Jay and Josh - a work in progress. Demolition is messy! 

It's finished! The cooktop is back in place. I love the new Silestone backer for the cooktop. It will be so easy to keep clean! 

There were a couple of flaws caused by adding the dining room in 1991. This should not be too hard to patch. 

We should be able to patch this without too much trouble. Jay showed Dick what to do. 

The finished countertops. The kitchen area is really much brighter with the beautiful Silestone tops. Thanks Traverse Tops -thanks Josh and Jay. 

Forty-Niners

Today is our 49th wedding anniversary.

Dick had an appointment (dental) at 10 a.m.

We were expecting delivery of the new desk since it didn't come yesterday. I finally called to see when the delivery would happen, and it will be coming Saturday morning. I gave the driver good directions, but he kept asking me what he would see around where our access road is. I explained and explained, and then he said "I have to know because I don't see very well." Now I'm wondering who's driving the truck!

So the bad news is that the desk isn't coming today, but the good news is that we don't have to wait around - we can do whatever we want.

Bill reports that Jan, Kim and the boys have made it to California, with stops along the way to see the Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, etc. We plan to go to Houghton Lake on Saturday to help Bill with the house closing, and just to touch base with him.

First we took our old red trailer to Kelley's Custom Trailers. He said he might be able to use some of the parts and some of our lumber to lower the cost of the new trailer. He estimates he might be finished by Tuesday.

We went out on the Peninsula again to finalize the Old Mission Historical Tour. It was a blast - we did find a couple of minor mistakes - but generally speaking, it's a done deal. Dick placed the ammo can at around 4:30. It was a cloudy, windy, cool day but very pleasant, and I think we accomplished a lot, geocaching-wise.


Since it is a special day, we went to LaSenorita for an early dinner - we were both famished.

At home, Dick did the final edit and submitted the Historical Tour to Randy. Because of the nature of the Tour, the directions and explanations are quite lengthy, and folks will have to print out the five pages to take with them on the search. It won't fit in a Palm. If they have a printout and follow the directions carefully, they should have a ball with this.

With the countertops coming in the morning, we're mentally brainstorming what needs to be done in the kitchen before they arrive. I moved some things to the table, and began cleaning out under the sink, but then I hit the wall and went to bed. Tomorrow should be exciting!

Here's the Old Mission General Store, near the Village of Old Mission. You can get almost anything you want, including gift certificates. We're using those for First Finder prizes. 

Old Mission Lighthouse is the Crown of the Peninsula. It's just a few feet from the 45th Parallel. 

The Countertops are Coming!

Hooray!

Traverse Tops called and said that they will come and install the new countertops on Friday morning. Yippee! I think we had to wait about 2 months from start to finish. I have my fingers crossed that everything goes well.

The plumber says he can come out on Tuesday to hook everything up and install our new things - filtration, recirculating pump, etc.

Mother needs a new prescription. I spoke to Brandi the nurse about it - she thinks that Dr. Auer will go ahead and call it in without seeing Mom because she is so immobile. I'm waiting to hear what they decided. Brandi mentioned that the Doctor may even make a house call. That is totally unheard of these days!

Dick has been looking for a desk for about 2 years now. Every once in a while we check in at the Riverside Resale store to see what they have, but so far we've had no luck. Today he found what he wants at Reclectia on Garfield. It's a great old desk - looks almost like a teacher's desk. The drawers all work just fine, and it has a "fence" across the back and part of the sides, so that things won't fall off the back. It has a glass top, so that the wooden top is in really great shape. It does need a bit of polishing, but that's not a problem. It will be delivered today or tomorrow. She gave us a really good price.

Dick came home and cleared off the stairs, and cleaned out his room - so we're ready for the new old desk.

Deja Vu

Tom reports from out in San Diego that he has broken his arm again, falling off his mountain bike. His email was brief: "Same arm. Same fracture. Same point on the trail." His bike is fine, he can still drive, he's not in much pain, and he seems OK as far as we can tell. Laurie thinks he's re-living it again as in the movie Groundhog Day. Maybe he'll meet another girlfriend again. Anyway, he's facing another 8 weeks in a cast.


