A Great Day with Friends & Family

Our dear old friends, Gerry & Kathi, visited us at our campground in Davison today. They brought 2 of their granddaughters, Capriece and Lydia, with them. Jason, Connor & Jillian also came over, as well as Spyros, Kathy & Paul. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Gerry hasn't changed one bit, he is still hilarious. All of the kids went to the indoor pool, hot tub & sauna. Jason took the 4 oldest kids to mini-golf and then Kathi & Jason ended up at Karaoke with the four oldest kids. Jason & Jillian both sang songs. We had a nice meal and a campfire. The temperature sure dropped fast this evening. We might need to head south sooner than October 12th.

Gerry "The Pookster" chowing down.

Lydia (6), Capriece (9), Jillian (7), Connor (10)

Notice Jillian's new glasses. She looks so adorable with them.

Capriece & Connor. So cute together that it's a little scary!

Red skies and Old Glory

Happy 60th, Sue!!! September 18th

Today was my sister, Sue's, 60th Birthday. Dang, she's OLD!!! Her fiance', Bob, had a surprise party for her. Somehow, Kathy, Lori & I managed to get her there without her having a clue of what was going on. She was absolutely shocked when we walked into the Clarkston American Legion. We had a great time and I'm glad that I have a few years before I'm that OLD!



The cake


Sue & her kids. L-R: Jenise, Michelle, Wayne, Lori & Sue


Wayne & Sue's fiance', Bob. I think this was called, "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy - Brokeback Mountain Style". ;-)


Lori & Mike

The birthday girl with her candy bra and other trinkets.

Kathy & Spyros

Greenfield Village - September 14th

We also spent Monday at Greenfield Village. It is amazing how authentic everything is here. When a building, such as the Wright Bros. Cycle Shop, is moved here they number every board, every brick, etc. and reassemble it on-site. The interiors are also authentic, including the furniture.


The Martha-Mary Chapel, named after Henry & Clara Ford's mothers. Bob & I attended a wedding here many years ago.


The interior of the Logan County Courthouse, where Abraham Lincoln practiced law.


The exterior of the Logan County Courthouse.


A typical scene at the Village.

The original Ford Motor Company factory.

Henry Ford Museum - September 14th

We spent Monday at Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Paul & Cheryl seemed to really enjoy the day. Paul remembered going to Greenfield Village when he was young, but does not remember ever going to the Museum. We had a great time, but were totally exhausted at the end of the day. Our cousin, Gloria, invited us to their house for dinner that night. We had her fantastic lasagna. She certainly hasn't lost her touch. It was delicious!!! Bob had 3 helpings, so I guess he liked it, too.


This is one of my favorite artifacts at the Museum. It is a letter written by Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie & Clyde fame) to Henry Ford, telling Henry Ford what a fine automobile his V8 is.


The four of us going for a ride.


Paul sitting in Rosa Parks' seat on the bus.

An original Weinermobile.

Next to the Weinermobile was this huge hot dog bun with stuffed "condiments". Paul convinced Bob (quite easily, actually) to lay down on the bun and then Paul covered him with condiments. I guess after dressing in a can-can dress and blonde wig, this was pretty tame for him. :-)

"Memory Lane Tour" - September 13th

We took Paul & Cheryl on a tour of the area today to visit some of the places he remembers from when they lived in Michigan. He was 15 years old when they moved to California in 1960. It was a very nostalgic day. We went to the house where he grew up in Waterford and Paul & Cheryl knocked on the door and asked the young couple that live there now if they could go inside. It is amazing that they lived in that tiny house with 7 people. None of us thought of it as small back then, but it sure looks small now! Other places had the same effect on us. I guess when you're little, places seem bigger than when you are an adult.



The old Metes & Powers building where Paul's Dad worked. It was a beer distributorship and Uncle George was a truck driver. Our grandma's 2nd husband also worked there.


The Amvet Hall. My Dad helped build this building and we spent many days there. It sure did seem about 3 - 4 times bigger back then. How did these buildings shrink???


Grandpa DeGiacomo's house on Central Ave. in Pontiac. Again, how did it shrink? This is the house where our mothers were born.

