Happy New Year

We are coming to the end of another holiday season. Today is New Years Eve. I did have to go in to work for half the day. After I got home, we went out to an early dinner with our neighbors. I had a glass of wine with dinner, and after we got home, the Hubs went out to have a cigar. I'm sitting in front of the TV trying to figure out how to stay awake. And, it's only 8PM. I just can't hang like I used to!

Craziness

What a week! And, it's only Wednesday.
We have been packing files for two days, and today we moved them to the new office. Yesterday, after we had finished the day, we had our company Christmas party. We just gathered on the lower level of our current building, and had dinner. We sang Christmas carols until we were hoarse, and generally had a great time. I was still pretty wired after an hour drive home, so I didn't sleep very well last night. Then this morning I got up early to get a head start on moving day. Needless to say, I had a raging migraine before noon.
I decided not to help the girls make tamales tonight, but to go to bed early. Tomorrow I have to stop at the fruit market and do some last-minute grocery shopping. Then Friday the boys will be over for dinner, complete with girlfriends. Christmas will probably be spent doing final preparations for the family party on Sunday, where we will enjoy the cmpany of about 40 immediate family members.
It's an exceptionally busy year, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

The Ribbon Cutting

Today we had the official ribbon cutting ceremony at the new building. There were a few hundred people there. All kinds of officials from the tri-county area. This is a big deal for the city of Dearborn and Oakwood Hospital, but most of all for Midwest Medical. That's my boss on the right.

We will officially open on January 3rd, but the building is pretty much finished. We have our certificate of occupancy, so we will be moving in over the next couple weeks. It took me nearly that long to move into my house, and this is a 168,000 square foot facility! It sure was beautiful today, though. All decorated for Christmas.

Visiting With My Sis

Yesterday I went to Mary Fran's for lunch. She is home now, and recovering every day from the stem cell transplant. Kate met us, and Mary Fran fixed us all a great lunch. We had Brie en Croute for a first course, then some chile with cornbread.

It was great fun just visiting. Her new immune system gets stronger every day. She still tires easily, but we shared a few hours together before it was time for her to nap again. I hope she feels strong enough to come to the family Christmas party, but I certainly understand if she has to skip this year.

Christmas Traditions

I don't have a whole lot going on in my life other than work right now, so I am enjoying all the little traditions that go with Christmas. We went to a Christmas party with friends last weekend. Instead of exchanging gifts, we repeated something we did last year. After drawing names, we picked out a toy that reflected the personality of the person we chose. Then we donated all the gifts to Children's Miracle Network.
The night before, the Hubs and I drove all around the neighborhood we live in, and looked at the Christmas lights. We do this every year, but it never seems to lose its appeal for me.
Tonight I am watching A Charlie Brown Christmas for the umpteenth time. And, I'm sure I will catch Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Story before I'm done.

Oh Christmas Tree

It has long been my tradition to put up my Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend. Today I am grateful for beautiful Christmas lights. After I finished decorating the tree, I spent a few hours sitting in front of it, addressing cards. It was a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

Oh, and I am grateful for artificial trees. I was never able to start the season so early when I put up real one.

A Great Thanksgiving Dinner

I have to take this opportunity to plug one of my favorite restaurants. We just went to the Rochester Chop House for Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, pumpkin pie, the whole nine yards. Now, I know what you're thinking....it just isn't Thanksgiving if you don't have leftovers. Well, they've got that covered too. For an additional $4.95, they sent us home with a plate of "leftovers" (another whole dinner, actually). So, we get to do it all over again tomorrow. Delicious!

Ornaments Galore

Last night the Hubs and I went to Frankenmuth for dinner. Then we spent the night at the Bavarian Inn Lodge. It was just a quick get-a-way, but we had a chance to shop at Bronners this morning before we came home. What an incredible display of Christmas ornaments. They had everything you could imagine. I even saw one in the shape of the hat Aretha Franklin wore at the inauguration! I really wanted that one, but I wasn't willing to spend $43.00 for it. I ended up not buying anything. Sure was fun looking, though.

Dim Sum

Yesterday we met my BFF and her husband for Dim Sum. For those who are unaware, Dim Sum (literally translated "hearts delight") involves sitting at a table while carts of appetizers are wheeled by. You select the ones that appeal to you. They are served 3-4 to a plate, and range from BBQ pork buns to chicken feet. We sip tea, and laugh and talk, while we eat WAY more than we should. But it is such great fun, I'm already looking forward to next time!

Time Off

I have to be in Lansing for a conference tomorrow, but then I am taking a 4 day weekend. I am really looking forward to the time off. Things have been getting pretty crazy at work, and are about to get a whole lot crazier as we move into our last month in our current building.
Time off sounds pretty great right about now. Trouble is that I have a whole list of things I would like to accomplish, from cleaning the oven to addressing Christmas cards. I'm sure I will be ready to go back to work to rest up!

The Royal Announcement

I am very excited about today's announcement that Prince William is engaged to Kate Middleton. I am a royal watcher from way back. Yes, I got up very early in the morning to watch all the pomp and circumstance around the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. If I can possibly manage it, I will do the same for this one. But, before that there will be much hype, and I will drink it all in. Starting with the fact that he gave her Diana's engagement ring. Now, no woman wants to wear another woman's ring...unless...it was his mother's. That is very romantic, in my book.

