OK, maybe calling playing drums in the Carol Burnett Variety Show a rock 'n roll marathon is a bit of a stretch. But getting ready for the shows next week has involved a good deal of practice time and will require a good portion of my time in general for the next several days. The way I see it, though, getting ready for these performances is much like life itself. Life is a marathon, not a sprint race. Learning all the songs and scenes will take some time, and I don't have to learn everything all at once. I've already got most of the songs down, but it's good to know there's still plenty of time to prepare and build.
Apart from gearing up for the performances next week, I've devoted quite a bit of time today to my duties in SDSU's Office for Diversity Enhancement. I made a few more connections in seeing what groups and individuals are interested in performing during the Festival of Cultures in April. Probably the best news I received on that front today is that the Dakota Club from Tiospa Zina Tribal School near Sisseton would like to put on a dance demonstration. And hearing such news means that I can now put the group down in the schedule. The actual entertainment schedule doesn't need to be finished until sometime in late November, but I need to know whether various groups can commit as soon as possible.
This afternoon my friend and boss Al asked me to walk around campus and hang up posters for a campus speaker. The speaker will be at SDSU on Tuesday and will talk about cultural imprisonment. It would be great to hear such a presentation, but I won't be able to attend because of dress rehearsal for the performances next week.
Walking around campus and hanging up the posters I was given allowed me to kill two birds with one stone. On one hand, hanging up the posters enabled me to complete one of my assignment job duties. And on the other hand, I was able to get some exercise in for the day so I didn't have to do any additional walking after work today. In all, I spent about two hours walking around the campus, and I'm sure Al will be pleased with the work I did.
I left the office around 4:15, ran a few errands in town and then picked up some Kraft dinner to prepare for Dad and me. Arrival at Dad's came about 10 minutes later and I began preparing the food. In the midst of boiling the water for the pasta, my friend Dave called and asked if I could give him a lift to the shop to pick up his brother Matt's BMW 330Ci. I had offered the ride to Dave earlier today while we had lunch, so I was happy to comply. Before I left Dad's place to pick up Dave, I turned down the heat on the water and resumed heating the water when I returned. Dad and I ate by 5:45. The meal was OK, but I would have liked it better if it had a richer, cheesier taste to it. The Kraft dinner I prepared tonight used cheese made from 2 percent milk. I think I'll use either the sharp cheddar or four cheese mixes next time.
There was a little time left before I had to go to band practice, so I headed home for a bit to check messages, check how the stock market did today, and rest before heading over the rehearsal space. I had only about 15 minutes at home, but the time was enough for me to take a bit of a breather and change shirts.
I was the first of the Carol Burnett band members to arrive, so I had some time to visit with director Jay Vanduch and his wife Ginger Thomson. I sold a copy of Living Through Leukemia to Jay and Ginger, and we also visited about the book and their family histories. A pair of keyboard players/singers arrived shortly thereafter and Dan arrived about 20 minutes after that. It took us a while to get into the music, but we ended up spending about an hour and a half running down all of the songs for the show. Jay, his son Carson, and I don't have all the drum duties divvied up yet, but we will when we run down the show on Sunday afternoon.
It's getting late now, and I can tell you that I'm definitely pretty tired from another full day. But I'm happy, and I feel good overall about how life is going. It's good to be busy, so long as the busyness isn't excessive. And I feel truly blessed by all of the wonderful people and things I have in my life, and I want to enjoy these blessings for as long as I can. For now, it's time to sleep and to dream. I look forward to what tomorrow brings.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
This busy, busy life
Life is always busy, and I'm sure it's that way for everyone in one way or another. It's good to be busy; busyness keeps us out of trouble and hopefully provides us with an opportunity to use our gifts and talents for some greater good. It is possible to be too busy, I suppose, but it's good to be busy in general.
I've certainly been busy lately with a lot of different endeavors. And apart from some lost sleep and downtime, I'd say it's been a good kind of busy. Things should start to slow down in a couple of weeks once everything for the Carol Burnett Variety Show is finished. In the meantime, I'm going to milk and enjoy everything while I can.
Morning came too quickly today as it has for the past several days. I've been going to bed too late and getting up too early. But I've really not suffered from it; eating a good diet and exercising has helped me to keep up my energy level in spite of reduced levels of sleep and relaxation. My alarm, this morning a live version of Rush's "Red Sector A," roused me from sleep around 7. I had a quick bowl of Raisin Bran in the faint early light of the morning and then jumped in the shower before smudging and heading in to work. My grogginess receded as I got moving and began my activities of the day.
Most of my time at work today was spent making phone calls and sending e-mails pertaining to the Festival of Cultures. I still have plenty of time to get the work done, but I've concentrating on putting together the festival's entertainment schedule. I've been able to contact a few possiblities already, and everything will fall into place in time. But I will probably do little more than try to gauge groups' interests in performing while Sandy is away. It's up to me to put the actual schedule together, but I'd like to have Sandy's input on a few things before I finalize everything.
Dad met me for lunch, and we dined downtown at George's Pizza. Neither Dad nor I has eaten at the downtown pizzeria in a while, so pizza and salad were a nice change from cereal and turkey sandwiches. We stayed there perhaps a half hour before I picked up some more Diet Mt. Dew, ran a few errands, and headed back to the office for a few hours.
I had some slow times in the office this afternoon, so I headed over to Briggs Library to visit with Mary in acquisitions. Mary had expressed interest in picking up a few copies of my book for circulation, so I gave her two of my books and then told her I would send her an invoice for the book. I imagine payment for the books should come within a few weeks. In the meantime, I feel good that I'm making more connections and am selling more copies of my book.
I left the office around 4 this afternoon and headed home for a bit to pay some bills and ready myself to walk them downtown to mail them. I answered a few e-mails as I paid my bills. It was then that I picked up my iPod and took it with me as I walked downtown. My first thought as I began walking was that I should have brought a jacket with me. But I warmed up with continued walking and was fine.
Returning home, I swapped my work shirt for a plain white t-shirt and had some Raisin Bran for a light supper. I then loaded my Yamaha Rydeen drumkit into the back of the 3 and headed for the Performing Arts Center. There was supposed to be a full band rehearsal tonight, but it turns out that we really didn't have one. I'm sure the cast did a lot of rehearsing tonight, but all we as musicians did was run through a few numbers a few times and then headed home. Some people at the PAC apologized to me because I hauled my drums over to the PAC and only played for a few minutes. But I said it was OK and was no big deal. The band is going to rehearse again tomorrow and Friday night at our director Jay's house. And we'll use his drums for future rehearsals and for the performances.
My friend Dan Merchant and I, along with our singer friend Jonathan, visited outside the theater for a bit before Jonathan parted from us and Dan and I headed to Taco John's. We didn't linger long at the Mexican fast-food joint, but it was good to sit down and relax with a friend before calling it a night.
Speaking of calling it a night, that's what I'm going to do now. I feel good, but I'm pretty tired from the activities of the day and of the week thus far. Life will be busy and bustling with activity for another couple of weeks and then things should slow down. In the meantime, I know things will work out fine so long as I keep plugging away at what I'm doing and so long as I keep my ties with friends and family strong. As I've said before, life truly is sweet.
I've certainly been busy lately with a lot of different endeavors. And apart from some lost sleep and downtime, I'd say it's been a good kind of busy. Things should start to slow down in a couple of weeks once everything for the Carol Burnett Variety Show is finished. In the meantime, I'm going to milk and enjoy everything while I can.
Morning came too quickly today as it has for the past several days. I've been going to bed too late and getting up too early. But I've really not suffered from it; eating a good diet and exercising has helped me to keep up my energy level in spite of reduced levels of sleep and relaxation. My alarm, this morning a live version of Rush's "Red Sector A," roused me from sleep around 7. I had a quick bowl of Raisin Bran in the faint early light of the morning and then jumped in the shower before smudging and heading in to work. My grogginess receded as I got moving and began my activities of the day.
Most of my time at work today was spent making phone calls and sending e-mails pertaining to the Festival of Cultures. I still have plenty of time to get the work done, but I've concentrating on putting together the festival's entertainment schedule. I've been able to contact a few possiblities already, and everything will fall into place in time. But I will probably do little more than try to gauge groups' interests in performing while Sandy is away. It's up to me to put the actual schedule together, but I'd like to have Sandy's input on a few things before I finalize everything.
Dad met me for lunch, and we dined downtown at George's Pizza. Neither Dad nor I has eaten at the downtown pizzeria in a while, so pizza and salad were a nice change from cereal and turkey sandwiches. We stayed there perhaps a half hour before I picked up some more Diet Mt. Dew, ran a few errands, and headed back to the office for a few hours.
I had some slow times in the office this afternoon, so I headed over to Briggs Library to visit with Mary in acquisitions. Mary had expressed interest in picking up a few copies of my book for circulation, so I gave her two of my books and then told her I would send her an invoice for the book. I imagine payment for the books should come within a few weeks. In the meantime, I feel good that I'm making more connections and am selling more copies of my book.
