Saturday November 30, 2013

For the first time in several days the temperature goes above 32. This morning Nancy heads to the MAC for water aerobics. Debbie and I head to Bill's for their super special. After breakfast we drove around some condos just north of Lake Drive on the East Beltline. I had never driven around this development. I was impressed. However, we saw no "For Sale" signs. When we got home I got on my bike and pedaled to MVP. I wanted to know the mileage and time. I took the back streets and drove through Calvin College. It is 5.21 miles and it took me 34'. I watched some of the Ohio State/UM and then at 1500 we loaded up Debbie and her bags and headed to the airport. Nancy and I really enjoyed her visit. We had a good time. We are looking forward to spending Christmas with her in San Jose. Nancy and I took a big chunk out of our Thanksgiving left-overs. We watched the end of the Auburn/Alabama. It was exciting. We are now watching the Lincoln Lawyer on TNT.

Friday November 29, 2013

Friday is an early morning day. When I pulled into the lot at the MAC it was empty. I was in the pool by 0600. I headed straight home from the MAC. Debbie and I had breakfast at the Omelette Shop. After breakfast I dropped Debbie at the MAC. She and Nancy were going Black Friday shopping. Today Nancy and I made the big decision. We are joining MVP Sports Club. I signed up and paid our dues for the rest of 2013. We had dinner at the Cottage Bar. The Cottage Bar was on Debbie's wish list.

Thursday November 28, 2013

My 75th Thanksgiving. It was snowing when Ms P and I went out at 0500. I shoveled the drive and walk. I went back to bed and got up at 0730. I wanted a coffee so I decided to go to Starbuck in Gaslight. First I had to shovel the drive and walk. Starbucks was crowded because many runners stopped at the store after the Turkey Trot run. Nancy did a great job fixing Thanksgiving dinner. I stuffed the turkey. I watched some of the Lions game. We ate at 1400. I opened a new bottle of wine for dinner. Nancy did herself proud. We talked to all the Grandkids on FaceTime today. Steve's family is spending Thanksgiving in Az. Missy and AJ are having dinner with friends in LA. When I was a boy nearly all my family lived within 20 miles. Thanksgiving we held at my Grandfather Scott's farm. We had about 50 family members at the dinner. It was my favorite holiday.

Wednesday November 27, 2013

Today is an easy day for Bob and Nancy. I decided to not go to Breakfast Club. We took Debbie to breakfast at the Brandywine. It was very good. After breakfast we gave Debbie a tour of downtown GR. We stopped at the new Downtown Market. It is nice but the meats are very pricy. We headed home to refresh and then we all got in the Taurus and headed to Costco. Nancy and I thought Costco was crowded but Debbie said compared to San Jose it was empty. Location, Location! We also stopped at Staples to get some printer cartridges. I took a three mile walk in the afternoon. I forget how tough it is to walk on snow covered sidewalks. For dinner Debbie and I headed to Russ's for soup and a burger. Nancy wasn't hungry so she stayed home. I got my 30 in today. Did you?

Tuesday November 26, 2013

The snow remains. My steel studded bike tires worked great on my pedal to the MAC. I had the pool to myself this morning. I had coffee at Starbucks in Breton Village. I had to shovel in the afternoon. For dinner we ate at the Beltline Bar. Debbie said the burrito wss as good as she remembers. I get mad at the stores that are opening on Thanksgiving. We need this holiday. Don't shop at stores open on Thanksgiving. I am glad that congress is on their Thanksgiving holiday. We need a break from all the blather.

