GOP Rally at the Delta Plex

Fire in an overhead light!

Several times we were asked "are you fired up"? Just as John James (running for US Senate) was finishing up his speech, an overhead lamp fired up and started dropping bits of flaming debris. A Walker fireman soon put it out with a poof or two from a fire extinguisher.

Yes, J. and I attended our second rally at the Delta Plex. It was a place I could wear my (blue) MAGA hat (purchased at the last rally) without being booed! And it was a very fired up crowd of deplorables. No need to be quiet about being a conservative in this crowd.

Vice President Mike Pence was the final speaker of the three hour event. He said "I keep hearing about this blue wave coming; lets make sure it hits a red wall!

It was a very small rally compared to a Trump event. And Kent County GOP people seem to be a very white crowd. I didn't say old white. We claimed infirmity and were allowed to sit on the bleachers, but half the crowd stood for the entire rally.

The only other thing that surprised me was that the rally opened with a prayer. Frequent mentions of God received loud applause ... which was a good thing!

A Weekend at Lake Palmer

You say, "where the heck is Lake Palmer"? It is near the little village of Colon. Does that help?

Anyway, it was the second annual sibling weekend for the husband and his 4 siblings.

We all brought food, picked a bedroom on one of three levels of the lovely new (or completely renovated) VRBO lakeside home and made ourselves comfortable. The short weekend commenced at 4:00 on Friday and ended at noon Sunday. After everyone packed up their coolers and luggage it took only minutes to get the place back to almost perfect. We would have been charged extra if any of the furniture was moved. For my part, I wiped the main bathroom sinks clean and dry with a washcloth before tossing it on the bathroom floor, as per instruction. It looked perfect. I did not scrub the toilet. We pay a hefty fee for cleaning, after all. I also loaded a last load of dishes and wiped down the refrigerator. Someone swept the leaves up in the entry.

There was a lot of talking, reminiscing and looking at old photos and videos. There will probably be less of that as P. runs out of old photos and movie clips to archive and digitize ... or if memories fade so much that nobody cares!

K. and I managed to stave off a session of old camp songs. We said just let us know, and we will go for a walk. That kind of stifled it, I think. Those old trite, insipid and repetitive songs from the 50's grate on my ears. They must conjure up good memories of family times or car trips or something. I have heard them all. Many times. I am just old enough and grouchy enough now to leave the room when they happen to erupt!

Grandma (from 1988) on video!

I brought some snacks for arrival time, as did others. We had meat and cheese and grapes and olives, but a fancy charcuterie presentation never materialized! Everyone brought cookies, and someone even made rice krispie bars. And adult beverages. It was too much.

But the pizza from Five Star Pizza in Colon was a hit, and not that expensive. Two large and loaded pizzas seemed to satisfy. (That was our offering--so easy that I almost felt guilty). Some had ice cream later--3 flavor choices of Hudsonville. I was going to buy some, but Ruth beat me to it!

A trip of 20 miles or so to an old cottage owned by the parents near Nottawa for three years, back in the day was the only excursion. It looked very much the same. The back porch had been improved with sliders. We knocked and peeked through the windows. A sibling photo was taken by Sand Lake. No one expressed regret for not keeping the tiny cottage in the family.

The husband's older brother gave him an early birthday gift--a framed poster of a challenging golf hole.

We did a re-creation of an old photo from the 50's of the three eldest siblings on the sofa in an oddly posed Sunday-best photo. P. showed old movies and RM showed slides of a recent trip to Amsterdam.

Ruth made a huge Saturday night meal: seven layer salad, beef stroganoff, steamed broccoli, homemade rolls, apple pie and ice cream. And the wine flowed freely.

Also, we roasted marshmallows for s'mores by the fire pit. I enjoyed wine and music rather than more food. P. played "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" for me on his Bose speaker and I requested "The Most Beautiful Girl" by Charlie Rich." P. is into Andrea Bocelli and played his popular duet with Ed Sheeran. Check it out on YouTube!

