Kelly's Changes in Latitude/Changes in Attitude

Pre-Flight and Flight Activity (Michigan to Maine) - September 5, 2011

2011-09-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Monday, Monday, Monday! Rainy chilly days and Mondays. Oh Monday brings me to the last day of my vacation here in Michigan. It is always great to get away to see friends. Labor Day brings the last day of summer for some people. It is good to think that summer really does not end until near the end of September and then fall begins. I love fall too.

The time of 8:00 a.m. finds me up and about having coffee. That is unusual - NOT!

Frisbee playing with Sunny to give her exercise. My exercise? Left hand up, drink coffee, left hand down. Fingers clicking on the keys to make words on the screen. Time is ticking down for the time to leave for my flight back to Maine.

Sunny joined Hugh for a trip out to the garden for fresh veggies for the omelet - green peppers, yellow peppers and tomatoes! Kelly made the omelet with theses veggies as well as onion and cheese. Ok, I am going to say it is the best omelet ever especially because it was made with love. She also cooked bacon in the oven. I have never had bacon cooked this way and found that it comes out very crispy. Yummy!

Around 11:30 a.m., hugs are given to Hugh then Kelly and I are headed to the Flint airport so that I can wait for my departure. Many hugs were given before I headed off to check-in myself and my luggage. I head to security hoping for an uneventful passage through to the waiting area. As you know, everyone has to take off any jewelry and shoes as well as take out any bottled products and electronics. This does take time but I am in no hurry.

The waiting game begins for my 1:15 p.m flight to Detroit. The gate area at the airport has been renovated so it looks and feels nicer. There is a bigger bar area on my side as well as a couple of places to purchase other goodies. I am not hungry so I sit and people watch. The flights takes off in 45 minutes so I make myself comfortable and wait for my next adventure to Detroit.

There were two delays to get to Detroit. The first delay was that the airplane had too much fuel for the number of passengers so we had to back out onto the tarmac and let some fuel leave the airplane so that we would all be safe. I had no problem with that at all. Let out all the fuel you want so that we can be safe. That is a great bottom line. The second delay was that Air Force One was getting ready to depart Detroit so that our airplane could not take off from Flint. I would rather sit on the tarmac than circle around Detroit. What made this flight interesting? My seat mate was the Congressman from Michigan, Congressman Dale Kildee. He is friends with our Congressman Mike Michaud. We had a great conversation while waiting for the flight to depart. We waited until close to 3:00 p.m. for our 16 minute flight to Detroit! I am glad that my connecting flight was not until 4:00 p.m. and was delayed for an hour. All worked out well for me.

After a short wait, we were on the tarmac and in the air for Portland. I was so tired from traveling and am always glad to get home. My seat mate was a woman from Poland. She had a Nook as she reads several books at a time. I thought I had a short attention span.

After getting my luggage, I found my car in the parking garage with no problem at all. I had actually remembered to write down the location. In my car and ready to go home! The one thing shocking about getting home is the fee you pay for parking in the garage. I never think of how much it will cost me when I get home. One of these days I will figure in the cost into making a trip. Well, then again, maybe not. It doesn't matter. If you want to get away, you want to get away!

Around 8:00 p.m., I drove in the driveway. My neighor is so sweet that you came over earlier and turned on my outside light to greet me home. Yay!

I hope everyone had a great long weekend! I hope to see you out and about.

Peace out!

On the Road again (Backyards to Bowling Balls) - September 4, 2011

2011-09-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

Another day in Roscommon but it is a sunny day at that. I must say that sleeping in the motor home is not so bad. Yes, I have been spoiled all these years. Stretching is a must after sleeping in those small beds. I just figure as long as I am not sleeping on the ground then all is fine. You just have to figure out what works for you and go with it. Just go with the flow. All is good as long as I am alive and virtually kicking everyday.

Patty makes her coffee weak as she drinks it all day long. I was so glad to be the first one up so that I could make at least the first pot of coffee. This means that 8:00 a.m. found me up and scoping out the kitchen to try to find the coffee and the filters. It took me awhile as I had to go through most of the cupboards. Would you think of looking for filters hanging on the wall? I did not at all. Kelly finally wandered in and then Patty awoke awhile later.

By 10:00 a.m., Kelly and I were on the road back home. As we were starving, we stopped back at Fred's for their breakfast. Okay, I must say that I had one of the best omelets ever - at least one pound of shaved ham, tomatoes and provolone cheese plus hash browns and rye toast. Yummy! We were back on the road around 11:00 a.m. but I soon found out that we had an extra traveler with us. Who was the extra traveler? Well, it was a hitchhiker but not your ordinary hitchhiker. A grasshopper decided to appear on my inside passenger's window. I made Kelly stopped so that I could open the door so that the grasshopper fly on its way.

Our car was filled with rock and roll music all the way home. We were singing and chatting all the way back. There was also construction on the interstate on the way back. People from Michigan say that they have two seasons: the Winter season and the Orange barrel season. Oh, I would say that Maine does have an Orange barrel season too with all the construction going on every summer and into the fall.

Around 1:00 p.m., we arrived back home to find Hugh lounging on the porch with Sunny at his feet. After unpacking and throwing the frisbee to Sunny, we got ready to head to our next adventure.

Hugh, Kelly and I were on the road again around 4:00 p.m. Our first stop? Richfield Bowling! Hugh and Kelly are on a bowling league but I wanted to give bowling a try. I can laugh at myself. So I thought "Why not!" I will say it was amusing to say the least. This bowling alley has only the big balls and no candlepins at all. I had to pick an 8 pound ball as the next one up was too heavy for me to handle. Now the holes were not big enough for my fingers, but I made it work. I started out with a few gutter balls here and there but eventually was able to get a few strikes and a lot more spares. I was so excited to do better than expected. I did not slip and fall as I had on my rented bowling shoes! We bumped fists and slapped hands after each others turn. Now this game you only have two shots at knocking down the pins and not three that I remember. My scores went from 75 to 109 to 122 to 127 in the end. Anyway, out of the four games that we played, I did best on the last one as I gave Hugh and Kelly a run for their money. They were actually worried. Nothing to fear, they were soon ahead of me by the end of the game.

After two hours of play, we headed toward Lucky's in Davison for dinner. Hugh and Kelly come here to dinner a great deal. It sounds like it is always busy. Hugh has a tradition that people bet a $1.00 to guess what color gum ball would come out of the huge gum ball machine. I picked green as it is my favorite color. Kelly picked pink and Huge picked red. Well, red was the ultimate winner so Kelly and I lost. However, we got two gum balls - one white and one red. We sat in the bar area and ordered fabulous meals. I understand that they are known for their steaks and prime ribs. There was so much food that we just had to come home to take a break to relax around 9:00 p.m. and so that Hugh could finish watching the Detroit Tigers. Oh, I must not forget that I had a gum ball for dessert. Well, not actually dessert, but an after dinner choice.

I am calling it a night on here soon. I hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend. Peace out!

Raining in Roscommon - September 3, 2011

2011-09-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

Good Morning to a rainy Saturday morning in Roscommon, Michigan. Kelly and I slept in a motor home in Patty's yard last night. I do not want you to get the wrong idea. There was no electricity and we had to sleep in twin beds. What do people do if they are tall? I guess not to sleep on this side of the motor home. We had a flashlight so we were all set and the beds were certainly better than sleeping on the ground in a tent. I am just going to say we were roughing it since we did sleep outside the house with no electricity at all. I am glad that I did not have to get up when it was dark. I could have tripped on something or tripped over my own feet. I could see it happening as I can be uncoordinated at times.

A friend sent me a Facebook message at 6:15 a.m. I heard the message come through so I tried to find my cell phone as I was curious who sent me a message so early. At least I did not have to get out of the bed to find cell phone as it was still dark here. It is not normally early for me as I am generally up at home around that time. I checked the message and laid back down. The weather was not cooperating as it was raining outside at that time. No reason to go outside yet. Why get wet so early in the morning? I figured I would just wait. Kelly and I finally stirred and got up around 8:00 a.m. We wandered into the house in order to make coffee for the day. Even though I have cell phone service, I have no Internet connection for my computer so I have to use Kelly's computer. We are switching off so that we can both check out what is going on today.

We watched the weather channel to see what Kelly's friends were encountering on their way to New Orleans during the tropical storm. We were going to head up to Mackinaw Bridge area for a variety of activities but the weather may not be cooperating today for that adventure. We do have an option of going to a sports bar that will have the Michigan game on today. We shall see what actually happens. I am sure we will just take it as it comes. Kelly and I are always up for whatever comes our way.

In the meantime, all of us are drinking coffee and hanging out. Oh, I must say that the cheesy bread as toast is absolutely fantastic. It is just like Lay's potato chips - you cannot have just one! I wonder if we have cheesy bread in Maine.

University of Michigan plays Western Michigan at 3:30 p.m.so we headed to The Family Bar to watch the game. This establishment had one entrance for University of Michigan fans (blue and gold) and one entrance for Michigan fans (green and white). The seating was separate to keep the fans apart. The waitress had a hard time keeping up with 12 people at our table. This part of the adventure brought all kinds of characters together in one place. The Family Bar also has a challenge - the 3lb. stadium burger challenge. People evidently attempt to eat the 3 lb. burger with fries. If you fail, then you get your photo on the Wall of Shame. I cannot even imagine attempting such a challenge. I am sure there are quite a few people who do.

The waitress had a hard time keeping up with 12 people at our table but all turned out well. This part of the adventure brought all kinds of characters together in one place. No fights or arguments either inside or outside. I can just imagine what it would be like if University of Michigan was playing Michigan State. There were two rain/lightning delays. Actually, I think they may have called the game so we headed home for a short break before we head out again.

Our evening out on the town and down to Higgins Lake was uneventful. Higgins Lake State Park was a gorgeous area. There were tons of campers adjacent to the state park. The lake is huge and very calm at dusk. A pitstop was made at the Silver Dollar to watch more college football. Kelly cannot get enough of watching football and I was along for the ride. We then drove around the lake in the darkness of the evening looking for civilization and thought we almost got lost trying to figure out how to get back to Roscommon. I had faith in Kelly that we would find our way back to town. Our last stop of the evening was Fred's that was a restaurant, bowling alley and bar. We watched more college football here and Kelly made out well playing Keno. Her nephew came along and joined us until the Keno games were done.

Phew! We made it back home! Yay!

Relaxing and What Not = September 2, 2011

2011-09-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well, here is my first full day of my vacation after traveling to get here to Michigan. I actually slept in to 7:00 a.m. That is sleeping in for me. I was actually not the first person up this morning. My house is generally quiet until I get up so it was nice to get up and have a conversation with Kelly's husband Hugh. Kelly had made the coffee last night so I just had to add water so I was very happy not to have to figure it all out. You know that having a Keurig makes it easier to not even think about how many tablespoons to put in the filter and then figure out the right amount of water. Yes, I like to have the coffeemaking process as easy as possible until the cobwebs are cleared from my brain.

There is no traffic or noise out here on the farm. There is a great deal of wildlife. Kelly and I saw two deer last night on our way into the farm and I heard some geese this morning. Oh, I cannot forget the frogs and crickets last night when I was trying to sleep. They were so loud that I had to shut my window in my bedroom so that I could sleep. Yes, I guess it is something that you have to get used to out here in the country. I know that some people think that I live in the country in Hallowell, but it is not like here.

It is so rural here that I have no cell phone service and can only use a Verizon stick for Internet access. The thing with my new computer is that I do not have a CD holder to download the software and I cannot get on to their website because I have no access. I am thinking that when we leave here and I have access to service, then I can download the necessary software. In the meantime, I am using Kelly's computer to check in and blog.

It is 9:30 a.m. now and we are in no hurry to do anything at all. We have not even thought about breakfast yet. However, I could always get some leftover pizza in the refrigerator if I was actually hungry but I am not yet. In the meantime, we are all sitting outside drinking our coffee and catching up on things. It is like I never left here. The last time that I was here was in May 2010 for her son Danny's 21st birthday party. Every time that I come to Michigan it is a different adventure.

