*** Rules *** Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.
1. I was a teacher for 25 years. I loved teaching the little kids - first and second grades. At that age the kids are still very cute and eager to please. Second grade was my favorite age group. They are my kind of citizens!
2. I taught in Belleville, Van Buren Township, Wayne County, Michigan. When we moved there in 1957, Belleville was a Polish farming community. When we left in 1991 Belleville was a much more diverse town - fewer farms and many wage-earners working at the GM Hydramatic plant at Willow Run or the Ford plant at Rawsonville. I imagine that most of those folks are having hard times now in 2009.
3. The name of the District is the Van Buren Public Schools. My schools were Belleville Elementary, Elwell, Edgemont, and Haggerty.
4. Dick taught high school social studies for 32 years at BHS. Most of our close friends were fellow BHS faculty members.
5. Big Rapids, Michigan is my hometown. Our family, my parents and brother Jim, moved to Traverse City when I was in First Grade. My dad was a teacher and football coach in both Big Rapids and T.C.
6. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. The movie with Keira Knightley was OK, but I prefer the A&E production with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. I can watch it endlessly - over and over. The costumes, the music, and the performances do justice to the time and setting of the story.
7. As a child my favorite book was Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott. Sweet story. My Grandma Kanitz bought the book for me at the dime store in downtown Milan. We were shopping together, and she let me pick out whatever I wanted! I remember it like it was yesterday. I still have that same book - the cover is kind of in shreds, but I treasure it.
8. Jane Austen is my favorite author. When we were in England, we had a chance to see her burial site inside Winchester Cathedral. I was especially moved by being there.
9. My favorite color is yellow - because it's a sunshiny, happy color.
10. It is so wonderful to have a President who is thoughtful, charismatic, rational, intense, intelligent, and articulate. It feels like the whole planet is counting on him to make this a better world.
11. Movies are a real treat for me. Dick doesn't like to go, so I really look forward to having the kids come home because each one of them is willing to take Mom to the movies! The entertaining two star movies are my favorites.
12. I love Motown music, especially Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and the Four Tops. My all-time favorites are "Reach Out" , "The Tracks of my Tears", and the entire soundtrack of "The Big Chill".
13. It sounds corny, but John Denver was my very favorite performer. We own all of his albums and still play them often, especially on trips when we can't find NPR. Our family could crack you up singing "Grandma's Feather Bed" - go ahead, ask us!
14. I am a big fan of college football and basketball. (Big Ten). Pro ball - not so much.
15. I have always enjoyed computer games, starting 30 years ago with Outhouse, then Asylum, then Zork - then Ultima - then Everquest, and now World of Warcraft - the most fun ever. Our entire family loves to play WoW, and it's a great way to keep in touch with everybody.
16. Dick and I have three marvelous children, Laurie, Tom and Jana. Luckily they are all intelligent, thoughtful, caring people and I'm proud of each of them.
17. We have one grandchild, Dylan, the son of Laurie and Chip. Dylan just "graduated" from Palm City Elementary School and was given the citizenship award. He's the best gandchild in the world. He's eleven years old now, going on 40.
18. We have traveled all around the U.S. and also to Australia, Belize, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Alaska, Hawaii, London, Devon, Cornwall, all of the Scandinavian capitals, Russia, Estonia and Poland.
19. My secret desire is to visit Jasper, Alberta, Canada, because of the John Denver song Rocky Mountain Suite.
20. Our hobby is geocaching. www.geocaching.com
21. We have found 2200 caches.
22. We have found a cache in every county of Michigan. We want to find a cache in every State - 16 States to go.
23. Even though I have an extensive collection of cookbooks, I really don't like to cook. Don't tell anyone.
24. Our whole family has degrees from the University of Michigan - 4 BA's, 1 MA and 1 PhD.
25. Our children are fourth generation graduates of the U of M. Yes, we are four generations of Maize and Blue faithful :) My grandfather Geib started it all by graduating from U of M Law School in 1904. Tom received his BS from MIT.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Our View of the Bay
Tonight we're thinking about our neighbor Tom B. who had thoracic surgery this afternoon. Naturally we're hoping that all went well and that he has a peaceful and pain free night tonight. Rest easy, Tom. He's been in the hospital for two weeks - his wife is practically living there. His daughter and grand-daughter have come to be with them.
I'm getting better and better. I still fade a little bit in the evening, but by and large, the laparoscopic surgery is very tolerable. Much to be preferred than a six week recovery period! AND no more gall bladder attacks! Hooray!
We went walking down by the marina today, and even though the temp was 70, it seemed chilly next to the water. It was fun seeing some people in hoodies, and others in shorts and tank tops - People don't know how to dress in this weather! Northern Michigan must be way below normal, temperature-wise.
Dick was doing cache maintenance on his "The View of the Bay is Half the Pay" cache. He found a couple of things missing, and he rearranged a couple of things. It was a gorgeous day to be downtown on the trail.
There were young folks in swim suits and bikinis at the volleyball beach - I guess the strong sunshine on the sand was keeping them warm - honestly, it really wasn't that warm!
We haven't been to the gym all week because of my surgery, but I can almost guarantee we'll be there next Tuesday. Not sure about Monday because we'll be out late Sunday night listening to Willie Nelson at Interlochen :) We're not really late night people!
But anything for Willie :)
I'm getting better and better. I still fade a little bit in the evening, but by and large, the laparoscopic surgery is very tolerable. Much to be preferred than a six week recovery period! AND no more gall bladder attacks! Hooray!
We went walking down by the marina today, and even though the temp was 70, it seemed chilly next to the water. It was fun seeing some people in hoodies, and others in shorts and tank tops - People don't know how to dress in this weather! Northern Michigan must be way below normal, temperature-wise.
