...for introducing her daughters to classical music. I did some radio surfing this morning and nearly teared up at hearing a favorite piece, Pachabel’s Cannon in G. WOW! Pieces like that move me. They stir my soul. There is beauty there...a real beauty.
We grew up in a house where music was appreciated. Of course, it had to be the RIGHT KIND of music. No Elvis or Beatles! No Madonna or Prince in our home! But Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven among others were the popular choices instead. My sister and I would blare the classical pieces on Friday nights as we did our household chores. [WAIT! Is it possible to "blare" classical music?] We’d twirl like ballerinas on the living room carpet, or we’d glide like ice skaters across the kitchen floor as we listened to our Grandpa’s old 45 records. My sister would also “play” the pieces on the old floor radiator in our living room.
Eventually, we both took piano lessons. She excelled at it. I didn’t. I would “attempt” to play the piano. I would try. Really, I did. No one could accuse me of not trying. I would spend countless hours practicing my pieces (and torturing my perfect ear and perfect pitch sister) as I struggled with the rhythm and notes of pieces like Moonlight Sonata.
As a teenager, I tired of classical pieces. It wasn’t cool to listen to that kind of music. I wanted to be like everyone else. Secretly, my sister and I together with our friend Lisa spent hours listening to the New Kids on the Block and Richard Marx.
In college, once again I was relatively sheltered from modern music. There were classical art series, operas, plays and Sunday vespers to attend. And the music in the dorms had to be a certain standard, too. So, I introduced my roommates to some of the classics, and together we’d sing along to a Broadway musical or two. Sunday mornings were for The Sound of Music and white glove cleaning was definitely easier with The Fiddler on the Roof.
Two college summers spent at Camp Spearhead in South Carolina and this girl went country. I was hooked on George Strait and Martina McBride as well as the bluegrass stylings of Alison Krauss and Union Station. It was good stuff. I gradually moved on to some soft rock--Elton John, Enya and Sarah McGlachlan just to name a few.
When I moved to Indy, my tastes in music seemed to change again. I hit the rock scene. I started out listening to Madonna. And somewhere along the way, my tastes grew darker. Nickelback, Evanescence and Blue October are current favorites.
Today, I still enjoy Gavin DeGraw and James Blunt while driving in my car. On other days, nothing makes me smile like a good country song. While cleaning or organizing in my apartment, I usually need a good Broadway musical playing or Sarah Brightman singing in my head. And yet, I thrill at the excitement I experience when I attend a classical concert or I still get tingles when I hear Pachabel on the radio on the way to work.
I may marvel at the lyrics of a Train song or be struck at the honesty of Cold Play, but I love the beauty and harmony of a classical piece. I may appreciate lots of other music, but nothing gets to my core like the classical stylings of Beethoven or the stirring renditions of a Mozart violin concerto. It’s truly wonderful stuff!
Thanks, Mom! I may not have always appreciated it like I do now, but today finds me grateful...
Not quite like the small, square yellow sticky notes at all really...think legal size post-its!!
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Next month will be 2-year blog anniversary.
I realized this because my sister Nuwanda mentioned that her blog was turning 2, and it reminded me that my anniversary would soon follow afterwards. I've been re-reading some of my blogs and laughing and tearing up at the same time.
Funny how, I'm different now but yet the same. Like my first blog for example. It's so gut-wrenchingly honest. Just as true today as it was then...but at the same time, I've learned a little bit since then. I'm filling up the empty space. I'm not always successful at psyching myself out, but I try! I'm learning that life isn't always about happy joy moments. Part of me is sad that the optimist in me doesn't make appearances much anymore. She's been replaced with the cynical idealist who sees the world through "cracked rose-colored glasses." That doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm just more awake and seeing things as they really are and calling them as they are.
Yes, I can't escape drama. There will always be drama in my life; after all my name is Melanie and melancholy is the name of the game. However, I think with age, I'm learning to embrace the drama. To allow the drama to be around me rather than in me. I'm far from cured, but I'm OK with that. After all if I were perfect, what would people complain about!
Funny how, I'm different now but yet the same. Like my first blog for example. It's so gut-wrenchingly honest. Just as true today as it was then...but at the same time, I've learned a little bit since then. I'm filling up the empty space. I'm not always successful at psyching myself out, but I try! I'm learning that life isn't always about happy joy moments. Part of me is sad that the optimist in me doesn't make appearances much anymore. She's been replaced with the cynical idealist who sees the world through "cracked rose-colored glasses." That doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm just more awake and seeing things as they really are and calling them as they are.
Yes, I can't escape drama. There will always be drama in my life; after all my name is Melanie and melancholy is the name of the game. However, I think with age, I'm learning to embrace the drama. To allow the drama to be around me rather than in me. I'm far from cured, but I'm OK with that. After all if I were perfect, what would people complain about!
Getting My ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's...
I'm signed up for a sleep study, per my doctor. This all came about because my roommate at a weekend girls' get-away to St. Louis commented one morning that I seemed to have trouble breathing in my sleep. In fact, I'd stop breathing for a minute, and then it was as if I'd suddenly revive and start wheezing and gasping for air and all this when I was apparently sleeping. I mean, I woke up the next morning and didn't know a thing about it. And goodness, since I live alone with my plants (and they'd never mention it since I'm the real conversationalist, and they usually don't talk back), I had no idea that I was struggling for air in my sleep.
