Lake Junkie....

So Tony (my live in boyfriend, my sweetheart, the one I accidentally slip up and call husband sometimes), tells me I am a lake junkie. :-) I thought of this as I had strolled a little too close to the water this morning, in bare feet and my good work pants, watching the water kiss my toes. Like your dog giving you morning kisses. Hello, there. Good morning. I like kisses in the morning. (Not always from the dog, her morning breath is not always pleasant as I am sure mine isn't either). I was planning on not getting my pants wet. I was planning on NOT going into the water. But I could not resist. She was calm this morning, quiet. But the sun sparkled off of her and highlighted her beauty. I am not sure why I took 3 pictures of the same lighthouse. You would think one would be enough. In any case, I take the same pictures month after month. Maybe from a different angle, maybe with a different ray of sun shining down, maybe with different weather. I eventually delete them. They get posted in here or on social media. They stay in my phone, some of them. they get used as background images or wallpaper on my phone. I skipped breakfast and coffee this morning. Well, one of the reasons was because of all of the construction in Ishpeming and on Hwy 41 but flying down Wright Street and making my way up Lakeshore to my office is always a treat. I skipped the pebble beach, it was hard but I knew I would get distracted and be late. So I headed to the lighthouse today. I don't do it every day but I do it often, head to the lake. Sometimes its for a very somber peace seeking spot where I can brew in my dreary mood. Sometimes it is to pick rocks, which I love. I need a rock bag. Sometimes it is actually to swim (no more taking the dog if I am swimming). Sometimes it is just to say hi and see how the lake looks, to take pictures. I am one of the locals that runs to the lake when there is a storm. To capture her anger, her sassy attitude, her rolling waves. Love it. Sometimes I may get a little too close. Lake junkie? Not me....


Psssh...Lake Junkie he says.... :-)

Tall Ships in Marquette, MI - The Pride of Baltimore

So this weekend in Marquette, MI is Harbor Fest. And of the amazing things we get to experience up here is the tall ships coming to our lower harbor!! I ran down quick this morning to the harbor and saw the first one that had arrived! The Pride of Baltimore! There were 2 gals hanging off the front doing something. For the record, I have NO knowledge of anything nautical. NONE. I have not been on a lot of boats in my life. Unless it involved a pontoon and some coolers of some adult beverage, or a small boat with paddles. So I have no clue what they were doing, tying something possibly, not sure. They looked like they were going to drop right into the water but they knew what they were doing. The ship is huge!! And beautiful!! There is one docked in the harbor quite often that you can pay $50 a person for a get a little cruise. How awesome would that be, a sunset cruise too! (Hint hint honey....eh hem...)

Enjoy the pictures!! It is not every day we get to see these! I know they were just down in Green Bay, WI and a bunch of my friends went. Can't wait to see them this weekend!!

~Not a sailor, but would love to sail!

Birthday weekend in the U.P.

Hey folks. So first off, this is being typed on my phone, so please forgive any spelling, gramma, and punctuation mistakes. Smartphones. Sometimes they are just not so smart.
So this past Friday was my birthday, the 12th. A whole 42 years old. It really didn't bother me, age is just a number. I don't feel older, ok that's a lie, today I feel like I'm about 60. Maybe 70. Anyhow, I don't get upset or depressed when a birthday passes. I joke about it, and say I want to go backwards in age or whatever but seriously it's all good.

So years sgo, and I mean like maybe 5 years ago, 3 or 4 years, I would have spent my birthday out with my friends, guzzling who knows what types of booze, throwing back enough shots that eventually you just stop counting, jamming to great music and feeling like shit for 2 days. So since I have moved up here, I don't really hang out at the bars. We go out here and there but my partying has slowed WAY down. I found something SO much better. Spending time with someone who makes you feel great.

