Broken doesn't mean useless.

Hey, all of you out there who believe in conservation. And never throwing ANYTHING away. And re-using, re-cycling, etc. etc. etc. Here's a plug for you.

Never, never throw away a cell phone, even if it doesn't work right.

Tonight, I spent a very frustrating hour + trying to replace my cell phone at the mall. The cingular lady was very nice and helpful. The radio shack guy was "polite" with a definite undertone of being pissed that I was taking up his time. . .

In the end, I spent $5 at the Cingular store for a new SIM card, then $63 at Radio Shack to buy a pre-paid phone to put my SIM card in.

Then I came home and called my sister. . .and found that she had a cell phone that I could have. Darn it, I hate going to the mall. It's such a hassle.

I figured that I'd just make my trip to Indy/Columbus/Howell (cell phone pickup) this weekend without a phone. Inconvenient, but it's not like I didn't live without a cell phone for over 20 years of my life.

Then I realized that if I could put the SIM card in any Cingular phone, I could try it in my old phone.

I replaced that phone last fall because the displays died. First, nothing would show on the outside display. No time. No caller ID. Then nothing showed on the inside display. No time. No caller ID. NO PHONE BOOK ENTRIES. Nothing. I could make calls and take calls, but couldn't see any numbers!

Anyway, back to tonight. I'm thrilled because - although I was worried for the few minutes it took me to locate it - I DID save that cell phone and it WORKS with my new SIM card.

I LOVE that old cell phone. I may never throw it away.




Gizmo loves it too.

Happy Birthday, "2" you. . .

It's also my niece's birthday, so I rushed to Hudsonville after school. Without my cell phone (I lost it last night), the trip felt very strange. I did enjoy singing all the way without any interruptions though. . .

In all of the pictures, the birthday girl is the one not touching the present. . .The older siblings were just too excited!



Here, Kayla (big sister) tells Kelsey (birthday girl), "You want me to try it? You want me to try it? You want me to try it? You want me to try it? You want me to try it? . . ." . . .imagine squeaky, plaintive voice. . .you get the picture!



My brother in law has a cool camera. Still, I had the better angle on this shot.


This is a picture of the whole group of us. (The lower left corner trio is the kids' babysitter, her husband and daughter)


Afterwards, Darrin teaches Kayla how to braid. He's thinking about doing Nikki's hair for her first high school dance tomorrow night.

30???? You don't look a day over. . .

. . .you don't look a day over . . .um, 12?




HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMY!!!

I hope you enjoy your day, your weekend, your new year!! Thanks for all of the fun times we've had even in the few short months we've known each other. Here are a list of 30 good memories, just for the occasion:

*chasing Giz around the living room * ice cream with magic shell (yes, I'm hungry as I write this!)* snow angels * girl talk with Jesse * morning vs. night people, Type A vs. Type B * The REAL downfall of civilization: high fructose corn syrup * belly dancing in talent shows * Prom * Diamondback dancing * Espresso Milano times * ice skating at the tridge * hay rides and family * Colts games * hour-long traffic jams in Indianapolis * photo shoots at Plymouth Park * MDN thoughts * yearbook parties with Tony and Monica * Waiting to give out candy to trick-or-treaters who never came * game night at Chad and Christy's * The "B" hat * learning to play (?) poker * wine-tasting * searching for Madonna's parents * climbing up Sugar Loaf * Charlie's Angel poses * Stop? Yield. Or go back to Indiana to get the cell phone * Salsa lessons * conversations about boys * blogging it up * Newspaper dresses. Need I say more?

Leelanau trip - Sunday trek home

Well, all good things must come to an end, I suppose.

Amy and I were both pretty quiet sunday morning, not wanting to pack up and return. However, I found a way to create some comic relief. My sisters and I have a constant battle going on over who is the "favorite" aunt. I guess it's the person who's around the most, if you're smart. Nice of them to make coasters in sets of 4 when there are only 3 kids.



Although the roads were dry in Leelanau, we hit a blizzard once we hit Cadillac. The trees (and snowmobile-carrying-vehicle ahead) helped us stay on the road.


