Thursday August 17, 2017

Blog time Friday the 18th: 1145 at Panera

Thursday and today we have an 1100 meeting with Jim Marosi of Wells Fargo Advisors.  Jim Marosi has been our financial advisor for over ten years.

No bike today, I drove the Escape to the Y.  Did my full routine.

Quick stop at Panera for coffee and a chance to scan the papers.

POTUS continues his combative ways with the press.  Will he ever learn that you never win when you are in a pissing contest with a skunk.  

I think the President has some good folks working for him but how long will they put up with his uncontrolled rants.  Major problems if they leave.

We arrived at exactly 1100 for our meeting.  Jim Marosi gave us an update on our financial status.  He uses some impressive software to analyze our finances.  Bottom line we will not starve.

After our meeting we walked over to the Amway Grand Plaza and had a bowl of soup in their deli.  The soup was good.

At home took a walk around the block.  Spent some time clearing out my in basket.  With all our great weather I want to spend time outside and not inside.  I put off doing routine office work.

Nancy fixed meatloaf for dinner.  It was great.  After the dishes I took a short walk.  Read the GRP and watched a show on Acorn before turning in.

We did get a message and photo several days ago showing granddaughter Akerke attending her first day of 4th grade.  School start early in LA.

Wednesday August 16, 2017

Blog time 1155 at Panera.

Breakfast Club Wednesday, up with the alarm at 0530.  On my way downtown I stopped for a quick coffee at Panera.  

Average turnout at BC.  This morning our speaker was a history professor from GVSU.  He talked on the history of Mongolia.  A great talk.

Headed straight home after BC, changed clothes and rode the bike to the Y.  Performed my lazy day routine.  

The morning papers are all condemning POTUS.  Where will the destroying of Confederate symbols lead?  George Washington, Tom Jefferson and many other Presidents were slave owners.  Are we going to remove their statues, make visiting their homes off limits?

BRexit and President Trump were lead stories in the London papers.  The Daily Mail also had a snake story.

I have a 1330 appointment with my ENT Doc.  I have been bothered by a sinus infection.

Quick lunch and then I head to the ENT office.  Dr Sprik checked me over.  The infection appears to have cleared.  Treatment of my troublesome left sinus is complicated by the fact that it was the also the site of my shingles breakout.  He recommended no action at this time.

At home I did a load of laundry and took a nap.  Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon.  She said they had over 1700 visitors today.

Light dinner tonight.  After the dishes I took a walk around the block.

We watched an episode of the Tudors tonight.  Nancy is heading to bed and I am watching Rake.  Another great day to be outside.

Monday August 14, 2017

Blog time 1120 at Panera

Cloudy this morning when I got up.  Sun expected later today.

With my new chin-up bar I do all my chin-ups/pull-up/perpendicular chins at home.  I have chastised the Y for having dozens of machines but no dedicated chin up bar.  They ignore me.  So I now have my own.

Busy day today.  My sister and brother in law are in town.  We are all meeting the Horlings at Cascade Roadhouse for dinner.  Helen, Nancy and Karen were classmates at Albion College.  After dinner we will return to the condo for dessert.

The London papers had several articles on the riots in Charlottesville.  However, they dedicated a lot of space to giving advice to freshman starting university.  Today must be the first day of classes in the U.K. 

Did you know on this date in 1040 Duncan became King of Scotland.  Apparently Shakespeare's MacBeth was based on King Duncan?  

The morning shows were all concerned about President Trump’s alleged mild response to the riots in Charlottesville.  Should his comments have condemned the white supremacists and KKK by name?

A fallout from POTUS’s action resulted in the resignation of the CEO of Merck from a Presidential commission. 

Blog resumes on Tuesday 1140 at Panera

After lunch I drove to Meijer's for some supplies.  Finished by outdoor activities with a walk around the block.

Helen and Don arrived at 1500.  We spent a pleasant two hours talking.

We met the Horling’s at Cascade Road House at 1800.  It was Monday evening so the place was not crowded or noisy.  Pleasant evening with the conversation centering on the girl’s days at Albion College.

Returned to the condo for dessert and coffee.  Nancy fixed a bowl of fruit and ice cream for our guests.  We continued our evening’s conversation.  The Horling departed at 2130.  A very pleasant evening with friends.

Sunday August 13, 2017

Weekend Update: 1700 on Sunday sitting on deck.

Another great summer’s weekend.

Saturday morning we slept in until 0700.  Walked to Panera in bright sunshine.  I think Panera was crowded because folks with kids have moved back home from their cottage.  All fall sports are now practicing.

Nancy did laundry,  I took a 10 mile bike ride and we both took Ms P on her nature walk.  This walk is only 0.75 miles.

Ace Hardware was having a sale so we stopped by.  Our only purchase was a spray can of Rust-Oleum and a wire brush.  We have some bad rust spots on our iron railing that should be repaired.

