Monday June 29, 2015

Last Monday in June and it looks like it will be a good one. Nancy heads out to make her 0800 class and I do the at home stuff. Today for my bike ride I put on my bike shoes. These shoes have clips but the clips are depressed so I can use them on flat pedals. My new pedals have one side flat and the other side clipped. About two miles into the ride a large deer ran in front of me. First deer I have encountered in several months. The trail was busy this morning. I did not try the clips until about mile 10. They worked great and I remembered to unclip when I stopped. The downside to clips are in panic stop situations when failure to unclip leads to a tip over. Today I rode 14 miles. Before lunch I took a trip to Meijer's to mail a package. I also bought shaving location and priced a booster seat. The painters starting working on the condo today. This evening Howie and Shirley Short are spending the night. They have an early flight to Denver on Tuesday. They got here at 1730. We had dinner at Marco's. It was Monday night but the place was crowded. At home we sat in the living room and had a nice conversation. Howie and I had a shot of Scotch made in Campbeltown, Scotland, my GGF Mctavish's birthplace. Today was a nice summer's day.

Sunday June 28, 2015

Sunshine and the alarm got us up at 0645. Sunday, so it is a swim day for Bob and Nancy. We were the first car in the lot and also the first in the pool. Nancy swam 1,250 meters and I swam 30 minutes or about 900 meters. I have doing only the breast stroke with no pain. At Meijer's Nancy loaded up with fresh fruits and vegetables. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I read the funnies and sports page before taking my nap. We think our condo is going to be painted this week. I spent some time sweeping our ground floor deck. We will have to remove flower baskets and other things attached to our outside walls. Nancy did the laundry today. I finally got around to hanging some pictures. I should have done it months ago. We have been in the condo 50 weeks and still have not got it exactly the way we would like it. We are getting close. I fired up the grill for Nancy and then took a two mile walk. On my walk I mailed in my CA PE renewal. I don't know why I have renewed it. Would you hire a 77 year old? Perfect day for a walk. Nancy grilled burgers and corn on the cob tonight. It was really tasty. It is now 1918 and we are watching 60 Minutes. Will finish reading the GRP and watch some TV/netflix before turning in.

Saturday June 27, 2015

Up at 0646 and got ready for our trip to Gaylord. Breakfast at home and then got in the Taurus and first stop was Panera for coffee before hitting the open road. We got on the freeway at 0800. The drive to Gaylord was pleasant. It is 186 miles from the condo. We were attending a graduation party for Paige Kassuba, the granddaughter of my sister, Helen. It was a good party. In addition to talking to Paige we also talked with our niece, Jennifer, Paige's mother and Jennifer's brother, Jason, our nephew. Jason's daughter, Kennedy, was at the party. Jason also brought his girl friend Tina. Don Crandall my brother in law was the proud grandpa. He enjoyed having his family together. Shirley, Don's daughter and her husband Howie arrived from CO on Thursday. It was great talking to them. We found out Howie is also going on a South African safari. We exchanged details about our trips. Shirley and Howie are spending Monday evening at the condo. We look forward to their visit. The drive home was uneventful. We stopped in Cedar Springs and picked up Ms P. As soon as we got home I took a short walk in order to get my 30 in. Nancy fixed egg sandwiches and soup for dinner. Nothing on TV so it was a netflix evening.

Friday June 26, 2015

The chirping birds and bright sunshine got us up early this morning. Did the at home stuff and then put on my biking clothes and headed to Panera. I think all the EU members are totally exhausted from trying to get Greece in line. The WSJ still gave Greece a lot of ink. Is the failure of Iraq to take back territory lost to ISIS the fault of the USA? I don't think so. Why hasn't any politician proposed just getting out of the Middle East? I certainly would. Today I rode my 14 mile route. I did stop at the Ada Bike Shop to have them put new pedals on the bike. They removed the original bike pedals and put on pedals that I can use with or without clips. I called in a prescription refill to Meijer's and Nancy told me it was ready. I walked over and picked up the pills. Nancy and I are going to Gaylord tomorrow. Kim is taking Ms P for the day. She picked her up at 1400. I washed several khaki pants this afternoon. Need a pair for tomorrow. Nancy fixed pork chops, dressing and green beans for dinner. It was tasty. Our internet went out this evening so I had to unplug several wires that are connected to the modem and router. It worked. We watched some of the Women's soccer and then Midsomer Murders on netflix.

