I only have a quick second, but I wanted to just post how wonderful Brynnlee is! Right now she is watching Toy Story 3, one of her favorites! She watches and plays while I can get a few things done, its amazing! We are headed to lunch today with Grandma Betty, Brittany, and who knows else. Then to the grocery store to pick up a few things for tonight. Ryan is home for the weekend and we are having a bonfire at our house for him. Monday is Halloween, Brynnlee is going to be a ladybug. My mom is watching her that day and will be the one to get her dressed (good luck)! Then she's bringing her to the fire hall for the Halloween even they hold every year. Typically I do the planning, shopping and they set up and clean up!
I'm off to shower and get ready for the day! Brynnlee and I are going to eat, shop and then clean for tonight!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Work, photography, and so much more!
First of all...Monday after work Brynnlee and I went to the Deerfield cemetery. I introduced Brynnlee to her great-grandmother. There were a few tears shed, but I did my best to hold it together. I was able to catch a few photos to remember their first of many visits. Brynnlee wanted to run and play. I'm glad she was in a good mood for the first visit.
Work is insane right now. On top of working full time for one job, I am working part-time for my other job. The second job is keeping my on my toes right now. We have meetings every week, the election is coming up in a week and a half, and of course I am falling behind in my basic filing. I wish there were two more hours in the day. By the time I get home from picking up Brynnlee after work, I have to work on dinner, then of course housework and somewhere I have to fit in working for my second job. Hopefully after a very stressful meeting tonight it will slow down. As winter is fast approaching I hope that it slows down!
I am slowly trying to learn photography and photo editing. If the second job slows down as much as I hope, I will enroll in a class at the New York Institute of Photography. It seems like a lot to juggle, but I can work at my own pace for the class. Which is exactly what I need. I've been dragging my feet, and should've enrolled a long time ago. I am researching lens and other equipment that will be next in line to purchase. I have a lens in mind, a lens hood and external flash. Time will tell exactly what I need.
I am also trying to encourage Jeff to enroll in college courses. He is struggling with work right now. There are a lot of changes going on, and he seems to be getting the brunt of it all. I am hoping to encourage him to complete his Associates within the next year or so. Of course my dream is that I obtain a teaching position and that he is able to complete his degree and look for a job in either teaching or public safety (he isn't quite sure which one he wants to commit to).
Until this day we keep plugging away at life. We can't let the drama with the workplace tear us down. We already let it affect us too much.
I'm off to pick up Applebee's carside to go for dinner, then milk for Brynnlee and home to prep for the meeting. I'm not looking foward to tonight, but I am ready to end this phase!
Work is insane right now. On top of working full time for one job, I am working part-time for my other job. The second job is keeping my on my toes right now. We have meetings every week, the election is coming up in a week and a half, and of course I am falling behind in my basic filing. I wish there were two more hours in the day. By the time I get home from picking up Brynnlee after work, I have to work on dinner, then of course housework and somewhere I have to fit in working for my second job. Hopefully after a very stressful meeting tonight it will slow down. As winter is fast approaching I hope that it slows down!
I am slowly trying to learn photography and photo editing. If the second job slows down as much as I hope, I will enroll in a class at the New York Institute of Photography. It seems like a lot to juggle, but I can work at my own pace for the class. Which is exactly what I need. I've been dragging my feet, and should've enrolled a long time ago. I am researching lens and other equipment that will be next in line to purchase. I have a lens in mind, a lens hood and external flash. Time will tell exactly what I need.
I am also trying to encourage Jeff to enroll in college courses. He is struggling with work right now. There are a lot of changes going on, and he seems to be getting the brunt of it all. I am hoping to encourage him to complete his Associates within the next year or so. Of course my dream is that I obtain a teaching position and that he is able to complete his degree and look for a job in either teaching or public safety (he isn't quite sure which one he wants to commit to).
Until this day we keep plugging away at life. We can't let the drama with the workplace tear us down. We already let it affect us too much.
