The Christmas Letter

December, 2008

Season’s Greetings to You All, Dear Friends and Family,

Another year. Anne Bakke, Jerry’s dear Mother, often said that each year goes faster than the last. She was right. We have had many new challenges and exciting additions to our lives, as well as the losses each year seems to bring.
We’re both in good health, although Gail is waiting in line to see the orthopedic surgeon who’ll replace her hip. She isn’t getting nearly enough exercise and tends to be a bit grumpy on these grey winter days. She has invested in a cane, which Linda dubbed Michael (Michael Cane). We’ve already had enough snow to qualify for this to be January, but skiing is out this season for Gail.
The year 2008 started with our celebrating Linda’s mom’s birthday, January 1.
She is in much better health, having recovered from her broken heel, and can still run circles around at least one of us. Rachel is looking forward to sledding with Grandma- Grandma when she comes home for Christmas. In February, we celebrated Maret Louise Wikle’s second birthday. Maret is named for Linda’s mom, and is the image of her grandmother when she was a child. You can imagine how much we enjoy seeing her.
In the fall of 2007 and in early 2008, Gail took some writing classes which inspired and enabled her to begin a memoir for her grandchildren and cousins’ children. She was told by a friend that she appears to be the “keeper of the family stories,” and that felt like a responsibility which needs to be met. Some of the most painful things are out of the way now, and the rest of the writing should be fun. Gail has a writers’ group which formed out of one of the classes she took. They meet weekly at a local bookstore to share their work. In November, Gail attended a memorial gathering for Randy Johnson, Barb and Ken’s son, at Cousins Mike and Fiona’s. Many of the best memories we shared were of events at Big Star Lake. We should all be so grateful to Aunt Peg and Uncle Wayne for opening their home and hearts to the McKinney family.
On March 13, Cousin Sheral’s birthday, we got a special gift. On that day, Barkley Trill-Wikle was born at Acme Creek Kennels. We met him the next day, then went to Dunedin, Florida. We stayed at Sheral and Bob’s house there for nearly two weeks. It’s the longest vacation we’ve ever taken, and we were so grateful to Sheral and Bob for making it possible by sharing their place with us. When we returned, we began to
visit Barkley nearly every day. He and his three litter mates are the offspring of Daisy, half yellow lab and half poodle, and P.I.G., large standard poodle. Barkley
is black, the only black sib in the litter. We came to know all four of them very well. Just before all were ready to go home, we realized we’d bonded with all four of them and were going to miss the others like mad. So…we have a new family member here. He’s a joy. Linda calls him son. Gail just can’t keep her hands off him. She has wanted a curly black puppy all her life. Cassie (Prince Caspian Bakke) came to us as an
adult, and we loved him with all our hearts, but Gail was allergic to him and she
couldn’t really play with him. Not a problem with hypo-allergenic Barkley. He’s
getting to be the right size, 60 pounds and still growing; he loves to travel in the
car; and he loves both swimming and playing in the snow. He adores children, and is very gentle with Maret, Fiona, and Rachel, who think “Dog-Dog” is pretty special. He’s a good camper, as his sister Beth can attest. (Although she was not impressed when he slept through the raccoon raid because he was so tired from a day of camping.) He likes to do what we like to do, and he likes to do it with us. He has a lab heart and a poodle brain, a super combo deal. We are smitten.
About the time we got Barkley, we launched in to Linda’s campaign for Acme Township Treasurer. It’s time we started giving back a bit with some community service. Our friends and family helped us with donations of time and money which put us over the top, and we won in the primary. We also met new friends and renewed old friendships during the campaign. Linda will continue her insurance work; however, with the current business climate in Michigan, she’ll have time for being treasurer too. She is happily working with the wonderful crew at the township office, although her actual office is still here at home. One of the best things going on in Acme right now is our project to create a lakeshore park. We just got a state award of over $3 million toward that effort.
Our children are being wonderful! Angela and her family are safe and well. Jessica is a sailor! She completed basic training at Great Lakes this fall and is now in Pensacola, studying to be a jet mechanic. We’re so proud of her! After a successful year of college, Jimmy is working and waiting to be called up by the Navy. Our oldest grandbaby has become a fine young man overnight. Krista is in tenth grade and busy being a teen. She spends time with us and is a joy. What a bunch! Beth visited this fall, and we camped out in the Sleeping Bear. Except for the rain that sent us home, that was fun. Beth is doing very well in her business. It was voted the best pet sitting service in the Research Triangle by satisfied customers! Kirsten and Ben are still in Alexandria, Virginia, so Kir and Beth see more of each other, while we see less. We did spend Halloween in VA. Rachel has started kindergarten there. The family will be spending Christmas at the Manistee house and with us. They’ve just announced that there’ll be another Willis who will arrive around August 8. We’re all very excited by that.
Linda has established a blog site for us. It has links to several other blogs, including Cousin Nancy Ross’, Kirsten’s, and Beth’s. The address is http://theacmetreasure.blogspot.com/ . Please take a look. It’s a great way to keep up on our activities. There are pictures, too!
Brother Dan is very busy being the designated dresser for the top four stars of “Jersey Boys” in Chicago. He manages to visit Barkley (and us) once in a while (see blog). We hope to see him after Christmas, since he’s so busy during the holidays. Tom and Dawn are busy: they’re both working and running a horse ranch in Georgia. Scott and Sara also are both working, as well as raising four super kids. We were fortunate to see dear cousins Sheral and Bob, Nancy and Clo, Bud and Edie, and, thanks to Fiona and Mike, all of Aunt Frankie’s family this year. Both Linda and Gail are increasingly aware of our wealth of friends and family and how important and beloved they are to us. We’re so lucky to have friends and family who are healthy and safe and (mostly) near to us, certainly dear to us. We wish you the blessings of this holy season and echo the age-old prayer for peace on earth, good will to all.

