Moments and memories

Welcome to another week in my life.  I sometimes wonder why anyone would care to read along with the stories I share, especially lately when life has been such a mess.  But the writing definitely helps me, so I'm glad that you follow along on the journey.  I must say that this week seemed a little easier, a little less exhausting, maybe even a little better.  I think some of that can be attributed to the routine that we've gotten ourselves into, and I think some of it can be attributed to the quality of the time spent with my dad.  No matter the reason, I'm glad it was a better week.

On Sunday, we visited my dad in the morning.  The day started out cool enough that I could bring the girls along, park them in a nice shady spot with the windows rolled down, and let them relax in the car while I visited with dad.  I started out a little later than I had planned, had to make a stop for gas before leaving town, and also had to deal with an unexpected issue with a tire with low pressure, but once we got the car ready to go, it was smooth sailing for our drive.   I arrived mid-morning and planned to stay until lunch, when I knew my mom would get there to spend some time that afternoon.  Brezlyn showed up with her boyfriend Cam for a short visit right at the beginning of lunch, so I stayed to enjoy her visit too.  My dad is always so happy to see any of his grandkids and I love to see him in his element as Grandpa.   

When Brezlyn left, I decided it was time for me to leave too, since I had stayed longer than I had planned, and I had things that I wanted to get done around the yard that afternoon.  I had planned to get the girls out for a little adventure before we made it home, and as we drove along, I decided that adventure should take us to Chelsea.  The Chelsea Chamber of Commerce has started a Chelsea Trail Challenge this year which includes a BARK ranger component for dogs, and I've been wanting to check it out.   I decided Sunday was the day to start.

I explored the website and BARK Ranger eligible trails in the area, and decided we'd start with an easy one-the Chelsea Sculpture walk .  This walk takes you along the sidewalks of downtown Chelsea to view some of the street art along the way.  The temperature had warmed up nicely for the afternoon, and I figured this would be a shorter and easier walk for Peaches with the heat.  We walked around enjoying the downtown area and had a nice walk of just over a mile.  

When we got back to the car, the girls had a nice drink of water and laid down for a little rest while I made the drive to the Chelsea Retirement Community Loop Trail where we walked the short half-mile loop, made a friend of one of the residents of the retirement community, and discovered these beautiful and unique peonies.  Then it was back in the car after another drink so that we could start the drive home.

We had really enjoyed our afternoon exploring the Chelsea area, and as we began the drive home, I realized how late in the afternoon it was and that I hadn't eaten any lunch.  So I decided to find a place to stop and grab a bite to eat in Jackson along the way.  

I found a really good Mexican restaurant, ordered my late lunch to go, and found a place to park and eat with a view.  While we were there, I discovered the Bright Walls Mural project which is all over downtown Jackson, so we stopped for another walk to explore.  

There were some really interesting murals, and I loved reading about them and their artists along the way.  With this little walk around town, we added another 1.75 miles for the day and it was time to finish our drive home.  While I hadn't planned to spend the whole afternoon exploring, honestly, it was just what we needed before starting another long week.  While I didn't get my yard work done, that's okay...those pesky weeds aren't going anywhere any way...so I'll just deal with them later.  This adventure gave us a much needed break from our current reality, and for that I was grateful.

On Sunday I also got this picture of Fiona running on the Lake Michigan beach where she, Nicol, Tyler, and Picasso where spending a few days of vacation time this week.  While I wasn't at the beach myself, seeing her enjoying it made me smile.

On Monday, it was back to the whirlwind that has become my life.  I had a busy day at work as well as an appointment with my mom and brother to see an attorney, just to make sure we have everything in order in case something should happen to either mom or dad, so that we can ensure everyone is taken care of both financially and physically.  It is not always easy talking about end of life decisions and other catastrophes that could impact your life and finances, but it is necessary.  I don't know if my mom left the appointment feeling any better than when we started, but I feel better knowing documents will be in place to make things easier for us all in the end.  

I was so tired after my busy day, that we didn't get out for any fun.  But the girls did spend some time outside, and I enjoyed making myself a nice dinner and relaxing for the evening.  I was happy when Peaches decided to snuggle up beside me.  

Tuesday, the shelter put out a plea for someone to help transport two little turtles to a rescue in Fenton.  Since that is only about 20 minutes from where my dad is and I had a visit planned for the evening, I offered to take the turtles along for the ride.  I took a late lunch to get the girls out for a run at the dog park and to pick up some strawberries from the farm, then I took the girls home and headed to the shelter to pick up the turtles.  Then I headed out to drop off the turtles and to visit my dad. 