Thursday June 25, 2015

Thursday is my usual swim day but today I slept in. Did the at home routine and then got on the bike and rode 14 miles. Rain threatened all day but only had a sprinkle on the ride. After the ride walked over to Panera. I read the WSJ but cannot recall anything I want to comment on. Took a long walk home. We got an email from the Safari company outlining a schedule. We thought it looked good. We will leave GR on Sep 2 and return Sep 16. Emailed back and told them to get the tickets. The Overhead Door folks called and said they had a cancellation and could come over at 1400. We said come over. They spent about 90 minutes putting in a new spring. I cleaned up my in basket. My CA PE license is due for renewal. I have not decided if I will renew. It started raining hard about 1600. Could not take a walk so I took a nap. For dinner Nancy and I ate at Cascade Sports Grill. It is about 1/2 mile from the condo. The place was not crowded. With both had a burger. We gave it a B. At 1930 I took a short walk. Nothing on TV so we are watching our second Aussie Crime show on netflix.

Wednesday June 24, 2015

Blog being written at 2112: Up at 0545 to get ready for Breakfast Club. Drove in bright sunshine to BC. The speaker today was the Rev Dean who is running for Mayor of GR. He listed his qualifications and was given a good reception by the group. After BC I drove to Breton Village car wash to get the Cobalt cleaned. I then stopped at Starbucks in Breton Village. Final stop before heading home was Woodland Mall. Stopped at Sears and returned a pair of pants I bought yesterday. Walked down to American Eagle and bought a pair of khakis. When I got home took a 2.6 mile walk. The Taurus needs to be cleaned so I drove Nancy to Meijer Garden for her afternoon shift. Got the deluxe wash at Breton Village CW. Quick lunch and then took a nap. At 1600 grabbed Ms P and headed to the Gardens to pick up Nancy. I took a short walk before showering. We had our normal light Wednesday dinner. Tonight we attended our condo associations annual meeting at Noto's restaurant. Our neighbor Sonya rode with us. The meeting lasted two hours. This was our first meeting and we found it very interesting. We also found out we know several neighbors. We got a call this evening from the safari company. We checked our calendar and agreed to start the safari on Sept 4. They will confirm our reservations tomorrow. Busy day!

Tuesday June 23, 2015

Thunder showers last night, Ms P went bonkers so I grabbed her and took her downstairs, shut all the doors, put my iPod music on shuffle, turned on the light and we both slept fine. Today is swim day for both Bob and Nancy so I set the alarm for 0630. I want to get up early (about 15’) so I have more time at Panera to read. I have to leave Panera at 0930 or I won’t get a lane. I lucked out this morning. All the lanes were in use and I was ready to leave when a lane became available. All the swimmers Nancy and I talked to are waiting for the new YMCA to open later this year. They will have a larger pool and should take some of the pressure off MVP’s pool. The new Y will be only 1.25 miles from the condo vs 3.65 for MVP. I took the long route home. I did have a confrontation with a vehicle and it’s driver this morning. I was taking my time pedaling along 28th St when a man pulls into a nearby strip mall, rolls his window down and calls me over. I thought it was someone who knew me so I pedaled over. He began to give me a lecture about safe bike riding. He asked me my age and we were the same. I kind of lost it and told him I did not need a lecture and to bug off. We both parted ways in a huff. I got home about 1230. We were expecting the overhead door folks to come over about 1300 to put in a new spring. They canceled. It was too early for lunch so I took a 2.5 mile walk. This afternoon I jumped in the Cobalt and headed to Woodland Mall. I stopped at the Apple Store and asked how I could change a book I purchased that was in Spanish to English. They gave me the answer. I stopped a Sears to see if they had any long sleeve tee shirts. They did not. I did buy a pair of cheap khakis that were on sale. As soon as I got home I tried them on and tomorrow I will return them. Sears has really gone downhill. Will it survive? Nancy is grilling lamb for dinner. I will also get a sweet potato and some veggies. We got a paper copy of the GRP today so I will spend several minutes reading it this evening. Have not checked TV Guide to see what is available this evening. We always use netflix as a fall back.

Monday June 22 2015

Monday June 22, the first day after the Summer Solstice so the days are getting shorter. Bummer! I alway feel a little depressed after the SS because Winter is coming. We got up at 0645 and Nancy headed to MVP and I did the at home stuff. No bike ride this morning because we have an 1100 meeting. I walked to Panera and read the WSJ. Got home at 1015 and Nancy was just finishing her shower. We got in the Taurus and drove to the office/home of Kidder Safari. The Kidders have a beautiful wood home. It is rustic and Dave Kidder is a big hunter so he had over 100 animals on display. Lions, Siberian Bears and all kinds of deer and buffalo. We discussed our upcoming trip the South Africa. Our preferred time is the last three weeks of Sep and first two weeks in Oct. After our trip to the Game Preserve we want to visit Cape Town. We also want the Kidders to book all our flights. They will let us know the dates that are open within the next three days. We got home about 1230. Rain is suppose to roll through about 1500 so I got on my bike and headed out. The thunder storms came early. I made a quick detour and headed home. I was soaked when I got home. The ride was only 45 minutes vs my normal ride of 90 minutes. Showered, ate lunch, watched the rain and started writing my blog. It is now 1500 and the rain has stopped. Think I will go on a short walk. Stay tuned! I walked 1.8 miles. I worked up a big sweat so a shower was needed. We had a light dinner. It is now 1900 and we are watching the news on PBS. Tonight we will watch “Major Crimes” on TNT.

