We’re off to Michigan for the day, a couple of hours’ drive to Clear Lake to see Nancy & Doc in their lakeshore cottage. The road there seems to be the main drag for Adult Bookstores (no windows) and “Buy One Get Three Free” fireworks stores…odd combination?
Doc shows us around in his Cadillac of pontoon boats.
Nancy and Doc’s two sons and daughters-in-law and five grandchildren between five years and eight months are staying with them, a cozy family gathering of eleven – we aren’t offended when they’re reluctant to invite us to stay the night.
Melissa (Don's wife) with Sara, and Kristin (Dan's wife) with Abbie.
Tom & Gail have their own place about a mile away on the same lake, Doc takes us to visit them in his pontoon boat. Kathy and Steve Hester have joined them for the weekend
Tom, Kathy, Jan, Doc, Nancy, Gail & Steve.
Kathy was Jan’s first new friend when she made the transition from Lutheran grade school to public junior high, and she and Steve are part of the close-knit group of friends that Jan always joins up with when she comes back to EP. For many years they would put on a full-court press every time Jan came to visit: “So, are you done with the California thing yet? When are you moving back home?” They seem to have come to realize that Jan is a hopeless case, and the pressure’s been off.
Clear Lake townie.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
A huge storm blows in, spectacular thunder and lightning, the wind pushing the swing in the front yard to almost perfect horizontal. For some strange reason George finds it the perfect time for a long nap! Then the power flickers for a while and finally goes out altogether, the neighbor’s pontoon boat is unmoored by the wind and on the loose, and we eat our tasty dinner of barbecued brats by candlelight. The storm is over by the time we head back home, but we hear later that the power was out for twenty four hours.
Bad storms make good sunsets