Saturday September 30, 2012

Another beautiful fall day is in store for GR. We have also been having very clear nights with a bright full moon. This morning I broke my vow and instead of having Bill's oatmeal I had the All American breakfast. It was real good and I am sure had at least 1500 calories. On my pedal through Aquinas College this morning I saw that they were setting up for an Alumni (us?) homecoming. They even had a big beer tent set up. It is a great day for any outdoor activity. When I got home the grass was still a little wet so I walked Ms P around the block. I started cutting about 1130. Nancy was also working in the yard cutting back some flowers. I think that I must have spent 50% of my time throwing the ball to Ms P. I was done with the yard work by 1500. Nancy was also done with her work. She had filled five yard bags. After my shower I watched some of the MSU game in bed. Well I tried to watch but I think I slept for an hour. Nancy announced about 1700 that I had given her my cold. She was experiencing a sore throat. What else could you expect after 47 years, we share. We stayed home and had pizza for dinner. I spent most of the evening watching football. I did take time to get in a mile walk.

Friday September 28, 2012

This morning I declared my cold over. Ms P and I got up at 0500 and everything was right with the world. I did some calisthenics at home before getting on my bike and heading to the MAC. I decided not to do any aerobics today to make sure my prognosis was correct. I did for the first time in years spend some time in the steam room. The DFP continued it coverage of the ex mayor of Detroit's corruption trial. It reads like a movie script. When I got home I had a quick lunch and then Ms P and I walked around the block. Today is a sunny day with temps in the high 60s. A neighbor called me to tell me that the City of GR had installed a new street light in the OHN. This streetlight would replace our existing concrete lights. It is suppose to be a fiberglass replica. In fact it is now 1610 and I think Ms P and I will walk over and see the new pole. Ms P and I just walked over to see the pole. My first thought was that the pole was too tall. However, I have been told that the pole is only 1' taller than existing. Did you know that today is my 1353 post. I hope that everyone is getting their 30 minutes outside each day. Nancy and I had dinner at the Sun Dance. We both had salads. I watched some new shows on TV before going to bed at 2200.

Thursday September 27, 2012

My cold has now gone from a 5 hankie cold to a 3 hankie cold. I slept in until 0810 this morning. No exercise for me today. I had an oatmeal breakfast at Bill's this morning. After breakfast I came home and Ms P and I took a leisurely walk around the block. I did some computer work and then at 1230 I headed to Dr Mary Yurko's office to have her put some liquid nitrogen on a spot on my nose. I was in and out of the office in 20 minutes. When I got home Nancy was still out running errands. I had a quick lunch and then we all got in the Taurus and headed to Costco. Nancy needed to get a prescription filled. I walked around and ended up buying a thermal long sleeve tee shirt and some wool long underwear bottoms. Every once in a while Costco has some men's clothing on sale at a great price. I just finished reading the DFP. The DFP concentrated this morning's paper on the trial of the ex mayor and the hunt for Jimmy Hoffa's body. Tonight we are having dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. We read a paper copy of the GRP which was full or Art Prize stories. Tonight a new Person of Interest was as was a new show called Elementary. Person of Interest was ok but Elementary was not. We had a nearly full moon tonight. Lately we have been having very clear evening skies.

Wednesday September 26, 2012

Just a quick note: Today the SS checks come in so I want all you working folks to keep working so the checks keep coming. I know that you working folks will not have SS when you reach 65 but we seniors don't care. I hate to say it but I think that is the prevailing attitude among seniors. Whatever happened to sharing! As the evening and morning progressed my cold became worse. I now have a 5 hankie cold. Today I will take it easy all day. At 0830 I got in the C2 and headed to Bill's. I had their oatmeal. The DFP continues writing about the trial of Detroit's ex mayor. I thought what the Feds are claiming the ex mayor and friends did was only in the movies. The WSJ is really hung up on the problems in Greece. If I lived in the Euro zone I would vote to expel Greece. After breakfast I headed to Meijer's. I bought some orange juice and apples. I need fruits and juice to fight the cold. I also filled up the C2. Gas was $3.99 per gallon. Nancy is working at the Gardens this afternoon. I took a hour nap. It is now 1500 and I think I will walk Ms P around the block. After a light dinner I read old issues of NG and watched some TV. We were all upstairs by 2200.