Monday November 25, 2013

Saturday November 23: It was 25 when I got on my bike and headed to Bill's. It was snowing when I left Bill's so I headed straight home. As soon as I got home I got my studded bike tires down from the garage rafters and headed to GR Bike to get them put on. Nancy picked me up and we headed to Breton Village to buy some Christmas Wreaths. It took several trips because we had to make some measurements to see what size wreath we needed. I picked up the bike later in the day. The steel studded bike tires are slightly larger so I have to expend a little extra effort. We stayed home Saturday night. Nancy fixed soup and sandwiches for dinner. Not much on TV but after Nancy had gone to bed I was surfing and found a Coen brothers movie called "The Big Lebowski. I really liked it. Sunday November 24: We got to the MAC at 0730 and were on our way to Meijer's by 0900. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I took a quick nap because at 1530 I headed to the airport to pick up Debbie. She is spending Thanksgiving we us. Debbie's flight was early. She was surprised to see the snow on the ground. Nancy fixed sloppy joes for dinner. Every one was tired so we headed to bed early. Monday November 25: It was clear when I headed to the MAC at 0530. I had the pool to myself this morning. After the MAC I headed straight home because I am taking Debbie out for breakfast. We ate at the Omelette Shop in Breton Village. Debbie thought the food was good. My feet were very cold from my bike ride so I took a short nap to warm up. Nancy and Debbie had lunch at Arnie's. It started snowing about noon. We got about 1/4" and I had to get the snow shovels down from the garage rafters. Ms P came out while I was shoveling. She loves to play in the snow. Tonight we are going to Russ's for dinner.

Friday November 22, 2013

Ok here goes: The most asked question today is "Where were you when you found out President Kennedy was shot". My answer is: I was a LTjg in the Navy and was assigned to the "Deputy Officer of Construction, Southeast Asia". I was eating breakfast at the Brinks Hotel in Saigon, Vietnam a six story building that the US Military had taken over. It was 0435 and I was eating creamed chip beef on toast, SOS. An Army Major by the name of Nowak sat down at my table and said he had heard that the President had been shot. It was hard to believe. I left immediately for Tan Son Nhut airport to catch an Army plane to Soc Trang in the Mekong Delta. The plane crew confirmed that indeed the President was shot. It was a day that I will never forget. It was 45 degrees when I left at 0530 for the MAC. The weather folks said it was going to rain so I wore my rain suit. I swam 1650 yards in 42'. I had my coffee this morning at Breton Village. When I left for home the temperature had dropped to the mid 30s. I even saw a snow flake or two. Nancy and I got home at the same time. Kim was still cleaning so we got in the Taurus and headed to Costco. Yesterday we got an email saying the MAC would close on Jan 5. The talk this morning at the MAC was where are you going? One of the options is MVP health club on the corner of East Paris and Burton. It is about 2.5 mile further than the MAC but still the closest club to our house. We stopped by and got a tour. The place was crowded but I liked their 25 meter pool. The cost is about the same as the MAC. We might give it a try. Costco was very crowded. We bought wine, peanut butter, almonds and dinner for tonight. We are staying home and will watch some TV. Both Nancy and I have good books so we will head to bed early. Snow is expected for tomorrow.

Thursday November 21, 2013

Snow is predicted for this weekend but today it was very mild. Temps were in the mid 40s. It is now official the MAC's last day of operation is January 5. Nancy and Bob have to find a new club with swimming pool. I had coffee at the Starbucks in Breton Village. Before heading home I took off a layer so I wouldn't become overheated. Nancy attended a luncheon today. I had a quick lunch and then headed upstairs. I fired up my old computer and opened up Autocad. I was surprised at how much I retained. Nancy and I had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. Not much on TV on Thursdays but we did get a paper copy of the GRP. It is now 2112 and as soon as I finish this blog we are heading upstairs. Nancy is reading a new John Grisham novel. She says it is good. I will download to my Kindle soon.

