tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198543952024-03-06T20:56:38.229-07:00On the Farm With Larry and TeddyWe are former fulltime RVers, who lived and traveled in a fifth wheel trailer for six years and now have settled on a cherry farm in Northwestern Michigan's Leelanau County.Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-54689724760261343572013-04-28T17:57:00.000-07:002013-05-25T13:28:07.238-07:00Update to April 28, 2013<br />
As we are no longer full-time RVing I have ceased regular blog posting. :-(<br />
But, I will, from time to time try and insert updates re our now settled life here on the "Pharm".<br />
Catching up since my last post in November...we have had an entirely different winter this year ('12-'13) that our first winter here ('11-'12). This year we have had real, cold and snowy, Michigan winter, which will be a lot better for the cherry crop. Last year's early warming and subsequent freeze practically wiped out the cherries here in Northern Michigan.<br />
I spent a lot of time reading this winter as well as tending to our assortment of bird feeders. <br />
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Last fall we added a new member to the Page household.<br />
Nazzie (NASDAQ) our 15 lb.<a href="http://cats.about.com/od/coatcolorpatternstypes/p/profile-tuxedo-cat.htm"> "Tuxedo Cat"</a> was becoming as much a couch potato as me. And so to liven up his life we adopted a kitten from the local humane society<br />
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He is also a B&W kitty but mostly black. He came with the moniker "Ty" which we formalized to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius">Tiberius</a>. but still call him Ty.<br />
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This is how he looked when Teddy bought him home.<br />
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This is how he looks now.<br />
He has now grown to almost adult size and has boundless energy. They bonded immediately and he sure keeps Nazzie on his toes. He loves to sneak up on Nazzie and leap on him for a tussle. He also drives me crazy by endlessly trying to knock things off the end table next to my recliner.<br />
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In other news, ......oh, wait, there isn't any other news. Compared to the last several years our life has suddenly become rather routine. We have adapted to it ok but I do miss going to the morning coffee & bull-s..t sessions with "the boys".<br />
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And lastly, at this point (<i>in time</i>) I am composing this blog entry from a <a href="http://www.munsonhealthcare.org/mmc">hospital</a> bed where I have been confined for the past five days with pneumonia. Complicated by my heart problems it has not been a fun thing but I am slowly progressing and looking forward to going back home to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5064424720/in/set-72157621672534395/">"The Farm"</a> where I can sleep all night without someone waking me up every ten minutes to give me a pill or take my temperature.<br />
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<b>Update to May 3: </b></h2>
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I was finally released from thr hospital yesterday afternoon after a 10 day stay. My lungs are now clear and free of any infection and my heart doctor is adjusting my meds to better control my atrial fib. </div>
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Time will tell!</div>
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<br />Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-91696974717064445722012-11-24T19:20:00.000-07:002012-11-24T19:23:09.861-07:00Ceviche (suh-VEE-chai)Last week Teddy and I were watching a program called "<a href="http://www.bbcamerica.com/chef-race/">Chef's Race</a>" on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_America">BBC America</a>. One of the dishes that one of the competing chefs made was a seafood appetizer called Ceviche. Because of our sheltered culinary life neither of us had ever heard of Ceviche. A <span style="color: #1c39ff; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">G</span><span style="color: #ff2925; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">o</span><span style="color: #ffa240; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">o</span><span style="color: #395dff; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">g</span><span style="color: #00c820; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">l</span><span style="color: #ff312c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">e</span> search with my trusty <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_air">MacBook</a> returned 271,000 hits in 0.28 seconds so apparently a lot of other folks aren't as ignorant as me. "Well," sez I, "being as how I's an intellectual, I gots to try this interesting dish.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">I broused many recipes from various places including Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan and the USA and, because of it's relative simplicity, I selected this recipe from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mitzewich">Chef John Mitzewich </a>for our first trial. You may recall that Chef John is also the author of the</span><a href="http://larryandteddy.blogspot.com/search?q=Inside-out+Grilled+Cheese+Sandwich" style="text-align: left;"> inside-out grilled cheese sandwich</a><span style="text-align: left;"> that I posted on April 21. Here is a </span><a href="http://video.about.com/southamericanfood/How-to-Make-Ceviche.htm#" style="text-align: left;">link to his video instructions</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and to the left is a written copy which I transcribed to work from.</span></div>
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Using the above recipe Teddy prepared the ceviche sans the avocado which we did not have (notice how I cleverly delegated the prep to her).<br />
In conclusion, I thought that it was delicious. I had three of the appetizer servings instead of dinner. But, sadly Teddy did not care for it. The good thing is that there are three more servings in the fridge for me to eat tomorrow but the sad thing is she probably won't want to make it again.<br />
But, Hey! I know my way around the kitchen, I can just make it my self...yeah that's it, I'll just make it again myself. As everyone can see from my ample girth, I don't really have much trouble whipping up something to eat.<br />
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Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-9158045197372496162012-10-19T00:17:00.001-07:002012-10-19T06:02:19.949-07:00I ate this...and I'm still alive! <br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of weeks ago I noticed a strange growth that seemingly overnight appeared on a weeping willow in our side yard. This is a very large old tree that has been there for years and the growth was about four feet from the ground on a scar from a large limb that had been broken off years ago.</span><br />