I'm off to pick up Applebee's carside to go for dinner, then milk for Brynnlee and home to prep for the meeting. I'm not looking foward to tonight, but I am ready to end this phase!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
6 year anniversary
Today’s date is October 20th. This day six years ago I was battling my inner demons dealing with my grandmother’s sickness. It was something I couldn’t accept, and still to this day struggle to accept the illness that took her life. I am almost certain that on this day six years ago my eyes filled with tears as I left my grandmother’s house. Seeing her in that condition was heart breaking. The tough southern women that she was shouldn’t be lying on a hospital bed waiting for death to come. Deep down I knew that her time was coming, but I wasn’t willing to admit it. I had some remnant of hope that a cure was be found, and she would bounce back to the spunky bowler that she was earlier in the year. By this time my grandmother had stopped taking medications and receiving chemotherapy and was under the care of Hospice; which to me was and still is the ultimate sign of death and the feeling of loss. As soon as it was referred by the hospital that my grandmother go home and be under the care of an in home Hospice nurse I felt my life shift. I knew that for the first time in years I would lose someone close to me, and for the first time ever it would be a family member. Back when I was in high school I lost a good friend to cystic fibrosis. Sadly her life was taken too early, and every now and then I visit her grave and remember that smile that is forever embedded into my brain.
It’s hard for me to recall and track the stages that my grandmother went through. The vast majority of the few months are blocked out and I won’t allow my brain to search for those memories as it brings so many tears that I can not stop.
In December of 2004 I moved to Kalamazoo to live with my then boyfriend Jeff, his sister and her boyfriend. The girl who said she would never leave got up the nerve to go and now will never move again away from her family. A few days after Christmas I pulled out of my driveway in tears watching my mother cry and wave from the back door. The first few days, weeks and even months were so hard for me. I battled so hard with the concept of leaving home. My siblings were still young and I missed their antics, but I also missed my parents Ozzy the large, lazy cat that still has my heart! The car was loaded down with my personal items, Christmas gifts and a few hundred dollars worth of food and kitchen items that my grandma Betty purchased. Somehow I knew it was a mistake, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.
I was in Kalamazoo for a few months when my grandma was diagnosed with bronchitis for the first of many times. Something kept telling me to go home. In April of 2005 we moved back home and into Jeff’s parents house. Shortly after we moved home my grandma developed bronchitis for about the fourth time that year. It wasn’t much longer after this point that she was diagnosed with cancer. Here is where it gets fuzzy for me. I believe the cancer started out in her lungs, and then moved to various parts of her brain. This caused her to lose her vision. She had chemo, took pills, attended physical therapy and was still as sassy as ever, but it wasn’t helping. I stopped listening to the family and doctors. I heard what they were saying, but I didn’t...if that makes any sense at all. It was almost in one ear and out the other. I knew all the signs were not showing any positive changes. I knew that she was getting worse. I knew that my grandma would never physically be there for my wedding, children and for those infamous talks at her coffee table, but I still had this glorious hope that everything would change and be amazing once again.
There are a lot of things in life that others would regret doing. Of course I have so many things that I regret saying, but I always tell others that I don’t regret anything in life. But I lie. I regret listening to others when I was younger instead of forming my own opinions. I regret being afraid of my grandmother’s house, for it smelled of musty old well water. I regret not spending time with her, listening to her stories and smelling that wonderful cheaply made Avon perfume that she wore. I regret giggling at her Christmas earrings, tacky sweatshirts and her cell phone. Ok maybe not the cell hone that was reminiscent of the Zack Morris days, you know Saved By the Bell. If not, think of the millionaires who used to carry the big brick cell phones, that was her phone. Each of those things means so much to me today. I own a pair or two of her holiday earrings today and I am proud to be their owner. They are so special to me that they remain in a drawer in my jewelry box; I wouldn’t want to ruin them by wearing them ;) I am thankful that my sister brought me these earrings from my grandmother’s house. They were tossed aside by all the other family members because they didn’t hold any monetary value. I didn’t need or want anything valuable. I wanted my grandma; I wanted things that would remind me of her face, smile and eyes. I am also the very proud owner of grandma’s stinky nasty bowling towel; which since has been washed. Don’t tell her that though, she might roll over in her grave. Washing a bowling towel is one of those things that you just don’t do! I also am the owner of her bowling ball. I know what your thinking, why would you want a bowling ball? My answer? I have no idea why. I couldn’t stand to see it be tossed away. If it wasn’t for bowling on the same league with her I wouldn’t have known my grandmother at all. I passed along the shoes to my cousin, who would also bowl on occasions. The bowling ball was purchased for my grandmother twenty years prior at a garage sale by my aunt’s ex husband. I don’t remember what she said he paid, but it wasn’t much. Of course it was someone else’s bowling ball before then so it was drilled for someone else, but that didn’t stop her from bowling her butt off (some days).