Wednesday November 20, 2013

Today is an easy day. I slept to 0730 and then got on my hybrid and pedaled to Bill's. This morning I had their Super: potatoes, eggs, sausage and toast. I also spent 60 minutes reading the WSJ. Syria, JP Morgan, China, and the dysfunctional congress take up a lot of space. It was cold, 27, when I left but the sun was rising fast. I rode around Reeds Lake twice. My total miles was 16. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. I spent most of the afternoon in my office. I was looking at a set of plans. I love my Apple Air but most of my engineering computations were done on a Windows based computer. I want to move files from the windows machine to the Apple. I will use my Apple free pass for a lesson on moving files. I think I have commented on my attention span or lack of, since I have quit working. I have reverted to my youth when I always I had trouble concentrating. Enough said! We had a light dinner and then watched some TV. Nancy headed to bed at 2100 and I should be upstairs by 2130. Keep getting your daily 30 minutes outside.

Tuesday November 19, 2013

Got up at 0445 and took Ms P out and then had breakfast. After breakfast I went back to bed until 0700. I put on layers this morning because it was 30 when I left. I was in the pool at 0815 and on my way to the Kava House at 1030. The major conversation at the MAC is what are you going to do when the MAC closes in eight weeks? My standard answer is that we have not made any decision yet. The temperature had increased about 10 degrees so I worked up a sweat on my way to the Kava House. I should have removed a layer and put it in my backpack. Jack Kirkwood, an old neighbor, stopped for coffee and a scone so we had a nice talk. I got home at 1330 and after a quick lunch I headed outside. I put the bag on the lawnmower and collected leaves. I got the entire lawn done in about two hours. Most of the leaves are gone so I hope this is my last yard cleanup for the year. After a quick shower I cleaned my desk. Nancy and I have to start thinking about where we want to live after we sell the house. CA or GR? I suggested Alpena but that did not fly. Nancy is fixing pork chops with stuffing for dinner tonight. Sounds good doesn't it. We got a paper copy of the GRP today. It is also a good TV night. Since tomorrow is my easy day I might try and stay up and watch "Person of Interest".

Monday November 18, 2013

It was real windy when I left for the MAC at 0530. Yesterdays rain and high winds had left many branches in the road. I had dodge them as I pedaled in the black morning. The temperature is suppose to drop all day. It is now 1700 and the temperature has dropped to 35 and it expected to drop to 28 before morning. I swam my metric mile, 1,500 meters, this morning. I was done with my workout by 0745. I had coffee at the Kava House. I read the WSJ and found nothing that excited or upset me. I do want to know how the bitcoin works. A bitcoin is now worth $750. I think the President has used the wrong approach to the problems with the ACA web site. Computer screwup happen all the time. Every one who has ever had a business has run into the project from Hell. The only way to get through these bad projects is to put your head down and bull your way through. Who remembers after the problem is solved? No one! He has made too many concessions and now the funding for the ACA is in jeopardy. No one ever asks me. I think most folk agree that everyone should be able to get health insurance at a reasonable price. Further most folks believe that in order to get the system to work every one, especially the healthy, should participate. Good drivers keep car insurance premiums down. When I got home from the Kava House I had a quick lunch. Nancy and I then got in the Taurus and made a dry run to a house along the Thornapple River. Nancy will attend a wine and cheese party at this house on Thursday. I took a quick nap and then started writing this blog. It is now 1722 and I am going to take Ms P on a short walk. We will have a light dinner and then spend a quiet evening at home.

