My how time flies ... we're well into our 4th year as almost full-timers.  With only an occasional trip back to the old homestead, our vagabond lifestyle is certainly a departure from previous years.  Our home on wheels has kept us safe and warm and has allowed visits to places most will never dream of going.  Of course some of the places we've gone don't warrant dreaming about anyway but the good far outweigh the bad.

We've talked a bit about the weather down this way and here's a rare occurrence I caught on film (?).
A photo of an approaching warm front from the Gulf of Mexico with the setting sun about to be covered up. But we really did have a few days of warm weather.  Unfortunately those dark clouds had a bit of rain in them.  Our coach is out the picture to the left (we're on another side of the lake) and the clubhouse is on the far right.

As the holiday season is upon us,  the pace is quickening to fill old Santa's bag with presents on his trip north.  Store to store we go ... looking for just that perfect gift ... "Oh they'll just love it" I think.  "But what if it melts before it gets delivered", I wonder.  Okay okay ... so maybe frozen Gulf squid wasn't the best idea.  It's the thought that counts ...right?  So back to the drawing board ... With choices like shippable bags of pecan shells, Gulf shoreline oil balls, and returned tee-shirts from the local souvenir shops ... it's always tough to pick out that 'just right' gift to show we really care.

Just so you know we've not forsaken our desire uncover good eateries across the land, we have been dining out ... and with some regularity.  We made a pack with our Iowa friends before we arrived here that we would only eat out on Fridays.  Leaving the remaining six days for more healthy, at-home fare.  I think something occurred when we crossed over the state line or maybe sometime during the last full moon, but whatever cosmic event struck us, we somehow have messed up the commitment and have now migrated to eating at home once per week and dining out the other six.  Sure hope the budget can continue to stand the pain. I know the waistline can't.

We had a little pre-Christmas gathering at the clubhouse tonight.  Live entertainment, free food, booze and even Santa made an appearance.  A very nice holiday get-together for the park residents.

When retuning home tonight we jumped on Skype to wish our daughter a very happy birthday.  Not as good as being in there in person but it was great seeing her and the family.  We sure miss all of them.

As a Christmas present to ourselves, we're headed to Biloxi Mississippi with our friends Jim and Carol in a few hours.  We've booked a couple of rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and will continue to spend our kids inheritances, much to their chagrin.  We'll fill you all in on the outcome later.

So if by chance we get delayed counting the large horde of money we're expecting to win at the casino, Sharon and I would like to wish you all you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.
And I would like to thank all of you for checking out my blog now and again and the many nice compliments.

Still livin' the dream

Phil

And the weather outside is frightful ...

Okay maybe it's not as frightful as it is up north ... but we've had quite a rain and wind storm pass through here the last 24 hours.  Though the sky is now blue, the wind continues to rock the coach around like a drunk on New Year's eve.  And did I mention how it messes up my hair?  Anyway it's cool and windy here but nothing compared to the white grief many are experiencing in the likes of Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York and even ... Iowa.

Last night before the storm, a group of about 40 of us from the Bella Terra RV http://www.bellaterrarvresort.com park gathered at Flippers http://www.flippersrestaurant.com Restaurant in Orange Beach to enjoy a nice meal and watch the annual Nautical Night of Lights Boat Christmas Parade.  Little boats and 'Oh My God' yachts alike made the trip from Lulu's http://www.lulusathomeport.com along the inter-coastal waterway past our vantage point then into Perdido Bay.  Festooned with brightly colored lights, most motored past us into the night but one nice sailboat turned into our marina to give us an up-close look.  Pretty neat!

This morning we were treated to a brunch at the clubhouse sponsored by the RV park.  Several tasty quiches, marinated fruits (I think in the good stuff), mimosa's, bloody Mary's and champagne made up this mornings delicious fare.  Now these folks know how to have a good time down here.  This afternoon a few of us are headed off to the movies to get our popcorn fix for the day.  I'll be begging for a day of rest before too long.  All play and no rest will certainly catch up with us one of these years.

Still livin' the dream and thinking we really should start doing a little Christmas shopping.

Phil

More adventures

I'm sitting here in the coach looking out at a bright blue sky and thinking is this weather going to be a repeat of last year?  It was in the mid-30's last night and thoughts of another cold winter gets us thinking about heading further south.  I wonder if this thing floats?

Speaking of weather ... our friend Susanne, who lives in Finland should get a little of our sympathy.  Weather reports for her part of the world are indicating temperatures this winter as low as they've been in 100 years. Stockholm Sweden, just west of Susanne's home in Helsinki (Finland capital) is already expecting a minus 15 C this week.  Brrrrrrrr.

We visited an old haunt the other day.  McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola was introduced to us by our Grand Blanc friends John and Linda in 2008 so we thought we should extend our good fortune to our Iowa friends Jim and Carol.  With ceilings and walls covered with thousands of autographed dollar bills, this unique eatery has not only visually interesting surroundings but outstanding food.  I had a combination pastrami and corn beef sandwich on rye. Large enough for two so I had half to take home. Just as good on day two I might add.  By the look on everyones face I think the food and service was more than good.  I can usually tell how good a restaurant is by the amount spilled on the front of my shirt.  I was a mess. We'll surely return ... as long as my laundry lady can get the stains out. http://www.mcguiresirishpub.com

Carol and Jim ... Iowa's finest

The oil spill in this part of the gulf has no doubt had a detrimental effect on  the local economy.  Many condos for sale .. many businesses closed.  Sad to see but I suspect they'll recover in time.  It's far too nice a destination not to. We'll continue to poke around the region absorbing the local culture for another month or so then head further west ... unless the weather is crummy there.  Then who knows?

For those out there you have not used the internet service Skype I can only say you're missing out.  The free (like in no charge) version has brought our friends and family right into our coach.  We've even tried three-way video conferencing and it's great.  All you need is the free software downloaded from the net, a laptop or  desktop computer (PC or MAC) and a net camera.  Many laptops already have them (camera) built in or you can purchase an inexpensive USB one ($30-$60).  Set up is simple and it allows face to face conversation.  Ya gotta try it!

Still livin' the dream

Phil
   

Looking Back

I usually don't do this ... but because I've been a little lazy I'm finally getting around to a little trip my son-in-law took last October.  A fierce storm was ravaging Lake Michigan with high winds and lots of rain.  We decided to grab our cameras and head across state to the town of Grand Haven to see what it was all about.  Two lighthouses ... wild water ... high winds ... and those wild and crazy guys in the water.  What could be better!

The rain had stopped, the sun was shining but the wind was still howling. Blowing sand on our faces felt like little needles and our equipment was slowly getting sand blasted.  We ventured out on the pier with some of the other crazy onlookers and began shooting.  The winds were a fairly steady 40mph with an occasional gusts even higher.  The waters were angry and no place for mortals ... but wait!  Who was that daredevil trying to kite surf? And who were those two guys on jet skis?  Where was that guy walking to on the pier? And take a close look at the last photo and do you see the outline a someone out at the end of the pier?  The game is played like this ... see if you can run out to the end of the pier and back  in between surf surges without getting washed into the water and dashed against the pier walls.  And I used to think playing marbles was exciting.

