Sunday November 29, 2015

Sunday morning but today we decide to take it easy. So no swim today. It was sunny and cold this morning, 20. I decided to take a walk before going to Meijer's. I walked 3.5 miles in 60 minutes. As soon as I got home we headed to Meijer's. Gas today was $1.54. I filled up for $12. I agree with the pundits that the low gas prices are the same as a middle class tax cut. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I had mine on a waffle. I read the funnies and sports page and then took my afternoon nap. Ms P and I took our daily walk and then Nancy gave me some packages to mail to the grandkids. I walked over to Meijer's and mailed then. Nancy is fixing salmon burgers for dinner tonight. They look good. Just got off the phone with my sister. She said it is cold in Tucson. We will watch 60 minutes and Madame Secretary. I will watch a netflix show on my ipad to see if it keeps cutting out like on our TV. On this date in 1938 my Great Grandfather Sanborn died. He was born on St Pat's day in 1856 so he was 82. I am alway quoting from his 1938 diary. James Lee Sanborn was a real role model for me. During his life he was an owner of sawmills, State Legislator, real estate agent, farmer and speculator. He tried to plant peanuts in MI but they all froze. He was going to raise a special breed of sheep but as soon as they arrived at the RR Sta in Alpena they all ran away. My GGF was a joiner. I think my Dad inherited this trait. I am drinking a glass of scotch to toast GGF. The scotch was made in the hometown, Campbeltown, Scotland, of another GGF, Dr James McTavish. I hope GGF Sanborn forgive my scotch indulgence because he was a teetotaler. Remember to get your 30 minutes outdoors every day.

Saturday November 28, 2015

Saturday morning and Nancy and I really slept in. The sun was high in the sky when we got in the Taurus and headed to Sundance for breakfast. We had no problem getting a seat but within 10 minutes the place was filled. Nancy had their ham-d-scram and I had oatmeal. I needed to get some exercise so I took a 12 mile bike ride. The temp was in the high 20s when I started and it took some time for me to warm up. With the leaves off the trees I can see some big homes located off the trail. I checked one of the homes using Map and saw that they had a small golf course. I was very cold when I got home so I turned on the electric blanket and took a nap. After the nap I took Ms P on her daily walk. Watched some of the UM/OSU game. I ended the afternoon with a 2.5 mile walk. I did watch some of the MSU/PSU game. Good to see MSU win. Did you know that Nancy' father George Patton played football for PSU? For dinner Nancy fixed tamales along with a spicy rice. It was tasty. Not much on TV so we watched a Doc Martin show on netflix. Our netflix is driving us crazy. It keeps cutting off. I bring the show back by turning netflix off and then back on again. Monday I will call our computer guru.

Friday November 27, 2015

Some folks call today Black Friday but I think today should be called gloomy. It rained most of the night and I was going to take a bike ride but it was raining. I did the calisthenics at home. I also rowed 2K. I walked to Panera for coffee. The rain had stopped so after coffee I took a long walk home. Nancy had some errands to run so we got in the Taurus and headed out. First stop was Pet Smart for some items for Ms P. Next was Michaels for some grand daughter gifts. Finally we stopped at Meijer's. After a quick lunch Ms P and I took our daily walk. I took a nap and then finished the afternoon with a 2.5 mile walk. Nancy fixed beef and ale pie for dinner. Also had a sweet potato and green beans.

Thursday November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving Day 2015: It was unseasonably warm this morning with temperature in the 50s. I was going to walk to Starbucks for coffee but it started to rain so I took the Cobalt. I did stop to get gas because it was $1.84. Starbucks was very crowded. No WSJ today so I read Apple News on my ipad. It is a very good app. I was surprised when Jennifer Dougherty walked in. She and Phil had just finished running the annual "Turkey Trot" and were stopping at Starbucks for a hot drink. We had a nice talk. Jennifer was one of my favorite employees. Her husband Phil is my favorite electrician. We had a brief respite from rain so I took Ms P on her walk. I dropped her off and then continued walking for another two miles. At 1400 Nancy and I headed to the Namey's for Thanksgiving Dinner. Tim Mask was also invited. Ed and Mary are great hosts. We had all the traditional dishes, turkey, dressing, squash, mashed potatoes, and salad. Of course we had pumpkin pie for dessert. We had a great afternoon. Steve and family spent Thanksgiving week in AZ. They had their Thanksgiving dinner in Sierra Vista. Missy and AJ spent Thanksgiving with friends in Las Vegas. I called Debbie with no luck so I am assuming she is with friends. Around the mid 90s Nancy was still teaching so for Thanksgiving we took a special a long weekend in an European City. First we visited Paris followed in order, London, Berlin and finally Rome. We also spent a Thanksgiving, 2012, in Vietnam.