Sunday November 17, 2013

Sunday, 1726: I am sitting at the kitchen table writing this blog in the dark. We had a big storm roll through about 1500. We immediately lost power. It was pitch black with thunder and lightning. The weather folks said the winds would reach 70 mph. I think we probably had 50mph winds. Ms P went bonkers so we put her thunder jacket on. It seemed to work. I just walked outside and the entire neighborhood is still without power. However, the storm has passed because I can see a nice sunset. When the power went out I poured Nancy and me a glass of wine. We sat in the back room and did some reading. Nancy on her ipad and me on my Kindle. Sunday morning started normally. We were up at 0655 and headed straight to the MAC. We were in the pool by 0800 and done by 0845. The weather was still mild, 60, and no rain in sight. We did not go to Meijer’s because we did not want to get caught in the storm. I bought our coffee at Kava House. I took Ms P on her mile walk before the rain starts. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. 1750 the power can on! Nancy is fixing soup and pulled beef sandwich for dinner. We will watch some news before heading upstairs. Saturday November 16: We slept in this morning. I got on the cruiser and headed to Bill’s for an oatmeal breakfast. After breakfast I came right home and walked over to GR Bike to pick up my hyrid. I have a new transmission and brakes. I pedaled around Reeds Lake. I spent a good part of the afternoon raking leaves. I did watch the end of the UM game. It was exciting. I drove Nancy to Coldwater Creek in Woodland Mall. We stayed home for dinner. I purchased a sub. I watched football before heading upstairs.

Friday November 15, 2013

November 15 is the first day of deer hunting season. This day was a big deal when I was in high school. My Dad shut his office. Boys got an excused day from school. My Dad would go to his hunting camp, Doctor's Club, for the first week. He always took a case of booze. Now that we have bow hunting season and muzzle loading season November 15 is not as important as back in the 50s. Today is an important day in the life of Nancy and Bob. When I got out of the pool I found out that the Mac is closing in January. It was not a surprise but we have been members since the late 80s. We have several options but nothing as convent as the MAC. When I got done with my workout I was sitting in the lounge getting ready to head to the Kava House when Nancy walked in. Nancy announced that last night she had an epiphany. It is time to sell the house and move on. I was surprised but totally agree. Do we want to rent or buy a condo? Anyone who wants something from the house should let us know soon. Today Bob and Nancy are moving forward. At the Kava House several MAC members walked in and we discussed our options. The consensus was that joining a Y was the best option. I took Ms P on her walk as soon as I got home. After a quick lunch I headed outside and raked leaves for an hour. Nancy and I had some errands to run so we left the house at 1700. We made our first stop and then had dinner at Panera. After dinner we stopped at WalMart and then Meijer's. It is now 2100 and I am watching the "Killing Kennedy" movie on NG.

Thursday November 14, 2013

The Scott family slept in this morning. Nancy and Bob were in the MAC's pool by 0800. After my calisthenics I got on my cruiser bike and headed to the Kava House. Lately, I have incorporated a ride around Reeds Lake on my way to the Kava House. When I get home I have 10 miles on my speedometer. I am getting tired of reading about the ACA. I wish cooler heads would just revise the law to make it simple and workable. Is it really that difficult? I got home at 1300 and after a quick lunch I headed upstairs to get some reading done. As soon as I sat down my neighbor, Bob Calloway, called and asked if I could come over and witness some legal documents. Bob and Edith have had some Power of Attorney" documents prepared and they needed a witness. I walked over to their house and met their attorney. Bob worked for GM for years and the UAW is providing an attorney to prepare the documents. That is a pretty good union benefit. I forgot to mention that Nancy had lunch today with a friend. The temperature early this morning was 35 but by 1600 it got to 45. It was very pleasant when I took Ms P on her walk. The leaves are almost off the trees. For dinner tonight Nancy and I headed to Great Lakes Shipping. Nancy had the prime rib sandwich and I had the French dip. It is now 2000 and as soon as I finish this blog I will go downstairs and read the GRP. The firearm deer season starts in 11 hours.

Wednesday November 13, 2013

It was 25 when I left for Breakfast Club this morning. The weather folks say it will be sunny, cold and windy all day. Breakfast Club was not well attended this morning. Our speaker was a BC member who for years was the in charge of the Planiternium at the museum. He talked about the new comet that will be visible in a couple of weeks. They say the population is aging and this morning I found proof that this is true. Of the eight folks that sat at my table four are above 86. The good news is that they are sharp and in good health. Keep working young folks so us old folks can live in the style we presently have. After BC I stopped at D&W to get leaf bags. When I got home I got out my cruiser bike. I pedaled to the Kava House for coffee and to read the WSJ. I rode around Reeds Lake on my way home. The ride was 10 miles. This afternoon Nancy had to work at the Gardens. I got out the rake and started raking up the leaves in our front yard. Ms P joined me. We were outside two hours. I took a quick shower and then a 40 minutes nap. Nancy has book club this evening. I am meeting Ed Namey for pizza and beer. I got my 30‘ in today did you?

