We attended two events recently that, unknown to us at the time, were designed with kids in mind.
On Tuesday we entered the Fisher Theatre to see High School Musical and were greeted with pre-teen to early-teen kids and their parents filling the lobbies. Disney first made the movie and then the television series of the same name and it attracted a large following but I had no idea the following would be so young. The production was excellent. The story is about a jock and a geek (I do not particularly like this word and seldom use it since it has negative connotation associated with it, but it will have to do in this case) falling in love and eventually gain the support of their "groups" so they can participate in the high school musical and become romantically closer. (Some aspects of West Side Story--love story, Jets and Sharks--but without violence.) Many high school stereotypes--coach, drama teacher, jocks, drama queen, and intellectuals or geeks. Good story and good message to to kids about fitting into different groups, having different interests, and being tolerant of differences. And these kids in the audience seemed to get it as evidenced by their enthusiastic applause and cheers. I was impressed with how well the kids behaved--shows good parental guidance.
Last night we went to the Palace to see the Detroit Shock play Phoenix Mercury. We had vouchers for free tickets that we got at Detroit CityFest on Friday, and decided to upgrade at the box office to get seats closer to the court. As we walked in the main entrance a sign welcomed one and all to Kids Day! The kids were enthusiastic (read loud), especially during the timeout giveaways as they tried for free pizza and shirts. The Shock won handily after a slow first half, helped by scoring a league record 40 points in the third period. Fun time!
(I have had looping in my brain a fun song about kids from Bye, Bye Birdie that seems timeless.)
Monday, July 9, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
I hardly recognize the place
With painting all done, we installed the pegboard and assembled the workbench and three rolling cabinets for the workshop.
Then three tall cabinets in the garage area finished the Gladiator work. Now to organize and fill up the those storage pieces!!!
Getting closer.
A trip to the lake
The last five days at Emerald Lake were terrific. Working, fishing, shopping, visiting, and relaxing. Great weather.
On the way up Thursday we stopped at Birch Run and bought a few things we needed, but we could not find the right size sandals for Kathy. We had late lunch at Bennigan's in Midland and more shopping. Trip took longer than usual with all the stops.
Worked on old lawn tractor for part of Friday. On last trip we noticed an intermittent starting problem and it was getting more frequent. We thought it was pto switch so we stopped on our way up at John Deere dealer north of Almont and bought one . Put in the new one but it would not start; put old one back in and still would not start. Put in new one again thinking perhaps I messed up connections, but still no good. Must be something more complicated than swapping out switches.
Should we take the 20-year-old tractor to a dealer and get it fixed? It will still be old and perhaps just as unreliable. We decided we don't want to spent the first day of each visit to the lake working on tractor. Let's just go to Big Rapids to a JD dealer and get a new one. Found one we liked, made a deal, they took old tractor as trade-in along with snow thrower, set delivery for Saturday--all is right with the world.
Dinner after JD purchase at Ruby Tuesday, then on to Menard's and Lowe's (interestingly they sit adjacent to each other and across the road from adjacent Meijer and Walmart stores). Found collapsible saw horses, pegboard hooks, and storage shelf unit for Romeo, and potential paint color for EL.
Saturday morning Kathy went to town to get her hair done by Ellen. A call from JD dealer moved up delivery to mid-morning. We hoped the old tractor would start (it did for Kathy last night after I put the old pto switch back in). Driver missed the driveway on his first pass but then found it coming back south--I heard his truck and trailer rattle up the drive. He offloaded the new one, started the old one and loaded it along with the snow thrower onto the trailer. We then chatted a bit -- an essential part of small town commerce.
When Kathy got home with a fantastic do she told me the Expedition was misfiring. Lee had just walked over with Carlee and Addison so he and I took a look and decided it would be ok to drive it back to Romeo with the misfire, but should not otherwise be driven unless an emergency.
Later Saturday Lee and I went fishing. Carlee began with us but soon wanted to go up to the house and play. Carrie and Addison were there with Kathy. Not many fish caught--couple big enough for Lee to take home later that night. One that I caught seemed to be smaller than the bait I was using.
Sunday we worked on property. Kathy used new lawn tractor and cut grass. Trimmed near road and also got rid of some old dead fallen trees. Later we cleared the area going down to the lake.
