Arriving in Hell, On Left

Yep, that's right...today n we took a day trip to Hell...Hell, Michigan that is. :) We had a great time, even though Hell is so small that if you blink while driving by you're likely to miss it entirely. Michael's sister, Margaret has been visiting from Scotland, and she decided her visit wouldn't be complete without stopping by Hell so she could send a slightly singed post card back home.

We all got a good laugh when the computerized voice on the GPS said, "Arriving in Hell, On Left." Yes indeed, this tiny town has made the most of its name...there is no shortage of cheesy hell jokes and amusing decorations!


There's a general store on one corner where you can buy all sorts of themed paraphernalia, including Halloween decorations galore, as well as the a fore mentioned post cards. Then on the other side of the parking lot, there's "Hell's Kitchen," where you can get some pretty darn good grinder "sand-witches." We all had a good time playing with Charlie on the porch while we waited for ours.

In the middle of the two shops, there are a myriad of photo-ops, as well as a miniature golf range for the kiddos. Completing the package is a church with a question mark for a steeple. I know some people wouldn't be able to see the humor in that, but we had to laugh. I think they actually do real weddings!

This Smacks of Desparation!

All I can really say is...wow. Some people are just crazy!

This modification to my friends' Obama sign was awaiting us when we got back to the house after some sightseeing today. And this is an affluent area, right here in America. Gees, sometimes I'm shocked at how ignorant people can be! I don't mind founded disagreements with my viewpoint, but to foolishly perpetuate lies and rumors is simply going too far.

Hydrotherapy

We got home from a week on Portage Lake near the Huron River yesterday. My parents rented a cabin for the week, and we were able to enjoy the benefits of hydrotherapy for a few days! The weather was very cooperative, with only a couple of storms scattered here and there. We spent a lot of time swimming in the lake, tubing, riding around in the boat, and enjoying lakeside camp fires in the evenings. I enjoyed the time with my family, and today I truly feel refreshed.

Not all was sunshine and roses though...Michael lost his wedding ring while we were swimming in the lake on Friday. :( This was very upsetting to both of us since he's had that ring for the better part of 12 years. We both know it's just a thing, but it's a pretty important one and we're sad. We'll get something new, I'm sure...but I have no idea when that will be possible. Years ago I took a photo of his hand with that ring, and I'm really hoping I can find the image in my files now. It's a little unsettling to realize that while I can remember the ring in my mind, I can't reproduce it on paper, try as I might.

All in all, and despite having lost the ring, I had a very relaxing week on the lake,

from sunrise...

...to sunset,

our vacation was an excellent commemoration to the end of summer.

I'm having trouble believing how quickly the season of sun has flown by, but it's true that the end is near. School starts up again next week and slowly but surely, I'm beginning to feel ready for the challenges of this coming semester. I'm hoping to be subbing a lot more this year, which should be interesting. I plan on spending most of the rest of this week getting the house in top shape, and making some bases for meals like chili and spaghetti, which we will want when the days get colder. My goal is to make life as easy as possible for myself on the home front so that school stress won't get the best of me.

Auburn Weekend

Well here we are in the Comfort Inn in Auburn. Ava just woke up and is eating eggs and bannas for breakfast. She's walking around the room saying hi to everyone and then saying yay. She's adorable!

I went out with all the old high school people last night. We had a great time, dinner at Pizza King here in Auburn and then a fun evening at the Mereor, a local kareoke bar. It was good to see everyone, it's been way too long and I hope we make it a higher priority to get together a little more often over the next few years. It's strange to be back in Auburn...the town has changed so much but is still somehow the same. Weird.

Christmas Eve Comfort

This is a Christmas Eve that's a little different from my typical. My parents and I drove down to Fort Wayne, IN. today to take my nephew, Nick to his paternal grandparents Christmas celebration. When I heard of their plans I thought it might be fun to come back to the old hometown (I grew up just outside Fort Wayne in a small town called Auburn) so I decided to come along for the ride.

Our original plan was to go to Glenbrook mall for the afternoon and then see a movie this evening while we waited for Nick. One look at the mall and we developed a new plan…it was a procrastinators nightmare! So instead we drove back down the freeway to Auburn and went to Pizza Hut, one of our family’s prior favorite restaurants for lunch. This isn’t an ordinary pizza hut though, for some reason it’s much better than any other one I’ve ever encountered. I had taco pizza and bread sticks for lunch, which were quite yummy! Next we stopped by the movie theater and decided the best idea would be to check into a hotel room where my dad could take a much-needed nap and then head to a movie later. Once in the room we deiced maybe watching a movie in the room would be just as good (not to mention cheaper) than a trip to the theater.

So…here I sit…in my old hometown in a Comfort Suites hotel room on Christmas Eve. In a way it makes a nice change from other years. Normally I spend this day running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting ready for Christmas but this trip meant I had to get things done ahead of time for a change. It’s a little weird to not be spending the day with Michael but he sounds happy and I’m happy so I guess it’s all good.

While my dad took his nap my mom and I ran to the store where we got some snacks and a couple of games, one of which is called “Last Word” and it’s pretty fun but might be better with more players. The other game is called “Big Brain Academy” and it’s…interesting. There are lots of elaborate parts and there’s a “brain scale,” which struck us as terribly funny to the point of hysterical tears. All in all it’s been a good…if different…Christmas Eve and I’ve enjoyed the time with my parents perusing our old stomping ground.