Wedding and other stuff

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

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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Almost Summerlike

May 22 9am 57 degrees - clouding up, we've lost the 85+ we've enjoyed for the past three days. Absolutely summerlike. I shut the furnace off.

Dogwood in full bloom, lilacs all around the house, giving off their wonderful aroma.

My business has gone nuts. It is growing on itself. I am now carving out extra hours every day trying to keep up - those were the same hours that I used to use for writing when I could find them, now, I can't even find them anymore.

But, on the other hand, there is a generous amount of money flowing through my bank account. Dinner? No problem. Groceries? No problem. I kinda like this.

Which means, I'll be using those extra hours for things other than writing. Bummer.

And, yet, when I get it to the point of being relatively self-renewing, I will have time to finish the WIP and not have to worry about how to pay the bills...

That's the plan.
Everyone have a great Memorial Day weekend.

May 18 8am 49 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - 31 this morning when I got up - freeze warnings, too damned cold.

Quiet weekend. Didn't get a lot done, didn't try too hard as it was chilly out there. Had a big fire yesterday to ward off the chill and keep the furnace from turning on. Should be in the 80's by midweek.

Friday night - Angels and Demons. Movie wasn't nearly as good as the book. Ron Howard tried to jam too much action in without bothering to set it up - not sure if it was the script or the editing, but it didn't work very well. My son, on the other hand, enjoyed it - but he doesn't read.

Cards Saturday night, as usual. Helped youngest set up his energy drink can collection which now resides on a wall in the laundry room.

Busy week ahead. Trying to keep the ball moving forward. Only five weeks until my daughter's wedding, relatives, wonderful times. Life is good.

May 14 9am 58 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky after thunderstorms overnight, breezy and sunshine today.

Dogwood is trying to bloom, lots of other plants and trees making their presence known. White petals blowing in the breeze today - I think they are from the shad trees.

Put string out for the Baltimore Orioles who were trying to pull string from some old project along the roofline. Pretty birds.

Can't believe Donald Trump played along with the "I'm just a model" from California. Listening to her on Focus on the Family, she is a professional speaker with a message and a huge constituency. Not hard to imagine the whole pageant thing was a set up to embarrass the pro gay movement.

Dumb blond - not bloody likely.

Back to business now - life is good.

May 12 7am 35 degrees - clear blue morning, glorious sunrise, had pretty moon last night, golden, chilly here, fire built to ward off the chill - fireplace kicked out lots of heat. Warming today - about time.

Great day out there yesterday - not a lot booked, but good stuff, nonetheless.

Got lots done, more coming today - kicking the tires and making sure it all works.

Trying to figure a way to incorporate Patry's teachings into my scattered life and get some real writing done. I think it's going to be a simple matter of doing it.

Rolling along towards tomorrow - the devil at our heels.

May 8 10am 68 degrees - a clear blue Michigan sky, warm temps, bright sunshine, glorious.

First day with a short sleeve shirt. This has to be a good thing, right? Life is wonderful, with the possible exception of the sudden burst of dandelions all over my yard - I really do not like them. Went out last weekend and dug a bunch up - you have to dig deep and make sure you get the whole root, or they will simply grow back.

Interesting review came through Automat on a bio of Stephen King - drug warped beer drinking keep the demons at bay....
Okay, so what else is new? This isn't news, and, ultimately, it may not even be an important addition to what we know about Mr. King. He has covered this stuff himself - and, judging from the review, much better.

I'm having a great week with my business - life is good, money in the bank, great stuff.

Trying to follow Patry Francis and her fantastic advice - not getting very far on my end, but I am trying.

May 5 8pm Twilight on a beautiful day. Blue sky, warm temps, good stuff.

Wandered out to the shed, got on the riding mower and turned the key for the first time this year - lo and behold, it started right up. Darn, wasn't expecting that. Ended up mowing the back yard and front yard before putting it back.

