Thursday April 30, 2009

Back to normal means no alarm, and that is the way it was this morning. I got up at 0600 and performed my normal morning routine. My plan today was to get the oil changed on my Aztek. It is about 1500 miles overdue. I was heading for the Pontiac garage, when about 0.5 miles from my destination, I hear a noise. The Azek was pulling to the left. I thought I had a flat tire but did not look until I got to the garage (not recommended). Flat is flat. I leave the Aztek at the garage and walk to the MAC, a distance of about 1.5 miles. After the MAC I walked over to the bank to see if I had enough money to pay for the new tire and oil change. I did. On my walk back to the garage it started to rain hard. I had my raincoat but got soaked anyway. Luckily I had a short wait at the garage. I got some coffee at the Kava House.

At home I picked up Nancy and we head for Costco to get pictures developed of her trip to LB, Ca. I filled her car up, $1.98 per gallon. We had lunch at Costco. I had 1.5 hot dogs and Nancy had 0.5. We also stopped by Lowes to see if the wood mulch I priced yesterday was the type Nancy wanted. It was. I drove Nancy to Meijer's Garden so she could complete some volunteer paperwork.

It continues to rain so I took a short nap. Isn't retirement great?

Tonight we are going to Great Lakes Shipping for dinner. I will spend the rest of the evening reading the DFP and GRP.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. GG cleared leaves all day. Sister, a cousin (2nd), is coming down with the measles. David, also a 2nd cousin, is a little better. Uncle Guy cut 5 bu of wood and GG put it on the porch.

Wednesday April 29, 2009

The alarm goes off at 0555. Wednesday is my easy day so I have a bowl of oatmeal at Marie Catrib's and then head for the office. At 0800 I must proctor a PCI exam. While monitoring the exam I talk with the boys at the office. It is good to know that they are very busy.

On my way home I stop at Rylee's Hardware to price cypress mulch. It is $3.75 for a 2 cubic foot bag.

HC is going with Nancy to Meijer's Garden. I will pick her up at 2:30 and take her to the airport for her trip back to Tucson.

I renewed a CD today and got only 2%. I renewed for only 11 months. I think interest rates will start to climb soon.

I stopped at Lowe's and their price for a 3 cubic foot bag of mulch is $2.75. While at Lowe's I get a call from HC and she wanted to know if I was to pick her up at 2 or 2:30. I said 2:30 but could tell she was antsy. I head for Meijer's Garden and pick up HC. We got to the airport at 2:30.

Continuing my search for the best price for mulch I stop at Home Depot. Their price is $2.75 for a 2 cubic foot bag. Lowe's win. I bought an electric leaf/grass blower at Home Depot.

I get home and take a 3 mile walk. My first walk in about 10 days. Nancy and I changed the bed linen on 2 beds. We are now back to normal.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. Friday mild. Raking leaves at Dick Schultz in morning. Dick spreads manure. GG continues to rake between showers. GG worked in post office in afternoon.

Tuesday April 28, 2009

The alarm goes off at 0555. After a short exercise routine (50%), HC and I head for Rosebush Manor and a memorial service for cousin Peg. The memorial service was dignified. I am sure that cousin Peg would have approved. HC and I stayed for lunch at the Rosebush Manor. We also packed Peg's clothes, dishes and other small items. We will give these items to the Salvation Army.

After lunch we headed for the old Holiday Inn and placed a reservation for the day of the memorial service on Friday May 23. The memorial service will be held at the Alma Riverside Cemetery. It will start at 1100.

We also stopped by the Morning Sun office to get 10 copies of today's newspaper. The paper had Peg's obituary.

When we got home I delivered the items to the Salvation Army. Our grass is really long so I got out the mower and began the first cutting of the year. I did stop for dinner with Nancy and HC. After dinner I finished cutting the grass.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. Thursday mild and windy. Missionary meeting GG drove Ms Tolan. GG drove to Alpena for chicken feed. They bought 200# scratch and 25# loning mash.

Monday April 27, 2009

Alarm goes off at 0555. Tasha and Ms P get up and immediately head for Cleveland. Today I have to go to the hospital lab to get some blood drawn for my annual physical. My exercise routine is only 50% of normal. After the lab work I load HC into the Aztek and head for Rosebush to meet with Ruth the administrator at Rosebush Manor. We had lunch at "The Diner" on Mission Road. I had corn beef hash with eggs. It was great.

We stop by Mayflower Moving to arrange packing up cousin's Pegs furniture and moving it to a storage area. We had a 2PM meeting with Peg's attorney. He will help get Peg's estate through the legal system. It did not seem as difficult as I first thought.

