Mid November

November 16 8am 38 degrees - high clouds as the sun rises after yet another marvelous weekend - high of 68 on Saturday - considering there have been years recently when snow has been piling up.

Shopping with Mother was fun. Even at 86, she has a flair for the dramatic and an eye for what makes her look good.

Slowly recovering from my adventure, much slower than I would like.

Getting a lot done for a change. Things are moving forward, quickly. This is a good thing.

Bernita is back and she was sorely missed.

Kristin Nelson has been running a series of posts concerning contracts - yet another reason for writers to leave the arcane details to the agents.

Life is good. In my corner of the world, along the river, the trees are bare, charcoal colored branches, bereft of leaves, ground covered by dark brown oak leaves, such a horrid color, yet, here and there, a glimpse of green growth, holding on before the coming freeze, holding the promise of the cycles continuing to play out in our lives and in our world.

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Veteran's Day - Remembrance Day

November 11 7am 27 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, frost on the ground, had a wonderful weekend of 68 degree weather.

Outside this past weekend, battening down the house for the coming winter, washing windows, sprucing up.

Week was rolling along fine until Tuesday morning about 3:30. I woke to extreme pain and pressure at the bottom of my rib cage. Ah, just gas, couple of Maalox, glass of water, back to bed. Repeat at 4, repeat at 4:30, by 5, it was becoming clear this was a particularly bad episode or maybe something else. Then, new pains started in different places around and about my chest. Check google for heart attack symptoms. Wake wife, comb hair, go to ER.

By nine, it was obviously a heavy duty gas attack - by noon, I was home. Lost the whole day and am more annoyed that my body seems to be turning on me after 58 years of being able to count on it to keep me moving day after day.

One of my personal heroes, Uncle Jack, fell and broke his hip. He is 93. The hospital wanted to do little but make him comfortable, but he insisted on having surgery to repair the damage and get him walking again, he is planning on heading to Florida for Christmas. Happy to report, operation was successful - though the doctors were skeptical - and recovery is going well.

Bernita - after an absence of some time - has returned. Her delightful take on publishing and writing and living has been missed.

Off to do battle with the world. Lost a whole day this week and am taking tomorrow off to take my Mother shopping for winter clothes. This will be her first winter in Michigan in over twenty years.

Upward and Onward.

November 5 9am 37 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, the leaves have pretty much relocated to the yard, breeze is cold not chilly, winter feels as if it could come at any time.

Work goes well - writing is still struggling.

Bloggers seem less likely to blog on a daily basis - too many other things happening, I guess. My kids are telling me if I want to keep track of them, I need to go on facebook. Good Grief, another thing to waste time on?

Apparently, I have little to contribute this morning as well....

Interestingly enough, I discovered watching the news/opinion/ranting shows on television will put me immediately to sleep.

Life is good - for all my complaining. We go on.

October 28 9am 49 degrees - rainy overnight, hazy this morning as the sun is just coming up in my little part of the world.

This week going even better than last, sales are amazingly good, money flowing, good stuff.

Creating a new work schedule, seems to be just the ticket. Things are happening.

Watching the political stuff - interesting but does cause one to ponder when the Democratic party got so chummy with Wall Street. Here, have some money to replace all the money you lost betting on risky stuff. Does anyone else see anything wrong with this picture?

And some mornings, it seems the best solution to Al Queda is simply to nuke large portions of the Afghan/Pakistan border. Would probably get most of them and, if not, would certainly slow them down.

Okay, shouldn't be musing on such stuff - no one really cares what I think.

Looking forward to the new Stephen King book - though I'll likely have to wait until Christmas as Daughter always buys me the latest.

And, gee, Christmas is less than two months away. Okay, now that I've depressed myself, off to work.

October 21 8am 52 degrees - rainy morning, but temp going to 70 this afternoon, a welcome respite after a couple weeks of way way below normal.

Things are pretty quiet around here; nothing really going on. Getting used to my wife working afternoon shift, going through a tough period of how much time can I waste...

On the other hand, business going extremely well, money moving in and out, ads being sold.

New projects trying to be born. Down on the river last night, playing in the leaves that float my way and get caught in the rocks. The magic of the water (man, was it ever cold), carrying red and yellow messengers from upstream. Winter comes.

October 16 9am 33 degrees - bright sunshine and clear blue Michigan skies. Been unseasonably cold here the past weeks - some 15-20 degrees below where we should be. Heavy frost, flowers gone, leaves turning quickly.