Interesting conversation going on over at LitPark Susan always has the best questions to get us slackers thinking about writing and putting our thoughts into words.

Everyone else is being pretty quiet - too quiet. Come back, Bernita, I miss your unique take on life.

Heading over to my hometown tomorrow, deliver mats, pay some bills, visit a few customers, pick up some checks, have lunch with Mom. Busy day.

RIP Dom Deluise - the man could always make me laugh.

Trying to catch the last three weeks of Jay Leno - the Tonight Show will not be the same without him - especially if, like me, you don't find Conan amusing in the least.

But, then, it took me four or five years after Carson left to start watching it again. Carson took me through my senior year in high school, two marriages, many late nights with a bottle of Glen Fiddich, and staying up to watch Miss Vicki and Tiny Tim get married, then climbing on a bus for my draft physical in December of 1969.

Jay and I haven't been through anywhere near that much together, but I'm still going to miss him.

Off to watch Fringe....

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May Day + 1

May 2 noon - 58 degrees - fluffy clouds, very chilly breeze, not good to be outside - yard work won't get done today

Not that any of you folks really care, but my other business - the Placemat Guy - just had his best April ever. Things are going amazingly well on that front. Unfortunately, it is to the detriment of my writing life.

So, while I will keep moving forward with the written word, I am also putting much more of my time and resources into my business. Simple reason - money. Working 12 hour days and keeping my mug in front of potential customers is doing wonders for my bank account and that seems, in this recessionary time, the most prudent thing to do.

I'll keep checking in on everyone, keeping my blog running, and, hopefully, this burst of productivity on my end will result in massive infusions of pages to my current WIP.

April 30 9am 55 degrees - Perfect April weather, cold, then warm, then cool, then warm, then hot, then cold again - all with clouds and a breeze either freezing or pleasantly mild.

My other business has taken on a life of its own, taking all my time and energy. Life is very very good.

Moving towards May - Youngest son has prom with high school girlfriend tomorrow night. Eldest son started golf league this week. Daughter bought a new car - someone has to support the local auto folks. Middle son has secured employment for the summer at least, putting off his entry into the recent grad miasma.

River is up - actually quite high for this time of year - couple inches rain here and there and it comes up and stays up. It is up on the path along the bank - maybe 5 to 7 feet above normal. Nearly into my huge bed of daffodils which are blooming gloriously.

Back to the Placemat biz.

April 26 9am 44 degrees - Friday night late, wife and I sat outside and looked at the stars - bright and shining, temp of 75 at midnight - wow.

Yesterday started warm and glorious. Got birdfeeders taken down, screens put up, windows open, breeze blowing. Laid down for a nap (a weekend ritual), and it started to rain, thunder, blow and generally wreck a nice day. Rained all afternoon, and most of the night.

We played cards, had fun with our friends, and drank too much wine.

Hanging out today - going to have cookout with brats, dogs and burgers and then pack the family together in the Aztek and head south to the Palace to watch the Pistons try to win one last game before their season ends. Hopefully, we'll get a little sunshine to light our way.

Notice the blogs have become increasingly quiet as folks move on to the next big thing - Facebook, Twitter, and whatever else is out there to sap our time and make us feel, for a few moments every day, that we are actually part of something bigger and better.

Heard tales from Alan of the massacre at GM Engineering last week. He watched as 400 of his fellow co-workers were handed boxes and told goodbye. (all these folks could have taken the buyouts offered, but for some reason chose not to) Now they are gone.

I'll be getting calls from some of them in the next month, sitting in my restaurants looking at my placemats and thinking "What a great way to advertise!" If you're 50 and don't have a job, starting that business you were always going to start but just couldn't figure out how to replace that high 5 figure income from GM....

Tis bad for them, but good for me. Go figure.

Life is good, yes, it is.

April 24 11am 68 degrees - cloudy but warming up nicely -considering we had snow earlier in the week.

