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We went on a small road trip up to Traverse City on Tuesday and Wednesday. We stayed at the Cherry Tree Inn right on the bay, and, while the weather was anything but relaxing, it was great to just get away and be us. Tuesday was my day to drive, so I drove us up there. We went to the mall, did our walk, and prowled around in the stores. Then we drove down to the bay, drove along the main road that goes past all the hotels, and found a lovely one with a bay view, a balcony, lots of TV channels (instead of the ONE channel that we get here at Gary's), and free breakfast!
We then took off for the outlet mall, where we roamed about, collecting a few things. We bought Gary a set of nice non-stick cooking pans, a couple of long-sleeved shirts (which will also be good for Tucson) for me, and a meat pounding hammer for Jack! Then we supped at Red Lobster, sharing a meal of scallops, shrimp, and chicken over wild rice.
Wednesday morning, we dined on the free breakfast, then Jack drove us up to the Grand Traverse Lodge, where we had a look around. It's a more lavish hotel than the one where we stayed, with restaurants and fancy shops on the lower floor. We took the clear glass elevator up to the top, where we enjoyed a quick glance at the bay, before heading off for downtown Traverse City.
I enjoyed the walk along the little main street of this quaint tourist town. Shops of all descriptions lined the way, each trying to lure us in, with attractive window presentations. A few managed to do this, and we bought a few things.
Lunch was at the Green House Cafe, where Jack got a hamburger and I had cherry chicken salad on a croissant. Traverse City, by the way, is the cherry capital of the world, with cherry stuff to be found everywhere!
Just as it began to mist rain, we left downtown, and went to the site of the Traverse City State Hospital, a former mental institution, built back in 1885. What a place! It's not just a building on a hill, but a huge complex of buildings. Many are still standing and are being restored as home for an inn, restaurants, and shops. The grounds are now open to the public to stroll or just drive around.
We stopped at an outfitter and at Best Buy on the way out of town. I'm looking for an upgrade for my Garmin -- one that will offer me multi-destination routing. I'm enchanted by the idea of 3D buildings, too! I didn't buy anything yet, as I'm still in the researching phase. I can buy an RV on impulse, but something like a GPS unit requires weeks of careful study!
Yesterday, while Jack was taking care of personal business, I went with Kay, Chuck, Gary, and Doug to Grand Rapids to have lunch and see a movie! Doug drove. The day was wonderful, with warm air, blue skies, and the last of the autumn leaves quivering on their branches.
The movie wasn't so great, though. We saw Rock 'n Rolla. It was about drugs and violence, but the plot was confusing, with many flash-backs. None of us liked it enough to want to see the sequel, which the end of the movie promised. I was happy to see it end. To make things worse, because we'd eaten a hearty lunch (Chinese buffet), we didn't get popcorn!
On Tuesday, Jack and I went over and raked leaves at the house that will soon be his again. It's amazing how many leaves and pine needles one little yard can hold! And now I am feeling muscles that I didn't even realize that I'd had! The day, again, was beautiful. With temperatures into the 70's, we didn't even consider jackets.
We've been eating well. After church on Harvest Dinner weekend, they sell the leftovers from the meal, and we scored enough stuff to make some fantastic turkey soup as well as lots of trimmings. The dressing was fabulous on Tuesday evening, rolled up into pounded chicken breasts and baked, with mashed potatoes, which he'd fried up. Mmmmm! And this morning, Jack made omelets, bacon, and hash browns. :) I have been cooking some too, but mostly acting as Jack's sous-chef. ;)
The question came up in one of the comments from my last posting, so I'll answer it. Jack and I are friends -- good friends. I am living with Eddie in my little RV which is parked outside of the house where Jack lives. We have it plugged into electricity, so we stay warm. Since it's getting to be winter here, I had the RV winterized -- water drained and RV antifreeze installed into the lines -- so I don't have bathroom facilities in the RV, and I don't cook or eat in there either. My address is a PO box for now.
Jack's been involved in theater for many years, in set construction, mainly, though he did direct the Far Horizons play last winter. I've done plays, singing and acting, since I was a teenager, so it's not much of a stretch that I would become involved in community theater here.
And it's also natural for both of us to be involved in large-scale food operations! Yesterday we did just that, working to prepare and serve the Harvest Dinner for the church. I folded napkins, set tables, filled salt shakers, cut pies, and scooped out green beans. Jack did.. LOL just about everything else. There were probably dozens of people helping altogether, so it was light work, and fun!
There is no blue in the font choices for this blog that matches the wonderful blue of this Michigan sky! Today it is 66° here in Big Rapids, and the leaves that are left are gorgeous against the blue.
I had a fine and fun birthday. Jack and I traveled south to Annette and Steve's. We left on my birthday and returned on his, just 3 days later! High points were many, but included fantastic food (chicken, chicken/noodles, and pot roast -- YUM!), a trip to DQ, shopping with Jack at Circle Center and Keystone at the Crossing, getting a tour of Dow/Agro and having lunch with Annette during her workday.
At Keystone at the Crossing, I found some neat clothes at Coldwater Creek, and dropped a bit of money there. It was time. I needed a shopping spree -- and new clothes, too. You may recall that I had given away nearly all my wintery things before I left Bloomington, thinking that I'd be wintering from now on in Tucson!
Other things: On the 24th, we went to see the plays the high school kids put on at Morley Stanwood High School. They had done Midsummer Night's Dream and Shut and Bar the Door. While MSND was well done, we both laughed our heads off at Shut and Bar the Door. These plays were ones for which Jack and I had helped with set construction, and we had our names in the program!
We have been helping with set construction for the Stage M production of A Male Animal. While Jack was helping the guys with nail-pounding, I painted flats. Aside from the room we were working in being freezing cold, it was fun working with the folks.
