Sunday, July 27, 2014

Just lazy

Ok, I am not really lazy but just haven't gotten back in the 'grove' about blogging.  
 I went to the Ann Arbor Art Fair a little over a week ago.  Kathy and I keep trying to remember how many years we have been going to the Art Fair but really can't nail it down.  I just know that it is about 30 years and MANY rings ago.  This year was a real treat because the weather was wonderful.  The temps were in the 60s and 70s and it was a little overcast.  To know how great this was you have to have attended over the years when the temps were in the 90s and all kinds of weather conditions from rain to tornadoes to just HOT.  All the artists and art fair attendees were thrilled at this wonderful weather.
We always arrive early, sometimes before the booths even open but it is the only way to get a good parking spot within walking distance of the fair.
 Kathy always buys a vegetable or fruit from this lady.  It is our first stop.
 After a long day of shopping we always have dinner at our favorite restaurant but this year we had a bit of a problem.  Sava's had moved from the downtown location so we had to get out our phones and find the new location.  We couldn't miss the traditional vegetarian meal so we hunted them down and had dinner.
I couldn't miss buying my usual ring or two.  This is the one that I was able to bring home with me.  I ordered another one that had to be made bigger. This stone is an iolite, the other ring has a smoky quartz or at least that is what I can remember.  
This past week we joined some friends  for a wine tasting dinner at a beautiful golf course over on Lake Michigan.  The food was terrific and the wine was very tasty.  This tasting trip involved a small bus that took several couples over to the event so no one had to drive.  


After dinner we went out and watched the sun set over the golf course.  It was a fun evening.  

 Friday I joined Brittany and Charlotte in a morning of cooking.  Charlotte was making pies for her friend David's Open House and I offered to help them make some of those wonderful Disappearing Marshmallow brownies. They were a success at the Open House that evening which we attended.
 Saturday we went sailing.  Brittany and John are here for a week and are both on vacation. It was a little chilly on the water but the wind was nice (only the main was out so we were lazy sailors but at least we were comfortable)

 Everyone had a great time.
 I even had someone take my picture since I am rarely on my own blog.
After sailing we went to a cute little downtown attraction called Little Fleet.  This is where the food trucks park just outside the bar called Little Fleet.  You can go in and order your drink and then go out and get a variety of food from the various food trucks. It looks a little empty because a big rainstorm interrupted our dinner and we had to move under the awing.  
It is T.C.'s way of regulating the growing food truck industry.  It was our first experience there and we will try it again.

SO, as you see, I have been busy just not documenting my activities.  I will try to do a better job of doing entries more often.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

What I can't have

OH, what I wouldn't give for
 a bag of potato chips,
 a large bag of M&Ms,
Cheeze-its
ice cream with hot fudge and pecans,
pizza of any kind but with lots of cheese and a great crust,
fudge,
a plate of Eva's chocolate chip cookies,
a pan of my wonderful marshmallow chocolate treats,
and many other treats that I can no longer indulge myself in.
Why is it that when we get older we must give up all those treats??
Sometimes life just isn't fair.
Yes, I know that I could indulge myself now and then
BUT it seems I have trouble 'shutting it off' once I get it started.
SO I am better at just abstaining, OR am I???

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Horse show

It is hard to believe but Bud and I went to a horse show this past weekend. One of our neighbors is a major sponsor and we received an invitation to sit in at the VIP tent for a brunch and the Sunday afternoon show.  It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and a nice breeze keeping us comfortable.  I was surprised but I really enjoyed watching these young people and their horses jump. It was a great way to spend a nice Sunday afternoon.  
We were joined by some friends that also received and invitation.  They have been coming to the show for a couple of years so they were 'pros' at giving us information about the performers.  

Today I leave for the Ann Arbor Art Fair.  I have been attending this art fair with my friend Kathy for MANY years.  We always have a lot of fun and I seem to always find some lovely ring that I can't resist.  I am looking forward to the cooler weather we are having because it is usually so hot at the art fair that it is almost unbearable to walk around some parts of the day.   The fair starts tomorrow morning but we almost always go down the night before so we are there as the fair opens.  
I will post my 'finds' after I return.  Any requests???? send me a text.  

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Working less



Bud has decided he wants to work less/fewer days a week.  I kind of laughed when he said that, wondering how he planned to accomplish that task, trying to get him to acknowledge that it would mean turning down work and that seems to be difficult for him.  However, he did start this week by blocking off Friday and not going in to work at all this weekend.  I commend his dedication and hope that he keeps it up.  

