Sunday May 31, 2015

Weekend Update: May 31, 2015 Last day of May: May is one of my favorite months with warming temperatures and long days. This month was no exception. Saturday May 30: We were up early for no reason. The weather folks said rain was heading our way. I wanted to get my bike ride in before the rain so I left at 0730. I took a 12 mile ride. It started to rain when I was about a mile left. Took a quick shower and then put on my raincoat and walked to Panera. I had oatmeal, bagel, apple and coffee. Panera’s oatmeal is quite good. I walked home in a gentle rain. Not much to do outside on a rainy day so I spent some time putting bachelor bottoms on several pair of cargo pants. I use the cargo pockets to carry my iPhone 6+. The bachelor button let me use suspenders. I like suspenders because it keeps my pants in one place without constantly having to hitch them up. Later in the afternoon I got in the Cobalt and ran errands. Stopped at JoAnn’s Fabrics to buy more bachelor buttons. I also bought what I call small garter belts like those hockey players use. I am going to use these belts on our bottom sheets to keep them from popping up. Last year we bought a new mattress and it is much deeper than the old one. They sheet corners do not fit as well. I think the garters will solve this problem. (they did) I also stopped at Sears to see if they had some button suspenders. They did not. Last stop was “Play it Again Sports” I bought Nancy a set of light barbells for her fitness class. I took Ms P with me and as we were pulling into the garage she saw another dog across the road. She bounded out of the car and ran to the edge of the road barking. When I finally got her under control I noticed that she was limping badly. I think she pulled a muscle jumping out of the car. Old dogs must learn not make any quick movements. I sure had to learn this. For dinner Nancy and I got in the Taurus and headed to Lowell. We had dinner at the Flat River Grill. Nancy had a chicken sandwich and I had Lake Superior White fish. The meal was very good Debbie FaceTimed us last night. We spent about an hour talking. We watched a British Crime movie on netflix. It was still raining when we went to bed. The temperature had dropped to the low 40s. Sunday May 31: Last day of the month. The rain had stopped sometime last night. The day started cloudy and cool, 45. Ms P was still walking on three legs. Swim Sunday so we headed out at 0745. The pool was not crowded. Nancy swam 25 laps, 1250m, and I swam about 20. We stopped at Meijer’s for our weekly supplies. Gas today is up to $2.75 per gallon. Like MVP, Meijer’s was not very crowded. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I took my afternoon nap. I must have been tired because I slept soundly for two hours. As soon as I finish this blog I will take a three mile walk. The sun is out and it is a perfect spring day. In fact most weather pros consider May 31 the last day of Spring. To the Pros Summer consists of the months of June, July and August. Ham sandwiches and soup for dinner tonight. We will read the GRP and watch 60 Minutes. On May 29, 1961 I wrote my Mother my first letter from US Navy OCS at Newport, RI. I had been at OCS since May 15. The Navy gave me tickets. I was to fly to NYC from Detroit and then on to Providence, RI. To get me to Newport the gave me a bus ticket. My flight to NYC was my first time on a commercial plane. The flight to Providence was canceled to I had to take a taxi to Grand Central Station in NYC and then a train to Providence. I was four hours late getting to OCS. On the first day I got a demerit for filling a form out wrong. Later I got a demerit for not shining my shoes properly. I got a lecture from the Commanding Officer telling me that I would be kicked out of OCS if I keep getting demerits. 20 demerits was the magic number. I had 15 demerits just 4 weeks into a 16 week class. I told Mom that I did not think the program was too tough but that they just give overload us. My address had just been changed so I told Mom not to write until after eight weeks. So it goes with OCSA Scott, May 1961.

Friday May 29, 2015

We keep getting up earlier and earlier. It must be Spring. Did the at home stuff and then put on my knickers and took a 16 mile bike ride. After the ride and a shower I walked to Panera for coffee. What should the USA do about China and the South China Sea? Do we really care about Greece? The only good news in the WSJ was that 2015 graduates are having a easy time getting a job. Nancy and Kathi went to a big nursery in Allendale and Nancy bought several hanging baskets and perennials. When she got home we piled in the Taurus and ran errands. First stop was Mr Thanh's to pick up my blazer, we then stopped at Ludema's to buys some herbs and a sunflower. Last stop was Lowe's to buy a hoe. It started to rain on our way home. We were going out but because of the rain Nancy fixed turkey sandwiches and soup for dinner. I took a long walk and now, 2141, we are watching a Kevin Costner movie.