Mother has trouble brushing her teeth because her hands aren't strong enough to squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush. We've tried various techniques, and discussed many others. Finally, I think we've solved the problem. Searching on Google I found pre-pasted, disposable toothbrushes. You use them once and throw them away. They have a really pleasant aroma, so I'm guessing that it tastes good, too. Mother seemed happy with them, but it hasn't been tried out yet, so we'll see how it goes. At least, she thought it was a great idea.

Dick's Father's Day present is going to be a new utility trailer, and we've been looking around for ideas. I think we've found the guy who can build us what we want. Dick seems pleased with him. Dick wants to be able to use it for canoes, for the tractor, and for just general hauling.

We stopped at the T shirt shop, and everything is ready to go. The shirts will be finished for pick up on Friday. The mock-up looks very nice, and I think Dick did a great job designing the shirts. The S2S finishers should be very proud to wear them.

Carpet cleaners came today, so we're a little bit torn up - but the carpet looks great! They did a really nice job. They did the area rug in the dining room, and the sofa also. We're very clean.

Ya Gotta Have Heart

Good news from Traverse Heart Associates. Dick's recent echocardiogram shows his heart to be almost totally normal. The enlargement that was seen before has gone down due to the blood pressure med. He got a clean bill of health.

GenFest Update: So far, the attendees will be Tom, Laurie & Chip, Dylan, Sharon & John, Kevin & Amy, Derek, John & Susan, Kristen, Roger & Megan, Fay, J.P., Doug, Dick & Nan. I'm assuming Barb's family will be coming. Haven't heard from Ruth and Ed or from Dave and Beth. Odette has not been feeling well, and may not be able to come this year.

Happy Dad

Dad's Day was very drippy, wet, dark, and rainy. Woe to the people who planned outdoor family picnics or graduation parties. It's so sad to see the dripping tents, balloons on the ground, and the "Congrats Grad" signs collapsing in the rain. We were not affected by the rain, really, although it most likely kept us from going back out on the Peninsula for more cache research.

We had brunch at the Arizona Steak House. It's new, and inside it's spacious and shiny, with a western decor and lots of gleaming wood. The brunch was fairly standard, yet less than most. It was OK.

Visited Mother - she was very awake and talkative today. She loved the story of Jana's free weekend. She was glad to hear that Tom is coming for GenFest.

The rest of the day was very dull by most standards, but felt good to us! Dick napped while I went grocery shopping, and then I napped before dinner. Yawn.

The kids were all in touch with their Dad - Jana on Friday, before her NY weekend. Tom and Laurie both called today and it's always good to hear from them.

Happy Father's Day

Magical, Mystical, Historical....

We were back out on the Peninsula today, fine tuning the Magical Mystical Historical Old Mission Tour. (working title) We logged the mileage between the different stages, and gleaned some new coordinates, and found a place for the ammo box cache near the Lighthouse.

We were just there yesterday, but it was even more beautiful today - such great views of the bays, with the different shades of blue water. Many of the homes are spectacular to put it mildly, and the landscaping and groundskeeping are truly remarkable. It's just a beautiful place to be, especially on a clear (although slightly hazy), blue sky, summer day.

This cache may not be for everyone, because it requires a lot of driving, and only one hide to log. But we both feel that it's really worthwhile, and will be exciting for the teams or individuals who are interested in giving it a try. They will be rewarded with fun, terrific scenery, and interesting history if not with a lot of finds. It will be like a treasure hunt, really, with just one prize.

After we finished our Peninsula Tour, we did the Subaru Cruise downtown. I may be way, way behind the times, but it seems to me that more people, both male and female, are wearing short shorts this summer. Did I miss something?

There were tons of pleasure boats rafting by the beach volleyball courts, but the temp was 95, so everybody was either in a boat or on the beach, not playing volleyball!

I checked with Mother and the Concord Place air conditioning was doing its thing, and she said she was very comfortable. I know she's much more comfortable that she would have been had she stayed on Union Street!

Apache Trout Grill is a great place to grab a sandwich on a beautiful day. There was a great breeze on the patio, the service was good, and the Reuben was yummy. Their patio has great views of the bay and of Traverse City in the background.



No it's not Hawaii, it's the Tiki Bar on the Bay at the Apache Trout Grill. Such a pleasant spot! 

Nice view of the bay from the patio - it was a little hazy but still beautiful. The sailboats are moored at the Grand Traverse Yacht Club. 

