Friday July 31, 2015

The last day of July already. It has been a great summer, plenty of sunshine and warm weather. A great bike riding summer. Today was no exception. Nancy headed out early to MVP. When she got home I headed to Panera. Had coffee and read the WSJ. After coffee I got on the bike and headed to Meijer's. I turned in some winning lottery tickets. I won $205, took my money and finished my ride. After a shower and quick lunch we got in the Taurus and headed to the Ottawa County Fair in Holland. We walked the animal barns and then bought tickets to the rides. AJ slid down the slide, twice. She wanted to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl but needed an adult. I rode with her and found out that old guys should not get jerked around. I was dizzy and nauseous. However, being a good guy I went on a second ride with same results. My days of midway rides has ended. Nancy fixed chicken noodle soup for dinner. It was great. Nancy and I watched the last episode of Death in Paradise. She is now putting AJ to bed and I am going to watch a western. I hope everyone is getting their 30 minutes in each day.

Thursday July 30,2015

Thursday is Nancy's swim day so she is out of the house at 0715. After the calisthenics I ate breakfast and started the WSJ. Nancy got home at 0900 and I got on my bike and took a 12 mile ride. We have a lot construction on the local roads so I have had to modify my routes. Today was another warm summer day. We have not had any rain in the past week. Nancy and AJ were shopping when I got home. I showered and then walked over the Panera for coffee. WSJ had many interesting articles. It took me over 90 minutes to read. Had a quick lunch and then headed downtown to meet with my neuro ophtalmologist. He checked out my eyes and asked about how my medication is working. I told him everything seemed to be working ok. He lectured me on warning signs for changes in my myasthenia gravis. I asked about our upcoming travels and he said traveling should not be a problem. He recommended I get a med-alert bracelet. The medicine I am taking does not play well with some antibiotics. I see him in six months. As soon as I got home I had AJ put on her swim suit. We headed to Millennium Park. We spent about 45 minutes fishing and then we headed to the beach and AJ went swimming for another 45 minutes. AJ was full of sand so Nancy gave her a bath. We also gave Ms P a bath. For dinner tonight we ate at the Red Olive. Tonight I looked out the window and saw two deer, one doe and a buck with two spikes. I did take a short walk tonight. We watched some TV before turning in.

Wednesday July 29, 2015

Easy Wednesday and I slept in today. Nancy left early for MVP. AJ got up at 0830. She had Fruit Loops and cinnamon toast for breakfast. Another very hot day is in the cards for today. As soon as Nancy got home I took my bike ride. Today I did the 15 mile route but backwards. It is easier backwards. Showered and had a quick lunch. This afternoon Nancy worked at the Gardens. AJ and I went to the movies. We saw "Inside Out". We went to the movie because the weather folks said it would rain this afternoon. I think a lot of folks heard the same weather report because the movie was crowded. I was disappointed when we left because the sun was out and no rain. Nancy got home at 1645. I finished the afternoon walking to Meijer's to pick up a prescription. We had a light dinner. We all watched netflix this evening. Missy did make her daily facetime call to AJ.

Tuesday July 28, 2015

Today is swim day. Nancy left at 0700 and I stayed home and did the calisthenics. AJ slept in until 0900 just as Nancy arrived home. Today was another very hot humid day with a high temperature of 93. I wanted to get my bike ride in before it really got hot. I started at 0930 and rode 15 miles. After the ride I showered and then walked to Panera. I drank a lot of coffee and read the WSJ. It appears that Greece will stay in the EU. Our ally Turkey has enter the Syria fray but they are hostile to another ally the Kurds. It is too complicated for the American way of solving problems. I still maintain that we should not be involved in the Middle East. Although I consider myself a nominal Republican I can not agree with the far right fringe. We need a third party. Sen Cruz, Donald Trump and all the other anti-government types can have the GOP. Another article pointed out that US Corporations that move to another country for tax reasons are finding out that some of the rules of the new country make doing business more complicated than in the USA. Let me continue my rant about the GOP. The Fed GOP elected officials are bad but Michigan's Republicans are worse. They don't have the guts to raise the gas tax to repair roads. Everyone agrees we need more money for roads. I really like out Governor but he has more problems with his own party than with the Democrats. On a happier note Nancy's friend Kathi called and invited Nancy and AJ over for a swim. How can you refuse that invitation on a 93 degree day? I told Nancy that I would stay home and try and get the new printer working, figure out how to get netflix on our ipads and get data on trip insurance for our African trip. Guess what I was successful on all three issues. The printer was easy after I called Debbie. She said that all I had to do was use the panel on the printer. She was right. The printer wizard solved all my problems. I can print from our MAC machines and also our ipads. My netflix problem was caused by me putting the wrong email address in my password lockbox. I played around and finally got the right combination. I put the correct data in the password box. I called our travel agent about insurance. She gave me some good advice. Went online and got a quote that I thought was reasonable. All in all a good afternoon. Nancy grilled brats, hot dogs and corn for dinner. It was great. After dinner we drove to Walmart and got some cereal for AJ. AJ watched a show on netflix using Nancy's ipad and we watched a show on TNT.