Some weren't so lucky on the drive. The first accident we came upon resulted in some pretty severe injuries to a woman and her dog - this info based on the recounting in a gas station restroom when the whole line of cars filed in after the 30 minute wait. The second accident (below) was cleared as we reached it, and we never heard any details.


Hmmmm. I'm not used to riding in a car (I'm usually driving). Finally, at the END of the trip, I figured out that I could set my timer and set the camera on the dash to get a picture of both of us. Fun with cameras.


Thanks for joining us on our trip!

Leelanau Trip - Saturday Evening

After driving around the peninsula and having our planned dinner location fall through, Amy and I eventually landed at a restaurant called "Boonedocks" for dinner. Check out our incredible salmon salads...it makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Shortly after we ordered, members of a bluegrass band - Cabin Fever - came in and began to set up about 3 feet away from me. Amy and I just looked at each other and smiled.

There's a reason for everything.

Later we headed home, where I spent some time just gazing in delight at my first bottle(s) of wine.



When I was done admiring, Amy took some time to record the name of each type for her blog.

Leelanau - Saturday afternoon drive. . .

We had every intention of visiting a winter festival in Cedar, Michigan on Saturday afternoon. We weren't sure what would be involved, but wanted to experience the local flavor.

On our trip into town, we stopped in the middle of the road (no worries, there was NO traffic) to take this cool picture of Sugar Loaf as seen through a cherry orchard:


Interestingly enough, the first business we saw in Cedar was a winery. We stopped to try out the wine tasting, and were told that there was no festival that day (that the winery-person knew of, anyway!). I don't generally like wine, but I bought a bottle of cherry mead, which is basically honey wine. Yum. We decided to go on a wine tasting tour instead.

For anyone who doesn't know, Leelanau is a beautiful peninsula, so the tour was as much about seeing the scenery as it was about testing wine. Here, a picture of the snow-covered beach just outside of Traverse City.


Did you know that Madonna's parents own a winery just north of Traverse? Ciccone's, if any of you check it out. We stopped, but they were closed. We thought maybe it was because Madonna was in town or something.

Our favorite of the wineries we visited was Leelanau Cellar - the workers were incredibly helpful for the wine-illiterate(me). The view, two full walls of windows looking out on the Traverse Bay, was pretty good too. I bought six bottles of wine there. Hey - it was a deal (10% off) if you bought six. . .



As we continued enjoying a leisurely drive around the peninsula on M22 in search of dinner, we saw this gorgeous sunset over a barn.


Tune in tomorrow for photos from dinner.

Leelanau trip: Saturday morning

A view of Gina and Kevin's cottage in the morning. All you need on a vacation are the bear necessities, sure 'nough.

A shot of Sugar Loaf mountain taken just around the corner from the cottage. After breakfast Amy and I took a trek up it.


On our hike, we met "Mayor John," who had just walked up the mountain 7 or 8 times so that he could ski down it 7 or 8 times. . . I thought it was cool to meet the mayor, but was confused because I didn't know there was a town of Sugar Loaf. Amy told me as we walked away that it's a skiing term for a person who has conquered the mountain. It's even more cool to have met him AND learned something!



Sugar Loaf ski resort has been closed for several years because of financial difficulties (WHAT A SHAME!!!!), so Amy and I walked around all of the buildings. This is an unused ticket booth of a particularly nice color. :)




Amy and I only walked up the mountain once, and while I walked down, Amy rolled. Good, clean fun.

Leelanau Trip: Friday night

Amy and I took a (too) short weekend trip up to my sister's cottage this weekend. First, a stop for gas. . .



Once we reached the cottage (by the towns of Cedar and Maple City, northwest of Traverse City), we turned the heat up, turned some lights on, and headed back to "town" for pizza and lasagna at Pegtown Station. Amy fell in love with a breadstick (actually two of them). She may marry one. She loved it that much.

I also have to mention the man with droopy drawers. I'll skip the picture on that one (although I did get pictures without him even knowing. . .must be skills learned from hanging out with newspaper people.)



Upon our return, Amy donned slippers knitted by her grandma . . .Very nice. Pink and baby blue.



The ultimate relaxation: music and writing. What a great start to a weekend.



Much more trip to cover. Stay tuned.

Go Colts.

What a great game.