Tuesday September 26, 2012

Another beautiful fall day in GR. On my bike ride to the MAC I was surprised at how fast the trees are turning. I did the tri today and although I felt tired my time in the 1,000 yard swim was near my PB, 29'. Today I spent too much time talking to other old folks. I did not get to the Kava House until after noon. I read both the WSJ and DFP. The DFP has been covering the corruption trial of the ex mayor of Detroit. There are stories of bag men carry $90,000 in cash to Texas to give to the ex mayor. Also on trial is the best friend of the mayor, a contractor who paid kickbacks to his honor, the mayor's father and the ex manager of the Detroit Water and Sewer Organization, a major source of a lot of the ill gotten money. I had a quick lunch and then started waiting for the plumber to show up. We have a leaking valve in the basement. While waiting I got out the C2 and made a quick trip to the PO and then to the Harmony bar to get my growler filled. It took the plumber about 45' to fix our problem. He had to drain all the cold water lines. I have been feeling a cold coming on so after taking Ms P on a walk I sat on the front stoop and let the warm sun beat on me. Ms P did the same. Nancy fixed a shrimp dish for dinner and it was good. Tonight starts the new TV season so we watched NCIS and NCIS LA. I also watched the new Vegas show. I slept in the other bedroom because I don't want Nancy to get my cold. My nose is running and the throat is sore. I think I have my annual change of season cold. Bummer.

Monday September 24, 2012

We had frost warning up last night. At 0400 Ms P wanted to get under some covers because I think she was cold. I got up at 0700 and performed my Monday routine. I bundled up for my ride to the MAC. Despite the early morning cold today is a bright sunny fall day. I did my normal Kava House routine. After the Kava House I had a quick lunch and then got in the Taurus and headed to Master Cleaners. I had all my wool winter clothes dry cleaned. I had to take a check because they do not take plastic. After the cleaners Nancy and I headed downtown to view some more Art Prize exhibits. We started at the Bob, a local restaurant. They had exhibits inside and outside. We then spent the next 2.5 hours walking around and looking at all the displays. Downtown was crowded with folks viewing Art Prize. We each had a TV dinner for our evening meal. It had been awhile since I had a frozen dinner and it was pretty good. We watched some TV before going to bed.

Sunday September 24, 2012

Sunday morning and we are up and ready to go swimming. We got to the MAC at 0750 and the Manager let us in early. I thought I would set a PB for the 1500 yard swim today but my time was the same as it has been all year. So much for instinct. My contact started misbehaving during my shower. Instead of going straight to Meijer's we headed home so I could remove the contact. We took Ms P to Meijer's with us. Gas today was $3.88 per gallon. Our larder was pretty empty so we bought a lot of groceries. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I did take my afternoon nap. After the nap I stored all my summer clothes and brought the winter clothes upstairs. I watched part of the Lions game until a Titans player stole the ball from a receiver and ran for a touchdown putting the Lions two TDs behind. Nancy told me the game went into overtime. We are having sloppy joes for dinner tonight. After dinner we will take a mile walk. We will watch some TV and read the GRP. Monday: and that folks is exactly what we did.

Saturday September 22, 2012

Today is the first day of fall, the Autumnal Equinox. I checked for GR and today we have 12h08' of daylight. I figure this is close enough. Nancy no longer goes to the MAC on Saturday so we all slept in until 0814 this morning. It rained last night and the temperature was in the high 40s this morning. I got out my winter bike helmet. I got to Bill's kind of late this morning and had trouble finding a table. I tried their corn beef hash with eggs this morning. It was good. Not much in the WSJ. It was bright sunshine when I rode to Bill's but when I left it looked like rain. I took a detour on my pedal home today and rode around Reeds Lake. Nancy was busy this morning cleaning closets. She found several nice fountain pens that have never been used, complete with ink cartridges. I will start using them. She also found a 1966 rent payment for 875 Woodside Road in Redwood City, CA. We paid $165 per month for a 2 bedroom furnished apartment. Nancy also had prepared two packages for the grandkids. I walked over to the post office and mailed them. I spent a good part of the afternoon putting away all the outdoor furniture. I also took off all the downstairs screens and stored them in the basement. I topped off the afternoon with a 1.12 mile walk. I know the exact distance because I wore my GPS. We had dinner at Panera Bread. Nancy had the chicken noodle soup and I had a soup and tuna fish sandwich. Nothing like a good tuna fish. We all took a one mile evening walk. Nancy purchased tickets to SF and I watched the first half of the UM/Notre Dame football game. It was pretty grim. I was upstairs by 2230.

Friday September 21, 2012

Even though I am retired I am glad today is Friday. I did not want to work out today but I persevered. Rowing on the Concept 2 must be a good exercise because I sometimes, like Friday, dread getting on the machine. I rowed for 15 minutes. I am usually breathing heavily when I finish. I think I will put my heart rate monitor on next week. During the winter I will row 5k. I should row 5k in about 22'. I pedaled to the MAC and had to take a different route because of construction on Breton. My time in the 1.5 mile run also reflects my lack of enthusiasm. I ran it in 15'50". For the first time this fall the Kava House had the heat on. It felt good. I read the WSJ and DFP and found no article that made me mad or happy. When I got home Kim was busy cleaning the house. Nancy and I talked to Kim about her schedule and if she was willing to take care of Ms P while we are gone in Oct and Nov. We told her that her daughter, a student at Aquinas, could stay in our house while we are gone. Ms P would like that. Nancy and I loaded Ms P in the Taurus and headed to Costco. I was out of peanut butter and Nancy needed some lotion and paper products. I also had a hot dog. After Costco I took a short nap and then at 1545 we headed up north to Centennial Movie Theater. Hal Horling and I saw the new Bourne movie and Karen Horling and Nancy saw the new Tommy L Jones and Meryl Streep movie. After the movie we went to Carino's for dinner. It is an Italian restaurant located within walking distance of the movie. It was a great way to spend a rainy, cool fall afternoon.

