Corn and Canadians

In the last seven days, I have to been to Tuscola, Chicago and across the Ambassador Bridge into Canada no less than 14 times. I've hung with cool relatives I haven't seen in decades; chatted it up with TV and radio crews, online trucking journals and irate Canadians; and sent my boy off to boot camp.

We took off on Friday for a seven-hour drive to Tuscola, Illinois for the Meece Family Reunion. My Grandpa Barney (my Mom's Dad) and his family grew up in this area so we went to Helen Marie and Rodney's farm for a get-together. So much corn! It was a wonderfully relaxing day with lots of chatter, good food and row after row of corn. We went to Sidell and saw the family home, visited the war memorial put up to honor my Grandpa's three brothers who served, climbed on some gigantic farm equipment, oohed and aahed at some amazing quilts and looked at lots of fun, old photos. My folks were there too. It was a surprisingly wonderful gathering. Lots of stories...I'm guessing at least half of them were true!

On Sunday, we went into Chicago and did the total opposite....urban. The four of us went to Millenium Park (oh so cool!) and had a great time hanging around the Windy City. I had a media event for the Bridge so I flew home Sunday night and Dan and the kids spent some more time in the city on Monday.

I helped with public forums for the Bridge on Monday and Tuesday night in Windsor so I was running crazy finishing the DVD and getting all the media invites and materials together. It amazes me the people who make it their life's work to fight a cause like the expansion of the Bridge. Don't they have jobs or families that are way more important??? They need to find something else to do. There were a lot of supporters at our event too which was nice to see for a change. Long 16 hour days!

Wednesday was the Freedom Festival fireworks and the Bridge threw a party at the Art Gallery of Windsor. Awesome location! I helped set up the party during the day....there was a huge storm that blew through a few hours before the event. I wouldn't have wanted to be the guy who made the decision that the weather would get nice in time for the 10:06 start. Sure enough...it turned out to be a beautiful night. I stayed at the party until about 9 and then dashed home to go over the Barrow's house to watch with friends on the River from the Detroit side.

Jackson left this morning for ROTC camp. It is so weird to see your baby dressed in camo with a bag over his shoulder. He'll be gone for six days to a camp in Alpena with his ROTC buddies from Cass and from schools from all over the state. Sure hope he doesn't sign anything. (Jackson's love of all things ROTC was one reason I was looking forward to moving to China!)

Does sex sell?

If someone you only slightly know asks you to review the first few chapters of her book and you agree to do it, how honest should you be? Joanne has an apartment next door to my office. I recognize her from when I used to throw parties for Crain at her restaurant. We wave, say hello, but not until the other day, have we had more than a passing conversation. She called out to me and said that she had written a book and needed some feedback on it. I asked her if she needed it edited. "Oh no, I've already had someone do that." Being the dope that I am, I said sure. I had helped my friend Amy promote her book on Mackinac Island and it was a lot of fun.

OK, so she gives me the typed text in the alley behind the building and off I go with this new project. She had told me the premise of the book was today's views on marriage and what women will do to get the "white dress." The chapters were fairly well-written , although a lot of editing still needed to be done so I began by marking up the grammatical errors. Anyway, a few paragraphs into it, the sex started. Of the 100 or so pages she gave me, I think 90% of them had some graphic explanations of this or that. I don't mind a good love story that gets steamy, but there wasn't a story anywhere in this. It was loosely based on the people in a restaurant but she didn't really spend anytime building characters. Most of the time it was all about quickies in the back room.

