Road Trippin Pt.2

As our trip continued via the New York to Vermont ferry I got out of the carry we left on and spoke with a local who had names for some of the peaks overlooking Burlington and surrounding area, like The Chin and Crescent Hill. Always interesting to get that local color. We hit the Vermont side just as nigh was falling upon us and the line of cars sped off to their individual destinations. Ours was South Burlington and according to Expedia one of  the only rooms in town left and at an exorbitant rate. Lesson, sometimes it is better to book early. Turns out it was homecoming weekend at University of Vermont.
Daughter Ashley had suggested Burlington and with the ferry ride cutting some drive time it was a good suggestion. In the Sunday AM we headed for main campus and downtown which was filled with parents, students and girls in black yoga pants. The day was sunny and warming up. Again shopping came first after bagel egg sandwiches and coffee. Mary flitted in and out of stores while I observed the crowds and area occasionally looking at how overpriced even the sale North Face merch was. Closest thing I came to buying was a Keep Vermont Weird shirt.This went along with the liberal vibe this college town on Lake Champlain only 75 miles or so from Montreal put off. Especially with the childrens' parade circling the Market area protesting slaying of elephants for ivory. Mary and I stopped at Vermont Brewery Co, for a quick one before we went down lake side at a very nice park where the folks were enjoying the start of a fine fall day. After a quick stroll we would head out to Byway 100 Scenic Drive 80 some miles through the center of Vermont headed to Brattleboro our next overnight stay.

The drive down thru Central Vermont was captivating as colors were turning  as quickly as the road turned along rivers and streams, small classic Vermont towns bordering the Green Mountains popped up with picturesque church steeples and covered bridges. An 80-100 mile trip took us 5 hours with only a couple stops.

After a long sunny drive which included Vermont maple syrup purchase, seeing the largest cow we had ever seen and a dirt road cut across to main highway we arrived at dark at our hotel for the evening in Brattleboro, Vermont near the south eastern border. It had a mom and pop feel with a tavern attached which is just what we needed.

Next morning we hit downtown Brattleboro another quaint, little town with river and mountains alongside. Ashley had tipped us off to it as she and her friends celebrate 4th of July  there from time to time. We again shopped, at a great outdoor goods/clothing store Sam's, grabbed some stuff at local food co-op and had lunch Thank you meter lady for our $10 parking fee. Then we were off for New Hampshire and Maine. 

This may have been one of our best surprises finding a place on the ocean I booked the night before, Ashworth by the Sea.  A resort town, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire with a Jersey Boardwalk feel dating back to early 1900's, most of which had closed down for the season. We opted for ocean view which we need only run down from our room to walk on the beach. You could feel hurricane Joaquin's power in the waves. We were thankful it chose an easterly track out to sea. It was a wonderful sunset before dinner at the hotel restaurant and an awesome sunrise with surfers doing their thing at 6:30 AM.

After breakfast we were off to Portland, Maine for a
visit with old friend Deborah who I have known since junior high in Fraser, Mi. Daughter Ashley was going to come up from Boston to visit for a day and night.
Our reunions began in downtown Portland where huge cruise ships were docked  in the bay alongside every other type of marine craft you could imagine. I learned right off that Portland was once the busiest industrial port in the US back in 1800s. Deborah and Ashley arrived within minutes of each other at the pub Mary and I chose to grab a bite at. Soon Deb took us all on a brief tour of one of the many bays on our way back to her place where she has resided for last 25 plus years. We had a low key evening as I wasn't quite feeling 100%. Deb made us a great dinner, we had some wine, conversations and an early night to bed. The following day our tour took us to Cape Elizabeth and the Portland Head Lighthouse there, then down the coast a ways to some more spectacular views of surrounding islands where we could walk out near the water.

 We would have an early dinner and cocktails before Ashley had to head back for Boston so went to a restaurant that looked back over Portland near several marinas. I would attempt the obligatory lobster.

