Good afternoon GH.  Well, it is 2:15 in the afternoon, and I finally have the time to sit and blog.  Currently, the temperature on the desktop is a breezy 44 degrees.  I know those of you who live in the desert will think that is cold, but Mary and I, along with Sugar the Weather Dog, went for a walk this AM, and we found it to be exhilarating.  The skies are gray, and the wind is blowing at a good clip, so this should be an interesting All Hallows Eve for the children who are out to gather some candy this evening.  I was going to put the leaf bags out, but the forecast is as high as 60% for rain, so I may have to save them for next week.  As I said in a previous blog, this is a whole lot better than the people on the East Coast are enduring.  I have included a link for some pictures for the "Desert Rats" to enjoy, since they visited earlier this fall and should recognize some of the areas where we walked.   Just follow the link.  http://www.grandhaventribune.com/content/unnamed-gallery-518  Otherwise, I  have some additional pictures of the horseradish harvest in various stages of use.  I hope you enjoy.

ForSteph

As promised.

Good morning GH.  I think I'll make this down and dirty.  A quick glance out the Weather Window shows gray skies and lots of wind blowing.  Currently the temperature on the desktop is 41 degrees, but with that wind, I bet it will feel like 21.  Sugar the Weather Dog will not want to be out, I can pretty much guarantee that.  I have to go to the doctor for a follow up, and I don't even want to go.  Between Saturday and yesterday, I collected 12 bags of leaves from our palatial estate, so I know that getting them raked up before the big wind blew in from the East, was a righteous idea.  Mary made bean tacos for lunch yesterday, and then we split a bean burrito for dinner.  When I say I work for beans, I'm not kidding.  I don't envy the people in NYC nor anywhere in the path of Hurricane Sandy.  Six million without power, billions in damage, and even the big blow from NJ had to admit that the federal response was wonderful.  We got Steph's package with the Halloween candy and the John Wayne movie.  Both are much appreciated.  Otherwise, I'd better get to that shower, and then out with Sugar before I have to be at the doctor at 10:00 AM.  So, I think it is...Tea time.  No pictures today.

Good afternoon GH.  Well, it is nearly 2:30 in the PM, and as I gaze out the Weather Window, I see gray skies and the current temperature on the desktop is a seasonal 49 degrees.  Sugar the Weather Dog and I just came back from our afternoon walk, but alas, the Grand Haven Tribune is not out yet.  Mary and I just finished lunch about 2:00 PM, and I just finished grinding up this year's crop of horseradish.  It tastes and smells pungent.  While not a huge amount in this first year, it came out well.  I tried a cheeses grater, but ended up with the blender to finish the job.  Previous to the harvest, I finished bagging up the leaves from our palatial estate. and as far as I am concerned, I am done for the year.  I also covered the patio/deck furniture, but I think I need additional stakes to complete the process.  I'll order them when I am done with this blog.  Otherwise, the day is going great.   So, time for additional pictures and then, who knows.  Oh, as soon as I can get a link, I have a great article for Dave and Lisa, Adam and Steph's friends.  Ciao.

This is how the horseradish looked prior to harvest.

I wonder if Adam knows.

Good early morning GH.  It is about 2:30 in the AM, and as occasionally happens, I couldn't sleep, so I got up and decided to write my blog.  Currently, the temperature on the desktop is a brisk 37 degrees.  What the heck, we go from 70 plus on Wednesday to this.  I guess it could be worse, we could be living on the the East Coast where Hurricane Sandy, or is it Tropical Storm Sandy or whatever, is about to meet up with a Nor'easter, to form a superstorm that threatens 60 million people up and down the Eastern Seaboard.  Fortunately, the governors of several states have declared a state of emergency and have ordered the evacuation of many low lying areas.  Even the POTUS has cancelled a couple of campaign stops to monitor the storm as it does over $1,000,000,000 in damage and shreds the power grid up and down the coast.  Or, we could be living off the coast of Canada or Alaska, where the recent earthquake measured 7.7 on the Richter Scale.  Or, we could be living anywhere that the level of the oceans is rising.  So, I think, what the heck, I'll just stay right here.  Sugar the Weather Dog agrees, as she stayed snug in her bed when I got up.  With no approaching storms, and no thunder, she is perfectly happy.  Hey, how about those Tigers?  I can't believe that they have rolled over and showed their soft side to the Giants.  Ouch!  On the other hand, the Huskies of Northern Illinois University, rolled over Western Michigan, scoring nearly 50 points.  It is amazing what you can see in DeKalb, Illinois.   Oh, by the by, Notre Dame beat Oklahoma convincingly, something that the "experts" said couldn't happen, even giving a pre-game prediction of a 17 point spread to Oklahoma.  So much for the experts.  Of course, the experts think that Alabama has a tough schedule too.  Go figure.  Oh well, I've rambled long enough.  I raked leaves on Saturday and I filled bags, and then Mary made me stop.  Fortunately for me, she has more sense than I do.  She has given me permission to resume my raking on Monday, after giving my back a day of rest.   Fortunately for me, I had to good sense to take some Ibuprofen after coming in,  so my back never did ache too much.  Which was more important?  I think Mary's stopping me, but that's just one man's opinion.  So, until later today when it is once again...Tea time, I'll select a couple of pictures to fill the void.  Ciao.

