There were two memorials today that affected Wild Bill and I. One was for a guy from work that Bill has known forever and I've known for a good twenty years, maybe more. The other was the younger brother of a young lady we've more or less adopted as a niece to us; he was tragically killed in a car accident just as he seemed to be making great strides in his personal life. I guess at the ripe old age of 57, this will happen more often, although losing Heather's brother is a shock because of his tender age.
Then later today I learned that my cousin's good friend from Brazil, who was flying up here to Michigan in about a week, was found dead in his home. This is the thing that scares me more than anything else in the world! Dj lived alone and had a few health issues (nothing nearly as extensive as mine but I guess normal for a man approaching retirement age?), and no one had heard from him in a few days. I don't know how long he had been gone before he was found, but I can't help but think "Did he suffer? Was he aware of what was happening and that he had no help?"
I really feel for my cousin Mike. He is the type of guy who, when he tries something new and likes it, he embraces it MORE than whole-heartedly. He enthuses in a manner so over-the-top, I find myself pulling back in fear from airborne flying chunks of passion! This is how he was about Brazil when he went there and took a bazillion photos, and this is how he was four years or so ago when Dj was last in the U.S.
They were looking forward to Dj spending the fall/winter holidays in Michigan: Halloween, with people wearing their costumes over their winter coats, American Thanksgiving, and a white Christmas. These will all be so hard for Cousin Mike. He suffers from his own debilitating conditions and has spent the past several years wondering how long he'd have a roof over his head, where next weeks groceries will come from, etc. Now he is living a little more comfortably and can relax and spend time with one of his closest friends in the world. Except he can't.
My theory is that we gimps feel these losses more acutely. We have fewer good things in our lives to look forward too, have already lost so much in the way of our lifestyles, and have given up our independence already. Everything we have left are therefore that more precious to us, especially our family members and our friends. I could be wrong--it may only be the gimps I know personally, and I just happen to be drawn to people who have a great capacity for love and caring. And with that I'll try to sleep and dream of baby donkeys.
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Why Don't People Report Their Missing Pets?
I do a tiny it of volunteer work for my county's animal shelter. I do a little social media work for them, networking with local animal lovers, area rescue groups, local businesses that have pet owners for customers, etc. I usually stop in at the shelter twice a week to see if there are any great stories about any of the animals, any plans for adoption events or anything else the Animal Control Department may be involved in. Anything I can "exploit" for the purposes of re-homing our guests is fair game!
I know the public image of animal shelters, and in fact I often still hear it referred to as "the pound." Dog catchers, usually the guys who couldn't cut it as garbage men, drive around neighborhoods snatching up innocent dogs and cart them off to doggy jail. Once all the little doggy jail cells are full, the dogs are dragged off to the gas chamber, howling in pain and desperation as they slowly die. Oh, and if you're a pit bull? You never see the inside of a kennel--you go straight to the gas chamber. That's what a LOT of uninformed people think a shelter is like. And you know what? Many of them are!
But not in Clare County. Our Animal Contol Director and our single Animal Control Officer are ALL about the welfare of the animals. Since there are only two uniformed officers to pick up strays, most of their time is spent answering complaints: dog bites, barking dogs, dogs digging up flower beds, etc. On the rare occasion that they DO pick up a stray, it will be on the way back to the shelterr or on the way to the next call.
Once a dog comes to the shelter as a stray,
I know the public image of animal shelters, and in fact I often still hear it referred to as "the pound." Dog catchers, usually the guys who couldn't cut it as garbage men, drive around neighborhoods snatching up innocent dogs and cart them off to doggy jail. Once all the little doggy jail cells are full, the dogs are dragged off to the gas chamber, howling in pain and desperation as they slowly die. Oh, and if you're a pit bull? You never see the inside of a kennel--you go straight to the gas chamber. That's what a LOT of uninformed people think a shelter is like. And you know what? Many of them are!
But not in Clare County. Our Animal Contol Director and our single Animal Control Officer are ALL about the welfare of the animals. Since there are only two uniformed officers to pick up strays, most of their time is spent answering complaints: dog bites, barking dogs, dogs digging up flower beds, etc. On the rare occasion that they DO pick up a stray, it will be on the way back to the shelterr or on the way to the next call.
Once a dog comes to the shelter as a stray,
Wiltse's Brew Pub
Wiltse's Brew Pub is on F-41 north of Oscoda, and is easy to find with their signage and multiple-entrance parking area. It is a perfect balance between foodie establishment and family restaurant, and I would feel comfortable bringing Grandmother, the teens and tweens, and the friends my own age that I'd bring for a good time, great food and relaxed atmostphere.
Not all of the seating is on the same level, but during my visit the hostess and wait staff displayed knowledge and experience in smoothly accommodating different abilities.
Not all of the seating is on the same level, but during my visit the hostess and wait staff displayed knowledge and experience in smoothly accommodating different abilities.
I haven't done much traveling around Michigan the past several years, so yesterday, Sept 4, 2015, was a pleasant change. Wild Bill and I took a day and just drove my sorry self around the northeaster areas of the lower peninsula just to see what we could find for a physically challenged person to do!
We stopped for lunch at the Rose City Cafe a lovely little spot perfect for a girlfriend lunch, big family meal, senior citizen dining, etc. The food was "home cooking" style, and the decor was grandmother chic. There was a ramp to one of the entrances out front, and the ladies room was plenty spacious for a walker or wheelchair. There were tables of several different sizes near the front, so if you had extra mobility gear with you, maneuvering should not present much of a problem. I ordered the French Dip, and it was incredibly salty. I couldn't even taste the meat. They also pile more fries on the plate than an average person can comfortably eat. Bill had a sandwich wrap that sounds as though it was a little more flavorful. The ladies room, while nice in size, has a door TOO SMALL to enter with a rolling walker or chair! It is plenty roomy once inside, but not of much use for a mobility challenged person, so bear that in mind if taking Mom or Grandma there for dinner.
We spent a good chunk of the afternoon at a park along US-23 in Alpena. It was the first walk along the beach I've had in over a decade! There is a paved walkway that extends from at least one park to nother, perhaps even further. I walked most of the length of the way between the two parks pushing my rolling walker and hauling a little oxygen tank. There was a children's playground with swings, slides, and what looked like a kiddie climbing wall, a roofed-over picnic pavilion, and a modern and well-kept bathroom/changing room near the beach. Tables and benches were randomly placed in both sunny and shady places in the park. The smooth enjoyable walking area, shared with bicycles and pet walkers was perfect for my rehab exercise; I was able to set a brisk pace and maintain it without interruption, even though it was the beginning of a holiday weekend. I am not sure Alpena is that much of a tourist destination, even though there are SO MANY great things to see and do in the area!
Downtown Alpena was bustling and vibrant. People were walking, shopping, stopping for coffee, and appeared to be running business errands because you saw everyone from those dressed in office wear to those who were stopping off on the way home from the beach, and everyone in-between. I was struck by the fact that even though this city is so full of fun things for visitors, it was NOT over-run with chintzy gift and souvenir shops. Perhaps they are all confined to a part of town we didn't visit?
Other towns we visited included Mio, Fairview, Hillman, Lewiston, Atlanta, and Roscommon. We stopped in Roscommon for dinner and wanted to try a place called Fred's, but the line was long, the wait even longer, and the inside was too packed to try negotiating with a walker. Instead we ate at a bar called Rosco's and it wasn't bad. They had a good Friday night fish/seafood menu and my shrimp was great but Bill said his tartar sauce tasted like it was made with low-fat off-brand mayo.
I am currently using oxygen because of deep-vein thrombosis leading to blood clots in my lungs. It appears I've had this problem for a long time but I was only diagnosed a month ago. We don't know yet how long I'll be using the O2. The PA I see for general little sniffles and referrals says anywhere from 2 months to a year--or maybe the rest of my life. Who knows? Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to a donkey ranch, and I'm trying to find a way to get a mobility scooter out there. I do not have a rack for it on the back of my car, and my car is not able to have one added on.