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As you can see from these photos it was bright yellow in color<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlD0VErDuyHdehGw2NGDxvMykzrHU7qtr9FXnPFkRMFyTJ-fN0JONB56BPvgiTO18d9eFPUc3Q8kmLNZI2MNMD9NNmYDhADH7QPhlB_HmKtrZU8U1YDIXoN1XyjBE96CQ_N0sfg/s1600/Yellow+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlD0VErDuyHdehGw2NGDxvMykzrHU7qtr9FXnPFkRMFyTJ-fN0JONB56BPvgiTO18d9eFPUc3Q8kmLNZI2MNMD9NNmYDhADH7QPhlB_HmKtrZU8U1YDIXoN1XyjBE96CQ_N0sfg/s320/Yellow+big.jpg" width="256" /></a>and felt velvety to the touch. I had no idea what it was but my curiosity prompted me to post these picts on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/96029422@N00/">Flickr</a> with the request for an identification and within a few hours two persons postulated that it might be the immature stage of<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laetiporus">"Chicken of the Woods"</a> fungus which internet research on my part seemed to confirm. And furthermore it was reputed to be an exceptionally tasty mushroom. Teddy, however</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">was convinced that if I were to eat it that she would be suddenly thrust into instant widowhood and began investigating social security survivor benefits. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But, sure enough, within a couple of more days it had morphed into this which further convinced me that I had to try it. So armed with a sharp kitchen knife I cut into it and found the inside to be a solid mass with the consistency of soft cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ever cautious, I diced just a small handful and fried it in butter with a little salt and pepper and...WOW...it was freekin' delicious. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I went back for more and was able to harvest a couple of pounds which I convinced Teddy to fry...</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">and taste</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">. She saved some for immediate use and froze the rest in small packets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now<i> </i>I love mushrooms, I like them on steak, pizza, omelets, soup, and as a pickled garnish in a martini. But the only ones that I have ever been confident enough to hunt and pick myself are morels and puffballs. Otherwise I have always relied on super market hunting to satisfy my taste for them. Now I have another variety for which to hunt. You can be sure that next spring and indeed all next summer, I'll be on the lookout for "Chicken of the Woods"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYNlzxfKmKJtk7RaIKw26O9hbhpSOtFmhnkuFFsPOP_JWkGuOM-W8JkaWvTM6AtPPgfuyhlJE9FKlROlRwduqOyOpcn6qwTMsdLsKbEbzjvOAhnq8Rbd7HGqIahjzz4Ro-P0hwA/s1600/puff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYNlzxfKmKJtk7RaIKw26O9hbhpSOtFmhnkuFFsPOP_JWkGuOM-W8JkaWvTM6AtPPgfuyhlJE9FKlROlRwduqOyOpcn6qwTMsdLsKbEbzjvOAhnq8Rbd7HGqIahjzz4Ro-P0hwA/s320/puff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And, unbelievably, right in the middle of of our "Chicken of the Woods" adventure, Teddy came home from a walk with this large puffball which she also fried and froze. We find this a very convenient way to preserve 'shrooms, as they thaw quickly for an accompaniment to steaks or breakfast eggs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-40145144163859174732012-09-24T22:58:00.002-07:002012-10-12T14:32:55.761-07:00Catchin' Up or How I Spent My Summer VacationSince we quit fulltime RVing and settled in here at "The Farm" I haven't kept up on the blog. It was initially started so that our friends and family could keep up with us in our RV travels and that isn't necessary anymore. However, I do still plan to occasionally post a blog as to our comings and goings.<br />
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<b>How I Spent My Summer Vacation</b></div>
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This was our second summer here on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3750158241/">"The Farm"</a> and since we are now finished with remodeling the old farmhouse we were able to kick-back and enjoy ourselves at a more leisurely pace. This was easy for me considering my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_A_and_Type_B_personality_theory">Type B personality</a> but not for Teddy who, as others can attest, is a perfect archetype of the classic Type A. She mostly filled her days <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1034546187"></span>tending her flower gardens<span id="goog_1034546188"></span></a> and volunteering at a local thrift shop. I spent a lot of time with my photography and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/8021238818/in/photostream/">exploring the internet on my MacBook Pro.</a> Also being an avid reader I have read over fifty books thus far this year. I decided to read all of <a href="http://www.elmoreleonard.com/">Elmore Leonard's</a> books as well as Ro<a href="http://www.robertbparker.net/index.php">bert B. Parker's</a> with an occasional other author thrown in for variety. Teddy also reads but not at such a furious pace as me. We both read on our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_(3rd_generation)">iPads </a>and find it to be more pleasurable than reading printed books. In July we signed up for a series of Shakespeare seminars reading<i> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night's_Dream">A Midsummer Night's Dream.</a> </i>It was held weekly over five weeks at Interlochen. Teddy was somewhat reluctant to attend at first but in the end we both enjoyed it immensely.</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traverse_City,_Michigan">Traverse City </a>is the home of the <a href="http://nationalwritersseries.org/">National Writers Series</a>, a nonprofit organization that brings in prominent authors for an evening with the author at Traverse City's historic "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Opera_House_(Traverse_City)">City Opera House</a>". The evening features the author speaking and then participating in a lengthly on stage interview followed by a question & answer session. Earlier in the summer we bought advance tickets to two of these events and just last week we attended the first, "An <a href="http://nationalwritersseries.org/programs/an-evening-with-lee-child/">Evening With Lee Child.</a>" With his series of action adventure novels featuring a tough retired Marine named Jack Reacher, <a href="http://leechild.com/lee-child/"> Lee Child </a>is one of my favorite writers. We also have tickets to an upcoming program in November, <a href="http://nationalwritersseries.org/programs/an-evening-with-Michael-Connelly/">"An Evening With Michael Connelly."</a> I am doubly excited by this program as it is to be hosted by<a href="http://bryangruley.com/about/"> Bryan Gruley</a>, another of our favorite writers who will introduce and interview <a href="http://www.michaelconnelly.com/">Connelly </a>and moderate the Q&A session.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2BL_Qed7y3ji9grqOiweYvb5vc4R32E3RdttgtbM0n29FPpOuZBb_kIu8WXshIK216DfC97PIVK6g-_cbKw4cXp2Y5uaqkBdNIpQ-1XXnCbqwXgq5k8zrxfBzS_FVcVLixZc9Q/s1600/Our+Prius+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2BL_Qed7y3ji9grqOiweYvb5vc4R32E3RdttgtbM0n29FPpOuZBb_kIu8WXshIK216DfC97PIVK6g-_cbKw4cXp2Y5uaqkBdNIpQ-1XXnCbqwXgq5k8zrxfBzS_FVcVLixZc9Q/s320/Our+Prius+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In other news, on 9/11/12 we accidentally purchased the bright red <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Prius">2010 Toyota Prius </a>shown here. I say accidentally because we were on a grocery shopping trip to Traverse City and had no intention of buying a car. However, I had dropped Teddy off at the <a href="http://www.womensresourcecenter.org/">"Women's Resource Center" </a>where she sometimes volunteers for a couple of hours when in TC and was driving past an automobile dealership when I spotted the Prius. I pulled in to look at the window sticker and was surprised to see that it had only 23000 miles. Of course a salesman came out and......well......you know the rest of the story.<br />