Work goes well - actually still 20% ahead of last year, who da thunk?

No one seems to be blogging these days. Guess that whole scene is about over - just ask Robin. Even Janet is posting less these days.

Perhaps everyone is getting back to writing??? as opposed to twittering, facebooking, blogging and whatever else is taking precious minutes from our days?

Went to funeral home yesterday for Bev Hayward Wood. She was my first mother-in-law, back some forty years ago. Her life is the stuff of novels, a simple life, full of big families, raucous siblings, and a childlike take on everyday living. Always a smile, always caring, always asking about my kids even though only one of them was her actual granddaughter.

Sometimes I sit in awe of the magic that is my life. May it be ever so.

October 5 7pm 53 degrees - darkness is falling on a cloudy cool day.

Been an interesting couple weeks, wine tasting up north with four couples, golf, wine, shopping, hanging out. We had a sauna in the house that was absolutely marvelous.

Back home, wife working new shift, long hours into the evening, leaving me here alone to ponder the universe, the rest of my life, and whether to let the cat in or not.

Gearing up for winter. Bought my first 40lb bag of sunflower seeds today. The birds have been coming around asking when I'm going to start the winter feeding - no, seriously, the chickadees and woodpeckers come to see if the feeders are up yet. Had one little guy perch on the window looking inside to see if we were still here.

Fireplace burning, trying to keep the chill off the house while at the same time not using propane, which is still ridiculously expensive.

Life is good.

September 22 3pm 81 degrees - cloudy, but amazingly warm for the first day of Fall. Tries to rain, we've gotten a little, less than 1/2 inch - which is our total for the entire month.

Patry Francis is back home after her LAST surgery. She is such a sweet soul, whose talent with the written word is simply among the best. Hopefully, her long nightmare is finally over and the second novel will be coming soon. Patry was one of the first friends I made on this blog. I cheered when she burned her waitress shoes, special ordered her book, enjoyed it, passed it on, cried when she got the diagnosis, prayed through the surgeries, oohed and aahed over her grandchildren, and got teary eyed at today's post. A life's journey through this blog and PublishersMarketplace.

As we attempt to get back into the swing of writing and publishing, (news on these attempts are awaiting approval), the sense of community we share here is very important.

Off this weekend for our Annual Wine Tasting Weekend. This year, we have a huge modern house in Sutton's Bay as our home base. Vacations come not often enough.

Onward and Upward.

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Dry September

September 14 10am 70 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - been clear for the past two weeks, no rain, just bountiful sunshine. Flowers are drying up, river has dropped to 8 inches or so, mosquitoes are finally dropping off a bit.

What have I been doing? Labor Day Saturday on the lake, Detroit Shock game where my wife was accosted by the mascot, Zap. Attended a wedding for the neighbor kid on Saturday, a lot of US Open tennis, working in the yard, and such.

Blogs have been quiet - as if everyone has found something better to do, or more fun, or more whatever? LitPark with the amazing Susan Henderson has apparently succumbed to the lack of time to keep things going.

I, on the other hand, am coming to the conclusion that I should be blogging about writing and not the usual dribble of my life. Hence, I haven't been doing much either.

Wife has gone on a new shift, working afternoons three days a week, which will afford me time to actually write more. I will keep you folks apprised of this new development as warranted.

Now, it's off to the sales wars. Starting to run a bit behind on that score as I try for a sixth straight record breaking month. Onward and Upward.

September 2 9am 48 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, perfect stretch of weather, cold nights - had a fire last night - low 40's - long sleeves but glorious clear skies.

Alan projects over the weekend - drained the hot water heater - overflow pipe was dripping - benefit? solved the problem and the water is much hotter now. Vacuumed out the furnace - and the heater in my office. Wife is good with keeping the heat off as long as possible by using the heater in my office, fireplace, and small electric heater in our bedroom.

Haven't heard from youngest at college - must be doing okay.

Onward and Upward.

August 27 8am 54 degrees - cloudy, chilly morning with more chill in the forecast.

After overdosing on Ted Kennedy to the point where the grainy videos were becoming too much, I wandered through the other 500 channels of cable looking for something to watch. Ended up putting in the Fellowship of the Ring (extended version). What does this say about the programming ability of the networks and cable companies? Do they really want us to watch?