Linda, Gail, and Barkley

Winter Solstice 2008

Granddaughter Jessie and unknown companion.

Christmas time and we find ourselves anticipating all of the wonderful promises of the season. The packages are wrapped, and the food is purchased. Family is traveling and I find I can hardly wait to see everyone. I have stayed in my elf this year and Gail has done very well to keep good humor. Barkley watches it all unfold and takes it in. He knows there is something about "Better be good..." He has unwrapped one present as Gail was wrapping it. He likes to look at the tree but he does not take things off it.

Gail says this year's tree is the best we have ever had. I thought the same until B and I took our walk today. (I skied and he walked) A quarter of a mile behind our house there it was. One of Santa's elves had decorated this tree and it stood there so proud and strong. I wonder what the animals who walk there think, and of course I am curious who would do such a loving and selfless thing.

Gail and I find the gifts that we have this year are the gifts of new friendships, a very precious dog soul that has been placed in our care, and the circle of life. We wait with anticipation for Christmas and the new year.

The tree in the woods.

Dec 1st,

My Birthday December 1st

Duke in the foreground and Barkley heading out on the path. We had a wonderful walk and we were not worrying about hunters. It is very hard to get them to come in the house as they both love the snow and just have a ball running, jumping, and plowing through it. Barkley just drops in his tracks when he comes in (after he gets the snow balls off his feet).

I am working hard at being the Acme Treasurer. The best news happened today, Acme Township received a 3 million dollar grant for the Bay preservation project. This is not all that is needed but it sure is a good start.

Christmas is coming. We have not put up the tree yet. We have not seen Carol and Daisey in ages, and as usual I have no shopping done. Oh well.

11.20.2008 Swearing in.

Well it has finally happened. I am the Acme Township Treasurer. All of the office is moved in, the computers are running, and the telephone rings. I have been to a training, the taxes are ready. I feel thankful for all those people that had faith in me and wanted me to do this job. I cannot say enough good things about the help I have gotten from my predecessor, Doris. She is such a good soul, kind, and patient.

I have also been aware of the losses of the past week or so. Gail's and my dear friend Geraldine has moved on to the next plain. She was so ready to go, but we were not ready to let her go. My life is diminished by her loss. Our friend Paige lost one of her canine friends and that saddens us, also.

The cold thing is finally moving on and I hope that none of you get to experience it. Gail and I were so sick when we got back from Washington that we could not feed ourselves; thank goodness for our great neighbors.

I must get back to work. I will have time to blog later this week. Happy Thanksgiving!

LLW & gt

Virginaia 11.01.200

well here we are in Alexandria. It was a great trip, saw snow in the mountains. Barkley slept while we drove and stayed up while we slept and protected the van. he loved trick or treating. Like every little kid he ate too much junk and spent allot of the night going outdoors.

we are going to Ikea today and just hang out together, play cards and enjoy each other. I will take photos today and document some of our walks.

