The New Water Cooler
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A storm has come through this morning. It is dark and pouring rain. We need it but of course, we leave for camping today. We are heading east so it will probably greet us there when we arrive. Fun!
My arthritis in my hands is acting up right now. Maybe a change in the weather or the level of humidity? Not sure but my left wrist is actually swollen.
I need to shower, go to the pharmacy and bank and put my basket of clothes in the camper. We will leave around 12:30 and can check in to our site at 3pm.
I hope you have a nice week. I'm doubtful we will have WiFi or good cell service on the east side of the state and I'm not taking my computer with me. I will check in again on Friday or Saturday.
You must be on the home stretch getting C packed for college. Don't cry too much. It's exciting for him and it means you have done your job to send him off in the world. He's your last, so it may be as hard as it was when Z went to college. Hugs!!0 -
hope you are safely away and get to enjoy your trip this time. Fingers crossed!
The heat roars back this week. It's gonna be a brutal week here again.
Last work week for Caleb.
Happy Anniversary!!!
Have fun!0 -
hot as hades
stay cool!
hoping for a cool down0 -
Tomorrow is Caleb’s last day. He’s more than done. Bernie heads home from his work travel.
Hopefully you are having a great trip.
Stay cool.0 -
We are back home. It was a nice week at a fairly nice state park campground. We were able to set up our site and camper with dry weather. Then it rained a bit and stopped. We were able to sit outside but did not build a fire or cook outside the first night. Tuesday was beautiful, Wednesday was torrential rains/storm all day, and Thursday and Friday beautiful again. I would say it was a success of a trip. Interesting people watching for sure! When we arrived we had nice neighbors that gave us tips on the park and gave us some nice pieces of wood that burned well. Often park wood isn't dry enough and smokes a lot rather than getting a good burn. His wood was amazing and we actually had good fires all week since he gave us several nice pieces. We combined it with park wood and it helped a lot. The sites across the road from us on Lake Huron were closed due to erosion so we had a nice view of the lake and it was a short walk down to the rocks. There were big rocks to sit on and the waves splashed and were cooling when the sun was so hot. I collected several nice rocks to put in an area near my perennial garden. I have an idea in mind but need to work on cleaning up the area and putting the rocks there. I didn't go to the park beach since it was so crowded. Also when I can't see my feet in a lake, I don't swim in it. The waves were stirring up a lot of sand so I couldn't see the bottom.
My brother comes in to town on Tuesday so I guess we have two family dinners next week. One is at my sister's where he is staying and the other at a local pizza place. I need to get together with my two friends next week before they head back to their year round residences in Ohio and Chicago. Next weekend is the Northwestern MI Fair on Friday night (we have tickets) and the Boz Scaggs Concert at Interlochen on Saturday night. Then next Sunday, two MN friends arrive for a week. Busiest part of the summer.
Are you driving C to school or both you and Bernie? Stay cool!0 -
Sweet corn is at the farm stands in our area! Russ and I ate just sweet corn for dinner. I will pay the price in the middle of the night since it is hard for me to digest but so worth it.
I spent the afternoon at my sister's pool floating around. It was 90 today so it felt good. I used sun screen but still got too much sun. I'm sure I will look like an old lady raisin in a few years.
It is suppose to rain all day tomorrow so I will be working on laundry and cleaning.0 -
It's Friyay and we are all melting yet through today and tomorrow. Hoping for a cool down Sunday.
Safe travels back.
Weekend!0 -
Looks like my Friday post didn’t take on Friday. Glad you had a successful and fun trip. It’s still hot! Maybe tomorrow for a break. I thought maybe Caleb would talk about packing and school stuff this weekend but nothing. Cat Roxy had blood in her litter box Saturday. Got her into the vet and got an antibiotic. So far seems like it’s better. But I know we are getting towards her end. She is 14 or 15 I think. I’m fine with things like an antibiotic but won’t do anything heroic at this age. Back at it tomorrow0
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My boys waited until the last minute to throw their stuff together. Other than what we bought for dorm room their clothes weren't packed until the end. I nagged but it didn't happen. They felt they knew best and it would only take a few minutes! I think they only packed summer clothes for the first round and then came home and got Fall clothes the next visit, etc.