Sunday June 21, 2015

Sunday June 21, 2015: Summer Solstice and Father’s Day in USA Written on Monday June 22: Longest day of the year and also Father’s Day ended up being a perfect summer’s day. Sunday morning is our swim day but today Nancy was a little under the weather so I went alone. I was the first one and a swam only 30 minutes. I stopped at home and picked up Nancy. We did our normal Sunday shopping at Meijer’s. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs this morning. I had mine on a waffle. Read the funnies and sports page before taking Sunday nap. After nap I took a short walk. At 1530 we got in the Taurus and headed to Moleski’s for an early dinner. Also attending were the Nameys and Tim Mask. Tom Moleski cooked T-bones on his grill. He also grilled vegetables. We sat outside and ate our meal. A perfect day for sitting outside eating and talking. We got home about 2030. Finished the day reading the GRP and watching some TV. Debbie, Melissa and Stephen all gave me a call today. So it was a good father’s day for RHS.

Saturday June 20, 2015

A summer Saturday in June or 1 day before the Summer Solstice: Slept in this morning until 0700, too late to get a table at Sundance or the Omelette Shop, so I put my bike on the Cobalt's and stopped at Panera for a quick bowl of oatmeal. Today I rode on the Musketawa Trail. The Trail is 25 miles long and runs from Marne to Muskegon. It is entirely on an abandoned RR grade so it is flat. I pedaled 22 miles. A perfect day for a bike ride. Had a quick lunch and then Nancy and Bob got in the Taurus and drove to EGR. Today they are having their Art Fair. Wealthy Street is closed in Gaslight Village for the booths. A lot of folks out to see the Fair. We spent about an hour looking around. After we stopped at Barnes and Noble in Woodland Mall. I bought a map of South Africa and Nancy bought some birthday cards. Also looked at other stores. I bought a pair of inexpensive khakis at American Eagle, 30x30. It looks like my weight has stabilized so the 30x30 pant will be fine. Took Ms P outside in our big backyard. She is still walking on three legs but does not appear to be in any pain. She likes to roam without a leash. We have not made up our mind on whether she should have the knee surgery. She is 11 and might be too old. Any comment? Nancy fired up the grill and cooked brats and corn-on-the-cob for dinner. A great summer dinner. Just took a short walk. It will be a netflix evening. 15h21' of daylight today. 17h26' in Edinburgh.

Friday June 19, 2015

Another perfect summer day, sun, low humidity and cool temps. I have been riding the same bike trail for several months and in past two weeks traffic on the trail has more than doubled. After the ride I showered and walked to Panera. The shooting in SC dominated the news. How do we stop these racist attacks? Good grief the victims were at a Bible Study class. The epitome of goodness. The cable business channels this morning are saying enough about Greece. I agree. Kim came to clean today. She has agreed to take Ms P on the 27th of June. Nancy and I are driving to Gaylord to attend a graduation party for Helen, my sister's, grand daughter. After lunch Nancy and I drove to Meijer Gardens. We walked around the new Japanese Garden. I was very impressed. It is another Crown Jewel for GR. The place was jammed. Speaking of my sister she called me this afternoon. Helen said her church's secretary told her that her father, Gary Lutz, was from Alpena. Gary was a classmate of mine. He now lives in Mt Pleasant. Gary spent many years in Chile as a missionary. Small world. For dinner Nancy and drove to Brann's. We each had a salad. It is now 1930 and we are watching Jeopardy. I was checking books on my ipad and found one of the books was in Spanish. I will have to found out how to change it to English. Any suggestions?

Thursday June 18, 2015

I have settled into a summer morning routine. After my shower I walked to Panera. It has been hot and humid lately and this morning was no exception. WSJ continues to give the crisis in Greece top billing. I don't share their feelings. I am typing this blog on my mini using the logitech keyboard. I keep finding little tricks for using Apple Pages. It started to pour as soon as I was ready to walk home. I waited until the the rain had stopped but as soon as I left it started raining again. I got soaked so changed clothes and then ate lunch. After lunch we all got in the Taurus and headed to Breton Village. Nancy wanted to check out some sales. I checked at Jos Banks and Fitzgeralds to see if they had any khaki with a side pocket for my iphone. They did not. We also stopped at Macatawa Bank. We needed to get in our safe deposit box. At home I cleaned my desk and then took a short walk. Nancy fired up the grill and is cooking corn on the cob and marinated chicken thighs. We are now sitting at the kitchen table playing with our ipads and drinking white wine. After dinner we will read the GRP and watch some TV. The rain has passed and tomorrow looks like a great day. In the PM we will visit the new Japanese Garden at the Gardens.