Tuesday November 24, 2015

The weather was cool but dry this morning. It was thirty when I left for the Y. I took my 6 mile route. One wood bridge is still snow covered and I had trouble pedaling through the snow. My back wheel was spinning. I had to stop and walk the bike through the snow. I will be glad when I get steel studded tires next week. The big topic of conversation at the Y is the new facility due to open on Dec 7. The new facility will be much larger. After the workout and shower I pedaled to Panera. The total distance traveled was 10 miles. The WSJ lately has written several articles on declining birth rates in China, Germany and Japan. It is a serious problem. The USA also has this problem. Not enough young folks to support Medicare and Social Security. Several decades ago the problem was reversed. Folks were worried about the population bomb. The conventional wisdom was that the world could not support all the new folks. Zero Population Growth or ZPG was the buzz word. Couples should only have two children. Of course all the smart folks were wrong, big time. However, Bob and Nancy did not support ZPG we had our third child, Steve. It was a great move. My motto was 1,2,3 the Hell with ZPG. Take that you liberal, bedwetting, weenies. Before lunch I took Ms P on her walk. I spent some time in the office catching up on back issues of SI. With winter coming I need a walk route that is clear and away from vehicles. Cascade Township does a good job plowing sidewalks so I selected a route and turned on my pedometer. Two times around the route is 3.5 miles. I have found my winter route. Nancy fixed a pork and apple dish with rice and lima beans. it was great. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in 1961, Ensign Scott took a bus from Treasure Island NB to Travis AFB. I caught a four engine prop plane for the flight to Pearl Harbor. It was the first time I have ever flown at night. We flew for a long time along the coast of CA. I looked out the window at all the lights. I was fascinated by the miles and miles of lights. It was quite a scene. We landed in HI early in the morning and I checked into the BOQ at the Pearl Harbor Navy Base.

Wednesday November 25, 2015

Breakfast Club Wednesday so I am up at 0546. We had a small turnout today. The Speaker was Paul Regis a helicopter pilot for AeroMed. He provided a good picture of the operation of medical air lifts. After BC I drove to Woodland Mall and took a short walk before stopping at Starbucks for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. At home Nancy told me the pie she ordered from Grand Traverse Pie Company was ready. I got back in the Cobalt and picked up the pie. Also stopped at Ace Hardware to buy a 20# bag of bird seed. Took Ms P on her walk before having lunch. Nancy had a 1430 meeting so I drove her. Usually I take a bike ride on my easy day but decided on a 3.5 mile walk. Ended the afternoon with short nap. We had a light dinner and watched the news. We are now watching “The Roosevelt’s” on netflix. Tomorrow is my 77th Thanksgiving. I have only spent three Thanksgiving away from family. Tomorrow Nancy and I are going to the Namey’s for dinner. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Monday November 23, 2015

It was cold last night, 23. We have been sleeping with the slider open. I am glad we have an electric blanket. Sunrise today was at 0745. I don’t like to ride my bike in the dark so I waited until 0800 before heading to the Y. The bike trail was 90% clear but the 10% was snow covered and icy. I was surprised that the Y was not very crowded today. I did my calisthenics, showered and was out the door in 35 minutes. As usual I had my coffee at Panera. The Paris attack still got a lot of space today but business and politics are moving back into prominence. I really have a problem with the Pfizer/Allergan merger. If the merger takes place the new corporate office will be in Ireland. Why can’t the clowns in DC just change the corporate tax code. Pfizer bought out a great Michigan firm, Parke-Davis. Parke-Davis was located in Kalamazoo and was a great corporate citizen, providing great jobs and support for the local area. I am of the opinion that bigness is bad be it government or business. As soon as I got home I took Ms P on her walk. It was still in the 20s so we did not dilly-dally. After lunch I took my studded tires to the Ada Bike shop to see if I should use them this year. The tires have some sidewall damage. After talking with the mechanic I ordered a new set and will have them put on next week. We have some warm weather coming this week so I won’t need the studs until the end of next week. Next Nancy and I headed to Costco. We bought wine, cheese, sandwich rolls and grapes. Costco was jammed today. Our last stop was Aldi’s so Nancy could buy some cheese. I ended the afternoon with a two mile walk. It is now 1754 and I am ending this blog. Remember no matter what the weather you must get 30 minutes outside every day. I got mine, did you get yours?

Sunday November 22, 2015

The cold weather continues. Temps today were in the mid 20s but with no snow. I have been having some strange sleep patterns lately. Today I got up at 0300 and decided to shave my face and head. I then went back to bed until the alarm went off at 0646. Today is Sunday so we were at MVP by 0800. Nancy went swimming but I just walked on the treadmill for 2 miles, 30 minutes. I decided not to swim because I have developed a sinus infection. Riding my bike into the cold wind really chills my left side sinus. This is the area where I had shingles. The shingles caused some nerve damage. The area is very sensitive to cold. At least that is my theory. Gas today was $1.94. For the first time in ages I filled up the Taurus for less than $20. Our weekly mileage is pretty constant at 130-150. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. I read the comics and then took my Sunday nap. After the nap I took Ms P on her walk. I see some folks have put coats on their dogs but the cold weather does not seem to bother Ms P. We forgot to buy milk at Meijer’s this morning. I grabbed a back pack and walked over to the store. I was surprised at how busy Meijer’s was this afternoon. Today starts the second week of deer season. Recent snow provides hunters with good tracking conditions. The Alpena News had an article on Friday saying that this has been a good deer season in NE MI. Thanksgiving week in 1961 was a busy week for young Ensign Scott. I completed the CEC Officer’s School in Port Hueneme, CA. A classmate of mine Ensign Duffy from MA gave me a ride up to the Treasure Island Navy Base. Treasure Island is located in San Francisco Bay. An ramp off the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge provides access to the base. Treasurer Island was the major demarcation for Navy folks going oversea. Ensign Duffy and I spent some time driving the steep hill of San Francisco. I think I left for Pearl Harbor on Tuesday or Wednesday because I remember having Thanksgiving Dinner at the Pearl Harbor BOQ. The next day I headed to Midway Island. Oh the things we remember.

