Spring -
Well, I guess it's here! The only thing growing in my yard is dandelions! TR Baker did spray them one day but along came a big thunderstorm and washed all the killer stuff away! He'll try again. Just so you know, I'm still wearing wool socks, turtlenecks, sweaters, and jackets. I do have 3 pots of geraniums but bring them inside at night when the TV weatherperson says possible frost tonight! I'm hoping one day soon summer will arrive and I'll recognize it!
Derby -
The "second-timers" were excited to be back and the "newbies" had a ball! No one ever wants to try a mint julep because they say they don't like bourbon (who are these people?). Then I tell them it's like a bourbon snow cone, they try it, and then wonder why they said they didn't like bourbon!!! All the Kentucky Derby food favorites were very well-received, roasted pork loin with Henry Bain sauce, Hot Brown casserole, shrimp and grits, strawberries with powdered sugar, Derby pie, and my special cut-out sugar cookies (horse heads iced the colors of the Derby horses and the state of Kentucky iced, of course, as bluegrass and Louisville marked with a chocolate chip). Already looking forward to next year!
Carhartt Red Neck Festival -
Two weekends ago, TR Baker and I went to Levering, MI, about 30 minutes away. Levering is a little bit larger than Topinabee (that's really not saying much). There's a family in Levering who have a Carhartt store in their basement. I really have no words to describe it. People come from all over to buy their Carhartt's from them. (Carhartt is a brand of work clothes. I'm sure you've seen them but had no idea they were so valuable. This store also sells Red Wing shoes/boots, another big seller up north.) Anyway, this family has a bar-b-que cook-off, and this year there were 5 entrants. The family gives each participant pounds of beef, pork and chicken for them to cook on-site and serve to those attending the festival. The "eaters" then vote who has the best bar-b-que and the winner has the bragging rights until next year. The family provides side items and all the local churches, schools, clubs/organizations have baked goods for you to purchase. It was quite something! And the winner this year was Mr Oxley. (He is my electrician and now you know why we were there and who we voted for! Electrical work "don't come cheap" up here!) A more colorful picture of the event can be had in a personal conversation with me! Loved it!
On-line chats -
Have you ever had one of these? I hadn't until recently.
First chat - I was having lunch with a group of women. We were talking about a "lifestyle lift". Have you seen the TV commercial with spokesperson Debbie Boone, Pat Boone's daughter (that "name-drop" is for my friend Madeline!)? I volunteered to find out the cost of the lifestyle lift for our next lunch gathering. I didn't want to call the toll-free number, so I went on-line. In the top corner there was a box that asked if I would like to chat with someone about this. I said yes and so it began. My chat partner was Celeste. I began by telling Celeste that all I really wanted to know was the cost. She replied with about a million comments regarding the options, procedure, locations, etc. I replied with "how much does it cost?" She replied with questions about what part of my body I wanted to "lift"(there's a book I could write)! Now I'm over this! I responded, "Look Celeste. Let's not waste any more of each others time. Are you going to tell me the cost or not?" She said "no" and I said "good-bye"!
Second chat - This chat was the result of me deciding I wanted to apply for a job. I saw a classified ad in the Cheboygan Daily Tribune for "writers". I thought this might be interesting. The ad asked for me to apply by sending my resume, application letter and sample of my writing. Well...I had no idea where my resume was as it has been many years since I needed one. So I went on-line. There are at least a hundred sites to help you write your resume. I chose one and began. It was pretty cool and it was FREE. You could select your field of interest and the site would suggest words and phrases to use. Needless to say, words and phrases I remembered using in the past are no longer the best choices. So I put together a pretty good-looking resume and application letter. I was satisfied and then chose to save it to my desktop to ponder for a while. Know what I mean? Well, when I hit save and chose my desktop as the location, the screen asked for my credit card to charge the $2.95 for this service. WAIT A MINUTE! Now I know $2.95 is a very nominal fee, but I chose this service because it was FREE! Many of the services were not free and told you from the beginning there would be a charge. Now that I'm a professional "on-line chatter" I looked for the box at the site! Low and behold, there it was! I immediately clicked on it and met Sarah. "Hello Jo Ann! How may I help you?" Already I didn't like the sound of her voice! Ha! Ha! So I explained to Sarah why I had chosen this website (FREE), and I didn't understand why I was now being asked to pay $2.95 to download it to my desktop. Sarah said the "FREE" part was if I left my resume on her website, it would be located where thousands of potential employers could see it at no cost to me. I told her I didn't want thousands of potential employers to see my resume, I only wanted to use it for my purposes. Sarah then said that would cost me $2.95. I gave her my credit card number!
The good news is I have not heard a word from the life-style lift folks and the bad news is I am now receiving a ton of e-mails from the resume website! I did give a moment's thought to contacting the resume website again for a chat and telling them what I thought of them, but I decided against it! Also, I have not heard from the one potential employer I was hoping for!