Because of the transport, I arrived at the rehab center a little later than normal for my visit.  Dad was sitting in bed, but wide awake and ready for my visit.  He shared that he had had some challenges during the day and that his therapy hadn't gone as well as he had hoped, but I was glad to see he was still in good spirits.  Our Tuesday visits always seem to go really well, and this was no different.  He was talkative and we talked a lot about how he's feeling.  Some of it was deeply personal and very special, and he felt bad at one point for making me cry, but I am so glad we had the talk we did.  It was very special to me.

I woke up on Wednesday morning with a bit of a headache, and so I sat on the bed with my laptop for a bit getting some work done.  The girls happily stayed with me enjoying the quiet for most of the morning.  But eventually they were ready to move on to some time outside, and I moved to the office to continue my workday.   I took the girls to Padgett Park Dog Park over lunch so that they could burn some energy because I want to keep them happy, especially on the days I won't have much time for them in the evenings. 

After work, I headed to the shelter for our Wednesday Dog walk, which was slightly derailed when I got there to find that all of the dogs who could join us had been adopted.  There were a couple of dogs that had recently had surgery and are on restrictions, and I learned that there were three new dogs who had moved from Genesee County earlier that day, so I was able to spend some time with a few dogs, which made me happy.  These dogs always find a way to make me smile.

Thursday was a little less crazy at work, and I was able to take the girls for a really good visit at Padgett Park over lunch.  I came home with too pooped pups who happily napped away the rest of the afternoon while I worked.  Then after work, I headed out for my Thursday evening visit with my dad.  He was in a pretty good mood again for my visit, and I really enjoyed our time together.  It's crazy that either of us have anything to talk about really because neither of us are doing much right now, but I came prepared to share with him a little success I had had with a minor repair at the house.  I figured he could have a proud dad moment.  Next, I used a brilliant new idea I have to ask him a random question about his childhood, some long gone family member, or other subject he is interested in to get him talking.  It worked so well!  

We talked about fishing and his grandpa Nixon, what his favorite fishing spot was and what is his favorite fish to go fishing for.  Then the conversation turned to a variety of other topics, some of them brought up due to the amazing book that Nicol had purchased for both of my parents for Christmas a couple of years ago that asks a series of questions about their lives.  It's a great way to compile their memories to share with future generations.  He and mom have been working on his book a lot lately, and it has gotten him thinking about a lot of things.  So our conversation turned to his favorite restaurant.  A lengthy conversation ensued about Mr. Hot Dog and their all you can eat buffet and Friday night fish fries that I remember so well from my childhood.  With all of his struggles physically over the last 18 months, it was nice to just sit and talk to him about life and memories.  I really enjoyed it and I think he did too.

Friday arrived and I had a list of to-dos that I had to finish for the day before I would be out of the office all next week on a much needed vacation.  So I worked with focus and determination until the dogs reminded me around 1pm that they needed some fun.  So we made another quick trip to Padgett Park for a few rounds of fetch and some sniffing around.  They were happy, and I finished my work for the day feeling like I had accomplished a lot.  Then I made the drive to visit my dad for our weekly Friday night visit.  

I arrived early because we had talked about the two of us going to the little Flag day celebration the facility was having with bomb pops and some other activities, but he was in bed and snoring away when I arrived.  My mom was still there, so we talked a bit and she shared his therapy successes for the day.  He'd worked hard and was wiped out, so the the therapist wanted him to rest for a bit, so he'd been napping for about an hour when I arrived.  When he woke up, we all talked for a bit, then I left to pick up my dinner-the Friday night walleye fish fry from the Eagles down the road.  Mom left when I got back, and dad and I enjoyed some good conversation while I ate dinner.  Our Friday conversation was about which states he had visited and other places he had traveled.  A lot of that conversation led us to all of the placed he'd been during his time in the Army and in Vietnam.  I even heard a couple of new stories and learned that he'd been to Okinawa Japan...even if it was for only one night, I thought that was pretty cool.  I had a nice long visit, but eventually it was time to go home.  I treated myself to some strawberry shortcake when I got home and headed to bed early.  It had been a pretty good day.

Saturday started with the morning shelter dog walk.  We don't have a lot of dogs at the shelter right now, but the group we have is just fantastic.  Jakarta, above, and Santiago, below, are probably my favorites right now...and I just met Santiago for the first time yesterday.  These boys are just the sweetest things!

After our group walk was done, I took the time to get Mumbai out for a little one on one walk with me since she was the one dog we had left behind.  She doesn't really care if she walks far, but she loves being outside, rolling in the grass, and getting lots of love and attention.  I'm glad I got her out to give her a break from shelter life, even if it was only for about 20 minutes.  