I left the office around 4 this afternoon and headed home for a bit to pay some bills and ready myself to walk them downtown to mail them. I answered a few e-mails as I paid my bills. It was then that I picked up my iPod and took it with me as I walked downtown. My first thought as I began walking was that I should have brought a jacket with me. But I warmed up with continued walking and was fine.
Returning home, I swapped my work shirt for a plain white t-shirt and had some Raisin Bran for a light supper. I then loaded my Yamaha Rydeen drumkit into the back of the 3 and headed for the Performing Arts Center. There was supposed to be a full band rehearsal tonight, but it turns out that we really didn't have one. I'm sure the cast did a lot of rehearsing tonight, but all we as musicians did was run through a few numbers a few times and then headed home. Some people at the PAC apologized to me because I hauled my drums over to the PAC and only played for a few minutes. But I said it was OK and was no big deal. The band is going to rehearse again tomorrow and Friday night at our director Jay's house. And we'll use his drums for future rehearsals and for the performances.
My friend Dan Merchant and I, along with our singer friend Jonathan, visited outside the theater for a bit before Jonathan parted from us and Dan and I headed to Taco John's. We didn't linger long at the Mexican fast-food joint, but it was good to sit down and relax with a friend before calling it a night.
Speaking of calling it a night, that's what I'm going to do now. I feel good, but I'm pretty tired from the activities of the day and of the week thus far. Life will be busy and bustling with activity for another couple of weeks and then things should slow down. In the meantime, I know things will work out fine so long as I keep plugging away at what I'm doing and so long as I keep my ties with friends and family strong. As I've said before, life truly is sweet.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Happy Birthday, Mom
As the title of my post suggests, today is my mom's birthday. If we hadn't lost her to lung cancer nearly two years ago and she were alive and well with us today, we'd be celebrating 69 years of her life. Though Mom isn't here with us physically anymore, we know she's with us in spirit and in our memories. Having her with us in such a way isn't the same as actually sharing space and time with her as when she was alive, but it's still a comfort to know that she's not really gone. And it's on days like this when I, and my dad, too, I'm sure, find it hard to believe that it's already been two years since she left. We think of her and remember her always, but it's on days like today, Dad's and Mom's anniversary on the 28th, and holidays when the memories seem strongest. The pain of Mom's loss has certainly lessened through the passage of time. But a seed of that anguish will always reside within us.
In the meantime, the best way Dad and I can honor Mom and her memory is to live our lives in the best ways we can. And I'm happy to say that that's what we're doing. There are always things we (especially me) can do better, but I'd say we're doing a good job overall.
Beyond pausing to reflect on Mom's life today, the past 24 hours have been full of activity. I don't know that Dad's day has been as busy as mine, but that's not important. So long as he's happy in doing what he's been doing, that's all that matters.
As for me, I've spent most of my day in the Office for Diversity Enhancement working on the 2008 Festival of Cultures. Most of my work on the festival this week has entailed getting information on a possible entertainment lineup. I've been able to make a few contacts and get additional information thus far. And I'm sure I'll progress further along tomorrow.
Other than working on the festival and updating the Diversity Office's Web site, I've sent some of copies of books to my dear friend Dolly and a few other friends like Bert Crowfoot in Edmonton, Alberta, and Richard Van Camp in Vancouver, British Columbia. I had hoped to get some additional copies sent out to friends to like Billy Wadsworth in Lethbridge, Alberta, but there haven't been enough hours in the day today. But I do plan to get more books sent out yet this week.
I ran into an old friend today as I was walking about campus, and visiting with that friend brought me back into the folds of a world I haven't kept in contact with for a few years. As I was walking back to the Old Foundation Building from the University Student Union, I happened upon Lance Nixon, my friend and one of my mentors when I was an intern at the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service's AgBio Communications Unit. We visited for a few minutes outside the unit and he then took me inside, reintroduced me to some other friends there and introduced me to some new ones. It was good to see friends like Lance and Mary again, and it was good to make some new friends. I realize now it's been too long since I've visited the unit, and I'll make it a point to not be a stranger anymore.
Work in the Diversity Office occupied me for a few hours more before I left for the afternoon around 4:30. I drove around town for a few minutes before heading over to Dad's place to take him out for supper. We checked the final prices of some of our investments as we usually do and then headed for the Ram Pub. Dad and I ended up ordering the same thing. In the meantime, we talked about different vehicles and tires and about how we occupied ourselves today. Once dinner was finished, I ran Dad back home and bade him well for the night. I kind of wish I had spent some more time with him tonight, but he understands that I had a few other commitments I needed to get to yet today.
I drove home from Dad's, gave the Miata a quick bath, and then headed down to the Community Cultural Center to pick up some sheet music from our director, Jay Vanduch. Along with directing, Jay is one of my fellow drummers in the upcoming Carol Burnett variety show. He gave me the sheet music and we visited about drumming duties and forthcoming rehearsals for a bit. Before I left, he and the others congratulated me on my victory at the Guitar Center drum contest last week and wished me well for the store finals next week.
One of the last things Jay asked me to do before I left was to get in touch with my friend Dan Merchant and share the sheet music with him and see if we could line up a bass player. Dan and I went over the music for perhaps a half hour, and he made a few calls to see if our friend Mike Ropp might serve as our bass player. We also talked about some songs that we'd like to do before and after the production. It sounds a though we're going to do a few ZZ Top and Aerosmith selections from the 70s. I'm sure whatever we do will be fun, and I'm really looking forward to rehearsal tomorrow night.
In the meantime, though, it's time to go to bed. I've been really amped up about how full of activity my life has been lately, and I've had a lot of fun in the mean. But all that doesn't preclude the need for sleep, and I need to make sure I take care of myself in the meantime. And right now, taking care of myself means getting some sleep.
In the meantime, the best way Dad and I can honor Mom and her memory is to live our lives in the best ways we can. And I'm happy to say that that's what we're doing. There are always things we (especially me) can do better, but I'd say we're doing a good job overall.
Beyond pausing to reflect on Mom's life today, the past 24 hours have been full of activity. I don't know that Dad's day has been as busy as mine, but that's not important. So long as he's happy in doing what he's been doing, that's all that matters.
As for me, I've spent most of my day in the Office for Diversity Enhancement working on the 2008 Festival of Cultures. Most of my work on the festival this week has entailed getting information on a possible entertainment lineup. I've been able to make a few contacts and get additional information thus far. And I'm sure I'll progress further along tomorrow.
Other than working on the festival and updating the Diversity Office's Web site, I've sent some of copies of books to my dear friend Dolly and a few other friends like Bert Crowfoot in Edmonton, Alberta, and Richard Van Camp in Vancouver, British Columbia. I had hoped to get some additional copies sent out to friends to like Billy Wadsworth in Lethbridge, Alberta, but there haven't been enough hours in the day today. But I do plan to get more books sent out yet this week.
I ran into an old friend today as I was walking about campus, and visiting with that friend brought me back into the folds of a world I haven't kept in contact with for a few years. As I was walking back to the Old Foundation Building from the University Student Union, I happened upon Lance Nixon, my friend and one of my mentors when I was an intern at the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service's AgBio Communications Unit. We visited for a few minutes outside the unit and he then took me inside, reintroduced me to some other friends there and introduced me to some new ones. It was good to see friends like Lance and Mary again, and it was good to make some new friends. I realize now it's been too long since I've visited the unit, and I'll make it a point to not be a stranger anymore.
Work in the Diversity Office occupied me for a few hours more before I left for the afternoon around 4:30. I drove around town for a few minutes before heading over to Dad's place to take him out for supper. We checked the final prices of some of our investments as we usually do and then headed for the Ram Pub. Dad and I ended up ordering the same thing. In the meantime, we talked about different vehicles and tires and about how we occupied ourselves today. Once dinner was finished, I ran Dad back home and bade him well for the night. I kind of wish I had spent some more time with him tonight, but he understands that I had a few other commitments I needed to get to yet today.
I drove home from Dad's, gave the Miata a quick bath, and then headed down to the Community Cultural Center to pick up some sheet music from our director, Jay Vanduch. Along with directing, Jay is one of my fellow drummers in the upcoming Carol Burnett variety show. He gave me the sheet music and we visited about drumming duties and forthcoming rehearsals for a bit. Before I left, he and the others congratulated me on my victory at the Guitar Center drum contest last week and wished me well for the store finals next week.
One of the last things Jay asked me to do before I left was to get in touch with my friend Dan Merchant and share the sheet music with him and see if we could line up a bass player. Dan and I went over the music for perhaps a half hour, and he made a few calls to see if our friend Mike Ropp might serve as our bass player. We also talked about some songs that we'd like to do before and after the production. It sounds a though we're going to do a few ZZ Top and Aerosmith selections from the 70s. I'm sure whatever we do will be fun, and I'm really looking forward to rehearsal tomorrow night.