The above paragraphs sums up my grandmother without making me sob at work. She was an amazing woman, and I regret not getting to know her better. I do have some wonderful memories of her that I cherish. I wish Brynnlee could have memories of her too. They would’ve loved each other. I wish she could’ve been there for my wedding, for my college graduation and every Sunday during winter to bowl with. I want to end my blog post with a few stories of my grandma.
While she was home recovering from bronchitis my grandma called to ask if I could bring a few things over to her. She wanted me to stop into Family Dollar in Blissfield and pick up a six pack of coke and hair spray. Not just hair spray, a cheap can of hair spray. And of course I had to go to Family Dollar specifically because she used to work there. I took the items to her house and she begged me to take the money. After a slight argument and then a threat from her I gladly pocketed the money while she answered the ancient dinosaur of a cell phone. It took me years to delete her phone number out of my phone. And in fact my old email still has emails that she wrote to me years ago. Which reminds me to print those out and hold onto them. I just took a brief break and read the emails. Oh and I love and miss grandma so much. They just remind me of her and I miss seeing her trying to use the computer! What would she have done in this age of technology? A touch screen phone instead of the dinosaur?
When my grandma was down in Toledo at the hospital I would visit her a few times a week after work or school. On this particular day I drove from Eastern Michigan University to Toledo to visit my grandma at Flower Hospital. Before leaving Ypsilanti I stopped and picked up a bouquet of flowers for my grandma. When I reached the hospital numerous family members were there, but my Aunt Karen greeted me at the door of the hospital. I thought it was odd, but assumed she needed a break. On the elevator ride to grandma’s room she told me that a tumor was putting pressure on her brain. This pressure was causing her to lose her vision. At the time they believed she could see shadows, but nothing other then that. I took a few minutes to sob in the hallway and then gathered myself to see the situation first hand. Sadly she didn’t get enjoy the colors of the flower arrangement that I had picked out. When I walked in the room I told her I was there and that I brought flowers. That is when she looked in the opposite direction and said the flowers were beautiful. This is when they tears started to fall, but after she wanted to smell them is when the waterworks started. She had a hard time lining her nose up to the flowers to smell them, and even though I was holding them I wasn’t much help at the moment. I remember her smile and her telling me they was beautiful and they that they smelled good. After that the visit was a blur because I cried almost the whole time. That is when I started to lose faith. Knowing that the tumor was spreading was hard to swallow.
Another day that sticks in my mind was when she made the move from her room in Flower Hospital to a room in Lake Park; which was located next to the hospital. Uncle Kevin and I were both there the day of her move. We packed up her items and loaded them onto her bed with her; please note that she wasn’t happy about this! Before we the second room was ready she asked Uncle Kevin to go buy her lunch. She was tired of hospital food; which I didn’t understand until I had my daughter. It was like pulling teeth to get her to make a decision on what she wanted for lunch. Finally she decided she wanted Burger King and chicken nuggets. Uncle Kevin left to get lunch, during this time I asked my grandma how she was feeling and of course she felt great. We talked a lot about how she was proud of me and she knew that I would make something of myself one day. It was a really nice time sitting next to her and listening to how proud she was of me, and I still had so much life left to make her more proud! Uncle Kevin came back with chicken fries, french fries and a coke for grandma. He forgot to ask before she left if she wanted sauce, so he grabbed a few different kinds. We would hand her the chicken or fry and hold the sauce for her to dip. It was so adorable to see her sitting on the edge of the bed swinging her feet like she was an innocent child. At this time she didn’t have any hair, and wasn’t wearing a wig that day. To keep the humor alive Uncle Kevin and I had to mess with her a little bit. We would move our hands around and make it difficult for her to find the sauce. A little mean? Yes, but she laughed.
