Family Christmas on the Manistee River 2011

Timothy, Casey and her mom Kym McKenzie, from Paw Paw, who we were delighted to have with us for Christmas weekend.
Patrick and Heather looking Fantastic!!

Lots of cooks helped make dinner a huge success...every one made something and we all left the table feeling very satisfied and thankful for our blessings. Timothy and Casey were filling their plates with Michael wondering if there will be food left!!!

The hostess, Kathy, with her dresssy"serve the food" apron from Aunt Kay Tupper. Not too practical but very frilly and with lots of Christmas memories! Love those deviled eggs!!!

The Christmas table at the cabin with a view of the river. We had 11 for dinner, including Deb and Duane Walter, Andy Zemke, Kym McKenzie and our prime rib chef Rudi Stimac. The best toast was from our friend Andy "May you always have friends that are family and family that are friends". We feel that blessing this year and are thankful that we were all together and that we had wonderful friends to join us.

Patrick and Timothy with their Stormy Kromer hats...aren't they handsome!

TC Decorations and Memories

Mike and I have our decorations up in Traverse City and are pleased with how they look. We got a fake tree a few years ago and it goes up in 10 minetes which is fantastic. I end up decorating the whole thing since there are not any kids at home to help. The Santa on the front porch is from my brother David several years ago and I love its old fashioned look. The deer was made by my father and is a regular on our front porch...I added the lights this year and think he looks very festive. We finally have a little snow so it looks more like Christmas. We look forward to Timothy and Casey arriving next weekend and will be joined by Casey's mother Kym from Kalamazoo. Patrick and Heather will be out on Christmas eve and Heather's parents Deb and Duane will join us for dinner on Christmas Day. Our guest of honor will be our friend Rudi who is cooking the prime rib. We should have a great meal and I am so happy that we can share the beauty of the cabin with friends and family.
Kathy and Mike

The Christmas Season starts

Well we are starting the Christmas Season as it is now December! Mike and I are once again at the cabin for this weekend. We got out the decorations and put up the trees. We put mom and dads tree inside and another lit tree on the deck. The tree decorations are a combo of mom and dads as well as fishing themed ornaments. The old ones bring back lots of memories for me. Mike made chili with some venison we were given and it was fantastic. Laid back weekend with bird watching, saunaing, dinner with friends, sewing, football watching and watching it rain. Not a nice weather weekend as we have no snow but lots of rain. Our first Christmas party is the Hibernian party tomorrow night. Hope this start to the holiday season finds you all well and healthy. Kathy and Michael

Much to be Thankful for

I feel so thankful this year for our family and friends. We have spent a marvelous year traveling, seeing friends and family and having new experiences. However like Dorothy says there is no place like home.

We went to Patrick and Heather's for Thanksgiving Day and were joined by Heather's parents Deb and Duane. It was a relaxing and fun day and a treat to spend it with such great people. Mike deep fried a turkey and everything was delicious. We missed Timothy and Casey but look fore ward to seeing them at Christmas.

It is almost December and no snow for us yet but rain rain rain today and the snow will come.

Birthday Thanks and new quilt

I just celebrated my 61st Birthday and want to thank all the well wishers that sent card and called to say Happy Birthday! It is great to hear from friends and family that care. I got an IPad from my wonderful husband Mike...complete with green cover. I have been having fun getting it up and running. The quilt picture is of my summer red white and black quilt that I pieced together as we traveled this summer. Just got it back from my long arm quilter Lynne Macgee who does a fantastic job. The picture does not do her quilting justice as she quilted in each and every square in red thread. I love it and am keeping it to use in our extra bedroom. So if anyone comes to visit you will have the privilege of sleeping with my "Travel 2011 Quilt".

Cold Cold weather here today but with sun. Mike went steelhead fishing today with a customer and a guide...great day to catch fish and be outside.

Kathy and Mike

Chicago and Marilyn

I had to add this to the blog about Chicago.

We came around the corner onto Michigan Ave and there she was...Marilyn Monroe!

What a sensation and the crowds were going crazy!

The boys had to have some fun and look up her skirt with lace panties...what boy wouldn't!

I don't know what artist did this but they did a wonderful job!

Bustin a move to Chicago

We busted a move to Chicago with Traverse City friends for shopping fun and food.

Here is the gang in Chicago. Dennis, Pam, Sue, Paul, Kathy and Mike. We arrived on Friday and shopped in Old Town arriving at the Treemont and taking off for the Irish Pubs for happy hour and dinner. Saturday was beautiful in the high 50's to 60 and we walked to Navy Pier, Millennium Park and around the streets and shops of Chicago. We had dinner a a great Italian Restaurant Club Lego and walked the streets enjoying all the people watching.
Pam and Dennis took us to a surprise location for lunch on Saturday. the Billy Goat Tavern which was under Michigan Ave and was right out of Saturday Night Live....the guys behind the counter argued with you about what cheezborger you were ordering and they had coke...if you wanted water you got a "look" and an argument. What a great place, great food...and it was very busy. Been there since the 30's and had a complete bar...also Bill Goat Beer!