So, after discussing it with my doctor yesterday, she seemed to think it quite possible that I have some kind of sleep apnea disorder. Interesting! My family has thought for years that my oldest brother Mike has sleep apnea, but I don't think he's ever been diagnosed. I just know that when we are all sleeping in the same house, it's rather noticeable when Mike stops breathing. The whole household anxiously waits for him to take a breath. It's rather scary.
On November 30th at 10:15 PM, I will be checking myself into a local hospital for the night. I'll be hooked up to various electrodes and stuff to measure my activity. I'm basically picturing Frankenstein's monster here...you know with cables going everywhere and this leather strap tying me down to a table. HA! I'm supposed to just fall asleep with all this stuff on? We'll see.
Seriously, my real anxiety is that I won't be able to fall asleep at all. My Doctor assured me that every one of her patients have gone to sleep during the study, but leave it to me, I'll be the freak! HA!
So, after discussing it with my doctor yesterday, she seemed to think it quite possible that I have some kind of sleep apnea disorder. Interesting! My family has thought for years that my oldest brother Mike has sleep apnea, but I don't think he's ever been diagnosed. I just know that when we are all sleeping in the same house, it's rather noticeable when Mike stops breathing. The whole household anxiously waits for him to take a breath. It's rather scary.
On November 30th at 10:15 PM, I will be checking myself into a local hospital for the night. I'll be hooked up to various electrodes and stuff to measure my activity. I'm basically picturing Frankenstein's monster here...you know with cables going everywhere and this leather strap tying me down to a table. HA! I'm supposed to just fall asleep with all this stuff on? We'll see.
Seriously, my real anxiety is that I won't be able to fall asleep at all. My Doctor assured me that every one of her patients have gone to sleep during the study, but leave it to me, I'll be the freak! HA!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Mel-icious UP Recap Part 3
Wednesday, September 13: That morning, I caught a funny shot of my Mom blow drying her damp hair while reading her Bible. She’s very economical with her time. This was also the day that my Mom and I finished the puzzle we had started on Saturday.
It was another overcast day, although the rain mostly threatened rather than soaking us as we made our touring stops. That morning, we went to Whitefish Point Lighthouse and walked through the lighthouse keeper’s home and other buildings. We visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum with the infamous Edmund Fitzgerald memorial. [My Mom referred to it as the “sinking of the Ella Fitzgerald” once in conversation, and we’ve never let her forget it!]
That afternoon, we drove along the Lake Superior scenic shore and stopped at several beaches for some photos. I did wade in just up to my ankles. It was rather chilly, but you have to wade in the water at least once when you visit. We visited Point Iroquois Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself doesn’t have all that much for tourists to see, but the shoreline there is just beautiful. We continued on our drive along the coast all the way to Sault Ste. Marie. There we hit a Wal-mart so that I could burn CDs of my over 300 digital shots so far. AHEM! Yes, I realize that it sounds a bit obsessive. But my memory cards were full, and the week was only half over!
And then we went to see the Soo Locks. This was probably my most memorable visit to the Soo. Normally, I tolerate a stop there for my Dad’s sake because I don’t find it all that thrilling. Big boats going through small gates! Whoopety-doo! But for some reason on this visit, I finally grasped the engineering genius at work and found it fascinating this time as we watched a Canadian freighter make its way through the locks. Guess, you are never too old to learn new things and gain a new appreciation of something.
Thursday, September 14: We drove to Munising and visited several out-of-the-way waterfalls. My Mom navigated as my Dad drove us into new territory. It was rather adventurous. We opted not to visit one falls because of the large mud puddle covering nearly the entire breadth of the one-lane road. My Dad had me get out and step into the puddle to see how deep it was. RIGHT! I’m going to risk new white tennis shoes. I don’t think so. HA! I barely touched the water and decided against putting my foot in any farther. YUCK! So, we decided that the Laughing Whitefish Falls was not worth the risk of getting our vehicle stuck out in the middle of nowhere. HA!
After visiting several of the waterfalls, we went down by the shore and got our tickets for the evening Pictured Rocks Cruise. I have always wanted to take the cruise, but I had no idea how wonderful it was going to be. It was well worth the $30 cost. I loved the 2 ½ hour adventure out on the water. We had seats inside the boat alongside massive windows, but I kept running to the back of the boat on the outside deck to take photos. I spent the majority of the evening on the back of the boat with the other photographers. It became a joke between my parents and I that the other photographers seemed to follow my lead. When I would head to the back of the ship, they would soon join me. Couldn’t they tell that they were following a complete amateur! HA! But I sure was a photo-freak. I took over 200 shots on that one cruise, but believe me, it was magnificent. I loved the spectacular views of the shoreline, the white sandstone cliffs, the crisp green and blue water, etc. It was highly enjoyable.
Truth is that I enjoyed the boat ride almost near as much as the photographic journey itself. I love being on boats like that. And since I was hanging out on the back of the boat for most of the ride, I had a lot of time breathing in the freshwater air and enjoying the gentle spray of the water, too. It was incredible. I think I was meant to be on the water or something. I’m meant for a life of leisure—you know weekends in Michigan with my Howard out on our small yacht. [You getting this, Howard?] I was joined by a crowd of people on the back of the boat toward the end of the ride while one of the captains tossed bread to the seagulls hovering over head. It was rather fascinating watching those birds dive for a morsel of bread.
