Sike!

I stayed one more day
Call me crazy
I made up my mind at 7am after the van was already ready to go.
Call me crazy

So I had to unpack a couple things, do another load of laundry, untie the bikes and figure out meals for one more day - but it was worth it.

I began by rounding up some rhubarb.  I have just the spot for it at home and can already taste next springs first batch.  mmmmm. 

Once we were on that side of town without kids, my mom also introduced me to a fun antique/coffee shop on the Hancock side of the bridge. I found two cute scarves that I'm going to tuck away for Wendy's Christmas extras.

Then we (my mom and I) came back home for grilled cheese lunch and took the kids for a drive.
I was in the mood to go to the sand dunes.  I told the kids to grab their just in case swimsuits and their just in case hoodies.

I had thought we'd spend a few hours here - but it was so cold and windy, we only lasted 15 minutes and two of us never got out of the van.  Wendy is holding her hair down in this photo as it was whipping all over the place.  I didn't grab my hoodie on the way out of the van and I was Cold. With a capital C.  I also soaked a foot when crossing the stream - that's the first time that happened.  This happens to be a favorite spot of mine - we stop here almost every trip.

Since we were blown out of the sand dunes, I decided to go ahead and drive right up to Copper Harbor - not in my original plan as my gas tank will testify to.  We even ventured up Brockway Mountain where we saw another local to home family (Dave and Jean) who I did not photograph but enjoyed a quick visit with.

 

We enjoyed having this one along with us today - he's been scarce lately, spending so much time at the cousins.

The kids were promised suckers if they didn't scare grandma too badly, with grandma being the judge of if she was scared too badly or not. It's a bit of a drop from the top. The kids earned their suckers but I was punished for trying to alter grandma's mood when she was wearing Wendy's newly purchased mood ring on the ride down.  I was just seeing how fast the color switched from relaxed to stressed. 

While Wendy bought a mood ring, and grandma bought suckers - I enjoyed a book purchase - I walked out with Death's Door: The Truth Behind Michigan's Largest Mass Murder.  It's a story that's always fascinated me on several levels. And because my great grandfather (Papa Hill) was actually in the hall when the sad event took place (as family history proclaims - he was up on the stage gathering the candy from Santa while other kids were running down the staircase) it brings that much more reality to the story.

Still in the mood for books, my mom introduced me to this darling book shop just a block off the main drag in Copper Harbor. I resisted temptation having just purchased a book - but Wendy used some of her garage sale earnings to purchase Anne of Avonlea for our ride home tomorrow and Allan tried his best to beat a puzzle set up in the childrens' area.  He would have stayed all day and night if I let him.

Home again - we had the pasties that we picked up at Roy's Pasty shop on our morning run - for dinner (follow that?)

Then Allan babysat while my mom and I went for a walk. We decided to do our walk thru the cemetery since we hadn't done that yet this trip. Having just scanned the Italian Hall book before dinner - I couldn't help but look to see if I could find any of their graves as the book mentioned that the bodies had been buried Catholics on one side and Protestants on the other  - much like this cemetery. We couldn't find them - even after asking some friends we happened upon (living ones).  I'll have to research that a little more because now I'm curious as it seems like they surely must have been buried here.

While we didn't find those graves - we did see this contraption, along with some type of sensor on a nearby tree.  Ghost busting? Or real live critter catching.  ;)

Back to my mom's - the van reloaded (we must leave tomorrow for certain - those ortho appointments are hard to reschedule!) and one more bowl of Jilberts topped with raspberries to wind down the day....

It was an extra day well worth it.....

Comments

[Brita]

The living friends comment is hysterical. Thanks for the laugh.

[Linda J]

What a fun, packed day you had.:) We have loved our trips to Copper Harbor and Brockway Mountain. It has been too many years since we've last been there. Hope you enjoy a good night's sleep in your own bed tonight - a good rest after a busy, fun vacation - always a treat.:)

[Deb Wisker]

So glad you decided on the extra day! Looks like it was totally worth it!

[Kim Kesti]

Stop about the Jilbert's already. Arrrghhhh.

[debbie]

Oohh, I'm so jealous. We're heading up for the first week of August and I cannot wait!!!! I know the time will be too short.

[Becca]

Good book choice, Wendy! ;)

[Rebecca]

My grandpa J. was also there in the hall and that's the story I heard about him too - that he was on the stage getting candy which saved him from the stampede. Would love to borrow your book sometime!

[JP]

Great recap of the day, that sand dune spot is one of our favorites too, hoping it's actually summer up there in a couple weeks when we go. Might want to watch how much rhubarb you pick next spring. I think I've heard along the way that when you first plant rhubarb you don't really want to even pick it at all during it's first real growing season.

[Auntie Barb]

What a great recap of your day. Wish we coulda joined you. We are hoping to go tomorrow or Thursday. I also have your Italian Hall book tucked away. Now you've inspired me to dig it out and have a good summer read. Hope your trip home was peaceful. I had good intentions of tucking in surprises for your kids travel boxes, but never got to it. You know how that goes.
It was good to see you!!