Saturday November 21, 2015

Looked out the window this morning and all I saw was white, our first snow of the year. In fact it snowed most of the day. It stopped about 1700. I am writing this blog at 2033 while watching a netflix movie. I started the day by walking to Panera. I had their oatmeal and read the WSJ. It was snowing hard when I left Panera but I needed to get my 30 in so I took the long route home. My app said I had walked 3.75 miles. I spent some time today working on Nancy’s iMac. Finally I got it so she could send emails and print. I really don’t know what I did but it worked. I watched some of the UM/PSU game. I needed to mail a bill so I headed out and walked to mail box. The concrete walks were still passable so I walked around the block twice. Checked my app and saw that I had walked a total of 6.2 miles today. I thought this was pretty good for a snowy day. I took a short nap to warm up. Finished the afternoon watching the MSU/OSU game. Great to see MSU win. Nancy fixed home made chili for dinner. It was great. The snow has stopped but the temps will drop to 25 tonight.

Friday November 20, 2015

Finally the sun is out. I enjoyed my 9 mile ride to the Y. Sun beats cold and wind every time. It was in the mid 30s most of the day but I was properly dressed. After the Y I stopped at Panera for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. ISIS still dominates the news. The GOP crazies still want to keep all immigrants out. Some are even saying all Muslims should be denied entry. Stupid. As soon as I got home Ms P and I took the nature walk. Quick lunch and then I got in the Cobalt and headed to the Mall. I am looking for a pair of lined khakis. Stopped at American Eagle, JCP, Hollister, and J. Crew but had no luck. Left the mall and stopped at JoAnn Fabrics to buy some big safety pins. I use the pins to tie up my socks. At Gander Mountain I purchased a pair of deer skin mittens. I took a short nap. Nancy and I had dinner at Russ's. I had a hot turkey sandwich and Nancy a bowl of chicken rice soup. We are now watching a movie on netflix. Our netflix keeps cutting out. I don't know what the problem is? I might have to call in my computer guru. Riding around town I noticed that the lawn cutting firms have put snow plows on their pickups. We have winter storm warnings in place. Six inches of snow is expected in the next 18 hours. Stay tuned!

Thursday November 19, 2015

This blog is being written at 2122 on Nov 19: It has been a very windy day. Wind speeds have been above 20 mph most of the day. No sunshine but it was not cold with temps in the 40s. I slept in and then got on the bike and headed to the Y. I took the 9 mile route. With the leaves off the trees I can see clearly all the fine homes along the Thornapple River. Several big homes already have great Christmas decorations up. Why are the lights on these displays on all night? It has to be expensive. I bucked the high winds going up Ada Drive. I also had to stop the bike and carry it over a tree that had been blown over the bike path. The Y was crowded this morning but not much activity in the area where I do my calisthenics. They had a big sign up saying only 18 days until the new Y is open. I cannot wait, it is only 1.5 miles from the condo. I stopped at Panera for my morning coffee. The Paris attack still dominates the news. It looks like Russia, USA and EU are going to cooperate in Syria. I do not agree with the GOP’s efforts to stop Syrian immigrants. The USA is a nation of immigrants and we should not forget this. First thing I did when I got home was to take Ms P on her walk. The high wind did not seem to bother her. After lunch I spent some time trying to get Nancy’s computer to connect to the printer. Not much luck! Finished the afternoon with a two mile walk. For dinner tonight we headed to Great Lakes Shipping. We both had their prime rib sandwich. It was very tasty. It is now 2153 and we are watching Midsomer Murders on netflix. I am signing off.

