Saturday July 18, 2009

Saturday morning and of course the alarm goes off at 0626. Nancy gets up and into her new car and heads for body pump at the MAC. I get up and head for breakfast at the Brandywine. Usually at Saturday breakfast I try and finish the front section of the NYT. This morning I have to finish early so I can be at the old OHHS for the neighborhood bulk trash day. The dumpsters were available at 0800 and when I got there at 0800 there were about 10 vehicles in front of me. However, they had lots of volunteers and I got unloaded in about 1/2 hour.

This morning I decided to go kayaking on the lower reaches of the Grand River. I looked at my Ottawa County map and decided to put in at 144 Street on the south side of the river. When I got to the 144 St ramp, I found out Grand Haven Township charged a fee. I put in further upstream at about 124 St.

I was surprised at how windy it was. The wind was out of the west at over 15 mph. I decided to paddle into the wind, west, and return with the wind at my back. I was surprised that I paddled 90 minutes into the wind and my GPS said I had paddled 4.5 miles. When I got back to the ramp I had paddled 180 minutes and 9 miles. So it made no difference if I paddled with the wind at my back or into the wind. Today I used my kayak paddle and I can travel almost 1 mph faster with it than if I used my canoe paddle. In fact my walking speed and kayaking speed are about the same. It was quite cool on the river. I do not think the temperature got into the 70s today.

I took a hot shower when I got home. I also took a short nap. This evening Nancy and I got in the new car and headed to Rockford for dinner at Arnie's. We figured out how to use the satellite radio and set the temperature. The controls on the car are solid state. I noticed that the car uses Microsoft software.

This evening we did not turn on the TV but instead we spent an enjoyable time reading in the backroom. Nancy finished her book and I finished the GRP and NYT.

July 18, 1927 with Grandmother Hughes on the ship traveling to USA. Again Grandmother only said it was a "fine day".

Ossineke, MI this day, Monday, in 1938. GG said it was cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon. He also picked 1 row of potatoes. David picked 2 quarts of beans. GG caught 2 roosters and 3 hens.