After Ashley went back to Boston Deb, Mary and I had a quiet evening at Deb's home. There was a lot to catch up on in our lives over the past 40 years of relationships, working and raising children. We listened to music, talked and watched a little TV before retiring.
Mary and I were off the next morning to check out Freeport, Maine and the L.L.Bean shopping complex there. Lots of stuff in most stores was overpriced, we only bought warm socks at a Bass store had lunch and we headed on our way north up the Maine coast first to a state park Deb had told us about, Wolfe's Neck, where we had a relaxing lunch in a serene setting.
We then were off for a day trip up to Rockland.
The colors were brilliant on the drive,other highlights were seeing 2 Bald Eagles together over a bay and first time I could remember I had ever seen cows with a wide white stripe around their midsection, Belted Galloway. We wouldn't make it to Bar Harbour/Acadia on this trip as we had a concert date with Ashley and Sherry back in Boston on the weekend.
We would spend the night back in Freeport where I would be remiss if I didn't report on our
1:30 AM fire alarm wake up where we had to evacuate, come back in and after fire trucks left, back in bed another false alarm. I did not get up for this one, Mary did but finally they disengaged it and at 2:30 we were back in bed. It was a capper to a long day.

Friday after our first real rain we were in Boston to visit with Ashley and Sherry and see Brandi Carlile in concert Saturday nite, a bday gift from them to me. Friday night we had a beer at a funky little Scottish bar within walking distance in their Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Ash made us dinner and we waited for Sherry to get back from Maine where she had a work retreat.
Saturday was a sunny, cool day and we did a nice morning walk with their pooch Piper in nearby Blue Hills Reservation Park. After resting up for a night out in Boston we did dinner at Beantown Bar right next to The Orpheum Theater where our concert would be. It was a bustling Saturday night in Beantown. Our excitement for the concert was matched by crowds enthusiasm. Ashley had seen Brandi several times, Mary, Sherry and I a couple. LSS, it was really super show. From the opening strains of When Johnny Comes Marching Home, a nod to Boston, to the acapella Amazing Grace closer in the dark with opening act The Secret Sisters it was great. Relationship between Brandi and Boston is special as she spoke about several times. It rocked and was poignant. Mary even picked up a guitar pick Brandi threw our back into 9th row!

After we did an Uber ride home still high from an awesome show. We had one more full day before we would head back to Michigan. Our last day Ashley had a couple things planned first was hanging out with some friends at The Bleacher Bar watching the Buffalo Bills. The bar is connected to Fenway Park but on Sundays or football game day for the Bills, it is taken over by quite a throng of Bills fans. We were joined by Andrea and  Lauren who we had met back in MI this Spring, had lunch, some beers and cheered the Bills on to victory.

For dinner Ashley had reservations at an Italian restaurant in the North End of Boston which is a predominately Italian area of the city. We had an excellent meal, I think we all had seafood done Italian. It was a festive warm Sunday night and the city was jammed with folks out enjoying it. We found a place for some cannoli and headed back home via the train. We be stuffed.

Next morning after a quick breakfast, thank yous and some big hugs bye, we were on our way back home. It was Presidents Day and almost 70 degrees out which made for a lot of early traffic. Some of the best color on our trip was going home in Western Massachusetts and upstate New York. We spent one night in eastern NY on our way back and made it home Oct, 13 day before my 63rd Birthday.

It was a wonderful trip indeed. We did a lot in 10 days. Thank you Deborah, Ashley and Sherry. We Visited mostly places we had never been. Good for body and soul, the heart and mind. In New England much is about the history and beginnings of our country.

Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and of course New York all reminders of our spiritual longing for freedom to move about, rugged individualism and diversity. In a land rich in natural beauty and resources, there are so many reasons to keep trying to make this democratic experiment of freedom work for us all.

