Saturday December 20, 2014

Saturday December 20, 2014 Up at 0700 and walked to Sundance for ham and eggs. It was clear but cold this morning, 18. It was such a nice day that on my way home I added an extra 1.5 miles to the walk. Nancy busy doing chores so I decided to run errands. I am looking for a nice money clip and a pair of walking shoes. First stop Groskopfs to look for money clip. I showed the owner my magnetic clip. I told him I thought magnets would upset my phone. He gave me a lecture on the safety of my clip. He talked me out of getting a new clip. Mine was fine. I looked in Bill and Paul’s for walking shoes. Nothing. I drove to Woodland Mall also had no luck finding shoes. Same at MC and Gazelle. I did buy some swim goggles at Gazelle. I had a quick lunch and then resumed packing for the CA trip. I gave my old high school friend Tom Cassell a call. Tom retired to Alpena and is enjoying life. We talked for over an hour. At 1500 I took a walk around the block. Nancy and I had an early dinner at Rose’s in EGR. We arrived at 1600 and had no trouble getting a table. The food was great. It is now 1800 and I am going upstairs to watch the news. On these short days I hope everyone is finding time to get their 30 minutes in.

Friday December 19, 2014

December 19, 2014 Up at 0645, Nancy to MVP and I go downstairs to do the calisthenics. Today is the last day that I do calisthenics for two weeks. I looking forward to the break. Today I had coffee at Panera’s before pedaling to MVP for my swim. It was cold this morning but sunny and no wind. Ideal bike riding conditions if dressed right. The pool was cool this morning and the hot water at MVP was tepid. I was cold when I left MVP. I stopped at Starbucks to finish reading the WSJ. I think Sony made a mistake pulling their movie. Smart folks are suppose to be running the stock market. With all the yo-yoing this week I think the smart folks forgot to take their pills. I am alway amazed at how dumb smart people are! Speaking of pills, we are packing for our trip to CA. Can I get my bottle of pills through security? I will go online to check. Kim came to clean today. I got home about 1300 and I was surprised not to see her car. Nancy said she brought her daughter to help. Ms P is spending two weeks with Kim. Nancy said Ms P was glad to go with Kim. I was so cold when I got home that I turned up the electric blanket and took a warmup nap. I started packing this afternoon. I think I will take a break and go on a short walk. I walked around the block. The temperature had dropped to 30 so I walked briskly. Nancy is fixing beans and rice for dinner. Yummy! Yesterday I talked about my final day on Midway Island. Debbie told me that I can find anything on youtube. I searched for Midway Island and found several videos on Midway. I watched two. It brought back memories. On this date 52 years ago I was schedule to leave Midway on what was called the log flight. The log flights were twice weekly flights from Hawaii. They were scheduled for Monday and Friday. I think I was first in line to board the plane. It was 70 degrees when I left. About half-way to Hawaii I pinched myself to see if it was real. The Commander sitting across from me started to laugh. He said Ensign you are going home. I landed in Hawaii and immediately got on a flight to CA. The Navy paid for the flight to CA, but I had to pay for transportation to Alpena. At SF I changed into civilian clothes. I got into Midway Airport in Chicago early in the morning (Sunday). I then flew North Central to Alpena. We made about five stops in MI before getting to Alpena. It was -17 when I got off the plane in Alpena. Mom and Dad met me at the airport. And so ended Ensign Scotts first duty station. More to come!

Thursday December 18, 2014

Thursday December 18, 2014 Nancy has a new alarm clock. She is up at 0645 and heading to MVP for a swim. No MVP for me, I have to take the Cobalt in this morning to get the paint sealer reapplied. Hard to believe that the Cobalt is five years old. It has only 22,500 miles on it and most of the mileage was on a single trip to CA. I did have time for coffee at Panera this morning. I do not agree with our President often but I think the Cuba decision was the correct one. It took about 45 minutes to get the Cobalt done. I got home about 1200 and took Ms P on her walk. Today is a dark gloomy day. Temps this morning were below freezing but soon warmed up to 33. It was misting most of the day. I think this week’s weather is what I would expect in London. Today we have nine hours (actual 9h01’) of daylight. LA has 54 minutes more. Edinburgh, Scotland has seven hours. I did take a short nap. I finished the daylight hours with a three mile walk. I stopped at the bank. We are having dinner at Russ’s and then we are going to Nancy’s friend Kathi’s house for wine and cheese. Stay tuned! Nancy and I could not get over the effort Kathi put forth decorating her home. It was great. We had snacks and opened a bottle of wine Debbie had sent us. We spent several hours talking. A great evening. Fifty years ago this evening was my last night on Midway Island. I had spent over a year on this small piece of sand in the middle of the Pacific. The Navy base was on Sand Island that had an area of about 1,000 acres. I had my seabag packed, Navy for suitcase, and could not wait to leave on Friday’s flight to Hawaii.

Wednesday December 17, 2014

Easy Wednesday Was going to walk to Sundance about one mile away. 20 mph winds and 28 degree cold changed mind. Had egg sandwich at Panera. Big news today, Cuba, no fracking in NY, Pakistan killings, oil prices and ruble. Stopped at SCECO, talked to folks, they are having good year. Fire place store in Gaslight said $3,000 to convert Ground floor fireplace to unit providing heat. Too expensive. Looked at Home Depot for electric space heater. Under $500. Lunch then started writing check to charities. Phone call from another fire place company. $3,000 to convert. Will buy electric unit. Nancy worked at Gardens this PM. Finished afternoon with walk around block. Light dinner, watched TV before early bed. Written on mini-iPad.

Tuesday December 16, 2014

Tuesday December 16, 2014 Up at 0645, no swim for Nancy because she has a foot doctor appointment. I do the at-home routine and pedal to Panera. It was warm, mid 40s, but very foggy. I had to turn my bike light on. Speaking of fog, when I was about 4 I kept asking my Mother what that noise was that I heard on foggy days. My Mom explained a fog horn to me and said that it was located at the entrance of the Thunder Bay River into Lake Huron. Its purpose was to warn ships. Mom said next time the fog horn was working we would take a field trip down to the river so I could see it. On the big day we got dressed and headed to the River. I saw the horn and also the search light that was located on the same tower as the horn. After the visit we walked downtown to Pickett’s Pharmacy and Mom and I had a hot fudge sundae. A great way to end a field trip. Today I did my 30 minute swim. I stopped at Starbucks on the ride home to finish reading the WSJ. The decline of oil prices and the collapse of the Russian ruble dominated the news. Did some work in my office before taking a short nap. At 1800 Nancy and I got in the Taurus and headed to Leo’s downtown. We met Hal and Karen Horlings for dinner. The food is always good at Leo’s. We had a fine time. Spent three hours eating and talking. I think Leo’s gave us regular instead of decaf coffee because Nancy and I had trouble sleeping.

Monday December 15, 2014

Monday December 15, 2014 You might have noticed that lately I have written some posts on my mini iPad. It is hard to type on the mini so I use what I call a list format. It is poor grammar but it sure is easy. Our alarm is broken so we overslept. Nancy hurried to MVP for a class and I did the at home calisthenics. I have noticed that since the loss of 15 pounds the calisthenics are easier. Not really a brilliant observation. I rode the bike to Panera. After a quick cup of coffee I headed to MVP. Our December, so far, has been a real pussy cat. The low temperature last night was 45. Today was mostly dark and gloomy. The mild temps make it hard to know what to wear. The pool today was very crowded. I had to share a lane but did get my 30’ in. As soon as I got home I got in the Cobalt and ran some errands. First stop Meijer’s. I bought some shaving and dental supplies for our upcoming trip to CA. I also bought some Win Shuler soft cheese. Next I stopped at Costco to buy some long underwear bottoms. Costco every years stocks winter underwear, top and bottoms. They are a wool blend and very inexpensive. They were sold out and no new supplies until next year. At home took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. I had a late lunch, 1400. Took a short nap and then walked around the block. Today on my walk I met a neighbor. He and his wife have lived in their condo for just a year. He is the youngest neighbor I met. Light dinner and then some TV. We will watch the new season of “Major Crimes” on TNT.

Sunday December 14, 2014

Swim day, in at 0800, out at 0845. Shop at Meijer's, gas $3.40. World famous poached eggs for breakfast. Read funnies then nap. At1430 drive to Moleski's for book club Christmas party. Ten folks attended. Home at 1900, finished GRP and watched TV.

Saturday December 13, 2014

Saturday December 13, 2014 This morning I pedaled to the Omelette Shop for breakfast. I left before the sunrise at 0800. I have a built-in light on the bike so I had to use it. The temperature has been above 32 all day. A fog seems to have parked over GR. I beat the crowd at the Omelette Shop so I had no trouble getting a seat. When I left at 1000 the wait for a seat was 20 minutes. I am looking for a nice full zip wool sweater. I stopped at both Jos Banks and Fitzgerald’s and they did not sell them. I will order one next week from Orvis. On my way home I stopped at Macatawa Bank to put our new condo deed in the safe deposit box. I wonder do any of our kids even know we have a safe deposit box. Probably should let them know. Nancy has been unhappy with the lights in the kitchen and living room. This morning we stopped at the Lighting Center and bought four new lights. In January we will have our electrician, Phil Dougherty, install them. Speaking of changes to the condo I have had a request in to a fireplace company to convert the ground floor fireplace to a heat generating unit. I stopped several times and he has said that we were next in line. I will stop Monday and if I get no response I will buy an electric space heater. At home I took Ms P on her walk. After a quick lunch I took a nap. It is now misting so I will not go on another walk. For dinner tonight we are going to Russ’s. Did you know Nancy’s friend Kathi who has lived in GR over 60 years has never been to Russ’s. Quick change of plans, we went to Panera instead of Russ’s. It was raining and Panera was much closer. Nancy had a cup of chicken noodle soup and I had a bowl of chili and half a tuna fish sandwich. Nothing on network TV so we will watch some netflix. We will make it an early evening because tomorrow is a busy day.

Friday December 12, 2014

Friday December 12, 2014 I might be retired but sure glad today is Friday. I look forward to some time off over the holidays. My routine is getting boring. I need to refresh. We got up at 0745, Nancy heads to MVP and I pedal to Panera after my at-home routine. I only had 30 minutes to read because I can get in the pool at 0955. Although the temperature was slightly above 32 the west wind was brisk. Heading west to MVP I got very cold. Heading home will be better because the wind will be behind my back. When I walked into the pool every lane was filled. I was about to leave when a swimmer said she was done. Bummer I really did not want to swim. However, I did my 30 minutes. On my way home, with the wind at my back, I stopped at Starbucks to finish the WSJ. The drop in oil prices and congress’s efforts to extend the funding limits have pushed the Middle East off the front pages. I think the drop in oil prices is driving the stock market down but low gas prices are great for the average folks. I like that our elected leaders had the good sense to finally compromise and extend the debt ceiling. They should do this more often. Compromise in either congress or a marriage is the only way to make the system work. As soon as I got home I took Ms P on her walk. It was miserable walking west on 28th Street. I told Nancy after the walk that I was in for the day. Nancy had done some laundry so I put mine away. Took a short nap and then headed downstairs. I am trying to get youtube on the MacBook Air. Speaking of the MacBook I finally can use my large monitor. I also bought a wireless keyboard. It is like a docking station. Debbie helped me get the system to work. Missy send us a text outlining her plans for Christmas. She is scheduled to have a medical procedure on the 23rd. Nancy and I will be able to watch AJ and help out. Missy also sent me a package. It contained a tube of special hand cream for men. It came at a perfect time because the cold weather causes my hands to crack and dry out. Nancy is cooking a special meal in her crock pot. It smells good. Tonight will be a netflix evening.

