Saturday, July 31, 2010

Saturday July 31, 2010

1723: Saturday and it is another 0700 morning. The weatherman said that we can expect rain today. I have my doubts so I pedaled to "Bill's" for pancake and eggs. When I got to "Bill's" there was only one other customer. I had my choice of tables and I picked one that is not near an AC duct. I read the DFP and WSJ. It usually takes my about 90 minutes to finish a Saturday breakfast because I am very relaxed and want to spend some time reading the papers. I was quietly eating my pancakes when a cell phone goes off. I was going to say something when I realized that it was my phone. It was my sister calling about road conditions in GR. I was confused so I gave her some bum dope that I had to correct later. I finished my breakfast about 0930. When I got ready to leave the restaurant was full.

Today I was going to go ride the Hart/Whitehall bike trail. It is located just north of Muskegon and is a pleasant ride. However, because of the threat of rain I rode on the Musketawa Trail by Marne. This trail runs from Marne to Muskegon. Today I rode 30 miles in 2h30'. My average speed was 11.4 mph. This is a good time for me and might reflect all the bike riding I have been doing lately. When I got home I had a quick lunch and then showered and took a nap.

I had a big surprise when I got home. Nancy took Ms P to the beauty shop for a haircut and bath. They shaved Ms P and she looks good with short hair. It will also help her get through the "dog days of summer". I cannot believe that it is the last day of July. Where has the summer gone?

Tonight Nancy and I are going to Jack Lensink's birthday party. It is at his house and starts are 1800. I will report on the party later.

2150: The party was great. Nancy and I arrived at 1800 and the house was already filled with guests. I was surprised how many people I knew. Jack invited at lot of folks who frequent the Kava House. I also knew a gentleman from the breakfast club. I talked with Jack's brother in law who also rides single speed bikes. Julie and Sonja and their families were there and we talked about the old neighborhood. They both remember Steve hitting the tennis ball against the garage for hours. We sang happy birthday and had a piece of birthday cake. We left about 2030. Nancy and I watched a little TV and then I took Ms P on a walk around the block. Unlike Sampson, Ms P seems much stronger with her shaved hair. It is now almost 2200 and we are ready for bed. It has been a great summer day.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Friday July 30, 2010

1657: Friday and I am up at 0700. I try some pushups this morning but no go. It is another beautiful summer day. My MAC routine goes without a hitch. It took a long time for the WSJ and DFP to download this morning. I spent my time waiting by reading a new nonfiction book about deception by Britain's MI5 during WW2. Neither the WSJ or DFP had an article about Senator Kerry, MA, not paying some taxes. The WSJ was the first to download and I read several articles but nothing worth commenting on. The DFP did have one interesting note that the latest polls show millionaire Snyder leading in the race for the republican nomination for governor. The mayor of Lansing was leading on the Democrat side. I would not vote for either one.

I got home at 1230 had a quick lunch and then finished cutting the grass. I also edged, trimmed and blew the loose clippings off the sidewalk. After my shower I noted that I have some creeping crud on my left foot. It was caused by not wearing socks. I drove to Walgreen's and got some cream to put on the impacted area. Nancy and I are going to the Brandywine for dinner.

2111: I must start being smart when I eat out. Tonight I had fried cod with French fries. I should have purchased a salad. Nancy had scrambled eggs. After dinner we read the papers and I took a 1.25 mile walk. At 2100 we headed upstairs.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Thursday July 29, 2010

2042: Thursday and I am up at 0700. It was cooler last night so I slept well. I followed the normal routine today. At the MAC I started doing curls. I used a 30 pound weight for the right hand and 15 pounds for the left hand. I experienced no pain. On Monday I will try the rowing machine. I think all the bike riding has helped my running times. Today I ran the 1.5 miles 30 seconds faster than my normal time.

The DFP had several articles on the Mayor being in charge of the Detroit Public Schools. The DFP is all for the mayor running things. Today the ex mayor will testify at a trial regarding an alleged wild party at his residence while he was mayor. The ex mayor presently resides in Milan Federal Prison.

I got home from the Kava House about 1300 and had a quick lunch. At 1330 Nancy and I headed downtown for a meeting with our Wells Fargo Advisor. It appears that Nancy and Bob are holding their own. We have enough to keep body and soul together. It is interesting to me that the first joint account Nancy and I had was with Wells Fargo when we lived in CA. Now 45 years later we have an account with Wells Fargo. We started with A. G. Edwards and through a series of acquisitions they were bought out by Wells Fargo.

When we got home, about 1530, I started cutting the grass. I got the back and side yards done. For dinner tonight we ate at Great Lakes Shipping. We sat outside, listened to the singer and ate our food. When we got home I read the paper and then took a mile walk. In about 5 minutes I will head downstairs to take Ms P out and button up the downstairs windows. The summer is moving too fast. did you know that our evening low temperatures are higher than Long Beach or Santa Clara, CA?

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Wednesday and it is breakfast club day. The alarm goes off at 0545 and I get right up and take Ms P out to do her bidness. Speaking of Ms P, Nancy has said Ms P was named after a flower. I have always maintained that she was named after Porky Pig's girlfriend, Petunia. I googled Porky Pig last night and indeed Porky's girlfriend is Petunia. Nancy says I am blowing smoke.

I forgot to make coffee last night so I hustled up a pot for Nancy. I left for breakfast club about 0640. The breakfast club was crowded this morning. The speaker was a young lady who represents an organization that is trying to get a state-wide Public Defender Bill through the State Legislature. Unlike many states the responsibility for public defenders in Michigan is with the county. There is a wide disparity between counties. She was an enthusiastic speaker but when it came to answering questions she became very confused. Maybe it was because many members are hostile towards lawyers.