We stopped for lunch at the Rose City Cafe a lovely little spot perfect for a girlfriend lunch, big family meal, senior citizen dining, etc. The food was "home cooking" style, and the decor was grandmother chic. There was a ramp to one of the entrances out front, and the ladies room was plenty spacious for a walker or wheelchair. There were tables of several different sizes near the front, so if you had extra mobility gear with you, maneuvering should not present much of a problem. I ordered the French Dip, and it was incredibly salty. I couldn't even taste the meat. They also pile more fries on the plate than an average person can comfortably eat. Bill had a sandwich wrap that sounds as though it was a little more flavorful. The ladies room, while nice in size, has a door TOO SMALL to enter with a rolling walker or chair! It is plenty roomy once inside, but not of much use for a mobility challenged person, so bear that in mind if taking Mom or Grandma there for dinner.
We spent a good chunk of the afternoon at a park along US-23 in Alpena. It was the first walk along the beach I've had in over a decade! There is a paved walkway that extends from at least one park to nother, perhaps even further. I walked most of the length of the way between the two parks pushing my rolling walker and hauling a little oxygen tank. There was a children's playground with swings, slides, and what looked like a kiddie climbing wall, a roofed-over picnic pavilion, and a modern and well-kept bathroom/changing room near the beach. Tables and benches were randomly placed in both sunny and shady places in the park. The smooth enjoyable walking area, shared with bicycles and pet walkers was perfect for my rehab exercise; I was able to set a brisk pace and maintain it without interruption, even though it was the beginning of a holiday weekend. I am not sure Alpena is that much of a tourist destination, even though there are SO MANY great things to see and do in the area!
Downtown Alpena was bustling and vibrant. People were walking, shopping, stopping for coffee, and appeared to be running business errands because you saw everyone from those dressed in office wear to those who were stopping off on the way home from the beach, and everyone in-between. I was struck by the fact that even though this city is so full of fun things for visitors, it was NOT over-run with chintzy gift and souvenir shops. Perhaps they are all confined to a part of town we didn't visit?
Other towns we visited included Mio, Fairview, Hillman, Lewiston, Atlanta, and Roscommon. We stopped in Roscommon for dinner and wanted to try a place called Fred's, but the line was long, the wait even longer, and the inside was too packed to try negotiating with a walker. Instead we ate at a bar called Rosco's and it wasn't bad. They had a good Friday night fish/seafood menu and my shrimp was great but Bill said his tartar sauce tasted like it was made with low-fat off-brand mayo.
I am currently using oxygen because of deep-vein thrombosis leading to blood clots in my lungs. It appears I've had this problem for a long time but I was only diagnosed a month ago. We don't know yet how long I'll be using the O2. The PA I see for general little sniffles and referrals says anywhere from 2 months to a year--or maybe the rest of my life. Who knows? Tomorrow I'm going to venture out to a donkey ranch, and I'm trying to find a way to get a mobility scooter out there. I do not have a rack for it on the back of my car, and my car is not able to have one added on.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Wurtsmith Museum, Oscoda, MI
The Friday before Father's Day, my sister, her husband and son, and I all went to see the Wurtsmith Museum north of Oscoda. My Dad worked at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, where the Museum now occupies three hangers, from 1967 until he retired when the base closed in 1993. Since Dad passed away in 2007, I set aside time for his birthday and for Fathers Day and still do the things we would have enjoyed doing together if he were still here with me. This year's June activity was visiting the old Air Force Base grounds and the Museum.
This is NOT a place I would recommend for elderly or disabled persons to visit. Like many small, underfunded museums, the building is not handicap accessible. The displays are too close together to be able to squeeze a walker or wheelchair between them all. There are a few small steps in the building, some uneven flooring between one display "room" and the next, and lots of wires and cables across the floor in the second and third hangars. The restroom facilities consist of one "handicap-accessible" porta-potty outside the entrance to the first hangar of the museum (yeah, I don't use those either!) with no way to wash your hands.
I didn't leave myself enough time to explore the rest of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. I wish I would have, but since I went with three other people, each with their own agenda, I'll have to make a trip back with only one other person. It was an INTERESTING museum, fascinating history for anyone interested in military history, Michigan history, or older technology, but not a place I recommend to my fellow gimps!
I noticed on my trip back toward home that some recent work has been done along River Road following the Au Sable River from Oscoda upstream to M-65. I'd like an opportunity to stop at several of the scenic overlooks, including Lumberman's Monument, Iargo Springs and the Canoer's Memborial. I know there are several decks and I wonder how easy it is to get to them. If anyone knows and would like to describe them to me, that would be great! *Insert big toothy grin here.* Or I may just visit them myself if and when I get over to Tawas soon to visit the Zoo.
This is NOT a place I would recommend for elderly or disabled persons to visit. Like many small, underfunded museums, the building is not handicap accessible. The displays are too close together to be able to squeeze a walker or wheelchair between them all. There are a few small steps in the building, some uneven flooring between one display "room" and the next, and lots of wires and cables across the floor in the second and third hangars. The restroom facilities consist of one "handicap-accessible" porta-potty outside the entrance to the first hangar of the museum (yeah, I don't use those either!) with no way to wash your hands.
I didn't leave myself enough time to explore the rest of the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base. I wish I would have, but since I went with three other people, each with their own agenda, I'll have to make a trip back with only one other person. It was an INTERESTING museum, fascinating history for anyone interested in military history, Michigan history, or older technology, but not a place I recommend to my fellow gimps!
I noticed on my trip back toward home that some recent work has been done along River Road following the Au Sable River from Oscoda upstream to M-65. I'd like an opportunity to stop at several of the scenic overlooks, including Lumberman's Monument, Iargo Springs and the Canoer's Memborial. I know there are several decks and I wonder how easy it is to get to them. If anyone knows and would like to describe them to me, that would be great! *Insert big toothy grin here.* Or I may just visit them myself if and when I get over to Tawas soon to visit the Zoo.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Jeep Creep 2013
Riverwalk Place provided the ideal place for gimps like me to fully participate and feel like we belong!
The Jeep Creep 2013 was a three-day event the last weekend before Halloween. It was an indoor/outdoor event with plenty of activities for those of us who aren't totally, absolutely crazy about Jeeps. If you are able to pull yourself in and out of a Jeep the event is otherwise barrier-free. I saw 3 or 4 wheelchair jockeys, two other rolling walkers and several pairs of crutches. It was a relief to NOT be the most decrepit person there!
Each of the three days had a big event for Jeep lovers. Friday night, many of the Jeeps were decorated in Halloween themes and drove in a parade from the Riverwalk Place parking lot all the way down M-61 to the east end of Gladwin, doing a U-turn in front of Kentucky Fried Chicken and returning back to the starting point. We were pleased to see so many locals braving the cold to watch, point and wave! Our dinged-up old Wranger sported a copper jack-o-lantern hanging from the front winch, a skeleton scarecrow hung from the radio antenna and twisting in the wind, and gooey green slime hands slid down the windshield. Every corner had a uniformed cop preventing traffic from interrupting the parade, and we joked that we should have swung through Clare to pick up from Cops & Donuts hand handed out semi-stale crullers to the peace officers. I must say, though, those in uniform seemed to be enjoying themselves!
Saturday the vendors filled the outdoor areas on the grounds. Must of them were tables and pop-up canopies with 4x4 add-ons, but there was a chainsaw carver at work, and a display of stone cutters who could make memorials, headstones, garden stones and markers with any number of designs on them--including Jeep logos, of course! Inside the garage area a local animal rescue group held an adopt-a-thon and collected donated pet food. The local Jeep dealership down the road had an off-road course and rock wall for registered attendees to attempt for $15. But the Big Deal for the day was the hour the parking lot was closed to moving vehicles and hundreds of trick-or-treaters swarmed the Jeeps in search of candy and loot! And by hundreds, I am not exaggerating; even with over 350 Jeeps registered, we ran out of candy with 45 minutes to spare! Wild Bill ran to the nearest store in search of something appropriate but it was a gas station convenience store and only had the full-size candy bars. Boo, what a couple of scrooges we were!
