Veteran's Day 2008

Take a moment today to remember and honor all of the brave men and women who stand guard, around the clock, protecting us and ensuring our freedom. Especially all of the veterans (and their families) who have made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to us.

I'm proud of my family's military service and want to acknowledge our vets...Henry (Army - WWII), Fred (Army - WWII), Joe (Air Force), Pat (Army), Mike (Army), Mark (Army), David (Marines), Steven (Navy), Stella (Navy - Retired), Earl (Army - Retired), Larry (Army), Jimmy (Army), Bobby (Air Force), Arnold Lee (Navy), Bill (Air Force)

Our votes are in...

It took about 45 minutes for us to get through the voting process once the polls opened. Things went relatively smoothly, except for the sign in process which is still frustratingly slow! There has to be a way to automate that process. I was especially pleased to still be able to use the touch screen voting machines. The ones we use mark the vote on paper in a window on the machine. That way, you can see that your vote is being recorded on paper if there is some question about the data coming out of the machine.

A quick word about our polling spot which is at a local church. They were very organized and accommodating, as usual. Plus, there is free coffee, donuts, muffins. Nothing like a little basic freedom with a blueberry muffin on the side! All told, it only took us 90 minutes, which is much better than the two previous elections.

One other observation, it was really cool to leave the place and see cars parked in the grass, on curbs, and lots of people standing in line to vote. This is our most important right and responsibility as Americans! So, get out there and VOTE!!

After voting, James, Megan, Susan and I went for a quick breakfast. As usual, James and I discussed (argued in a friendly way) different points about the election, which caused us to incur a little grief from our wives. It's not that I'm right, it's just that James isn't. OK, just kidding! :-) Megan was actually able to get a word in between our continuous banter and, given her line of work, it is interesting to hear her perspective on things.

Now that the voting is behind us, we're planning to watch the returns with Red and Blue drinks this evening. Not sure what will actually be on the menu yet, but Susan has suggested a red apple martini for the Red, and a Curacao based concoction may be standing in for the Blue. But what about the purple's you ask?? Sorry, but my liquor cabinet can only support a two-party party!!

Happy Election Day!

Election Day...Finally!

Susan and are waiting in line at our precinct, ready to cast our votes. We got here 50 minutes before the polls are set to open and there is already a line!

I think Susan has decided who she's voting for...I'm still undecided. I'm split between Chuck Baldwin (Constitution) and Bob Barr (Libertarian).

We thought about absentee voting, but I really like coming to the poll and 'pushing the button'!

James and Megan just arrived, so I've still got 30 minutes to pull James back from the edge! :-)

The Green Monster!!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween. Yesterday, we only had one trick-or-treater. It was a very scary Green Monster!! Owen and his folks dropped by to see what kind of tasty treats we had. Unfortunately, all Mr. Owen gets to do is play with the candy. He definitely liked the Nerds (since they made noise), and the Snickers, but didn't really dig the Twix. Instead, Owen went home with a Halloween rubber duck for bath time, and his Mom & Dad went home with the candy. Otis and Ella didn't get to come over, but they got a special treat too!

We had lots of fun with Owen and he was a really good sport, especially since he is teething now!

Today is the 9th Anniversary of Mark's 29th Birthday!!

Send Mark a note and wish him Happy Anniversary of his 29th Birthday!!



Happy Birthday Mark!! Enjoy your six months! :-)

Mr. Owen

I haven't had a pic of Mr. Owen on here for a while. Owen, and his Mom & Dad, went to the Greek Festival with Susan and me. I got to spend a little time hanging with Owen and his Baby Bjorn carrier. We had a blast -- he's so cool! This was Labor Day weekend and he has gotten much bigger since.

We're looking forward to him coming to our house for his first Trick or Treat night!

Colorado - Day 3

It was windy today in Estes Park, and really windy above 9000 feet (10-30 mph, with gusts to 50 mph) So, not wanting to get blown off the mountain, we decided to postpone our hike to Bierstadt Lake until tomorrow.

We decided to head over to Fort Collins to visit a couple of breweries, have lunch and just check in all out. The drive over on 34 was really cool. The scenery was amazing and the drive out of the mountains went through an amazing valley with steep rock faces on both sides.

On the brewery tour was ODell Brewing Company and Anheuser-Busch. I thought it would be interesting to see the difference between a small brewery and the dominant brand. ODell's was fun and we had a need tour through the three rooms where the beer is made, bottled and shipped. Compare that to Bud's place where the tour walk was a mile long and took over an hour. The sheer volume of Budweiser and the controls they have in place to ensure product consistency was amazing. On the flip side, it was fun to see the passion for the beer being made in the small shop.