After the meeting I came right home and checked the weather report. They said that it would be raining in three hours. Based on this data I changed my plans and got out the AT and headed to Ada. I took Fulton Street. It was very hot and humid but I rode 20 miles in under two hours. I took a shower and then had a quick lunch. Nancy and I are attending Jack Lensink's birthday this Saturday and we decided to get Jack a gift certificate to the Kava House. So I got in the C2 and headed to the Kava House. In addition to getting the certificate I took along my Kindle and read the papers while sipping a cup of coffee.

The weatherman was wrong and we have received no rain. Nancy just got back from the Garden's and she said it had cooled off. We opened the windows and turned off the AC. I finished yesterday's blog and wrote a short message to two of my facebook friends.

2104: I had cereal for dinner, watched the NBC news and read the GRP. I also took an one mile walk. We closed all the downstairs windows, let Ms P out one last time and headed upstairs.

Tuesday July 27, 2010

I am writing the July 27 (Tuesday) blog a day late. I woke at 0700 on July 27 and followed my normal routine. Tuesday was very hot and humid. I think the humidity makes me sluggish because I seem to do everything half speed. We did not turn the AC on last night because the weather man said it would cool off overnight. It did not. Lake Michigan's water temperatures are now in the upper 70s. This is a huge departure from previous years.

At the Kava House I read both the DFP and WSJ but did not find anything of great interest. I did not get home until about 1330. After a quick lunch I checked my email and then at 1430 Nancy and I headed to Kentwood High School to attend a health insurance seminar. We are thinking of moving from BC/BS to Priority Health. We can do this within the teacher's health plan. The presenters pointed out the good things about their plan. However, they did not dwell on the bad things. A big question regarding this plan is the impact of adding all the uninsured as required by the Feds new health legislation. Priority is a Medicare Advantage plan and several articles that I have read indicate they might suffer some loss of revenue when the Fed's plan kicks in. We also could not find some of the doctors we use on their list of approved doctors. We must do some more research.

When we got home from the seminar I went on a two mile walk. I worked up a major league sweat. It was too hot to cook so Nancy and I headed to Olga's for dinner. We sat outside (in the shade). We got home in time to watch NCIS. I headed to bed at 2100 because tomorrow is breakfast club and I must get up at 0545.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Monday July 26, 2010

1752: I slept in until 0700 this morning. I am still having problems finding a comfortable position to sleep. I hope the shoulder heals soon. Today was another warm sunny day. I followed my normal Monday routine and ended up at the Kava House. I read both the WSJ and DFP. Both newspapers had articles on the leaked top secret documents. A lot of people were surprised that this could happen. However, anyone who remembers Vietnam would know that it happened during that war. People must remember that the folks involved in security are still Federal employees. It has been my experience that the most competent public employees work for local government and the competency decreases rapidly as you move up the food chain.

I had a quick lunch and then loaded the AT on the C2 and headed to Kent Trails/Millennium Park. I rode my special route that is about 15 miles. It was very hot today but the route is lined with trees that provide plenty of shade. I rode by the Millennium Park beach and it was very crowded today. Millennium Park is a perfect example of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

When I got home I was surprised to see Nancy was home. Monday and she is suppose to be working at Meijer Gardens. She said they were having a concert so the Gardens was closed. Nancy fixed herself some scrambled eggs and I had cereal.

I watched the news and read the paper. Melissa skyped us tonight and we had a great talk. Missy and Akerke spent the weekend in Missouri. They had a good time.

I was a little restless so I walked around the block. I also filled up the tree gator that is attached to our new tree.

I have a new project. In 1962 on my way to SEA I had to stop at the Pearl Harbor Navy Base. I spent a night waiting to catch a flight to Saigon. As I was finishing breakfast I noticed a familiar face. It was a fraternity brother from UM. He also had joined the Civil Engineering Corps of the Navy. He was heading to the Philippines. His first name was Robert and he majored in architecture. I have called several fraternity brothers and they cannot remember his name. The only thing they can remember is that he was tall and a hard worker. I reconnected with the fraternity brothers through facebook. It is now a challenge to find the missing brother. This will be a good cold weather challenge.

Well it is time to button up the downstairs windows and take Ms P out for her final call. Although it has been hot we have not used our AC in several days. I hope everyone got their 30 in today.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sunday July 25, 2010

1500: I just woke up from my nap and decided to get started on today's blog. I got up all by myself at 0630 this morning. I took Ms P out to do her budness. Nancy and I head for the MAC at 0730. My shoulder prevents me from swimming so I walk 3 miles on the treadmill. I walked at a 15'/mile pace. I tried 14'/mi but it was too fast for me. After my 3 miles I walked by the pool and see Nancy emerging from her 45' swim. Our next stop is Meijer's. Today I took back some bottles for the refund. I had 78 bottles, $7.80. I also filled up the car. Gas was $2.85/gallon.

Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. After breakfast I sat down to read the GRP and immediately fell asleep. I slept about 30 minutes. About 1330 I head upstairs for my Sunday afternoon nap. I slept about an hour. I just put some sunscreen on and will now take a bike ride around Reeds Lake. I will continue this blog later.

2130: I rode around Reeds Lake twice for a total distance of 11.1 miles. They are improving the trail around Reeds Lake and it should be completed within the month. It will be a nice addition. Today the trail around the lake was very busy.

After my shower I finished the GRP. For dinner Nancy grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. We also had corn-on-the-cob. I watched parts of 60 minutes and then walked around the block. It was such a nice evening I spent some time just sitting on the breezeway. Ms P's hip is still acting up so we gave her some medicine. We had to carry her upstairs tonight. It has been a nice summer's day. Tomorrow is suppose to be the same.