Thursday September 20, 2012

I really slept in today. Nancy had to take Ms P out. When I finally got up at 0707 I did some calisthenics and then got in the C2 and headed to St Mary's Lab to get some more lab tests done. I must have arrived at the right time because I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. After the Lab I headed to the MAC. Today I used the MAC's rowing machine and set a PB. I did the 2k in 8'50". I also had a PB in my swim. I did the 1,000 yards in 28'50". Did I have the good times because I did not ride my bike? Today I had my coffee at Breton Village. After reading today's WSJ I concluded the world is not a happy place. Between the unrest in the Middle East, Japan and China arguing over some small islands, the US elections, and the European banking mess I wonder if maybe we should take a time out. I finished out my morning activities by stopping at Macatawa Bank to take care of a CD that had expired. I am getting 0.25% interest on the new CD. Thank you Ben. After a quick lunch I took Ms P around the block and then walked to Gaslight Village to do some more banking. Tonight Nancy and I are going to Great Lakes Shipping for dinner. I will read the GRP and then watch some TV. My favorite show "A Person of Interest" is now on at 2200. Bummer!

Wednesday September 19, 2012

Today I had breakfast club. It was pitch black when I headed downtown at 0645. It was also cool enough, mid 40s, for me to wear a sport coat. Today's speaker talked about the Shriner Hospitals for Children. He has been active in the group for over 30 years. Next BC meeting I get to introduce the speaker. The speaker will be the Kent County's Drain Commissioner. After BC I stopped by the Kava House to read the WSJ. Did Mitt Romney shoot himself in the foot? I agree with his statements but I think he could have used the opportunity to say that under his administration he will get the economy running so all the folks dependant on the Government could get a job. The cool morning has me thinking Fall. When I got home I took all my wool pants, wool sweaters and winter coats to the dry cleaners. After the cleaners I stopped by F. David Barney and picked up my new wool pants. I asked Bruce, who has been selling me clothes for over 20 years, how often I should get wool clothes dry cleaned. His answer was never. I respect his opinion but I will get my wool clothes cleaned at least once a year. I spent three hours cutting the lawn. The grass was not very long but it still needed to be cut. Ms P was full of energy today so I threw my arm out throwing the ball to her. It must be the cool weather. Nancy is working at the Gardens this afternoon. We will have a light dinner and then take our mile walk. We did both.

Tuesday September 18, 2012

The wind blew and we had some thunder but very little rain last night. The temperature did drop to the low 40s this morning. I bundled up for my pedal to the MAC. In fact I was thinking that it is cool enough that I should get out my winter bike helmet. The winter helmet is actually a snow boarders helmet. I did the tri today and I had to whole pool to myself. I have been having problems with the IRS lately. They keep sending letters to 1555 Mackinaw. The letter is addressed to S. Gorham (or something like that). Both the name and SS# are not even close to me. I keep sending the letters back saying the cat does not live here. Yesterday we got a registered letter from the IRS. We were not here so they left a pick up notice. I stopped at the PO and they said our mail carrier had it. When the carrier stopped at the house Nancy did not sign for it because the person the letter was address to did not live here. Remember the old song "Return to Sender"? Despite the cool weather it was a nice fall day. Ms P and I walked around the block and she seemed full of energy. Must be the cool weather. At 1600 Nancy and I headed downtown to the GR Public Museum to view some art prize entries. We walked around downtown and looked at a lot of art prize displays. Art Prize does not officially start until tomorrow but a lot of exhibits were on display. We had dinner at Ramona's Table in Gaslight Village tonight. Nancy has an OHNA Board meeting tonight. I will stay home and read the GRP and watch NCIS. 52 years ago I today, September 18, 1960, I wrote my mother a letter. I was in my last semester of classes at the UM. Bud Schram and I had rented a basement bedroom. I told Mom that it cost $7.50 per week. I also had sent my Mother my last paycheck from the Vermont Highway Department and told her to deposit it soon or I would be overdrawn. As I recollect my last semester I was only carrying 12 hours.