Checking the menu at the Apache Trout Grill. We didn't know it if was lunch or dinner, so they gave us both the lunch and dinner menus. Very accommodating! 

Thanks, Duo

Here's our "1000th Find" Asti, a gift from DinoDuo complete with the U of M shirt! 

A Couple of Winos

We spent a great day on the Old Mission Peninsula. Dick is planning to put out a new multi/puzzle cache there. It'll be kind of an historical tour. We hit all of the high spots, and gorgeous high spots they are, too. Bowers Harbor Inn, the Bowers Harbor Boat Launch, Neahtawanta Inn, the Bohemian Cemetery (what an interesting place!), the Peninsula Fruit Exchange, the Stonewall House, the Old Mission General Store, The Old Mission Church (first time we've ever gone in to look around - fascinating stuff in there), Haserot Beach, the Cairn at the 45th parallel, Old Mission Point and Lighthouse, the Ogdensburg Cemetery (another super-fascinating place),lunch at the Peninsula Grill, Archie Park, the Archie Womans Club Park at the base of the peninsula, and Chateau Chantal, where we picked up our two cases of wine with our Basswood Bend labels.

There may be a more pleasant way to spend a day, but the only thing I can think of would be a day with our kids and Dylan!

Our Private Label wines will be fun to give away, or to put on the silent auction table at events. Or even to enjoy at home with a meal!


This one is Basswood Bend's MiGO Red, which is Nice Red from Chateau Chantal, and it is a very nice red indeed. 

Here is Basswood Bend's Friendly White, which is a semi-dry Reisling from Chateau Chantal. It just happens to be my favorite wine. 

On My Mind

Saw Dr. Burke first thing - just a routine visit. He's still the best.

Cleaned out dining room book shelves - my cookbook collection was getting too unwieldy, so I tossed out a bunch of really old, really stained books from years ago - several of them were for our very first Litton microwave oven. Now don't get upset - I didn't throw out anything good or valuable - just junky stuff. (I hope.)

I also tossed out all of my MMAP stuff since I have no plans to rejoin that group. The things are all 3 or 4 years old anyway, so they're obsolete. What a waste of paper.

Result is 5 more bags of stuff to take to recycling! Plus room on the book shelves for all of the really good cookbooks! And room in the cupboards below for who knows what.

Traverse Tops reports that they are expecting an install of our countertops next week Wed. or Thurs. I'll believe it when they show up! Our plumber (Jim Beam) is getting antsy- he wants to firm up his summer schedule, and he'd really like to know when he can get started on our project - who can blame him. We'd really like to know, too.

Chateau Chantal has finished our two cases of wine with the Basswood Bend labels - we can pick them up any time.

The VC called to verify that Dick will be marching in the Cherry Festival parade with the VC volunteers - he kind of looks forward to doing that. The volunteers all received matching parade shirts.

Stanley Steemer wants over $700 to clean our furnace ducts. Really. It seems a bit much, but then it hasn't been done for 15 years. Maybe we'll wait until closer to the heating season, and then shop around a bit. We haven't decided.

Jen-Tees has not contacted Dick at all about the S2S series T shirts - we're anxiously awaiting something from them. Pleeeze - any time now - pleeeze...

Dick got the name of a handyman from Kathee - we plan to contact him to come and do some of our honey dew jobs. Quickly.

Spring cleaning - I still have 2 drawers to clean out in Jana's furniture, and then I'll do my cracker cupboard - and then I might be done. I think my closet can wait until later. My closet is The Dark Cave of Disaster.

Happy Flag Day Indeed !

Happy Flag Day

Our governor, Jennifer Granholm, has a policy of lowering the U.S. flag every time a Michigan soldier dies. So far there have been almost 80 occasions to put the flag at half-staff.
Along comes Republican gubernatorial opponent, Dick DeVos, who says that lowering the flag just for a common soldier goes against the flag code (see link above). As you can see by the following excerpt, the flag code states that the flag should be lowered only for dignitaries, domestic and foreign:

(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.

Seeing the flags lowered in honor of a fallen Michigan soldier always makes me reflect on the sacrifice which is being exacted. I think it creates a mood of thoughtfulness and respect. I never questioned whether it was "proper" or according to code. It seemed to me to be a good, decent way to show respect for the the fallen.