Dick was doing cache maintenance on his "The View of the Bay is Half the Pay" cache. He found a couple of things missing, and he rearranged a couple of things. It was a gorgeous day to be downtown on the trail.
There were young folks in swim suits and bikinis at the volleyball beach - I guess the strong sunshine on the sand was keeping them warm - honestly, it really wasn't that warm!
We haven't been to the gym all week because of my surgery, but I can almost guarantee we'll be there next Tuesday. Not sure about Monday because we'll be out late Sunday night listening to Willie Nelson at Interlochen :) We're not really late night people!
But anything for Willie :)
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Out and About
Hooray! Went for a ride into town with Dick this afternoon - it was great getting out of the house. It's a gorgeous day - calm and cool, placid and blue, and beautiful. I'm feeling almost great - just a little bit of a crick in the side, and I fade fast in the evening. I feel very lucky.
Huge bunches of roses came today from Dick - the living room smells so good! They re beautiful and fresh and fragrant.
Our neighbor is still in the hospital - now he's facing possible thoracic surgery - he finds out today.
What ever happened to the Do Not Call List? We've had seven or eight phone calls today - all toll free numbers or telemarketers. It's funny for a while, but then it gets really annoying. They must all think that 10 a.m. is the primo time to annoy people - that's when the calls began to pile up. I would really like to be crossed off their lists.
Huge bunches of roses came today from Dick - the living room smells so good! They re beautiful and fresh and fragrant.
Our neighbor is still in the hospital - now he's facing possible thoracic surgery - he finds out today.
What ever happened to the Do Not Call List? We've had seven or eight phone calls today - all toll free numbers or telemarketers. It's funny for a while, but then it gets really annoying. They must all think that 10 a.m. is the primo time to annoy people - that's when the calls began to pile up. I would really like to be crossed off their lists.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
May Ends With a Whimper
Gall bladder out - feeling remarkably good - just drowsy. I think it's because I married such a good nurse! Also because of laparoscopy!
May is ending with more friends having medical issues. Tom B. has been in the hospital for a week - report is that he is now some better, but still a sick puppy. Kathee Mc. had a melanoma removed from her tummy last Thursday - hope she is feeling OK.
I'm glad to be the least on that list :)
May is ending with more friends having medical issues. Tom B. has been in the hospital for a week - report is that he is now some better, but still a sick puppy. Kathee Mc. had a melanoma removed from her tummy last Thursday - hope she is feeling OK.
I'm glad to be the least on that list :)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Memorial Day 2009
THE OPEN SPACE
>MEMORIAL GARDENS
When we got home, there was a party going on across the river. Were they Boy Scouts? Cousins? YMCA? We don't know - but what we do know is that there will be many parties across from our house this summer - mostly on weekends, and some much rowdier than this! We're just lucky enough to have a sandy bank and a swimming hole. Bring on Summer :)
Bessie is looking forward to another season of greeting passing paddlers.
>MEMORIAL GARDENS
When we got home, there was a party going on across the river. Were they Boy Scouts? Cousins? YMCA? We don't know - but what we do know is that there will be many parties across from our house this summer - mostly on weekends, and some much rowdier than this! We're just lucky enough to have a sandy bank and a swimming hole. Bring on Summer :)
Bessie is looking forward to another season of greeting passing paddlers.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
FanTabulous
Fantastic, terrific, wonderful, perfect, incredible, amazing, astonishing - gee - we had a really peachy day! The weather couldn't have been better - blue skies, sunshine, 70s, blossoming trees at every turn - wow. Dick printed out some cache descriptions, and we set off for Charlevoix.
What a lovely town Charlevoix is - the scenery is spectacular. The downtown was filled with happy tourists, and the shops were charming and inviting. Lake Charlevoix is just as pretty as the bay, and there were sailboats with white sails setting off the deep blue of the lake.
We did cache maintenance at Greensky Hill - what a magical place that is. The native American traditions are fascinating.
We really enjoyed driving around the whole Charlevoix area, and we found six or seven caches. That was the frosting on the cake.
What a lovely town Charlevoix is - the scenery is spectacular. The downtown was filled with happy tourists, and the shops were charming and inviting. Lake Charlevoix is just as pretty as the bay, and there were sailboats with white sails setting off the deep blue of the lake.
We did cache maintenance at Greensky Hill - what a magical place that is. The native American traditions are fascinating.
We really enjoyed driving around the whole Charlevoix area, and we found six or seven caches. That was the frosting on the cake.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Thursday in May
The point of my blog today is to write it in the style of ex-Senator Bob Graham's daily journals. (D-FL) This man writes down everything he does every day - in minute detail. He practically jots down "breathe in - breathe out". He makes note of what he's wearing, what newspaper he reads, what he has for breakfast, and on and on. I think it must be a variety of OCD.
1.Round's - we had an early breakfast at Round's because for my ultrasound I am to have nothing by mouth after 9 a.m. I had pancakes, Dick had scrambled eggs and sausage.
2. MCHC - off to the gym - it was a good day - talked to Carol, Alice, Kay and Noreen . Dick wore his "Bank of Dad" shirt. No gym on Monday because of the holiday.
3. Skegemog Gardens - found some excellent geraniums for Mom and Dad. It's nice when you can find exactly what you want. These geraniums are large, and loaded with bright red blooms. Happy Decoration Day.
4. Oakwood - Dick planted the geraniums in the two pots by Mom and Dad. It looks terrific in my humble opinion.
5. Back home - read the snail mail, read the email, watch TV, made some comments on Facebook, snooze
6. Back to MCHC - this time we go to the other entrance for my ultrasound. This is the nicest, most relaxing, most non-invasive medical test that here is. They do, however, exert the most pressure in the wrong places.