At ODell's we sampled a flight of their core beers. I have had the Easy Street wheat beer at Smokin' Dave's a couple of times and it is tasty. We liked all of the beers, except the Cutthroat Porter. Neither of us likes really dark beer. Too bad Mark wasn't with us, he would've liked the Porter.



One of the best parts of the Bud tour was the Clydesdales. Susan made friends with the old, retired veteran, Serendipity, and the new rookie, Wheeler.



On a culinary note, breakfast this morning was at the Donut Haus. I've posted about it before - Huge Donuts - but never seem to get a picture out here. I'll work on that tomorrow.

Colorado - Day 2

Day 2 began a little slowly as both of us were pretty TIRED. Susan did a little morning yoga with all the big windows open and looking out at the trees and rocks. Me? Well, I rested while she did yoga. After yoga (and showers) we headed into town to Kind Coffee for Mocha's, bagels and some day planning time. As Susan mentioned, the plus to getting a late start is not having to wait too long for Laura's candy shop to open. (Hmmm...there may be a theme here: Mike + Susan + Colorado = Candy Stores). This has become tradition for us. We stop in when they open for toffee and brett bars, or as we like to call it, second breakfast.

Basically we spent the first half of the day visiting the shops to see what fun new things were available this year. Most of the stores stay the same and there weren't too many surprises. We did see some neat tree sculptures in one shop that we both really liked. Now we're trying to decide if there is somewhere in the house one would work.

We thought we might try to get to the other side of the park this trip (Grand Lake), but the trail ridge road is already closed for the winter. From what we were told, the area over there isn't in good shape. Apparently there is a beetle that is killing the pine trees. And, they're spreading to this side of the park. There isn't much that can be done to stop them. The park service is trying to use insecticide to slow them and protect some of the trees. The park needs a brutally cold winter to help kill them off. Unfortunately, the winters have been getting warmer the last 10 years or so. Not good.

We had a nice afternoon in the park. We drove up to to Bear Lake trailhead (9475 feet) and walked the loop around the lake. (It always amazes me to think when were hiking here we're about 8,000 feet hight than our house!) The weather at the lake was cold and windy. OK, it was actually very cold and windy. Still, the sun was shining and we had blue skies. We also took a trip around Sprague Lake - this is where we watched a marmot playing in the water last year; one of my favorite memories of the park. There was ice forming on the lake, and yet there was a fisherman wading in to enjoy some late afternoon fishing!?

We headed back to the condo for a glass of wine in front of the fire. Then, dinner at Smokin' Dave's BBQ & Taphouse. This is one of our favorites places in Estes Park. Good food and feels like a good mix of locals and people like us.

We finished the day back at the condo reading and relaxing. This is good stuff.

Colorado - Day 1

Before I tell you about our first day in Colorado, I want to say a few words about the person I was sitting next to on the flight from Columbus. We were on a Northworst DC-9. The air nozzle wasn't working for my neighbor and the plane was getting very warm. No matter which way you twisted the nozzle, there was no air. That's when my neighbor, MacGyver, began thinking about ways to force it open. Now, since the TSA agents neuter all travelers - no swiss army knives, fingernail clippers, silly putty, etc. - MacGyver had to dig deep to find the solution. In a flash of brilliance, a piece of the barf bag was trimmed, rolled, and inserted into the nozzle, freeing the much needed flow of cool air. Sure, it wasn't like Mac stopped a sinister plan by a misguided evil doer, but it was no less impressive. And the best part? MacGyver was my clever wife. She rocks.

Our first full day in Colorado began with a tour of the Hammond's Candy company in Denver. I saw them profiled on a food network show a couple of years ago and have been wanting to visit. The cool thing about this company is that they still make all of their candy by hand! They employ about 100 people and have master candy makers that learn the trade by apprenticing in the kitchen. All of their candy canes are 'crooked' and packaged by hand. The ribbon candy is still made on a 'crimping' maching that dates to the late 1800's. We both really enjoyed the tour (and the candy samples coming out of the kitchen!). [more pics here]

After the candy tour, we headed north to Boulder. Of course, we made our obligatory stop at the Flatiron Crossing Wal-Mart (trying to help those stock prices Mark!) to pick up some supplies. In Boulder, we like to visit the REI store, shop and have lunch on Pearl Street (this year we ate at Juanita's - very tasty mexican, especially the chips and salsa), and pick up some groceries at Whole Foods. The Whole Foods in Boulder is much smaller than the one in Dublin. The one in Dublin is great, but the one in Boulder feels like a neighborhood market. It's always busy and crowded - but in a fun way.