A month ago, I wrote a 150 word letter to the editor about a local (very local - just our township) election. I'm still getting comments on it. Does this indicate an audience for my stuff? Can it be an indication that people are still actually reading the local newspaper?

I had a good run writing a column in the Flint Journal - ten years, once a week. Something I enjoyed and I ended up making more money than most folks get for their first novel. Of course, in these days of penny pinching, it is nearly impossible to get such a gig, unless you are willing to do it for free.

What to do?

August 26 8am 61 degrees, raining, coming down pretty good as a cold front moves in.

One consequence of our flooding a couple weeks ago has been the emergence of a huge mosquito population - they are everywhere and relentless. The cats bring them in from outdoors and there doesn't appear to be any solution except to sit in the house (if you go outside, you get swarmed), covered with Deet.

Quiet weekend, went to the festival on Friday evening for a few minutes, left before it got completely underway. Saturday, split a little wood, played cards. Sunday, went golfing in the rain. Didn't embarrass myself. Monday, took youngest to college, stopped at Daughter's and met the Grand Dog. A huge pile of super fluffy puppy - a Newfoundland - will get bigger.

Off to Mom's this morning. Deliver mats and all that.

Sales continue to amaze - have no idea what that's all about, but we'll take it.

Onward and Upward.

August 21 Noon 73 degrees, blue sky with puffy white clouds.

Quiet week, all in all. Nothing spectacular, good sales, money coming in, lazy day today, running around the internet, catching Agatha Christie's lost Poirot - very cool, thanks PM,

Weekend has nothing special planned. Not likely to go near our local festival, tend to stay away if I have no real reason to show up, which I don't.
Monday, move youngest back to Oakland U and into his dorm room. He gets to go a week early as he works with the housing department setting up internet for the dorm rooms.

Weather is cooling down, maybe I'll fire up the chain saw and get some wood put up for the winter - I know it's coming, certainly not ready.

Writing on tap. Time to get geared up for another push at publication.

Onward and Upward.

August 17 8am 72 degrees, trying to get light out, very cloudy this morning and the air thick enough to cut with a knife, a few thunderstorms overnight, sticky.

A quiet weekend, a few "Alan" projects, replaced the door handle on the back screen door, cleaned up an area of the basement that used to be under the fuel oil tank (isn't now since I switched to gas), mowed the lawns. The river has gone down to within a foot of usual. - which means it fell some six feet in three days. Makes one wonder where did all that water go?

Delivered placemats Friday, and wasn't able to get a massage (booked up), so went for a psychic healing instead. Interesting concept and my body/mind is still trying to get a handle on the effects. All this new age stuff is intriguing and I can see how people can get caught up in it. Not saying where I sit or believe, just observing and learning.

Life is good as we enter the last three weeks of summer - oh yes, an extra bonus week this year. Michigan, due to upper Michigan relying on the tourist business, cannot start school -by law - until the day after Labor Day. This year, public schools will start on September 8. Hopefully, the extra week of summer will be profitable.

Much on tap this week. Have to get out and kick some serious sales.
Onward and Upward.

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Summer in Michigan

August 14 10am 67 degrees - warm day coming, close to 90 for the weekend.

Water is slowly going down - from 8 feet down to 3 or 4, my property is reappearing, albeit with a patina of wet soggy river water leavings.

Been a decent week, sales moving right along. Yesterday, delivered special Lapeer Days placemats to 6 restaurants in five towns. More today. Such fun. No decision on whether we'll go to Lapeer Days or not next week. Middle son is personal assistant to Hooper - the Detroit Piston's Mascot and he is scheduled to make an appearance so we'll probably have to go down for a few minutes.

The carnival can't set up in the usual spot as it had 8 feet of water last Monday - the water has receded but there is no way the ground will dry out enough for the tiltawhirl by next Wednesday.

Off to deliver mats, get a little writing done, maybe a massage, maybe a psychic reading, something fun and/or different.

August 10 8am 71 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky. Did I mention that we needed rain? Lawn dry, crunchy. Dragging the hose around trying to keep my flowers blooming?

Saturday, it rained. Rained all day. 1 3/4 inches. Saturday night at 1am, thunder, lightning and more rain. Another two inches. South of here, they got considerable more.

Here along the river, it has gone from 1 foot deep to 8 feet deep and moving fast. Town is under water and the summer festival known as Lapeer Days starts next week - the park where they set up has 9 feet of water in it. Going to be interesting.