We stopped by the nursery to see about new shrubs at the grave site. We also stopped by the flower shop to get some geraniums placed for the Memorial Day weekend. It rained most of the way back to GR.

I was checking my email when I get a call from my old high school friend Tom Cassell. We talked for about 40 minutes. It is always good to talk to Tom.

This evening I intend to watch 24. Tomorrow HC and I have to be at Rosebush Manor for a 1100 Memorial Service.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was warm, 80, clear with high west wind. Hawx are on, Guy and others shot 50 east of Devil's River. (Just a note. Uncle Guy loved to shoot crows. In 1938 there was a bounty on crows because they were considered a nuisance. I am assuming the Hawx mentioned was a bird like the crow.)

Sunday April 26, 2009

The alarm goes off at 0656. Nancy is going swimming at the MAC and I am going to Alma with HC and Tasha. Prior to leaving I go for a 2 mile run. Around 9 HC, Tasha and I head for Alma. We meet with the funeral director and make arrangements for cousin Peg.

We have lunch at JC's inlaws in Alma. JC and his daughter JFK meet us at the door. JC's mother in law is a great cook. We have chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and strawberry short cake. Now that is a great Sunday meal. We spent some time at Rosebush Manor sorting through some on Peg's papers. In addition to legal papers we brought home some family photos.

We had a light dinner and then watched some TV. Nancy, Tasha and HC are watching TV while I am blogging. Tomorrow HC and I are heading back to Rosebush and Alma. Tasha and Ms P are heading back to Ohio. Nancy has the last of her shots for our upcoming overseas travel.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. Cold in morning and warm in afternoon. GG drove to Wilds. Cousin Glen got a dog. Wilds going to plow first of next week. Drove by Begining and Scotts. Worked in post office in afternoon.

Saturday April 25, 2009

Today started on a sad note. I got to the Mt Pleasant hospital and the nurse informed me that cousin Peg was not responding. I talked to sister, HC, and we agreed, in accordance with Peg's wishes, that mechanical life support efforts be stopped. At 1130 cousin Peg passed. May she rest in peace.

I called HC, Sasha, Tasha and SPS and informed them. She will me missed.

I drove to Rosebush Manor to tell Peg's friend Edna that she had passed. Edna was a good friend and I know she will miss Peg. HC is flying into GR tonight. Tomorrow we drive to Alma to meet with the funeral director to make final arrangements.

It rained all the way home. When I got home Nancy told me that Tasha and Ms P were driving to GR. Tasha will travel with us tomorrow on our trip to Alma.

We had Big Bob Pizza for dinner tonight. Must close now I have to go to the airport to get HC.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. Monday cold, north wind. GG worked in post office in morning. Hazel (GGM) went to Edna Myers funeral. GG burned 3 piles of leaves.

Friday April 24, 2009

I set the alarm so that Nancy and I could get back to our normal morning schedule. I hustled downstairs and got Nancy her coffee. I am still on my 75% schedule. I drove to the MAC and then stopped by the office to help David with a bridge abutment problem.

While at the office I got a call from the hospital saying that cousin Peg kidneys were not responding to treatment. My sister and I had to make a decision about the use of a kidney machine. Cousin Peg had instructions in her will regarding the use of machines. The instructions were very clear and specific. No machines were to be used. The hospital is giving Peg excellent care and she is not in any pain. Everyone is praying for her.

On my way home from Mt Pleasant it was so warm that I had to turn the AC on. Yesterday I had the heater on all the time I was in the car.

Nancy's college friend, KH, called and asked if we wanted join her and HH for dinner. It was a welcome invitation. We had a pleasant dinner at the Bostwick Lake Inn. The food and company were great.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was a cloudy, rainy Sunday. GG and GGM drove to Oscoda for lunch. They attended church in the evening and 10 people were in attendance.

Thursday April 23, 2009

The sun was shining today when I drove to the MAC. I set my alarm because I had to pick Nancy up at the airport. My workout was at 75% of normal so I had time to pick up Nancy. I parked in the cell phone lot at the airport. Nancy called when she had picked up her bag and I met her at the pickup point. No parking or waiting, cell phones can be a useful tool.

It was good to see Nancy after 3 weeks. This is the longest we have been separated in 44 years of marriage. I spotted her waiting outside the terminal and I said wow what a good looking gal.

The temperature tomorrow is suppose to reach the mid 70s. So when we got home I put some screens on the windows.