7. Back to Oakwood - Dick sprinkled ant killer around the headstone. We noticed earlier that the ants are everywhere there.
8. Burritt's - We picked up some scallops and trout for dinner in our ever expanding quest for a low-fat diet.
9. Mary's Kitchen Port - bought a grill pan for cooking the scallops and the trout. The previous grill pan had done its duty long enough.
10. Back home
1.Round's - we had an early breakfast at Round's because for my ultrasound I am to have nothing by mouth after 9 a.m. I had pancakes, Dick had scrambled eggs and sausage.
2. MCHC - off to the gym - it was a good day - talked to Carol, Alice, Kay and Noreen . Dick wore his "Bank of Dad" shirt. No gym on Monday because of the holiday.
3. Skegemog Gardens - found some excellent geraniums for Mom and Dad. It's nice when you can find exactly what you want. These geraniums are large, and loaded with bright red blooms. Happy Decoration Day.
4. Oakwood - Dick planted the geraniums in the two pots by Mom and Dad. It looks terrific in my humble opinion.
5. Back home - read the snail mail, read the email, watch TV, made some comments on Facebook, snooze
6. Back to MCHC - this time we go to the other entrance for my ultrasound. This is the nicest, most relaxing, most non-invasive medical test that here is. They do, however, exert the most pressure in the wrong places.
7. Back to Oakwood - Dick sprinkled ant killer around the headstone. We noticed earlier that the ants are everywhere there.
8. Burritt's - We picked up some scallops and trout for dinner in our ever expanding quest for a low-fat diet.
9. Mary's Kitchen Port - bought a grill pan for cooking the scallops and the trout. The previous grill pan had done its duty long enough.
10. Back home
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
That Was The Week That Was
A few days ago (May 11) my cousins Ken and Bev from Grand Rapids came to T.C. to visit Fritz and Ruth. Fritz has just recently entered hospice care. We met Ken and Bev at the Omelette Shoppe for breakfast and had a really nice visit for about an hour and a half. They're a very adventurous couple, and it's fun to hear about their adventures from the mountains to the shore and from Alaska to Utah. This summer it sounds like they're planning a midwestern odyssey in their motor home. We enjoyed it a lot and it was fun answering Ken's "This is your Life" questions!
Dick has worked all day on the back porch. He has powerwashed everything - ceiling, walls, and floor - cleaned up the grill and the picnic tables - so now two more tables are ready for me to paint. I'm always amazed at Dick's inner drive to get things done and I'm also constantly amazed at his stamina. He is impressive. He's just a brush cutting, tree felling, chainsawing, leaf blowing, powerwashing, deck painting, window washing kind of guy.
We have the snowblower back from the shop - there were many things wrong with it so it's a really good thing that we took it in. The tractor is now in the shop - while we were dropping it off Dick looked at another new tractor - this one had a front loader. Those things are so expensive! That's why we're hoping the old tractor will be able to last a few more years. As Dylan once said, "It's not like you can have whatever you want."
Two landscapers have come to look at our front porch planting project, and we have picked Traverse Outdoor to do the job. We'll give them a call tomorrow. We haven't heard anything from Brown Lumber since they came to look at our porch railing project. Why is it that some folks just don't get back to you?
The findagrave.com project has been fun and interesting to do. We took two days and took pictures of headstones to put on that website. We found lots of Van Pelts in the Clark (Springfield Twp.) Cemetery, and even more in Kingsley's Evergreen Cemetery.
We want to have our family out for pizza some day soon. We have some baby toys for Drew to look at - we won't be needing them anymore. Plus we have a small job for Adam and Chris to do for us. (Young bucks with young backs!) We haven't decided when to do that = have to find a time that's good for everybody! What we'd really like to do is have those guys out here more often - at least once a month - just for fun.
Dick has worked all day on the back porch. He has powerwashed everything - ceiling, walls, and floor - cleaned up the grill and the picnic tables - so now two more tables are ready for me to paint. I'm always amazed at Dick's inner drive to get things done and I'm also constantly amazed at his stamina. He is impressive. He's just a brush cutting, tree felling, chainsawing, leaf blowing, powerwashing, deck painting, window washing kind of guy.
We have the snowblower back from the shop - there were many things wrong with it so it's a really good thing that we took it in. The tractor is now in the shop - while we were dropping it off Dick looked at another new tractor - this one had a front loader. Those things are so expensive! That's why we're hoping the old tractor will be able to last a few more years. As Dylan once said, "It's not like you can have whatever you want."
Two landscapers have come to look at our front porch planting project, and we have picked Traverse Outdoor to do the job. We'll give them a call tomorrow. We haven't heard anything from Brown Lumber since they came to look at our porch railing project. Why is it that some folks just don't get back to you?
The findagrave.com project has been fun and interesting to do. We took two days and took pictures of headstones to put on that website. We found lots of Van Pelts in the Clark (Springfield Twp.) Cemetery, and even more in Kingsley's Evergreen Cemetery.
We want to have our family out for pizza some day soon. We have some baby toys for Drew to look at - we won't be needing them anymore. Plus we have a small job for Adam and Chris to do for us. (Young bucks with young backs!) We haven't decided when to do that = have to find a time that's good for everybody! What we'd really like to do is have those guys out here more often - at least once a month - just for fun.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Doggone It
Been sick all weekend, night and day - it's the old gall bladder stuff again.
I'll go see Dr. B. next week and agree to the surgery.
He was right again.
(World's best Dr.)
Doggone it.
I'll go see Dr. B. next week and agree to the surgery.
He was right again.
(World's best Dr.)