After having several cups of coffee and having thrown the frisbee to Kellys labradoodle Sunny, we are on our way to the first leg of our adventure to her sister Patti's house around 11:00 a.m. The rock and roll station was streaming through the air as well as the cold air from the air conditioning. Yes, Renee, we put the air conditioner on in Kelly's car so she is not like me in this way. Several stops were made along the 2-hour trip to Roscommon along the back roads.

Our first stop? Wilson's Cheese Shop in Linwood to partake in their great variety of cheeses. You walk in the door and are hit by the aroma. They had little bits that you could taste test. I tried the pepper jack, horseradish and smoked swiss. It was so creamy and good! What did we get? Cheese bread and Smoked Swiss as well as a cheese knife! Their cheeses are just fabulous. I am sure we will partake in some before we get to our final destination. Oh and still no cell phone service. I hope no one is looking to get in touch with me.

Our second stop? A small casino in Standish called Saganine Eagle's Landing was on the way so that we just had to stop. It just pulled our car into the parking lot even though there was a long detour to get there. You must know the magnetic field that was just along the way. Before we knew it, the log cabin building was in our sights. Some of you know that the Wheel of Fortune is my favorite slot machine to play. I avoided the $1.00 game for a short while but was pulled back to it again and again. I finally played and was up in just a few spins. It was so exciting! I so wanted it to happen again but it did not. I even tried a few more games with not much success but I did walk out of the casino with a profit. I decided that I am going to start a travel fund. Why not? I hope it makes its way back home with me. Kelly played longer than I did so I watched her play some of the other games. We were on the road around 3:30 p.m. and still no cell phone service.

We found our way to the highway to head further North. I have no idea where we are and Kelly does not have GPS. Kelly just knew to head North. I would need my MapQuest and eventually I will get a GPS. I keep saying that anyway. One of these days I will do it. There are just other things that I want to purchase first. About 30 minutes into the next leg, I realized that my cell phone is on airplane mode. No wonder I was not getting any cell phone service. Duh! I clicked the airplane mode and all the messages and voice mails came through. Yay!

Roscommon was finally in view. As we had not eaten much today, we stopped at the grocery store to get some goodies for dinner. What did we get? Cheeseburgers with green olives, onions and tomatoes as well as broccoli salad and potato salad. After several turns, we took a right onto the long dirt road to get to Patti's house about 2-3 miles off the beaten path. We were so happy to get there. Patti and Dennis have a great house on the river with such a wonderful view.

After socializing and eating dinner, it was time for the Michigan State football game at 7:30 p.m. You cannot come to Michigan and not watch the football game. It is not allowed. Kelly's son just graduated from Michigan State so we still had to cheer for them even though she was originally a University of Michigan fan. She even turned me into a fan mostly when I am here in Michigan but I do have some blue and gold shirts and a hat. I think that she will be a fan of both teams now.

I know that it is 8:30 p.m. now and some of my friends are at Easy Street Lounge for the big transition. I am sad that I am missing the big event but will catch up to hear about all the changes coming our way to our fair city.

Well, it is time to shut off the computer and watch the game. Have a great Friday night all!

Peace out!

Pre-Flight and Flight Activity to Michigan - September 1, 2011

2011-09-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I am off for another adventure. Boy, do I love adventures. There is nothing like traveling. I am heading to Michigan today for the long Labor Day weekend to visit my friend Kelly. She is like my other half. We do have some adventures. If you haven't read my earlier adventures with her, you can always find them here. I should say not all adventures are on this blog as I did not start this blog until a few years ago. Of course, there is also my adventure to visit my other BFF, Renee, when she was in Austin, Texas.

Of course, I am leaving today and have not packed everything yet. I had to go to the bakery to get coffee so that I can tackle this matter with a clear head. I suppose if I forget anything that there is always a store close by or I could borrow something from Kelly. I am sure she wouldn't mind. I am not sure what the weather will be so I am packing a little of this and a little of that. The most important things are my new Gateway netbook, my cell phone, reading book (The Woman in White) and all the chargers that go along with the electronics. You just have to have those electronics. Well, I do anyway.

As my birthday is on the 4th of the month, numerology says that the 1st day of the month is a lucky day for me. I am so glad to know that fact. This bodes well for the starting of this adventure.

Well, it is 9:15 a.m., so I have to finish packing and head to the airport. I really hope I do not forget anything. "Oh well", is what I will say if I do. If it is not the end of the world, then everything is always fine. This means that everything is always fine when you wake up in the morning and head out for the day!

The adventure starts with getting gas at J&S as well as a few provisions for the trip. My car was filled with gas but I had a momentary delay. A young guy on the way to classes at UMA needed a battery boost. I was glad to assist in this matter. Nothing went wrong and he was on his way and so was I.

I arrived at the Portland Jetport around 11:15 a.m. for the 12:30 p.m. flight. After checking and slightly disrobing for the entry to the waiting area, all is fine in the waiting area for the flight. Our flight is on time. I wonder where people are going. Everyone is doing their own thing. We have people using their computers as well as talking on their cell phones for work. In addition, people are either reading, talking to others beside them or not at all. We are all just waiting. Waiting is good as you get time to slow your life down. It is good to do once in awhile.

Well, it is almost none so I am going to shut the computer down and see what else is going on here. Maybe I actually know someone else even though I have not spotted them yet.

Stephanie was my seat mate. It was great to have a pleasant conversation for the trip to Detroit. She is in the car racing business and also travels. Do I wish that was me? It sounds exciting but I wonder if it gets old traveling. I suppose if you love what you do it shouldn't matter.

We arrived 30 minutes early so I had 2.5 hour layover in Detroit. What to do? My first stop was to find the only entrance outside to get some fresh air and to take a little walk. The way back into the airport was an adventure. Check point beginning good. Checkpoint security slow. Ok, step over here, wait in line, walk into the scanner, hands above your head just so, wait for scanner to work, step outside and wait. Note to self: Do not wear a skirt with snaps. All put back together and computer in bag to head back close to the next flight.

The next stop? The Martini Lounge for a glass of Cabernet and a pannini. I am hungry! No free wireless here. I couldn't remember my Boingo account so I had to sign up again. The bartender sure can talk and talk and talk. Oh well. She can be entertaining.Well, it is 4:20 so I should head to the gate. I do not want to miss my flight.

Another seat mate was just as interesting to talk with during the flight. He and his family are from North Carolina and are on their way to Millington for bike races. His 15 year old son does quite well at this sport. They travel all around the country participating in various events. Their son is even enrolled in a training school for quite a bit of cash. His son hopes to go pro. It sounds like he may have a good chance at succeeding at this goal. He has been riding and then racing since he was 4 years old. Dedication is key for sure. Our 20-minute plane ride was uneventful and filled with great conversation.

Kelly was at the gate waiting anxiously for me. While she was waiting, a military man came through the gate before I even did. She had walked up to him, thanked him for his service and gave him a big hug. Kelly's son Adam is in the Marines and in Afghanistan right now. When I got through the gate, a big hug was waiting for me too! It was so great to see her. After getting my luggage at baggage claim, we were on our way to the car to head outside of Flint on our way to her house.

Well, I should say that we did not go straight home. Our first stop? The Eagles Club, of course. Kelly and her husband Hugh have made some very great friends who were extremely friendly. Kineo is Kelly's favorite game so we had to play some games. We did not break even but we were close. After a nice break on our way home, we decided that we were hungry and need of food. A pizza was ordered. I was so hungry. You talk about a large pizza. This pizza was huge! Ham, pepperoni, green pepper and onion. Yum!

Hugh was home when we got there. We were also greeted by Sunny, their dog. I had forgot that they had a dog. She was so cute and friendly. After eating and many hours of socializing, I headed upstairs for a long and needed sleep. It was a long day but a very good day overall.

Peace out!

Flint to Detroit to Portland to Home! - May 24, 2010

2010-05-24T03:11:00.000-07:00

I had set my cell phone alarm for 7:00 a.m. just to make sure that I was up in time so that I would not miss my flight. No need to worry. I was up at my usual time around 6:00 a.m. I jump out of bed and run downstairs wondering if the latest Dr. Who episode was downloaded to my I-Tunes. Oh, it was downloaded alright. Woo Hoo! Syncing to I-Touch was completed and coffee brewed. Another day being a happy camper is good!

Another peaceful day. Birds are singing and turkeys in the field are gobbling. I am sitting here drinking my first cup of coffee of the day, checking Facebook to see what is happening on the outside world and thinking about my vacation. It was not a worldwind adventure but it was an adventure filled with love and happiness. I do get homesick at least once when I am tired but Kelly makes me laugh. We all need laughter and good memories to sustain us as life moves forward. When I met Kelly in Ohio in the earlys 1990s, we became fast friends and inseparable. You just got to love her. She is very open and friendly plus she knows how to have a good time! Okay, so I could never be a hermit and live in the woods. I need communication with people to keep me going.

Hugh, Kelly and I leave for the airport sometime after 8:30 a.m. Here is the final leg of this adventure. Destination is home! The weather will be in the high 80s today so they will need to stay cool somehow. Hugh will be off for a bike ride for a few days. Kelly has to work. Oh well, there will be more days ahead to enjoy whatever adventures they will pull together.

After I check in with my carry-on luggage and my briefcase with my computer, I find a location at the departure gate near a plug-in to charge my computer as I sit here and update this blog as well as check my Facebook and my email. Some people are traveling alone and some are in pairs. I wonder if Detroit is their final destination today or if they have a connecting flight. Some are on computers, in conversation with others or just sitting there waiting for the 10:40 a.m. flight to Detroit. It is always good to keep yourself busy while waiting. Well, I think so anyway. Some sort of construction is going on over near my departure terminal. A wall is being put up. They are screwing nails with an electric drill and whatever else is necessary to construct this 8 foot tall wall. I wonder why they are doing this but I guess it really does not matter. They are certainly keeping busy.

It is too early to think about having a Bloody Mary so water and an everything bagel with cheese is in order for the moment. I have had three cups of coffee at least prior to leaving the house so I am high on caffeine for now. It may be a different story in a little while. We are getting ready to board the flight soon so I have to sign off early so that I can pack everything back into my briefcase. It would not be good to forget anything!

My flight from Flint to Detroit was every eventful. My co-passenger was a saleman on the road to Pennsylvania. We gabbed and gabbed all the way. He had a short layover so he decided he would join me for a drink at the local Detroit 500. I really was not kidnapped this time but went willingly for further conversation and entertainment. After he left to catch his flight, I wandered down to the Martini Bar for panini lunch and a cold beer as I had a 2.5 hour layover here before my flight back to Portland. The bartender was very friendly. Business was slow at the moment so she was thrilled to see me and anyone else who shows up. My flight leaves at 1:40 p.m. so I have time.

The flight from Detroit to Portland was great because I did not have a co-passenger this time. I was getting tired. Dr. Who's Vampires of Venice was played on my I-Touch followed by an I-Tunes music selection. I let it shuffle so that I did not have to choose. "Almost home, almost home" were my thoughts as the plane touched down in Portland just a little after 3:30 p.m. With my briefcase on my shoulder and my carry-on luggage in tow, I found my car in the parking garage. No wandering around trying to find my car this time because I remembered what aisle I parked in when I had arrived to depart. Yes, I was very happy about that event! It was smooth sailing the rest of the way home. I stopped at Boyton's to grab something light for dinner as I was too tired to think about what to cook.

This adventure overall was worth every minute of being tired at the end. It always is worth it. I really do love traveling but home is where my heart is. My mother always worries that I will find another state that I would rather live. I am not sure why she thinks that at all because I cannot think of another place that I would live without my family and friends. Adventure adds positive things to our lives to help us move forward and enjoy life. We all much live and enjoy life. Oh, and do not forget the laughs too!

Ciao for now!