Sunday we had a choice between going to Rocks and Valleys for half price or the 3 hour trail ride up towards St Helen and Roscommon. We chose the trail ride, thinking it was be calm and would save wear and tear on our vehicle. WRONG! Within minute of leavig the road we were submerged in a deep puddle, stalled, but finally made it out on our own. Further up the road we stalled because the destributor was wet and we had to wait for someone to come along behind us with WD-40. The rest of the trip we kept losing power as the alternator died, and finally gave up when the fuel pump stopped running in front of the Richfield Township Fire Hall. Fortunately one of the leaders of our trail-riding group came along with jumper cables and saved us. We met some really fun people on the trail but unfortunately didn't get any names or phone numbers to get together for future rides.
If you own a Jeep or have a buddy who does, THIS IS SOMETHING A GIMP CAN EASILY DO!
Riverwalk Place is totally accessable,with ramps, smooth walkways, elevators and great accessible restrooms on all floors. In fact, most of downtown Gladwin has smooth sidewalks and crosswalks, although a few downtown buildings have steps up to the front door. Besides the Riverwalk Grill and the bar being open for meals, there were chili and burger stands strategically placed where attendees could purchase and consume hot food as they strolled and browsed. A person who needed a lot of rest would find many comfy chairs indoors and even more bench seating outdoors on the grounds. By this time next year I expect a bigger parking lot and expanded garden spaces, all beautifally landscaped to invite lingering.
We will be back next year with more decorations and a LOT more candy!
The Jeep Creep 2013 was a three-day event the last weekend before Halloween. It was an indoor/outdoor event with plenty of activities for those of us who aren't totally, absolutely crazy about Jeeps. If you are able to pull yourself in and out of a Jeep the event is otherwise barrier-free. I saw 3 or 4 wheelchair jockeys, two other rolling walkers and several pairs of crutches. It was a relief to NOT be the most decrepit person there!
Each of the three days had a big event for Jeep lovers. Friday night, many of the Jeeps were decorated in Halloween themes and drove in a parade from the Riverwalk Place parking lot all the way down M-61 to the east end of Gladwin, doing a U-turn in front of Kentucky Fried Chicken and returning back to the starting point. We were pleased to see so many locals braving the cold to watch, point and wave! Our dinged-up old Wranger sported a copper jack-o-lantern hanging from the front winch, a skeleton scarecrow hung from the radio antenna and twisting in the wind, and gooey green slime hands slid down the windshield. Every corner had a uniformed cop preventing traffic from interrupting the parade, and we joked that we should have swung through Clare to pick up from Cops & Donuts hand handed out semi-stale crullers to the peace officers. I must say, though, those in uniform seemed to be enjoying themselves!
Saturday the vendors filled the outdoor areas on the grounds. Must of them were tables and pop-up canopies with 4x4 add-ons, but there was a chainsaw carver at work, and a display of stone cutters who could make memorials, headstones, garden stones and markers with any number of designs on them--including Jeep logos, of course! Inside the garage area a local animal rescue group held an adopt-a-thon and collected donated pet food. The local Jeep dealership down the road had an off-road course and rock wall for registered attendees to attempt for $15. But the Big Deal for the day was the hour the parking lot was closed to moving vehicles and hundreds of trick-or-treaters swarmed the Jeeps in search of candy and loot! And by hundreds, I am not exaggerating; even with over 350 Jeeps registered, we ran out of candy with 45 minutes to spare! Wild Bill ran to the nearest store in search of something appropriate but it was a gas station convenience store and only had the full-size candy bars. Boo, what a couple of scrooges we were!
Sunday we had a choice between going to Rocks and Valleys for half price or the 3 hour trail ride up towards St Helen and Roscommon. We chose the trail ride, thinking it was be calm and would save wear and tear on our vehicle. WRONG! Within minute of leavig the road we were submerged in a deep puddle, stalled, but finally made it out on our own. Further up the road we stalled because the destributor was wet and we had to wait for someone to come along behind us with WD-40. The rest of the trip we kept losing power as the alternator died, and finally gave up when the fuel pump stopped running in front of the Richfield Township Fire Hall. Fortunately one of the leaders of our trail-riding group came along with jumper cables and saved us. We met some really fun people on the trail but unfortunately didn't get any names or phone numbers to get together for future rides.
If you own a Jeep or have a buddy who does, THIS IS SOMETHING A GIMP CAN EASILY DO!
Riverwalk Place is totally accessable,with ramps, smooth walkways, elevators and great accessible restrooms on all floors. In fact, most of downtown Gladwin has smooth sidewalks and crosswalks, although a few downtown buildings have steps up to the front door. Besides the Riverwalk Grill and the bar being open for meals, there were chili and burger stands strategically placed where attendees could purchase and consume hot food as they strolled and browsed. A person who needed a lot of rest would find many comfy chairs indoors and even more bench seating outdoors on the grounds. By this time next year I expect a bigger parking lot and expanded garden spaces, all beautifally landscaped to invite lingering.
We will be back next year with more decorations and a LOT more candy!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Four-Wheelin'! (Includes review of Swiss Inn's accessabiliy)
Despite my fixed feelings about Michigan Mud Jam, I still enjoy 4-wheeling with my husband, family and friends! Last weekend we met up with our nephew and his wife in our Jeep and their Ford Ranger at Rocks and Valleys Off Road Park south of Harrison. Although I was really sick that day and had to give up after a mere 2-1/2 hours, it was a BLAST until I became to nauseous to continue on! (This was a result of the painkillers I was taking for a recently pulled tooth, NOT from the 4-wheeling itself.) This park has easy trails for side-by-sides and intermediate trails for riders like us, and EXTREME trails. I've never seen the extreme trails because they require specialized equipment to go down.
I enjoy the trail riding because it's something I can do a little of on my own. I'll leave the steep-hill climbing to my dear hubby, but there is no reason why I can't drive it through the mud bogs and twisting trails myself--as long as there are friends nearby to help me when I get stuck! But the beauty of it is, EVERYONE gets stuck sooner or later! Either stalled in the middle of a pond, sucked down in the mud, or high-centered on a rock! The only thing I am not able to do at this park is hook up the winch cable to a tree-saver or just plain push. So to my fellow Michigan Gimps--if you are a thrill seeker with minimum use of your legs, get your 4 x 4 buddies to bring you along! MOST people who enjoy a sport are happy to bring along a new enthusiast or show off in front of their friends!
Last night we went over to the same nephew's home in White Birch Estates outside of Farwell. The community has a 4 x 4 "play area" and that's where we played! It was a cold, drizzly day but our other nephew and niece from out of state was up for the weekend and they brought their side-by-side Yamaha! Our local nephew has one, we brought our Polaris Ranger over and the boys' dad has one that he rode over from Silver Lake. What a party! Also a childhood friend of the boys rode along with the dad, and a drunken neighbor came along in our two-seater for part of the ride. What a blast we had in that one dinky community pit! Of course my dear hubby wasted no time in plunging ours through the middle of the pond at the bottom, where the water rushed over our floorboards, soaked our feet and getting us stuck!
I enjoy the trail riding because it's something I can do a little of on my own. I'll leave the steep-hill climbing to my dear hubby, but there is no reason why I can't drive it through the mud bogs and twisting trails myself--as long as there are friends nearby to help me when I get stuck! But the beauty of it is, EVERYONE gets stuck sooner or later! Either stalled in the middle of a pond, sucked down in the mud, or high-centered on a rock! The only thing I am not able to do at this park is hook up the winch cable to a tree-saver or just plain push. So to my fellow Michigan Gimps--if you are a thrill seeker with minimum use of your legs, get your 4 x 4 buddies to bring you along! MOST people who enjoy a sport are happy to bring along a new enthusiast or show off in front of their friends!
