Saturday, July 26, 2008

15 Minutes of fun

Sometimes fun is experienced in 15 minute flashes that make memories you hope are not forgotten. Yesterday we learned there would be an RC airplane show in Big Rapids. As this is another desired hobby for the family it seemed like a great idea. It isn’t too far from here and one of the directions we have not yet explored. There was a long list of things to accomplish today including me supposedly staying off my leg (a long story for another day). When summer days are so beautiful it’s a shame to spend the entire time just doing chores. Our original thought was get up early, get things done and use the trip to Big Rapids as a surprise reward for work well done. However, since we stayed up way too late our morning didn’t go quite as planned. The list is still not complete and yet we took the time for some fun anyway.

The drive to the plane show would be about 1 hour. We did not want to mention we were going to an airport or one of the children would be quite disappointed that we would not be getting on an airplane once arriving, so much for the surprise. The trip began with one child insisting on watching a particular DVD checked out from the library this week – Sing Yourself Sillier at the Movies (a very obnoxious but entertaining, for him, Sesame Street compilation). While backing out of the driveway we realize the DVD player which was grabbed from the hallway (we do not keep DVD players in the car unless we are doing a LONG trip) had a dead battery. OH well. After one short stop at the bike shop we headed off to pick up lunch. It was pushing 2pm and the show only went until 5pm. No one had eaten lunch yet as we were too busy trying to get things done. A stop at McDonalds was in motion (even though one member of the family really doesn’t like the food!!) as it was on the way and the only place that direction going out of town. No one wanted to run in and the drive through was REALLY backed up. So it was suggested we simply drive on. The warning was given that it was likely we would not find something until we got to Big Rapids as the towns we were going through would be quite small. We proceeded anyway. No entertainment but books, scenery, chatting and the worst – hungry stomachs, you would have thought we had just put the children in a torture chamber. Reminders to keep hands to self, whining and moaning made the idea of turning around quite enticing. Just why do we try to do extra things if this is what it’s all about? Half way there a Subway was identified inside a gas station but not until the car was well beyond the ability to turn in. To Big Rapids it will be!

Just before reaching Big Rapids an Arby’s was spotted. Almost everyone was happy. So we follow the directions which interestingly took us right into a neighborhood of nicer homes. We all thought what an strange place to have a plane show. Upon further investigation the address we had turned out to be for the person in charge of the show not the actual place! Our hour long blissful and joyous drive was looking like a wasted effort. We continued down a main road and checked to see if anyone knew where an airport was around here. Eventually going the opposite direction we had been heading got us there just about 4pm. The event was only scheduled to go until 5pm. Two very similar planes were being prepped for flight. Soon we heard actual jet engines start up. COOL! Then we had our 15 minutes of fun. We watched two planes take off one after the other and give us quite a show. After that they began to clean up the area and so we had to leave. The show was over. The 15 minutes of real happiness was immediately overshadowed by lack of desire to turn around and go home, after all we just got here! JOY, another hour of car happiness! Everyone back in the car, keep your hands inside (and to yourself), buckle up we are going for a ride – HOME.

In a day or week or month or more we really do think or maybe we should say HOPE that what is remembered is the 15 minutes of great entertainment and nothing else!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Pioneers

Just what is a pioneer? Synonyms include leader, trailblazer, forerunner and pathfinder. Being the earliest, original or first of a particular kind; first to open or prepare; and to take part in the beginnings of something, define Pioneer further. Depending on your culture, this word can conjure up specific scenarios or people. There is even a state that has a holiday named Pioneer Day.

Having grown up in Utah I fully partook of this favored holiday. This is when my family would gather and have an extra reason to eat, enjoy fireworks, make ice cream and play games. As a child we decorated our bikes or wagons and would have a pioneer parade. I had a fun pioneer bonnet (that doubled well as a little bo peep costume for halloween) that I would wear. Where just 20 days earlier we would have finished celebrating the 4th of July and remembering our free country sometimes this holiday felt like an extension of that celebration because the activities were somewhat similar.