Cutting the Red Tape

There is an old MASH episode in which Hawkeye learns the army has listed him as deceased. He spends the rest of the show trying to undo a simple clerical error, and getting buried in the paperwork involved. That is not too far fetched if you work in today's health care system.
Today I am grateful for the opportunity to help some people deal with the red tape. I spent a good portion of today working on two such issues. One was a pregnant woman whose Medicaid caseworker had signed her up for a program that only covers contraceptive management (a little too late, as it turns out). The other was a man with a dislocated shoulder and two very good insurances. Problem was that neither wanted to claim responsibility for being the primary carrier. And, when we straightened that out, they decided the injury must have occurred either on the job, or as the result of an accident (both of which would indicate someone else should pay the claim). Just to complicate matters, his disability insurance was bombarding him with forms the orthopaedic surgeon needed to fill out, so he could continue getting some sort of income while he heals. Don't even think of getting the government involved. Their attempts to streamline the system have only made matters worse.

Euchre Prizes

I won a little money at Euchre last night. So, the Hubs and I went to breakfast at the Original Pancake House this morning. It's one of our favorite places, because they make a great pecan waffle, and their bacon is the best we've had anywhere. Then we went to Costco. I had to pick up some wine glasses that I saw at our neighbor's last night. I was guessing she had gotten them from Crate and Barrel, or some such place. But, she said she had picked them up at Costco. They were a steal too. I just had to get a set. They will look great on our holiday table.

Attitude Adjustment

I have been in a blue funk for a while now. No clue why, but after several hundred games of Free Cell it became obvious I needed to do something. So today I decided to spend the rest of November adopting what Maya Angelou calls an "attitude of gratitude". I figure this Thanksgiving month is a good time to straighten my head out.
I started my day with a dentist appointment. Hmmm....well, my COBRA is still in effect. That hour of oral punishment only cost me $10.80 out-of-pocket. And, let's not forget the nitrous oxide (yes, I do take it even for cleanings - I'm that much of a weenie).
After the dentist, I worked in the yard, and cleaned up all the dying foliage. The hubs started on the Christmas lights, and we both enjoyed the mild weather. Tonight it's an evening with our neighbors, over several rousing games of Euchre. That includes the new couple who just bought the foreclosed house on our street. My thanks to them, for sure!

Halloween

Halloween is always so much fun in our neighborhood. There are always plenty of kids, and they don't seem to mind posing for pictures.

They know there will always be candy at our house. And the adults don't mind stopping by either, cause they know there will always be a beer or two.

Some years it has been so warm we have sat outside the whole time, just visiting with everybody. This year, I thought it was a little chilly. The Hubs offered to bring our space heater out front so I would be more comfortable, but I decided to let the boys sit and enjoy their beer, while I stayed in the house where it was warmer.

Being Offline

As I mentioned, we have been doing some painting. The real challenge has been the home office. This is a room with a large corner unit, with a computer desk, bookcases, etc. It is a real monster to move, so we have been putting off painting this room as long as we can.
Moving the furniture was bad enough, but that also means we had to unhook the computer. I didn't think too much of it, figuring I still had my laptop to fall back on. Surprise, we had to unhook the wireless router too. So, while I was able to play much solitaire, the internet was out.
And, since we have our computer and phones through our cable service, unhooking the computer also knocked out our phones. Other than our cell phones, we were completely "unplugged" from society!
Last night we were finally able to put the furniture back in place. That took a few hours of sorting through a mass of wires, figuring out what connected to what. Then we pushed the heavy units back to the wall. I told the hubs that we could wait to move the rest of the furniture until today. Of course, today we realized the phones still don't work. Ah well....

End of Season Golf

I am always happy when I can golf in Michign in the fall. Today was a beautiful day, so despite all the work I have to do at home, I insisted that we get out to play 18 holes. I am pretty sure it will be the last round for the year. We played at the Springfield Oaks course. The colors are a little past peak now, but they were beautiful just the same. We had a great time (and I did manage to beat the Hubs by a few strokes...always a bonus!)

A Saturday at the Mall

Today, I went shopping with my BFF. We are old pros at this, having been shopping buddies for some 45 years now. It always goes the same way. We meet about 10AM, make the rounds of our favorite stores, then stop at Hudson's (OK, Macy's) for lunch. It's important that we do that. I happen to love their Maurice salads, and the only time I get one is when I'm shopping with her. Over lunch we laugh and talk, share stories about what's going on in our lives, and catch up on our friends' lives as well. Then it's back to the stores. She loves to shop. But, she doesn't like spending too much money, so usually she shops for me. I end up leaving with all the bags, and she has the satisfaction of shopping all day. We are a great team!

Greektown Craziness

We went to visit my sister yesterday. After spending a couple hours (and several games of Yahtzee), we decided Greektown sounded great for dinner on the way home. Unfortunately, our timing wasn't the best. The Lions game had just ended, and everyone was walking from Comerica Park down to Greektown to celebrate (the Lions won...still can't believe that!).
On top of that, there was some sort of "ghoul party" going on. I don't know if they were at the game, or just happened to arrive in Greektown at the same time, but everywhere we turned, there were people walking on the streets dressed like ghouls. It was kind of cool, as Halloween themes go, but there were people everywhere! We just had to hide out somewhere, so we ducked into the casino (convenient, huh?). We spent the next couple hours playing the slot machines. The good news...we won enough to pay for dinner at Pegasus, and still come home with some in our pockets.

