Saturday, 5/9/26, Went on our ride to Kalkaska, had potluck, lots of visiting

Our ride that Jeff Led.....It was cool, but with heated seats and layers, I stayed warm

I took a picture of Marsha and Russ riding behind us

Nice hills...we girls put our hands up like on a roller coaster.  Then Bill did too and I got a little nervous.  Good thing we have a trike.

We stopped and took group pictures for our Challenge Ride CMA Michigan is doing.  Trout Memorial in Kalkaska.  Al, Sue, Doug, Jeff, Russ, Marsha, me and Bill

Lucy got in and Sue took the picture for this group picture

Eating lunch at G’s in Kalkaska

Bill with the mouse on cheese dessert Barb made for him.  It was all edible.  Since it had cheese cake in it, he traded me for mine with a brownie under it.  

Debbie and Paul

Potluck in the evening.  

Melissa sent me these great pictures of her, Bruce and the kids

I got up and got ready.  Bill was in pain still, so he got up an hour later.  I didn’t know if we would be able to go on the ride today.  He took a pain pill and then wanted to go.  We had been sitting under our awning visiting, but then the wind got strong and it looked like rain, so we put it in.  When it started raining, everyone went to their campers.  Russ and Marsha came in ours and visited.  I had moved their helmets and leather jackets into our camper already.  They were happy when they found out they were dry.  They are the nicest couple.  It only rained a short time, so we decided it looked clear and we would go on the ride.  It started sprinkling again, so Bill and I put our rain suits on.  I didn’t put the jacket on.  It only sprinkled for a couple of minutes, but looked like it could start again any time.  I was happy to be dry.  We made a turn and that took us into clearer skies.    We got to Kalkaska and took our group pictures for our Challenge ride.  Then we went to G’s and ate and visited.  When we went to leave we saw it was sprinkling.  By the time we got out the door, it had quit.  Then we rode over these amazing hills and the sky turned blue and the sun came out.  When we got back to Manten, it was cloudy again.  Bill and I had to ride into town to get tablecloths for the potluck.  It only took about 10 minutes, we went into the camper and I put the cool whip on the banana cream pudding dessert I had made.  The trash was full, so I took the bag out and put it outside, till I got my shoes on.  When I went to get it it was gone.  The only one I had seen outside was Marsha, so I knew she had taken it to the dumpster for me.  I found her and thanked her.  Then I told her I was taking the tablecloths over to the pavilion and putting them on.  She wanted to help me.  So did Maverick who is 4.  He actually was a good helper.  He put the packages of table cloths on each row, and put the plastic wrappers in a bat for us.  He also tried to help straighten the tablecloths and did a pretty good job.  Kim came and helped us too.  She and Marsha did a great job and I sure appreciated the help.  I took the big container of plastic silverware, paper plates, dessert paper plates and napkins over and put them on the tables to keep the table cloths on the ends where the wind was blowing them from blowing off.  Barb and Ron came up, and also Lew and Cindy.  They brought their dogs.  Cindy gave me my hat she blinged for me.  She did a great job on it.  That was sweet of her to do for me.  At 5, we all prayed together, then ate and did more visiting.  The food was all good!  Everyone loved the banana cream pudding dessert and I had made an extra large container of it and it was completely gone.  I got lots of compliments.  Everyone helped pick up and then Russ and Marsha, Ron and Barb, and Lew and Cindy left for home.  The rest of us tried sitting out by the fire and lasted for a while.  I asked Kim if she wanted a blanket because she didn’t even have a jacket on, but she said no, that she was ok.  I went in and came out with a blanket for her and gave it to her and she was happy to get it.  She said she made a note in her phone so she would remember to bring a blanket next year.  It still was pretty cool even with the fire in the fire pit, because they were the kind with cement around the outside.  Everyone finally decided to go in.  Bill and I played 3-13 and dice.  I lost both games, but not by as much as last night.

Friday, 5/8/26, Chrissy came over, sat outside and visited with friends, went to dinner, more time around the campfire with friends, Melissa Facetimed me, played 3-13 and dice, made banana cream pudding dessert for tomorrow’s potluck

Eating dinner at Northside

Bill and I waiting for our pizza


More pictures of Hailey

I got up at 7 and Bill got up at 8:15.  His back was really hurting this morning.  I prayed for him.  We had a cinnamon roll for breakfast and a protein drink.  There was a knock at our door and it was Chrissy, so I visited with her while Bill finished getting ready.  Then Sean came over and he and Bill sat outside and visited.  Chrissy and I walked down to Phil and Julie’s and Sue and Doug came over and we visited with them for a while.  Then everyone came down to our campsite all the others came too.  We had to spread out on the campsite next to us.  That was nice because then we were in the sunshine.  Russ rode his bike and came to visit for the day.  Al and Lucy got here around 3 and they joined us.  Maverick was cute and wanted to sit on my lap lots.  He is 4 and a very sweet kiddo.  When he eats, his  back molar really is hurting him.  I prayed for him and he just played and his tooth quit hurting.  