Last night we went over to the same nephew's home in White Birch Estates outside of Farwell. The community has a 4 x 4 "play area" and that's where we played! It was a cold, drizzly day but our other nephew and niece from out of state was up for the weekend and they brought their side-by-side Yamaha! Our local nephew has one, we brought our Polaris Ranger over and the boys' dad has one that he rode over from Silver Lake. What a party! Also a childhood friend of the boys rode along with the dad, and a drunken neighbor came along in our two-seater for part of the ride. What a blast we had in that one dinky community pit! Of course my dear hubby wasted no time in plunging ours through the middle of the pond at the bottom, where the water rushed over our floorboards, soaked our feet and getting us stuck!
We all got stuck in the water or mud or got hung up on rocks--except our brother-out-law, who kept busy pulling everyone clear, ha ha! Except for having to keep my feet raised for so long it made my legs cramp, this gimp survived just fine! There was another smaller mud hole that we tore up something awful too. I feel really sorry for anyone who comes out there today to play because when we left the mud pits LOOKED very tame with no indication of how bottomless the mud really is!
We rode over to the Swiss Inn in Lake George for a bite to eat when it grew dark. They have a handicap entrance around back, which I didn't use because our party was plenty large enough to get me up and down the steps. The restrooms are tiny and awkward--too small to use if you are dependent on a wheelchair or rolling walker. Fortunately for me, I am able to take a few steps without my walker so I was okay, but just a warning for anyone who isn't that able. Everyone's food seemed to be good, but they had no croutons for the chef salad one of the girls ordered. Another girl regaled us with the story of her LAST visit to the Swiss Inn, which included a food server that had no concept of hygiene--yuck!
Rode a few more hours after that and finally ended the day around 11 pm at our nephew's house where we'd parked the truck and trailer. Good time had with good friends for very little money once again! Don't be afraid to reach out to your friends who enjoy this sport--they'll find a way to include you come mud or high water!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Michigan Mud Jam, Part 2
As promised, a follow-up on the organization of Michigan Mud Jam. It started when some buddies made a mud bog on a farm belonging to one of them, and started inviting more and more people. The new friends invited their other friends and so on until several thousand people started showing up. The event was moved to Iosco County Fairgrounds and became a Trucks Gone Wild event. The fairgrounds cleared scrub trees and made a much larger area for playing in the mud and for thousands of campers jammed into tiny, inadequate camping spaces.
I don't know how many porta-johns were brought in, but there were banks of a dozen or so all over the campgrounds and in key play zones and specatator areas, and I believe they were all emptied twice a day all weekend. There were numerous large dumpsters near the entrance for trash, but trash was a big problem all weekend long and especeially on Sunday when everyone left. I think a lot of people didn't know/forgot the location of the dumpsters. It was an awkward location because there wasn't much room to pull off and dump your trash in the congested entrance/exit area and I think they would have been better served by providing dumpsters in several areas of the campgrounds and also trash cans in the play and spectator areas.
During the big truck shows it was immediately appearant that they needed more barriers between the trucks and the grandstands. Number one, the trucks were making approaches within ten feet of the inadequate barriers and for machinery of that size there's no reason why there can't be more distance. They are big enough to be seen from quite far away! The barriers themselves were just low blocks of concrete with heavy cable linking them together. People were sitting on the barriers and stepping over the cables, putting themselves even closer to the action. At one time I saw four Iosco County Reserve "deputies" standing around together but didn't see them doing anything to move people back beyond the barriers.
I was a little surprised that all the food trucks and vendors were all in an area that we never went close to all day. I would have expected them to be a little closer to the grandstand area. I was at the event from 8:30 am to 8:00pm and never even knew they were there!
But I read the Michigan Mud Jam web page and Facebook page after the event and it sounds like the organizers learned a lot from their inaugural event. Other than a guy getting his legs run over on Friday, I didn't hear of any other serious injuries. After all the bills are paid and everything shakes out I expect to hear they will be back next year. One suggestion I have is they should raise their entry fees--at an average price of $20/day per person including camping it's much,much cheaper than any other entertainment available of ANY kind!
I don't know how many porta-johns were brought in, but there were banks of a dozen or so all over the campgrounds and in key play zones and specatator areas, and I believe they were all emptied twice a day all weekend. There were numerous large dumpsters near the entrance for trash, but trash was a big problem all weekend long and especeially on Sunday when everyone left. I think a lot of people didn't know/forgot the location of the dumpsters. It was an awkward location because there wasn't much room to pull off and dump your trash in the congested entrance/exit area and I think they would have been better served by providing dumpsters in several areas of the campgrounds and also trash cans in the play and spectator areas.
During the big truck shows it was immediately appearant that they needed more barriers between the trucks and the grandstands. Number one, the trucks were making approaches within ten feet of the inadequate barriers and for machinery of that size there's no reason why there can't be more distance. They are big enough to be seen from quite far away! The barriers themselves were just low blocks of concrete with heavy cable linking them together. People were sitting on the barriers and stepping over the cables, putting themselves even closer to the action. At one time I saw four Iosco County Reserve "deputies" standing around together but didn't see them doing anything to move people back beyond the barriers.
I was a little surprised that all the food trucks and vendors were all in an area that we never went close to all day. I would have expected them to be a little closer to the grandstand area. I was at the event from 8:30 am to 8:00pm and never even knew they were there!
But I read the Michigan Mud Jam web page and Facebook page after the event and it sounds like the organizers learned a lot from their inaugural event. Other than a guy getting his legs run over on Friday, I didn't hear of any other serious injuries. After all the bills are paid and everything shakes out I expect to hear they will be back next year. One suggestion I have is they should raise their entry fees--at an average price of $20/day per person including camping it's much,much cheaper than any other entertainment available of ANY kind!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Michigan Mud Jam 2013
Yes, I'm aware that mud jams, monster trucks and the like are not usually sporting events for the disabled. However we went to this event in Hale, Michigan because our nephews and their significant others and friends wanted to go and make a big party of it. It's just not a party without Uncle Wild Bill, and I couldn't see any reason why I couldn't enjoy it to, and I did, BUT, it is not an event I feel comfortable recommending to my fellow Gimps.
This event was held at the Iosco County Fairgrounds and some neighboring property. It was open to anything from monster-sized mud trucks like Dennis Anderson's King Sling to your more run-of-the-mill lifted farm trucks and boggers all the way down to side-by-sides and 4-wheelers. We took our crew cab side-by-side Polaris Ranger, but there were people there with everything under the sun--even their 4WD everyday trucks, cars and SUVs! One of my favorites was a Volkswagen Beetle, lifted, on mud tires, and damned if he didn't even pull a stuck pickup truck out of the mud! (We demanded the driver of the pickup relinquish his man-card immediately!) Another favorite of mine was a lifted lawn tractor with big mud tires. I don't know how they did that, but I think it would be great of Wild Bill built one of those! The only thing we didn't see were any 3-wheelers. They were expressly forbidden. And I have to tell you, that was the ONLY rule I heard about ahead of time.
The weekend was odd for me because of it's lack of rules of any kind. Even if there WERE any rules, there was no one around to enforce them! No one wore helmets, and people drove around in the mud and up and down the roads with as many people they could pile onto their vehicles--such as 5 people on one 4-wheeler, a dozen or more people on one Ford F-150, etc. That was okay early in the day except for the CHILDREN! So many young kiddies under the age of ten that had no safety precautions taken on their behalf whatsoever! I'm usually not big on child advocacy or child safety laws, mostly because I have no kids, never raised them, and in general I'm not interested in them. But seeing all these kids riding on their dad's lap on a 4-wheeler through a mud pit or a big pond, or just zipping down the roads through the camping area. We saw a pickup tip over in one of the mud ponds, and there were unrestrained KIDS in it, for crying out loud!
Except for to logic-challenged parents, it seemed like 98% of the people there were cool. That is, they didn't MEAN to be rude, and if you pointed out to them that they'd run over your tent stakes or blocked you in so you couldn't move your ATV, they'd move for you. But as Saturday passed into the afternoon hours, the campers grew drunker, rowdier, and uglier. We heard people start yelling at each other over stupid things, and there was no one around to keep the peace. If your camping space was next to theirs, you were on your own! When it became obvious it was unsafe to even drive your toys in the mud bogs because the drunks were now taking over, we packed it in and left for home. From what I understand from our friends and family who camped there the whole weekend, Thursday night and Friday things didn't get so ugly. People drank, of course, but it was more of a "cool," laid-back kind of drunk, the kind I actually enjoy now and then!