Who says that Buicks can't be sexy?

On the other hand, some cars can drop their top and still be cute.

Good early morning GH.  It is just a little after 5:00 AM here in our fair city, and since I am awake, I thought I'd take a few minutes to pen my blog. I always say that the view out the Weather Window is dark, but in this case that's not entirely true.  With the advent of modern street lighting, the view is actually quite clear.  While there is no sunlight, the streets appear dry and the Weather .com site is shoing the chance of precipitation to be very low.  After last evening, that's a welcome relief.  All of that rain that we didn't get last summer, seems to have been dropped in the past two or three weeks.  Currently the desktop temperature is 46 degrees, and we are expecting a high today to reach only about 48.  So, it is back to jacket weather again.  After the thunderstorms last evening that drove Sugar the Weather Dog into her hide-e-hole, that's all good.  Mary finished up her latest indexing project, and we celebrated by having dinner downtown.  We got back before the storm and before Sugar was terrified by the thunder.  We never went to hear the music, as the venue where it was being played, is tiny and not all that conducive to seeing and hearing.  Maybe another time.  My nose is running, so I hope that is a good sign, that the blockage is unblocking.  Today is a little dusting, a little indexing, and more guitar playing.  Life is good.  I should mention that I picked up some new fiction books at the library, and also a book about knitting.  I feel, as a former teacher, that sometimes the best way to approach anything is by reading about it.  So, I'll give that a try.  I really want to learn, but if this doesn't work, then it may be time to focus on those things I can do.  So, until next time, Ill remind you that ...Tea time is nearly here, and I need to go back to bed. So, I'll choose a couple of pictures and then be off.  Ciao.

Just a reminder that tis is what our palatial estate looked like last summer

I chose this car from our Coast Guard Fest car show last summer.  I wonder why?

Good afternoon GH.  As you can tell from my opening, I just sat down to blog at 3:15 PM.  By the time Mary and I had breakfast, walked Sugar the Weather Dog, and then read the papers, it was time for lunch.  Then, since the day was nothing short of gorgeous, Sugar and I repaired to the deck for some serious cross-wording and bone chewing.  However, since there were also some linemen from the cable company in her backyard, Sugar had to alternate between barking, growling and zealously guarding her bone.  She got so flustered at one point, that she retreated to the weedy area with her bone, but it turned out that it was an old bone that had already been chewed.  Anyway, the current view out the Weather Window is wispy clouds and bright sunshine.  The current temperature on the desktop is 75 delightful degrees, and the weather forecast is for no precipitation until about eight  PM.  So, I should make it to the library and back before the thunderstorms arrive.  Of course, Sugar the Weather Dog won't be happy about the T-storms, but that is something I can't fix.  Mary and I had planned to go to our very local watering hole to listen to a band that is supposed to be good, but I don't know if I can leave Sugar alone in a storm.  Call me crazy, but I get upset when she is being tormented by a storm.  Right before lunch, I vacuumed, and then traveled to the netherworld of the man-cave to repair my desk drawer.  The bottom literally fell out.  Fortunately for me, when Adam put a new top on the workbench, he got a full sheet of hardboard and brought the leftovers home from the big box lumber store.  I used one of those pieces to make a new bottom, and since I didn't have a saw that was adequate to the task, I used an utility knife to score the hardboard and then snapped it off to size.  Worked like a charm. Since I wasn't worried about keeping my drawer original, the end result was perfect.  Sometimes, you can't use the old material when it is too far gone.  Here in my office, I used my Jack and Coke coasters beside the Jack's coaster that Steph and Adam brought one time they were here, to make a nice display.  Unfortunately, that only lasted a couple of hours, before Mary had to use her auxiliary desk, (my end table), to work on her index.  So, now I have to start over.  However, my thanks to Steph for thinking of me and bringing those Jack's coasters.  I'll get them back in order soon.  Otherwise, as I noted earlier, I am off to the library about 4:40 PM for a R.E.A.D. tutoring session and to pick up some books that I had requested.  After that, maybe a little music.  So, until it is once again...Tea time, I'll select some pictures for your enjoyment.