Thursday December 11, 2014

Thursday December 11, 2014 Swim day for both Nancy and Bob. Nancy leaves at 0700 and I leave at 0830 after breakfast and calisthenics. At 0900 I rode the bike to Panera’s. On Thursdays I cannot get in the pool until 1045 so I have plenty of time to read the WSJ. Today is another sunny day. It was cold, mid 20s, but I was dressed in layers. The pool was crowded but I did get a lane. When I got home, 1230, I immediately took Ms P on her daily 1.25 mile walk. After lunch I took a long nap. I think all the cold fresh air conks me out. I spent some time rearranging my desk and filling my new cart. I like the present arrangement. It is now 1729 and I am heading upstairs to take Nancy to dinner. We are eating at Shepard’s Grill. We really like their salad burger. Stay tuned. The salad burger was great. Shepard’s Grill is within walking distance of the condo. We like the place because it has a neighborhood feel. In other words a lot of old folks go there. We watched part of the news and it is now 1930. We will watch “Big Bang” and then a netflix show before turning in.

Wednesday December 10, 2014

Up at 0545, head to Breakfast Club. Christmas program today. After BC stopped at office furniture store looking for cart. No luck! Credit Union also closed. Headed home, changed clothes and continued errands. Coffee at Panera and then mailed package at UPS. As last resort checked at Walmart and lo they had a cart. Nancy worked at Gardens this PM. Took Ms P on walk. Called Sprint, Nancy's iPhone 6 was in. Picked up phone. Nancy likes iPhone. Finished PM with walk around block. Light dinner, watched news, and then put cart together.

Tuesday December 9, 2014

Tuesday December 9, 2014 Swim day for both Nancy and Bob, Nancy left the house at 0700 and I left at 0830. I stopped at Panera for coffee and to start reading the paper. At 0930 I head to MVP. I can get in the pool at 0955. While dressing, after my swim, I overheard a man who had just recovered from a cellulitis attack. He was laid up for four days and went on about all the pain. He did not know what caused his attack. My cellulitis attack was confined to one leg and was uncomfortable but not painful. I know he takes a water aerobics class and is frequent user of the hot tub. Were both our infections caused by the hot tub? Since my attack I stopped using the hot tub and I bought a good pair of shower shoes. Continuing comments on MVP I think they have changed their chemical doses for the pool. My nose has been running continually the past week. Today i started using a nose plug. On my way home I stopped at Starbucks to finish reading the WSJ. Today was another great bike riding day, temperature in the mid 30s and cloudy. First thing I did when I got home was to take Ms P on her walk. Had a quick lunch and then a nap. We recently put up a bird feeder on our garage. The birds have been ignoring the feeder. Today I moved it. It is now hanging from our deck and we can see it from our ground floor slider. My fitbit had not gone off today so I walked around our block. The fitbit went off about 100 yards from the house. 10,000 steps is the magic number. It is 1.5 miles around our block. No netflix tonight. We will watch CBS and read the GRP. Yesterday I bought an external keyboard for the laptop. I am now using my big 22 inch monitor with the new keyboard. The big monitor allows me to use larger text.

Monday December 8, 2014

Monday December 8, 2014 Up at normal time. Nancy to MVP and I head downstairs. After calisthenics I Pedal to Panera for coffee. I left Panera at 0930 and head to MVP. The pool was crowded this morning. I got the last lane. Swam 30 minutes. Pedaled straight home. Temp were in 30s with no sun. Perfect riding conditions for me. I have several errands to run before lunch. First stop was Best Buy to see about getting a MacBook Air keyboard. They did not have so I headed to Woodland Mall. I stopped at Macy’s and bought a pair of chino’s. Next I stopped at the Apple Store and got the keyboard. Apple Store was crowded. At the Sprint Store I bought Nancy a new iPhone 6. Will pick up Wednesday. Stopped at Kentwood Office Furniture to see about buying a cart. They did not have any. Finally I stopped at Meijer’s to get milk. Nancy and I arrived home about the same time. Nancy had lunch with some friends from the gift shop. I had a quick lunch and then took a nap. It started to snow about 1600. No walk for Ms P today. I spent some time trying to get my new keyboard to work. Finally I gave up and had dinner and watched news. After the news I headed downstairs and tried to connect keyboard. No luck! Brought the Air and keyboard upstairs and the keyboard connected instantly. Maybe Nancy’s keyboard was getting confused with a new keyboard in the neighborhood. Debbie suggested I bring the computer up last night. I am a slow learner. Snow tonight and tomorrow morning and then the rest of the week is dry. Nothing on network TV tonight. It will be a netflix evening.

Sunday December 7, 2014

Sunday December 7, 2014 Today is swim day for Nancy and Bob. MVP opens at 0800 and we are first in the door. When I got to the pool all the lanes were full. Luckily Nancy had a lane so we shared the lane. I swam for 30 minutes. We stopped at Meijer’s to replenish our larder. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I had my eggs on a waffle with sugar free syrup, of course. Read the funnies and then took a nap. Ms P and I took our walk and then I took off on my own. Today I walked on golf cart lanes that are scattered throughout the condo complex. I often wonder why the golf course did not make it because it was in a nice setting. The weather was pleasant with temps in mid 30s and sun. We have not had any moisture, snow or rain, in a week. Tonight we are having chicken sandwiches and a salad. Will finish reading the GRP and then watch some network TV before turning in. Today is the 73rd anniversary of the Japanese attach on Pearl Harbor. This single event changed the USA forever. Every family was impacted. I was three years old. Within a year all my Uncles were in the military. My Dad worked for the Army in Chicago. Gas, sugar, cigarettes and other critical items were rationed.

Saturday December 6, 2014

Saturday December 6, 2014 Up at usual time, Bob and Nancy tried breakfast at “New Beginnings”. It is real close to the condo. We both gave it a C-. Today was another mild day with temps in the mid 30s. I rode my bike to Macatawa Bank near Breton Village to return Nancy’s jewels to the deposit box. Pedaled across the street to have coffee at Breton Village. Today’s WSJ had several articles on the Middle East. These articles only reinforced my belief that we should not in any way be involved. Iraq’s army which we trained is a failure. The Shite Militia’s which we consider the bad guys are now fighting ISSA another bad guy. Assad’s Syria, bad guy, is fighting ISSA. So is Assad now a good guy. I don’t think so! I say get out now but who listens. I want to be King for a week. This afternoon Nancy and I ran some errands. I stopped at Meijer’s to pick up my eye medicine. We then stopped at a strip mall and Nancy went to Dollar General and I visited Office Max. Nancy’s visit was successful and mine was not. At home I took a nap and then Ms P and I went on our 1.25 mile walk. Great day for a walk. We had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. It was jammed but we got a table in front of a fire place. I had chili and Nancy had a beef dip. I think it will be a Netflix evening with brief stop to check on the OSU/UW game. I don’t like these conference playoffs. Last nights game between Oregon and AZ was a bust. Only 45,000 folks attended.

Friday December 5, 2014

Friday December 5, 2014 0645 is now our official wake up time. At least until Spring. Nancy heads to MVP and I downstairs for calisthenics. Arrive at Panera at 0900. Leave at 0930 and pedal to MVP. Perfect day for a bike ride. 10 degrees warmer than yesterday and no wind. Also no sun so my right eye stayed open. I was in the pool at 1000 and swam 30 minutes. On way home I stopped at Starbucks to finish WSJ. Arrived home at 1300 and after a quick lunch headed out to run errands. First stop was furniture outlet on East Paris. The sign said out of business. I am looking for a moveable cart to sit next to my desk. Next stop was Staples. They had a cart but not quite what I had in mind. Now that I can use my 21” monitor I am looking for a keyboard. Staples had an Apple wireless keyboard that was $20.00 cheaper than the Apple Store. Why? Stopped at Costco and bought peanut butter and a chicken for dinner tonight. Took a short nap and then because it was such a pleasant day took Ms P on a 1.25 mile walk. Nancy fixed the Costco chicken for dinner. Also had sweet potato and green beans. Tonight will be a Netflix evening. I am generally supportive of the police. I think the shooting in MO was probably justified. In the choking death in NYC I think the Police used excessive force. As I said before I think the English have it right. The police don’t carry guns and the bad guys get stiff penalties if they use a gun. I think unarmed police in GB is still the law?

Thursday December 4, 2014

Thursday December 4, 2014 Up at 0645, Nancy goes swimming and I do the calisthenics at home. Very cold, 19, but sunny so I go on a 100’ bike ride. Winter sun is so low in sky it is difficult pedaling south. Need a billed helmet. After ride, walk over to Panera for coffee. At 1300 we all get in Taurus and head to Costco. Costco has quit carrying Pinconning Cheese. Bummer. Took a nap and then took Ms P on short walk. Too cold. Our internet went off line so I called ATT. After many trips between computer and modem we finally got it back online. Second time this week. Nancy and I got all dressed up for the Meijer’s Christmas Gala. I wore a suit and tie. Nancy looked great. We pick up Kathi Kothi and head to the Gardens. Nancy has to drive because headlights are making it difficult for me. The Gala was well attended with a lot of men in Tux. Did you know I still have my tux from the 50s and it fits? We took a horse and carriage ride around the gardens to see the Christmas lights. On way home EPS called and said our ground floor motion alarm went off. I told them to call the sheriff. Nancy drove like a banshee and got us home in record time. The sheriff department had already arrived. We checked the house and could find no intrusion. False alarm. The Deputy thought Ms P might have set off the alarm. I told him EPS had assured us that small dogs could not set off the alarm. We headed to bed at 2330. Interesting day!

Wednesday December 3, 2014

Wednesday December 3, 2014 I set the alarm for 0645 so Nancy could attend an early class at MVP. Today is my easy day. I slept in. For breakfast I pedaled to the Omelette Shop in Breton Village. We had a light dusting of snow last night. The ride was brutal because of a strong wind. I had oatmeal and eggs. Tomorrow night Nancy and I are going to a Christmas Gala at Meijer’s Garden. I have to wear a suit so I stopped at Fitzgerald’s to see if my three button suit is in style. It is not. I have several two button suits and they are still acceptable wear. I think I will wear my gray suit. I stopped at Macatawa Bank to get into our safe deposit box. Nancy needed some jewelry for tomorrow night. It was a pleasant ride home because I had the wind at my back. Nancy is working at the Gardens this afternoon. I got in the Cobalt and ran several errands. I am looking for a short book case to set along side of my desk. I stopped at Art Van. They had one but it was too pricey. I stopped at Sears to get a key made and then the Apple Store. I checked out a keyboard for my MacBook Air. I am now using a 22” monitor and would like a free standing keyboard. Had a late lunch and then took a short nap. Took Ms P on a short walk. She does not like these cold days especially with a strong wind. We texted several times with Missy. She is having nose surgery on Dec 22 or 23. Nancy and I will arrive in LA on the 22nd. We hope we can watch AJ while she recovers. It is going to be a Netflix night. I got my 30 in today did you?