Tuesday November 12, 2013

Today is Jury duty day. This morning is the coldest morning of the season. The temperature was 23 when I left at 0700. I did stop at the Kava House to pick up a small coffee. It was really cold walking across the Grand River. I think there were over 200 folks who reported for duty. We were given an introduction, roll was called and then we waited. The first selection of jurors was about 60 folks. We waited for a another selection but about 1030 we were told to go home and our jury duty was over. I drove to the MAC and got my swim and calisthenics done by 1230. I drove to Breton Village to check at Fitzgeralds to see if a pair of pants I ordered were in. They were not. I also grabbed a coffee at Starbucks. I took a short nap after lunch. The Vet yesterday said it was very important that I keep taking Ms P on her mile walk. So I did as the Vet said. It was really cold on our walk so I grabbed a scarf and headed out on a two mile walk. The sun was in the southern sky and did not have any warmth. The leaves are almost off all the trees. Tomorrow I will spend several hours raking. Tonight is a good TV night. We also get a paper copy of the GRP. Drinking wine watching TV and reading the paper is a good way to spend a cold night. Who says I cannot multi task? November 11 & 12, 1938, Ossineke, Mi: GGF Sanborn worked at the Post Office on the 11th. Maybe in 1938 the USA did not celebrate Veterans Day. On the 12th GGF worked part time at the Post Office and then hauled 4 loads of manure. Life was simple 75 years ago.

Monday November 11, 2013

Monday November 11, 2013: When I went out at 0500 the temperature was 45. Ms P has her annual physical today and I had to get a poop sample. Any neighbors who were awake probably were wondering what was he looking for with flash light at 0500. The weather folks said no rain until 1300 and then later in the day the rain will turn to snow. I did put rain pants in my backpack just in case. I got to the MAC at 0600 and to my surprise the pool was full. I had to share a lane. It was raining when I left so I put on my rain pants. I had coffee today at the Kava House. I got a free coffee because today is Veteran’s Day. I did not put on my water proof boots this morning so I sat with wet socks. After about 30 minutes sitting in wet socks I headed home. I took the socks off as soon as I got home and put them in the dryer. I spent the rest of the morning doing household chores. Nancy had a Hospital Gift Shop Board meeting this morning. She got home at 1230. I had a quick lunch and then headed upstairs to take a nap. However, I spent nap time reading the WSJ. I was catching up on some reading when Nancy called me down stairs. She said that she just got a call from our friend Carol Mastin. Carol said that Ken Hershberger had just commited suicide. Ken had just married Becky Verker a little over a year ago. Becky Verker’s son was a good friend of our son Steve. She had lost her husband, Bob, over ten years ago. Ken and Becky met at their 50th Butler, Pa High School reunion. Ken had moved to GR and was very active. Nancy and I attended their first anniversity and we had them over to our house for dinner. earlier this year. Ken spent time in Vietnam with the USAF and it was not a pleasant experience. Veterans Day might have triggered Ken’s actions. Our heart goes out the Becky, Brad and Bethny. The weather folks were right. It is now 1650 and the temperature has dropped to 34 and it is snowing. A reminder just popped up on my screen saying that Ms P’s physical is in 50 minutes. We will have a light dinner and then watch some TV before heading upstairs. No MAC tomorrow becuase I have jury duty. I got my 30 in today I hope you did too.