Selling ads today might be a challenge as roads are closed, some businesses are freaking out as the water gets ever higher, many are without power as some storms were pretty intense.

Suppose I shouldn't have asked for rain...

Wife is nearing the end of her odd schedule filling in for her co-worker. She is tired.

All this extra time, home alone, has helped working out the plot lines in my WIP. It has been giving me fits trying to figure out how to create the overarch to make it more than just readable, to make it unputdownable, thereby not only getting to publication, but beyond.

Just keep writing, Ric, it will be fine.

August 3 8pm 79 degrees - semi-cloudy or would that be partly cloudy? whatever.

We survived a long, long day of 40th Class Reunion. Old girlfriends were, well, older. It was great fun, we had both class sponsors show up, which was a highlight.

Sunday was reading newspapers, napping, mowing a little lawn, generally kicking back, relaxing.

Back at it today, hard and heavy. Have 4 straight months of record breaking sales and this one looks like a winner, too.

And writing has moved to the top of my to-do list.

Blogs enjoyed today. LitPark, PubRants, James Goodman and Robin Slick. Go have fun and maybe learn something.

July 31 9am 66 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, glorious.

Sort of a lost cause yesterday. Got running done and then didn't have anything to do. Wandered around for a bit, at loose ends.

Finally came home, spent an hour watering my flowers - it is a tad dry here. The rains have been missing my little piece of heaven.

Then, still being unfocused, I walked down along the river and sat on the rocks. Cedar Waxwings swooped from side to side, sometimes changing directions mid-flight, very cool. Had no idea what they were doing and then I saw - ever so slowly, little white bugs - they almost looked like dandelion puffs - would rise from the water floating into the air and the birds would swoop by and snatch them. Amazing to watch.

Reminding me that special moments arrive when you aren't looking for them, and life is wonderful if you take the time to let magic happen.

July 30 8am 61 degrees, blue Michigan sky with odd bits of white - not really clouds, just streamers.

Managed not to get a lot done this week - been working on Reunion stuff. That is now done and we are looking forward to spending Saturday renewing friendships and bragging about the kids. T-shirts designed and ordered, book on what everyone has been doing the past 40 years ready to go to printer, Cake ordered - now, if I could only find my Yearbook...

Business has been on hold, which is fine, no big deal, have to deliver placemats tomorrow, a couple more sales would be nice, but I'm already 20% ahead of last year's July.

It is absolutely spectacular outside. A glorious summer day. Saw my first combine in the field harvesting wheat yesterday. Amber waves of grain turning to yellow gold straw.

Summer festivals in full swing. Once I get the Reunion out of the way, the wife is covering vacation for her co-manager, so next week will be odd - when your wife works two days a week and suddenly goes to seven, it makes the house seem empty.

Onward and Upward.

July 26 8am 65 degrees, cloudy sky this morning, after an absolutely perfect sunrise into blue. Wheat is ready to harvest, but the humidity is a bit high - amber waves of grain.

Woke early, in the dusk, waiting for the coffee to brew, watched a doe bring her two fawns across the road and through my yard going down to the river.
Phlox are blooming, impatiens are spectacular, day lilies are coming out.

Finished The Moveable Feast - remix. Would have to read the original again to tell you what is different, but it still reads wonderfully - but, then, most anything by Hemingway reads that way.

Have neighbor's 50th Wedding Anniversary party today. Finished up a long hard two weeks of work - all profitable.

Cards last night, planned our annual wine tasting trip, got the food figured out, Life is good.

Need to finish mowing the yard between rainshowers today - clouds are building pretty good right now.

Putting the finishing touches on a booklet for the 40th class reunion of Brown City High School Class of 69. that party is next weekend. Summer rolling right along, fall will be here before we know it.

July 16 8am 63 degrees, clear blue Michigan sky - had a few (very few) raindrops last evening - humidity has dropped and the wheat is getting closer to harvest every day.

Watching two small dogs for our friends this week while they vacation. I don't like dogs and this week has only reinforced that belief.

Week was disrupted by tradition of attending the first showing of each Harry Potter movie with my sons. Tuesday evening, 10 pm, found me standing in front of the Trillium theater in Grand Blanc with 2600 other people in a very long line. While waiting, I got to people watch.

I found it interesting that people now consider shoes to be passe. Fully 50% were wearing flipflops. And many of the rest were wearing moccasins or the latest retro sneakers which are nothing more than a piece of rubber with canvas uppers. Less than 20% were wearing actual shoes. Yeah, yeah, I know it's summertime but still. An amazing number of people wander into the restaurants looking for a job wearing flipflops.