As a Gimp, I had hoped that although the grandstands had no handicapped seating, there might be a place where I could stand and people might allow me to see the action after a few quiet coughs and "excuse me's" but no such luck. I even had trouble walking down the road--thank goodness by Saturday no one was allowed to drive in the grandstand area because I'm sure I'd have been run over! The road was bumpy and deeply rutted, and mine was the only rolling walker I saw, but I saw two wheelchairs and lots of walking canes. It was extremely HARD to get around the area on foot, and I was shoved and bumped like a pinball. Here again, in most of the world people will be more polite about running over an obvious cripple, but not here. I saw one old granddad who had brought his grandsons to see the big truck show get knocked right over by a group of guys in their mid-20's who didn't even seem like they were wasted, just rude, rough thugs.
So in a nutshell, although I DID enjoy myself to a certain degree, I now have a much healthier respect for rules, regulations and security. I'd LIKE to think that people are cool and you don't need rent-a-cops at every event, but now I've changed my mind. Later I'll comment on the organization of the Michigan Mud Jam.
This event was held at the Iosco County Fairgrounds and some neighboring property. It was open to anything from monster-sized mud trucks like Dennis Anderson's King Sling to your more run-of-the-mill lifted farm trucks and boggers all the way down to side-by-sides and 4-wheelers. We took our crew cab side-by-side Polaris Ranger, but there were people there with everything under the sun--even their 4WD everyday trucks, cars and SUVs! One of my favorites was a Volkswagen Beetle, lifted, on mud tires, and damned if he didn't even pull a stuck pickup truck out of the mud! (We demanded the driver of the pickup relinquish his man-card immediately!) Another favorite of mine was a lifted lawn tractor with big mud tires. I don't know how they did that, but I think it would be great of Wild Bill built one of those! The only thing we didn't see were any 3-wheelers. They were expressly forbidden. And I have to tell you, that was the ONLY rule I heard about ahead of time.
The weekend was odd for me because of it's lack of rules of any kind. Even if there WERE any rules, there was no one around to enforce them! No one wore helmets, and people drove around in the mud and up and down the roads with as many people they could pile onto their vehicles--such as 5 people on one 4-wheeler, a dozen or more people on one Ford F-150, etc. That was okay early in the day except for the CHILDREN! So many young kiddies under the age of ten that had no safety precautions taken on their behalf whatsoever! I'm usually not big on child advocacy or child safety laws, mostly because I have no kids, never raised them, and in general I'm not interested in them. But seeing all these kids riding on their dad's lap on a 4-wheeler through a mud pit or a big pond, or just zipping down the roads through the camping area. We saw a pickup tip over in one of the mud ponds, and there were unrestrained KIDS in it, for crying out loud!
Except for to logic-challenged parents, it seemed like 98% of the people there were cool. That is, they didn't MEAN to be rude, and if you pointed out to them that they'd run over your tent stakes or blocked you in so you couldn't move your ATV, they'd move for you. But as Saturday passed into the afternoon hours, the campers grew drunker, rowdier, and uglier. We heard people start yelling at each other over stupid things, and there was no one around to keep the peace. If your camping space was next to theirs, you were on your own! When it became obvious it was unsafe to even drive your toys in the mud bogs because the drunks were now taking over, we packed it in and left for home. From what I understand from our friends and family who camped there the whole weekend, Thursday night and Friday things didn't get so ugly. People drank, of course, but it was more of a "cool," laid-back kind of drunk, the kind I actually enjoy now and then!
As a Gimp, I had hoped that although the grandstands had no handicapped seating, there might be a place where I could stand and people might allow me to see the action after a few quiet coughs and "excuse me's" but no such luck. I even had trouble walking down the road--thank goodness by Saturday no one was allowed to drive in the grandstand area because I'm sure I'd have been run over! The road was bumpy and deeply rutted, and mine was the only rolling walker I saw, but I saw two wheelchairs and lots of walking canes. It was extremely HARD to get around the area on foot, and I was shoved and bumped like a pinball. Here again, in most of the world people will be more polite about running over an obvious cripple, but not here. I saw one old granddad who had brought his grandsons to see the big truck show get knocked right over by a group of guys in their mid-20's who didn't even seem like they were wasted, just rude, rough thugs.
So in a nutshell, although I DID enjoy myself to a certain degree, I now have a much healthier respect for rules, regulations and security. I'd LIKE to think that people are cool and you don't need rent-a-cops at every event, but now I've changed my mind. Later I'll comment on the organization of the Michigan Mud Jam.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Clare Brewfest
Today I went to the Clare Brewfest, a one-day event featuring samples of craft beers from all over Michigan. I don't care for beer myself, but this year I couldn't resist because they added samples from five Michigan WINERIES!!! Three I've actually visited in the past, but who cares? I was there to "sample" the festival's set-up.The Brewfest was held in a downtown parking area and empty field across the street from the City Park, the police department and the fire department. There were large canopies over the tasting areas, picnic tables and other round tables for people to congregate around, a performance stage for live
Entry was gained through a check-in area in one corner of the festival grounds. Most of the ground under the tent was paved, and there were wood chips along the edges. Wood chips and some sort of temporary sidewalk led from the entrance to the tasting tent; the rest of the ground was lumpy, sandy ground with occasional patches of grass and weeds.I arrived at 3:30 pm, roughly an hour and a half after the festival opened. There were still many open parking spaces within a two-block radius, and several of them were right across the street at the park. A person who could walk a block or more would have no trouble reaching the festival. A person who was attending with an able-bodied companion but could not walk quite that far could still enter the grounds and wait at a picnic table while her companion parked the car.
Anyone using a wheelchair, a motorized mobility chair or scooter would have no trouble navigating the festival. The samples were obtained from long banquet tables, easy to approach and a comfortable level. Anyone who is using a basic aluminum walker or a cane or crutches would need a posse. There isn't anywhere to set your sample drink glass down under the tent so you'll have to dance your way over to a gap between the tables to get outside to a table or the bleachers. Also a strong bladder would be helpful: although the porta-johns are supposedly handicap acessible, really are they EVER?There were other ways to attend besides arriving by car. A train brought festival goers from Owosso.
Despite the proximity to Clare Castle, a senior housing building, I didn't see many senior citizens attending. I also didn't see anyone else in attendance that had any visible mobility issues. I brought my rolling walker with the built-in seat. All I needed was an attachable table and I'd have been set! Here is how close Clare Castle was to the tent:
Bottom line: Next year if you are looking for a little outing for Grandpa and he enjoys a nip of beer and live music, don't be afraid to bring him down to the Clare Brewfest, tentatively scheduled for August 16-ish.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Not All Disabilities Are The Same
Just a short rant--I keep looking for groups on Facebook and "real life" that offer opportunities, tips, resources, etc for people with physical handicaps, but they are very hard to find and slip through my fingers as fast as I can find them. I've found a few groups on Facebook that seem to be abandoned. Others are only for people who want to ski, go rock climbing, compete in marathons, etc, even though the members are all paralyzed to some degree. My goals are not that lofty. I only want to live a normal life for a 50+ year old woman who likes to occasionally lunch out without suffering the indignity of getting trapped in a walker-eating doorway, shop in a store with aisles wide enough for people to limp through with mobility aids, enjoy a show or a sporting event in which I can be seated comfortably without the staff having to pass me on to three or more other people because no one knows how to "handle" a mobility aid and they can't figure out where to seat me.
Oh, I forgot to mention that many of the "disability" groups are mostly for the mentally-challenged, and the jury is still out of whether I fit that description, ha! And some are so vague in their description of what they are about and who their members are, I decide they aren't for me because I'm not looking for more confusion in my life right now.
The End.
Oh, I forgot to mention that many of the "disability" groups are mostly for the mentally-challenged, and the jury is still out of whether I fit that description, ha! And some are so vague in their description of what they are about and who their members are, I decide they aren't for me because I'm not looking for more confusion in my life right now.