Thursday May 28, 2015

Thursday May 28, 2015: It is now 1700 and I am sitting on our deck and writing this blog. The temperature is 79 and it is sunny. I walked outside today at 0645 into bright sunshine and warm temperatures. Today is a swim day for Bob and Nancy. Nancy leaves at 0700 and I don’t head out until after the calisthenics and breakfast. Pedaled to Panera for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. We have lived in our condo 10 months and I am beginning to know my neighbors who also have coffee at Panera. Left at 0930 and pedaled to MVP. Perfect day for a bike ride. It is 3.67 miles from home to MVP. The outdoor pool at MVP is now open. I was tempted to swim outside but decided against it. I don’t need a sunburn, especially since I see the skin doctor early next week. Took the long rode home today. It adds 3 miles to the ride. As soon as I got home Nancy and I headed to Costco. We bought Cherrios, wine, cheese and crackers. Costco was not very crowded. Had a quick lunch and then did a load of laundry. While waiting on the laundry I sat on the deck and read several chapters of US Grant’s auto. Took a short nap and then was going to take Ms P on her walk. She refused. I think she is a little under the weather. It is now 1710 and I will take a break. Nancy and I are having dinner at Brann’s this evening. Stay turned. 2027: dinner at Brann’s was great. We both had a salad. Watched the news and then walked around the block. I wore a thin tee shirt and was comfortable. Great night for a walk. Sunset tonight is at 2110. Would I enjoy these great Spring days as much if I lived in state with year round warm weather?

Wednesday May 27, 2015

Breakfast Club Wednesday which means I get up a hour earlier. Left home at 0630, the sun had been up since 0608 so it was an easy ride. Very small crowd this morning which is sad because we had a good speaker. Speaker talked about getting food stamp users to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally. More farmers selling their produce at farmer's markets are accepting food stamps. The food stamp program in West MI is a $20 M business. I have no problem with the food stamp program. Nobody should starve in the USA. After breakfast I stopped at Mr Thanh the tailor to get my blazer altered. The downsize to major weight loss is that my clothes are too big. Stopped at the Hall St Bakery for coffee and to read WSJ. Many articles on China's military build up. Stopped at Meijer's to buy several bottle of wine. Needed to get my 30 minutes outside so I put on my bike clothes and went on a 12 2/3 mile bike ride. Took a different route today. Nice ride but several steep hills. Lunch and then emptied waste baskets and took out to our big container. Cost of weekly trash pickup is included in condo fees. They gave us a big container that I have yet to fill. Took a short nap and then took Ms P on her daily walk. Nancy worked at the gardens this afternoon. Light dinner tonight. It is now 2000 and I just checked the TV Guide and nothing is on. A netflix evening. I bought an external keyboard for my ipad mini yesterday. It works great, I used it to write this blog.

Tuesday May 26, 2015

Tuesday May 26, 2015 The holiday weekend is over so it is up with the birds, no sun this morning. Swim day for both Bob and Nancy. Nancy left at 0700. I stayed and did the calisthenics. Calisthenics are always easier after a three day layoff. Had breakfast and then rode the bike to Panera. Usually on swim days I only have an hour to read the WSJ. Today I had an extra 15 minutes and I was able to read all I wanted. It was warm, 73, and very humid when I headed out to MVP. It looked like it would rain any minute. However, no rain was encountered. I had a major senior moment when I got to MVP. I had my swim goggles but no swim suit. I have never does this before. I got dressed and took a long bike ride,16 miles. When I got home it looked like rain would come soon. I took Ms P on her 1.5 miles walk. I had a quick lunch and then ran errands. Today was the first time in a week that I used the Cobalt. Maybe that is why it only has 23,000 miles in six years of driving. First stop was ACE Hardware to buy a new bulb for a recessed light. The bulb is a long neck flood. They cost $12. Next I stopped at Meijer’s to turn in a winning lottery ticket and buy a new harness for Ms P. Last stop was Woodland Mall. I bought underwear at Macy’s and a small keyboard for my mini iPad at the Apple store. I encountered heavy rain on the way home. Severe storm warnings are up all over West MI. Nancy is fixing a turkey roast for dinner. Originally she was going to cook it on our new grill but the rain moved us inside. We are also having asparagus and a sweet potato. The regular TV season is over so it looks like a netflix evening. We did get a paper edition of the GRP but except for the funnies the paper is third class. On this date in 1927 my Grandmother Hughes arrived in Nice, France. She also visited Monte Carlo. I just goggled the distance between Nice and Monte Carlo. It is 20.6 km. Goggle is great.

