Tuesday September 18, 2018

Tuesday September 18, 2018

Blog time Wednesday September 19 at 1720 sitting in office

Today is a busy travel day for me.  I am driving up to Gaylord to my Sister Helen’s place.  We are then both driving to Alpena to attend a Visitation for Lloyd Aikens and his Wife Beverly.  Beverly passed on February 2 and Lloyd on August 30.  Lloyd was 94 and Beverly was 88.  They were both cremated.

This is not the first time that Helen and I had attended a joint ceremony.  My Uncle Bill Scott and his wife Pauline had a joint ceremony several years ago in Hubbard Lake, MI.  Both Uncle Bill and Pauline were cremated making the joint ceremony possible.

Lloyd was either the second or third employee of Scott Engineering.  He worked his entire career at the firm.  My mother was Lloyd’s sixth grade English teacher.  Aren’t small town great.  The best way to describe Lloyd is to say is was a truly nice guy.

Lloyd, during WW II, fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  He froze his feet and was wounded.  He said he wore out two belt buckles crawling across Germany.

I left home a little after 0700.  Stopped at Panera for a quick bowl of oatmeal before driving to Gaylord.  Gaylord is 175 miles north of GR.  As I proceeded north I noted more color in the trees.  I did not see any critters on my drive north.

Arrived in Gaylord at noon.  Helen fixed me a BLT for lunch.  Good BLT.

Helen drove to Alpena which is 72 miles east of Gaylord.  It is a pretty drive.  Helen did make a short detour to show me her daughter Jennifer’s house in Johannesburg.  It is a small stone farm house.  Jennifer and her new husband, Sean, are spending a lot of time renovating the house.

We arrived early in Alpena so spent about an hour driving around town.  Alpena has had some hard economic times but the parks, boat harbor and municipal green spaces are well maintained.  I was impressed.  We even stopped at Walmart so I could buy an AHS Wildcat tee shirt.  

Helen and I knew several folks at the Visitation.  We met Lloyd and Beverly’s family.  I spent some time visiting with two women who were in my AHS class.  They both live in the area so I got caught up.

For dinner Helen and I ate at “The John A Lau Saloon” on North Second Avenue.  Helen had the fish and chips.  The fish was Lake Huron white fish which Helen said was great.  I had a bowl of soup and sandwich.  We both had wine and spent some time reminiscing. 

Pleasant drive back to Gaylord.  We both had another glass of wine and told Don about our day in Alpena.  I was in bed by 2200.  The temperature will drop to high 40s so Helen showed me the electric blanket controls.