More to follow.

Time change

I voted for myself what a rush. Barkley thinks Howl 0 Weenie could be a funny time of year. Dress up!!!!! Carve food into faces??

People are so strange.

Clocks Fall back one hour.......

Gail, Dan, and Barkley.

Dan came to stay for a couple of days and he and Barkley renewed their relationship. They are so good for each other. We walked in the woods, ate out at Pearl's. and Gail and Dan went shopping.

Jimmy came over and we moved the offices to the new location and everything is in its place including the wireless network.

The electricity was out for over an hour tonight. We had candles, fire in the wood stove, and fireplace. Gail and I played cards and just had a wonderful time.

Happy weekend to all. Stay safe.

Matt & Beth's wedding October 18, 2008

Saturday was a wonderfully sunny, warm day in October. The bride was beautiful and the groom was handsome. The wedding site on Lake Michigan could not have been more charming. Jane's touches were everywhere.

When I asked the bride and groom what they liked best about their wedding day, they both commented on the friends and family who attended and affirmed their values that a wedding is a day to share with the people you love. Beth has never seemed more poised and Matt never more of a gentleman. The food and friendship were abundant.

Gail went to Jane's early to be a support system, and I went down on Saturday morning.

Dan arrived last night and we have been catching up on his exciting life as a dresser for the Jersey Boys ( musical, stage version) in Chicago. We are so happy for him as it looks like he has found his niche.

May 08

I was looking for a picture for mother and found this photo of Barkley and Uncle Dan. I think B has grown.

Dan is coming next week and we are all excited.

Peace Collar

Uncle Dan was able to do what the rest of us couldn't. He found Barkley a Peace Collar. Barkley was so excited to have another collar he went to bed. It is very nice and he really is quite handsome. Thanks, Uncle Dan

THE DOOR, DECK, AND DOG COLLAR

Last Thursday Amos came to put in the new doors. By the time we were done it was part of a new deck and new siding. Water had gotten in behind the old deck and rotted out the siding and much of the deck. It is done and I am glad. This new door lets sunlight in where we had none before.

Barkley is seven months old today and for the last 4 days he has been using his electric collar He is so pleased to have some alone time and to just be in the yard. He really loves that he can chase the squirrel from many directions. He and Duke ran and played for hours Friday. It helped that we had never taken him in the yard where the fence wasn't. He knew pretty much where he could be already. We certainly proved what we knew. He is not visual! He doesn't even see the flags. He sure hears the warning beep.

I am working in the office trying to get caught up and get my schedule ready for the next month. Gail is getting ready to go to Jane's for the Beth's wedding.

We have had high 70's weather. Today will be even warmer. I waded in the bay Saturday night. It felt so good on my old tired feet. My back, legs, and feet took a beating working on the deck. Amos and I discussed the "replace a board a week plan". Lumber like everything else is so expensive. We are not charging anything. Little by little we will whip it into shape.

Something for Becca in Germany and those in the US who cannot get downloads in a reasonable time.

Kay Ryan, Outsider Who Revels in Wordplay, Is Named Poet Laureate - NYTimes.com
Page 1 of3

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July 17,2008
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Kay Ryan, Outsider With Sly Style, Named Poet Laureate
By PATRICIA COHEN
Correction Appended
When Kay Ryan was a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, the poetry club rejected her application; she was perhaps too much of a loner, she recalls. Now Ms. Ryan is being inducted into one of the most elite poetry clubs around. She is to be named the country's poet laureate on Thursday.
Known for her sly, compact poems that revel in wordplay and internal rhymes, Ms. Ryan has won a carriage full of poetry prizes for her funny and philosophical work, including awards from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and in 2004, the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, worth *100,000.
Still, she has remained something of an outsider.
"I so didn't want to be a poet," Ms. Ryan, 62, said in a phone interview from her home in Fairfax, Calif. "I came from sort of a self-contained people who didn't believe in public exposure, and public investigation of the heart was rather repugnant to me."
But in the end "I couldn't resist," she said. "It was in a strange way taking over my mind. My mind was on its own finding things and rhyming things. 1 was getting diseased."
Dana Gioia, a poet and the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, was an early supporter of Ms. Ryan's work, describing her as the "thoughtful, bemused, affectionate, deeply skeptical outsider."
"She would certainly be part of the world if she could manage it," he said. "She has certain reservations. That is what makes her like Dickinson in some ways."
Poets, editors, critics and academics around the country offered advice to James H. Billington, the lIbrarian of Congress, about whom to choose to succeed Charles Simic as the nation's 16th poet laureate, who was appointed 2007. Ms. Ryan's work has ''this quality of simplicity; it's highly accessible poetry," Dr. Billington said. "She takes you through little images to see a very ordinary thing or ordinary sentiment in a more subtle and deeper way."
Ms. Ryan likes to take familiar images and cliches and reincarnate them in a wholly original form. "The Other Shoe" reads:
Oh if it were only the other shoe hanging
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07117 /booksI17poet.html? _r=1&ei=5070&en=d6776l5a59f... 10/2/2008
Kay Ryan, Outsider Who Revels in Wordplay, Is Named Poet Laureate - NYTimes.com
in space before joining its mate.
Page 2 of3