Saturday July 24, 2010

1145: Saturday morning. I slept in until 0710 this morning. Ms P still seems to be in pain. We carry her up and down the stairs. I had planned on riding the AT to "Bill's" for breakfast. But when I got ready to leave it looked like rain so I drove. It was a good decision because it started to rain real hard right after I left. I had eggs, hash browns, toast, sausage and coffee for breakfast. I read the DFP and WSJ but nothing caught my interest.

Ms P greeted me like her old self when I got home. She still cannot climb stairs. I was reading the GRP in my recliner in the back room when I fell asleep. I sleep for about 30 minutes before my shoulder acted up. I am now upstairs cleaning up my office and starting this blog.

Lately I have been thinking about a saying of my Dad's. Dad said the if you want to know a man's real character you must observe the following 3 conditions.
1. See him drunk
2. Loan him money
3. I can't remember?
Maybe someone could help me.

I needed some exercise so in the early afternoon I took a 3 mile walk. it had started to clear up but still remained hot and humid. At 1700 Nancy and I get in the Taurus and head to the Horling's condo at Silver Lake. We spend a few minutes catching up and then head to Rockford. Hal Horling had made and 1830 reservation at a new restaurant in Rockford. The restaurant is in an old building in downtown. We ate on the second floor and had a very good meal. After a long pleasant dinner we returned to the Horling's and had dessert. We left Silver Lake about 2230. This is the second night in a row where we stay up past 2300. Party animals!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Friday July 23, 2010

Friday was suppose to be a hot humid day with rain. I thought I would have to drive to the MAC but when I got ready to leave it was not raining so I pedaled the AT. I ran 1.5 miles on the indoor track. When I run my shoulder hurts but if I walk I am pain free. I do know that when running both feet are off the ground causing more impact on touchdown. Maybe I should make an effort to get my walking speed up so I receive an aerobic workout equal to a run. I will try on Sunday to walk 3 miles on the treadmill at a 12' pace.

The weather started to clear up when I headed to the Kava House. I read both the WSJ and DFP. Senator James Webb wrote an OP ED piece in the WSJ. It was about eliminating Federal programs that provided aid to minorities but not whites. I thought it was a well thought out argument. Senator Webb is a Senators that I pay attention to. By the time I left the Kava House we had blue skies.

After lunch I got out the lawn mower and cut the grass. It was very humid and I had to stop several times to get some water. I started at 1430 and was done by 1700. After a quick shower it was time for Nancy and I to head to the Moleski's for dinner. We had steak, kabob vegetables, pasta and ice cream for dessert. It was a very pleasant. When we got home Ms P greeted us but we noted that she seemed to be in pain. She could not get up stairs. We gave her some joint medicine and carried her upstairs. Her problem might be aggravated by the humid weather.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Thursday July 22, 2010

1715: Thursday is grass cutting day. I get up at 0630 because I want to get an early start before the rains come. I get to the MAC before 0900 and leave by 1000. I did go to the Kava House so I can read the papers. I got home at 1200. After a quick lunch I get out the mower and cut just the small triangle between our front door and breezeway before is started raining. I put the mower away and got out the edger. The edger performs well in sun or rain. After edging I start trimming. I get most of the trimming done and then the trimmer quit. After investigation I assume that the outside electrical box was tripped. Tomorrow I will press the reset button and hope everything is ok.

The rain became more intense with some thunder. Ms P was a little hyper but because Nancy and I were nearby she did not go ballistic. I worked on the computer some and played a couple of games on my itouch. I might regret downloading these games.

Tonight Nancy and I are going to the company picnic at 53rd Park field. We will get free food and beer and watch the ballgame. It looks like it has cleared up enough to have a game.

2137: We arrived at the ball field about 1815. Carol, Carol, Donni, Barb, Ryan, Robert and David with their families were already eating. I had several hamburgers and thought they were very good. Of course this is from a guy that likes gas station hot dogs. The game started at 1900 and we had box seats along the first base line. Eric and his wife arrived right after the game started. It was nice to see that the Rickert's will have a new addition to their family in a couple of months.

During the fifth inning the Whitecaps had the bases loaded when it started lightning. The game was suspended. We came home. I just checked my dictionary and found that I have been spelling lightning incorrectly. Spell check is ok but I have to be careful about proper grammar. If I don't reread my blog I find that I make a lot of grammar mistakes. Lately I have used "road and rode" improperly. Did anyone catch these mistakes? If you did don't tell me.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wednesday July 21, 2010

1744: Wednesday is my easy day and I am up at 0630. It was a hot humid night and we might have to turn on the AC if the humidity continues. I get on the AT and pedal to "Bills" for breakfast. I read the papers and the only article of interest was about the big fight in Detroit over should the Mayor take over the school system. The proponents want the issue on the November ballot.

Neither the WSJ or DFP had an article on the Department of Agriculture employee who was fired for some racist comments she made. The comments were taken out of context. This issue is a perfect example of the problems with bloggers who do not have any rules or code of ethics. Most newspaper reporters are required to fact check. I really dislike both far left and far right groups.

After breakfast I came home put on some bike shorts and sunscreen and loaded the road bike on the C2. I headed to Riverside Park. Today was my longest ride of the year. I rode all the way to Cedar Springs. My entire trip took 3h16' and covered 38 miles. My GPS said I burned up 2120 calories. Of course I did stop in Rockford for an ice cream cone.

When I got home I showered and took a 30 minute nap. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon and got home about 1700. Tonight is cereal night. Tomorrow night we are going to the company picnic at 5/3 ballpark. We get free beer and food and tickets to the game. Friday we are going to the Moleski's for dinner and Saturday we go to the Horling's cottage for dinner. A fun filled rest of the week.