After she moved to Lake Park she became grumpy. She wasn’t very happy with this location, and I have to said I can understand...it smelled like pee. The nurses and food were just the same. Grandma still didn’t enjoy the food, but she might’ve liked it more if she picked out the food herself. Aunt Karen picked it out for her. This of course meant the menu was based around what Aunt Karen liked. One day she ordered her tuna casserole...really? Grandma didn’t like tuna and she stuck out her tongue and refused to eat. The tray sat there for a little bit, and time and time again we asked if she wanted anything, still she refused. I took advantage of the situation and ate her dessert Of course grandma then realized that there was more on the tray to eat. I told her no, and then politely asked the nurse to bring her a different meal (so I am a nice grandchild). After a few days in Lake Park grandma had a fit one morning. She claimed that it was so loud at night and she could barely sleep with the party going on in her room. When they asked her what she was talking about she said that someone kept turning her television on and off all night. Then they would turn it up loud and all these black people would come in her room (now mind you she used the inappropriate term that she grew up knowing in the south). Of course we giggled at the story and were concerned, so we called the nurse in. A few minutes later a very large black, female nurse came in; which added to our confusion. Could grandma be telling the truth? While the nurse was walking in the room my grandma was using that inappropriate term repeatedly. The rest of us in the room went paler then usual and quiet as a mouse. After meeting with the nurse she explained that grandma was seeing shadows, so everyone was black to her she just wouldn’t admit it. The loud noise going on and off throughout the night was the neighbor across the hall. She turned her television on and off all night and kept it loud enough to wake the dead.
Granted these memories aren't the only ones that I have of my grandma, but they certainly do stick out in my mind.
It’s hard for me to recall and track the stages that my grandmother went through. The vast majority of the few months are blocked out and I won’t allow my brain to search for those memories as it brings so many tears that I can not stop.
In December of 2004 I moved to Kalamazoo to live with my then boyfriend Jeff, his sister and her boyfriend. The girl who said she would never leave got up the nerve to go and now will never move again away from her family. A few days after Christmas I pulled out of my driveway in tears watching my mother cry and wave from the back door. The first few days, weeks and even months were so hard for me. I battled so hard with the concept of leaving home. My siblings were still young and I missed their antics, but I also missed my parents Ozzy the large, lazy cat that still has my heart! The car was loaded down with my personal items, Christmas gifts and a few hundred dollars worth of food and kitchen items that my grandma Betty purchased. Somehow I knew it was a mistake, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.
I was in Kalamazoo for a few months when my grandma was diagnosed with bronchitis for the first of many times. Something kept telling me to go home. In April of 2005 we moved back home and into Jeff’s parents house. Shortly after we moved home my grandma developed bronchitis for about the fourth time that year. It wasn’t much longer after this point that she was diagnosed with cancer. Here is where it gets fuzzy for me. I believe the cancer started out in her lungs, and then moved to various parts of her brain. This caused her to lose her vision. She had chemo, took pills, attended physical therapy and was still as sassy as ever, but it wasn’t helping. I stopped listening to the family and doctors. I heard what they were saying, but I didn’t...if that makes any sense at all. It was almost in one ear and out the other. I knew all the signs were not showing any positive changes. I knew that she was getting worse. I knew that my grandma would never physically be there for my wedding, children and for those infamous talks at her coffee table, but I still had this glorious hope that everything would change and be amazing once again.
