Birthday week

Stevenson Lake this morning just before a thunder storm.

I am having a great birthday week. I have tried to ignore this birthday, and have forgotten it several times. But it is good so here goes. On Sunday, the bd, I slept in, Paul made me tea, Andrea made me a wonderful breakfast, I played with Julia and Charlie. I finished up the drapes I made for Andrea's dining room, and they turned out quite nice. We went to the new river walk park with the kids, the weather was beautiful. Played some Pogo Solitaire even!

Andrea, Ryan, and Paul and I went to dinner at the Emporium in South Bend. It is on the river near the kayak run. Also a running trail goes by the river so there was a lot to watch. Don't you like to watch sweaty people go by as you eat salad? Paul and Ryan had steak which was good. We had potato skins for an appetizer, excellent. Andrea, with a sophisticated pallet, had chicken fingers, but they were hand breaded. I had walleye, a northern favorite. All very tasty. We grew up by the St. Clair River in Michigan where any special occasion must be celebrated with a meal at one of the many restaurants set up on the river. Sids, Buds, St. Clair Inn, etc. Great views of Canada, freighters and cabin cruisers. Fresh local Walleye and perch fish to eat. It was so confusing to move to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where the only view from the restaurants was a busy 5 lane road. We kept asking where people went for a nice meal with the view. Doomed to disappointment.

On Monday we met Steff in Grand Rapids and took her out for lunch at Applebee's. They have a lunch menu where you choose two items from three lists. I had mini chicken burgers. Fried and breaded. Naughty but tasty. And the chicken oriental salad. Paul had a spinach and shrimp salad and soup. Forget what Steff had since I didn't get a bite. I was impressed by the quality of the food. Would certainly go back. Especially loved my salad.

We got home about 4 on Monday. My daffodils were in full bloom. Also grape hyacinths and the big ones too. Hope spell check knows how to spell that! Nope, had to get out the flower book. Paul has the yard all slicked up and my flower gardens too. I transplanted some poppy's to across the street and hope they live. Planted some dark red day lilies from Katie's house in GR. Have to get out when the rain stops and kill brown eyed susans before they retake my garden. They are relentless. Beautiful, but the soil is too rich and well watered. They do well across the road, just not down by the lake.

Our new living room furniture came on Tuesday, as you can see below. I love it. Feeling quite spoiled. Wednesday I had my hair cut, and it turned out great, much shorter and blonder. Nails done. Spoiled for sure. Then Shirley took me out for lunch at the Herrick House. Had the ever wonderful chicken croissant and tomato bisque soup. Lots of great girl talk. I sure missed my friends this winter. And Shirley got me a baseball hat with Lake Girl on it! Very, very cute.

Thursday, Paul and I went to the Moose Club, fun to see friends there. Then visited with Marti and Woody, up for the weekend. Marti looks great! It is so good to see her alive and well. She had a brain aneurysm this March, had coil surgery on the back of her neck, and here she is! A miracle for sure. Not smoking and her complexion is so nice, good color. All kinds of luck for her.
We had a great visit.

We had some kind of electrical event in the neighborhood yesterday. Our microwave expired, leaving a greasy, sooty mark on the counter top and a bad smell behind. Marti and Woodys refrigerator stopped working and the motor heated up. He turned it on and off and it is ok now. Jeff''s outdoor light went on at his garage. And who knows what happened in the other cottages. Can't just be coincidence.

So today is Friday. Ready for a Friday adventure.