Have a happy Saturday and feel free to sweat a bit:

“It’s a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do.” ~ Walter Winchell

It would appear that we built a Sauna immediately adjacent to our front door. And, since we’ve just closed on our old homestead we have the time and might just do such a crazy thing. Now, I best pour some more morning coffee to bring a little stability to my thinking.

A frenetic week – Tuesday morning I was up at 4:00 and by 4:45 ready to roll south to the Cincy. That is when the rains started – a whole – seemingly never ending – series of hard rain showers. All the way to the Soo, all the way across Michigan’s UP, through the rest of Michigan, and even Ohio. A dry spell then punctuated by some more high-speed wiper and accident scenes.

Finally, just outside Tipp City Ohio everything ground to a halt. A whole hour later I managed to get a trucker to allow me to cut in front of his rig, then over a ten minute period cross the other two lanes of Interstate Highway and finally turn onto the shoulder of the southbound lanes and began to head north passing a roadway filled with stopped traffic. Back to the Tipp City entrance ramp which was now about a mile away – my detour was officially underway.

This all meant that my quick – non-stop – jaunt south had me arrive well after 5:30 – dinnertime. Marcia suggested that rather than coming straight home I swing past Suzy Wong’s to pick up dinner; ‘harro’, home cooking.

That was just the beginning.

Packing it away – Before our closing on Friday was the need to deal with all sorts of stuff that had been squirreled away into the garage.

Luckily it was “GreenCincinnati” week and a large dumpster had been placed by the nearby Rec Center. Boy, did I make use of that dumpster.

Finally, it was just a few “odds-n-ends” which we thought we wanted to take up to Canada.

Just a few items. So few in fact that now we look like the Beverly Hillbillies on their way to California.

So, yesterday, loaded up and fully ‘tarped’ we pulled into the office parking lot ready for the closing. Right next to us was a new “Beemer” jam-packed to the hilt with stuff and overfilled garbage bags. Casually I mentioned to Marcia: “well we parked in the right place, this must be ‘Sellers’ row.”

For the first 20-years in the old home neighbors would refer to ours as “The Ellis House”. Finally, it will henceforth be referred to as; “The Pastoor House.”

A transition has been made and I like it. Last evening at Ruth’s Parkside Café Marcia and I clinked glasses.

Meanwhile – the week is also packed with one thing and another. Canada is switching over to a DSM type signal (whatever that is) and so my wonderful Casio gO’zone copper colored flip phone has become useless. I now am the proud owner of a Kyocera Dura XV – flip and built to military specifications (or so says survivalist personality Bear Grylls).

Then it was off to replace our broken Two-Way (Walkie Talky) radios. A pair of heavily discounted Cobra units with a stated 28-mile range fit the bill – these are our connectivity window to the world while on the lake.

And so it went, each time in and out of a 100° + degree car. That can’t be healthy now can it?

Animal Planet – The North-woods hold an amazing array of animal wild life, However, seeing a deer is something we seldom see (did see one right next to the highway shoulder while crossing the UP). But, here in the city, in the very heart of the city, it’s a different story. So, I was not surprised that on my last walk-through on Red Bud Ave I saw two Bucks in the side yard close to the AC unit. They were stunning 8-pointers.

During a quick fuel stop in Wapakoneta, Ohio I passed the entrance to home-town hero Neil Armstrong’s museum. At the entrance sits his old flight trainer. If you ever have an opportunity to see the astronaut selection process for these first astronauts and how that first moon landing success would have been virtually impossible had it not been for Armstrong and his nerves of steel.

Fini – Later today I will be feeding/walking the ever lively young Rugby – yup, that’s the same dog which jumps all over me every time I visit with Vai and Vili. Then I’ll repeat that tomorrow morning before the heat builds.

Marcia mentioned that last Monday storms passed through the city. The condo was without power for 7 hours and the old house lost power for 24 hours. Plus, trees were down all over the place. The street behind us had at least four houses that lost their chimneys. Hence (I love that word), it was Marcia who became a ‘nervous-nanny’ and ran back to Red Bud to happily discover that just days before closing the place came through unscathed. PS. Our old neighbors, while on vacation, lost a large section of their big Buckeye tree which completely blocked their drive. Whew, that was close.

During my racing about I happened to meet up with my friend “A”. While chatting she informed me that she was just diagnosed with an inoperable disease and has maybe 3-months. Pray for her comfort and that of her family. Once again, it brings home the fragility of life and the need to burst with energy, enthusiasm, and love for others each and every day we’re given. Be well, make it a great week.

Cheers.

Dirk