Tuesday December 2, 2014

Tuesday December 2, 2014 We both get up at 0645. Nancy heads to the pool and I head downstairs. After breakfast I pedal to Panera for coffee and read the WSJ. The drop in oil prices has caused a lot of chatter. I really think it is a win-win situation. After coffee I stopped at home to drop off the Kindle. I took a 90 minute bike ride. It was cold and sunny but I was dressed warm. The ride was refreshing. I ran several errands before lunch. Took a short nap and at 1500 I headed to the eye doctor. I have a very red left eye. The eye I call my shingles eye. The doc said I only had a broken blood vessel. Nothing I can do except wait for it to heal. Nancy fixed a great chicken stir fry for dinner. We read the GRP and watch NCIS before switching to netflix. We headed to bed at 2200.

Monday December 3, 2014

Everyone up at 0655, Nancy heads to MVP and I head downstairs for calisthenics. The sun does not come up until 0800. The days are really getting short. It was cold, 25, and sunny. Arrived at Panera at 0900 and had to leave at 0925 in order to get in pool at 0955. The wind was strong and hard pedaling. Glad I layered up. I tried using a face mask to stop my runny nose. It is either pool chemicals or cold weather. I got very cold on the ride home so I stopped at Starbucks to warm up and finish reading the WSJ. Got home at 1300. After lunch drove to bike shop to get two bike lock cables. I can now lock up all my bikes. Afternoon nap and then walk. Light dinner, news and now Netflix. Temps in single figures tonight.

Sunday November 30, 2014

Sunday November 30, 2014 Sunday morning so we are up with the alarm at 0655. Today is a swim day for Nancy and Bob. We each got a lane this morning. I swam 30 minutes and Nancy 40. Following the swim we headed to Meijer’s for our weekly supplies. I filled up the Taurus. Gas was $2.92. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. In addition I had whole grain waffles with sugarless syrup. Speaking of sugarless today I weighted 152 pounds. Way to go Bob. I read the funnies and then took a short nap. This afternoon I installed an indoor/outdoor thermometer in the kitchen. We also have one in the basement. I have not sold my old bike yet so to get it out of the way I placed two hooks in the garage and hung it up. I had to get my 30 in today so I took a two mile walk. Thursday night Nancy and I are going to an event at the Gardens. I have to wear a suit. When we moved I found an old three button I purchased around 1974. I brought it with me when we moved. I tried it on. It really fit well. I showed Nancy and she said it was ok. This means wear one of your two button suits. I thought three button suits were back in vogue. I googled 2 or 3 buttons and most sites said stick with the 2 button. It was 50 this morning. The temperature has steadily dropped all day and will be 21 by morning. I will return after dinner. It is now 1841. Nancy fixed me a turkey sandwich, lima beans and a great salad for dinner. We will finish reading the GRP and watch some network TV before turning in. On a sad note I was going to make mention of what Great Grandfather Sanborn was doing this date in 1938. GGF last entry was November 20. He passed away on November 29, 1938. He was a great guy and an inspiration. His Diary for the year of my birth, 1938, provided me with many pleasant memories. Did you know GGF Sunburn was born on St Pad’s Day, 1856. I hope my Great Grand kids will enjoying reading this blog.

Saturday November 29, 2014

Saturday November 29, 2014 We had a light dusting of snow last night. I got on the bike at sunrise, 0750, and headed to the Omelette Shop in Breton Village. Breton Village is about 6 miles from the condo. The temperature was near 32. I still am having problems figuring out how to dress on these cold mornings. I was overdressed this morning. The Omelette Shop was not very crowded. I had an oatmeal breakfast. Now that the election is over the WSJ is back reporting on business and what is happening in the world. I read all the articles on the OPEC meeting and the implications of an over supply of oil. As soon as I got home we got in the Taurus and headed to Lowe’s. We are looking for a new light in the kitchen. We did not find the light. Our next stop was Home Depot. No light but we did buy an indoor/outdoor thermometer and an orchid. At home I had a quick lunch and then watched the first half of the UM/OSU. I took a quick nap and was up in time to watch the fourth quarter. I should have stayed in bed. Ms P and I took our 1.25 mile walk. It is now 1716 and soon Nancy and I are going out to dinner. I think we will go to Sundance Grill. I was wrong we ended up at Brann’s. We sat in the Sports Bar and about 15 TVs were showing football games. The place was jammed and noisy. We both had salads. Brann’s has good salads. Watch some football and maybe Netflix before turning in.

Friday November 28, 2014

Nancy was up before 0700 and headed out to attend a class at MVP. I did my calisthenics at home. It was very cold this morning, 19, but no snow. I got out the bike and pedaled to Panera for coffee. At 0930 I pedaled to MVP for a swim. I was surprised but I had my pick of lanes. I swam for 30 minutes. On my way home I stopped at a Starbucks to finish reading the WSJ. As soon as I got home I took out the Cobalt and headed to Ace Hardware. I bought some hooks to hang up my bikes in the garage. Had a quick lunch. I was still cold from my bike ride so I turned on the electric blanket and took a short nap. I spent some time on the computer checking our accounts. I also bought some lined bike riding pants from LL Bean. Tonight Nancy is fixing left overs from yesterday's feast. Thursday night I think is a Netflix night.

Thursday November 27, 2014

Thursday November 27, 2014 Thanksgiving Day, 2014: Slept in today. Had a quick breakfast and then took out my bike with new studded tires. Pedaled around the neighborhood for about and hour. We had a dusting of snow on the sidewalks but the bike worked fine. In my 76 years I have spent only 3 Thanksgiving away from family. The first time was in 1961. I had Thanksgiving dinner at the Navy BOQ, Pearl Harbor. It was a feast. Heavy silverware, table clothes and the works, I was impressed. Next day I flew to Midway Island, I was sad. I should stop whining. In yesterday’s GRP photos of living WW II veterans was shown. One of the vets was Cliff McCann. Cliff was the City Engineer of EGR for about 40 years. I knew Cliff well, he is a great guy. Cliff spent over three years on Midway during WW II. I have nothing to complain about. I only spent 1 year, two weeks, and three days on Midway. We are having dinner at Ed and Mary Namey’s home. Tim Mast is also attending. At 1330 we head to the Namey’s. The Namey’s had just had their condo redone. It looked great. The meal was really good. We had a great time just talking. Nancy and I left at 1800. At home we watched the news and some network TV. Debbie, Missy and Stephen all called so we had contact with all the kids.

Wednesday November 26, 2014

Wednesday November 26, 2014 Up at 0530, no snow so took interstate to Breakfast Club. Small turnout, speaker from GR Public Museum. Stopped at Martha's Vineyard, bought cheese to take to Namey's on Thanksgiving. Fast coffee at Breton Village, no WSJ today. At Kohl's bought two tee shirts. Looked at Nissan Juke, did not buy. Picked up address labels at printers. Took bike to get snow tires. Told would take 20'. Stopped at new medical supply store for compression socks. Did not buy. Picked up bike. Nancy worked at Gardens. Took nap then Ms P on walk. Finished afternoon with hour walk. Light dinner and then Netflix. Did blog on iPad. Can you tell?

Tuesday November 25, 2014

Tuesday November 25, 2014 We had about one inch of snow last night. Temps this morning were in the high 20s. Nancy headed out early to swim. I did all my calisthenics at home. No bike today. I cannot get into the pool at MVP until 0955 so I spent 45 minutes reading the WSJ at Panera. I have been having some shoulder pain but I decided to swim anyway. I swam 1,000 meters with no pain. I stopped at Sprint to see if they could download all my music from the iPhone 5 to my new iPhone 6. They said no problem. The Sprint man showed me how to download the songs. He got it started and then showed me how to finish downloading when I got home. It did not work. Most of the song I downloaded from CDs and did not purchase from Apple. Apple apparently does not like none iTunes songs. I need a new swim suit so I stopped at MC. No swim gear this time of year. I will order on line. At home I finished reading the WSJ. I spent some time in my office before eating lunch. Debbie showed me how to connect my big monitor to the Apple Air. I like the big screen. Took a short nap and then took what I thought was a long walk. My pedometer said it was only 2.5 miles. I reached my 10,000 steps because my fitbit went off. As I was ending my walk four deer ran across my path. They stayed awhile in our side yard. I think I will buy some carrots tomorrow. Tonight after dinner I will read the GRP, watch the news and then NCIS. I hope to be in bed before 2230. Breakfast Club tomorrow and I have to get up early, 0530.

Monday November 24, 2014

Monday November 24, 2014 It was raining hard at 0700 and the weather folks said it would be raining all day. The snow is gone. Because of the rain I drove the Cobalt to MVP. Nancy went earlier so she could take an early class. It was hard to find a parking space. I also had trouble finding a treadmill. They must have 30 or more. I finally found one and walked 2 miles at a 15’ pace. I watch folks running on the treadmill but I am reluctant to try. I stopped at Groskopf’s looking for a leather holster to hold my iPhone plus. They did not have any so I bought a 7 port universal charging station. I have many toys that need charging. I had my coffee at Panera. After coffee I headed to the dry cleaner to inquire about my lost sweater. Lo and Behold they found it! After a quick lunch I headed down stairs to set up my charging station and get my office squared away. What else is there to do on a cold rainy day. Speaking of cold, the temperature has dropped about 10 degrees. Snow is expected for tonight. Did you know that we set a record for the most snow in November. And the month is not even over. The day started with temps in the high 40s. It is now 30, snowing with wind speeds over 30 mph. I went out at 1730 to get my 30’ in. I walked around our block and noted that a lot of homes had Christmas lights burning bright. We had a light dinner. Tonight will be a Netflix night.

Sunday November 23, 2014

Sunday November 23, 2014 The gloom continues. It is now 1740, raining and 48. I hate these yo-yo temperatures. One day freezing and the next 50. It is not healthy. If I were King I would order that the temperature between November 15, the first day of deer season, and March 17, St Pat’s Day, never get above 32 or below 20. The alarm goes off at 0700 and we head to MVP. Nancy went swimming. I walked 2 miles on the treadmill. After MVP we headed to Meijer’s. Gas today was $2.97. Meijer’s was jammed. Must be folks getting ready for Thanksgiving. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I read the funnies and then took my mandatory Sunday nap. After the nap I went on a 2.5 mile walk. 1.25 miles was with Ms P. We had 29” of snow this week and it is almost gone. The remaining snow is yucky. Nancy is fixing ham, string beans, and sweet potatoes for dinner. Speaking of food, I recently reported that I am on the “SOS” diet (stop only sugar). I stepped on the scale this morning and I have lost 12 pounds. We will watch network TV tonight. I will finish reading the GRP. I am hooked on British Police dramas. British TV police are clean shaven and the detectives wear suits and ties. No stubble or jeans. Real British cops do not carry guns. Do you think US Cops would give up their guns?