So here's a little photo essay of that exciting day.  Check out my son-in-laws website too for probably the best shot of the day (http://scottlaforestphoto.photoshelter.com)

Grand Haven Lighthouse

Go fly a kite

Whoosh

Hang on

Does this guy know the hot dog stand is the other way?

See the guy leaning against the building on the far right?
  On your mark ... get ready ...  Go!

There you have it.  Another look at the drama Mother Nature can conjure up.
 It was great to have witnessed it

 so  you know

 I'm still livin' the dream.

Phil

Thanks

Another Thanksgiving Day has almost passed and here we sit.  A little bloated, a little sleepy, and maybe a little too much football but a good day to reflect on all the things in our lives to be thankful for.

Sharon and I certainly have had our share of good fortune in our lives.  We have each other ... and our family;

our most important assets.  We have many dear friends who have been at our side and we treasure each and every one of them.  And we have relatively good health. A commodity we sometimes take for granted. 

All in all life continues to be exciting  and fulfilling. We look forward to each upcoming day.  We hope that each of you are as blessed in your own way as we have been.

We hope all of you have had a great day and be sure ... we're still livin' the dream.

Phil

New Flash ... News Flash ...

We have learned through inside sources that two 'closet' cooks have emerged from the shadows this holiday season.  Our Jenny has dipped her toe into the cauldron of cookery and has discovered that she is really quite good at it.  Adventuresome, but not bold, she has already mastered the delicacy of pork tenderloin with une pomme' sauce and reduction.  And our friend Micki has stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam as she served up her first turkey.  Stealing the honors from husband Corky (better known as the Wolfgang Puck of South Haven) she created a sumptuous feast that will surely install her into the Cousin's Hall of Cooking Fame  (a little known but highly prized accolade in the RV world). 

Reporting from the land of grits and crawdads ... cub reporter Phil

    

Flashback

All words and no pictures make for a dull blog I say so I thought I'd toss in a few images I took along our path south.

We'll start in Battle Creek.  Not known in most RV circles as a camping mecca but we did find a spot as a result of the kindness of Sharon's cousin Marsha and her husband John.  They allowed us to stay overnight in the parking lot of their first class auto repair facility.  Pretty nice treatment I'd say.  Now if we could only get them to add cable TV service, picnic tables, WIFI, and a hot tub they might get a steady stream of campers.  Anyway it was very thoughtful of them and if any of you are ever in the Battle Creek area and need a little work on that toad you're dragging behind that coach, stop in at Double E Auto Service ... they're very friendly and really know what they are doing.

Our next stop was near Effingham Illinois at Camp Lakewood located off I55/70 on Lake Pauline. (www.camplakewoodcampground.com)  Now this is one nice campground.  You can fit any legal size rig and whatever it is towing, with room to spare.  Located on a wooded hillside next to the lake it is very well maintained and professionally operated by hosts Brian and Vanessa Caton.  Level, clean  gravel lots offer full hook-up, a solid WIFI signal at our site, and a small convenience shop.  We even had a pizza (one of the best we've had) from Joe's Pizza and Pasta delivered to our site.  Be sure to stop by this park if you're in the area.

Moving southward our next stop along the way was in Caruthersville Missouri.  Why Caruthersville you might ask?  Well it was only about 250  miles from Effingham so we'd reached my endurance level for driving.  Oh ... did I forget?  There was a casino there.  The LadyLuck Casino (www.ladyluckcaruthersville.com). We got off the freeway and meandered into the small town.  Not exactly designed for about 65 feet of motor coach and tow car but none-the-less we squeezed through to find the brightly lit (surprise) casino.  A new building all adorned with neon.  As it turned out that fancy new building was really not the casino but led to the casino located on the Mississippi river.  The RV park was located  inside the flood wall (oops) so if we had to leave in a hurry we'd need to get out before they closed the gate.

The park was new with concrete pads, paved streets and full hook-ups. But NO WIFI and the sites were very tight.  Some of these parks still just don't get it.  Internet to many of us is as important as a sewer or water hook-up. Anyway it was only going to be a one nighter and some of that time would be spent in the casino ... so we got over it.  

Now getting to the casino was not for the weak hearted.  Leaving that fancy little neon lit building you walked some 400 feet down this steep inclined, covered ramp to the floating casino barge.  Not very clean and not very anything.  Maybe 15 others gamblers were in there with us and that didn't make us feel all that comfortable either.  Best part was be got out without losing much.  It would have been nice however if they had oxygen available on the way up. We did get a good night sleep though ... so not all was bad.

Our next stop was going to be special as we were going to meet up with our Iowa friends Jim and Carol.  Not surprisingly, for those who know us, we were meeting in the mid-south's gambling mecca of Tunica Mississippi.  With 8 or 9 of those money grabbing establishment within only a mile or two radius, it has grown into quite a destination for those who like to place a bet or two, or three, or four, or .......

We booked in at the Mid-South RV Park located on Harrahs Casino property (www.harrahstunica.com).  Nice big lots, paved, with full -hook-ups.  Shuttle service to and from the casinos and priced very reasonably at around $18/night.  But what really torqued me off was what they offered as WIFI service.  Yes it might be available at your lot if you were close enough (we weren't) to the clubhouse or if you really wanted a good signal you could come into the clubhouse, if someone was there, and get a great signal.  Wherever you got the signal the price was the same. $12 DOLLARS A DAY.  Unbelievable!  Yes I know they would rather have you gambling than hanging out on the internet but this is simple case of price gouging and not having a clue what the needs of the RV community are.  Enough ranting ... we had a good time seeing our friends and did get some solace as Sharon did win a little.

Here's Jim and Carol Winnebago next to our rig.  Notice how much room we had.

Our next leg of the trip took us to New Orleans.  Our second trip there (the first just prior to Katrina) and Jim and Carols first visit.  After traversing some of the worst (bone jarring) interstate highways on planet earth, we arrived at the French Quarter RV Resort (www.fqrv.com).  Not the cheapest place to park but very , very nice and close to downtown.  If there was a major shortcoming it would be the noise.  We were situated in an area near the highway (I10) and there was a steady drone of trucks, police sirens, and diesels with their Jake-brakes on all night.  Our remedy was to turn on the air conditioning and that pretty much drowned out the racket.  

We stayed two nights in the Crescent City and took in some of the sights. Our first night out we stopped at  Landry's Seafood House (www.landrysseafood.com).  We all had good meals then headed off for a drive around town in my TrailBlazer.  The French Quarter is not exactly the best, or easiest place to drive in at night but interesting anyway.  We even looked up Emerils restaurant (www.emerils.com),  though it took a little extra GPS work to find the place.   

