Tuesday May 8, 2018

Tuesday May 8, 2018

Blog time 1045 at Panera

Another great evening for sleeping.  The sun was bright when took Ms P out this morning.  A sure sign Nancy is getting better, this morning she is going swimming.

After breakfast I took the short 5 mile route to the Y.  The lawn maintenance companies were all out cutting grass this morning.  I am still wearing several layers of clothing but most runners and walkers this morning were only wearing shorts and short sleeve tees.  

I forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog that my old high school friend Tom Cassell called.  I have known Tom since the eighth grade.  Tom spent the last twenty years of his working career as a long haul trucker.  He loved to drive especially in the western states.  Now Tom stays year round in Alpena, fishing and hunting.  We spent an hour catching up.  

After lunch I decided it was such a nice day I would continue with cleaning our main floor and basement deck.  The main floor deck is wood and it was easy to clean.  We spend a lot of time on this deck.  Our basement deck is directly below the main deck and is concrete.  The basement deck was very dirty with an accumulation of winter’s debris.  It took over an hour to get it clean.  We seldom use the basement deck.

I showered and then took a nap.  I am still wiped out from the cold.

Finished reading the papers.  Why does the USA have to play Lone Ranger?  I don’t think abandoning the Iran nuke deal was in our best interest.  Our allies will begin thinking we cannot be counted on.

Nancy fixed a breaded stuffed chicken breast for dinner.  Very good.  After the dishes I walked around the block.

Tonight we watched NCIS and BULL before turning in.  

Monday May 7, 2018

Monday May 7, 2018

Blog time 1040 at Panera

Another great night for sleeping.  Low temp 49 which is perfect.  We always have our bedroom slider open.  Fresh air is good.  I think both Nancy and I are getting better because the coughing was not as notable last night.

The sun woke me up this morning, 0625.  Looks like another nice spring day.

Nancy is feeling better because she headed out to a steps class at MVP.   After the class she is heading to Meijer’s Garden to attend a training class for working at the summer concerts.

After breakfast I took the five mile bike route to the Y.  Mild calisthenics and stretches before heading to Panera.  

Read in the Alpena News today that AHS’s pole vault record was set on Friday with a vault of 14’ 6 1/2”.  My cousin Billy Hughes had the school’s pole vault record for many years.  He set it in 1942 with a vault under 10’ using a bamboo pole.

The volcano eruption in Hawaii has dominated the news.  Volcano eruptions and earthquakes are standard fare in Chile.  Our Chilean tour guide said quakes of 6.5 are so common most folks ignore them. We noted a lot of homes are supported on piles and elevated above ground several feet.  They claim this makes the homes quake proof.  

At a Chilean ranch we visited they described the recent eruption of a local volcano.  The eruptions lasted several months.  We saw photos of ranch hands shoveling 6” of ash off the owner’s home.  The eruptions did interrupt farming for a growing season but according to the rancher the ash did not prevent planting the next year.

Are you as tired as I am of all the news on attorneys?  POTUS’s many attorneys, Stormy Daniels’ attorney and now that great New York Attorney General who was forced to resign because of sexual harassment charges.  This is the same AG who said he was a defender of women in the workplace.  

As soon as I got home I showered, had lunch and headed out to make an appointment with my ENT Doctor.  Doctor Sprik checked my nose and sinuses and said see you in 6 months.  His parting remark was if the cold is not better in three weeks to give him a call for some meds.  I guess the type of cold Nancy and I have takes at least a month to heal.

I took a short nap.  We had a light dinner.  After the dishes it was such a nice evening I took a mile walk.  Tonight we watched an episode of Inspector Lewis before turning in.

Sunday May 6, 2018

Weekend Update

Blog time 1730 Saturday sitting on our deck for first time this year.

The sun was already up when I first went out this morning.  Sun and warm temps, 80, predicted.  Nancy and I had a pleasant walk to Panera.  It was great having my Saturday oatmeal breakfast.  

Chores, a bike ride and nap are on my schedule.  My first chore was bringing up the deck furniture from the basement.  Next I gathered up my winter wool coats and sweaters and headed to the dry cleaners.  

Today was a perfect day for a bike ride.  Sun, warm temps and little wind.  I started out and before I got around the block my bike chain started acting up.  Stopped at home to make adjustments and the chain came off.  I took a tumble skinning my leg and arm.  After cleaning my scrapes I loaded the bike in the Escape and headed to Ada Bike.  The chief mechanic took a look and fixed my problem in less than 10 minutes.