Wednesday November 18, 2015

Today is my easy Wednesday. Rain was predicted but my handy-dandy weather app said that I about 45 minutes before it starts. So I decided to walk 45 minutes before breakfast. Fat chance, it started to rain 10 minutes into the walk. I hightailed it to Panera and had a bowl of oatmeal and read all about the attack in Paris. Are Russia, US and the EU countries getting together to combat ISIS in Syria? After breakfast I walked home and started doing some chores. I did a load of laundry, cleaned up my in basket before having a quick lunch. At 1330 I got in the Cobalt and headed to Dr Yurko’s office for a 6 month checkup. She found a spot on my cheek and took a sample for testing. On my way home I stopped at Breton Village. Three stores in the mall sent me coupons worth $25. So I stopped at Fitzgerald’s, Jos Banks and Orvis. I bought a vest at the Orvis. I got home and realized that I forgot to stop at the bank. I wanted Ms P to go with me but she refused. Nancy had to work at the Garden’s this afternoon. She and I got home at the same time. It was sprinkling when I put the leash on Ms P. We got half way up the hill and she wanted to go home. I put on some rain pants and went on a 2 miles walk. We had a light dinner and it is now 1920 and we are watching PBS news. At 2000 we will watch the “Mysteries of Laura” and at 2100 a netflix show. Today was a warm gloomy day. Street lights went on a 1600. The temperature reached 61 but the temperature will drop tomorrow. Snow is predicted for Saturday. Stay tuned!

Tuesday November 17, 2015

The body woke up this morning at 0710. I have to be home by 1100 because Phil Dougherty, electrician, is stopping by to install a new fan and to rewire a fixture downstairs. I have to hurry to get home by 1100. I did the calisthenics at home and then took a short bike ride, 10 miles. Showered and drove to Panera for coffee. I had only 20 minutes to read the paper. Phil arrived on time and went right to work. He had to get up in our attic so I emptied the closet near the attic hatch. I also had to remove two shelves. The shelves were very difficult to get out. I borrowed a saw from Phil and sawed about 1/4” from an end. Problem solved. Phil had no problem installing the fan. However, it was impossible to rewire the outlet that we use for the electric space heater. The overhead ducts were full. We decided to abandon this project. Just as Phil was wrapping up the techs from EPS can over to fix our alarm system’s low battery. They spent over an hour fixing the problem. I had a quick lunch and then Ms P and I took our walk. I added about 1/2 mile to the walk. It was warm today but gloomy. In fact the street lights were on in the Gatehouse condo area. Gatehouse is next to our condo association, The Meadows. I took a short nap and was going on a quick walk when it started to rain. No walk today. Nancy fixed beef/potato soup and beans and rice for dinner. It is now 2100 and we are watching the news on PBS. Later we will watch NCIS before turning. We can not get on the internet. My laptop says we are connected but still cannot get online. I hope all the electric work done by Phil and EPS did not mess up the system. Stay tuned! I just went downstairs and unplugged the modem and router and after a minute plugged them back in. Hooray, we are back online.

Monday November 16, 2015

Monday at 1745: The second day of deer season and still no tracking snow. Bummer! In keeping with my new program I get up when my body says it is time. This morning the time was 0720. After breakfast I got on the bike and took my 6 mile route to the Y. It was a beautiful fall morning. Sunshine and morning temps in the low 50s. After the morning calisthenics and a shower I headed to Panera. This morning the Paris attack dominated the news. I got home at 1215. Changed clothes and took Ms P on her daily walk. The temperature at 1300 was 64. After lunch we all got in the Taurus and headed to Pet Smart. Nancy had to buy some joint meds for Ms P. Next stop was Costco. We each bought some clothes. Nancy bought a sweater and I bought a long sleeve tee and snow pants. Also picked up some photos. We stopped at Aldi’s to look at their dark chocolate. The Namey’s said the 85% coca was low in sugar. I found it too high. Nancy dropped me and Ms P off and she headed to the Dollar Store to buy some photo frames. I headed down to my office to make some calls. I have the Security firm stopping by tomorrow to check out a low battery alarm. Our auto insurance has increased over $100 in the past 6 months so I called and asked for an explanation. I tried on a 40 year old suit. It fits me well and although it is 3 button it still looks ok. I am glad I saved these clothes. I sent a $2 bill to each grandkid. I mailed the letters on my walk. I emailed 23&me and they are going to send a sample kit to Lucas. The original kit was lost in the flood. We are having a light dinner and then will watch some TV before turning in.

Sunday November 15, 2015

Weekend Update: Saturday November 14, 2015: I slept in until almost 0800 and after some morning chores I got on the bike and headed to Panera. I had their oatmeal, toast, banana and coffee. The terror attack in Paris dominated the news. After breakfast I got back on the bike and took my normal route. It was a beautiful day for a ride. With the leaves gone I can see a lot of homes that are back from the trail. I did make a diversion to see how the new apartment complex near the condo is progressing. They have two more buildings to complete. It is a huge complex. Our condo association fought the project. I took Ms P on her walk before lunch. I assembled all the family history data and walked over the Meijer's to mail it to CA. Showered and then took a quick nap. At 1730 we headed to Shariz Restaurant for dinner. We met the Namey's and Dancy's at Shariz. The Dancy's are friends of the Namey's. I had a lamb shank and it was delicious. After dinner we headed to the Namey's for dessert. The men watched the last 10 minutes of the UM/IU overtime game. Mary Namey fixed an apple cobbler and it was great. We left at 2030. A perfect fall day. Sunday November 15, 2015: Just a note that today is the first day of deer season. Deer season is big in northern MI. My dad belonged to a hunting club. The Doctor's Club was its name. They had a big lodge and mess hall. Every season they hired cooks to provide three meals a day. Dad would spend about a week getting ready for camp. It included buying a case of hard liquor. Dad would spend the first week at camp. Scott Engineering along with most business organizations would close for the first week. The wife's were called hunter's widows. My mother and her friends would schedule bridge games all week. Sunday, 2015: Up with the alarm at 0645 and get ready for our swim. The sun was just coming up and it looks like another great day. We both swam 1,000 m. Gas at Meijer's today was $2.17. We didn't buy much today. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs for breakfast. I had mine on a waffle. At 1200 I head to the bedroom for my Sunday nap. After the nap I took Ms P on her nature walk. We did not see any wildlife. Yesterday we saw a lot of geese and last night a very big raccoon. At home I wrote a check to pay our auto insurance. I walked over to the mailbox. Debbie facetimed Nancy this afternoon to help her getting photos to Costco. She said they had rain in San Jose which is good. Nancy fixed beans and rice for dinner. We are now watching a NFL game before 60 minutes. The days are getting shorter: 10h24' in Long Beach, 9h43' in GR and 8h31' in Edinburgh.