We kind of goofed off in the morning and really didn't get a early start but did manage to book an afternoon tour of the sights of New Orleans on a small tour bus.  A great trip through the city.  Everything from the Garden District, to the French Quarter to the lower 9th Ward where much of the Katrina damage occurred.  I wouldn't want to live here (too hot, too humid) but a great place to visit.

Here's our park at night.

Bourbon Street 

Now this following image was taken at Mr B's resturant in the French Quarter (www.mrbsbistro.com). Our final night out on the town needed to be special so the four of us went to this nice place in the heart of the Quarter.  After being seated I noticed a small plaque over Sharon's shoulder.  Apparently our seat had a former president as a guest a couple of times in the past.  Pretty neat eh?

After our meal our waiter suggested dessert.  'Oh we shouldn't', we all said.  Then ordered.  Sharon and I chose to share something (unusual) ... which turned out to be outstanding (see below).  Jim and Carol picked the same thing.  As it turned out it was something that I can neither pronounce or spell but I know we all liked it (Actually it was 'Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce';  A cream puff filled with rich vanilla bean ice cream; topped with chocolate sauce).  Good stuff.

We waddled out of the place and took a short walk around the area to hasten the digestive process.  There was a slight chill in the air so we hailed a cab and headed back to the park for a good night rest prior to the last leg of our trip to Bella Terra RV Resort (www.bellaterrarvresort.com). 

So now you're sort of caught up.  We're settled in and enjoying the great weather and meeting up with friends at the park.  Thanks for tagging along.

Still livin' the dream in Alabama.

Phil

We're Backkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Back on the road again ... with a hope and a prayer we're again meandering southward looking to avoid another Michigan winter. Snow is not our friend and with any kind of luck this winter, we will find much more temperate weather.

But what a great summer!  Cousins RV Park, near the shores of Lake Michigan, was again our summer resting place.  Hard not to return as we've got so many good friends there, the park is always well run and maintained, and did I mention those fantastic sunsets in South Haven?  We'll be returning this coming Spring to a newly improved patio and parking pad as well.  We'll be adding some new plantings as well so it should be extra nice.

Just before leaving my kids threw me a nice birthday party.  All the grand kids were there too so it was extra special.  It's always a bittersweet time for us as we are leaving our family for a time but also enjoying the fruits of many years of labor.  I'm sure there will come a time when we either do not want to travel or can't but right now we're enjoying each day.

We started our trip with a quick two day stop-over in Battle Creek visiting with friends and family.  I've often said you cannot have too many friends.  But if we never acquired new ones, the ones we now have are simply the best; probably better than we deserve.  To a person, they've treated us like members of their own family and  it's really tough to leave them all behind for the winter.  But somebody has to test the warm winds of the Gulf Coast ... sample the fresh shrimp at the dock or sit down to one of those Texas steaks so tender and juicy.  So childhood friends, high school friends, college friends, rv friends, neighborhood friends ... they're all very important to us.

Needing a fuel stop before leaving Michigan, I stopped by a Flying J station and was pleasantly surprised that I could pull right up to a pump with no waiting.  The wind was kicking up outside and snow started to fall.  I was thinking my timing for leaving the state was right on the money.  I started putting the necessary credit card and customer discount fuel card in only to receive a message on the pump that I needed to see the cashier.  Once you see that message there is no chance things will go well.  So I stood by the pump and Sharon went into the station (some 250 feet away) to find out what was the problem.  She soon returned joining me again in the cold, blowing snow.  I started pumping fuel but it promptly stopped after spending only $75.  I re-inserted the credit card and discount card and started over.  Another $75 rolled up and it stopped again.  Now I needed about $350-$400 in fuel and all I can think is that I'll be pumping fuel here till spring.  Not only was the pump stopping every 24 gallons but I could have filled the tank with a turkey baster faster.  Absolutely the slowest pumping I've ever run across.  Maybe this was Michigan's way of punishing me for leaving the state but I was thinking there ought to be a law for such a poor operation.  Sharon made an additional trip into the station only to learn that we could pre-charge a large amount of money on the card and it wouldn't stop so often.  She then put $300 on the card and was assured that the pump would stop at that amount. The coach soon gobbled up the $300 but the pump ran over 5 cents and the dreaded "see chasier' message re-appeared. The thought of driving off without paying crossed my mind but the idea of being sprawled across the hood of some state police car for 5 cents quickly quenched that notion.  So back in she went with the nickle to pay off the bill.  I will never know why I continue to go back to this outfit for fuel but for some reason I do.  They are usually clean and their prices are competitive but certainly not friendly to this rv'er.

With a stop or two along the way we finally met up with our Iowa friends Jim and Carol in Tunica Mississippi.  Tunica, for the uninformed, happens to be the mid-south's answer to Las Vegas.  With 8 or 9 casinos/hotel complexes it's quite the place.  We parked our coach at Harrah's park for about $18/night.  A very nice park though few campers were there this time of year.  We spent three nights there supporting the locals but in the end, actually came out ahead.

Before leaving Tunica the four of us decided that it would be fun to go down to New Orleans for a day or two so we booked a couple of nights at the French Quarter RV Resort ( http://www.fqrv.com) in downtown New Orleans.  A little pricey but safe and very near all the neat spots in this dynamic city.  The city is really an assault on ones senses.  The smells, sights, food, the many cultures and its people all push the extreme.  Mid westerners like us, should have a little coaching before entering the city as the unexpected is really the norm here.  We enjoyed a couple of great meals in the 'Quarter', listened to a little jazz music, and wandered a bit around.  It was Jim and Carol's first trip to the Crescent City so rather than me stumbling around town in our truck, we all decided to take one of the city bus tours offered.  During the three hour trip we hit all the hot spots from the Garden District to the French Quarter to the famous above-ground cemeteries.  But the eye-opener was the tour of the lower 9th ward where the devastation from hurricane Katrina was still very prevalent.  Abandoned homes and businesses were everywhere.  High water marks could best be seen by how high the mold had grown on the building.  A family here and there had re-claimed their property but most were still gone.  The nine generation New Orleans tour guide took us through some of the roughest areas you could imagine.  I think she was making sure we understood what went on here.  She places the blame on government.  Federal, state and local all shared the blame but most she said belong to ex-mayor Ray Nagan.  Obviously the wounds are still raw even after 5 years.

A rain storm greeting us this morning as we prepared to head for our next stop ... Bella Terra RV Resort in Foley Alabama.  A driving rain followed us the entire trip making the 200 mile trip seem like 400.  Anyway we're here and are looking forward to kicking back and taking it easy for a few months.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Oh my!

It's been awhile ... hasn't it?  Have we been busy?  Sure.  But not too busy to write, you'd think.  But I haven't.  Sorry.  So what can I do to really, really really bring you some fantastic news.  Well let me give it a try ...