Cousin Peg is about the same. I talked to several women who are friends and they are all cheering her on. Go Peg go!

When I got home I took our side door screen to the hardware store for repair. Today is the day that the public is allowed to walk through the old OHHS and Elementary. Demolition starts tomorrow. It is a good thing we live close to the school because no parking places were available on any of the surrounding streets. The line to get in extended from the northeast entrance to around the block on Iroquois. Visiting hours were from 5 to 8 PM. They even had the OHHS band playing for the visitors.

Nancy and I had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. It was the first time in a month. SPS called and he had just installed skype. We had a audio and video conversation. I also got to talk to LA.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was a cold and windy day. GG and GGM drove to Alpena and were home by noon. GG worked in post office in the afternoon. Hazel drove to Alpena to bake sale at Hasskous.

Wednesday April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day. Wednesday is my easy day. I did not perform my normal exercise routine. Instead I had breakfast and headed for Mt Pleasant. I got to Mt Pleasant and checked in on cousin Peg. All the monitors indicated that her condition was stable. I waited around to talk to Dr Severe. He stated that all the bleeding had stopped and Peg appeared to be making a slow recovery. She is being kept sedated because they do not want her moving. By keeping her still they are letting the surgical scars heal. I had lunch in the hospital dining area. I had cream chipped beef on toast and chicken dumpling soup. Is this a good meal for a hospital? I liked it.

At noon I head for GR. I have a GRBA meeting at 3 PM. The meeting is over in an hour. I did stop and buy a soft ice cream cone. Since I had not exercised today I decided to go on a 7 mile walk. It took me 2:08 to walk 7 miles. Dinner tonight was frosted mini wheats.

I talked to all three kids and Nancy today. My sister called this evening.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. Cold wind. GG hauled leaves in the morning. In the afternoon he cleaned the chicken coop. He had 3 loads. GG's final entry: Robert Hughes Scott born.

Tuesday April 21, 2009

Today started cold and rainy. It ended cold and rainy. Sasha called and asked about cousin Peg. Sasha said that it was in the 90s in San Fran. It got up to 39 in GR. I drove to the MAC today so I could leave immediately for Mt Pleasant. I took the interstate. It is 40 miles longer. Despite the fact that I think the interstate is faster and safer, I still think the local roads are the best way to travel. It would be a different story if we had winter conditions.

Cousin Peg's condition remains the same. Her limbs are swollen because she is retaining water. Today she is receiving some liquid nourishment. She did not recognize me because she is still sedated. It rained all the way home. I did see several deer.

Tonight I walked over the Olga's Kitchen for dinner. I had the peasant soup and tuna fish sandwich. It was great. I talked to Nancy and SPS tonight. The Long Beach group is doing great.

I also skyped with PMid. We did both video and audio. It worked great.

Today is my cousin Betty's birthday. She is 72 years old. Betty is my Uncle Jim's daughter. Uncle Jim was my dad's brother and another MSU civil engineer.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. Cold east wind. Richard Schurtz helped GG haul manure from cow barn. GG worked in post office in afternoon. Schurtz cut locus, Uncle Guy paid $2 to Alpena S feed. (you figure it out)

Monday April 20, 2009

The cold continues. The temperature was in the 30s this morning. What a difference a day makes, the parking lot at the hospital was full. The surgery waiting room was packed. Cousin Peg is in her recovery period. She is still heavily sedated. The doctor said she survived the surgery and now she is facing a difficult recovery. I am keeping a good thought.

I talked to Nancy and she said that she and LA went swimming today. It was at the Jewish Center. LA was asked if he wanted to go back to day care. He said he would rather stay with grandmother. Good choice.

I drove home. It is exactly 90 miles from the hospital to home. I finished my laundry.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. GG only said it was cold and windy today.

Sunday April 19, 2009

It was cold and windy today. I had eggs for breakfast. The parking lot at the hospital was empty. When I talked to the nurse today she said they might have to perform surgery today. At 1130 Peg was moved to surgery. At 3:30 PM the surgery was complete. The surgery was a success. The surgeon said the recovery would take some time.

Nancy called and gave me an update on Alessandra. I also talked to HC several times today.

I had dinner at Subway, 12" turkey breast. After dinner I drove to the Soaring Eagle Casino. I walked around. The casino is very depressing. Most of the people are 50+ and heavy smokers. They do not look very prosperous.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. GG burned leaves in the morning. The winds were out of the SW and GG had to put out the fire by noon. He worked in the post office in the afternoon. Jobber was putting a clutch in the old car. It cost $5.