Then ydy, Jack and I were both up on ladders installing siding on the new Stage M building. I've discovered that, while I rather like the siding installation process, I am not enthusiastic about ladder-climbing!
Today I'm home while Jack's off moving the sets for the play. My tummy hurts and I didn't feel like putting my back in harm's way, either, so I'll let him do that.
And tonight's Halloween! Being way out here in the countryside, we will not likely get many trick-or-treaters, but.. we may, too, and we're ready!
Last Thursday and Friday, Jack and I took a 4-hour watercolor painting class! The focus was on just learning to draw and then to paint with watercolor... and specifically how to paint botanical subjects. What fun it was! We learned to draw shading of leaf veins, and how to shade more darkly or lightly. And then we learned to paint -- something that I'd not done since elementary school. Here's my watercolor-painted pepper:
Then on Saturday, we went to a Homecoming Parade Party at Doug and Pat's, and that was really fun.
Luanne and Dan asked if we wanted to go to the game, and.. sure! Off we went! I looked spiffy in my Ferris State sweatshirt and the new "Imagine More" Ferris State button that I'd collected at the parade, and the spirit was in the air. Winning wasn't in the air for Ferris, though Wayne State played an admirable game.
After a speedy walk back to our van (at Doug and Pat's) we came back, took Chuck out, and headed off for a Chinese buffet supper with Luanne and Dan. What a fun day, and a great evening!
Sunday we went to church, then breakfasted (just us) at Bennigan's. While their breakfast was officially over, they fixed us our own breakfast, and it was great! People still smoke in restaurants here, which is annoying and needs to be fixed, but I'm hopeful that happens soon. In the meantime, we just ask to be seated as far as possible from the smoke, and that usually is ok.
Then we went to Meijer to get supplies for my Apple Crumble. I made it for our contribution to a benefit dinner that night at the church. Not only was it fun, but we raised a bunch of money!
Walking has been good, with mostly days in the 50's. I most enjoy walking along the river, where I shot those photos from my last posting.
Today the sky is crisp and blue, and the van is at Chrysler, getting its power steering fixed, so Jack and I are taking care of business concerns at home today.
Autumn came quickly here in northern Michigan, and I'm beginning to see why it is that so many Big Rapids people love to winter in Tucson! Actually, the weather here has been lovely for the past 3 days, with highs approaching 80, sunny skies, and leaves of yellow, orange, and blazing red against a clear blue sky. If winter didn't follow so closely upon autumn's heels, this would surely be my favorite season of the year!
Jack and I worked hard last Wednesday and Thursday, preparing for Friday and Saturday's Garage Sale. We had to dig stuff out of bags and boxes, things that Jack had been collecting in Chuck and Kay's pole barn, since a year ago, I think. We also went over to his used-to-be home to get a few things .
While it was work, it was fun, and we enjoyed talking to Chuck and Kay and the people who came to our little sale. We took in a bit of money, but, if we had been paid for our time, it would have been a negative take. When noontime on Saturday came around, we loaded up the rest of the things and took them to Goodwill and WISE, a thrift shop which supports a local women's shelter. The leftover books will go to the library's annual sale, or to the Association of University Women.
Here are some photos of the front of Gary's house. This is where Jack and I are staying. Here, Gary is getting set to pour the concrete for his driveway.
Can you find the 4-leaf clover? :)
At 4pm on Saturday, we left for a drive. We went up to Caberfae, which is a ski resort near Cadillac, when it's time for such things. For now, though, it gave us a challenging walk up the ski runs, and some fabulous views of autumn in northern Michigan.
Here's one of me. I'm not really this fat. ;)
And.. the long-awaited close-ups of Jack!
Yeah, I know.. everyone has one, and they are nearly all good. But here's mine, that I made for our church group. There were just 12 of us there, I made the whole recipe, there was other food, and, in the end, this was GONE, with the glass dish nearly licked clean. And, besides that, it's low in fat:
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Janee's Best-Ever Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Mix all of these in a bowl:
20 oz Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped just a bit 10 oz Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
3/4 C Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
3/4 C Low-Fat Mayonaisse
1/2 t Garlic Powder
Spray a 9" pie plate with Pam.
Spread mixture into pan and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Serve with Triscuits!
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Other happenings... uh... The status quo continues. Jack and I are still staying at Gary and Chuck's. Eddie's still out in the RV. We put a little heater out there for him, and we did take the RV out and got it winterized on Friday, just before our 25° night on Saturday.
I went on Thursday night with Luanne to her knitting club, and that was really fun for me. I met all the women and we all knitted, drank wine, ate cookies and fruit, and talked about the problems of our immediate worlds. I'm making a little dress-up short sweater with a cabled edge. It'll be good for me to wear out on cool evenings or to church on cool mornings. I'm making it in a winter-white acrylic/wool blend. Very pretty.
We went on Saturday and build some sets for friend Linda's school play, and that was more fun than I thought it would be. I picked up a table that had nails in it, though, and punctured my thumb. It still hurts today. Linda and I ran out for Subway for lunch and we all ate in the school's cafeteria area, overlooking the stage and the sets that we'd built. Kinda cool.
Church remains fun for me. I believe that I espouse the ideals set out by the churches that I've attended, and it seems as if the Pastor is speaking directly to ME most of the time. I get emotional, and sometimes I cry.
But I have been thus far unable to reconcile my beliefs with Christianity (or any other organized religion, for that matter). My issue is that, unless I am missing some vital connection, I can't say that I believe in some extra-terrestrial divine-but-human-like being which created us and controls us. Is it enough to live a life defined by positive thoughts and deeds, and to just think of God as nature?