Life is rolling along nicely. Middle son scored 4 tickets to the Pistons playoff game on Sunday - way cool. - That may actually be the one game of the series they actually win.

Had a dream in which I encountered Stephen King - I'm sure there is some cosmic reason for that to happen - so I am accepting it as a reason to get writing again.

My business has taken on enormous new accounts - which is keeping me away from the computer.

Middle son also delivered a laptop - Yea! My first one - though I still need to install Wordperfect on it - I have been getting more and more files in Word and that program is just unusable.

Came across an ad for a new 286 computer - on sale for $1999 @ Radio Shack. How scary is that?

Life continues to amaze and amuse. Economy is slowly, ever so slowly, getting better. Gotta love that.

Okay, enough for today.

April 16 11am 60 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky, bright sunshine

Busy week, lots going on.

Susan Boyle - Yeah, like everyone in the world hasn't seen this by now. But, wow, it is really something. Small moments.

Life is not about the number of breaths we take, but about the number of times that it takes your breath away.

Small moments.

Everyone will be in a good mood today - warm weather, sunshine, spring is trying to come. Have some daffodils that just might open completely today.

Discovered I need a new wheelbarrow - mine has finally rusted out enough the too much weight pushes the barrow down onto the wheel - has the effect of a big brake - hard to pushhhhhhhh that way.
Looking for one of those two wheel ones - easier for this old man to push about.

Is it my imagination or was this whole TEA party thing just weird? Folks complaining about taxes when their paychecks went up last week due to a tax cut? Did I miss something?

Writing blogs are busy, busy. Spring fever catches everyone.

Off to the wars now. Tis a glorious day.

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Easter Morning

April 12 9am 33 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - glorious sunshine.

Easter Morning - a time of hope and renewal.

May the coming of spring create hopeful opportunities in your life.

April 9 8am 29 degrees - wonderful clear blue Michigan skies, with spring sunshine - the sun moving further north in the eastern horizon. I have to actually put up the old sheet over the east window in my office until the sun gets high enough to not hit my computer screen.

Last night, moonlight casting magical glow on the remaining snow.

Caught new show last night, The Unusuals, might turn into something good if they let it run long enough for folks to catch all the sub-plots. Amber Tamblyn gets to highlight her ironic look - the greatest talent she has.

Sales were weird yesterday. Gotta be better today....

Spring is supposed to make an appearance over the next few days - certainly ready for it. Picked up all the winter branches from the yard last weekend before the big snow, now, it appears I need to repeat. Also need to get the rose bush cut back. Warm weather is coming whether I'm ready for it or not.

Busy day. Must get started.

April 7 11am 30 degrees - snow showers, nothing heavy, but cold and blowing around.

Well, the game last night wasn't much, but the Spartans did well this season - got further than anyone expected. Good job, Guys.

Roads cleared yesterday and I got out and about. Didn't accomplish much, but I was out there.

More work today. Onward and Upward.

April 6 9am 31 degrees - snowing heavily - wait, is this April? - have 5 inches on the ground and much more coming down... Daffodils are not doing well with this sudden change.

Stephen King has new book coming - yea, Christmas present from daughter all set - has become a tradition for me to receive the latest King book from her and, fortunately, he usually publishes in November.

Bernita - we miss you.

Michigan State has energized the whole state. There will be many bleary eyed people about tomorrow morning.

Although I did not comment, AgentFail was very interesting. I do read Agent's blogs and find them very instructive.

Much to do today - stuff to get done, plans to make.

What else are you going to do on a snowy day?

April 2 11am 54 degrees - not a bad looking day out there - blue sky with streamers ahead of the next rainstorm.

Don't seem to be posting as much lately. There isn't really a reason, just nothing much to say.

My youngest bought me the Lord of the Rings extended edition - which has taken up much of the last three nights. I find nothing on network or cable to watch - Monday nights are the only bright spot anymore. 24, Medium, Fringe is returning next week, Ghost Whisperer, and Jay Leno most every night.