The Bean in Millennium Park...crazy fun to see all the angles.
Breakfast/Lunch at Nuevo Leon in Mexico town was fantastic! Authentic and delicious...we had to wait awhile for a table but it was well worth it. Then the drive home with Dennis doing a wonderful job driving....rain and wind as we got to TC so it was great to have such a competent driver butin us back to TC. A wonderful time with great people.

Sauna Delights

We are thrilled with our sauna and enjoyed it last Friday and Saturday. It was fun to finally experience the sauna and we look forward to sharing the experience with friends and family. I am looking forward to snow so that we can jump into the snow when we are too hot...and it does make you HOT. It was a beautiful weekend and we did do some outside work...note the picture of Mike stacking wood and we transplanted some white pine trees. We returned to TC on Sunday and raked the last of the leaves and walnuts from our big walnut tree in the back yard. It has produced more walnuts than we have ever seen...it has been said that means we will have a severe winter..we will see! The squirrels are really enjoying all the walnuts and make a mess everywhere as they open them up...maybe they do know what the winter will be like. It has rained rained rained the last two days and there is possible snow in the forecast for tomorrow. Bring it On!!!

We are going to Chicago this weekend with friends...the Carneys, Haileys and Maxbauers. We will do some shopping, eating and toasting at Irish pubs , old family Itallian restaurant and a great Mexican place for breakfast on Sunday... lots of walking. Should be fun with lots of laughs

Halloween 2011 and Riggs Birthday

We have had a great couple of weeks since I posted an entry on our blog. The northern Michigan weather has been typical. Beautiful and sunny one day then cold and rainy the next. But it has all led up to Halloween, the best holiday after St Patricks Day! We decorate with lots of creativity and strive to impress the little goblins who come to our door. Patrick was here this year to help which was wonderful and he got into it as in years past. We love to see the little ones come up our walk wide eyed and just a little scared...but not too scared to come and get candy. There are always a few who will not even come up the walk...they are a hoot. Mike manned the skeleton that drops from the tree and startles kids and adults. Patrick kept the dry ice in the pot for the witches brew going and I handed out candy...about 600 kids.(see facebook for a picture of the witch on the front proch) We have a fire to keep warm, food in the house and friends who stop for a beer and a cigar. It was a fun night and we wish all of you could of joined us.

The star of the night was Riggs as it was his Birthday...9 years old. He loved all the people and had his cupcake with the one candle as we sang Happy Birthday to him...Lucky dog. Mike and Patrick went to the U of M football game last Saturday and the guy behind them took their picture. It was on Facebook but thought I would include it here also as it is a great picture of both Nolan boys.

I work the next two days and then we will go to the cabin for the weekend. The sauna is done so look for pictures and a report on our first sauna experience!

Sauna and sunsets

We are at the cabin again this weekend even though the weather is terrible...rain, wind and cold. Typical fall weather for Michigan but still hard to take after the last two weeks of beautiful Indian summer weather. We were pleased to find Mikes Sauna with walls and a roof when we arrived on Friday. The inside is not finished yet but Tim Hertler came on Sunday morning and we made some decisions about the inside. There will be a small changing area when you enter with pegs and a bench. The sauna stove needs room for firewall protection and there will be a two level bench on the wall with the glass block windows(the picture with Riggs). We will have lights inside and the inside walls will be all cedar. We hope to get the stove this week,,a Nippa stove made in Michigan. Mike has wood all ready for the first sauna experience. We travel to Chicago tomorrow thru Wednesday for a Cigar Assn. board meeting. I am the driver as the flight was almost $800 from TC to Chicago!! Not sure what I will do while he is in meetings on Tuesday as we are a ways from downtown Chicago. Today is still cold but the sun is shinning and we will go in this pm and have dinner with Patrick and Heather so they can pick up Riggs to dogsit. Sad day yesterday with the Tigers and U of M loosing their games. It has been a great season for both teams. I stared back to work this last week and can assure all of you that retirement does not make you loose your skills...it is like riding a bike. Good to see all the people as I have wonderful, caring and very smart coworkers. The sunset picture was from Saturday night...nice to see clear sky after all the rain and wind of the last two days.

Love from all of us in Northern Michigan....Kathy Mike adn Riggs

Indian Summer

Mike and I are at the cabin this weekend and the weather is spectacular. It is Indian Summer for sure with sunshine and 75 to 80 degree temps. The trees are peaking with their yellow, red and gold color and it is even more beautiful on the river. I kayaked today up stream and floated back downstream. Every curve was a feast for the eyes. Note the kayak view with my feet relaxing up on the bow of the boat as I floated. Mike is wade fishing but not having too much luck. Mikes Birthday is this week and we plan a low key celebration and will have dinner with Patrick and Heather. I am starting work again and my first day is Wednesday. It has been a wonderful 4 months and I thank all of you for helping me to enjoy myself. I am going to be working part time and look foreword to less stress and more time to sew and socialize.

