NANA DIANA TAKES A BREAK

Friday, October 7, 2011

I Got Rocks - Pink Rocks-Not In My Head

You know,

if it isn't one thing..

it's another!

We are always looking at boats,

or motor homes,

"you'll REALLY love this, Diana" items.

(yeah, right).

But this latest passion..

well...

see for yourself.

Why is MyHero smiling?

Is it because we are traveling together?

Is it because I am so goldarned cute?

Is it because his pants aren't too tight?

Is it because he sees boats?

No~ No ~ Indeedy!

MyHero is smiling because we

are here!

C'mon Diana!

You are gonna LOVE this!

Really? (sarcasm is lost here)

Really!

Wow! How excited am I?

About as excited as I am when I

get to pull the neck and gizzard

out of the

Thanksgiving Turkey...

well..ALMOST that excited.

Okay...

I will give you this...

They have some

PINK ROCKS!

and some more

pink rocks....

And some more pink rocks....

Do you want to know what they are called?

Well, if you can't read the little signs

you are plumb outta luck

because ROCKS are just not

MY THING!

They some green ones....

And some coppery ones....

And they make them into some

cool, useful items..

like these coasters

(No- I did NOT buy a set-

but thanks for asking)

We are there about

one hundred and sixty hours or so

and I finally drag him off to

The Beach

at McClain Park in Houghton/Hancock.

We have miles of beach from

which to choose a spot..

and not many people around..

We find the perfect spot

with a nice table.

We take out our picnic lunch,

set up our chairs,

and I take out my book to

sit a spell and read.

My gaze travels up and down

the beach and what do I spot

not fifty feet

from where I am sitting?

MORE ROCKS

piled up nice and high

just so I can see them.

Sigh....

Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?

Thursday, October 6, 2011

No Smiles Today-This Is A Heart Wrencher

I know a lot of you come here

for a smile in the morning.

Today is just a bit different.

A bit somber.

We have been coming to the UP

(Upper Peninsula of Michigan)

as a get-away

for many years.

It is a soul soother for both of us.

About 10 years ago I picked up a

book that was written locally.

Tinsel And Tears.

It fascinated me.

It talked about the

Italian Hall disaster

in a building that was built

in 1908,

a proud building for

a thriving mining town.

In 1913 during a miner's strike,

there was a lot of hard feelings between

the mine owners and the workers.

They had been on strike for

several months.

When Christmas rolled around

several of the wealthy wives

decided to have a

Christmas party

Christmas Eve

for the miner's children.

Many of them did not even

have enough to eat

because their fathers had

been unemployed for several

months.

They proceeded to set up

food and presents for all

the families in the

upstairs rooms of the

Italian Hall.

As the gifts began to be

handed out

SOMEONE

(no one ever proved who it was)

yelled

FIRE!

In a crowded upstairs banquet hall,

with only one narrow stairwell

going down to the outside.

Panic ensued.

They all rushed to save themselves.

Down this stairway.

The door at the bottom

opened inward.

It was locked-

or as many speculated-

held in place by

thugs from the mining company.

It is a mystery that was

never solved.

73 people perished that night.

59 of them were children

aged from 3 to 12.

There are pictures of the

children lying lined up

like angels in the morgue

but I couldn't bring myself

to post them.

Sometimes,

too much is just too much.

We went today and walked

the cobblestones

up to the arch over the

front door that still stands

We read the plaque the memorializes

the awful event.

We left and moved on with our day.

but I will forever be saddened

by the thought of those

precious children

going to a party,

dressing up in their

"bestest clothes"

and dying trying

to escape a fire

that never was.

Can you imagine?

Can you imagine the grief,

not only of losing a child,

but the grief, and anger,

that it happened so needlessly.

And on Christmas Eve,

that most holy of Eves.

A Christmas Eve that

will haunt the town

forever.

All you Moms and Dads

and Nanas and Papas-

Hug your children tight tonight

and kiss those precious faces.

Revel in their lives

because

we are all

blessed to have them.

A sad post today-

but smiles tomorrow-

I promise.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Whatever Floats Your Boat- Or Doesn't

We are traveling along

the

Mighty Mississippi..

Ya gotta love a river

that has 3 double letters in it..

don't you?

Anyway-

Some people go to look

at the beautiful expanse of water...

Some people go to look at the

leaves as they are changing..

And then there are

OTHERS~

SOME OTHERS

like to look at something

that they think it might be fun to own...

even if it is fog covered...

Uh-huh..We are just out of the

motel and I just want coffee...

but..

NOOOOOO...

FIRST we have to go to

the first marina we can find

to look at

this...

What?

What is it?

Ah...yes...

Safe-it is nothing we can

take home with us because

we have no way to transport it.

unlike THIS thing..

that followed us home...

Coffee-at last-

and a bit further up the road

we find

THIS!

Villa Louis..

Oh...My...

WHAT A BEAUTY..

I am smitten...

We continue our drive

North and alongside the road

we see this...

