Michigan Family Vacation 2021

The kids joined us for a fun family vacation in Michigan around July 4th. They flew into Traverse City and we spent two days there before returning to our house.

We stayed in a VRBO condo in the Commons - the old Traverse City Insane Asylum, now renovated into private residences, shops and restaurants. What a history the place has! Samantha and Emily refused to sleep in their bedroom on the top floor - said it was creepy and probably haunted! 

 Roger and I purchased electric bikes earlier this summer so the kids rented some and we biked from Traverse City to Suttons Bay on the Lelanau Trail - about 20 miles around the bay and through beautiful countryside. We stopped at Shady Lane Cellars and sampled their great wines and then rode on to Suttons Bay for lunch. Our tired butts forced us to load our bikes on the shuttle bus back to the city! 

The family loves Dr. Pol, the veternarian's show on TV, so a sidetrip to his office for a picture was on their bucket list! Dr. Pol was not working that day so they had to settle for the sign!

Judy took Eddy family pictures for us on Saturday over at McCourtie Park. Wish I was as photogenic as my granddaughters!

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Our neighbors always put on a great fireworks display so we all had dinner, sat on our deck and enjoyed  our private show on Saturday night. Since the kids live in big cities in Texas, they were impressed that we didn't have to pack up and fight traffic in order to celebrate the holiday!

Sunday saw us at the Hanover July 4th Parade - a real taste of rural America! Roger and Emily decorated Uncle Bud's tractor and rode it in the parade. Not to be left out Megan and Samantha decorated our bikes to ride! We had lunch at the Heritage Center and then rooted for Duane and Bill at the tractor pulling contest!

We had an old fashioned ice cream social for the Hewlett family on Monday afternoon. So good to see them all!

Tuesday was a sad "take them to the airport" day! But, we made lots of memories to sustain us until next time we are all together!

Fall and Winter 2020

We enjoyed several days in Hot Springs with Carlos and Megan in October. So nice to spend quality time with them! We played golf while they went hiking one day and we rented a pontoon boat and toured Lake Hamilton another. Happy hours, delicious dinners and cards!

 November and December were spent in Houston for birthdays and holidays! Probably the last year for Halloween for the girls but Megan will always have fun!

Kyle and Heather have purchased land to build a lake house on Lake Buchanan near Burnet, TX so we travelled to see it. It will be lovely when finished but probably a long project to complete. 

Heather got a paddle board for Christmas - a great toy for the lake house!

Heather was busy making and selling "Hot Chocolate Bombs" for Christmas gifts! What a big hit!

Roger's birthday gift was a fishing trip on Lake Buchanan and what a fun day! The fish were biting and the whole family was reeling them in! Still have some in the freezer!

We came home in January instead of staying at Travelers World in San Antonio. Safer from COVID in rural Michigan and we spent the winter remodeling the basement into a family room/suite. Still waiting for furniture but it looks great!

Summer 2020

Don't know why this never got posted! Senior moments!

 It has been a quiet summer here with all the COVID restrictions. We have stayed home and primarily just spent time doing outside activities. 

We sold our Buick Enclave and bought a new Buick Envision - downsized and love all the new safety features.

Finally, in late August we went to Charlevoix and Petosky with Ray, Mel, Judy and Marilou for a few days. Camped for 2 days and then Roger and I moved to the Edgewater Inn for 2 nights. We rafted around Lake Charlevoix, played golf and rented electric bikes for a day. Stayed safe by being outdoors! The Edgewater is right on the small lake that separates Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan so you can sit on your balcony and watch all the yachts and sailboats come and go. Relaxing!

We just got back from Mackinac Island with our friends Lee and Cindy. We stayed at the Grand Hotel and played golf; road bikes around the island and had a great time. Check that one off our bucket list! 

Our COVID-19 Winter

I wrote this post and then never posted it so it is a little behind the times!

We left our motor home in Houston for the kids to use this winter and summer and came back to the house in Michigan. Crazy, huh? Haven't experienced a Michigan winter since 1978! The main reason was to remodel the master bathroom during the cold months when contractor crews are more available - then have the summer months to play! It was a relatively mild winter, we were enjoying watching our old high school basketball team make their way to the state championship, and then COVID-19 became a household menace! Life outside our home was cancelled and we've been "quarantined" since March 11th. Zoom is the new Skype and is keeping us in touch with family and friends!