There are a lot of things in life that others would regret doing. Of course I have so many things that I regret saying, but I always tell others that I don’t regret anything in life. But I lie. I regret listening to others when I was younger instead of forming my own opinions. I regret being afraid of my grandmother’s house, for it smelled of musty old well water. I regret not spending time with her, listening to her stories and smelling that wonderful cheaply made Avon perfume that she wore. I regret giggling at her Christmas earrings, tacky sweatshirts and her cell phone. Ok maybe not the cell hone that was reminiscent of the Zack Morris days, you know Saved By the Bell. If not, think of the millionaires who used to carry the big brick cell phones, that was her phone. Each of those things means so much to me today. I own a pair or two of her holiday earrings today and I am proud to be their owner. They are so special to me that they remain in a drawer in my jewelry box; I wouldn’t want to ruin them by wearing them ;) I am thankful that my sister brought me these earrings from my grandmother’s house. They were tossed aside by all the other family members because they didn’t hold any monetary value. I didn’t need or want anything valuable. I wanted my grandma; I wanted things that would remind me of her face, smile and eyes. I am also the very proud owner of grandma’s stinky nasty bowling towel; which since has been washed. Don’t tell her that though, she might roll over in her grave. Washing a bowling towel is one of those things that you just don’t do! I also am the owner of her bowling ball. I know what your thinking, why would you want a bowling ball? My answer? I have no idea why. I couldn’t stand to see it be tossed away. If it wasn’t for bowling on the same league with her I wouldn’t have known my grandmother at all. I passed along the shoes to my cousin, who would also bowl on occasions. The bowling ball was purchased for my grandmother twenty years prior at a garage sale by my aunt’s ex husband. I don’t remember what she said he paid, but it wasn’t much. Of course it was someone else’s bowling ball before then so it was drilled for someone else, but that didn’t stop her from bowling her butt off (some days).
The above paragraphs sums up my grandmother without making me sob at work. She was an amazing woman, and I regret not getting to know her better. I do have some wonderful memories of her that I cherish. I wish Brynnlee could have memories of her too. They would’ve loved each other. I wish she could’ve been there for my wedding, for my college graduation and every Sunday during winter to bowl with. I want to end my blog post with a few stories of my grandma.
While she was home recovering from bronchitis my grandma called to ask if I could bring a few things over to her. She wanted me to stop into Family Dollar in Blissfield and pick up a six pack of coke and hair spray. Not just hair spray, a cheap can of hair spray. And of course I had to go to Family Dollar specifically because she used to work there. I took the items to her house and she begged me to take the money. After a slight argument and then a threat from her I gladly pocketed the money while she answered the ancient dinosaur of a cell phone. It took me years to delete her phone number out of my phone. And in fact my old email still has emails that she wrote to me years ago. Which reminds me to print those out and hold onto them. I just took a brief break and read the emails. Oh and I love and miss grandma so much. They just remind me of her and I miss seeing her trying to use the computer! What would she have done in this age of technology? A touch screen phone instead of the dinosaur?
When my grandma was down in Toledo at the hospital I would visit her a few times a week after work or school. On this particular day I drove from Eastern Michigan University to Toledo to visit my grandma at Flower Hospital. Before leaving Ypsilanti I stopped and picked up a bouquet of flowers for my grandma. When I reached the hospital numerous family members were there, but my Aunt Karen greeted me at the door of the hospital. I thought it was odd, but assumed she needed a break. On the elevator ride to grandma’s room she told me that a tumor was putting pressure on her brain. This pressure was causing her to lose her vision. At the time they believed she could see shadows, but nothing other then that. I took a few minutes to sob in the hallway and then gathered myself to see the situation first hand. Sadly she didn’t get enjoy the colors of the flower arrangement that I had picked out. When I walked in the room I told her I was there and that I brought flowers. That is when she looked in the opposite direction and said the flowers were beautiful. This is when they tears started to fall, but after she wanted to smell them is when the waterworks started. She had a hard time lining her nose up to the flowers to smell them, and even though I was holding them I wasn’t much help at the moment. I remember her smile and her telling me they was beautiful and they that they smelled good. After that the visit was a blur because I cried almost the whole time. That is when I started to lose faith. Knowing that the tumor was spreading was hard to swallow.
