Feels like Summer

Between all the rain this spring there has been a fair amount of heat and sunshine so it has felt like summer most of the time. The grass and gardens are growing well without much need for extra watering. Nature is just doing it on it's own so far. ( bonus:weather report ;)

Golf has increased for me, played in 2 other leagues in just the last week subbing with Melvis at Mully and The Lone Caron out at Angel's Crossing, plus my own league with Peter at Thornapple. I am playing my usual good/bad schizo golf. Luckily, a little more good than bad.

I wanted to share my newest friend with blogfollowers here; Puddy or Kit-kit as I call her. She just started showing up at our window by the deck and we have become pals. The neighbor's took her in as a stray so she cuts through our yard. I gave in and bought her some treats so now she is coming every morning same time and we share some moments as I drink my coffee on the deck. With Maddie gone a new companion has been welcomed. She doesn't ask for much, the usual, some affection and something to eat and she's happy))

Mary has her last day of "schoolwork" today but is starting painting for KPS next week. So a mini-break begins tonight.Tomorrow we are going to head to Detroit for a quick visit to visit the parents but will be back for weekend in Kalamazoo with a lot of events going on., graduation parties, Island Fest, and more. We have been staying home last couple weekends watching movies so I think we need to get out and about.

Thought I would put up the flamingo picture, they showed up on our neighbors lawn last weekend and were gone next day. Those fickle flamingos flew in and flew out.

Savor the sultry days of summer that lie ahead, they go by way too fast, hope to talk at ya soon.

Mays Daze

May always brings with it a flurry of activities such as the yard work and gardening preps. In our world it begins with daughter Ashley's cinco de mayo birthday, our anniversary, and mothers day.
Ending with the memorial weekend events which usually involves more yard work and gardening unless we go somewhere other than Lake Michigan.
Ashley's birthday this year was more of a Facebook event for us (most know she resides in Boston) as I posted some photos from her 5th bday 20 years ago. Our anniversary was a little more subdued this year after last year's limo extravaganza to Saugatuck with the group. We stayed local and went downtown first to Mangia Mangia for a drink then to the new Rustica restaurant owned by the Tiffany's party store and Zooroona folks. It is a smaller venue but fun atmosphere and very tasty and well presented food. After we dined our smaller group this year (minus C and K) headed out to show we can still dance and caught a new group to us, Mulch, at the new Globe theater. Lots of "new stuff" this year. Fun evening-but went by too fast.
The most recent event of May was the long awaited Edo's 65th Bday celebration which also incorporated Shooter's May bday. It was at Ron (Shooter) and Jill's hideaway on the west side on a glorious spring evening. It was to be a Reggae happening and it was mon. Caribbean cuisine took center stage early,yum. Zion Lion, local group mentioned here in the blog before was the featured entertainment and were lots of fun to dance, listen and groove the night away with. A friendly gathering of most like minded baby boomers celebrating living, a clearing of the skies, a waxing moon and temperate weather. Edo, Shooter, Jill and Co. threw a great bash. On Sunday Mary and I headed out to South Haven coming out of our rum and ale fog and who did we run into but birthday boy
Edo on the beach, none worse for wear ready for another day of taking a bite of the fruit of life, of course we rehashed the evening's happenings.
So only Memorial weekend to go and we are in the throes of a rare May heat wave. It is tropical, Caribbeanesque for sure. Ok to play in if water is nearby but not much fun to work in. So we enjoy it for now, thankful to have the opportunities to celebrate with the time and friends we have had around us this month. " bring on summer". Must focus on the positive, right? I will save my oil spill and wall street rants for another day.
In all this I must mention the passing this month of another sweet soul. Mary's aunt Frannie, her mom's twin sister passed on May 15th at 89. Her son Batt was my former musical duo partner and how I ended up meeting Mary. Batt's sister Sharon, is not only Mary's cuz but bosom buddy.
Bless Frannie, a kind soul indeed. Now at rest in Paw Paw.