In the meantime, though, it's time to go to bed. I've been really amped up about how full of activity my life has been lately, and I've had a lot of fun in the mean. But all that doesn't preclude the need for sleep, and I need to make sure I take care of myself in the meantime. And right now, taking care of myself means getting some sleep.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
In Rapid City once again
I'm in Rapid City again tonight. And this time I'm not alone. Dad and Uncle Clark are with me. We aren't all staying in the same room, but we are in the same hotel, a Quality Inn on Lacrosse Street. We've been here for a few hours already. The three of us left Brookings around 10 Central Time this morning and arrive in the Black Hills around 4:30 this afternoon.
Our drive was pretty much a straight shot between Brookings and Rapid City, and we've been able to make the journey with fuel to spare. The only times we stopped were to have some lunch in Pierre and to grab a snack and take a break at Wall Drug. Actually, Dad and Clark didn't snack; I was the only one who bought a donut and some chocolate mint blended ice coffee.
Normally traveling to Rapid City would be a happy occasion, but we're in town on some sad business. My cousin Lola in Great Falls, Montana, died late last week and her funeral is here in town tomorrow. Lola had been ill for a couple of years, and she finally passed away on Friday. It's always sad when a family member dies. But we can take comfort in knowing that she's not suffering anymore. Her funeral service will be at the funeral home tomorrow afternoon at 2:30. I'm not sure where she'll be buried. I've already agreed to be one of her pallbearers. Assuming I have the energy, Dad, Clark, and I will return to Brookings tomorrow night.
Apart from Lola's passing late last week, life has been pretty sweet. I've been enjoying my work as coordinator for the 2008 SDSU Festival of Cultures, and I've really been excited about the publication of my leukemia memoir. I must admit that I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the attention I've gotten as a result of the book. And I'm really psyched about the buzz the book has been creating and the prospect that others want to read it. More importantly, I'm hoping that others will take some good away from reading it. It's been healing to share my story, and I hope that reading my story will be healing for others as well.
Other than working on campus and promoting my new book, there have been a few other exciting developments. I took first place in my class at the autocross on Sunday, and it sounds as though I'm solidly in second place overall for C Stock this year's racing season. And if I perform well during the final autocross of the season on October 7, there's a possiblity I might move up to first place. It's all about fun, of course. But it feels good to be competitive as well.
Speaking of competition, I'm still in shock at what happened last night. About a month ago, I signed up to take part in the annual Guitar Center Drum Off. Drummers compete first at the local store level, and the winners at the store level move onto regional competitions. Those winners then go on to compete at the national level. Top prizes include a new Toyota FJ Cruiser, $10,000 cash, free drums, and endorsement deals with various manufacturers. Last night was one of three Sioux Falls competitions, and I ended up taking first place. I expected to have fun drumming in front of all those people in the store, but I had no idea that I would take first place. Last night's runner-up and I will compete with other Sioux Falls Guitar Center winners will compete once again on Wednesday, October 3 to see which of us will go on to compete at the regional level. Just as we did last night, the six of us will have five minutes to set the drums up to our liking and will then have three minutes to play whatever we want. I haven't decided yet whether I'll plan my solo in advance or just wing it like I did last night. But I still have a few weeks to prepare.
In the meantime, I'm really taking some time to reflect on and acknowledge all the blessings that fill my life. I've felt really good lately, and it's good to feel good. Life has been genuinely sweet lately, and I'm truly grateful for that. I've really been working on reflecting and being grateful for all of the good I have in my life, and I find that I'm savoring such people and things more as a result. Life truly is sweet, and I believe life can continue down that path so long as I remain positive and work on that. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy all this goodness for as long as I can.
Our drive was pretty much a straight shot between Brookings and Rapid City, and we've been able to make the journey with fuel to spare. The only times we stopped were to have some lunch in Pierre and to grab a snack and take a break at Wall Drug. Actually, Dad and Clark didn't snack; I was the only one who bought a donut and some chocolate mint blended ice coffee.
Normally traveling to Rapid City would be a happy occasion, but we're in town on some sad business. My cousin Lola in Great Falls, Montana, died late last week and her funeral is here in town tomorrow. Lola had been ill for a couple of years, and she finally passed away on Friday. It's always sad when a family member dies. But we can take comfort in knowing that she's not suffering anymore. Her funeral service will be at the funeral home tomorrow afternoon at 2:30. I'm not sure where she'll be buried. I've already agreed to be one of her pallbearers. Assuming I have the energy, Dad, Clark, and I will return to Brookings tomorrow night.
Apart from Lola's passing late last week, life has been pretty sweet. I've been enjoying my work as coordinator for the 2008 SDSU Festival of Cultures, and I've really been excited about the publication of my leukemia memoir. I must admit that I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the attention I've gotten as a result of the book. And I'm really psyched about the buzz the book has been creating and the prospect that others want to read it. More importantly, I'm hoping that others will take some good away from reading it. It's been healing to share my story, and I hope that reading my story will be healing for others as well.
Other than working on campus and promoting my new book, there have been a few other exciting developments. I took first place in my class at the autocross on Sunday, and it sounds as though I'm solidly in second place overall for C Stock this year's racing season. And if I perform well during the final autocross of the season on October 7, there's a possiblity I might move up to first place. It's all about fun, of course. But it feels good to be competitive as well.
Speaking of competition, I'm still in shock at what happened last night. About a month ago, I signed up to take part in the annual Guitar Center Drum Off. Drummers compete first at the local store level, and the winners at the store level move onto regional competitions. Those winners then go on to compete at the national level. Top prizes include a new Toyota FJ Cruiser, $10,000 cash, free drums, and endorsement deals with various manufacturers. Last night was one of three Sioux Falls competitions, and I ended up taking first place. I expected to have fun drumming in front of all those people in the store, but I had no idea that I would take first place. Last night's runner-up and I will compete with other Sioux Falls Guitar Center winners will compete once again on Wednesday, October 3 to see which of us will go on to compete at the regional level. Just as we did last night, the six of us will have five minutes to set the drums up to our liking and will then have three minutes to play whatever we want. I haven't decided yet whether I'll plan my solo in advance or just wing it like I did last night. But I still have a few weeks to prepare.
In the meantime, I'm really taking some time to reflect on and acknowledge all the blessings that fill my life. I've felt really good lately, and it's good to feel good. Life has been genuinely sweet lately, and I'm truly grateful for that. I've really been working on reflecting and being grateful for all of the good I have in my life, and I find that I'm savoring such people and things more as a result. Life truly is sweet, and I believe life can continue down that path so long as I remain positive and work on that. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy all this goodness for as long as I can.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Made it home again
I'm back in Brookings again after being gone for about two weeks. This most recent time on the road was wonderful, but it's good to be home.
It was cool this morning when I left my AmericInn lodging near Wausau, Wisconsin this morning. I don't recall what the 3's outside temperature gauge read, but it seems as though the temperature was around 60 degrees. That's about the same it's been in Wiky on and off for the past couple of weeks. There was no real breeze this morning, so the morning didn't feel all that cold. There's still technically a few weeks of summer left, but it's already starting to feel like fall. And that's all right with me for the most part. I just hope we don't see snow for another couple of months.
After a quick shower and after loading my stuff into the car, I had a quick breakfast of Special K and a few donuts in the hotel before jumping back on WI-29. I was on that particular road for about an hour and a half before I picked up I-94 just west of Chippewa Falls. And I rode I-94 all the way to Woodbury. It was about lunch time by the time I reached the St. Paul suburb, so I decided to stop at a Chipotle I found. The meal I had there wasn't quite as satisfying as the one I had in Columbus last week, but the food was still good. And eating my burrito and reading a local newspaper gave me a chance to relax and get off the road for a bit.
I left Chipotle around 12:30 and finally reached Brookings around 4:30 this afternoon. Traffic was light on virtually all of the roads I traversed, and I dare say that I felt peaceful during the trip west. I did make a few stops to use the restroom and pick up some drinks, but I was able to cruise most of the way from Woodbury to Brookings in one stretch. I may have felt peaceful, but I certainly felt tired, too, just as I do now.
It's just after 9 p.m., and it's already dark outside. I guess I'm still getting used to it getting darker early. Within a few months, it will be dark around 7 or a little bit before up until the shortest day of the year in December. But this is a cycle I've experienced many times before, so it's nothing new. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to climbing into bed and resting up for another busy week. I should get my Miata back from the body shop tomorrow, and then the convertible top will be replaced in Sioux Falls on Wednesday. In the meantime, I'm going to get my workspace in the Office for Diversity Enhancement organized and get myself ready to dive into work on the 2008 Festival of Cultures. In the meantime, I'm going to rest up while I can and also reflect on all of the good times I had on this most recent trip to Ontario. It will be a few months, but I'll head back to Canada again before I know it.