The temp had now reached 75 so I remove a layer of clothes and headed out on a short ride.  The trails were crowded with runners and walkers.

At home I had lunch, showered and then a nap.  Finally I have read all my mail and cleaned my desk.  It takes at least four days to catch up after a trip.

Nancy fixed me a meat pie we purchased at Trader Joe’s for dinner.  After dinner and the dishes I walked to the mail box.

Debbie FaceTimed us and we gave her the details of our trip.  It was cooler in San Jose today than in GR.   We finished the evening watching an episode of Bosch on Amazon.

Sunday May 6, 2018

The alarm goes off at 0616.  The temp was in the low 50s when first went out this morning.  The sun was up at 0627 this morning.

Because of our colds we debated on whether we should go to the Y.  Nancy said she needed some mild exercises, so we decided to go.  Nancy walked 1.6 miles and I did some mild calisthenics.

At home we changed and headed to Trinity Lutheran for their 1000 service, first time in three weeks.  This first thing I do when enter church is to get a cup of coffee.  Yes folks coffee is available in church.  Once again Pastor Bob gave a great Homily.

At Meijer’s purchased gas at $2.75 per gallon.  Meijer’s had a special on Diet Coke so Nancy loaded up. We also bought check mix and milk.

We took Ms P on her first walk in May.  She seemed eager.  I had lunch and then read several sections of the GRP.  In keeping with my Sunday routine I took a nap.

After the nap I pumped up the tires on my 45 year old single speed bike and took a five mile ride.  Single speeds are great if there are no hills.

Nancy is fixing scrambled eggs, her world famous of course, for dinner.  I am having mine with a waffle, spinach pie and a naan.

We finished reading the GRP, watched 60 Minutes and the show that follows it on CBS.  Nancy then headed to bed and I watched an episode of Babylon Berlin before turning in.

Friday May 4, 2018

Friday May 4,2018

Blog time 1130 at Panera

We had heavy rain roll through last night.  Nancy and I still sang our coughing blues all night.  I do think we are getting slightly better.

I love this time of year.  Long days and warm weather.  The sun is up at,0629 and does not set until almost 2100.  Noted this morning that several lawn companies were cutting grass for the first time.

Nancy did not go to MVP this morning.  I rode my bike to the Y via my short route.  I am still on a reduced calisthenics schedule.  I did step on the scale and found I had only put on 5 pounds.

Have you noted how rambling and long my blogs have become?  When I started writing this blog 10 years ago I used my Great Grandfather Sanborn’s 1938 Diary as a guide.  My dad gave me GGF’s diary.  I treasure it and continue to read it.  The diary was significant because 1938 was the year I was born and in November GGF passed at age 82.  

Each daily entry in the diary was short, precise but gave me a good insight into GGF’s life.  I often wonder if GGF had been able to use an iPad to write his daily log if it would become rambling?  It is so much easier to type than write especially for folks in their 80s.  GGF wrote his entries with a fountain pen.  Despite having no more than an eighth grade education his English was proper.  I did not find any spelling errors.  

There is no question in my mind that GGF Sanborn like my father would have embraced all the new technology.  It is in our DNA.

While I am rambling let me mention that backpacks are one of my most important possessions.  I use one daily for carrying my iPad and clothes when on my bike.  They are almost mandatory on a trip.  Raincoats, hats, water bottles and pills can be easily carried.  I think I own about 10 packs.  Growing up I never owned a backpack.  In fact you never saw one.

We are now under a high wind warning.  The Y just send me a message saying they are closed because the winds had taken down power lines.

After lunch we headed to Trader Joe’s to replenish our wine supply.  We both like TJ’s Chilean wine.  Next stop was Walmart to purchase several packets of sugar free oatmeal cookies, breath mints and lemon fizzy water.

I took an afternoon nap.  My cold is wiping me out.  For dinner we headed to Russ’s for a bowl of chicken rice soup and burger.  On way home we stopped at Sam’s Club to get Pinconning soft cheese, bread and croissants.

We watched a new show on Netflix filmed in Norway featuring a female Norwegian detective and a male English detective.  It was only 30 minutes.  I don’t know why I wasted time explaining the show because it was terrible.

We ended up watching Bosch before turning in.