Another view of the Fokker from the Henry Ford

I always liked the early 60s Chevrolets.  My grandmother had a 1960 coupe and my dad had a station wagon.

Good morning GH.  Well, it is a little after 8:30 Am, and the view out the Weather Window is partly cloudy and the Sun is on the rise.  Currently the desktop temperature is 58 degrees, and the expected high for the day is in the lower 60s.  When last seen, Sugar the Weather Dog was still abed, as was Mary, although it is possible that she and Sugar are now awake,  as I came to my office about an hour ago to finish typing an index I was working on yesterday.  The gully washer we experienced yesterday afternoon was nothing short of unbelievable.  Many of the local streets were flooded due to clogged drains, and the thunder drove Sugar to her Hide-e-hole.   I went to the doctor yesterday to get my ear infection checked and got a prescription for some antibiotics.  I am getting better as I write.  Today, more entering of cases for Mary, more Sugar walking, and more...Tea time.

Good afternoon GH.  A quick look out the Weather Window tells me that the forecast is right.  The skies are turning gray, and the chance of rain or thunderstorms is increasing hourly.  I'll know more when Sugar the Weather Dog let's me know by her whereabouts.  If she excuses herself to her
hide - e - hole, I'll know for sure.  Sugar and I walked over to the store to get her a pedicure, and then we stopped for newspapers on the way back.  This morning at 11:00 AM, the skies were bright and sunny and the temperature was nothing short of gorgeous.  We had the heater repair man in to check things this AM, and everything seems to be in order, except that we have a complete blockage in the duct leading to my office.  I checked using a light and a mirror, and sure enough, it is completely blocked.  I doubt if that falls into the purview of a duct cleaning company.  So, I may do the least expensive, but not necessarily logical thing, and get a small fan to pull in heat from the register in the hall.  No disturbance to the walls, no high price, and I can move it around at my discretion.  I like it better the more that I think about it.  Mary made a nice brunch of scrambled eggs with extra garlic, and a piece of toast for each of us.  I augmented my toast with peanut butter and of course, we had to have homemade salsa on the eggs.  I also had no Silk for my tea, so I used vanilla almond milk instead of sugar, and it tasted just fine.  Silk, one more thing Mary doesn't have to buy at the store.  So, until tomorrow, I will say adieu and leave you with some pictures.

A genuine Roadster with a flat head V8 Ford motor, from our Coast Guard Fest car show

What's not to love about an old Studebaker.  If you look in the back, you'll see that working diner I mentioned the other day

Good evening GH. One of the reasons I started blogging about my new life is that I was mostly done with my old life. I guess you could say that everyone should try new things, so in this case, I did. Blogs are just one example of something that I had never tried before. I think that it is worth doing. I don't have a huge number of followers, but at least it is a chance to share what's going on in my life and that of Mary, Adam, Stephany, and of course, Sugar the Weather Dog, and the people of GH in general. Today, Mary and I walked Sugar and picked up the NY Times downtown. We returned, spent a few hours reading, and then decided that it was such a beautiful day that we couldn't afford to miss it. So, we returned downtown, stopped in at our favorite watering hole, and then walked back home in time to feed Sugar. All is good. Right now, the view out the Weather Window is dark and Sugar the Weather Dog is asleep on the floor. Currently the temperature showing on the desktop is 48 degrees, but there is minimal wind and the chance of precipitation is zero. So, it really is quite pleasant. I have the heating repair man coming over in the AM to check our ducts, because we get very little circulation in my office/music room and the media room. We need some assistance with them. Otherwise, little else is on the agenda, except for the need to get started on some indexing work, a little vacuuming once the heating man is gone, and taking Sugar to the groomer for a manicure and pedicure, or is it the other way around, or is it one or the other. Oh well, I doubt that she will like it. Until tomorrow, I will leave you with some additional pictures.