Sunday November 10, 2013

We got up at our usual Sunday time of 0655. We head right to the MAC and were in the pool by 0745. On our drive we noted a noise similar to the noise we had fixed on Thursday. When we were leaving the MAC I noted a branch hung up on the rear axle. After I removed it the noise was gone. Meijer's was very crowded this morning. I filled the Taurus up and gas was $3.17. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I took my Sunday nap and after the nap I took Ms P on her walk. I then walked to the post office to mail a letter. Today was a beautiful fall day. Everyone was out raking leaves. In East GR all residents have to do is rake their leaves into the gutter and the City will pick them up. The huge pile of leaves in the street narrows the road to a single lane. Nancy is fixing pulled pork for dinner tonight. We will watch the news and then 60 Minutes before heading upstairs. Last night I mentioned I would go to bed and read my new book. I fired up the Kindle and immediately fell asleep. I woke up at 0200 and found I was sleeping on my Kindle. Not a word was read. I hope to do better tonight.

Saturday November 9, 2013

Saturday November 9, 2013: This was our sleep in morning. I did not get up until 0800. The sun was out so I had a nice ride to Bill’s. Bill’s was crowded with folks waiting to get a booth. I had their oatmeal breakfast. Guess what? When I was ready to get on my bike I had a flat. Third flat this week. Bummer! I walked home. As soon as I got home I got in the C2 and headed back to Bill’s. I loaded up the hybrid and took it to GR Bike in Gaslight Village. In addition to getting the tire fixed I decided to get a new 8 speed transmission and brakes. The bike will be ready next week. Nancy is working at the Holiday Gift show at the Gardens this afternoon. I decided to rake leaves. I filled six GR Yard waste bags. It took me about two hours. I then took Ms P on her daily walk. I watched the first half of the UM/Nebraska game. It is now 1730 and Nancy just got home. She was very tired so we ordered a pizza. As soon as I finish this blog I will pick it up. I started a new book last night and it might be very interesting. I will watch some football on TV before heading upstairs. I really like our new TV. The picture is very clear.

Friday November 8, 2013

Friday November 8, 2013: We have a busy Friday ahead of us. I get up at 0455 and get ready to pedal to the MAC. I grab my hybrid and much to my dismay I had a flat tire. The second one this week. I took off the headlight and put it on the cruiser bike and then head to the MAC. I entered the pool and 0600 and had the pool to myself until I was almost done. No time this morning for coffee and the WSJ. I head right home and change my clothes. Katie Conrad was Missy’s best friend in high school. Her mother passed away this week. At 1000 Nancy and I headed to the Funeral Home to pay our respects. We talked to Katie and her father. Katie’s brother is married to Julie Meridith. Julie’s father is a civil engineer who I met when he worked for the City of Grand Rapids. We talked to Julie and met her two young sons. When we got home I ran some errands. I stopped at Mr Thangh’s to pick up my pea coat. I bought Nancy a coffee at the Kava House. On my way to the Kent County Credit Union I stopped at the Freewheeler Bike store. I found a perfect bike for me. Luckily, the sales person was too nice. An agressive saleman could have sold me the bike. Is $2,500 too much for a bike? I had a quick lunch and then took a short nap. I took Ms P on her walk and then fixed the bike’s flat tire. Ended the afternoon with a two mile walk. Tonight Nancy and I are attending an “Exclusive Preview of the Holiday Gift Show” at Meijer’s Garden. (that is what the invite said). I finally finished my book last night. Now I have to decide what to read next. I am leaning toward a good mystery. It must also be short. Stay tuned.

Thursday November 7, 2013

Thursday November 7, 2013: Nancy and I got up at 0655. Today we have to take the Taurus for some brake work. We dropped the car off and then drove to the MAC. We both are swimming this morning. The pool was crowded but we did not have to share a lane. After the swim I did some calisthenics before showering. Nancy took the C2 to the hospital and I walked to Starbucks in Breton Village. As usual I read the WSJ and drank my coffee. After the coffee I walked home. I had a quick lunch and then took Ms P on her walk. It is now 1552 and I am waiting for the Ford dealer to call and say the car is done. We will have dinner tonight at Great Lakes Shipping. I will read the paper edition of the GRP before heading upstairs. I have one more chapter to read in my book and I hope to finish tonight. I got my 30’ in today.