Wednesday June 17, 2015

Easy Wednesday and today I decided to pedal to the Omelette Shop in Breton Village. I had an oatmeal and egg breakfast. I made a haphazard effort to read the WSJ. Could I be news saturated? I rode through EGR on my way home. My super duper iPhone told me I pedaled 14 miles. As soon as I got home I got in the Cobalt and ran errands. First stop was Macatawa Bank to get some cash. The tailor and cleaner only take check or cash. Next at Meijer’s I bought some bungee chord type shoe laces. At the battery shop I got a battery for my bike’s speedometer. I then stopped at Berger Chevy and got my oil changed. Times are really changing because all the folks working in the oil change area were female. Even the Navy CEC is changing. When I was in the Navy there were 1,500 officers in the CEC. Not a one of them was a woman. Now the Rear Admiral in charge is female. When you add women to your work force you double your talent pool. In a competitive market place talent is everything. Finally I stopped at Master Cleaners to pick up Nancy’s dress and right next door at Mr Thanh’s I picked up my pants. Nancy is working a the Gardens this afternoon. I had a quick lunch and then took a short nap. Before Nancy got home I walked around the block. We had a light dinner. I spent some time sweeping and cleaning our lower deck. It is now 2005 and I am heading upstairs to read the GRP on my mini and watch some TV or netflix. PS before I do anything I have to hang up my socks that just came out of the washing machine.

Tuesday June 16, 2015

The heat and humidity were gone this morning. Finally our dehumidifier has automatically shut off this morning. The shut off percent is 50%. After the at home stuff I went on my new bike route. It was a perfect day for a ride, sunshine and cooler temps. The pavement was wet so I think we had a passing shower overnight. Since I have been rowing 2K mornings I now bike 12 instead of 14 miles. The 12 mile route is much smoother and avoid several construction sites. Since Nancy and I are going out to dinner with the Horlings this evening I shaved my head and beard after the shower. I walked over to Panera Bread for coffee and to read the papers. I met an old employee, Jeff Schumaker, at Panera. Jeff recognized me right away. It took me a minute. Jeff was looking good and still works for FTC&H. Jeff has been at FTC&H 20 years. Where does the time go. Enough about Greece, let it go! I also don’t care about the 2016 Presidential election. Good grief it is 16 months away. I do find the conflicts between all the sects and countries in the Middle East interesting. I think ISIS, Iran and Assad are the bad guys. But all the interplay between the conflicting parties is so confusing I think we should bail out. If I was a US soldier I would not know who to shoot and neither do the pols in DC. I am a free-trader and hope that congress gives the authority needed to get a trade bill. 95% of all consumers live outside the USA. We have to go after these markets. The USA is no longer an euro-center country. Just go to a Costco in CA. Vietnam has more people than Germany. I took a pleasant detour home. I have been looking for deer in the neighborhood but have not seen any this summer. I have seen some skunks, snakes and turkeys. This morning I even saw several hawks. We are having dinner at the Blue Water Grill on the Northland Drive. My iPhone says it is 10.7 miles from the condo. Don’t you love tech!

Monday June 15, 2015

Hot and humid last night so I slept downstairs. It is 10 degrees cooler than upstairs. The rain continued last night but no lightning. Up at 0645 and we had heavy fog. The hot humid weather will continue all day today. Hurried thru the morning routine and breakfast so I can get a bike ride in before it starts raining. I rode 12 miles. After my shower I walked to Panera. Greece dominated the WSJ. I think Greece has outsmarted themselves or else their hidden agenda has been to leave the EU. As soon as I got home we got in the Taurus and headed to Costco. I was surprised that the place was jammed. Had a quick lunch and then took a short nap. After nap checked my iphone weather and it said thunder storms were coming within the hour. I took a quick walk but the rain never arrived. We had a light dinner and then watched the news. It is now 2045 and we are watching "Major Crimes" on TNT. No netflix this evening.

