Birthday Week

My kids came from Texas and Wyoming to help me celebrate this year.  They took hubby and I ( and Buddy) up to Mackinaw City and over to Mackinaw Island.  On the island, we had a private one hour tour which was wonderful!  We saw so many beautiful homes and learned so much about the island.  We did a bit of shopping and still had time for lunch before heading back over to the mainland.  Even the ferry ride was a bit exciting.  I'd ridden it before, but this time it took us under the Mackinaw Bridge on our way over to the island; it was certainly a different view of the bridge than what you see driving over it.  Which really isn't saying a whole lot since I have a fear of bridges and can only focus on the road right in front of me when driving across one... this time I even told hubby and son to not even talk to me while we were crossing.  I certainly don't make the effort to look out over the water.

The next day ( Tuesday) we drove up to Sault St. Marie where I was planning on dipping my toes in Lake Superior.  First up was lunch and we had been told of a little place where they come out to your car, take your order from the menu they provide, and bring it back to you in paper bags.  Then, you can either sit there in your car to eat or you can drive down this little road to a park ( which is what we did) and watch the ferry go back and forth from the island across from the park.

Then it was time for the actual toe dipping.  We realized that the first stop was not actually at the lake, it was in Superior Bay, but that was fine.

that's grandpuppy, Skipper, with son in law.

I think everyone except my husband stood in the water.  It was decided that we needed to go to the spot I originally picked to make it 'official'... (later, hubby told me that was in the bay, too).  It was a little surprising at this spot because, yes, the water was really cold when you first stepped in ( just like the first one), but if you gave it a few seconds, it started to warm up and I ended up standing in there for a few minutes because it felt so good.

There were LOTS of photos taken but none have made it into my laptop so I can't share with you at this point.

We came home the same day that we accomplished my goal of walking in Lake Superior and I told the kids that they needed to come pick up some stuff at the house... and I asked my son to hook the vcr/dvd player to my new tv.  There was a few things for my oldest daughter that needed to leave my house... and, while the girls & my son in law thought they were just waiting for my son to do the hook up, I went into my bedroom closet and pulled out ALL the quilts ( there were WAY more than I thought there were) and called the oldest daughter to come in and take what she wanted ( younger daughter was probably in her car talking to her current bf).  Then, I saw the younger daughter was back on our deck/porch and told her "Your sister is in here picking out quilts - if you want any you'd better get in here!"... and also told son in law and son to come pick some out, too.  The guys each took two and I lost count of how many the girls took.  I told them to read the labels because there were some that were intended for someone else so they couldn't have them... younger daughter didn't do as she was told and ended up taking one that wasn't on the 'free for all' list and had to bring it back the next day.  

The older daughter took quilts for all the grandkids ( our greats) for their birthdays that are all coming up between now and Dec. -- which means I don't have to stress about mailing them and worrying about them getting lost in transit.  YAY!  She also called 'dibs' on my Amish with a twist III? when I'm ready to part with it.

All in all, I think they took close to half of my collection... which is fine.  They were also told "You are not allowed to sell them!" (my oldest daughter has a booth in an antique market and I wanted to be sure she knew).   O.D. also asked about the tops waiting to be quilted that I mentioned in passing... I opened the door to the room they are in... the rack is a double one and it's full!  She asked "WHY?"... I told her that there are days when it's easier for me to sit and sew than to stand at the machine.  I didn't mention that sometimes they have to wait until I get batting and/or backing fabric for them... and sometimes I just have to wait for inspiration on how I want to quilt it.

Wednesday, the Texas kids headed back home while the younger daughter stayed here to finish up clearing out what she could of her storage locker.  I helped her do that yesterday and brought home stuff that she didn't want but was too good to just toss in trash ( stuffed animals, a large toy r.c. jeep that lost it's r.c., gson's bowling trophies & shoes... stuff like that).  Oh yeah, and a trunk full ( I'm not kidding!!) of plastic clothes hangers along with a beautiful quilt that she has no memory of - thought I'd made it... told her nope.  I think I remember where she got it.  Anyway, she didn't want it so I brought it home with me.  I gave the jeep to the boy across the street and his two little sisters each got a stuffed animal and then I went over to the neighbors behind us ( where Buddy's little girlfriend Bella lives) and asked if Bella and her sister could have some toys ( and explained where they came from).  Bella came over with me and I let her pick out a couple of stuffed animals and I had a sit and spin for her younger sister along with one of those annoying toys that have a long stick handle attached and it makes noise as you roll it along on the floor.  All the kids were excited and very politely said "Thank you".  I still have a few left which I'll probably donate to the clothing bank when I take the trunkfull of hangers down to them.

The bowling shoes and trophies I thought I'd talk to the owner of the bowling alley across the way to see if we can sell the shoes ( basically brand new) and contact the people who do the trophies for the kids to donate them to use in the future.  I'll take a photo of them first and then ask that they give me the 'badges' with his name & info on them.

Tomorrow will be the end of my birthday week.... I'm planning on driving over to Lake Erie and walk in it's waters... then I will have either walked or swam in all of the Great Lakes, floated in The Great Salt Lake, swam in the Atlantic Ocean, blew my chance to wade in the Pacific, walked in the waters of Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico.  It didn't start out as a 'bucket list', but it looks like it ended up as one.

I did tell my kids that this birthday was so great that I'm going to turn 70 again next year - hint, hint lol  The younger daughter and I were talking about going somewhere different -- maybe Holland, Mi.  I think we've all been there, but not in the last decade... last century for a couple of them.

In the meantime, I really need to get working on my quilt guild challenge which is due in just over a month.. and I have basically done nothing other than minor prep work ( gathered some fabrics and had the photo enlarged).

I'll try and add some photos from my phone... if it doesn't work, I'll get them transferred over here to my laptop and show some at a later day.

Family photo taken in Mackinaw City.... son on left then youngest daughter, son in law and my older daughter, then myself and my wonderful husband (and Buddy behind me)

Now, I'm off to find myself some lunch ( leftovers from Applebee's dinner last night)... Yummm

take care....

ttyl........

while trying to load these photos and attempting to do the same with a video, I received news that the guild challenge deadline has been moved to Nov... wheee!!  more time - love it!