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Linda, our faithful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Yaris">2009 Yaris Sedan</a>, is now sitting out in front of the house with a for sale sign on her.<br />
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And that takes us up to the 2012 first day of fall autumnal equinox.<br />
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Oh, I almost forgot. In keeping with my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_adopter">early adopter </a>mentality as everyone who knows me can attest, I of course am now the proud owner of an iPhone 5. You knew I would!<br />
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Bye for now. ;-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzOnlasUSYnMDJYO9424up8QBl9YWFHMgAQCFSV3ELxdFEgsrmEUDlNFDypg_jiZD6qU2-GQs_VeJH7Vi5zOKIK1V7XqdRq3Y8st8Bw1xTkvKsm4t1W3zuMeGDQDDaMIxmdA6IA/s1600/Happy+face+.25+x+.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzOnlasUSYnMDJYO9424up8QBl9YWFHMgAQCFSV3ELxdFEgsrmEUDlNFDypg_jiZD6qU2-GQs_VeJH7Vi5zOKIK1V7XqdRq3Y8st8Bw1xTkvKsm4t1W3zuMeGDQDDaMIxmdA6IA/s1600/Happy+face+.25+x+.25.jpg" /></a>Update 9/26:<br />
The Yaris has found a new home. She was adopted by a little old retired English teacher. They took to each other right away and I'm sure that she will be happy with her new master. </div>
Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-22921376401262095602012-04-21T12:53:00.005-07:002012-04-21T15:57:05.371-07:00The Inside-out Grilled Cheese Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This crispy, crunchy, cheesy masterpiece is the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You know how once in a while you run across a slice of pizza where some of the cheese has dripped over the edge and caramelized onto the bottom of the crust? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You know how when you bite into that delicious deformity you think to yourself, "why can't the whole thing be like this?"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, it can. </span></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">For this to work properly,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15px;">I love Teddy's homemade bread but for this <u>use only, nutritionally insignificant white bread.</u> </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15px;">Use a nice <u>sharp cheddar</u> cheese. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15px;">Be sure to use a quality non-stick pan over <u>medium to medium-low</u> heat. </span></li>
</ol></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">For how to make this wonderful grilled cheese sandwich go to: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTCkNkfmRY" id="yui_3_4_0_3_1335036739192_1773" rel="nofollow" style="color: #0063dc; text-decoration: none;">www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTCkNkfmRY</a></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This has changed forever how I look at a grilled cheese sandwich! </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only modification that I make is to add onion.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU4mMfC24iRTnsmZD1ACidn_tXSVSKXDCiVYSsbOO-UQSmfBf6YaZH5aPzAodbRDUuwtNg4rESxlI5ZSaARKk7x9zyTltf0AeIX2Cm6sXVVmbxkh9tXNlxlLu0Uh5C1iICZ9_ow/s1600/Inside-out+grilled+cheese.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU4mMfC24iRTnsmZD1ACidn_tXSVSKXDCiVYSsbOO-UQSmfBf6YaZH5aPzAodbRDUuwtNg4rESxlI5ZSaARKk7x9zyTltf0AeIX2Cm6sXVVmbxkh9tXNlxlLu0Uh5C1iICZ9_ow/s400/Inside-out+grilled+cheese.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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On Wednesday & Thursday mornings, Teddy volunteers at a local thrift store and I'm on my own for breakfast...............So.....last Thursday...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsxbrFstlC5soXbhgD15KYiB4rbKSNxVJZQ8dvPeUYTpH-r0-9624dCvqlc1iU1_QgSB5EdRs9vKWe2vIOZh2fBYfuCgN63R-M6SgcmQ5UkVqHbpm8R3SgLxLn1HdeK31UZ3J3A/s1600/In-out+omelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsxbrFstlC5soXbhgD15KYiB4rbKSNxVJZQ8dvPeUYTpH-r0-9624dCvqlc1iU1_QgSB5EdRs9vKWe2vIOZh2fBYfuCgN63R-M6SgcmQ5UkVqHbpm8R3SgLxLn1HdeK31UZ3J3A/s320/In-out+omelet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;">...Buoyed up by my success in making</div><div style="text-align: right;">the inside-out sandwich, I decided</div><div style="text-align: right;"> to experiment with what I call</div><div style="text-align: right;"> "Inside-out cooking".</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
In a flash of inspiration I made </div><div style="text-align: right;">an inside-out cheese omelet</div><div style="text-align: right;"> shown here.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">If I do say so myself, it turned out nicely. I proceeded to make a regular omelet but after I folded it I added shredded cheddar to the outsides and caramelized it the same way as for the grilled cheese. That plus a cup of hot black coffee, toast and the morning paper crossword made for a very nice breakfast.<br />
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Nulla vit melior quam bona.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">.</span></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-18693841324013370232012-04-01T01:20:00.003-07:002012-04-01T12:37:26.907-07:00Recent Advances in Science 2012<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u>4/1/12 • AF News</u></i></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><i>New farming option for fruit growers in NW Michigan</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u>by Pearl Gray</u></i></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><u><b><br />
</b></u></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Traverse City, Michigan </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">–– </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><b> </b></span></span>Early settlers in Michigan discovered that due to Lake Michigan’s moderating effect on temperatures along the western side of the state that conditions were excellent for the growing of fruit crops including cherries, apples, peaches and plums. The Grand Traverse Bay area proved to be exceptionally good due to the double peninsulas jutting out into the bay which gave the added benefit of water on both sides Through the years mostly driven by profitability, most growers ultimately specialized in cherries and Traverse City became known as the <a href="http://agilewriter.com/History/CherryCapital.htm">“Cherry Capitol of the World”</a> with a week long <a href="http://www.cherryfestival.org/">festival</a> to celebrate the annual harvest. A major affect of this specialization, however, has been an economy that is dependent on the success of the annual crop. A boom in good years can be offset by a late frost destroying a major part of the crop in a subsequent year. </div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">This reporter recently interviewed Dr. F. G. Bascomb, at a producing cherry farm in Michigan's <a href="http://www.infomi.com/county/leelanau/">Leelanau County.