Our Family Reunion - September 12th

Our family reunion was a great success! We laughed until we were hoarse. It was also Pete & Gloria's 40th Anniversary, so we celebrated that, too. It was so much fun to see everyone and for everyone to get (re)aquainted with Paul & Cheryl. As always, Spyros & Kathy were excellent hosts and we had enough food for 4 more families to join us. :-) Tomorrow we're taking Paul & Cheryl on a tour down "Memory Lane" - driving them by all the places he remembers from when he lived here many years ago. After that, we're meeting at Spyros & Kathy's for a dinner of leftovers from the reunion.




The cake with my Mom, Aunt Ursula, Aunt Lucille, Grandpa & Grandma and Pete & Gloria's wedding picture.



Paul & my Mom seeing each other for the first time in nearly 30 years.



Part of Sue's family - Kaitlyn, Michelle, Wayne, Lori, Nick, Justin, Sue & Jenise



Wayne flying the plane

Dad with one of Gloria's cannolis

Paul & Bob (his brother from another mother) :-)

Kathy & Sue - friends don't let friends fly drunk!!!

We seem to have hit some turbulence!

Gloria & Pete with sweet little Juliet

Andrea & Jason

We're in Milford

We arrived at Camp Dearborn in Milford this afternoon. We had a close call on I-75 in northern Michigan today when a couple of large deer crossed the road just ahead of us. Thank goodness Paul wasn't following TOO close at the time! Paul said he wanted to see some deer and we finally found some for him. :-( We got set-up in the park and then headed to Spyros & Kathy's to help them set-up for the reunion tomorrow. By the time we arrived, they already had the big tent up, etc. So, we all went for a boat ride and then ordered some pizzas. That was the easiest work we've done in a while. ;-) Tomorrow is the family reunion and I'm sure I'll have lots of new pictures to post.

The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, MI

We visited Sault Ste. Marie, MI today and went on a boat cruise through the Soo Locks. It was very interesting and informative. After the cruise, we went to The Antlers in Sault Ste. Marie for lunch. Cheryl prepared a great spaghetti dinner tonight. We're leaving in the morning, going to stop for lunch and shopping in Frankenmuth, then on to Camp Dearborn in Milford for a few days. We're having a family reunion Saturday at Kathy & Spyros' house, so we're going there tomorrow afternoon to help them set up the big canopy, etc.


A cruise boat entering the lock that our boat just left


Paul & Cheryl in St. Ignace at Bridge View Park



Bob & I in St. Ignace at Bridge View Park

Having a blast in Mackinaw!

We arrived at Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping yesterday afternoon. Paul & Cheryl, my cousin and his wife from California, followed us up here. We spent most of the day today on Mackinac Island. Tomorrow we're off to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. We're having a great time and the weather could not have been more perfect today. If not for the gentle breeze, it would have been too hot. We're hoping for more of the same tomorrow!

Casa de McMichael

Old Mackinaw Point LH with "Big Mac" in the background

Sailboat passing the Round Island Lighthouse


Paul & Bob


Paul & Cheryl

A Perfect Day on Loon Lake

Today was the perfect ending to a great week with our grandkids. Jason, Connor & Jillian spent this week with us at Waldenwoods. We had a few campfires, Grandpa, Jason and the kids went to Great Escape on Wednesday. It's an indoor go-cart track, arcade, mini-golf, etc. They had a blast there. They rode around Lake Walden on their bikes today with Jason.

We spent this afternoon and evening on the lake at my sister and brother-in-law's (Kathy and Spyros) house on Loon Lake. Jason, Connor & Jillian went there, too. Jason & Spyros both had the day off work. The only thing that could have made the day more perfect would have been if the kids could have stayed longer. They had to meet their Mom at 6:00, although they were about 1/2 hour late. They called her to ask if they could stay later, but she would not let them. We had a great day and Connor was actually able to get up on the skis and did really well after he got up the 2nd time. Jillian tried, but was unsuccessful. She sure enjoyed tubing, though. We stopped to have dinner and then Jason and the kids left. After that, Bob & I went back out on the boat with Spyros, Kathy & Paul. What a wonderful day! Thanks again, Spyros & Kathy!!!




Spyros & Kathy's house


Jillian trying to ski



Jillian & Connor on the boat


Kathy & Paul tubing


Jillian tubing



Jason tubing - Spyros whipped him around pretty good!



Spyros doing some "trick skiing" :-)



Connor "rocks on" with confidence



Paul getting ready to jump in at the sandbar



Three swans - two white and one grey



A beautiful Loon Lake sunset