 Because he didn't work on Friday, we took Sonja and her friend Chet sailing.  It was a nice cay for a lunchtime sail.  Sandwiches from a local shop and a good wind made the day almost perfect.
 After sailing we went to a local carpet shop and bought a new rug for our living room.  I had scoped out the prospects earlier this week and found this one on sale.  The price was right and it fit out room very well, both in color and size.
Saturday he did chores around the house.  We bought a new bed for our guest room and now have to rearrange things a bit.  So a dresser that was downstairs was switched with one that was upstairs and we cleaned out a few drawers as we were working.  In one of these drawers I found my OLD CMU notebook that I used all through college.  It has those dividers with the little tabs for each class.  I carried it all through my years at college.  I think I should throw it away but am having a hard time parting with it just yet.  It was my constant companion for those years over 40 years ago.  SO, what do you think????  Trash??? or better yet leave it for someone else to throw away many years from now????  Remember if you are one of the younger family members, YOU will be the one throwing it away.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

A LONG 'funk

WELL, It has been a LONG time since I have posted.  A bit of a 'funk' going on here but I am working on it and this is one of my goals, to post on my blog again on a regular basis.  I probably lost any readership that I had by this long dry spell (just kidding, I know my readership is pretty limited anyway so I really don't know who I post this for, you or me.)
 Our Viking River Cruise was very nice.  This is a picture of the two of us in Budapest at the end of our trip.  It was very interesting to visit this part of the world, a place I knew very little about since this was part of the former Soviet Union and we really didn't learn a lot about it in school.  The people were very friendly and loved to have Americans visiting.  There is a lot of history in this part of the world because it has been conquered many times by different cultures.
 This is the Danube which was right outside our window at our final destination.  The world looks different in old European countries.
 Charlotte graduated from high school this year.  Our 'selfie' was fun.  David took it on his new phone while we were waiting for the ceremony to begin.
 That day was all about her and what a beautiful young lady.  She is on her way to Lawrence University to study voice this fall.  There will be an 'empty nest' for Sue and Walt.
 The whole family looked great.
 Of course, Jessica and Doug had a new baby.  I had to drive down and visit for the day after we returned from our trip.  She is a beautiful baby and they are wonderful parents.
 Leo came up for a day.  He came to pick up a mattress we were passing on to him.  He needed it before Glen and Penny came to visit.
 While he was here, Bud used this free labor opportunity to cut down a tree that was almost dead.  I was thankful because I didn't need to be on the other end of that rope pulling and trying to get out of the way of a falling tree. They studied the area very well because they dropped the tree right where they planned on putting it.  I was impressed and I think they were too because there was a lot of discussion before cutting as to where it could possibly fall.
 I rewarded them with a little ice tea.  Sorry guys, I didn't have any beer in the house.
 Charlotte had an Open House.  It was a beautiful day and everyone was happy for her.
 Glen and Penny visited so we all headed to Applebee's for dinner.  It was a nice evening and a good chance for all of us to get together.
 And then came our yearly houseboat trip.  This year we had the addition of Evy.
 Leo was looking much better this year.  We missed Josh though.  That upcoming wedding is consuming all his time and money
 What a precious little bundle.  She was the hit of the trip.
 Birthdays were celebrated.
 Mommy and Daddy took turns tending the baby when the rest of us weren't begging for a chance.  They are terrific parents and of course ADORE this little baby.
 We spent lots of time in the water
 Played Mexican Train in the evenings.
 Relaxed in the sun and water
 Snuggled with the baby
 Posed for pictures.
 Gram was very happy
 I just couldn't get enough baby pictures.
 When I came home I started on a new quilt.  I had this fabric in my 'stash' and decided I needed to use it in this project.  I bought this whole group of fabric online one day when I just got 'caught up' in the moment.
 On the 4th of July we headed out on the bay with Sue and Walt's family.  This is Red 8 which many of you know marks the entrance to the harbor here.  We have sailed past this many times and welcome any of the family to show up here so we can renew their experience of sailing with us.  We have a new guest bed that is queen size so come and visit.

As you can see it was a beautiful day.  The sunshine and family combination accented by the Blue Angels flying overhead.  It is Cherry Festival time here in TC so the traffic is heavy, the tourist are walking the streets, the midway is downtown, the 'Open Space' broadcasts music across the bay every evening and many of us are hibernating in our homes. 

Well, I have caught you up on the past few months activities.  I will rejoin civilization and try to blog more often because I know my VAST audience has missed me.