And then there was the assistant captain himself, CJ—I think his name was, he was near me at the back of the ride, and I almost think he was flirting with me. At first I ignored him because I assumed that his underhand comments were meant for someone else, but then I realized that he WAS TALKING to me! On the drive back to Paradise that evening, I found out that Mom and Dad had spent the first part of the cruise chatting with CJ. I guess he was extra talkative, and knowing my friendly parents and the fact that they tend to tell perfect strangers things, the guy got my shoe size and my home address, too. HA!
Friday, September 15: This was our lazy, relaxing day. We spent that morning just enjoying the day and free time at the cabin. That afternoon, we drove back along the Curly Lewis Scenic Highway, which is this windy road that runs along Lake Superior. We stopped at several beaches and waded in or skipped rocks along the shore. It was a deliciously pleasant day!
Saturday, September 16: We got an early start that morning toward home. We stopped at a park across from the Mackinac Bridge and took some final photos before heading back across the Lower Peninsula. We got back into Croswell early that afternoon, and then Aunt Peggy and I drove back to Indiana. I was back in my apartment in Indy before midnight that night. AHHHH!!! Nice to be back home in my own bed.
It was another overcast day, although the rain mostly threatened rather than soaking us as we made our touring stops. That morning, we went to Whitefish Point Lighthouse and walked through the lighthouse keeper’s home and other buildings. We visited the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum with the infamous Edmund Fitzgerald memorial. [My Mom referred to it as the “sinking of the Ella Fitzgerald” once in conversation, and we’ve never let her forget it!]
That afternoon, we drove along the Lake Superior scenic shore and stopped at several beaches for some photos. I did wade in just up to my ankles. It was rather chilly, but you have to wade in the water at least once when you visit. We visited Point Iroquois Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself doesn’t have all that much for tourists to see, but the shoreline there is just beautiful. We continued on our drive along the coast all the way to Sault Ste. Marie. There we hit a Wal-mart so that I could burn CDs of my over 300 digital shots so far. AHEM! Yes, I realize that it sounds a bit obsessive. But my memory cards were full, and the week was only half over!
And then we went to see the Soo Locks. This was probably my most memorable visit to the Soo. Normally, I tolerate a stop there for my Dad’s sake because I don’t find it all that thrilling. Big boats going through small gates! Whoopety-doo! But for some reason on this visit, I finally grasped the engineering genius at work and found it fascinating this time as we watched a Canadian freighter make its way through the locks. Guess, you are never too old to learn new things and gain a new appreciation of something.
Thursday, September 14: We drove to Munising and visited several out-of-the-way waterfalls. My Mom navigated as my Dad drove us into new territory. It was rather adventurous. We opted not to visit one falls because of the large mud puddle covering nearly the entire breadth of the one-lane road. My Dad had me get out and step into the puddle to see how deep it was. RIGHT! I’m going to risk new white tennis shoes. I don’t think so. HA! I barely touched the water and decided against putting my foot in any farther. YUCK! So, we decided that the Laughing Whitefish Falls was not worth the risk of getting our vehicle stuck out in the middle of nowhere. HA!
After visiting several of the waterfalls, we went down by the shore and got our tickets for the evening Pictured Rocks Cruise. I have always wanted to take the cruise, but I had no idea how wonderful it was going to be. It was well worth the $30 cost. I loved the 2 ½ hour adventure out on the water. We had seats inside the boat alongside massive windows, but I kept running to the back of the boat on the outside deck to take photos. I spent the majority of the evening on the back of the boat with the other photographers. It became a joke between my parents and I that the other photographers seemed to follow my lead. When I would head to the back of the ship, they would soon join me. Couldn’t they tell that they were following a complete amateur! HA! But I sure was a photo-freak. I took over 200 shots on that one cruise, but believe me, it was magnificent. I loved the spectacular views of the shoreline, the white sandstone cliffs, the crisp green and blue water, etc. It was highly enjoyable.
Truth is that I enjoyed the boat ride almost near as much as the photographic journey itself. I love being on boats like that. And since I was hanging out on the back of the boat for most of the ride, I had a lot of time breathing in the freshwater air and enjoying the gentle spray of the water, too. It was incredible. I think I was meant to be on the water or something. I’m meant for a life of leisure—you know weekends in Michigan with my Howard out on our small yacht. [You getting this, Howard?] I was joined by a crowd of people on the back of the boat toward the end of the ride while one of the captains tossed bread to the seagulls hovering over head. It was rather fascinating watching those birds dive for a morsel of bread.
And then there was the assistant captain himself, CJ—I think his name was, he was near me at the back of the ride, and I almost think he was flirting with me. At first I ignored him because I assumed that his underhand comments were meant for someone else, but then I realized that he WAS TALKING to me! On the drive back to Paradise that evening, I found out that Mom and Dad had spent the first part of the cruise chatting with CJ. I guess he was extra talkative, and knowing my friendly parents and the fact that they tend to tell perfect strangers things, the guy got my shoe size and my home address, too. HA!
Friday, September 15: This was our lazy, relaxing day. We spent that morning just enjoying the day and free time at the cabin. That afternoon, we drove back along the Curly Lewis Scenic Highway, which is this windy road that runs along Lake Superior. We stopped at several beaches and waded in or skipped rocks along the shore. It was a deliciously pleasant day!