Saturday November 22, 2014

Saturday November 22, 2014 A dark gloomy day. Drizzle and temps above 32. Walked to Panera for coffee and a bagel. After coffee drove to Gazelle Sports to buy some compression socks. Picked up dry cleaning and a sweater was missing. The ticket said 3 but I was sure I took 4. Messed around office and then took an hour walk. Short nap. We had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. Debbie face timed us tonight. I am glad did not watch UM game today. I used the iPad mini to write this blog. Tedious!

Friday November 21, 2014

Friday November 21, 2014 Using iPad Finally a bright sunny day. Still cold Did all exercises at home. Walked to Panera. Downloaded pedometer. Walked around Panera block, 0.96 miles. Walks were all shoveled by 0700. After Panera Nancy and I ran errands, put coat on Petunia. First stop Lighting Center. Looking for kitchen, living room and master bath lights. No purchase but good ideas. At fireplace store told we are on top of pile. Maybe next week Costco was super crowded. Made several purchases. Looked for bulletin board at Stables. No luck. Nancy picked up book at Cascade Library. Chow Hound. Bought treats and booties. Booties do not work. Must take back. Lunch and then took a walk in back yard. Snow was about 12". Lot of Deer tracks. Short nap and at 1730 drove to Euro Bistro for dinner. Excellent food, little pricy. Watching TV and will soon switch to Netflix.

Thursday November 20, 2014

Thursday November 20, 2014 I set the alarm this morning because the furnace man is coming between 9 and noon. I did all my calisthenics and rowing before 0900. It is still cold and snowing. Nancy went swimming at MVP. After breakfast I made coffee and read the WSJ. Nancy got home about 0900. Kim came to clean about 1000. The cold and snow has been tough on Ms P. Her joints hurt and the snow almost covers her. She must do her bidness on the drive. Our drive was shoveled about 1100. The furnace man did not come until 1200. I showed him our thermostats and he explained to me that they had been changed by the previous owner and were connected to our alarm company’s system. He could not help us. The previous owner worked for the alarm company and was big into toys. He could operate the furnace from his cell phone. I was surprised because one thermostat looked just like the one on Mackinaw. I now must call the alarm company. Maybe I should connect the entire alarm system to my iPhone 6. I had a quick lunch and then looked outside. It was snowing and our street still had not been plowed. Nancy cancelled our trip to Costco. I still had to get my 30 in so I bundled up and headed out. Our street was not plowed but the sidewalks near the house were. I took 3 loops around the block that Panera is on. It took over an hour. While I was walking I saw the Road Commission finally plowing our street. First time since the snow started. Nancy is fixing soup and a ham sandwich for dinner tonight. I have the GRP to read and we will watch “Big Bang”. At 2030 we will switch to Netflix.

Wednesday November 19, 2014

Wednesday November 19, 2014 Wednesday my easy day, no exercises and no breakfast club. Nancy headed to MVP and I bundled up and walked to Sundance Restaurant. It is still very cold and the snow continues to pile up. The weather folks say we have had over a foot of snow. Peanuts compared to Buffalo. In fact Tahoe Drive, a public road, has not been plowed. I don’t know if the Cobalt could make it up our little hill. No problem with the Taurus because it is AWD. Sundance was not very crowded. I had their scrambled eggs and ham item. It is really good. The WSJ is very good about covering the news outside the USA. Our local paper or TV never covers these stories. The nightly news is becoming more fluff than substance. It was still snowing hard when I left Sundance. The sidewalks had not been plowed. At home I gathered up all the sweaters that needed to be dry cleaned. I put them in a back pack and walked to “The Cleaner’s Place”. The nice Korean lady said that she has owned the cleaners for over twenty years. I then stopped next door at the print shop and ordered some address labels. The walk home was brutal because I was walking into the wind. I even stopped at our bank just so I could warm up. The Manager of the bank knew our son Stephen. They played LL Baseball and tennis together. His name is Kip Dozema. Nancy has a busy afternoon. I drove her to Meijer’s Garden so she could do her shift. Her friend Kathi is picking her up at 1530 and they are going to a paper sale. I am meeting Nancy and Kathi at Founder’s Brewery at 1730. On my way home from the gardens I stopped at the Apple Store. Despite the miserable weather the place was crowded. I bought a mouse for the Air. Ended the afternoon with a nap. At 1700 I got in the Taurus and headed to Founder’s Brewery. I choose surface street because I thought the freeway would be jammed. Bad choice. I took me over an hour to go about 12 miles. The event at Founder’s was for Art Prize folks. I had a pale ale of Founder’s and found it quite good. Nancy and I left about 1700. GR had not plowed the street where I parked. I was on a slight incline with a car right in front. I could not move the Taurus, even with the AWD. I walked back to Founders to borrow a shovel. Founders was really good they not only provided a shovel but also a shoveler. It took about 10 minutes to get out. At home we watched some TV before turning in.

Tuesday November 18, 2014

Tuesday November 18, 2014 It snowed all night with 6’ on ground this morning. Temperature was 17 with a wind chill near zero. The condo folks had not cleared the drive yet. I shoveled the walk in our court yard. No MVP for either Nancy or I. All schools are closed. I did all my calisthenics at home. I got out my winter boots and walked to Panera. I was surprised that all the sidewalks in the area were shoveled. It made walking easy. In fact after Panera I walked around the block. I order to get my 30 in I walked around the block again. When I got home our driveway was cleared. The sidewalk, including the courtyard, was also cleared. I had a 1340 appointment with my skin doctor, Dr Mary Yurko. I took surface streets because I thought they would be safer than the freeway. Most streets were only partially cleared. The Doctor froze several spots on my face. She said my leg was healing. On my way home I stopped at the Sprint store to see if my iPhone 6 Plus was in. It was, in fact it had been in almost a week. They said they were too busy to call me. Anyway I now have my new phone. The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to read. I like the larger print. Nancy is fixing her chicken noodle soup for dinner tonight. I will download some apps to the phone while watching TV. Busy night because we have a paper copy of the GRP to read. Think Spring!

Monday November 17, 2014

Monday November 17, 2014 I had to set the alarm this morning because our electrician, Phil Dougherty, is coming at 0830. I got all my calisthenics and rowing done before he arrived. Phil installed a new light in the entry. He also provided suggestions for improving lightning in the kitchen and living room. Nancy arrived from MVP and she was in agreement with the suggestions. We must now find time to pick out several new fixtures. Our condo is wired kind of funny. We thought several outlets in the living room were not working. Phil checked the outlet and said they had power. We plugged lamps to these outlets and found they can all be turned on from one switch. Why didn’t I figure that out? We have a heater in our main bathroom floor. We found out how to program the heater. We still don’t know if we need a heated floor. After Phil left I walked over to Panera for coffee and my morning paper. Coffee at Panera is now part of my weekday ritual. It was so cold Nancy said she was in for the day. I wanted to do the same but I had to get my 30 in today. I got my wool coat out and went on a three mile walk. It was like a February day. The temperature today has not been above 23 and it has snowed all day. The snow on the ground allowed me to see deer tracks. I think after deer season I will put some carrots in the back yard. Took a short nap and then headed downstairs to clean my desk. We need an electric heater in our ground floor office to be comfortable. We have not spent Christmas with Missy in several years so this year we will get a hotel near LA. Nancy bought the tickets today. We will have enough time to all see the Scott Team. We will leave December 22 and come home January 6. This and that: Saturday night we had a great FaceTime talk with Debbie. Technology has really improved our lives. I remember in the late 40s my Grandmother Hughes every month would want to talk to my Uncle Fred in Philly. It took about two hours to make the connection. Of course in the 40s we had no TV, no dial phones or gas heat. We burned coal to keep the house warm. Little Bobby Scott had to put coal in the furnace about every two hours. In the morning we only had some embers left so I had to refill the furnace and take out the ashes. I mentioned on the 15th that it was the first day of deer season. I checked my Great Grandfather’s log for Nov 15 and he mentioned the start of deer season. GGF on the 15th, 1938 finished hauling chicken manure, 26 loads. He moved stones for Robinson and shut up the chickens. Life was simple in 38.

Sunday November 16, 2014

Sunday November 16, 2014 Today we had our first significant snow fall. I had to shovel our courtyard walk. The condo had salted our driveway. The drive was nice and clean. I think we had about an inch of snow on the ground. For the first time in about a month I swam. I swam 20 laps, 1,000 meters, and Nancy swam 25. As I have said before Nancy is a great swimmer. Gas was $3.05 today. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I read the funnies and then took a nap. I spent most of the afternoon cleaning up my laptop. I checked my junk mail and found I had an email from Fedex saying they could not deliver a package. I called Fedex and they told me it was a scam and to delete the email. Ms P had not been outside for several days so I took her on our 1.25 mile walk. She had no trouble plowing through the snow. I needed to get my 30 in so I repeated the walk. We had soup and sandwiches for dinner. Watched 60 minutes and then Madame Secretary and the Good Wife before turning in.

Saturday November 15, 2014

Saturday November 15, 2014 November 15 is a big day in MI. It is the first day of deer season. When I was in high school all the guys, yes just guys, got three days off school for deer hunting. When Dad was alive he belonged to the Doctor’s Club, a hunting club. Each year during deer season I spent a weekend at the Doctor’s Club. The food was great and I had a chance to talk to some Alpena friends. Hunting is not as big a deal as it was in the 40s and 50s. It was cold last night with just a dusting of snow. I walked to Panera for a breakfast sandwich and coffee. The WSJ made no mention of deer hunting. They did write about some of China’s moves in SE Asia. I think they are very good at moving their agenda. Our President seems confused by their actions. Not good! I walked home and then got on the bike and took a 90 minutes walk. It was cold and gloomy but no snow. I was really cold when I got home. I have to get out the winter mittens and boots. Nancy and I ran some errands. We headed to “Bed, Bath and Beyond”. We are looking for a big hand mirror and a waste basket. We bought a hand mirror. Home Depot was our next stop. We were looking for a Shepard’s crook to hang our bird feeder. No luck. I was still cold from my bike ride so I turned up the electric blanket and took a short nap. I found a hanger for the bird feeder and hung is on the garage overhang. Nancy fixed soup and hot dogs for dinner. We watched netflix and some of the MSU game before turning in .

Friday November 14, 2014

Friday November 14, 2014 No MVP today I have an early lunch appointment. Did the calisthenics at home. Walked over to Panera for coffee and to read WSJ. Spent over an hour reading and then walked home. Got in Cobalt and drove to Keizer’s in Lowell. I had an 1130 lunch with Jennifer Dougherty. Jennifer brought me up to speed as to what was happening in her world. Jennifer’s world is a busy one with four kids. Living in a rural she puts a lot of miles on her van driving the kids to appointments. All her kids ride the bus. A big advantage of living in GR was that all our kids could walk to school through the eighth grade. Ottawa Elementary and Iroquois Middle were only a block away. I did have time to take an afternoon walk. I also took a short nap. At 1730 we got dressed and headed to a retired Navy Officer’s get together at Cascade Country Club. I even wore a tie. Usually this group meets about once a quarter for drinks. Today’s event included Officers and their spouse. About 20 folks were in attendance. I was the only officer who had not been on a ship. It was a great evening hearing about all the places visited. The food was also very good.

