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!