It was cool this morning when I left my AmericInn lodging near Wausau, Wisconsin this morning. I don't recall what the 3's outside temperature gauge read, but it seems as though the temperature was around 60 degrees. That's about the same it's been in Wiky on and off for the past couple of weeks. There was no real breeze this morning, so the morning didn't feel all that cold. There's still technically a few weeks of summer left, but it's already starting to feel like fall. And that's all right with me for the most part. I just hope we don't see snow for another couple of months.
After a quick shower and after loading my stuff into the car, I had a quick breakfast of Special K and a few donuts in the hotel before jumping back on WI-29. I was on that particular road for about an hour and a half before I picked up I-94 just west of Chippewa Falls. And I rode I-94 all the way to Woodbury. It was about lunch time by the time I reached the St. Paul suburb, so I decided to stop at a Chipotle I found. The meal I had there wasn't quite as satisfying as the one I had in Columbus last week, but the food was still good. And eating my burrito and reading a local newspaper gave me a chance to relax and get off the road for a bit.
I left Chipotle around 12:30 and finally reached Brookings around 4:30 this afternoon. Traffic was light on virtually all of the roads I traversed, and I dare say that I felt peaceful during the trip west. I did make a few stops to use the restroom and pick up some drinks, but I was able to cruise most of the way from Woodbury to Brookings in one stretch. I may have felt peaceful, but I certainly felt tired, too, just as I do now.
It's just after 9 p.m., and it's already dark outside. I guess I'm still getting used to it getting darker early. Within a few months, it will be dark around 7 or a little bit before up until the shortest day of the year in December. But this is a cycle I've experienced many times before, so it's nothing new. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to climbing into bed and resting up for another busy week. I should get my Miata back from the body shop tomorrow, and then the convertible top will be replaced in Sioux Falls on Wednesday. In the meantime, I'm going to get my workspace in the Office for Diversity Enhancement organized and get myself ready to dive into work on the 2008 Festival of Cultures. In the meantime, I'm going to rest up while I can and also reflect on all of the good times I had on this most recent trip to Ontario. It will be a few months, but I'll head back to Canada again before I know it.
Friday, September 7, 2007
A trip to the north and east
Dolly and I decided to make a quick run to Sudbury today. We didn't decide until around 9 this morning, but we were ready for the two-hour drive by about 10:30. We returned to Wiky around 7 this evening. There weren't a whole lot of places in Sudbury we visited, but we both had a good time. Sheets of rain or dull, grey skies couldn't dampen the spirit of our last full day together for a while.
I thought I had enough fuel to make it to the Mac station in Espanola where gas is usually cheaper than in Little Current. But I felt safe driving only to Little Current with the fuel I had remaining, so I gassed up there. It turns out that I really wouldn't have saved that much money by making it to Espanola; the prices were essentially the same.
We did make one stop, however, when we reached Espanola. That stop was at Tim Horton's. Dolly ordered her usual Double-Double, and I had a large mint iced capp supreme. As we pulled away from the coffee joint, we saw a Subaru in front of us that had a license plate frame declaring, "All roads lead to Tim Horton's." I'd like to find one of those frames and get one for Dolly and then one for myself.
No other stops were on the agenda until we reached Espanola. Dolly and I were hungry, so we headed to the mall's food court first. We ate at Mrs. Vanelli's pizza and dined on pizza, pasta, and salad. Our meal was quite good, but it took a while to get it because one of the attendants behind the counter had to recharge the Pepsi tap.
After playing $10 worth of pull tabs and winning nothing, Dolly and I proceeded to Wal-Mart to do some shopping. While there, Dolly bought some laundry detergent and a few other items. And she kindly picked up some new razors for me. I used my last razor a few days ago, and I don't have more razors at home.
We left Wal-Mart and then walked across the street to Future Shop. There wasn't anything really specific I was looking for in the electronics boutique, but I was interested in seeing if they had any of the new iPods that were released earlier this week. It turns out the store didn't have any of the new MP3 players, but it did have one of the new style iMacs.
Laurentian University was our next and final destination, save for another Tim Horton's, of course. Dolly plotted our course to the university so we could pay Sharlene a visit for a bit. Sharlene was in a meeting at the time we arrived, so we walked around her building and checked out the sights while she finished her meeting. Sharlene joined us around 3:50 and took us on a tour of a few offices on campus. Our final campus stop before we left was a giant tipi located on one of the campus greens. I guess the tipi is used for several purposes, including talking circles and meetings. It would be cool if SDSU were to have something like that as a permanent fixture. Once we finished at the tipi, Dolly and I bade Sharlene farewell and drove home to Wiky in the driving rain. Such rain created treacherous driving conditions at times, but Dolly and I both were happy to see the rain. We hope it will help salve the dryness the island has experienced over the past several months.
It was supper time by 6, so Dolly and I set ourselves to the task of making nachos for supper. And once the food was done, Dolly and I, along with Ross and Matt, devoured it greedily. The chips, as well as the other ingredients, were nice and fresh. The nachos made for a nice meal.
I had originally thought of going back to Audrey's to jam again with Joe and Bruce again tonight but decided to stay in at Dolly's and spend as much time with her as I can before I leave tomorrow. So after supper, we watched a few videos, checked a few things online, and are now getting ready for bed.
It's hard to believe that another two weeks traveling with Dolly has come and gone already. And like in our other travels, a lot's been packed into those two weeks. We've had fun in Wiky with her family, traveled to Ohio to visit my family and see a concert, and then returned to Wiky and enjoyed ourselves here. It's been a whirlwind, but it's a good kind of whirlwind. It's uncertain yet when I'll return to Wiky and to Dolly, but I'm sure it'll be within the next few months. At the latest, the next time I see her will be around my birthday. In the meantime, I'll cherish all the memories we've made together this summer and will dream about and look forward to our times together in the future.
I thought I had enough fuel to make it to the Mac station in Espanola where gas is usually cheaper than in Little Current. But I felt safe driving only to Little Current with the fuel I had remaining, so I gassed up there. It turns out that I really wouldn't have saved that much money by making it to Espanola; the prices were essentially the same.
We did make one stop, however, when we reached Espanola. That stop was at Tim Horton's. Dolly ordered her usual Double-Double, and I had a large mint iced capp supreme. As we pulled away from the coffee joint, we saw a Subaru in front of us that had a license plate frame declaring, "All roads lead to Tim Horton's." I'd like to find one of those frames and get one for Dolly and then one for myself.
No other stops were on the agenda until we reached Espanola. Dolly and I were hungry, so we headed to the mall's food court first. We ate at Mrs. Vanelli's pizza and dined on pizza, pasta, and salad. Our meal was quite good, but it took a while to get it because one of the attendants behind the counter had to recharge the Pepsi tap.
After playing $10 worth of pull tabs and winning nothing, Dolly and I proceeded to Wal-Mart to do some shopping. While there, Dolly bought some laundry detergent and a few other items. And she kindly picked up some new razors for me. I used my last razor a few days ago, and I don't have more razors at home.
We left Wal-Mart and then walked across the street to Future Shop. There wasn't anything really specific I was looking for in the electronics boutique, but I was interested in seeing if they had any of the new iPods that were released earlier this week. It turns out the store didn't have any of the new MP3 players, but it did have one of the new style iMacs.
Laurentian University was our next and final destination, save for another Tim Horton's, of course. Dolly plotted our course to the university so we could pay Sharlene a visit for a bit. Sharlene was in a meeting at the time we arrived, so we walked around her building and checked out the sights while she finished her meeting. Sharlene joined us around 3:50 and took us on a tour of a few offices on campus. Our final campus stop before we left was a giant tipi located on one of the campus greens. I guess the tipi is used for several purposes, including talking circles and meetings. It would be cool if SDSU were to have something like that as a permanent fixture. Once we finished at the tipi, Dolly and I bade Sharlene farewell and drove home to Wiky in the driving rain. Such rain created treacherous driving conditions at times, but Dolly and I both were happy to see the rain. We hope it will help salve the dryness the island has experienced over the past several months.
It was supper time by 6, so Dolly and I set ourselves to the task of making nachos for supper. And once the food was done, Dolly and I, along with Ross and Matt, devoured it greedily. The chips, as well as the other ingredients, were nice and fresh. The nachos made for a nice meal.
I had originally thought of going back to Audrey's to jam again with Joe and Bruce again tonight but decided to stay in at Dolly's and spend as much time with her as I can before I leave tomorrow. So after supper, we watched a few videos, checked a few things online, and are now getting ready for bed.