</a> He is a spokesperson for the Midwest Economic Futures Co-op (MEFCO) and had some exciting news for the fruit growers in this region. Dr. Bascomb announced that he and <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Mr. </span>Duns Scotus the owner of a cherry farm here in Leelanau County, Michigan, along with several other growers from the region were recently invited to tour <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_State_University">Michigan State University's</a> fruit marketing research laboratory in East Lansing. The facility was established in 1994, to research and develop alternative crops to alleviate Western Michigan’s economic dependence on the cherry industry. Jointly funded by the Northwestern Economic Futures Association (NEFA) and the Cherryland Fruit Cooperative (CHEFCO), the labs have had some success in introducing new fruiting crops here Leelanau County including <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/nmj/living/dream.html">wine grapes</a> and <a href="http://www.leelanauhops.com/">hops</a>. Within the past ten years several vineyards and their companion <a href="http://lpwines.com/wine-trail-map/">wineries</a> have been established and the area has developed a solid reputation for its excellent wines. In addition some growers have already began growing <a href="http://www.leelanauhops.com/">hops</a> for use in the malted beverage industry.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Their latest endeavor though and the reason for our visit was to announce their latest breakthrough. In the summer of 1997 it occurred to Professor Sylvia Ajau, Chief Research Biotechnologist that since the olive is a species of <a href="http://www.wordnik.com/words/olive">Mediterranean evergreen</a>, it might be possible to molecularly clone recombinant DNA from native evergreens into the Mediterranean fruiting olive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome">genome</a> and thereby produce a variety of fruiting olive that could withstand our northern climate. Three years later in early 2000 she and her laboratory assistants were rewarded with the first laboratory version of what they now refer to as the “Northern Olive”. Since then they have been hard at work to produce a sustainable and commercially viable Northern Olive. The final breakthrough came when they discovered that they could <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grafting">graft</a> Northern Olive shoots onto the root stock of it’s cousin the hearty ornamental Russian Olive. Consequently, the announcement that the Northern Olive is now ready for “prime time playing”. Three growers who for the present time must remain anonymous have already established experimental groves and it is expected that within ten years Leelanau County, Michigan will have several producing olive groves.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Who knows, ten years from now your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martini_(cocktail)">martini</a> may be garnished with a home grown Michigan olive.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0CEDAR, MI 49621, USA44.8665034 -85.78716630000002444.7753274 -85.898576800000029 44.957679399999996 -85.675755800000019tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-3433498784804713202012-03-09T00:15:00.022-07:002012-03-11T18:08:56.574-07:00"The Weather Outside Was Frightful"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTnYKh6orio8jpYBbaPCRx_JWvPVHzVTS4hG7d0bUq7CXk69Gzzhg-rS0GZ-9I7HpqZ5MjN0OvZy4uGxLYRR6FSKDRSQ7ZxTw_rtEg_uzKpM6Khu9LcHBrJKlpZIMnMpeF56uPw/s1600/House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTnYKh6orio8jpYBbaPCRx_JWvPVHzVTS4hG7d0bUq7CXk69Gzzhg-rS0GZ-9I7HpqZ5MjN0OvZy4uGxLYRR6FSKDRSQ7ZxTw_rtEg_uzKpM6Khu9LcHBrJKlpZIMnMpeF56uPw/s320/House.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Following our decision to leave the open road and no longer Fulltime, we were braced for our first northern winter in six years. Surprisingly though, we were blessed with one of the mildest winters in history, that is, up to now. Evidently mother nature came to realize that she hadn't been paying attention to us here in Leelanau County, Michigan so last Friday, March 2, she blessed the entire northwestern Lake Michigan shoreline with one of the heaviest snowfalls in history. </div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The TV <a href="http://www.upnorthlive.com/about/bio.aspx?id=790">weatherman</a> had warned that there was to be a snowfall that evening so we weren't particularly alarmed as the snow began to fall early in the evening. However around nine-thirty PM we began to get momentary power interruptions and about twenty minutes later we suddenly went dark. We lifted the shades and peered out into the darkness but couldn't see much other than the fact that it was snowing. So what did we do?...well, we went to bed, confident that power would probably be restored by morning...WRONG! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxtvx0FeZG4YZJcVb-nuggOJ9zvBm1J-R4qmMwhATVkYVk91pxh14PPTFQSX7I4efi-4_d3qciDyNvmJYi3RMb0g7WCUBgBWmLJyqSkLqqSMw72ITUsamYSigJbm3Vh87TzZ5yQ/s1600/Side+yard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxtvx0FeZG4YZJcVb-nuggOJ9zvBm1J-R4qmMwhATVkYVk91pxh14PPTFQSX7I4efi-4_d3qciDyNvmJYi3RMb0g7WCUBgBWmLJyqSkLqqSMw72ITUsamYSigJbm3Vh87TzZ5yQ/s320/Side+yard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The next morning, Saturday, March 3 there was still no power and daylight revealed an amazing sight of trees and branches bent to the ground, laden with wet heavy snow. Actually it was a beautiful sight to see all of the evergreen trees with snow on their branches</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Here and there broken branches littered our yard and an adjacent wooded area. Teddy had left our only battery powered radio at the thrift shop where she volunteers so we had no idea of how widespread the power outage was until we phoned Teddy's sister, Deb Lawrence. Deb told us that there was a widespread power outage covering approximately eleven counties and not counting us there were some 199,999 homes without power or 200,000 including us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4MBlWdGKo62yVPiANEZ3hTQp6DPt2sszR_DQKCAfO9SDGzOaEXAfEHl2fZsS4Uwv7tl0fG4cjGfoCepc_wL7coR6Uta7sXUCGr357teFjgdCIbtSrBhyHm620IcGmqE0tzsUJA/s1600/Yamaha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4MBlWdGKo62yVPiANEZ3hTQp6DPt2sszR_DQKCAfO9SDGzOaEXAfEHl2fZsS4Uwv7tl0fG4cjGfoCepc_wL7coR6Uta7sXUCGr357teFjgdCIbtSrBhyHm620IcGmqE0tzsUJA/s200/Yamaha.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Fortunately we have this portable 2500 watt <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-EF2800i-4-Stroke-Generator-Compliant/dp/B002RWK9OQ">generator</a> that we used while RVing, so after a breakfast of cold cereal and coffee heated with a <a href="http://www.bernzomatic.com/">Bernzomatic</a> propane hand torch we retrieved the generator from my basement workshop and carried it to the front porch. Teddy shoveled a path through waist deep snow to the garage to retrieve a five gallon can of garden tractor gasoline, while I fabricated a reverse engineered connection cable to connect the generator to the house through a porch electrical outlet. We gassed up the generator, I shut off the main circuit breaker so that I wouldn't back feed into the power grid, the generator started on the second pull and "Bob's Your Uncle".<br />