After dinner we read the GRP and watched some TV. I did walk Ms P around the block. The GRP is writing a series of articles on the Grand River. They are sponsoring a canoe/kayak expedition from Jackson to Grand Haven, the full length of the Grand. It is a very interesting article.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tuesday July 20, 2010

1419: Like yesterday I was up before 0630. It is going to be another hot humid day. On my bike ride to the MAC I thought my coaster brake was acting up. Coaster brakes are suppose to last a lifetime without repair. At the MAC I followed my usual routine. At the Kava House I read both the WSJ and DFP. Nothing of interest to report.

Later this afternoon I will go on a 15 mile bike ride at Millennium Park. Right now I am catching up and want an early start on my blog because I want to head to bed early. I am going to try a long bike ride tomorrow.

2109: I did load up the AT and headed to Millennium Park for a 15 mile ride. I really like this trail because it is smooth, flat and no traffic. I got home about 1700 and took a shower and read the GRP. For dinner tonight Nancy grilled some pork steak. We also had a baked potato and some Michigan green beans. It was very good. It being Tuesday we watched NCIS and then headed to bed.

Monday July 19, 2010

2133: Monday morning and I am out of bed by 0620. I do the morning routine and pedal to the MAC. This morning I ran 1.5 miles on the indoor track. I shave both my head and face. I get to the Kava House by 1030. I read both the DFP and WSJ.

I get home at 1200 and eat a quick lunch. I have a 1300 meeting with Dr Tom Schwaderer (TS). The Schwaderer's reside on Alger just south of the MAC. TS and wife live at their cottage on Lake Michigan during the summer but they had to be in town for some other business. Their cottage is next door to the Kirkwood's.

TS belongs to an Association in Lake County. The Association is like a hunting camp except that the 12 members each have a small cottage. On the property is small stream. A small bridge was placed over the stream. The bridge is 30 years old and is in a state of disrepair. I offered several repair options to TS. He seemed pleased and would bring the options before the other members.

TS's father was a road contractor in the 20s and did a lot of work in Michigan's Thumb. My grandfather was a road contractor who also did a lot of work in the Thumb in the 20s. If fact we knew at lot of the same people. TS played quarterback for Albion. He also played basketball and ran track. However, the best thing about the meeting is that Dr TS is a shoulder doctor. He gave me several exercise to do for my ailing shoulder. He said use the natural healing process before even considering surgery.

After my meeting I stopped by Meijer's to get a prescription filled. My next stop was the eye doctor to see if they could adjust my eyeglasses that had gone through the washing machine. He did a great job.

Nancy worked at the Gardens tonight and before dinner I rode my bike around the neighborhood for 11.5 miles. I had cereal for dinner and then read the paper and watched the news. Ms P and I also walked around the block. It was another warm sunny day in GR.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Sunday July 18, 2010

2109: July 18th is Steve's birthday. I remember clearly the day he was born. It has been 37 years and we all wish Steve a happy birthday.

The alarm goes off at 0646 and I get right up. As I usually do on a Sunday morning I go downstairs and get my laundry basket. It is very full this week because the very hot weather has resulted in several changes of clothes each day. Today Nancy is going swimming but I will walk on the treadmill. I walked 3 miles in 45 minutes. You can tell it is summertime in Michigan because Nancy purchased nothing but Michigan grown fruit at Meijer's. In fact almost all our purchases were perishables.

After a breakfast of Nancy's world famous poached eggs I started the newspaper and then took a short nap. We had some thunder storms move through the area this afternoon. Of course, Ms P went stark raving mad. I spent several hours clearing my desk off. I do not do much office work during nice weather. The sun came out about 1600. About 1730 I took a 1.5 mile walk. I needed to get my 30 in.

Nancy grilled hamburgers tonight. We also had corn-on-the-cob. Nancy had a drumstick and I had a dish of ice cream for dessert. We watched 60 minutes and read the paper. I also watched an old Lee Marvin western on TV. At 2100 we headed to bed.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Saturday July 17, 2010

2050: Despite our late night I was up at 0615. I took Ms P out to do her bidness. The temperature was in the mid-70s. I drove the C2 to "Bill's" this morning. After breakfast I stopped by the OHNA bulky waste site and dropped off the junk I wanted to throw away. I stopped by the house and got Ms P so I could run some errands. I stopped at the Kentwood Bike shop and got a part for my handle bar bag. I then stopped at Macatawa Bank and got $100 in $1 coin. I purchase my coffee and pay tips using the dollar coin.

Today was another hot humid day. I loaded the AT on the C2 and headed to the Riverside Park and a ride on the White Pine Trail. Today I rode 30 miles in 2h45'. I thought it was a good time. After my shower I started to recline when the phone rings and it is Dr. Schwaderer. His son was in Missy's class and he was on the Albion College Board for years. The good Doctor belongs to an association that has a problem bridge over a small stream. He explained his problem and I gave his several solutions. We are meeting on Monday. It was kind of nice that he remembered that I was into bridge design. Dr Schwaderer's uncle worked at Scott Engineering in Alpena.

For dinner tonight Nancy and I ate at Forest Hills Inn. We have not been there in several years. The place was empty but the food was good. It is now 2100 and I am going downstairs to see what is on TV.

Friday July 16, 2010

After last night's picnic I slept in until 0730. I completed my at home routine and then pedaled to the MAC. Instead of running today I walked on the treadmill for 2 miles. I walked at a 15 minutes/mile pace. I chose the treadmill because I can hold on to the side and thus relieve pressure on my shoulder. It seems to work. I continue to alternate between the cold plunge and hot tub. This routine is suppose to help my shoulder. The jury is still out.

The DFP reported this week that the ex mayor of Detroit is asking for public defenders to represent him. The mayor has been charged with improper use of his foundation. If convicted he will spend even more time in jail. On a brighter side the DFP had a series of articles on the upcoming Detroit to Mackinac sail boat race. It starts this week end.