It's hard to believe that another two weeks traveling with Dolly has come and gone already. And like in our other travels, a lot's been packed into those two weeks. We've had fun in Wiky with her family, traveled to Ohio to visit my family and see a concert, and then returned to Wiky and enjoyed ourselves here. It's been a whirlwind, but it's a good kind of whirlwind. It's uncertain yet when I'll return to Wiky and to Dolly, but I'm sure it'll be within the next few months. At the latest, the next time I see her will be around my birthday. In the meantime, I'll cherish all the memories we've made together this summer and will dream about and look forward to our times together in the future.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Jam night at Audrey's
The main event of the day was a jam night/birthday party over at Audrey's place. Today is Greg Odjig's birthday, and Audrey came up with the idea to have a party at her place to celebrate Greg's turning 30. Part of the celebration was bringing together musicians like her son Joe, Joe's friend Bruce, myself and others to jam and play music in honor of the birthday boy.
People started showing up for the party around 6, and Audrey, Dolly, Audrey's son Johnny and I spent the few hours prior getting gear together for the jam and making food. Everything was all set up by the time people arrived, and the food was served not long after Greg's arrival around 7. Some of us played various Native rocks songs in the meantime, and we continued jamming after we ate. Greg, who's also a drummer, sat in for a few songs. But I'm the one who seemed to spend the most time in the drummer's chair. And speaking of drummer's chairs, I need to remember after the jam tomorrow night to bring Dolly's kitchen stool home; the drumkit I borrowed didn't have a drum throne, so I borrowed one of Dolly's stools.
The jam was a lot of fun, and I'm pleased with how tight those of us present were as a band. I enjoyed the music we played, and I'm looking forward to jamming again tomorrow night when Dolly and I get home from Sudbury.
Speaking of tomorrow, tomorrow is my last full day in Wiky for maybe a couple of months. And with that in mind, I plan to make the most of my last day in Wiky. Making the most of my last day will involved spending time with Dolly and her family and engaging in related activities. The past two weeks have gone by so quickly; but I guess the old saying is true about time flying when you're having fun.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Made it back to Wiky
Dolly and I accomplished today what we failed to do yesterday. Our primary goal: to make it back to Wikwemikong before the end of the day on Wednesday. And we did just that with plenty of time to spare.
My alarm went off a little before 7 this morning. But rather than leap from bed and into the shower, I savored the warmth of the room for a few minutes and lay in bed and thought about the day to come. After several minutes of that activity, I finally did climb out of bed, took a shower, and Dolly and I collectively met the day. We checked out of our motel around 7:45 and were in line to board the Chi-cheemaun by about five to 8.
Boarding the boat commenced around 8:25. In the spare time we had, Dolly and I spent some time hanging out in the Tobermory visitor center and walked around the area before climbing back into the folds of the 3 and guiding it into the belly of the boat.
After getting the car parked in the boat's cargo hold and walking upstairs to one of the boat's upper decks, Dolly and I decided to have some breakfast. Our breakfasts, which consisted of two scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, and toast, was quite good and was relatively inexpensive. Our total food cost was only around $13.
Our cruise from the Bruce Peninsula to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island took about two hours. Dolly and I spent most of our free time during those two hours watching other people, resting our eyes in the boat's front lounge, and playing video games. Actually, Dolly didn't play that many video games; I did most of the game playing. Dolly was content to sit near me and gaze at Lake Huron.
Since we were among the last to get on the boat, we were among the first to exit at South Baymouth. We were able to get off the boat in short order and headed west and north on Highway 6. Dolly and I reached Manitowaning within about 25 minutes. Dolly's house was our next destination. We arrived around 11:30.
We spent the following couple of hours hanging out at the house before we headed back to Manitowaning to buy groceries for our spaghetti dinner. Dolly had most of the ingredients already, but there were some groceries we needed to pick up. Ross and Matt hadn't bought groceries over the weekend as Dolly hoped, so Dolly and I had to pick up the slack and buy enough food to last about a week. I was surprised, though, that the cost of food wasn't as high as we had originally thought. We returned to Wiky after our food purchase and began cooking. Dinner was served around 6. And our meal of spaghetti, Caesar salad, and garlic bread was awesome.
Toward the end of our meal, Sarah, Aaron, and Ashley stopped by for a visit. We sat and talked for a while before Aaron asked me to help him with an assignment for his schooling. He asked me to go into the bush behind Dolly's house and shoot video of him reading a report on sasquatch. Aaron and I did two takes with the new Sony DVD camera he got Sarah. Two takes is about all we had time for; the battery was drained to the point where it would have lasted only about 10 minutes more. In the meantime, I savored the opportunity to use such a camera; I think it performed well, and it felt good and stable in my hands. I'm not used to a handheld camera being stable without a tripod.
Dolly and I headed over to Gail's for about an hour before we've retired for the night to watch Dance Me Outside. Gail fixed some canned hash as we visited, and she and her sons Alec, Wyatt, and Brannon snacked on that while we visited and watched TV. Gail brought us up to speed on what she and the rest of the family did over the weekend, and Dolly and I regaled her with stories of our adventures in Ohio.
Now, the day is drawing to a close and I feel sleepy as I write these words and am relaxing watching the movie. Dolly and I had a great time in Ohio, but it's good to be back in Wiky. I'm sure that we'll travel to Ohio again sometime in the future, we just don't know when. In the meantime, we'll focus on the here and now and enjoy our remaining few days together this time around.
My alarm went off a little before 7 this morning. But rather than leap from bed and into the shower, I savored the warmth of the room for a few minutes and lay in bed and thought about the day to come. After several minutes of that activity, I finally did climb out of bed, took a shower, and Dolly and I collectively met the day. We checked out of our motel around 7:45 and were in line to board the Chi-cheemaun by about five to 8.
Boarding the boat commenced around 8:25. In the spare time we had, Dolly and I spent some time hanging out in the Tobermory visitor center and walked around the area before climbing back into the folds of the 3 and guiding it into the belly of the boat.
After getting the car parked in the boat's cargo hold and walking upstairs to one of the boat's upper decks, Dolly and I decided to have some breakfast. Our breakfasts, which consisted of two scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, and toast, was quite good and was relatively inexpensive. Our total food cost was only around $13.
Our cruise from the Bruce Peninsula to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island took about two hours. Dolly and I spent most of our free time during those two hours watching other people, resting our eyes in the boat's front lounge, and playing video games. Actually, Dolly didn't play that many video games; I did most of the game playing. Dolly was content to sit near me and gaze at Lake Huron.
Since we were among the last to get on the boat, we were among the first to exit at South Baymouth. We were able to get off the boat in short order and headed west and north on Highway 6. Dolly and I reached Manitowaning within about 25 minutes. Dolly's house was our next destination. We arrived around 11:30.
We spent the following couple of hours hanging out at the house before we headed back to Manitowaning to buy groceries for our spaghetti dinner. Dolly had most of the ingredients already, but there were some groceries we needed to pick up. Ross and Matt hadn't bought groceries over the weekend as Dolly hoped, so Dolly and I had to pick up the slack and buy enough food to last about a week. I was surprised, though, that the cost of food wasn't as high as we had originally thought. We returned to Wiky after our food purchase and began cooking. Dinner was served around 6. And our meal of spaghetti, Caesar salad, and garlic bread was awesome.
Toward the end of our meal, Sarah, Aaron, and Ashley stopped by for a visit. We sat and talked for a while before Aaron asked me to help him with an assignment for his schooling. He asked me to go into the bush behind Dolly's house and shoot video of him reading a report on sasquatch. Aaron and I did two takes with the new Sony DVD camera he got Sarah. Two takes is about all we had time for; the battery was drained to the point where it would have lasted only about 10 minutes more. In the meantime, I savored the opportunity to use such a camera; I think it performed well, and it felt good and stable in my hands. I'm not used to a handheld camera being stable without a tripod.
Dolly and I headed over to Gail's for about an hour before we've retired for the night to watch Dance Me Outside. Gail fixed some canned hash as we visited, and she and her sons Alec, Wyatt, and Brannon snacked on that while we visited and watched TV. Gail brought us up to speed on what she and the rest of the family did over the weekend, and Dolly and I regaled her with stories of our adventures in Ohio.
Now, the day is drawing to a close and I feel sleepy as I write these words and am relaxing watching the movie. Dolly and I had a great time in Ohio, but it's good to be back in Wiky. I'm sure that we'll travel to Ohio again sometime in the future, we just don't know when. In the meantime, we'll focus on the here and now and enjoy our remaining few days together this time around.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Stuck in Tobermory
Dolly and I are stuck in Tobermory, Ontario tonight. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it runs counter to our travel plans for today. We had hoped to be back in Wiky yet tonight. But we missed the boat this evening since a new schedule started today, so we're spending the night in a motel in Tobermory. We should be back in Wiky by noon tomorrow, though. The first boat runs at 8:50 a.m. and should reach South Baymouth by 11. In the meantime, we're relaxing in the room and trying to make the most of our time here.