We now had enough power to run the furnace, refrigerator/freezer, internet modem, radio and some limited lighting. </div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It wasn't until we listened to the radio that we realized the scope of the event. There was widespread devastation everywhere with snow choked roads and downed trees & power lines. </div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Sometime Saturday afternoon a plow was able to clear a single track on our road despite having to clear fallen trees every quarter mile or so. We were prepared to be without power for several days but fortunately we were on one of the first power trunks that was restored and late Sunday afternoon our power came back on. </div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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By that time both lanes of our road were plowed and our friend and contractor, Gerrard Belanger had plowed our driveway to the garage so that we could get our car out.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Gerrard has a huge 6x6 5 ton military surplus truck similar to this that he put a PU bed on and outfitted it with a plow to use for his snowplowing business. He has been putting in 16 hour days since the storm started.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Monday afternoon we took a short drive to look at the damaged cherry orchards. Most of the local orchards have a lot of trees that are lost due to the splitting of trunks and branches.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
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Now, exactly one week later, there are still several thousand people without power in the eleven county area.<br />
There are at least four different power companies that I know of that still have customers without power. They are Cherryland Electric (our provider), Great Lakes Energy, Traverse City Light & Power, and Consumers Energy. Current predictions are for most people to have power by next Monday with the possible exceptions of those that lost their individual drop. In fact our drywall finisher, Steve Stowe told me today that a tree fell on his line and tore the vertical pipe that anchors the power line off of his house so he will most likely be one of the last people to be restored.<br />
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Another aspect for us is that the work on our bathroom remodeling has come to a sudden halt. The house is a mess with construction tools and lumber scattered about and the new powder room is our only working bathroom.<br />
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Not to complain though as we can be thankful that after the snow melts we will still have our homes, unlike those poor folks in southern Indiania that were struck by a tornado several days ago.<br />
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<b><u>UPDATE Friday morning March 9, 9:30am EST</u></b><br />
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<i>At 9am this morning we again lost power and are once again running my little Yamaha generator. So apparently we aren't out of the woods yet. Don't know how widespread this second outage is but neighbors a mile down the road report that they too are out. Oh well...at least we have each other. </i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><u>UPDATE Friday morning March 9, 12:00 Noon EST</u></b></span></i><br />
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<i>We have power again. High winds today had toppled another tree across power lines a mile west of here. A cold blustery day today but there's a light at the end of the tunnel...highs tomorrow predicted to be in the 40s and then in the 50s all next week. Spring is just around the corner. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABWyXKT5qt4">"Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy"</a></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><u>UPDATE Sunday morning March 11, 8:00 am EDT</u></b></span></i><br />
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<i>Following is an article about the storm that appeared in today's issue of the </i><b>Traverse City Record Eagle.</b><br />
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</i></span></i></div><div style="color: #13033a; font: 15.0px Baskerville; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i>March 11, 2012</i></span></i></div><i> </i><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 33px/normal Georgia; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span style="color: blue; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://record-eagle.com/local/x1284933612/A-STORM-FOR-THE-CENTURY">A STORM FOR THE CENTURY</a></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 23px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDykZMB6_qkj9_NTZXuvPL61nPEzJpzvADrOsH2_hAe2jNHmbdwXTC4aG3rimZJVB2qiv6T9T3hjN64a8y5ii0Cg8n7krIZqcddBFkm7YonW3NuqpK_LhvmGOojMn7qra5C8SkA/s1600/Flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDykZMB6_qkj9_NTZXuvPL61nPEzJpzvADrOsH2_hAe2jNHmbdwXTC4aG3rimZJVB2qiv6T9T3hjN64a8y5ii0Cg8n7krIZqcddBFkm7YonW3NuqpK_LhvmGOojMn7qra5C8SkA/s1600/Flag.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">As many as 200,000 lost power in massive storm last weekend</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://record-eagle.com/">Record-Eagle<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YzoB9Hi3Fqb4KZaZFPIFKOlCiyv-rTvcwVoYoIcCN_r_J2GqPEBOzg0zgjrxqDHKXUoTqMux1NxtUIvBZm22TaVLdZ0Uv9ZQwkhePDVCPpSuL7PCDTlfn9Jlhj2NvdSERQ2U4w/s1600/Otto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YzoB9Hi3Fqb4KZaZFPIFKOlCiyv-rTvcwVoYoIcCN_r_J2GqPEBOzg0zgjrxqDHKXUoTqMux1NxtUIvBZm22TaVLdZ0Uv9ZQwkhePDVCPpSuL7PCDTlfn9Jlhj2NvdSERQ2U4w/s400/Otto.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Traverse City — BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY<br />
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<a href="mailto:bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">bmcgillivary@record-eagle.com</span></a><br />
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JAMES RUSSELL<br />
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<a href="mailto:jrussell@record-eagle.com"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">jrussell@record-eagle.com</span></a><br />
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and ART BUKOWSKI<br />
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<a href="mailto:abukowski@record-eagle.com"><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">abukowski@record-eagle.com</span></a><br />
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TRAVERSE CITY — The March 2012 storm: epitome of in-like-a-lion, stuff of local lore.<br />
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We’ll be talking about it for years.<br />
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Snowfall that measured by the foot, a 12-hour barrage that massed and felt like poured cement. Flattened shrubs and tree limbs that snapped and cracked and sounded all the world like gunshots.<br />
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Impassable roads, an eerie morning-after scene dominated by stark white, and, for thousands of households and businesses, darkness.<br />
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Perhaps 200,000 northern Michigan electricity users lost power late Friday, March 2 and into Saturday as falling trees clipped power lines. <br />
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Laurie Klingelsmith lost power at her Green Lake Township home on Friday at about 11 p.m. The lights didn’t come back on until Sunday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, she and her family headed to Traverse City to stay with her mother, but travel wasn’t easy.<br />
“We had to chainsaw our way out of the driveway,” Klingelsmith said.<br />
Before the power returned, Klingelsmith’s clan scrambled to collect oil lamps, wood and other supplies. Next time, she said, they’ll be prepared.<br />
“I told my husband this was the time to have an emergency stash,” she said.<br />
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Traverse City resident Christine Jaymes gathered flashlights and candles before the storm hit. She and her husband lost power for about 24 hours and the items came in handy.<br />
“We knew it was coming,” she said. “This time, the weatherman was right.”<br />
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Tart cherries decimated<br />
Area cherry farmers reported widespread damage to orchards. Older tart cherry trees took the brunt.<br />
Overall damage estimates range from a low of 5 percent to a high of 20 percent of the cherry crop in Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Benzie, and Antrim counties, experts said.<br />
“We got our butt kicked, said Leelanau County farmer Jeff Send. “It could equate to the loss of 15 to 20 million pounds of product, and it’s not just gone this year, it’s gone for the next 10 years.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Send rode a snowmobile to check on one of his blocks of 400, 10-year-old trees that are nestled in a wooded area to protect them from wind damage.<br />
This storm threw a curve at Send. Snow fell in waves over the taller woodlot and directly onto the fruit trees nearest the woods.<br />
“I’ve been farming all my life -- I’m 58 years old -- and I’ve never seen anything like this storm,” Send said. “The first three-to-five rows up against the woods, it was just more weight than the trees could support.”<br />
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Rob Manigold, a Peninsula Township cherry farmer, said orchards there sustained heavy damage, though losses primarily were confined to older tart cherry trees.<br />
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Francis Otto of Cherry Bay Orchards reported spotty storm damage to his crop north of Suttons Bay. Some blocks of trees showed no damage, but older orchards were hard hit, with up to 35 percent of tart cherry trees destroyed.<br />
“As the wood gets older it starts to get brittle and they just snapped off,” Otto said.<br />
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Apple and sweet cherry trees appeared to have escaped serious problems, and vineyards aren’t the worse for wear, said Nikki Rothwell, district horticulturist at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station.<br />
Rothwell said farmers won’t be able to come up with firm damage estimates until they’re able to access their back lots.<br />
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Officially, the storm dumped between 19 and 23 inches of heavy, wet snow on Leelanau County, but emergency management officials said they received unofficial reports of up to 3 feet of snow in some areas.<br />
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Leelanau County officials asked Gov. Rick Snyder to declare the county a disaster for agricultural purposes, a designation that could provide farmers state and federal assistance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">“Usually it’s just a low-interest loan, but a loan is just a loan and you still have to pay it back,” </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Leelanau County farmer Steve </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kalchik said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">The storm snapped branches or leveled entire trees. Damage varied, depending on how much snow fell, Kalchik said.<br />
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Dark days<br />
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The wacky winter of 2011-12 already cut into revenue at the nonprofit ski hill, Mount Holiday, just outside Traverse City. A slow start to the season pushed back the opening date and business was hit-and-miss in the new year.<br />
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Then the storm hit and cut power to the ski area from early Saturday through Thursday night.<br />
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“It’s been a hard year,” said Michelle Konstanzer, Mount Holiday’s food and beverage director. “We couldn’t open in beginning because there wasn’t enough snow, now we couldn’t open up because too much snow.”<br />
Konstanzer estimates the resort lost out on $20,000 in revenue last week, and workers were forced to throw out about $8,000 worth of food. It’s a big hit for the nonprofit, which already faced an uphill funding battle amid the bad economy.<br />
“I’m not taking a paycheck, so I can help my staff ... I have people trying to raise kids, and they just got the week off with no pay. For those living paycheck to paycheck, that’s not easy,” she said.<br />
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Mount Holiday was one of nearly 20,000 Cherryland Electric Cooperative customers — more than half the utility’s 34,000 customers — that lost power last week. Tony Anderson, the utility’s general manager, said the damage was the worst for Cherryland in at least 35 years.<br />
“People who have worked here all that time have been telling me they’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.<br />
Cherryland was one of the last utilities to restore service to all its customers; fewer than 500 were still without power Friday morning. Anderson acknowledged the utility had difficulty finding outside crews to assist in the storm’s aftermath.<br />
“We were short-handed in the beginning, but there were 200,000 people out of power in all of northern Michigan, and it was tough to get crews,” Anderson said. “I had all my people, but I didn’t have a lot of extra help until Monday.”<br />
By Tuesday, 25 crews were at work on Cherryland lines. Fifteen more crews were at work by Thursday.<br />
Faced with a flood of incoming calls to report outages, Cherryland staffers turned to Facebook to keep its customers informed.<br />
“We’d tried really hard, but you have to understand, we’ll never be where we can answer 20,000 phone calls. We can’t even handle 5,000 phone calls, but 364 days of the year we don’t need to. So we used Facebook to alleviate that,” Anderson said. “People mainly just wanted to know what’s going on. It was a pretty good tool.”<br />
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Traverse City Light & Power also struggled to handle the influx of callers.<br />
“The phone system got locked up early in the process,” said Executive Director Ed Rice. “With so many coming in at once, even the answering system got overloaded. People just got locked out of communication. We need to do better there.”<br />
Rice said 8,000 of Light & Power’s 11,500 customers were without power at the storm’s peak. Almost all had their power restored by Monday night.<br />
“We were able to acquire downstate crews pretty early in process. We started calling about midnight on Friday,” he said.<br />
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More than 60,000 Great Lakes Energy customers were in the dark at some point, said Dave Guzniczak, the utility’s spokesman. Heavy snow made it difficult for crews to repair the lines.<br />
“It was very difficult to get to trouble spots. Some you couldn’t get trucks to, other trucks were getting stuck. It was even difficult with snowmobiles and snowshoes,” Guzniczak said. “Two years ago in October, we had a two- or three-day wind storm that actually created more outages — over 90,000. But we probably restored power quicker when we had 90,000 because didn’t have to deal with this wet, heavy snow.”<br />
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Mount Holiday’s Konstanzer is upset that the power outages took such a heavy financial toll on the nonprofit, but said Cherryland and the other utilities did the best they could under the circumstances. Her husband works for a power company, and he’s shared stories of devastation after tornadoes and hurricanes elsewhere in the country.<br />