Sunday June 14, 2015

1706 on June 14 sitting on deck and writing this blog: We had thunder showers roll through about 0330 last night. Ms P went bonkers so I took her to the downstairs bedroom turned on some music and a light. We both slept sound. Music and light seem to work. The alarm goes off at 0646 and we get ready for our Sunday swim. It was sprinkling when we left the condo. We had no trouble getting a lane this morning. I think most swimmers thought that we would have an electrical storm and State law requires that public pools be closed during these storms. Gas at Meijer’s this morning was $2.90. Nancy bought a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. We had Nancy’s world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast along with raspberries and melon. I read the funnies and then took my Sunday afternoon nap. I needed to get my 30 in today so I took a 3.25 mile walk. I lucked out, no rain. I saw several young robins and ducks on my walk. The humidity is about 99.9% and rain is predicted for this evening. The present temperature is 79. The humidity in the lower level of the condo reached 67% several days ago. I turned on the dehumidifier. In two day the humidity has dropped to 50%. Nancy is grilling brats this evening and also corn on the cob. Nancy likes her new propane grill. It will be a standard Sunday evening. Read the GRP and watch 60 Minutes. This date in 1927 my Grandmother Hughes was visiting Venice, Italy. She spent the past two days sightseeing. In 1938, Ossineke, MI, my GGF Sanborn spent the morning working in his garden. In the PM he hired a friend to cultivate the garden tomorrow. On this date in 1938 my Grandfather Hughes was on a tramp steamer heading for the Panama Canal. And on this date in 1938 I was probably getting my diaper changed eight times a day.

Friday June 12, 2015

We had heavy thunder storms roll through last night. Ms P went bonkers. We all slept in until 0700. Nancy headed to her "Healthy Living" class at MVP. I did the at-home routine. After breakfast it was raining too hard to go on a bike ride. I put on a rain coat and walked to Panera. Read the WSJ but except for crooks in high places in China I cannot recall any article worth commenting on. When got home it had stopped raining so I took a 2.5 mile walk. Nancy has to work at the Gardens this afternoon. Because this is opening day for the Japanese Gardens Nancy thought it would be hard to get a parking space so I drove her. I needed another 1.5 miles to get my 5 in so I took a walk. Showered and took a nap. At 1600 I headed back to Meijer Garden to get Nancy. She said they were very busy today despite the weather. A 1730 we met the Moleski's at the Crowne Plaza for dinner. The Plaza is exactly 0.7 miles from our condo. I know this because I checked the mileage on my walk this morning. We were the only folks in the restaurant. The food was really good. We had coupons so the meal was not very costly. It is now 2110 and we are watching "Death in Paradise".

Saturday June 13, 1015

1856 sitting on the deck drinking wine and writing this blog. I am using my mini and new keyboard. It takes some getting use to but I am getting better using the keyboard. We had some gentle showers last night. Slept in until 0700, checked my weather app on the iphone and it said rain would start at 1000 and continue for the rest of the day. I hustled and got ready for a bike ride before the rain. I was three miles into the ride when it started to rain. I quickly diverted to a shorter route. I rode 8 miles. It stopped raining right before I got home and it has not rained since. So much for iphone weather. I changed clothes and walked over to Panera. I was disappointed in Congress for not passing the Pacific trade bill. I am a free trader. Did you know that 95% of consumers live outside the USA. We need these markets. I think the EU is running out of patience with Greece. I sure would. USA is siending more troops to Iraq and maybe opening new bases. Sounds like 1965 all over again. Get out now. After coffee I took a three mile walk home. At home Nancy was busy doing the laundry. I cleaned my office and hung up my workout clothes that i washed yesterday. I had a quick lunch and then ran errands. I stopped at the Chow Hound and bought some pill pockets for Ms P. I like the pockets because I put her pill in it and she devours the pill. No hassle. At Ace I bought a wire brush to clean the new grill. I then drove to Cabela's in Grandville. The place was jammed. Cabela's has name brand sporting goods and clothes at reasonable prices. Today I was just getting ideas for our trip to Africa. The sun finally came out so at 1715 Nancy and I walked over to Panera. Nancy had a bowl of soup and I had soup and a tuna sandwich. I am not interested in the hockey or BB finals. I have watched some of the Women's soccer. Tonight will be a netflix evening.

Thursday June 11, 2015

Thursday June 11, 2015 Slept in until 0700 this morning, had too much rich food last night so I had trouble getting to sleep. Did the at-home routine, breakfast and then put on the biking clothes and took a 12 mile ride. I took a new route. It was a challenging route and I will give it favorite status. Showered and then walked over to Panera for coffee. After lunch Nancy and I went to Kohl’s. I did not buy anything but Nancy bought several items. I did take a short nap. Spent some time cleaning up my desk and writing yesterday's blog. We finished Nancy’s Asian chicken salad at dinner. Watched the news and then took a walk. We are now watching Inspector Morse on netflix. On this date in 1927 Grandmother Hughes was in Florence, Italy. She spent the day sight seeing. On this date in 1938 in Ossineke, MI GGF Sanborn and his grandson David Johnson went to garden and pulled quack grass. In the afternoon GGF drove to Hartmann to see about cherries. GGF made no mentioned of the weather.