Got my local bookstore to order "Hotel on the corner of Bitter & Sweet", by Jamie Ford. A very cool book.

Buried a friend Tuesday. Being a coffeeshop junkie, I meet an extraordinary amount of people and see many on a regular basis. Hazen was in his mid 70's when we became acquainted and still working full time - always working. We celebrated a lot together. On the first day of school for my youngest, Hazen got fitted for his first tux for his grandson's wedding. We buried his wife of 50+ years.
He grew up some 10 miles from where I did, and we swapped tales of farm life. In the Depression, he build a house from orange crates here in town that still stands, still occupied. When he turned 80, we had a party and found out he was really 81 and somehow forgot.
One afternoon, we were having coffee, when a young girl in a very short skirt walked by. Hazen's head turned so fast he nearly fell off the seat. I started laughing so hard he asked what was so funny. I said, "I hope when I'm 84, I still react that way." He just smiled.
He moved up north to be near his son, driving his new truck to town to play cards every day, coming back to visit us every so often.
He would say 92 years was a pretty good run.
Rest easy, my friend. It's been a pleasure.

March 26 8pm 51 degrees - much more springlike around here lately. It was 82 in Florida and well worth the trip.

My wife and I got Mom back home safely - fly down, pack up, drive 1450 miles up I-75. Simple stuff. Since this was Mom's last winter in Florida, we won't get our spring vacation again - have to find something else to do.

Survived my birthday on the 15th. My friends made a meal worthy of a much grander age. Beef Wellington, shrimp bisque, scallops in mushroom sauce, good stuff, as always. And, a gift card to Borders - what more could a writer want?

My mini-vacation - anytime away from computers is a respite - allowed me to read "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet", by Jamie Ford. Which was repped by Kristin Nelson. Who just announced a rise to #15 on the NYT Bestseller List. Very cool. And it is a really neat book. A little different, hard to classify, but a great read. You'all should pick it up. (Southern waitresses are sooooo cool.)

My youngest son - away at college- passed this class assignment this way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dea_dhdPSq0

He got an A. Plus, it looks like he had a fun time - along with his friends.
Ah, yes, proud Dad seeing his expensive tuition dollars at work.

Back at the grind for business - things are going exceptionally well - while other folks doing the same thing I do are having problems. I do love this concept.

If you don't buy into the idea there is really a recession, it is amazing what positive thinking can do. Is it harder to sell a book today? Not by the deals page here at PM.

Our local daily paper, The Flint Journal, announced they are going to 3 day a week printing, following the other daily, The Detroit Free Press. This give little guys like me more customers to buy advertising. I used to have a weekly column in the Journal - they have cut all the freelancers off cold.

Enough for tonight.

March 13 9am 15 degrees - bit chilly for this time of year, waiting on the promised warmup, but the frost is heavy this morning. Better than the 1/4 inch of snow yesterday morning, but still too wintry.

Leaving Monday for our annual trek to Florida to get Mom - going a month earlier this year so we will get the full effect of going from winter to summer in three short hours. We like this concept.

Got the business pretty much done for the the next ten days.
Have to run over to my hometown this morning, lots of other last minute stuff going on. Sales are holding up amazingly well.

Our friends have a birthday dinner planned for me for tomorrow night. The Ides of March is my special day.

Life is good - making our way towards tomorrow.

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January Thaw - Six Weeks Late
originally posted: March 8, 2009

March 8 5pm 39 degrees - rainy, misty cloudy gray afternoon. Got caught in rain last night so heavy it was hard to see the road and water everywhere, puddling on the roadsides and causing splumes when you drove through.

Quiet day today. Daughter's wedding dress is spectacular - OMG. Dad is going to be one proud Papa walking her down the aisle. I only get one opportunity and no one in the place will even know I'm there.

We had great fun and then played pinocle with our friends. Life is good.