Now, to the movie itself. The manager came into our theater and told us that all 13 screens (his number - I can't believe the architect actually designed a 13 screen cinema.) were sold out - 2600 tickets for the midnight show - AND half the tickets for the 3am show as well. Bear in mind this is the middle of the week and the entire population of Grand Blanc is about 8,000. Yeah, I know we have 20% unemployment hereabouts but who, if anyone, actually showed up for work on Wednesday morning?

And, the movie, good as it was, wasn't worth missing work for. It's felt, at times, as if the screenwriter missed the point of the book, instead going for the teen romance angle and pushing the magic, dark and otherwise, to the background. It didn't work for me. I'll be interested to see if J K Rowling has any comments.

Got my copy of the new version of The Moveable Feast, by Earnest Hemingway. As I noted on LitPark, the 1964 edition was partially responsible for my writing career. And I, on good days, can still see Papa's influence.

Off to my hometown today to mow Mom's lawn and deliver mats.

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Another Month Closer to Winter

September 2 9am 48 degrees, clear blue Michigan sky, lovely stretch of weather this week, cold nights (started a fire last night, low 40's), days are getting warmer - long sleeve, but the sun is wonderful.

Weekend Alan projects - drain the hot water heater - the overflow vent was dripping water - benefit? Stopped the leak and the hot water is much hotter now. Cleaned the furnace and the heater in my office - vacuuming getting ready for winter, though the wife says the little electric heater in our bedroom, the fireplace, and my office heater will hopefully negate the need to turn the furnace on until we can no longer stand the cold.

No word from college which indicates youngest is settling in just fine. I called him Saturday and he was at the Detroit Lion's game. Ah, to be young again.

Life is good.

August 27 8am 54 degrees - cloudy, chilly morning with more chill in the forecast.

After overdosing on Ted Kennedy to the point where the grainy videos were becoming too much, I wandered through the other 500 channels of cable looking for something to watch. Ended up putting in the Fellowship of the Ring (extended version). What does this say about the programming ability of the networks and cable companies? Do they really want us to watch?

A month ago, I wrote a 150 word letter to the editor about a local (very local - just our township) election. I'm still getting comments on it. Does this indicate an audience for my stuff? Can it be an indication that people are still actually reading the local newspaper?

I had a good run writing a column in the Flint Journal - ten years, once a week. Something I enjoyed and I ended up making more money than most folks get for their first novel. Of course, in these days of penny pinching, it is nearly impossible to get such a gig, unless you are willing to do it for free.

What to do?

August 26 8am 61 degrees, raining, coming down pretty good as a cold front moves in.

One consequence of our flooding a couple weeks ago has been the emergence of a huge mosquito population - they are everywhere and relentless. The cats bring them in from outdoors and there doesn't appear to be any solution except to sit in the house (if you go outside, you get swarmed), covered with Deet.

Quiet weekend, went to the festival on Friday evening for a few minutes, left before it got completely underway. Saturday, split a little wood, played cards. Sunday, went golfing in the rain. Didn't embarrass myself. Monday, took youngest to college, stopped at Daughter's and met the Grand Dog. A huge pile of super fluffy puppy - a Newfoundland - will get bigger.

Off to Mom's this morning. Deliver mats and all that.

Sales continue to amaze - have no idea what that's all about, but we'll take it.

Onward and Upward.

August 21 Noon 73 degrees, blue sky with puffy white clouds.

Quiet week, all in all. Nothing spectacular, good sales, money coming in, lazy day today, running around the internet, catching Agatha Christie's lost Poirot - very cool, thanks PM,

Weekend has nothing special planned. Not likely to go near our local festival, tend to stay away if I have no real reason to show up, which I don't.
Monday, move youngest back to Oakland U and into his dorm room. He gets to go a week early as he works with the housing department setting up internet for the dorm rooms.

Weather is cooling down, maybe I'll fire up the chain saw and get some wood put up for the winter - I know it's coming, certainly not ready.

Writing on tap. Time to get geared up for another push at publication.

Onward and Upward.

August 17 8am 72 degrees, trying to get light out, very cloudy this morning and the air thick enough to cut with a knife, a few thunderstorms overnight, sticky.