Monday July 27, 2015

I set the alarm at 0645 for Nancy but she was already up. She headed to MVP and I stayed home for the calisthenics. Expected AJ to sleep until after 0900, however, she was up and dressed by 0830. For breakfast she had Fruit Loops and three pieces of cinnamon toast. Nancy got home at 0930. The temperature today is supposed to get to 90 so I wanted to get my bike ride in early. I did the standard 15 mile ride. HP gave us a new printer after they found a flaw in our existing printer. We got the new printer last Friday and as part of the deal I had to return the old printer within a week. I packaged the printer and delivered it to FedEx. This afternoon we all got in the Taurus and headed to the Zoo. Despite the 90 degree heat the place was jammed with families. They have made a lot of improvements since last year. The Zoo is a great community asset. We had a light dinner. Tonight we let AJ watch a netflix show. I tried to get netflix on my ipad but could not remember my password. We let her watch on our big TV. We watched a TNT show, Major Crimes, on our kitchen TV. It is now 2200 and I am to only one awake. Watching a show on TNT. The summer is going to fast.

Sunday July 26, 2015

It is now 1940 and I am sitting on our deck drinking wine and writing this blog. We had another hot humid summer day. The present temperature is 82. Sun will go down at 2109. I would describe today as an easy day. The alarm went off this morning at 0645. It is swim day but today I volunteered to stay home wit h AJ. Nancy headed out alone and I went back to bed. I really did not want to go swimming. At 0915 I got AJ up just as Nancy walked in the door. We all got in the Taurus and headed to Meijer's. Gas today was $2.41. Nancy loaded up on fresh fruit. For breakfast today Nancy fixed bacon and her world famous fried eggs. After reading some of the GRP I got in the cobalt and headed to Batteries Plus. Needed a new battery for our garage door opener. I spent some time setting up our new printer. I also packaged our old printer to send back to HP. The instructions told me to refer to an enclosed manual. The manual was left out of the package. I had to go online. I did find out that the printer will work with my Macbook Air but not with Nancy's Mac. I will have to upgraded her system. I got so frustrated looking for the missing manual that I decided I needed a break. I took an eighty minute walk. AJ was tired today so we did not push her to go fishing or for a bike ride. I did get out the rod and reel and practiced casting. I think the way I put the rod and reel together that it works for a lefty like me. I will have to stop by Gander Mountain and have them show me how to make it work for a righty. Nancy grilled chicken and corn for dinner tonight. It was great. After dinner AJ, Ms P and I took a walk to nearby ponds. We were looking for frogs and we saw some big ones. Ms P's knee seems to be healing. Tonight she walked on all four legs. Missy facetimed AJ tonight. Right now AJ is watching a show that Nancy had recorded last week. I don't want July to end.

Saturday July 25, 2015

Saturday July 25, 2015 It looked like another hot humid day at 0700. No rain in sight which is good. Had a quick breakfast at Panera. I took time to read the WSJ but did not find much of interest to comment on. I think Saturday is an easy day for reporters. When I got home I talked AJ into a bike riding lesson. We walked down to an empty parking lot and spent about 30 minutes getting the hang of riding. I was really sweating when we finished. It was beginning to look like rain so I chose to take a walk instead of a bike ride. I walked for 1h10'. I know the time because I used the stopwatch on my iphone. Showered and then had a quick lunch. At 1330 AJ and I got in the Taurus and headed to Celebration Cinema. We saw the Minnions. We both liked the show. I was surprised how much a ticket cost for AJ. $8.50 is a little pricey for a child's ticket. In 1948 a ticket for anyone under 12 was $0.12. When I turned 12 the price went up to $0.25. For dinner tonight we headed to Vitale's in Ada. We ordered a large ham and pineapple pizza. It was good. It is now 2150 and we are watching "Miss Fisher" on netflix. Tomorrow will be another hot humid day with high temp of 90. Isn't Summer great!

Friday July 24, 2015

Slept in until 0700 and slowly did the at home stuff. Nancy headed to MVP for her healthy lifestyle class. I was prepared to fix waffles for AJ but she was still sleeping at 0915. She finally woke up when Nancy walked in. Nancy fixed her a waffle and cinnamon sugar toast. I put on my bike riding clothes and took off on a 15 mile ride. This afternoon Nancy and AJ spent the afternoon at Kathi's. Kathi invited a neighbor and her two grandchildren over. The kids spent four hours in the pool. Kathi fixed hot dogs, chips and watermelon for everyone. They got home at 1730. I spent most of the afternoon running errands. I stopped at the credit union to get money for our CA trip, at the USPO I picked some stop mail forms. I stopped at the tailor to pick up two pair of knickers that I had altered. At Kohl's I bought undershirts. I am in the market for a pair of well vented shoes so I stopped at Gazelle. No luck. Final stop at Gander Mountain. I bought a sinker. AJ and I can now practice casting. Nancy fixed spaghetti for dinner. It was great. We are spending a quiet evening at home watching TV. Missy face timed AJ this evening.

Thursday July 23, 2015

I set the alarm for 0645 so I can get Nancy up for her swim at MVP. I do the at home stuff and then eat breakfast. I was set to get AJ her breakfast but she slept in this morning. Nancy got home at 0900 and she had to wake AJ. This morning we are visiting Boulder Ridge Animal Farm. They have all kinds wild animals including camels, giraffes and gators. The most popular attraction is the parakeet cage. Kids are given a stick with food on it and try to attract the birds. It is not hard. We also took the bus tour around the park. We saw buffalo, water buffalo, zebra, ostriches and all kinds of deer. It was a great day for the park. Sunny with temps in the low 80s. The place was really crowded. After a quick lunch put on the bike clothes and took a short bike ride. I rode 12 miles. Showered and then we all got in the car and headed to Target. Nancy bought a pair of inexpensive water shoes for AJ. They are going swimming at Kathi's tomorrow. We had dinner at Bagger Dave's. I think their hamburgs are great. Spent a quiet evening at home. AJ watched 100 Dogs and I watched a show on the Nat. Geo channel. Summer is going too fast.