Factory Chevrolet Fuel Injection

Maybe cool, but wh knows.

Good afternoon GH.  Well, as you can surmise, it isn't morning, it is 3:30 in the afternoon.  But, since there are so many things to do today, time just slipped away. Sugar the Weather Dog and I had rain during our morning walk, and then we had some sun.  Currently, the desktop temperature is showing 52 degrees.  Now, Mary wants to go out, and the sun is coming and going.  Figures,   I don't feel as though I accomplished much today, but I did do a small amount of vacuuming and played my guitar some, so I think that Robert Fulghum would approve of my use of time.  I wish that I could budget my time better, but I guess that I really don't need to, as I am retired.  I am expecting Mary to burst in at any time and tell me that I need to start indexing on the new project.  However, she hasn't yet and now she wants to go uptown, so go figure.     I didn't take Tea time this AM, because I was having a headache, and caffeine can have a negative effect.  Otherwise, not much to report.  Adam and Steph are off on a VW rally and Barb and Ed will be leaving for a cruise on Sunday, so all is good on that front.  That being said, I'll choose a couple of pictures for your enjoyment.  Later.

This is the working diner at Gilmore.  There is a similar one at the Henry Ford

As you can see, Gilmore also has NASCAR displays

Good morning GH.  Wow, what a storm we had yesterday afternoon.  All the rain that didn't fall during the summer months seemed to come down at once.  We used to call those a gully washer.  The current view out the Weather Window is cloudy at 8:40 AM.  Sugar the Weather Dog spent some time in her hide e hole during the storm.  We still have a forecast fro some rain this AM, but that tapers off as the day wears on.  The current desktop temperature reading is 52 degrees, lower than yesterday's high, but still comfortable enough for a sweatshirt while walking the dog.  Mary and I took a nice walk to the farmer's market in the AM yesterday to buy some eggs and things.  Mary got a nice bouquet of flowers for her office, Sugar got a nice long walk.  In the afternoon I did a little yard work, and then, Mary said, "How many more of these are we going to get, so let's take a walk to the waterfront."  So, we did, with a stop at the local tap for a pitcher of brew on the way back.  Once home, Mary put her culinary skills to work on a delicious stir fry, which I enjoyed immensely.  In the evening, we watched some television, and then I got tired and it was off to bed, especially since the Tigers got postponed due to rain.  An afternoon game is scheduled for today.  Otherwise, today is a good day to do that vacuuming I have been thinking about and I have to write some things for my tutoring session this afternoon.  So, until tomorrow, Ill just say that it is...Tea time and leave you with some additional pictures.

Yes, those side pipes are functional

How many chances do you get to see this many Corvettes in the same place?  Courtesy of the Gilmore Car Museum

Good morning GH.  This will be a shorter blog, because the day out the Weather Window just looks so inviting.  Sugar the Weather Dog is sill abed, but that will be changing shortly, especially once she sees how great it looks out there.  Currently, the temperature on the desktop is a gorgeous 62 degrees and the day promises to be great until about four or five this afternoon,  Then, boom, the lightning and thunder etc. are supposed to begin.  Sugar will let me know.  Yesterday, Mary, Sugar, and I decided to do many things, some of them independently.  I got a hair tune-up, Mary went to the grocery store, I raked and bagged leaves as Sugar chewed her bone, and then Mary and I started out for a trip to the vegetable stand.  Since we took the wrong road, it took a little work, but that led us to the town of Hudsonville. where Mary and I visited a new to us yarn shop, and then we considered going to Allegan, the town, but it turned out to be too far, so instead we headed for home, but first we stopped in Zeeland just to see what was happening there.  Mary got a cookbook (surprise) from the 1970s, and then we truly were off to home,  Our thanks to the GPS for its invaluable assistance.  We stopped at a local watering hole, had dinner, brought home some leftovers which we consumed during the presidential debate, which actually turned out to be almost as entertaining as the show we had planned to watch, the original NCIS.  So, that about sums up our day.  Today, Mary has to get to work on her latest index, I have to play the guitar, and in there somewhere, I need to vacuum.  Sugar will just stay out of the way.  So, it is now time for some additional pictures, and of course...Tea time.