The End.
Monday, August 5, 2013
House Hunters
Sometimes I watch "House Hunters" on HGTV if I'm off my feet for any length of time. It amazes me how some people who don't appear to have any steady source of income cry "poverty" and must stick with a ridiculously high "budget." of more than most people here in Michigan will ever be able to afford. Equally amazing is how a house can be priced at something like $180K and only have two bedrooms, one tiny bath and a cracked foundation! I know things are "different" in Michigan, but am I living in a parallel universe?
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Lost Opportunities
A house Bill and I coveted several years ago is now on the market. It is on Harrison Avenue, the paved part between Ludington Drive and Surrey Road, and has the screened-in porch I'v always wanted. There's a detached 2-car garage, four flat, cleared acres, mostly out back, that Bill could have used tor a practice track and plenty of room for a good-sized dog run. It's one story with some nice extras like a sidewalk from the garage to the front door, and a covered entryway. I believe the previous owner had passed away shortly before we started looking at it, and it's possible the house has been vacant all this time. It's currently listed for $37,000. but it never came on the market while we were looking and we never knew why.
I actually know a couple for whom this house would do very well. Close for his job, close to the residence of her business associate; they'd save a fortune on gas. It needs work, but they have a master carpenter in the family who could fix whatever they can't do themselves. But, she is screwing me over, or trying to anyway, so I'll never tell.
I actually know a couple for whom this house would do very well. Close for his job, close to the residence of her business associate; they'd save a fortune on gas. It needs work, but they have a master carpenter in the family who could fix whatever they can't do themselves. But, she is screwing me over, or trying to anyway, so I'll never tell.
Just A Little While Longer...
Little Dreamboat Annie, as I call her, is already mastering the doggie door and knows that "going potty" is done outside--however at just over 6 weeks of age she hasn't mastered "control" yet. Today she got a gentle brushing and offered her tummy so I could get her all evenly groomed. Rugs are coming up off the floor until she's completely potty-trained, and I've stocked up on Swiffers and wet-mops. I treasure this time with her so much--we've never had such a young baby before!
On a totally different subject: why don't dollar stores carry something as basic as string or twine?
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Changing of the Guard (Dogs)
Abandoned this little project a while back when I was too busy, yet not going anywhere, but it's time to get back at it. The day before yesterday we bought a puppy.
Our previous puppy, Jerry, lived only until 2 1/2 years old. He had a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, probably since birth, that worsened faster than the vets could treat it and we finally had to make the difficult decision to just let him go. It was a valiant fight, but when it became clear that we were not going to win, we made the decision that we were not going to make him suffer. As long as he maintained a level of devilment and playfulness we'd keep on fighting, but one day he began failing very fast and we took him in to Surrey Vet and had him peacefully released while we held him in our arms. We requested his cremains but we don't know yet how we will memorialize him.
Immediately, people came out of the woodwork offering to give us the dogs they wanted to be rid of! I don't know how many such offers Wild Bill fielded, but I had 7 in one day last weekend! I am all about "recycling" pets, having adopted my beloved Cooper from a rescue group in western Michigan, but I just wasn't ready. Cooper was really enjoying being an only dog, and I'll confess I was enjoying the "freedom" from life with a problem child. But Bill came to me Wednesday night and told me, "I know what my problem is."
"Which one?" I asked, knowing full well what he meant, but being unable to resist the opening for a jab. "Haven't you noticed how depressed I've been lately?" he persisted. And yes, besides my own bouts of inconsolable weeping and deep pangs of loss, I'd noticed he was even quieter than usual and smiled even less than what was normal for his grouchy self.
But I'm proud of him for admitting to his sadness and weakness, and for being willing to step right up and fill that void with a new dog right away. Happily I skipped off to the Clare County Animal Shelter to see if there were any guests of the county that might interest him. There weren't, but new dogs come in all the time, plus there are several other county shelters in a 50 mile radius.
But there was a breeder in Coleman who had one purebred German Shepherd little girl left, and we drove out to see her. They called her "Pinkie" because she was wearing the pink plaid collar, and she and her litter-mates turned 6 weeks old that day. Normally I don't like to pull a puppy from their mother until 8 weeks or so, but these pups were all fully weaned already; healthy, fluffy, active little darlings! Pinkie attached herself to Wild Bill's legs and feet immediately; she accepted my presence and my holding her but it was clear from the moment she caught Bill's scent that HE was her Daddy, and she was going to be Daddy's Little Girl!
So this is Annie:
Our previous puppy, Jerry, lived only until 2 1/2 years old. He had a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, probably since birth, that worsened faster than the vets could treat it and we finally had to make the difficult decision to just let him go. It was a valiant fight, but when it became clear that we were not going to win, we made the decision that we were not going to make him suffer. As long as he maintained a level of devilment and playfulness we'd keep on fighting, but one day he began failing very fast and we took him in to Surrey Vet and had him peacefully released while we held him in our arms. We requested his cremains but we don't know yet how we will memorialize him.
Immediately, people came out of the woodwork offering to give us the dogs they wanted to be rid of! I don't know how many such offers Wild Bill fielded, but I had 7 in one day last weekend! I am all about "recycling" pets, having adopted my beloved Cooper from a rescue group in western Michigan, but I just wasn't ready. Cooper was really enjoying being an only dog, and I'll confess I was enjoying the "freedom" from life with a problem child. But Bill came to me Wednesday night and told me, "I know what my problem is."
"Which one?" I asked, knowing full well what he meant, but being unable to resist the opening for a jab. "Haven't you noticed how depressed I've been lately?" he persisted. And yes, besides my own bouts of inconsolable weeping and deep pangs of loss, I'd noticed he was even quieter than usual and smiled even less than what was normal for his grouchy self.
But I'm proud of him for admitting to his sadness and weakness, and for being willing to step right up and fill that void with a new dog right away. Happily I skipped off to the Clare County Animal Shelter to see if there were any guests of the county that might interest him. There weren't, but new dogs come in all the time, plus there are several other county shelters in a 50 mile radius.
But there was a breeder in Coleman who had one purebred German Shepherd little girl left, and we drove out to see her. They called her "Pinkie" because she was wearing the pink plaid collar, and she and her litter-mates turned 6 weeks old that day. Normally I don't like to pull a puppy from their mother until 8 weeks or so, but these pups were all fully weaned already; healthy, fluffy, active little darlings! Pinkie attached herself to Wild Bill's legs and feet immediately; she accepted my presence and my holding her but it was clear from the moment she caught Bill's scent that HE was her Daddy, and she was going to be Daddy's Little Girl!
So this is Annie:
The first night was a mess. Bill is temporarily working the overnight shift, and we put Annie in a crate for the ngith with cuddly things, a little chow and a bowl of water. SHE NEVER SHUT UP ALL NIGHT LONG! Poor Cooper's nerves were just shot! So last night when she fell asleep next to Bill's recliner, I just let her lay there and snuggled up next to Cooper on the spare bed in the office and fell asleep watching some special-effects movie. She did fine! A few piddle spots in the kitchen and a big healthy poop on the chair mat (thank you for not doing that on my floor!)
So as we start another chapter in our lives, I thought it was time to start up my animal-loving, non-productive, no-income, lopsided and crippled diary. Again. Now with (hopefully) less bitch.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Dog Day Afternoon
I've been SO BUSY since joining C.A.R.E. of Clare County, I've neglected my blog, which is no big deal because I have no followers! But I had the greatest experience last Saturday at my first adoption event. Betty Lloyd and her daughter Alyssa Nolan brought two puppies they had been fostering at their house, and both were snapped right up! Both are settled in with their new families--lovely people who totally fell in LOVE with the cuties!