Monday May 25, 2015

Memorial Weekend Update, written Monday May 25, 1700 It was a quiet warm weekend. Saturday May 23, 2015: Slept in this morning and since Nancy did not want to go to breakfast I put on my bike clothes and headed out. I was going to put the bike on the car and go to White Pine Trail but decided I did not want the hassle on a Holiday weekend. I would use local trails. I did stop at Panera for oatmeal, bagel and coffee. Great day for a bike ride and surprising the Cascade and Ada bike trails were not crowded. Today I rode 16 miles. In the afternoon Nancy and I drove to Lowe’s. Nancy had picked out a gas grill she wanted. Luckily we brought bungee cords because the grill did not fit entirely in the trunk. Used the bungee cord to hold the lid down. At home we put the grill on our front deck. I read the manual and then installed the propane tank. The manual was nothing but one big safety warning. We will use the grill later this weekend. In the afternoon took a walk in our big green backyard. Our condo sits on an old golf course and our back yard is the third green. We forgot to buy a cover for our grill so at 1600 we got in the Taurus and headed to Home Depot because it was closer than Lowe’s. They had just what we wanted. For dinner we stopped at Forest Hill Inn. Only 2 or 3 cars in the lot and when we looked in the dining section was closed. Only the bar was open. We got back in the car and stopped at Sundance Grill. We sat outside and both had the ham and eggs scramble. It was good. We finished the evening watching a movie on netflix. Day one of holiday weekend. In 1966 on day one of Memorial Day weekend, Nancy, Debbie and I were living at 875 Woodside Road in Redwood City, Ca. I was looking forward to having a three day holiday. Had been working 6 day weeks for three months. About 0630 a loud noise went off and I told Nancy to turn off the alarm. Nancy got up and looked at the clock and said it is not the alarm. She grabbed Debbie (5 months old) and walked outside into the hall. She frantically came back in and said it was the fire alarm. She and Debbie headed downstairs. I got out the door and then remember I had left my cigarettes. I went back and got them. The apartment complex was built in the shape of an U. All our neighbors assembled in the courtyard and watched the fire dept put out a small kitchen fire. And that was how we started our holiday weekend in 1966. Sunday May 25, 2015: Swim day, we are up at 0645 and get ready for our Sunday swim. MVP was not very busy. We each had a lane. Stopped at Meijer’s for our weekly supplies. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs on waffles for breakfast. I took a quick nap and then at 1430 we headed out to Moleski’s for dinner. Attending were Tim Mask, the Namey’s, Moleski’s and Linda Moleski’s sister from Chicago. Tom Moleski cooked pork, corn on the cob and veggies on his grill. It was threatening rain so we ate inside. It was a pleasant time. Monday May 25, 2015: today we followed our normal Memorial Day Monday tradition. We got in the Taurus and headed to Saugatuck, MI. We ran into light showers but temperatures were in low 70s. We were very surprised to find that Saugatuck was not very crowded. Usually we have a tough time finding a parking spot and the sidewalks are jammed. Not today. I assume it was the weather. We had breakfast at the Pumpernickel. Sat on their screened porch. The Village had a Memorial Day parade and it went right by the restaurant. They had local Veteran’s marching and the high school band. It was a nice small town touch. Speaking of small town Memorial Day parades: the City of Alpena alway had a nice parade that started downtown and ended at the cemetery about a mile away. The local National Guard unit, Alpena HS band and the Boy Scouts along with the Police and Fire Departments all marched. I marched in several parades with Boy Scout troop 78. Memorial Day was kind of a milestone day for me because on this day my Mother let me take off my long underwear. Marching in a parade on a hot day wearing long underwear was not pleasant. Back to 2015: after breakfast we walked around town and looked in several stores. We did not buy anything. At home, I wanted to take Ms P on her walk but she refused. I took a hour walk. It is now 1800 and Nancy has fired up the new grill and is cooking burgers. Perfect end to a holiday weekend.

Friday May 22, 2015

Friday May 22, 2015 First day of the Memorial Day Weekend: Bright sun and chirping birds got me up at 0630. No Panera today so I did the at home stuff and then took a 16 mile bike ride. Despite the bright sun it was still in the cool 40s when I left. Layers are the answer to staying warm. Got home at 1030 and Kim was busy cleaning. I took a shower and then dressed. Nancy and I left at 1120 to pick up her friend Kathi. Kathi took us to lunch at the “Two Scott’s BBQ” on Leonard. We sat outside and ate our pulled pork sandwiches. The place was very crowded and the food was very good. Took Ms P on her daily walk. After a short nap Nancy and I headed to Home Depot looking for a gas grill. They did not have what Nancy wanted. We had a light dinner, hot dogs and watched the NBS news. I think Lester is doing a good job and should be given it permanently. We are now watching a netflix movie starring Tommy Lee Jones and Hillary Swank. It is a movie about life on the Nebraska plain. On this date in 1961 my Mother was sent a form letter from the Commanding Officer of U S Navy School, Officer Candidate, Newport RI. He told Mom what a great school I was attending and in 16 weeks they would transform me into a US Navy Ensign.

Thursday May 21, 2015

Thursday May 21, 2015 Today is swim day for both Bob and Nancy. Nancy is in the pool at 0730 and I don’t arrive until 1000. Up at 0645, it is a cool 45 but the sun is shining. Calisthenics and breakfast at home and then I bike to Panera. Leave Panera at 0930 for MVP. The pool was cool this morning. Stopped at Starbucks on way home to finish WSJ. Who cares about Hillary’s emails? The operations of ISIS continues to confuse the Administration. Take my advice and get out of the Middle East. Nancy took Ms P to the beauty parlor this morning. She got her summer trim and looks great. After lunch I got in the C2 and headed to Meijer Gardens to pick up some material on our safari. I have lost so much weight that my pants even the ones I recently bought are too big. I decided to start wearing suspenders. Stopped at a sewing shop and bought some bachelor buttons. Nancy has a hair cut appointment for 1630. We get in the Taurus and head to the shop. It did not take long. Nancy got her hair cut short. It looks great. Next stop was the ATM to get money for Kim. Kim comes tomorrow to clean. We had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. We both had the prime rib sandwich. We stopped at Breton Village so Nancy could do some shopping. We got home in time for the news. It is now 2030 and we are watching Damages on netflix. On this date in 1927 my Grandmother Hughes was in France. She visited several WWI battle fields, Belleau Woods and Chateau Tierry. (spelling is Grandmas) She made no mention that on this date Charles Lindberg landed in France completing the first solo airplane trip across the Atlantic. This was one of the major news story of the 20th Century and Grandmother made no mention of it.