College Students in the Hallway to Frankenmuth - May 23, 2010

2010-05-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it is Sunday morning. After I woke up around 7:00 a.m., I find college students lining the hallway outside my bedroom door. I tiptoe quietly down the stairs with computer in hand so that I do not wake them up. With my computer all booted up, I make my first pot of coffee. Yes, this is my usual routine of the morning. Coffee, computer, coffee, computer, coffee, computer. However, I do get to mix it up with sitting outside for awhile. The sun is really shining brightly, the birds are singing louder than yesterday, and a rooster is waking us up somewhere in the distance.

As no person is stirring, I decide that I should start cleaning up the garage to get rid of all the party leftovers. This way we will be able to begin our activities for today earlier than if I waited for others to join me in this endeavor. Hugh finally gets up and we continue to clean the garage together to get rid of the leftovers. Kelly gets up around 9:00 a.m. to join us after the clean-up is now done so that we can admire the view.

Sausage, biscuits and gravy as well as fried eggs is the order of the day! Kelly is busy making this concoction. Oh my! Spicy sausage just makes the gravy taste so much better! Gravy is not my favorite but this was unbelievably tasty! The college students are all now up so we all dig into this delight until we cannot eat anymore.

Around 2:00 p.m., we traveled to Frankenmuth to see what we can find to keep ourselves amused today. We missed the beer festival that ended yesterday but that is okay. I am sure we can find other things to do when we get there. They do have their own brewery and know that they have some fabulous chicken dinners. Well, I have heard the stories anyway. I will not know until we arrive to actually experience the whole affair. I am sure we are in for a grand time. We always do anyway! It will certainly unfold as the day goes on. The best part? The temperature is in the 80s and very sunny! Woo Hoo!

In order to realize our final destination, Hugh drove through an old covered bridge in the downtown section of Michigan's Little Bavaria called Frankenmuth. As we found a parking space in the lot of the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, we could hear polka music. A tent was set up with two people playing music and others sitting around watching. Oh what fun! I remember doing the polka as a young kid at one of the campgrounds that we used to go to during the summers. After listening to the music for a short time, we wandered into the restaurant to head down to the gift shop. Nothing was purchased but the gift shop had a wide variety of tourist items. As we were leaving the building, we noticed that music was playing near the clock up above. A seat was found on one of the benches to the side. Oh my. What is that? The Legend of the Pied Piper is played out with characters coming through the doors on a rotating wheel or some such structure above the clock. This happens on the hour every hour of the day. I had forgotten the story behind the pied piper so it was interesting to relearn this bit of historical knowledge. Oh, the other best part?? People watching.

After watching this piece of history, we wandered down the street looking around at the different shops as we made our way to the Frankenmuth Brewery. Evidently, this brewery was established in 1962 but this is a new building. It is huge!! There is a wide selection of their beers. Kelly and Hugh decided to try a 4 ounce sampling of each but preferred the lighter beers over the red or the dark ale. I had ordered a Red Ale that was to my liking a lot. As a side note, Frankenmuth's founding fathers brought the traditon of brewing to the Mid-Michigan forests in 1845.

Our next stop was Tiffany's on the deck to try another sampling. I had another Tiffany's Red Ale and Hugh and Kelly sampled the very spicy Bloody Marys. What a gorgeous day it was to sit outside. Many other people had the same idea. The place was packed!

Food was next on our minds. Kelly and Hugh's favorite place is Zehnders that is known for the greatest chicken dinners. This place has been around since 1856!! Of course, we sat in the bar as opposed to the restaurant. There was so much food that we all had our favorites - Soup (Chicken Noodle), Appetizers (coleslaw, cranberry salad, liver pate, bread and cheese, coleslaw, cottage cheese), Entree (fried chicken, buttered noodles, mash potatoes, green beans, gravy, stuffing) and Dessert (orange and vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream). Let's just say that I sampled most of this list but not all. However, we were definitely stuffed by the time we left. This means that we never did go to try the Reuben Eggrolls. I bet they make their sauerkraut with beer. Those eggrolls just sounded fabulous. It will be on the list if I ever come this way again. Zehnders was our last stop of the day.

After arriving back home around 7:00 p.m., we made ourselves comfortable for awhile until we were ready to play Wii Sports - Bowling, Tennis and Baseball. I wonder what we will do. Oh, it is bowling! Hugh and Kelly play on a bowling league so I thought that this would be amusing. Anyway, I did not do too bad considering that I am a beginner. I won one game out of six but got a lot of spares and strikes along the way. A lot of laughs were had during these games. Kelly and Hugh are now playing tennis and are having a ball. I am leaving them to continue their competition while I hit the pillow. It is almost 11:30 p.m. and my flight leaves tomorrow morning.

I hope everyone has had a great day too!

More Party Preparation & Danny's 21st Birthday Party - May 22, 2010

2010-05-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

The day started with me waking up at 6:00 a.m. This is my usual wake up time anyway. As soon as I wake up, I am up out of bed and ready to tackle whatever the day brings! No lounging for me in bed. I just cannot seem to do that. If I am awake, I am up! My usual routine is to turn on the computer to check Facebook to see what has been happening in the outside world. It is fascinating to read what others are doing to keep themselves busy and active. I know that people have downtime too so it is good to know what they are doing to relax.

My first obstacle of the day was overcome as I did find the coffee and brewed my favorite morning beverage. While the coffee is brewing, I sit outside to take in the sights and sounds of a glorious morning. With 56 acres before me and no neighbors in sight, I gaze out across the backyard with its pond and fields. I wonder what wildlife I will see as I take in what is before me. The birds are singing their hearts out to whomever will listen to their brilliant sound. It is certainly quiet. No one else is up yet so I sit in silence. Sometimes this is hard for me but I make do. You just have to adjust and go with the flow.

Hugh gets up first, relaxes for a bit, then he is out the door by 7:30 a.m. to work on things outside the house. He always keeps busy doing whatever needs to be done. He lives on a farm with a lot of acres so there is much to do. However, there are additional things that he will need to do to get ready for the party later tonight. Kelly stirs around 8:00 a.m. so now I have someone to talk to besides myself and the computer. Sitting outside in the fresh air is the order of the moment. Oh no, it is raining lightly. The radar on the news told us that the rain should not be around all day. Hugh still gets on his riding lawn mower to mow the lawn. Nothing stops him at all when he is on a mission. His ultimate goal is to be finished with all his chores so that he can join the Thunder for Hunger later this afternoon. There will be about 1000 bikers or even more. Riding is his passion. We should all have a passion for something in our lives.

Activities will need to be completed around the house but sustenance is needed. We are hungry! Scrambled eggs with peppers and onions plus toast is on the brunch menu. Eggs are my favorite breakfast item. I could eat any variation of eggs for any meal. I have even had them for dinner

My last episode of Dr. Who's Flesh and Stone has been completed. No more on the I-Touch. I will have download tonight's episode later on in the weekend so that I have something to watch on the flight back to Maine. Well, that is if I can wait that long before I watch it. One never knows with me. I could change my mind. George Clooney and Michele Pieffer movie, One Fine Day, is also on the television. A very nice romantic comedy on this rainy afternoon

It is around 2:30 p.m. so we are off and running to do more errands. We cannot forget the batteries for the radio for down near the firepit. The stereo will also be set up in the garage. Cleaning out the garage and setting up the tables is the next activity. Nothing really eventful to note at the moment except that the rain has stopped and the sun is coming out! Woo Hoo! Guests will not arrive until much later. The party does not start until 7:00 p.m.

While we were out and about, food was on our minds. A stop at Subway was in order to tied us over until the troops arrive for the party later on. As we are waiting around, I have put on the Travel Channel to watch people at the beach - extreme sports, surfing, kite surfing, tattoos, bathing suits, speedos or not to wear a speedo, PDAs. They are showing people how to surf on Waikiki Beach. If I cannot go boogie boarding this weekend, then it is great to watch surfing and wish for the ocean water even though it is cold back in Maine. I would love to live on the ocean!

The birthday party started around 7:00 p.m. with the first arrivals starting soon thereafter. All our preparations were completed. There were many friends and family of all ages attending this extravangza. Food plus beverages were had by all. Oh, and a Banana Cake was just fabulous. Yummy! The night progressed with great conversations with some of my old friends and new acquaintances. The best part? A bonfire followed by a hayride in the woods. A whole group of people loaded onto the hay wagon that was pulled by Hugh driving the tractor with Kelly upfront guiding the way. Many times people yelled "Duck" because trees were coming over the hay wagon. If you did not duck, then you would be clobbered with branches. Oh my. We almost got stuck on the trail. I think there may have been too much weight for the tractor to pull. Many of us were relieved that we did not have to walk back to the house. Phew!! The next thing on the agenda is smores made at the bonfire. I just love them! Well, it may be a long night so I am signing off now and will see what tomorrow brings for excitement.

I hope everyone had a great day too!

Lazy Day & Party Prep Day - May 21, 2010

2010-05-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, this is certainly Friday! The first full day of vacation. I wake up at 7:00 a.m. to a quiet house. No one else is stirring, not even a mouse. Of course, I forgot to ask Kelly the night before about the coffee. I am too foggy to remember how to make a whole pot of coffee. No internet access until Kelly comes alive. What to do, what to do?? The outside world is beckoning me to come and visit. The deck chair is calling my name. The birds are singing. No other sounds at all. I am restless but I have no choice but to be still. Maybe this is a good thing. I have some access to Facebook on the my cell phone but then I lose it. Is there a message here? I am going through withdrawals. Uh oh.

Kelly and Hugh finally stir around 9:00 a.m. so coffee is made and internet connection is established. I am so thrilled. I wonder what is going on in the outside world. After that has been established, more coffee is required. My body is tired from all the traveling and the margaritas last night. A new remedy for what ails you is dandelion root in your coffee. Tastes yucky but is all natural and good for you so I give it go. We will work through it as we have a long day doing whatever we want to do. However, the sky is opening up to cry. I guess they even get rain here.

Sustenance was needed to give us energy for this day's activities. Scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, toast and bacon. Oh yummy bacon, how I have missed you lately. Activities are not exactly planned yet but Kelly is last minute much like me. It will be whatever moves us. Lists need to be made to prepare for tomorrow night's birthday party for Kel's 21 year old son Danny. All parties here are interesting and filled with music and great conversation. Revelrie will be the order of that evening. I cannot wait to see everyone again. Always a great time!

Lazy day so far this morning and into the afternoon. Thankful for the downloading of Dr. Who through my I-Tunes. I watched the Victory of the Daleks. Dr. Who is just brilliant! I love the characters and the writing. Oh, and the sets are phenomenal.

Our To-Do-List is made so we are off to the store around 1:30 p.m. The sun is out and shining brightly but the wind is high. Woo Hoo! Old rock and roll is playing on the radio station. We are just grooving to the music.

Our shopping cart at Meijer's grocery store was overflowing with all the needs for the party. As we do not know exactly how many people are coming, Kelly loaded the cart. Someone else is making the food so we did not have to worry about purchasing food items for the party so we had room for what is required for a successful party.

We pulled into the driveway around 3:30 p.m. and unloaded the car. My first order of business was to take out my contacts for awhile so that they could soak in solution. My problem? No eye glasses were packed so I am not functioning at high capacity. I cannot really see what I am doing at all. As I am updating the blog, I have to lean up close to the screen so that I can read what I am actually relaying. I am sure there are errors but they are easily fixable. Another activity before dinner? Another episode of Dr. Who - The Time of Angels. Only one more episode left on my I-Tunes. I may have to see if there are others for me to download for my trip back to Maine.

Around 5 p.m., Hugh, Kelly and I drove to the Eagles Club/Bikers Hangout to partake of the steak fry/bbq with all the fixings including a delicious chocolate cake with chocolate frosting! Oh, and I cannot forget the beer. The best part is that everything is inexpensive and the members were very friendly and hospitable. Oh what fun! Next on the agenda? Going inside the club to play Keno. I always need a refresher. Of course, I got a few numbers right but I did not come out ahead and neither did Kelly. However, she did get a few more correct than I did. As it was still early, the place was quiet with less than 20 people but we figured that people would be coming later. We keep forgetting that this is Friday. The sky is crying even harder now than earlier today. The sky is also angry as it is making noises once in awhile. Hopefully, this will not last long. Tomorrow is another day. We shall see, we shall see!