Doggone it.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
"Find a Grave"
Today I was inspired to fix up some entries on the Find a Grave website. I've already done Mom and Dad, so today I did the Memorial Gardens side of the family. If Find a Grave seems gruesome to you, it's really fun to work on, and it could be important someday to some future genealogist :)
I did info for Gen and Harold, Frank and Pearl, Lue and Rookie, and Donald. If you see anything that's wrong or doesn't belong there let me know and it can be changed easily.
I did info for Gen and Harold, Frank and Pearl, Lue and Rookie, and Donald. If you see anything that's wrong or doesn't belong there let me know and it can be changed easily.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day 2009
The kids sent flowers - very thoughtful - and the flowers are lovely.
We had a reservation for brunch at Schelde's - and that was lovely too. Everything was great, except there was no chocolate anywhere to be seen! Nice Danish, but no chocolate - Poor Richard. Linda from Concord Place was there - it was interesting to hear her latest news of that.
Then we set out to do some geocaching. First on the agenda was placing a new cache that Dick made. We placed it in an interesting little cemetery in Milton Township. I think that it will be a popular hide - people will like it, I'm sure.
There were 5 caches on our to-do list, and we found them all, and then we found one that wasn't even on the list! The greatest hide was the little birdhouse - such fun - and it really keeps the cache container clean!
Here are Dick's logs from the two most memorable caches!
Now the ham is in the oven and we're feeling very mellow. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. A perfect Mother's Day: .
We had a reservation for brunch at Schelde's - and that was lovely too. Everything was great, except there was no chocolate anywhere to be seen! Nice Danish, but no chocolate - Poor Richard. Linda from Concord Place was there - it was interesting to hear her latest news of that.
Then we set out to do some geocaching. First on the agenda was placing a new cache that Dick made. We placed it in an interesting little cemetery in Milton Township. I think that it will be a popular hide - people will like it, I'm sure.
There were 5 caches on our to-do list, and we found them all, and then we found one that wasn't even on the list! The greatest hide was the little birdhouse - such fun - and it really keeps the cache container clean!
Here are Dick's logs from the two most memorable caches!
Found it 5/10/2009 You found For the Birds (Traditional Cache)
Happy Mothers Day!
The day started off overcast and chilly but an excellent brunch followed by some caching caused the temps to rise and the sun to come out. We chose this day to place a cache we had been planning at Milton Township Cemetery and to grab a few while in the vicinity.
This is a very well conceived cache! Kudos! When someone puts extra time and effort into the conception and construction of a cache such as was done in this instance, we are inspired to do likewise. We traded sigs and drove on. Thanks for your effort and the fun you provided us.
5/10/2009 You found Into The Woods (Traditional Cache)
Happy Mothers Day!
We have a long history with this rest area. 52 years ago this June we got this far outside TC on our honeymoon when the stress of the day got to the bride and we had to make an emergency stop to allow her to disgorge the reception lunch. With that accomplished, we got on with the trip through Ontario, got on with our lives and careers, and although there are still times when I make her sick, we manage a chuckle each time we drive past here.
The GPS reception seemed iffy back there, the Garmin was pointing to a spot about 45 feet further into the woods. Thanks to the hint, we signed the log and picked up the coin about 1:30. Thanks for the memories.
Now the ham is in the oven and we're feeling very mellow. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. A perfect Mother's Day: .
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Rainy Saturday
This day began as a dark, rainy day with a penetrating chill. Dick started a nice fire in the fireplace which helped to warm things up and eliminate the humidity.
The thing that really turned the day around for us was a visit from Donna (cachetogo). Her husband Dick A. came to Traverse for a wood turning workshop, and she came to see us! It was a very pleasant visit - coffee, tea and conversation sitting by the comfy fire. Dick A. only has one round of chemo left and it sounds like he feels fine and is keeping busy. I guess he's well down the road to recovery! Hooray! Their daughter and grandson are living with them now, and it seems that everybody is getting along just fine. Dick's elderly parents live nearby, and Dick and Donna and their daughter are really looking out for them. Nice people!
The only other thing that we did after that was the grocery store and a great ride around town.
The thing that really turned the day around for us was a visit from Donna (cachetogo). Her husband Dick A. came to Traverse for a wood turning workshop, and she came to see us! It was a very pleasant visit - coffee, tea and conversation sitting by the comfy fire. Dick A. only has one round of chemo left and it sounds like he feels fine and is keeping busy. I guess he's well down the road to recovery! Hooray! Their daughter and grandson are living with them now, and it seems that everybody is getting along just fine. Dick's elderly parents live nearby, and Dick and Donna and their daughter are really looking out for them. Nice people!
The only other thing that we did after that was the grocery store and a great ride around town.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Cinema and Caterpillars
Tom and Mary are back home from Florida, and it didn't take Mary and I long to plan lunch and a movie !
We did lunch at the Olive Garden - love that soup and salad thing that they do. We went to see Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - it's possible that we're too old for that movie. It was basically about casual sex - very casual - I mean this guy didn't even need to find out anybody's name! So the beginning was a bit too much for us, but it did have a kind of a sweet ending - he ends up with his childhood sweetheart. But I'm thinking - why would she still want him after he's been through all that?
In the previews, "The Proposal" looks like a cute one - it comes out June 15th. "Angels and Demons" is coming out soon and I want to see that one, but I think I'll have to go by myself. I might go see "Up", too. so I can talk to Dylan about it :)
Dick and I had fun when I got home. Dick grabbed the blowtorch and I drove him around all the paths in the golf cart, and he zapped the tent caterpillar nests. Some of them were way out of reach, but he got many, many of them. It was very, very satisfying! We did start one fire but a couple shovelsful of dirt extinguished it.