Russ had to head back to Iron Mountain.  He and his wife Marsha are coming tomorrow for our potluck.  We all went to Northside Restaurant and ate dinner.  They made Bill and I a pizza and were supposed to only put cheese on one side.  They brought it out and they had left the cheese off one have, but then sprinkled the edges with Parmesan cheese.  We told them we said no cheese, so they brought Bill out a ground sirloin burger and mashed potatoes.  They apologized.  Bill did eat the tips of a few pieces of pizza that didn’t have cheese on them.  

We came back and Jeff had the campfire going nicely, so we all sat out and visited more.  this is a nice relaxing Leadership Campout.  We just get to know each other better.  Our area reps and other leaders are such wonderful servants, serving the Lord, that it’s nice just having this relaxing time together.   It got up to 60 degrees today and was sunny, so felt really good compared to yesterday.  I made the banana cream pudding dessert for tomorrow’s potluck.  Then played a game of 3-13 and a game of dice.  I lost 3-13 by 10 points so did much better than last night.  I lost dice by 150 so it was better too.  Maybe tomorrow night will be my night to win.  

Melissa, Bruce and family and Bruce’s dad left at 5 a.m. and flew to Denver, CO.  They are going to be there until Monday evening.  Melissa FaceTimed me to show me the place they are staying.  It was absolutely beautiful and so big.  I am so happy for them.  Evan was there so I talked to him a little.  I took a screen shot of him playing basketball while I was FaceTiming.  The scenery outside is absolutely beautiful.  They are all going to hike in the mountains of Estes Park.  

Max and Vader on the Plane.  

Such a nice family picture of them there

Evan enjoying playing basketball.  There is snow there, but it was in the 60’s

Thursday, 5/7/26, Got ready, packed last minute stuff, left for Manton, talked to Melissa, Sue, and Vikki, arrived at campground, set up, talked to friends, went out to dinner, watched National Day of Prayer, played 3-13 and dice,

I took these pictures when we went by Sanford Lake today.  I took them out the motorhome window with the screen next to me.  I was so happy to see water in the lake again.  So happy for the people there.

I got up at 7:00.  Bill was already up and working on his computer.  He is leading a meeting at our campout.  We took our showers, then got ready and packed the last minute stuff.  I filled bird feeders, and filled two dishes for Kit Kat.  I caught a raccoon last night and Bill took care of it.  I don’t know if there are more that will try to eat Kit Kat’s food, but I am sure hoping not.  

I directed Bill and he backed up the motorhome and hooked up the trailer.  Then he loaded the motorcycle on the trailer and we fastened it down.  It is so easy with this new trailer.  

I made us PB&J sandwiches and put some snacks up front for our trip.  Then we started out with prayer.  Vikki called me and I talked to her for a while.  The vaporizer she got at the garage sales was crusty and awful, so she couldn’t use it and threw it out.  That caused her nose to be really dry last night while she tried to sleep.  She was doing good today except her nose was swollen some.  She had the day off from work so that was good.

I talked to Melissa next and when I went by Sanford Lake, I told her I was going to take pictures and send them to her.  Then Sue called me and I talked to her, then called Melissa back.  They leave for their trip tomorrow, so we prayed together for a safe and wonderful trip and blessed time.  I saw a text from Jeff Davis with the National Day of Prayer, so I listened to prayers being prayed over our nation and prayed in agreement on the way here.

We got to the campground around 1:30 and talked to Dave and Chrissy.  His new name is NED, No decidable disease.  He had cancer all through his body and God healed him through medical treatment and prayer.  He is looking great and doing amazing.  After that, we went over to Doug and Sue’s.  They were trying to unhook their camper from the truck and were having problems.  After prayer and making adjustments it came unhooked.  Yay!  We went and saw Phil and Julie after that.  She and I went inside her camper and the guys visited outside.  They were going to make something to eat so we went back to our camper.  

After a few minutes, Jeff and Kathy came and visited us.  They have been in Florida so it was nice to catch up.  Then Doug and Sue came and knocked on the door and came in to visit too.  About 45 minutes later, Phil and Julie came and joined us.  It was a pretty cool day and we actually saw snow flakes when we were setting up.  They only lasted a few minutes.  

Everyone left and then we had another knock on our door.  It was Dave and Chrissy.  Dave had made cookies and brought one for everyone.  He didn’t realize the others had left.  Yum!  His cookies were really good.  

