This is Charlotte. She loves me. Why? Because I’m the only one in this family who is allergic to cats.
Shouldn’t be that exciting, but we are really looking forward to installing new trampolines on the front of the catamaran. Boat bits and bobs are starting to arrive at the door pretty much daily now. We left the boat with nothing but a couple of backpacks. We will not be returning to Fiji so lightly loaded.
Someday my kids will tell their kids about the time they were in Minnesota in mid-January and the lakes wouldn’t even freeze.
Boom. Bustin’ out that 3-wood for 18 yards. Last week the kids were strapping on snowboards for the first time. This week they are swinging golf clubs for the first time. This was sort of fun, but it’s awfully hard to justify $60/hr to hit a ball into a video game bedsheet. We’ll save our next golf outing for the Par-3 course.
It’s not just my mom and her friends who save projects for “when Pat gets here.” Ali’s sister is pretty good at it, too. Maybe they just saved the chandelier because none of them mind sacrificing me via electrocution.
Temps finally plummeted in St. Paul, and suddenly there was a distinct lack of free things to do without wool socks and earmuffs. Fortunately, it’s always easy to kill an afternoon at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
Still no real snow, but at least the lake finally froze over.
Happy Valentine’s Day?
We told everyone that we had fun on Ouest’s birthday at the escape room, and then they all wanted to go, too.
We packed more for a quick couple-of-days trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula than we did to come here in the first place. Half the truck was filled with miscellaneous family winter clothing cast-offs.
A few hours into the drive north we finally found some snow.
Marquette, Michigan. Lake Superior.
This is mining country, and this is an iron ore pellet loading dock. The train tracks would have led right up onto the roof where they would dump the load off, then the ships would pull alongside and those big metal chutes would lower in. Actually, there is still a working dock further down the road. This is just the scenic leftover right in town next to the marina. Must be a beautiful place for sailing in the summers. Not so much this time of year.
My business partner, Lorin, is a strange sort of fellow that still enjoys living at the North Pole. He claims it’s great up here, so long as you wear a minimum of eight layers of clothing. I remain unconvinced. He’s a Yooper, born and bred.
11 Comments on “Icing Up”
I get cold just looking at the pix. Looking forward to your return to Fiji! After five or so years I still love your blog! Best to you and yours.
Great country Upper Peninsula…very pretty in the Fall….Safe travels Bums……
At least you got some real Minnesota again. Person I’m with this rare warm winter. Course your cousins and their son are unhappy about so little ice fishing. Say hi to Linda when you see her again. Love living vicariously through your family.
I was born in Marquette. Still have family there. It is one of our favorite places to visit in the summer. Winter, not so much. Did you get to see the Eben Ice Caves? Was it cold enough for ice? I have memories of visiting Marquette Memorial Day weekend and there was still ice in the lake. Is Lorin in Marquette?
We were up there in July last year. It’s gorgeous in the summer.
Was scheduled to head up to the UP this year for a seventh winter of snowmobiling. Doesn’t look like it is going to happen. All trails closed and the locals not predicting they will open any time soon, if at all, this season. Bummer for us who relish the cold, and for the local economies in the area. WHERE is our “Polar Vortex?” Inquiring minds want to know.
Another set of fabulous pictures. Good to see you and Lorin hanging out again. 🙂
“Someday my kids will tell their kids about the time they were in Minnesota in mid-January and the lakes wouldn’t even freeze”, and their kids will ask “what’s a freeze”?
Love you guys and I know you are a smart dude, but this quote will sadly not age well.
“Someday my kids will tell their kids about the time they were in Minnesota in mid-January and the lakes wouldn’t even freeze” . What is really going to happen is that grandpa is going to be talking about snow drifts and ice fishing and grandkids will be like whoa! This is not politics. Global Sea Surface temperatures are 6 sigma and that heat ain’t going anywhere but up. I only comment because I am so alarmed that people are not processing the implications of this radical change. But we humans are not good at that.
Just because we don’t write about global warming doesn’t mean that we’re not aware of it, or its implications. Every time we go to a beach I could go on about plastics, too. And walking through just about every town would entail a discussion on spaying and neutering your pets.
And that’s one of the many reasons I so enjoy your family blog! You embrace this Tom Robbins quote:
“Life is too short. My personal motto has always been: Joy in spite of everything. Not just [mindless] joy, but joy in spite of everything. Recognizing the inequities and the suffering and the corruption and all that but refusing to let it rain on my parade. And I advocate this to other people.”
Good on youse!
Keep on having fun & enjoying life together-the best lesson to teach your kids too.
Can’t wait for your return to the boat! 🙂