Wednesday May 20, 2015

Today is easy Wednesday, no calisthenics or swimming. It got real cold last night, 35. I rode my bike to the Omelette Shop for breakfast. I got my winter bike coat and riding pants out of storage. I wore gloves but my hand still got cold on the 6 mile ride. I had their oatmeal breakfast. I spent 90 minutes reading the WSJ but the only thing I can remember are several articles on China’s aggressive foreign policy. The bright sunshine had raised the temperature slightly. I took a long ride home. Total bike miles today = 16. At home before changing clothes I took Ms P on her walk. Had a light lunch and then took a short nap. Actually the only reason I took a nap was to get under the electric blanket for 30 minutes. I even turned the furnace on for about an hour just to take the chill off. I sent an email to the Safari folks requesting a meeting. Nancy had sent a repair request to the condo’s property manager. A condo board member stopped by to look at a crack in a retaining wall attached to our condo. We talked for several minutes. Yesterday another board member stopped by to look at the crack. I guess the best way to meet our neighbors is to send in a repair request. Nancy had a Japanese Garden Board meeting at the Gardens today. She is also working her normal shift. It is now 1647 and I expect her home soon. Light dinner tonight and then we watch the “Mysteries of Laura” on NBC. We will finish the evening off with a netflix show.

Tuesday May 19, 2015

Got up at my normal time but without any birds singing. Was it too cold, 47, for singing? It was cold but dry when I went out at 0700. After the calisthenics and breakfast I put on layers of biking clothes. It started to rain as soon as I got on the bike. I hurried to Panera for coffee and to wait for the rain to stop. It finally stopped at 1030. I took a new route today. It is shorter than the normal route but with more hills. I think my legs are getting stronger because I did not have as much trouble today climbing the hills as I did a month ago. As soon as I got home I grabbed Ms P and we went on our walk. It was so cold I wanted to get my outside activities done with. The rest of the day I will spend inside. After lunch I headed down to my office. I turned on the heater and spent nearly 3 hours clearing my desk. I accomplished a lot. Maybe I should dedicate Tuesday afternoons as my cleanup day. I finally got 1Password to work on all three of my Apple machines. The program came highly rated. Even my Sister uses it. Computer security or lack of it is pretty scary. I finished the beans and rice for dinner tonight. Nancy had a fried egg sandwich. We watched the news and now it is 1927. I will head upstairs as soon as I finish. My agenda for this evening includes finishing the GRP and watching Netflix. NCIS’s season is over. On this date in 1927 my Grandmother Hughes was in Paris. She noted in her diary that she visited the Louvre and stores. Back to the USA: on this date in 1938 GGF Sanborn and GGM Sanborn drove to my Grandparent Scott’s farm. Today both my Grandfather and Grandmother Scott celebrated their birthday. GF Scott was 65 and GM Scott was 57. GGF brought them a big trout and 10 bullheads. My grandparents liked fish. GGF said that it rainy and foggy. The bad weather created a lot of static on the radio. No TV in 1938.

Monday May 18, 2015

Up at 0630 with sun and birds. Looks like another great day. Did my calisthenics, had breakfast, put on bike riding clothes and headed to Panera for coffee. China's foreign policy is interesting. They use massive infrastructure projects to achieve their goals. The WSJ has the same fascination. They write many articles. After coffee I took my standard 14 mile ride, only backwards. It was hot, I was over dressed. At home I took Ms P on her walk. Showered, ate lunch and then headed to skin doctor. She found several spots and put liquid nitrogen on them. She also cut a sample for a biopsy. Stopped at Home Depot and bought a small compressor for removing dirt from bike. Also did some banking. Sat on deck and read a chapter of US Grants book. Took 30 minute nap. We had a light dinner. Now watching Netflix show. Temp will fall to 40s tonight. Writing blog on mini iPad. I am no good at one finger typing. I will try using voice dictation.

Sunday May 17, 2015

Sunday May 17, 2015 I set the alarm for 0645 but did not need to because the sun was streaming in and the birds were singing. The temperature at 0730 was 68. Today is swim day so we head to MVP. The pool was cool today but it did not deter Nancy or Bob. I swam 1,000 meters and Nancy swam 1,600 meters. We did our Meijer thing today. Gas prices have been rising but still below a year ago. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs today. We had the eggs on top of waffles. (sugar less syrup of course) I read the funnies before taking my Sunday nap. After the nap I tried to take Ms P on her walk but she refused to go. So I took a 3.5 miles walk. The temperature was 80 so I worked up a sweat. I took a shower. It is now 1717 and I am sitting in the glider on the deck writing this blog. Nancy is fixing beans and rice for dinner. Love beans and rice. We will read the GRP and she what is on network TV tonight. If nothing good we will head to netflix. Yesterday I wrote of my Grandmother Hughes trip to Europe in 1927. My Grandmother was born in Alpena in 1868. The daughter of Dr James and Eliza McTavish. Grandmother was 59 at the time of the trip. She died in 1963 at the age of 95. Grandmother Hughes’ mother was Eliza Little McTavish. She was born Eliza Little in 1842 on Walpole Island, Ontario. Family lore has it that GGM McTavish was the first white baby born on the island. Walpole Island was an Indian Reservation in Lake St Clair. Lake St Clair lies between Ontario and MI. GGM McTavish died in 1933 at the age of 91. I report often on the doings of my GGF Sanborn in 1938. GGF Sanborn’s wife was Harriet Loretta Sanborn. She was born Harriet Loretta Roberts in 1857 and died in 1950 at the age of 93.