We finally made it up the mountain and are in #7 again this year. We stayed in this unit last year too. Most of the units have a guest book, and it was really fun reading the entries from the families who have stayed here in #7 since our trip last October. There are many people who really love this area like we do and are repeat visitors. It always amazes me how connected Susan and I always feel to this area. In a lot of ways, it feels like coming home.

We finished the days with an indoor 'picnic' in front of the fire. It was a good end to a good day.

CBJ Opening Night, Thanks Mr. Mac!

Last night was the Blue Jackets home opener against our nemesis, the Nashville Predators. It was an especially special evening because the Jackets were honoring the teams founder, John H. McConnell. Earlier this year, Mr. Mac passed away. Mr. Mac was instrumental in bringing NHL hockey to Columbus and he loved watching the fans have fun in Nationwide Arena.

The pre-game events centered on Mr. Mac, his generosity to the community, and of course his love of his Blue Jackets. The team raised a memorial banner which will permanently hang in the rafters of Nationwide Arena. Hopefully, someday, the team will say thanks and an hang a championship banner next to it.

Here are pics from the opening ceremony and introduction of the team....









Mr. Mac was surely smiling at the end of this battle, because the Blue Jackets pulled off the victory 5-3. Pascal LeClaire went down with a hand injury with five minutes to go. Hitch sent Feddy Norena in...and the crown started chanting Freddy, Freddy, Freddy to let him know we were supporting him. It was a really cool moment, and Freddy didn't disappoint.



The whole gang (except for Mark - we missed having you there!) was in 213 yelling and having a blast. Normally, its a little sparse in our section of the upper atmosphere, but this year it was packed. And the best part is that it was packed with CBJ fans!!



Hockey is the greatest sport on earth!

Al Smith Dinner

Last night Senator Obama and Senator McCain came together at the Al Smith dinner in New York. This is a white tie event held each year by the Archdiocese of New York to raise money for New York's Catholic Charities. The event recognizes the first US Catholic nominated for president.

Both senators talked for about 15 minutes. There were some funny comments by both and have been posted to CNN's web site. I have links to both below. [Not wanting to show any bias, James, I flipped a two-headed coin and listed the Maverick first. :) I might also point out that Sen. Obama received 19 seconds more video time than Sen. McCain. Another example of the bias shown by the liberal media elite?? Hmmm....]

Senator McCain

Senator Obama

The Pumpkin Show

Susan, Kent, Lori and I made the annual trek to the Circleville Pumpkin Show. As usual, my first stop was the Bennett family fish fry. I am not a big fish eater, but man these ocean perch sandwiches are GOOD! While I was enjoying my fish, the rest of the crew were eating deep fried vegetables. I know, I couldn't figure it out either. Vegetables? Seriously? When there are all those other tasty treat?! I suppose there's no accounting for taste!



From there, the progressive dinner continued to fried cheese on a stick. We found a stand touting their Pennsylvania Dutch breading recipe and Kent and I gave it a try. They were tasty, although Kent and I both experience some issues later. Assuming Lori was OK, this is the only common food item consummed. Except for the mini donuts that is...

As were were trying to navigate the show on our way to find the main entree for the evening, we got trapped by the nightly parade. I love that they have a parade every night. Lots of floats, local marching bands, it's just fun! Finally, after being trapped for way too long and, growing week from not eating for 15 minutes, Lori took the lead and led us across the street, barely missing the Westfall Mustangs marching band. (Being from southern Ohio, I still do not like Westfall. At least their high school still exists. Anyone remember the Bishop Flaget Panthers?) Lori and I had italian sausage sandwiches. We walked, talked, ate, and took in all the sights that are the Pumpkin Show.

Here is this year's grand champion pumpkin, and the famous giant pumpkin pie...





The main attraction for us is the Donut Man's Mini Donuts. They've been in the same spot forever and make the most awesome mini donuts - both plain and pumpkin. We all grabbed a bag and sat down to enjoy the donuts and the parade (still going strong). I always buy plain and then wish I had pumpkin! Fortunately, Susan, Lori and Kent let me trade!





We missed having the rest of the gang with us this year, Scott, Cindy, Kim and Mark. We felt like we stepped up and had at lease one of everyone's favorite. The toughest part of the evening was trying to explain to the Kettle Korn guy why Kim stood him up. I think, in time, he'll get over it.