Paint and Window Treatments

When we moved into our brand new house, I decided some inexpensive mini-blinds were all we needed to cover the windows until we could afford something permanent. We also decided the upper floor didn't need the final coats of paint until we had more time and money. After all, it is just the two of us, and with a first floor master, why would we need to worry about the upstairs right away?
That was over 12 years ago, and the upstairs is still "builder's white". So I spent some time this weekend picking up paint for the house. While I was at it, I dragged the Hubs to the local Home Depot to order some roman shades for the windows in the den. He has pure sticker shock right now, but in a few weeks the house will have had a nice face lift. Can't wait to see it!

The Fishing Vest

Our friends gave the Hubs a fishing vest for his birthday. He had not used it yet, so this morning he decided to go off fishing with his brand new vest (and a couple of good sized cigars).

He went to a local inland lake, where he has enjoyed much fishing in the past. When he got there, though, he noticed lots of duck hunters all poised and ready to begin their hunting. He sure got out of there fast!

Autumn Decorating

My neighbors are all decorating their homes for Halloween. I really enjoy looking at the pumpkins, cornstalks, and big cardboard ghosts and cats when I drive down the street. Unfortunately, I have been working so man hours that I haven't even had time to hang some indian corn on the door or pull some weeds to make the yard look presentable. Oh well, maybe this weekend.

My Brave Sister

I have been thinking a lot of my sister lately. After battling cancer for over 9 months, she has just received a stem cell transplant, in the hopes of extending her remission. The whole thing is pretty daunting from where I sit, so I can only imagine how it is for her. I do know that, while she has been taking everything pretty well in stride, this last step of the journey has really been a lot for her to handle. A badly timed cold has prevented me from going to see her, in her immune-compromised state, but I did talk to her by phone yesterday. She was very groggy, and said she had not slept well since she got to the hospital (new bed and all, she said). I know she will improve as time goes on, and she strengthens from the procedure. But, I can't help thinking every day how brave she must be to face all this.

Construction

I'm really getting tired of the construction barrels. You'd think I've lived in Michigan long enough to have seen everything, but yesterday was a new one for me. I left for work at about 6AM (still dark) and took my usual route down Lapeer to the I75 entrance just below the Palace. Cruising along, listening to my book on CD, I didn't see anything that would indicate new construction. But, when I got on the entrance (I am now committed to get on the freeway, mind you), I discovered the southbound entrance was closed. Not a sign of this previously. So, I had no choice but to head north, go all the way up to Baldwin, then head south. For the rest of the trip, I berated myself for not seeing the sign that told me of the ramp closure.

Then Sara came in, sputtering. She comes the same way I do, and also was caught getting on the ramp, then seeing the southbound entrance closed. Unlike me, though, she decided to make her own rules (I guess you can do that when you're her age). She turned her car around, and drove back down the entrance ramp the wong way. All this in the rain. I'm glad there is no traffic at that hour on a Saturday morning.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Today we went to a party at the home of one of the OPC drivers. The plan was to sit outside, but when we got there, it was pouring! No matter...once it let up enough to go out without getting soaked, we moved tables and chairs into the garage. We had a great time. And, after we had eaten our fill (and then some), it had cleared up quite a bit. Someone set up a beanbag game on the lawn (something like horseshoes, but the "ringer" was to get the beanbag into the hole in the target), and we spent the rest of the evening playing and talking over deserts and coffee. Never let rain stand in the way of a good party.

Old Standard

There is nothing quite like a tried and true recipe. When I am called upon to bring a desert to a party, I find my mother's recipe for pineapple upside-down cake (called Pineapple Skillet Sponge in her old, blue cookbook) is always a big hit. So I made one this evening to take to the party the Hubs and I will be attending tomorrow. I am surprised how much I enjoyed it, even though I had a really hard day at work. The whole time I was putting it together, I remembered the countless times I would make desert in Mom's kitchen. It was always such fun. (Even the time I put 13 cups of shortening in the cake - a long story, but one that has survived those many years since I was in second grade). And, Mom's old classic recipe has come through again. They don't come out much prettier than this, if I do say so myself!

Arts and Apples

Today the Hubs and I went to Arts and Apples in Rochester. The weather wasn't too great this morning, but about noon the sun came out and it was beautiful We sat out on the balcony at the Paint Creek Tavern and had a sandwich for lunch. Then we walked all around the art exhibits. It took us a few hours to see everything but it was so much fun. We both have aching knees this evening.

My Real Age

Today I was invited to take the Real Age test, courtesy of Drs. Oz and Roizen. I was pleased to find that, although I am 60 chronologically, I have a real age of 49.2
It's great to be in the under 50 crowd again!

60 going on 30

Today is my 60th birthday. I am now twice the age of the people I wasn't supposed to trust when I was a teenager! I'm still just a kid at heart, though. Yesterday, we went to our friends house on Hidden Lake. The weather wasn't great, so we stayed inside. We ate and talked, watched football, drank and laughed for hours. We might as well have been 8 teenagers sitting around a dorm room. Today we are going to the peach festival in Romeo. Tomorrow it's out to the golf course with our neighbors. Other than a few extra wrinkles, I don't feel a whole lot different than I always did.