Wednesday July 22, 2015

Breakfast Club Wednesday, so up at 0545 and head downtown. We had a very small turnout. Today's speaker was GR's Police Chief. He talked about the pros and cons of body cameras on police officers. GR has done a great job exploring all the issues. It was a very interesting talk. GR presently has eight officers wearing cameras but expect by December the entire force will wear the cameras. GR has 200 officers. On my way home I stopped at Panera for a chance to read the WSJ. Nancy and AJ were visiting the Cascade Library this morning. They checked out several books. At home I spent some time getting our fishing gear ready. This afternoon AJ and I are going fishing at Millennium Park. Nancy is working at the Gardens this afternoon. We left for the Park at 1200. I was surprised at how crowded the park was. We rented a canoe and bought some worms. I paddled to the edge of the lake, baited the hook and dropped a line. The water was clear and shallow and AJ could see small fish nibbling at the worm. The fish must be smart because they ate five worms and we did not catch a fish. Maybe I did not bait the hook properly. We spent a hour fishing and paddling around the lake. Actually the lake is a played out gravel pit. After we turned in the canoe we headed to the Splash Pad so AJ could play in the water spray. Next we headed to the beach. It is a nice sand beach. The water was warm and AJ swam for about an hour. On the ride home AJ fell asleep. We got home the same time as Nancy. We had a light dinner. Nancy and I watched the news and netflix and AJ watched Frozen. Missy facetimed AJ this evening. It is now 2100 and Nancy is trying to get AJ to bed. AJ said she can not go to bed because the sun is out. Nancy tried to tell AJ that Sunset in LA is an hour earlier. I don't think Nancy can win the argument.

Tueday July 21, 2015

The alarm goes off at 0430. This morning I am driving Missy to the airport so she can make her 0600 flight to LA. Missy was already up and waiting for me. I was surprised at all the traffic going to the airport. It was such a nice morning I had a strong urge to just drive to LA. I had the same feeling in 2007 when I drove Nancy to the airport for her trip to LB to visit Steve and family. I got home from the airport packed a bag and headed to LA. A great trip. My bucket list includes one more drive to CA. I was home by 0600 and jumped back in bed. We got up at 0700. Nancy headed to MVP for her Tuesday swim. I did the at home stuff. This morning AJ slept in until 0830. I fixed her a bowl of cheerios. Nancy got home about 0900. She made an appointment for AJ and herself to get a pedicure. I got on my bike and took a 14 mile ride. A great day for a bike ride. Nancy and AJ left at 1230 to go to Kathi's. They are going swimming in Kathi's pool. I left at 1300 and headed to the dentist. I got a cleaning and the dentist checked my gums, etc. At 1430 I took a short nap. Nancy and AJ got home at 1600. They had a great time. I finished the afternoon with a 50' walk. Nancy fixed scrambled eggs and bacon for dinner. It was well received. Missy facetimed AJ this evening. AJ is watching Sleeping Beauty and we are watching a rerun of NCIS. At 2100 we are grabbing a net and going to chase fireflies.

Monday July 20, 2015

Monday morning and we got up at our normal 0645. I headed downstairs and remembered AJ and Missy were sleeping downstairs. I closed the doors and quietly did my calisthenics. I was done by 0800. I had breakfast, and read most of the WSJ before anyone stirred. We walked over the Panera. AJ did not want a pastry so she ate a turkey sandwich. Missy had a mocha and pastry. At 1030 Nancy picked up AJ and they headed to the outdoor pool at MVP. Missy and I walked home and then got in the Cobalt and drove to the Ada Bike Store. She talked to the manager about selling her bike gloves. Our next stop was "Play It Again" used sports store. We looked a kids bikes but did not buy any. I really like my bike knickers but my recent weight loss has made last years knickers much too big. I put the two pair in my backpack and biked to the Tailor Shop near our condo. They were closed, so I biked home and ate lunch. After lunch I took my knickers to Mr Thanh on Giddings near our old home. They will have the work done by Friday. After some thought I stopped by Play It Again and bought a bike. Spent some time finishing the WSJ and then took a 40 minute walk. For dinner tonight we went to Olga's in Gaslight Village. It is now 2001 and I am sitting on the deck, drinking wine and writing this blog. The temperature got to 81 today but now it is a pleasant 75. Nancy is giving AJ a bath. This is Missy's last night. She leaves at 0600 tomorrow. I got my 30' in today I hope you did too.

Sunday July 19, 2015

Sunday morning and following our normal schedule Nancy and I were up at 0645. Today is our swim day. Nancy was surprised that AJ was up and dressed. Must be jet lag. It must be vacation time for MVP members because the pool was empty this morning. I swam my 30' and Nancy did 25 laps, 1250 meters. We came right home and picked up AJ before heading to Meijer's. Gas was $2.65. Nancy loaded up on fruit and bought AJ a chocolate donut. On the way home we saw a turtle struggling to cross the road. AJ and I picked it up and put it near it's pond. Nancy fixed a quiche for breakfast. We sat on our deck and enjoyed the day. It was a sunny and warm day, mid 80s. We did turn the AC on. After breakfast I drove to Gander Mountain and bought a bamboo fishing pole for AJ. The salesman showed me how to convert the pole I recently bought to left handed operation. It is an easy day at the condo. We all reclined at some time. After my nap AJ, Nancy and I walked to ponds in our back yard to see if we could catch a frog. Plenty of frogs but no luck catching one. It is now 1624 and I am writing this blog on our deck. In several minutes I will fire up the grill so Nancy can grill a pork loin. Stay tuned! Turned on the grill and then took a two mile walk. Had to get my 30 in. The pork was great as were the grilled vegetables. After dinner AJ and Nancy were watching a movie. AJ wanted to sit on Nancy's lap. She immediately fell into a deep sleep. Jet lag has finally caught up. Read the GRP and watched some TV before turning in. Summer is great!