Monday September 17, 2012

We are getting near the Equinox. Sunrise today is 0725 and sunset at 1948. Today is suppose to be our last warm day, mid 70s. The low temperature this evening is suppose to be in the high 30s. Today I got up with an alarm set for 0707. I did my calisthenics and then loaded up the bike and headed to Riverside Park. I pedaled to Rockford and back, a distance of 23 miles. It took me 2 hours. I stopped at the Kava House to read the WSJ. I could not get to the DFP because my meter was expired. The WSJ had a great article on folks my age that were raised to save money. The mantra was put your money in the bank and let it draw interest. The theory was that compound interest would let your funds keep up with inflation. The Feds are now pushing a policy that would outrage my Grandparents. The frugal are being punished and the reckless rewarded. After a quick lunch I drove to Meijer's to purchase some apples. I also stopped at the bank to get $50 in dollar coins. I love the dollar coin and think the $1 bill should be eliminated. A new store has opened in Gaslight Village. It is called Great Lakes Woolens and they sell Woolrich products. I liked their selection but who can buy a wool product when the temperature is in the mid 70s. Tonight we will have a light dinner. If it isn't raining we will take a 1 mile walk. Tuesday: We did have a light dinner. We took our evening one mile walk. It was a nice fall evening. We watched "Major Crimes" on TV before heading upstairs.

Sunday September 16, 2012

Ms P and I went out at 0430. It was pitch black. It was still dark at 0700. The days they are getting shorter. Today is swim day so we grab our gear and head to the MAC. We both swam 1500 yards. Swimming is the one activity that Nancy and can do together. In fact Nancy is a better swimmer than I am. She has a beautiful stroke. We are not going to Meijer's today because we have been invited to a brunch at the Moleski's. The brunch started at 1030 and we were right on time. Linda Moleski had fixed an egg casserole. The menu included champagne, the casserole, ham, fruit and assorted bread products. It was a great brunch. When I got home I took my Sunday afternoon nap. After the nap I walked over to the USPO to mail a letter. It is another great fall day. Sun, blue sky and temperatures in the mid 70s. Nancy is fixing hot dogs and beans for dinner tonight. We will take our mile walk and then I will read the GRP and watch the Lions on TV. Monday PM: We did take our 1 mile walk. I read the GRP but did not watch the Lions. In fact it is now 1654 and I still don't know the score.

Saturday September 15, 2012

51 years ago on this day and date I became an Ensign in the USN. I graduated from Navy OCS located in Newport, RI. My Mom, Dad and Sister attended the ceremony. I can still remember the day. Today I got up at 0700. Nancy is sleeping in because she is not taking any Saturday classes at the MAC. I got on my bike and pedaled to Bill's for an oatmeal breakfast. I read the WSJ. Lately my schedule has not given me enough time for reading the DFP. How can a retired person have a busy schedule? I wish the WSJ would forget about banking in Europe and the USA election and report more on business stories. Since the Feds want us invest our cash in the stock market I want more information on where to put our money. I would prefer as low risk investment as possible. Right now a 3% return seems great. Our CDs are paying less than 0.4%. After breakfast I stopped at Ms P's vet to get a tour of their kennel. All three kennels I have visited were clean and their staff were very dedicated. The costs were comparable. When I got home I loaded up the kayak on the C2 and headed to Bruce's Bayou located on the Grand River almost to Grand Haven. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. We had a bright blue sky and pleasant temperatures. I saw several Sand Hill Cranes. They are a pretty bird. After about an hour of paddling I beached the kayak and started chewing on some trail mix. I got out the cell and called Debbie. Debbie told me the good news that she had just purchased a house in San Jose. She was very excited. We talked about 20 minutes and Debbie filled me in on her purchase and very busy upcoming schedule. I hurried home to tell Nancy the news. The GR Circle Theater is presenting a play called "The Great American Trailer Park" at Aquinas College. The play is a musical. After 1700 the tickets for the evening play are 1/2 price. At 1650 I got on my bike and pedaled to Aquinas. The play was sold out but they had one remaining set of side by side seating. The catch was one of the seats was an obstructed view. I bought the tickets. The play was indeed sold out. It was a very funny play and we enjoyed the music. The obstructed view was not too much of a problem. There was no intermission so we were home by 2130.