Friday November 13, 2015

It was another dark gloomy day with very high winds. On my bike ride to the Y I had to buck the winds. I used a low gear all the way. The Y was very crowded. It must be the cold weather that drove everyone inside. It was a good ride to Panera because I had a tail wind. It started snowing as I approached Panera. The first snow of the year. Luckily it did not stick. The WSJ is actively reporting on the unrest on college campuses. Are student protests trying to stifle free speech? I think they are. Being politically correct has gone too far. GM and the UAW just signed a big contract but a report today said GM will start importing Buicks from China. They also are making their economy cars in Mexico. Twenty years ago the UAW would not allow any GM cars that were not made by their members. As soon as I got home I drove to Costco. They had some lined waterproof pants on sale last week. I checked out their supply and found they did not have my size. Had a quick lunch and then headed down to the office. I finally completed my family history research. For dinner tonight we headed to Brann’s. The place was crowded. We got the last table. Brann’s have great salads so we both had one. Mary Namey called this evening and invited us to dinner at a Persian restaurant tomorrow night. We accepted. We spent some time watching the news reports from Paris. After the bad news we needed some relief. We watched two shows on netflix.

Thursday November 12, 2015

2130: I am late writing the blog. It has been a busy day. Slept in until 0700 this morning. It started raining early this morning and it rained most of the day. It was dark, raining, very windy and down right gloomy when I headed out so I got in the Cobalt and drove to the Y. Did the calisthenics and also rowed 2K. Showered and drove to Woodland Mall. I walked about two miles before stopping at Starbucks for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. I think it is a bit early but the Mall has a Santa. I left the Mall about 1200 and it was still blowing and raining. It was so dark that I think my flash would go off if I took a photo. Ms P had an appointment at the groomers at 1230. As soon as I got home we got in the Taurus and headed out. The groomer said it would take about 2 hours. On our way home we stopped at Macatawa Bank to get some money for Kim. She is coming to clean tomorrow. Our next stop was the Cascade Library. Nancy dropped off a book bag from her Book Club. I got a library card. I started a load of laundry, had a quick lunch and then headed downstairs to check on family history. I am amazed at all the info I have. This afternoon I reviewed my Mother's family, Hughes. My Great Grandfather Hughes was from County Wexford in Ireland. The family lived in several small communities near Gorey. Ballylacey mentioned in several documents is not shown on modern maps. Apple maps puts a pin near Ballybacey but the aerial view does not shown any development. We do not have any proof but family lore has it that the Hughes family was originally from Hollyhead, Wales. Family members boarded a ship in late 1600s to head to North America when a terrible storm forced the ship to land near Wexford, Ireland. The women refused to get back on board so the Hughes family stayed in Ireland until 1818. In 1818 they settled along the Ottawa River in Quebec, Canada. Nancy picked up Ms P at 1530. The Groomer gave her a great cut. I finished the afternoon with a 2 mile walk. It had stopped raining but the winds were blowing about 22 mph. Nancy fixed chicken and rice dish for dinner. She also cooked an acorn squash. I love squash. We watched the news and Big Bang before switching to a show on netflix. Despite the gloom I got my 30 minutes in today.