Tuesday November 6, 2013

It rained all night and it was still raining hard when I got ready to go to breakfast. I got in the C2 and headed to a new breakfast place. it is called the Trailhead Cafe. It is run by the owners of GR Bike Company. I gave it a C-. The pancakes were small as were the eggs. It was overpriced. Bill's keeps looking good. It was still raining when I got home. I headed upstairs and started catching up on my magazines. I am now up to date with SI and ENR. I spent all afternoon reading. I read a fraternity magazine from Alpha Sigma Phi. I was a member. In the back of the was a list of Brothers who had passed away, William Rockershousen. Bill had a younger brother who was also a fraternity brother. Both Rockershousen brothers were on US Air Force scholarships. Bill was call "big rock" and his younger brother "little rock". They were notorious party animals. Both brothers were stationed in Vietnam in 1963. The last time I saw "Big Rock" was 50 years ago when he was leaving the Navy Exchange with a case of beer on his shoulder. Oh the things you find out on a rainy afternoon. The only exercise I got today was a two mile walk in the late afternoon. We had a light dinner and then watched the news. Right now we are watching a rerun of "Castle". Bed time is not far off.

Tuesday November 5, 2013

Today is my 1,616 blog. Wow! Ms P has not adjusted to EST. She was up at 0330 but I did not let her go outside. We went out at 0430. I was wide awake so I had breakfast and brushed my teeth before going back to bed. I finally got up at 0800. The weather also does not know it should be in its November node. It was in the mid 50s when I headed to the MAC. I was overdressed. I just checked my GGF Sanborn's Diary for this date in 1938 and they were also having a warm spell in Ossineke, MI. Today I broke the 40' barrier for my 1,500 yard swim. After the MAC I headed to the Kava House with a pit stop at GR Bike to buy a spare tube for my bike. As I was leaving the Kava House an old neighbor Jack Kirkwood dropped in. We had a nice talk. Jack was on his way to the barbers for a haircut. I had a quick lunch and then ran some errands. I stopped and bought swim goggles at MC. Several weeks ago I bought a new pair at the MAC but they turned up missing. I am looking for a light weight winter jacket. I decided to try Costco. They had a jacket that met my needs for only $22. I did not buy it because it did not fit right. I did buy 2 bottles of red wine. Gas at Costco was $3.13. Nancy has an appointment with our skin doctor this afternoon. She was gone when I got home. I took Ms P on her mile walk. For dinner Nancy is cooking a pot roast in the crock pot. It really smells good. Tonight is a good TV night. We also get a paper copy of the GRP. I like "Person of Interest" but I can not stay up past 2200. I will have to find out how to watch it on my computer. I hope everyone got their flu shot. Speaking of shots I have reading about the outbreak of polio in Syria. The war is preventing children from getting their shots. Polio is a terrible disease.

Monday November 4, 2013

Monday November 4, 2013: I got up at my normal time, 0455, and got ready to pedal to the MAC. Much to my surprise I had a flat tire. I switched to my fat tired bike and had to swap some lights. I am continuing to practice the free style stroke I read about in a book called “Total Immersion”. I think it is an improvement over the old way I swam but it does require practice. I had my coffee at Starbucks in Gaslight Village. During the summer I complained that the place was to cold because of an overactive AC. Now that heat is required the place is still too cold. I am going back to the Kava House. I got home about 1030 and started taking our yard waste bags to the curb. The bags were not full so I got out the leaf rake and raked the front yard. I had some errands to run so I loaded Ms P in the C2 and headed to Mr Thanh’s to get some work done on my pea cost that I bought at Costco. My second stop was at Robbins Lock shop to get key made for a Master padlock. I have about 10 of these locks but no key. I now can use the locks. After a quick lunch I took a 30‘ nap. I took Ms P on her mile walk. Nancy had a neighbor stop with their OHNA dues. I walked the money over to the treasurer’s house. I ran into a neighbor on a walk so I joined him for about a mile. Tonight we will have a light dinner. Not much on TV tonight except the news so it is early to bed.