Before "the game," I read an email from a friend, who taunted my sister for not responding to him about a friendly wager. I thought about responding to him - saying that I would bet on the Colts even if she hadn't responded. . .but I didn't write that email.

At half time, I responded to his email, saying that it was probably a good thing she didn't make the wager. . .but that I still supported the Colts.

38-34 Colts.

What a great game, and a great win...GO COLTS!

Celebrating 90

It was Amy's great-grandmother's 90th birthday yesterday. I was lucky enough to be able to attend and take some photos.

First, we - the family and "extra's" like me and Jason (the new MDN photo intern)- hopped on wagons and took a hayride over to pick great-grandmother Dorothy up in her chariot.



When we got back to the hall, the men got busy starting a fire... I was just interested in how smoky it was, so I took pictures as the guys worked it out.



Amy sitting on the couch talking with her dad, ignoring some other relative sitting next to her. :)



Dorothy, the birthday girl, listening as a small selection of her relatives went through a listing of prices, birthdays and other facts from the decades of her life.



Beware of Amy when she has silverware in her hands - even if it's plastic! In case you can't tell by the body language, she's saying "bring it on" to her 16 year old cousin while Jim (one of my past dance students, interestingly enough) watches in amusement.



What a beautiful day. I only hope that I'm as alive still on my 90th.

Melon & Lessons

Do you like melon?

I do. But I don't eat it often.

Why? You might ask. Or you might not, if you don't care.

Anyway - I don't eat it often because it takes work. Hmm. Let's think about that for a minute. It takes work to cut it into slices. Even more work if you cut it into cubes without the rind. Hmm. I'm sweating already from the exertion.

As I made the effort tonight to cut apart a melon that's been in my frig for about 5 days - because I didn't want to work to cut it open - I really appreciated it.



I also remembered another reason I don't choose melon slices (of any variety - including watermelon) at times. . .because it's messy.

What a dumb reason not to eat a healthy sweet food: because, when you bite into the slice, the sides of it inevitably brush against your cheek and leave them all sticky. As much as I like sweet foods, I should jump at all sweets that are even slightly healthy.

As I ate my melon today I felt really good. I saw a few comparisons to my life, and didn't like them. In this month of resolutions, I'd like to publicly state that I will make the choice to do the work from now on. I will accept the mess. I will leave my comfort zone.

I will be eating a lot of melon.


(I will also post pictures later, when I either 1. figure out what setting I need to change on my computer to allow me to post again or 2. am able to use someone else's computer to post pictures)

Good friends. . .

. . .are a blessing.

I had the good fortune to split my time today between two wonderful groups of friends.

The first, a wonderfully welcoming family that I've, well, pretty much been a part of for the last 3 years. There was a baptism this morning that was incredibly beautiful, because it's just so right. The couple, the parenting, the family community. It's real and perfectly imperfect and beautiful.

This group is basically all paired up now. Quite honestly, I love this family, yet I often feel sad when I leave them now. As much fun as I've had with them, and as welcome as I have felt, I know that I'm going home alone.

My second group of friends today was born out of that sadness. This is a group of single people that I've had the fortune to connect with over the last several months. Being journalist-types, they're very well-rounded, fascinating people.

Ironically, while the first part of my day was spent sharing Shawn's beginning and initiation into the church, my second phase was an ending celebration and good-bye party for Jesse as he goes into his final day as an intern tomorrow.

It'll be sad to see him leave. But change can be very good too, it can help shake up our patterns and in doing so, can help us find a new, exciting way.

I hope Jesse enjoys the next fantastic station on his path. Namaste, my friend.

New Year's Eve fun. . .

New Year's Eve "at the Holiday Iiinnn". . .good times!

Jason really liked the free tiara's. He skipped the (more masculine) hats.


Using the timer feature with the girls: Christy, Jill, Linda, me, Amy.



Welcome to 2007!

Shake your cousin's baby???

Well, I have to say that Mark is a great guy, and I generally think that he and Linda will make fantastic parents. . .this picture doesn't necessarily indicate that though. Maybe I'll give him some info on shaken baby syndrome before they get to that point.

(Maybe I should mention that I had my camera on "candlelight" setting to get better color. . .something about the shutter staying open longer seems to cause shaken baby syndrome. . .)