Friday Night, Date Night ...

I've known Cap for a while. I really can't say we dated in the past, but we were good friends for a while there. I'm still not sure what really happened that we drifted apart. But, that's all history now.

The present ... Friday evening started with Cap coming to pick me up at my house. I was waiting outside, watching Grandson play in the neighbor's front yard when he pulled up. I'm barely down the driveway as he's hopping out of his car and dashing over to the passenger side of the vehicle to open the door for me.

We decided that I'd pick the restaurant, since I live locally and at this point he has no idea where he is, LOL. Of course I picked my favorite Chinese restaurant.

I had made the mistake of reaching for the handle of the door to the restaurant (habit, since no one offers to open doors for me) to hear a "uh-hum" from behind me. I turn around to see him shaking his head. Oops!

Dinner was great (as usual), our conversation flowed easily. At one point he says there's something different about me, but he can't put his finger on it. We never did figure it out, LOL, but after a few minutes of silence (while we ate) he says "and I like what I see".

Okay, comments like these tend to melt my heart. And all I could do was smile.

We also talked about our interests for the first time. Funny how we never really discussed this stuff years ago. Why, I have no idea!

So, he and I share many interests ... SciFi (especially Star Trek), lighthouses, Michigan Lore, museums, antiques and flea markets to name just a few.

Not wanting yet to end the date, we decided to head over to the Flea Market just to wander and talk. Had a good time, but didn't stay long as they were getting ready to close for the evening.

Next we came back to my house. Sat on the stoop and just talked some more. He asked me why, at first, I seemed so uncomfortable with him opening doors for me. I told him in all honesty that I'm just not used to it, that it's been decades since anyone has held a door open for me. I can't remember word for word what he said, but it was pretty much that I'm a lady and I better get used to being treated like a lady.

With that, he stood up, offered me his hand for support while I stood up and once I was standing, wrapped his arms around me.

And since I'm not one to kiss and tell, I shall end this blog entry here ...

Been a while ... sorry!!

Not that a lot hasn't been going on, it's been crazy here this last week or two. Nothing bad ... just crazy.

Married Son leaves Sunday for his new job. The house is *tore* up badly with what he's taking for his semi truck. Add the rest of the Wrecking Crews crap and forget trying to FIND my living room right now.

*****

K, I'm really NOT in the mood to bitch, so let's move on to other news.

Alien brought the boys around yesterday. All three of my grandsons had a great time ... and I even got them to sit still (almost) for the first photograph of the three of them together!!

Butterball, Grandson holding JJ.

*****

I'm not sure if it's in this blog, or my old yahoo!360 blog that I first mentioned a friend that I nicknamed Cap. Good guy, and one that I lost contact with over the years.

Well, just recently I found him on facebook and contact was re-established. We've talked pretty much every day since. LOL.

Today we went on our first date. I forgot how sweet, gentle and caring he is. The perfect gentleman. And chivalry is not dead.

Ya, me ... dating again. Can you believe it? I'm not sure I can. LOL

So ... we'll see. We've got a few more dates scheduled in the upcoming weeks, including him coming to the Star Trek picnic and me going to a family (his family) picnic.

*****

So much more to blog about, but I have to be up at 5 AM tomorrow morning ... it's gonna be a looooong day. Get Single Son to work early, weed the garden and other chores, shop for a picnic for one later in the evening, pick son up (LOL), and get to Lake Orion for the annual Fireworks (thus the reason for the picnic for one, since I'll be watching the fireworks alone) ... and home finally around 3 or 4 AM ... makes for one long day!!

Monday Musings ...

A little of this, a little of that ...

Driving down the road yesterday I saw the best bumper sticker ... "Some days all I want to be is a missing person". Yup! So true, so true!

Just a whole bunch of Drama. I hate drama. Yet, it seems to seek me out.

*****

Alien is up to her normal crap. Now her hubby is getting in touch with me via facebook and telling me that *I* have to talk to her, that she's cutting him down on facebook and whining all the time. Like me talking to her would do any good to begin with. Besides, he knew what she was like before they married (they only argue all the time). And I'm NOT getting involved. Especially considering the consideration they both showed when they eloped and didn't tell anyone for a week or more.

*****

Married Son definitely leaves in the next few weeks for that job in North Carolina. The whole Wrecking Crew will be going down south, a mini-vacation before he leaves for the road. Too bad they're borrowing his step-mom's car for the trip - this way I know DIL and Grandson will have to return. Bummer. Ah well, when they get back they'll be under MY roof once again and no Married Son to tell her what to do. I'm not going to make their last weeks here comfortable (well, it's up to her if it's comfortable or not) ... she will be busy with her four-hour work day (yes, that's it) and then cleaning and organizing for the big move.

I talked to Married Son when we went to dinner (alone) the other day. Told him what my plan was - that she will be using this time to clean and organize for the move. He about choked on his chinese food ... laughing ... "Mom, you're on crack! Her clean or organize!?!? You gotta be kidding".