A Great Excuse for a Great Dinner

It seems like I'm always talking about dinner out at some great restaurant or another. The truth is that I just love going out to eat (have since I can remember). So, I use just about any reason I can think of to justify spending the money. This one was better than most. My BFF and I are celebrating our 60th birthdays this year. Since our birthdays are only 12 days apart, we always celebrate with dinner on the weekend between them. This year we went to Volare Ristorante in Wixom. What a great place! We had antipasti and wine to start, then enjoyed a great italian dinner. Of course, we both brought the Hubs along to pick up the check!

Lions Club Outing

Yesterday we played in the Lathrup Village Lions Club golf outing for the second year. This is one of several fund raisers the Lions have each year, and we really enjoy playing in it. This year we ran into a couple of girls that used to play on the Friday night couples league we were part of. We haven't seen them in years, so it was great chatting with them.
We had a steak dinner after the outing, sitting with Peggy and Dick and catching up on the latest happenings in the family. I also was able to get my drive working at just the right time, which awarded me a little cash for the Longest Drive contest!

Golf and Visiting

I took a few days off work this week, and the Hubs and I decided to play a little golf together. We finally played Verona Hills yesterday, and discovered it is a beautiful gem of a course. After all the years of driving past it, I'm glad we finally took the opportunity to play it. It will not be our last time. Since we knew we would be in the area, we planned to spend the night at my sister's. My BIL recently had a heart attack, and it was good to spend some time with them and see that he is on the mend. We had a wonderful dinner together last night, and breakfast this morning. Then we sat and visited while we watched the boats sail up the lakeshore. Very relaxing. We aeven saw a bald eagle who has been living in the area. Beautiful!

A Wet Canoe Trip

It's been a week since we went camping with the group. Turns out, it rained the whole weekend. We didn't let it stop us, though. First thing Saturday morning, we launched the first set of adventurers. We had both canoes and kayaks on the long portion of the trip. Six hours overall. The rain didn't seem to bother them. I guess they figured they'd be getting plenty wet anyway.

After we sat around for a bit, it was time to launch the rafters.

Their trip was much shorter. About 2-3 hours. Then we went back upstream and met the first group at the halfway point. We brought them lunch.

We spent the rest of the weekend sitting around camp, dodging raindrops.

It was much fun, as it always is. Even Luis and Alesandro realized you're never too young to have fun camping.

I'm sure they will be canoeing before we know it.

It's About That Time Again

The annual canoe trip is upon us again. Seems like lots of work to pack and unpack everything, but it is always worth it somehow. This year we will only be spending the weekend, instead of extending the trip on up through the UP and all. The Hubs laughs at me, because I have this packing down to a science. I keep a checklist on the computer, and print it out whenever we go camping. Then I just go down the list, throwing everything into plastic containers to take with us. Add the tent and a couple sleeping bags, and viola! We are ready to leave.

Recovery?

Some great things have been happening in our neighborhood lately. Last week we learned that our neighbor Bob just landed a new job, after a year of being laid off. And, yes, it is auto-related (that's for all the skeptics out there). In the true spirit of an auto industry executive, he went right out and bought a new car!
The home that has been up for sale for nearly a year has now sold. It was a short-sale, but it sold just the same. We met the new neighbors a few days ago. Then, when I was out for my morning walk last weekend, I was stopped by a nice young couple asking about the forclosed house on the cul-de-sac. They told me it had just been listed the day before, and they were VERY interested (at that price, they should be).
Well, I hope they make a good bid, because there was plenty of traffic in and out of there over the past couple of days.
Then I got my 401K statement. Oh well, I'm still convinced the economy is improving.

Lots to do

I have been thinking that I won't be able to take the standard week off this fall, so it will take some real planning to get the house in order for the holidays. That sounds like I am living way too far in the future, but I know the time will pass very quickly. I managed to finish cleaning the kitchen yesterday. I discovered my knees took the step ladder a whole lot easier at 30 than they do at 60! (And I mean years, not MPH)
Today I decided the kitchen was far too clean, and should be messed up a bit. So I made peach jam. Nothing like making jam to get a sticky mess all over the counters. It was fun and rewarding.
All in all, it was a busy weekend, but I feel like I accomplished a great deal. I still managed to get 36 holes of golf in as well, so don't feel too sorry for me.

No Water?

I have been on a cleaning spree this weekend. Today, I needed to finish cleaning above the kitchen cabinets. That means plenty of hot water and degreaser. So, right after breakfast, the Hubs decided to get out of my way (like he often does when I get into a cleaning mood), and went fishing. I turned on the faucet at the kitchen sink, and nothing came out. Puzzled, I went through a checklist in my head. No storm, we paid our bill, and yes, there was water when he made breakfast and did the dishes. Upon calling the Hubs on his cell phone, I discovered he had turned off the water to change the filter at the water softener, and had forgotten to turn it back on. I was able to spend the morning cleaning after all. Whew!

Those Doggone Deer

Every year we love to hang bags of impatiens on our garage. The Hubs loves the looks of the flowers, and he is the one who takes the tme to water and deadhead them every day.

We have been having lots of problems with deer eating the beautiful flowers in our garden. I have gotten used to tulips being gobbled up before they even bloom, and lillies being buds one day and sticks the next. This is the first year, though, that the deer have come right up and eaten out of the bags.