We did lunch at the Olive Garden - love that soup and salad thing that they do. We went to see Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - it's possible that we're too old for that movie. It was basically about casual sex - very casual - I mean this guy didn't even need to find out anybody's name! So the beginning was a bit too much for us, but it did have a kind of a sweet ending - he ends up with his childhood sweetheart. But I'm thinking - why would she still want him after he's been through all that?
In the previews, "The Proposal" looks like a cute one - it comes out June 15th. "Angels and Demons" is coming out soon and I want to see that one, but I think I'll have to go by myself. I might go see "Up", too. so I can talk to Dylan about it :)
Dick and I had fun when I got home. Dick grabbed the blowtorch and I drove him around all the paths in the golf cart, and he zapped the tent caterpillar nests. Some of them were way out of reach, but he got many, many of them. It was very, very satisfying! We did start one fire but a couple shovelsful of dirt extinguished it.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Time Warp
EVENTS
1. April 26 was the date of the AuSauble Expo Geocaching event in Grayling. We got there early and had a chance to talk to lots of people - some more talkative than others! (inside joke) Tim and Susie, Jerry and Lydia were at our table and provided the really enjoyable conversations! Dennis and Josh were nice enough to demo the new Oregon Garmin for us. Everything these days looks like an iPhone to me. We met some new cachers from T.C . We never went to the Expo part. Somebody had collapsed over there and an ambulance was arriving so it seemed like a good time to leave.
2.On May 3rd I went to Melanie's baby shower. She looks wonderful - the baby is due in July. It was great fun to see everybody. I sat at the Hardy family table - Barb, Shelly, Evie, etc. - we missed Sharon and Melissa. The games were fun - baby gift bingo and scrapbook pages! The food was spectacular and the buffet table was very attractive. Melanie got stacks and piles of presents. Little Izzy will be the best dressed baby in town - at least for the first 6 months! I enjoyed the whole thing.
YARD WORK
Dick has power washed every wooden surface - it took about 3 days, and he's really feeling it in his hands and right shoulder. He's always eager to do it, and I think that he secretly likes having a project to do outdoors in this nice weather! Next he painted the decks all the way down to the river - that took another couple of days. The deck looks terrific.
He has also cut down trees and hauled load after load of brush down to the brush pile. The snowblower has been taken to the shop for repair, fine tuning, and summerizing. The leaves have all been blown out of the perennial garden and we're planning to use compost for mulch in there. It's fun to watch the perennials poke their heads up into the sunshine.
Yesterday, while I was prepping picnic tables for painting, he slipped into his waders, went into the river and started up the sprinkler system for the coming season.
PROJECTS
1. The tractor project - the tractor that Dick uses for general yard maintenence has bad hydraulics - he says the hydraulics are frozen and he can't raise or lower the hitch, among other things. We looked at a bunch of new tractors, but they cost more than we paid for our first house. Now we're looking at having it repaired and using it for another couple of years.
2. The recliner project - in 1991 we bought 2 swivel recliners for each other as a retirement present. Now we're ready to replace them with a newer model. Waiting for Riverside Resale to come out and look them over and hopefully take them and sell them for us. Actually, I'd be happy if they just carry them out and load them up!
3. The shed project - One thing leads to another. Now that I have a golf cart, I have to have a place to park it. We've found a shed that we really like, and Dick has staked out a spot for it by the turn-around. It has been ordered, but it hasn't been built - and we're waiting for the builder to come out and check the staked-out spot to see if he can place the shed there with his truck and trailer. If all goes well we should have a shed by the end of June.
4. The landscaping project - We've had a couple of landscapers come and look at the front of the house. Our bushes are all overgrown and need to be replaced. We've already seen a plan from one of the landscapers and it looks great. We're past the point of digging out the bushes, transplanting them and then planting the new stuff. Now we look at it as creating jobs! We're so patriotic!
5. The plastic railing project - The railings on the upper deck and the front porch need to be freshened up. Rather than sanding and painting we're thinking of replacing them with the white plastic or vinyl stuff that looks so nice and is very low maintenance. Brown Lumber is coming out tomorrow to check it out.
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Sometimes we wonder how we ever managed to do all of these household maintenance projects when we had three kids, a dog, two cats, and two full time jobs. Right now we have just about as much as we would want to handle!
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Trivia - Jon and Kate plus 8 - does anybody else think that she treats him badly, badly, badly? She is not loving towards him even in front of the cameras. Poor guy has to take her bad mouth every day. She criticizes him, corrects him, makes fun of him repeatedly. What do you think?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Clean Up, Fix up, Paint up
This is the time of year that you look around your home and notice all of the things everywhere that are a little bit down at heel. We have a long, long list of things both inside and outside of the house that need some attention.
There's a wobbly ceiling fan, new mini-blinds to put up, a pot rack for the kitchen, a room that badly needs painting, not to mention landscaping - the bushes across the front of the house need to be dug out and replaced, plus we need a shed for the golf cart. Whew! We also are ready to replace my broken recliner, and one of Dick's tractors.
Well....after giving it some thought we realized that we really can't take the road trip to Shreveport that we've been planning. We can save some shekels by staying home and just taking care of our place.
We wanted to take the Shreveport trip to pick up caches in more states, but we can probably go next fall or next spring.
There's a wobbly ceiling fan, new mini-blinds to put up, a pot rack for the kitchen, a room that badly needs painting, not to mention landscaping - the bushes across the front of the house need to be dug out and replaced, plus we need a shed for the golf cart. Whew! We also are ready to replace my broken recliner, and one of Dick's tractors.
Well....after giving it some thought we realized that we really can't take the road trip to Shreveport that we've been planning. We can save some shekels by staying home and just taking care of our place.