Friday was very hot and humid. After a quick lunch I loaded my car up with some bulky items that I will throw away tomorrow. The OHNA each year has a special bulky waste collection day. I don't have much room in the C2. I also cut the grass in the backyard.

Nancy volunteered to work the concert at Meijer's Garden. The concert starts at 1900 but we had to be there at 1730. Our job was to put arm bands on all attendees who want to purchase beer or wine. We checked IDs and then placed the band. We have done this in the past and it usually is a very boring job. Tonight the concert featured "Umphrey McGhee". They are a band out of Chicago with a very young following. In fact they had some folks following them around on their current tour. We had a lot of folks from out of town. Nancy and I have never put on so many arm bands. The concert was sold out. We were the oldest people there.

We worked until fifteen minutes after the concert started. Because we worked the concert we could attend for free. We sat in the back row. I was glad because the band was very loud. It was a beautiful evening and Nancy and I stayed until intermission. It was not that bad. It is always good to mingle with a younger crowd. Next time we will get some paste on tattoos.

Thursday July 15, 2010

2111: Last night was encouraging. I spent a relatively pain free evening. We had thunder and lighting roll through this morning about 0400. We did not have any rain. Of course Ms P went bananas. I slept in until 0715. I performed my modified exercises at home and decided to pedal to the MAC despite the possibility of rain. This morning I ran 1.5 miles on the track. I am still reluctant to run outside for fear of falling. I also alternated between the cold plunge and hot tub 3 times. I think the alternating temperatures help the shoulder.

The heat was very oppressive today. I worked up a sweat pedaling from the MAC to the Kava House. I read the DFP and WSJ at the Kava House but I have nothing of interest (to me) to report. After the Kava House I had a quick lunch. Today I have to cut the grass. As I was moving outside a shower rolled through. It last about 30 seconds. Today I did the front and side yards. Tomorrow I will do the back yard. Tonight Nancy is working at the Meijer's Garden Volunteer's Picnic. I drove Nancy to the garden and because the low gas warning light was on I drove to Meijer's to fill up. It took 15 gallons. Gas was $2.85 per gallon.

I returned to the Gardens and was on time to attend the picnic. They had tons of food so no one starved. After the picnic we returned home and I had a beer and read the GRP. I took Ms P on a walk around the block. It is now 2125 and I am heading to bed.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Wednesday July 14, 2010

1531: Today is suppose to be my easy day. I get up at 0545 and immediately take Ms P out to do her bidness. I feed Ms P and then I got dressed for Breakfast Club. I arrived at Breakfast Club at 0655. Today's speaker was a retired teacher who has spent his retirement years researching President Lincoln. His speech was titled "Things you did not know about Abe Lincoln". It was very good.

After Breakfast Club I loaded the AT on the C2 and headed to Millennium Park. I rode 15 miles. It was very hot and humid today. However, the trail was very busy. When I got home I had a quick lunch and then headed downtown to a GRBA meeting. Prior to the GRBA meeting I stopped by the City Clerk's office and voted. The GRBA meeting started at 1400 and was done by 1450.

Nancy is working at Meijer's Garden this afternoon. She also has book club this evening. While Nancy is at book club I will be eating pizza with Tom Moleski at "Fred's". Got home from Fred's about 1930. I read the newspaper until Nancy got home about 2000. I was a little hyper so I walked Ms P around the block. At 2100 we came to bed.

Tuesday July 13, 2010

We woke up to an empty house. Only Nancy, Bob and Ms P are left. Today is a busy day for me so I leave before Nancy. I drove to the MAC because I have a 1000 Doctor's appointment. The MAC was empty this morning. I continue to use the cold plunge and hot tub to try and loosen my shoulder.

Dr Kutsche moved, pulled and banged on my shoulder trying to determine why I have so much pain when I am sleeping. The pain during the day is very minor but at night it is severe. He sent me over to x-ray. Maybe they can spot the source of my problems on the x-rays. If the x-rays show everything is ok then I will just have to grin and bear it until the shoulder heals.

I had lunch with Jennifer Dougherty at her office in Alto. We discussed her various projects. Jennifer is expecting her baby in August. She has a project in Alto that she would like me to inspect if the baby comes before the project is complete. Right now it look like the project will be complete before the baby. We visited the site so Jennifer could give me a firsthand view.

When I got home I realized that I had not gotten my 30 in so I took a 3 mile walk. It was very hot and humid today with temperatures in the 80's. I finished the party sandwiches for dinner tonight. Nancy and I also had a big piece of watermelon. We watched NCIS and then headed to bed.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Sunday July 11, 2010

2153: We all slept in this morning. Everyone was on their own for breakfast. I did drive to the Kava House to get Nancy and me a coffee. I relaxed around the house and read the GRP outside on the breezeway. I even took a nap around 1100. After my nap I continued reading the paper and played some games on my itouch that Debbie had loaded for me. I took a two mile walk in the early afternoon.

Nancy said we should be doing something so Debbie, AJ, Nancy and RH headed to Meijer's Garden. We walked around a bit and looked at the Chuily (sp?) displays. We ended up in the children's play area and AJ played in the water.

For dinner tonight Nancy cooked chicken breasts and chicken burgers. I had a chicken burger along with some veggies left over from yesterday's party. We had drumsticks and ice cream for dessert. Debbie and I took AJ on an one mile walk. We watched a little TV and then slowly headed upstairs to bed. Today could be described as a lazy day.

Saturday July 10, 2010

Saturday and today is special because AJ is having her blessing at 1600. I had breakfast at home. I did drive to the Kava House for coffee. Missy and I took her car to Sun Rental and we got the table and six chairs. It only cost $15 which I thought was reasonable. My next errand was to stop by Macatawa Bank to get some cash. Debbie went with me because our next stop was Best Buy. Debbie bought a 2 G chip for her camera.

