Thank you, Tony!

I read today, that Tony Curtis has died. Growing up, he became one of my favorite actors. I loved him in so many films.

Some Like It Hot. The Vikings. Sex and the Single Girl. The Great Race.

There are too many more to mention them all, so I'll just tell you my all-time favorite. Houdini!

I learned years after, that it isn't a very realistic portrayal of Houdini's life. But it fired my young imagination, all the same.

Thank you Tony. Yours was a gift, that made me smile!

Another Big Boy adventure story

I know I've already told you, how my dear Aunt Christine, and my Uncle Doug, visited us last weekend in Battle Creek.

Well...there is another great story to tell. Last weekend; while driving from Makinaw City to Battle Creek, aunt Christine and uncle Doug kept seeing signs for Big Boy restaurants. Long ago a staple of Milwaukee restaurants, now they are only a dim memory! But the signs re-kindled a desire, that had to be quenched. I swear-to-God; the first words they spoke, when Toni and I saw them we're, "Do you have a Big Boy, and can we please go to it?"

Hey, when your in Michigan, we aim to please!

Wolf sighting!

Good morning. Pat here, with a strange little tale, about an incident last night that I still find pretty amazing. (And funny!) Last night Toni and I got back from our walk around the neighborhood about seven o' clock. Toni looked out the back patio door an exclaimed, "what is that, a mountain lion?"

I laughed, took a look out the window, and had to blink once or twice before I could confirm, or deny what I had seen. NO! It wasn't a mountain lion. It was a large wolf! I have never seen anything that large, and stealthy, walk through the back yard. It strolled around the gazebo, but didn't approach the house!

I tried to get my camera, but it saw me move and it turned and walked back into the cornfield. Toni and I laughed about her thinking it was a mountain lion, but it did kind of walk that way. Like it was stalking prey!

Toni was on her cell phone talking with Chris, and when she said, "dad is going to try and get a picture", Chris exclaimed; "don't you go out there! He'll think you are dessert!"

Special Packer Day

Yeah...I know they lost last night. But did you see that amazing video at half-time? ESPN showed a Make-a-Wish recipient, Anna Schmidt's dream come true. It's a tear-jerk-er...but hey, some of life's best moments are! Watch!

Michigan postcard for end of August

Hello faithful readers, Pat here with a Michigan post card of whats happening in Battle Creek! NOT much! Sorry, but that is about the long and short of it!

Toni is doing well. She got all excited Sunday morning, because we had, at long last, a return visit by a family of deer, that have been hanging out in the backyard. A doe and her two fawns; have been visiting the back yard to eat the fallen apples from our one, old, scrawny apple tree.

The fawns aren't so little any more! (They also seemed to have gotten, a LOT jumpier!)

Leaves are falling pretty fast these days. Looks like its getting near the time, I'll have to pack up the lawn furniture for the year! Toni loves the fall colors. But I am not a big fan! I guess its because I dwell on what comes next!

Just passin' thru (money, that is...)

Hey there. Pat here with a quick weekend update. I had special visitors today. My Aunt Christine, and my Uncle Douglas, came through Battle Creek, (on their way home to Florida)! Toni and I took them out to the Fire Keeper's Indian Casino, and then, they in turn, treated us to dinner at Big Boy's. I lost money! What else is new?

Had a great time seeing them.

Just a quick update on Chris' phone. Toni and I bought Chris a new iPhone. Took a little while to get it connected in Chicago, but Toni has tons of patience to get things straighten out on the phone with ATT.

Catch-22

So last weekend, Chris was visiting in Michigan. Took him home to Chicago, only to discover, he left his phone charger back in Michigan! No problem, I'll just mail it over-night to Chicago. Problem solved. But, alas, no. Turns out, Chris doesn't have a "permanent Name" on his apartment mailbox. So the Postman wouldn't deliver said over-night package.

Now, I have no way to call Chris, to tell him, get your apartment manager to print you a permanent name tag, pronto; and no way to tell the mail, just delivery the #$&^*&ing package, since you already deliver all the rest of his @#$%#ing mail!

Just a little mad right now!

Prayer answered!

Good morning everyone. Last night I got word, that my dear cousin Jill, has won her bout with cancer. She endured long painful sessions of treatment, and has become my hero for facing such an ordeal with grace, and determination!

Say a prayer for the gifts we have. Too often, we take them for granted; the blessings we have. As for me, I have a smile on my face, for prayers answered!

Metropolis in Ann Arbor

Hi faithful readers. I went to see a very special film in Ann Arbor over the weekend. Metropolis was a silent film originally released in 1927. The film barely survived for 84 years, but in 2008, a mostly complete 16mm print was found. After a 2-year restoration project, the film has been re-released for audiences to see once more on the big screen.

My buddy Bob, came to Michigan, and we saw the film Sunday, with a live organ accompaniment, just like the original silent-film days. The State Theatre; is a classic, old, film theatre opened during the silent film days. Both Bob and I enjoyed it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was an amazing performance.

OK, Cute...

This is one of those cute video's where, I watch them, love them, and just have to post them.

~Enjoy!

What's New

Well, I'm finally done, outside. This summer, I've had the pleasure of painting outside. Toni and I had new shutters added to the house, and once they were up, why, I just had to paint the trim to match. The last item on the to-do list, was paint the porch!

Ta-da! I'm finished!