Saturday May 16, 2015

Saturday May 16, 2015 Went out with Ms P at 0700 and it appeared the rain had stopped. Got ready for breakfast and bike ride but when I went out the rain had started again. Changed clothes, put on raincoat and walked to Panera. I had oatmeal, a banana and bagel for breakfast. It was pretty good and $7 cheaper than Sundance. Read the WSJ but I found nothing that I want to comment on. It had stopped raining when I left Panera. I did some banking and then took a bike ride. I did my standard 15 mile ride. The temperature had risen to 75 and the weather folks said thunder showers are on the way. I took Ms P on her walk, had lunch and then showered. I spent about several hours reading US Grant’s book. I sat outside on our new glider to do my reading. Nancy did most of the laundry today. I did a load of my workout clothes. It is now 1752 and I am drinking a glass of wine on the deck while writing this blog. Nancy is fixing dinner, hot dogs and soup. Not much on TV so it will be a netflix evening. I was just checking my Grandmother Hughes diary from her 1927 trip to Europe. On May 13 the ship had a formal dinner party with a dress ball. On May 14 the ship was off the coast of Ireland. She saw high banks and very green fields with yellow flowers. On May 15 the ship arrives at Cherbourg, France at noon and at Paris at midnight. The 16th was a busy day she saw Napoleon’s tomb, the Eiffel Tower, United States Square and the Arc De Triumphe. This date in 1938, Ossineke, Mi: Great Grandfather Sanborn commented on how cool and windy it was. He spent the morning working in the garden. He planted corn, peas, carrots and squash. Cousin David caught a bucket of Bluegills.

Friday May 15, 2015

Friday May 15, 2015 Up at 0700 and do the calisthenics. It was raining this morning so I put on the rain coat and walked to Panera. I took my time reading the WSJ waiting for the rain to stop. It stopped at 1030 so I walked home and put on the bike riding clothes. I took an easy 15 mile ride. Got home at 1230. I took Ms P on her walk and then shaved and showered. Took a short nap and then Nancy and I got ready for an exhibit opening at the Art Museum. We met Ed and Mary at the Museum. We had wine and snacks before viewing the exhibit. It is now 2148 and we are watching “The Glades” on netflix. Tomorrow it will be in the high 70s.

Thursday May 14, 2015

Thursday May 14, 2015 Nancy looked at me when we woke up this morning and said “last night we bought a safari”. Kind of sticker shock. Nancy was out of the house first heading to MVP for a swim. I did the at home stuff and then headed to Panera. A number of interesting articles on the economies of France, Italy and China. At 0930 I pedaled to MVP. It was cool but sunny. The pool was cold this morning. I also had to share a lane. After the swim I bought a coffee at MVP and finished reading the WSJ. Had a pleasant ride home with all the sun and no wind. Quick lunch and then took Ms P on her walk. I had several pants altered and the tailor called and said they were ready. I picked them up and then stopped at Meijer’s to pick up my eye medicine. Nancy and I had dinner at Panera. She had the chicken rice soup and I had black bean soup and a tuna sandwich. Nancy drove home and walked home. It is now 2026 and we are watching “Grace and Frankie” on netflix. I don’t know if the show will make it. The sun does not go done until 2100. Temperatures will start to climb. High tomorrow will be in mid 70s. It can not come soon enough.

Wednesday May 13, 2015

Wednesday May 13, 2015: written on May 14 Breakfast Club Wednesday so I am up at 0545. It was nice to drive to BC in bright sunshine. The Speaker today was the GR Museum Astronomy Guru. He talked about space and the recent tech advances used in exploring space. The talk was well received. After BC I stopped at Breton Village for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. I also stopped at Jos Banks and bought a tux shirt and cummerbund. As soon as I got home I took Ms P on her walk. I took a short nap and then caught up on some reading. I finished with afternoon with a 2.5 mile walk. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. When she got home at 1630 we both got dressed. We are attending a Spring fundraiser at the Gardens. We picked up Nancy’s friend Kathi at 1745 and then headed to the Gardens. The place was crowded. First they had a silent auction. We bought several tickets for a bottle of wine in a paper bag. The wine was worth between $10 and $100. Tickets were $25 per bottle. You could be a big winner for loser. We had free drinks and a sit down dinner. The food was really good. After dinner they had a regular auction. One of the items was a 6 day African Safari. Nancy and I bid on this item. Each time they raised the bid I looked over at Nancy and she said ok. We had an upper limit. SURPRISE! SURPRISE! WE WON. NANCY AND BOB ARE GOING ON AN AFRICAN SAFARI! We got home at 2130 I checked the wine bottles and one bottle was worth $18 and the other $14. What a Day!