Her poems are spare. "An almost empty suitcase, that's what I want my poems to be, few things," Ms. Ryan said. "The reader starts taking them out, but they keep multiplying."
Ms. Ryan grew up in small towns throughout the San Joaquin Valley and Mojave Desert. Her mother taught elementary school. A nervous person, her mother craved quiet, so there was virtually no television or radio playing in the home, Ms. Ryan said. In "Shark's Teeth" she writes, "Everything contains some silence." The poem continues:
An hour
of city holds maybe
a minute of these remnants of a time when silence reigned, compact and dangerous as a shark.
Her father was a dreamer. She once said he could "fail at anything," having tried selling Christmas trees, drilling oil wells and working in a chromium mine.
It was after his death, when she was 19, that she started writing poems. But Ms. Ryan said she always had mixed feelings about it. "I wanted to do it, but I didn't want to expose myself," she said.
After briefly attending Antelope Valley College, she transferred to D.C.L.A, where she earned both a bachelor's and master's degree in English.
She moved to Marin County in 1971 and lives there now, with her partner, Carol Adair.
In 1976 she finally realized that she could not escape the poet inside her. She had decided to ride a bicycle from California to Virginia in 80 days. Riding along the Hoosier Pass in the Colorado Rockies, she said, she felt an incredible opening up, "an absence of boundaries, an absence of edges, as if my brain could do anything."
"Finally I can ask the question: Can I be a writer?" The answer came back as a question, she said. "Do you like it?"
"So it was quite simple for me. I went home and began to work."
Public recognition came slowly. It took 20 years for her to receive acclaim for her work. "All of us want instant success," she said. "I'm glad I was on a sort of slow drip."
Ms. Ryan has carved out a life conducive to poetry writing. She has taught the same remedial English course at the College of Marin in Kentfield, Calif., for more than 30 years. When asked if she thought her new position would make it harder to write, she replied, "No, uh-uh. I think it will make it impossible."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07117 /booksI17poet.html? _r=1&ei=5070&en=d677615a59£... 10/2/2008
Kay Ryan, Outsider Who Revels in Wordplay, Is Named Poet Laureate - NYTimes.com
Page 3 of3

She has published six books of poetry and her work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and The New York Review of Books.
One of her first duties as poet laureate is an appearance at the National Book Festival on Sept. 27011 the National Mall in Washington. More formally she will kick offthe Library of Congress's annual literary series on Oct. 16 by reading her own work. The library doesn't require much of its laureates, although in recent years many have undertaken projects to broaden poetry's reach to children and adults. Ms. Ryan has no definite plans, but said she might like to "celebrate the Library of Congress," adding "maybe I'll issue library cards to everyone."
For a woman who once shrank from exposing herself, this new position will put her in the public eye more than ever. But at this point Ms. Ryan is philosophical: "I realized that whatever we do or don't do, we're utterly exposed."
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: July 18,2008
An article on Thursday about Kay Ryan, the country's new poet laureate, misstated the year she won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. It was 2004, not 1994.
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/booksI17poet.html? _r=I&ei=5070&en=d677615a59£... 10/2/2008

Squirrel in tree. Where is the gun? How come I can't climb trees?

Don't forget that hunting season has started. Dress your pets and yourself appropriately for your walks in the woods.

Reading everyone's blog that I follow I find we are all busy. I am reminded that in our hurry we must remember that fall is a beautiful season and that we must take a few moments to take it in.