Let me introduce the newest member of our family.

Lola Sofia

7lb 9oz

20 inches

Born September 4th

Our Daughter-in-law and Son presented their beautiful baby girl to the world a few days ago and we were smitten from the first moment we met her.  Pretty like her Mom and handsome like her Dad, she entered our lives healthy and ready to grow up. 

As she makes her way through these glorious years of exploration and wonderment, we look forward to being near-by to watch this new family learn and grow.  

Without a doubt ... we're still livin' the dream.

Phil 

Two more

Continuing with our ongoing quest to uncover good restaurants wherever we travel, we've recently found two little gems here in Southwest Michigan.

The Kalico Kitchen (http://www.kalicokitchenrestaurant.com) near Douglas is a homey little place that you'd expect to run across somewhere in Oklahoma along Route 66.  Not a pinch of pretentiousness, this down home eatery has an ever changing list of daily 'specials' that will satisfy almost any palate.  I settled in on an open faced prime rib sandwich and Sharon ordered the broasted chicken.  I actually could have ordered any of the 6 or 7 daily offerings and would have been happy but the beef sounded good.  I did see one item on the menu that I don't often see and dearly enjoy ... chicken livers.  Okay I know many will view this as some sort of illness on my part but chicken livers have been a favorite of mine forever.  Anyway I asked the waitress if we could get a small appetizer size and she made it happen.  Arriving in just a few minutes, these lightly breaded little morsels of goodness were outstanding.  Just enough to satisfy but not enough to spoil my dinner.  Our meals arrived hot and delivered with a smile (a trait many waitresses have lost).  Out plates were overflowing.  Piping hot and everything looked fresh and appealing.  The portions size far exceeded the normal cost and best of all ... everything was delicious.  With most entrees less than $10 this place is a bargain in a tourist town.  Located on the Blue Star Highway just south of Saugatuck in Douglas, it has plenty of parking and outdoor eating if you want. We'll make plans to return soon.  Oh ... did I mention the desserts?  No we didn't have room for any, but I've heard they are famous for the homemade cakes and pies.

Our next stop on our "eat across America" tour was a trendy little place north of Kalamazoo in a little burg called Richland.  Having passed many times through this sleepy little town years ago, my return turned out to be quite a surprise.  New retail stores and commercial businesses have now settled here and has changed the whole complexion of the little community.

It actually all began as we were having our afternoon 'happy hour' wiith friends here at the RV park in South Haven when the phone rang.   Friends from Battle Creek called with a last minute suggestion that we join them for dinner at this new place in Richland.  It was nearing 7:00 pm and we weren't exactly dressed for dinner but since it was a new place to try and old friends to share it with, we decided to get around and make the hour drive.

Mission Pointe (http://www.missionpointerichland.com) is located in an upscale little mall on the north side of town on M-89.  With sort of a southern California/southern Florida architecture we walked in the front door and were met by a pretty boisterous bar group enjoying the 1/2 off martini night.  The 20 something/30 something group of patrons were having a good time and reminded me of days long gone by.  We sought out our friends in the dining area who were seated by the fireplace.  A nicely appointed restaurant that was sized right for the small community of Richland.

Before too long our waitress came by and went through the menu with us.  This girl knew her job and knew the menu as well as she did her own diary.  Pleasant and informed.  What a concept.  Anyway ... the menu was really unique as it offered up many combination meals that consisted of pairing various meats in ways most restaurants have not explored.  So what do you think of a meat loaf and lobster meal? Or baked walleye and halibut?  Pick any two meats on the menu and pair them up for an eclectic blend of flavors.  Doesn't matter if the combo is listed on the menu or not.  If they have it, they'll pair them up.  A nice idea I wish more restaurant would promote.  Prices were very reasonable too.  One of the specials this evening was sirloin steak and lobster.  Small portions of each but for $11.99!  Now that's a bargain.  And it was excellent.  Three of our group ordered that and I opted for a large chuck of potato encrusted walleye paired with a small tenderloin for $18.99.  This too was excellent.

So there you have it.  Another addition to our ongoing review of neat places to eat in America.  RV'ers take note.  Hot dogs on the barbee get a little old so get out in that 'toad' and explore the local eateries.  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

#3612

Saturday morning ... not a normal morning for the two of us.  Up at 5:30 am.  No coffee, no breakfast but hurry, hurry, hurry to get to downtown Flint Michigan to witness the 34th running of the  Crim Festival of Races 10 mile road race.  The little run about town is actually one of the foremost 10 mile races in the country with runners coming from all over to compete.  World class athletes compete for some pretty sweet prize money, too. 

Now if you expected just a few hundred runners you'd be woefully under-guessing.  Try over 16,000 total for all the races.  Yup ... that's over sixteen thousand!  Keep in  mind that on a normal day in Flint you might find a couple of hundred people spread around the downtown area.  Picture this ... 16,000 racers and probably 40,000 spectators lining the various courses.  The 10 mile run alone had over 10,000 entrants.  Flint was alive again.  There were races for all ages and abilities from 1k to 10 miles in length.

But we really didn't care about all those thousands of runners here for the big spectacle ... we were here to see just one particular runner.  Our son, Steve, was making his inaugural attempt to run those rugged ten miles.  Training for the past several months in one of the hottest summers in years, he kept at it adding miles to his routine until he was able to do the 10 miles. 

Now it's nearly race time.  A little nervousness was apparent as Steve prepared for the start.  His soon mom-to-be wife, Jenny, helped him with his race documents and gave him a steady stream of moral support as did his mother-in-law Sharyn, as well as my Sharon and me.  The excitement was building.

Downtown Flint was bulging with racers of all shapes, ages and colors and before long Steve headed off for the start line.  He quickly disappeared into the mass of runners.  I'm pretty sure the three of us each said a little silent prayer on his behalf that he'd not have any problems ... though he probably didn't know it.

I grabbed my camera and headed off towards the starting line only to discover I was lost in the throngs of runners and had no idea where Steve was.  No big deal I thought ... I'd catch him as he rounded the block about a mile from the start.  I headed over to a spot I thought I'd see him only to find the crowd of onlookers three deep.  I did get there just in time to see the lead runners go by.  Three Kenyans whose long, lean legs were stretched out and hitting the pavement at a steady cadence most runners could only dream of.  Already they were pulling away from the pack.  And keep in mind the pack for this race was over 10,000 strong.  I waited as hundreds upon hundreds went racing by.  Straining to find Steve amongst the thousands.  Just to get a glimpse would be good enough for me.  As I just about gave up, I saw him on the other side of the street running along a a pretty good clip.  He seemed relaxed and fresh ... but then again ... it was only a mile into the race.  What would he look like at the finish?