I keep threatening to buy one of those motion-sensitive sprinklers, but if the motion detectors on the flood lights don't deter them, I'm not sure a spray of water would do much more. This is really getting to be a problem.

Building Update

Our meetings have increased to about 2 or 3 per week now. Construction Team, Move Team, and of course the Steering Committee, are keeping me pretty busy. Last week I was finally able to get inside the new building for my first look from the inside out. The internal walls are just going up, so it's still pretty hard to picture the finished product. Hard hat and all, I have to walk around with a blueprint in my hand to get a feel for where everything will be. I couldn't resist taking a picture out my future office window, though.

I made sure to get the construction sticker in the window to prove it was taken from the inside of the building. I have no office walls yet, mind you, but it looks like I am going to have quite a view. That's the Dearborn city hall across the street.
We will be starting business in this new location on January 3, 2011. That may seem like a long way away on the calendar, but it is just around the corner to me. I don't know how we are going to get it all done! So far, I am pretty pleased with the result I am seeing. It should be quite a place when we are finally up and running.

A Memorable Birthday Dinner

I don't generally need an excuse to spend money. Morton's Steakhouse, though, has always been a little out of our league. So, when it came time to celebrate the Hubs' birthday, I decided to spring for it. It was a great evening. I must say they go out of their way to provide excellent service. When I made the reservation, I mentioned that it was a birthday celebration. Well...we were met at the door with "Happy Birthday's" from the staff. We were escorted to our table, which was laid out with menus personalized for the birthday boy. At that point, our picture was taken (I had the hostess take another one with my digital camera, just so I could post it here) and we were given a souvenier copy, signed by the whole staff.

Then we enjoyed one of the best steak dinners ever. After dinner, desert was on them. Finally, while we finished our coffee, our car was pulled up front, and it was waiting for us when we were ready to leave. I could learn to live like this!

Father's Day Golf

It was a fun Father's Day for the Hubs. He got to play golf with #1 son for the first time.

I was allowed to come along for the ride (yeah, try to keep me away!) We played one of my favorite courses, The Majestic at Lake Walden. I make sure to play it at least once a year, and I always enjoy it. It was so much fun watching Dad and Son in the cart together. I even convinved them to let me take a picture. The only condition was that I let Son keep his hat on. He had been at a fund raiser for cancer the day before, and had his head shaved. He agreed to a Mohawk, since he was offered a contribution of $400 for it. "Totally worth it", he said.

A Blast From The Past

I haven't blogged for so long. I partly blame it on how busy I have been since I returned from vacation. But, let's face it, it is also because I have let my life become one giant yawn, from the time I leave for work at 6AM until I crawl into bed at 9PM and get ready to do it all over. So, the Memorial Day holiday was a refreshing change for me. We started by playing 18 holes of golf at some podunk course in South Lyon. Then we headed to our friends house on Silver Lake to relax for the rest of the day (this was Sunday, mind you, while the weather was still nice).

The real surprise of the weekend came between the golf course and Silver Lake. We were driving through downtown South Lyon, and decided we were hungry. So we stopped at the Lake Street Tavern for a burger. We had never been there before. The Hubs saw mushroom soup on the menu, and mentioned to the waitress that it sounded good. She said, "Oh, you would love it! Do you remember the Golden Mushroom? Same chef, same recipe!"

She didn't know the half of it. Both the Hubs and I used to LOVE the mushroom soup at Golden Mushroom, and were so disappointed when they closed their doors. I had just chalked it up as one of those "end of an era" events, convinced I would never taste such good mushroom soup again. Needless to say, we ordered a bowl with our hamburger. It was everything we remembered. I think I got a little whiplash from being slammed back 25 years!!

Thinking of Janet

Last week our golf league lost our former captain, and good friend, Janet. She had continued to play for the past three years, even though cancer posed quite a battle for her. She began to have difficulty walking last year, and as we left the course on the last night of the season, she said she didn't know if she would be able to play this year. At the time it seemed she was more worried about her golf handicap than her physical handicap. But...that was Janet.
I was happy to step in as captain of the league, when I learned she had had surgery on her leg. We were so sure she would overcome it and return to play again. She died last Wednesday.
I got the word via email, while I was in Myrtle Beach. That last round I played was dedicated to her. I shot a 53 on the front nine. She must have been watching. I shot a 44 on the back.
Keep an eye on me this coming season, Janet.

A Wonderful Vacation

I can't believe our vacation is about to come to an end. We have had a great time.

Golf was as enjoyable as the company...

Last night we went to our favorite german restaurant for the good food and entertainment. The accordion player is great fun to listen to,

and the food is always served with love.

But, I believe the best part is just walking the beautiful beach. It sure is a great change from winter in Michigan.

The Car Alarm

We were having a little difficulty tolerating the high school kids that were staying at our hotel on Saturday. I chalked it up to the fact that we are now at the age when high school antics are no longer very funny to us (especially at midnight, or two in the morning). On Sunday morning, we sat with the group at breakfast and exchanges stories of how loud the kids were, and how the cops had to come to the hotel to put out the fire they had started with their fireworks on the beach, and calm things down.