Saturday July 18, 2015

Happy Birthday Stephen Patton Scott, b 07/18/73, I remember the day of his birthday well. A beautiful July day in GR. Have a great birthday STEVE! The weather folks said today would be hot and humid, high expected to reach 90. I got up at 0645 and decided to get my bike ride done before the heat set in. I rode to Seidman Park. The ride to Seidman is along paved trails and is very scenic. It takes a little over 2 hour to make the trip. As soon as I got home I looked at the sky and said thunder showers are on the way. It quickly turned pitch black and then it poured for about 40 minutes. It was still pouring when I got in the Cobalt and headed to Panera. This morning I had oatmeal, bagel, banana and coffee for breakfast. I read several stories on the shooting in TN. It is sad but I don't know how to prevent it, short of becoming a police state. On my way home I stopped at Walgreen and bought some lotion with sun protection and alcohol free mouth wash. Nancy informed me as soon as I got home that our DirectTV bill had gone up $100 a month. Nancy had called but she wanted me to follow up. I spent over an hour on the phone but finally got our bill lowered to our present monthly payment. We do not have as many channels but we never watch the channels we lost. I spent some time getting the new fishing pole rigged. The line is so fine that I cannot see it except under a bright light. Nancy had to help me tie the gizmo to the line. The pole is made for right handed folks so I really don't know how a left handed person should use it. I will have to stop at Gander Mountain and get some advice. Finally our final problem is the HP printer. I put new ink cartridges in this week and now it won't print. Nancy called earlier today and got a work order number. I followed up and spent over an hour talking to a HP rep. I kept getting transferred. Finally they took my number and said I would get a call back. Several hours later I did get a call back. They are sending me a new printer. Nancy and I left for the airport at 1930. Missy and AJ are flying in a little after 2000. I let Nancy off at the terminal and I headed to the cell phone lot. Their plane arrived on time. It was great seeing Missy and AJ. Nancy fixed them sloppy joes for dinner. We talked until 2230 and then headed to bed. A busy summer's day.

Friday July 17, 2015

We had heavy rain last night. This morning was hot and muggy. After the at home stuff I pedaled to Panera. Iran and Greece still dominates the WSJ news. The cable news this morning spent a lot of time on Donald Trump but the WSJ barely mentioned him. I just can not get Trump's message. I would never vote for him. However, I would vote for the Iran nuke deal. The USA is not the sole participant in these talks. France, Germany and the UK our good allies have also approved the deal. It was really hot and muggy on my ride this morning. I had to stop and remove a layer. I rode about 15 miles. As soon as I got home Nancy and I got in the Taurus and headed to Macatawa Bank. We opened a new safe deposit box. Kim came today and cleaned the house. It looks great. AJ and Missy arrive tomorrow night. I moved all my stuff up stairs. We turned the AC on today. The high temperature today was 86 and tomorrow it should reach 90. The warmest two days of the year. I don't like AC so I spent some time reading on our deck. I feel asleep so I came inside and took a short nap. I recently bought a rod and reel for AJ. This afternoon I started to put it together. I am a complete klutz. I have the line all tangled. For dinner tonight Nancy and I ate at J&T Pizza. It is about 0.5 miles from the condo. The place is a neighborhood restaurant. Nancy and I gave it a B+. It will be a netflix evening.

Thursday July 16, 2015

Thursday and we had a very busy day. It is now 2140 and the following is a summary of our activities. Up at 0700, calisthenics, breakfast and then a short bike ride, 10 miles. Water main break, no water, drove to MVP for shower. No Panera today. At 1100 Nancy and I headed downtown to Grand Valley Medical. We got our shots for the African trip. Stopped at Burton St Macatawa Bank and emptied our safe deposit box. On Friday we will put the contents in a new box at the Cascade Branch. After lunch drove to Woodland Mall and checked out shorts at Macy's and J. Crew. They had nothing I liked so I returned to American Eagle and bought a pair. At 1600 we drove to Nancy's beauty shop so she could get her hair cut. Looks nice. At Jos Banks bought a shirt for Don Crandall. Had dinner at Great Lakes Shipping. We sat outside. Ended the evening reading the GRP and watching some TV.

Wednesday July 15, 2015

It was great night for sleeping, temps in the 50s. If fact it was so great slept in until 0800. Today is my easy Wednesday so no calisthenics. Had breakfast at Panera, oatmeal, bagel and banana. The Iran deal dominated the WSJ. I don't think that the agreement is perfect but I have not heard any good alternative. All the other nations that were party to the negotiations have approved. I think we should approve. I stopped at home to leave my ipad and then took a bike ride. Stopped at the bank to get some money and transfer our lock box from the Burton branch to Cascade. Also stopped at Cascade Twp to see what to do about yard waste disposal. The Twp does not have a summer pickup. I think I will buy a compost bin. It was a perfect day for a bike ride. I rode about 16 miles. After lunch and a shower I took a short nap. Tomorrow is trash and recycle day so I spent some time gathering all the trash. Spent the rest of the afternoon running errands. I stopped at Ace and checked out their chipmunk traps. They sold the same type trap that we found in the garage. I read the instructions so I know how to make our trap work. I bought a short hose and nozzle. Next stop was D&W and bought some sour dough bread. Finally I headed to Bed, Bath etc. I bought a small waste basket. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. She said they were very busy. Had a light dinner and then baited the trap and set it out. We still have not solved our printer problems. Watched Midsomer Murders on netflix. It is now 2239 and I am watching the Pan Am Games. It is 63 another great night for sleeping.