Nancy and Debbie drove to Costco to get the food. I drove to Family Foods for ice and pop. We had a quick shower pass through but is lasted less than 15 minutes and then the sun came out.

We all chipped in and set up the tables and chairs. The entire event was held outdoors. About 1530 the guests started arriving. The guest list included Missy's HS classmate and soon to be Godfather Steve Kozera. Missy's college roommate and soon to be Godmother Adri Brucker and her two children and mother. Steve now lives in Lansing and Adri lives in Budapest. My sister Helen, her husband Don, my nephew Jason and his daughter Kennedy, my niece Jennifer and her three daughters. Also in attendance was Ms Bittrick who was Missy's OHHS teacher. The Preacher/Master of Ceremonies Jim Pittman arrived right on time at 1600. Jim Pittman was the HS classmate of Missy and Steve. Rev Pittman performed a very special ceremony and it was enjoyed by all. He even sang a song he dedicated to AJ. It was a beautiful ceremony.

Of course after the ceremony we brought out all the food and drink. Everyone seemed to enjoy the feast. The meal was capped off with a special cake for AJ. Grandpa thought it was great and had several pieces.

For the kids we had a "Piñata" loaded with candy. We started with the youngest getting one swing and then the next older getting a swing, etc. On the second round Kennedy Crandall broke the Piñata and all the kids grabbed some candy.

About 1900 the quests started leaving and we all pitched in and cleaned up in record time. About 2000 I was a little antsy so I took AJ in her stroller for a walk. We got about 100 yards and she started rubbing her eyes. She was asleep in three minutes so I walked a mile and as soon as we got home Missy put her to bed. Nancy was the next to go to bed. She had a very busy day and was responsible for all the food and planning. Missy, Debbie and I watched part of an old Peter Seller's "Pink Panther" movie. It was a long and memorable day.

Friday July 9, 2010

After staying up until 0200 I slept in this morning. With both girls home Nancy and I will not go to the MAC. I think we both really didn't want to exercise. The sprinkler man was scheduled to perform a mid-season check sometime this morning. He stopped by about 0845 and it took less than 15 minutes. I took Debbie and Missy to "Bill's" for breakfast. Nancy took AJ to the Zoo.

After breakfast I finished cutting the grass and then edged, trimmed and blew all the loose grass back on the lawn. I must say the lawn looks good.

For dinner we all went to Brann's. We got in without a wait. The food was good and the beer was cold. When we got home Debbie and I put AJ in her stroller and took a 1.5 mile walk. AJ fell asleep. We all headed to bed early because Saturday is a busy day.

Thursday July 8, 2010

2142: I got up at 0730. Instead of working out at home I got on my AT and pedaled to the MAC. I performed all my routine at the MAC. Instead of running outside I got on the treadmill and set the speed at 15' per mile and walked 3 miles. Of course it took 45 minutes. After my shower I looked outside and it was pouring. I got coffee at the MAC and sat down and read both the DFP and WSJ. I left about 1130 and came directly home.

I got home and remembered that Nancy, Missy and AJ had gone to Costco. Only Ms P and I were home. I had a quick lunch before the girls got home. My first chore this afternoon was to take Nancy's car and make a deposit at Chase on behalf of the OHNA. Next I stopped at 5/3 and got some cash for this weekend. My final stop was the rental place to reserve some table and chairs for Saturday. The owner said I did not have to do this because they had plenty and would not run out.

The rain appeared to stop about 1500 so I got out the lawn mower and started cutting the grass. I cut all the grass except the east side. I will complete the east side tomorrow and then edge, trim and blow the loose grass off the sidewalk on Friday. It was very humid and I was drenched when I finished. I took a quick shower. For dinner tonight we all headed to Olga's in Gas Light Village. Missy agrees with Bob and Nancy that their Peasant soup is great.

At home I finished the GRP, watched a little TV and at 2000 I took an hour nap. I will pickup Debbie at the airport about 2400 tonight.

Missy and I went to the airport to get Debbie. We waited in the cell phone lot. This lot is a great idea. The plane was about 30 minutes late but we picked up Debbie about 2445. Except for the delay Debbie said her flight was uneventful.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Wednesday July 7, 2010

1639: It was another scorcher today. The temperature was above 90. Wednesday is my easy day but I woke up at 0600. I took Ms P out to do her bidness and then got dressed and pedaled to "Bills" for their weekday special. After breakfast I checked on Ms P and then pumped up the road bike's tires to 120 psi and headed to White Pine Trail. I rode 26 miles on the White Pine and it took 2h15'. It was extremely hot and I was glad I brought a full water bottle.

After the ride I had a quick lunch with about a gallon of water. This afternoon I put a second coat of stain on the picnic table and bench. I took a hot shower and started reading the GRP. Nancy worked at Meijer's Garden this afternoon. When she got home about 1700 she immediately fired up the grill. She is grilling chicken for tonight. Missy called about 1700 and said she and AJ would not arrive until 1900.

Nancy and I ate dinner at 1830. Missy and AJ arrived about 1930. I was glad that Missy's car had air conditioning. It would be a long trip without the AC working. The first two cars Nancy and I owned did not have AC. Summer trips with the kids were an adventure.

We watched a little TV and then at 2100 we all headed upstairs to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I hope the rain holds off until I get the grass cut.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Tuesday July 6, 2010

2111 and it is 88 outside. This has been the warmest day of the year. I slept in until 0730. I followed my post stumble routine which includes a 2 mile run outside. Today at the Kava House I ordered a 16 oz coffee (pint) instead of the 20 oz because Tuesday is free refill day.

