Lighter Longer

Highlights of the last week ( and some low points)

• did my first stint at an actual food pantry where Loaves and Fishes hands out food. It was somewhat uncomfortable I think for both parties, as you walk through assisting the folks with the # of choices they receive in each food group, then like a good checkout boy taking the cart of groceries with them to the car, trying to keep a sense of dignity in the process.


• Melvi subbed in golf league in Peter's absence and we did our thing in style.


• Callie moved out as she is taking over for someone in a sublease deal with her good friend Ashley. Only one load of significance this time. Empty Nester's again are we.


• Found out we have some termites around house and had to do some wood moving this past weekend and call pest control$


• Got vegetable garden planted along with some flowers, etc.


• Enjoyed weekend working round house, burning some infested wood and going out to Bro n Law Joe's lakeside crib Sat. eve. with Jimmy C. for some frivolity round the fire and Mary went out to great fishfry meal and bocce ball Monday where Bro n Law Mike showed (see photo) up along with LL regulars.


• Had Skype webcall with whole family talking to Ashley K. out east on Sunday. Neat treat to be able to do that.


• Looking forward to the long days of daylight ahead which are short lived but need to be savored while we have them.

"Where's my Limo"?

"Where's My Limo"?, that was the refrain that could be heard from Margie as we exited the restaurant or beer garden. You get used to the good life pretty fast albeit short lived. The anniversary evening started out with a little rain coming down not the weather we had hoped for but armed with umbrellas, wine, beer, water, snacks and other little treats we ready for the cruise to our lakefront destination of Saugatuck to celebrate our little anniversary gangs Spring and Summer nuptials of near 100 years total. Keith and Cathy, who were traveling the longest distance to get to our house, were the first team to arrive. Pete and Margie, who live closest, were the last to arrive, they were not eliminated from the race;) Mike and Susan were second but hey who was really counting.
The Limo was there and our driver was showing us where to store all out stuff. It was time to pack in and hit the road. The ride there was festive and the stereo was of an earlier vintage as was the Limo. Didn't matter because the women's conversation drowned out anything else. Keith opened and the wine and before we knew it we were at our halfway stop outside Allegan for a quick stop for some smokes. Next thing we knew we were pulling onto Butler Ave. in Saugatuck and lo and behold on the marquee in front of Phil's Bar and Grill it says, " Happy Anniversary Steve And Mary". It was a nice surprise that Pat G's brother Johnny who made the reservation for us had worked out with his friend, Sous Chef Scott. The group seemed to understand why it didn't address us all.
So we had a little wait til our table was ready, and had an enjoyable tasty meal. I was happy with the food and service. Things had taken a bit longer for dinner, etc. and Pat G. and Davie G., Fenville residents, were trying to hold a table over at the Saugatuck Brew Pub where The Ragbirds were playing on opening night for the Beer Garden out back. We were hoping to be there round 9 but didn't get out of Phil's til 9:30. I called DG but they were back home as the crowd got large there at the Brewpub. The Limo driver found the Beer Pub Garden down the HWY. with my help and we breezed in to the packed house as the Ragbirds were playing. It really looked like a German Beer Hall. We got drinks and headed up near the stage as there were no seats. We just started dancing , shakin it up to just a few songs before it was break time for the band. We figured it was a good time to hit the road back to Richland so we would make it by Midnight to fore go any additional fees. "Where's my Limo" was heard as we came outside. The driver was was there ready for us. We piled in full of food , wine beer and frivolity. The ride back was punctuated with singing oldies on the radio ( never got CD player to work), drinking champagne, and eating chocolate for some and just kicking back for others.
We pulled into our driveway just before 12 and had to get all our stuff out. Only a couple spills, some wine, one of the food boxes got trampled on and that had to be cleaned up off the carpet. Margie and Mary took care of that. All in all, it was a different experience-over too fast. Wish the live music part could of been longer and my hangover less on Saturday but hey we only get around this life so many times, eh?
I paid the driver-we all said our goodbye's and another anniversary celebration was in the books. This started in it's original form some 22-23 years ago? Great friends, great times, and most importantly great memories.

Springthings

In the last week:

Had to put this in for Mickley as he felt he "let me have one" at golf league. I won the closest to the hole weekly event prize as I was the only one who wrote my name down on the stick even though I was on the fringe, not on the green. No one made it on in two apparently. Technicality, but the closest on the card. I used my winnings for a good cause. I will leave it at that.

Last week with the big shooters at Yarrow, I won 3 skins, only five were won. Plus a birdie , so golf is paying off so far this year. Have to believe it's partly due to the golf in the kingdom philosophy from the book I read, which I have tried to incorporate into my game. Keeping it fun and in the moment. Toddly and I had fun riding together and hanging out.