Oh my. The food lady is here with all the goodies for tomorrow including a fabulous birthday cake. As it looks so nice, you wish you did not have to cut into the cake tomorrow. Oh well, the cake is made to eat and not made to look at for long. We decided that it will be a low key evening with no margaritas in sight. This means that it is almost time to watch the season finality of Grey's Anatomy that we missed last night. As this will end our evening of festivities, I will be calling it a night soon after that episode ends.

I hope everyone else had a great day!

Portland to Detroit to Flint - May 20, 2010

2010-05-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

My flight boarded just prior to the 12:10 p.m. departure schedule. The flight from Portland to Detroit was quite interesting, to say the least. My co-passenger was a kid who was traveling to Detroit and then on to Toronto. He had the gift for gab so we entertained each other with stories about travels and his precarious life through boarding school and several schools until he graduates in June. In addition, I also watched some Dr. Who on my I-Touch. Season 5, Episode 2, The Beast Below. New Dr. Who and all. He just might grow on me. Great writing, great characters and get sets.

The flight had landed in Terminal C so I had two and a half hours to keep myself entertained. It was not long before that was established. My new airport friends Roger and Rose kidnapped me to go to a sports bar to have some beer and salad. This means that we had to go from Terminal C to Terminal A. Terminal A is about 20 minutes away. After hanging out for awhile, I wandered back to the gate to wait for departure. However, I must say that it took me longer than usual because I neglected to notice the connecting tunnel from Terminal A to get to Terminal C. I ended way down the other end. This means that I had to reverse direction and find my way back. Oh my feet were tired. Ouch, ouch, ouch. I could not wait until I could sit down. It is unclear to me who designed the connecting tunnel between the terminals but they really must have been impaired. There is music and lights that change color. It seemed like a psychedlic world. Is it supposed to make you happy and move fast? This was not my experience. It was just bizarre. There was 30 minutes prior to departure by the time I found the correct gate and an empty seat. Phew!!!

To my delight, I had an aisle seat and no co-passenger. I stretched out and made myself comfortable for the 30 minute flight to Flint. With my eyes closed, I mused about the day and everything that I was thankful for in my life. Kelly was waiting for me as I came through security. All the passengers exited the plan around 5:40 p.m. Big hugs were given then we headed to the baggage claim. Oh no! My bag is not here. There were three other passengers waiting for their bags too. We wandered down to Delta check-in to find out where our bags were located. Praise to the Fly-Kings for keeping my bag safe and actually behind their ticket counter. Phew! I wondered what I would do without my luggage. Now I do not have to know.

After arriving at the house and leaving the baggage in my room, Hugh had steaks ready from the grill as well as corn on the cob. The food was fabulous! I love just about anything on the grill. It must be that time of year again. Oh, I just love it!! Oh, I cannot forget that Kelly made margaritas. They were delicious and very much needed after this long day of travel. Great conversations and just plain fun was head by all. Around 11:30 p.m., I found my way upstairs to hit the pillow to be off to dreamland.

I hope everyone else had a fabulous day!

Pre-flight Activity - May 20, 2010

2010-05-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I can certainly say that there has been an interesting twist to this adventure. This morning I had entered my pre-flight status activity onto my photographic blog as opposed to my travel blog. Oh my. Well, I did get up at 5:00 a.m. I think I was a little excited to get going. Also, I did have to pack!!

All packed and ready to go, I do have my red boots on to make this glorious trip. Oh and I do have all my electronics - computer, I-touch (for Dr. Who) and cell phone. After leaving my house, I stopped at Slates Bakery for a scone and water before I headed off on this big adventure. There were several people sitting outside in the parking lot so I joined them for conversation before hitting the road. Around 8:30 a.m., I hit the road and traveled down to the jetport. The jetport was in sight before I realized it. There is construction going on around the terminal area so we had to go to the parking garage in a roundabout way. The garage was pretty full so I parked several floors up. As directionally dysfunctional as I can be at tmes, I will have to write down what level and row that I parked my car so that I am not wandering around when I can back to Maine. Ok, I know that would be a sight to see. It has happened to me before! Will I ever learn? Probably not.

Anyway, all is well here at the Portland Jetport. Self-check in was completed, one bag checked and one bag/briefcase with computer with me for this flight. I saw Judy who works downstairs from me outside the jetport. She is going to Florida. How nice is that? The weather will certainly be nicer!

Security was uneventful except for the fast pace they were putting you through. They really wanted to get people through to the waiting area. I was in no hurry as i always get to the airport early anyway so that I can hang out and people watch.

After that I found my favorite location in the Shipyard lounge, I ordered an early lunch as I probably will not eat until much later anyway. I thought about having a beer but decided against that and just had a turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread. Even though I must say that the beer that the guy had next to me looked really good. Couldn't I just reach over and take a sip? I think he might have a problem with that idea. Oh well.

It is 11;50 a.m. and they are ready to get people on board. This means that I am signing off for awhile. I hope everyone has a great and eventful day. Please make the most of it!

Cio!

Austin to HOME! - November 27, 2009

2009-11-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

When the alarm went off at 6:30 a.m., I didn't want to even get up. Boy am I tired! Vacations can be exhausting if you are on the move all the time even though there is some down time. Boosting up my computer and making the badly needed coffee were the first things on the list. After all packing was completed, including my new sweater and Twilight book, we were on the road to the airport around 8:15 a.m. Renee is kind enough to ship my new bathrobe and old boots back to Maine for me! Oh, I must mention that Renee also gave me a cute bracelet that I had actually worn the other night with the new sweater and boots out to dinner. Renee is just so thoughtful! You just got to love her!

As I am sitting at the airport waiting to board, I find myself thinking about all the places we went and the things that we accomplished. It seemed to be all about the food experience! Renee and I had a blast. I really need to come back to Austin again as there are many other things to do and see, such as see the Capitol building and the LBJ Library. Of course, there are many other restaurants. Renee will be doing research on that subject. She has only been in Austin for about a month so there is more to figure out. I also think that her GPS (Mandy) was a lifesaver for not getting us lost but did take us on some weird routes. It was great exploring. Every place we went to was within a few miles of her house except for going to Erin and Rob's house on Thanksgiving.

While sitting at the United gate area, Linda, who is our ticket agent, admired my red cowboy boots and wondered where I got them. She reminesced about her pair of red cowboy boots that were sold without her knowledge. She had bought them to her usual repair shop. However, the owner had died and the new owner sold all the boots and shoes. This is a huge lesson to learn. If you have shoes or boots getting repaired, I would make sure to pick them up as soon as they are done!

Our flight is on schedule and leaves around 9:45 a.m. to Chicago! Oh happy day! Here we go again! I still can say that I love to travel no matter how tired I get! It is exciting to people watch and chat with new acquaintances! I am excited to have Boingo working so that I can get on line to keep busy and not wonder what people are doing today on Black Friday!

I only had an hour layover in Chicago, but I did not have to book it to another terminal. We landed in Terminal C and I left in Terminal C! I was even prepared with my new boots to walk a long time but am so happy not to do so! Since I had not eaten before I left Austin, I grabbed a small pizza and cinnabon roll to eat prior to boarding. I was so hungry so I had to eat something substantial.

The flight from Chicago to Boston was uneventful as the two men beside me were not talkers so I put in my I-Pod and napped for part of the way. Our flight actually landed early so I was able to take the Concord Trailways bus out of Logan at 4:30 p.m. Having Facebook access on my cell phone kept me busy for the whole trip back to Portland. It was a good way to pass the time!

As many of you know, the weather in Maine is extremely rainy so I ended up driving 60 mph all the way into Hallowell. I called a number of people on the way back, including my mom and dad. My last call was to Carol who talked me into stopping at Hallowell and Wine. To my surprise, Carol, Andrea, Tiffany and Eric were hanging out at the bar listening to Katie Webber. Carol had just bought some little bottles of champagne so I did partake in that refreshing beverage. I must say that they loved my new red boots! After I left Hallowell & Wine, I stopped by to give Bruce a big hug! I missed his smiling face!

I finally arrived at home around 9:00 p.m. and booted up my computer to finish the blog for the end of one of my most amazing trips! Thanks definitely goes out to Renee for her excellent hospitality and to Erin and Rob for their hospitality for Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone else had a great week!

Brunch to Thanksgiving Dinner - November 26, 2009

2009-11-26T11:10:00.000-08:00

The morning came too quickly, but that is the way it goes! Renee was up and brewing coffee by the time that I woke up. It is the first time that she was actually up before me! We did not have much time to lounge around this morning as we had to be on the road by 9:00 a.m. to head to Erin and Rob's in South Austin.

Renee and I were thrilled to arrive to the smell of the fragrances of the upcoming Thanksgiving meal and to meet Erin's relatives - Emily, Mike, Bruce, Marylene, Katie. Of course, everyone is just so nice! Rob and Erin's son Abraham has certainly grown quite a bit since I saw him a year and a half ago. He was very entertaining! Erin and Rob are very gracious hosts as they are preparing to feed 26 people for Thanksgiving. It is their tradition!

We did not have to wonder long as to what would be the brunch of the year consisting of Emily's undeniably fabulous sausage rolls, Renee's absolutely delicious crabmeat quiche as well as her broccoli and cheese quiche, Marylene's absolutely delicious tamales! We must not forget Abraham's favorite - blackberries and blueberries! Bloody Mary's and coffee were the beverages of choice. Well, you could also have bottled water!

After eating, there was even more activity around making of the Thanksgiving feast. Everything is made from scratch. Katie made an apple pie that was baked in a paper bag to hold in the moisture. Erin and her mom Emily were making stuffing. As you are watching, you understand that this is not an ordinary stuffing. There is so much stuffing that Erin had to throw everything into two white trash bags to mix! So you can understand this better, I will say that they shredded 11 loaves of bread and 12 cups of onions plus all of the other ingredients used in this stuffing. The 24 pound turkey is cooking in the roasting pan after it was brined for hours. I am sure it will be fabulous!

Renee and I were regaled with stories about Texas including scorpion bites and spotting of rattle snakes that are more prevalent if you have a lot of property. Trips to the valley sound in order for sometime in the near future. I certainly can't go this trip but maybe in the future!

After leaving around 1:00 p.m., we came back to Renee's house so that she could make the green bean casserole and I could do clean up! We made good time and headed back to Erin and Rob's around 3:00 p.m. for the second part of our Thanksgiving activities! Erin and Rob were hosting 26 people so I met a lot of great people that Renee works with here in Texas along with other relatives of Erin's! As people started arriving there with many conversations among old acquaintances and new acquaintances. The football game was on the television. People were also hanging outside because it was nice!

Dinner started around 6:30 p.m. as people lined up to grab whatever food they desired. Let's just say that there was so much to choose from so it was hard to do unless you went back for seconds! We had turkey, ham, sweet potatoes (with marshmellows), green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, waldorf salad, sausage meatballs, cranberry sauce, tamales and many other delicious types of food! As you might expect, everything was great! I am so full that I think once again that I won't eat for a week! No dessert for me!

The conversation and political debates continued in full force. Some people even played pictionary. A grand time was had by all.

Renee and I said our goodbyes around 9:30 p.m. I have an early morning flight so I will be hitting the pillow soon enough.

I hope everyone else had a great day!

From Cooking for Thanksgiving to the Four Seasons/Trio - November 25, 2009

2009-11-25T05:59:00.000-08:00

I realize that I love quiet times in the morning. I am sitting here drinking my coffee and listening to my I-Pod. What's on? The Twilight Soundtrack is filled with a wide variety of great songs.

We will have an active day - everything from cooking for Thanksgiving to shopping for a new outfit to go with my red cowboy boots to eating and listening to music on 6th. I am sure that there will be other activites in there too. We even thought we might wander back to Chuy's for those fabulous margaritas and their special nachos. One never knows what will come up when you are open to doing whatever comes to mind.