Tuesday July 14, 2015

Thunder storms rolled through last night. Ms P went bananas so I took her to the downstairs bedroom, turned on a light and music on my itouch. Ms P went to sleep after 30 minutes. Slept in until 0715 this morning. After calisthenics I got on the bike and took a 15 mile ride. I encountered sprinkle on my ride. In fact we had off and on showers all day. Nancy took Ms P to the beauty shop today. She got a summer trim and it looks cool. I have been trying to get our printer to work. The printer has four cartridges. I only want to use black but the HP guy told me that all cartridges must be full in order for the printer to work. I drove to Staples and bought a cartridge package for the printer. I replaced all four cartridges. It still did not print. I will continue working on the printer tomorrow. Stay Tuned! Tonight Nancy and I had to work the concert at Meijer's. We left home at 1620 and started working at 1700. Nancy sold tickets and I took tickets. We finished at 1800 and then sat down and ate a picnic meal and listened to the concert.

Monday July 13, 2015

Monday morning and the weather folks say heavy rains in GR by 0900.  I accept their prediction and drive the cobalt to Panera, after the morning routine of course. Greece and Iran dominates this mornings WSJ.  I am not so sure that the WSJ might have written prematurely about the Greece deal.   It rained hard all the time I was at Panera.  We needed the rain.  Our rainfall is 2" below normal.

All the experienced bikers says that shoe clips are the most efficient way to pedal a bike.  I have a pair of bike shoes with clips and lately have been using them.  Friday I was using the clips and was getting ready to dismount when one clip did not release.  I took a tumble.  Concluded that a 77 year old klutz should not use clips.   After Panera today I drove to the Freewheeler bike store on Leonard and bought a pair of grabber pedals.  The pedals has serrated edges to keep my shoes from slipping.  I can use normal shoes with some assurance that my feet will not slip.

When I got home Nancy and I headed to Costco.  Nancy got her malaria pills and I bought wine, sandwich rolls, cheerios and cheese.  Meijer's called and said that my malaria pills were ready.  My pills are different from Nancy's because her pills would react with my MG medication.  The sun came out at 1400 so I put on my bike riding clothes and took an eight mile ride (using my super duper new pedals).  Meijer's is at the end of my ride so I stopped and picked up my pills.

It is now 1947 and the temperature is 81.  I am sitting on our deck writing this blog.  For the first time this year we have the AC on.  Tonight we will watch Major Crimes on TNT.

Sunday July 12, 2015

Sunday July 12, 2015

Swim day for Bob and Nancy, up at 0645 and load the Taurus.  The pool has been so busy on Sundays that I put on my suit at home and wear easy off clothes.  I am in the shower and ready to swim in three minutes.  No need for speed today because Nancy and I had the pool to ourselves.  I swam my 30 minutes about 18 laps using the breast stroke.  Nancy swam 25 laps.  

Gas was $2.69 at Meijer’s today.   It is that time of year for locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.  Nancy loaded up.  For breakfast we had Nancy’s world famous poached eggs on a waffle.  I read the funnies and then took a nap.  

Our doctor recommended some pills to take on our African trip.  Meijer’s called and said our pills were ready for pickup.  I walked over to the store and picked them up.  Did you know that Meijer’s does not charge for some common antibiotics?

It is now 1716 and I am sitting in my office writing this blog.  At 1730 I will turn the grill on so Nancy can cook the burgers and corn.  

Must spend some time on the computer because I ordered a book from Apple and I got the Spanish version.  I got instructions from Apple on how to make the conversion.  I also have to get our printer working.  I bought a new ink cartridge but no luck so I will probably has to spend some time online finding out a fix.

On this date in 1927:  My Grandmother Hughes was in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Yesterday she saw the King and Queen arrive and visited some historical site around Edinburgh.  Today she saw the changing of the guard at Holyrood Palace.

On this date in 1938:  My Great grandfather Sanborn worked in his garden in the AM and drove his Grand daughter and friend into Alpena for a hair cut.  He bought chicken feed and other supplies.  I write about my GGF because he is a role model.  An active 83 is what I hope for.

Saturday July 11, 2015

Slept in until 0730: put on the bike gear and pedaled to Panera for breakfast of oatmeal, banana and bagel.  Read the WSJ but nothing that I want to comment on.  Today I pedaled to Seidman Park a distance of 10 miles, 20 total,  It was a perfect day for a bike ride.

Showered and then got in the Cobalt and headed to Fitzgerald's.  They are having an end of season sale.  Their mailer said 80% off.  Not true, the shirts I wanted were only 30%.  They still were $99.  Pretty pricey for a retired guy.  Looked for a used bike at Play It Again.  They had some but did not buy.  At Kentwood Bike I was looking for a super grip pedal.  They did not have any.  Finally I stopped at Gander Mountain and bought a fishing pole.

This afternoon I cleaned my desk and then took a nap.  At 1730 Nancy and I headed to Euro Bistro.  We are meeting the Namey's for dinner.  The Bistro is about 1/2 mile from the condo.  We all gave it an A-.