Saturday April 18, 2009

Saturday was a sunny warm day. I had breakfast at the Hampton Inn. The free motel breakfast meals are getting better. I had waffles. After breakfast I headed to the hospital. No change in Peg's condition. I stayed at the hospital most of the day. Around 4 Pm the Doctor's decided to find the cause of the bleeding. They spent about an hour and found that Peg had a bleeding ulcer. The surgeon showed me color pictures of the ulcer. I have been very impressed with the staff. They seem very good professional and have a lot of concern for Peg.

Nancy called and gave me more information on Alessandra. She is beautiful with dark hair and fair skin.

I had dinner at Applebee's. I had salmon and a beer.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. Nice spring weather. Ed Schuske called and paid $10 on his account. GG went to Wards with him.

Friday April 17, 2009

Happy Birthday Dad. Today would have been my dad's 103 birthday. Today is also the birthday of the new addition to our family Alessandra Cecilia who was born today in Long Beach, Ca.

The day started normally. I had finished my routine at the MAC and was biking to the Kava House when my phone went off. I thought it might be Nancy announcing the birth of our new grand daughter, instead it was Ruth from Rosebush Manor. Ruth informed me that cousin Peg was found unconscious in her room this morning. She was being taken to the hospital in Mt Pleasant. I headed for home and packed a few things and headed for Mt Pleasant. When I got to the hospital, Peg was being moved from the emergency room to intensive care. The doctors were having a hard time determining the cause of her internal bleeding. I had to sign some form authorizing some exploratory procedures. Peg had very low blood pressure and a high pulse rate. I got a room at the Hampton Inn and left the hospital about 9:30 PM. At 10:30 I got a call from the hospital stating that Peg's condition was deteriorating. When I got to the hospital the doctor's started the exploratory work. The cause of the bleeding was not determined. I returned to the motel about midnight.

In summary today was a eventful day. Nancy and I have a new grand daughter who was born on my dad's birthday. Nancy says she is very cute. We also have the unfortunate health problems of cousin Peg.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was Easter Sunday, a nice warm day. GG noted 1 or 2 showers. The sucker run had started. (suckers are a fish. Not as tasty as smelt) They had dinner in Harrisville. Cousin Elizabeth was home and called her grandfather. They had church in the evening with over 50 people in attendance. The collection plate contained $12.

Thursday April 16, 2009

Another beautiful spring day. It was in the mid 30s when I got up but after the sun came up the temperature rose to the mid 60s. I wore a light jacket for my bike trip to the MAC. Also for the first time since November I did not wear lined pants, a sure sign spring is here.

Today is the first game of the playoffs for the Red Wings so the DFP had a lot of coverage. The Red Wings have played 521 playoff games. Columbus is playing their first.

I have been checking the grass daily. It is not quite ready for cutting. I did notice that our tulips are up. Several apple trees in the neighborhood have blossoms. I called cousin Peg. She has been fighting a cold but said she feels better. We are having lunch on Sunday.

This afternoon I loaded up the kayak and headed for Yankee Springs in Barry County. I bought an annual State Park sticker for my car. I put the kayak in a small shallow lake in the Yankee Spring area. The lake is so shallow that most boats on the lake are non motorized. I paddled around the lake. The water was very clear and I saw a lot of fish and turtles. I also so a nesting hawk and several sand hill cranes. It was a very pleasant paddle.

This evening I walked over to Gas Light Village and had a tuna salad sandwich at Olga's Kitchen. I also bought an ice cream cone at Jersey Junction. I fell asleep in front of the TV so I decided I had better finish the blog and go to bed.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. McNeil measured out lots 7 and 8 for Brook and Ed Schurske. David Johnson helped and was paid a dollar. (Ed McNeil was a surveyor and also a cousin of GG) GG had a new muffler put in car, $2.75. Edna Townsand called.

Wednesday April 15, 2009

Happy Tax Day. Tasha got up early and visited her gym to shower. When I got up she was ready for breakfast. We had breakfast at the restaurant with the old people but not the dead people (an inside joke). Tasha has to go in to work today. She is back 2 weeks earlier than she had scheduled.

I loaded up the car and said good bye to Tasha. It rained real hard all the way through Ohio. When I got to Michigan the rain started to taper off. I stopped at Cabella's in Durand. I bought some walking socks. I also stopped at the discount mall in Livingston County and bought a billfold.

