The Detroit Lean???

On our way back from Lexington on Sunday, we stopped in at the Thills for some great companionship and a fantastic meal!  Good to see you all!

garage sale-ing

Hi ya!

So far I've had a very productive day. I left to run some errands by
bike when I saw a sign for a garage sale. I have been meaning to stop
to look for sewing machines for a while so I turned onto the side
street and started following the directions. The garage sale with the
sign didn't look that exciting, but there was one on the way back that
caught my eye (glassware!). Didn't see anything worth hauling back on the bike except for two DVD's. I swung my leg over the bike when I saw the neighbors were having a sale too! I almost missed it. Then, like the Griswold family christmas tree, I see this lonely sewing machine on the ground. Mom told me Singers are always good... and it was a Singer! There was no price, but the guy running the sale saw me eyeing it and said "I'll give it to you for $10 if you take it before
my wife gets back."

So I feel a little bad for his wife, but she had it for sale anyway. I decided it would fit in my pannier (and it did). The bike felt a
little squirrelly but I would too if I had a sewing machine
haphazardly attached to the side of me. So that's the picture. The
pink is my raincoat. I crammed the other bike stuff (locks and tools)
into my purse.

I stopped at the farmer's market for a Pita Falafel and got one of the last ones before they ran out of EVERYTHING. Good thing too, as
they're changing things next week. The sign said "due to increased
pregnancy and decreased productivity." I think it's a couple who owns
it, and the woman is pregnant. Pretty funny. A lady at the picnic
area said "did you just buy that sewing machine?" and I said I did
and she said "oh fun!"

So I got 2 dvd's, a sewing machine and a delicious lunch for less than $20. Oh, and exercise and F-U-N. Riding near wooded areas was
especially nice today. It's been hot (for Alaska!) and something
white is blooming. It smelled so good.

Next weekend I fly to Anchorage to see Brian (we're official now!) so I'm looking forward to that.

Well, I'm off. Got some sewing to do! ;-)

later gators!!!

A day at LGA!

So's on Wednesday, I went to New York, New York to hang out with my Marketing Friends, I tell ya, it was quite a trip! My return flight was canceled so my only task on Thursday was to get from my hotel to La Gaurdia airport (LGA) for a 6:30 PM flight. My hotel was right at the airport, allowing me to take a nice leisurely stroll to my gate.

On the way, I walked right past the American Airlines building and of course I couldn't help but think about the days dad (or grandpa R) spent in this building. Why I bet he even went through this door! It made me wonder what kind of worries he had at his job, did he worry as much as I do? Did he have too much on his plate as I some times feel like? Did he like his job like SOMETIMES I do? Did he like yucking it up with the guys like I do? It's fun to see that not much has changed, I dare say that Dad would think nothing has changed on the outside, but much has changed in the inside, mostly the Airline industry itself. I wanted to ask some one at American Airlines if I could sit at a desk and play with an adding machine for a while, like on the THRILLING days I got to go into work with dad (on a Saturday or Sunday) and sit in the office chair turning in circles and making mile long adding machine tapes...fun to remember!!

One more thing...I really like how New Yorkers really don't mind old stuff. I know in the midwest, this building would have been torn down long ago. I noticed the same thing in many of office buildings I was at. They were old and tired, but functional and certainly usable. I don't feel like they have a fear of the old like we do...hmmmm.

I've really enjoyed my visits to New York - it's fun to be in a huge city, and the people there have been great!

Fahgetaboutit cats!

Sue's Views

Meet "Princess Ruby Bay Patutti" and

"Sir Rusty the Rebel of Rolling Hills"

otherwise known as Ruby and Rusty. Sometimes meatball, or puppy, or kids, or pups or once-in-awhile Ned slips out. Hey Bill, I can't believe how terrible my typing is when I have to type in the dark. That's how I've been practicing lately on the ASUS. I use it in bed, but Ron hates the light on, so I have to type in the pitch black. It's amazing that I dont' know the keyboard better than I do. We're looking forward to seeing you guys. The pups had a super day in their new kennel outside. they love it! I may just go on a sleeopover with them. It's cozy out there. They come in at night, but their happy to be outside during the day. Ron built a nice little dog house and put it inside the 10x12 kennel along with a huge deck for sunbathing.

Love you,

Sue

Heading North

We're on the I-75 now heading towards Michigan. I brought along the I-75 book from Mom's house, and have been amusing myself with all of the comments and hotel receipts from trips in the past. As I read it, I see that a lot of the comments were made by the Jim Rathbun family in what looks like a trip in 1999. Oops! I think this book belongs to you, and you should have it to place among the family archives. I will return it as soon as we are together again. A lot of the information in the book is outdated, but cute little notes from members of your family make it a great little momento. I like this one written at a gas station in Ohio. "Don't stop here, there's a guy with gold shoes and plastic bags on his hands", or something like that. We are spending tonight in Forsyth, Ga. So that we can eat at our favorite restaurant, Grits. I'd post pictures, but the internet is very slow in Georgia, y'all.

Uinta the uintas?

Just got back today from camping around 10,000 ft in the Uinta mountains, just East of Park City. It was really pretty, lots of highland lakes, marshes, and rivers. They're home to Utah's highest point, King's Peak, somewhere around 13,000 feet of elevation. The Uinta mountains are also the only east-west trending mountains in the continental US (I don't think that includes Alaska). We spent Saturday hiking about 10 miles, then came back to our campsite to spend the night. The mosquitos were horrible, but they all disappeared once the sun set and the temperature dropped below 60. It was nice to get back into some cool weather again. Hope you all enjoy your week!

-Walter B.

Sue's Views

Today Ron and Don made a new kennel for the pups, "Rusty and Ruby". We get them on Friday. I've already started to puppy proof the house. We can't wait. There will be two dog houses that will be added to the back of the kennel and we're going to put patio stones down for the kennel floor. The roof will be forest green. I wood-burned their names today for the kennel. I attached a shovel on each name and "Ruby" has a fake ruby on her sign as well. (Aw) James, I forgot to tell you that I sand "Something Stupid" at the Mill last month. I did a duet with "The Wouldman" (that's how he spells it) It went pretty good. I wish you could have been there.