After dinner we returned to the condo for dessert.  We spent some time in pleasant conversation.  Saturday was a great summer's day.

Friday July 10, 2015

We got up with the sun and birds this morning.  Nancy to MVP and I stayed and did the calisthenics.  Breakfast and then put the bike on the Cobalt.  Stopped at Panera for coffee.  I am rapidly losing interest in Iran and Greece.  With the up and down gyrations of the stock market based on what happens in Greece or China does not make sense.  Maybe I should assume the people buying and selling stocks are ninnies.

After coffee I headed to Millennium Park.  Today I stopped at both the boat house and swim pavilion to check on hours and prices.  Both places are open during daylight hours and the prices are very reasonable.  The water temperature today was 71 which is ideal for a hot summer day.  If I rent a canoe I can also buy worms for fishing.   They also have a lot of fishing platforms throughout the park.  I expect to spend several days at the Park when AJ comes in several weeks.  I pedaled 19 miles today.  It was a great day for a ride, sunny with temps in mid 70s.

Got home about 1300, showered and had lunch.  It is now 1549 and I am sitting on the deck writing this blog.  This morning the wrought iron deck rail was painted.  This was the last area that needed painting.  Our entire condo (outside) has been painted this year.  Next scheduled painting is in 2020.

We had dinner at Sundance Grill, sat outside. Nancy had scrambled eggs and ham and I had a salad.  Very relaxing.  Ran errands after dinner.  Bought ice cream at Meijer's and headed home to get in reefer before it melts.  Picked up Ms P and stopped at the Hallmark Store, D&W and Walmart.  Finished the evening watching Midsomer Murder's on netflix.

Thursday July 9, 2015

Thursday July 9, 2015:  The pool has been so busy lately we are hoping a lane is available.  It was sprinkling this morning so I put my raincoat in the backpack.  Pedaled to Panera for morning coffee.  When I entered the pool every lane had two folks, I was ready to leave when the life guard told me the outside pool was open.  It was cool outside but the water was warm.  I had to share a lane but the outside pool has wider lanes.  I like swimming outside.  The rain had stopped so I took the long road home.

At home we got in the Taurus and headed to Costco.  Bought eggs, peanut butter, grapes, bug spray and vitamin D pills.  Thursday must be senior days at Costco.  Nancy and I were young.

We have finalized our South Africa trip and today Nancy put the finishing touch on our trip to LA in August.  I took a nap and then spent some time reading mail and cleaning my desk.

Nancy grilled brats and corn on the cob for dinner.  Love brats on the grill.  We watched several shows on netflix this evening.  Tomorrow is suppose to be another nice summer's day.

Wednesday July 8, 2015

Wednesday July 8, 2015: Blog # 2,111

Breakfast Club Wednesday:  Up at 0546 and headed out to the Women’s City Club in GR.  The freeway was especially busy this morning for so early.  I do not know why.  We had a good turnout this morning.  

The speaker today was the Principal of San Juan Diego Academy a Catholic school serving the Latino community in SW GR.  It has 175 students, grades K-8.  It is a true success story.  The BC member who introduced the Principal this morning was my old boss Dave Despres.  Dave and his wife Helene are big supporters of the school.  It was an uplifting program.  After listening to this program all the BC members would have voted Donald Trump jerk of the year.

I stopped at Meijer’s on my way home to buy apples.  This time of year our apples are from Chile.  Also stopped at Panera for coffee and the WSJ.  Greece still dominates the news although I did catch up on the Iran nuke negotiations and problems in Yemen and Syria.  As soon as I got home I put on the bike clothes and took a 15 mile ride.

This evening Nancy has book club at the Moleski’s.  We are driving together because the Pizza place, Fred’s, is close.  I will hang out with Tom Moleski until the meeting is over.  Nancy and I are doing our part reducing carbon.

How about the stock market mess.  They say it was a technical issue but I am sure a lot of folks might not agree.  We love our tech but it has problems of its own.

Nancy and I left for Moleski’s at 1630.  Tom drove me to Fred’s and we found out that Fred’s was closed for vacation.  We then drove to Tom’s about four buildings south.  Tom’s is no more just a beer joint.  We ended up at Charlie’s.  Charlie’s was crowded.  Tom and I had their smelt basket and Ed had a burger.  We all gave the place an A-.  Tom and I watched some TV while waiting for Book Club to end.  We were home by 2200.

Tuesday July 7, 2015

Tuesday is a swim day for Bob and Nancy.  It was raining when we got up and the weather folks say it will rain all morning until early afternoon.  They were right.  I drove the Cobalt to Panera had coffee read the WSJ and then drove to MVP.  The pool was very crowded today.  I had to share a lane.  Nancy said the pool has been crowded this week because MVP’s Rockford pool is closed for repairs.  

On my way home I stopped at MC Sporting Goods and bought a fishing license.  Also bought a swim suit and nose plug.  About noon the rain stopped so I took a short walk before lunch.  

This evening Nancy and I are working the Tuesday night concert at the Gardens.  The Tuesday concerts feature local talent and are free to members.  We arrived at 0430.  Nancy was selling tickets and my job was to take tickets.  It was the first Tuesday concert of the year and they had about 1500 folks in attendance.  I was on my feet from 1700 to 2000.  Like at all concerts we are allowed to bring our chairs and listen to the concert after work.  We did this for Sunday’s Doobie Brothers concert and last night.  Nancy fixed a picnic and after my work I bought a beer,sat down, ate a sandwich and listened to the concert.  A great way to spend a nice summer’s evening.