Saturday was the mail carriers food drive, and I volunteered with many others in sorting the food when the driver/carriers brought the food into the different sites. I also was asked to take photos of the event. Tiring, inspiring and fun to be a part of. It was good to see families volunteering together. Great to see the community giving so much in the tough times.

Sunday of course was Mothers Day, and cards were sent out , handed out, calls made. Ashley gave Mary and I a gift certificate for Mom's, Dad's days and our anniversary at Food Dance restaurant so Callie, Mary and I shared in it. We called Ashley and thanked her for the fine meal. We all lamented that she could not be there.

Last night Mary and I did our first webcam call with Ashley in Boston. It was cool almost like being there in person. Look forward to more of those calls. Free too!

Gorgeous day today, cut grass-made some calls. Looks like things are set for the Anniversary Limo ride, dinner trip to Saugatuck on Friday night. Will report on that in next blog.

Off the Grid- Spring Catch 09

Somewhere into the Great North Backwoods we plunged, leaving the city life and M-72 behind.
It was dark, bumpy and anticipation was high for some deep woods river solitude. I must stop and go back a bit and talk about the ride up from SW Michigan. After arriving at MC's house and unloading my stuff for the second time (I had driven over to MD's and he drove to MC's) we surveyed the packing up situation in MC's ride. We knew some stuff had to go already as Brad was still to come with all his stuff. We all had our stuff; coolers, clothes, waders, guns, sleeping bags, on and on. We literally were packed to the gills and were off before 4:00PM. Tunes and conversation kept things lively and the next thing we knew were stopping in Ashton, near Reed City, to get supplies and Brad could get his beloved Blatz that was sold there. They even had Oberon at this little party store. So with munchies, Mega Millions tickets, and beer in tow we were off. Our next couple of stops were of the interesting northern bar variety. It was somewhere along this stretch that Brad became B-Rad for the remainder of the weekend. A story only a few can tell. A bar in Manton called The Shamrock was a quick pitcher stop and then the famous Dingman's off of M-72 where stories were told of previous visits with the legendary Bailey and MC's father, the patriarchs and stewards of the property we were headed to. Burgers, Karoake and more beer had us primed for the jaunt into the woods. (I should mention that I recognized much of this area as my sister S and husband J live not too far away. I recognized pie place. Other sis Su lives up the road in Mancelona).
It was a long, jousting drive back to the river and the cabin, luckily there was not much water in the deep ruts we drove through or limbs blocking the road in.
Once there we had much to unload and do to get the Off the Grid cabin ready for us. Wood fire in the stove going, water pumped, canoe removed from living room and sleeping assignments made. This night would be early to bed as we were tired from the long and eventful Friday it had been. To keep this a bit short I am going to bullet the rest of the trip:

1. Beautiful Saturday Morning-MC made huge B-fast. It was windy and a bit cool but mostly sunny.
2. MC took us on hike of newly surveyed property and surroundings.
3. Came back and for some it was B-Latz thirty, fishing was a bit cold-no bites.
4. I got out my portable I-Pod player and we listened to River songs watching the river flow.
5. The others fished but no bites-more beer, whiskey and brandy flowed. More hiking.
   
6. B-Rad shot his rifle MD and I shot some Blatz cans with his pistol.
7. MD made this great dinner of Bloody Mary's,Ribs, taters, salad and some venison that B-Rad brought.
8. Collected wood for fire by the river and the BS flowed like the Manistee. B-Rad even did some wild air guitar to the sounds of MC's off the grid lantern-music-player function player without falling into the fire. The old weathered dock became the centerpiece for the fire and kept us warm in the crisp spring air off the Manistee.
9. We retreated to the cabin where B-Rad made a B-line for the couch and crashed early.
   
10. Good Mike and Bad Mike ganged up on little old flatlander me and I was the Biggest Loser of the poker game. The bloody mary shots helped ease the pain.
    
11. Off to dreamland we went like the Walton's riffing off the wall, off the record, off center and finally off to sleep.

Sunday, we did a Trout Town breakfast in Kalkaska, toured some more of the area, threw a couple more lines out along the river (couple nibbles but no catch), basked in sunshine as it was warming up, cleaned up the area and packed up. On the way out we saw an Osprey looking for some prey off the trail. Always a positive- a hawk sighting.
Trip back went fairly fast-tired we were from a great north woods river weekend-a thank you to MC and his family n friends for making it possible. It was one for the memory banks with fodder for tales to come. I look forward to a return someday.