After Dick DeVos made his statement against Gov. Granholm's policy, he received numerous complaints from veteran's groups, military families, and other VOTERS. So it seems that he has decided to change his mind, and now it seems that DeVos thinks that lowering the flag for Michigan soldiers killed in the line of duty is a good idea! Ta-da! Can you guess why? At the end of the following article, it says that it's no scandal to change your mind. Of course it isn't - but as Dick loves to point out, Republicans love to call that a flip-flop.

DeVos now saluting flag-lowering policy
Thursday, June 08, 2006
By Sarah Kellogg
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos now says that as governor he would continue Gov. Jennifer Granholm's practice of lowering the flag to half-staff when a Michigan soldier dies in service to the nation.

Last week John Truscott, press secretary to the DeVos campaign, told Booth Newspapers for a Memorial Day weekend story that DeVos would fly U.S. flags at half-staff only for elected officials or world leaders -- not fallen soldiers.

After a week of angry letters to newspapers and calls to local radio stations from veterans and their families, the DeVos camp said Wednesday that the candidate's position on flag honors had been misrepresented.

Truscott said in a phone interview that he had "mischaracterized" his boss' position by failing to "clarify" how DeVos felt on the question of lowering flags for soldiers who are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"He would continue the tradition of honoring fallen soldiers," said Truscott, noting that the campaign will send out letters to newspaper editorial pages to explain the candidate's position. "We want to head off any controversy here by making sure that every daily paper knows his position."

The controversy stems from a debate over the interpretation of the U.S. Flag Code. A provision in the code gives governors discretion to lower the U.S. flag to half-staff. Some say that governors can do that only for elected officials, while others say they can lower the flag whenever they choose.

Governors in nearly 20 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have ordered the U.S. flag lowered to half-staff to honor fallen soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Granholm began doing it in December of 2003.

Campaign officials for the Democratic governor were skeptical about the DeVos campaign's clarification.

"DeVos' failure to show support for fallen Michigan soldiers and their families is both sad and unfortunate," said Chris DeWitt, a Granholm campaign spokesman. "His decision to stop flag honors for soldiers killed in action was wrong.

"We'll leave it to others to draw their own conclusions about what motivated him to change his views on this issue."

Political observers say that however it occurred, such missteps are bound to come up in political campaigns.

"This is a classic example of where weighing in on a very small thing causes all kinds of public attention to be brought to you, and not always in a good way," said Craig Ruff, an analyst with Public Sector Consultants, a Lansing policy group. "In the end, it's not a scandal to change one's mind."


Contact reporter Sarah Kellogg at (202) 383-7810 or e-mail her at skellogg@boothnewspapers.com.
©2006 Booth Newspapers
© 2006 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Flag Day Indeed!

I also enjoyed these comments of another blogger:

See Dick. See Dick screw up. See Dick cover his ass. Cover, Dick, cover!

WASHINGTON -- Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos now says that as governor he would continue Gov. Jennifer Granholm's practice of lowering the flag to half-staff when a Michigan soldier dies in service to the nation.

Last week John Truscott, press secretary to the DeVos campaign, told Booth Newspapers for a Memorial Day weekend story that DeVos would fly U.S. flags at half-staff only for elected officials or world leaders -- not fallen soldiers.

After a week of angry letters to newspapers and calls to local radio stations from veterans and their families, the DeVos camp said Wednesday that the candidate's position on flag honors had been misrepresented.


Nice try, Dick.

I don't think it was misrepresented at all.

Here is the original statement.

Granholm's Republican opponent, Dick DeVos, would reverse the governor's policy.

"Dick would take a more literal approach," DeVos campaign spokesman John Truscott said. "While he certainly believes that honoring veterans who have given their lives is extremely important, lowering the flag has typically been reserved for heads of state."


Is there anything ambiguous about that? No. But that doesn't stop the furious backpedaling.

Truscott said in a phone interview that he had "mischaracterized" his boss' position by failing to "clarify" how DeVos felt on the question of lowering flags for soldiers who are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"He would continue the tradition of honoring fallen soldiers," said Truscott, noting that the campaign will send out letters to newspaper editorial pages to explain the candidate's position. "We want to head off any controversy here by making sure that every daily paper knows his position."


Uh-huh. You guys do that. Perhaps Truscott should resign in the face of such an egregious error.