The WSJ had a story on why the price of gas has remained steady in CA. It appears the Russians have built a pipeline from their Siberian oil fields to one of their ports on the Pacific. The oil is being shipped to CA refineries. Russian oil is cheaper than Middle East oil. Another article talked about a recent US Court of Appeals ruling that offshore drilling was not complying with US environmental laws. President Obama had the ruling overturned because they thought it would create economic hardships and the US would lose about $50 billion in royalties. Why isn't this on the nightly news?

Because of my late start I did not get home from the Kava House until 1345. I had a quick lunch and then started my afternoon project. I painted the picnic table and bench. Tomorrow I will give the table and bench a second coat. After my painting chore was completed I called Kentwood Bike and asked if my handle bar bracket had arrived. They said it came in today's mail. I drove to the store and picked up the bracket. I am getting smart because I brought the bag to see if the bracket would work. It did not. Kentwood Bike is ordering a third bracket. Stay tuned.

Later Nancy and I delivered an OHNA announcement to all the homes in our block. We took Ms P. She does not like this heat. I then took a quick shower and had cereal for dinner. We were expecting Melissa today but she called and said she is coming tomorrow.

We watched some news and then a rerun of NCIS. At 2100 we came to bed. Nancy has a busy Wednesday and I plan on riding my bike to Rockford.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Monday July 5, 2010

1510: After my late night, I slept in until 0730 this morning. Today is an official holiday. I noted this when I watched "Morning Joe" and it was not on. It is a hot steamy day. I rode my AT to the MAC this morning and I worked up a major league sweat. At the MAC I did some sissy exercises and then ran 2 miles outdoors. I did go to the Kava House to read the DFP and WSJ. However, with the stock market closed there was not a WSJ today.

I got home about 1245 and had a quick lunch. Nancy had to run an errand and it was too hot for Ms P to stay in the car so I stayed home until Nancy got back. I headed upstairs and read my email and several news articles. I also filled out a rebate form for Nancy's new phone.

I am going to Costco to get some peanut butter, fish oil, beer for the party and mouth wash. What a shopping list!

2115: I also purchased some fish oil and granola cereal. After the shopping trip I sanded the picnic table and bench. I thought I needed some exercise so I rode the AT around Reeds Lake a distance of 6.6 miles.

Nancy had to work at Meijer's Garden so I had some granola from Costco for dinner. I topped the meal off with a glass of 2 buck Chuck. I watched the news and then started watching a John Wayne/Rock Hudson western. Nancy got home about 2015.

I just finished walking Ms P around the block. I am now going to bed to try and finish my book. It is 2118 and the temperature outside is still 86.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Sunday July 4, 2010

1618: Happy 4th of July. We got up at our normal time for Sunday, 0646, and after taking care of Ms P, we headed to the MAC. I cannot swim because of the my shoulder so I ran outside on a two mile course. Nancy went swimming. After the MAC we continued to follow our Sunday routine and headed to Meijer's. I filled the Taurus up and paid $2.79 per gallon. Today is suppose to be one of the hottest days of the summer. The high humidity will make being outside very uncomfortable.

For breakfast Nancy prepared her world famous poached eggs. I also finished the rhubarb sauce. I love rhubarb. I read a section of the paper and then took a short nap.

Despite being hot and humid we have clear blue skies. This Sunday reminds me of Sundays on my Grandfathers farm. I usually spent the month of June on the farm helping get the hay in. On Sunday mornings my grandfather and I would pick out a chicken we would want for lunch. We used a 22 rifle to shoot the chicken. The rules were that I got the first shot. You always wanted a head shot so as not to damage the meat. If I missed which was almost every Sunday, my grandfather got the second shot. It usually took 4 or 5 shots. My grandmother would then clean and fry the chicken. After Lunch which was called dinner, my grandfather and I would go to the baseball field to watch the Hubbard Lake baseball team play another county league team. The baseball field was near the beach and I always brought my swimming suit. My grandfather made me stay until at least the 7th inning until I could go swimming. It was a long 7 innings.

After a light supper my uncle and aunt would sometimes stop by and ask if I wanted to go to the drive-in movie with them. I always said yes. The drive in was near the baseball field. We did not have daylight savings time so the movie would start about 2000 and get out about 2200. I always remind my cousin Randy about the Sunday night movies and how much I enjoyed his mom and dad taking me.

1800: I just took a 2.75 mile walk. I am trying to get my walking down to 15 minutes per mile. I practiced on the tread mill this morning for about 10 minutes. My pace this afternoon was 17'50". I still need some work.

When I was a boy we spent the 4th of July at my grandparents farm at Hubbard Lake. I think we would have about 30 family members in attendance. The men played horse shoes, did some trap shooting, played croquet and listened to the Tiger's game on the radio. No TV back then. For food we had fried chicken, corn on the cob, garden grown salads and homemade ice cream and pie. When I was about 12 my dad let me shoot his shotgun at some clay pigeons (trap shooting). It was a great 4th for me.

Saturday July 3, 2010

1555 Sunday: Saturday July 3rd started at 0715 when I finally woke up. This is not your typical Saturday because today we are going to the "Hollyhock Lane Parade". Yes this year the parade is being held on the 3rd and not the 4th of July. This is an election year so the parade was especially long because of all the folks running for office. For the first time in over thirty years the MC of the event was not Mary Ester Lee. This year's MC was Simon Vance, a classmate of Stephen's. Simon did a great job.

After the parade Nancy and I got in the Taurus and headed to "Bill's". I had to show Nancy what a fine dining establishment this place was. Nancy only had a biscuit but I had my normal pancake and eggs. After breakfast we drove across the street to the new Rylee's Hardware. I wanted to show Nancy the new home grown store. I bought some sandpaper for the picnic table and bench.

After breakfast I put Ms P in the C2 and ran some errands. We visited the bank, D&W and the Kava House. After a quick lunch, I needed some exercise so I loaded the AT and headed to Millennium Park. I took a 90 minute ride.