Thursday May 3, 2018

Thursday May 3, 2018

Blog time 1100 sitting a Panera

Our colds are not getting better.  We were both coughing most of the night.  I did take an aspirin and it helped. We both slept in until 0700 this morning.

It rained most of the night but the temp did not get below 60, which is good.  The leaves are now popping out and we have flowers in bloom all over the neighborhood.

First thing Nancy did this morning was start doing laundry.  She also brought up her warm weather clothes and took down the cold weather ones.

I did reduced calisthenics before breakfast.  I thought the rain had stopped so I took the bike to Panera.  It started to rain about half way into my ride.

I spent the last two weeks avoiding the USA news.  I checked this morning and found not much has changed, still blah, blah, blah.  The same can be said of the stock market, up, down, up, down etc.

The Alpena News this morning reported that April’s weather set record for most snow and lowest temperature.  I think the same can be said for GR.

When I got home Nancy was almost finished with the laundry.  Dropped off my backpack and headed to Macatawa Bank to get money for Kim who cleans tomorrow.

Lunch and then we head to Costco.  Nancy has to pick up a prescription.  We also bought naan and sandwich rolls.  Thursday afternoon at Costco must be seniors day.

I took a nap.  Finished the afternoon putting away my laundry and finally cleaning my desk.

Nancy fixed beans and rice for dinner.  Love beans and rice.  We watched the news.  I took a short walk to the corner and back, 0.6 miles.

We watched an episode of Death in Paradise.  Nancy headed to bed.  I stayed up and watched an episode of Babylon Berlin.  Our colds are wiping us out.

Wednesday May 2, 2018

Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2

Tuesday May 1, 2018;  today is May Day, Argentina’s official Labor Day, a national holiday.  It is also the last day of our stay in SA.

Blog time 1500 sitting in hotel room.

We slept in until 0630 this morning.  We had breakfast in the hotel.

At 0900 we got in the bus and took a tour of Palermo and Rose Garden, upscale areas of Buenos Aires.  Being a holiday the bus could drive slowly so we had the opportunity to view some of the unique architecture of the area.  We made several photo stops.  The tour took 3 hours.

For lunch Nancy and I walked down a nearby pedestrian walk and ate at a local cafe.  Nancy had soup with coke and I had a ham and cheese sandwich with wine.

It is now 1530 and we just set our bags out for pickup.  We will leave for airport at 1600.  Our plane to Atlanta leaves at 2000.  Stay tuned!

Our check in at the Buenos Aires airport was a breeze.  Our plane left on time, 2000, for the almost 10 hour trip to Atlanta.  Noted that all of our trip mates were also flying Delta’s comfort plus.  No one was in first class.

What can I say the trip was long, long, long.  I keep telling myself that I will only fly first class when flight time exceeds five hours. Our plane got into Atlanta about 0600.  We were both zombies, our colds had gotten worse on the flight.  I have read that if you want to get sick take a long plane ride.  I believe it.

The flight to GR was uneventful.  We got home about 1030.  Great to see Ms P.

We unpacked and then ran to Fresh Thyme and Meijer’s to get some supplies.  We crashed the rest of the day.  Opened all the windows because the temp approached 80.

Light dinner and then an episode of Death in Paradise before turning in.  

Monday April 30, 2018

Monday April 30, 2018;

Blog being written in our hotel room in Buenos Aires at 1500,

Last day in April and our last full day of our SA tour.  After breakfast this morning we got on bus and headed to the harbor.  We took a very leisurely boat tour through Rio de la Plata and Parana.  The area is loaded with waterfront cottages.  Most homes are elevated and supported by exposed piling.  I assume it is because the river floods.  Today being a holiday we saw a lot of folks kayaking and in one and two person rowing shells.  The weather was calm and sunny with temps in 70s.  

We had lunch at a large tourist restaurant located on the water.  Too much food as usual.  

Back at the hotel Nancy and I took a walk. We walked along several pedestrian ways near the hotel.  We stopped and looked in many shops but did not purchase anything.

We had our farewell dinner tonight at Cabana Villegas a well known steak house in BA.  We started the meal with an empanada which is a traditional hot snack followed by salad, French fries and famous Argentina steak.  Too much food!  Nancy liked the steak and have developed a fondness for empanada.

After dinner we walked along a renovated river front. The area reminds me of Singapore and Capetown.  Very upscale.

Quite a few of our group are leaving early tomorrow for a post tour of Brazil.  We said our good byes and then headed straight to bed.