After I was finished with my morning of volunteering, I met up with Vanessa at a local geocaching community event.  The girls joined us, of course, and we spent a couple of hours out on a little adventure.  I didn't get any pictures, but we had fun.

After we got home and had a late lunch, the girls were happy to take a nap while I sat and relaxed for a bit too.  While I had some things to get done, I also wanted to just enjoy some down time on a beautiful day.  

Eventually, I got around and took the girls for a trip to Preuss Pets.  Mina was really interested in the Koi pond in the garden center, and I was convinced she was going to jump right in with the fish.  Luckily, she did not. 

Inside, they visited the little critters.  Peaches wanted nothing more than to say hello to the rabbit, and Mina made friends with a Chinchilla.  They also got to see all of their favorite employees and, of course, I bought them a few treats before we left.  And before heading home, we took a nice one mile walk around Old Town.  The girls both really enjoyed this trip.  After getting home from our trip, I did a few chores around this house that really needed to be done.  Overall, we had a really great day.

My Sunday will be spent visiting my dad.  It's Father's Day, and while I really wish he could be home, that isn't our reality right now.  But that doesn't mean we can't make the most of his day.  Nicol, Tyler, and Fiona will be visiting him too, so I'm excited to see them as well.  The Senior Center is having a special Father's day luncheon which my dad is excited to join, and the weather is going to be nice so we should be able to spend some time outside with him too.  Later in the day, my brother will visit him after Brezlyn's softball tournament. I know he'll be happy to spend time with all of the family.  I really hope he has a great day.

This week I'm on vacation and I'm looking forward to a much needed break.  We aren't going anywhere-just staying home to do some yardwork and maybe a couple of short outings for a little fun, and I think it will be just what I need.  Next weekend, I have to leave town for work, and we'll be leaving late in the week to add a little fun to that trip.  

Happy Father's day to all the dads!  I hope everyone has a great Sunday!

It's June!

Last Sunday we turned the calendar to June.  I don't know how we've gotten here already, but here we are.  June is hands down one of my favorite months of the year.  When I was younger, I would have told you it was my favorite month, but that has shifted a little earlier in the year as I've gotten older.  But I still love June for it's long days full of sunlight, late sunsets, the end of the school year (even though this doesn't directly impact me anymore), and generally nice weather.  It is one of the most perfect months in Michigan, in my opinion.  And we're going to try to do our best to make the most of it.

I started this week with a plan to get back into some sort of routine.  While I like flexibility in my life and schedule, when there are multiple competing priorities, a schedule and some routine can definitely help life feel less chaotic.  Since Monday's are full of meetings at work and I always feel exhausted by the end of the work day, I have decided that Monday is going to be a day that I take off from visiting my dad.  I want to start the week with giving myself a chance to get out with the girls and get us all some fresh air and exercise, and then take some time to rest up for the rest of our crazy week.

So, after work on Monday, the girls and I jumped into the car for a trip to Soldan Dog Park.  We hadn't been there in over a week, and it's always so much fun for us all when we go.  This park makes Peaches so happy and helps with her anxiety level, which honestly has been getting worse, I'm sure in part due to our crazy schedule and lack of exercise for us all.  We had a nice long visit and then came home to enjoy dinner and a quiet evening at home.  It was a good way to start our week.

On Tuesday, the temperatures were a little warm for Peaches.  As she's aged, she doesn't tolerate heat as well as she used to so I have to be careful to make sure she doesn't overheat.  So, over my lunch, I took the girls for a ride in the country and made a couple stops for them to take a short sniff break.  Then after work, I headed out for a visit with my dad.  Tuesdays will regularly be one of my days to visit my dad for the foreseeable future.  He was having a really good day, and he was up and sitting in his wheelchair when I arrived.  We had a really nice visit and he was more talkative than normal.  He felt a lot more like himself than he has in probably a month.  Before I left, he had gotten into bed, and I made sure he had everything he needed for a comfortable evening.  I left feeling really great about the day.

Wednesday morning, I started off the day with a doctor's appointment.  Since the temperatures hadn't gotten too warm yet and I knew I'd be able park in the shade, I brought the girls along for the ride.  I can see them from the exam room, so I kept the windows down so they could stick their heads out and watch the squirrels.  After my quick appointment, I knew I wanted to take them to the East Lansing dog park for a good run before we headed home because by the noon hour we were expecting rain to move into the area for the remainder of the day.  We spent about 25 minutes at the park before Peaches let me know she was ready to leave.  On the way home, we ran out to Felzke Farms to pick up our first strawberries of the year from the first picking of the season.  Then it was back home for my work day. 