I made way back to our gathering point near the finish line to wait out the rest of the race.  Steve's best time for that distance had been about 1 hour and 50 minutes so with about 25 minutes to spare (I thought), I headed up to the finish line to get some pictures of him coming across.  Arriving there I wiggled my way up to the front row and to my surprise about a minute later I caught sight of him coming down the street towards the finish line.  Wait a minute!  He's early!  Way early than what we'd expected.  But there he was.  Smiling too.  In full stride with arms raised in the air as he crossed the finished line.  Our kid had made it and ... it was his best time at that.  Wow!  The family finally has an athlete.

It was really hard to describe how we all felt.  After all it was just a bunch of people running around and getting sweaty ... but it turned out to be far more than that.  It was a very tangible accomplishment for Steve.  Something that took effort and perseverance.  A moment Steve will always remember and a moment we were all so proud to witness!

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Not our finest hour(s)

It sure seemed like a good idea ... at first.  But after 3 holes into the back nine the message was clear.  The game of golf requires some skills, of which not one of the four of us remembered to bring to the course today.   Playing golf is nothing like riding a bike.  You do forget.  We all forgot.  Like golf great Lee Trevino once said "my golf swing is so bad it looks like a caveman killing his lunch!" Well I think we all had lunch out there.

2 1/2 miles of hacking, whacking, and swishing our way through the floral and fauna.  No hazard untouched, no ball unmolested.  If the little white orb wasn't creased or scuffed ... it was lost.  Now I know why the likes of Titleist, Nike and Callaway make these things by the millions.

And so it went.  If it wasn't for good friends and good weather it would have been like Mark Twain once said "Golf is a good walk spoiled".  We took a normal 120 minute round and manage to stretch it into a 240 minute ordeal taking somewhere over 300 strokes to get home.  No wonder we were pooped after finishing.

So we'd like to thank the course managers for not issuing a lifetime ban on our return, the makers of Ben Gay and Ibuprofen and of course of each other for being able to have a good laugh.

Still livin' the dream but thinking about giving up golf again.

Phil

BG&I Golf Open

The first annual BG and I Open (Ben Gay and Ibuprofen Golf Open) is officially over.  You won't see much coverage on ESPN or any the greater South Haven media outlets, but it happened ... and I was there.  There to pay witness to what might have been the single most important golf event of the year, was yours truly.  Connoisseur of this test of man verses the sculpted landscape of 9 of the most challenging holes of in all the golf world (at least they were today).  Some holes so tough you couldn't even pound a tee into the granite-like soil.  A course for real men.  And real women.  32 of South Haven's, some would say, finest summer citizens.

A peek at the pre-tournament field indicated that there were indeed several classic 'ringers'.  Disguised maybe as carpenters or paper industry workers, these guys somehow slipped into the field of hackers and wannabes.  These 'ringers' quickly surfaced on the first tee ... booming their drives into the morning haze as their partners whacked, hacked, and whiffed their way on to the first fairway.  It was going to be a long day.

As the tournament bore on, it quickly became apparent that the wise perpetrator (perp) of this event had balanced the teams up pretty well by forcing the 'ringers' the numbing opportunity to play with hacks like me.  We hacks actually serve a great purpose on the golf course as we tend to slow the game down to more of a gentleman's pace.  None of this one-hour forty-five minutes for 9 holes for the likes of us but the more genteel pace of say maybe 2 1/2 to 3 hours.   We hacks have discovered that golf is more like fine wine as it is enjoyed best by sipping slowly and savoring each glass.  Conversation and tormenting your partners is what the game is really about; not precision athleticism.

As the morning heated up, it and our back muscles began to throb like the beat of a rap song, the last hole came into view.  Oh merciful one, I thought.  The end is near.  The pain will soon be soothed by a frosty cold one in the clubhouse.  So as the round ended in a blaze of forgettable glory, we limped into bar to tally our scores.  Looking around it was apparent that many were putting on a good front to hide the pain and agony of defeat.  Laughing and joking around could not cover up the sight of this senior group (except for those 'ringers') of golfers as they gingerly eased themselves into their chairs and you could hear our collective sigh of relief that the game was finally over.  All winners .. just because they finished the round and as in most sporting events ... the best teams really did win.  So the combination of hackers and ringers worked out pretty good.  Strength and weakness ... graceful and clumsy ... old and young alike.  Old age and treachery make good partners with youth and skill.

As it turned out, the first annual BG and I Golf Open was a great deal of fun.  It forced many of us to actually get some exercise and have fun while doing it.  Sadly some of us were reminded that what was our golf game is no longer and that any thought of a return to those yesteryear's should be soon be forgotten.  So just enjoy the moment and enjoy your friends ... those things that are really the most important in our lives.

With hand firmly grasping the ibuprofen bottle ... I'm still livin' the dream.

Phil

Good Friends ... continued

Why two casinos in a single day?  Two good reasons as it turns out.  First, and most important was our good friend Bill's birthday celebration dinner.  A tradition our Battle Creek friends have honored for many years.  We each get a turn each year and it is a great excuse to get together and hug the old feed bucket.  Bill is aging as gracefully as most, though claims that vodka is really the magic elixir from the fountain of youth and is most responsible.  With wife June, friends Paula, George, and Kim and, of course Sharon and me, we made the best of the generous buffet at the casino and celebrated in style.

The second part of the evening was a returning visit to the music of Tony Reynolds (http://www.ynotsing.com/).  With keyboardist/vocalist Mark Kahny (http://markkahny.blogspot.com/) the duo made for another great evening of jazzy, inventive arrangements and great fun for the audience.  Playing in a casino room has got to be tough and this casino is no exception.  Annoying slot-machine noises coming through the doors plus a lighting system best suited for a 1971 disco floor, these pros played through and around these distractions.  Even a boisterous group of drinkers in the rear (who cared less of who or what was entertaining the rest of us) were treated smoothly with quick witted humor.  Mark's well-known for his keyboard work with a left-hand bass line the likes I have never heard as good.   Tony did  the new/old standard of Louis Armstrong's "It's a Wonderful World".  Great lyrics to begin with, Tony kicked into his 'Satchmo' voice for the last verse and it could bring a tear to your eye it was so good.

These two entertainers are worth seeking out.  If you live in Southwestern Michigan, check out their websites and find a venue they are playing.  You'll have a great time.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Good friends

Not too often do folks from Iowa leave their home state and venture out and explore other states.  Maybe they go to Illinois or even Wisconsin ... but Michigan?  I guess the logic is ... with all this corn and livestock, why leave? Well we know a few brave souls from the Corn State who sneak out now and again and after a little coaxing our friends, Jim and Carol, did just that.  We met them last winter in Alabama and became travelling companions for the winter.  Staying in contact, we urged them to drive up and spend a few days with us this summer.   We all agreed on a date and before long they were at our door.

It was great to show them around South Haven and have them meet all our friends here at Cousins RV Park.  Easy to meet and easy to like, they fit in like family.  One thing we do have in common is our desire to try new eateries in the area.  The places we wanted to go to here in South Haven were packed as the Blueberry Festival was in full swing so we headed to Douglas and had a very nice meal at the Mad Dog Grille.  A fairly new place, the menu was interesting and service was great.  Not too pricey and even has an outdoor patio for dining under the stars.  I'd recommend it.