Wednesday June 10, 2015

Wednesday June 10, 2015 Breakfast Club Wednesday: Up at 0530, shave, dress and head to BC. Drove in bright sunshine which makes the early morning drive easy. We had a good crowd today. Lody Zwarensteyn, a BC member, and former head of the Kent County Health Alliance gave a talk on the implications of a for-profit hospital Group buying a non-profit hospital. Who gets the profits of the sale of a non-profit and does a for- profit give as good service as a non-profit? (Metro Hospital in GR is being purchased by a TN group) It was very interesting and complicated. I am not sure if I have an opinion on this issue. The only thing I know about health service companies is that they do not operate in a true competitive environment. After BC I stopped at the Wealthy Street Bakery for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. On my way home from the Bakery I stopped at Mr Thanh Tailor and left off several pair of pants to have them altered. At home I put on my biking riding clothes and went on a short ride, 8 miles. On my ride I ran over a big snake who was sunning himself on the warm asphalt. I thought is was a stick. Ms P continues to walk on three legs so a walk was out of the question. I did take a 2.5 mile walk before showering. This evening I put on my 58 year old tux and Nancy put on a great looking dress and we headed to Meijer’s Garden. Tonight was the Dedication Ceremonies for the new Japanese Gardens. Over 700 folks were in attendance including the Japanese Ambassador to the USA, Governor Snyder of MI, and the Governor of Michigan’s sister state in Japan. It was a great evening. I was surprised at how many folks I knew. They were two members from BC and three folks from Alpena. Sitting at our table was Mark Bolhuis who was a science teacher at OHHS when the kids attended. The Japanese Garden will be a great addition. We got home about 2200.

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Tuesday morning, Nancy is going swimming but I am not swimming for a week. I added a 2,000 m row to my morning routine. After breakfast I got on my bike and went on a 12 mile ride. It was a great day for a bike ride, sunny and temps in low 60s. Showered and then got in Cobalt drove to Panera. I only stayed a short time because I have an 1140 appointment with the skin doctor. She sprayed several spots on my face with liquid nitrogen. On my way home I stopped at Bill and Paul's to look over their kayaks. I got my eye on one 12' kayak that as soon as I figure where to store it I will purchase. Also stopped at Gander Mountain. I was looking at fishing rods. I did buy a pair of suspenders. Had my normal lunch and then finished reading the WSJ. One story the WSJ is not covering is the NY jail break. Morning Joe spent way too much time talking about the jail break. I started to take a nap but the landscapers were trimming the bushes outside to condo and the noise kept me awake. Got up and took a 3 mile walk. Kathi, Nancy's friend, came over to help Nancy decide what to wear for tomorrow nights Meijer Garden Japanese Garden Celebration and Dedication dinner. Nancy made her great summer salad for dinner. She calls it an Asian Chicken Salad. It is great. She also made rhubarb sauce. Love rhubarb. It is now 2022 and we are watching NCIS. Early to bed tonight because I have Breakfast Club tomorrow.

Monday June 8, 2015

The morning broke cloudy and warm. Sunshine expected later in day. I did my calisthenics and then had breakfast. While I have breakfast I usually watch a cable business show. CNBC and Bloomberg all were getting geared up for the big Apple conference in SF. I put on my warm weather bike gear and headed to Panera. WSJ had an article on WI Gov Walker and his efforts to get GOP voters to elect him. I am not a Walker fan. My favorite GOP candidate is the Ohio Gov. It took me almost 90 minutes to read the paper this morning. The election in Turkey was a surprise to a lot of observers. I think in a democracy it is alway important to clip the wings of folks who think they are above the law. Took my normal 14 mile bike route, The sun came out during the ride and for the first time this year I really worked up a sweat. Showered and then had a quick lunch. Nancy was having lunch with friends from the old gift shop at Blodgett. I ran several errands this afternoon. Stopped at Meijer's to buy shoe polish brush, SOS pads and shower cleaner. Next stop was Costco. I bought two big bottles of wine and dried prunes. Gas at Costco was $2.57. Spent some time polishing my black shoes for our Wed Dinner at the Gardens. It was such a nice day that I took a 2.5 mile walk. It is now 1758 and I am sitting on our deck writing this blog. I passed a number of condos on my walk today, I did not see anyone sitting outside. Maybe I should knock on some doors and tell the folks how nice it is outside. Light dinner tonight and then some netflix.

Sunday June 7, 2015

Sunday morning and we got up with the alarm at 0645. Today is swim day so we head to MVP. Nancy was the first person in the pool and I was the third so we each got a lane. I have been having some pain when I swim. If I do the crawl my shoulder gets numb after about 8 laps. If I only do the breast stroke, my favorite stroke, my neck gets very sore. I also think the chemicals in the pool are causing a sinus problem. I decided to take several weeks off. Whine, whine, whine! Got our weekly supplies at Meijer’s this morning. I forgot to check the gas price. I do know we put 127 miles on the Taurus last week. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs this morning. I had mine on a waffle. Read the funnies and watched some of the French Open men’s finals before taking my nap. We almost forgot that our quarterly tax payment are due soon so wrote checks. I walked to the nearest post box and then continued my walk so that I got three miles in. It has been threatening rain all day. I carried my raincoat on the walk but did not need it. Nancy is fixing chicken pot pie for dinner tonight. We will finish reading the GRP and watch 60 minutes this evening. I don’t know what is on at 2000 so it might be a netflix evening. On my walk today I saw a lot of goose feathers near a local pond. It looks like a fox or coyote might have been involved. I sure hope so! We have way too many geese. I think they might be a tasty meal for a fox or coyote.