If you made it this far thanks for reading ;)

Road Trippin

Since my last forays into blogdom at the end of June when I wrote about the extraordinary events of our Spring much has transpired over late summer into Fall with most of it being about going places and enjoying opportunities for adventure and hanging out with friends and family. Processing the passing of close friends was a part of the past few months which I wrote about in the previous blogs.Summer of course flew by with Mary and I taking separate trips, I went up north to The Catbird nest on the Au Sable as KrK and Cath shared their place with the 3 remaining members of Guys Golf Getaway so we could memorialize our 4th, Jimmy Jazz. We did this by playing a round of animal golf in his honor and donating the animal cards to the territory of the animal golf kingdom at Black Bear near Vanderbilt, the Frog, the Camel, the Gorilla and the Snake were set free.

Mary and I would come together back at the Catbird Nest on Labor Day weekend to begin our travels which would consume almost the next several weekends and then some. KrK and Cath were splendid hosts as Mary and I took our NEW kayaks to take on the pristine waters of the Au Sable. Mary's retirement in June provided us with time to explore the possibilities. Our visit and trip was splendid and stimulating as Chef Keith's dinners and Cathie's conversations. Keith even delved into some new territory taking us on a 3.5 hour afternoon kayak cruise in historic North Branch waters. A great trip within a trip. I must move on as I can only skim the surface like a caddis just hatched.

Next up was 42nd annual Wheatland Music Festival which our band of merry puppeteers and music makers would again camp out and perform as Susans' 'Palamazoo Puppets and enjoy a weekend of frolic, fellowship, music and dance. Highlight: Sunday gospel during Fairfield Four performance helping an inspired 70 plus yr old band member down from stage and over railing to sing and rally the crowd and back up again to stage. Hallelujah!
Following weekend we enjoyed a trip up to Boyne Mt. for a stay with Micheal and Susan doing brewery tours, shopping, outdoor hot tubbin, and a ride up the ski lift for a drink and view from up above overlooking the valley..
Upon returning home we would begin to pack and prepare for our Niagara Falls and New England adventure.
Traveling to new places usually helps us in getting out of our comfort zones and familiar surroundings.So we are able to see a fresh perspective of an area a little different than ours.  I appreciate the local histories of each state and unique geographic areas. In Niagara Falls we experienced for our first time a tourist destination that is world class in its beauty. So many people from all over the globe come to see this, ride the boats, get sprayed by the mists and take photo after photo. In one elevator ride in our hotel Mary and I rode with a Hassidic Jewish family and Arabic family. Everyone coming together there to experience the wonder of a place. Yes is it built up with hotels, casinos, touristy rides and shops? Of course but it is the Falls they come to see in  Canada, Lit up at night or bursting with hydrological energy during the day with a rainbow hovering at sunset while eating dinner it is a place to behold.
Our next destination would be a little burg in the hills of SE New York where there is a place that honors America's pastime, baseball, in Cooperstown, NY. Home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. After we found our room for the night we ventured out to a brewpub not far, Council Rock, where we bellied up to the bar. It was bustling with locals and travelers alike and we had some beer and a nice meal. The next day we did the HOF tour and the little town.  I bought souvenirs, cigars, distilled whiskey, Mary found a new hat and some gifts. In a classic Americana town we also walked through a Farmers Market, where it seemed like Woodstock generation folks had settled in the region and were selling their organic and homemade wares. Again after a belly at the bar lunch and some local beer we headed out to find the ferry in upstate NY on Lake Champlain to cross over to Burlington, Vermont.

After a lovely drive up into the Adirondack Mt. area we started to see some color change and we needed to find the little town where the ferry went over. It was a longer than expected, windy drive along the water and GPS was not getting a signal but we found it just to see the  5:30 ferry from Essex pull out, luckily I knew we had one more ride at 6:30. As it became darker we  had another little drama to deal with as we waited for ferry to return, our battery died out while sitting charging phone. Luckily I had jumper cables we dug out and we received some help from other fellow ferry riders and we got it started as the ferry was returning to take us over to Vermont as night fell.