A quiet weekend, a few "Alan" projects, replaced the door handle on the back screen door, cleaned up an area of the basement that used to be under the fuel oil tank (isn't now since I switched to gas), mowed the lawns. The river has gone down to within a foot of usual. - which means it fell some six feet in three days. Makes one wonder where did all that water go?

Delivered placemats Friday, and wasn't able to get a massage (booked up), so went for a psychic healing instead. Interesting concept and my body/mind is still trying to get a handle on the effects. All this new age stuff is intriguing and I can see how people can get caught up in it. Not saying where I sit or believe, just observing and learning.

Life is good as we enter the last three weeks of summer - oh yes, an extra bonus week this year. Michigan, due to upper Michigan relying on the tourist business, cannot start school -by law - until the day after Labor Day. This year, public schools will start on September 8. Hopefully, the extra week of summer will be profitable.

Much on tap this week. Have to get out and kick some serious sales.
Onward and Upward.

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July in Michigan - doesn't get any better
originally posted: July 13, 2009

July 13 10am 69 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - gorgeous day.

Had a busy weekend - friends, family and lots and lots of food. Now, in recovery mode as we try to get the week started.

Stars were beautiful last night, glory in the heavens,

Reunion yesterday with wife's cousins - in this recession, life is hard - seeing cousins our age, and the way their lives turned out, makes one wonder whether it was their personalities or the world they inhabit that is responsible for their current position.

Yeah, yeah, I think too much....

Onward to the week.

July 10 10am 72 degrees - light clouds obscuring the blue - humidity rising, going to be hotter than recently today.

Yesterday was one of those magic days - everything went amazingly well, sales made, checks received, didn't seem to matter. Wife went to store for hamburger to grill out, came home with T-Bones instead. About three, I called home and told her to put the best bottle of wine we had on ice - I was having a great day. (it was a Malbec Reserve). Good food, good wine, a good day.

July 9 9am 59 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, fog this morning, burning off to light fluffy clouds

Lots of fun over at LitPark. Best of luck with your book, Lance.

Busy week, lots getting done, lots of sales, flow of money seems a bit slow, but everything else working just fine.

Actually seem to be getting the time to write a bit - very strange, but we'll take it. Hope springs eternal, just a matter of getting it done.

Busy weekend coming up - busy Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and night, and then a family reunion on Sunday. Good grief.

Onward and Upward.

July 6 7pm 76 degrees -summertime

Pop Salvation by Lance Reynald
239pp - Harper Perennial

Pop Salvation is a treasure, holding gems that will sparkle long after the last page is turned.

First novelists are cautioned about writing in first person but Caleb is a fully realized narrator from the beginning. In a world where family is superfluous or non-existent, Reynald's deft touch makes it seem not only plausible but real.

Caleb's journey into himself, rendered with minimal internal dialogue, hits the high points of adolescence; those moments we recall both with dread and longing. First kiss, first love, first heartbreak, sketched uniquely to fit the narrator and, by extension, the reader.

And we want to root for this hero, the lonely kid in the corner with his shock of white hair; we want him to succeed, to make it through to adulthood - philosophy realized, values solid, future bright.

Lance Reynald has contributed his generation's remarkable coming of age novel to our collective literature. Bravo!

July 4 9am 61 degrees, fluffy white summer clouds

Fourth of July - Happy Independence Day. Long week, lots of sales, good week.

Thursday meeting of the Writer's Circle, my odd little writing club, only once a month but enough to keep me thinking about writing, even if I don't follow through.

Yesterday, golf with my friend, then back to his house for food and cards. Today, tennis on the telly, nap, then out to the lake for more food and fun, and watching the fireworks from the boat.

Alan project this weekend, fixing the oddly shaped hole that appeared in the bottom of my dishwasher - have no idea where it came from, hopefully a little epoxy and a piece of tin will fix it. Dishwasher was not on my list of things to buy this month.

Wedding stuff has settled down, Daughter should be arriving home from honeymoon today? I'm really not sure.

Geared up for a very productive month. Last three months are the best quarter my business has ever had - duplicate, duplicate and I'll be in fine shape going into the winter.

Everyone get out there and enjoy the holiday.

June 29 8am 63 degrees, clouds and blue sky as the sun rises

Monday morning, after a long 10 days. Wife is making strawberry jam. Boys are all at work, Daughter is in Hawaii on her honeymoon. Most of the family have gone back to their lives. Brother from Tacoma is still around - we have decided he doesn't really have a job, that he is actually retired but refuses to admit it - he is on his seventh week of vacation this week - how come I can never find a job like that?