It's been another day filled with lots of time on the road, but it's been pleasant for the most part. We left Scott and Terri's house in Columbus about 8:30 this morning and we reached the border at Port Huron, Michigan, fewer than four hours later. Most of our travels in the U.S. today were on Highway 23 and I-75, so we were able to maintain speeds of in excess of 70 mph until we reached the border. And once we reached the border, we found our passage from the U.S. into Canada was easy. The border guard checked our IDs, politely asked us a few questions, and then waved us on through.
Once we reached Sarnia on the Canadian side of the border, Dolly and I spent about a half-hour in the casino there. We didn't spend all that much money, but we had a good time. We ended up leaving the casino with roughly the same amount of money with which we entered it. Our time at the casino finished, Dolly and I motored on to the east and north until we reached Tobermory. The only times we stopped were to get drinks and use the washrooms at a few Tim Horton's along the way.
Skies were clear and sunny for most of our journey in the U.S. and the first few hours of our venture back into Canada. But skies turned to grey and intermittently spit rain as mid-afternoon gave way to early evening. It never rained very hard, but the sprinkles of rain were large and frequent enough to warrant the use of my windshield wipers.
It was raining some by the time we pulled into Tobermory. When we pulled up to the area where we expected to get into line for the ferry, there was no one to be found. We pulled forward a little farther and saw that the boat had already docked. And there was no one in line to get on the boat for what we expected would be an 8 p.m. voyage. Dolly and I ducked into a nearby cafe and learned that the boat schedule changed today and that the next boat won't leave until the morning. We were a little bummed out that we missed the last boat today. But we feel all right knowing that we've found a decent place to stay and rest and that we'll catch the first boat to the island in the morning.
Since we've arrived and gotten settled into our motel, we've sampled some of the local fare and walked around the community a bit. Rain has persisted, however, so we haven't spent all that much time outdoors. Our evening meal, which consisted of lasagna, salad, and Pepsi at the Crow's Nest, was pretty good and filling. I don't think either of us will be hungry until we'll have breakfast on the Chi-Cheemaun tomorrow morning.
Another day is at an end, and I can say with full confidence that I'm ready for a good night's sleep. I plan to get up about 6:45 in the morning, which is earlier than I'm used to waking. But it's fairly early in the night yet, so I should be able to get in plenty of hours of shuteye between now and tomorrow morning.
It's been another day filled with lots of time on the road, but it's been pleasant for the most part. We left Scott and Terri's house in Columbus about 8:30 this morning and we reached the border at Port Huron, Michigan, fewer than four hours later. Most of our travels in the U.S. today were on Highway 23 and I-75, so we were able to maintain speeds of in excess of 70 mph until we reached the border. And once we reached the border, we found our passage from the U.S. into Canada was easy. The border guard checked our IDs, politely asked us a few questions, and then waved us on through.
Once we reached Sarnia on the Canadian side of the border, Dolly and I spent about a half-hour in the casino there. We didn't spend all that much money, but we had a good time. We ended up leaving the casino with roughly the same amount of money with which we entered it. Our time at the casino finished, Dolly and I motored on to the east and north until we reached Tobermory. The only times we stopped were to get drinks and use the washrooms at a few Tim Horton's along the way.
Skies were clear and sunny for most of our journey in the U.S. and the first few hours of our venture back into Canada. But skies turned to grey and intermittently spit rain as mid-afternoon gave way to early evening. It never rained very hard, but the sprinkles of rain were large and frequent enough to warrant the use of my windshield wipers.
It was raining some by the time we pulled into Tobermory. When we pulled up to the area where we expected to get into line for the ferry, there was no one to be found. We pulled forward a little farther and saw that the boat had already docked. And there was no one in line to get on the boat for what we expected would be an 8 p.m. voyage. Dolly and I ducked into a nearby cafe and learned that the boat schedule changed today and that the next boat won't leave until the morning. We were a little bummed out that we missed the last boat today. But we feel all right knowing that we've found a decent place to stay and rest and that we'll catch the first boat to the island in the morning.
Since we've arrived and gotten settled into our motel, we've sampled some of the local fare and walked around the community a bit. Rain has persisted, however, so we haven't spent all that much time outdoors. Our evening meal, which consisted of lasagna, salad, and Pepsi at the Crow's Nest, was pretty good and filling. I don't think either of us will be hungry until we'll have breakfast on the Chi-Cheemaun tomorrow morning.
Another day is at an end, and I can say with full confidence that I'm ready for a good night's sleep. I plan to get up about 6:45 in the morning, which is earlier than I'm used to waking. But it's fairly early in the night yet, so I should be able to get in plenty of hours of shuteye between now and tomorrow morning.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Pool party
Today is going to be my last full day in Columbus for a while. And I'd say that it's safe to say that Dolly and I, along with Scott and Terri, made the most of it.
It was about a quarter after 10 when Dolly and I finally headed upstairs to see what was happening in the Thompson household. I was the first to emerge from downstairs, and I was greeted by the scent of warm cinnamon rolls Terri had fixed. I waited for Dolly to come upstairs before I took a few of the rolls and heated them in the microwave. Those rolls are the first I've had in several years, but memories of how good and gooey they taste returned to me almost immediately.
Once we finished eating our breakfast, we got cleaned up, did some research on the computer, and began readying ourselves for the pool party at Tom and Kim's place this afternoon. There was really little for Dolly and me to do considering Terri had already prepared the food we planned to take. But Dolly and I were the ones who, along with Terri, loaded the food into the car for the trip. And when the time came to leave for the party, Scott, Terri, Dolly, and I rode together. We had first thought that Scott would travel separately on his motorcycle, but we ended up traveling to Johnstown together. The drive took about 20 minutes door to door.
Tom and Kim, along with Katie and Andrea, greeted us when we arrived at the Beverly home. Other relatives like John and Betty with Grandma Marguerite, Scott's mom Mary, and Megan and Nathan arrived not long after we did. We began eating the hamburgers, brats, and side salads a little after 1. Some of us ate outside while the others remained inside to watch a golf tournament. Those of us outdoors relished the heat of the Labor Day sun, and many of us soon donned bathing suits so we could enjoy Tom and Kim's below-ground pool. Dolly and I were the first to enter the warm water, and we each spent probably a couple of hours in the water by the time we left around 5:30. Others, like Andrea, Josh, and Jason joined us with time, and we alternated between swimming on our own and tossing basketballs and volleyballs around. Being in the water was a great way to beat the heat today, and it was nice to see so many relatives gathered in one place. The next time I'll probably be able to be with everyone in such a way again will be around New Year's. That's if I don't stay home or go to Wiky, of course.
We returned to the Thompson home around 6:30; Dolly and I then struck out on our own. There's still much of Columbus that Dolly hasn't seen, so we figured it would be a good idea to do some cruising after picking up some Tim Horton's coffee. Our travels took us first to the south down High Street, and Dolly was able to see the art and university districts of Columbus. On the return trip to Morse Road, we stopped in a White Castle and had some burgers, fries, and drinks. Dolly had never been to a White Castle before, and it had been some time since I've eaten at such a place.
When we finished at White Castle, we made our way back to Morse Road and traveled east until we were well past I-270. On the way, we drove past the CarMax we visited yesterday and saw that the Corvette I drove yesterday had been sold.
On the way back to Scott and Terri's house, we took a quick spin through the Easton Mall. And while in the Easton Mall area we discovered that the Bodies Exhibition is located there. We were unsure if the exhibition were open around this time of the evening, so we decided to pass on it. The exhibition travels, however, so maybe we'll have an opportunity to catch it some other time in some other location.
Now that we're back at the Thompson home, Scott and Terri are watching TV as Dolly and I are dinking around on the Internet and getting ready for bed. The past few days in Columbus have really flown by, and it's hard to believe that this little trip within a trip is almost over. We'll hopefully make it all the way back to Wiky by tomorrow night, assuming we catch the Chi-cheemaun by 8 tomorrow evening. Once back in Wiky, I'll have a few more days to rest, relax, and spend with Dolly and her family before I have to return to South Dakota. And especially since my trip has only a few days remaining, I plan to make the most of them.
It was about a quarter after 10 when Dolly and I finally headed upstairs to see what was happening in the Thompson household. I was the first to emerge from downstairs, and I was greeted by the scent of warm cinnamon rolls Terri had fixed. I waited for Dolly to come upstairs before I took a few of the rolls and heated them in the microwave. Those rolls are the first I've had in several years, but memories of how good and gooey they taste returned to me almost immediately.
Once we finished eating our breakfast, we got cleaned up, did some research on the computer, and began readying ourselves for the pool party at Tom and Kim's place this afternoon. There was really little for Dolly and me to do considering Terri had already prepared the food we planned to take. But Dolly and I were the ones who, along with Terri, loaded the food into the car for the trip. And when the time came to leave for the party, Scott, Terri, Dolly, and I rode together. We had first thought that Scott would travel separately on his motorcycle, but we ended up traveling to Johnstown together. The drive took about 20 minutes door to door.