Dallas

The trip to visit Mark in Dallas was a lot of fun. (Mark's recap of the trip) The trip began at Port Columbus. Kim was early for the flight (although not too early, the new traffic patterns at the airport slowed her down). Now, not only did she get a CBJ sweater to wear at the game, she actually wore it down on the plane! Pretty sure she was trying to get some free advertising for the team.

The game was a lot of fun. The boys got behind, worked hard, tied it up, got the lead, began our trademark march to the penaly box for stupid penalites, and gave the lead away. Then, the hockey gods smiled on us. They allowed us to tie the game and then win it with 20.6 seconds left in overtime. Basically, with a less skilled and disciplined team, the Blue Jackets were somehow able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It was awesome!

On Saturday, we took the train into Dallas to have a look around. We had all decided to go see King Tut at the Dallas art museum. Now, I have wanted to see this stuff for as long as I can remember. So, I was pretty excited. We took one 'heavy rail' train, one 'light rail' train and a street car to get into the museum's neighborhood. Then, the curse of Tut struck again. We weren't able to get tickets! Sure, it's not the same as getting hit with a curse that kills you but come on! All that way for nothing!? Ugh! Tut eludes me again!

We went back to Uptown for lunch. Now, the Red River Rivalry game between Texas and Oklahoma was in full swing. We sat outside for lunch and watched all of the Texas and Oklahoma fans going from bar to bar. None of the rude, vulgar violence of an Ohio State / Michigan event. Of course, that may be because we were in what appeared to be an affluent area where the coed's were driving daddy's Land Rover.After that we went to Dealey Plaza to see where JFK was assassinated. Mark continues to be skeptical of the official goverment report. Mark seems determined to try to debunk the report with fact and common sense. Now, I like to tow the party line just like the next guy. But after standing there in the plaza and visiting the museum, I have to say he may be on to something. All of this happened before either of us was born, but it is amazing how it still resonates.
We finished the day by putting our feet up and watching the Jackets game against Phoenix...it was ugly! (not our feet, the game)

Mark also took us on a tour of the pharmacy and optical lab. Both were very interesting, but the optical lab was my favorite. Having worn glasses most of my life, it was fascinating to see how the lenses start out the size of a hockey puck and then end up super small and in a pair of glasses. If you make it to Dallas to visit Mark, definitely go to the optical lab!

Mark was an excellent tour guide, especially given his short time in Dallas. I think I can speak for Kim when I say we especially enjoyed the part of the tour that enabled us to ride along in Mark's super fly ride. Think 'hey MTV, Pimp My Ride'! Mark has added quite a few technological upgrades - I am definitely falling behind! The best part was flying through the streets and highways of Dallas - think Mr. Toad's wild ride, except Mr. Toad is taking speed and washing it down with Mountain Dew AMP! The time between stops allowed me to evaluate my life (it was easy since it was flashing before my eyes) and promise - if we survived - that I'd try to be a better person. (Just kidding Mark - we really appreciated you taking us everywhere!)

On a final note, you gotta love a place so in touch with their identity that they have longhorns on the tops of the cranes....

Texas

Tomorrow I'm heading to Texas with my friend Kim to visit Mark and watch the Blue Jackets season opener against the Dallas Stars. This year's CBJ roster is supposed to be the strongest yet. Which given our history wouldn't take much. Still, I'm pretty excited about the road trip and getting to visit with Mark. And, I'm optimistic the CBJ will pull off a win. We usually lose our home openers, so why shouldn't I expect the same from Dallas??

In reality though, there is only one reason to go to Texas these days. That's right folks, we're going to see Taco!


BTW, there's still a few spots left in the pool on whether or not Kim makes it to the airport on time...get 'em before they're gone. :)

Hmmmm....the ceiling is wet!

That's what Susan and I noticed a few days ago in the living room. The many marks on the ceiling (from where I incorrectly measure the Christmas tree, scrape it across the ceiling and they take it back out of the house, scraping the ceiling again -- it's a Christmas traditon) are one thing, but water spots - well now they are a much bigger problem. Mostly because it reinforces that I know less than nothing about plumbing. Surprising since I've used it all my life, really missed it for about 6 months when I lived without it, and am generally a big fan. Reminds me of the scene from History of the World - "Plumbing! The newest invention to hit Rome, pump the you-know-what right out of your house".