My Daughter's wedding was picture perfect, Dad felt proud and honored to walk such a beautiful woman down the aisle. Ceremony was short and sweet under a partly cloudy sky with smiling friends and family.
Reception was a totally good time, lots of food and drink, music, memories made, no big problems.

Wife and I left a few minutes before the end to get back to the hotel and drop rose petals all over the bridal suite. Wife had three keys to their room - actually, I think she had keys to every room in the hotel - don't even ask.

Next morning, wife and I are having breakfast downstairs when Daughter called to ask if I was still at the hotel. It seems the bridal party came from the reception on the trolley and they didn't have a car to get home. Ah, Dad gets to help again.

Sunday was taking back tuxes, and coming home for a long nap. Monday, Wife and I, along with two sons, trekked to Caseville - some 80 miles north for family fun at my brother's place near the beach. Lots of family showed up, good time was had by all, pictures taken with Mom for Christmas cards (most likely), swimming, putt-putt, water balloons, fun and family.

Tuesday I went back to work. Wednesday it was 95 degrees here - which is really too warm to do much. Had a successful week, made lots of money, not bad at all. Friday, I delivered 20000 placemats all over the countryside, ending up at my Mother's in time to go out for supper, then a short drive through the country with her, trying to glean a few more nuggets of growing up in the 1930's. An old house, a familiar road, or view is all it takes for Mom to recall some tidbit that I haven't heard before.

Saturday, I mowed lawns, my flowers are looking great - amazing what a dose of Miracle Grow will do. I have various little yellow lilies, bright purple/orange Asian lilies, buttercups, torch lilies, and other 19 buds on the rose bush.

Cards Saturday night - men won at pinochle, Chilian wine,

Sunday, my brother from Tacoma brought Mom and his family over for dinner - good food, good conversation and memories made with family so far away.

Now, it's back to work again. It appears no one is working this Friday, so I can't dawdle. And, I already have golf penciled in for Friday afternoon.

Life is good - this has been a June to remember. And, when all is said and done, memories are all we have.

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Wedding
originally posted: June 22, 2009

June 22 8am 64 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, perfect summer day - going to 85 later, birds singing, dew heavy

Going to take a couple days to get this whole marvelous weekend into focus. It was a helluva party, yes it was.

Today, driving to Caseville (about 60 miles) to spend the day with my brothers and their families - one more vacation day before getting back to work. Have two sons with us, so it should be extra fun.

Golfing with my brothers on Thursday was great, as usual. Time with those we cherish is always good. Pizza and visiting after.

Friday, to Daughter's to help, pick up tux, her garage had 20 dozen fresh cut roses being put together, then to rehearsal, where the Matron of Honor went ballistic with the wedding decorator because the little lights were east & west instead of north & south - a formidable woman, not anyone I would want to cross up.

Rehearsal went well, if it doesn't rain, we will set the chairs up here, if it does, over there. Simple. Back to our hotel for rehearsal dinner, very nice, everything lovely. Enjoying a glass of wine when my cousin & husband walk in. A chance to chat with them for a few minutes, Then off to our huge and extremely comfortable bed (thank you, Crown Plaza), and watch a huge thunderstorm out the big windows overlooking Chrysler (Mercedes, Daimler, Fiat, US Government) world headquarters.

Enough for today - hope to get the wedding in tomorrow.

June 18 7am 60 degrees - cloudy, foggy morning after 2 inches of rain yesterday, warm & muggy today...

Golf with my three brothers on tap for today - a yearly event when we are all in town together - one from Tacoma, one from Wisconsin, and one from a mile up the road. Since we all play equally well (or bad), it just turns out to be fun. I haven't played for 8 months, so it might be worse than usual.

Tomorrow is helping Daughter with last minute stuff, and the Rehearsal & Dinner. Then, the Big Day.

Probably be a bit before I get back to you all, Life is good. Life can be absolutely wonderful and this is one of those times.

June 15 10 am 71 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - little shower last night (while I was watering the flowers), into the 80's for this week - summer has arrived.

More help for Daughter this weekend. Rolling right along - most everything done, getting geared up for the big day. Saturday night, cards and I broke a front tooth, cleanly in half - according to youngest, looked like a hillbilly... (note that I contributed that to someone else...)

8 am this morning, dentist superglued it back in place - looks good - Instructions? Don't be eating any frozen SnickerDoodles.