The time went by way too fast and before we knew it they had to return home.  But not without enjoying another common interest we have.  Casinos!  Since they were headed West we thought we'd follow them for a bit and stop at Four Winds Casino near the Indiana border.  Thinking it would be fun to we spend a couple of hours there and maybe even avoid leaving another donation to the Indian Nation.

We certainly had a great time, ate good, enjoyed a few blueberry treats (cookies, donuts, and coffee cake), and  are looking forward to seeing them again soon.

So as they headed west to Iowa we had plans to then head East.  Not home, but to another Indian casino ... this time at Battle Creek's Firekeepers Casino.  But the occasion wasn't gambling.  Stay tuned for the next part of a very busy day.

Still livin' the dream and enjoying our friends.

Phil

Where's the ibuprohen?

With the Cousins RV Park's 1st annual golf outing just around the corner, many of us have been forced to actually see if we could still even swing a club.  The mechanics of swinging a club do seem simple enough.  Just watch the guys on TV each weekend.  Effortless balance of man and club ... the ball climbing into the sky and gently landing like a feather some 300 yards down the fairway.  Arms and torso twisting in complete harmony with powerful legs driving the entire process.

This first hurdle some of us are facing is ... can I even find my clubs?  I looked around the basement and garage and found a few 'woods' but couldn't locate my irons.  A light bulb went off and I remembered I had given them to my son, Steve.  Since I hadn't been playing for the past 10 years or so, why not let him use them as he plays quite a bit.  A phone call quickly confirmed what had happened to them.  Steve said he had, in turn, given the clubs to one of his friends.  So now what do I do? 

A quick trip to several of the local golf shops on the east side of the state confirmed that I couldn't buy just a couple of irons but had to buy an entire set.  Ugh!  I really didn't want to spend the money for just one golf outing so I now started to wonder if I could play a round with only a 3 wood and a putter?  Driving out of town on our way to South Haven, I stumbled upon a store that sold used sporting goods.  Eureka!  I walked in and found matched set of Arnold Palmer Irons.  Throw in two dozen balls (hope that will be enough) and $61 dollars later I was ready for play.

Having the clubs is one thing ... hitting a ball with them after a 10 year hiatus ... is another.  Once I got back to South Haven I sought out a driving range to hone my rusty skills.  What?  No driving ranges?  Now what?  Checking with some of my neighbors I soon learned that one of the local courses has a driving range so I grabbed my new sticks and headed out.

The guy behind the counter said that will be $12 bucks when I asked to hit a few balls.  $12 bucks!  I didn't want to play 18 holes but just hit a few balls.  My what 10 years out the golf loop has done to prices.  So I coughed up the $12 and was handed a large bucket of balls and he said take any of the gas carts out to range.  This sort of made me feel better that at least I got a cart to ride but really ... $12 for a bucket of balls!

Anyway I strategically picked a spot on the range whereas no one could see me and began a little warm-up.  Ouch!.  Where did those muscles come from?  I'm sure I could feel things tearing and ripping in my back, arms and legs.  Oh, and did I mention my neck?  After about a dozen swings I had had enough.  But since I still had 3/4 of the balls left, and it did cost me $12, I must press on.  The more I tried the worse my swing got.  "Get back to basics" I kept telling myself.   But since I couldn't remember what the basics were, I was really screwed.  So the physical pain continued. The mental pain actually got worse.  A couple of guys showed up to hit a few balls and guess what?  They picked a spot right behind me.  Now they could see all my golfing skills, up close and personal.  So now I think I have an audience and whatever skills I used to have, have left me forever.  I am now once again ...  a true hacker.  And I had to pay $12 bucks to uncover this uncomfortable truth.

Finally the bucket was empty.  Pain was shooting throughout my body like little lightening bolts.  It was even painful driving the cart back to the clubhouse.  I'm doomed.  Another one of life's great embarrassments will occur next Friday when I step on the first tee.

My only consolation is that I won't be alone.

Still livin' the dream and continuing to overdose on ibuprophen.

Phil

Guess who's coming to dinner?

We've been running at about 120 mph for the past two weeks so the thought of doing nothing for a few days seemed almost intoxicating.  The morning started off well with several of the guys jabbering with me about the upcoming golf outing.  You know pre-game posturing.  All claiming (including myself) various medical or equipment problems that will undoubtedly cause us to perform poorly in the event.  Men have been doing this since caveman ... so we're all good at it.  As mid-day passed, Sharon finally decided to attend the local art fair so she and a friend drove off leaving me with nothing to do.  Nap time,I thought.  But wait ... I did need a quick trip to the store so off I went thinking I'll get that down time when I got back.

As I pulled back into the park I could see my friend Jerry standing along side the road so I pulled over to say hello.  He said  "so you're my benefactor this afternoon!"  "What", I said.  "Oh Sharon called and invited a few of us over for dinner in about and hour", he said.  Ummm.  "News to me" I said.

I was met at the door by Sharon who was hustling around getting stuff ready for the apparent upcoming party.  I said "we're having people over for dinner?"  She assured me it was no big deal as we were just having hot dogs and chips and everyone was bringing their own drinks.  So I said "who's coming over?".  As the names began to flow out this wasn't a little dinner get-together but just about everyone on coach row.  I took a deep breath, headed for the medicine cabinet for some chemical help, and thought it wasn't such a bad idea after all.  We could showcase or Flint specialty .. Koegel hot dogs and real Flint Coney sauce.  (http://www.koegelmeats.com) All smothered in mustard and onions; a little hometown treat we've told everyone about so what a great time to share the goodness.

Anyway ... the evening went well, about 16 were fed and burped.  The perfect summer evening.

Still livin' the dream and enjoying our friends.

Good idea?

It seemed like a great idea at first.  Sharon volunteering to remodel our granddaughter's bedroom while her folks were vacationing.  A little paint, a little carpet and wala' ... a two-day job and back to South Haven in time for 'happy hour'.  From my vantage point it looked to me like a couple of days I could goof off a little ... maybe work on the golf swing, may have lunch with my son, maybe just do nothing.

So we headed back to the east side of the state.  Great plans of what had to be accomplished in the next few days swirled around inside our old TrailBlazer as be motored home.  The more we talked the more I began to better understand that my anticipated vacation might not be quite like I had envisioned.  Sharon, you see, likes to help others by nature.  Most of us know this.  However sometimes she likes to help out by proxy.  That is, she'll help ... but old me will do the work. I do feebly complain over the years but to what good I ask.  She's usually doing something good for somebody and this project was no exception.

Though she was adamant that she would be doing the entire project herself, I got to thinking (to myself of course) that she had never painted or remodeled much of anything for the many decades we'd been together.  I was caught in her trap again.  Whoa is me.  She volunteers and I get to do the work.