Fortunately, the national shut down has not effected us retirees much and our kids are all still able to work from home but, many are really suffering financially and from illness. Our granddaughters are missing school and friends but they are healthy! Warm weather in Texas allows them to swim, ride their bikes and fish in the ponds near their house. Praying for health and prosperity for all!

Our bathroom project was going pretty well until businesses were forced to close. We are waiting for vanity tops and shower panels. We strung a wire and hung a shower curtain. Not real pretty but functional! The good news is my clawfoot bathtub is wonderful!

The weather has been unpredictable - warm enough for tulips and daffodils to bloom and then a 4 inch snowstorm to paint us a winterwonderland! It all melted in 2 days and my flowers are now struggling to survive. Hopefully, it is the last of winter and spring is on its way!

The barn can be heated so we've been finishing the cement floor with a Rustoleum epoxy paint to make clean up easier. It will be nice to have it done so Roger can move all his tools and equipment in and get organized. He has been waiting too long for his "he shed!"

Marion gave me this beautiful quilt and a friend sewed a new backing on it. I hung it on the hall wall so I can look at the amazing crewel stitching as I walk by!

Finally got our master bathroom finished! Love it!

Days Before Christmas

We are enjoying beautiful fall like days in Texas - sunny and in the 70's - chamber of commerce weather! Definitely great golf weather! Too bad Roger is working!

We had Thanksgiving dinner here at the park - the kids were with in-laws. But, then we spent the following week-end in Llano, TX with Megan and Carlos. Camped along the river, strolled around the town square, ate BBQ and went to the "Starry, Starry Nights" Christmas lights display at the local park. Good time spent with the two of them

Several of us ladies in the park went to the Guenther House for lunch on Thursday. It is the previous home of the owner of the Pioneer Flour Company here on the south side of San Antonio. Lovely old home all decorated for the holidays. This gingerbread house is a replica of the homestead and is decorated inside and outside with frosting and candy. Took 4 ladies 200 hours to make! Gorgeous!

Then Roger and I went to the Christmas outdoor market at the Pearl Market for dinner with our good friends Gary and Lynn. Why didn't we get a picture with them?!!

Back in Texas

We enjoyed a pretty autumn in Michigan and are now back in Texas with the kids. It's always fun to be here for Halloween. Emily and her friend Eva were elephants. Samantha and her friend Karys changed their minds at the last minute and dressed as "pigs in a blanket" because it was cold!

Emily's 11th birthday was November 5th. We went to dinner at Lupe's on Saturday night because she wanted to wear the sombrero! Her party was on Sunday afternoon. Fifteen 5th graders! Heather went to so much work to organize a game similar to Clue. Four teams figuring out puzzles and through the process of elimination, following the clues to the treasure. They had so much fun and all the teams did really well. They followed the game by taking a "polar bear plunge" into the pool. Not exactly like Alaska but the water was 65 degrees!

Samantha's 8th grade play for UIL competition was a "Voice in the Dark" - a story of the Salem witch trials. Definitely a dark drama about a dark time in our history! She did a great job! The picture is onstage with her best friend Karys.

Emily made me this sunflower picture in art class! She is so talented!

Costa Rica - Day 6

 Kyle, Heather and the girls went back to the beach to go kayaking and boogie boarding again today.

Carlos, Megan, Roger and I walked around the National Park. It is the pride of Costa Rica and a beautiful rain forest/jungle with boardwalks and nice sidewalks throughout the area. We saw plenty of wildlife: sloths, toucans, monkeys, lizards, blue crabs, deer and varied plants and trees. There are three lovely beaches within the park so many bring their bathing suits and cool off in the ocean after touring. This is the first place that resembled Mexico - we had to run the gauntlet through all the souvenir shops to get to the park entrance! After a stop for guacamole, chips and cold beer we recuperated enough to do some shopping and go to lunch!

We called these "plunger mushrooms"

The roots of these trees look like fins!

Bright blue crabs were plentiful

This sloth is just "hanging in there"

I went to take a picture of one monkey and the second came up and gave him a hug!

Lots of lizards!

This is a termite nest - believe it or not we saw several that were huge!


Emily loved the elephant pattern in this sarong I bought her - she's going to use it as a tapestry in her room!
Her stuffed sloth is a snap bracelet!