Tuesday May 12, 2015

Another iPad blog: No sun today, but winds above 15 mph all day. High temp 56 Up at 0645, want to get to Panera before 0830. I made it. WSJ had several interesting articles but I can't recall. Is this a senior moment. Had a tough ride against the wind to MVP. Pool was crowded and cold. Had coffee at MVP and finished WSJ. Saw Putin next to John Kerry. Putin is short. Does he have Napoleon complex. Great ride home with wind at back. Had a quick lunch and then short nap under electric blanket. Took Ms P on her walk and then walked around block. Fitbit went off. Nancy fixed pork with Lima beans and salad. Great meal. Now watching NCIs. Will watch Netflix before turning in.

Monday May 11, 2015

It was cloudy and cool this morning. The weather folks said it would start raining late morning. I got the at home stuff done and then put on my bike clothes and headed out for a morning ride. The recent rains had left a lot of puddles on the trail. However, the rains had made flowers bloom and turn all the grass and shrubs bright green. I remember my Grandmother Hughes telling me that in 1927 she took a bus trip through the Highlands of Scotland. The countryside was a bright greens so much so that she got the equivalent of snow blindness. I think that could happen today in GR. Speaking of my Grandmother Hughes I just dug up her diary from her 1927 trip to Europe. On this date Grandmother was still on the ship heading to Europe. She noted that the Atlantic was like glass. No rain on the bike ride. At home I grabbed Ms P and took her on her daily walk. It just started raining when we got home. I showered and drove to Panera for my morning coffee. Does anyone care if Greek defaults? I think Merkel of Germany is gutsy in the Maggie Thatcher mold. She did not back down when confronting Putin. It was raining hard when I got home. I put on my raincoat and drove Nancy to Costco. We bought wine, peanut butter, grapes and rolls. I was surprised at how busy Costco was on a Monday. Lunch and then I headed downstairs. I spent some time clearing my backlog of SI. I took a short nap. I dug through my collection of family material and found my Grandmother Hughes diary of her trip to Europe. I also found my third grade report card. It was not stellar. We had light dinner tonight. Not much on TV so it will be a netflix evening.

Sunday May 10, 2015

Sunday May 10, 2015: Happy Mother's Day to Mothers everywhere. Today is also swim day. The pool was really crowded both Nancy and I had to share a lane. We did our Meijer's shopping. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs with waffles today. I have to learn to cook. Nancy should not have to cook on Mother's Day. Read the funnies and then took nap. It has been raining all day so I spent several hours catching up on past issues of SI. It stopped raining about 1630. Took Ms P on walk. Then took a walk around block. My fibit finally said I had reached mo 10,000 steps. Nancy fixed lamb, sweet potato, and green beans for dinner. Yes folks she fixed two meals on Mother's Day. Watched 60 Minutes, Damages, and the Good Wife before turning in.

Saturday May 9, 2015

Saturday May 9, 2015 It rained most of the night. A nice gentle rain. Up at 0645 and today I did not want a big breakfast so I walked to Panera. The rain intensity increased on my walk. I got wet. I tried Panera’s oatmeal and it was not bad. Read the WSJ and then took the long route home. The gentle rain has brought out all the blossoms on the fruit trees in the condo complex. Folks in CA would envy our brilliant colors. I thought it had stopped raining when I got home so I took Ms P on her walk. The rain started again halfway through the walk. At home I got out of my wet clothes and showered. I ran several errands. Nancy and I are attending the Grand Opening of the Japanese Gardens. I need to wear a tux. My recent weight loss means that I can fit into my college Tux. The Tux is a one button tux. I stopped at Jos Banks and found I could buy a tux shirt and cummerbund for a reasonable price. Also my one button tux is ok. I did not buy the shirt because I wanted to check at JC Penney. At JCP it took forever to get a salesman. They have shirts but not my style. At Kohl’s I bought a pair of Lee jeans. I got home at 1400. After a quick lunch I headed downstairs to read my mail. It looks like it has stopped raining so I might walk around the block. Tonight we are having dinner at Russ’s. It is now 1605 and I will continue later. 2038: We had a nice dinner at Russ’s. It is great to be the youngest couple in a restaurant. Nancy had the chicken rice soup and hamburg. I had a hot turkey sandwich. Debbie called this evening on FaceTime. FaceTime is a great way to stay in contact with family members. Technology is great. Spring is in full bloom. The leaves are out and the temperatures have been warm. No electric blankets, socks or gloves: we sleep with the windows open. Spring is great.

