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July 23, 2013

Hot Humid summer

It's been hot, and it still is hot and humid.
Yes, we still walk or hike, two weeks ago we hiked to the limit of our endurance.  We told each other we could walk longer, but it was tough, and we both were glad to get back to the car.  All the little aches and complaints came to the surface, I was never so glad to get down the mountain and sit down in the car.
We still enjoyed our hike, and even went for a swim.  At the same spot where Michael got poison ivy last year.  This year he promptly got a couple spots again, which led me to declare that swimming spot unsafe.  There is something that makes him break out.  I got bitten by some kind of  bug, I don't think it was poison ivy in my case.

Work was also hard last week, it being so totally hot and humid.  We had every fan going in the place, and a couple of them are industrial strength!
This week is humid so far, which still makes it feel uncomfortable, but we have some relief coming.   I felt bad for Luzia Pimpinella and family who did a tour of New England, ending their last hot days in Boston.  I followed their trip on Instagram, and it was fun!
This past weekend we celebrated Evan's third birthday, so much fun!



He nearly singed his eyebrows off, getting so close to the ice cream cake to blow out the candles!

The next day Evan and Jackson came to our house, to spend the night and we were taking them to their first fireworks ever.  The challenge was to keep them up late, they had spent the day in an amusement park, and we took them back to a small carnival next to the site of the fireworks.  They had a blast!  Riding all the kiddie rides, and going into a two-story funhouse.  No idea what was in it, it seemed Evan was a bit young for it, but since he is tall, no one stopped him.  I warned Jackson to take care of his little brother, which he did, they boys went in again and again, so I can only surmise that it was good.
Yes, they did stay up for the fireworks!  It was touch and go, with them getting antsy, but they managed.  And loved it.  Evan kept telling us every color of the rocket bursts.  Great time.
I think that was the latest the boys went to bed, we managed to get them to bed by 10:45, and we weren't much behind.
They slept Monday until almost 9 AM, got chocolate chip pancakes, and played a bit, and then I took them swimming in our lake.  I finally, after many years, managed to get the passes to use the beaches again, and it was nice being able to take them.
Jackson was a bit afraid of the lake, I had to assure him that no fish got through the ropes around the swimming area (wink).



Yes, we also got our hike in, on Saturday.
Not quite as exhausting as the one the week before, a bit easier.
Most exiting thing:
I got  some close-ups of the butterfly:
 oh, and a lake filled with see roses. so pretty!
When we came back from our hike the flowers were already gone...

 The butterfly!

July 16, 2013

More Birthdays

Back home again, another weekend has passed, we worked, we sweat(ed), we attended a family party, and had a great time, we are planning our next vacation, we are sweating some more.... and so it goes.
I'm working on the tada! finish of Evan's quilt, and I'm already knee deep in ideas for more.

 A baby drinking seltzer
 sisters catching up


 lovely smiles from lovely people



 the party on the deck, welcoming family to New Jersey, they held the party
 and a little pre-celebration of Evan's 3rd birthday,
part of the family won't be able to be at the party on Saturday, 
but no one minded having to eat ice cream cake 
a week ahead of time, funny, that!
Evan decided on the pirate costume after 
having tried out at least 2 other costumes.

Sunday we went to our favorite State Park in NY State to hike.  It was very hot and humid, in the low 90's here when we left, the high 80's when we got there.  We hiked for hours, swam, and ended up walking over 15,000 steps, which doesn't sound like all that much (about 4.5 miles), but it was hot, humid, and very hilly.  Not easy meandering/walking.  Hey, I want credit!
We were so tired that we couldn't fall asleep that night - probably overtired.  We caught up on our sleep last night, so all is well.
I miss writing here on a regular basis, but will try to get back to it, I promise!

July 5, 2013

Still away

It seems I find more time to write when I'm away from my daily routine.  We are still in MI, and enjoying our time here.  The week had been a lot cooler then it was back at home, and it finally warmed up.
I hope you all enjoyed your Fourth of July!  Ours was great, we had a leisurely morning, ate lunch, then walked along the shore of St. Clair Lake in Grosse Pointe, and admired the view and the mansions, hard to decide where to look.



We got ready to go see the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the fireworks in Deerborne, MI.  It threatened to rain, but it held off, and it was wonderful to sit right in front of the orchestra, listen to the 1812 Overture, including the canons!  Awesome!
Then the Sousa Marches were played to the fireworks - so patriotic.
 Look at the crowd!

 fish eye view of Karen and I
 sunset with the stage
 The Detroit Symphony Orchestra
And the final event

July 3, 2013

Michigan, or on the road again

It's been a while, and I apologize.  Between smart phone and iPad I get all the info I need, plus checking facebook and instagram is my interaction/checking on others point, it seems I am neglecting the blog big time.

Last weekend we went to Maryland to help Noah celebrate his birthday (I am so sorry, no pictures, I have a new memory card in the camera, and left the other one at home), and we had a great time.  Sue outdid herself with the cake again - photos to follow.  And it was fun hanging out with the family, and the kids.

We hustled our way through the week - lots of work - and on Saturday morning left for Michigan, a small town above Detroit.  I loved driving through Pennsylvania, a state everyone groans at the thought of having to drive through, but traffic was light, we hit no delays, and it was just like driving on the Autobahn at home.  The scenery is lovely, I love woods and mountains, with rivers and valleys, it was great.

Once here, we are visiting with family - Michael's sister Karen and husband Robert, and they are great hosts, we got a tour of Detroit, and we attempted to go to a balloon festival, we spent all afternoon there with a midway, but in the evening it was still too windy for  the balloons to take off, so we were a tiny bit disappointed.  But it was fun nonetheless!
Here are some photos:


 Yup, we went on this, if only to take pictures from the top

 The entire midway, with a cloudy, windy sky, that prevented the balloons from taking off

 sky divers, bringing down the flag for a national anthem singing.
 and a walking tree
The next day we got to tour Detroit.  My most glaring impression?  The difference of a bustling city like NYC, and an almost empty Detroit.
 We ate Coney hot dogs in Detroit,
and I noticed this office worker in the window

 A cool indoor fountain, and art on a deserted building
 We went in the lobby of a building called The Guardian
And I think I reached the limit of picture uploads, so I will have to create another post.  Tomorrow!  I promise!
Now we're off to go see Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes.