BOWLER FAMILY REUNION: 8/20/17 and Lockport Caves Tour

I helped Becky set up  this morning for the reunion.  I ran home around eleven thirty to get my dish to pass COUNTRY STYLE BAKED FRUIT.

People started arriving around one p.m. but they straggled in, even though the invitation said BUFFET LUNCH at one p.m.  We finally decided to eat a little after one thirty p.m.  Everything was very good esp. the sloppy joes. Dan and Cathy were late due to an incident with Laura in the middle of the night.  They brought a bucket of KFC.  Unfortunately, Cathy and Laura had to leave shortly after they sat down to eat because Laura did not feel well.

Near the end of the reunion, I ran home to refrigerate my leftover baked fruit and put some other stuff away.  When I returned I helped Becky take the poster down.  Then Dan and I drove to the LOCKPORT CAVE TOURS and met up with Laura and Cathy.  I took this inside the cave:This is Laura, Cathy and me at the shop where the tour starts.

Our tour guide in front of the remnants of a long ago factory.

We all enjoyed the tour, but the final walk up steep steps was a real workout.
We said our goodbyes and ended a great weekend.

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises and more with the Bowlers 8/19/17

Dan, Cathy and Laura Bowler are in town for the Bowler Family Reunion so I set today aside to spend time with them.   In the morning I ran couple of errands for Peggy and David.  It was close to noon before the Bowlers arrived.

We caught up on news, since we have not seen each other in several years, and I showed them the upstairs apartment since they may stay up there on future visits.

They wanted to do the Lockport Caves Walking and Boat Tour so we located the starting place and went inside.  However we decided to make our reservations or that tour tomorrow after the reunion and instead do the Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruise.  So we headed to Lowertown and purchased tickets for the three p.m. tour.  Cathy and Laura looked around in the gift shop while we waited for the tour time to arrive.

We all enjoyed the tour.  It rained a little bit while we were on the boat, and windows were put up to keep rain out, but it did not last long.  

After the tour was over, we went to REID'S for a late lunch or early supper.  We all had cheeseburgers and fries.  

And the perfecting ending to a great day was our visit to Lake Effect Ice Cream.  It took the three Bowlers a LOOOOONG time to figure out what they wanted!  I think they liked the sundaes they purchased.  

Evening of Worship at Ida Fritz Park

The youth group from Faith Tab. put on this event tonight.

  I asked Betty to go with me.  She suggested we have supper at the hospital before the event and I agreed.  She picked me up in her new car and we headed out.

Supper at the hospital was OK..............but not spectacular.  I think there are many more places in Lockport where you can get a good inexpensive fish fry and next time I will suggest COUSINS CAFE.   Betty bought a couple of extra sides to take home, so we took them to my house to put them in the frig.

There was an incident at the park before the event.  A homeless man threw his beer bottle on the ground and another fellow asked him to pick it up.  When he refused, there was a loud argument and the offended man called the police.  Three cops arrived and talked with them, and the homeless guy (who had a large white bandage over one eye) left.

Peggy arrived and met up with us.  The worship started right at seven p.m.

and it was really good.  My cousin Bridget (Boes) Brown came and Peg and I talked with her for a couple of minutes and prayed with her for her son Owen who is hospitalized with a severe infection.

I think the youth were delighted when they were asked to do an "encore".  They did OH HAPPY DAY!

Betty and I went to JoJo's for ice cream afterwards.

8/16/17 MOMENTUM KIDS at Skateland !

Peggy asked me to help out with registration at SKATELAND tonight during MOMENTUM KIDS during the MOMENTUM KIDS event.  Faith Tab does this one night event instead of Vacation Bible School or Kids Crusade.  It is open to the public and is offered free of cost.

I helped registering a few kids and helped Candace with putting tokens in gift/prize bags.

Detroit to Buffalo 8/16/17

When I checked my email at Megan's house this a.m. Delta was telling me that I should arrive at least two hours before my scheduled flight departure (which was four p.m.)  That email suggested that I check in ahead of time, so I did it online and printed out my boarding pass.

We left Plainwell a couple of minutes after noon for the two hour drive to the airport in Detroit.   I checked my luggage outside via the valet service, which was very helpful.  The worker kept the boarding pass I supplied her and gave me a new smaller one which also had my departure gate on it.  

Going through security was quick and easy.  I checked the "board" as soon as I found one, and saw that my flight was delayed 35 minutes.

Getting to my gate was quick and easy.  The airport is huge, but signs giving directions are clear and easy to read.  SOOOOOO, here I am, charging up my laptop while I use it.  I just ate my granola bar, and should be able to wait until after my arrival in Buffalo to eat with Peggy and David.  Now, it seems that my departure is further delayed.  I am glad to be able to use free wifi on my laptop.

Updated announcement says the flight is delayed another twenty minutes.

Several minutes later, an announcement says the original 35 to 40 minute delay is reinstated and would passengers on the flight to Buffalo please return to the gate.

I was assigned a seat in the very last row and it turned out to be fine.

The flight did not take as long as was expected. Peg picked me up an we went out to supper at MoMo's.  I was glad to get home and I started unpacking and checked phone messages and looked at some of my mail.  After a bit of time on facebook, exhaustion set in and I went to bed.

Final Day in Michigan: August 14th, 2017

I called Gail this morning to wish her a Happy Birthday.

We all met Chris for lunch at Erbeli's for the pizza and salad buffet.

  It was pretty good.  Then the four of us headed to Portage to visit the CELERY FLATS INTERPRETIVE CENTER.  We found it easily enough, but the buildings were closed.  The schoolhouse was moved here from another location

and so was the grain elevator/feed mill.

tried to find a nearby geocache, no luck.  It was so terribly hot and we decided to call off all geocaching.

then to PEACE, LOVE and LITTLE DONUTS,

where we purchased a dozen donuts.  They really are little and they are also kind of expensive.

We relaxed and Megan and Tyler and I played games off and on for the rest of the day.  Megan prepared mac and cheese for supper.

Saugatuck Dunes State Park: Saugatuck, Michigan

Megan, Chris, Cassy, Tyler and I went to SAUGATUCK DUNES STATE PARK this afternoon.  It involved a mile long hike along a pretty good trail to

get to the beach and the dunes, some time on the beach,

a walk along the beach to see the dunes

snacking and then a walk OUT via the same trail, which is well maintained and offers lots of wooded scenery.

  Afterward we stopped for ice cream at DAIRY DAZE.  They serve HUGE  cones

Chris prepared  a nice late supper of twice baked potatoes and chicken.