And so it began.

We arrived at my daughter's house and the scene of the crime.  A teenager's bedroom.  That special refuge where they can escape from Mom, Dad, Brother, and other troubles big and small.  Sort of like Guantanamo Bay but without the barbed wire.  The room was, to put it mildly, not quite ready to paint like I had thought.  Actually it was sort of like she didn't know we were coming that day.  But there was no turning back.  The mission must begin and the dust, and other teenage treasures began to fly.  Furniture dismantled and moved.  Various pieces of long-forgotten clothing materialized from under the bed, special little articles of memorabilia from 2nd grade, posters of rock stars (I've not a clue who they were) but all part and parcel of my granddaughter and her life experiences.  Even at the tender age of 15 it's okay to be nostalgic.

Getting started is always the worse part so ,with that underway, the next chore was picking out paint colors.  Now you need to understand that my granddaughter is not introverted nor is she bashful.  She speaks her mind and knows what she likes.  So when she and Sharon went out to pick out colors it was a no-brainer.  On the other hand, Sharon was probably having serious heart palpitations after seeing the choices.  I think I heard the terms 'bold' and 'obnoixous' when she and Sharon described what was picked.  No matter to me.  She made the choices and I'm good with it.  Kids got rights ... sometimes.

Anyway the room was finally emptied, walls taped and ... here we go.  I agreed to get them started and show how to hold the brush, handle the roller, spread on the paint, then I'd leave.  First off Sharon was charged with edging the walls prior to using the paint roller.  A skill in which she had , up to this point, either had seen me or Bob Vila do a few times.  Not exactly of the best training but it was all she had. So now armed with that suitcase of tricks she tackled her assignment with cautious exuberance.

Carefully manipulating her paintbrush like a maestro's baton, she inched along the wall.  I could see that in the 24 inches she had completed there was now more paint on her than on the wall.  The 'bold' was already running down her hand and had found a place on her pants.  I was doomed.  No escape to the golf course.  No goofing off for me.  She needed help so, if you know Sharon, who could deny her?  Certainly not her spouse of over 44 years.

And so the day went, and well into the evening as well.  A pretty good 14-hour day with both kids helping Sharon and I out.  There was no doubt not one of us could have done the job alone under the timeline we had.  Not that the job was completely done that day either.  As I began painting the 'obnocious' color I soon realised the paint's pigment kept separating and it would not properly cover the wall.  So back to Lowes, get another gallon, and do the wall over the following day.  Ugh!  Speaking of Lowes ... I think in total we made 7 or 8 trips there to get one thing or another for this 'little' job.  So much for my planning skills.   

So was this whole project better than packing up the grand kids and going off to Cedar Point Amusement Park for a couple of days?  Maybe it depends on who you ask ... but was it fun for me?  Yes it really was!  The room looks great, though a bit bizarre, and best of all we had some great times with the grand kids.  Our granddaughter was really into helping us get her room remodeled.  She worked hard and did things that neither Sharon nor I had either the flexibility or energy to do.  She was in charge of all low level painting that required getting down on hands and knees.  If she hadn't have helped I'd still be there .  My grandson helped drag the heavy old carpet out to the garage.  Quite a bit of strength I'd say.  Since I took it out of the room on to the porch. I can attest it was a heavy, awkward load.  We're really proud of both the kids and even the dog Charlie sort of cooperated by not rubbing up against any wet paint.

Another small chapter has been written in our life book.  We're pretty lucky and still living' the dream.

Phil

A great evening

We stopped last night to one of our favorite hangouts in the area, The What Not Inn (http://www.whatnotinn.com/), just north of South Haven on the Blue Star Highway near Fennville.  An unpretentious little place that serves good food and real live music.  The place was packed, not unusual for a summer weekend, but we patiently waited for a table.  As we stood in line at the door, the entertainment for the evening Tony Reynolds (http://www.ynotsing.com) started another set and I was immediately hooked.

Accompanied by a talented local keyboardist, he covered the musical gamut from Al Jarreau to Micheal Jackson, Sinatra to Marvin Gay.  A vocal range of some four octaves with the smoothness of grandma's gravy.  But singing ability alone does not necessarily make the entertainer. 

What does make an entertainer, in my opinion, is what he can do with his audience.  Can he win today's short attention span listeners over with his personality.  Well let me tell you that Tony Reynolds has really got this part figured out.  At times calling out for requests from the fully engaged patrons, he didn't disappoint a one.  Even if he didn't always know the all words, he would improvise; and in perfect pitch.  No sour notes in this guy's song book. 

He's not new to the music scene by any means having been a backup singer for Tom Jones for many years plus he has performed on all the day and night time TV talk shows.  It was a fun evening and we'll make a point to see him again when he's in the area.

Another little surprise awaited us as we were listening to Tony perform as a beautiful voice arose from the depths of the back kitchen and followed along like a phantom background singer.  Tony acknowledged the girl behind the grill as Patty.   Patty cooks, waits tables, pours drinks and maybe even owns the place and ... can really sing.  Tony invited her to take the mic so she shed her slightly soiled apron and made her way to the stage.  Sultry, yet powerful, this gal can belt out a tune.  She, in her own right, has quite a following in the area and I can see why.  Jazzy, bluesy and pop standards are what's she's made of and the crowd loved her and her music.  Tony was the consumate gentleman in sharing the stage.

A great evening was had by all so ... if you're in the area sometime, check out the WNI. (check out both websites above)

Still livin' the dream,

Phil

Time marches on

Like the glass that is half empty, this summer is almost half gone.  We have had numerous trips back home for social events, family issues and the normal doctor appointments (we're both doing fine by-the-way).  Not as relaxing as we thought this summer would be but at least the weather has been fantastic. 

My son Steve, and his wife Jenny, are expecting their first child in September so the excitement is gradually building and the necessary preparations are underway.  We will soon have a total of three grandchildren.  From a beautiful, almost newborn (you should see the ultrasounds)... to one very attractive young woman just learning to drive a car ... to an bright and energetic 11 year-old  grandson sandwiched in between. 

On a sad note ...  we have lost a friend and family member recently.  Taken from his wife, brother, family and friends at an age when most of us were beginning our prime years.  A kind and giving young man whose ready smile and devilish twinkle in his eyes were of someone you instantly knew you wanted to know.  We will all miss Kevin terribly and we'll always remember what joy he had brought into all our lives. 

So time, and our lives move on.  Learning and building from the experiences we encounter along the way.  Luckily we will all continue to overcome the little 'speed bumps' in life and better enjoy smoother roads ahead.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

What?

Excuses are over.  Time to hit the keyboard and get on with our ongoing adventure.  For those of you who have picked on me for slacking off these past few months, you now have to endure more of my fractured sentences, misspelled words, and a lame joke or two.  Always be careful what you ask for, I say.