Sunday November 3, 2013

Sunday November 3, 2013: Confusing morning because DST ends and the MAC opens an hour earlier. We ended up being at the MAC at 0700 EST. We swam our 1,500 yards and then headed to Meijer[s for our weekly supplies. Gas was $3.33 per gallon. The renovation of the Meijer’s we visit on Sundays is almost complete. They did a great job but the store is so big it is overwhelming. After Meijer’s Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I read the funnies and then took my mandatory Sunday afternoon nap. After the nap I took Ms P on her miles walk. After Ms P’s walk I took a walk. I used the pedometer to determine the distance of a new route. It was exactly 2.0 miles. The leaves are falling fast. The red colors on the maples this year have been spectacular. It is now 1720 and very dark. Sunset today is at 1730. Nancy is fixing hot dogs with baked beans for dinner. We will watch the news and read the GRP before heading upstairs.

Saturday November 2, 2013

Saturday November 2, 2013: It was dark and rainy when I headed to Bill’s. I wore my rain suit. I had an oatmeal breakfast. It was so dark and gloomy outside that I took my time reading the WSJ. I rode around Reeds Lake on my way home. My speedometer said I rode 11 miles. When I got home I brought up my cruiser bike. With all the leaves on the roads I want a bigger tire on the road. The cruiser is also good in snow. I mentioned yesterday that my childhood friend Jack Gillard had died. I found the funeral home where Jack rested and was able to post memories of Jack on their web site. Nancy had to pick up a prescription at Costco. We got in the Taurus and our first stop was Woodlawn Mall. Nancy stopped at Coldwater Creek to pick out some pants. After Woodlawn we headed to Costco. Costco was very crowded. Nancy picked up her prescription and we bought eggs. When we got home I took Ms P on her walk. I then took a 3.5 mile walk. I watched the second half of the UM/MSU game. Bad move! For dinner tonight we cleaned out the fridge. It was good. We spent some time facetiming with Debbie tonight. It was great talking with her. Facetime is great. Nancy wanted to set the clocks back before going to bed. I want to set them in the morning. I won!

Friday November 1, 2013

It was dark and windy when I headed to the MAC at 0530. I got to the MAC at 0600 and the parking lot was full. After mu routine I headed to the Kava House. It was 0810 and I had to turn my bike lights on. Kim was cleaning the house this morning so I took my time reading the WSJ. I did have a realtor approach me at the Kava House and wanted to know if I wanted to sell our house. Our neighborhood is a hot market right now. Nancy and I have thought about selling but we are not quite ready. The WSJ had an article about a historical event that happened on this date in 1963. President Diem of South Vietnam was overthrown in a coup. It was a bloody event. I was there 50 years ago. LTJG, CEC, USN R.H. Scott was working at the Deputy Officer in Charge of Construction, South East Asia. Our main office was in Saigon. We noted something was wrong when Vietnamese soldiers started setting up machine guns on our street. The whole operation lasted about 24 hours. When I got home Kim was still cleaning. Nancy had made a beauty appointment for Ms P for noon. We got in the Taurus and headed to the beauty shop. Nancy picked her up at 1430 while I took a nap. At 1630 Nancy and I headed downtown to the Art Museum for an exhibit on American Landscape Artists. We met Mary and Ed Namey at the museum. After viewing the exhibit we walked over to GR Brewing for dinner. The food was good but it was very noisy.