Not a great picture, an early helicopter at the Henry Ford

As Mary calls them, yarn on the hoof at Greenfield Village

Good morning GH.  Well, it is nearing 6:00 AM, and of course, the view out the Weather Window is...Dark!  The current temperature on the desktop is a scintillating 33 degrees!  However, the prediction for today is for the lower sixties, so that should be all good.  I went to a movie yesterday, all by myself, and I pronounce the experience wonderful.  I got to see a movie that I liked, and I got to eat my popcorn in peace, and best of all, the theater undercharged me, so the final price came out just over $8.00.  Plus, the movie was good.  It was, to say the least, everything the last movie was not.  I finished the dusting yesterday , and the bathrooms, so now all that is left is vacuuming.  While I was out, Mary got a call from a publisher, offering a new indexing job, so all is good on that front too.  To paraphrase, I love it when a non-plan comes together! So, other than a little leaf raking, and that vacuuming thing, I think the day should go quietly.  I plan to watch the debate tonight and then it will be time for bed, just as it will be this AM after I finish this blog.  So, until it is...Tea time, and until tomorrow, I'll leave you with a few more pictures.

This is a can you guess what this is photo

A followup to yesterday, one of the few remaining Tuckers, this one at the Henry Ford

For those of you who thought the top on a Mercedes convertible was complicated, I give you the Ford Sunliner

Good morning GH.  According to the clock on my desktop it is nearing 8:00 AM.  So, although limited, the view out the Weather Window shows gray skies, some rain on the scarecrow, and the Sun has not yet risen.  Currently the temperature on the desktop is 47 degrees, quite a drop from the temperatures we enjoyed yesterday.  Of course, Sugar the Weather Dog, who is currently abed, wasn't all that thrilled by the weekend weather. Yesterday, there were gale warnings, and other severe weather warnings.  Still, it wasn't as bad as they had forecast, which is often the case here in GH.  We seem to be in a weather bubble here, which seems to often mitigate the severe weather conditions.  This winter will help us to get a better handle on that phenomenon.  We did have some thunder yesterday afternoon, and of course Sugar was frightened by that, but mostly the rough stuff seemed to leave us alone.  We did experience some sort of inversion in the AM, because you could smell the coal smoke from the power plant.  The news yesterday was all good on the sports front,  The Tigers won, the Lions won and the Bears didn't play.  It doesn't get any better than that, except for the fact that the Cubs weren't even close to the post season.  Wow, I just realized that my last little thought bubble included four animal references.  Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh my!  Today, I want to see a movie, and that may require leaving Mary out of the plans.  After our last little movie disaster, she is loathe to go back in the water.  However, I want to see Argo, so if she won't go, I'll go by myself.  Actually, I have a thing for movie popcorn, so I want to go and see a movie I can like and enjoy my popcorn in a more comfortable atmosphere.  So, I'll do a little housework this AM, and then I'll be off.  Until then, Ill leave you with some additional pictures, and the final thought from each blog it's...Tea time.

MAry always liked flying in a descendant of these early planes

The turntable in action at Greenfield Village, I'm sure A.J. remembers

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you one of the few remaining Tuckers still in existence.  Only about 48 or 50 were ever manufactured.  They had a six cylinder opposed engine, air cooled, and a third headlight that moved in the direction the car was being steered.  Preston Tucker was way ahead of his time.  You have to appreciate the beauty of this car!

Good evening. GH.  I thought it would be interesting to do a blog for two days worth of activities combined into one.  Of course, the view out the Weather Window is dark, but the desktop temperature is surprisingly 58 warm degrees, warmer than it has been all day.   Sugar the Weather Dog wasn't all that sure about gong out this AM, as it was raining, and in fact that is the forecast for the balance of the evening and much of tomorrow.  It was a good day, except that MI State lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. But, Notre Dame eked out a victory over the Stanford Cardinal.  It is unlikely that I will be awake to see the Tigers beat the Yankees, but I do anticipate that happening.  Actually,  I stayed awake until after 1:00 Am and saw the Tigers rally in the 12th t beat the Yankees.  Mary and I had the chance to tour the Board of Light and Power diesel power plant.  It is part of their strategy to help people understand where their electricity comes from.  Mary has pictures, but I can give you some statistics.  The newest diesel in the building was installed in the early 1970s, while the oldest dates to the 1950s.  I think the cylinder bore on the largest is about 26 inches.  According to the operator the diesels when running put out about 140 degrees of heat.  There are six or seven in the building, so when they are all in operation during peak power usage season, the heat in the building gets very profound.  They started one diesel to give us an idea of the noise, and Mary and I couldn't hear each other talk.  Let's just say that no matter what they get paid, it isn't enough, but we are thankful for their service.  We also got some cool souvenirs, and I am putting two of them in the man cave.  I understand that they only use 1/4 watt of electricity.  Otherwise, not much to report.  I learned somethings about airplanes and their flight characteristics from one of the men at our favorite watering hole.  As of Tuesday, he is on his way home to FL for the winter.  He'll be back next April.  So until next time, I'll select some pictures for my enjoyment, and hopefully yours.  In the morning, it will be...Tea time.