Left early Monday morning to be sure we had time in case something happened to Expedition besides the miss. It ran rough but at higher rpms it ran smoother than at lower rpms and up grades. We would not have liked to have driven the same distance home in hills or mountains.
Found out Tuesday the miss was caused by a bad coil and also that the muffler was leaking.
An interesting and eventful trip!!!
On the way up Thursday we stopped at Birch Run and bought a few things we needed, but we could not find the right size sandals for Kathy. We had late lunch at Bennigan's in Midland and more shopping. Trip took longer than usual with all the stops.
Worked on old lawn tractor for part of Friday. On last trip we noticed an intermittent starting problem and it was getting more frequent. We thought it was pto switch so we stopped on our way up at John Deere dealer north of Almont and bought one . Put in the new one but it would not start; put old one back in and still would not start. Put in new one again thinking perhaps I messed up connections, but still no good. Must be something more complicated than swapping out switches.
Should we take the 20-year-old tractor to a dealer and get it fixed? It will still be old and perhaps just as unreliable. We decided we don't want to spent the first day of each visit to the lake working on tractor. Let's just go to Big Rapids to a JD dealer and get a new one. Found one we liked, made a deal, they took old tractor as trade-in along with snow thrower, set delivery for Saturday--all is right with the world.
Dinner after JD purchase at Ruby Tuesday, then on to Menard's and Lowe's (interestingly they sit adjacent to each other and across the road from adjacent Meijer and Walmart stores). Found collapsible saw horses, pegboard hooks, and storage shelf unit for Romeo, and potential paint color for EL.
Saturday morning Kathy went to town to get her hair done by Ellen. A call from JD dealer moved up delivery to mid-morning. We hoped the old tractor would start (it did for Kathy last night after I put the old pto switch back in). Driver missed the driveway on his first pass but then found it coming back south--I heard his truck and trailer rattle up the drive. He offloaded the new one, started the old one and loaded it along with the snow thrower onto the trailer. We then chatted a bit -- an essential part of small town commerce.
When Kathy got home with a fantastic do she told me the Expedition was misfiring. Lee had just walked over with Carlee and Addison so he and I took a look and decided it would be ok to drive it back to Romeo with the misfire, but should not otherwise be driven unless an emergency.
Later Saturday Lee and I went fishing. Carlee began with us but soon wanted to go up to the house and play. Carrie and Addison were there with Kathy. Not many fish caught--couple big enough for Lee to take home later that night. One that I caught seemed to be smaller than the bait I was using.
Sunday we worked on property. Kathy used new lawn tractor and cut grass. Trimmed near road and also got rid of some old dead fallen trees. Later we cleared the area going down to the lake.
Left early Monday morning to be sure we had time in case something happened to Expedition besides the miss. It ran rough but at higher rpms it ran smoother than at lower rpms and up grades. We would not have liked to have driven the same distance home in hills or mountains.
Found out Tuesday the miss was caused by a bad coil and also that the muffler was leaking.
An interesting and eventful trip!!!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
The Garage
1. The new drywall is up, taped, and compound applied -- all in just over a year!!!
2. The workshop side needs pegboard on the left wall but that will be after we paint.
3. The back wall was never finished so that was finally done. You can see it beyond the stuff piled in the center of the garage floor. New cabinets are still in boxes.
4. We are hoping to prime the walls in the next couple days. Then paint after that. 
I'm glad I did my first drywall job on the garage. Not many people will see my mistakes. I learned much, made many mistakes, and finally finished it.
2. The workshop side needs pegboard on the left wall but that will be after we paint. 
3. The back wall was never finished so that was finally done. You can see it beyond the stuff piled in the center of the garage floor. New cabinets are still in boxes. 
4. We are hoping to prime the walls in the next couple days. Then paint after that. 
I'm glad I did my first drywall job on the garage. Not many people will see my mistakes. I learned much, made many mistakes, and finally finished it.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Hats Off
Last weekend Kathy co-captained a team that participated in the Relay for Life Troy event.
She spent the entire 24 hours at the event, walking many hours to ensure someone from team was on the track at all times -- a feat not many of us could have accomplished, especially me. The walk was interrupted about an hour and a half by a thunder and lightening storm; teams took shelter in the Troy Community Center adjacent to the site and returned to rain-soaked tents and soggy grass. And they persevered
In addition Kathy devoted hours planning and organizing her team, attending orientation and update meetings, and preparing for the event. Especially impressive was their team sign that held pictures of loved ones affected by cancer, both survivors and not.
