103,000 Miles: Loch Alpine

I almost missed it today. I knew it was getting close, but when I started driving this morning, I glanced at the mileage, 102,950, and thought that there was no way I was going to hit it today. All I had was church, then Meijer (for Father's Day shopping), then to my sister's in Webster Township, then home. This is not a 50-mile round trip.

But we got half way home from my sister's, had entered the Village of Dexter, when I remembered that I had not gathered the potted rose plant that my daughter gave me for Father's Day. I left it at my sister's. So we turned around, and I got distracted by everything, and forgot to think about the mileage.

On the way back, I thought we might drive through Loch Alpine (one of the first residential developments with country club to be built in Washtenaw County). It is about 70-some years old. We had had a lot of flooding in the area Friday night, and I wanted to see how it affected the lakes in Loch Alpine.


Date: Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Time: 4:00pm

Purpose of the trip: We just finished Father's Day at my sister's, where we ate some delicious grilled meat, and side dishes that included a delicious California Roll from Meijer. I had taken the girls to Yotsuba Japanese Restaurant last night. They loved it and are on a Sushi kick.

This side trip through Loch Alpine was en route to Stucchi's for an after-dinner treat! My niece Becky, who normally brings desserts-to-die-for, only brought a noodle salad today!

Where: Loch Alpine, in Scio Township, Michigan. We were on the main North-South stretch of E. Loch Alpine Drive, at about where my piano teacher used to live, (Judy McCormick). I turned down toward the lakes, and just happened to glance down, as the odometer hit 103,000. Whew!

I took the picture of my daughter in front of the spot where the creek drains into the lake. She has the golf course behind her, but today it is filled with a small pond from all the rain. In the distance is "Suicide Hill," where I used to come sledding when my Uncle Eddie lived there. Just across the street was the home of high school buddy Gerry Navarre, where I spent many nights playing cards.

The rainfall Friday night was a major weather event. The winter thaw had left the ground saturated, and it really has not been dry enough to get the ground to normal. We got up to four inches in about a two-hour period Friday night. Our basement began to flood, but my Dad and I kept it at bay until the rain stopped and the water receded (about 1:30am Saturday).

The Huron River was way up, and you never should see standing water as it appears in the picture.

On the Ipod/Radio: Don't You Want Me by the Human League, from my favorite songs of 1982 Playlist. My daughters have come to love the music of 1982. I agree it was a watershed year where pop and country music were both expanding into brand new areas.

But I don't like the way excellent music like this is turning into samples and commercial ditties. AM radio has become notorious, in the pervasive talk format, for cutting music down to these 40-second samples for which they do not have to pay a royalty. And now add things like the mop commercial that uses "Don't You Want Me." I mean, I agree that this is creative, and I do appreciate the talk shows keeping good songs alive.

But you gotta hear this song in its entirety, in full stereo! It still rocks! It reminds me of my first semester at Texas Christian University in the fall of 1982. I hung out with my buddy Rod Venner alot, and I loved the way he would sing it when it played (while driving his Camaro). Our society is "ADHD" enough, and we need to step helping it along!

Other Things About This Day: It was the second week of three services at Dexter United Methodist Church. The place is growing, and Pastor Matt Hook and the entire membership are doing something right. So, I got up early, and participated in two of the services. With all the coming and going, it was pretty much like a work-day. But I did do some recruiting for our U11 Panthers team in the Dexter Soccer Club. I spent some time on the phone and Internet working on this.

I also connected with a second cousin from a branch of the family with whom we had lost contact. She told me that lately she was feeling a little lonely, with so few relatives that were still in touch. She was thrilled that I called, and I will connect her to everybody else through our ancestry.com and myfamily.com sites.

For Father's Day, I got the rose, a water bottle, a musical card, and a painting by one of my daughters.

Goal for 104,000 Miles: The money hasn't been there for floor mats. I am too busy paying off bills like the student loan and some legal and medical bills. It will have to wait! So - I have no special goals, and might drop this section from the blog from now on!

102,000 Miles: A Stop at Busch's While the Price of Gas Increases

Nothing fancy or exciting about this milestone. I keep hoping to get outside the Dexter area for one of my 1,000 mile dates, but today the odometer turned just as I passed LaFontaine Chevrolet (about which, more later; given today's GM bankruptcy). My destination was Busch's, just next to LaFontaine, so that will be the main subject of today's blog!