After work, I headed out to the shelter for our Wednesday night dog walk.  I had been monitoring the weather, and it looked like we might get lucky and not get stuck walking in the rain.  When I arrived at the shelter, it was pouring, but by the time I got everyone harnessed and we were ready to go, the rain had slowed to a sprinkle.  

I got lucky because one of our walkers cancelled late, so I got the chance to walk a dog myself this week.  I walked Lil.  She is a very sweet girl, but boy did she pull!  The weather remained perfect through out whole walk and we got back to the shelter nice and dry.  The five dogs that walked with us were all very happy that they got out of the shelter for a walk, and I enjoyed my walk too.

Thursday was a crazy day.  I was so busy that I barely had a chance to stop for lunch.  Thursday is also one of the days that I've decided will be one of my regular days to visit my dad.  The temperatures were cool enough that I decided to bring the girls along for the drive.  They hadn't had much fun all day, and there is a nice shady spot to park that I can see from my dad's room, so I figured that would give them at least a little entertainment for their day.  Unfortunately, my dad was having some anxiety while I was there, and that always makes our visits a little more of a struggle.  I was able to distract him a bit, and we had a conversation about when he was younger, which I really enjoyed.  Finally I could tell he was getting tired, so I got him comfy for the evening and then headed out to make the drive home.  Before we drove all the way home,  I found a park near the rehab facility to get the girls out for a little walk.  It was pretty quiet and there was a big grassy area, so I even let Mina get in a few rounds of fetch.  It was a short stop, but I was glad I could give them a little fun for the night.

Friday is another one of my days to visit my dad.  It's the perfect way to end our week because I can stop and pick up the walleye fish fry at the Eagles nearby, and then join him for dinner.  Nicol and Fiona had visited him earlier in the day, as had my mom, and Nicol had called to tell me that he was struggling a bit.  My mom even called to tell me that I probably didn't need to visit him, but I was already pulling into the parking lot, so I figured I 'd just cut my visit short if necessary.  He was clearly tired and dealing with some anxiety again when I arrived, but I ate my dinner and chatted with him a bit.  Then we were surprised with a visit from my Uncle Charles and Aunt Dawn.  It was really nice to have them there for the visit too.  While dad wasn't very talkative, I could tell that he was enjoying the company.  They probably stayed a little over an hour, and I stayed a bit longer, but I could tell he was ready for bed, so after a couple hours of visiting, I decided it was time to head home.

As I was driving, I decided that as soon as I got home, I'd get the girls into the car and take them out for a run at the Padgett Park Dog park.  It was 8:30pm by the time we got to the park, and while there were a couple of other dogs there when we arrived, it wasn't long before we had the park to ourselves.  I was thankful for the 9:15pm sunset which allowed me to give the girls about 45 minutes at the park.  There was lots of running, sniffing, and fun, and both of the girls were happy that they got to have a little adventure.  

Saturday morning I was up and out of the house by 8:45am to make the drive to the shelter for our Saturday morning dog walk.   We had a nice group with 6 dogs joining us on beautiful morning.  Good Cheer and Mumbai are two of the dogs who joined us.  They are a couple of really nice girls, and Good Cheer was adopted on Saturday too!  

After our walk, a group of our walkers and a few of our local geocachers joined together to do a little Spring cleanup along our walking route.  It felt good to clean up the area and make it a little safer for our dogs as well.

After finishing up the cleanup, I drove home to get the girls so I could get them out for a little fun.  

We headed to the MSU Horticulture Gardens for a nice walk. It was just too nice not to take advantage of the day.  It also gave me the chance to enjoy some of the lovely flowers.  

I ran a couple quick errands on the way home, and then realized it was nearly 2pm and I hadn't eaten lunch yet.  Then I remember an email I had received from a local restaurant-Slice by Saddleback-offering $10 off any purchase.  I decided I could probably get a good deal on a quick lunch, so I headed that way.  I chose the slice and caesar salad combo, and after the coupon, my meal cost me a whopping 52 cents.  I ate the pizza slice and part of the salad for lunch leaving a little more than half the salad for later.  I was pretty happy with that deal.

By  the time I got home and ate lunch, it was nearly 3pm, and I was pretty pooped.  While I had some yard work that I had planned to get done Saturday afternoon, I decided to sit down and rest for a bit.  The girls were napping away, and I was so relaxed.  It felt nice to just sit down and not feel rushed.  By 5pm, the girls were up and Peaches was a little anxious, so I figured a quick trip to Preuss Pets was in order.  Then I came home and mowed the lawn before making dinner.  The rest of our evening was pretty quiet.  