Wednesday November 11, 2015

Veteran’s Day 2015 and every year I ask old veterans if they can remember their serial number. Surprising about 90% can remember. I have been a Veteran for 54 years. My serial number is 652654. During my time Navy serial numbers were sequential. John Paul Jone’s number was 1. As we all know JP Jones was the Navy’s first officer. Today was Breakfast Club Wednesday. I left home at 0630 and headed downtown. Today’s speaker was the recently retired Kent County Deputy Sheriff, John Hess. John was also a neighbor of ours on Mackinaw. He gave a great talk on problems facing law enforcement. After breakfast I stopped at Starbucks in Gaslight Village for a chance to read the WSJ. I also had to kill some time before the fireplace store next door opened. I was surprised that the WSJ did not have articles on Veteran’s Day. At 1000 I walked next door and asked for a price to install a gas insert in our downstairs fireplace. The cost was between $3,000 and $4,000. I decided that instead of a gas heater I will install a separate electric line to run the existing electric heater. The separate line will eliminate the problem of over heating. The line will only cost $300. On the way home I stopped at Meijer’s to buy some Schuler’s soft cheese. I was spending some time checking family history when I got a call from EPS our security firm. They were scheduled to come this afternoon but wanted to come early. I said ok. They checked out the system and installed a new transformer. As soon as the EPS man left I took Ms P on her walk. Nancy was working at the Garden’s this afternoon. As with most afternoons I took a short nap and walk. This evening I met Ed Namey at Uccello’s for pizza. Nancy was at book club. It is now 2115 and we are watching Midsomer Murders on netflix.

Tuesday November 10, 2015

I faced a light sprinkle when Ms P and I went out this morning. The weather folks said no more rain today so I believed them. They were right. After breakfast got out my trusty bike and headed to the Y. I took a shorter route today. The trees are nearly bare so I am surprised what I can now see. I see a lot of beautiful homes that I could not see with full foliage. The Y parking lot was crowded this morning. I did my calisthenics, showered and then headed to Panera. The WSJ had an article on the first city in the USA that has a city council with a Muslim majority. I was surprised because that city is Hamtramck, MI. Hamtramck for years was known for its large Polish population. In fact Hamtramck used to play Alpena in football mainly because Alpena also had a large Polish population. We had a home and home arrangement. 250 miles separate Hamtramck from Alpena so when we played at Hamtramck we got to stay in a hotel. For most players from Alpena it was their first time in an hotel. A highlight of the trip was when the bus stopped in front of the huge Hudson's Department Store in downtown Detroit. We were allowed to ride the moving stairs, escalator. I have owned a number of cars with a stick shift. The WSJ reported that it is almost impossible to get a stick shift. Time marches on. I got home a 1200 and Nancy was right behind me. We immediately headed out to Costco. We stocked up on wine, kleenex, cheese, eggs and Nancy's medicine. I had a quick lunch and then took Ms P on her walk. Next job was to run errands. Stopped a Sheldon Cleaners to pick up my laundry. Headed to Woodland Mall, I needed a big UK map for the family history project. Barnes and Noble had a great map. Also stopped at Sears looking for lined pants, they did not have any. J Crew had a pair but $120 was a bit steep. Took a short nap and then a walk around the block. For dinner had Trader Joe's Buttered Chicken. Watched the news and then NCIS. Early to bed because tomorrow is Breakfast Club.

Monday November 9, 2015

When I walked out with Ms P this morning it looked like we had a clear sunny day ahead of us. It was very cold when I got on the bike, mid 20s. I thought I was properly dressed but my hands got very cold, even though I wore mittens. Tomorrow if the temperature is still in the 20s I will get out my chopper mittens. TheY was crowded this morning. Most of the folks take classes. The members are all talking about moving to the new facility next month. When I left the Y the temperature has risen 20 degrees. No cold hands on the ride to Panera. I passed the new Panera and saw that they were paving the parking lot. Maybe they will make their mid January opening. Read the WSJ articles about the dam break in Brazil. It sure looks like bad maintenance. Is failure to maintain criminal? Nancy had lunch with her gift shop buddies today. I took Ms P on a 1.5 mile walk before lunch. I spent about two hours looking through the family history of the Sanborn clan. I found a family member who fought in the Revolutionary War. Also another spent of time in a Confederate POW camp during the Civil War. At 1500 Ms P and I got in the Taurus and headed to the Vet. The Vet gave Ms P a clean bill of health. I took a short nap and then walked around the block. We had a light dinner. Watched the news and then at 1915 I headed downstairs to read more Sanborn family history. The Sanborn's have kept good records. The Sanborn family was from England. I have the names of all the village's they lived in and hope I can talk Nancy into visiting them.

Sunday November 8, 2015

Up with the alarm at 0645, today is swim day. Temperature was 28 when Ms P and I went out. We had a heavy frost, the first of the year. The pool was crowded this morning. We both swam 30 minues. Gas at Meijer's today was $2.37. Our shopping list was small today. Grapes, apple, bananas, and yogurt topped the list. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. We watched some of the Sunday news shows and then I took Ms P on her walk. I took my Sunday nap. Spent some time in the office going over family history. I did find that the Hughes branch of my family started in Wales and then moved to Ireland before coming to Canada. I always thought we were 100% Irish. I ended the afternoon with a two mile walk. Nancy fixed beans and rice for dinner. It was great. It is now 1934 and we are watching 60 minutes. Facts about the year of my birth, 1938: the first passenger ship with radar made its debut In Los Angeles, March, floods and landslides caused over 200 deaths and leave over 20,000 homeless in Sep a hurricane in New England kills 700 people Japan and Russia are at war Kate Smith introduces the song "God Bless America", only folks over 50 would appreciate this FDR was president and John Garner was VP Life Expectancy 59.7 years Ball point pens and teflon were introduced A new house cost $3,900, Average income was $1,731, a new car cost $860, average rent was $27 per month, movie ticket $0.25. gas was $0.10 per gallon, postage was $0.03 milk was $0.50 per gallon, eggs were $0.18 per dozen, hamburger was $0.13