Saturday, September 16: We got an early start that morning toward home. We stopped at a park across from the Mackinac Bridge and took some final photos before heading back across the Lower Peninsula. We got back into Croswell early that afternoon, and then Aunt Peggy and I drove back to Indiana. I was back in my apartment in Indy before midnight that night. AHHHH!!! Nice to be back home in my own bed.
Mel-icious UP Recap Part 2
Monday, September 11: We took the Shepler’s Ferry to Mackinac Island. It’s a fascinating place to visit again and again. There are no motor vehicles allowed on the island, and so you have to walk, ride a bike or rent a carriage to get anywhere. We opted to rent bikes first and ride around the 8-mile island (another tradition). It was a fun but tiring adventure. It had been years since I had ridden a bike period. No crashes to report, but we all had TBS or Tired Butt Syndrome (as my Dad calls it). You ride alongside the water almost the entire ride, and it is incredibly beautiful.
Once we finished our ride, we had a picnic lunch and then Mom and I went to Fort Mackinac while Dad opted to check out the shops. It’s a long walk up the hill to the fort especially after an 8-mile bike ride. I had never been inside the fort before, and it was rather fascinating to walk through. Lots of old historic buildings to tour, guides demonstrating guns and cannons, spectacular views from the hilltop of the Mackinac scenes below, etc. It was well worth the cost.
Afterwards, we visited a few shops and of course, made our traditional purchases of ice cream and fudge. After all, you can’t visit Mackinac Island without getting some delicious fudge. There are at least a dozen fudge shops along the strip along with oodles of tourist shops.
Tuesday, September 12: It rained most of the day, but that wasn’t going to keep us from our schedule. We spent a great portion of the day driving anyway, and this day was also full of first-time visits to new sites. We drove to the Fayette Historic Townsite and toured it for FREE with our umbrellas armed and ready. Fayette was once home to a bustling iron ore industry in the 1870-1890’s. It’s a ghost town now—complete with abandoned buildings, remnants of production, etc. The splendid thing about Fayette was the view. The town was built along the Bay de Noc, and the lovely water is on all sides of the town. On one side, the incredible Dolomite Cliffs reminded me of what I picture the Cliffs of Dover in England to be like. [Sigh!] They are probably nothing alike, but it tingled my imagination anyway…
Our 2nd stop of the day was to Kitch-Iti-Kipi or “The Big Spring.” This was another free place to visit! It was this fantastic out-of-the-way spring with transparent green water filled and large fish everywhere. You maneuver this small boat across the water on cables, and along the way, you can see through the bottom of the boat and glimpse the large fish in the 45 foot bubbling spring beneath you. We encountered a strange looking bird on the shoreline, too. He just sat there, pooping in the water. It was bit odd, but we just couldn’t look away. It was one of those odd moments, where you catch yourself just staring!
My Mom spent the whole rest of the week trying to say the name of the spring correctly. It is properly said as “Kitchety-kippi,” but she comically didn’t say it that way! My Dad and I correcter her at first, but eventually we gave up and tried to stop grimacing each time she told yet another “perfect stranger” about our visits to “Kipi-Ippi” or something like that. I love my Mom! Never a dull moment with her…
Our 3rd stop on our driving tour was the Seul Choix Lighthouse near Gulliver. The Seul Choix Lighthouse (pronounced “Sis-schwa” meaning “only choice”) was already partially closed up when we arrived for our tour, but my Mom boldly approached the buildings and found one unlocked door and proceeded to get our group in for a quick FREE tour.
After finishing up our FREE adventures for the day, we headed to Manistique for dinner at the Wolf Den. This was one of several places we stopped that took “cash or check only.” This place was also a hotel, and I found it odd that they didn’t take credit cards at all. Hmmmm…
On the way back to our cabin, we stopped at the Manistique Harbor so that I could take pictures of the lighthouse and walk the boardwalk. It was another beautiful coastline.
Once we finished our ride, we had a picnic lunch and then Mom and I went to Fort Mackinac while Dad opted to check out the shops. It’s a long walk up the hill to the fort especially after an 8-mile bike ride. I had never been inside the fort before, and it was rather fascinating to walk through. Lots of old historic buildings to tour, guides demonstrating guns and cannons, spectacular views from the hilltop of the Mackinac scenes below, etc. It was well worth the cost.
Afterwards, we visited a few shops and of course, made our traditional purchases of ice cream and fudge. After all, you can’t visit Mackinac Island without getting some delicious fudge. There are at least a dozen fudge shops along the strip along with oodles of tourist shops.
Tuesday, September 12: It rained most of the day, but that wasn’t going to keep us from our schedule. We spent a great portion of the day driving anyway, and this day was also full of first-time visits to new sites. We drove to the Fayette Historic Townsite and toured it for FREE with our umbrellas armed and ready. Fayette was once home to a bustling iron ore industry in the 1870-1890’s. It’s a ghost town now—complete with abandoned buildings, remnants of production, etc. The splendid thing about Fayette was the view. The town was built along the Bay de Noc, and the lovely water is on all sides of the town. On one side, the incredible Dolomite Cliffs reminded me of what I picture the Cliffs of Dover in England to be like. [Sigh!] They are probably nothing alike, but it tingled my imagination anyway…
Our 2nd stop of the day was to Kitch-Iti-Kipi or “The Big Spring.” This was another free place to visit! It was this fantastic out-of-the-way spring with transparent green water filled and large fish everywhere. You maneuver this small boat across the water on cables, and along the way, you can see through the bottom of the boat and glimpse the large fish in the 45 foot bubbling spring beneath you. We encountered a strange looking bird on the shoreline, too. He just sat there, pooping in the water. It was bit odd, but we just couldn’t look away. It was one of those odd moments, where you catch yourself just staring!