Debbie and Paul got here and set up, then Sean, Wendy and their grandson, Maverick got back to their camper.  They came up yesterday.  Maverick came running over and gave Bill a hug.  Bill gave him a dollar with he always does when he sees him.  He is such a cute kiddo.  I went outside and he came running over to me for a hug too.  

We all went to dinner at the Northstar Restaurant just a little ways away.  Julie asked me if I wanted to ride with them, so I did...it was much warmer in the truck.  Julie was in the back seat so Phil told me to get in the front.  They were going to come down and pick me up Uber style.  We all had good food and had fun visiting.  What a great group of friends like family in CMA.  They made me sit in the front again on the way home so they could just drop me off at our camper, on the way to theirs.  We all decided it was too cold out to sit outside.  Bill and I read our Bibles, then I turned on the National Day of Prayer at 8.  It was so good!  

We played 3-13 and Bill won.  I was over 100 and Bill was negative 50.  We played Dice and he beat me.  I was 700 behind, but didn’t shake it.  

We are leaving our kitchen faucet dripping a little and turning the heat on our tanks since there is a freeze warning tonight.  

Hailey sent me more pictures a professional photographer took of her and a friend that is graduating too.  They turned out so good.  but it wouldn’t let me save them to put them on my blog.  They sure were beautiful though.  

Wed., 5/6/26, Vikki’s procedure, met at Covenant Mackinaw and picked up kids and took them to school, got some groceries, went to Panera, watered new grass, put more garden stuff out, bird watched, went to 8th grade Isaac’s band concert

I love this ground cover when the purple flowers bloom

Orioles visited today

Red Bellied Woodpecker was here most of the day

Isaac 

Middle School Band director

High School/Middle School band director

Me, Isaac and Papa after his concert.  We are so proud of him and love him so much!

Rody, me, Peyton, Isaac, Bill and Vikki....I love my family!

I love this granddaughter so much!  She sent me these pictures of her in her cap and gown.  What an amazing young lady she is.  

Hailey in her cap and gown for her CMU graduation.  I am so proud of her!

I met Vikki, Rody and the kids at Covenant before her procedure on the inside of her nose.  The kids came with me and I took them to school.  We stopped at Panera and I got Peyton a free drink.  Isaac didn’t want anything.  After I dropped them off at school, I went to Meijer, then to Aldi’s, then to the bank, then stopped at Melissa’s.  Wookie just loves me and greets me so excitedly and sweet.  Melissa said her and I are the only two he acts like that with.  He sure is a sweet dog!  Riley, Bruce’s dad’s dog who they watched lots, had to be put down yesterday.  She was a sweet dog too and Bruce’s dad said she was his best friend.  He was very sad.  Rody kept me posted on Vikki, and let me know when she went into surgery and when she was done and went to recovery.  Vikki called me on their way home.  I was happy to talk to her and I thank God that everything went really well.  

I was so happy when Hailey sent me pictures of her in her CMU Cap and Gown.  I wasn’t expecting them so it made me tear up happy tears.  I am so thankful for such a sweet, godly, smart, beautiful, loving granddaughter.  So proud of the person she has become.  

I brought more stuff up from the basement that goes outside.  Put everything where it goes, then turned the water on to water the new grass and the sod.  Sunny and in the 50’s, so it felt warm.  I read my Bible out on the swing on the deck.  Then I bird watched for a while and saw some of my favorites.  The sun went down and it got cooler.  Bill came out on the deck for a few minutes, then said he was going to mow the lawn.  I kept setting my timer and moving the sprinkler.  Then I went inside and started packing more stuff and took all the groceries I got and other stuff and put it in the camper.  Bill power washed it yesterday so it looks really nice.  He also washed the motorcycle.  We are all set for the weekend.  Just need to pack the last minute stuff.  I was supposed to get together with Maddy, but she couldn’t until evening and I had Isaac’s concert.  We were supposed to meet around 2, but Alec was tired so she would have had to bring the 3 kiddos and that would be a lot for her.  

In the evening, we went to Isaac’s band concert.  Isaac did a great job playing and so did everyone else.  They sounded great.  The teacher and kids were sad that this was their last concert together.  We took pictures afterwards, then we headed home.  I had a strawberry shortcake at home and I made Bill a hot fudge sundae.  We relaxed after that and I went over my list for camping while a load of clothes was washing.  After the clothes were dry, we went to bed.  

 

Tuesday, 5/5/26, checked on fish outside, put more food in bird feeders and suet in suet feeder, went with Bill to get his injection in his neck, I was his driver and we went to Levy’s for breakfast, came home worked outside, went to Cabella’s, went to Panera’s and got free lemonade and free cookie

Bill sent me this before he had his neck injection

We had lots of white crowned sparrows this morning

Downy Woodpecker enjoying suet

Bought new live traps today, a big one for raccoons and a small one for squirrels, etc.  I set both of them to see what I catch.   Something went in our old one last night, but after it ate the food, it kept pushing the back wall and since it was only clipped with heavy duty clips it escaped.  