Publishing note: Daughter asked what I wanted for my birthday (next weekend), and I asked for Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet, by Jamie Ford. She went into the local Borders, walked up to the counter and asked, "Do you have Hotel on the Corn...."
The clerk reached by her, grabbed the book off the display on the sales counter.

Daughter says it must be some book to get such placement.

Can't wait until next weekend to read it.

Onward and Upward.

March 7 9am 39 degrees - broke record yesterday - 67 degrees - ground still frozen, spring not here yet. Rain tonight, bring the frost out of the ground.

Going off to big city to see THE DRESS. Daughter all excited, Mom all excited, they are going to set up gift registries at various stores, see the dress, pay for the tuxes, etc. Such fun.

Had a great week, everything going great, in 9 days we will be touching down in Fort Myers, Florida. a week in the sun, get Mom, see relatives, relax. Life is good.

March 5 9am 35 degrees - cloudy morning, finally above freezing after a cold cold start to the week. Going to get a rush of warm air this weekend. 50's are forecast and it can't come soon enough for my rapidly diminishing propane tank.

Had great fun at O.U. basketball game. Hopefully, the momentum will carry the Grizzlies to a win at tournaments and a berth in the NCAA.

Have had a very productive and profitable week so far - things are looking up. Bills paid, money in the bank, sales going very well. This warm weather will enhance my prospecting.

Blogs are pretty quiet. Book sales continue to move forward.

Some days I feel disconnected. Stopped Saturday evening to see brother-in-law Tim, who lives in a trailer park - as I left, I noticed nearly every unit had a brand new - or close to new - pickup truck. Struck me as odd - would seem, with the number of empty foreclosed houses around, that simply foregoing the new truck would get you a real house - as opposed to paying $300 a month lot rent and payments on a rapidly deteriorating trailer house.

In town, we have one gas station that still pumps gas for you. The attendants, in a minimum wage cold nasty job should be school kids earning money for prom tickets and condoms. Instead, they are 50 something women struggling to earn the rent money. Something not right about this picture.

Yesterday, I drove past a wood lot where hardy souls were busily tapping the maple trees. The surest sign that spring is coming.

February 28 2pm 22 degrees - cold cold cold cold - clear blue Michigan sky, bright sunshine, but cold.

Getting ready to leave for Oakland University to watch the last basketball game of the season. Just tournaments from here on - and we've got a decent chance of making a great showing.

Wife left yesterday at noon, I made some good sales calls, picked up a couple checks and then went and got a massage - ah, yes. Didn't get home til 7:30. Ah, the single life.

Doing some writing this weekend. And all round, enjoying my alone time. Kinda neat.

Onward and Upward.

February 26 11am 43 degrees - warming up out there, inch of rain forecast tonight, then back to cold again. My daffodils are becoming increasingly confused.

The economy is dead in the water, things are tough for everyone - so what do I get in the mail yesterday? A notice that my very low rate Capitol One Card is raising my interest rate. No reason - well, this is the reason they gave: Due to extraordinary changes in the economic environment, we're reviewing our existing credit card accounts. We are raising your rates. From 10.15% to 17.9%.

Thanks for taking the bailout money - glad to see you're putting it to such good use.

Okay, end of rant. Just ticked me off. Aren't they supposed to be lending money?

Wife going off on bowling tournament weekend tomorrow. I'll be home alone.

Writing? Mistress? Going to OU for the last basketball game? So many choices.

February 24 11am 27 degrees - started out this morning at zero - clear blue Michigan sky, crisp and clean.

I have eastern facing windows in my office and this morning, the sun has reached high enough in the sky that I have to cover the window in order to see my computer screen. This is a wonderful sign - an indication spring is indeed coming.

Obama check arrived in my checking account this morning - gotta love the IRS. Bills can be paid, creditors soothed, breathing room restored.

Dreaming a lot more lately. AND had two people ask how the book was coming - encouragement from odd places. Ah, but we'll take it.