Another day that sticks in my mind was when she made the move from her room in Flower Hospital to a room in Lake Park; which was located next to the hospital. Uncle Kevin and I were both there the day of her move. We packed up her items and loaded them onto her bed with her; please note that she wasn’t happy about this! Before we the second room was ready she asked Uncle Kevin to go buy her lunch. She was tired of hospital food; which I didn’t understand until I had my daughter. It was like pulling teeth to get her to make a decision on what she wanted for lunch. Finally she decided she wanted Burger King and chicken nuggets. Uncle Kevin left to get lunch, during this time I asked my grandma how she was feeling and of course she felt great. We talked a lot about how she was proud of me and she knew that I would make something of myself one day. It was a really nice time sitting next to her and listening to how proud she was of me, and I still had so much life left to make her more proud! Uncle Kevin came back with chicken fries, french fries and a coke for grandma. He forgot to ask before she left if she wanted sauce, so he grabbed a few different kinds. We would hand her the chicken or fry and hold the sauce for her to dip. It was so adorable to see her sitting on the edge of the bed swinging her feet like she was an innocent child. At this time she didn’t have any hair, and wasn’t wearing a wig that day. To keep the humor alive Uncle Kevin and I had to mess with her a little bit. We would move our hands around and make it difficult for her to find the sauce. A little mean? Yes, but she laughed.
After she moved to Lake Park she became grumpy. She wasn’t very happy with this location, and I have to said I can understand...it smelled like pee. The nurses and food were just the same. Grandma still didn’t enjoy the food, but she might’ve liked it more if she picked out the food herself. Aunt Karen picked it out for her. This of course meant the menu was based around what Aunt Karen liked. One day she ordered her tuna casserole...really? Grandma didn’t like tuna and she stuck out her tongue and refused to eat. The tray sat there for a little bit, and time and time again we asked if she wanted anything, still she refused. I took advantage of the situation and ate her dessert Of course grandma then realized that there was more on the tray to eat. I told her no, and then politely asked the nurse to bring her a different meal (so I am a nice grandchild). After a few days in Lake Park grandma had a fit one morning. She claimed that it was so loud at night and she could barely sleep with the party going on in her room. When they asked her what she was talking about she said that someone kept turning her television on and off all night. Then they would turn it up loud and all these black people would come in her room (now mind you she used the inappropriate term that she grew up knowing in the south). Of course we giggled at the story and were concerned, so we called the nurse in. A few minutes later a very large black, female nurse came in; which added to our confusion. Could grandma be telling the truth? While the nurse was walking in the room my grandma was using that inappropriate term repeatedly. The rest of us in the room went paler then usual and quiet as a mouse. After meeting with the nurse she explained that grandma was seeing shadows, so everyone was black to her she just wouldn’t admit it. The loud noise going on and off throughout the night was the neighbor across the hall. She turned her television on and off all night and kept it loud enough to wake the dead.
Granted these memories aren't the only ones that I have of my grandma, but they certainly do stick out in my mind.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Almost a month since my last post
I wish I had a better excuse, but I haven't been posting lately because I am lazy! We went on a 6 day vacation in the woods and it was so nice. We rented a cabin in Munising near the Buckhorn, on Hovey lake. It was a wonderful log cabin that had been built by hand. We paid about $650, but it was so awesome to spend each night relaxing and eating what we wanted for dinner. Although its not something we will do often, I hope to do it again. Nana and Papa are the proud owners of a new dog (well more Nana, then Papa...but he does like the new one). I called the dogs Rags II, Papa calls her Rags, and Nana calls her Fiona (her given name). However no one calls her by her official given name: Princess Fiona. And we won't even discuss what Jeff calls her ;) Princess Fiona aka Rags II was spayed a few weeks before we arrived. Due to the possibility that should she would be under the weather, Papa requested that we leave the dogs at home. With Gretta's condition we decided that wasn't a good option, and that we would rent a place where the dogs could go with us. I would gladly rent from Sawmill Cabin again!