It was a successful weekend. A little sunshine would have made it more cheery, but we had a (gas) fire going and a fall-scented candle flickering at all times (and plenty of wine). The place has already been booked for next year!

Falling Leaves and Fleeting Time

"There is a season
And a time to every purpose, under heaven"

Time...

So precious. So often squandered.

Today the husband's Mom would have turned 100 years old. She is not so long gone (just 3 years) that the family does not still feel the loss of her presence. The siblings are gathering again this weekend for what is planned to be an annual fall event of fun and remembrances. One of the activities this year will be re-creating an old childhood photo. That should be good for a laugh! (No bathtub scenes, lol.)

We are the elder generation now, and even as time marches on, we are marching onward and forward (sometimes lurching, slouching couching, lazy-boying?) through our last year in our sixties--and after that any claims to youthfulness will deny reality.

(Something very special is already planned between our Big Birthdays next year. But I am not going to let the cat out of the bag just yet.) Hint: dieting and wardrobe shopping must commence now, according to our organizers!

Yesterday and today have been gorgeous, sunny days--a welcome treat after last weekend delivered a variety of unpleasant weather--hail, wind, rain and near-freezing nights. But I didn't notice that any white flakes made it across to our side of the lake. It was good to spend a few hours snuggled in, on the couch, with the current book club selection about the species invasions that have occurred in the Great Lakes since the St. Lawrence Seaway was opened. I almost made it through the book, which evolved (rather, devolved) into a boggy biology course. The detailed description of the ugly sea lamprey's sexual habits was the highlight, lol.

Poets have long been comparing the seasonal changes in the natural world--the dying leaves, the falling white snow, etc. with various aspects of aging. People tend to die in the fall, too. I'm not sure why, but it happens. Both of the husband's parent's died then--latter October and late November.

I am not so inclined to write poetry, even when a perfect fall day speaks to something deep inside me.

My mother (who would have turned 111 this November), often expressed herself in "poetry" of the old-fashioned kind--the effort of someone who ended formal schooling at age 12, in 1919. Are any of those masterpieces buried somewhere in my vast basement archives? They were terrible poems, really--loaded with emotion, tortured pentameter and forced rhymes. But I would actually love to come across one now. Time to start digging.

Time moves too quickly sometimes, and I fall way behind. But the cooler weather and impending winter stimulate a new sense of urgency.

Yesterday I finally managed to write (and fill with a few crisp bills) a graduation card (due last June!). But I also mailed both of our ballots (71 cents each) at the post office. That felt good. No October surprise is going to change my vote or party!

After errands today, I drove through two parks, looking for October clouds and color. The sunshine, blue skies and gorgeous white clouds renewed my spirit. I sensed nothing of impending fall death! And the photos provide something more for this post than my rambling thoughts!

A Big Blue Wave?

A big blue dark and stormy Michigan wave

Will there be a blue wave (or even a tsunami) in November ... or is there a red tide rising? I don't know what color will surface, but if I'm not seeing some red by the end of the night, I will be blue!

Another important election day is just 19 days away. Do we trust the polls? Will we be as surprised (delighted? demoralized?) as we were just two years ago?

Historically, the political party in power loses seats in the midterm.

I will be home watching--whatever the winning color may be ...

Perhaps there will be  a bit of purple on the electoral map.

If Michigan can avoid the blues, I may have my *first US Senator in place, a wonderful West Point grad, vet and business man, with slave cred by the name of John James. Also he would be Michigan's first black senator. Then I can abandon John Thune, whom I have long claimed to represent me from my state of birth.

There will be some red wine available--for celebration (or for drowning my sorrows in a wave of the wrong color.)

Meanwhile, the color white is imminent. My phone today keeps flashing a warning that "sloppy, wet snowflakes are possible in parts of W. Michigan this weekend."

It is still October--but I can handle a few white snowflakes of the sort that fall from the sky ... even if sloppy and wet!

Let's hear it for the red, white and not-blue!