This trip started out as a trip to the Dexter District Library. Or, shall I say the new Dexter District Library on Alpine Street. While there I had a visit with a dear friend that is going through some extreme difficulties in her life. I saw the hugely talented Mitchell Clark, DHS '09 and superb trombonist. It was my pleasure to be his accompanist at Solo and Ensemble for about three of his years in band (until he got way out of my league!) Mitch is on his way to college, as a music major. He comes from Dexter's Clarks, of Cribley Drilling, from which I always purchase my water-softener salt (ThinkDexterFirst!) Mitch works at the library.



I spent a little time on the library computer, while my daughter checked out two books, Sweethearts by Sara Zarr, and Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer. My computer work involved updating some information on my Geni page, about my grandmother, Fern Turnbow, and Great Grandfather, John Wach. I also logged some comments on my grandmother's myfamily.com page, and sent greetings out to some distant Wach cousins.


Date: Monday, June 1st, 2009

Time: 9:00pm

Purpose of the trip: Having spent some time at the library, I and my daughter went through town, to pick up a treat at Busch's. The girls have been working hard at their band, piano, play practices, music rehearsals at church, confirmation (which was yesterday), soccer, volleyball, and general end-of-school-year stuff. And I reached a new money milestone today. I was feeling good about doing something nice and special.

Where: Dexter, Michigan. Eastbound, Dexter-Ann Arbor Road, at Dan Hoey intersection, Washtenaw County, Michigan. I could have made LaFontaine the featured site, but as explained above, I went with Busch's.

We bought some M&M ice cream cookie sandwiches for everybody, and also some treats for their girls' lunches: Keebler Cheese Crackers, Kraft Dunk 'ems, and Mini Golden Oreos. In the impulse-buy category I bought a box of Malt-o-Meal Cinnamon Toasters, which were on sale for $1.29. They are comparable to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which I love. But I hate the generic brand versions of the same. I also like Malt-o-Meal, so I will give them a chance to win me over on this one!

The Dexter Busch's is outstanding. Some people say they shop elsewhere because Busch's prices are higher. I say "Bunk!" Busch's annually donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to Dexter's schools, athletics, clubs, and many, many charitable events. The store is always clean, and the staff always professional. And if you look around, you can always find sale items. The entry-way is clean, and the can-return area is kept odor-free (Store Manager Dennis Blanchard told me they are required to clean it completely, twice a day!).

Speaking of Dennis, he's the best. Here's a store manager that remembers your name, and always smiles and says "hello." He also makes himself known throughout town. Busch's is a Southeastern-based retail chain that maintains a hometown feel. Each store adapts to local character and culture, and reflects it in its design and emphasis.

I shop at Busch's for all of these reasons, and I know that my money spent there comes back to help our community, and our kids.

On the Ipod/Radio: Listen to What the Man Said, from Paul McCartney's All the Best. This great song reminds me of riding in Dean Lindemann's pickup, to track practice at the U of M track during Spring Break in the late 70s. (Dexter did not have a track in those days. We had to use other tracks). This song was played a lot during the Spring of 1977. I always wish the sax solo at the end had led into a long extended, four minute solo.

Other Things About This Day: I'm getting upset about the escalating price of gas. Two years ago everybody blamed President Bush about the $4 a gallon. We are approaching $3 now. And Bush-Cheney have nothing to do with this! Today GM announced a bankrutpcy, and the Obama Administration thinks its team of politicians can run a corporation! (You Obama backers - and I am an independent - need to think about whether or not you would like Republicans having the power to eliminate your jobs; the same power you have conferred upon President Obama! We are all in this together, we need to watch each other's backs, and no President should have this kind of leverage over our livelihoods!)

I say this because I want President Obama to succeed. But he is taking control over so much of the economy, that if it does not work, and gas prices rise, and people lose their jobs, and we get inflation, he will be the only one to blame. He has made himself the one, the sole, the only, the final root and branch of our economy's rise and/or fall. If this stuff does not work he will be the one, and only, person worthy to take the blame. Even President Bush could not claim half the culpability! We need to be careful!

So - gas prices are going up, and I look to the White House to do common sense things to bring them back down! (The President has all but said we needed to pay more for energy!)

Finally, my discussion with my friend in the library only reinforced my total disdain for our system of divorce and family law in the U.S. No-fault divorce is wrong, morally and ethically. Anything so harmful to children and families needs to have blame foisted upon somebody! My friend is forced to accept conditions that are wrong for her kids (by what they must witness in the home of their father). And the courts do little about it. They only want the docket cleared.

Goal for 103,000 Miles: Well, I still would like to get some new floor mats. But I think I had better stow some money for my car, in a gas fund! So - hopefully I will finally have those mats at the next posting!