On Sunday evening, we were hoping things would be calmer, but the kids had not returned home yet, so we weren't placing any bets. Sure enough, at 4AM a car alarm went off. It stopped after about 30 seconds, but then went off again 5 minutes later. Again it stopped after about 30 seconds, but when it went off a third time, the Hubs finally decided he'd had enough. He called the hotel operator and sternly asked if they were going to contact the person whose car alarm kept going off. The operator replied, "It's your car, sir. We were just about to call you". That got him out of bed very quickly. A quick inspection of his car let him know nothing was wrong, and he returned to the room scratching his head. Around 5:30AM, it went off again. Needless to say, when the group met for breakfast, we sure heard about how the car alarm had woken them at an ungodly hour. The Hubs sheepishly explained it was his car. At this point we still have no explanation (although we are glad it hasn't happened since).

Vacation

One thing for sure, the last week at work was so busy, I could barely think straight, say nothing of blog. But we are on vacation now, and after two days away from the office, I am starting to feel my head clear. We stopped in Matthews NC on the way down here to Myrtle Beach, and had dinner with my cousin Leo and his wife and MIL. It was wonderful seeing them all. If we see each other once or twice every five years, it is a lot. So we spent most of the meal just catching up. I told him about Aunt Mary's passing, he told me his daughter is graduating from Law School....yada, yada. Great fun.

Here at the Myrtle, things are very wet so far. In all the years the group has been coming down here (over 25 so far), they have only been rained out once. Today makes the second time. Got to the course this morning amidst rain and lightening. They decided they would let us go out after a couple hours, but the forecast wasn't a heck of a lot better, and included hail among other things. So we decided to take a rain check. Now I am sitting in our hotel room, with nothing on the agenda for the rest of the day. There is so much wind outside, we can't even go from room to room without getting soaked. Think I will read a book.

Cougar Town

Big doings in our neighborhood right now. We have apparently had a cougar sighting. Not confirmed, mind you, but the word is spreading like wildfire. We are getting stories of lots of geese noise, and howls of dogs in pain. One neighbor has lost two beagles, one of which came back this morning, the other is yet to be found. And several sightings of large "cat-like" creatures. I assume there is something to it, at least the Oakland County Sheriff is patrolling with spotlights. Short of Loch Ness, this is pretty exciting!

Spring Cleanup

One job that convinces me Spring is here is trimming the shrubs. Since I have to get it done before they leaf out, it is always the first thing I do when I get out in the yard.

I love working in my yard, but I never feel as if I have enough time to devote to it, with the job and all. Maybe when I am retired, I can give it the attention I would like to. Meanwhile, I enjoy the time I can spend working on it.

The Great Tent Saga

It all started last fall, when we decided our tent had served us very well over the past 20 or so years, and it was time to let it go. We figured if we got rid of it, it would force us to buy a new one. I had underestimated the Hubs love of surfing the internet. Before I knew it, he had bought a new tent, without even consulting me.
That's OK, I thought, because he had a pretty good idea what I was looking for. It didn't have the screened-in room in the front that I wanted, but it was a really good brand, and he had gotten a really good deal. So I didn't say anything. Then we went to Costco last weekend....
There it was, across the store, on display, hanging from the ceiling. The most beautiful Coleman tent I had seen in a long while.
The price was incredible, considering this is a 10 X 16 "condo", complete with screened-in front porch. I just had to have it! So, like any good wife, I nagged him until we left the store, and then all the way home. I think what finally did him in was when I told him we could have both. I mean, let's face it, we have no need for two tents. We rarely use even the one, which is why we had the last one for over 20 years!
I was overjoyed when he researched the possibility of returning the one he had bought. And, by Tuesday, he had accomplished that, and had gone back to Costco to get the one we saw.
What a guy!

The IRS

I have only had a couple disagreements with the IRS in my lifetime, and so far, they have all gone my way. Imagine my surprise this past week when I checked my bank balance (part of my weekly, anal, bookkeeping exercises) and found a significantly higher balance than I expected. OK... I was expecting the IRS refund to be automatically deposited, but in a smaller amount.
So, today I spent a good deal of time on the phone with the IRS. Most of it was spent waiting for them to answer when I first called, but I get a lot of practice at that every day with the insurance companies. So, I'm pretty good at being patient.
It paid off. I came to learn that I had completely missed a new credit that was available this year. And, what was so amazing about it was that I had circled it in the instruction booklet when I first scanned the new changes for 2009. But, then I got so involved with my standard routine of filing (and of course there was my annual irritation over being charged to e-file, which always results in my stubbornly filling out the papers manually, and mailing them in) that I never went back to calculate the credit.
Looks like the Hubs and I will be going shopping this weekend. Or, maybe we can just use it to pay some bills. Yeah, right!

Beautiful Weather

It sounds trite to talk about the weather, but OMG! Have we had such a beautiful March in recent memory? I'm having trouble keeping the staff in the office. Everyone wanted to go out for a walk today, it seems. When I got home, I strapped on the walking shoes and my ipod shuffle the kids gave me for Christmas. Once around the block in my neighborhood is about 1-1/2 miles. Just long enough to get in while the Hubs finishes dinner. I lead a good life!

Euchre Club

Last weekend we hosted the Euchre club. It was a last minute change, since one of our neighbors lost her Mom and had to go to England for the funeral. So, I volunteered to take over as the host house for her. It's always such fun to get together with the neighbors, especially when we have been locked away all winter. That's the Hubs behind the bar, making sure everyone has something to drink.

Since St. Patrick's Day is coming, I decided to make mini reuben sandwiches for snacks. They went over very well. Of course I have some chips and cookies left over, and that isn't working well with our diets. Maybe I will take them to work and get someone else to eat them.