Saturday November 7, 2015

Normal fall weather returns with temps in the low 40s this morning. It was breezy with intermittent sun. I slept in until 0745 this morning. Bundled up and pedaled to Panera. I had their oatmeal and sourdough toast. On Saturday I have time to read most sections of the WSJ. Health care, Syria, plane crash in Egypt, China's economy, Keystone pipeline and of course presidential politics dominates. After breakfast I stopped at Macatawa Bank to make a deposit. The jacket I was wearing needed to be cleaned so Nancy recommended Kim's in a mall at the 28th and Cascade intersection. Kim's was closed so I pedaled around and finally found a Sheldon Cleaners. I pedaled around the neighborhood and got home at 1200. Nancy has to work at the Christmas Sale at the Gardens this afternoon so I drove her. Ms P and I took our nature walk and about 1/2 way through we encountered a hail storm. It lasted only about 15 minutes but spooked Ms P. I had lunch, put away my laundry, checked some family history before taking a very short nap. At 1630 I drove back to the Gardens. I met Ed Namey in the lobby and waited for Mary and Nancy to finish their shift. We all had dinner at Kitchen 67. It was very good. It is now 2000 and we are watching the MSU/Nebraska game. Did you know that the most successful Nebraska Football Coach, Bob Devaney, was the football coach at AHS? He left after my freshman year. His starting salary at Nebraska in 1961 was $17,000. My salary as a young engineer just out of college was $6,500. My how times have changed.

Friday November 6, 2015

What a difference a day makes, it was dark and gloomy this morning with high winds and temperature dropping all day. It rained last night but had stopped when I headed to the Y. I had to buck a 20 mph wind but I had a tail wind going home. I now do all my calisthenics at the Y. After showering I got back on the bike and headed to Panera. Everyone has an opinion what caused the Russian plane to crash in Egypt. I think a lot of the speculation is premature. I disagree with the President’s veto of the Keystone pipe line. However, I am for the Trade Agreement with Asian countries. I really get mad at GOP legislators in DC and MI. We all know money is needed for roads. The gas tax is a utility fee. Why not pay for roads by just raising this tax. No the GOP creates complicated funding using smoke and mirrors. As soon as I got home at 1230 I took Ms P on her walk. Had a quick lunch and then headed downstairs. I spent most of the afternoon going through all my family files. It was fun looking at all the photos that my Dad had taken over the years. Nancy and Kathi Kothe are attending a pre Christmas Sale at Meijer Gardens this evening. The sale is only open to members. Tomorrow the sale is open to the public. Nancy and Mary Namey are working at the sale tomorrow. For dinner tonight I walked over to Panera and had a bowl of clam chowder and a tuna sandwich. It is now 1925 and I am watching TV and writing this blog.

Thursday November 5, 2015

The great weather continues. We had another November day with temperature above 70. I have not figured out how to dress for this weather. I took off two layers this morning but still was dripping wet when I got to the Y. I did the calisthenics at the Y, showered and headed to Panera. The GOP folks have been talking about anchor babies and how folks are gaming the system to get US citizenship. Today’s WSJ had an article about wealthy Chinese coming to Costa Mesa, Ca to have their babies. The Women arrive on tourist visas and return after the birth to China. The babies have dual citizenship. During their stay in Costa Mesa the women spend lots and lots of money. It is all legal. After Panera I took Ms P on her walk. We did the nature trail. I spent a lot of time in the office paying bills and reviewing family history. I was surprised at how much data I have. I also upgraded Nancy’s iMac's operating system. It took over two hours. For dinner we headed to Russ’s. Nancy had split pea soup and I had their Hot Turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. This evening we read the GRP and watched Big Bang and then Tuesday’s NCIS that Nancy recorded. Nancy also spent some time this evening talking with Missy. Despite our warm weather, folks are getting ready for winter. Cascade Township crews have been out putting stakes on the edge of the bike path so the snow plows do not rip up lawns. We are also getting a lot of Christmas catalogs. Today we got LL Bean’s.

Wednesday November 4, 2015

The great weather continues. The temperature today reached the mid 70s with blue skies. Today's temp is about 15 degrees above normal. Our peak fall colors have passed. The recent winds have left many trees bare of leaves. Wednesday is my easy day. I got on the bike and pedaled to Breton Village for breakfast at the Omelette Shop. I had their oatmeal and gave it a C. Read the WSJ but can not recall any thing I would comment on. I got home about 1130 and immediately took Ms P on her walk. At 1215 we got in the Taurus and headed to Holland. Nancy is going to pick up her necklace. Nancy tried the necklace on and determined some adjustments had to be made. The adjustments would take an hour so we walked around downtown Holland. Holland has done a great job fixing up their downtown. It is pedestrian friendly and has many nice small stores. Nancy checked the adjustment and declared it perfect. As soon as we got home I did some chores including taking out the trash. Had a quick lunch and then took a nap. Finished the afternoon with a walk around the block. We had a light dinner and watched some TV. Nancy headed to bed early and now I am watching Sons of Anarchy on netflix. On November 4, 1955 the Alpena High Wildcats football team played Bay City Handy in Bay City. Even after 60 years I remember the game. AHS won but the best thing I remember was that my Uncle Harold and Aunt Helen Woodley drove over from Alma to the game. Family was important.