It was bright and sunny when I got home. The temperature was in the mid 60s. I quickly moved all of Ms P's toys, blankets and food down stairs. I took a 3 mile walk.

The house is very quiet. Not much on TV so this evening I will catch up on some reading. I am not reading a paper magazine or paper book instead I am reading the on line editions of US New and ENR. I might consider a Kindle if I could read on line editions of magazines and newspaper on it. The day of print seems doomed.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. April 15, 1938 was Good Friday. GG burned leaves in the morning and made a trip to Alpena delivering an item for Jim Scott and bringing a load home for Uncle Guy. (GG had a bad pen day. I could not make out his writing.)

Tuesday April 14, 2009

It rained most of the night. It was cold, rainy and blustery when I took Ms P out to do her bidness. She performed in record time. Today Ms P and I are going to Cleveland to take Ms P home and to see Tasha. I drove to the MAC and then performed my normal routine. I did run inside because of the rain.

It took some time to get all of Ms P's toys in the car, but we left about 1200. The trip to Cleveland (Lakewood) went smooth. I called Tasha after about a hour on the road and she was in Chicago awaiting her flight to Cleveland. She arrived home about 15 minutes before Ms P and I. Tasha's house was very cold because she had shut the gas off before leaving. She said that she had been smelling gas in the house. We had a burger and beer at a local tavern. Tasha told me of her trip and showed me many pictures. It all sounded very exciting and I am happy that Tasha was so upbeat about the trip. She laid out the rest of her schedule on this exciting journey.

Tasha put an electric blanket on my bed and we both used electric heaters in our rooms. Ms P had several encounters with the cats as she tried to again establish herself at the top of the food chain. It rained hard all night.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. GG has spring fever. His only comment was that it was warm and pleasant.

Monday April 13, 2009

It was very windy and cold this morning. The weather man said it would start to rain before noon. I packed my rain pants in my bike bag just in case. I followed my normal routine. Today's DFP was very small. I think it is the economy because there sure is enough to report on in Detroit.

This afternoon Ms P and I had to run some more errands. I had to renew a CD at the bank. Interest rates are 2%. The CD that fell due was paying 4.2%. I also stopped by the New Balance store to get my new pair of walking shoes.

The blue flowers in our yard are starting to bloom. I also noted some bulbs popping out of the ground. If we get some rain today I think the grass will get long enough to require cutting by Friday.

Tomorrow Ms P and I are going to Cleveland to see Tasha. I am getting stir crazy and want to get out of the house. I also want to buy some more of the soap that Tasha gave me. It really works, especially on my hands.

Tonight I am going to fill out an application for the Grand Rapids Building Code Enforcement Board. They need a structural engineer. The group only meets 2 or 3 times a year.

Lately GG has been talking about the smelt run. When I was in high school we use to go smelt dipping near my dad's office. If the smelt were running, you could fill a 10 gallon pail in less than 30 minutes. The smelt, if deep fat fried, were very tasty. Mrs Emory, across the street, canned the smelt for use as cat food. Some people buried the smelt in their gardens for fertilizer. I just liked to eat them. The smelt were small so a standard meal was about 20.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. GG was not very wordy. He said it was warm and pleasant and he worked in the post office in the pm.

Sunday April 12, 2009

Happy Easter! Ms P and I slept in until 0730. The swimming pool is closed today. It was cold this morning, 28 degrees. It was 12 in Big Rapids. My first task this morning was to go to Meijers and buy some groceries.

I decided to take a long bike trip today. The weather man said that the day would be sunny and it would warm up to 50 degrees. I loaded the road bike and headed to Montcalm County. I rode on the Heartland Trail from Sidney to Edmore. The total trip was 30 miles. I saw a lot of birds including some big turkeys. The frogs were all croaking. I have read about a major decline of the frog population, however, they sounded plentiful and healthy today. I almost ran over a garter snake sunning itself on the warm asphalt. The turtles were also out sunning themselves. Based on these observations I have declared that spring is officially here.

When I got home I put away all my winter clothes. I got out my shorts and khaki pants.

Tonight I will have hot dogs. I intend to go to bed early because I missed my Sunday afternoon nap.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was 40 degrees today. GG picked up 5 bushels of wood for the Mrs (GG words). He also drove to the Domkes.