Saturday June 6, 2015

Saturday Morning: Another great day is coming our way. I start the day by putting my bike on the rack and driving to Panera. I had oatmeal, bagel, banana and coffee for breakfast. The Saturday edition of the WSJ does not have much heavy news. I drove to Riverside Park and rode my bike to Rockford on the White Pine Trail, a distance of 11 miles. Unlike the bike paths in Cascade Twp the White Pine Trail is on an old RR grade so no steep hills. The trail was crowded as it should be on a beautiful day. Today is also the first day of summer vacation for school kids in the area. At home I did some chores around the house. I put up a shepard’s crook on our deck. I wedged the supports between deck boards. Nancy put a flower basket on the hook. I also hung another hook on the garage and put a basket on this hook. Nancy wanted to put a hook in our backyard so we can move the bird feeder out into the yard. I got in the Taurus and headed to Home Depot. On my way I stopped at Dick’s Sporting Goods to look for kid’s fishing pole. No Luck. I also struck out at Home Depot. No crooks. Finally I stopped at Fruitbasket Flowerland and found a hook. It is now in our backyard with a bird feeder suspended from it. For dinner Nancy and I drove to Sundance Grill. It was a pleasant evening so we sat outside. We both had their ham-d-scram. Debbie face timed us this evening. We talked for about and hour. We watched a show on netflix before turning in. I have been writing about my Grandmother Hughes and her 1927 trip to Europe. My Grandfather Hughes also took a trip that summer. Grandfather Hughes took a trip on a tramp steamer from the east coast of the US, south down to the Caribbean and then through the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal in 1927 was 12 years old and still owned and operated by the US Government. He went North on the Pacific to Seattle, WA. Grandfather had a sister who lived in Seattle. I think he then took a train home. I once asked my Mother where did her parents get the money. Lumber is the answer. NE Michigan had some of the largest stands of white pine. My Grandfather arrived in Alpena from Canada and started working in the sawmills. He ended up owning the Island Mill located in downtown Alpena. In the 1920s the NE MI timber was almost all gone so Grandfather bought 10,000 acres of southern pine in North Carolina. Of course the stock market crash of 1929 depleted all their wealth. Today, June 6, is also the anniversary of the D Day landing in France. I was six at the time of the landing and cannot recall the event.

Friday June 5, 2015

1658 Friday, sitting on deck writing this blog. Cloudy and 70. I had an easy Friday morning. Did not get up until 0700 and did the calisthenics at a relaxed pace. Left for Panera at 0900 about 45 minutes behind my normal time. WSJ was writing about Greece,the Middle East and Japan selling Navy ships to the Philippines. Japan just might be the buffer between the small nations in the South China Sea and the 500 pound gorilla, China. Is our Congress afraid of making decisions that benefit the USA? I really don’t think immigration and free trade solutions are that difficult. I keep reading that investment in infrastructure is good for the economy. Why not raise the gas tax? The gas tax is utility tax. If you don’t drive you don’t pay for roads but if you do drive you are paying for road improvements. Seems fair to me. Our Michigan legislators, especially the GOP folks, do not have the guts to raise the gas tax. They were elected to solve problems like funding roads but can not adopt a simple solution. Shame, shame! After coffee I got on the bike and headed out on a 14 mile ride. About mile 11 I stopped at Meijer’s to buy some yogurt for lunch. I got home about 1230. Kim came today to clean and the house looks great. After lunch I picked up Ms P and took her to the tendon and joint Vet. He took an X-ray of her injured knee. The X-ray showed a torn tendon. We will observe Ms P for two weeks and if she does not get better she will have surgery. I finished my afternoon physical activity with a 3.2 mile walk. Nancy has fired up our new grill. She is fixing chicken for dinner. Checking in on Grandmother Hughes on her 1927 European trip. On June 2 Grandmother was in Rome and had an audience with the Pope. On June 5, a Sunday, Grandmother saw a military review put on by the fascist Black Shirts. She spent the afternoon with a friend she met on the ship visiting museums and having tea and dinner in a fancy restaurant. On this date in 1938, Ossineke, Mi: GGF Sanborn commented on the heavy thunder storm that passed through in the morning. Morley and LaMay came over at 1000 and loaded oven mill sitis. (I have no idea what sitis is?) In the afternoon he attended a Alpena County League baseball game. Grange won.