“We didn’t lose any lives, just food,” she said. “Food can be replaced, lives can’t.”<br />
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Biggest since ’78?<br />
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Traverse City Police Capt. Steve Morgan believes the storm was the biggest since the famous blizzard of 1978.<br />
“Looking back, I can’t remember a storm ... that had that large an impact on the city,” he said. “I don’t ever remember getting that much heavy, wet snow in such a short period of time.”<br />
Residents generally stayed off city streets during the early period of the storm, Morgan said. But plenty ventured out later; some just sought information about when roads would be cleared or power returned.<br />
Morgan said he hopes residents learn from this storm and create a stash of emergency.<br />
“Everybody should take the responsibility for themselves and be prepared to stay in their homes for a couple of days if they have to ... . I think up here, people should realize that being out of power for 24 hours, 36 hours or even two days is a very real possibility.”<br />
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The storm wreaked havoc in the region, but no serious injuries were reported. And that’s remarkable, police said, with all the icy roads, downed power lines and tree limbs and other hazards.<br />
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“It’s unfortunate that people went a week without power, but to not have anybody injured seriously, we’re very fortunate,” Grand Traverse sheriff’s Capt. Randy Fewless said.<br />
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Gerry Thibert lives near Torch Lake in Antrim County’s Milton Township. He heats with wood, and nearly all of his neighbors who had gas-fired heat lost it during the storm.<br />
So he had about 15 to 20 neighbors over to his house, and they learned to appreciate his old-fashioned method.<br />
“They always wondered why we continued to heat with wood,” he said. “They sure thought it came in handy this time. We were the only ones who had heat.”<br />
Thibert said plenty of people who lived around him helped their fellow neighbors, so in a way, the storm was uplifting.<br />
“It brought our neighborhood closer together,” he said.<br />
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Linda Miller, who lives on Veterans Drive in Traverse City, wasn’t without power for long. She didn’t mind not having the ability to use her television and other appliances.<br />
“You get so used to all of those amenities,” she said.</span></div><br />
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.</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-13392218230843227712012-02-29T17:57:00.005-07:002012-02-29T18:31:47.841-07:00Plumbers, and Carpenters, and Electricians, Oh My!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It seems that I do some of my best thinking after I go to bed while I am waiting to go to sleep The ole’ brain starts to rev up and new ideas float around in my mind.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A lot of my nighttime musings don’t hold up in the light of day but a couple of weeks ago I got to thinking about our bathroom. Although it never bothered me much, Teddy has never liked the fact that the bathroom is located off the living room. I suppose that she is right but this is an old farmhouse originally built in the late 1800s before most houses had inside plumbing. Teddy can still remember that when she was a young girl they had an outdoor outhouse and had to carry water into the house by the pailful.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What followed was that through the years as the family grew more prosperous and was handed down generation to generation, new rooms were added to the original structure. They were, in order, a kitchen on the east side of the house, a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom on the north side and an entrance foyer on the south side. As it happens, the bathroom is adjacent to the bedroom which is also entered from the living room. So as I lie all tucked in my bed, musings of bathrooms floated in my head, <i>“Why not cut a door into the bathroom from the bedroom and make it the master bath”? “Hmmm, this, however, would necessitate constructing a new powder room for guests on the other end of the house off the foyer and extensive remodeling of the existing bathroom”</i>....and right about then, I fell asleep.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The following morning when I had risen, a quarter after seven; I recounted my musings of the night before to Teddy and she liked the idea and urged me to call Gerrard Belanger, our contractor, to investigate the possibility.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Gerrard reaffirmed that it was possible, Teddy got all excited and started to rearrange furniture, and I thought, <i>“Oh, no!, What have I done? There goes another chunk of our meager savings.”</i></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So...for the past week we have had Erich Hallett, our plumber/electrician, Gerrard and Jason Belanger, our carpenter/drywallers, and Steve Stowe the drywall finisher all working feverishly to make it happen.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">At this point the new powder-room is finished ..........</span><br />
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and work is now progressing on the new master bath.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is a drawing of the new remodeled master bath adjoining the bedroom</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hopefully we are all done with the farmhouse upgrading.............but...........no promises, if there's anything I've learned through the years, there are always new ideas that can slowly develop in the back of my mind and then suddenly erupt into a </span>conscious thought.</span><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It kinda' works like this!</div></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-54258924118196423892012-01-20T14:01:00.005-07:002012-01-20T17:11:34.555-07:00Catching UpIt seems that I have been negligent lately in keeping up with our blog. Reason being, that in May 2005 after selling our home in <a href="http://www.appleton.org/">Appleton, Wisconsin</a> we purchased a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/1805664096/">large 5th wheel RV, a heavy duty PU truck</a> and began our adventure of traveling and living <a href="http://www.rvinginfo.com/">full-time in an RV</a>. This blog was created shortly afterward on 1/1/2006 so that our family and friends might follow us in our travels.<br />
Mainly because of health concerns, this spring after six years on the road we decided to discontinue full-time RVing and moved into the <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=schlueter&fb=1&gl=us&hq=schlueter&hnear=0x881e25d870bef73f:0x817bcccaa918b28,Cedar,+MI&cid=6951831425477727259">Schlueter</a> family farmhouse on a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/842067231/">cherry</a> farm in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leelanau_County,_Michigan">Leelanau County</a> Michigan. We have a life lease on the house which has been vacant since the passing of Teddy's parents.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/847358454/">Teddy's brother, John</a> owns and operates the farm and lives in his own house across the road from us.<br />
And, since we are not RVing any more, I no longer feel compelled to update the blog very often.<br />