Friday May 8, 2015

Friday May 8, 2015 Up with the birds this morning and it looked like rain. The temp at 0700 was in the low 60s. Nancy headed out early for a class at MVP. I wanted to be on my bike by 0830. I quickly did the at home stuff and make my goal. I took my normal 14 mile ride. I was done by 1030. After a shower I drove to Panera for coffee and to read the paper. Nancy said she would call when the garage door man arrived. How about the elections in the UK! The Polls were wrong. The Labor party took a major hit. What do you expect when they hired David Axlerod as a consultant. I was surprised about the strength of the Scottish National Party. I am not for Scottish independence. I wanted to be home before 1100 because the overhead garage tech was coming some time between 1100 and 1400. We have had a rash of repair persons in house lately. The plumber cleaned our drain twice, new belts were installed in the dryer, EPS the Security firm repaired our alarm and installed an app on my iPhone, we had our furnace and AC checked out, my computer guru checked out all our Apple toys. Nancy car got its 50,000 mile checkup and new tires. I hope we are done for awhile. Kim cleaned the house today. At 1300 the garage door repair man arrived. He knew immediately what our problem was. He made a temporary repair and will return in several weeks to make permanent repairs. We drove to Fruitbasket this afternoon to look a some plant material. We only bought a flower box. Next stop was Lowe’s where we bought a Shepard’s Crooks. For dinner tonight we tried a new restaurant. It was called “The ADA Pour House Gastropub”. Nancy and I gave it a B+. On Tuesday we had a Statewide election to raise the state sales tax to get money for roads and schools. Our gutless legislators could have just raised the gas tax but they wanted to pass the buck. The proposal was very confusing. It was soundly defeated. Today is the 70th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day. I was seven years old on the original VE Day. I do not remember the day. I do remember during WW II that sugar, gas, silk, cigarettes, and rubber were rationed. Every one was required to have a ration card. I remember my Grandmother Hughes would limit me to only a small amount of sugar on my oatmeal. I think after WW II I went on a sugar binge. Maybe the reason I have been able to lose 20 pounds is that sugar was a major part of my diet. Eliminate sugar and the pounds disappear.

Thursday May 7, 2015

Thursday May 7, 2015: time is 1716, temperature is 84, the warmest day since August 2014. It is much warmer in GR than either LA or San Jose. Love it! Up at 0645 and went out in a short sleeve shirt and felt comfortable. Did the at home stuff and then put on my knickers and pedaled to Panera. Every one at Panera was talking about the power outage yesterday. It created a lot of inconvenience. Nancy could not prepare her meal for Book Club so she had to order pizza. We tried to get the garage door operating but no luck. At 0900 today I called the Overhead Door Company and set up a service call for 1100 tomorrow. Luckily I do not need the Cobalt. The pain in Nancy’s foot returned last night. She had difficulty sleeping. She did not go swimming this morning. She is much better now. After Panera I pedaled to MVP. The pool was empty when I got in. I did 20 laps using only the breast stroke. No shoulder pain but my neck gets sore. I will modify the program the next time I get in the pool. Stopped at Starbucks on way home to finish the WSJ. Took Ms P on a walk when I got home. Had a quick lunch and then puts some khakis in my backpack and headed to the tailor shop near by. Also stopped at bank to get some money for Kim. Kim will clean tomorrow. I read several chapters of US Grants book and then took a 30 minute nap. We are staying home tonight. We are having chili and some pizza left over from last night. On May 6, 1962 Ensign Scott wrote to his Mother in Alpena, Mi. I said it had been a while since I had written. Midway Island was now loaded with folks coming to monitor the upcoming nuclear bomb test on Johnson Island. I think Midway is the closest land mass to Johnson. I told Mom that I had been in the Navy about a year and have put on 20 pounds. My weight was now 158 pounds. The weather on Midway was getting warmer. I was surprised how mild the weather was on Midway. Midway is the same latitude as Tampa, FL. I had now spent about 6 months on Midway with 6 more to go. I commented on a letter my Sister, Helen, had sent. She also sent me two books, “Organization Man” and “Japanese Inn”. Helen said she was going to summer school at CMU. I said why not UM. UM has 3 boys for every girl and CMU has 3 girls for every boy. I was the Island’s Transportation Officer and was spending a lot of time getting ready for next weeks big inspection. The Inspectors were coming out of Pearl Harbor Public Works Center. I asked if my cousin Joan was still at UM. Glen Johnson, Dad’s cousin, was in the Navy and I asked what his rate was. Like a lot of home sick Navy guys I wanted to know how my Grandmothers were doing and about my Aunt Helen in Alma, Mi and Uncle Fred in FL. Mom and Dad had done some interior decorating and I asked if they liked their work. My Mother we a real serious bridge player and I asked how her game was. No FaceTime, email or cell phones in 1962. The only way to find out what was going on was to write a letter. An old Navy saying was “If you want happy troops, don’t mess with a sailor’s mail or pay”.

Wednesday May 6, 2015

Easy Wednesday, biked to Sundance for breakfast. After breakfast pedaled to Meijer's to buy bag of apples. Dropped off apples and then took 14 mile bike ride. Nancy worked at Gardens this afternoon. Took short nap and when I got up the power went off. Nancy won't be able to cook her dish for book club tonight. It took both of us to open the garage door. Nancy had to put car in garage so we had enough parking space for book club. Power not on at 1800 so Nancy ordered pizza. Tom Moleski drove me to Uccello's, Ed Namey was already there. I enjoy our monthly meetings. When we got the home the power had just come on. Tom and I on sat on deck until book club over. We can't get the garage door to open, have to call service tomorrow. Finished evening watching Netflix.