Off to eat as many puscki as I can - is there a plural? Not even sure I spelled it right.

New computer and my Outlook Express decided it only had the French dictionary in spell check. How bizarre!

24 was much better last night. Medium is getting stranger but that's okay - it still works.

Onward and Upward.

February 23 Noon 20 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky. Snow over the weekend, bitter cold, daffodils are staying put, deep beneath the snow.

Did have a few adventurous canoers go by yesterday, hard to paddle when wrapped in winter coats.

Quiet and calm around here - wife is getting ready for March Madness, youngest child supposed to be home for Spring Break - but disappeared to another university to visit friends.

Academy Awards last night. No really big surprises. I had Penelope Cruz picked as my second choice to win - especially since no one really saw that movie.

Slum Dog was just plain out the clear winner. Recessions send folks to the movies for escape and a flat out love story/ poor kid makes good/ love triumphs over everything. What's not to like?

Okay, off to make more money. Our local newspaper (well, parent company) filed bankruptcy this weekend. There were so many typos in yesterday's paper, I can't imagine why they would be having problems. Oh, well, more money for my business - lack of advertising avenues will bring everyone to me eventually.

Off to enjoy the sunshine.

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Spring thaw done gone away again
originally posted: February 19, 2009

February 19 10am 16 degrees - cold, been snowing heavily since 6 this morning, have gotten 3 inches or so - this is lake effect snow, coming all the way from Traverse City.

Pushing along, getting things done, house is cold - around 58 degrees, and the furnace has not kicked on since Monday. Managing to stay warm with the fireplace at night, small heater in our bedroom. My office has a separate heater.

Tis my feeling at this point that the winter cannot end fast enough. Depression is setting in, money is tight, future doesn't look much better. Tax return I'm now waiting on will turn all this around, but the waiting, like waiting on the agent who asked for the full, just plain sucks.

February 17 11am 31 degrees - cloudy, waiting on the promised snowstorm tonight, though it is supposed to get warmer today

television: 24 was iffy last night, not much happened - Medium was predictable, though building a bomb in your garage was kinda cool.

Wandered out to check the propane tank last night and we are at critical level - not a good thing - usual delivery is Friday - going to be nip and tuck to make that - have the heat set at 55 - which is damned cold. Wife is at work and I'm in my office, so not really a big deal. Have small electric heater for our bedroom - that handles that - I'll start a fire tonight so I can watch television and take the chill off.

How did it ever come to this?

Onward and Upward.

February 16 1pm 29 degrees - clear blue Michigan sky - inch of snow on ground, more in forecast, but it was nice having graygreen grass for awhile.

River starting to recede, ever so slowly.

Delightful weekend, quiet Friday night, Saturday night (sweet Valentine's Day) spent with our friends at a Taster's Guild dinner - six courses, six different wines, totally blasted by the end - some of the food was good, some a tad too different - cocoa dusted scallops - interesting taste. Chocolate covered bacon was just weird. As was the white chocolate fettecuinni (sp) - ah, yes, something different with our friends.

Burning a lot of wood, trying to stretch my propane tank a bit more.

Got my taxes done and filed today - as well as youngest child's. Waiting at home for UPS to deliver eldest son's computer parts.

Life is good.

February 12 9am 35 degrees - snow is gone, three days of 50's, an inch of rain, snow left.

I like this concept. River is up - about 4 feet or so, hard to tell since it is over the banks on both sides. My little house, high up on my little knoll, is safe. Another foot or so and we'll need to worry about the bridge staying in place.

Trying to do too many things at once. Nothing works well when you do that - scattered brain power doesn't concentrate on one thing long enough to get it done.

Too much to do, too little time.

Onward and Upward.

February 9 1pm 40 degrees - wow, what a difference a few days makes. snow is melting, still some to go, but we should make 60 degrees tomorrow, that should do it.

Nice weekend, quiet around here, trying to catch up on taxes - sales going good this morning, life is good.