Her team raised nearly $5000 for the American Cancer Society. And the 33 teams combined for over $160 000.
Kathy and her team have my admiration and respect.
She spent the entire 24 hours at the event, walking many hours to ensure someone from team was on the track at all times -- a feat not many of us could have accomplished, especially me. The walk was interrupted about an hour and a half by a thunder and lightening storm; teams took shelter in the Troy Community Center adjacent to the site and returned to rain-soaked tents and soggy grass. And they persevered
In addition Kathy devoted hours planning and organizing her team, attending orientation and update meetings, and preparing for the event. Especially impressive was their team sign that held pictures of loved ones affected by cancer, both survivors and not.
Her team raised nearly $5000 for the American Cancer Society. And the 33 teams combined for over $160 000.
Kathy and her team have my admiration and respect.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
An Empty Nest Again
Mother raccoon and her tribe have finally left. They lived in our fireplace chimney for about six weeks. We first noticed them because of the little ones' "barking" that must have been shortly after birth. Leo volunteered to help us get rid of them, but with the babies it was more difficult. We did not want to do anything to endanger them.
Kathy kept climbing up on the roof at night when mother goes out to feed and with flashlight in hand peered down the flue to see how the little ones were doing. "They're still there and growing." She would also check by rattling the fireplace screen and would get a noisy response and that also clued us they were still around.
Yesterday Kathy rattled the screen again to get their response and there was none. Up on the roof to check. This time no baby raccoons.
Kathy capped the fireplace flue and cleaned up the mess in the fireplace that fell through the damper.
Now for the state bird of Michigan. A couple robins are trying to build nests on beams extending over the outside decks. But we keep knocking down the nesting material because we do not want to deal with any more little ones.
Kathy kept climbing up on the roof at night when mother goes out to feed and with flashlight in hand peered down the flue to see how the little ones were doing. "They're still there and growing." She would also check by rattling the fireplace screen and would get a noisy response and that also clued us they were still around.
Yesterday Kathy rattled the screen again to get their response and there was none. Up on the roof to check. This time no baby raccoons.
Kathy capped the fireplace flue and cleaned up the mess in the fireplace that fell through the damper.
Now for the state bird of Michigan. A couple robins are trying to build nests on beams extending over the outside decks. But we keep knocking down the nesting material because we do not want to deal with any more little ones.
Friday, June 1, 2007
De ja vu
Another double loss to Cleveland teams by Tigers and Pistons--they also did this previously, last weekend.
First the Tigers go down to the Indians. Four losses in a row to the Tribe in seven days. Tiger injuries are mounting and so are critical losses. We now see how important few injuries was to the Tiger team of 2006 compared to the number of injuries this year: starting pitching (3 at one time or other), relief pitching (3), left side of infield (2). On a positive note they are still second place in the division and Magglio is having a great season.
Then the Pistons drop critical game five at home to go down three games to two to the Cavaliers. Quite a show by LaBron James. Are we seeing the officiating begin shade their calls in his favor? If he did not have a technical foul from earlier in the game, would he have been given a technical late in the game for bumping a Piston after a foul call? When a player bumps him slightly on a drive, why is that a foul when it isn't for other players? The inconsistency in calls makes one wonder. (Of course, Pistons winning makes the inconsistencies moot.)
First the Tigers go down to the Indians. Four losses in a row to the Tribe in seven days. Tiger injuries are mounting and so are critical losses. We now see how important few injuries was to the Tiger team of 2006 compared to the number of injuries this year: starting pitching (3 at one time or other), relief pitching (3), left side of infield (2). On a positive note they are still second place in the division and Magglio is having a great season.
Then the Pistons drop critical game five at home to go down three games to two to the Cavaliers. Quite a show by LaBron James. Are we seeing the officiating begin shade their calls in his favor? If he did not have a technical foul from earlier in the game, would he have been given a technical late in the game for bumping a Piston after a foul call? When a player bumps him slightly on a drive, why is that a foul when it isn't for other players? The inconsistency in calls makes one wonder. (Of course, Pistons winning makes the inconsistencies moot.)
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