To Hell & Back!

We rode with Dave & Marion to visit Jay, Kim & Ryan today. They live near Howell, MI and Dave drove us through Hell, Michigan on the way home. If you blink, you miss it!
Had a lovely afternoon and dinner at Jay & Kim's beautiful new home.

Hewlett/Reed Cousins Reunion

We enjoyed "catching up" with Roger's cousins at a potluck picnic yesterday. All the parents and six of the cousins are now deceased so it's important to stay in touch and "reconnect" when possible. One of the few events where Roger & I are actually the youngest!
Later we picked Mom up and joined Mel & Ray at Judy's for a "dinner cruise" (pizza and beer)on her pontoon boat on Lake LeAnne. Great perks at this "resort area!"
Anxiously watching the hurricane in the gulf - worried about Heather & Kyle in Houston and Kyle's family in Biloxi. Hate to wish it on anyone but hope it avoids them!

Quiet Day

Roger is in Florida on business until Friday (he is still doing consulting for the company) so I have had a quiet day doing laundry and cleaning (easier to do when he is gone - I don't have to clean around him!)
I've also been on the phone making arrangements to return to San Antonio and move into the townhouse. Plan on the movers coming on Sept 19th and hopefully, begin renting it to vacationers soon thereafter.
Heather is doing well and I'm excited about our new grandchild in November - not much longer!
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly:
The Good - last minute plans to have dinner with Judy and my "third sister," Marilou
The Bad - missing the kids and especially Samantha Kate
The Ugly - defrosting the freezer - and if I've mentioned it before, it deserves repeating!!

Rust & Dust

"Rust & Dust" - the last tractor event - at least for Roger, this summer - was this week-end at Heritage Park in Hanover. A gathering of antique tractors and farmers that compete doing "pulls" and demonstrations of old time threshing machines, horse plowing, and a wheelwright making old wooden wagon wheels - all followed by a pig roast and potluck dinner. Back to our rural roots! Nice to see old classmates and family friends we haven't seen in years. Duane had 6 tractors and Bill had 2 on display. Roger drove Duane's tractor in the tractor pull but didn't win - according to him, it is the tractor not the driver! I think he would have had a better chance if he had worn bib overalls!The original high school - which became a middle school in 1959 - where Roger went to 7th & 8th grade - is now a museum full of antique organs and memorabilia from yesteryear's. It brought back lots of memories for Roger as he walked through the building remembering school days - four classrooms, an office and a tiny gymnasium (remember the movie Hoosiers?) There are pictures of all the graduating classes - fun to look through them and see so many familiar names.

Anniversary

We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary yesterday. I got a new shower door and I love it! Looking forward to the next 39 years!

Renovations Complete

Our "aluminum villa" - as Roger's nephew, Rick, calls it - has a new look! Roger has completed the hardwood floor project and I did my part shopping for chairs and rugs. We love it - makes the coach seem bigger inside.                                Roger finished tractor drive #2 yesterday. Three days driving from Hanover, MI to Portland, IN - with overnight stops in Edgerton, OH and Berne, IN - to an antique tractor show featuring Allis Chalmer tractors. 70 tractors drove around 160 miles on rural roads - good thing they have those big seats! You can take the boy off the farm but not the farm out of the boy!I enjoyed lunch with an old friend, Connie - I should say, a long time friend, we are not old! - shopping and time with Mom & Judy.

Hummingbirds

I bought a hummingbird feeder that sticks on the window near our table - they started coming to eat within 30 minutes! Amazing!

Tractor Drive #1

We have been without internet service for a week and have felt totally out of touch -didn't realize we were such computer "geeks." Like most Americans, we have been glued to the TV watching the Olympics. What a remarkable opening ceremony! We have a problem with the time zone - an hour later than we are used to in San Antonio - can't stay awake for "prime time" events!
Roger and his brothers, plus 2 nephews, had a great time on the tractor drive last week-end. Roger is hardly the typical farmer with his "Aussie" hat, shorts and tennis shoes!
I joined Judy and friends at a summer festival in Saline on Saturday. Another friend plays in a band that was performing - they play "big band" sounds - great music and great weather made for a fun afternoon. Bought a cute winter hat - even though I have no intention of being around when the white stuff falls!
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly:
Good - a Farmer's Fruit/Vegetable Market plus Bakery and Jerome Meat Market are both close by and we have been literally "pigging out" on fresh sweet corn!
Bad - we saw a sign for "Winsor Highway" the other day - it was a gravel road! A little different than SA traffic but rural roads everywhere.
Ugly - learning to cook on a gas stove when I have had an electric one all my life!

Samantha & "Baby's" Birthday Party

Samantha woke up last Sunday and told Heather it was "Baby's" birthday. They made cupcakes with "sprinkles" and had candles and party hats!Samantha sang "Happy Birthday to Baby" and then helped her eat her cupcake!

Somerset Center

We are finally settled in our "permanent" home for August - a mobile home park that allows RV's in vacant sites - near relatives in the Jackson, Michigan area. We moved from our originally planned campground after one night - not a place one would want to "live." Roger found out - well, actually, he already knew it! - when Mama ain't happy no one is happy! We are really enjoying having Mom, sisters & brothers close by for frequent visits.

We rode our bikes 12 miles!!! on the Falling Waters Trail yesterday morning. It is an unused railroad grade that has been paved for walking and biking and runs from Concord to Jackson. Beautifully done with signs, benches and rest areas. I thought I wouldn't be able to walk today but my legs are fine - it's my "hiney" (as Samantha would say) that hurts!

We went out on Judy's new pontoon boat last evening around 5 pm - the water was as smooth as glass. Roger & Judy did some fishing - correction Roger "fished" and Judy "caught" - much to Roger's chagrin - the score is 4 to 0! Mom, Marilou & I polished off a bottle of wine and just relaxed!

We are going to the Jackson County Fair tomorrow - will see the 4H exhibits and all the entries trying to win a ribbon, then eat at one of the church food booths. Blast from the past!

Roger and his brothers, Duane & Bill, are busy getting ready for the big tractor drive this week. They leave on Friday at 7 am and return on Saturday around 3 pm. Per tradition, they will camp out on Friday night and the "women" will bring "pot luck" for dinner.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly;

Good - being near family for the first time in 30 years!

Bad - sharing a car!

Ugly - the MOSQUITO'S!