Monday July 6, 2015

Monday morning and it looks like a nice warm and sunny day.  Nancy was out the door early so she could get to her class at MVP.  I did the at-home stuff and then got on my bike and headed out.  Today I rode on a bike trail along Bailey Drive.  My first time on this trail.  It was hilly but scenic.  The entire ride was 16 miles.  Showered and then headed to Panera.  Greece still dominated the WSJ.  On CNBC this morning they showed a graphic that showed the percentage of taxes collected in Germany and Greece.   89 percent of Germans pay their taxes while only 10% or less of Greek citizens pay their taxes.  The solution for Greece seems simple.  I took the scenic route home.

After a quick lunch I got in the Cobalt and headed to Meijer’s.  I have a sinus infection so my ENT Doctor phoned in a prescription for me.  I do not have any shorts that fit me so I stopped at Woodland Mall.  Macy’s did not have what I wanted so I headed to American Eagle.  I bought two pair on shorts.  I also stopped at a sporting goods store and bought a UM Tee.

Today the painters came and stained our upper deck and the small kitchen deck.  Tomorrow they will paint the wrought iron railing on the upper deck.

We had a light dinner.  It is now 1943 and I am in my office writing this blog.  It is cool in the lower level.  I have the dehumidifier running so the dankness is gone.

On this date in 1927:  My Grandmother Hughes took a bus from England to Ayr, Scotland.  GM Hughes had relatives living in Ayr.

On this date in 1960, I had a summer job working for the Vermont Highway Dept.  I was on a traveling survey crew.  On this date we were working in Ludlow, VT and staying at the Valente’s Motel.  I wrote Mom that the work was interesting.  Over the 4th I worked at a golf course in Manchester, VT.  I made $21 being a caddy.  The weather has been great and I was getting a good tan.

AND MOST IMPORTANT:  On this date in 1974 Veronica Robles was born.  Of course as everyone know Veronica is our daughter-in-law, and she is a great one.  Happy Birthday Veronica.

Sunday July 5, 2015

Sunday July 5, 2015

Up at 0645 and got ready for our swim.  Must be the fourth weekend because the pool was empty.  We picked our lanes.  Gas at Meijer’s was at $2.97.  I think it will go down after the holiday.  Nancy and I will only be home two nights next week so our purchases at Meijer’s were minimal.

Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs on waffles for breakfast.  I read the funnies and then took my nap.  At 1630 we got in the Taurus and headed to Meijer’s Garden.  Tonight we are working at the Doobie Brothers concert.  Nancy and I had to work the rented chair areas.  Folks rent a chair for $5 and must sit in a designated area.  Because the concert was sold out we had to place the chairs close together.  Some renters objected to the density.  Nancy and I stayed for the concert.  I recognized several songs but got turned off by the noise level.  We were home by 2200.

On this date in 1938, Ossineke, Mi:  GGF Sanborn worked in his garden in the morning and the post office in the afternoon.  Also in the afternoon Rex Snell and family stopped by on their way to a family vacation in Norway.  GGF did not say if it was Norway, MI for Norway in Europe.

Saturday July 4, 2015

Another fourth of July in MI and today it was a typical 4th weather wise, warm and sunny.  It is now 1325 and I am sitting on our deck writing this blog.  Nancy just woke me.  I fell asleep writing this blog.  If I fall asleep the blogs must really be boring.  In my 77 years I have spent 11 fourths outside MI.  As a boy we spent the fourth having a family picnic at my Grandparent Scott's farm at Hubbard Lake.  We spent the day pitching horseshoes, shooting clay pigeons and of course eating.  My Dad and Uncles usually made ice cream.  Fond memories.  When I was about ten the City of Alpena started having fireworks so we left Hubbard Lake about 1900 and headed into town.

Today Nancy and I got up at 0645 and headed to our old neighborhood, Ottawa Hills.  We attended the 53rd Holly Hock Lane parade.  I took a picture of all the kids with their decorated bikes and sent it to our kids asking if it brought back memories.  We met a lot of old neighbors.  OHN looks great.  After the parade we stopped at the Brandywine and had breakfast.  Not an original idea because the place was crowded.

We stopped at home picked up Ms P and took a ride around our new neighborhood.  We explored some Cascade Parks and also looked for a horse riding stable that might give lessons.  We also stopped at Home Depot to see if they had any reclining deck chairs.  They did not.

Tonight we are going to Tom Appel's cottage on Bostwich Lake to watch fireworks.  Stay tuned.

Tom had a good turnout for his fireworks party.  Plenty of food and beer.  Nancy and I sat next to the Vines whose twin daughters were in Steve's class.  We also talked to Jim Walters who taught at OHHS.  Jim was a good friend of Rick Jensen, a fellow teacher, who is now in prison for murder. I liked Rich even though he committed this terrible crime.  Rick was OHHS hockey coach and I thought he did a good job.  Rick's son Jim was also a T1D and he watched out for Steve.  Jim said that Rick has been a model prisoner but he will never get out.

Tom Appel is also going to Cape Town, SA this fall.  In 2014 he also visited the four stans.  Nancy and I have only visited one stan.

The fire works did not start until 2230.  It was worth the wait.  Another great fourth, Happy Birthday: USA.