From the Henry Ford, a Model T in its component parts

CBS newsman Charles Kuralt went ont he road in this motor home in the 1970s 

Good morning GH.  It is nearly 11:15 in the AM, and the view out the Weather Window is beautiful.  The Sun is shining, and the sky has but a few wispy clouds.  The current temperature on the desktop is a brisk 41 degrees.  I had an appointment this AM, so Sugar the Weather Dog went out with Mary.  I had to warn her that the deck was very slippery due to the frost last night.  Sugar was happily walking when I saw she and Mary on Columbus as I was passing on my way to the hardware store.  I got all the things that I needed, but I still will need Adam's help with the Lexan placement on the front door screen.  Since I have until next spring, that shouldn't present a problem.  I already had my Tea time, and I suggested that Mary create a batch of pasta sauce in the Crockpot, which she did; it is cooking now.  Otherwise, I took the time to oil the rocking chair so that Mary can bring it inside.  Not much else is happening today, so I'll do some guitar playing and leave you with some additional pictures.  Ciao!

We thought we had dropped into London

I felt right at home here

Who said that Ford couldn't produce some works of art?

Good morning GH/  It is actually 8:26 in the AM, and the view out the Weather Window shows the Sun on the rise and skies that should be, but may not actually become, clear this AM, as they have a certain leaden quality upon further review.  Currently the temperature on the desktop is a Michigan fall normal of 52 degrees.  Our high today is expected to be 59 degrees, with gusty winds and an elevated chance of precipitation in the AM.  Sugar the Weather Dog will be happy to go out this AM, but the wind will probably lay her ears back.  There is also the hope that the wind will blow some of the leaves into an adjacent county, but it is more likely that the wind will bring additional leaves to our palatial estate.  I had to put out six bags of leaves with the trash last night, and as I watch the wind blow this AM, I don't know what to expect in the yard.  Such is life in a mid-western climate, at least so far in this century.  Perhaps the politicians who are denying climate change can make it all better.  I managed to get the adhesive off of the screen for the front door, but I had to use some of Adam's electric motor cleaner to do it.  It actually felt good to use his things.  I never did find any Goo Gone, and no, I didn't use up all the electric motor cleaner.  Went to one of our local watering holes and learned that one of the people who frequents the place all summer will be going back to FL on Tuesday.  He comes up in the summer, works here, and then goes back to FL in the winter and works there.  I guess that he isn't ready to retire.  I played my guitar yesterday, and my ability is coming back.  Amazing what practice can do.  However, some of the Tab that I used to know still isn't there yet.  So, until next time, I'll be leaving you with a few pictures and of course a reminder, that it is...Tea time.  Oh, although the Super Strong Irish tea that I got downtown is good, I like the tea that I get from my regular source better.

No car company was immune to the "Fin Craze" in the late 1950s

Car guys and gals will recognize this one

They will also recognize Ford's response

Good morning GH.  I made it!  It is still before 9:00 AM here in our fair city.  The current temperature on the desktop is 46 degrees, which for once, corresponds with the number given by the Weather. com site.  The view out the Weather Window is partly cloudy, and I have yet to see the Sun, well I saw it at 8:30 for about two minutes.  Sugar the Weather Dog is still abed, so I can't count on her for an updated forecast until we take a walk this AM.  Yesterday, Mary and I were both productive,  I raked up what seemed like a never ending supply of leaves and placed them in bags, and Mary was hard at work in her kitchen making soup.  That process took us both hours.  However, Mary's efforts produced what I like to think was a great soup, while mine produced just a pile of bags.  So, I guess you can say that both of us were productive, but when Mary was done, I got to eat deliciously, while Mary had something leftover for another day.  For dinner, she also was busy, so that when she was done, we had tomato and bean enchiladas that, drum roll please, also used my delicious tomatillo sauce.   I'd like to think that the enchiladas were delicious because of my sauce, but the truth is, Mary's efforts probably had something to do with it.  Today, I may get to the man cave to finish the storage of the front screen for the winter  I need to permanently attach the Lexan anti-Sugar panel to the screen, so in order to do that, I need to remove the old adhesive strips and then use silicon to permanently attach the panel.  Maybe Adam, has a chemical that can assist with the removal of the adhesive.  I'll have to look.  So, until later, I'll just leave you with a couple of pictures from our recent trip and the time tested and well deserved...Tea time.  I should mention that while I was blogging, the Windows program decided it was time to update and then couldn't restart etc.  So, Now I should be able to get those pictures.