Friday September 14, 2012

As I mentioned yesterday it rained almost all night. It was a gentle rain so Ms P slept through it. The temperature was in the low 50s this morning. After the morning calisthenics I loaded the bike up and headed to Millennium Park. We had a bright blue sky and sunshine. The leaves are just starting to turn so the ride was very pleasant. I rode 18 miles in 1h36'. After the ride I stopped at the Kava House to read my papers. In addition to stories on the middle east the WSJ had several articles on actions yesterday by the Fed. I don't think their action will have any impact. The first thing I did when I got home was to walk Ms P around the block. I had a quick lunch and then took the Taurus to get it washed. Nancy and I are taking off in November for Viet Nam. We will need a kennel for Ms P part of the time we are gone. I stopped by "Camp Bow Wow" and got a tour of the facility. My next stop was the Kentwood Animal Hospital which also has a kennel. The folk gave me a tour. I did not notice much difference between the kennels. Tomorrow I will stop at Ms P Vet to tour their kennel. Tonight Nancy and I are going to Forest Hill Inn for dinner. It has been awhile since we have been to FHI. We were surprised that FHI was crowded. I had a club sandwich and Nancy had a salad. We watched some TV before turning in.

Thursday September 13, 2012

It was a warm evening. Today is suppose to be our last hot day. I wore shorts to the MAC. I did the tri with no improvement in my times. The Kava House was not very busy today. Did you know that most of the folks at the Kava House have Apple computers. The WSJ was loaded with articles on the attack on Americans in the middle east. All these new democracies must learn that a free speech, no matter how bad, is part of a democratic government. Immediately after lunch I finished cutting the back yard. The weather man said rain would roll through late in the PM so I wanted to finish early. I spent the rest of the afternoon finding out if our health insurance would pay for a prescription I just had filled. I spent about an hour calling insurance companies trying to get an answer. I did not get an answer. Nancy and I are attending a preview of this year's Art Prize at the GR Art Museum. We left home at 1730. The event was well attended. (probably because of the free food). We saw several neighbors and at least three BC members and their wives. The preview was very interesting. I liked about 50% of the displays, which makes the event a big success. We were home by 2000. I read the GRP and watched some TV. I guess the new TV season starts next week. It started raining about 2130 and we had a gently rain almost all night.

Wednesday September 12, 2012

Wednesday is suppose to be my easy day but my calendar looks full. I pedaled to Bill's for breakfast and had their super duper special. When I got home I had to start mowing the lawn. I mowed until 1300 and then had to stop. This afternoon I have a GRBA meeting at 1400. I took a quick shower and headed downtown. Nancy is working at the Gardens. The GRBA is finishing two projects and have no projects coming up. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes. After the meeting I walked south down Monroe until I got to the watch repair shop. Nancy needed a new battery for her Nike sports watch. The shop is a one man operation so when I got to the store there was a sign in the window saying back in 10. To kill time I walked into F. David Barney men's store to looked around. I ended up buying a pair of summer weight wool pants. Yesterday I broke the weed eater. I stopped a Rylee's to see if it could be repaired. It could not so I bought a new one, $35. I got home about 1600. I continued my lawn cutting operation. I trimmed and edged the front yard and cut all the grass except the back yard. Tonight Nancy has book club so I am meeting Tom Moleski at Vitales for pizza and beer. I had a great pizza and enjoyed talking with Tom. Nancy was not home yet so I took Ms P on a mile walk. When Nancy got home we found nothing on TV that was worth watching except the Tigers game. The Tigers score was 0-0 or nil/nil in England. We were upstairs by 2130.

Tuesday September 11, 2012

Another great sleeping night. Ms P and I went out at 0600. I got up for good at 0700. Today is my tri day. I rowed 2k in 9'03". My goal is to get below 9'. Last night I had to hurry and pay some bills that I had forgotten about. On my pedal to the MAC I had to stop at the Breton Village mail box. Today I swam 1,000 yards in 29'. This is a PB for me. The young women in the next lane swam the 1,000 in 16'. Makes me feel old. I wore a jacket on my pedal to the MAC but ditched the jacket on the ride to the Kava House. It is suppose to get to the low 80s today. Today is the 11th anniversary of 9/11. I remember 9/11 clearly. Like today it was a beautiful sunny fall day with a bright blue sky. When I got to the office in the McKay Tower the staff was watching the collapse of the towers on TV. It was a tragic day for the USA. I think the country has made a great recovery. Last May Nancy and I toured Ground Zero. I spent most of the afternoon giving my comments on a set of bridge plans. I then took Ms P on a walk around the block. I was out of beer so I grabbed by empty growler and walked to Harmony. They filled it up with a brew called Happy Farm. It is a pale ale. I think IPA's are too bitter. How about you? Today Nancy is grilling a pork loin for dinner. We will watch the news and then take a 1 mile walk. At 2000 we will watch NCIS and read the GRP. And that is exactly how it happened.

Monday September 10, 2012

It was a beautiful night for sleeping. In fact it was so nice I slept in until 0710. I had trouble getting started this morning. I lost my bike jacket and could not find it. I had to prepare some items for mailing and it took forever to complete my Monday routine. I did not get to the MAC until almost 1000. I finally got to the Kava House at 1145. Today's WSJ had more articles on politics than business. I would prefer more business reporting. I finally got home at 1330. After a quick lunch I restarted my search for my bike jacket. Finally Nancy said did I look in my backpack. Sure enough it was in the backpack. I settled down by walking Ms P around the block. We had a light dinner and then watched the news. After the news we grabbed Ms P and went on a mile walk. Not much on TV but I did watch some of the NFL game. We could not get the US Open final. It must have a great match (5 sets).