My Mom spent the whole rest of the week trying to say the name of the spring correctly. It is properly said as “Kitchety-kippi,” but she comically didn’t say it that way! My Dad and I correcter her at first, but eventually we gave up and tried to stop grimacing each time she told yet another “perfect stranger” about our visits to “Kipi-Ippi” or something like that. I love my Mom! Never a dull moment with her…
Our 3rd stop on our driving tour was the Seul Choix Lighthouse near Gulliver. The Seul Choix Lighthouse (pronounced “Sis-schwa” meaning “only choice”) was already partially closed up when we arrived for our tour, but my Mom boldly approached the buildings and found one unlocked door and proceeded to get our group in for a quick FREE tour.
After finishing up our FREE adventures for the day, we headed to Manistique for dinner at the Wolf Den. This was one of several places we stopped that took “cash or check only.” This place was also a hotel, and I found it odd that they didn’t take credit cards at all. Hmmmm…
On the way back to our cabin, we stopped at the Manistique Harbor so that I could take pictures of the lighthouse and walk the boardwalk. It was another beautiful coastline.
Mel-icious UP Recap Part 1
I returned back home from the Upper Peninsula on Saturday the 16th, and so here we are NEARLY a month later, and I am finally giving a recap. It was quite a fun vacation! Here’s my Mel-icious recap…you know me, I have to give details!
Friday, September 8: My Aunt Peggy and I drove up to my parents’ home in Croswell. My Dad and I packed the car so we could get an early start the next morning.
Saturday, September 9: We left Croswell earlier than planned. Of course, we almost lost all the time we gained on our early start because we had to return back to the house to get my Mom’s purse. How does a woman forget her purse? I don’t get THAT! HA!
We arrived in Paradise, Michigan and found our rental cabin to be a bit under par. OK, the truth is that we pulled into the drive way, and I thought our cabin was the garage of the cabin next door. Not a good start to our relaxing week in the woods! HA! The cabin next door looked better, and I took photos of it just to say that it was the cabin we were “supposed to have” rather than what we got.
First of all, it was small. Really small! The kitchen, dining room and living room were all one room. There were 2 bedrooms as promised, and so that was a plus, but everything was really dusty and musty! It was obvious that there hadn’t been any one in there for a LONG time. We later found out from the rental lady that this cabin had only been rented one other time the whole summer. I KNOW WHY. I think she was doing the owner a favor by putting us in there. When we called to inquire about available cabins, I think she thought we sounded like suckers…HA!
Secondly, there was no hot water. We eventually got hot water late that night even though my Dad and I were praying that it wouldn’t get hot so that as promised the rental manager would move us to another cabin. But alas the water got hot, and so we stayed in the same cabin for the whole week. We also had to buy and change the fuse in the fuse box because the hot water kept going out. It was weird.
Thirdly, it was marketed as a “cottage with a small beach area.” AHEM! Believe me, it was an extremely small beach are, almost non-existent and the dock out to the water that was also advertised was rotten. Literally, my Dad stepped through the wood when he walked out on it. Plus, the end of the dock had collapsed and was leaning against the other part of the dock. It was sad. So, it was kind of difficult to get down to the water…you had to risk life and limb, if you will. HA! There were good things about the cabin, I guess, and eventually we got used to the quirks and odd set-up, and it became our “home” for 7 days!
Sunday, September 10: We visited the small Paradise Baptist church, where we (along with 7 other visitors) put the attendance up to 30. Population in the UP is sparse. There are bigger cities like St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie, Iron Mountain, etc. but mostly the UP is full of tiny little burgs that dot the peninsula, and Paradise is one of them. The people are friendly and kind, but they are definitely used to a different lifestyle.
After lunch, we drove to Tahquamenon Falls. It’s a family tradition to always visit the falls, and they were lovely as always. The tannic acid in the water keeps it the color of ice tea or root beer, and it foams just like root beer does when you pour it. It’s rather spectacular to see.
Friday, September 8: My Aunt Peggy and I drove up to my parents’ home in Croswell. My Dad and I packed the car so we could get an early start the next morning.
Saturday, September 9: We left Croswell earlier than planned. Of course, we almost lost all the time we gained on our early start because we had to return back to the house to get my Mom’s purse. How does a woman forget her purse? I don’t get THAT! HA!
We arrived in Paradise, Michigan and found our rental cabin to be a bit under par. OK, the truth is that we pulled into the drive way, and I thought our cabin was the garage of the cabin next door. Not a good start to our relaxing week in the woods! HA! The cabin next door looked better, and I took photos of it just to say that it was the cabin we were “supposed to have” rather than what we got.
First of all, it was small. Really small! The kitchen, dining room and living room were all one room. There were 2 bedrooms as promised, and so that was a plus, but everything was really dusty and musty! It was obvious that there hadn’t been any one in there for a LONG time. We later found out from the rental lady that this cabin had only been rented one other time the whole summer. I KNOW WHY. I think she was doing the owner a favor by putting us in there. When we called to inquire about available cabins, I think she thought we sounded like suckers…HA!