The Gilmore Exhibit of the Dustbowl

See, there were a lot of cars made int he 1950s

Good morning GH.  Well, it actually is morning here in GH, and the view out the Weather Window is very inviting.  The skies are mostly clear, the sun is a bright yellow in the sky, and the expected high today will exceed the current temperature on the desktop by about six degrees, (52 + 6 = 58).  Sugar the Weather Dog had to go out this AM, but then she was back to her upstairs bed.  Today is a good day for a walk in our fair city.  I am certain that Sugar will agree.  Otherwise, as I noted last evening, time to rake more leaves, play some guitar, and of course, be retired from my "easy" job.  Instead, I get to index for Mary and that is mentally challenging.  However, I need to call the sewer inspection service to check if there is anything that I need to do in order to keep my warranty in force, or if I got my one year and that is that.  If there is nothing to do, we will just have to wait for the next back-up.  Upon further review, the view out the Weather Window just keeps getting better as the sun comes up ever higher.  So I'll leave you with a few more pictures and a final thought; wait for it, wait for it...Yes, it is Tea time!

It is all about Michigan!

What the Chrysler turbine car had under the hood.

Adam's dream room when he was a kid, or is it now?

Good evening GH.  Well, as you can see, I didn't get to blogging until this evening.  So, the view out the Weather Window is dark and the forecast from Sugar the Weather Dog is just "I'm tired, no time for a forecast." The current temperature on the desktop is a brisk but comfortable 54 degrees.  Mary and I spent some time in Holland this morning, picking up some cooking utensils and spices.  We also stopped in a bodega and at a thrift store.  Not much to report from any of those places.  We did find some Piccalilli at our own local gourmet grocery here in GH.  I also picked up some Irish breakfast tea that I want to try during Tea time.  It is supposed to be extra strong, the way I like it, so if it is, it will save my ordering more from my regular source.  This afternoon, Sugar and I adjourned to the Grand Haven channel for some bone chewing, music listening, and some reading.  That's why I am so late to this blog.  Time just got away.  Over the weekend, Mary and I spent two and one half hours of our lives we will ever get back, seeing one of those movies that was highly recommended by the critics, and as we learned after the painful two and one half hours, panned by the regular folks who reviewed it.  Afterwards, we stopped in at one of our favorite watering holes in time to see the Tigers beat the As on a sac fly.  So, the day wasn't a total loss.  Mary had a great idea for the leaves on our spacious estate.  We have an area we call Sugar's no man's land, so she suggested that I rake the leaves into that area.  I like her plan, because I won't have to bag the leaves and they will become more soil in that area where the grass doesn't grow anyway.  So, as you might imagine, it works for me.  Tomorrow, I plan some guitar playing, some reading, some music listening, and probably some work on the next index.  The best part of working on the indexing project is that I get paid in beans.  I will include a few more pictures from our recent trip to the Dearborn area, just because I can.