End of Part One. So as to prevent boredom I will break it up. Stay tuned to see what awaited us on the other side of Lake Champlain, Vermont and beyond.. 

It's About Time, I Feel a Blog Coming On, Part 3. Movin On Past the Past

Good sleeping was difficult from thoughts of all the happenings and hallmarks of life lived. As I lay in bed the drone like sound of a lawnmower, cutting through the thick grasses from this rain filled spring plows on.What will I speak to at the memorials coming up about my friends, their lives? The evening of Jazzy Jeff and Jazzman's deaths was a golf league night. No question game should go on. I even went out early to play a 9 before and  it turned out to be only golf Peter and I played as an unpredicted, cool steady rain and wind began. Instead I would toast a Jameson's out of my flask in my golf bag, a couple of Oberon's at Thornnapple lounge and off to see if I can track down Martin J. and others at Richland Pub where I guessed other friends of Jeff would be meeting. There were about 6 others at a packed Pub where we would try and process the latest in too soon demises. We did our best.

Jeff Lambert's Memorial service was on the Saturday after his passing where many friends and family gathered in Richland. Several folks spoke and I played a short tune on a harmonica Jeff had given me several years before. Marty offered to host an impromptu wake at his place nearby where we all shared sentiments with one another and Jeff's family. It was a pleasant afternoon of toasts and a fond farewell the man from Lake Odessa.

Jim Miller's service would not be til the following weekend. Jim would have a more formal morning service at St. Luke's Episcopal in downtown Kalamazoo where he attended and was involved in church business, Also participating on this day would be The Masonic Order as Jim was a member of The Masons. I was able to speak about the James Alan Miller I knew but was asked to be brief so I did what I could sharing just a glimpse into the simple complexities of Jimmy Jazz. I even lead those in attendance in the chorus of Jazz's song Tourist Town. Jim's family was very much in mourning and grieving as were the rest of us. We all said so long to the man from Grand Haven. After a luncheon and out into the overcast and rainy day Mary and I had to shift gears and head out to Detroit for my brother Dennis' surprise 60th birthday.

My brother's party was to be a surprise planned by his daughter Erin, who lives in San Francisco. I was conserving my energy from a long day already so Mary drove through torrential downpours half the way there. Flooded highways and dark gray skies were not going to stop us as we plowed through making it there in time before 6:30 to Buca di Beppo, a really unusual, cool Italian place on the near Northeast side of suburban Detroit. Dennis was duly surprised as he and JoEllen arrived and a wonderful, celebratory night was shared as all our parents were there along with brothers and sisters, Dennis' son Marshall, and close friends and coworkers. Erin was accompanied by her new beau Scott who was meeting us all for the first time. What made this even more special was the fact that Denny was just approaching 2 years since his triple bypass open heart surgery. It was a special night Erin made happen. Denny and I both saw 60 after our heart episodes.

The following weekend on June 6 we would attend a wedding of Callie's longtime friend Ashley out here in Gull Lake, another grand occasion on a lovely setting and afternoon.While at the wedding reception Callie's boyfriend Andrew came over to me and said did you hear about the horse race? I said no what ? American Pharaoh completed her historic run and won The Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.Yes! That horses' magic ride to glory was a joy to follow.
 On Father's Day weekend we would head back to Detroit to meet up with cousin Judy and Tim. They live in Oregon and Tim had never been east of Mississippi. They did a whirlwind tour of Pure MI. Downtown Detroit and up north being highlights.They made diner for my Mom, her Auntie, Bro Den and JoEllen, Mary and I. It was fun sharing family memories and making new ones.
On Fathers Day we would get up and go over to my Dad and Bev's early for some love before we would head back to Richland as Callie was putting together a meal for us and we were scheduled to Skype with Ashley later in evening.
Last weekend of June would bring about a couple of late June celebrations. Both somewhat unexpected and long overdue. One on Friday June 26th the day marriage made history and was made legal for all. Mary and I were in downtown Kalamazoo  in Bronson Park for a while witnessing wedding ceremonies take place and  joining others in rejoicing the decision. Oddly enough it was almost to the day that we witnessed daughter Ashley and Sherry's wedding in Salem, Mass.two years prior.The last time inspiration struck me to blog again. Mary and I continued celebrating visiting Boatyard Brewing and Bell's Eccentric Cafe for rest of the evening.
On Saturday a reunion with an old friend Steve D. whom I met as a dorm mate at Western in 1971. We got to meet his significant one, Clare in a reunion at Ron and Con's. It had been 30 some years since we had seen one another. They reside in NYC and were headed out west for the Summatime. Dave P. my roommate in that dorm showed up catching up on life since last we all were together. With great friends it is always same as it ever was