Reunions

It is not always easy to reunite with friends you have known since high school for many different reasons. Life circumstances and travel distance are usually the biggest two reasons that get in the way over the years. This past weekend friends from my ole hometown of outside Detroit, Fraser, exclusively boys this year, got together over near Lake Michigan on White Lake at the invite of P. "Rockman" Bolde. BMad was coming into town from Santa Rosa, CA. and he picked up Corby from Grosse Pointe, MI. after his teaching gig last Friday and headed for Richland to stay the night here before we would head out the next morning. They drove through some heavy downpours and arrived in Richland where I had been waiting drinking my martini's and bloody mary's. I had libations and snax ready for them. Mary had already headed down to Art Hop to meet some pals, friend Susan and her band were playing downtown for her CD release party so would rendezvous there. By the time we arrived at the Union the night was in full swing. We enjoyed the music, had a bite, caught up on stuff and ran into Mary, some other friends and of course, Mikey D. We got back by 1 and crashed by 2. Day 2 we would head for the Whitehall area, cold wind and rain or shine.
Saturday was cloudy, windy and cold but as Bmad would say, "he didn't come for the weather".
Our slight hangovers did not impede the constant joking and teasing each other that has always been a mainstay of our relationships. One upping each other with quips and clever comebacks is part of what we do when all of us get together. 40 plus years of friendship has given us pretty thick skins that work most of the time. Rockman's crib is only 2 hours away and we arrived by 2 o'clock.
Unfortunately, not all of our group who were invited ended up being able to make it. JJ Johanson and Davey G. were unable to attend but Walter Pettman was already there we we arrived and was a welcome addition to the craziness. PBolde has a huge crib on the side of White Lake that can accommodate us all which was good because the weather would keep us inside a good deal of the time. Part of Paul's nickname "Rockman" comes from his love of rocks and skilled stonework that he does and his house has an awesome example of it one side hill of his property. Bmad and I had visited several times in the last 20 years since Paul has lived there with his wife and son. It was Walter's and Corby's first visit.
So the insanity and catching up ensued, as the tunes played and stories were retold and pasts relived. Our main event for the evening would be buying and putting together the dinner. It was a group effort but after the gonzo guys shopping experience and before the food fest we headed out to Lake Michigan just up the road to the pier where a fierce wind prevailed. PB has a new rescued dog,Tuxs, that can be seen in the photos, who went along with us. The trek was invigorating and got us ready for the cooking, drinking and eating. The dinner turned out superb and we toasted with red wine to many things but most of all to the appreciation that we still get together like this after all these years.

Saturday night was more beer, Red Wings, and Betty White's SNL. We stumbled to our individual slumber sights and crashed hard. Sunday was a sunny crisp day and the blues views of White Lake out PB's landscape windows were beautiful. We laid around drank coffee and read the news before we headed out on another trek to Duck Lake St. Park where it runs out into Lake Michigan. Walter headed back to Lansing area early and we said our goodbye's to him. The sun was a welcome warmth to the day. After a walk down the trails we headed back to PB's to get out the food again for lunch before we headed back to Kzooland. I should mention that PB's son Brandon joined us for Sunday as he got home late Sat nite. Brandon has been a part of our reunions, as most of our kid's always were, since they were just tadpoles. Now grownup he is quite the young man, a pilot and entrepreneur. Being Mother's Day we who's mothers are still around called them and our wives to wish them the best on this day. After a while we said our goodbyes to PB and Brandon and I want to mention another thank you to Renee and Paul for sharing their house with us for the night.

Billy M, Billy C and I got back to Richland after 5, tired and refreshed from the lake air and frivolity of the weekend. Mary and Callie were making pizza's when we arrived so, we the guys, made our own and caught up on their Mother's Day activities. Sunday night would provide some of our biggest laughs of the weekend when we were all lying around and we turned the Bill's on to the joys of Snuggies. The accompanying interesting photo is what developed or should I say, popped up. It was the exact type of thing that happens when we get together and the creative, fun, imaginations run free, albeit a little worn by this point of the weekend.

