Church Sign

I drove by a church the other day - loved the sign out front - "Most worries are reruns."

This has been a frustrating "fix it" week. My relatively new phone, died so we tried to get it replaced under the warranty - a long story but after 7 different stores and a long wait/conversation with AT&T's warranty department we finally just bought a new one! Yesterday, we took the motorhome to a Lansing Freightliner dealer for two warranty repairs - they fixed one and "forgot" about the other and didn't have time to do it yesterday so we made an appointment to return on Thursday. We got on the highway to return to Jackson and at about 50mph the steering wheel was vibrating so badly Roger could hardly control it! Back we go! They kept it over night and finally got both the warranty issue and the issue they caused fixed. We spent the night at Judy's - thank goodness for family - and drove back to Lansing this afternoon to pick it up. We got "home" and went to unhook and park the car and it would not start - the battery was dead! To top it off, Roger has a nasty cold and has not been feeling 100% . It never rains but it pours - literally around here this summer!

The Queen Mary

Roger went to Long Beach, CA last week for a meeting with the FAA. The company he works for finally received certification for a project they have been working on for years. There was a presentation ceremony on the Queen Mary today so I got to come back with him to enjoy the celebration. It has been nice to play "catch up" with several of the people from his work.

The Queen Mary was first launched from Scotland in 1936 and was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built. In 1940 it was "drafted" as a troop carrier and hospital ship under the alias "Grey Ghost." Originally designed to carry 2,000 passengers it began carrying as many as 16, 683 GI's to Europe! They were packed in like sardines - the pools were drained and bunks were stacked 18 inches apart! The museum, on the ship, is so interesting - telling the stories of many of these men and women. It went back into the passenger business in 1947 but eventually, was sold to the city of Long Beach as a floating hotel, convention center and tourist attraction in 1967. I have loved it's old elegance and "vintage" atmosphere - like being on the Titanic without the worry of icebergs!

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Judy, Marilou, Mel and I enjoyed a fun "ladies day out" at Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, MI on Tuesday. It is a beautiful area of outdoor flower gardens and art work plus greenhouses of exotic plants. They have a wonderful children's garden with a tree house and a water exhibit of the Great Lakes where kids can float boats. Samantha and Emily would love it!
The gardens are hosting an exhibit of Dale Chihuly's blown glass sculptures through September and they are amazing. He is well known for organizing teams of exceptionally talented glassblowers that work together to form huge, multipart glass sculptures - often designed for outdoor display. They were interspersed inside and outside in the gardens and ponds and are gorgeous in their design and color. It was worth enduring the 95 degree heat to see them!!!
The heat wave here is dragging everyone down - the humidity makes it much worse than San Antonio! We went for a raft ride and swim on Lake LeAnne with Judy's friends, Winnie and Splinter (her last name is Wood!) last night - the cool water felt heavenly!

Tuesday was a "glad - sad" day for Roger - he sold his airplane. A retired Alaska Airline pilot from Seattle bought it and is excited to have found it. I'm glad it went to a good home! It just didn't fit our current lifestyle and was too costly to keep if he couldn't enjoy flying it. Dave told him to come visit when we are in Seattle and we just might do that!

Fireworks

We are still celebrating the holiday. Roger & I drove to Tipton, MI to see "Hidden Lake Gardens" yesterday afternoon. It's a 750 acre botanical garden now run by Michigan State University. Roger remembers going there with his family when he was a kid (a long time ago!) Then we went over to Patty & Carolyn's house on Lake LeAnne with Judy and Marilou and met several of their friends. It is always cooler by the lake - it was in the 90's with at least 200% humidity! Then we went to the talent show in the park in Hanover. Kids to senior citizens participated with a wide range of talent! Singers, baton twirlers, gymnasts, and a hula hoop routine. Duane's daughter, Kathy, has two children - Nick & Chelsea - they both sang - and Nick won the grand prize for the adult catagory! The "Jack Daniels Band" played throughout the evening while everyone ate all the "carnival food" from the many vendors set up around the park. Duane's grandson, Chris and his wife Maria, joined us. Chris just graduated from a photography school out east and they are on their way back to Alaska. Last but not least was a really impressive fireworks display! We were remembering last year in Boston with the Pops but we had a fun day with family here in "Hooterville" and the traffic jam wasn't nearly as bad to get home! We are going to meet Judy, Ray, Mel, and Kirt to play golf  later this afternoon. We are waiting until around 4pm because it is sooooo hot!

Happy 4th of July!

We went to the Hanover 4th of July parade yesterday - a real hometown America event! We had to get there early to get a good place on Main Street to set up our lawn chairs but it was worth it - we were right across the street from the broadcaster from the Hillsdale radio station. The parade was great with the American Legion Post starting it off - followed by the fire engines; antique cars; antique tractors; kids on bikes; horses; and of course, politicians! Roger's brother, Bill, drove his tractor and pulled a trailer with all the grandkids. After the parade there is a chicken BBQ in the park and last but not least tractor pulling! Then we went over to Bill & AnnaLee's for dinner and birthday cake - Missy was born on July 4, 1973!

Happy Birthday, Mom

Yesterday was my mother's 87th birthday and we had such a good day with her! I made a cake and we had a "party" at her apartment last evening. Judy, Mel, Roger & I plus my Uncle Paul (mom's brother) and Aunt Max (Maxine) and my Uncle Bob (dad's brother) and Aunt Dot (Dorothy) helped her celebrate. Uncle Paul is 94 and Aunt Max is 93; Uncle Bob & Aunt Dot are in their mid 80's and it is so good to see them all  doing so well. Bob is still playing golf regularly but Paul & Max do not - they sure miss it though. Uncle Paul said they usually don't go to bed until around 12 midnight and get up around 7 or 8am - he says "99% of old people die in their sleep so he's not going to spend any more time in bed than he has to!"

I was "teary eyed" on the way home - thinking of Dad - and realizing how much all of them miss him too.