I saw her yesterday across the fence and let her know that I had finished her pages and that I was ready to give them back to her. She asked what I thought. I babbled a bit about character development, told her I had made notes on the pages and rushed off to my car. What do I tell her? I don't want to crush her dream. She's obviously spent a lot of time on this. On the other hand, I don't have a lot of extra time to help her develop a stronger book. Or am I just an old prude? I just want to give her the notebook back and be done with the whole thing. Ugh!

oldclayman

Hannah and I decided that the best present we could give Ro for Father's Day was to partake in this boating obsession that the men in our house have developed. So, Hannah and I sprung out (OK, were pushed out) of bed on Sunday and spent an hour or so with the guys on the boat. It was really nice. Hannah had to lector at church at 11 so we thought ahead and took two cars to the marina. The guys slowed down enough so we could get off and they headed back to do the manly man thing and fish. Jackson is holding their Father's Day lunch.

While we were on the boat, Hannah christened the boat with a name. They are going to call it oldclayman which is Ro's EBay sign in name. Seems appropriate since this is the first boat they've bought that 1) runs and 2) wasn't bought on EBay.

I know I should have cooked Ro a fabulous dinner...but they had fish for lunch and all....so we went to our favorite Indian restaurant, Gandhi, to mark the holiday. All in all an awesome day was had by all.

Pellet Pillow

I am going through withdrawal. For the last 10 years, I have slept with the same pillow (and 20 years with the same man!). I bought the pillow when we lived in Japan. It was 75% pillow and 25% plastic pellets. The pellets are little white plastic pieces like you would use as a spacer on a beaded necklace. Sounds weird but it is the dreamiest thing. Very huggable and positionable. I've looked everywhere for a replacement but haven't found it. Ro even asked a friend to bring another one back from Japan when he was on a business trip but it was filled with corn pellets, not plastic. It wasn't right.

Yesterday, when I was in the shower, Java, our crazy mutt, chewed it to smithereens. There were small white plastic pellets from one end of the bedroom to the other. It looked like it had snowed. I was racing to a meeting so I had to leave the disaster. Hannah called me totally freaked out at 10:30 when she rolled out of her summertime slumber . (I think she thought the dog did it on her watch!)

Now, how do I get to sleep? I used a regular pillow last night and it was horrible.

Salute to Kurtis

My pal Lori outdid herself with quite a bash yesterday. Hard to believe that her son Kurtis is a Milford High School graduate and is on way to Grand Valley. (This photo is from last New Year's Eve.) Lori and Rick threw an amazing party in their backyard to celebrate the occasion. There was a huge tent for seating..another two small ones for food, volleyball and a jousting/bouncy thing. It was great to see all of their family. So many memories of our own high school days with all of these people. It's hard to believe we were all Milford high school graduates in 1980 and 1981. It was definitely a deja vu day. Hannah freaked out one of Lori's aunts. Her response, "oh my God, it's Colleen."

I have a cold

Why oh why am I such a wimp when it comes to a head cold? I can't think. I can't write. I can't talk. All I do is stare and want to go to sleep. My clients are definitely getting ripped off today.

No nap in my future. It's just not to be.....Jackson needs a ride home and Hannah has to get to her softball party. Ro has to work late. So guts it out and step it up sister.

Garden Party

Tour Day 2007 is behind us. It was about 90 degrees (you should see my sunburn today!) but there were thousands of hardy souls (with some of the strangest hats) in the neighborhood. We chatted nonstop from 10-5 with lots of really interesting sorts as they were traipsing through the yard. Ro's hard work was well-received. I think we inspired quite a few ponds of the future. They parked a '65 Cadillac convertible in the front of the house for a fun extra touch. Hannah, Wesley and Stephanie had a good time pretending it was their car. Glad we did the tour....and even more glad it is over.

Home Tour

Why, oh why, did we agree to let 3,000 people walk in our backyard on Saturday? Our "garden" is on the Indian Village Home & Garden Tour tomorrow. We've planted, swept, mowed, edged, de-pooped, trimmed and washed and I think we're almost there. I have one more flat of lillies in the valley to plant along the driveway this afternoon. Our yard is so little. People will walk in, "ooh and aah" over Ro's pond and leave in a minute and a half. I'll post some photos tomorrow so you can see all the people peeking over the fence at our neighbor Byrum's yard. (He has a great yard too!)