Tom and Kim, along with Katie and Andrea, greeted us when we arrived at the Beverly home. Other relatives like John and Betty with Grandma Marguerite, Scott's mom Mary, and Megan and Nathan arrived not long after we did. We began eating the hamburgers, brats, and side salads a little after 1. Some of us ate outside while the others remained inside to watch a golf tournament. Those of us outdoors relished the heat of the Labor Day sun, and many of us soon donned bathing suits so we could enjoy Tom and Kim's below-ground pool. Dolly and I were the first to enter the warm water, and we each spent probably a couple of hours in the water by the time we left around 5:30. Others, like Andrea, Josh, and Jason joined us with time, and we alternated between swimming on our own and tossing basketballs and volleyballs around. Being in the water was a great way to beat the heat today, and it was nice to see so many relatives gathered in one place. The next time I'll probably be able to be with everyone in such a way again will be around New Year's. That's if I don't stay home or go to Wiky, of course.
We returned to the Thompson home around 6:30; Dolly and I then struck out on our own. There's still much of Columbus that Dolly hasn't seen, so we figured it would be a good idea to do some cruising after picking up some Tim Horton's coffee. Our travels took us first to the south down High Street, and Dolly was able to see the art and university districts of Columbus. On the return trip to Morse Road, we stopped in a White Castle and had some burgers, fries, and drinks. Dolly had never been to a White Castle before, and it had been some time since I've eaten at such a place.
When we finished at White Castle, we made our way back to Morse Road and traveled east until we were well past I-270. On the way, we drove past the CarMax we visited yesterday and saw that the Corvette I drove yesterday had been sold.
On the way back to Scott and Terri's house, we took a quick spin through the Easton Mall. And while in the Easton Mall area we discovered that the Bodies Exhibition is located there. We were unsure if the exhibition were open around this time of the evening, so we decided to pass on it. The exhibition travels, however, so maybe we'll have an opportunity to catch it some other time in some other location.
Now that we're back at the Thompson home, Scott and Terri are watching TV as Dolly and I are dinking around on the Internet and getting ready for bed. The past few days in Columbus have really flown by, and it's hard to believe that this little trip within a trip is almost over. We'll hopefully make it all the way back to Wiky by tomorrow night, assuming we catch the Chi-cheemaun by 8 tomorrow evening. Once back in Wiky, I'll have a few more days to rest, relax, and spend with Dolly and her family before I have to return to South Dakota. And especially since my trip has only a few days remaining, I plan to make the most of them.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Rush in concert
Dolly and I saw our third concert together in about a year. In this case, we saw the Canadian progressive rock band Rush, one of our mutual favorites. The band performed in the Columbus' Germain Amphitheater; the show began a little after 7:30 and ran for about three hours including intermission. I have no idea how many people were in attendance, but the facility appeared to be fully. My guess is that the amphitheater is one of the smaller venues Rush has played on this tour.
It was good to be able to sleep in for a while today before meeting all of the activities of the day. Each of us layed around in bed for a bit before going upstairs to enjoy an awesome breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast that Terri prepared for us. We had orange juice, too.
With breakfast finished, we made plans for the day. Dolly and I had at first thought that she, Terri, Scott, and I would do some running around today before the concert. But after sitting around for a while, Scott and Terri decided to stick close to home and work on projects while Dolly and I hit the town. It would have been nice if all four of us had gone out on the town, but Dolly and I had a good time together nonetheless.
Our first stop was a Tim Horton's near the intersection of Highway 161 and Cleveland Avenue. Dolly had a Triple-Triple and I had a mint chocolate iced capp. From there, we hit a couple of music stores where I had a chance to dittle around on a few different drumkits and pick up some sticks and a drum key. It sounds as though we're going to have a jam night in Wiky on Thursday night, and I want to make sure I'm fully prepared for it. I understand that a set of drums will be provided, but I like to have my own sticks. And I want to have a drum key on hand so I can retune the drums as needed.
After we finished at Sam Ash, Dolly and I ducked next door into Kohls to see if we could find a bathing suit for her. We've been invited to a pool party at my cousin Kim's house on Monday afternoon. I brought a pair of trunks with me, but Dolly left her bathing suit at the cabin. That's OK, though. We were able to find a suit for Dolly, and I'm sure it will serve her well on Monday afternoon.
We still had a little time to kill before we had to head back to the house to meet up with Scott and Terri, so I stopped by CarMax to look at a few C5 Corvettes I had seen when I drove by on Morse Road. The salesperson with whom we spoke was pretty cool, and he and I took a yellow 2004 Vette out for a spin; this Corvette is the first fifth-generation car with a manual transmission I've ever driven. I was pleased to find that the car was comfortable both on city streets and on the freeway, and the ride was smooth. And I was especially pleased to find that I could drive the C5's manual gearbox and clutch more smoothly than I was able to drive the last stick-shift C6 Corvette I drove. A Corvette is a car I still think about picking up from time to time, but I'm still unsure when I may be able to purchase such a car. If I do, I'm thinking now that I may buy a C5 rather than a new one, largely because the C5s are quite a bit less expensive, and frankly I like the previous generation Corvette better than the new Corvette.
Dolly and I hit Tim Horton's one more time before we rejoined Scott and Terri. We rested at the house for perhaps a half-hour before we headed to Chipotle's on Polaris Parkway for some supper. The burritos and bowls we had were excellent, and the food was more than filling. There was virtually no chance of being hungry later in the evening after eating one of those burritos.
The four of us arrived at the concert site around 6:20 and we were able to get in right away. Dolly and I spent about 10 minutes in line to pick up some memorabilia, namely a couple of Rush t-shirts and a tour program. Once we had our gear and made a few quick runs to the restroom, we went to our seats and hung out there until the show began a little after 7:30.
This concert was the second time I've seen Rush in concert but was the first time for Dolly, Scott, and Terri. Scott and Terri weren't that familiar with the tunes Rush played tonight, but Dolly and I knew most of the songs since we've been Rush fans for a long time. There was definitely a lot of energy coming from the band and others in the crowd, and we spent most of the concert on our feet. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart played a good selection of music, most of which came from albums from the 1970s and 1980s. Of course, the band played quite a few selections from its latest album, but most of the band's playing time was dedicated to crowd favorites. And speaking of favorites, I'm really pleased the band played a few of my older Rush favorites, "MIssion" from 1987's Hold Your Fire and "Subdivisions" from the band's 1982 release Signals.
All in all, I'm pleased with how the concert went and I had a good time. At the same time, though, I don't feel that I enjoyed the Rush concert as much as I enjoyed the Police concert the other month. It seems that we had better seats for the Police concert in Toronto. And even though the Police concert was held in a much larger venue, the Police show seemed more intimate than the Rush show did. Sting and the other two members of the Police seemed to have better rapport with the audience than the members of Rush did.
To our surprise, we were able to get out of the venue and back to Scott and Terri's house fairly quickly. The concert ended around 11, and we were back here at the house eating ice cream by 11:30. And now that ice cream and other festivities are over, it's time to hit the sack once again.
It's been another big day, and it's with many good feelings that I bring this day to a close. This concert, along with this Labor Day Weekend, more or less brings the summer to a close. The summer may be over, but I'm sure my adventures, both alone and with Dolly, are not. And I'm always looking forward to further adventures.
It was good to be able to sleep in for a while today before meeting all of the activities of the day. Each of us layed around in bed for a bit before going upstairs to enjoy an awesome breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast that Terri prepared for us. We had orange juice, too.
With breakfast finished, we made plans for the day. Dolly and I had at first thought that she, Terri, Scott, and I would do some running around today before the concert. But after sitting around for a while, Scott and Terri decided to stick close to home and work on projects while Dolly and I hit the town. It would have been nice if all four of us had gone out on the town, but Dolly and I had a good time together nonetheless.
Our first stop was a Tim Horton's near the intersection of Highway 161 and Cleveland Avenue. Dolly had a Triple-Triple and I had a mint chocolate iced capp. From there, we hit a couple of music stores where I had a chance to dittle around on a few different drumkits and pick up some sticks and a drum key. It sounds as though we're going to have a jam night in Wiky on Thursday night, and I want to make sure I'm fully prepared for it. I understand that a set of drums will be provided, but I like to have my own sticks. And I want to have a drum key on hand so I can retune the drums as needed.
After we finished at Sam Ash, Dolly and I ducked next door into Kohls to see if we could find a bathing suit for her. We've been invited to a pool party at my cousin Kim's house on Monday afternoon. I brought a pair of trunks with me, but Dolly left her bathing suit at the cabin. That's OK, though. We were able to find a suit for Dolly, and I'm sure it will serve her well on Monday afternoon.
