the food was good, and the company was even better.  At Boone Docks there were motorcycles in the parking lot.  (foreshadowing)  
 On the way home we drove through Cedar, and when we turned the corner, we discovered that the entire   main street was lined with motorcycles.  There must have been 75 - I mean, a lot! 
 
We followed groups of motorcyclists to Traverse City, where we were surprised to see that Front Street had been closed off to automobile traffic, and was filled with motorcycles.  Do you know what a poker run is?  I didn't.


 Came home, and walked into the dining room as the phone rang - and we all had a chance to talk to Tom!  What a nice day.  I'm boo-zausted.

Laurie and I were watching Lethal Weapon at 10 p.m. when the driveway beeper went off.  It turned out to be the Barkers, bringing me a copy of the Richard Trenary Family Tree book - hot off the presses.  It was a gift for helping with the proof-reading.  I'm very glad to have it.

Friday All-Day Live

Dick made another splendid breakfast of pancakes and bacon.  He has made something spectacular almost every day.
    

Dylan and I played downstairs for a while - mostly fighting off imaginary skeleton kings who had ghostly crowns. (!)  Then we worked at the dining room table - I was paying bills, and he was coloring with markers.   He was using old notecards and drawing on the inside.  He said he was making portals - one portal went back to our house, another went to a different galaxy called the sand dunes, one went to the grassy plains where the buffalo were mean, but the deer and the antelope were nice, one went to a different world farther away than Pluto from the sun.  Of course, after he drew all of this, then we absolutely had to act out going through all of the portals.  It's going to be very boring around here when Dylan leaves. 


  Laurie, chip, Dylan, and Dick took the pontoon boat to Arbutus Lake for fishing and swimming.  Everybody caught fishes except Laurie, who didn't try.  Hikes were taken and water was played in. 


I took books back to the library, got some new books for Mother, ran some errands, visited Mother, etc.
This evening we went to Friday Night Live in downtown Traverse City - we ate at the U and I and had ice cream at Kilwin's.  Dylan especially enjoyed watching the mime.  I liked the musical groups.  Nice music.  

Blustery

This morning, Laurie, Chip and Dylan went canoeing and Dick went in his kayak from the Garfield Bridge to here.  Dylan and Chip had a great time playing in the river.  Dylan could float quite far with his life jacket on.
After lunch we packed up and went to the State Park to spend the afternoon at the beach.  The temp was around 74 and there was a brisk breeze out of the north.  It was warm in the sheltered area when the sun was out, but otherwise it was a little chilly.  Dylan and Chip played in the water, and we had a nice afternoon even if it wasn't perfect.  

Stormy Weather

  Dick and Chip ran errands in the morning - shipped Tom's bike back to California, etc.  We had planned to install Mom's air conditioner first, and then go to the State Park for swimming.  But after the air conditioner went in, things got very cloudy and we had a real deluge.  So we wound up going to the grocery store for steaks and then home.  After we got home, there was another downpour - even some lightning.  Chip did manage to cook the steaks outside between the raindrops.  It was an OK day, but nothing to write home about!

Mackinaw City

We had a terrific day trip today.  We left at approx 8:45 a.m. for Mackinaw City.  When we arrived, we had an early lunch at Audie's (great fish and chips).  Then on to Fort Michilimackinac.  It was a beautiful day, and the Fort was not too crowded, so we were able to see everything and do everything we wanted.  My highlights were the French wedding, the musket shooting, and the archaeological dig and exhibits.  Dylan loved the diorama in the exhibit building, and the sheep.  Especially the sheep.
  

Then off to Mill Creek State Park and the sawmill demo - always dramatic and exciting. 


 We didn't stay long there, because Dylan decided he would rather go to a beach than walk on a nature trail.  
To make a long, long story very short, we wound up at a very obscure, difficult to find beach on Lake Michigan at Fisherman's Island State Park.  It didn't matter that it wasn't the ideal beach - Dylan loved it anyway.  Dick found a cache,  and Dylan and his Mommy went for a long walk along the shoreline.
We ate dinner at The River in Elk Rapids (very good szechuan cashew chicken), came home and collapsed.  A very long, very enjoyable day.  We covered over 300 miles altogether, and had no melt downs.

Back to Normal

We're back in the swing of things.  Dick went to work at the agency, Chip cleaned up outside, including washing off all of the picnic tablecloths.  Laurie vaccuumed the entire house. 


 I returned 244 cans and bottles at Glen's.   When Dick got home, he and I went to the dump to get rid of all of the party remains!  It's a good feeling to be all cleaned up again.  
In the afternoon, we went to the State Park.  Dylan and Chip played in the water - it was a great day. 
  

 From there we went to the Mongolian Barbecue - everybody's favorite place in TC.  After dinner, we rented Pirates of the Caribbean - cute movie - It was a fun day, as well as being quite constructive!

After Glow

  Well this Sunday went by in a kind of a blur.  We were all in blah mode, and didn't feel like doing anything. 
Dick and I took Tom to the airport at noon and waved good-bye.   Later in the day, we went  in to see Great-Grandma and tell her all about the picnic.  That was really the only constructive thing we did all day.   We dropped Jana at the airport around 6 p.m.  It's hard to say good-bye to Tom and Jana - it seems like they just got here.  I get used to having them around!
 We ate leftovers at random, and never really had an organized meal.  As I said, it was all kind of a blur.  Very relaxing.  We all felt our age!
  

Geo-Genfest 2004

  Dylan says:
We had lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of fun killing the mountain giant also called the Tom Giant if you know what I mean.  I grouped with Fay and Autumn to do it.  Fay and Autumn were a big help, but I haven't seen the mystical dog since.  We went geo-caching.  We had a hard time finding the last one, and when they sent a runner it was me, and I came right over the wire and we were 4th.  The blue team lost the whole thing. 
 The Sunshines came in first,

 
 the Green Grasses came in 2nd, the Clouds came in 3rd
 
  
 
 and the Roses came in 4th,

  but the Blueberries came in last. 
 
The water balloon fight was lots and lots and lots of fun. 
 Uncle Tom threw so hard that it hurt a lot a lot a lot, and I think he meant to do it.


We played volley ball.  
 
We had a campfire built like a log cabin, but it fell over on somebody's marshmallow.