Golf, Golf, and more Golf

I haven't posted in a while, partly because I have been battling a terrible cold, but also because I have been preparing for golf season. On March 6 we went to the golf show in Novi. That is always great fun. Hours of walking around looking at everything golf. Equiment, courses, driving ranges, putting greens, et al. It's a great way to get geeked up about the coming season.

I also decided to captain our girls league this season. That means getting in touch with all the league members to be sure all is in place and paid before we get started in April. Last week I joined several of the girls at the Minestrelli Heart Center at Beaumont to discuss the positive effects that exercise (including golf) can have on womens' hearts. And this coming weekend we have our annual Spring Kickoff. This year it is at Indianwood Country Club. They offered to let us play 9 holes if the weather continues to cooperate. I sure hope it does. I have always wanted to play that course.

Last but not least, the Hubs and I continue planning for our annual Myrtle Beach trip.

Oh yeah...and I'm going to work every day too. No wonder I caught a cold!

The Hubs' Diet

It was a significant event in my childhoood when Dad went on his diet (I was around 12, as I recall). He wasn't about to be involved with all the choices and calculations, so he made a deal with Mom that he wouldn't eat anything she didn't give him. She did all the rest (that suited her mathematical/statistical nature as well). The real problem that I saw with this arrangement was that Dad was completely dependent on Mom for his food choices. Fine if you are always together, but there were times (like when Mom fell and broke her hip) that he had to fend for himself.

So, when the Hubs started working with a nutritionist recently, I decided to butt out as much as possible. As is his nature, he has jumped in with both feet. He is surfing nutritional websites to gather information, and is keeping a food diary that rivals even the statistics on one of our golf scorecards. Last night we went out to dinner, and it was he who decided we would split a steak and sweet potato, have a simple side salad, and asked the waitress to leave the bread off the table all together. Part of my "butt out" philosophy is not to ask him what he weighs, but I have lost 5 pounds already. I think it's working!

Anticipating Spring

This may seem like a strange thing to be thinking about as it is snowing out, but I'm just sure it will be an early spring this year. Can't really put my finger on why, but I really feel it is around the corner. I am looking forward to so much this spring. Long walks outside (instead of on a treadmill), going to the golf dome (to prepare for the season), cleaning up the yard (getting it ready for flowers), and sitting on the deck or in the hottub on a mild evening. The Hubs and I are both seriously dieting right now, and awaiting our annual trip to Myrtle Beach. But, I can enjoy some beautiful spring nights before we leave this year, I'm sure.
Now, come on snow. Get outta here!

Comfort Food From the Past

Every so often, the Hubs makes one of my favorite meals for dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The tomato soup's for me (not liking tomatoes, he generally has chicken noodle). And, I gotta tell you, this meal reminds me of the traditional Friday night suppers we used to have after driving up to the lake. The cottage was always ice cold, and after Mom lit the DuoTherms (oil space heaters, for lack of a better description), she would make grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for supper. The hot soup would go down so good in that cold house.

I would also often have a screaming headache from the stress of leaving town on a Friday afternoon and spending three hours in the car (you would really have to know my family dynamic to understand). So, hot soup was especially comforting.

Tonight (after having a migraine earlier this week), it really took me back. I love to recall those old childhood memories.

Quinceanera

I haven't been able to update the blog for awhile, because we have been having issues with Comcast. The Hubs finally got fed up and has them coming out tomorrow. Let's hope I can keep a connection long enough to post this entry...

We went to a Quinceanera Saturday for our friend's granddaughter. This is a fifteenth birthday celebration, and in the mexican community it represents her transition into womanhood. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and an evening of dancing and pageantry. At one point, she was seated on the dance floor, and presented with all sorts of symbolic gifts from her various sponsors (a prayer book, scepter, tiara, bracelet, earrings, ring, and doll). Her stepfather then removed the slippers she was wearing and put a pair of "grown-up" dancing shoes on her. Then he danced with her, followed by her mother, and all her friends. I remember thinking how sore her feet would be in the morning, after dancing in those new shoes all night. Welcome to womanhood, Alexis!

Home Again

The balance of the ride home was without incident. We limped along through Tennessee, and I was sure we would need to find another hotel room before the day was over. But when we reached the Kentucky border, the highway was suddenly plowed and salted. We went from 40 MPH to 70 MPH in a matter of minutes. It was smooth sailing from then on, and we got home about 8PM.

Today I spent most of my time unpacking, doing laundry, and paying bills. There's no place like home.

I'll Have A Little Drink With My Ice, Please

The good weather couldn't last forever. Since the predicted rain threatened our golf game today, we decided to play it real smart, and leave for home a day early. We had heard that an ice storm was passing through southern Tennessee tonight, and we thought we would get north of it before it hit. Wrong! We caught the worst of it about 3:00 this afternoon, just north of Huntsville Alabama. By the time we stopped just south of Nashville, I was exhausted (I was driving).

Tomorrow morning we get to start all over again. Hopefully it won't take us too long to get to a state that knows how to deal with this kind of weather. Michigan has a lot going for it in that regard.