Eyes of the River 2 or the Minnow??

Today we launched Mikes new boat on the Manistee River. Mike, Dennis and his brother in law Sorel are off on a 3 hour trip down the river. Hard to know which name to call the new boat but it did not sink and the day looks like a great one to fish. Mike is very excited to take two people fishing!! We can all look forward to some fun trips nest summer. We are at the cabin for the weekend again. The weather last week was fairly nice but Friday brought rain, wind and cold temps. Shades of what is to come. Today is beautiful and sunny but still cold. Riggs and I are going for a walk and he has his hunter orange vest on as bow season opens today...he looks too much like a little deer. We had the Smiths to dinner last night and played some great Euchre. We will be putting the Big Bad Boy into storage this next week so our wanderings are over for this year. I have the final mileage figures for the trip...9500 miles...June thru Sept 15th. Unreal!!

Kathy, Mike and Riggs

First week home

We have been home for a week and finally settled in to Traverse City Life. We went to the cabin last weekend and it was great to be there and enjoy a beautiful Sunday. Mike floated/fished with Dennis Carney in "the eyes of the river" and they had a great time...actually caught some fish. My garden is almost dead but weathered the summer without me pretty well. The black eyed susans are about done and the picture I included is the last bunch that have good blooms.

Tonight we went to a book premier of The Heart of a Priest. It is the biography of Father Fred. Mike wrote a section regarding the Father Fred Cigar Dinner and was asked, along with other people, to read a portion from the book and say a few comments. He looked great on the stage and did a wonderful job...funny and meaningful comments. The evening was a honor to a wonderful man and the book has many lessons for all of us...it is a good read. Patrick, along with other Hibernians, helped by selling books and tickets....came early, stayed late and worked hard....we are very proud of how hard he works at volunteering in the community!!

Tomorrow night we are going to Interlochen to see the GREAT Jackson Brown...then to the cabin for the weekend. Hope all is well with everyone...Love Kathy and Mike...and Riggs

Traverse city farmers market

Greetings. I have decided to continue on with somef blogs now and then to keep family and friends updated on our activities. Today is a beautiful sunny day in the 70's. Cool enough to sleep really well last night and not too hot during the day...I feel fall in the air. I went to the farmers market this morning and it was teaming with people and produce...saw friends and neighbors and bought lots of great stuff. The sunflowers are beautiful and we drove by field after field of them in North Dakota. The guy at the market said they are the sunflower oil kind...not like these. Got peaches, apples, honey, tomatoes and bread. I have spent the last two days unpacking the Big Bad Boy...finally about done. It is amazing how much we had in there! We are going to the cabin after Mike is done at the store and will be back in TC on Monday afternoon....we need our cabin fix...Love and hugs Kathy and Mike

Home

We made it home today at about 5 pm and Patrick was here to meet us...so nice to have a welcoming hug. The weather has remained cool and we had rain on and off all day as we traveled thru the UP to the bridge....note picture as we traveled over the big mac. The map on the side of the big bad boy is complete for this year with all the states we traveled thru accounted for. We have finally had cool enough weather to both wear our TC sweatshirts that Patrick and Heather gave us for the trip. I have worn mine and got lots of "so you are from TC Michigan" It was a great conversation starter. We have met lots of great people this summer. Fun to talk to and share experiences. Mike and I have enjoyed this trip so much...truly a dream come true. We thank all of you who helped us enjoy our time away from Traverse City.

Lesson for the day: Coming home is great and means you had a wonderful trip...so true!

Kathy, Mike and Riggs

on the way Home

We are back in Michigan!!! The trees are green, the water is blue and big and the temps are low...34 degrees at 9 pm tonight in Ishpming. It feels like fall. We have seen red branches of trees and gray clouds that look like.."snow" but actually held rain. We had spotty showers all day. We added the last sticker to our state map on the side of the RV..given to us by Patrick and Heather...note the empty spot for South Dakota. We will have to work on that next year. We had lunch with cousin Sally "Cookie" Ahnen Kivesto at the Italian restaurant owned by her daughter-in-laws family...The Liberty Bell in Hurley Wisc. It was a great lunch with lots of laughs and looks at pictures. Mike and I then dove thru Hurley with all the Bars...unreal(it was a wild west town during the mining boom in Ironwood and still has tons of bars..5 blocks with 50 bars!!)...and went to the cemetery in Bessmer where Kathryn Ahnen Nolan is buried. Mikes mom. We left flowers and took pictures for the siblings. We then traveled to a campground in Ishpming and will travel the rest of the way home tomorrow...Mackinaw Bridge here we come!