Secondly, there was no hot water. We eventually got hot water late that night even though my Dad and I were praying that it wouldn’t get hot so that as promised the rental manager would move us to another cabin. But alas the water got hot, and so we stayed in the same cabin for the whole week. We also had to buy and change the fuse in the fuse box because the hot water kept going out. It was weird.
Thirdly, it was marketed as a “cottage with a small beach area.” AHEM! Believe me, it was an extremely small beach are, almost non-existent and the dock out to the water that was also advertised was rotten. Literally, my Dad stepped through the wood when he walked out on it. Plus, the end of the dock had collapsed and was leaning against the other part of the dock. It was sad. So, it was kind of difficult to get down to the water…you had to risk life and limb, if you will. HA! There were good things about the cabin, I guess, and eventually we got used to the quirks and odd set-up, and it became our “home” for 7 days!
Sunday, September 10: We visited the small Paradise Baptist church, where we (along with 7 other visitors) put the attendance up to 30. Population in the UP is sparse. There are bigger cities like St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie, Iron Mountain, etc. but mostly the UP is full of tiny little burgs that dot the peninsula, and Paradise is one of them. The people are friendly and kind, but they are definitely used to a different lifestyle.
After lunch, we drove to Tahquamenon Falls. It’s a family tradition to always visit the falls, and they were lovely as always. The tannic acid in the water keeps it the color of ice tea or root beer, and it foams just like root beer does when you pour it. It’s rather spectacular to see.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
I'm back!!! What a fun trip!
You know you are in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when…
1. You can’t find a restaurant that takes debit or credit cards. “Cash or checks only!” Who writes a check for a burger and fries?
2. People talk about last year as a good winter because they only had 250 inches of snow. They had 360 the year before last, you know.
3. You can’t go anywhere without spotting signs for snowmobile trails.
4. The local IGA is the size of your parent’s garage, and they sell boat oars and life jackets right next to the bread and milk. You have to drive about 100 miles or more to get to a Wal-mart.
5. Half of the hotels are closed after Labor Day.
6. You run into limestone gravel roads. Actually you run into lots of dirt and gravel roads period.
7. You see signs for “homemade pasties” everywhere.
8. Everyone has a wood pile “out back” of their house.
9. Beachfront property is not just for the rich.
10. All you can see is either water or trees. It’s nature’s wonderland!
1. You can’t find a restaurant that takes debit or credit cards. “Cash or checks only!” Who writes a check for a burger and fries?
2. People talk about last year as a good winter because they only had 250 inches of snow. They had 360 the year before last, you know.
3. You can’t go anywhere without spotting signs for snowmobile trails.
4. The local IGA is the size of your parent’s garage, and they sell boat oars and life jackets right next to the bread and milk. You have to drive about 100 miles or more to get to a Wal-mart.
5. Half of the hotels are closed after Labor Day.
6. You run into limestone gravel roads. Actually you run into lots of dirt and gravel roads period.
7. You see signs for “homemade pasties” everywhere.
8. Everyone has a wood pile “out back” of their house.
9. Beachfront property is not just for the rich.
10. All you can see is either water or trees. It’s nature’s wonderland!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
The Fifth of November...
remember, remember, the 5th of November
the gun powder treason and plot.
I know of no reason why the gun powder treason
should ever be forgot.
I finally saw V for Vendetta a couple of weeks ago, and this ditty from the movie has been churning through my brain ever since. I thought perhaps this cleansing ritual—blogging about it—might help clear it from my head.
It was a really good movie. I hadn’t read about, hadn’t heard of the characters, didn’t know the whole Guy Fawkes story, etc. I was in the dark basically…completely oblivious. But when I saw the preview (on another DVD), it looked like a DARK picture. My kind of thing! So, I opted to check it out and really liked it. It's the type of movie that still had me thinking about it the next day.
Now, I’m not so much into the overthrow of governments, really. In fact, I’m not all that political at all. [Forget that I have a poli sci minor, please! Pretend it’s not so…] Something snapped inside my head a couple of years ago, and I just lost interest. But there is something about V that pulls you in and makes you wish you had something to believe in that strongly about.
I liked the characters, the style of the film, the British humor, the twists, etc. Good stuff! Natalie Portman isn’t my favorite actress, but she does fairly well in this film. Her feigned British accent is a bit much, and sometimes I detected other accents in there. It took me forever to discover how and why I knew the voice of her co-star V. Once I saw his name in the credits, I was still in the dark. But once I saw him in one of the “behind the scenes” DVD extras, I was kicking myself… DUH!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
the gun powder treason and plot.
I know of no reason why the gun powder treason
should ever be forgot.
I finally saw V for Vendetta a couple of weeks ago, and this ditty from the movie has been churning through my brain ever since. I thought perhaps this cleansing ritual—blogging about it—might help clear it from my head.
It was a really good movie. I hadn’t read about, hadn’t heard of the characters, didn’t know the whole Guy Fawkes story, etc. I was in the dark basically…completely oblivious. But when I saw the preview (on another DVD), it looked like a DARK picture. My kind of thing! So, I opted to check it out and really liked it. It's the type of movie that still had me thinking about it the next day.
Now, I’m not so much into the overthrow of governments, really. In fact, I’m not all that political at all. [Forget that I have a poli sci minor, please! Pretend it’s not so…] Something snapped inside my head a couple of years ago, and I just lost interest. But there is something about V that pulls you in and makes you wish you had something to believe in that strongly about.