The Saints Go Marching In

What a day to arrive in New Orleans! We came into town yesterday afternoon, just before the playoff game at the Superdome. When we made these plans, we had no idea the Saints would be in the playoffs, say nothing of being at home. Nor were we conscious of the fact that this team has NEVER been to the Superbowl. (Kinda makes me feel better about the Lions) The game was fun to watch. We caught the first half during dinner, then walked back to our hotel to watch the second half. As soon as that last field goal was kicked, the crowds streamed onto Bourbon Street, by the thousands. We could hear the reaction from our room a block away! It was quite a party (something akin to the Mardi Gras itself), and lasted well into the night.

Today we went to the New Orleans School of Cooking for a class. We learned how to make red beans and rice, cornbread, pecan pie and pralines. We got to eat everything they demonstrated, and we left full and happy. Then we walked the city for the rest of the afternoon.

Tomorrow, we are golfing (can't let this great weather go to waste) then having dinner at Emeril's restaurant in the French Quarter.

Sales Resistance

The Hubs decided he needs a new phone. His will no longer hold a charge. So, today we went to the Verizon store. He said it would be a good idea for both of us to look at what they have to offer. I was convinced I wouldn't be talked into anything that required me to change my current rate (which I have had for so many years, it has actually been cheaper for me to buy my phone than to sign a new two-year contract at a higher rate). Well, they must have seen me coming. With their 2-for-1 offer, and special rates on this and that, and just a small charge for the other, the Hubs and I are now the proud owners of a new phone - - each! And, while they were at it, they sold us on texting, as well as minutes. So I guess I have now been dragged into the 21st century. I just have to read through all the enclosed literature to see if I can figure out how this thing works!

Health

It's been a whirlwind of activity the last couple days. My brother-in-law had a heart attack Tuesday night. He is in U of M's Coronary Care Unit, and will recover, though not nearly as fast as he thinks. They put in three stents, and I suspect he will need a significant amount of rehab. He is also uninsured at present (yikes!). When he sees the bill, it may send him right back into the CCU!

As for me, I spent this afternoon getting my annual physical. All seems well right now, although I am with a new doctor. Hated to give up my old internist, but she didn't participate with the health insurance I now have. I'm still looking for the doctor who doesn't think I am overwieght. I don't think there is one, so I will just have to lose those extra pounds.

Peggle

On Friday, we went to dinner with the boys. We went to their side of town this time. There used to be a restaurant in Milford that we liked to go to, called the Five Lakes Grill. It has since closed, and was re-opened as a mexican restaurant. It is now called Cinco Lagos (5 lakes...get it?). It was pretty good, but no Sagebrush Cantina. But, then, we have been terribly spoiled. The company was great, though.

While we were there, #1 Stepson brought me a CD with 2 new Peggle games on it. He had given me Peggle Deluxe some time ago. It reminds me of playing pinball when I was a teenager (without the added benefit of body english). My addictive personality took over, and I stayed glued to my computer for days on end, until I became a "Peggle Grand Master" (something that I could put on my resume, no doubt). Anyway, I raved about it so much that he said I just have to add Peggle Nights and Peggle Extreme to my repertoire. The Hubs just rolled his eyes. He knows I will be a stranger for awhile.

Vacation Planning

It wouldn't be an understatement to say the year has started with a vengeance. The 10-12 hour days are beginning to become the norm again. I am glad to be looking at a vacation in a few weeks. The Hubs and I have been discussing our respective plans. Boy do we have different approaches! I tend to daydream (pretty extensively actually), then eventually come back to reality, once I start to apply the time and dollar parameters. It drives him nuts - such a waste of time and energy in his book. He, on the other hand, thinks of all the things we can't do, and mentally checks them off the list. Are you kidding? Who wants to plan a vacation by thinking of all the things they can't afford to do?

After several discussions (alright, some would call them arguments, but that's because they don't really appreciate our creative process) we agreed on a few things: We want to travel by car. It would be nice to play some golf, if the weather cooperates. And, we want to get warm! That puts us somewhere in the south. Florida? New Orleans? Savannah? Atlanta?

I'll bet we can find several more things to argue about before we finalize these plans.

A Sad Day

A dear friend and golfing buddy of ours lost her 41 year old son very suddenly this past week. Today we went to the funeral home to see her and the rest of her family. It was so sad, though she is holding up pretty well, considering. This is the second child she has buried. I can't imagine how tough it has been for her.

Not looking forward to this afternoon, I didn't get much done today at all. I read a book all morning, then paid some bills.

Happy New Year

It was such a great New Year's Eve. I was in bed by 9:30PM! I'm not one for New Year's Eve parties (never have been), and once you've seen the ball drop once, it's not so exciting anymore (although I sure would like to see it live, just once - I don't know why, just cuz it's there, I guess).

I was up at 6:30 this morning. No hangover, and raring to go. The Hubs and I enjoyed our mexican breakfast, knowing it will be the last of our unhealthy indulgences for a while.

The tree has been taken down, and the ornaments carefully packed away. That's a tradition in my house, born of nothing more than the necessity to get it done while I have time off from work. Unlike many, I actually enjoy taking down the Christmas decorations. It appeals to my sense of order, I think. It reminds me of my sister Mary Fran, who always liked weeding the rows of carrots in the garden, because they looked so pretty when she was finished.

So now I can put my feet up and relax for awhile. The Hubs made a marvelous bean soup with the ham bone left over from the family party. It will be a great snack while I watch TV. Hopefully I can find some golf amidst all the bowl games.