I'll be making a visit to my dad this morning.  I had considered making a Saturday visit so that I could have the entire day off Sunday, but enough other family members were planning to visit him on Saturday, that I decided a Sunday visit would make more sense.  

We are starting the morning with some light rain sprinkles, but it looks like that should clear up for a while, leading to a decent day.   Depending on the weather, we'll see what our plans will be.  I'd like to do some yard work, but I'd also like to get the girls out for a little hike to burn off some energy before we start our week again.  We haven't spent any time on the North Country Trail recently, and there is also another trail challenge in Chelsea that I'd like to do with the girls, and we haven't started that either.  And if it rains all day, we may just have a lazy afternoon at home.  No matter what we do, I'm looking forward to a more relaxing day before our craziness starts all over again.  

Life, adventures, struggles, and time

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks.  While I feel like the world has been pretty crazy, our weekdays have been pretty long and uneventful, and our weekends have given us a chance to step back, take a break, and have a little fun.  I don't see much changing for the foreseeable future.

I was happy we were able to agree to take in a temporary foster for a few days two weeks ago. It definitely brought a little normalcy to our lives.  With everything going on right now, a long-term foster just isn't possible, and I sometimes feel like I'm failing as a volunteer since I can't help more, but I know that right now I need to focus on Peaches and my dad and a foster just doesn't fit into that equation, and that's okay.  

It's crazy for me to believe that it's been more than two weeks since Sadie came to stay with us for a few days.  She was such a fun little temporary guest.  She joined us for a geocaching event one day of her visit and made several new friends.  Everyone there loved her and she loved them right back.

I was so happy to have her here when I didn't have time to entertain the girls.  She and Mina hit it off and spent lots of time playing, both inside and outside, and then they would crash hard for a nice long nap.  I loved turning around in the middle of a Teams meeting at work to see them both snoring away on the floor.

Peaches was okay with her being here for the first few days, but then she was just over it.  She kept looking at me like she was pleading with me to make the craziness stop.  But then she'd, get herself right in the middle of the fun.  With all of her anxiety, any foster here more than a short stay just seems to add to it, and that's not good for either of us.  

Of course, while Sadie was here we had to make a trip to Preuss for a visit one evening.  She loved all of the fun smells and especially loved the extra special treats that she got for being such a good girl.

She also joined the girls for a good run at the park on my lunch one afternoon.  She spent most of the time there chasing Mina as Mina chased her ball.

And they loved to sit by me when I was working to try to convince me that they needed treats, attention, or some time outside.  

On one cool and rainy evening, she rode along with us when I went to visit my dad at rehab.  She and the girls settled in for a nice nap in the car while I was inside for my visit.  She laid in the driver's seat while Peaches' slept in the passenger seat and Mina had the entire back of the car to herself.  When I got back in the car, Peaches refused to move from the passenger seat, so Sadie sat on top of her for most of the drive home.  Such silly girls.

I took a late lunch on Thursday to drive her toward Marshall to meet with another foster who was going to take her for a couple of days until her foster family returned from their camping trip.  I was sad to say good bye to her, but I am happy to share that she has been adopted. I knew it wouldn't take her long to find a home.

After dropping Sadie off, we returned home to finish my work day, and then we made a stop at the South Lansing Farmer's Market for a couple of egg rolls and a visit to our friends at Fur Real dog treats after my work day was done.  I spent that evening finishing up a few things around the house and getting packed for our Memorial Day weekend trip.  

Before we left for the weekend, I made a visit to my dad at rehab on Friday morning.  I got to join him during his group therapy class and then we went to sit in the cafeteria to wait for his lunch to be served.  I sat and visited him during lunch, which I enjoyed, and then when my mom arrived, I headed out to pick up Vanessa for our drive North.

Because we got a started on our trip later than I had originally planned and had a short delay at the Mackinac Bridge, we immediately headed to Clyde's in the Soo for dinner to make sure we got their before they closed.  Then we took our dinner over to Rotary Park to eat and enjoy the view.  When we were done eating, we took a walk around the park, and then we spent some time picking up some geocaches around town before checking in to our hotel and getting settled in for the night.  We had a good first day of our trip and were all ready to rest up for day two.

After grabbing breakfast from the hotel breakfast bar, we had a nice relaxing start to our morning before heading out for our day's adventures.  

We checked out a couple of spots in the Soo and found some beautiful spring wildflowers and a few geocaches along the way.  We all really enjoyed our hike at the Methodist Mission Reserve.  

After our hike, we headed over to the Sugar Island Ferry dock to get in line to take the ferry to Sugar Island.  This was the first of three ferry trips we'd make over the course of the weekend.