The plumbers arrived and determine the problem is not the bathtub (which was my incorrect diagnosis), but rather the toilet. Then, I mention that the valve in the toilet is not working. I get a brief look like that seems to say - 'I can't believe you haven't fixed that yet, it's the easiest thing we do!'. So, I start to feel bad about myself and think, 'Wow, how stupid am I that I can't fix a toilet?' So then I start to think, 'Oh Yeah, well how about you stop by the office and fix the billing system!'. (Then I realized that I would probably need Kent for that too, which really makes it a bad example.) The point is, while I don't know how to fix a toilet, I can fix other stuff. The difference is these guys charge about $80 an hour (plus parts) to fix the plumbing. I only charge about $12.75 to fix a billing system.

The bottom line is that the plumbing is fixed, the ceiling should be dry, and I learned a little about a toilet. Maybe next time, I'll try to fix it myself. And, if that goes south, I'll call the professionals again.

Fall starts next week, which can mean only one thing...Hockey!!

The CBJ boys are all back in town and practice starts on Saturday morning. The first scrimmage 'a.k.a. pre-season' games begin next week. For CBJ fans, our first glimpse of the boys in Nationwide Arena comes on the 26th against those cream puff Nashville Predators. We'll be there, of course, because one of the many 'perks' of being a season ticket holder is the annual opportunity (obligation) to purchase pre-season tickets. Maybe this will be the year that we'll also get to buy some POST-SEASON tickets!

On a side note, Scott forwarded this article about 'Z' to me today. If nothing else, be thankful that Howson and Hitch had the good sense to dump him in the off-season. The sports writers at the New York Post are already calling him out - and this is just practice! If he plays there like he played here, he may quickly miss the friendly Dispatch sports writers.

Regardless of your politics, this is funny stuff...

Tina Fey rejoins SNL for their political skits as Gov. Sarah Palin. The impression is almost perfect. She's in the same league with Chevy Chase as Pres. Ford, Dana Carvey as Pres. George H.W. Bush and Darrel Hammond as Pres. Clinton and Vice-Pres. Gore. This is something SNL does so well....

Remember

Take time today to remember the events of 9/11, especially all of the men, women, and children, both victims of the attacks and first responders, who lost their lives.

Last year on 9/11, I had the great honor to visit the 9/11 memorial inside the Pentagon. For a former soldier, it was a rare opportunity to be able to spend time in truly sacred space and reflect on what happened. An opportunity for which I will always be grateful.

This morning at the Pentagon, a public memorial to the victims of the attack will be dedicated. Many of the families and friends of those who died that day in will be in attendance, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

O God of love, compassion, and healing, look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions, who gather today at this site, the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness to give eternal light and peace to all who died here - the heroic first-responders: our fire fighters, police officers, emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel, along with all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion to bring healing to those who, because of their presence here that day, suffer from injuries and illness. Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy. Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well of those who suffered death, injury, and loss on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Our hearts are one with theirs as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth. Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain.

Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.

Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer at Ground Zero
New York, 20 April 2008

Big Foot has been captured!!

Big Foot has been captured, scientists have confirmed the existence of the Loch Ness Monster, Double D got a passport photo, NASA confirms the Moon is made of Cheese. One of these incredible events actually happened today! Actually two of them happened today, but one has yet to be confirmed.

The odds makers in Vegas are taking a loss today since they took odds that DD would not get the passport application submitted in time to make the trip to St. Lucia. Hopefully they'll make up the losses from the losers who bet the French would actually 'crush' the Americans in the 4 x 100 relay. The French...they just make me chuckle...

There is a sad side to this story though. Now that DD is securing a valid passport, TOF will not be able to turn to his pool of substitute travel companions. TOF's many girlfriends will be crushed. Perhaps TOF should offer them a day pass to Zoombezi Bay as a consolation prize? Yes, that does seem fair.

Olympic Hardware

Here's what they're trying to go home with...

Why should the President go to the games?

Putting politics aside, this is why it's important that the President go to the games -- to support the athletes. Unlike some other countries, our Olympic program is completely self funded - no tax dollars. These athletes sacrifice and work so hard to achieve their dream to represent the US and compete in the Olympics. I think it's important the President is there to congratulate them and wish them success.

The 2008 Olympic Games!!

At 8 PM on 08-08-2008, the XXIX Olympic Games began in Beijing, China! As most of you know, I am a big fan of the Olympics and am looking forward to watching them over the next couple of weeks.

Check out NBC's website for all the coverage highlights and medal counts...

Tonight we'll be celebrating the opening of the games with an Olympic Smörgåsbord! OK, so we won't be serving food from Sweden, but we will be serving tasty treats from around the world - well, sort of anyway. We'll each be representing a different country by contributing food to the Smörgåsbord...