Saturday April 11, 2009

Another sunny April day in Grand Rapids. Ms P and I slept in because Nancy is away. I kept to my normal Saturday schedule and had breakfast at the Brandywine. The weatherman said that today was going to be a good day for outdoor activity so I decided to go kayaking. I decided to put in at Saranac on the Grand River. As I was driving to Saranac, I noticed that the river was in flood stage. We have had several days of sun and I wondered where the moisture was coming from. It then hit me that areas south and east of GR had a lot of snow earlier this week. The snow melt was causing the high water levels. I unloaded the kayak at Saranac and did a quick inspection of the river. It was high and running real fast. I decided that it was too fast for me. I packed up and headed for Lake Odessa. A lake is flat with no current and that is what I wanted. It is 4.2 miles around the lake and it took me 2 hours. Since I have been checking, my kayak speed on slow water is about 2.2 mph. Lake Odessa is nice. It has sand beaches all around the lake. It is pretty heavily developed with cottages on 50 foot lots.

I did see a bald eagle. It was soaring over the lake and then it perched in a tree. I got a good look at the eagle. A cottage owner said the eagle and its mate live all year on the lake. How do you tell a male from a female eagle?

When I got home Ms P and I took a short walk. We then got in the Aztek and headed for Costco. Gas was $2.03 per gallon. I bought some multi vitamins and a pair of pants. The pants were $19.99. Every once in a while Costco has a good deal on men's clothing.

Tonight I am walking over to Olga's Kitchen for dinner. I talked to cousin Peg today. She has pneumonia but thinks the new medicine is working. Jennifer and the girls are visiting her tomorrow.

I talked to Sasha. She is in her busy season. It will end on Wednesday. Sasha says that Tasha will be home on Monday or Tuesday.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was warm in Ossineke with the temperature reaching 60. Gerand and Jos Dault shipped fish (smelt?). GG drove to Alpena bought a bag of scratch for $1.65. He worked in the post office in the afternoon. He noted a big crowd fishing. (the smelt are still running)

Friday April 10, 2009

Ms P and I slept in until 0630 today. The MAC has been empty all week. It must be because of spring break. This morning was cool and windy. It warmed up later in the day to the mid 50s.

The DFP is back writing about the problems with the City of Detroit. The City Council has bucked a regional authority taking over the management of Cobo Hall. The Hall is in a bad state of disrepair. The State of Michigan, Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties back the regional authority. The City of Detroit does not want to give up ownership. The City has a $300 million debt and has let Cobo Hall deteriorate. The Detroit Auto Show cannot continue without Cobo Hall. All the newspapers, surrounding communities, and business groups support the regional authority. It is a sad state of affairs. The City is digging its own grave.

This afternoon Ms P and I ran several errands. I had to exchange a pair of walking shoes I bought yesterday and I purchased a bike bag for the road bike. I did have time for a 1 1/2 mile walk.

I had dinner tonight at the GR Brewing Company. I had the cherry chicken salad and a silver foam beer. I gave it a 3.2.

Today is Good Friday. During my youth all stores and businesses in Alpena were closed from 12 to 3PM on Good Friday. We also did not have any school. I don't know when this practise was discontinued. My grandmother said that you had to plant your peas on Good Friday.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. GG noted the biggest run of smelt last night and they continue to be caught in all holes 1/2 mile upstream all day. GG counted 80 cars belonging to smelt fishermen.

Thursday April 9, 2009

Thursday is my busy day at the MAC. I thought all my aches and pains were gone but I must have pulled a muscle in my rib cage. I could not do any dead lifts. However, I did everything else with no pain. Getting old can be confusing. A big article in today's DFP about the problems of the Detroit Public Schools. I am sure the mismanagement of the DPS will be used in graduate level case studies about what not to do when running a school system.

This afternoon I loaded Ms P in the Aztek and we ran some errands. I bought a flotation cushion at Meijers, a new pair of walking shoes at the New Balance store and a bike rack at Alger Schwinn. I also spent some time trying to change the password on my facebook page.

Ed stated that my emails were coming in garbled so I had my computer geek look into my problem. I am assuming it is my problem?

This evening I called Nancy and she said that Veronica's doctor said the baby is not coming today. The LB team remains on Condition Red Alert. Good luck to all. On the other baby girl front I have not heard from Tasha in several days. I am assuming that she is having difficulty getting an Internet connections. Good luck to Tasha.

Ms P is sleeping by my feet as I type. She must be having some digestive problems because her stomach is growling.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. The following is GG entry in his diary this date: "Saturday big run of smelt went 1/2 mile upstream". (It is great to know that an 82 year old man still gets a kick out of the simple things in life like the annual smelt run.)