It is almost 11:00 a.m., Renee is cooking quiches in the kitchen and is giving me lessons. First up, the broccoli and cheese quiche! It smells just yummy! Second up, the crabmeat and scallion quiche! It is all about the layering and spices! What am I good at in the kitchen? Being an assistant and clean-up!

It is around 1:30 p.m. so we are off to have lunch again at Chuy's. However, this time we split the nachos special that were these individual huge homemade nachos with chicken, jalapenos, cheese, refried beans sala and lettuce that were arranged beside each other on the plate! In addition, we split beef fajitas that were fabulous. Of course, I never wrapped my fajitas. The inside ingredients are fantastic by themselves on my plate. The margaritas were just as good as yesterday!

After lunch, we found our way to Stein Mart to do some clothes shopping. I found a fabulous long sweater and leggings to wear with my red boots! Renee found some other goodies, such as her great plum-colored jacket. It so looks like her style!

Our next stop? We went to Specs to peruse the wine and liquor bottles to find the right wines for tomorrow (and for tonight) and vodka for the bloody mary's! The wine for tonight is a 2006 Beautiful Earth that has great legs! It is just a fabulous red wine. We would recommend this wine! Our last stop before coming back home was to go to Randall's again so that Renee could make a spinach artichoke dip for tomorrow.

It is 6:00 p.m. so what am I doing? Renee is making the spinach artichoke dip and bloody mary mix. I am waiting to do clean up! Red wine is in hand! Maxi Priest's CD from 1990 entitled "Bonafide" and also Mike Hosty is on for our musical entertainment. This is new to me but not to Renee. She has such a fabulous selection of music! Mike Hosty is a combination of delta blues, jazz and groove music. Maxi Priest is a Reggae vocalist.

We headed to dinner around 8:30 p.m. Dinner at Trio's at the Four Seasons was so unbelievable that I am not sure if I can describe it accurately so I am just going to list them! Appetizer: Pork Belly; Entree: Smoked Texas Rib Eye; Sides: Mac and Cheese with truffles and Cream Corn Creme Brulee; Dessert: Chocolate Creme Brulee. Renee and I split the entire meal. I am so full that I can barely move. I just had to have dessert or I would never forgive myself for not trying chocolate creme brulee that I had never heard of before today. I thank Renee for parking quite a distance away as we really needed to walk after that meal. Maybe I shouldn't eat again until Monday? Oh wait! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so I think the answer is a "no"!

We have been having such late dinners that it is now time to hit the pillow! It is almost 12:00 midnight CST.

Well, I hope everyone else had a great day!

Vampires to Alligators - November 24th

2009-11-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to know that I was able to make coffee this morning while Renee was still sleeping. It is a great way to start any day. The house is so peaceful in the morning except for the sound of the waste management truck pick ups in the morning! The sound of life is so comforting. The world just keeps going on. This is certainly a very good thing. We have to live our lives in the way we deem important to go towards the future filled with hope and desires. Being around people and having great friends in general is so important in our lives. I consider Renee to be a great friend who has added so much to my life. People come and go in our lives for a determined amount of time - some longer than others. There are always lesson to learn.

The morning was spent not only drinking coffee but watching Twilight in anticipation of watching New Moon in a matinee this afternoon. I was struck by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. My favorite movies are generally romantic ones but not necessarily sappy ones. I love the complexities of relationships and human emotions. It is what makes us all unique. The visual effects and appropriate musical scores (especially paramore's decode) were very well done. The acting was very tight and not a weak character in the bunch. Although the movie was predictable in spots, this really didn't bother me as much as other movies that were predictable in outcomes or turn of events. Seeing this movie on the big screen at the theater must have been amazing. The soundtrack is now downloaded into my I-Tunes and onto my I-Pod!

It is 11:45 a.m. so I am waiting for Renee to come back from the vets with her cat in tow and hopefully on the road to a speedy recovery. Our next plan is to go eat authentic Mexican food for lunch so I am just keeping busy in anticipation of this adventure of familar names but not familar tastes.

After leaving Renee's house, we ventured out to Chuy's for lunch for some authentic mexican food and the best margaritas ever! I had chille rellenos with chicken. Renee had chille rellenos and enchiladas combination. These meals were absolutely fabulous with enough food for left overs at some other time! This restaurant is certainly a place you should frequent a great deal. The restaurant itself is very eclectic depending on what room you are eating in on any given day - retro, art, hubcaps! Their website stated that it is a fun and friendly spot to eat. We can certainly agree with that statement!

On the way back, we stopped at Randall's for the ingredients to make a couple of quiches and green bean casserole for Thanksgiving day at Erin and Rob's! Oh, I can't forget to mention all the blood mary ingredients to take with us on that day. Renee just knows how to make a fabulous drink to help make your time merry and very enjoyable!

As Renee pre-bought tickets to see New Moon, we are really on our way to see this movie on the big screen! The New Moon was really great, but I did like Twilight better. However, I will say that I like the character development of the werewolves and loved the choreography with the vampires. The special effects were fantastic. It is still one big love story. That certainly did not disappoint. You can certainly tell that there will be another movie coming up. I really do need to read the books now to get more details. However, the visuals were great in the movies! I love the written word as the best form of communication but also love how it comes together in a movie if done really well. I am a hard critic when it comes to movies if they are not tight and well written.

Our destination for dinner is to the Alligator Grill and to listen to some blues! Renee looks fabulous in her outfit and so didn't I in my new red cowboy boots! The meal at the Alligator Grill was fantastic! As a starter, we went with the Hurricane specials - rum, rum and more rum! We had gator for appetizer, then I had cajun grilled shrimp with jalapenos and cheese wrapped in bacon plus gumbo and fried Okra. Renee had fried oysters with rice, green beans and fried okra! The House blues band was fantastic to listen to this evening! It was too bad that they closed the bar at 10:00 p.m.! Anyway, has anyone heard of a Matt Dillon? We were informed that this was when you take the dregs off the bar mat and drink it down in a shot. Ok, yes this does sound pretty bad but people have done it. Would I? I think that is a NO! We heard that it was disgusting. Who knows what is on that mat!

After a long day of going here and there, we settled down to a glass of wine! I hope everyone else had a great day!

Hanging Out in Austin - November 23rd

2009-11-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

What a fabulous thing it is to wake up in another city! There is nothing like traveling. I guess you know that about me. If you didn't, then you do now!

Of course, who can sleep when you know the day will be filled with things tried and never tried before? It is just one big adventure! However, I must say that when staying at a friend's house you should find out where the coffee is located the night before. Waking up and not knowing where coffee and filters are located is very trying! Well, it is for me anyway.

When Renee awoke, we had coffee brewing immediately! We sat out on the little patio in her cute little backyard. The kitties are watching us from inside wishing that they were outside and the neighbor's cute dog is barking "hello" at us. I am not sure what type of dog he is but he is so cute! Sometimes I wish I had another dog but it limits what I can do and how long I can be gone for the day or week or whatever. The weather was chilly first thing in the morning but it will be in the 70s today. You can't beat that type of weather at all. I will take it after the chilly mornings in Maine.

Renee is making us breakfast - bacon, eggs and bagels (with spinach artichoke cream cheese). Coffee as a side! She won't let me help as she has it all under control so here I am on my blog. Did you know that there is such a thing as jalapeno bacon? I didn't. Well, we aren't having it this morning but we will later wrapped around scallops. It sounds delicious to me!

Well, we finally got on the road around 1:30 p.m. and found our way to the Cavender's Boot City to peruse all the cowboy boots, cowboy hats and other things Austin! I didn't know if I would find what I could not live without but those red sassy cowboy boots were to die for! These boots will look fabulous with jeans or a dress. Renee found a very cool black cowboy hat and other accessories to die for too! She wants me to go back and get a cool black hat too! We shall see.

After leaving this mecca of all things cowboy, we ventured down the parking lot to this huge organic food store called Central Market. We grabbed a cart and perused all the delicious fresh food items. However, nothing had entered our cart when we found the wine bar in the middle of the store. Did we stop? Well, of course! I ordered a Temparnillo and Renee ordered a Savignon Blanc. We had a great conversation with the bartender who knew all things HEB and Central Market. We got a history lesson on how it all started as a little 7/11. Did you know that Whole Foods also started in Austin? I didn't. After partaking in beverages and losing our empty cart, we perused the rest of the store taking in all the wonderful smells. What did we buy? Sparkling red wine called BITCH as well as cheese (truffled enfused semi-soft cheese and smoked gouda) and crackers (Water Wheel Crisp Bread Crackers) plus tamales for appetizers before we go out to dinner.

It is around 6:00 p.m., we are now sitting at Renee's house listening to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. It is easy on the ears! Glass of BITCH in hand with a side of the appetizers. It will be time to get ready to go out to dinner in an hour or so. We are just chilling out for the time being.

On our way to Lambert's for barbecue, we stopped at Best Buy to buy an S cord and Twilight on DVD so we can watch it before we see New Moon tomorrow night. Renee is trying really hard to make sure that I love watching this movie and reading the series. She is on a mission!

We parked in Renee's work parking garage and walked forever down all these streets to get to Lambert's! There were cars everywhere but hardly any people. It seemed deserted but you knew people were around. It is not like walking around downtown Hallowell where you see people everywhere!

Lambert's is certainly not what I expected a barbeque place to be like at all. Their website states that it is located in the carefully restored Historic Schneider Brothers Building, and serves up inventive BBQ, modern Texas cooking, and carefully prepared cocktails. I must say that the inside of the restaurant is very well decorated and comfortable with a bar just as you walk into the place. Renee knew that this restaurant provides a lot of food so we decided to share whatever we got. Renee ordered a vodka drink and I ordered a beer. As an appetizer, we had a surprisingly delightful deviled eggs with jalapenos and caviar. For the entree, we had beef brisket that was to die for. For sides, we had fried okra and collard greens that were wonderful. For dessert, we had an absolutely fabulous maple brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and whiskey hard sauce. We were so full of goodies by the end of the meal that it was a really good plan to have to walk all that way back to the car.

We got settled back home around 10:15 p.m. Renee was unable to get her DVD player to work so I will watch it on my computer sometime before the movie. David Letterman is on television at 10:30 p.m. Sleep might be in order pretty soon! I hope everyone else had a fabulous day!

Northeast (Boston) and Southward (Austin) Bound - November 22nd

2009-11-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

The adventure continued with boarding the flight to Chicago. I am always so glad to have an aisle seat! The airplane was so packed that I had to put my luggage in first class. I wish I was flying first class. I have not done that in such a long time! I had limited conversation with the two students who sat next to me who were going to Idaho. However, I will note that one of the students was reading a book in Japanese or some asian language. The flight was uneventful except that we got in 40 minutes earlier than the three hours predicted. This means that I had just less than two hours to make my connecting flight.

After retrieving my luggage from first class, I proceeded to find my gate. Our gate was in Terminal B so I had to walk all the way to Teriminal F. Let's just say that wearing boots with heels was not the right choice for traveling! Having pull luggage on wheels is certainly the best invention. Now I need to find an alternative for all my electronics. My briefcase was certainly getting heavy on my shoulder. Computers are heavy! Research/shopping in my future. No big surprise there!

After finding my gate in Terminal F, I purchased yogurt with fruit as well as a Diet Coke. Ok, I will admit that traveling all day does get tiring and a caffeine boost is required. I never used to get tired traveling but that is where I am at the moment. With Wifi connection found, I was in business. Emailing and FBing with friends until my plane was ready for the next leg of my adventure.

The flight from Chicago to Austin boarded around 8:05 p.m. (9:05 p.m. EST)! My carry on was left outside the entry to the plane so that it could be put underneath with all the others. The plane was small - two seats on each side of the aisle. Even though I did not have an aisle seat, I had the next best thing - No person sitting beside me! Lack of focus allowed me to stretch out when I could to take some catnaps. I don't recall ever sleeping on a plane before but I just had to put my feet up and my head against the wall. All I needed was a pillow and blanket!