Sunday September 9, 2012

Sunday and the alarm goes off at 0655. We all get up and head to the MAC. I swam my 1500 yards in 45'. I felt good this morning and thought I was swimming faster than the 45'. Our larder is full so we are not going to Meijer's today. We head home and I load Ms P into the car and head to the Eastown BP for a fillup. Gas was $3.89 and it took $59 to fill the tank. After gas I stopped at the Kava House and got us coffee. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I read a section of the GRP before heading upstairs for my Sunday nap. After the nap I finally finished checking a set of bridge plans. I really have a tough time sitting down and working for any length of time. In other words I have a problem focusing. I would say it is a sign of aging but I could not focus when I was a teenager. I watched the last minute of the Lions game. That is all I needed because in that time the Lions scored and won the game. Should I get my hopes up? Tonight Nancy and I are going to a chili cookout. I think we get to be judges. We indeed were judges. The neighbors brought about 8 different types of chili. The categories were, spicy, traditional, white and special. We sampled all. The event was held in the front yard of our neighbors on Pontiac, the Deur's. Despite the short notice the event was well attended. Nancy and I spent about 2 hours eating and talking to neighbors. It was a beautiful fall evening. After we got home we watched the end of the Women's Tennis finals and then 60 minutes. I also finished the GRP. Both Nancy and I are disappointed with the GRP since it has gone to publishing 3 days a week. The quality of reporting has really dropped. I headed upstairs at 2200.

Saturday September 8, 2012

Ms P and I went out at 0555. I got up for good at 0715. It was cool this morning so I wore a jacket for my bike ride to Bill's. I had oatmeal and English muffin toast. When I got home Nancy needed at package mailed so I put the package in my backpack and headed to the PO. The place was crowded. I was #14 in line. After the PO I pedaled to the Ada Bike Shop on Fulton. I purchase a rear carrier with an easy on/off bag. It was too windy to go kayaking so I loaded the bike on the C2 and headed to Millennium Park. My goal today is to ride on every paved path in the park. I accomplished my goal. I rode 15 miles in 1h26'. Yesterday I had the same time but pedaled 17 miles. We are staying home this evening. I will watch some football on TV. Nancy fixed BLT for dinner with corn on the cob. This year the corn has been very sweet. I did watch some football on TV before heading to bed at 2200. You can tell fall is here because of the shorter days. Another sign is that the Robins seem to have headed south. I have not seen one is several days.

Friday September 7, 2012

This morning I only did my calisthenics at home. The weather folks said that heavy rain will be starting at noon. I hustled and loaded my bike on the C2 and headed to Millennium Park. I started at 0850 and rode 17.5 miles in 1h26'. This is a good time for me. After my ride I headed to the Kava House. The WSJ was loaded with stories on the decision of the European Central Bank to help struggling economies in Europe. In fact this decision was the reason the stock market went wild yesterday. (go figure) Liar, liar stop already. I am so tired of the fact checkers checking up on Romney and Obama statements. Let me determine what is fact or fiction. I think the biggest problem with the election is all the worthless chatter on cable. When I got home Kim was still cleaning the house. I got back in the C2 and headed to Great Lakes Bicycle to get a minor repair done on my bike. I was also thinking of making some major changes to the brakes and gears. They talked me out of it saying it was a waste of money. When I got home I had a quick lunch and then headed upstairs. I really like the new Kindle Paperwhite so I asked Kindle what do I do with all the books on my old Kindle. I expect a reply soon. I am also ordering a new crisper drawer for our KitchenAid refer. Nancy and I are going to Brann's tonight for dinner. It is now 1530 and no rain. We both had a salad at Brann's. The place was crowded. It started to rain as we were leaving the restaurant. We watched some TV before heading upstairs.

Thursday September 6, 2012

The summer lingers on with temperature expected to reach the high 80s today. I did my standard Thursday routine today. I was going to change my route to the MAC once school opened. However, traffic on Breton Road has not changed so I will not change my route. I did not get to the Kava House until 1145. I read both the WSJ and DFP. Despite spending over an hour reading the WSJ there is nothing I want to write about. The DFP reported that the State Supreme Court has approved several referendums for the November election. I will vote NO on all the referendums. When I got home I had a quick lunch and then walked Ms P around the block. After a week's layoff I am now back checking a set of bridge plans. Nancy just left to go to Rose's for some wine tasting. She is meeting several friends. At 1700 I am meeting Ed Namey at Harmony for a pizza and beer. At 1630 I started walking to Harmony. It only took me 15 minutes so I waited outside for Ed. Ed and I were very impressed with Harmony's pizza. They are a bare bones operation so all their pizzas are 12" only. They only sell beer that they have made. However, you can buy a glass of wine. I was surprised at the number of middle aged couples that had walked to the restaurant. After dinner I walked home. It was a nice evening for a walk. Our days are really getting shorter. Sunrise is at 0714 and sunset at 2007 (12h53' of daylight). Nancy was already home when I walked in. We watched some TV before heading upstairs.