We drove around Sugar Island checking out some of the highlights, doing some geocaching, and of course, getting out for a stop at the beach.

One of my favorite stops was this remote little cemetery that was about a quarter of a mile hike from the road.  It was so interesting.

This church on the North side of the island was originally commissioned by Bishop Baraga in the 1850s.  

In addition to the spring wildflowers and ferns that we saw, we also found some really interesting fungi while we were out exploring the woods.

After a good adventure, we headed back to catch the ferry to the Soo.  But we couldn't leave without getting a picture to prove that we were really there.

When we got back to the Soo, we headed to Zorba's for a late lunch.  I ordered a combo plate so I could try a variety of items, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Then we headed across the street to check out Island Books and Crafts where we befriended the store cat.  He was so friendly!

Our next stop was Neebish Island.  While there isn't much to do on the Island, we couldn't pass on checking it out, so we jumped on the ferry for the short trip.  Peaches and Mina were spoiled by the nice lady working on the ferry on our trip.  

Once on the island, we drove out to take a short hike to the public beach.  It was a nice walk out to the beach, and the beach was beautiful.  At the end of our walk, we were also rewarded by finding the only geocache on the entire island.  We were pretty happy about that.

Vanessa spent a little time searching for rocks on the beach before we headed back to the car.  

We drove the main roads of the island to make sure we visited the farthest points we could go North, South, and West, and then we drove back to the East side of the island to get in line for the ferry ride back to the main land.  While we waited, we had to get a picture to prove we were there too.  Chances are pretty good that I'll never travel to Neebish Island again, but I'm happy that I can say I've been there.  Thankfully there was a really nice lady that offered to get a picture with all of us in it.  I'm really glad we got this picture.

The girls enjoyed the short ferry ride.  Once we were back on the mainland again, we headed out to drive around and check out the area nearby and do a little more geocaching.  

I loved this lovely little spot with a nearby campground.  It was such a pretty area.  

As we started our trek back to the Soo after a full day of fun, we picked up a few last geocaches along the way.  Peaches made herself comfortable in Vanessa's lap while waiting for me to jump in and out of the car.  

Since we had had a late lunch, neither of us were hungry enough to eat dinner, but we knew we'd need some snacks, so on our travels north toward the Soo, we made a quick stop at the Dollar General in Pickford for a few goodies.  

After the girls ate their dinner, they both crashed pretty quickly.  Clearly it had been a great day of adventures for them.   I think Vanessa and I enjoyed our adventures too.

Day three of our trip arrived and after another relaxing start to our morning, we were off for another day of exploring.  

As we headed south and east out of the Soo, we made a few stops along the way to check out some sights and to take a nice hike.  

I really enjoyed this hike out to Lake Huron.  It was a gray day and the I love the dark clouds over the lake.  

After our hike, we were off to catch the ferry to Drummond Island.  I was really excited about this trip because I had always wanted to visit the island, but had never made it there before.  We got loaded onto the ferry and I was all settled in for the ride, when the ferry worker told us we could get out of the car. 

It was great to be able to walk around a bit and get a few pictures.  There was a freighter in the distance, one of the few we saw over the weekend.  

I also bribed the girls to ensure that I could get a good picture of them on the ferry.

We arrived on the island, and our plan was to get lunch before exploring.  We were pleasantly surprised to see Esther's was open since she is normally closed on Sunday.  So of course we had to stop because everyone says it's the best place on the island to eat.  

We sat on the patio to enjoy the sunshine on a beautiful UP afternoon.  The food arrived quickly and we enjoyed our lunch.  Esther's is definitely a fun spot to check out if you're on the island.

Next we headed out to see what we could find.  We were hoping to get to the fossil ledges, but weren't sure if we'd be able to make it depending on road conditions.  We made a stop to read the signs at Maxton Plains and then continued on our way.  We made a valiant effort to get to the ledges, but with all of the recent rain, there was just too much water on the road, so we decided to turn around and explore other areas on the island instead. 

We found a beautiful beach and spent a little time letting Mina play ball.  We did walk around a bit as well, and then we were back in the car to check out some other beaches on the island.  We had a great afternoon exploring and found some geocaches along the way, and we made it back just in time to catch the 6:40pm ferry back to Detour.  

On our way back to the Soo, we made one final stop to visit some of Vanessa's friends at their cabin near Cedarville.  I made a new friend while we were there.  After a quick visit, we were back in the car heading to the Soo where we picked up a pizza from Guido's for dinner.  The girls ate dinner, we both cleaned up after a long day of adventures, Vanessa made us margaritas, and then we settled in for dinner and drinks to end our day.   