1. Today is June 30, Ashley and Sherry's 2 year anniversary. Now throughout the USA as we approach Independence Day other couples can plan and take part in events like we did with Ashley and Sherry, their friends and families 2 years ago.  As I write the SW MI region just experienced its second earthquake in 2 months the first coming on Callie's graduation day, the start of this blog. Extraordinary events? Indeed!

So much has taken place. As I can see now, most of it in celebrations, rejoicing our milestones and accomplishments and lives well lived. Mine is not such an extraordinary tale, all of our lives have this ebb and flow. So  many reasons to celebrate. I see it in just the last week in all the anniversaries of friends. The sweet sounds of summer, birds chirping and humans singing, as Joni Mitchell would say lawns hissing, beating drums, here and now all help to drown out the drone noise of dread.

 The sky cries but hasn't fallen. The rain falls but moves on. When life pushes

we need not retreat but accept and adjust, move on past the past, suffering and struggle are part of the same life-death package, We are here now, let us live it and love it while we can.    Sreno 

Into Every Life a Little Rain Must Fall, I Feel a Blog Comin on Part 2

Yes, a little rain must fall but what we have seen recently in May-June all over much of the country other than California is a bit excessive. Grass is growing faster, things sure are green but thick and soggy.
As I begin  Part 2 of this post I need to mention that during the last several months my friend and first college roommate, Jim was in and out of the hospital battling the effects of liver disease since September. By May he had numerous treatments and his physical self was slowly deteriorating. Many visits and outings during this time were made with other friends Mikey D. and Seabiskit to keep his spirits up. I will get back to this later in this blog but this was part of the drone soundtrack playing in the background during May that I previously mentioned.

So Callie graduated and next on our May list of hallmarks was eldest daughter, Ashley's 30 birthday on Cinco de Mayo. Does having a 30 year old child make one feel old? It is a marker of some sort I suppose. Ashley had plans for a celebration that involved bringing some of her east coast pals along with friends she met at MSU to her home state for a Pure Michigan party. As many of you know per previous blog of her nuptials 2 years ago in Massachusetts where she resides was a wonderful affair.
Well, she rents a super place in South Haven right on North Beach that will sleep 10 comfortably and the plan is on for Memorial weekend. Before that Mary and I had our 32nd Wedding anniversary on May 14th. Since we had already done our dinner celebration with friends our marking of the event was a quiet affair, happy together.
note: On May 16th in a rain soaked downpour American Pharaoh won The Preakness on a sloppy track, the second leg of the Triple Crown at hand.
The week of Ashley's 30 Bday fest was upon us. We were anticipating their arrival on Thursday when on Wednesday the news that Jimmy The Jazz had passed that morning came from Mike Seabiskit Seaton. Barb, Jim's wife had called the night before saying he was failing so it was not a complete shock as each recent visit he was weaker and weaker. He had fought against the inevitable for the last 9 months, his coherency coming and going at times. My first college roomie from almost 45 years ago, band mate, part of an annual golf foursome, and close friend had faded away from this life.