After a shower, I took a short nap and watched the news at 1800. At 1900 we got in the Taurus and headed to Bostwick Lake. Tom Appel, an old OHNA neighbor, invited us out to his home on the lake to watch fireworks. There were about 50 people at Tom's party. I talked with Jim Walters a retired OHHS teacher, Tom and Kathy K, TJ's mom and dad, and the Vines. I also talked to George Walters a retired member of the GRBA. George is now 80 years old and looks great. Tom had PBR beer. I did not think they even made PBR anymore. The fireworks started about 2215 and were very good. We got home about 2300.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Friday July 2, 2010

0750 July3: On Friday July 2, I get up at 0730. I hurried through my abbreviated exercise routine and headed to the MAC. It has been two weeks since the stumble. I was a little worried about running outside but told myself that it is time to get back in the action. I ran outside for 20 minutes.

It was another beautiful day and I hoped that I would have time for a long bike ride. I read the DFP but the WSJ was not available on the Kindle. I had a quick lunch and then took Ms P in the C2 to run some errands. My first stop was Mr. Thang's to pick up some pants that I had shortened. Next we stopped at Rylee's Hardware where I purchased some mosquito spray that attaches to the hose so I can spray our hill before next week's "Blessing". The final stop was GR Bicycle Company where I picked up a super cool bike hat.

We have not used our picnic table in years so I spent some time washing the table and bench. I also sandpapered the top of the table and bench. Next week I will apply a coat of stain to the top surface. After these chores I decided I did not have time for a bike ride so I took a two mile walk.

Last night Nancy and I went to the Moleski's for a kielbasa dinner. We sat outside on their deck. Tom Moleski's sister, Mary Claire, was visiting from Connecticut. It was a perfect evening to sit outside and enjoy the fine weather. We got home about 2000.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Thursday July 1, 2010

2127: I got up at 0630 this morning. After my easy exercises at home I got on the AT and pedaled to the MAC. It was cool this morning so I wore long pants and socks. The MAC was not very busy this morning. I did some stretching , balancing and then some deep knee bends. I ran 1.5 miles inside. It was two weeks ago that I had my stumble. My shoulder still hurts and I cannot do pushups or chin-ups. I hope to be able to row next week. Lately I have been using the cold plunge in the hope that it will help the shoulder. I sit 40 seconds in the cold plunge and then sit 40 seconds in the hot tub. I do three cycles.

Yesterday I got an invite to my 55th AHS reunion. Nothing like having the invitations a year early. I plan on attending and told Nancy to block out July 1 and 2, 2011.

I did go to the Kava House today and read the DFP and WSJ. The Detroit Public Schools continue to bleed money. More major cutbacks were announced today. I was complaining several days ago about the EX-IM bank not giving a loan to India for a new power plant. The lack of a loan resulted in Bucyrus International of WI losing a $600 million equipment contract. Today's WSJ said the EX-IM will reconsider their action. I bet every WI legislator was all over the bank. I did read that the President was in WI yesterday but no mention was made of Bucyrus International losing the $600 million contract.

I got home at 1250 and had a quick lunch. After I finished the front yard I took a break and tried to get Nancy's new cell activated. After several attempts I finally got a Verizon person to walk me through the activation process. The phone works fine. Tomorrow I will see if I can figure out how to transfer her contacts list.

I finished the lawn about 1730. After a quick shower Nancy and I headed to Great Lakes Shipping. I had an Oberon beer and French dip sandwich. Nancy had the Asian chicken salad and diet coke. We sat outside on the deck and listened to the singer they have every Thursday night. I read the GRP watched a little TV and walked Ms P around the block. At 2100 we came upstairs.

Wednesday June 30, 2010

2111: It is Breakfast Club morning so I get right up when the alarm goes off at 0545. I take Ms P out to do her bidness and then fetch coffee for Nancy. It is very cool this morning so I wear a blazer to breakfast. I leave at 0640 and make it to the meeting before its 0700 start time. This morning they had a German Brass Band to entertain us. It was good.

After breakfast I go to the Farmer's Market and purchase some rhubarb. Nancy is going to make me some rhubarb sauce. My next stop was Rylee's Hardware where I purchase some redwood stain for the picnic table. I will stain the table and bench sometime next week. I dropped the purchases off at home and picked up Ms P. We stopped at the gas station and I filled up the tank. My next stop was the Kava House where I purchased a coffee to take on the road. I dropped Ms P at home and loaded the AT bike on my rack. Today I am going to ride on the Frederick Meijer Heartland Trail. The trails starts just north of Greenville and heads northeast towards Alma. I parked at Grow Road and headed 2.5 miles southwest to the start of the trail. I then turned around and headed northeast towards Edmore. I pedaled all the way to Edmore which is the end of the paved portion of the trail. I stop at the Edmore Burger King and got a whopper.

It was a great day for a ride. I saw several snakes sunning themselves on the asphalt, a turkey, numerous chipmunks, ground hogs and a lot of colorful song birds. I like this trail because it is flat, crosses over several streams and runs through a lot of farm country. In several areas the trees create a canopy over the trail and it is like riding in a tunnel. The trail passes through two scenic small communities, Stanton and Edmore. I rode 34 miles and it took about 3 hours. (I always type road instead of rode)

When I got home I noted a Fed Ex ticket in the door. I had to pick up two packages. Nancy got home right after I did. After my shower we got in the Taurus with Ms P and headed to Fed Ex. One of the packages contained Nancy's new cell phone. The other package contained our passports with the Russian visas.

Nancy and I finished the salad from last night. I also had a bowl of cereal and a glass of wine. Not much on TV so we came to bed at 2050. Tomorrow is suppose to be another nice day. I plan on cutting the grass in the afternoon.