We had rain all day yesterday and it is raining all day today. Charlie and I went out for our early walk and it was pouring. He managed to pee but did not make it to his poop spot at the end of the driveway. Coming back up the driveway the rain was in his eyes and he had them closed as he walked. He needs a raincoat and goggles, LOL! So we will have to go out in a lull so he can do his business. He is wet and stinky now.
I'm doing the last of the camping and clothes laundry this morning. Russ is at work. My brother arrives tomorrow afternoon from AZ. We have two family dinners with him on Wed and Thurs. Tomorrow night I am meeting up with some friends from 40 years ago, many I haven't seen since then. Friday eve Russ and I will check out the Northwestern Michigan Fair in Traverse City. Saturday night is a concert so very busy week in the evenings. Unusual for us!
It is suppose to be almost 80 on Wed but that is the high for the week. Makes me happy...
I'm still waiting to hear if my friends are arriving Sunday or Monday next week. I need to get my butt in gear and make beds, dust, and vacuum their rooms.
Well I hope you are getting cooler temps. Have a nice Monday.0 -
A bit cooler for a couple of days thankfully. But the heat roars back this weekend. Wicked it is.
What do you think of these new Ford Bronco's? I kind of like how boxy they are. A nice difference in silhouette than pretty much all the other suv/crossovers are all looking the same. I don't like the mental association of it with OJ and the freeway chase/murderer since I remember the 90's, but.... I still like it's difference. But boy is it kind of spendy based on what I seeing on the few searches I did on cars.com. But then again, so is most all of the vehicles. Just craziness. I am also liking the new style on 2022 Honda Passports. Boxier on the front and a sort of 'tough' looking grill. When I searched reviews the Bronco was reviewed/ranked higher than the Honda which is why I had looked at it a little bit. It's unusual for a Ford to be higher than a Honda from the critics I think. Kind of putting some thought into the next vehicle.
Rolling through Tuesday.
Enjoy your week!0 -
Our rain gauge said we got over 2" of rain this past Sunday and Monday! We turned off the programming on the sprinkler system to allow plants/garden to soak it up.
I don't know anything about the Ford Bronco or Honda Passport. I do know I loved my Honda CR-V that I had years ago and it was the best car I've ever had with minimal fixes needed over 10 years. My Subaru is more comfortable and has good safety ratings but it has had more needs. I like to test drive and see which car feels more comfortable to my body, height, width, design of center storage with cup holders, etc. Heated seats are now a must for me. I would like a remote start but don't have it in my 2016 model. I do love having Eye Sight so cameras detect cars/trucks in my blind spots and the back up camera is wonderful. I think Eye Sight is more standard in higher end vehicles now than when I bought my car in 2015. We had to pay extra for it.
Our temps have been cooler but today will be warm and the weekend higher temps are coming. The mornings are cool and I even wore a jacket when I took Charlie out for his walk today at 7:15. He smelled something and was sniffing the ground and didn't want to go far. I'm wondering if coyotes were wandering in the night. We turned around because he signaled he was done.
I have a pedicure at 10am, need to pick up 2 dozen ears of corn for family dinner at my sister's tonight, and do some weeding around the bushes. I started yesterday and my back and neck are stiff today.
Last night I went to that gathering of old friends from my childhood. These are people I grew up with in the summers when the families came north to their cottages. I've know one since age 5, another since age 11, and the rest since age 13. It was all women and one brought her spouse since in the past the guys from our group had attended. They weren't here this year so her husband was the token guy. He seemed to enjoy it and was a social guy. Russ did not want to go and I'm glad he didn't. It was fun to catch up and most left around 8 or 8:30 and 4 of us talked until almost midnight! Late for me but it was nice and I'm glad I went.
You must be getting ready to drive to Lincoln. C is going to UN-L isn't he?0 -
Glad you had a good visit with old friends!