When we moved from Utah to Illinois I interestingly ended up working for a company based in Utah. I understand where my children get their annoying “fairness” complaint from because their mother clearly has the same problem. Everyone who worked in the headquarters office in Utah received 10 holidays a year but those of us in Illinois received 9. Hmm what is up with that? So I made a point every year to make some issue about this when the vacation schedule would be announced for the new year. I know I have it in me to persuade people to choose my way occasionally but I was unfortunately never successful with this agenda. No one understood that if we were in Illinois we should be allowed that vacation day because hey if it weren’t for Illinois there might not be any pioneer day in Utah. It was people in Illinois that drove the early saints out of their beautiful and prosperous conditions in Nauvoo forcing them to cross the Mississippi River in search for yet another place to call home. We in Illinois should have been celebrating that we could live and enjoy our homes without too much persecution.

Today our Michigan celebration of Pioneer Day did not begin with a parade and it didn’t include a day full of picnic or outdoor cooking, no parades or major fireworks (although we have a few leftover ground flowers that were fun to set off). It was just like every other summer day. But for a moment we paused to remember something that still has a special place in my heart, a day that my family was usually together. Sorry we weren’t there last night to watch the fireworks from the front lawn.

Thanks to Michaels craft store and their fun $1 wood kits the kids did get to make covered wagons as you see in the pictures. Glad I don’t have to travel in one of these. I guess the benefit was they didn’t require $4+/gallon for gas! Hmmm walking, pulling, wood wheels, no major springs or nice suspension for a smooth ride, oh and NO air conditioning. No problem I will pay the $4 for the gas! I will try to be a different type of pioneer but I'm still not sure of what to pioneer.


Saturday, July 5, 2008

Summer's finale came early

The trip began in our Pleasant home town that has no Mountains. This of course is in the very center of that large peninsula that makes up the state bordered by plenty of water from great lakes. Mapquest said our travel time would be reduced by two hours if we took a shortcut through Ontario Canada, however, if you don’t have passports it poses a slight problem. We would have to travel south through Ohio so why not dip a bit further south into the state and visit our friends in Columbus. The adventures began. The evening with our friends was very enjoyable despite a good storm that moved through and a child who surprised us with several accidents of which we will not go into detail. The next day our journey continued and thirty minutes into the drive another child realized that their favorite blanket was missing. After pulling off the interstate and searching the packed car the hunch that it was left under a pile of blankets on the hotel bed became a real possibility. Although the adults in the car were not in complete agreement about how to proceed the driver made the executive decision to turn around and head back to the hotel. Sure enough it was under all the hotel blankets. We did not encounter the same problem again.

Next state Pennsylvania but only for maybe 40 minutes. Then it is onto New York where we get to travel on one of our favorite stretches of roadway with the exception of the Buffalo area on the west and parts of Albany on the east. Everything in between the larger cities is quite beautiful. Welcome to the New York State Thruway where you better not stop at the Angola Travel Plaza and expect to feed the Sea Gulls. The guy selling sunglasses will really get annoyed and try to scare you by saying you are breaking the law. There are no signs posted saying “do not feed the birds”. This is one of those cool stops where you park and cross a long pedestrian bridge over the Thruway in order to get to the much needed restrooms and other venues waiting to suck in your traveling dollars.

Just a little bit of trivia about the NY Thruway. It is the longest toll highway system in the United States. It is also a user-fee supported system, in that the Authority receives no State tax dollars, and is paid for by the travelers who use it. Interesting that every toll booth (except the EZ Pass lanes) is still staffed with individuals who have the exciting job of h
anding out thousands of toll cards hourly, one car at a time. I can’t imagine any job more exciting than handing out tickets all day long! Blue car, black car, white car, mini van, SUV, truck. Just how cost effective is this. The task can easily be replaced by a machine (no disrespect to those making a living doing this) but really, it is the 21st century!

There is a
history of my writing being lengthy and very detailed. Some like it and others don't (my husband). So to cut out some detail you will find pictures and links (links to come when I figure this thing out) to the various places we visited or things we did. Who knows, you just might learn about something you did not know existed. Enjoy the virtual trip.

NEW YORK



VERMONT



NEW HAMPSHIRE