So, I'll GIVE her a crash course in it when I sort through the boxes I've set aside for immediate organization and sorting. Hehehe ...

*****

Single Son is the only one not causing me any drama. As usual. Then again, we're not driving some place. LOL ... like yesterday ... Father's Day. We had a graduation party to go to. Friend of the family. All grown up and graduating high school. Where do the years go? His mom, "B" asked me to make a huge macaroni salad ... and I did (more on that in a bit). Well, we get in the car and Son tells me he has NO idea where the party is (he got the invite but never looked at the location). Soooooo ... after a heated discussion on location (and bitching at him to slow down so my macaroni salad didn't launch) and me telling him to trust me on the directions to the park ... we arrive two hours early to help set up. I get stuck putting photos in an album (that "B" should have had completed weeks ago - oh wait, that organizing thing ... she's not good at it either), while Single Son helps with tissue streamers, moving picnic tables, and heaven only knows what else. But, all in all, we had a great time!

*****

So ... THE Macaroni Salad. I should have halved the recipe ... there was enough to serve at least 50! And I'm not kidding! It took my large turkey roasting pan to get it all in - and barely at that.

Two 1 pound boxes of elbow macaroni,
two green peppers (medium to large),
two bunches green onion,
one bag radishes, I cheated and bought pre-sliced radishes
seven hard boiled eggs,
four cans tuna (in water, drained)
one jar miracle whip salad dressing
paprika.

Boil macaroni.
Dice all veggies. Dice four eggs, crush yoke.
Mix cooked macaroni (drained and rinsed in cold water), veggies, eggs, miracle whip, and tuna in a large bowl or pan.
Add to top the other three eggs (also diced and yoke crushed). Sprinkle paprika over top.

Very easy recipe!!! My kind of cooking!

I tried to get a picture of it, but the camera wouldn't cooperate.

I will be making this again at the end of July for a StarFleet function (only HALF recipe, though) ... and will get pics then. I promise.

Oh, and I can't tell you how many people came up to me not only ranting about how good it tasted, but wanting the recipe. It really IS good!!

*****

I didn't get to see my Dad for Father's Day ... but I did call. They went to a family member's high school graduation party. I didn't go for personal reasons, prefering to spent it with friends, Single Son, Alien and the boys outside at the park instead. Glad I did ... Mom said it was a rather dull and "stuffy" party.

Belated "Report" on my Away Mission ...

Oops, this is a few days late. Hope StarFleet doesn't hold it against me, LOL.

What a wonderful weekend!! Full of trekkies AND lighthousing! It doesn't get better than that! Well, maybe a squirrel sighting or two, but believe it or not, I saw not one squirrel!

So ... let's go back to Saturday evening. We left as soon as Single Son got home from work. Twelve hours on the road working his FedEx job, then another ten hours driving from home to Escanaba. All my offers to take over driving were met with a "phhht, Mom, I'm fine. I'll let you know when I'm tired".

We crossed the Mackinac Bridge with about a quarter of a tank of gas left. We should have stopped at the only opened gas station there, but nooooooo, Single Son says we'll make it to another gas station further up the road. Maybe I should say here that it's now 2:30 AM ... and nothing, I repeat NOTHING is open in the wilderness of the UP (Upper Peninsula) after 5 PM. Long story short ... LOL ... about an hour later and 53 miles remaining to our destination (and only an eighth of a tank of gas left) we did manage to find a Shell Station open! We probably could have made it, but at 3:30 in the morning who really wants to test their gas luck? And I should insert here, too, how I love my car!! A tank of gas for the entire drive up ... 402 miles .... well, 53 short, but still.

We pulled into the hotel parking lot at 4 AM and promptly got our room and hit the sack. Up early. Had to go to WalMart (yuck) and get a pair of pants for Single Son, since I had forgotten to grab them out of the closet when I grabbed his Star Trek uniform shirt. After that, we went to lunch with "R" and "L", then back to the hotel to change into our Star Trek uniforms.

Dressed in uniform, we headed out to the lighthouse. Boy, did we get the looks! Got a few interested brief conversations going, hopefully we recruited a new member or two for the Escanaba chapter. We'll see!



But, I climbed this lighthouse. It wasn't bad ... two stories tall. And what a view from the parapet!! Silly me only took two pictures from up there ... grrrrrr.

The meeting was next on our agenda ...

Sorry, it's such a small picture ... but it gets fuzzy when it's enlarged. go figure. Of course, I was the one taking the picture. Always the photographer, never the photographee. Hahaha.

After the meeting we went out to eat, then we were invited to a bonfire. I haven't been to a bonfire in ages!! We had a blast! Even the mosquitoes enjoyed themselves.

All that fresh "up north" air sure did me in. As soon as we got back to the hotel I hit the sack. Didn't wake up for a full eight hours!!