Got tickets to Florida to pick up Mom next month, eldest son is down there now, enjoying the warmth

Watched really bad movies last night - must have morbid streak - What Dreams May Come - how to Robin WIlliams get talked into that?

And Ray Liotta playing an evil magician - that was kinda cool - but the movie was horrible.

Okay, back to work now. Having a good day.

February 5 8am -14 degrees - minus 14 - damn, that's cold - watching the kids at the bus stop moving quickly from Mom's car to the bus. Nippy.

Working on taxes this week, trying to figure out where all the little numbers go.

Still hitting an occasional hiccup with the new computer, like my billing software needed to be readjusted for the bills to fit in the envelopes.

Writer's Digest - originally set up to help writers get published - has been bombarding me with emails from pay to publish companies, and now, pay to submit to agents. There must be tons of money being made screwing over would be writers. And since the advent of the computer, making nearly anyone a would be writer, taking advantage just comes natural.

Bernita, my oldest and dearest blogger friend, is experiencing the loss of her husband. There are no words, just deep sorrow.

Watched the George Carlin Mark Twain presentation last night, laughed so hard I cried. George's epitaph - "What? He was here just a minute ago."

February 3 10am 18 degrees - white with hints of blue - still a foot of snow on the ground even after hitting 40 on Sunday. Weatherman says couple of very cold nights and then we start a warm-up. About time.

Dug through the snow to my woodpile on Sunday and fired up my new fireplace blower system. Works really good. Thank you, Kids. Furnace didn't kick on all day - which can only be a good thing.

Patry is back, after a long absence. Her resilience and good humor makes one acutely aware of the unimaginable strength of the human body and mind.

Ditto for Bernita, who has had a veeeeeeeery long autumn and winter.

Brother-in-law continues to improve against all odds. His wife says the doctors wandering through now resemble "House". Seemingly, they are the only ones who can help at this point and some progress is being made. She also pointed out they keep repeating the phrase no one ever wants to hear in an ICU unit - "Who did this to him?"

Oldest son taking advantage of lull in work to head for Florida for a week. Lucky kid.

New computer up and running. Much faster than my old one and everything seems to work. This is a good thing.

Much to do today. My neighbor (the one whose barn burned) used to say, "You should be halfway through your woodpile by Groundhog's Day. That way you'll have enough to get through."
If that's right, I'll get by pretty cheaply this year, which can only be good.

January 30 11am 19 degrees - sun just came out after dropping two fresh inches of snow and messing up the roads.

Wife's brother improves - not out of critical yet, but getting there. Makes for a long week when having to travel 35 miles south to see him every couple days.

Tuesday morning, the large red barn viewable from my living room window went up in flames. Huge fire, just after midnight, lighting up the night. Some animals lost, some saved, had a cat run by me with his ear on fire. Now, I have a new view from my living room. Very strange.
Though I did think to grab my camera and get some pics. One of which made the front page of the LA View Very cool.

Off to do sales thing and deliver placemats hither and yon. At least two children coming in this weekend - one with a new computer to replace my obsolete one.

Onward into February.

January 26 9am 3 degrees - nearly perfect blue Michigan sky - heavy frost on the trees - 12+ inches of snow on the ground. Have been patiently waiting for January Thaw - long range forecast indicates we have to wait until February - which will mean only one day above freezing this entire month.

Most everyone I know is hurrying to get their income taxes done in order to have enough money to pay the heating bills coming in this past week. This cannot be a good thing.

Sales continue to roll along - nothing fantastic, but holding my own which is a good thing.

Wife's brother back in hospital, not doing well. We are praying and simply hoping for the best result - though best is a relative term here.

Mysticism is taking hold of my life. Looking forward to this new development enhancing my writing.

Rolling toward tomorrow - have no idea what is coming - happily holding tight to my ideals, my life, my loves and simply going along for the ride.

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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.