My role with C.A.R.E. is somewhat of a "fringe" role. Because of my physical condition and my reliance on Wild Bill for so much, I am unable to foster dogs myself. In fact, my walker tends to freak out dogs that aren't used to it, so I unfortunately need to keep a greater distance between myself and dogs. Cats, however, are a different story. I am an almost constant big, wide, cushiony lap, and some even like to perch or ride on the seat of my rolling walker! So I am the group secretary, the mom figure, and the one who stands behind the table and takes the money for the sold goods for our fundraising. This allows our president, Betty, free to schmooze and for Alyssa, her teenage daughter, free to walk leashed dogs around the store or hall or wherever the event is. That's okay, but I really miss the schmoozing, and I miss many opportunities to meet other rescue people or adoptive owners. :(
Another new responsibility I've taken on is making a new Facebook page for the Clare County Animal Shelter and use it to improve public relations. This brings me down to the shelter frequently, and I try to get down there once a week or so as long as the ice in the parking area doesn't make it too dangerous. Here again, I'd LOVE to go into the back and visit with all the dogs, but the walker freaks them out. But again, this Gimp embraces the opportunity to network with another fine group of people and to do something worthwhile!
My role with C.A.R.E. is somewhat of a "fringe" role. Because of my physical condition and my reliance on Wild Bill for so much, I am unable to foster dogs myself. In fact, my walker tends to freak out dogs that aren't used to it, so I unfortunately need to keep a greater distance between myself and dogs. Cats, however, are a different story. I am an almost constant big, wide, cushiony lap, and some even like to perch or ride on the seat of my rolling walker! So I am the group secretary, the mom figure, and the one who stands behind the table and takes the money for the sold goods for our fundraising. This allows our president, Betty, free to schmooze and for Alyssa, her teenage daughter, free to walk leashed dogs around the store or hall or wherever the event is. That's okay, but I really miss the schmoozing, and I miss many opportunities to meet other rescue people or adoptive owners. :(
Another new responsibility I've taken on is making a new Facebook page for the Clare County Animal Shelter and use it to improve public relations. This brings me down to the shelter frequently, and I try to get down there once a week or so as long as the ice in the parking area doesn't make it too dangerous. Here again, I'd LOVE to go into the back and visit with all the dogs, but the walker freaks them out. But again, this Gimp embraces the opportunity to network with another fine group of people and to do something worthwhile!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Superstorm Sandy
Normally I abhor the practice of blaming the victims, but tonight I feel I must cross that line. I am so pissed at all the East Coasters jumping in front of TV cameras and demanding Help Now! I am totally behind Governor Chris Christie, who told the people of his state: you were warned to evacuate. Those of you who ignored that warning and now need help? We're not sending anyone out in the DARK to go rescue you, and you'll just have to wait your turn to get water, blankets, gas, etc.
Honestly, people, Katrina was not that long ago. Did we learn nothing from that?
Honestly, people, Katrina was not that long ago. Did we learn nothing from that?
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Boo-boo Foot
My left foot is all black and blue, and so puffy I can't get my custom made orthotic shoe on it. In fact, I have trouble getting my Happy Feet slipper on it. And it hurts! I need to keep it compressed, but I can't get an Ace bandage to stay smoothly on my foot. (I'm very good at strapping and ankle, but how do you wrap the front of the foot, including the toes? I try to keep it elevated but I'm home alone with the two dogs while Wild Bill works 12 hour shifts the next few days.
Yesterday and today actually haven't been too bad, boredom-wise, because it's been raining. Tomorrow, though, it's going to bad. Real bad. Because the temps will be in the low 80's, the sun will be out and the dogs will want to play!
Yesterday and today actually haven't been too bad, boredom-wise, because it's been raining. Tomorrow, though, it's going to bad. Real bad. Because the temps will be in the low 80's, the sun will be out and the dogs will want to play!
Is an RV for me?
Wild Bill's favorite activity in the whole wide world is lawnmower racing. He belongs to the Michigan chapter of the US Lawn Mower Racing Association, and races all over the lower half of the lower peninsula as well as in nearby states such as Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Minnesota, Wisconsin and even Georgia once. I like to go with him when I can, but being a large, gimpy lady presents an odd, amusing, but nonetheless serious problem for me. Let's call it Potty Access.
Most races are held either in large fields with temporary tracks or else in fairgrounds with many fences. This limits my Potty Access to either porta-johns that are nearly impossible for me to use or to indoor flushies that are a quarter-mile away or more the way the crow flies--not including the zig-zagging one must do to get out of the pit area and past the spectator areas via the small, hard-to-spot gates and going against the flow of body traffic. Difficult for anyone who has trouble walking any distance, not to mention that the ground is usually very uneven at a fairgrounds or event center. Porta-johns? Forget it. They are rarely placed on level ground and usually any handicapped accessible units are placed only on the spectator side of the fence, not on the pit side. So it's not unusual for me to have to "hold it" for 9-12 hours on an event day. In my case, I not only have trouble walking--I had a kidney transplant 14 years ago, and I need to keep my kidney "flushed," for lack of a better term. I also need to be able to maintain a certain level of cleanliness. Not "bubble-boy" level but definitely higher than porta-john level!
I had hopes when we bought a used, enclosed trailer two years ago that we might get a camping toilet and stash it somewhere in the nose of the trailer, so I could quickly duck behind something, anything, and relieve myself 2-3 times per race day, but although it sounds easy in theory, it's harder to accomplish than one would think. Then we started looking at toy-haulers. Camping trailer in the front, cargo area in the back. Perfect, right?
Until we started looking at them up close and realized that many of them have you stash your "cargo" right in the sleeping area of the camper. Fold up the bed and voila! Room for your dirt bikes! We don't need to actually SLEEP in the trailer--unless Bill wants to save $$ by camping at the track instead of paying to sleep on a bedbug-ridden mattress in a sponsoring motel. To get one large enough to hold two racing mowers, however, would cost more than we can afford to spend and then would require a bigger truck to tow it!
But an RV now...we've looked at a few. We would like a smallish, used Class C that I can climb into fairly easily, and we think we've found one in the Fleetwood Tioga. Although we would have to construct our own step for me to go in and out of the camper portion, I can easily jump in and out of the passenger door of the cab and swing my legs around to stand up between the seats. The toilet is on a raised platform and is easy for me to use without having to add safety rails. It's a very small size. Behind the driver's seat is a dinette/sleeper, the fridge, some storage and the bathroom (sink, toilet, tub/shower). Behind the passenger seat is a swivel chair, the door, a rannge, kitchen sink, and the main bed. There is also sleeping space above the cab but I've no idea how a person could use it, ha ha!
So, a way to bring the dogs along, a place for me to rest, a way for us to bring food to the track instead of having to buy questionable fair food, and maybe I could rustle up some supper before we hit the road afterward? Shade (I think they all have awnings), and a potty! Plus we can use it at times we are not going to a race, if we care to take off for a weekend! Now all we have to do is educate ourselves on how to buy a used RV.
Fortunately THIS gimp can do a tiny bit of climbing with enough safety rails to pull myself up and in with!
Most races are held either in large fields with temporary tracks or else in fairgrounds with many fences. This limits my Potty Access to either porta-johns that are nearly impossible for me to use or to indoor flushies that are a quarter-mile away or more the way the crow flies--not including the zig-zagging one must do to get out of the pit area and past the spectator areas via the small, hard-to-spot gates and going against the flow of body traffic. Difficult for anyone who has trouble walking any distance, not to mention that the ground is usually very uneven at a fairgrounds or event center. Porta-johns? Forget it. They are rarely placed on level ground and usually any handicapped accessible units are placed only on the spectator side of the fence, not on the pit side. So it's not unusual for me to have to "hold it" for 9-12 hours on an event day. In my case, I not only have trouble walking--I had a kidney transplant 14 years ago, and I need to keep my kidney "flushed," for lack of a better term. I also need to be able to maintain a certain level of cleanliness. Not "bubble-boy" level but definitely higher than porta-john level!
I had hopes when we bought a used, enclosed trailer two years ago that we might get a camping toilet and stash it somewhere in the nose of the trailer, so I could quickly duck behind something, anything, and relieve myself 2-3 times per race day, but although it sounds easy in theory, it's harder to accomplish than one would think. Then we started looking at toy-haulers. Camping trailer in the front, cargo area in the back. Perfect, right?