Kathi Kothe stopped by at 1630 and we all got in the Escape and headed to AMORE restaurant on north Alpine Ave.  This week is restaurant week in GR and AMORE is one of the feature restaurants.  Neither Nancy or I have eaten at this restaurant.  We all had wine and a nice five course Italian meal.  

I just scanned the newspapers today.  I did hear about the trouble in Charlottesville, Virginia.  I really don’t know how in a democracy where free speech is king that we can stop folks whose views we deem deplorable from gathering.  I thought the President’s remarks were appropriate but apparently did not satisfy some folks.

Sunday August 13;  alarm off at 0630.  Looks like another nice day.

I had breakfast and then we head to the Y.  Nancy went swimming and I did some calisthenics and a mile walk/run.  Stopped at Panera for coffee on our way home.

We attended the 1030 service at Trinity Lutheran.  Stopped at Meijer's for weekly supplies.  Lately I have been able to fill up the Escape for less than $20.  20 bucks a week is not bad.

Read some of the GRP before taking Ms P on her walk.

Sunday nap and then I spent some time installing another chin up bar in the down stairs utility room.  

Scrambled eggs for dinner tonight followed by a walk around the block.  I don't know how much longer I will be able to take my evening walks.  We now have only 14 hour of daylight heading to 12 hours by September 21.  I will enjoy while I can.

End the evening reading the GRP and watching a Netflix show.

Friday August 11, 2017

Blog time 1150 at Panera 

Today is blog number 2,704.  This is the longest I have ever stuck with a project.  I started in 2008.  I want to thank the readers who said the blog cured their insomnia.

We had a light shower roll through last night.  It was cloudy with temps in mid 60s when I left this morning.  Very humid but I encountered no rain.

Today I resumed push-ups and chin-ups for the first time in two weeks.  The Y had a lot of exercises classes this morning.  All the classes seemed full.

I scanned the Alpena and London papers and found nothing but fluff.  Good grief the Daily Mail did not even have a snake story.

Kim cleaned today and the house looks great.  My sister, Helen, and husband,Don are staying Monday night so we are ready.

Before lunch Nancy and I headed to Costco to restock some items.  Costco was jammed.  They have a lot of fall items on display.

With all the news about hackers and elections, folks who lose an election blame it on hackers.  I think that is what happened in Kenya.  The Kenya election had outside monitors who said they noted no irregularities.

Tonight we are going Mexican.  We are walking over to La Laguna.  They have the best tamales.

Tomorrow night we are having an early dinner at an Italian restaurant on Alpine Ave.  We are going with Nancy’s friend Kathi.

The tamale dinner was great.  We got home in time to watch the news.  Another nice summer’s day.

Thursday August 10, 2017

Blog time 1120 at Panera

Thursday Nancy’s early swim day.  Up at 0630, Nancy heads out and I stay home and do abs exercises.  I get my stitches removed this afternoon so tomorrow I can resume doing push-ups and chin ups.

No Y today instead I took a12 mile bike ride.  Another dry day with temps in mid 70s.  Rain coming tonight.

The news media is consumed with North Korea.  Why don’t we just take it down a notch?

My Doctor’s appointment is at 1300 so I left Panera early.  The Doctor today removed stitches from my forearm.  I also had her look at at growth on my upper arm that was sampled the same time as the forearm but was non cancerous.  It had grown back so she took another sample.

Stopped at Meijer's for milk.  I was surprised that at mid afternoon the store was jammed.

We took Ms P on a short walk followed by a short nap.

Light dinner and then finished reading the GRP.  We watched an episode of Rake on netflix before turning in.

Wednesday August 9, 2017

Blog time 0925 at Panera

Wednesday my easy day, up at 0630 and bike to Panera for an oatmeal breakfast.

The London paper have been writing about Results Day. The way I understand it every high school senior in the U.K. takes a comprehensive test at the end of the school year. The test scores can determine whether the student can get into their preferred university. The students pick up test results at their school. A stressful time for student and family.

Busy day today for Bob and Nancy. I am leaving shortly for a bike ride. At 1300 I am driving our next door neighbor, Sonya, to Blodgett Hospital for some tests. After I will do a load of laundry and take out the trash and recyclable.

Nancy is working at the Gardens this afternoon. After she will attend Book Club.

Blog resumes at 1730 sitting on deck drinking wine.

After Panera took a short bike ride, 7 mi. Quick lunch and then drove Sonya to Blodgett Hospital for her test.

Back at home did a load of laundry and moved the trash and recyclables to curb followed by a short nap. Walked to Macatawa Bank to make a deposit. On way home stopped at Subway to get a turkey sub.

Watched news in living room when I noticed several sand hill cranes in the back yard. They are a huge bird with a graceful walk.

Things I worry about;

POTUS backs himself into a corner and attacks N. Korea. I don't think N. Korea is a threat.

POTUS is thinking of using private military forces in Iraq. I vehemently oppose any use of any private army.

We watched another episode of Dr Blake Mysteries before turning in.