Thursday June 4, 2015

Thursday June 4, 2015, swim day for Bob and Nancy, also it is going to be one of the warmest day of the year. It was still cool,54, when I pedaled to Panera so I dressed in layers. Greece and Russia were the topics of the day. Why not let Greece exit the EU? They have my approval. Will both the President and Congress go down as totally incompetent? Riding to MVP I realized that I had too many layers. It had warmed up to 75. The pool was nearly empty this morning. I did the breast stroke with no shoulder pain but my neck was really sore. I have a snorkel that is built for lap swimmers. I will try it next swim. The snorkel will keep my neck straight. Took my new route home so my total miles are 11 vs 7 with the old route. Stopped at Cascade Meijer's and had a Starbucks while I finished the WSJ. Quiet afternoon at home, I did get an appointment for Ms P with the tendon and joint Vet tomorrow. Opened all the windows downstairs to let the warm outside air in. The lower level being below ground get real cool. It worked. Nancy and I had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping, We both had the prime rib sandwich. It was great. Took a quick walk around the block. We are now watching a Richard Gere spy movie.

Wednesday June 3, 2015

Post Number 2076: 1730: from the deck of Bob and Nancy’s condo Easy Wednesday: I had planned on taking the bike to the White Pine Trail. Before leaving, I walked to Panera and had oatmeal, bagel and coffee. China seems to be in the WSJ’s scope. Several articles about South China Sea. My Navy friends last night kind of downgraded China’s Navy. I am not so sure. Called the Vet’s office to see about an appointment for Ms P. Only time available was at 1220. So much for White Pine Trail. Walked home and put on my knickers and took my second favorite bike route. It is two miles shorter but has several steep hills. Took a quick shower and loaded Ms P into the Cobalt and headed to the Vet. The Vet said Ms P has either a torn tendon in her knee or knee joint injury and surgery might be required. Like people doctors she does not specialize in joints and tendons. She gave me the name of a Vet that does. I called the joint Vet but have not received a reply. I took a 30 minute nap and then put on my backpack and walked to Meijer’s. We needed milk. I got half way when I realized that it was 75 degrees so I must hustle home before the milk turns sour. Bought the milk and started home. I got halfway home when Nancy stopped and gave me a ride. She worked at Meijer’s Garden this afternoon. They cut the grass this afternoon and our huge backyard looks great. A Robin is chirping up a storm. Is their chirping a mating call? When the mating season is over do they stop chirping? Light dinner tonight and then some netflix. Just checked the weather and GR is warmer than LA or San Jose, about time. Remember to get your 30 minutes outside each and every day.

Tuesday June 2, 2015

Tuesday June 2, 2015: written at Panera Bread on June 3 at 0907 Swim day: at home routine and then bike to Panera for coffee and read paper. Beautiful sunny day but temps only in low 40s. Left Panera at 0930 for MVP. Pool was very cold this morning. I was blue when I got out. Did the breast stroke today. No shoulder pain but I have a stiff neck. Hustle home and then got in Cobalt and head to eye doctor. Doctor checked both eyes with all his toys. He said both eyes are healthy. Small cataracts in each eye but not big enough for surgery. Stopped at tailor shop and picked up my khaki jacket. Quick lunch and then cleaned my desk before taking a nap. Actually got under the covers to warm up. At 1630 I headed downtown. I attended a social gathering of retired Navy officers at the University Club. Six of us were in attendance. We sat around table and talked about our experiences. I was the only one who had never been on a ship. All were involved in Vietnam but offshore. I was the only one who had set foot on land. We broke up about 1900. Stopped at Subway on way home to get sandwich. Nancy attended a training section at Meijer's Garden this evening. She training to be a guide for the new Japanese Garden. We read the GRP and watched NCIS and a netflix show before turning in. Ms P is still limping and tomorrow I will call Vet.

Monday June 1, 2015

Bright sunshine woke us up before the alarm. We never need an alarm when the sun shines. On cloudy days we need the alarm. Typical Monday with calisthenics at home and then bike to Panera for coffee and to read the WSJ. After I finished reading I got on the bike and took the long road home. Total miles ridden today was 16. I will have to change my route because several of the roads are under construction. At home I set up a new compressor I recently purchased. I use the compressor to blow dirt out of my bike gears. I also attached a carrier to my seat post. The carrier has a bag that is easily detached. I will carry my swim gear and mini ipad in the bag. This will eliminate the need for a backpack. After lunch got in the Cobalt and ran several errands. Bought gas at Meijer's, $2.77 and then stopped at Jos Banks and bought a pair of button suspenders. Looked around Gazelle Sports but did not buy anything. Nancy and I sat on the deck and read our books for about an hour. I took a walk around the block. We had a light dinner. It is now 1943 and we are watching Jeopardy. At 2000 we will watch a netflix show.