Halloween is coming and that takes us from the beauty of fall to wonder of the first days of snow. We go with the abundance that this month of harvest gives us.

Kirsten goes running, Beth and Linda go walking,

The Hair Cut

It was a hard decision to make but we made it. Cut off Barkley's hair. He was covered with all different lengths and colors. He is in the water everyday and carries all kinds of sand into the house the bed felt like a sandbox. Now sand is ok to sleep on if you are on the beach but not good at all in the comfort of your own soft sheets. Poor Momma Carol suffered anxiety about doing it but she braved it. Barkley's doggy mom Daisey has this cut and it is quit practical for a working girl. I could not think of a reason why it would not work for him. Gail loved his baby curls but she spent lots of time combing out burrs from his dailey walks. Now we only have one more hurdle to get over and that will be Grandma who will say, "Oh, Barkley what have they done to you?" He will look at her with those solefull eyes and milk it for all it is worth. He was very tired last night and slept through the night, got up and went potty, ate his breakfast, saw it was raining and went back to bed. What a dog.

the last Sunday of September

It was quite of course it is not empty like it used to be when Gail left for the day. Barkley is here and he never fails to give me attention and love when he thinks I need it. I forget that dogs fill that emptiness of a loved one being gone. My mother's kitty Grimsby does the best job she can and the poor soul is dieing. I wonder what mother will do. I think I will try to convince her to adopt another kitty. She is 85 but her life is still filled with so much love to give. I should feel so busy right now but I seem at peace. Being Acme Township Treasurer is going to be an adventure. The insurance business is hard when you are good and awful when you have no skills. It will be worth holding on to. I will be training and getting my office in shape this week I must find a direction that works for a seamless transition.
It is still nice weather. I have a little painting to do and of course recreational leaf removal. Kristan will help me with that. She is a hard working kid.
It gets dark early and I don't get as much done as I used to in a day.

Something to hold on to.

This tree fell down seventeen years ago. You may wonder how I know. My grandson is going to be 19 years old and he was two going on three when it happened. It was the first snow of the season and we walked out into the woods and it was covered with glittery decoration that only nature can provide. He stood by this tree and his blue eyes got so big and he said "Grandma, this is the magic place!" To everyone in our family and neighborhood this section of the woods is known as the magic place. Jimmy has enlisted in the Navy. I need to hold on to this memory. When I walk by this stump I can feel his presents and hold him close. The magic of this place will go with him.

Fall has arrived.

Barkley and I took our morning walk and I was struck on how quickly fall has come to us. The maple tree which is one of his favorite message boards has turned a bright red. The animals of the woods are hunting and gathering. If you stand real still you can hear them holding the door open to nature's refrigerator and looking for all the good treats they will want over the winter. The weaker animals are already preparing to not make it through winter. Geese are getting ready to move south and the little humming birds are eating as much as they can to prepare for their voyage. The butterflies have gone.
The water in the the East Bay is already cleared up. You can see a long way out now as there are not many boats stirring it up. The docks are gone. Barkley runs down the beach and does not have to be leashed because there are no people that he does not know. It is wonderful and sad all at once.
This summer has brought us new friends, the departure of old ones, and the joy of watching our family once again do all the traditional tributes that we love to do to the season.
Now it is away with the summer chairs, camping gear, and bed the flowers. Once again I will get the skis down, get the snow blower ready, and see if I can wear my snow pants. I am already anticipating the look on Barkley's face when he sees his first snow. Photo opps!

Gramdma shopping

I remember dress shopping for the prom, and finding the right shoes, Mike always looked great in a suit and we both loved to dance so I think it was a bright spot in my teenage years. We would end up down at the river in the Mustang convertible with John and Cindy. You might be wondering why I have been thinking about these things. Actually, I took my Granddaughter Krista shopping for her homecoming dress. She bought a dress the color of her eyes which flatters her new young woman figure. She found a pair of shoes that help to pull the whole thing together. We talked about hair color, stockings and cover ups. While we were shopping we found other folks going through the same routines. I was struck by the lack of professionalism of clerks in the clothing stores including Macy's. We ran into one woman in a store that actually asked us if we wanted help and meant it. I am sorry that we were not able to purchase the ensemble there. I wonder what has happened to the American pride and work ethic. I was also struck by what a good nature my granddaughter kept all through the whole process.
Barkley was full of himself today. It was warm and he played on the beach and then came home to take his nap beside me. He is growing in leaps and bounds again. He seems to be an empty pit and does not seem to get enough to eat. If we fed him what he wanted he would weigh a ton.
Gail is off to church again doing the O W L training. I certainly hope these children appreciate the education they are getting more then those ungrateful children she taught in Kalkaska. Very few knew how lucky the were to have her.