Thursday November 13, 2014

Thursday November 13, 2014 Snow warning were up this morning. The worst snows were along the lake. For the first time this year the snow was sticking. 0700 Nancy leaves for MVP for a swim. I followed shortly. The snow made it difficult to ride a bike so I took the Cobalt. After MVP I drove to Cabella’s to look for lined chinos. They did not have any. Second stop was Dick’s Sporting Goods in Rivertown Mall. No lined pants. Final stop was Eddie Bauer. No pants. Took a two mile walk. I had to get my 30 in today. I walk at a 20’ pace. Nancy saw the skin doctor today. No problems. We had dinner at Shepard’s Bar. We each had the salad burger. Read the GRP and watched Big Bang. We are now watching Inspector Morris on Netflix.

Wednesday November 12, 2014

Wednesday November 12, 2014 Breakfast Club Wednesday, up at 0600 and get ready for drive to BC. Luckily no snow on the ground. If we had new snow I would have had to take surface streets. I take the interstate and have some problems with bumper to bumper traffic traveling at 70 mph in pitch black conditions. We had a poor turnout. Our aging members don’t like driving in the dark. Today’s speaker was Tom Radimaker a GRP columnist who writes about every day folks. He gave a great talk. After BC I drove to Gaslight Village Starbucks for coffee. As always the place was jammed. I read the WSJ. My reason for Gaslight Village was that I wanted to buy lined chinos at the Woolrich Store. At 1000 I walked to the store and found that the space was taken over by a skateboard store. Apparently Woolrich clothes are not popular in EGR. I drove to Woodland Mall to look for lined chinos. No luck. Got a call from the eye doctor saying my glasses were in. I drove downtown and picked up my new glasses. When I got home I took Ms P on a 1.25 mile walk. It was 30 but she did not seem to mind the cold. I then took a two mile walk. I met a new neighbor, Bob Clark. He has lived in the condo unit for 30 years. Bob has a real gift of gab. He is 90 years old and sharp as a tack. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. We will have a light dinner and then watch some netflix. This day in Ossineke, Mi, 1938: It was a Saturday, Great grandfather Sanborn had an easy day. He worked in the Post Office in the morning and in the afternoon hauled four loads of manure.

Tuesday November 11, 2014

Tuesday November 11, 2014 Veteran’s Day 2014: Every Veteran’s Day I ask Veteran’s if they can remember their service number. Nearly 100% can remember. It is something you never forget. This morning the temperature was in the high 40s. In fact I over dressed for my bike ride to MVP. I took a layer off for my ride home. Since I changed my schedule I have met several MVP members that I had not seen in years. It is good to get caught up on what every one is doing. I had my coffee at Panera. It started to rain about noon so I hurried home. I made it home without getting too wet. I spent the afternoon catching up on my reading. All afternoon the temperature has been dropping. Low temps tonight will get down to 30. The UP of MI has 30” of snow. We will not get significant snow until Thursday. Nancy had book club this afternoon. They met at a local restaurant. I don’t like the new time because it eliminates pizza night for the husbands. I suppose we could go out for lunch. Beans and rice for dinner tonight. We will read the GRP and watch network TV tonight.

Monday November 10, 2014

Monday November 10, 2014 The cold weather will not hit us until late Tuesday. It was sunny and mild when I got on my bike and headed to MVP. It seems every day at MVP I meet someone I knew many years ago. Today I met an attorney (now retired) who grilled me during a depositions I gave in the early 80s. He remembered me. For an attorney he is not a bad guy. After MVP I pedaled to Panera for coffee. Today I had time to read the WSJ. I found interesting a story on China’s efforts to rebuild the silk road. They are spending billions on roads, pipeline and railroads to build connections from China’s east through east Asia, the Middle East and eventually to Europe. The travel time from China to Europe using surface transportation is half the time compared to using ships. I think it would be neat to drive from Europe to China. China has the resources to build this infrastructure while we fritter away our money on military actions in the Middle East where we still don’t know who the good guys are! Nancy had lunch today with some of her gift shop friends. When I got home the first thing I did was take Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. I did several loads of laundry and then took a short nap. I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on my reading. The move set me back many weeks. For instance today I had not read the weekly ENR magazine since May. I am now up to September. We had a light dinner and watched the news. It is now 1930 and I am finishing this blog. Nothing on network TV so it will be a netflix evening.

Sunday November 9, 2014

Sunday November 9, 2014 Up at 0700 and get ready for our Sunday swim. Nancy is faster than I am getting ready for the swim. When I entered the pool Nancy was swimming but there were no empty lanes. MVP’s lanes are very narrow so it is difficult to share. I decided against swimming. I bought a coffee and read USA Today on my iphone. Speaking of phones I should be getting my new iPhone 6 plus soon. Nancy swam 20 laps today, 1000 meters. That is a great distance, way to go Nancy. Gas today was $3.07. Our larder must be full because we did not purchase many supplies. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I read several sections of the GRP before taking my Sunday nap. Several bushes and trees in our courtyard still needed trimming. I spent about an hour trimming. I took three yard bags to the curb. After the yard work I took a three mile walk. Nancy is fixing beans and rice for dinner. After dinner we finished reading the GRP and watched network TV. Turned in at 2200.

Saturday November 8, 2014

Saturday November 8, 2014 It was raining when we got up this morning. Nancy did not want to go to breakfast so I got in the Cobalt and drove to the Omelette Shop. The Omelette Shop was not very crowded when I arrived. I spent a lot of time reading. When I left they had a lot of folks waiting for a table. I was surprised that they let me just sit and read when they needed a table. It looks like an all day rain and I gave some thought to walking the mall. I decided against it because I think the rain will stop this afternoon. It is now 1121 and I am sitting at my desk writing this blog. I have a small heater going. The ground floor is about 5 degrees cooler than the main floor. It is raining and 40 outside. At 1200 I will drive Nancy to the Gardens so she can work at the big sale. Nancy is working with Mary Namey. At 1700 Ed Namey will pick up Nancy and Mary and drive to Marco’s for dinner. I will meet them there. To get my 30 in today I took a 3 mile walk. Even in bad weather we should try to get the 30 in. Marco’s is a great place. We rated it an A. When we got home we watched the first half of the MSU/OSU game. Starting a game at 2000 in November is dumb.

Friday November 7, 2014

Friday November 7, 2014 It was cold last night but no frost. Bright sunshine this morning. I pedaled to MVP for my calisthenics. Great day for a bike ride if dressed properly. I was dressed properly. I had coffee at Panera. Kim was cleaning today so I took my time reading the WSJ. Will China and Japan ever be friends? I don’t think so. When I got home I took the Taurus to get it washed, inside and out. At home I raked some leaves in our small courtyard. We are responsible for maintenance in the courtyard. I also trimmed a small fir tree. I took a short nap. It is now 1723 and Nancy and I are getting ready to attend an event at the Gardens. Stay tuned. The event at the Gardens was a pre-sale for tomorrow big sale. Members only. Nancy is working at the sale tomorrow. When we got home we checked the TV and found nothing on so we watched Inspector Gently on Netflix.

Thursday November 6, 2014

Thursday November 6, 2014 Today Nancy went swimming but I stayed home because I had to take Ms P for her annual physical. I did all my calisthenics at home. After breakfast I made coffee and started reading the WSJ. The Vet gave Ms P a clean bill of health. She got her annual rabies shot and several others. Owning a dog is not for poor people. We need a small space heater for our den. Nancy and I headed to Home Depot to look at heaters. They did not have what we wanted. Our next stop was Costco. We bought a small heater. We also bought some cheese and towels. I had lunch and finished the WSJ before taking a short nap. I finished the afternoon with a short walk. Nancy and I had dinner at Russ’s. We both had the pea soup and Nancy had a hamburg and I had fried clams. We are now watching Midsomer’s Murder on Netflix. We will watch Elementary at 2200. It rained all day today. Low temperatures tonight are in the high 20s.

Wednesday November 5, 2014

Wednesday November 5, 2014 Wednesday my easy day and also the day after the election. Today I am also hitting a milestone, post number 1,900 for the blog. The weather folks said that today would be bright and sunny and they were right. For breakfast I pedaled to the Omelette Shop a distance of 5.5 miles. I ordered a bowl of oatmeal and a scrambled egg. I put the egg in my oatmeal. I saw this being done when Nancy and I were on the Vietnam tour. Two Chinese women from San Francisco would do this every morning. I tried it and thought it was a great treat. I had forgotten about it until this morning. I read all the articles in the WSJ dealing with yesterday’s election. Although I was tired of all the negative ads I still must admit that I am a political junkie. I think most politicians underestimate the voting public. In Michigan despite a lot of misleading and downright mean ads our Governor got reelected. But the Republican running for Senate got soundly defeated. Folks were splitting their tickets and I think made the right choice. The Gal running for the senate was a very poor candidate. When I got home I immediately got in the Cobalt and drove to Costco. Twice a day I take a fiber drink and I was out of powder. I also bought eggs and a bottle of wine. Costco was empty, I did not have to wait in line. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. I did some chores and took a short nap. Ms P and I took our 1.25 mile walk. Light dinner tonight and then some TV. Snow is expected for the weekend. I did get my 30 in today, did you?

Tuesday November 4, 2014

Tuesday November 4, 2014 Nancy went swimming this morning. I just did my calisthenics at MVP. It was raining so I drove. After MVP I headed to Panera for coffee. WSJ had several articles on the Middle East. They seem more confused than I am telling the good guys from the bad. I am glad the election season is over. After coffee I stopped at ACE Hardware near the condo. I rented a small sander. I spent an hour sanding the top of large drawer located under the stove. I finally got the drawer to close without catching on the countertop. After I returned the sander I took a 1.25 mile walk with Ms P. It is really turning cold. This evening Nancy and I are going to and event at the GR Art Museum. Stay tuned. The function at the Art Museum was their annual meeting. The Director gave his annual report. The GRAM had record attendance this year. They ended the year with a surplus. It was an upbeat report. We watched NCIS and they I channel surfed to get updates on the election. It was fun to watch all the whining on MSNBC. I finally turned in about 2300.

Monday November 3, 2014

Monday November 3, 2014 Up at 0700 and get ready for a bike ride to MVP. Daylight this morning was at 0720. I left home at 0800 with bright sunshine. The temperature was in the low 40s. I arrived at the MVP just as the folks who had jobs were leaving. After MVP I pedaled to Panera for coffee. I took a diversion and worked up a sweat climbing the hills on the diversion. All the experts are picking the winners in tomorrows election. I am surprised at how much I am out of touch with the electorate. I will be glad when the elections are over. I did not get home until 1300. I had a quick lunch and realized walking around in wet clothes was not a good idea. I turned on the electric blanket and jumped in to warm up. After the warmup I got in the cobalt and drove to Meijer’s. I won $100 in the lottery. I picked up my winnings. Finished my afternoon walking Ms P 1.25 miles. We had a light dinner. Nothing on TV so we are now watching an Aussie mystery on Netflix.