Thursday July 2, 2015

Got up early today, 0603, because today is a swim day. No matter how early I get up I still leave the condo at 0830. Pedaled to Panera for coffee. Left Panera at 0930. I was surprised that the pool was nearly empty. I swam my 3 0 minutes using the breast stroke. Took a longer route home. My bike miles today was 12. Kim was still cleaning when I got home so I took a two mile walk. Nancy and I spent about an hour talking to the safari folks about flights to South Africa. We finally got the flights we needed. I had to call the credit card company to get my credit limit raised so I could pay for the tickets. Visa took about 10 minutes to raise the limits. We bought the tickets. Leaving September 2 for JoBurg. Took a short nap and then Nancy and I got ready for dinner. We are meeting the Moleski's, Namey's and Tim Mask at St Georges Hall on the west side for burgers. St Georges has a hamburg night open to the public every Thursday night. I had a burger and sauerkraut. It was great. We got home about 2000 and watched two netflix shows. Today was a nice summer's day. Sunny and cool this morning but it is now 2200 and the temperature is 63. Tomorrow is suppose to be sunny with high of 81. Look forward to it.

Friday July 3, 2015

With the fourth on Saturday today is the holiday for most offices. I think if you work today you should get overtime. I was lazy this morning but did get the calisthenics done. Put the bike on the cobalt and made a stop at Panera. I was surprised that the WSJ was published today. The morning business shows on Bloomberg and CNBC were not on because the stock market is closed. Panera was crowded with a lot of families on holiday. Peggy Noonan wrote an interesting op-ed in the WSJ. SCOUS's recent opinions have stirred up a lot of folks. I happen to think the founding fathers had a great idea when they created SCOUS. Conflict resolution is an important part of every organization. I was going to ride the Muskatawa Trail today but I figured it would be too busy so I drove home and biked my #2 route. I rode 16 miles. After lunch I went to Costco and bought wine and cheese. Nancy grilled chicken thighs and vegetables for dinner. Also had a sweet potato. Great meal. Low 5os this morning but the sun warmed things up to 81. Great summer day. It is now 2200 and we are watching a Tom Thorne movie. Tom Thorne gets a D+. Tomorrow we are getting up early to attend the Holly Hock Lane Parade.

Wednesday July 1, 2015

July 1 and today is my easy day. I slept in until after 0700. No calisthenics so I loaded the bike on the cobalt and headed out. First out was Panera and for breakfast I had their ham and egg sandwich. It was good. Read the WSJ and Greece still dominates. I did read that the USA is reopening their embassy in Cuba. I really approve this action. The President does some things right. I drove to Millennium Park for my bike ride. It was overcast and cool, low 50s. We have had quite a bit of rain lately and I was surprised at all the flooding along the Grand River. I rode 18 miles. After the ride I stopped at the Kent County Parks office to see if I could rent a canoe and if we can fish off the canoe on the Park's lakes. The answer was yes. I will take AJ canoeing and fishing when she comes in several weeks. The painters were still working when I got home. They said the painting would be done this afternoon. Next week they will seal our wood deck and paint the deck's wrought iron railing. This afternoon I did a load of laundry. I also started putting flower baskets and bird feeders back. I had to remove them for the painters. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. She said they were very busy. We had a light dinner and right now 1900 we are watching news on TV. On this date in 1962 I wrote Mother from Midway Island. I told her that I had been given additional duties in the public works department so I was very busy. My request for a week in Hawaii had been turned down. Next week we will get a new boss. The job usually goes to a Navy Commander. Midway Island is officially a Naval Air Station. The public works department's job is to maintain the base's facilities. A big part of my job is to maintain all the ground equipment used by the fly boys. Bad blood exists between our seabees and the fly boys. After a few drinks a fight usually breaks out. Of course the seabees are the good guys. We have 200 seabees in the public works department. I asked Mom if she and Dad were playing much golf. Also did Helen like summer school. She was taking classes at CMU. Midway Island has a nice lagoon with sand beaches. Every morning the base sends up a helicopter to check for sharks in the lagoon. If sharks are spotted the beaches are closed. Lately we have had a lot of shark sighting. They are coming into the lagoon to eat the young gooney birds. On this date in 1927 Grandmother Hughes was in London. In the morning she went shopping and in the afternoon visited National Galleries. In the evening she attended a play. On this date in 1938, Ossineke, MI GGF Sanborn spent the morning working in his garden. He drove GGM and friends to my Grand Parents farm at Hubbard Lake. GGF also had time to work in the post office in the afternoon and wash his Lincoln Zephyr. Busy day for an 83 yr old man.

Tuesday June 30, 2015

Today is a swim day for Bob and Nancy. Nancy left at 0700 and I stayed home and did my calisthenics. The weather folks said we would have thunder showers on and off all day. The painters started working on the condo about 0800. It was not raining when I left at 0830. Not wanting to get caught in a thunder storm I drove to Panera. Still no rain when I got to MVP. Today I swam in the outdoor pool. I got five laps in when the thunder started. They closed the pool. I showered and stopped at Starbuck to finish reading the WSJ. Greece dominated the news. I needed to get my 30 minutes outside so I put a raincoat in my pack and headed out. It started to rain again about 30 minutes into my walk. I put on the raincoat and finished my walk, 3 miles. The painters called it a day about 1100. After lunch I took a short nap. Tonight we are going to Nancy's friend Kathi's for dinner. Today is Kathi's birthday. Stay tuned. Dinner was great. Kathi invited her brother and two friends, Cindy Mather and Bev Johnson. Bev Johnson has lived at the corner of Gladstone and Alexander for years. Her house was Debbie and Missy's paper route. Debbie dog sat for her. She remembers Debbie and vice versa. We had plenty of wine and a great meal topped off with a cheese cake Bev Johnson made. I had to be polite so I had a piece. It was great. The weather broke so we sat outside to drink our wine and eat cheese. Don't you love summer.