Yep, Caleb is heading to UNL soon. His roommate moves on Friday since he is trying out for marching band and Caleb wants to help him move. Caleb told his dad he was staying down there. But he hasn't had that conversation with me, so I don't know what that means (will we still be moving him on his 8/16 date, etc.?)
I bought this thing called rotator reliever (or something like that) that has been in my Facebook feed since my shoulders started hurting. It's a handle, with a cord and then lightly weighted balls you attach and then hold your arm in different positions and get the ball rotating. It claims to help shoulder pain/issues. I finally decided to order it and try. I am still a month and half from my annual appointment and this seems like something I can at least try. I have had it for four days. I can definitely 'feel' it and almost sweat doing it, but it doesn't hurt. So, I'll keep doing it.
Have a great day.0 -
We had a nice dinner at my sister's last night. I was able to buy 2 dozen corn and it was great. Becky grilled BBQ chicken and my other sister made a salad. We had a nice meal on her deck. My brother is looking old. He is as cheap as the day is long so he cuts his own hair. He has gone completely gray and his eye brows, hair and side burns are looking wild. He has Glaucoma and his eyes looked red and kind of bugged out. I didn't want to ask about his eyes so I don't know what is going on. He had two knee replacements in the last 4 years but isn't doing well. His hips bother him and he says he has lots of leg and knee pain. He seemed stunned that I don't have much leg discomfort at this point. A twinge in my left, unrepaired knee, once in a while. Depends on my arthritis flare ups or how active I am.
I am going to meet Russ at the sporting goods store at 11am. They are having a 20% off sale on all kayaks so we want to see if we can pick up a couple more hard sided kayaks to have when people visit.
Tonight we meet family and cousins at an Italian restaurant nearby. We have reservations on their beautiful patio for 9 of us. Should be a nice evening to be on the patio. I need to do more weeding this afternoon around the shrubs that are in the front and back of the house. I finished the island and part of the front the other day.
60's to 70's today and sunny. Perfect!
Wouldn't C need you to take him to school with all his stuff?0 -
Sounds/looks like a fun and busy week!
I love funnel cake!
Friyay.0 -
Our patio dinner was good but of course, Becky didn't like her entree. She was the only one that barely touched her meal. She is so picky and critiques restaurants negatively all the time. The rest of us loved our entree. I ordered Chicken Piccata and it was very good. The place was way too expensive for around here but they were busy anyway. I could tell it was mainly wealthy retirees/tourists and their families. Russ and I wouldn't eat there on a regular basis. Probably just a special occasion.
I finally got together with my seasonal friends for a bike ride. They both have ebikes but have barely ridden them. Then they leave them up here when they return to Chicago and Cincinnati after the summer. Crazy! I took them down to the national park trail and we rode the second half that doesn't have the 2 miles of gravel. We ate lunch at a tavern half way and then rode the return trip. 22 miles total and a beautiful day. When I got home I had to rush to shower and then Russ and I went to see what the Northwestern Michigan Fair in Traverse City is like. Very small, more like our county fair in MN, but well attended. We had a hot dog, corn dog (the best we've ever had), a funnel cake and snow cone. The French Fry line was way too long and it is better I didn't eat those too. Then we went to see the Night of Destruction car races and demolition derby. That was fun and noisy. I hadn't been to one since high school. Russ humored me and was a good sport to go since I love that kind of thing. When the boys were little they called me "motorhead" because I like 70's muscle cars, '65 Mustang Convertibles, and demolition derbies. My high school boyfriend and many of the other boys in our school had sooped up cars back then. So funny!
Today I need to make beds for my two friends coming tomorrow. I will clean the bathroom and do all the vacuuming and dusting tomorrow. They won't arrive until evening after dinner. Tonight we have the concert at Interlochen. The end of one busy week and the beginning of another.