The clematis by the garage is starting to get flowers on it

We slept in til 9.  Got ready and went out and checked the fish.  They were doing great.  We left at 10:35 and went to Bill’s appointment for his neck injection.  I prayed over him before we got to the clinic.  He sent me a picture of him before the did it.  He’s so sweet!  I talked to Melissa while he was having it done.  I was his driver.  I drove us to Levi’s for breakfast afterwards.  He had eggs, bacon and potatoes and I had a veggie omelette with hash browns.  It was huge so I brought half home with me for tomorrow.  I called Kimmy to check on her and she was doing great this morning.  I am so happy about that.  We worked outside when we got home.  He worked on the sod he put down around two trees, and I worked on putting Preen down in my garden with the fish pond and also around part of the house.  I moved 4 plants to new places.  Worked on weeding some by the shed.  I watered the new grass and the sod.  Moved the sprinkler as needed.  

I went in and read my reading in Hebrews for today.  Great book of the Bible.  I went back outside to check on Bill.  He was working on the sod.  He finished and I put the sprinkler on it for him.  I talked with Vikki.  She sent me video’s and pictures of her Flicker.  She had a male making a nest and then the female came later in the day.  Very cool to watch.  I had a flicker at my house today too.  I showed her pictures.  I will have to try to figure out where its nest is.  

I made sirloin burgers, baked potatoes, and green beans for dinner.  After dinner, we went to Cabela’s to check on bear spray for Melissa.  I was going to get some for her, but it was $39.99 to 69.99 and was in a large aerosal can that was kind of heavy.  I FaceTimed her and we had some great laughs and decided she would wait and get some in Colorado instead of here.  

Bill and I stopped at Panera and got our free large lemonade and 2 cookies for $3.  Vikki told me about a Sip Club deal there so I signed up for 3 months.  

We came home and Bill read his Bible and devotions and I worked on my blog.  I talked with Lexie and prayed with her.  Then I talked to Melissa for a while til she had to leave with Bruce.  

Monday, 5/4/26, Had my first oriole, Kimmy came over and we worked in my flower garden, moved fish from basement to outside pond., Vikki came over, then later she picked up Peyton and Isaac and they came over

Had my first oriole today

Kimmy sent me a picture she took to day of an oriole at my feeder

Arnie...he was the best dog today while we worked on stuff.  

Bill and Isaac got the summer doors on the Jeep today

Lunch Ladies and Gentleman getting their awards

Some very hard workers and blessings to students

They had cute aprons hanging on their lockers when they walked in

Kimmy and I worked on cleaning the pond today.  Then we brought the fish up from the basement and put them in it

We put stuff in it to keep it clear 

Peyton relaxing at my house

Bill and Vikki hung the dining room light I got at a garage sale when we were at the Walleye Festival garage sales

Peyton enjoying a free drink from Panera.

Bill and I read our Bibles and did our prayer book devotion.  Afterward, I called Kimmy because I was missing her and wanted to see if we could get together a day this week since we will be camping again this week, Thursday through Sunday, coming home Sunday for Mother's Day.  She called Jared to see which day he could pick up Eli and today worked out so she hung up and came over.  We worked out in my flower garden.  Kimmy moved my Lamb’s Ear and some other plants for me and dug out C Jenny which had to go.  It sure goes wild, although it’s pretty.  She edged my garden for me too.  A huge thank you Kimmy!

I took our water jugs outside so we could drink while we worked.  We came in and ate a salad for lunch too.  Then we moved the fish from the basement pond to the pond outside.  Those fish are fast, but I caught a few and Kimmy caught the rest.  Their water was really stirred up and they were hard to see.  They look so nice in there new home for the summer.

Vikki came over and brought us a small wrap to share and some Mac & Cheese, plus dessert from her luncheon honoring the lunch ladies and guy.  They work so hard so it was nice they honored them.  Kimmy came in and as she walked in she felt a migraine coming on.  She gave us a scare when she didn’t know what an oriole was, but once she rested and put an ice pack on for a while she was feeling better.  We offered to drive her home, but she felt good enough to drive.    Jared was waiting at home with a nice iced gatorade for her and excellent care.  We all love our Kimmy so much!  

Bill and I worked outside some more after Kimmy left.  I checked on my fish a few times to make sure they were doing good.  They were of course.  

I talked to Vikki, then talked to Melissa for quite a while.  They are going on vacation and are taking some hiking trips in Colorado.  When she was talking about the bears there, I kind of got nervous, so prayed for them.