I love the smell of Fall!!!!!

Boy oh boy!  Up here, it smells like fall and for me that means FOOTBALL!  Football is my favorite sport and once again, I have purchased the press box at the Cheboygan Chiefs football stadium for the home season.  Tonight, Garrett will play his first "under the lights" game.  He is the starting center and one of the kickers.  Even though I live in fear he will be hurt, it is also wonderfully exciting to me.  I pray and cheer at the same time.  He is only a freshman but Cheboygan High School supports a freshman team as well as a JV team and then as a junior and senior, the varsity team.  I have four more years to be the best fan he will ever have!  Tonight at 6pm think of him and pray him a great game!

Not only does it smell like fall but it feels like fall.  The night temperatures are in the mid 40's and the daytime temps are in the low to mid 70's.  My first planted flowers did fairly well this summer but are now beginning to fade.  I guess I need to pull them all and replant with mums.  Someone said the other day they were concerned we (notice how I have added myself to this MI group) might not get much (aka a ton of) snow this winter because there aren't many acorns.  Spending most of my life indoors I asked what that meant.  He said without a mega amount of acorns, the squirrels won't be hoarding as many.  I asked again who determines this and he said God!  Makes sense to me.  Have you ever heard that one?

Spent Monday, Tuesday and today with Gracie.  Emily had the prerequisite 3 days of meetings at school, Garrett was either playing golf or practicing football, and Brett was at the store.  So Gracie and I went shopping.  Our shopping always includes a trip to several shoe stores or shoe departments so she can try on all the totally out of the question high heels her mother would never let her even look at!  She almost fits into a women's size 6 and yesterday wanted me to buy a particular pair of leopard wedgies because she knew she would grow into them by Christmas.  I asked her what her mother would say and she told me she would keep them at my house!  Even though I'm an incredibly easy mark, I did NOT buy the shoes!  I did photograph the "looks" with my cell phone.  We spend most of the time laughing so hard I always wonder that the store manager doesn't come and ask us to leave.  Back home, we also painted and decorated several bird houses to donate to a silent auction event in late September to benefit the NMARN (Northern Michigan Animal Rescue Network).  It's a wonderful group my neighbors founded and also where I rescued Nutty or Nutty rescued me.  Still not clear on that!  Let's just say it was a joint effort!

How about a little local color?  Tuesday (yesterday) was the first day of the first elk hunting season.  31,900 hunters applied for a permit and only 200 were selected.  The headline in today's Cheboygan Daily Tribune says, "Elk opener strong in county".  The article went on to say the "action was fast and furious.  By 3pm Tuesday afternoon, northern Michigan hunters had tagged nine elk in total."  And I was shopping?????????

Enough for one day!  Gotta' get ready for the game.  Wish all of you were here because we'd have a great time!  Uh, and no tailgating!!!!

Several precious souls in my heart today.  Dear friends PS and AS, CMK and her dad, DCK and testing, LSJ and family, TPJ just because!  xxoo    





  

48 degrees!

When I woke up this morning (always a reason to be thankful!) the thermometer read 48 degrees!  On August 20!  WOW!  By the way, it felt great!

So much excitement since I last wrote!  A week ago last Saturday I had dinner with the Kang family.  They drove from Louisville for dinner and then drove back!  Some of you may have seen the photos.  It was absolutely wonderful to see them.

Last Monday, my sisters, Linda and Mary, arrived with my cousin Mike from Nashville, TN.  What a time we had.  I'm surprised you didn't hear us laughing in Louisville.  Mike owns his own business in Nashville (a fabulous floral/special event company) so for him to be away from work for a week was quite something!  So much of a something, he woke up Wednesday with a tooth problem, went to my dentist and had a root canal on Thursday!  How about that for a vacation memory?  While they were here, we had a luncheon for a few dear Kentucky friends of mine who were visiting a few miles away.  Mary Beth, her mother Si and dear friend Anne, came over for lunch on Friday.  Lots of shared memories.  Si is 90 years young and is still the costumer for the Stephen Foster Story in Bardstown, Ky.  Many years ago, my sister Mary and I performed in the drama.  Sisters and Mike left Saturday morning just in time for Tim and Pat Nickel and friends, Lana and Hal, to arrive for a few hours visit.  Lots more laughter and remembering HC Baker!  I am so grateful they took the time to stop by and see me.  I last saw Tim and Pat when Liz and Josh married three years ago.  I need not tell you how sad and lonely I was when everyone left.  Family and friends are who make life worth living.  Love them all!

Some of you have heard me talk about the hardware store in town.  Louie, the owner, closes during January and February but does not lock the door.  If you need something, you get it and write the price down on a tablet and then when he re-opens, you pay him.  He's an older man and quite a character.  He also is the local handyman.  Well, Saturday afternoon, while mowing a yard, he died of a massive heart attack.  What a shock to the community!  Please remember his wife in your prayers as she is very ill.  Not sure what will happen to her as they live above the store.

Please continue to remember my friend Pat in your prayers.  On July 22 she was given days/weeks to live and she is still smiling and praising the Lord.  God is good!

And I keep thinking I'll see a FB post from my friend Madeline.  She is retiring after a whole lot of years.  I'm so excited for her and wish her wonderful, relaxing days at home.

So you see, the world around us is always changing.  Only look back with love and always look forward with excitement!

The beds have been changed and the bathrooms are clean.  Ready for YOU to visit!  xxoo



   

I Hate T-mobile!