I imagine you are doing the last details for C. Has Z left yet?0 -
When I went to make the beds, I found I had not washed the sheets and they were still on the bed in the guest room from whomever was here last. The sheets stored in the dresser in the basement bunk room smelled musty like the old dresser, so all went in the laundry and I'm still working on those. So today I have a lot to do since they arrive tonight. Russ is good and thorough at vacuuming so he will do that after he grocery shops this morning. I will do the bathrooms, mop tile floors, and dust. We each have a pile of clutter in our bedroom to go through and this is a good reason to do it since we are showing them our house. I am going to make my first batch of soup of the season, an Autumn Chowder. It is the recipe of one of the ladies that is visiting. Veggies, cheesy/creamy broth, and hearty. We can eat it for lunch or an easy dinner one day. It has gotten cooler here at night and in the mornings.
The concert was very good last night. It was cold and rainy all day and the venue is open air with a roof over the stage and seats. It's on a lake so the temps were 57-59. I wore three long sleeve layers and was still cold. Russ wore two layers and never zipped up his fleece nor did he take a raincoat. He never dresses appropriately for anything we do. On the way home he stated he had never been so cold at a concert. WTH! I didn't comment since he will not change. We never did run in to my sisters and cousin. So many people!
I'm enjoying my coffee while I wait for the sheets to dry. I should probably start on the guest bathroom and get that done. I could dust too and make sure their rooms have Kleenex, hangars, etc.
I hope you are having a great weekend but I'm sure you are busy with last minute details for C and Z. How long of a drive to Lincoln for you? Can C come home easily? Z is at Wayne, right? An hour or so away?
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I love seeing all you are up to.
One more sleep until my Mr. C gets off to UNL. I have no idea how he is doing on packing. I have the stuff I set aside. He did take the futon, microwave and t.v. down Friday since Brandon was able to move in that day. His friend/roommate auditioned for marching band. There were over 120 trumpets trying out, they only took 60. Brandon made it! So, that's fun for his friend/roommate. Anyway, tonight and tomorrow morning we will finish up (one way or another). His move in time is 1:00 p.m. It has been so, so, so dry here. Of course they are calling for rain, tomorrow. Even though that will make it miserable, we will take it if it comes.
I wrote a letter to leave in his room. I tried to have some witty remarks to balance out the others. My favorite is something I had saved a year ago from something I stumbled across,: I’ve known all along that I’ve been raising you not just to leave, but to want to leave. And now it appears that my indecipherable and sometimes indefensible 18-year master plan has worked. I built you to transcend conventional instruction – you are your own GD manual. Many mothers are worried about freeing their baby bird from their nest – but you are not my bird – you are my expertly designed F54 BlackHawk with precision steering and altitude capabilities that far surpass those of the next best model.
I finally got Zach to tell me what his blood test showed. His liver panel wasn't that much improved. I am so disappointed. He had all summer to exercise and take care of himself. I pointed out that he is an adult and I can't force him to take care of his health. I ONCE AGAIN pointed to his grandparents and their terrible health. I will support him in making better choices, but if he doesn't want to he will have to accept what that means. Of course I am still going to stew and obsess about it. Grrr.
Here's to a great week.0 -
Today’s the day. Let’s goooooo!!!!!0
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Well, we got the C kid off to Lincoln and installed in his dorm room. I was starting to think he didn't want to go. He did not start his packing until about 8:30 a.m. yesterday, and we needed to leave no later than 11:30 to make his appointed move in time. Oy. I know boys are not worried about planning and packing but, holy crap, he had me super stressed out. And of course then with the, "where's this and where's that" I was getting more than a little irritated. It totally reminded me of how stressed out that kid could make me in seconds back when I was staying home. He has strong head-strong. But! Eventually he was packed, loaded and we made it through the maze that was check-in, move-in with only a few wrong turns (totally my fault). UNL certainly has a master plan in organization. I really do plan to leave him be, but will probably check in once before classes start and then back out. Bernie and I choked back a few sniffles walking out of the dorm but got ourselves together after that. We hit a Firehouse Subs on the way out of Lincoln (a first for us - Caleb just wanted to settle in) and we thought it was delicious. Back home and tried to re-set to head back to work today for a normal Wednesday.
Four more days for Zach and then the nest is officially empty. (For the time being).
Your cheesy vegetable soup sounds delicious!
Hope you are having another fabulous week.0 -
My baby is 18 today!
Friday-eve0