Wednesday September 5, 2012

Today is Breakfast Club. Ms P and I went out at 0555 and the pavement was wet from last night's rain. I said that yesterday was going to be our last hot day but I guess the temperature will reach the high 80s today. The speaker today was the conductor of the GR Symphony. He put on a good show. I did a quick check of the folks at our table and except for me all have been married over 50 years. I am a mere youngster at 47. After BC I stopped at the Kava House and read the WSJ. Even the Kava House is getting involved in politics. Bing Goei, a local business man, held a press contest announcing his write in campaign for State Representative. After the Kava House I stopped by Clark Home to visit our next door neighbor who is undergoing rehab. Bob Calloway had some major surgery last week. The Clark home is about 2 blocks from our house. I took Bob a book on the history of GR City league track and field. Bob ran track for OHHS. Nancy and I had to get a legal document notarized so we drove, separately, to Macatawa Bank. The folks at the bank solved our problem immediately. Nancy then headed to the Gardens for her afternoon shift and I headed to Costco to pick up a prescription. I thought it might rain this afternoon but the sun came out and it was hot and humid. I got the mower out and cut the grass. Ms P chased the ball for a short time but I think the heat got to her. I did not finish until 1600. I took a quick shower and then a short nap. We had a light dinner and then watched the news. I took a short walk and watched Burn Notice. We were all upstairs by 2130.

Tuesday September 4, 2012

The Tuesday after Labor Day and summer is over. All schools are back in session. I followed my Tuesday routine. The class schedule at the MAC has changed so Nancy is starting some new classes. We had a thunder storm roll through last night and of course Ms P went bonkers. Today is going to be our last hot day for awhile. Temperatures are expected to reach the high 80s. After the Kava House I peddled home and had a quick lunch. Today I have my annual physical. My doctor is Dave Kutsche. Dave is married to Mary Hess who grew up on our block. Her younger brother was a classmate of Debbie's. After the physical I headed home because I have to put all our hanging flower baskets in the trash. I also took Ms P around the block. I then ran and got some gas for the lawnmower. I took my 60 oz growler bottle to Harmony Brewery to get it filled. Nancy grilled steaks for dinner tonight. Grilled steaks are always good. Tonight at 2000 we will watch NCIS. I do not think it will be a new episode. The Democrats are having their convention this week but I will not watch much. I am tired of all politics.

Monday September 3, 2012

Monday morning, Labor Day 2012, and I slept in until 0730. Ms P and Nancy had been up since 0630. Today is going to be our easy day. We had breakfast at the Omelet Shop. The Omelet Shop opened at 0800 and were one of the first customers. When we left at 0900 they had folks waiting outside to get in. We both had the oatmeal. The weather today is perfect for a nice pleasant drive. Nancy said she had never walked around Pentwater. So Pentwater is where we decided go. We head home, picked up Ms P and head to Pentwater. Pentwater is a pretty Lake Michigan Town located north of Muskegon. Pentwater has a lot of stores that cater to tourists. The place was crowded. We put Ms P on a leach but she got so hyper that I took her back to the car. We spent about an hour walking around town. Traffic was very light when we headed north to Pentwater. But when we headed home (south) traffic on the freeway was very heavy. All the folks heading home after a long weekend on Lake Mi. As we were leaving we did stop at a local fruit stand and bought some locally grown fruit. We also bought a jar of blueberry jam and a jar of strawberry/rhubarb jam. When we got home I had a quick lunch and then took a nap. It is now 1700 and I am going to walk Ms P around the block. It is very hot today, 90, but Ms P made it around the block without a whimper. We had a light dinner. We watched the news and then I took a short walk. Everyone was upstairs by 2130.