Now as I was calling friend Martin J. to tell him about Jazz before I could tell him he was telling me he had just returned from our friends Jeff and Lucinda house across the street from him and Jeff was found dead in his basement where he had been painting the night before, paint roller still in hand. Jeff did have some medical issues but still a shocker. Another former band mate and friend for close to 25 years gone. 2 60 year old gents whose obituaries would both read May 20th as date of passing. They had played music together in the Hokey Barn and Clone Studios. Cue the soundtrack, louder it loomed.

To wrap up Ashley and Sherrys' Pure Michigan weekend visit without much detail I can say it was well planned as we have grown to expect from an event planner like Ash, starting from airline flights, pickups, places to go in and around Kalamazoo, Richland,and South Haven and back to the airport for their flights home. Mary and I provided a home base and our vehicles as needed. We got to hang out a couple nights and a day with some fun loving, interesting women who made us feel as young as is possible. We had a BnB gift certificate from Callie and Andrew that we used at The Inn at the Park just a few blocks from where the girls were staying. A delightful place with great beds and breakfast. Sister Callie came out and stayed a couple nights and as always made her presence felt.

On Memorial Day we assisted with the load out and drive back to Richland with more than a few bottles and cans to return. A really great Three-0 celebration was a success. Weather had been mostly sunny and minimal rain fell. Their last stop before airport was Old Dog Tavern. Choo Choo Chug-a-lug. After the ladies left and our normal life returned there now was memorials to think about and my brothers surprise 60th Birthday celebration in Detroit to attend. Stay tuned....for Pt.3 wrap up.

It's About Time, I Feel a Blog Coming On Pt.1

To say it has been an extraordinary several weeks of spring is an understatement. Today my wife Mary just left for work for her last day employed with Kalamazoo Public Schools after 37 years service in various
positions. Mostly as a  paraprofessional working in Special Education or Early Childhood classrooms. Much of the last few weeks has been spent with events and parties for her from the district, PEEP program, her building, the union she was a part of, etc. Today will wind up with one more after work gathering at The Old Dog Tavern. Kudos dear, bring on the next phase.

So as a prelude her final day takes me  back to her turning 60 first week of May, the last weeks of MI winter and our trip to Florida to visit BMad and his love Lee. We had a wonderful brief visit tooling around the waterways of Venice, walking the beach and enjoying the company and the weather. On our return she had a party on her bday at where else ODT in downtown Kalamazoo.So you see already the circular nature of this story already.
My intention/motivation/inspiration for Return of the Blog is the all of life is a circle.  Our celebrations of survival another year, winter, illness, accomplishments etc. Deaths we mourn and attempts to celebrate the lives through memorials while the grief plays on our mindset for a time like a drone soundtrack.

April was slow to warm and my return to golf league after a years sabbatical due to shoulder surgery, Partner Peter took me back in what is a blog story in itself for another time but our first night golfing was warm and I began playing well for a few weeks. There was some nasty weather following where us Roughriders played wimps and ate and drank instead.

I should mention our "anniversary dinner group", Konvalinks, Dilucchios, Wiegands and Symons'  had to move up our usual mid-May celebration to April this year to fit in our night out together which consisted of an Asian Fusion meal at Wild Ginger and music at ODT.

Then first of May was upon us and on May second we were out of the shoot like a Derby Day horse, we were headed to second born, Callan Jean's graduation from Western Mi. University. Celebration in order! After 7 years of up and down struggles, Callie achieved her goal of a teaching degree in Early Childhood Education with hopes of a decent job in some form of education. We celebrated her stick- to-it tiveness and not giving up when it was a struggle with a promised Lobster dinner with beau Andrew, his mom, Mary and myself. Callie made herself proud as well as all of us supporters when she walked across the stage and received that diploma. Her successful intern teaching was done at her old elementary school here out at Gull Lake. (what goes round), where some little ones cried to see her leave. Her next phase beckons. Added note here after dinner we happened to catch  American Pharaoh win the Derby, moving around that track the fastest, setting up the run for Glory for Triple Crown, come what May. Part 2 to come.