After renting the cabins we had to change our plans. We had rented a hotel room in the Keewenaw Peninsula. After renting the cabin, we canceled the room. No sense in staying the night in one place, but paying for two. We planned to do a day trip, but the drive was too far and we opted to save that trip for another time. One day we will eventually get there. Much like my other posts lately I am going to summarize our trip and hope that I am able to add more information and pictures later on.
On Thursday the 6th I had a township meeting. Afterwards I finished up some work, packed and worked some more. Jeff woke up around 4 and started to pack. I was still awake working on things. Shortly afterwards we were on the road and headed to the U.P. I slept part of the way up and so did Brynnlee. She did much better in the car this trip. We found out that she loves the movie Night at the Museum. She watched that movie about 10 times during the trip, and each time it was like the first time she watched it.
We drove US 2 to 13 and went the back way to the cabin (which was the shortest distance to where we were located). It was early but we checked into the cabin and unloaded the truck. We headed into town to pick up some groceries and visit with Nana & Papa. After wards we headed to eat lunch at the cabin on the deck. We enjoyed a few sandwiches and chips and the lovely view of Hovey Lake.
In the following days we visited Marquette (we climbed Mt. Marquette...boy that was tough for me), drove to Grand Marais (we played on the beach, had lunch, stopped at Sable Falls, Kingston Lake and so much more, but the view from the new rest stop was breathtaking. We also visited School Forest. We learned that there were houses way in the back, and had a nice conversation with a husband and wife who own a cabin that they built. They shared stories of the area; including the story about how the shore line is getting closer to their home. In a few short years they will have waterfront property. Neighbors have moved their homes, and one neighbor even lost their home to the Lake. Evidence of this was the cables that went from the ground, down the slope and almost into the lake!), Pete's Lake, one last boat trip on Lake Superior, Munising Falls, Scott Falls, and Wagner Falls. We stopped often for me to take photos and enjoy the sights. While in Marquette we had lunch at the Vierling brewery. Their menu was different, but we had a good meal. We also visited with Mike and Jessica and Justin and Kara. The following day (our final full day there) Justin and Kara came out with the boys and spent the day at the cabin with us. Brynnlee loves playing and watching the boys. We spent the evening playing cards and enjoying a few drinks after all the kids went to sleep. After three games of euchre the girls lost to the boys, this was shortly after the Tigers lost game 3 to the Rangers (a few days later they lost the series and were out for the season).
Wildlife...I am going to have a fight with the wildlife in the U.P. I'm not asking for a close encounter, but I would love to see something really awesome. We did see a few healthy looking deer, male and female grouse and an eagle that was flying over Pete's Lake. I was hoping to see a bear or something. We did hear coyote one night after going to bed, their yip made me laugh...but I know they are tougher then they sound. After visiting Marquette we came home after dark. Jeff went to go unlock the door and we heard low and mean sounding growling. I swear it was a bear, but we didn't see anything (of course I didn't try to investigate either). Jeff left the truck door wide open while he unlocked the door! Thankfully we rushed inside and were unharmed ;). Later that night Jeff heard some more noises, he went to investigate hoping to see something cool...instead he saw three very large raccoons violating the trash can!
Hopefully I can add more details later. We had a nice trip. The next one in planned for November. I might sit this trip out, but I'm not sure. I have the whole week of Thanksgiving off. We contemplated going up north for the first part, then back home for Thanksgiving. I might stay home to work on township stuff. I am falling behind and desperately need to catch up! It is also a toss up if Brynnlee is going with Jeff or stay with me. I hate to leave her for a few days! The week that we left to go up north I went a whole day without seeing her. Thats not normal for me, there are many days that Jeff doesn't see her with his schedule. I didn't like it, but there wasn't anything that I could do. I had work all day, then meeting at night. Of course prepping in between and a late meeting meant that I was tired and missing my little Bug!