Until we started looking at them up close and realized that many of them have you stash your "cargo" right in the sleeping area of the camper. Fold up the bed and voila! Room for your dirt bikes! We don't need to actually SLEEP in the trailer--unless Bill wants to save $$ by camping at the track instead of paying to sleep on a bedbug-ridden mattress in a sponsoring motel. To get one large enough to hold two racing mowers, however, would cost more than we can afford to spend and then would require a bigger truck to tow it!
But an RV now...we've looked at a few. We would like a smallish, used Class C that I can climb into fairly easily, and we think we've found one in the Fleetwood Tioga. Although we would have to construct our own step for me to go in and out of the camper portion, I can easily jump in and out of the passenger door of the cab and swing my legs around to stand up between the seats. The toilet is on a raised platform and is easy for me to use without having to add safety rails. It's a very small size. Behind the driver's seat is a dinette/sleeper, the fridge, some storage and the bathroom (sink, toilet, tub/shower). Behind the passenger seat is a swivel chair, the door, a rannge, kitchen sink, and the main bed. There is also sleeping space above the cab but I've no idea how a person could use it, ha ha!
So, a way to bring the dogs along, a place for me to rest, a way for us to bring food to the track instead of having to buy questionable fair food, and maybe I could rustle up some supper before we hit the road afterward? Shade (I think they all have awnings), and a potty! Plus we can use it at times we are not going to a race, if we care to take off for a weekend! Now all we have to do is educate ourselves on how to buy a used RV.
Fortunately THIS gimp can do a tiny bit of climbing with enough safety rails to pull myself up and in with!
Late Summer Sunday in St Helen
Today was the only day Wild Bill had off from work, and we decided that even though we had no one to go trail riding with, we'd drive over to St Helen and check it out. I'm so glad we did! We haven't been over there in years, and it's so different from what we remember!
St Helen is only an hour's drive away, down M-55 and Old 55. It seems to be a very complete small town, with a sparkling new grocery story emphasizing "fresh" foods, drug store, auto parts store, dollar store, power sports shop, storage yards, builders, eateries, and lots of Mom and Pop-style motels and cottages. The outsides of these places all seemed well mowed, trimmed and painted, suggesting that business is thriving, and why shouldn't it be? Most of their clientele consists of dirt bike and ATV riders, perhaps a few visitors to Kirkland Community College, maybe some hunters in the fall, and snowmobile riders in the winter. A room or cabin need not be fancy, just clean with a comfy bed, a shower, heat and a/c and a convenient location, and I'm sure most, if not all of these places provide it! Also there is a bare-bones place to park your camper or RV right across the road from one of the main trail heads--what could be more convenient?
It was fun seeing all the ATV's, side-by-sides and golf carts toodling down the sides of the streets in town! Although the day was chilly with a few short showers here and there, people were out and about enjoying the day. Most of the businesses were open, as should happen in a town that draws many tourists! After stopping at the very friendly St Helen Power Sports to buy a map and ask a lot of questions, it was time for lunch. We passed the Hen House and the Peach Pit and chose the Firehouse Bar and Grill. They were hosting a party of some kind on the fireplace side so we ate in the bar side. I suggest you bring a small flashlight to read the menu because it's very dark, especially on such a cloudy day. But the food is great, as is the service. The decor is what I'd call "firehouse chic," as opposed to being so over-the-top that it's distractingly tacky. The waitress station at the bar has a sign that warns patrons to stand back 500 feet and there are a few fire truck touches but no obnoxious flashing red lights, sirens or bells. Drums in a corner and a dance floor indicate life music, Friday night "bonfires" (we guess in the other side, where the fireplace is) and reference to a Saturday night "foam party" indicate lively entertainment. But on a Sunday afternoon, parents with kids filled the booths along the walls and middle-aged men lined the bar watching the Tigers game on the big-screen TV's. There is an old fire truck parked at the north end of the parking lot, looking dusty and retired, and we wondered if they get it running for local parades or the yearly Firemen's Memorial Ceremony in Roscommon, a few miles away.
Other things we noticed about St Helen included the Charlton Heston Academy. At first I chuckled and said this must be where all the local gun-hunters send their kids to school, but then I remembered that Charlton Heston did frequent this part of Michigan "back in the day." I've seen photos of him, along with some of his Hollywood friends, at a small ski resort in Ogemaw County. A Google search confirmed that he is, indeed, from the St Helen area and inherited a Christmas tree farm near there when his parents passed away. The Academy is slated to open right after Labor Day this September.
Now the parts that make St Helen worthy of praise from the Gimp: in a word, the town is LEVEL. Hardly any steps or stairs to be seen anywhere. If you can get around on an ATV, UTV, golf cart or snowmobile, you can enjoy this town in exactly the same way as everyone else! Sidewalks and parking lots are even, curbs are low. Locals are used to seeing out-of-towners and are friendly and welcoming, unlike some tourist towns that we won't mention today.
Bottom line: if you love the outdoors and have some mobility issues, there's a good chance St Helen is the answer to your search!
St Helen is only an hour's drive away, down M-55 and Old 55. It seems to be a very complete small town, with a sparkling new grocery story emphasizing "fresh" foods, drug store, auto parts store, dollar store, power sports shop, storage yards, builders, eateries, and lots of Mom and Pop-style motels and cottages. The outsides of these places all seemed well mowed, trimmed and painted, suggesting that business is thriving, and why shouldn't it be? Most of their clientele consists of dirt bike and ATV riders, perhaps a few visitors to Kirkland Community College, maybe some hunters in the fall, and snowmobile riders in the winter. A room or cabin need not be fancy, just clean with a comfy bed, a shower, heat and a/c and a convenient location, and I'm sure most, if not all of these places provide it! Also there is a bare-bones place to park your camper or RV right across the road from one of the main trail heads--what could be more convenient?
It was fun seeing all the ATV's, side-by-sides and golf carts toodling down the sides of the streets in town! Although the day was chilly with a few short showers here and there, people were out and about enjoying the day. Most of the businesses were open, as should happen in a town that draws many tourists! After stopping at the very friendly St Helen Power Sports to buy a map and ask a lot of questions, it was time for lunch. We passed the Hen House and the Peach Pit and chose the Firehouse Bar and Grill. They were hosting a party of some kind on the fireplace side so we ate in the bar side. I suggest you bring a small flashlight to read the menu because it's very dark, especially on such a cloudy day. But the food is great, as is the service. The decor is what I'd call "firehouse chic," as opposed to being so over-the-top that it's distractingly tacky. The waitress station at the bar has a sign that warns patrons to stand back 500 feet and there are a few fire truck touches but no obnoxious flashing red lights, sirens or bells. Drums in a corner and a dance floor indicate life music, Friday night "bonfires" (we guess in the other side, where the fireplace is) and reference to a Saturday night "foam party" indicate lively entertainment. But on a Sunday afternoon, parents with kids filled the booths along the walls and middle-aged men lined the bar watching the Tigers game on the big-screen TV's. There is an old fire truck parked at the north end of the parking lot, looking dusty and retired, and we wondered if they get it running for local parades or the yearly Firemen's Memorial Ceremony in Roscommon, a few miles away.
Other things we noticed about St Helen included the Charlton Heston Academy. At first I chuckled and said this must be where all the local gun-hunters send their kids to school, but then I remembered that Charlton Heston did frequent this part of Michigan "back in the day." I've seen photos of him, along with some of his Hollywood friends, at a small ski resort in Ogemaw County. A Google search confirmed that he is, indeed, from the St Helen area and inherited a Christmas tree farm near there when his parents passed away. The Academy is slated to open right after Labor Day this September.
Now the parts that make St Helen worthy of praise from the Gimp: in a word, the town is LEVEL. Hardly any steps or stairs to be seen anywhere. If you can get around on an ATV, UTV, golf cart or snowmobile, you can enjoy this town in exactly the same way as everyone else! Sidewalks and parking lots are even, curbs are low. Locals are used to seeing out-of-towners and are friendly and welcoming, unlike some tourist towns that we won't mention today.
Bottom line: if you love the outdoors and have some mobility issues, there's a good chance St Helen is the answer to your search!
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