Where has the summer gone?

I can’t believe that it has been nearly a month since I last posted anything. I mean July is nearly over, people!! Ahhhh, but wait, this means that I am getting ever closer to my vacation time. WOOHOO!!

In September, I’m going on a week-long trip with my parents to the Upper Peninsula (or U.P.) in Michigan. I am so excited. We’re renting a cabin in Paradise, Michigan. Don’tcha just love it! I’m going to PARADISE!! OK, so it’s not quite the resort villa you may be imagining. I’ve stayed in a nearby cabin before, and this one sounds the same. It’s a small cabin in the woods on an inland lake, but there is an indoor shower with hot water and an indoor toilet. And believe me, these are luxury items in comparison to camping out in a tent or trailer, and so it’s a huge deal to me! Of course, this doesn’t mean that I won’t still have my share of run-ins with nature despite my best efforts to rid the world of spiders, but c’est la vie. I’m cursed with Spidar—my coined phrase for the ability to spot a spider rather quickly upon entry in a room, on a hike, on my car, etc. It’s just my every day reality. I've lived with this gift, if you will, for years!

However, my true delight about this trip is to have this time with my parents on my own. It’s just going to be the 3 of us exploring. We’re going to be visiting some of my childhood haunts—places like Baraga, Lake of the Clouds, the Porcupine Mountains, etc. I can’t wait to re-visit these places as an adult now and maybe get one of those cinnamon rolls as big as a plate! [Barbara: You know what I’m talking about!] There will also be trips to some of my family’s favorite spots that we ALWAYS hit on a trip to the U.P.—Tahquamenon Falls, the Soo Locks, Whitefish Point, Mackinac Island, etc. These things just don’t grow old. There is always something new to see!

On this trip, we will also be going to visit new sites as well—places I haven’t been to before. My Mom and I love lighthouses, and so we’re going to look up some new ones; and my Dad has a book on Michigan waterfalls, and so we’re going discover more of those, too. I am equally excited about the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore cruise that we are going to take. My parents have gone out on this boat cruise before, but I haven’t been before.

Yes, I just can’t wait to be up there in the U.P. –ever-armed with my camera and ready to see the world. OK, so the U.P. isn’t quite “the world,” but it is a special place to me. I’ve still got time to see the rest of the globe…think baby steps here!

Well, I should probably start packing…only 45 days to go! WOOHOO!!