They dug a hole for her and

it looks like they tried to fill it

with water so it would float...

and it failed to happen...

so here she sits.

I hear voices..

What?

No way, Hosea~

This is NOT coming home

with us either.

No- I do NOT want to remodel

it and live on it...

but ~

Thanks for the offer!

Come on, MyHero...

Time to leave the dream behind.

Sigh...

I TOLD YOU

not to

LOOK BACK

or you would turn into a

Pillar of Wood!

Well, at least you'll

look nice down by the dock!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

A Bride's Nightmare

If you remember,

the night before we left

for our

LONG DRIVE....

we went to a wedding.

You can read about it

on my post a couple of days ago.

(for some reason this WiFi

access won't allow me to link to my

old blog posts- weird)

Anyway!!!!

Thursday night before the wedding

we had a terrible storm.

One of the worst wind storms

we have ever had...

winds 60-70 mph.

That's windy folks!

As we traveled North

to the wedding we saw

things like this....

and this...

and this....

As a matter of fact,

we didn't make the wedding..

but we DID make the

reception.

Remember the beautiful

reception place?

Yeah? You do?

Didn't happen!

Why? NO POWER..

They found another

venue thanks to the

people in charge of

Horseshoe Bay.

It wasn't quite the same

but it was wonderful.

They brought the food with them,

and Mr.G's provided the space

and set it up

at 3pm on the afternoon of

the wedding

for an

"emergency reception"

It turned out to be a wonderful

night-

No one felt any panic..

It is just the way it was...

and the bride handled it

beautifully...

as did everyone else.

I have more pictures to

share later

but for today

I have just a couple.

Here is the beautiful bride,

Amanda,

and her Mom,

(and my good friend),
Laurie.

And here is Amanada with her

Mom-In-Law, Pat.

She is so in love with

her new

daughter-in-law.

And here they are...

Two Moms..

pleased as punch

to be related to each other

through marriage.

And while I am typing away

here in the motel room...

You-Know-Who

has discovered

the joys of a remote TV

that brings in

ANOTHER SPORTS

Channel.

Is he smiling because his team

is winning or because

he knows I am taking his picture?

I am signing him up for

Sports Addicts Anonymous

as soon as we get home.

Seriously...

Really...

Truly...

WAIT!

Never mind...

cuz if I DO he will

notice how much time

~~and money~~

I spend at Starbucks.

Pray for me tomorrow-

I will be out of

Starbucks range for

at least 3 days!

I can do it...

I hope~

Monday, October 3, 2011

Another Bit Of Fall At My House...

Before we left I took a few
pictures to share with you
from the road...
cuz you KNEW I'd have
to keep my bloggy thingy going,
didn't you?

Sooo...without further
adieu...

When you come through our front

foyer there is a little

hook that goes around

to the right.

There is a thermostat

on this wall and so

it is always a bit of a

challenge to find something

that works there.

I found this wrought iron

piece a couple of years ago.

It stands about 3-1/2 feet tall...

and has a place for 6 candles

with a sunken area between them

to hold

SOMETHING.

The something changes from

time to time.

This Fall is holds leaves

and a crow and a couple of

faux pumpkins and a ribbon.

Drat- I meant to get my

Fall colored candles in there

and plumb forgot to change them out

before I took these pictures...

Grrrrrrr....

Yes- I hear you!

I AM sure there is a way to rotate

this but I just don't know how...

Quit whining and tilt your head to the

right-Kay?

See that ribbon?

Yeah..I'm pretty sure it is the

same one that is on

Debbie-Doo's Wreath

Don't compare wreaths though

cuz I don't want to end up crying!

Okay- Go look NOW...

but don't forget to come back,

ya hear?

Back, are you?

Well, in that case..

Here's my little vignette

on our little built in phone niche.

(that has never been used for a phone)

I painted that little chalkboard

back in my

Folk Art Days.

This was painted in 1989...

uh-huh...that was then...

And on our front door...

A simple wreath..

With a simple bow.

It is older than

SweetCheeks by about 5 years.

I bought it the year her oldest sister was born.

So, as I hang this- I always think about

Lulu.

Funny, isn't it-how we tie little

rituals to times in our lives

and those we love?

Here she was-2 days old. & 6 months old..

Doesn't she look like a baby bird

in that first photo?

And now she is 9!

How can that be?

Guess what?

Next year when I hang this same old wreath..

She will be 10!

And I will be...

Well, never mind..

Some things are best left unsaid!

Amen!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

We're Hitting The Road Today~

Where are we going?

Anybody's guess...

Do WE know?

Nope!

We are kind of nomadic like that..

We get in the car,

load our bags in..

and off we go...

The car is serviced and
road-ready~
The house is house-sat,
The laundry is all done
and I even scrubbed
and polished the hardwood floors
before we left?
What?
Well, I didn't want the housesitter
to think I was lazy!

So....finally...
too tired to move-
We are off!

We usually head North

but I am thinking this time we

will head West and go

along the

Mighty Mississippi for a bit