Blogs, random thoughts, travel

  • Mackinac or Mackinaw

    Still early in the morning, we pulled in to a Welcome Center in Mackinaw City.  The woman behind the counter was super friendly.  She loaded us down with all sorts of brochures which made me wonder if they get a commission based on how many pounds of tourist brochures they push out the door.  
  • Pure Michigan

    As we pulled up to the Sleeping Bear entrance booth, a ranger slid her window open and greeted us with “We were expecting you today!”.  What a warm welcome!  
  • More Michigan

    We knew we needed some “touristy” information on Michigan so we made it a priority to find a welcome center for some maps and brochures.  After a Google search, the first one we were led to showed no signs of ever existing.  The next closest one was physically there, but judging by the plants we could see through the windows, had been closed for several weeks.  
  • Indiana Wants Me

    The title "Indiana Wants Me" has little to do with the blog.  It's just a song by Dean Taylor from 1970 that I once knew the lyrics to and it fit the state we were driving through.
  • Great Lakes Trip

    Rather than incorporate our last big trip into a book, I have decided to share it in a series of blogs.  (Translation:  There hasn’t been much happening around here and I’ve run out of things to write about!).

    Throughout last year we had been making small trips in Wanda—rarely more than three or four nights on the road and mostly within the Carolinas.  We were craving a longer adventure and decided upon a trip to the Great Lakes. 

  • The Ledger

    When we emptied my parents’ home, there were large piles and tubs of photos and historical family documents.  You see, they had gone through this same rite of passage with their own parents.  My siblings and I did the best we could to sift through everything but in the end I can remember on the final day scooping up several old photo albums, putting them in a large Rubber Maid tub, and telling myself I would sort through them ‘one winter day’.  
  • Leftovers

    “If you don’t eat this, I’m going to have to throw it out.”
  • The Last Time

    The last time I held my son’s hand while walking around an amusement park came without realizing it.  And it makes me wonder when will be the last time my granddaughter gives me a hug and a “pat-pat-pat” on the back.
  • Routine

    I’m not sure if others felt the same, but between the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year’s holidays and various illnesses in our household we seemed to lack any kind of routine the past couple months.
  • Wolves!

    Anytime we can mix wildlife with our travels is a win-win in my opinion.  On our trip to Lake Superior this past fall we had great sightings of bison, beavers, and bald eagles.  But breaking with alliteration, one of the most memorable was WOLVES!

  • The Longest Night

    Have you ever made plans to watch the sun rise?  If so, you know to do so you have to get up while it is still dark.  When I was employed, I caught the sunrise most mornings on my commute. Many were glorious and actually made it worth my time to go to work. Sometimes (many) it was the ONLY thing I enjoyed about my workday!  I must admit that since I retired and put away my alarm clock, I see way more sunsets than I do sunrises.  
  • Christmas Cards

    One of the most difficult tasks of preparing to send cards is going through last year’s list and updating it for those who have passed away.  It is bitter sweet.  We grieve all over again for the loss, we think about the survivors and how different this year will be for them, and we remember sweet memories of the deceased.