Edit:
*I forgot about Spencer Abraham who was voted into office in the year of the "Gingrich Revolution" (1994), and voted out after voting for the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

Art Prize 10 - And Other Thoughts on a Monday Morning in Michigan

Art Prize finalist - beautiful Michigan "Mitten" at night

I didn't sleep well Saturday night after being out for the evening, even though I usually sleep better than most people that I know who are my age!

I am learning that as one ages, sleep (and staying asleep) becomes a precious commodity. Some of my friends wake up in the wee hours almost every night. And after snoozing through the news, I often get sleepy about the time they are waking up!

So, anyway, after church and a 4-burner meal plus oven (fried hamburger, spaghetti sauce, pasta noodles, steamed broccoli--plus spaghetti squash cooked for an hour in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper and no water--my latest prep method, if there is time) there was a mess of pans in the kitchen and a mess of dirty bowls and leftovers. I cleared the table, ran one load of dishes and then immediately retreated to the couch, happy to have the luxury of an extended nap on a dreary Sunday afternoon.

After getting all my machines "up and running" this morning I am sitting here, waiting for the day to brighten--and it is!

All three of my big trash bins need to be filled and put out on the street later today--which means emptying all the indoor trash, raking up the honey locust pods in the front lawn in order to finish filling the large yard waste container (which costs a $6 tag to empty), and breaking down a few Amazon boxes for the recycling bin (which is a free service). And if that's all I get done today, it's okay!

Incredibly, the highs for the next two days are predicted to be in the 80's--and humid (84 degrees for Tuesday). I am so thankful to have that new AC working efficiently! We have had a few spectacular fall days, but enough already of this hot and humid weather. And the rain. All summer I begged the heavens to rain down on me and lately, it has done almost nothing but rain!

Saturday afternoon I attended the wedding ceremony of young church friends. A hired cellist was the star of the wedding music but a foot-washing ceremony by the new couple (accompanied by an interesting solo from the pastor which featured a new-to-me song that demanded a few high tenor A's) was the most remarkable feature of the wedding. A dessert reception followed, before the invited guests traveled out of town for pasta and dancing at a barn venue.

Everyone I talked with after the wedding was experiencing extra aches and pains. I think the oppressive weather was causing some arthritis spikes. One 70-something man (BVT) admitted that his whole body hurt. But he was still smiling.

Around 6:30 PM I was picked up by J. (and J.) for a night on the town, the last night of Art Prize 10.  It was gloomy and the temperature was at 61 degrees--which suited me just fine. After exploring one indoor church venue, we walked ... along the Grand River to the Grand Rapids Public Museum and through the city streets. Cities and lighted art pieces take on a little night magic!

The winners have all been picked and yesterday was the last day for viewing. Next year, after 10 straight years, Art Prize will take a break. The quality of the art, and the enthusiasm is beginning to wane, I hear.

Wooden "Champions"--Arnold, Ali and more - at the JW Marriott, shipped all the way from New Jersey.

We ended the night at a new (City Built Brewing Co.) brewery, enjoying some good stout and porter samples, an amazing pork belly taco and some other south of the border fare. That's probably why I couldn't sleep--too much good food and drink still in process!

A pretty good weekend, really.

(And yes, there was that Saturday morning vote to confirm a new SCOTUS nominee!)

I still have work to do this fall, including putting the gardens "to bed" for the winter. I went to a fall garden lecture series event last week on the subject and was reminded it is time to get the job done. I am ready this year to pull out all those gorgeous blooming begonias and Sunpatiens ... now! October 25 is the actual date for the church garden pull-out and pizza party, but enough already. The time for all (vegetation) to die is nigh!

I'm sure there will be many perfect fall days yet this October ... crisp mornings (and crisp apples to pick), sunny afternoons, gorgeous leaves, and azure blue skies populated with fluffy white clouds.

An October sky is to die for! Please let the rain stop for a few days!

Quantum Meditation - early evening in front of the Public Museum