Monday arrived far too quickly.  With a much shorter than normal travel time to get home, we had lots of time to do some exploring for the day, so after packing up the car and checking out of the hotel, we headed out for some more fun.  

It was the warmest day of the weekend and the sun was shining brightly.  We did a little geocaching around the west side of town and then headed out for a hike nearby.  We found a great trail system and had a really nice hike, but for the first time all weekend, we also found the mosquitoes.  Luckily they only swarmed us in a few parts of the trail and we were able to avoid them for the most part making for a good hike.  

After our hike, we were ready for some lunch, and off we went to grab a burger from Clyde's.  We arrived only to find it closed.  Then we headed to West Pier, which was closed for the day as well.  We weren't have much luck finding a spot to eat in the Soo, so we changed our plans and headed west of town toward Brimely.

We did a little geocaching along the way and made a stop at the Point Iroquois Lighthouse, my favorite lighthouse.  Then we finally stopped at Pickles in Brimley for lunch.  We sat out on the patio to enjoy the view while eating our whitefish tacos.  

 

After a couple more quick stops, we were heading south toward the Bridge and home.  With a full tank of gas and full stomachs, we didn't need to make any stops once we were back in the Lower Peninsula, although we did make one quick stop for a geocache along the way.  I had been so sure we'd be home early, but I dropped Vanessa off at home at about 8:45pm and finally made it home shortly after 9pm.  I unpacked the car, started a load of laundry, and sat down to rest after another full day of fun.  I'm so glad we got to make this trip because I really needed a break from life. 

This was our 8th annual Memorial day weekend trip to the UP (in 2020 our trip was delayed to July 4th but I still count it), and we have now covered pretty much the entire UP.  This trip allowed me to cross several highlights off my list of Michigan must-sees and I'm already excited for next year's trip when we'll check one more thing off my list-taking the girls to Mackinac Island and spending a night on the island.  

Tuesday morning, it was back to the grind again.  I had a busy day of work, and  I worked through my lunch so that I could leave a little early so the girls and I could make it to Brezlyn's softball game.  This was the first game of Districts and they played Ovid-Elsie. 

The girls really wanted to visit the dugout, but after a short walk, I was finally able to get them to settle in to watch the game.  It was a good game, but unfortunately, the Indians lost, ending their season.  Hard to believe that Brez will be a Senior next year.

After the game, I stopped to visit my dad since it was right on my way home.  The girls were happy to take a nap in the car during my visit.  He was pretty tired when I arrived and he was in a bad mood to top it off, so it wasn't a great visit.  But I will never regret visiting him, and he had good reason to be in a bad mood since we're now fighting with insurance about continuing to cover his rehab costs.  

Wednesday was a long, exhausting day.  I was supposed to walk shelter dogs that evening, but we cancelled the walk due to rain in the area.  

On Thursday I left work early so that I could get to the rehab to visit with my dad earlier and see if there was anything I could do to help my mom.  I arrived in time to join dad when he went to do his occupational therapy, and after he finished therapy, I convinced him to stay in the wheelchair for some of my visit.  He decided he wanted to spend some time outside, so we went out to sit on the patio and we had a nice visit out there.   He was tired and wanted back in bed before dinner, so we headed inside and got him settled in for the evening.  I stayed to visit him for a while longer, but he began to drift off to sleep, so after nearly 3 1/2 hours, I finally headed home.  Since the weather has remained cool, the girls were able to ride along with me, which seems to keep them happy when not much else is going on in their lives.  We made a stop at Dairy Queen for a geocaching event on our way home and two of nice older ladies who are long time geocachers bought the girls doggy sundaes.  I thought it was very sweet of them.

Friday arrive, and once again I had a full day at work.  It was another day where I was too busy to stop for lunch, but that allowed me to leave a little early so that I could make the drive to visit my dad again.  I picked up the walleye fish fry from the Durand Eagles before driving to the rehab in time to have dinner with dad.  He was tired when I arrived because he had spent most of the day up and about in his wheelchair, and Nicol and Fiona had visited him earlier in the day for a few hours.  But he was more talkative than normal which was nice.  I visited for a couple of hours, but left when he started to drift off mid-sentence.  I knew he needed his sleep so it was the perfect time for me to leave.  

Saturday morning we slept in.  I never need an alarm with the girls, but I was happy that they decided that a little extra rest would be okay on this particular day. I needed a day to sleep until I felt well rested, then get up with no where to be and no commitments.  And that's exactly what I got.

I'm thankful that there were several other people planning to visit dad so it gave me the chance to take a break and stay home.  In addition to having a list of things to do around the house, I really wanted to give the girls the chance at some real fun.