Tuesday November 3, 2015

Tuesday morning and another warm sunny day is on tap. Quick breakfast and then biked to the Y. It is 9 miles from the condo to the Y on my preferred bike route. The Y was not very crowded. I did my calisthenics, showered and headed to Panera. Even thought I took off my jacket it had warmed up so much that I broke out in a sweat. I don’t know much about Common Core. Missy sent us a sample math problems that AJ had to performs. I thought it was a silly way to solve problems. Since my initial reaction I am having second thoughts. I actually use the same procedure outlined for AJ when I mentally solve problems. Maybe I was too hasty. Anyway the WSJ had an article on the problems school districts are having starting Common Core. It requires special training and computers. Common Core is expensive to get started so some school districts decline to use it. Another story caught my eye. The death rate for Middle-Aged Whites is rising. Suicide, Alcohol abuse and drug over doses are apparently rampart among the 45-55 age group. I have a hard time believing this because I think I was my most productive during this age period. As soon as I got home I took Ms P on her walk. I had a quick lunch and then headed downstairs to dig out some old family photos to send to my Grandson. We have a new printer and I found that I can scan old photos to my email address. Isn’t tech fun! I am waiting for Phil Dougherty, our electrician, to stop by. We are having problems with a fan in the master bath. I also want to know if it is possible to put a heat lamp in the downstairs bath. Phil looked at the master bath fan and ordered a new one. He also talked me out of a heat lamp. Phil is a great guy and electrician. Tonight Nancy and I are going to a condo association dinner. It is at Noto’s about 0.3 miles from the condo. Sonya our next door neighbor is riding with us. Stay tuned. Wednesday at 1945: About 30 folks attended the dinner last night. The food was very good and it is always nice to talk to neighbors. We got home about 2030 and watched a show on netflix.

Monday November 2, 2015

Monday morning and today I start a new routine. No calisthenics at home today, I ate breakfast got on the bike and started on my normal route. I stopped at the SE YMCA and did the morning calisthenics. The SE Y is getting a little long in the tooth. It will be replaced by a new state of the art Y on Dec 7. I found the Y clean and had everything I need. MVP does not have locker rental but the Y does. I like having a locker to keep lotion, shoes and swim gear. With a locker my backpack is lighter. The SE Y is about mile 9 on my 14 mile ride. On my way home I stopped at Panera for coffee. I have been skipping all articles on the presidential race. I did read several articles on the election in Turkey. The results will give President Erdogan’s more power. The Turks are our ally and a member of NATO. They want to get ride of Assad but also are fighting the Kurds. We are supporting the Kurds. It is so confusing that we should just get out. Lately there have been stories on the gold standard. I really don’t understand the pros and cons of the gold standard. Before lunch I took Ms P on her walk. After lunch I got in the Cobalt and ran errands. First stop was my skin doctor’s office. I made an appointment. At Rylee’s Hardware I bought a 20# bag of bird seed. Next stop was the Vet’s. I wanted to buy some heart worm pills but could not because next week Ms P must have her annual checkup. Finally I stopped at the Animal Shelter to renew Ms P’s license. Grandson Lucas has a school project on his family tree. I spent some time assembling family data. The weather man said we had the second warmest Nov 2 on record. The record was Nov 2, 1938. I checked GGF Sanborn’s diary for this day and he only stated that it was a summer’s day. It is now 1950 and at 2000 we will watch Big Bang and then a netflix show. I got my 30 in today, did you?

Sunday November 1, 2015

The first day of November and we are back on EST. Sun came up at 0716. Swim day and we left home at 0745. We both swam 20 laps. I filled up the Taurus for less than $25. Think the SS folks were right, low inflation and cheap gas makes a cost of living increase unnecessary. I returned bottles today. Now that I am drinking wine and not beer our bottle count is way down. Meijer’s has installed new recycle machines and they are real slick. Nancy fixed her world famous poached eggs this morning. I had mine on a waffle and Nancy had hers on an English muffin. Read the funnies and sports page before taking my nap. Ms P and I took our walk, 1.25 miles. I spent some time doing outdoor chores. Put the winter cover on our deck table, changed an outside light bulb on the garage and trimmed an evergreen tree in our courtyard. I filled a yard waste bag so I took it down to the curb. Finished my outside activities with a two mile walk. It was mild and sunny on my walk. A great fall afternoon. It is now 1750 and as soon as I finish this blog Nancy will have dinner ready. Pizza and black bean soup is on the menu. We will watch 60 Minutes and finish reading the GRP before watching some TV.