We wanted to take the Shreveport trip to pick up caches in more states, but we can probably go next fall or next spring.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Barb Bonanza
What a bonanza! Barb came out Sunday to deliver our Thin Mints from Kalamazoo! It doesn't get much better than that. Plus - the cookies were a gift - yay! Thank you Melissa. Thanks also to Autumn and Brooke without whom Melissa wouldn't be in the Girl Scout cookie business!
We had a great time visiting with Barb - caught up on a lot of her growing family's doings. Of course we're not the least bit jealous that soon she will have four (4) grandchidren (Autumn, Brooke, Drew and Isabelle) of her own, plus Lydia and Madelyn. It was wonderful having Barb here looking so good and so healthy.
Dick has been working on the yard. So far he has done thatching, fertilizing, heavy chainsaw pruning, and hauling brush. The yard looks quite good for this early in the Spring. It's almost time to turn on the sprinklers.
I went for my annual eye exam this morning - everything is looking good. They put in the dilating drops so I'm trying to avoid bright sunlight. They used to hand out huge plastic sunglasses for eye protection, but I guess they're cutting back or something! I'm glad that the brightness on the computer monitor can be adjusted.
We had a great time visiting with Barb - caught up on a lot of her growing family's doings. Of course we're not the least bit jealous that soon she will have four (4) grandchidren (Autumn, Brooke, Drew and Isabelle) of her own, plus Lydia and Madelyn. It was wonderful having Barb here looking so good and so healthy.
Dick has been working on the yard. So far he has done thatching, fertilizing, heavy chainsaw pruning, and hauling brush. The yard looks quite good for this early in the Spring. It's almost time to turn on the sprinklers.
I went for my annual eye exam this morning - everything is looking good. They put in the dilating drops so I'm trying to avoid bright sunlight. They used to hand out huge plastic sunglasses for eye protection, but I guess they're cutting back or something! I'm glad that the brightness on the computer monitor can be adjusted.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday Caching
Tim and Susie wanted to do some T.C. caching. We met them at the Omelette Shoppe for the usual excellent breakfast, and then we were off to the races. After living here forever and taking pleasure drives all of the time, we still discovered a place we've never been to before. This view is from the subdivision above Copper Ridge - somebody put a cache there to bring people up there to enjoy the view. We'll definitely come back here in the summer for some scenic viewing! 
We did a couple of urban caches, but that gets old really fast, so we headed west of town to the Lake Dubonnet area and tried some backwoods trails. Off to the two tracks, where it is still snowy here and there, and where the roads can still be a bit icy.
Three caches were found around Lake Dubonnet, and then cooler heads prevailed and we left the two track for roads that are not "seasonal".
Tim in the deep, dark woods.
It was fun driving around the back roads of Long Lake even though this is not the prettiest time of the year for scenery. The most fun of the day though came when we were back out on US 31 (superhighway!). There was a cache in a small roadside cemetery that blew us away. We had trouble figuring it out when we first stopped. But after carefully reading the description and the past logs, we were successful on the second try. This cache container is made to look like a tombstone, and it's a large tombstone size. It's nestled in the bushes, away from other grave sites, so it's entirely respectful of the surroundings. It's hard to describe adequately, so Dick took a couple of pictures of it. It took a remarkable amount of time and effort to place this cache!
Then, all of a sudden, inexplicably, the driver decided that we needed to make a stop at Moomer's! The back seat passengers allowed as how that was a good idea, so that's how we ended our 8 cache caching day adventure.
Thanks, Tim and Susie for a really enjoyable day!
We did a couple of urban caches, but that gets old really fast, so we headed west of town to the Lake Dubonnet area and tried some backwoods trails. Off to the two tracks, where it is still snowy here and there, and where the roads can still be a bit icy.
Three caches were found around Lake Dubonnet, and then cooler heads prevailed and we left the two track for roads that are not "seasonal".
Tim in the deep, dark woods.
It was fun driving around the back roads of Long Lake even though this is not the prettiest time of the year for scenery. The most fun of the day though came when we were back out on US 31 (superhighway!). There was a cache in a small roadside cemetery that blew us away. We had trouble figuring it out when we first stopped. But after carefully reading the description and the past logs, we were successful on the second try. This cache container is made to look like a tombstone, and it's a large tombstone size. It's nestled in the bushes, away from other grave sites, so it's entirely respectful of the surroundings. It's hard to describe adequately, so Dick took a couple of pictures of it. It took a remarkable amount of time and effort to place this cache!
Then, all of a sudden, inexplicably, the driver decided that we needed to make a stop at Moomer's! The back seat passengers allowed as how that was a good idea, so that's how we ended our 8 cache caching day adventure.
Thanks, Tim and Susie for a really enjoyable day!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Feeling Fortunate
This is a perfect day for feeling very, very fortunate. First of all, the temperature reached 60 degrees. the sun is shining brightly, the sky is bluer than blue, the birds are singing, crocuses and some daffodils are blooming, the bay is deep, deep blue, and people are walking around town in shorts.
We did some great errands today. Well, OK, going to the dump is not that great.
We were driving Marco, and it's been sitting all winter without going anywhere. We really only use it to haul the boat or when we have a scheduling conflict. Dick noticed that it was due to go to Jiffy Lube last June (2008)! So we took it to Jiffy Lube - once a year should do it! Actually, we're kind of thinking of selling the pontoon boat and then selling Marco and getting a smaller more gas efficient car for geocaching and pulling the utility trailer. Do you know anybody who needs a 1989 pontoon boat and trailer? Or a 2001 Ford Explorer with a great towing package?
Both the Area Agency on Aging and the Commission on Aging were stops for us. Dick is gathering information on Senior Independent Living for his friend Pat, who wants to move into Senior Living in Benzie County or this area.