The flight landed more or less on time at the Austin airport around 11:15 p.m. (12:15 p.m. EST). We had to wait for another plane to move out of our spot so we sat on the tarmack for a short time. After parking at the gate, we debarked and some of us waited for our luggage. In the meantime, Renee was riding around the airport because you are not allowed to park and wait for passengers.

Renee and I finally connected outside the airport and proceeded to drive 11 miles to her new house! GPS is another great invention! She lives in this gated community that has over 40 houses crammed in together. It is so cool! No privacy though but good for safety! The house is huge with three bedrooms and lots of open space. Oh, Owen and Max, her kitties, are here to greet us! Renee gave me the grand tour. To my surprise, Renee had purchased me a comfy bathrobe (light blue with polka dots) and slippers for my stay. Oh, and she purchased me the Twilight book because she believes I will love the series.

Of course, the next scheduled segment of this adventure included a few glasses of white wine and great conversation! It is so nice to see her! She has been missed. We all hope that she will be back in Maine soon. I hit the pillow hard around 1:30 a.m. (2:30 a.m.. EST) so that I could be ready for the next adventure!

Pre-Flight Activity

2009-11-22T11:59:00.000-08:00

Well, it certainly is a Sunday but is not a day of rest. I was up early to finish packing, then headed off to Chris's for coffee and great conversation. On the road starting around 9:00 a.m. in order to hit Slate's bakery for a blueberry muffin. I was not able to visit Teri as it was too early for her to receiving vistors around 10:00 a.m. so I just headed to the Concord Trailways to take the next scheduled bus to Logan.

I got a great parking spot - no searching for a space! Hopefully, I will remember where I parked the car and where my ticket is located when I get back. Of course, I had headed to the terminal but had to go back because I had forgot something. No surprise there at all. Too early to be thinking that straight. Anyway, I was able to purchase a ticket to make the 10:30 a.m. bus to Logan.

The Concord Trailways ride was great! I was able to watch August Rush. I just love the music! I have watched this movie so many times and have downloaded the CD on my I-Pod! We had to stop at South Station first, then proceeded to Logan. There were only three of us left. Lo and behold, the two guys were friends of Shawn and Khalid on their way to Brazil. What a small world!

I finally arrived around 12:45 p.m., then proceeded to check in. I love self-check in! On the way to the security checkpoints, I purchased an Iris Johansen book for whatever spare time I may think I will have during this trip. I will certainly find out if I have read this book or not. I didn't think so at the time but one never knows until you start reading. I have had that happen on more than one occasion. I am glad I get books from the libraries most of the time!

I am glad to report that I did not have to get padded down at the security check point. However, I had a lot of things to take off and unload - computer, coat, hat, scarf, boots, liquids, watch, earrings. It took me forever to get everything back on and back into my briefcase. One of the security guys said - "Are you still here?" I just laughed. Anyway, another point of the travel down and completed. It was then on to find my departure gate!

After finding my departure gate, I found the nearest bar with beverage and food. It will certainly be a long day waiting for the 5:15 p.m. flight to Chicago!!! I stumbled upon the Boston Beer Works. They make their own beer. I had the Harvest Ale. They had a great up-state new york chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce. I chatted awhile with a guy who was going to Amsterdam through Washington, D.C. I have never been there even though I have heard some stories!

After eating, I set up my computer all ready to go. Well, I thought it was already to go. However, I ran into connections problems. Boingo was no help on their help line for the 40 minutes I chatted with her on the telephone. After getting off the telephone with her, I figured it out myself. I had asked if logging into the loganwifi was a remedy to solve the problems and she said no. Well, she was certainly wrong since I am on line now and figured everything out myself. I should pat myself on the back. Anyway, I am just glad the problem is solved now that I only have 1 hour and 30 minutes or so until boarding the flight. I actually was able to help another person at the bar log on. I feel so proud of myself!!!

The football games are on the television sets in the bar. Indianapolis is losing to Baltimore with a 15-14 score in the Fourth Quarter. The New York Giants are beating the Atlanta Falcomes with a 24-17 score in the Third Quarter.

I sit here at the bar with no worries - computer keys at my finger tips and beer in my hand! There are a few people in the bar but it is pretty quiet except for the televisions and some chatting between patrons. I am pretty excited to be going on a trip. I loved to go just about anywhere! Not that I am saying that I could sit in an airport all day, but I could do whatever it takes to get there. No problem is unsolvable!

I should be at my departure gate around 4:30 or even before. It is almost 3:30 p.m. now.

Safe travels to everyone!

Detroit Delay - Oh Happy Day!

2009-07-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

I waited for my connection in Detroit to Portland. Not much going on just people waiting. Just before boarding, we were told that they had overbooked the flight. I opted for the chance to take a later flight. However, the woman checking us in thought that there was actually room for me. I started to board and found out when I got on the airplane for there was not anymore room. So, I opted for the later flight to Portland. I don't have anyone waiting for me in Portland so what not. What did this mean? Leaving at 9:00 p.m. and getting into Portland around 11 p.m. Coupons galore! Food coupons for $15 and $300 for another flight within the year. Maybe I will just use it to go back to see Kel in Michigan!

Anyway, here I am at the Detroit 500 bar drinking beer, eating taco chips with salsa, doing Facebook, IMing Kel on Gmail. My cell phone is almost dead so I will just email and other things. The bar is full of people going who knows where. Some people are waiting for a connection that either delayed or on time.

I have 42 minutes left on my battery so I will be on line for less than that time. I played Poker Palace with Ken for a short while. Now on to my gate for boarding!

Kelly

Flint Airport Departure

2009-07-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

Kel and I chatted all the way to the airport. She took four photos altogether - two leaving her house and two at the airport! I can't wait to see them posted.

I promised Kel that I would have a Koegel hot dog so I did that soon after I checked in. I love not checking luggage. Electronic check in, get boarding pass and go! Well, I certainly can't forget the security checkpoint. I did not get stopped this time because I took off my earrings and ring. No noise at all. Phew!

Anyway, I am sitting here checking Facebook and wondering what everyone else is doing. It is 3:45 p.m. and boarding is around 3:55 p.m. My flight is at 4:20 p.m. There are a few people here at the airport at Gate 2 to Detroit but not many. People sitting at the bar in their pre-flight mode. I didn't think I had time to have a beer so I decided to sit here and blog instead. People are debarking the flight that just came in. I wonder if they are just coming from Detroit. They could be but I certainly don't know for sure. I am not getting up to check. Well, no funny stories today. It is just all pre-boarding excitement or not. I can't wait to get home! Well, I will get to the Portland Jetport and then head home. I should be home by 9:00 p.m. or so! I have work tomorrow.

Well, I have to shut down now. Hope all is well with everyone! Have a great day and evening!

Kelly

Pre-Flight Status (again)

2009-07-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

This is the last day of my vacation with Kel. I woke up early, started up the computer and sat outside for awhile before Kel woke up. The birds are chirping and the sun is out. It is going to be a wonderful day!

Kel finally got up, made coffee, started up her computer and sat outside with me. We chatted about friends and the drama that could unfold in their lives and how it affects our life. We were so happy when the coffee was ready to consume. We usually share a couple pots of coffee in the morning and this is no exception. I am reviewing Facebook, tagging photos and teaching myself how to copy photos into my computer files. I am so proud of myself. It really wasn't that difficult but it was something new and different on this computer.

Around 10:00 a.m., Kel made scrambled eggs with red & green peppers along with sausage on the side. It was delicious especially since I didn't cook it! Kel would not let me in the kitchen. I think she knows better. Coffee still in hand!! We are watching Rachael Ray. Colby from Survivor is taking someone on survival camp! Oh not so good. Hugh is on his way back home to see Kel! I might not be here when he gets back. Hugs to Hugh!

It is around 11:30 a.m., watching The View with Whoopie Goldberg et al. I love Whoopie! Kel is helping me download Skype so that we can see each other when we chat. How fun will that be? Oh my, something else to do! We were finally able to download Skype and have it work! I am so happy. LOL!

Around 1:00 p.m., I started to pack for my return flight to Maine. My flight is around 4:20 p.m. out of Flint. I will miss Kel.

I will see everyone sometime after I get back!

Kelly

Elk Rapids to Traverse City and Back Home - Rock and Roll Heaven!

2009-07-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

Hugh, Kel and I packed up the camper and our car so that we could head out around 12 noon so that we could spend some time in Traverse City. Hugh was on his motorcycle and Kel and I were in her car. We took M-31 to Traverse City. The ride was very scenic. Traverse City was very touristy as the Cherry Festival was going on during the whole week. There were tons of people on the beach, in the water, parasailing and roaming around the city at the carnival! We decided not stop and headed toward Frankfort on M-31. We passed the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes but did not go in because we did not have enough time to spare.

Around 2:00 p.m., Hugh figured we were probably hungry (and he was right) so he took us to Giovanni’s Roadhouse. There were bikes out front so he thought it would be a great place to start. Bikers evidently know good food! We sat out on the deck. The weather was warm so this was a good call! This is what we ordered: Hugh – burger with fries, Kel – ravioli with portabello mushrooms; Me – Omelet with spinach, roasted red peppers and pepper jack cheese with a side of bacon and toast. Bread with olive oil was served prior to the meal! Everyone enjoyed their meal tremendously. Of course, Kel and I had a beer and Hugh had a Bloody Mary!

After eating, we got back on the road and headed toward Frankfort on M-31. We stopped by a little marina to stretch our legs and soak up the sun. We hugged Hugh goodbye so that we could continue on M-22 South toward Ludington and he would head back towards Traverse City – most likely to the Eagles Club to check out what was going on! Hugh was probably relieved for me to head home as he had two of us ganging up on him. Kel and I are a lot alike. Maybe that is why he really likes me!

The scenery was absolutely gorgeous with spectacular views of all the lakes! M-22 was a hilly, windy and curvy road. The sun was shining. I was sitting there as a passenger on a trip along roads I don’t know. It is very cool. There is one really good rock station that plays throughout northern Michigan. We went through Manistee. There is even a casino - Little River Casino! We thought about stopping but figured it was not a good idea because we might not leave for a long time. It was a mutual decision since we know each other well!

Our next stop is Ludington where we will take the road towards Midland, then on to Rt. 10 for quite a distance! The towns along the way are similar to what you see traveling in Maine. We traveled on Rt. 10 until we came to an almost complete standstill to get off to I-75 exit outside Bay City. We finally made it on to a four-lane road, but we are still going about 10 miles per hour. We might have to find an exit off to get home quicker. It has been a long day since we started at around 12 noon. It is now 7:10 p.m. It was very exciting when we got to 25 miles per hour! The sun is still shining. The one good thing I can say at the moment is that we were proceeding ahead at a steady pace generally. However, we do go up and down in speed from 10 to 25 then back down. It took while but we are now up to the speed limit! We were relieved! We are just glad that we didn’t go I-75 on the way back because we would still be sitting in traffic! Anyway, Aerosmith’s Dream On and The Guess Who’s No Sugar Tonight was playing on the radio! These songs remind me of high school.

We are getting off the Sandusky exit onto M-46. We are 30 minutes from home! We are clapping now that we are moving right along. We hope the M-15 isn’t crowded. It is 7:45 p.m. and we are on the M-15! The car knows where it is going! We have 20 more miles to go! I have an hour and 30 minutes left on my computer battery before it dies. This means that we should be home before then! My computer has only died once before when I was sitting by the fire the other night! No warning! The computer must think that I am actually paying attention. Shouldn’t they give you warnings? Maybe there is a tool in here to do that!

We are in Vassar around 7:45 p.m. They also get flooded like Hallowell. It has a lot of brick buildings! Flowers were planted along the sidewalks. They do a great job making this place look very nice! There is even an old movie theater in the downtown. It would be cool if we had one! Anyway, this town reminds me of home!