Tuesday May 5, 2015

Up at 0615, hustle to get at home routine done before 0730. Have to have Taurus to Ford dealer by 0800. Made it. Dealer has good waiting area. Read WSJ and drank coffee. Greece and Nepal quake has pushed Ukraine and Russia off front page. Big Election in MI today on funding road construction. Hope it passes. Ford said work won't be done until 1500. They gave me a ride home. At 1200 AC tech came and checked out AC. He also spent time explaining both AC and furnace operations. Finally a knowledgeable tech. They are worth their weight in gold. Ford called at 1500 to say car ready. Had 50,000 mile checkup and new tires. Rain finally stopped so took 3 mile walk. Temp in 50s all day. Nancy fixed chili for dinner. It was great. Watched NCIS and now watching Netflix.

Monday May 4, 2015

Heavy rain rolled through last night, Ms P went bonkers. Slept in until 0715. Nancy headed to MVP. I did at home routine, then walked to Panera for coffee. Took longer route home. At 1100 my computer guru stopped by and he helped me with all my apple devices. Cloud and all. Lunch and then took Ms P on her walk. Ran some errands, stopped at Costco bought water shoes and socks. Headed to Woodland and looked for cotton khaki blazer. No luck. At Apple Store and they checked out my beats headphones. They got them to work. I had some charger issues. Light dinner and then news. Nancy to bed early. I am watching "Hell on Wheels". It is now 2100 and temp is 66.

Sunday May 3, 2015

Weekend Update: We had just a beautiful weekend. Sunny and warm, it is now 1709 on Sunday and Nancy and I are sitting out on the deck drinking wine. The temp is 79. Perfect! Saturday morning and I now get up with the sun and the chirp of the birds. This morning I biked to Sundance Grill for their oatmeal breakfast. After breakfast I pedaled home and took Ms P on a walk. I then changed into my serious bike riding clothes. I loaded up the bike and headed to Millennium Park. First time this year. A sure sign of a nice day because the parking lot was full. I rode 18 miles. Millennium does not have the hills that Cascade Twp has so it was an easy ride. When I got home Nancy asked if I had felt any tremors. I said no. Our next door neighbor said she felt some shaking. Come to find out West MI had a 4.2 earth quake. Missy was on Facebook and all her GR friends were commenting on the earth quake. She called to see if we were all right. I told her neither Nancy or I had felt the quake. Good grief a 4.2 quake is an every day occurrence in CA. It was such a nice day that Nancy and I had an early dinner at Rose’s. We sat out on the deck and watched the boats on Reeds Lake. Debbie face timed us and we spent almost an hour catching up. I love face time. We watched a netflix show before turning in. Sunday May 3: Swim day for Bob and Nancy: The pool was not crowded this morning. We each had a lane. Nancy swam 25 laps and I did 20. Gas at Meijer’s today was $2.64. We made our weekly purchases at Meijer’s. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. After reading the funnies I took my Sunday nap. After I took Ms P on a nice walk and then went on a solo walk. I wanted to get my fitbit to go off. It did. Nancy is fixing hot dogs for dinner. This evening we will finish the GRP and watch 60 minutes. We usually watch Madame Secretary but I don’t like the show so maybe I will watch a netflix show on my iPad using my super duper head phones. On this date in 1938, Ossineke, Mi: My GGF Sanborn wrote that in the morning he drove to Alpena to deliver some chairs. He had lunch at Lorey’s. In the afternoon he hauled 110 bushels of leaves. I think he hauled the leaves to his garden. Reading today’s sports section of the GRP they reported on all the spring sports. When I was in high school I was on the tennis team. I really enjoyed playing tennis. In biology class one Monday in my sophomore year, after a weekend tournament in Midland, the girl who sat next to me said how cool my tan was. First time I knew girls liked guys with tans. I put that info in my girl file.

Friday May 1, 2015

May 1, 2015 Up with the bright sun today. I do the at home routine, eat breakfast and then walk to Panera for coffee. I have the alarm system tech coming to our house at 1030 so I do not have time for a bike ride. I walk home at 1000 and at exactly 1030 the tech arrives. I lucked out because I knew the tech. He installed our alarm system at 1555 Mackinaw. He was very familiar with the system at our condo. Our furnace, door locks, outside lights and alarm system are all interconnected. We spent over two hours going over the system. I think I finally got it. He also connected my iPhone to the system. I can now from CA or any remote site unlock the front door, arm and disarm the alarm system, raise or lower the temperature and turn on or off the outside lights. Don’t you just love all this tech stuff. I had a quick lunch and then put on my bike knickers and went on a 14 mile bike ride. I wore my knickers because the temp was in the low 70s. For the first time this year I worked up a heavy sweat on a bike ride. After my shower Nancy and I got in the Taurus and headed to Kohls. Nancy made a return and I bought some undergarments. Next we stopped at Costco. We bought cheese and quiche. Nancy is having her book club next week and she will serve the quiche. For dinner Nancy fixed a stir fry with whole wheat pasta, beans and shrimp. It was great. Nothing on network TV tonight so we will watch a netflix show. A big question in GR is did Floyd Mayweather finish 9th grade at OHHS?