Sunday November 2, 2014

Sunday November 2, 2014 Up at 0700 and we head to MVP for our Sunday swim. Today is going to be a bright sunny day. It was light when we left at 0740 thanks to the time change. We get our suits on and head to the pool only to be told the pool is closed, bummer. We get dressed and head to Meijer’s. We know Meijer’s won’t be closed. Meijer’s had a lot of items on sale so our cart was full. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk and then read several sections of the GRP. I always start with the funnies. Took my afternoon nap and then walked around the neighborhood for an hour. I did not see one person outside. On a beautiful day you would expect folks outside enjoying the weather. I am currently downstairs writing this blog. I have a small heater on to take off the chill. Our downstairs (walkout) is about 5 degrees colder than the main floor. We hope to modify our downstairs fireplace so it will produce heat. Nancy is fixing turkey sandwiches and spaghetti for dinner tonight. Sounds good! We will watch 60 minutes and Madame Secretary before turning in.

Saturday November 1, 2014

Saturday November 1, 2014 The alarm goes off at 0700. We are having breakfast at Anna’s and we have to be there before 0800 or the wait is very long. We arrived at 0800 and had no wait. Anna’s has great food. After breakfast we started running errands. Our stops included Pet Smart, Dollar Store, the Lighting Store, Talsma’s furniture in Byron Center. Final stop was Costco. We also filled up, gas was $2.95. A very busy morning. The temperature early this morning was 27. However, the sun was out and the sky blue. I bundled up and went on a 90 minute bike ride. I was really cold when I got home. I turned on the electric blanket and then took a quick shower. I read the WSJ in my warm bed. It took over an hour before my body got warm. Watched part of the UM football game. Speaking of UM I am happy with the new AD. He did a great job running Steelcase. Nancy and I had dinner at Shepard’s Grill. The place was crowded. The food was good. Nothing on TV so it is going to be a Netflix evening.

Friday October 31, 2014

Friday October 31, 2014 Nancy tried to take Ms P out at 0700 but she refused because of the rain. Nancy was heading to a class at MVP. After breakfast I put a leash on Ms P and dragged her out. It had stopped raining so she did her bidness. I put on my rain suit for my bike ride to MVP. It was cold but no rain. I did all my calisthenics and rowing at MVP. It started to drizzle on my way home. I stopped at Panera for coffee. I was getting ready to leave when I looked out the window and saw it was snowing. I got another coffee and waited until the snow let up a little bit. I made it home without getting too cold. It was a cold snowy afternoon a perfect time to stay inside and read a book. I am reading the third book of Ken Follet’s trilogy about the 20th century. Right now the book is centered on the Cuban Missile Crisis. The USSR had placed nuclear armed missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy wanted them removed. It was a pretty scary time. I was a young Navy Ensign stationed on Midway Island. I was due for a new assignment. I telegraphed the assignment Officer and asked about my new duty station. I was told because of the Crisis no new assignments for six months. I was frozen in place. No way did I want to stay six more months on Midway. Next day the assignment Officer telegraphed and said they had an immediate opening at the Deputy Officer in Charge of Construction, Southeast Asia. I had no idea where SE Asia was but it was a way off Midway so I telegraphed back saying get my ass to SE Asia. When my orders came I saw I was going to Saigon, Viet Nam. I headed to the library to get a map and see where Saigon was. I fell asleep reading. I asked several neighbors about the number of kids on Halloween. Our next door neighbor said in 21 years she had not had one kid. Nancy and I had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. We both had the prime rib sandwich. We watched an episode on the Roosevelt’s. We headed to bed at 2200.

Thursday October 30, 2014

Thursday October 30, 2014 Nancy went swimming this morning. She swam 25 laps, 1250 meters, which is a great distance. Way to go Nancy. I have changed my schedule. I slept in until 0715 and then had a leisurely breakfast. I don’t want to ride my bike in the dark so I waited until sunrise, 0815. It was in the 30s this morning so I bundled up and pedaled to MVP. Next week with the end of DST I can leave earlier. I did all my calisthenics at MVP. I am also adding a 2,000 meter row. After MVP I pedaled to Panera Bread for coffee. We live in a dangerous world. The WSJ had an article on the Russian Air Force running probing missions against the NATO countries. Turkey, Syria and Iraq are also dangerous. Despite my objection to our involvement in the Middle East I read all the articles about the conflict. The interplay between countries is interesting. Does the Obama administration understand diplomacy? A senior administration gave an interview where he called the Prime Minister of Israel, chickshit and a coward. Didn’t this guy go to Sunday School? I had a quick lunch and then we all got in the Taurus and headed to Northwest Bedding on Leonard. Nancy is still looking for a sofa. They had a good selection but Nancy is not sure of the color. We will return with pictures of the chairs in our living room. I took Ms P on a 1.25 mile walk. After a short nap I started writing this blog. Nancy is fixing pork chops for dinner tonight. We got a paper edition of the GRP so I will read that and watch some TV.

Wednesday October 29, 2014

Wednesday October 29, 2014 Breakfast Club today so I am up at 0600. My ride to BC is an adventure because I am driving on the Interstate. Driving 70 mph in pitch black conditions with bumper to bumper traffic is difficult. We had a real small turnout. Many members are getting ready to head south for the winter. Speaking of heading south my sister, Helen, left last week for AZ. Today’s speaker is starting a brewery and restaurant in Cedar Springs. It is modeled after the Hofbrauhaus House in Munich. He was really knowledgable about beer and beer making. Did you know that hops is now grown in MI? We now have 47 microbreweries in Kent County. It was raining when I left BC. The temperature today will remain in the 40s. Stopped at Starbucks in Breton Village for coffee. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. I took a short nap and then a long walk. The recent high winds and rain have stripped a lot of trees of their leaves. Frost tonight and snow on Friday. The nice thing about a condo is that I have no yard work. I just looked outside and saw four contract yard men blowing leaves into large piles for pickup. Light dinner tonight and then some network TV. I might look in on the World Series game. I have no favorite. This date in 1938, Ossineke, MI: Great grandfather Sanborn wrote that they had a heavy frost last night creating 1/4” of ice on pond. In the morning he refilled a gasoline container. In the PM he picked up a potential buyer and brought him to the barn to see the tractor GGF was trying to sell. He was a salesman to the end.

Tuesday October 28, 2014

Tuesday October 28, 2014 No bike ride this morning because of the heavy rain. I got in the Cobalt and drove to MVP. I did all the calisthenics at MVP. Stepped on scale and weighed 155#. Lightest I have been in 36 years. No sugar is the answer. Stopped at Panera. I read everything on the situation in Syria, Turkey and Iraq. Why are we trying to solve problems in a corner of the world that has been in turmoil for years? We did the same thing in Vietnam. I will be glad when next Tuesday rolls around because no more political ads. I called Macatawa Bank and found that their notary was in the bank. Nancy and I drove to the bank and got our Lady Bird deed notarized. Lady Bird? We also drove to a fireplace shop to get an estimate to convert our downstairs fireplace into a unit that generates heat. $3,000. Presently I am using an electric heater and it works fine. Nancy is fixing me salmon for dinner tonight. Typical Tuesday evening read the GRP and watch NCIS. It was warm today but the temperatures will fall this evening. Snow predicted for the weekend.

Monday October 27, 2014

Monday October 27, 2014 DST cannot end soon enough. Sunrise today was at 0810. I do not like to pedal my bike in the dark. Nancy headed out a little after 0700 for a MVP class. I did my calisthenics at 66%. My leg is looking much better. I have two more days of antibody pills. Ms P is also near the end of her required pills. She also is getting better. The legal system moves slow. We have just received a legal document regarding adding the condo to our trust. We purchased the condo in July. Anyway the document must be signed in front of a notary. I stopped by our bank and asked if they could perform this service. They can but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I forgot to notify Amazon of my change of address so they sent an order to the Mackinaw address. I stopped by and picked it up. I also stopped at the Chow Hound to buy more dry food for Ms P. I ended the morning at Panera for coffee and the WSJ. I arrived back home at 1230. Today was a perfect fall day. The temperature was in the low 70s. Tonight the temperature will drop to the low 40s. Normal temperatures are: high 56, low 38. A lot of trees have lost all their leaves. I took Ms P on a short walk. I also took an easy 50 minute bike ride through the neighborhood. I rode on every street in the three condo associations that make up our neighborhood. The condo units were all built on an old golf course. Most of the golf course remains as green space but one very large apartment complex is being built on an old fairway. The neighbors living near the apartments are really mad. I hear a lot of complaining at Panera. I got an email from Esquire magazine today asking me to convert my print edition to digital. The same thing happened with US News. Is there even a US News today? I asked our neighbor how much candy we should get for Halloween. She said in 21 years she had not had anyone stop by her house. Last year on Mackinaw Nancy said we had over 300 kids. My drooping right eye is starting to droop again. During my first episode, September 15, with the leg infection I was given five days of steroid pills,. A side effect of the steroids was that my eye popped open and has remain so until yesterday, over six weeks. I continued to take a low dose of mestinon for the eye. I will increase the dosage tomorrow.

Sunday October 26, 2014

Sunday October 26, 2014 Up at 0700, no MVP today because we are going shopping at IKEA, Trader Joe’s and the Tangers discount mall. The first two stores are near Detroit and Tanger’s is located just west of Howell. First stop was IKEA. We made several small purchases. At Trader Joe’s we replenished our two buck Chuck wine supply. Also bought boxes of soup, cookies and crackers. Why can’t they build a TJ in GR. I went crazy at the discount mall. I purchased items from Bass, Under Armor, Jockey and Ralph Lauren. Nancy just bought a pair of shoes at Bass. Got home at 1800. Ms P weathered the trip well. Nancy and I each had a bowl of Wendy’s chili for dinner. Watched some TV and read the GRP before turning in.

Saturday October 25, 2014

Saturday October 25, 2014 Nancy and I ate breakfast at Sundance. The parking lot looked full but plenty of tables were open. After breakfast we stopped at Meijer’s so I could buy a lottery ticket. We also filled up. Gas was $3.17. I walked to Panera for coffee and to read WSJ. The news was dominated by Ebola and the Kurds. I continue to think we should get completely out of the Middle East. Too many bad guys and I don’t think we want to help the best of the worst. On my way home I walked to the Crown Plaza Hotel to see if they had a restaurant. They do. Had lunch and then took a short nap. The UM/MSU game started at 1530. I watched most of the game. UM was totally outclassed. I remember as a boy UM/MSU games. My mother was a great UM fan. My dad MSU. On several game days I would go partridge hunting with dad at his hunting camp. We would have a picnic lunch and then head home to listen to the game on radio. That is right on the radio. No TV in Alpena. Ms P has been under the weather with her bad back. Today she seemed much better so I took her on a short walk. Nancy fixed me hamburgers for dinner. It is now 1920 and we are sitting in the den watching the news. We will watch Elementary and then maybe a netflix show. Today was a beautiful fall day. Sunshine and clear skies. Heavy winds today are blowing the leaves off the trees.

