A Michigan 2018 Review

It's going to take time to get through these last weeks of gallivanting about, especially since they're not over yet...not until g'son Nicholas leaves for Atlanta on Sunday.

So, the easiest thing right now is to show the Facebook posts I published each day, first in Michigan for a week and then in Atlanta for 1.5 weeks.

Astrid and I flew to Detroit, MI, on May 16th and were picked up by sister, Ruth, and BIL, Don.

First order of business was to go eat lunch in Chelsea (home of Jiffy).

Gotta love the bike that made us feel right at home!

To be honest, the most important part of being on The Farm is just to BE there.

Just BEING with Don and Ruth where they live is a vacation.

We needed that.  We were all so relaxed.

A surprise awaited us from Ruth, who had already quilted a table runner that reminded her of me.

She had wanted to perhaps make more placemats and napkins for us,

but I convinced her that the table runner had our name written all over it.

Once Nicholas leaves, it goes on our table, with accompanying napkins.

What a gift, especially watching her make the binding at the end.

Another very special memory was spending a few hours with their son Peter.

While Andrea stayed home to work, Peter and the kids went with us 

to the 4-H Children's Garden at Michigan State.

OMG.  A D O R A B L E.

You may remember that the main reason we went to Michigan in the first place

was to attend my 55th high school reunion:  Class of '63.

There were 32 of us who attended (with added spouses) from our class of 178 classmates.

All of us are 73, mas o menos a year!  :)

The joy it was to connect with my classmates was like meeting them again for the first time.

This was so high on my bucket list that I could have died and gone to heaven.

It was even better than I had imagined.
(I'm here with our class president, Bruce, and his wife Maria.)

And they all totally loved and included my wife, Astrid.

How could they not!
(Carol Baker on the right was a girlfriend all through my youth.)

The class reunion was on Friday night and Saturday was a luncheon for 500 classmates
who have graduated 50-plus years or more.  The oldest present was from the Class of '33 (age 102)!
That was a special day but my own Class of '63 reunion was the highlight for me.

On Sunday, it was time for my sibs to meet up and have our own reunion!

6 of the 8 of us were present:  Nelson, Moi, Nancy, Jim, John and Ruth.

Bennett (#6) is wandering the galaxies somewhere.

Susan (#2) was on a pre-scheduled cruise for her 75th birthday.

But here she is (left) from eons ago.  Nelson celebrated his 75th a year ago.

I'll celebrate mine two years from now, followed by Nancy the next year.

Which brings me to the ones who were responsible:  Barbara and Carl Hart!

I always visit my parents' gravestone when I'm in Grand Ledge, MI, where I grew up.

It seems a fitting close to this first busy week of our vacation.

Next post will be all about Nicholas' high school graduation,

plus our time enjoying the neighborhood where he lives....