Monday morning came and we all did our wi'fi catch ups and the Bill's were off to Detroit by noon. After they were gone, Callie said, "I wished they lived closer ". Another gathering in the memory bag at least for now. The kind of thing that rekindles and refreshes what life can provide. It must be nourished to continue to grow through all of life's circumstances, ups and downs. I often wonder how our children and children's children will look back on these photos and wonder how wonderful it all was and fortunately, remains.

cinco de mayo

25 years have passed since Cinco de Mayo took on a new meaning for Mary and I. Ashley Kay was born, brought home from the hospital on a sunny May day with the lilacs in bloom. Special time of course as is today on her 25th birthday. Proud then, prouder now as she has grown from a special girl to an even more special woman. Enjoy the photos from the big Cinco party in 1990.

Spring Brings Changes

The formal celebrations of lives led have been held and spring has moved in nicely. I look forward to writing about more positive things but understand that it all comes as part of life's package. The Easter holiday represents this more than most seasonal celebrations. The end and the beginnings, the renewals and rebirth of life all are around us after the cold and darkness of winter.

Hope springs eternal and I will just let these photos speak for themselves for now. Golf league starts in 2 weeks and soon more yard and garden work than I can stand will be calling. There will more to talk about in the days ahead, stay tuned and thanks for tuning in and your best wishes during the last couple months.

"For everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season..... turn, turn, turn"

something postive

for the down low on these photos see the previous blog on st. patricks day

St. Patrick's Day Twenty-Ten

It was a gorgeous day starting out like several other recent spring mornings. Nothing but sunshine, the greenage sprouting up all around, blue sky and it was St. Patrick's Day TwentyTen. My first task of the day was to get over to Washington Writer's Academy in Kalamazoo, where Mary works, to read to a group of 4 year olds in the PEEP pre-school room. It had been a while since I had done something like this in my retired state so I was looking forward to it. When I arrived the kids were all over the room having playtime and it was pajama day so that added more to the informality. Many were of course very interested in Mrs. Symon's' husband, Mr. Symons. As they settled down on the rug and I told them I used to be a principal they quieted down pretty well. I read them one story about the sun, moon, the wind, tides called What is the Sun? and then I read them a brief ditty about Leprechauns and their shenanigans. I happened to have one in me pocket to show them too. I read with the Irish accent for the occasion. We all survived unscathed and I left to the sounds of " thank you Mr. Symons" coming from the wee little ones in their portable classroom. Thanks Erin and Mary for the opportunity.

Leaving there I was in pretty good spirits not knowing for sure what the afternoon held but excited about sitting in with Melvis out at the Barking Frog in Augusta where he had taken a last minute gig for the night. After I was home making some lunch I got a call from friend Kelly letting me know that Uncle Jim had passed that morning. He has been referred to in my blog as Jimmy C. at various times since I started writing the blog reporting on outings and misadventures with him. James Claflin was indeed special, kind like his brother, sweet like many of the Claflin clan but his curled up mustache gave away that there may be some mischief hiding behind that smile. He was a man with many lives and he filled all of them. He was determined to get everything he could out of his time and I believe he did. It wasn't easy for him and those who helped to care for him to watch at times but he made it fun and interesting at the same time. I got to know him much better since he moved here from Chicago two years ago after his wife had passed. The only sympathy card I received in the mail after the recent passing of my step-father was from Jimmy C., barely having the strength to sign his name. That was how and who he was. Old school with a flair for the cool and conversation. I would spend my afternoon making calls and listening to Irish laments in the backyard sun. A glass of Scotch was my first toast to my soul brother Jimmy C.

Mary got home and I had to tell her the news, she loved Jimmy because he was thoughtful to women. He knew how to make them feel special and good about themselves. We reminisced that after Jim first moved here to Lake Doster, Mary and I had dinner with him there at the club and the two of them danced at a St. Patrick's party they were having.
This St. Patrick's Day dinner was to be out at the Frog in Augusta. So for the rest of the night as friends Martay,Rebecca, Nealem, Jazzy Jeff, and Lucinda joined us we celebrated life with the musical stylings of Melvis Lane and guests.

We toasted to Jim, we roasted each other and hepped ole Melvis out with percussive sounds, harmonica, saxophone and voices in the night, a night of the new moon.

Play on Brothers, Sing on Sisters, the way all the Jimmy's, Robin's, Billy's, Harry's, Paul's, Busters, Bobby's, Martha's and Lincoln's would want us to, play-long into the sweet days and nights of spring.