China (Susan) - TBD
Italy (Mike) - Pizza
Germany (Kent) - German Chocolate Cake
Mexico (Danielle/Jared) - Danielle's world famous, totally awesome, homemade guacamole!
Poland (Megan/James) - DD is representing Poland with a cucumber and sour cream salad

We'll see what other countries are represented as the evening progresses.

We are 12 hours behind Beijing, and I have sneaked a peek at some of the coverage from the opening ceremonies. One of the things that will be interesting to watch is the order of the parade of nations. Adhering to tradition, the Greeks go first. After that, the countries have been lined up based on Mandarin calligraphy - they've been ordered by the number of strokes in the first character of a nation's name. Should be confusing and fun to watch!

An extra night in Traverse City

Yesterday, the air traffic control radar in Chicago stopped working right about the time we got to the Traverse City airport. This little outage affected about 10 million flights, including ours (which were canceled). We were moved to flights today and encouraged to 'have fun' in TC.

While I was working on tickets, Susan found us a room at the Comfort Inn. Not just any room, but a jacuzzi suite - complete with the jacuzzi right next to the bed! I looked at Susan, she looked at me, I winked and nodded towards the tub, she rolled her eyes and said 'don't even think about it!' It wasn't a total loss though, the room also had a 50" high def plasma TV with cable. No way a woman designed this room...

By this time, were both getting pretty hungry. There was a diner called Mabel's about 50 feet from the hotel. Instead of checking out what Mabel was cooking though, 'we' decided it would be fun to walk into TC to see what other tasty treats might be available. There was some disagreement between the two hotel desk clerks about the distance to downtown TC. One said it was a mile, the other thought it was closer to 1 1\2 miles. Turns out it was about 36 miles! (probably closer to 2-3 miles, but seemed a lot farther).

We survived the Traverse City Dinner Death March and stopped at Bubba's Bar & Restaurant. It was actually a fun spot with good food and a college bar atmosphere. We both enjoyed our food (burger, nachos) and then set out on the Traverse City Dinner Death March - Part 2. On the trip back to the hotel we had a couple of cars honking at us, then someone in an SUV threw a hat at us -- very odd.

Back at the hotel, Colleen (Asst. Manager & Angel of Mercy) was still taking good care of us. She gave us some laundry detergent and pointed us to the laundry room. Since we only had the clothes on our backs, we were eager to get our clothes clean. Then it occurred to us we needed to get to/from the laundry room while washing the only clothes we had. I'll let your imaginations guess how we pulled that one off - keep in mind we did it with only one load in the washer & dryer.

Finally, it was midnight. We had clean clothes, full tummies, and the exhaustion that came with a loooong walk to get dinner. It was off to sleep for three hours, followed by three alarms and a wake up call to be ready for our 4 AM taxi to the airport.

Now we're in Chicago waiting on the flight back to Columbus. It's been quite a travel adventure!

The KenMar Race Team

Today we got up early so Mark, Cindy and Susan could participate in a 10K run in Charlevoix. Unfortunately, no one confirmed the start time and we arrived 15 minutes late and the team was unable to compete. Hopefully they'll try again next year. I watched the racers finish and it looked like a really fun event...and they had SPECTACULAR weather (70, sun, nice breeze). Susan & Mark went ahead with ther own 10K race and are out enjoying the weather. I'm sitting in the sun, watching the boats on round lake, just enjoying the sights and sounds of Charlevoix.

The official team race photo:

The KenMar - Part Deux

It's Friday and everyone is off doing their own thing. Scott, Cindy, Susan and I just got back from winery hopping, Kent and Mark are AWOL, and Dan and Van took the day trip to Beaver Island. So far we've been having lots of fun. Yesterday was dinner at the Weathervane and then the annual drink contest. Susan and I were voted the winners this year with champagne concoction that sort of erupted when we added a frozen grape (totally unplanned, but kudos to Susan for thinking of the grapes!) Dan won for best presentation (there was a video made that unfortunately can't be posted here -- it has been rated R - those of you who know Dan can guess why).

Here are some pics of us enjoying the time here...

Stopping at Friske Orchards for Cherry Donuts!

Mmmm...Cousing Jenny's Pasties in Traverse City...

Wine tasting...

This is a cork wall at one of the wineries, Susan and I are thinking about adding one at home...

The Charlevoix lighthouse...

Shopping at the local farmer's market...

Sunset....