Sunday I mowed lawns, chopped wood, read some in Plainsong (suggested by Laura, took a nap, and watered flowers in the rain.

One brother has arrived in Michigan already, another due on Wednesday, Nephew coming in tonight. The tribe gathers.

Life is good.

June 12 10am 64 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - absolutely beautiful. Got an inch of rain on Monday, greened everything up, farmers happy, and I didn't have to water...

Flowers are looking good. I really want to get some of the white iris - I've always liked those and never hunted them down. Something about this wet and cool spring brought out the glory in the blooms. All over the countryside, iris and other pretty things bring delight at each twist and turn of the road.

Wedding plans have reached a fever pitch. It is all going to work, it is all going to work, (breathe and repeat)

Sales still going along great. Trying to get all my restaurants stocked up so I can spend some family time with relatives from far away.

My life is going very well. We are all healthy, happy and anticipating tomorrow. The sun is shining, my soul is at peace, and the next generation is finding their way.

What more can one ask?

June 8 8am 57 degrees - very cloudy, rain expected all day and we need it badly.
Has been very dry here, the farmers have finally gotten most of the fields planted - three weeks late - but now we need lots of water to get them growing.

A long very productive week just passed. Sales good, life good.

Cards Saturday night - the men lost(badly). Yesterday off to help daughter with wedding plans. Coming soon, very soon - 12 days and counting.

Friends holding on to their jobs for the moment - as crazy as things are in Michigan, that is a very good thing.

Not that I have the time, but I need something to read - any suggestions?

Onward and Upward into a new week.

June 1 7am 56 degrees - cloudy, quiet on my small piece of rural suburbia, lawn has a peaceful appearance, birds aren't up yet.

Friday didn't work quite as planned. Press broke down and I didn't get any placemats before 3, took some, delivered, then picked up the rest at 5. Restaurants too busy to deliver at dinner hour, so came home to two huge steaks, bottle of wine from our trip last fall, and enjoyed the antithesis of a vegan feast. God's love shown through Angus T-bones.

Saturday, mowed lawns, paperwork for business, then long nap, cards with our friends.

Sunday, loaded up the truck and delivered placemats, arriving at Mom's house about noon, mowed her lawn, then we went to Lexington, on the lakeshore of Lake Huron and drove up the water for a ways. Haven't done that for many, many years. A nice drive, bit cool, but the big lake is peaceful to watch, and still amazing even if one isn't five years old anymore.

Lexington is a small (less than 1000 people) with touristy shops, which were amazingly full of people, though there are a distressing large number of boarded up places.

Driving through farmland that has yet to see a plow this spring - all or most should be planted already - the weather has not been cooperating.

Plans for the wedding are going full tilt. Will likely take up much of my time for the next three weeks.

Starting June feeling good, loving life, and highly optimistic - this said as the end of General Motors comes in a few minutes.....

May 29 8am 51 degrees, clear blue Michigan sky, glorious if a bit cool.

Busy times around here. Business continues to increase and amaze. Money in the bank, money coming in, lots of money - who'da thunk? (lots of money around here means the shut-off notices have stopped coming, and we can actually buy little things without worrying about who isn't going to get paid). However, there seems no sign of abatement in the upward trend of my earnings curve, so a backstop of cash, will allow even larger purchases to happen in the near future.

Wedding plans are going full tilt. My only daughter's wedding is three weeks from tomorrow. Wife and I went down last weekend and helped with various items, including picking the Daddy/Daughter song. Which will be "I Loved Her First", by Heartland - an unabashedly tear producing, heart string tugging bit of country.

Life is going remarkably well. I planted flowers last weekend, weeded the perennials, lilacs are all over the house, spirea in bloom, dogwood simply marvelous gleaming in the early morning sunlight.

Enjoying the last week of Jay Leno, even though it means late nights. Very funny stuff - going to miss him - don't think the new guy is funny at all.

Today is delivering 20,000 special event mats for Lapeer Celebrates the Arts - which I am not taking part in this year - kept waiting to be asked and they didn't. ah, self-promotion gone awry.

So, a bit of driving, a bit of schmoozing, hopefully a couple hours with Mom, and away we go.

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Ric Marion is a writer, far from New York, in the rural thumb of Michigan. Done about everything, welfare caseworker, shop rat, trucking supervisor, editor, columnist, small business owner.
This writer is in search of agency representation.