Sunday of rain

It has rained off and on all day. Gail took Beth and Amy back to Dad & Linda in Grand Haven. Then I understand that she had a wonderful meal with Jane in Spring Lake. Barkley and I took a trip to the kennel where Daisey, Crush, Bianka and Momma Carol played in the rain. We came home and built a fire in the wood stove and he took a long nap. We took a walk in the woods in the rain and he came home and went over to visit Duke. Now home he had dinner and is playing waiting for Momma Gail to get home. All of the camping gear has dried out and we have put most of it away.
Tomorrow I go over to the township hall and learn some more about being treasurer.
I thought about what a responsibility it is to handle all of the wealth of a township and have the trust of so many folks. I thought today about Del Sparks and Bernie Schmidt and wondered what made them have such faith in me that they trusted me with the money and their careers. I think I know and I will call upon those same skills to do my best to make them proud. My life friend Deb told me yesterday how proud she has always been of me and that she is even prouder. All I need I have. I must do my best.

Amy new friend

This is our new friend Amy. She came home with Beth. She is ready to do battle with the next raccoon who sets foot on the campsite. Barkley slept right through the raid on the second night. Oh well they had to get wet to do it.

I need an Arc.

I am six months old today. By the way it is still raining and I don't like it very much. The mom's are taking me shopping at PetSmart for a new toy. I have outgrown all my toys. I want my own car but they say "no". I have been spending time with my sister Beth and because she has taken some photos of me I might get posted on her Dogwalk sight. I like her. I miss my little girls and I have been told I can talk to them on the phone before the weekend is over. I am up and ready to go. Bye for now.

So camping and rain

We went to D H Day in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore and it rained after the first day. We broke camp and came home. Not answering the phone. Dog is sleeping.

Beth & Gail

Getting ready to camp

So Barkley and I went to the kennel and he had some play time with his friends. Then it was off to the Dollar Store to pick up some stuff for camping.

I noted this morning that I had trouble seeing in the house as is often the case in the fall. The light changes in the fall as you may know. I looked out the window and gave in to the fact that it is probably that time. Gail went to the neighbors for coffee and I caught this photo of her coming home. She still looks like summer.

I am looking forward to camping on Lake Michigan. If you look at the back of your left hand you will see where we are going to be if you point to the outside of the joint closest to the end of your little finger. Don't you wonder how the great creator thought of that as a way to get around Michigan.

Work has been good this fall and health has also been good accept for Gail's hip.

I am starting to rearrange my life for my new Acme Treasurer position. I just don't know how I could collect so much stuff. Half of it I could throw out and never miss......... until that one day when someone says "Do you remember....." of course I don't remember what I had for breakfast most of the time.

What do we think of the campaign for president?

Monday, a fall day

From the desk of Gail Trill

Hey! What a surprise to see this blog. I think it's a great idea. I wonder if, like letters & diaries, these musings will someday provide historians with insight in to our daily lives. Will blogs survive? Will they be readable 100 years from now? Does anyone know? If so, please tell me. Our family now has four blogs that I know of: Beth's dogwalktalk, Kir's willlismom, cousin Nancy Ross' which is attached to www.couplerelationshiptherapy.com, and ours. I wonder if we should link with them here. Any opinions?

On a more concrete note, it's a lovely almost fall day here: probably 70 degrees, partly or mostly sunny, in spurts. Our daughter Beth arrives Wednesday for a visit. Her daddy will bring her up here for some camping at D.H.Day Campground in the Sleeping Bear. The weather promises to be cool for camping, perhaps some rain. That should lend itself to plenty of reading, talking, playing cards. Wonder how we'll get the card table in to the tent. Maybe a movie....? No matter what we do, it'll be good. Beth's bringing her friend Amy so she can see Lake Michigan. Of course, I'm busily planning meals. Hummm. Life here is good. The puppy is well. He'll be six months on the 13th. What did we ever do without him?

Saturday

Just a day like any other. Got up walked the dog. Had breakfast, cleaned up. Watched the movie "Blooddiamond". Walked the dog. And so it goes.