I liked the characters, the style of the film, the British humor, the twists, etc. Good stuff! Natalie Portman isn’t my favorite actress, but she does fairly well in this film. Her feigned British accent is a bit much, and sometimes I detected other accents in there. It took me forever to discover how and why I knew the voice of her co-star V. Once I saw his name in the credits, I was still in the dark. But once I saw him in one of the “behind the scenes” DVD extras, I was kicking myself… DUH!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Ready to go U.P.
Only 16 days to go before I head on my vacation! I am so ecstatically excited! WOOHOO!! Although, I don’t know who’s brilliant idea it was to schedule my vacation time for the end of summer...I’ve waited in agony since May for September to get here. HA! It’s going to be one crazy busy month though, but I think I’m ready for it.
On Friday, September 8th, my Aunt Peggy and I are riding up to my parents’ home in Croswell, Michigan together. It will be fun to catch up with her. She’s a joy to be around and a lot like my Mom, her sister. Then the next day, my parents and I leave for the U.P., and my Aunt will be staying with my Grandma while we are away for the week. [Thank you, Aunt Peggy, for volunteering to do just that! I hope you and Grandma have fun together!]
I’m thrilled to see the Great Lakes again up close and in person. I’m not a beach bunny by far. I like to swim, but not so much in such cold water, plus Lake Huron where I grew up is rather rocky. You do get used to the rocks after a while, but they are initially harsh on your feet at first. But in the U.P. near where we will be staying in Paradise (ah yes, literally in Paradise, Michigan), Lake Superior is beautiful and sandy. There are miles of remote beaches with very few people, and while I doubt either my parents or myself will be jumping in and swimming, it will be wonderful to just wade in and walk along the water. I can’t wait. There is something tranquil and harmonious about being near water for days on end. (SIGH! I’m at peace even now just pondering it...)
My parents were in charge of finding our accommodations and planning the meals, and I was in charge of coming up with the itinerary. But just last week I determined that we couldn’t possibly do the whole U.P. in a week while renting the same cabin for a week. I never realized how immensely large the U.P. is. It is around 300 miles from the Eastern tip to the Western tip, which is about the same distance from my parents’ house to the Mackinac Bridge in total, and so we have scaled back our plans to the Eastern and more Central areas of the U.P. We’ll have to see the Western side another summer.
We’ll be spending a day on Mackinac Island, visiting several waterfalls including a family favorite (Tahquamenon Falls—the ice tea colored waterfalls), discovering some lighthouses we haven’t toured before (my Mom loves lighthouses), taking the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore cruise (which I am giddy about!), etc. We’ll also just be taking drives along the coast, another favorite adventure I enjoy. There are just miles of water to drive along--simply beautiful. The photo journalist in me is armed and ready!!
I’ve been looking forward to this week for months now. Just me and my parents traveling the U.P. together--it will be fun! Lots of bonding...
On Friday, September 8th, my Aunt Peggy and I are riding up to my parents’ home in Croswell, Michigan together. It will be fun to catch up with her. She’s a joy to be around and a lot like my Mom, her sister. Then the next day, my parents and I leave for the U.P., and my Aunt will be staying with my Grandma while we are away for the week. [Thank you, Aunt Peggy, for volunteering to do just that! I hope you and Grandma have fun together!]
I’m thrilled to see the Great Lakes again up close and in person. I’m not a beach bunny by far. I like to swim, but not so much in such cold water, plus Lake Huron where I grew up is rather rocky. You do get used to the rocks after a while, but they are initially harsh on your feet at first. But in the U.P. near where we will be staying in Paradise (ah yes, literally in Paradise, Michigan), Lake Superior is beautiful and sandy. There are miles of remote beaches with very few people, and while I doubt either my parents or myself will be jumping in and swimming, it will be wonderful to just wade in and walk along the water. I can’t wait. There is something tranquil and harmonious about being near water for days on end. (SIGH! I’m at peace even now just pondering it...)
My parents were in charge of finding our accommodations and planning the meals, and I was in charge of coming up with the itinerary. But just last week I determined that we couldn’t possibly do the whole U.P. in a week while renting the same cabin for a week. I never realized how immensely large the U.P. is. It is around 300 miles from the Eastern tip to the Western tip, which is about the same distance from my parents’ house to the Mackinac Bridge in total, and so we have scaled back our plans to the Eastern and more Central areas of the U.P. We’ll have to see the Western side another summer.
We’ll be spending a day on Mackinac Island, visiting several waterfalls including a family favorite (Tahquamenon Falls—the ice tea colored waterfalls), discovering some lighthouses we haven’t toured before (my Mom loves lighthouses), taking the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore cruise (which I am giddy about!), etc. We’ll also just be taking drives along the coast, another favorite adventure I enjoy. There are just miles of water to drive along--simply beautiful. The photo journalist in me is armed and ready!!
I’ve been looking forward to this week for months now. Just me and my parents traveling the U.P. together--it will be fun! Lots of bonding...
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Howard, Where are you?
My friend, Jessica, emailed today to tell me that her new friend, Jim, was at the July 4th Singles Picnic that I went to. And so, I've been racking my brain trying to figure out if can figure out who he was. That was a busy picnic after all. There were mostly new faces there, and so in my hostess role, I was a bit of a social butterfly--going from table or group to group introducing myself and saying hi. I met so many new people that I couldn't keep them straight, but it was fun, and I like that kind of stuff. I now think I know who Jim is, and he did seem like a nice guy. He certainly seems to be into Jessica. He has called her every night this week so far...just to chat, make plans for their Friday night date, etc. He seems really into her, and I'm glad. I'm living vicariously through her...