As I left you last, we had safely returned from our winter sojourn and parked the coach in our home away from home ... South Haven, Michigan.  We said a few quick hellos and headed off to our 'other' home on the east side of the state.  We chatted along the way about the last time we were away discovering a flooded home due to a water line breakage when we walked into the soggy house.  We were pretty confident that was all behind us as we pulled into the driveway.  All looked good and I opened the back door. At first glance everything was as we had left it six months ago.  Sharon followed me in and said "it looks great! ... but what's that smell?".  I cleverly noted that 'we'd been away for sometime and you should expect some strange smells'.  We continued looking around and all appeared fine so I decided to go to the basement and turn on the water valve.  Opening the basement door was a mistake.  As I did, the smell overwhelmed me.  With racing pulse I ventured down, turning on the lights as I proceeded.  I hadn't quite reached the bottom of the stairs and knew we had a serious problem.

As I looked into the main room of our finished basement, I saw almost every suspended ceiling tile was sagging and moisture laden with animal feces.  Various large puncture holes were visible in several of the tiles and pink insulation was scatter everywhere on the carpet below.  The stench was formidable and the flies.  Did I mention the flies.  They were buzzing around everywhere.  I peeked into one of the other rooms and found most of the ceiling tiles on the floor, soaked very stinky.  A normally screwed tight access panel door lay under the rubble.  This was the access panel that led to a crawl space which is under our family room.  The very place the little bastards managed to get into the house. 

Now I'm not the cowardly lion type but what came to mind was what did this damage? ... and most importantly was it still in the house! So without further ado, I backed out the basement making sure the door was again securely closed behind me.  What ever had made a winter home in our basement had not found a way to get upstairs and ruin any of the work we had completed but six months ago.  This was a good thing.

So, after calming Sharon down a little, we made the call to our insurance agent to break the news that we had a problem.  His first question was ... what was it that caused the damage?  I said I had no idea but then said you'd better hope it was not a rodent of some kind, as rodent damage was not covered in home owners policy.  As the big lump in my throat swelled, I manage to ask him what do I do next.  He said you'll need to get somebody over to see if the animal(s) were still in the house and determine what kind of critters they were. 

We contacted a local critter control guy and he made a quick dash to the house.  He walked in the back door and said he didn't need to go any further to determine what kind of creature had paid us a visit.  "Raccoon" he said.  "Been in business for 20 years and I know what raccoon s##t smells like".  I'm thinking to myself  'now that's a skill set anybody would be proud to put on their resume'.  Anyway he toured the 'crime' scene, placed some bait and traps around and said he'd be back in a day or so to see what was caught.  The catastrophic clean-up crew said they wouldn't start until I could assure them there were no more critters on the premise so getting these little bandits out was paramount. 

The following day the critter guy stopped by and found three furry little critters in the traps and declared the house was free at last ... free at last ... then drove off down the road.  After waving goodbye I walked around to the side of the house only to find a family of furry youngsters checking out the backyard.  More mad than vengeful, I managed to dispatch the lot of them before they scurried off into the woods.  Not overly proud of my actions but a guys got to defend his castle you know..

Anyway the mess was cleaned up, the basement remodeled and all is well.  Finally. 

For those who have followed this blog you may now be wondering if indeed is wasn't Oprah who turned up to spend the winter of 2009 at our place.  Thanks Hal.

Keepin' a watchful eye ...but still livin' the dream.

Phil

St Louis

We must like weddings as we've travelled some distances to attend them.  New York, Las Vegas and now St. Louis.  Sharon's cousin's Marcia's son Chris, and his bride-to-be Nora  invited us to attend their celebration in St. Louis this June.  We thought it might be a neat thing to do so we packed up the old TrailBlazer and headed south.  However before heading out we made a call to our RV buddies Jim and Carol in Iowa and asked if they would be interested in a little mini-vacation and ... could they meet us in St. Louis a few days before the wedding date for a get-together.  As true retirees often do, they drop whatever they are doing to do something new.

We'd met Jim and Carol while in Alabama last winter and then caravaned to Florida together to spend a few chilly months there.  We became good friends and thought it would be great to see them again.

We decided to stay at the same hotel on the west side of St. Louis and promptly resumed our passions of eating out, gambling and sightseeing.  It was sure good to see them and get 'caught up' and are now looking forward to creating another reason to get together soon.

The wedding was one of those usually highlighted in Sunday's society section of your local metro newspaper.

Beautiful people, beautiful surroundings, fantastic food and music ... all hosted by a very gracious bride and groom.  It was a really well-done affair.  Nora and Chris have a great future ahead of themselves and we wish them all the best.

We also had a neat experience on our way to dinner one night.  Well maybe not so neat as I managed to get lost not 3 miles from the hotel.  Yes, I still use a GPS but I got a little distracted when I couldn't find a parking place at the restaurant we wanted to go to.  So I jogged left then another left and found myself in a older neighborhood ... say maybe 1920ish.  Still a neat and prim location but not the place we planned on being.  We drove by this big house and noticed a small sign in front.  Citizen Kane's Steak House it said so Sharon worked Google on her trusty Blackberry and got a telephone number.  "Why not"? we said.  "How bad can it be"?  We called and said we within a few feet of the place and could be get a reservation.  The gal said yes, come on in.  We parked the car and walked through the front door.  It reminded me a bit of my grandmother's house on Manchester street ... only Wiggles the dog wasn't waiting on the front porch. 

The greeter welcomed us and I took a quick look around noticing several small rooms down a long hall, each packed with seated patrons.  The greeter said follow me and she led us up a creaky old oak stairwell.  Arriving at the top I could see several more rooms (probably bedrooms at one time) each packed with well dressed people.  Now this was a Thursday night and where I come from not exactly a big going out to dinner night but this was different.  We were seated and a waitress soon came for our drink order and brought some different warm, and very tasty breads.  Now with menus in hand we quickly discovered this was not just a nice restaurant in somebodies old house but this was a fairly expensive restaurant in somebodies old house.  We were already there so we might as well splurge a little more, we rationalized.  When in a steak place what should you order? ... Da!  So we looked around to see what some of our co-eaters were having.  You guessed it!  Steak!  Not priced at all like chicken (big surprise) but priced like prime steak $$$, which is was.  Without making you drool (I did enough for all of you) we polished off two of the finest steaks that had ever crossed our lips. 

Now I was finally figuring out why all these people were eating here ... it was the food silly.  After paying the princely bill we waddled down the stairs and began looking at all the plaques on the wall.  Actually awards for things like "Best Steak House in St Louis" or rated by numerous magizines as "the place for steak in St Louis. So many awards for excellence you couldn't see the wallpaper.  Actually located in a western suburb of St. Louis call Kirkwood and if you're in the area, call ahead and get a reservation; you won't regret it.  http://www.citizenkanes.com/

Still livin' the dream.

Phil