So we didn't hit the bars at all this weekend for my bday. Thursday night, Tony came home with roses and a cute card because he works so late, he didn't know how much time we was going to be able to see me ON my birthday. He is so thoughtful and heartfelt. I just love him to pieces. So Friday I workeD all day, went out to eat at the Jasper Inn for dinner, yummy food but I had previously bought myself a great cake and attcaked that so I was full. Great food and service as always but took some home. Crashed hard, got up early and took a nice drive with Tony and Ace up to McLain State Park to see a couple of architects present some schemes to the public of the park renovation. It was a neat experience and beautiful on top of it.

After the park we stopped at the Hilltop in L'Anse and ate lunch, WAY too much lunch. We drove home in food coma, ace crashed hard and Tony and I rolled to the Marquette County Fair. We walkyd around and then watched Chasin Steel, a local band we are pretty fond of. After deciding against rides, and noting how much the price of rides has gone up since our kids were young, we headed home. And crashed.

Sunday was my golf outing for work which got me at up 6 am, both my helpers for the morning bailed on me but I delegated work once I got to the clubhouse and it was all taken care of. It qas a great golf outing, a long long day and I came home a zombie and achy from joint pain in the hips. The boys went to a friend's to cook out and I stayed home, took a super hot shower and a cat nap. Feeling better.

My whole point for this post was not really to give you a play by play of my weekend, it was to point out how someone really great in your life can ground you and help you appreciate the little things, like good company, a long drive, some belly laughs, a good tv show, a nice lazy night, a big fat piece of cake no one needs, and holding hands at the fair.

Xoxoxo to the little things..

UP Rustics

So I follow a lot of people on Facebook, as I am sure a lot of you do. Maybe some of you are not on Facebook at all. What a nice life you must have, not having the pressured burden of scrolling and tapping and reading to see what you missed that day. How peaceful that would be. Anyhow, Since I have moved up here, I am on a few Yooper pages. I love seeing the beautiful pictures posted, hearing about local traditions and events and just all things Yooper. So one of the pages I came across was called UP Rustics. They make furniture and other things from wood and rocks and it is absolutely GORGEOUS! I am posting pictures here for you to see below... Anyhow, I messaged him about a project I wanted made for my better half, as a fathers day gift from his son. We talked and he agreed and started working on the project. Being from so far away (he is down past the bridge), I was excited to see that he was up here at Art on the Rocks last weekend and was able to bring this item to me! I could not wait to see it!

I am glad I don't have a lot of money. I don't need a lot of money. I have everything I need to survive - food, clothing, shelter, and love. Having more never hurts. I would love to contribute more to my household, that always bothers me that I can't. Of course, always seem to find a way to put my hair appointment with Neils in the way of that too. Hey, it's hair. I can't just let it go looking like crap all of the time, come on people :-) Back to the story! So I went to Marquette and found their tent at Art on the Rocks, all of the while thinking to myself, I am SO glad I don't have money. I would have gone home with a couple of birdfeeders, some very nice prints, and possibly a sign or a table and a clock or something or other. The talent in that place was exploding!

I found the tent, introduced myself, got my item purchased (a gun rack for Asa's dad). LOVED IT! It was beautiful! Asa was very happy with it when I showed it to him. As of the time of writing this, his dad has not seen it yet hung up, so that will be later tonight!

So check out UP Rustics, their work is really really amazing and it gives you the feel of the UP and of Michigan - the rocks inside the stuff, it is just beautiful. I am a rock lover what can I say.

They do Lake Superior Rock Frames and mirrors, Rustic and log cabin decor, custom and specialty chalkboards, and so much more...

www.uprustics.com

906-241-0354

sales@uprustics.com

Located in Cheboygan, MI
Check them out on Facebook as well!

Also
Puddingstone Lovers and More - lovely jewelry and clocks and oh so fun!
517-983-9303
517-983-8630
517-983-8629
Dawn and Paul Ruth

Check them out on Facebook as well!

Puddingstoneloversandmore@gmail.com


Now check out all of their work!!

Starting my Christmas list now.... ~S