Wednesday April 8, 2009

I had to set the alarm because I have 0700 Breakfast Club. They had a full house at the meeting. I am getting to know more members and find that us old guys are generally on the same wave length. A lot of members are back after spending the winter in warmer climates. After the meeting I checked my email and then loaded up the kayak and headed for Holland. I put in at the Holland Township boat launch on Lake Macatawa. I paddled upstream and looked at both the River Ave and 120th Ave bridges. The day was sunny but very breezy.

I stopped by my favorite sporting goods in Holland. It is called the Outpost. I was surprised that they have reduced their inventory of kayaks for surf boards that you stand on and paddle using a long handled canoe paddle. I think it is called a paddle board. I will not partake of this new sport.

When I got home I took Ms P for a walk and then read some email. This evening I had dinner with Ed and Tom at Vitales. Pizza and beer are always good. The weather report indicates that it will start to warm up. I plan on some quality bike and kayak time this weekend.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was very cold with a strong north wind. GG worked in the post office in the afternoon and GGM attended the Friendly Circle. (I have no idea what the Friendly Circle is?)

Tuesday April 7, 2009

It was cold and blustery this morning. Temperatures in the low 20s but once again no snow. All my aches and pains have left so I am back to normal. I did step on a scale and my weight is now 161 or 1 pound above my goal. Today's DFP was full of stories about last night game. All stories were upbeat, which is good.

When I got home the yard waste man was busy loading our 17 bags. I also noted that the landscapers were starting to work in the yards. I saw several mowing lawn. I think their contracts state they will start mowing the first full week in April. Our lawn has not started to grow and certainly does not need to be cut.

This afternoon I spent several hours in my office. I worked on the following:

• read all my ENR news alerts.
• read this week's on line edition of US News. I like the adobe format.
• after several futile attempts I finally printed my AG Edwards account.
• I tried to change my facebook email address. I don't know if I succeeded.

This evening I took my 3 mile walk with a stop at Olga's Kitchen. I had a cup of soup and a tuna fish sandwich. I rate Olga's a 3.6.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was cold, 28 all day. GG drove Aunt Julia and family to a show for 4H club. In the afternoon he worked in the post office. GG reported a heavy run of smelt.

Monday April 6, 2009

Ms Petunia and I went outside this morning expecting to see snow on the ground. The storm was south of Grand Rapids. Battle Creek got 5" and we got 0. The day has been blustery but at noon the sun came out. I followed my normal morning routine.

This afternoon Ms Petunia and I ran some errands. We had some banking errands and we also had to buy some good girl treats and bread. Tomorrow is trash day. It is also the first day of yard waste pickup. I took 17 yard waste bags down to the curb. I paid our taxes and walked to the Post Office to mail them. I am always surprised at how busy the Eastown Post Office is. They had 20 people in line.

All of Michigan is excited about the MSU game tonight. Detroit had 6" of snow but the TV is showing long lines of people waiting to get in Ford Field.

This week is spring break week. A week long spring break did not exist when I was a boy. We got Good Friday and Easter Monday off. We never left Alpena.

Ossineke, Mi this day in 1938. It was cold, 30 degrees, and clear all day. GG was home all day. The radio reported heavy snow in Chicago and Detroit.

Sunday April 5, 2009

The alarm goes off at 0656. After I take Ms Petunia out to do her bidness, I head to the MAC for my Sunday swim. I honor of Nancy the west lane was not used today. I did go to Meijers and bought some MI apples, yogurt and a couple of sour cream donuts.

When I got home I finished my laundry. I had to do four loads. Now if I could only learn to cook.

I did take my Sunday nap. After the nap, Ms Petunia and I took a walk around the block. I also took a 3 mile walk.

The day started with some sun but it is now cold and gloomy. It is suppose to snow tonight. Will winter never end?

The MSU victory last night was front page news. MI needed some good news. I have been following the President's trip to Europe. I think he is doing a good PR job. I do have some problems with his domestic agenda. I think the federal government is getting too much power. Get off my back Feds.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was cold, 22 in morning, and they got 1/2" of snow. GG drove to Alpena and delivered quilts and dishes to Aunt Laura. They also got a license for Molan car.

Saturday April 4, 2009

Since Nancy is away I did not set the alarm. Ms P and I woke at 0710. I bought a NYT and had breakfast at the Brandywine. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The wind was pretty intense and was out of the NW. I decided to ride the White Pine Trail because it is a north-south trail. I rode 25 miles in 2:20. The trail was not very crowded for a sunny Saturday.

When I got home I fixed the flat tire on the retro. I then loaded Ms Petunia into the Aztek and we ran several errands. We purchased gas at Costco and then I bought some contact len's juice.