The sun is still out. Kel had promised to get us home before dark. It is just past 8:00 p.m. so she kept her word! We arrived in the driveway around 8:30 p.m. It gets dark here around 10:00 p.m. so we had plenty of time to spare! We unpacked the car, watched the movie 21 about blackjack and got on our computers to see what's what!

I will be flying out tomorrow. Hope you all had a good day and evening!

Kelly

Last Night Ritual and Sunday Morning Wake-up

2009-07-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

Hugh, Kel and I ordered pizza with peperoni mushrooms, sausage, olives (green and black). Hugh had bananna peppers on the side and I had crushed red pepper flakes on the side. We had also ordered an Antipasto salad, This food was just fantastic. It was one of the best pizzas I have had in a long time!

Hugh left the campground around 8:45 p.m. and cruised on the motorcycle back down and around Torch Lake passed the Sand Bar. People were still going into the Sand Bar to watch the fireworks. There were fewer boats than when we were there. People were still partying! Police were still in the area busting kids for underage drinking. He loves the windy roads on his motorcycle. It is a biker's dream (at least this biker's dream anyway)!

Kel and I hung out by the fire drinking Jungle Juice, listening to rock and roll music, trying to guess the artist of each song. Kel certainly was better at it than I am. At one point, a woman camper came into our campsite all excited that her son's wife just had twins. She had originally come from the backside of our campsite, then a short while later we came from the front to tell us the same thing! Some guys came back from Torch Lake and were having a grant old time. Soon thereafter they let off some fireworks. Soon you saw management (or at lest the people on duty) come on a golf cart to ask them not to set off fireworks. I would say about an hour or less later they did the same thing. Here comes the golf cart riders again! I am sure some people weren't too thriled about having them so close to their campers. Anyway, we finally saw some real fireworks in the sky at dusk! I think this is around 10:00 p.m. or so. Hugh finally came back and put more wood on the fire. We sat around the firepit until I hit the sack around 11:30 p.m. The followed soon thereafter.

Well, it is Sunday morning! I am blogging, Hugh and I are listening to Johnny Cash and Kris Kristoffeson sing "Sunday Morning Coming Down" on YouTube! Kel finally got up so we are all just hanging out and eating leftover pizza for breakfast! Kel made coffee! I just love having coffee in the morning. So, here we are hanging out, listening to rock and roll music and naming the artists. Hugh had started a fire. The clouds are coming in. We hope it doesn't rain!

I am not sure what the agenda will be today but we are playing it by ear. Kel and I will travel later today back to her house. Hugh will stay here until tomorrow and pack up the camper. You got to love a guy who will do that for you!

Hope you all are having a great day and enjoyed your fireworks and whatever else you did yesterday. We had a blast here!

Kelly

To the Sand Bar and Back - Tailgating Water and Boating Style!

2009-07-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, what day is this? Oh yeah, July 4th! Hugh, Kel and I all woke up and proceeded to find the pancakes and sausage that Steve was cooking for people at the campsite! They were fabulous especially since I didn't cook them!

Well, Hugh, Kel and I headed to the Sand Bar on Torch Lake. If you have ever heard of Kid Rock's song about the sand bar (at Torch Lake/All Summer Long) then you know what I am talking about! Let's see - get in by walking in chest-high deep water to the sand bar, 500 boats or so hanging out, thousands of people milling around, boats with food to buy, gas-powered blenders (with a chain saw motors!. How does that sound? Like a really good time! I think I will need a vacation from my vacation when I get back!

The Sand Bar at Torch Lake was unbelievable! This lake is the third most beautiful lake in the world according to National Geographic (so we were told)! We had to park on the side of the road and walk quite a ways to get to the only public access on this lake. People flocked to this location every weekend (or maybe even during the week) if it is a good day! We found out that a boat is required if you want to stay for a really long time. Hugh purchased an inflatable boat to put our cooler (with beer and Jungle Juice) and other goods that couldn't get wet! It was fascinating walking around and pulling that boat. First off, we had to walk in cold chest high water to even get out to the sand bar that was actually about knee deep anyway. There was volleyball, beer pong, music blaring from every location. We bought burgers from one of the boats that had a few grills. They were actually great! We wandered around and stood still for awhile, then wondered again. At one point, I sat in the boat with my feet hanging out. The boat was not sedentary at all. There were waves that kept me going up and down. I had to hold on to my drink at all times! Ok now for the people we met along the way - the guy who wanted a puff from Kel's cigarette, one girl wanted a light for her cigarette, a guy wanted to pay for a beer (and Hugh gave him mine for nothing), a guy who gave us his trash (cigar and empty cigarette package), kids pulling boat to collect cans, and all these guys that came up to Hugh because he had a Central Michigan University Chippewas shirt. Our observations consisted of seeing seeing people of every age and bathing suits or even one guy dressed up as Abe Lincoln! People were dancing on boats, dogs everywhere! Our most basic observation is that every game you can play on land can be played in the water! Frisbee, volleyball, horse balls (almost like horse shoes) was observed while we were there.

The only problem? Finding our way out when we wanted to leave! We actually made it out without getting lost. It seemed like a long way back to the car. After we got to the car, we changed next to the car from our wet clothes to our dry clothes! Do you think anyone was watching from the neighborhood houses? Let's hope not!

We left the Sand Bar and went to the Oasis and had a beer and played Keno! The campground was our next stop. Kel is making Jungle Juice. I am sitting here writing my blog. Kel puts a towel over my head and computer so that I can read my screen. Kel tricked me because she proceeded to take my photo to upload to Facebook. Ok, so I am addicted to writing this blog! Anyway, we are not sure yet what the next adventure will be but we are up for just about anything.

Stay tuned!

Kelly

It's 5 O'Clock Somwhere - From Charlevoix to Elk Rapids

2009-07-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well, today was an uneventful day. It rained, our car broke down and so did the motorcycle. Our car got towed. It was just a crazy day. Ok, one of those is really true. It was a crazy day!

Kel and I traveled via car and Hugh via motorcycle. We arrived in Charlevoix and parked in a grocery store parking lot. We thought we could just parked there and walk around. Boy, weren't we wrong! There was this creepy guy stalking the parking lot. It seems as though people must try to park there and not go into either the grocery or any number of other establishments. As if we needed an excuse to buy alcohol, we proceeded into the store to make it look like we were there on purpose. We bought Absolute and the other ingredients for the Jungle Juice for later. Anyway, we came out of the store and he was still there walking back and forth! It was really creepy. Hugh walked off across the road but Kel and I stayed near our car trying to figure out what to do. As soon as he turned his back, we raced across the road! We found Hugh sitting outside one of the stores.

Kel, Hugh and I took a tour around the town to see if we could find another place to park. Kel and I were worried that our car would be towed. Well, it could happen! We did a little tour around town, then proceeded back to the car and motorcycle. We eventually found free parking (everything else on the street had parking meters) at the local bank.

The downtown reminds me of a cross between Boothbay Harbor and Bar Harbor with all the little galleries, restaurants, marinas and bars. It was a spectacular views. It was a little windy but the sun was peeking out and finally came full on with that sunshine!

Our first stop was a little cafe where Kel and I bought mocha lattes and a huge chocolate cookie! We found a little spot overlooking the marina on a huge picnic table and enjoyed soaking up the sun!

The draw bridge came up several times to allow the ferry and sailboats pass under the bridge during our sedentary period on this outing. This gave us the inspiration to go on a boat cruise. This inspiration came shortly after 3:00 p.m. so we missed the sailboat cruise into the harbor. The next cruise was at 7:15 p.m. to watch the sunset. We decided to take a raincheck until the next day as it might have been too cold to venture out at that time of night.

After walking around the marina for sometime, we headed to some of the local shops to peruse the merchandise and see if we could stimulate the economy. One of the unique shops was called Elements that had these great metal works! However, we did not buy anything there. As you might expect, we decided to proceed to one of the local bars for a beer or two! The Townhouse Bar was a quaint little place with sports on most of the television sets except one that had CNN and Sarah Palin resigning as Governor of Alaska. We didn't get to hear why she was resigning but it really didn't matter. Wimbledon was on the other channels. This was more interesting to watch (as well as all the other people in the bar)! However, we did hear the bartender tells some patrons that she has a rule not to talk politics or religion while working. It was most likely a good call on her part. You just never know when you are going to upset someone and not get a tip!

We finally left the bar and headed back towards Elk Rapids with a few detours along the way! This was called our pub crawl/bar hoping adventure! Hugh was in the lead so we followed like sheep (or like thirsty comrads)! Our next stop was a restaurant/bar called Petersen's. Well, it was not real cozy or even quaint - just a place on the side of the road! We had a beer and left. It smelled musty and no one was there even though it was around 5:30 p.m.

Our next stop was to go to East Torch Lake to find our next thirst-gratifying stop. Well, let me tell so that this place was spectacular! Dockside was without saying on the water! The deck was full so we sat inside and ordered drinks and dinner. Well, we had to eat if we were going to continue to drink! Hugh ordered fried Walleye with fries (and a bloody Mary), Kel ordered a burger and onion rings (and a Painkiller) and I ordered a quesadilla (and a Painkiller)! The food and drinks were fabulous! What is a Painkiller? Rum, Rum, Rum and OJ! Kel loved the glasses they came in so she bought two of them! Our next stop? Well, it was actually the deck outside! We ordered the same as we had before but enjoyed soaking up the sun and had a great people-watching experience. Kel took photos with her cell phone and uploaded them to Facebook. The place was just packed! People were always waiting in line to get outside. They were envious and were appreciative when we finally left only so that they could have our table!

What was our next stop you ask? Well, I thought we were heading back to the campground but Hugh pulled into the Alden Bar in Alden. How original! Anyway, we all ordered another beer and played Keno! Of course, I didn't win anything this time but Kel won some. It was not a total wash! However, I must say that Hugh did win a lot bigger last night waiting for us at the Oasis than we did on Wednesday night! When we were ready to go, I just couldn't finish my beer so I left it. Is that called alcohol abuse? I think I have heard that term several times over the years. I guess they are right but oh well. I was done for awhile.

We headed back to the campground for more adventures! This wasn't the end of the bar hopping. There is a tikki bar down near the water! Kel made us Jungle Juices and we headed to the Tikki Bar. The bar was actually park of a couple's campsite. It was so cute! Lights, signs and music! It was a really fun time with the few people that were there!

It's around midnight so were headed to bed.

Kelly

Wakng Up, Hanging Out and on to Charlevoix!

2009-07-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

I can certainly say that I did not come prepared for the weather. I was totally optimistic about having warm weather. I guess I wanted warm weather so badly. If you know me well, you would understand it when I say that I left my sleeping wear at Kel's the night before. Ok, I forgot to repack it in my bag. At least I didn't leave my whole luggage behind! Hugh lent me his sweatpants and I wore a top that I had in my bag.

I slept pretty well last night. I must have been really tired because I did not hear anyone get up in the night. We got up around 8:00 a.m. We hung out for awhile chatting and then Hugh decided that it was time to make breakfast. Well, if you have been camping before, you know that this means cooking over a charcoal grill! It took awhile but it was certainly worth it! Hugh cooked bacon, then scrambled eggs in the same pan with toast. It was delicious. Of course, I like it when someone else cooks it for me. After awhile, I decided I really needed to take a shower. It was interesting because you had to pack everything up and walk to the place where there is shower. It was huge and extremely well kept. Everything here is basically new. Kelly's son Adam went to school with Steve who is the owner of the campground. Steve is a really great and friendly guy. Steve is around 25 years old and has his act together. I certainly didn't at that age or even at my curent age! Maybe he will take us for a ride in his pontoon plane. We shall see as there is a few days left up here at the campground.

So the weather is a little chilly being next the lake. As I said before, I wasn't too prepared for chilly weather but I am making do. The sun is actuually out now. It is around 12 noon. It is a little hard to see what i am typing outside sitting at the picnic table but you got to do what you got to do! We are listening to a rock and roll station. Taking Care of Business and Working Over Time (as the song goes on and on)! Ok, now it is Pour Some Sugar on Me! Now that sounds fascinating. Can you just imagine that? LOL!