We went to Penney's to order new mini-blinds for the bedroom and (how fortunate is this) it seems that Bali is now having a 70 percent off sale! So we ordered the blinds and got a terrific deal. It's nice for a change to have good timing.
The best errand of all (Ta Da!) was going to the bank. (Drumroll) We PAID OFF OUR MORTGAGE!!! Woo Woo !! I feel fantastic about that, in case you can't tell. With the economy the way it is, and things feeling a bit uncertain, it feels super to own the house outright.
So Whoop-de-doo, and just so you'll be aware...I'm feeling fortunate.
We did some great errands today. Well, OK, going to the dump is not that great.
We were driving Marco, and it's been sitting all winter without going anywhere. We really only use it to haul the boat or when we have a scheduling conflict. Dick noticed that it was due to go to Jiffy Lube last June (2008)! So we took it to Jiffy Lube - once a year should do it! Actually, we're kind of thinking of selling the pontoon boat and then selling Marco and getting a smaller more gas efficient car for geocaching and pulling the utility trailer. Do you know anybody who needs a 1989 pontoon boat and trailer? Or a 2001 Ford Explorer with a great towing package?
Both the Area Agency on Aging and the Commission on Aging were stops for us. Dick is gathering information on Senior Independent Living for his friend Pat, who wants to move into Senior Living in Benzie County or this area.
We went to Penney's to order new mini-blinds for the bedroom and (how fortunate is this) it seems that Bali is now having a 70 percent off sale! So we ordered the blinds and got a terrific deal. It's nice for a change to have good timing.
The best errand of all (Ta Da!) was going to the bank. (Drumroll) We PAID OFF OUR MORTGAGE!!! Woo Woo !! I feel fantastic about that, in case you can't tell. With the economy the way it is, and things feeling a bit uncertain, it feels super to own the house outright.
So Whoop-de-doo, and just so you'll be aware...I'm feeling fortunate.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Babes in the Woods
Yesterday we had quite an adventure. Dick is such a good story teller, I'm glad to share his report - so here's what happened to us yesterday!
On our way home from our Amish excursion a couple of weeks ago; we drove through Lake City and then on to Manton along M42. This route took us past a cache we have placed called “The Armillary”. It's located along the side of the road at the site that once held the Sherman School. The school is long gone but the land is still in the hands of the Sherman family. In the ‘60’s, Vernon Sherman placed there a collection of “stuff”, all mounted on concrete platforms. Among other things, there is an old printing press, a rail-mounted reciprocal saw, an armillary, and a large (five foot tall) pink rock that he dubbed the Sherman Stone. He even went so far as to have two brass plaques made which contain his poem titled “The Sherman Stone”.
>Let Sherman’s stone stand for a breed of men I knew of late.
For logs and land unsubsidized, for “ciphering” on a slate.
Their gold and silver passed at face, their politicians knew their place.
Their mail, “Big Brother” never dared to read, nor tapped their phone.
Until we break our “horse” of state, they’re better men I vow.
They taught their kids in one room school,
“Democracy means the people rule”.
We found the collection to be interesting and developed a puzzle cache that requires a close inspection of the various items to answer questions that would lead to the cache coordinates.
On our recent visit, we found that the area is not being cared for and that rust and overgrowth has rendered the finding of the clues to be more problematical than we wished. We decided to archive the cache and replace the old offset container with a magnetic container attached to a piece of the equipment. We thought to retrieve the old container but discovered that the road to it is a seasonal road and is not plowed.
Over the next weeks, we found a suitable container, attached magnets to it and painted it matte black. Equipped with a logbook and a couple of trinkets, we set it aside to be placed on our next visit.
Saturday morning we worked at a few domestic tasks, while one of us supervised the Roomba and did some housekeeping, the other one wielded the chainsaw clearing up some downed branches and trees that the winter storms had provided. The day was warming nicely and the sun was inviting and we discussed going for a ride when the phone rang. It was the world's greatest Grandson offering us an opportunity to join him and his mother and uncle on a quest in the online game World of Warcraft. These chances do not present themselves every day and so we spent an hour or so sitting side by side at the computers asking, “What should I be doing?” ‘I don’t know, I’m just following Dylan.” “Should I be the healer?” “I don’t know, ask Dylan”.
Our grandson has this problem with us. Is it logical that two schoolteachers could be less knowledgeable than a fifth grader? In his words, “That makes no commonsense whatsoever”. When we profess ignorance, he is sure that once again, someone is pulling his leg. When his grandfather indicates that he doesn’t get it, he gets this look of bemusement and says, “What do you mean, you don’t understand?” At times his response to his grandmother’s question has been, “Weren’t you paying attention Grandma?” We do the best we can but it is evident that at times, in some areas, we are not as knowledgeable as that fifth grader.
At any rate, the five of us helped him finish the first quest but without Jana we were not a strong enough group to kill the big boss and get him the other achievement he desired. Our gaming activity was complete before 2:30 and since the day was so nice we decided to go for a ride. What better goal than to redo the Armillary cache.
Thus the adventure began.
The drive south was uneventful. We considered a detour back to the Walton Junction cemetery to check our cache there but a quick look at the seasonal roads dissuaded us. (Foreshadowing!) We arrived at the Sherman School site and quickly placed the new container. Then it was a short side trip east on Walker Road to retrieve the old container.
The extension past Green Road was still covered with snow. Both the right and left hand sides of the road were clear but in many places there were trees growing right up to the edge of the road. There were tracks along the side where someone had driven out but it looked like they were winter treads, maybe a 4x4 pick up. It is only a short, less than a quarter mile walk, so we parked at the intersection. Then the old phrase “We get too soon old and too late smart” kicked in. What the heck, this thing (our RAV4) has 4x4. (Although we’ve never used it and we don’t have tires with an aggressive tread.) The book says just push this button. And so, like a couple of kids 55 years our junior; we pushed the button and headed down the snow covered road. (Actually, the driver pushed the button although the decision was a joint effort.)