Bicycles  in  the Wright Brother's shop in Greenfield Village

Part of the harvest used in the restaurant we ate at in Greenfield Village

More of the pedal car collection at the Gilmore Museum

Good early morning GH.  It is currently 4:10 in the AM, so as you might imagine the view out the Weather Window is rather dark, lit only by the glow of the street lights.  Sugar the Weather Dog is still asleep, in her upstairs bed, yeah, so all is right with the world.  The current temperature on the desktop is a brisk 48 degrees, and that is probably pretty close to the days high.  Wait, let me check. Yep, the high today is expected to be 48, so we are nearly there.  Personally, if I get to choose, and I do, I like living in a changeable climate versus the heat of a desert.  Sure, we get snow, but we also get those beautiful fall colors on the trees, and then in the spring, we get to start all over again.  For those of you who are into mythology, you know that there is a Greek myth about the changing of the seasons, that involves Persephone and her dual role as queen of the underworld and goddess of the spring.  I like to think that anything that can inspire that kind of thinking is worth knowing.  Just a quick lamentation on the passing of another Cub's season.  This year, I had high hopes, with a core of good players, a new manager, the hiring of a new VP of baseball operations, and some interesting trades.  Well, as is so often the case, the team managed to crash my hopes on the rocks of despair.  But, there is always next year.  And, this year there are the indomitable Tigers.  How about that!  So, although another year passes with no world series for the boys in blue and although the Red Sox suffered another disastrous season, there is always hope for the future.  Plus, the Tigers beat the White Sox a lot, so that is all good there.  Just a mention, that it has been 53 years since I saw my first Cub's game as a Cub Scout.  While I am certain that the boys in blue have some other long suffering fans, each year brings me closer to the inevitable.  I'll just leave it at that.  So, it is off to bed before I have to get up and watch UP with Chris and get the whole story on the the days events.  I close by saying that is will be...Tea time in abut four hours,  Also, more pictures.

The sign says it all, a blast from the past.

You know that Mary loves kitchens.  Maybe she will let me in again soon.

You had to be at the Gilmore Museum to fully appreciate this, but it was incredible.

Good morning GH.  I decided to get an early start, well, just because. Yesterday was rainy as the day wore on, so I didn't do much outdoors.  Currently the temperature on the desktop is a very nice 62 degrees.  Sugar the Weather Dog is still in her bed, so she has nothing to add at this time.  I did go to the butcher shop to get Sugar the Weather Dog a fresh supply of bones, so she should be good for a while.  I also went to the local grocery store, and thereby hangs a tale.  None of the redemption machines would accept a beer can, so I had to take them to the service counter and count them into a basket by hand.  While it didn't take any longer, it was irritating, especially as I had 121 cans to redeem.  Mary always seems to be busy when that many cans need to go back.  I wish that I could say I drank most of them, but alas, I didn't.  Currently, the view out the Weather Window is dark, but it is early.  However, the Weather.com site is showing a high of 75 degrees, and showers off and on.  Some thunder is possible, so you know what that means when it comes to Sugar.  Otherwise, not much to report.  However, I should note that while Mary and I were out of town, I asked Adam to take a look at the recalcitrant cabinet door in the kitchen, that I couldn't make work right.  He was far more successful than I as I discovered last evening.  Once again, my hat is off to him.  I anticipate that I will have some serious editing to do today, and that is always a challenge.  Sometimes it is fun, but having read the draft of the book, I somehow doubt it.  So, since I promised more pictures, they are located below.  Thus, it is...Tea time.   

This is for Adam

When cars resembled rocket ships

A 1962 Mustang prototype

Good morning GH.  Hey, I actually made it, it is just before 8:00 AM.  The view out the Weather Window is still kind of gray and the current temperature on the desktop is 58 degrees.  For a newly transplanted Michigander, that is perfect for shorts and a Tee shirt.  Sugar the Weather Dog is still abed, so her forecast will come later in the day.  Everything I have heard so far indicates that the weather today and most of tomorrow calls for very comfortable temperatures and a slight chance of sprinkles.  In other words, typical fall weather.  By the time we get to Friday, the weather takes a turn towards the cool side that may require a change to long pants, but we shall see.  I am happy to report that Sugar is back to sleeping in her upstairs bed.  I changed it out with her reserve bed the other day, so this one must be acceptable.  Go figure.  I need to remind myself that Mary was a good sport over this past weekend, as she willingly drove us to the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village as well as discovering the Gilmore Car Museum.  I know that unlike Adam and myself, she can get enough cars.  However, there were enough non-car things at Henry Ford to help her get through the museum, and likewise at Greenfield Village.  Gilmore, not so much, but she can tell you more in her blog.  Yesterday, we found our way to Wyoming, MI, to visit a yarn shop.  Fortunately, the one we ended up following the GPS directions to turned out to be the one she wanted to go to.  Once again, dumb luck overcame skill.  On the way back, we stopped at a couple of farm stands and got a ready supply of winter produce.  All in all, a good trip.  Otherwise, it is time for my morning ritual and then it will be...Tea time.  But, before I sign off, here are a few more pictures from our recent trip.

For all you camper lovers

Taxi anyone?