We will be heading to Charlevoix! It is evidently an artist community on a lake with ferries and other things to do! We shall see what we find when we get there. If I buy something, i will hve to ship it back to Maine.

Anyway, ope you all are having a reat day!

Kelly

Casino, Oasis and Pearl Destinations

2009-07-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

After hanging out by the fire. discussing driving directions (and not communicating very well) and having a couple of beers, Kelly, Hugh and I went to Turtle Creek Casino - Hugh via motorcycle; Kel and I via car. We gambled for about three hours - Kel, slots; Me, slots, Texas Hold'em and Let it Ride; Hugh, slots. Kel did great when we first walked in because she got a big payout on one of the slots near the door. However, she proceeded to lose most of it. I did well on a few of the slot machines but proceeded to lose some on cards. Hugh gave up earlier than we did and went to the Oasis Bar for biker night.

Kel and I arrived at the Oasis bar around 9:15 p.m. after almost getting lost but we won't tell Hugh because we will never here the end of it. Yes, it certainly was a biker bar. It was still early so there was not many people there yet. However, it looked as though they were going to have women's oil wrestling challenges. I don't know if we even have that in Maine but anywhere we didn't stick around to find out what it was about because Kel and I were starving and had to leave this joint behind so that we could get sustenance. Hugh followed us to a restaurant down the street called the Pearl! Their kitchen actually closes around 11:00 p.m. We were extremely thankful for that! Kel had beef briskett (and margarita), Hugh had a blueberry cobbler with cinnamon ice cream (and a bloody mary) and I had a dish that I can't pronounce with andouille tasso, vegetables and rice (and a mojito). All was delicious! Oh yeah, they also had homemade cornbread and french bread! Ok, so I had a few of each before we even had dinner! I guess I could call that having my dessert first? Maybe not.

Anyway, we are back at the campground and the wind is whipping outside but we are having a fire anyway. Hope to be seeing my face down on the pillow very soon!

That is all for now! I can't think of an appropriate Jimmy Buffett lyric so I will leave that for later.

Hope you had a great day and night!

Kelly

Final Destination - Roughing it - NOT

2009-07-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

July 2, 2009

I finally woke up and could hear the birds just a chirping. They were happy that the day has begun. Me? I was really excited to start this day off to see what adventures would come our way. However, first things first – logging in to see what’s what. Facebook was my first stop to see what was going on in the world (or at least my small sphere of the world). I then emailed Rose and Carol to check in. It was around 7:00 a.m. Rose told me to go back to bed and not wake Kel up. I told her that I was being quiet and just doing on-line stuff. Kel woke up soon after I did but I really did not wake her up. I swear! She logged into Facebook, made us coffee, and then taught me how to upload GoogleTalk so that we would have another way to chat! Not that we really need more avenues to chat but she wanted to show me something new. Skype will be the next thing that she shows me. Opening up my world to new technology! If you hadn’t guessed, she is that way! I also shopped on-line on Overstock.com. I bought a watch! I almost bought this cool ring but figured it would be best to go to my local jeweler instead after I get back home. We had several cups of java before we hit the road to head north.

The weather is a little chilly and rainy first thing in the morning. At first we thought it might be raining but it was not. Chilly is okay for early in the morning. Rainy is not allowed – so says me! Kelly and Hugh live in a house on 56 acres with a pond, barn and a really nice firepit for s’mores and just plain hanging out with friends and family.

We got on the road around 11:00 a.m. and headed north. We are traveling on I-75 north to somewhere around Traverse City. Michigan is much like Maine except there are no mountains. I-75 is boring as I-95 or I-295 but it is what it is. As you might expect, there are cops everywhere trying to give people tickets for speeding. “Really Officer, we weren’t speeding. We were going with the traffic flow!” I am just rehearsing our lines just in case.

We have a three-hour drive to get to our final destination but we decided to take a detour to see Kelly’s sister Patty who lives about two hours from Kel. Patty is providing us with lunch. I wonder what she will have for us. We are starving. We had decided not to bring our leftover pizza from the night before. Boy, I guess that was a mistake. Of course, we only drank coffee this morning while we were browsing the Internet. It is around 12:30 p.m. and the sun is peeking out. It is nice to see that little ray of sunshine.

Oh no, it has started to rain – it is 12:55 p.m. Kel says that I brought it with me. Oh my…. Come on sun! We really need you to peek out and shine that nice bright color all over us and everything else! I know my friends in Maine are wishing the same thing.

We are taking Exit 239 to get to Patty’s house in Roscommon. All the buildings downtown are not very tall at all – maybe two or three stories at the most. Kel says that Patty has a very cozy house out in the middle of nowhere accessible only via dirt roads. It will take 15 minutes to get there. We aren’t in any hurry to get where we are going. Hugh is doing fine without us being there. He settled into the campground just fine. However, he did not bring any towels so he will have to take a swim in the water, borrow/buy a towel or wait until we get there to take a shower.

The scenery is actually beautiful with spectacular with all the trees and is filled with color in the Fall. Patty served hot dogs, pasta salad and chips. Kel also got two beers from the refrigerator. We were parched. I had already met Patty a few times over the past 15 years but I also just met her husband Dennis and her son Sonny. We had a great visit! I also learned by watching ESPNnews that I was watching Wimbledon yesterday in the airport (not the US Open). Oh well, I guess I haven’t been keeping up with tennis.

Anyway, it is 2:15 p.m. and we are on the road again. It should be another hour before we get to our final destination in Elks Rapids. Patty and Kel downloaded the directions from MapQuest so hopefully we won’t get lost. If we do, then we will just have to find our way – maybe ask directions! Actually, we do have to stop and get food and drink too! There is no food at the camper trailer. Kel wants to make Jungle Juice – vodka, Ruby Red Squirt and OJ. Well, we shall see how that tastes soon after we land. However, we will pick up beer too!

We are listening to a classic rock station – Born to be Wild, Van Halen, ZZ Top etc. Here we go! Just a rock and rollin’.

We are traveling on 72W. Oh no, road sign – Prison Area, Don’t Pick Up Hitchhikers – unless they are cute and on a motorcycle. LOL!

It is 3:00 p.m. and now it is only sprinkling off and on. Hopefully, we will be out of this weather soon enough. Well, we missed one of the roads we were supposed to take but we are not lost! Kel knows where she is going – more or less. We were trying to avoid Kalkaska but we are in the midst of traffic!

We are now on M-72 heading toward Traverse City. We don’t have to go that far but we are on the way! Liquor store is most likely our next stop. If not, then certainly a convenience store for beer. Did you know that Michigan has blinking Red lights? You can turn left on a blinking Red light if there is no traffic coming! It is very strange so they have been talking about getting rid of them.

Another weird traffic sign – Do Not Pass When Opposing Traffic Present. No kidding! LOL!

Well, we arrived safe and sound at the Honcho Rest Campground. Hugh was glad to see us! It is still chilly here on the lake. Tomorrow is going to be gorgeous! Well, we are hanging out by the fire, chatting and drinking beer. We may go to the casino tonight. Well, I am off for now. Hope you all had a great day!

Kelly

Kel and Kel Show - Michigan

2009-07-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

The trip from Detroit to Flint was uneventful except for the one guy who would not stop talking. I am usually pretty tolerant with people but this guy was not funny at all and kept critizing the flight and everything else. He was so obnoxious! Of course, I didn't say anything but he wasn't talking to me. People, people, people! What is wrong with them?

Kelly was at the airport when I arrived around 8:30 p.m.! We were so glad to see each other! Hugs abound! She was amazed that I had only one piece of carry-on luggage and my briefcase with my computer! We did not have to wait at the baggage carousel. That was so great!

We immediately hit the road and headed home. Not immediately, of course. We stopped at Mo Joe's for pizza and beer. Ok, now Kelly is corrupting me already with this gambling! She taught me how to play Keno. It can be addicting too! You can play up to 10 numbers and decide how many games you want to play! You can also play the kicker to get so many times the winnings if you get three or more numbers. Anyway, we played 10 games for $2 each. I got my money back (thought I won $6 but it was $16) and Kelly came out ahead so she decided to buy dinner! It is so funny because we would be engrossed in conversation, then we would stop and stare at the new numbers coming up the screen to see how many numbers we got. It was hilarious. Well, maybe only if you were actually here would you get it!

Anyway, we are both sitting here at her kitchen table drinking beer, writing in Facebook and gabbing. We are just so multi-talented!

Well, it is 11:30 p.m., we will be heading upstairs soon to catch a few winks before we head out tomorrow for our three hour trip up north!

Hope you all had a great day! I know I have so far! Laughter abound!

Kelly

Airport Terminal Activity - License to Chill

2009-07-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I arrived at the airport around 12:30 p.m. I was so excited to get here that I didn't care that I was early! Anyway, it was uneventful getting my boarding pass but eventful getting past security. Ok, so I set off the alarm by having something metal on me. What was it? Most likely my earrings. I had a choice of either taking my earrings off and running them through the detector or getting patted down. Ok, so I chose getting padded down. We all like that human touch! LOL! [Note to Rose: Ok, Rose, here was your funny that you wanted!]

Well, here I am in the little bar/restaurant here at the Portlant Jetport. I just settled in and logged in to the blog. I had to pay for access to the web but oh well it is vacation. I ordered a Heinken Light and nachos. I need food before boarding because I won't get into Flint until after 8:00 p.m. Other things on the menu did not really appeal to me so there you have it. Maybe I should have more than one beer before my flight. We shall see.

You will never guess who came in - Deb Simpson! We are sitting here chatting away. No postings about conversations allowed.

It is now 3:07 p.m. and my flight is at 4:05 p.m. so I will hang out here for another 30 minutes or so. People are milling around outside of this little hidewaway of mine. Standing room only for people watching the US Open. People watching is a must. As you might expect, there is a wide variety of people sitting around just waiting to go somewhere, anywhere, not here in the airport. I always wonder where people are going. Are they going home? Are they going on vacation? Are they going to see love ones? Are they just on a business trip? Sometimes it is hard to tell unless you overhear conversations.

Someone is looking for the news channel. He didn't want to watch the Red Sox as it sounded as though he is a Yankees fan. Oh well, you get all kinds here in this maze of human intermingling from all areas in this country and beyond. I didn't realize that the Red Sox was playing this afternoon. I need to take a lesson from Rose to pay attention. It is difficult some days to remember that I should ask the question - When is the Red Sox playing next? Ok, so I became an avid fan since going to the game on Father's Day! I am only able to listen to them on the radio because I don't get that channel at my house.

I wonder what other people are doing on this rainy, foggy day. There are so many choices: (1) working; (2) shopping; (3) movies; (4) outside getting wet; or (5) vacation bound. Whatever people can do to get away from the weather and maybe taking a break from life as usual. It is summer you know! Another Jimmy Buffett song is "Boat Drink". Here are some lyrics: I'd Like to go where the pace of life is slow; Could you beam me somwhere Mr. Scott?

Well, I have to pay my tab and head to the gate to wait for boarding. I hope you enjoy my blog. Enjoy your day!

Kelly

Changing to Pre-Flight Attitude

2009-06-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, this is my first trip this year. I am heading to Michigan to see my friend Kelly and her husband Hugh!

I am getting into the mood with Jimmy Buffett's "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" - if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane. Here are some of lyrics:

"It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes Nothing remains quite the same With all of our running and all of our cunning If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane Reading departure signs in some big airport Reminds me of the places I've been Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure Makes me want to go back again If it suddenly ended tomorrow I could somehow adjust to the fall Good times and riches and son of a bitches I've seen more than I can recall."

I have many wonderful friends and family who bring laughter and good times into my life. Who are we without friends and family? I wouldn't want to know. I dedicate this blog to all of them!

It is now on to the chore of what to pack. Definitely computer and I-pod! Have a great time this week and I will keep in touch one way or the other! Ciao!

Kelly