I had dinner at Petro's. Presently I am watch the MSU BB game and typing this blog. Ms Petunia is asleep at my feet. Almost Norman Rockwell material. I talked with Sasha today. She was working. I also talked to HC. She said it was cool in Tucson, 68 degrees. 68 is cool! We are expecting snow tonight.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was cold today and Ossineke got 1" on snow. GG went to election (voted?) and then to Luthius for his mothers painted dishes. He got 5 pieces for $10.

Friday April 3, 2009

Ms P and I wake at 0615. It is lonely in the house with Nancy gone. As I was wheeling my retro out of the garage I noticed that it had a flat tire. I got the road bike off the hooks and rode it to the MAC. It being Fri I was really tired at the end of my 2.5 mile ride. As usual I read the DFP and had coffee at the Kava House. The DFP is loaded with coverage of the NCAA BB Finals. I think they get so depressed writing about the problems in Detroit that the BB finals is welcome news. The DFP did have an article on the financial problems of the Detroit Public Schools. They now have a financial czar the try and sort thing out. The schools have a 300 million deficit. The czar, Robert Bobb, was the former city manager of Kalamazoo and Oakland, CA. I know several people who have worked for him and they say he is top notch.

After lunch Ms P and I head to the bike shop to get a new tube. I also stop by the hardware store and buy a portable work bench. Ms P and I took Nancy's car in to the body shop to get an estimate to fix some bad rust around a wheel well. It looks like $500 will get a decent repair.

This being the first of the month we have a lot of utility bills to pay. I complete this task and walk the bills over to the post office. I had dinner at the Outback. I sat at the bar and had the Queensland salad and a beer. After dinner I walked over to Barnes and Noble and looked at some books. I got a call from Tasha. She was in a good mood. We did not complete our conversation because of static problems.

Ossineke, Mi this date in 1938. It was cold. Everything was frozen. Church got out at noon. (I don't know why GG made this entry. Isn't church always out at noon?) My Uncle Jim Scott and his family stopped by for a visit. GG noted it was too cold to go fishing. He did note that the Pattersons caught 1 pail of smelt at Cranberry Creek.

Thurday April 2, 2009

I woke this morning at 0600. I have to adjust my schedule because Nancy is in CA. I already miss her. Ms Petunia also misses her. My shoulder appears to have healed so I am back to my normal routine. I have to take a pill and must wait 1 hour before eating. So I head for the MAC on an empty stomach. I have been running 2.5 miles lately with no pain. I hope I can continue because running gives you more bang for your buck.

After the MAC I have a bowl of oatmeal at the Omelet Shop. My driver's license expires on April 22 so I head for the Sec of State office to renew. It was painless and I was out the door in 15 minutes. It reached 60 degrees this afternoon. I took out the kayak and paddled around Reeds Lake. I have never seen the water so high in the lake. I was able to paddle in areas that are normally dry. It was good to be on a lake with no jet skis.

Ms Petunia and I drove to D&W so I could buy a seafood salad for dinner. The salad was good but the pb&j with a slice of onion was better. Right now I am watching the Military Channel. Guess who gets the clicky this week?

Ossineke, MI this week in 1938. It was very cold. Everything froze over. GG took out the other car and drove to Domkes. (GG had 2 cars?)

Wednesday April 1, 2009

Nancy and I both woke at 0650. Nancy has a 1020 plane to catch. She is going to LB. After loading the car we head for Arnie's for breakfast. We both had the Balanced Breakfast and were disappointed. I drop Nancy at the airport at 0900. After dropping Nancy off I get the Aztek washed. I also stop at KCECU to renew a CD. The rates are not very good but I predict that they will be at 5% by October.

I have been curious about the location of our property corners. I stop by the office and get a metal detector. At noon the MAC has open swim so I swam 1100 yards. The pool was almost empty. My afternoon project was to locate our property corners. The metal detector worked great and I was able to locate all four corners. Ms P rode with me to the office to return the metal detector. I finished the afternoon with a 4 mile walk. Ms P and I walked around the block three times today.

Not much on TV so I have been working in my office. I need to pay some bills and answer some emails.

Ossineke, MI this date in 1938. It was cold, 28 in the morning. GG filled a mud hole on Wash Ave. It took 2 loads of bank run soil and 5 loads of gravel. Richard Schultz helped and burned out his clutch. I think in 1938 that citizens, in lieu of taxes, helped with road repairs. Cousin David and 2 friends stopped by for smelt.