Horton

It has been cool and raining most of the week - I can't get warm! Praying for nicer weather for the wedding next week-end. We went to dinner with Eldon & Nancy - friends from high school - last night. Spent the evening playing "catch up" and reminiscing. Roger is building a new bike rack to attach to the motorhome hitch so we don't have to carry the bikes on the back of the car. Looks like a sunny but cool day today - I am going to take Mom to plant new flowers in the cemetery urns - always a trip down memory lane.
I should attach a picture but I won't - I walked through the screen door at Mom's apartment the other day and scraped up my nose! I know - how can you not see a screen??? A big ugly scab! Hope it's healed and gone before the wedding celebrations begin!
We are enjoying time with Duane, Sally & Emily. They have a lovely home back in the woods - their campground gets an "A" rating!

Mother's Day

Mel & I had a wonderful Mother's Day. Ray & Roger took us to brunch and then our kids treated us to a massage at a lovely spa in the afternoon. It was especially nice for us to share it - we don't have enough "sister time."
We are now at Duane,Sally and Emily's in Horton. So nice to spend time with them. Roger is working on the motorhome today and I am beginning "spring cleaning" at Mom's.

Rachel's Bridal Shower

We had a wonderful time at Rachel's bridal shower luncheon yesterday. It was so nice to meet her mother and sisters before the wedding. I really enjoyed it - living in Texas, I've missed too many of these special family times. We were disappointed that Mom would not come but, she just doesn't like to leave her comfort zone anymore.
Rachel will be a beautiful bride!

Mother's Day Tea

Mel & I joined Mom at the Mother's Day Tea last night at the Atrium. Dessert and entertainment and a room full of "good women."
I don't know who originally wrote this poem that I quote as a toast but I love it:
To good women -
May we know them
May we be them
May we raise them
May our sons marry them!

Gerald Ford Museum

We are enjoying a relaxing week - played golf Monday afternoon - the courses here are beautifully green and lush. We toured the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids yesterday - trying to see many of the presidential libraries while touring the country. A miniature White House - sort of like a doll house - a traveling exhibit - is on display there. Incredible detail - small working TV's and chandeliers.
After lunch, we drove up to Hardy Dam to see Pete & Darlene, friends from Brownsville. They live on their houseboat all summer and in their motor home all winter! They are members of an association that leases land and has built a private marina on the Muskegeon River. We have enjoyed many wonderful houseboat vacations and are really intrigued by this unique lifestyle! Actually, we are thinking about another houseboat vacation with my family in 2010 - found a boat on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky with 8 bedrooms!!!

Battle Creek Bike Ride

Today was a gorgeous spring day - in the high 60's. Ray & Mel and Roger & I went biking on the Linear Park, a bike trail from Fort Custer into Battle Creek near Kellogg's. The Kellogg corporate office, the Kellogg Foundation building and a previous home of one of the Kellogg brothers are all located near the Kalamazoo River in downtown Battle Creek. Beautiful landscaping - everything is so green and "spring is sprung" - fruit trees, red buds, tulips, daffodils are all in bloom. We enjoyed "happy hour" on the veranda at Clara's restaurant and then rode back to the car. A lovely day!

Michigan

We encountered rain most of the way from Arkansas so we decided to drive straight through to Michigan. We arrived at Mel & Ray's house last evening. So glad to see them and spend time with them before Joel's wedding on the 23rd. Today was a gorgeous sunny day in the 60's - nice of us to bring some decent weather with us!
Spent some time this afternoon getting their video cam and Skype set up and working so we can connect the whole family while we travel.