Friday October 24, 2014

Friday October 24, 2014 Nancy goes to class at MVP and I do calisthenics at home. After breakfast I drove to medical lab to get some more blood work done. On way home ran several errands. I had a nice talk with Carol Smith the owner of SCECO. Carol said business was busy. She brought me up to date on what is happening in the CE industry. Spent the afternoon cleaning my desk. I did take a nap. Another great fall day. Peak color but leaves falling fast. Tonight we attended a Symphony concert as guests of the Moleksi’s. We had dinner at the Bull’s Head. I enjoyed the concert. Can you believe that?

Thursday October 23, 2014

Thursday October 23, 2014 Nancy goes swimming today and I do some mild calisthenics. I am feeling better but the leg is still swollen. AM: Got in Cobalt and ran errands. Dropped glasses off to get new lenses. Picked up shoes and new frame from Chic’s. I had a photo of my Dad and his siblings framed. It looks good. Stopped at CU and got some cash. Returned sink stainer to Modern Hardware. At Sprint ordered a new iphone 6 Plus. Finally had my morning coffee at Panera. PM: Took Taurus to Dr Kutsche’s office. I had a 1510 appointment and Nancy was getting a flu shot. We did not leave until 1700. The Doctor made no recommendation as to my leg treatment. Keep doing what the skin doctor said. I paid for this advice? Ms P had an appointment at 1800 so we stopped at Rylee’s to kill some time. The Vet determined that Ms P had back problems. We were given two prescriptions to adminster. We got home at 1900. We had a light dinner. Read the GRP. Watched Hinterland on netflix.

Wednesday October 22, 2014

Wednesday October 22, 2014 Easy Wednesday for me but Nancy attended a class at MVP. Nancy drove me to a 1000 appointment with skin doctor. Leg is improving, keep up the pills and cream. Doctor also said I could have a glass of wine. Nancy worked at Meijer’s Garden this afternoon. I took nap, walked Ms P, and drove to Meijer’s to pick up prescription. It froze last night. 0800 temperature was 30. 1750 temperature 50. Sunny all day. Light dinner and TV before turning in.

Tuesday October 21, 2014

Sunday Normal Sunday, swimming at MVP, shopping at Meijer's, and a breakfast of Nancy's world famous poached eggs. Took an afternoon nap and then at 1530 we drove to the Moleski's for dinner. A total of seven folks were there. About 2000 I became very chilled. On our way home my teeth were chattering so loud that Nancy could hear it. I bundled up and turned the electric blanket on high. Monday: It was 0400 before I warmed up. When I got up I saw the cause of my problem. My right leg was swollen and very red. Called the skin doctor, Dr Yurko, and as luck would have it I saw the Doctor that morning. The leg looked the same as an earlier breakout on September 12. Dr Yurko thinks I have an infection but she cannot identify the source. She give me some prescriptions and I am to see her on Wednesday. Nancy, bless her soul, has been waiting on me these past several days. We watched Big Bang and then a netflix. Tuesday: Nancy was up at 0700 so she could go swimming. I spent the entire day at home. I got a lot of reading done. Nancy and her friend Kathi went to a movie this afternoon. I was checking on my computer this afternoon and saw that I was paying twice for the WSJ. When I enlarged the bill I saw a phone number. I called and got a refund. Today we get a paper edition of the GRP. We will read the GRP and watch NCIS before turning in. I think I know the source of my infection.

Saturday October 18, 2014

Saturday October 18, 2014 Another day with no sun. It was cold and windy today with spotty rain. We went out for breakfast. We tried a new place called Manna Cafe. It is on Forest Hill Avenue. The food was good. We gave it a B. After breakfast drove to Modern Hardware on Kalamazoo. We purchased a sink strainer and an electric drill. Next we drove through the old neighborhood on way to CVS. 1555 Mackinaw looks the same. We got home about 1200. It looked like the rain had passed through so I bundled up and took a 90 minute bike ride. Today I decided to pedal my standard 90’ ride in the opposite direction. It was actually an easier ride. On several hills with heavy leaf cover I had difficulty getting up the hill. My wheels would spin in the wet leaves. When I got home I took Ms P out in the back yard which was part of the old golf course. We walked through the abandoned fairways. Despite the ground being wet I think Ms P likes running in open fields. I ended the afternoon with a nap. It is now 1740 and as soon as I finish this blog I am driving over to Wendy’s for a bowl of chili. I will bring it home. Nancy still has difficulty chewing. She had a bowl of soup and a bowl of ice cream. I watched the end of the MSU game. It will be a netflix evening. I got my 30’ in today. Heavy frost is expected tonight.

Friday October 17, 2014

Friday October 17, 2014 Another gloomy but busy day in West MI. Completed at home routine and then pedalei to Panera. Pedaled into a heavy wind on way to MVP. Shoulder is still acting up so I swam only breast stroke. Seems to work. At home we all get in Taurus to run errands. Stop at Art Van to look at sofas. We need a single piece that is over 90” long. Did not find what we wanted. Checked out sofa stock at Talsma’s. Several pieces looked ok. Nancy is still pondering. Nancy returned an item at Kohl’s. While she is at Kohl’s I stopped at Apple store to look at the iphone 6+. I want to know if the phone is too wide for special pocket in pants and vest. The phone fits. I really like the wider screen. Last stop is Costco. Nancy buys a cheese tray for Sunday dinner at the Moleski’s. After quick lunch I took a 90 minute bike ride. The leaves are falling fast. In several areas I cannot see the bike path for the leaves. Short nap and then at 1730 head to Romano’s Macaroni Grill. We met the Horlings for dinner. We had a great meal and conversation with our friends. Got home at 2030 and watched netflix, Inspector Morse.

Thursday October 16, 2014

Thursday October 16, 2014 After the morning calisthenics I drove to Panera for a quick cup and a chance to read the first sections of the WSJ. At 0915 we drove to Nancy’s doctor to have the stitches removed. Nancy is now off all pills and can resume her normal activities. I took the Taurus to the dealer for an oil change. I looked at all the new cars. It is hard to find a car I want that is less than $30,000. My first new car in 1964 cost exactly $2,000. I stopped at ACE Hardware to buy sand paper. I have to sand the kitchen drawer that I repaired so it will fit better. After 15 minutes of sanding I got tired. I took a 90 minute bike ride. Finished the afternoon with a nap. No good shows on network TV so we watched netflix. First the Blacklist and then Midsomer Murders. Netflix was a good investment.

Wednesday October 15, 2014

Wednesday October 15, 2014 Breakfast Club Wednesday. Up at 0600 and had to hustle to make the 0700 BC start. 70 mph on I 196 helped. Good talk today on mental health problems in community. Stopped at Modern Hardware to pick up hinges for kitchen drawer. Also bought a new key for the Cobalt. Needed new key because the old key was recalled. Will GM ever get it right? Nancy is feeling better and tomorrow the stitches come out. We took Ms P to the dog groomer. The Groomer is located next to Horricks so we stopped in and bought a bird feeder and seed. Took a two mile walk before lunch. Continue to clean garage. At 1400 we headed back to the Groomer. Ms P was not ready so we end up at Lowes. Need a cover for our deck table. Lowes had a cover but I thought it was too small. Must go home and measure. Picked up Ms P. Headed back to Lowes and bought the last table cover. Finished the afternoon with another two mile walk. Nancy fixed acorn squash, turkey sandwich, and cauliflower soup for dinner. It was great. I spent over an hour putting hinges on the kitchen drawer. I have no mechanical skills. We watched Mysteries of Laura and then the Blacklist on netflix. We are near peak fall colors.

Tuesday October 14, 2014

Tuesday October 14, 2014 Woke up to a dark gloomy day. Rain predicted for all day. I drove to Panera for coffee. Ebola and ISIS dominate the news. I have lost all interest in the 2014 elections. A POX on all politicians. When I got home it looked like the rain had stopped. I started walking but quickly turned around when it started to pour. The best thing to do on a gloomy day is to take a nap. I complied. After the nap I ran several errands. I stopped at our bank and asked why I was given a new credit card but Nancy was not. I used my card at Home Depot. Home Depot was hacked so the bank gave me a new card. Nancy did not use her card at Home Depot. I also stopped at Costco to get some cheap wine, Pinconning Cheese and figs. Took Ms P on a short walk. I then walked two miles. We had a light dinner. Will spent the evening reading the GRP and watching NCIS and NCIS NO. I just starting reading the latest Ken Follet novel. I really like it. I hope everyone got 30 minutes outside today. I did.

Monday October 13, 2014

Monday October 13, 2014 Normal Monday: Calisthenics, breakfast and a 90 minute bike ride. After ride drove to bank, Township office to buy mail box number and finally to Panera to read WSJ and drink coffee. I am surprised at the lunch business Panera does. Quick lunch and then I replaced two bulbs in outside lights. Took picture of my old bike so I can sell it on Craig’s List. Hung up my single speed bike and cleaned the garage. The previous owners left a flag pole that we don’t want. I found a hack saw and cut the pole up and put in trash. We have had a light drizzle all day. The weather folks say we will have rain most of the week. I took a short nap. Nancy made a special dinner tonight. She cooked me a salmon filet, an acorn squash, and salad. It was great. It is now 2021 and we are watching Big Bang. Next we will Blacklist on Netflix.

Sunday October 12, 2014

Sunday October 12, 2014 Alarm goes off at 0700 and I head to MVP. Nancy still cannot go swimming. The pool was crowded but I was able to get my 30 minutes in. Came home and picked up Nancy and Ms P. We head to Meijer’s. Gas today was $2.99. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. Read a few sections of the GRP and then took my mandatory Sunday nap. Took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. I then took a 2 mile walk. We had a light frost last night. As soon as the sun came out the temperature climbed to 63. Another beautiful fall day. Soup and sandwiches for dinner tonight. No netflix tonight. Network TV and the GRP will occupy our time. I got a text from Missy today saying that the Art Prize winner was a friend of hers at Amherst. Do you know any famous people? I don’t.

Saturday October 11, 2014

Saturday October 11, 2014 Slept in until 0700. We had a light frost last night. I wanted it to warm up before my bike ride so I drove to Panera for coffee and the WSJ. At 0850 I headed home to pick up Nancy. Grand Rapids Lighting Company is having a big sale today. The sale started at 0900 and when we got there folks at 0910 folks were lined up outside the doors. We did find a floor lamp that we liked for our den. We saved 40%. We also stopped at Bath and Beyond and bought a front door boot tray and several night lights. When we got home I got on the bike and took a 90 minute bike ride. I took a different route today. The weather was great. Fall bike rides are the best. Quick lunch and then ran several errands. I bought another pair of compression running socks. I stopped at Home Depot to see about covers for our deck furniture. We don’t have much storage space so I thought maybe we should just buy some covers and leave the furniture outside. Home Depot did not have any covers. For dinner Nancy fixed carrot/apple soup for herself and lobster bisque for me. It was great. I assembled the floor lamp and put it in the den. It fit well. We watched the first half of the UM game and now we are watching “Hinderland” on netflix. Did you know Nancy’s dad played football at Penn State?

Friday October 10, 2014

Friday October 10, 2014 Calisthenics at 90% today. Coffee at Panera. Went on 90 minute bike ride. It was a cold ride with temperature in the 30s. Cold but sunny. No frost last night. Took the Chevy to get an oil change. The car is five years old with only 22,000 miles. 1730 drove to Great Lake Shipping. We met Neil, Kay and daughter Ruth Molenaar. Neil and Kay are visiting from their home in Washington State. Ruth lives in GR. The Molenaar’s were neighbors on Mackinaw. We spent a very enjoyable two hours talking about old times. Finished the evening watching a show on Netflix.