I combined a trip to run errands with a chance to get the girls out for some adventures.  We had a stop at Washington Park for a geocaching event, then took a quick walk in REO Town at the Sunken Gardens. Then we made our weekly visit to Preuss so the girls could visit their friends, see the ferrets, and get some treats.  

We drove out to Dewitt to make a stop at the farm.  I was hoping for fresh doughnuts, but had no luck with that.  I did get some eggs and maple syrup though.

Then we spent about 35 minutes at Padgett Park dog park.  Mina had the best time playing ball and Peaches sniffed to her heart's content.  

For most of our visit, we had the park all to ourselves and I loved it.  We stayed until Peaches made it clear that she was ready to leave, and then we headed toward home.  I made a couple of stops along the way, and then we all had lunch when we got home.  

I took a little mid-afternoon break while the girls napped, but then we headed outside to do some work in the yard.  I mowed, got my trimmer working, and then spent a couple of hours pulling weeds from the landscape beds that were being overtaken.  I was pretty pleased with my work for the day.

We were outside for several hours before heading inside to clean up for the evening before dinner.  It was a very quiet evening here after a fun-filled and very productive day.  It was just the day that I needed.

On Sunday, I had decided I'd try to make a morning visit to my dad for a change.  I got up and did a few things around the house, got ready, and we were out the door around 9:30.  After a couple of short stops, we arrived at the rehab around 10:30am.  I had a nice visit with dad for a bit talking about his busy Saturday of visitors, and shortly after 11:30am both Brezlyn and my mom arrived to visit too.  We visited for a bit before heading down to the cafeteria for dad to have lunch.  Then Brezlyn headed off to work and mom and I stayed to visit for awhile longer.  

We eventually made our way outside to enjoy the sun on the patio.  It was quite the happening place!  I had the girls with me, so we got them out of the car and we all took a little walk around the property before heading back to the patio.  Before I left, mom got a picture of me and dad together.  He wasn't happy about the oxygen being in the picture, but it is the reality of our lives right now, so I don't mind.  While I hadn't planned on visiting as long as I did, I'm glad I got to spend some quality time with him.  

Finally, I headed toward home where I had planned to spend a lot of this beautiful afternoon out in the yard and garden.  By the time I got home, it was nearly 4pm, and I headed outside around 4:30pm to start pulling weeds.  Unfortunately, Peaches was having a rough day, and just kept pacing the whole time we were outside.  She'd pace and then stand at the back door howling for me to let her inside, but I knew if I did that and didn't stay inside with her, she'd just want right back out.  So for about an hour and a half, I kept working while she paced, until finally I just couldn't take it anymore.  I did get a nice section of landscaping weeded and cleaned up, but not nearly as much as I had hoped.  But any progress feels pretty good these days!

I was pretty sure that Peaches thought she was starving and wouldn't settle down once I fed her dinner, but before I even had her dinner ready, she had climbed onto the couch and fell fast asleep.  She and Mina both napped for about an hour before I made them get up and eat dinner.  After dinner, Peaches was back to her pacing for about 45 minutes more, but finally she has put herself to bed and I have a little peace.  Looks like I'll be making a vet appointment to discuss some new options to help control her anxiety.  

The last couple of weeks have been hard.  The mental and emotional exhaustion that comes along with everything that is going on is hard to explain, but it is a lot.  Every day is so tiring, even when I don't feel like I'm doing anything.  But I know that what my dad is going through is even harder.  There is so much uncertainty, so many decisions to be made, and lots of discussions to be had.  While my mom is the one dealing with the rehab facility and the insurance issues the most, we are all doing what we can to help where we can.  There is just so much red tape and bureaucracy to deal with nearly daily.  Seeing my dad struggle is probably the hardest thing for me, though.  It's not just the physical struggles, but the mental and emotional struggles he is dealing with too that make it so much harder.  And he is facing his mortality which makes me really reflect on my life and my own mortality too.  Life is just too short.

The reality is that no matter what we do, some day, we'll lose him.  Maybe not this year or event next, but it will happen.  While we all know that it will happen some day, this situation really brings that to the forefront.  And it makes me realize just how little time we all have, and how fragile life is, and how much jobs and responsibilities get in the way when all I want is to spend quality time with my dad and find the best way to help him get strong enough to get home.  I will continue to move forward the best I can and enjoy the times that I get to spend with him.  Because that is all I can really control.

I'm feeling better after a restful weekend.  Quality time with the girls, the nice weather, and the fact that I could get some things done around the house helped too, but I know when we get into the thick of things during the week, it will get hard again.  But we're all still here and for now, that's what I'm going to focus on because that's what matters most. 

Now go hug your loved ones!