Community Service -
Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Topinabee Library had their annual book sale. Since I am a member of the Friends of the Library, I volunteered for the set-up on Thursday and selling on Friday. The sale was under a tent right on the lake. On Thursday, during the set-up, it was pouring down rain. I nearly froze to death. I had on my winter boots, shirt, sweater, jacket, corduroy pants, wool socks, and gloves and still was cold! But the sale went well. I did not work the book sale on Saturday because I was a chairperson for the Annual Topinabee Rummage Sale held under the pavilion by the lake! Oh my! TR Baker and I arrived at 6:15am as folks donating "rummage" began their drop-offs at 6:30am. I was seriously bundled up again. The sale continued until 2pm when the boy scouts from Pellston (where the airport is) came to haul away the remains. The Pellston boy scouts have a HUGE yard sale on Labor Day weekend each year to support the troop. They collect any yard sale left-overs all year long in preparation for their event. It works out perfectly. They do your clean-up! It was a beautiful day but cold. In order to warm up, I would stand in the sun. Well, my nose and forehead got sunburned! Can you believe it? It still hurts this morning. And those that know me are laughing because they know I avoid any sun contact with my skin! The life of a volunteer can be quite costly!
Family news -
TR Baker - Continues to be my heavy lifter!!!! Don't know what I'd do without him. He's getting ready to put in a new lake wall down at the boat house. It won't be an easy job, but the estimate from a professional was more than we wanted to pay. Brett will help him.
The Lindgren's
Gracie - Two weeks ago, Gracie had her dance recital. She performed in five different dances and it was wonderful! I kept telling her all year long I wanted to see have hip level arabesques, and I did! She is a wonderful performer. She smiles from the first second to her curtsey!
Brett - The following Friday, my phone rang at 8am and it was Brett. I could tell by his first word, something was wrong. He asked if I would come and get him and take him to the hospital. He also needed TR Baker to come and get the keys to open the store. I got TR Baker and we went immediately to get Brett. TR got the keys, etc, ready to head to the candy store. We got Brett in the car and I headed to the ER in Cheboygan. He was in such pain, I was afraid he was going to pass out. As soon as the ER people saw him they took him back. Did the usual blood work, CAT scan and finally gave him some very good pain meds and he calmed down. Turns out, kidney stones! Oh boy, I've been there, done that! The stones were already in his bladder and they told him he just needed to pass them and he said OK, no problem. I kept my mouth shut! Took him back home, he changed clothes, I dropped him off at the store, got his prescription filled (more pain meds), made him eat some lunch, and left him. He was told not to drive so I told him I would come and get him as needed. And he couldn't have a pain pill until 2:30pm. I called him around 2:15pm to see how he was doing and tell him he could have a pain pill at 2:30pm. He said he wasn't going to take it until after I came and got him and took him home to get his truck. I reminded him he was told not to drive, and he said if I wouldn't come and get him, he would walk home (about 7 miles) and get his truck. What is it about guys and their trucks? I drove to the candy store and took him home for his truck. He was happy!
Garrett - We are so proud of Garrett. He created a metal magazine rack in his industrial arts class and it won first prize for the state of Michigan competition! He has a beautiful plaque and a blue ribbon! You may remember he also plays high school football (last year on the freshman team), is on the high school golf team doing very well, won this statewide creative award and last Thursday was the only high school freshman called to the stage to be awarded a "letter" for his scholastic achievement. I'm proud!
Emily - In addition to being the wife, mother, math teacher, accountant, payroll person and employee at the candy store (not to mention the chief cook and bottle washer), she has been on a fitness plan and diet for the past 3 months and has lost 34 pounds!!!!! WOOHOO!
The Tuma's
Adam - On Sunday, June 2, Adam will graduate from high school. He is the youngest of Libby's kiddos. He's not quite sure what the next step in his life will be but is looking forward to whatever it is.
Hannah - I think her summer job is at a day care. She's not sure about that but is grateful for the job.
Isaac - I think he's taking one of those short term courses this summer in June and continues to work at UPS. He did change his major this winter to some sort of engineering program and is applying to the Speed School. All of his credits will transfer as he has had a ton of math courses.
Daniel - Dan is working full time at that new Amazon Distribution Center in southern Indiana. Loves his job and has great benefits.
Libby - Hardworking, single mom to these four great kiddos. Has no idea what she will do as all her children leave her nest! She says she's gonna' have a party! For Mother's Day, her kids gave her a new electric skillet and a new lawnmower and she was excited!!!! (She didn't get that from me!) God bless her! So proud of her!
TR Baker and I are going to make a very quick trip to Louisville for Adam's graduation. I'm looking forward to seeing Libby and kiddos and my sisters and their families. I'll be meeting my sister Mary's newest addition, Henry, while we're there. Henry is a collie puppy and is more interested in meeting Nutty than me! We'll only be in town for four days. Got to get back to welcome my first summer (fingers crossed) guests and can't wait. There's still room on the calendar for YOU! Just let me know. We'd love to see you!
I've been very remiss in writing and I've missed it. I'll do better especially since the next two weeks will mark the third anniversary of the accident. Happy Summer to all! JB