Sunday September 2, 2012

Sunday morning and the alarms go off at 0655. Today we are going swimming and then to Meijer's for supplies. I felt good swimming this morning. However, my time swimming for my 1500 yard medley was 47' about 1' slower than normal. I purchased gas at Costco on Friday and paid $3.87, the lowest price in town. Today gas was $3.999 at Meijer's. We returned bottles to help offset our food costs. We had 30 returns. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. After breakfast I read a section of the paper and then headed upstairs to take my nap. I have to be up by 1400 because we have to go to Costco to get a birthday cake for Linda Moleski. I woke at 1330 and looked for Nancy and saw that she and Ms P were taking a nap. Nancy never naps in the afternoon. Tonight we are going to the Moleski's for a barbeque. Sort of an end of summer get together. How about UM. They were totally outclassed last night. Is UM that bad or is Alabama that good? Anyway football season should not start until after Labor Day and end before Thanksgiving. After we picked up the cake from Costco we came home and then at 1630 headed to the Moleski's. Tom Moleski barbequed both ribs and chicken for dinner. We also had grilled corn on the cob and vegetables. We sat outside and ate. It was a perfect evening for an outside dinner. We had birthday cake and ice cream and all sang Happy Birthday to Linda. We headed home at 2130.

Saturday September 1, 2012

It has been over a week since I wrote a blog. My excuse is that I have been too busy. You may ask how can a retired person be too busy. My answer: I don't know. Anyway it has been a busy week and here is a fast recap. Friday August 24: Nancy and I sleep in because today we are going to Chicago. The purpose of the trip is to celebrate Nancy's 70th birthday. We left home about 0900. We left Ms P because Kim is cleaning the house today and she will pick up Ms P and take her home until Tuesday. The drive to Chicago was uneventful. We arrived at the Courtyard Hotel at 1200 and surprise! our room was ready. After unpacking Nancy headed out to do some serious shopping. I head out for a nice walk and to visit some shops. The first shop I visited was the Orvis Shop. I buy a lot of clothes on-line from Orvis. The Chicago store is very upscale. I did not purchase anything. I also stopped at Brook Brothers and the Garmin store. I like a big city because I enjoy People Watching and visiting stores to see what I am missing out on. Chicago was very crowded. I did go through the Watertower Mall. I thought it was showing its age. Nancy and I got back to the hotel about 1600. Courtyard provided free wi fi so we each got our our itouch and made dinner reservations for 1830. I went downstairs and sat outside and drank a beer and watched folks walk by. Our reservations were at the Weber Grill. Yes the same folks the make the grills. We both had the barbeque. We sat outside and watched the Friday night crowd hustle by. It was a pleasant evening. Saturday and Nancy did not want breakfast so I headed downstairs and had coffee and donuts at a nearby Duncan Donuts. I also read the WSJ and DFP. Nancy did not visit the Watertower yesterday so she headed to the Mall. I took a long walk. I walked to the Chicago River and watched all the tour boats. It was a very hot day. During my walk I found a neat bakery/restaurant call the Corner Bakery. I walked back to the hotel and told Nancy about my find. We had lunch at the Corner Bakery. In the late PM we took a walk to Navy Pier. The Pier was jammed but it was fun being in the crowd. The entire water front was jammed with walkers, runner and bicyclists. Chicago is a great city because of its waterfront. For dinner we walked around and found a place called "Epic Burger". We sat outside and ate our burger. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at Freshberry and got a dish of frozen yogurt. Sunday and we took our time getting up. We had breakfast at the Corner Bakery. After checking out we headed to the discount mall in Michigan City, In. I bought a backpack and some running gear. We got home about 1800. It was a nice weekend. Monday August 27, 2012, Nancy Patton Scott's birthday. We both resumed our normal Monday routine. For dinner Nancy's birthday dinner we ate at Rose's. Again we sat outside and enjoyed the nice August evening. Tuesday and Ms P returns. I did my row/run/swim routine. I also had my coffee at the Kava House. I spent the afternoon checking bridge plans. Wednesday and it is my easy day. I pedaled to Bill's and had eggs and pancakes for breakfast. As soon as I got home I got out the lawnmower and started cutting. Ms P was very active today and I got tired throwing the ball. I was so tired when I finished the yard work that I took a nap. Nancy worked at the Gardens in the afternoon. We spent a quiet evening at home. Thursday and today is a busy day for Bob and Nancy. I have a 1330 skin doctor appointment and a 1430 Dentist appointment. I did not go to the Kava House. I had my coffee and paper at Breton Village. I just made it to the skin doctor on time. She had to freeze several spots and also peeled a section of my nose off to run a biopsy. The Dentist gave me a good report. We had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. It was too warm to sit outside. Ms P over did it yesterday chasing the ball. Today she was hobbling around. We gave her some joint medicine. Friday after my at home calisthenics I load up the bike and head to Millennium Park. The park has opened several new paved trails. I rode 17 miles in 1h30'. We ate dinner at Russ'. I watched some of the US Open and the MSU/Boise State game before going to bed. Saturday the first day of September and I really slept in until 0730. Nancy had already taken Ms P out. I pedaled to Bill's and had oatmeal for breakfast. This afternoon I loaded up the kayak and headed to Lowell and the Flat River. I spent 2 hours on the river. We ate at Olga's for dinner. Tonight I will watch the UM/Al game before heading upstairs.