We still had a little time to kill before we had to head back to the house to meet up with Scott and Terri, so I stopped by CarMax to look at a few C5 Corvettes I had seen when I drove by on Morse Road. The salesperson with whom we spoke was pretty cool, and he and I took a yellow 2004 Vette out for a spin; this Corvette is the first fifth-generation car with a manual transmission I've ever driven. I was pleased to find that the car was comfortable both on city streets and on the freeway, and the ride was smooth. And I was especially pleased to find that I could drive the C5's manual gearbox and clutch more smoothly than I was able to drive the last stick-shift C6 Corvette I drove. A Corvette is a car I still think about picking up from time to time, but I'm still unsure when I may be able to purchase such a car. If I do, I'm thinking now that I may buy a C5 rather than a new one, largely because the C5s are quite a bit less expensive, and frankly I like the previous generation Corvette better than the new Corvette.
Dolly and I hit Tim Horton's one more time before we rejoined Scott and Terri. We rested at the house for perhaps a half-hour before we headed to Chipotle's on Polaris Parkway for some supper. The burritos and bowls we had were excellent, and the food was more than filling. There was virtually no chance of being hungry later in the evening after eating one of those burritos.
The four of us arrived at the concert site around 6:20 and we were able to get in right away. Dolly and I spent about 10 minutes in line to pick up some memorabilia, namely a couple of Rush t-shirts and a tour program. Once we had our gear and made a few quick runs to the restroom, we went to our seats and hung out there until the show began a little after 7:30.
This concert was the second time I've seen Rush in concert but was the first time for Dolly, Scott, and Terri. Scott and Terri weren't that familiar with the tunes Rush played tonight, but Dolly and I knew most of the songs since we've been Rush fans for a long time. There was definitely a lot of energy coming from the band and others in the crowd, and we spent most of the concert on our feet. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart played a good selection of music, most of which came from albums from the 1970s and 1980s. Of course, the band played quite a few selections from its latest album, but most of the band's playing time was dedicated to crowd favorites. And speaking of favorites, I'm really pleased the band played a few of my older Rush favorites, "MIssion" from 1987's Hold Your Fire and "Subdivisions" from the band's 1982 release Signals.
All in all, I'm pleased with how the concert went and I had a good time. At the same time, though, I don't feel that I enjoyed the Rush concert as much as I enjoyed the Police concert the other month. It seems that we had better seats for the Police concert in Toronto. And even though the Police concert was held in a much larger venue, the Police show seemed more intimate than the Rush show did. Sting and the other two members of the Police seemed to have better rapport with the audience than the members of Rush did.
To our surprise, we were able to get out of the venue and back to Scott and Terri's house fairly quickly. The concert ended around 11, and we were back here at the house eating ice cream by 11:30. And now that ice cream and other festivities are over, it's time to hit the sack once again.
It's been another big day, and it's with many good feelings that I bring this day to a close. This concert, along with this Labor Day Weekend, more or less brings the summer to a close. The summer may be over, but I'm sure my adventures, both alone and with Dolly, are not. And I'm always looking forward to further adventures.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Made it to Columbus
Another day, another several hours on the road. Dolly and I actually only had to travel about six hours from Grayling, Michigan, to make it to Columbus today. The trip really wasn't all that long, but there were times, especially toward the end, when time seemed to slow down. Everything sped up, of course, when we were able to travel the Columbus freeways at high rates of speed on the way to Scott and Terri's house. We arrived at our destination around 4:30 this afternoon.
It was nice to be able to sleep in a bit this morning, but we still got up earlier and got a move on earlier than either of us would have liked. We had the car loaded by about 9:30, and we enjoyed a quick continental breakfast at the hotel before we ventured on to Ohio. Dolly had a giant waffle and I had two bowls of Raisin Bran. The cereal I had was good, but I suspect that it was the source of some of the gastrointestinal discomfort I experienced as the day wore on.
The Garmin was set to take us to Columbus using the fastest route possible, and I'd say that nav system did a good job. We traveled on I-75 South until about the last 50 miles of our trip, and it was nice to be able to cruise that road at just under 80 mph without much fear of police intervention. Traffic traveling south was fairly light, but the northbound lanes of the interstate always seemed jammed. I imagine a lot of people were heading into cottage country for the long Labor Day weekend.
Dolly and I made only a few stops along the way. I needed to stop for fuel once, and our fuel stop also provided us with an opportunity to have a quick lunch at Wendy's. Apart from a few bathroom breaks along the way, we made good time and stuck to the roads. There are times when it would have been nice to stop, such as when we drove through areas where there were lots of yard sales. We were on a mission, however, and decided to forgo the yard sales in various communities along our route.
We had no trouble getting to Scott and Terri's place, and both Scott and Terri were home when we arrived. The four of us caught up on what's been happening in our lives for a few hours, watched some TV and rested, and then headed downtown for the Gallery Hop around 8:30. We parked in the lot where Scott usually parks for work and then hoofed it the rest of the way.
Our first and only real stop during the Gallery Hop was the Frog Bear and Wild Boar bar and restaurant in downtown Columbus. We sat outside and dined on salads and sandwiches. In the meantime, we visited with my cousin Kristin, who happened to be there the same time we were. The restaurant was a fun place to hang out, but it would have been nicer if the staff didn't feel the need to blast music out of every speaker. There were often times when, even outside, we could barely hear each other talk. It's mostly a young adult crowd that hangs out at the bar there, and my guess is that management feels that having loud music makes the atmosphere more exciting.
After we finished our meals, we once again took the streets of Columbus. There were a lot of people downtown, most of whom seemed to be either walking around and checking out various art galleries or crowded into bars. All of the people sometimes made walking difficult, but we didn't have that much trouble navigating through the crowds. We didn't stop in that many galleries, but we were able to visit a few. And I'm sure we'll visit more when we do the Gallery Hop again in the future.
In the meantime, I'm content to hang out at Scott and Terri's place and get ready for bed. I'm very tired in spite of the rest I had last night and the fact that today's drive wasn't all that long. Regardless, I want to make sure that we get plenty of rest tonight so we'll be fully energized for the Rush concert tomorrow night. Tonight should be a good sleeping night, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.
It was nice to be able to sleep in a bit this morning, but we still got up earlier and got a move on earlier than either of us would have liked. We had the car loaded by about 9:30, and we enjoyed a quick continental breakfast at the hotel before we ventured on to Ohio. Dolly had a giant waffle and I had two bowls of Raisin Bran. The cereal I had was good, but I suspect that it was the source of some of the gastrointestinal discomfort I experienced as the day wore on.
The Garmin was set to take us to Columbus using the fastest route possible, and I'd say that nav system did a good job. We traveled on I-75 South until about the last 50 miles of our trip, and it was nice to be able to cruise that road at just under 80 mph without much fear of police intervention. Traffic traveling south was fairly light, but the northbound lanes of the interstate always seemed jammed. I imagine a lot of people were heading into cottage country for the long Labor Day weekend.
Dolly and I made only a few stops along the way. I needed to stop for fuel once, and our fuel stop also provided us with an opportunity to have a quick lunch at Wendy's. Apart from a few bathroom breaks along the way, we made good time and stuck to the roads. There are times when it would have been nice to stop, such as when we drove through areas where there were lots of yard sales. We were on a mission, however, and decided to forgo the yard sales in various communities along our route.
We had no trouble getting to Scott and Terri's place, and both Scott and Terri were home when we arrived. The four of us caught up on what's been happening in our lives for a few hours, watched some TV and rested, and then headed downtown for the Gallery Hop around 8:30. We parked in the lot where Scott usually parks for work and then hoofed it the rest of the way.
Our first and only real stop during the Gallery Hop was the Frog Bear and Wild Boar bar and restaurant in downtown Columbus. We sat outside and dined on salads and sandwiches. In the meantime, we visited with my cousin Kristin, who happened to be there the same time we were. The restaurant was a fun place to hang out, but it would have been nicer if the staff didn't feel the need to blast music out of every speaker. There were often times when, even outside, we could barely hear each other talk. It's mostly a young adult crowd that hangs out at the bar there, and my guess is that management feels that having loud music makes the atmosphere more exciting.
After we finished our meals, we once again took the streets of Columbus. There were a lot of people downtown, most of whom seemed to be either walking around and checking out various art galleries or crowded into bars. All of the people sometimes made walking difficult, but we didn't have that much trouble navigating through the crowds. We didn't stop in that many galleries, but we were able to visit a few. And I'm sure we'll visit more when we do the Gallery Hop again in the future.
In the meantime, I'm content to hang out at Scott and Terri's place and get ready for bed. I'm very tired in spite of the rest I had last night and the fact that today's drive wasn't all that long. Regardless, I want to make sure that we get plenty of rest tonight so we'll be fully energized for the Rush concert tomorrow night. Tonight should be a good sleeping night, and I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.
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