So, I've been thinking more about Howard lately. Does anyone know any single guys named Howard? It sure would be funny to meet one. [Hint, hint! I am now taking referrals...]
Anyway, I was pondering the thought today that even if I met Howard this week and we started dating, we'd still have those 3 months or so of awkward getting-to-know-you dating. Then would come those 6 months to a year of actual steady dating (or longer depending on how things go before you really got serious), and then there would be the serious phase and an engagement, and then the wedding planning... See, I don't like to think about that. Because even if this all starts tomorrow, it’s gonna take forever. It's still a wonder to me that people still hook up at all! It sounds like an exhausting couple of years to me.
I guess it is especially frustrating when you are ready--you've been ready, and you're simply tired of waiting for something else to happen. The truth is that you see time slip away, and you’d just like to know if it will ever happen for you. If it won’t, you’d like to know. You’d like to kick hope to the curb and move on. But until then, you can’t help it. Hope resurfaces from time to time, and you find yourself dreaming of more. No one could accuse you of holding back just because you are single! You're out living your life, enjoying it—traveling, meeting people, staying busy, pursuing hobbies and other interests, etc. But you do want more. You’re happy with your present circumstances, but you have that desire to love and be loved by another! You can’t escape it.
You’ve tried the hermit lifestyle in years past, but you find that deep inside you are a people person. So you continue to immerse yourself in society. You pray and wait, and you discover the obvious once again—you are a one-person unit living in a couples or family-pack sized world! Everything around you reminds you that you are unattached--TV commercials, sitting in church, grocery shopping, eating dinner out with friends, reading books, watching movies, letters from friends, etc. You’re reminded regularly that you are single.
And remember that relationship process I mentioned earlier? Well, I'm task-oriented. I’m driven to follow a process and get things done. And this is one project I want to have started already, but I can’t get one date once in a while--let alone a regular every week occurrence with the same guy! I want to be on the journey and headed on my merry way...but I can't even get on the boat and there isn't a boat in sight. I'm waiting on the dock, binoculars in hand as I scan the horizon for signs of a boat, and there is nothing. NADA! No freighters, no cruise boats, no speedboats, no paddleboats or canoes. Not even a kayak in sight! [Not sure where the boat analogy came into this, but it did!]
Let me put it this way...you know how they say you have to date a lot of frogs to find your prince? Well, what if you aren’t meeting the frogs either? What if you seem to have gotten thrown in the wrong pond? What then? Do you migrate to another pond? Hmmmm...
Howard, I think you’re in the wrong pond! Can you hop over to mine soon? PLEASE??
So, I've been thinking more about Howard lately. Does anyone know any single guys named Howard? It sure would be funny to meet one. [Hint, hint! I am now taking referrals...]
Anyway, I was pondering the thought today that even if I met Howard this week and we started dating, we'd still have those 3 months or so of awkward getting-to-know-you dating. Then would come those 6 months to a year of actual steady dating (or longer depending on how things go before you really got serious), and then there would be the serious phase and an engagement, and then the wedding planning... See, I don't like to think about that. Because even if this all starts tomorrow, it’s gonna take forever. It's still a wonder to me that people still hook up at all! It sounds like an exhausting couple of years to me.
I guess it is especially frustrating when you are ready--you've been ready, and you're simply tired of waiting for something else to happen. The truth is that you see time slip away, and you’d just like to know if it will ever happen for you. If it won’t, you’d like to know. You’d like to kick hope to the curb and move on. But until then, you can’t help it. Hope resurfaces from time to time, and you find yourself dreaming of more. No one could accuse you of holding back just because you are single! You're out living your life, enjoying it—traveling, meeting people, staying busy, pursuing hobbies and other interests, etc. But you do want more. You’re happy with your present circumstances, but you have that desire to love and be loved by another! You can’t escape it.
You’ve tried the hermit lifestyle in years past, but you find that deep inside you are a people person. So you continue to immerse yourself in society. You pray and wait, and you discover the obvious once again—you are a one-person unit living in a couples or family-pack sized world! Everything around you reminds you that you are unattached--TV commercials, sitting in church, grocery shopping, eating dinner out with friends, reading books, watching movies, letters from friends, etc. You’re reminded regularly that you are single.
And remember that relationship process I mentioned earlier? Well, I'm task-oriented. I’m driven to follow a process and get things done. And this is one project I want to have started already, but I can’t get one date once in a while--let alone a regular every week occurrence with the same guy! I want to be on the journey and headed on my merry way...but I can't even get on the boat and there isn't a boat in sight. I'm waiting on the dock, binoculars in hand as I scan the horizon for signs of a boat, and there is nothing. NADA! No freighters, no cruise boats, no speedboats, no paddleboats or canoes. Not even a kayak in sight! [Not sure where the boat analogy came into this, but it did!]
Let me put it this way...you know how they say you have to date a lot of frogs to find your prince? Well, what if you aren’t meeting the frogs either? What if you seem to have gotten thrown in the wrong pond? What then? Do you migrate to another pond? Hmmmm...
Howard, I think you’re in the wrong pond! Can you hop over to mine soon? PLEASE??
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