Thursday October 9, 2014

Thursday October 9, 2014 At home calisthenics at 80% Biked to Panera for coffee and a chance to read WSJ. Can’t get into pool until 1100 so I read most of the WSJ. Nothing important to report. The pool was jammed today. Every lane was taken. My weight continues to stay below 160. The colors are really great. Enjoyed the bike ride to MVP and back. After quick lunch I head downtown. First stop is Chics to get a photo of my dad and his siblings framed. The photo was taken in 1922. Kind of Hubbard Lake Gothic. I had an eye doctors appointment today. My eyes have not changed so no new prescriptions needed. Took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. Lately Ms P has not walked with a limp. I think the joint medicine is working. Nancy cooked me a pork chop, salad and beans for dinner. Today Nancy got a package from Harry and David. It was ice cream. Ice cream is something Nancy can eat with no pain. Debbie sent the package. Veronica called this evening. She wanted to tell Nancy how happy they were that the tumor was cancer free. Nothing on TV so it will be a netflix evening. I got my 30 minutes outside today, did you?

Wednesday October 8, 2014

Wednesday October 8, 2014 Wednesday my truly easy day. It is cool, mid 40s, but sunny. Had an egg/ham/cheese breakfast sandwich at Panera. Read WSJ. Nobody listens to me. We should be out of the Middle East. Stocks fall because Germany sneezed. Go figure. Elections are coming but most of country is turned off by politics. The negative ads are terrible. Didn’t any politician ever go to Sunday School. I think Asian carp in the Great Lakes would be a serious problem. After coffee I took a 90 minute bike ride. Stopped at Ada Bike Shop and ordered larger tires. Nancy’s friend Kathi stopped by and left some soup for Nancy. A nice gesture. After shower Nancy and I ran some errands. Stopped at Walgreens and Health food store for some lotions. We also stopped at fire place store to see if they are working on making the ground floor fire place able to generate some heat. They promised an estimate soon. We are looking for a floor lamp for den. Stopped at Klingman’s to see if they had any. They did not. REALLY, REALLY GOOD NEWS. Nancy’s tumor was cancer free. Nancy got flowers from Scott Team in LB. Drove the C2 to Ada Bike store to pick up bike. I think I will like the larger tires. I took a nap. I had cereal for dinner and Nancy had some of Kathi’s soup. After dinner took Ms P on walk. Tonight will be a netflix night. Neil and Kay Molinaar lived next door to us on Mackinaw. They moved to WA state many years ago. They are visiting GR this week. We are going out to dinner on Friday.

Tuesday October 7, 2014

Tuesday October 7, 2014 Up at 0645, pitch black. DST can not end soon enough. Coffee and WSJ at Panera, then pedaled to MVP. I was only person in either the lap pool or thermal pool. Great morning to ride bike, the fall colors are great. Falling leaves and rain make riding surface slippery. I think I will get larger bike tires. Quick lunch and then I head to Costco. Bought eye drops, sandwich rolls and wine. As I was leaving Costco a heavy thunder shower rolled through. I was soaked just running from door to car. Kim comes tomorrow so I spent some time cleaning up. Also brought up fall/winter clothes from storage. Nancy is getting better but still in pain. Had tomato sauce with whole wheat pasta, salad for dinner. Debbie facetimed Nancy. Also talked to Veronica Scott. Watched NCIS and NCIS NO. Also read GRP before turning in.

Monday October 6, 2014

Monday October 6, 2014 Up at our normal 0645 and did the calisthenics. Once again we had rain this morning. I was going to ride my bike but not in rain. I finally decided to drive to MVP for a swim. I got in the pool at 1000 and had the pool to myself. I swam 30 minutes. At noon we had a break in the weather so I took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. After a quick lunch I drove to Dr Kutsche’s office to get my flu shot. I did take a 30 minute nap at 1515. I woke up to thunder. A heavy thunder storm moved through the neighborhood. We had heavy rain for about 30 minutes. At 1600 I drove Nancy to Dr Sprik’s office. He removed a drain tube from her jaw. The tube was inserted during the operation. Nancy said it really hurt when he removed the tube. The sky had cleared so as soon as we got home I took a two mile walk. We had a light dinner. Tonight we will watch Big Bang and then a netflix show. Lately we have been bombarded with some really nasty political ads. A pox on all politicians.

Sunday October 5, 2014

Sunday October 5, 2014 Nancy’s first night home since the surgery and she said she slept ok. I went swimming today. I swam 900 meters in 30 minutes. Pretty slow. I have been on a diet and today I stepped on MVP’s scale and weighed 159. This is the lowest I have been in years. On my way home I stopped at Meijer’s and filled the cobalt up. Gas was $3.11 today. Gas prices in some areas of MI are below $3. At home I got a list of things I had to purchase at Meijer’s. I took the Taurus so I could fill it up. Both cars now have a full tank. Meijer’s is very convenient to our condo. It is about 1 mile away. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. We read parts of the GRP and then took a Sunday nap. Yes Nancy also took a nap. After the nap I took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. I dropped her off and then took a two mile walk. We have had several days of rain and the soil around the condo holds water. It is like walking on a sponge. Today the temperature was in the 40s in the AM and now, 1715, it has reached 52, a typical fall day. The color is almost near peak. I have not seen a robin in about four weeks. My hands got cold on today’s walk. Ebola and Hong Kong seem to be the big news on the world scene. On the sporting scene last night I watched UM get beat and today the Lions got beat. I hope the Tigers can win one. Luckily MSU came through. Albion and Amherst both won their games. Because of the surgery Nancy is having trouble opening her mouth. Tonight she is having yogurt and ice cream. I am having sloppy joes. We will watch 60 minutes and then Madam Secretary before heading to bed. I did get my 30 minutes outside today. Did you?

Saturday October 4, 2014

Saturday October 4, 2014 Happy 9th birthday Lucas A Scott. I slept in until 0700. Bought several bagels at Panera and headed to ST Mary’s. Doctor Sprik had seen Nancy at 0800 and said she could go home. Nancy looked good this morning. We left at 1000. As soon as I drop Nancy off I head to Meijer’s to get her prescriptions filled. My sister, Helen, stopped by to see Nancy. Helen had just spent several days in NYC. She spent the night in Richland, Mi. It was nice of Helen to stop. We spent a quiet afternoon at home. It rained most of the day. Late in the afternoon I went on a 3 mile walk. It drizzled during the walk. Lucas called me while I was on my walk. It was a nice to talk to the birthday boy. The two deer Nancy saw last week were back. They were grazing in our back yard. Nancy had chicken noodle soup for dinner. I had a bowl of Wendy’s chili. Nancy also had a small bowl of ice cream. It is now 2023 and I am switching between the UM and MSU game.

Friday October 3, 2014

Friday October 3, 2014 Busy day today for Nancy and Bob. The alarm goes off at 0500. We have to be at St Mary’s hospital by 0600. We arrive on time. As soon as we arrive the staff starts getting Nancy prepped. The surgery is scheduled for 0730 and Nancy is wheeled into the operating room at exactly 0730. I head to the waiting room. Dr Sprik said the operation would take 3 hours. At 1030 Dr Sprik arrived in the waiting room and told me the operation went well. Nancy had a saliva gland on her right side removed. Nancy was pretty groggy when I visited her in the recovery room. Nancy has to overnight in the hospital. St Mary’s rooms are all single. Nancy’s room was nice. Nancy wanted to sleep so I left at 1300. Stopped at Wendy’s for chili. I had time to take Ms P on a 1.25 mile walk. I arrived back at the hospital at 1700. It is hard to Nancy to talk so we watched TV. For dinner I stopped at Subway. Watched several netflix shows before turning in.

Thursday October 2, 2014

Thursday October 2, 2014 We got up at 0645. I keep thinking that as soon as DST ends we will get up earlier. I just looked it up and DST ends Nov 2. Today sunrise is at 0741 but at the end of October sunrise will be 0815. I don’t like riding my bike in the dark. Today was a swim day for Bob and Nancy. Nancy headed to MVP at 0700 and was in the pool at 0730. I did the at home calisthenics, 75%, and then drove to Panera for coffee. Rain was predicted and I don’t like to ride the bike on wet pavement. I had time to read the WSJ from cover to cover. Ebola and the Middle East dominated the news. Did you know that Navy Civil Engineers and Seabees are building Ebola treatment centers in Liberia. The USA only sends the best. I was in the pool at 1100. Today I swam 15 laps, 750m. This is 75% of normal. As soon as I got home we got in the Taurus and headed to Costco. We are now buying our milk and eggs at Costco. I did buy a jar of pickled herring. Gas at Costco was $3.11. After lunch I took a quick nap. Ms P and I took a 1.25 mile walk. I also took a 2 mile walk. I still have not reached my 10,000 steps. For dinner tonight we headed to Shepard’s Bar and Grill. We both had a salad burger. Not much on TV tonight so we will watch a show on netflix. I will not watch Thursday night football. Pro football should only be played on Sunday. Speaking of football I watched the injury to the UM QB last Saturday. I thought the QB had his bell rung. I think the new UM President should fire both the coach and AD. We are heading to bed early. Tomorrow Nancy is having her surgery and we have to be at St Mary’s at 0600.

Wednesday October 1, 2014

Wednesday October 1, 2014 Breakfast Club Wednesday so I am up at 0600 and downtown by 0700. Today’s speaker was BC member. Dr Dean is a retired Navy doctor. I always thought he was a windbag but today he talked on the Ebola disease. It was really a good talk. After BC I had several errands to run. We had the hinges on a drawer under the stove fall off. My first stop was Rylee’s Hardware and they could not help me. Next I stopped at Starbuck for coffee and to put some more money on my iphone’s Starbuck app. Do you think in my lifetime I will be able to do all my shopping using just my phone? I stopped at Lowe’s to see if they had the hinge. No luck! During cold weather I like to wear Under Amour’s cold weather compression long sleeve tee. I have one and they really keep me warm. I bought another at MC. Home Depot did not have the hinge. My last stop was the Cascade Twp office to pick up some yard waste tags. When I got home Nancy told me that she saw two deer in our backyard. This is our first deer sighting. I took Ms P on her 1.25 mile walk. Today Nancy works at the Gardens. I drove her. On my way home I stopped at Modern Hardware looking for a hinge. I was directed to an old guy in a cluttered back room. I showed him the broken hinge. He spent about twenty minutes looking through catalogs and finally found the hinge I want. They are now on order. Lunch today was yogurt, an apple and cheese. After lunch I took a short nap. At 1600 I drove to the Gardens. Nancy’s shift ended at 1630. The Gardens is an Art Prize Venue. Nancy and I took a tour of the entries. We got home about 1730. I took a two mile walk. On my walk my fitbit went off telling me I had reached my goal of 10,000 steps. The morning was cloudy and cool. The sun came out this afternoon making for a great fall day. We had a light dinner. We will watch some TV and a netflix show before turning in.