We left for home the following morning, Monday ... after eating what proved to be the largest breakfast platter I've ever seen!! I did manage to eat all of my sausage and cheese omelet, but only half the toast (whole wheat of course) and barely any of the hash browns!! I was full for hours!

Our next stop was the Seul Choix Lighthouse (pronounced sis-shwa). I did NOT climb this lighthouse, but Single Son did. It was obvious it was a long climb (over 120 steps to the top), he was beet red and sweaty when I saw him next. LOL.



I didn't buy a single souvenir while we were in Escanaba. I made up for that at Seul Choix ... I got a few postcards for my "lighthouses I've visited" collection ... and I found this cute little critter - just screaming for me to adopt him ...

And I'd have been a bad person if I'd ignored his pleas! He sat on the dash board until we got to the Mackinac Bridge. Obviously my little friend is afraid of heights, so he dove for the safety of my lap when we saw this beautiful view ...

Mackinac Bridge

Single Son surprised my by stopping for dinner in Prudenville (Houghton Lake) ... I haven't been there in forever. Growing up, my Gigi had a cottage there and we'd spend most of our summers there. Ah, the memories!! And boy, the changes in twenty years since last I drove those roads.

We were home before dark ... some 887 miles driven.

We'll be traveling back to Escanaba this fall. Winter possibly. I can't wait to see Escanaba in da snow!

End report ... Lt (j.g.) LCM signing off.

P.S. There was a sink full of dirty dishes when we got home. Surprised?

We weren't home half an hour and I'm being bombarded with crap ... Married Son has applied for a job in North Carolina and has gone through his first interview (over the phone). He's got a second interview coming up in a few weeks. They won't be living there, though, they'll stay in Michigan. Drats!! So he'll be on the road soon ... what's to become of DIL and Grandson? They won't be staying at her parents house - her father has forbidden their return. And I don't think he's got the nerve to ask his father if DIL and Grandson can stay there. I'm stuck with them until he gets an apartment for them. Says it'll be about two months from the time he leaves for the road. My question is .. he makes ALL this money with FedEx ... why can't he afford to get them an apartment NOW?

Can I go back up north? Please?

Seul Choix Lighthouse

Seul Choix Lighthouse (pronounced sis-shwa), and Mackinac Bridge. I did not climb this lighthouse, it was just way too tall for me!

Sand Point Lighthouse

Sand Point Lighthouse, Boat House Museum and Escanaba History Museum in Escanaba, MI. I did manage to climb this lighthouse. Yay me! LOL

Been a few quiet days here ...

but can't say entirely stress free.

The dishes are a little better around here ... however ...what does someone not understand about the dishes including the utensils, cups, and other miscellaneous items used in the preparation for their meals? Or that the term clean up also includes wiping down the stove-top and counters after meal has be prepared.

We're civil to each other ... but don't expect much socialization 'round these parts any more. At least not with the Wrecking Crew. Words said in anger hurt and can take a long time to heal.

We've had record breaking heat here earlier this week (thankfully today is a tolerable temperature, cool winds blowing, overcast) ... and you know how the heat can play on people's nerves. Thankfully, DIL has been gone most of the day, coming home only to cook (see above) or sleep. The rest of the time they've been trying to duck this heat.

Which greatly reduced my stress levels and allowed me to cope with the heat much easier.

*****

Getting closer to being ready for our mini-trip. Laundry is in right now, I'll pack later tonight. Ya, two days before we leave ... think I'm anxious to get away? LOL ... actually, I always have been one to pack a few days early - I hate the chaos and confusion of last day anything ... and you're more likely to forget something. Even if it's for a two and a half day "vacation".

How pathetic is that? I mean ... I'm not preparing for a ten day cruise, or a trip to Europe (although I'd love the chance to do either), it's a two night stay out of town for Pete's sake. Lordy, could you see me getting ready for a lengthy trip? I'd be packing a month early! LOL.

But that's a lesson my folks taught me. My Gigi (grandmother) had a cottage in Northern Michigan. We went up there a lot in the summers. Dad was a no-nonsense car packer ... you be ready with your stuff an hour before we're leaving so he could pack the car ... too bad if you forget something. Once we were on the road, he wouldn't even turn around if Mom went through that "did I turn the iron off" routine. Needless to say, we all had our "check lists".

*****

Monday I had gone to my folks to plant flowers. It took me an hour and a half to plant a half of a flat of flowers because of the heat! Sitting in the air conditioning to cool off afterwards, Mom mentions how gray my hair is. I told her I'd earned every single gray hair and had no plans on hiding it by coloring my hair. She comments that it's the same color as my brother's hair ... that did it! On my way home I stopped and bought hair coloring!! Not because it's the same as Brother Deere's hair, but because for some reason my eyes don't see my hair as THAT gray!! So ... now the gray is gone ... in it's place is red.

And I love it. Pictures may follow if someone (anyone) in Escanaba takes good enough pics of me to post.