There is freedom of speech, isn't there?  Well, if not I'm still gonna' talk about T-mobile.  If anyone out there reading this works for T-mobile...get another job!  Or fix my problem!  After spending over 2 hours on the phone today with several people (English was not their first language which only intensifies my frustration), I still cannot access my voice mails!!!!!!!!  Quite a problem for me!  And then a little while ago, I get a text message from T-mobile asking me if I meant to change my status!  I'm not a good texter but I spent the next 20 minutes telling the text what had happened closing with "you don't care anyway, I'll never hear from you again, and if my bill reflects any additional charges, I will call the president of T-mobile and tell him what I think.  Of course he doesn't care either."  HC Baker began using T-mobile in the early 90's and TR Baker and I still have the same numbers.  HC did too but when he died, I gave them back that number.  Someone else has it now.  I should call it one day and see who answers.  I kept the number for a long time and would call it just to hear his voice.  Glad those days are over!  Anyway, we have paid T-mobile a lot of money over the years and I've decided if someone doesn't contact me to try and make this right, I'm canceling.  Go ahead and say it...they won't care!  So just to make sure you heard me - I hate T-mobile!!!!!

Spent this morning working in the yard.  I weeded (why do weeds grow better and faster than my plants?) and TR Baker mowed.  And guess what?  After going outside to work, I came back inside and put on a sweater!  Me!  With a sweater in August!  When TR Baker got up this morning, he came downstairs and said, "Man, it's cold!"  How's that?  Anyway, the yard looks great.

This weekend is a very busy one.  Tomorrow (Saturday) at noon, Garrett has his first football scrimmage.  School doesn't start for another 2 1/2 weeks but this is the "get to know the players" event.  Also this is the last weekend for the Cheboygan County Fair!  It's also the 2012 Top O'Michigan Outboard Marathon.  The boats are tiny outboard motored little boats that fly through the inland waterway.  On Saturday, the route is 45 miles long and on Sunday, it's 42 miles long.  They go from the Indian River, to Mullett Lake, to the Cheboygan River and back on Saturday and on Sunday they go from Burt Lake to Crooked River to Crooked Lake and back.  It's amazing to see.  And all the trailers are parked at Devoe Beach (right in front of the blue cottage for those of you who have been there).  And on top of all that, it's the Alanson Riverfest, a beautiful little village about 10 miles north of Indian River (on the way to Petoskey for those who have been there).  Whew!  I'm worn out just writing about it!

Then on Monday, my sisters and cousin Mike from Nashville will arrive and stay until Saturday!  Not nearly long enough but I'm so excited.  When they leave, some very special friends are stopping by for brunch!  A few of you know them and others will remember them so I will wait and surprise you later with their names.  And I'll try to remember to take their picture.  If they read this maybe they'll remind me!  I haven't seen them in forever and am so looking forward to catching up!

The beds are all changed and the bathrooms are cleaned.  Ready for the next group to arrive!!!!!  xxoo            

Election Day!

Today was primary election day in Michigan.  I have been reading the newspaper daily for information about those who are "running" for office.  Oh, the local newspaper, the Cheboygan Daily Tribune, is published Monday through Friday and is mailed to my post office box.  (So right off the bat, I'm a day late in receiving the "daily" news.)  Anyway, they have had articles about the local candidates and those throughout the state.  I have been privileged to come to know the woman running for the Supervisor of Mullett Township so that was an easy vote.  The others not so much.  I only voted for candidates I knew something about so that means I left many open ovals!  I've never done that before.  As I was marking my ballot (I was number 268 to vote and I voted in the mid-afternoon!), I couldn't help but jump ahead and wonder who in the world I would vote for in the presidential election in November.  I'm telling you, it actually makes me sad.  I, along with many of you I'm sure, receive daily e-mails about the pros and cons of both presidential candidates.  I was reading them all, but recently do not even bother to open them.  I am so tired of the negative information.  It's hard to stay positive about life when all you read or hear is negative.  Times like these I really miss HC Baker.  We did not often agree about politics but at least we discussed them.  And PLEASE, this is NOT a request for any of you reading this to send me your opinions.  Between now and November, prayer will be my resource!

I'm nearly rested from the week with Libby and her kiddos.  And Gracie was with us most of the time.  I've changed the sheets, cleaned the bathrooms, run the vacuum, and grocery shopped (to replenish the larder!).  I'm getting ready for the next group.  Monday, my sisters and cousin Mike from Nashville, TN, will arrive for a week.  Cannot wait to see them.  I had asked Hannah to stay over and return to Louisville with them but at the last moment, she decided she needed to go home with her Mother.  I swear, Libby's children will be with her until the day she dies!  Isaac was not able to make the trip due to his work schedule, but he called every day to check-in.  They are a riot!  And so close.  Each one of them takes care of the others and they all take care of their Mother!  I'm blessed.

The newest member of the family, Nutmeg, is adjusting very well.  She seems to like the house and the attention she gets.  I've had to struggle to give her as much attention this week as she received last week.  And she has not "friended" Iccee the cat!  I think that has more to do with Iccee than Nutmeg!  We'll see.

The weather here has been absolutely glorious.  The high's are in the low 80's and at night the low 60's.  We have had a few hot days that required turning on the window unit AC's but as a whole it's been very nice.

School does not start up here until the day after Labor Day, so I have a little more summer time with Garrett and Gracie.  Garrett is spending every day, 8am-noon, practicing football.  He'll be on the 9th grade team this year.  Gracie and I spend out time together deciding how to maximize her locker space as she will attend middle school for the first time (the same middle school where her Mother teaches).  Gracie is very excited and Garrett is very excited he will be in the high school building away from Gracie!!!!!

The Olympics occupy my TV time.  WOW!  Can you believe some of the things you have seen?  How do they run and swim so fast, jump so far, bend their bodies, jump on that beam, tread water so long,  and not kill themselves?  I am continually amazed.  Best wishes to them all and praying for safe trips home.

Praying for several dear friends facing the end of life and of course, our soldiers and their families.

Providing your outside air is good, breathe in these last few days of summer and enjoy!  xxoo