I am about to leave work, so thats all for today. I feel productive though! Hopefully I have more chances to write!
After renting the cabins we had to change our plans. We had rented a hotel room in the Keewenaw Peninsula. After renting the cabin, we canceled the room. No sense in staying the night in one place, but paying for two. We planned to do a day trip, but the drive was too far and we opted to save that trip for another time. One day we will eventually get there. Much like my other posts lately I am going to summarize our trip and hope that I am able to add more information and pictures later on.
On Thursday the 6th I had a township meeting. Afterwards I finished up some work, packed and worked some more. Jeff woke up around 4 and started to pack. I was still awake working on things. Shortly afterwards we were on the road and headed to the U.P. I slept part of the way up and so did Brynnlee. She did much better in the car this trip. We found out that she loves the movie Night at the Museum. She watched that movie about 10 times during the trip, and each time it was like the first time she watched it.
We drove US 2 to 13 and went the back way to the cabin (which was the shortest distance to where we were located). It was early but we checked into the cabin and unloaded the truck. We headed into town to pick up some groceries and visit with Nana & Papa. After wards we headed to eat lunch at the cabin on the deck. We enjoyed a few sandwiches and chips and the lovely view of Hovey Lake.
In the following days we visited Marquette (we climbed Mt. Marquette...boy that was tough for me), drove to Grand Marais (we played on the beach, had lunch, stopped at Sable Falls, Kingston Lake and so much more, but the view from the new rest stop was breathtaking. We also visited School Forest. We learned that there were houses way in the back, and had a nice conversation with a husband and wife who own a cabin that they built. They shared stories of the area; including the story about how the shore line is getting closer to their home. In a few short years they will have waterfront property. Neighbors have moved their homes, and one neighbor even lost their home to the Lake. Evidence of this was the cables that went from the ground, down the slope and almost into the lake!), Pete's Lake, one last boat trip on Lake Superior, Munising Falls, Scott Falls, and Wagner Falls. We stopped often for me to take photos and enjoy the sights. While in Marquette we had lunch at the Vierling brewery. Their menu was different, but we had a good meal. We also visited with Mike and Jessica and Justin and Kara. The following day (our final full day there) Justin and Kara came out with the boys and spent the day at the cabin with us. Brynnlee loves playing and watching the boys. We spent the evening playing cards and enjoying a few drinks after all the kids went to sleep. After three games of euchre the girls lost to the boys, this was shortly after the Tigers lost game 3 to the Rangers (a few days later they lost the series and were out for the season).
Wildlife...I am going to have a fight with the wildlife in the U.P. I'm not asking for a close encounter, but I would love to see something really awesome. We did see a few healthy looking deer, male and female grouse and an eagle that was flying over Pete's Lake. I was hoping to see a bear or something. We did hear coyote one night after going to bed, their yip made me laugh...but I know they are tougher then they sound. After visiting Marquette we came home after dark. Jeff went to go unlock the door and we heard low and mean sounding growling. I swear it was a bear, but we didn't see anything (of course I didn't try to investigate either). Jeff left the truck door wide open while he unlocked the door! Thankfully we rushed inside and were unharmed ;). Later that night Jeff heard some more noises, he went to investigate hoping to see something cool...instead he saw three very large raccoons violating the trash can!
Hopefully I can add more details later. We had a nice trip. The next one in planned for November. I might sit this trip out, but I'm not sure. I have the whole week of Thanksgiving off. We contemplated going up north for the first part, then back home for Thanksgiving. I might stay home to work on township stuff. I am falling behind and desperately need to catch up! It is also a toss up if Brynnlee is going with Jeff or stay with me. I hate to leave her for a few days! The week that we left to go up north I went a whole day without seeing her. Thats not normal for me, there are many days that Jeff doesn't see her with his schedule. I didn't like it, but there wasn't anything that I could do. I had work all day, then meeting at night. Of course prepping in between and a late meeting meant that I was tired and missing my little Bug!
I am about to leave work, so thats all for today. I feel productive though! Hopefully I have more chances to write!
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