All went well for the first couple of hundred yards. Although the snow was getting deeper, the vehicle and its four-wheel drive performed excellently. But then, all of a sudden, the right hand side of the car broke through the crust and we bogged down. Although forward progress was halted, we could back up. Could we back all the way out? That didn’t look like the best plan. Maybe, if we can go forward just another 50 – 60 feet or so to that clearing, we can turn around. We (OK, I) blasted forward for about 20 feet and bogged down again. Shifting into reverse we were able to back up about 2 inches, driving forward regained the same. Back two inches, forward two inches, Getting out and looking around revealed that all four wheels had broken through the crust and the snow was deeper than the ground clearance. We were totally bottomed out. We had zero traction. While considering the situation, a short walk retrieved the container we had come down here for so that goal was accomplished. A thorough analysis of our situation yielded only one solution.
Oh well, that’s why I have AAA towing. We just call the 800 number and they will send someone right out. Dialing their number on our cell phone revealed - - - NO SIGNAL! Try roaming, NO SIGNAL!!!
Well, one of us has to hike out to find a house where they have a phone they will let us use, and since only one of us is very mobile, and since chauvinism lives in children of the 50’s, off I went.
The first place, about a half-mile up the road past the intersection had a heavy duty gate chained shut and no signs of occupation. The next, a quarter mile further on had two dogs that obviously objected to my presence. The old poochy-coo talk and the hand held out palm down worked and the most curious/aggressive one gave me a thorough sniffing and allowed me to proceed. The other one, a tripod, (I learned he was shot the opening day of hunting season a couple of years ago.) continued his barking but did not come closer.
I walked up to the back porch and saw a sign that proclaimed NO SMOKING. I rang the doorbell and soon a young woman, mid 20’s to mid 30’s, smoking a cigarette, answered it. I told her my tale of woe and asked if I could use the phone, she flung the door open and led me into the kitchen and the telephone. (Folks are friendlier here, and of course Nancy points out that I was wearing my jacket that says Grandpa on it..)
In the course of the next 15 minutes or so, she; called her brother who lives just down the road and has a tractor to see if he would pull me out, (He declined due to liability issues.) offered me a Coke or something, revealed that her name is Tanya, that she was home alone, that the house belongs to her parents, that the kids were at her niece’s coloring eggs and that she would call John's, the towing place for me and tell them where I was because she used to work there. My call to AAA went well and after what seemed to be a rather lengthy hold, the nice lady said the tow driver knew the area and if I would wait at the intersection, (Tanya said it is called “Dead Man’s Curve.) he would be there by 6:05. However, the lady continued, they did not do snow removal and sometimes they will refuse to enter unplowed roads. Furthermore, my policy only covered normal towing and if more than one wrecker is needed or if additional equipment is required, I would be liable for additional charges. It was then about 5:15. Tanya insisted on giving me a ride back to the intersection. As we got in the car, a large, heavyset dog tried to get in with us. Tanya told me that she didn’t recognize it and did not know to whom it belonged. For whatever reason, it adopted us, followed Tonya’s car and stayed with us the rest of the time we were there.
I walked down the snowy road to report the situation to Nancy and then, accompanied by my new best friend, went back to the intersection and waited. And waited, and waited. Many thoughts went through my head, like if they won’t come down to pull us out, do we leave the car there ‘till the snow melts? Would National deliver a car out here?
Fatigue was setting in I had been walking/standing for nearly two hours, I walked back to consult and look at the car again. I noticed that the wheels seemed to be more firmly on the ground but were cocked to the left, I got in and started it up and had Nancy guide me from outside the car until the wheels were straight. I then tried to back up. It went back a foot. I put it in drive and crept forward maybe 2 feet. Back about 4, forward about 5. Then, after backing as far as I could, I gunned it and aimed for the shoulder. The car broke out of the snow pack and onto the edge of the woods. What appears to have happened was that during the two-hour wait, the heat and weight of the vehicle caused the snow to compact giving the tires more traction.
With the co-pilot guiding front and rear, we got turned around and then with everyone back on board, drove victoriously back out to terra firma. We were back on a road but still without a signal.
With a whoop and a holler and triple high fives, accompanied down the road by our new mascot, we drove back to Tonya’s and asked her to call John's Towing and tell him he wasn’t needed. Smiles of relief and joy filled the RAV all the way home. Chalk up another successful adventure for Basswood Bend! I only wish that Tom had been there to see that it is not just his car we take chances with.
I am reminded that when we bought a Jeep back in the 60’s, I wanted to have a winch mounted on the front. Nancy refused, because, “If you have it, you’ll want to use it.” I know that the wise adult action is to always shy away from deep snow or sand as we cruise our northern Michigan two tracks but I don’t think we can. From now on I think I’ll make sure to carry the satchel I have that is packed with the trenching tool, tow straps and come-along just in case.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
State Wins!
MSU will be playing in the National Championship game next Monday! UConn played hard, but State really dominated the rebounds, the points from the bench, and the physicality. They did themselves proud.
The thing that I like the best is that it's such a terrific morale booster for the entire state of Michigan. They'll play for the championship in Detroit on a floor made from western upper peninsula wood. It kind of feels like a weekend in honor of the whole state. Couldn't come at a better time. Thanks MSU.
The thing that I like the best is that it's such a terrific morale booster for the entire state of Michigan. They'll play for the championship in Detroit on a floor made from western upper peninsula wood. It kind of feels like a weekend in honor of the whole state. Couldn't come at a better time. Thanks MSU.
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