Life on the farm or any permeant home for that matter, although not boring, is much more static than while traveling as day to day events often repeat themselves. I will, however, make an entry every so often for the benefit of the many RV friends that we have made while traveling.<br />
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Lets see now...where was I...oh yeah...life on the farm... or "The Farm" as we have named our newly remodeled farmhouse.<br />
I won't go into the updating and remodeling which actually began two years ago as it has been well documented in previous blogs.<br />
We now have obtained Michigan drivers licenses and have registered to vote so as of January 1, 2012 we are now legal <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/">Michigan</a> residents. We still remain loyal <a href="http://www.packers.com/">Packer</a> fans even though we seem to be outnumbered by <a href="http://www.detroitlions.com/">Lion</a> loyalists. Some things just have to be regarded as sacrosanct. ;-)<br />
This winter I have been catching up on my reading, we both read on <a href="https://kindle.amazon.com/">Kindles</a>; I logged over 60 books read last year on two different web sites for readers <a href="http://www.shelfari.com/">Shelfari</a> and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a> If you are a reader I highly recommend joining a readers club. It is an excellent resource for exchanging reviews and other info with like minded readers. Teddy has also been kept busy working as a volunteer at two local different thrift stores, <a href="http://www.womensresourcecenter.org/">one in Traverse City</a> on Mondays and <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=lake+leelanau+thrift+stores&fb=1&gl=us&hq=thrift+stores&hnear=0x4d4b2dc28766152f:0xe8de6bf6f4546e00,Lake+Leelanau,+Leland,+MI&cid=5789566896440791519">one in Lake Leelanau</a> on Thursdays.<br />
Up to now were fortunate to have an unusually mild winter but winter has now struck in its full fury with blizzard conditions for the past two days.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphftbVFPEb_MqXBugFSNgufR8jZIt68jYhD6gOpfe7y7gvYuV_OO2B0gmR3w7O5KRY_nM5680KPgcXVlJLRxmbTttD8Yr1skyJgddhQLYfh26c2b6p1b9nPQ7ms76QHUF9Cz7mQ/s1600/Combined.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphftbVFPEb_MqXBugFSNgufR8jZIt68jYhD6gOpfe7y7gvYuV_OO2B0gmR3w7O5KRY_nM5680KPgcXVlJLRxmbTttD8Yr1skyJgddhQLYfh26c2b6p1b9nPQ7ms76QHUF9Cz7mQ/s640/Combined.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: right;">Here is how "The Farm" looked when we arrived</div><div style="text-align: right;">last May...</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: right;">...and this is how it looked last week, before our current blizzard.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">As for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow">snow</a>, the nice thing about being retired is the fact that we don't have anywhere that we have to go to; we don't even have to walk out to the mailbox to pick-up our social security check as we have direct deposit. So let it snow, and if need be I can do most of our shopping on the internet and let <a href="http://www.ups.com/">UPS</a> & <a href="http://www.fedex.com/us/">FedEx</a> do the driving. Hell, you can even buy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=&x=0&y=0">groceries on Amazon.com</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Life in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21st_century">21st century</a> is good!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-86690729095694980382011-10-23T14:39:00.001-07:002011-10-23T15:38:26.117-07:00THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE!! <div style="font: 17.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;">If I do say so myself, we live in one of the best places on planet Earth.</div><div style="font: 17.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;">The following is from The U.S. News & World Report which listed The Traverse City area third in "The 10 best places to retire in 2012"...</div><div style="font: 20.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;">The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012</div><div style="color: #999999; font: 14.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><b>These cities will meet your retirement lifestyle needs and suit your budget</b></div><div style="color: #155ea6; font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #999999;">By <a href="http://money.usnews.com/topics/author/emily_brandon"><span style="color: #155ea6;">EMILY BRANDON</span></a></span></div><div style="color: #999999; font: 10.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">October 17, 2011<span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div style="font: 10.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 12.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #155ea6; font: 13.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2009/10/02/10-affordable-places-to-retire-on-the-water"><b>Water views on a budget</b></a><span style="color: black;"><b>: </b><a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/best-places-to-retire/michigan/traverse_city"><span style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal 'Lucida Grande';"><b>Traverse City</b></span></a><b>, Mich.</b></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;">Dream of retiring to a lake house? The Traverse City area offers more than 180 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 149 large lakes measuring 10 acres or more. Residents can climb the high sand dunes and lounge on the freshwater beaches at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, or take a ferry out to the Manitou Islands. There are also plenty of opportunities for boating on the twin Grand Traverse Bays. <span style="color: #125497;">Housing prices</span> in this lakeside city average a reasonable $155,715.</div><div style="font: 13.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;">...and this is from the Denver Post, Oct 15, 2011</div><br />
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<tr><td class="articleBox" style="width: 668px;"><div class="articleOptions" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold;">Indulge your inner hermit in Michigan's Leelanau</span></div><div class="articleSubTitle" id="articleSubTitle">Private beach hideaway</div><div class="articleByline" id="articleByline"><b>By Tucker Shaw </b><br />
<i>The Denver Post</i></div><br />
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<div class="articleImageCaption" style="width: 200px;">Unspoiled dunes and crystal-clear water draw more than 1.3 million visitors a year to Leelanau Peninsula. (Courtesy of the Leelanau Herald)</div></div></div><span fd-id="default" fd-type="end"></span></div><span fd-id="default" fd-type="start"></span>There's something strange about the beach here.<br />
It's not the fact that it stretches for miles, white sand as far as you can see.<br />
It's not the fact that the water is fresh, so the mist tossed into the air by the crashing waves doesn't carry a briney aroma. It's the fact that you're the only one here. Oh, glory.<br />
The Leelanau Peninsula (pronounced LEE-lah- naw), located at the tip of the pinky finger of Michigan's mitten, was never on my shortlist of places to visit. Until, that is, I spent a week there. Now, I'm eager to return.<br />
It's in the sweet spot for domestic tourism: Plenty of infrastructure for visitors, but not a crowd to be found.<br />
Deep evergreen woods, reminiscent of the Maine coast, line<br />
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<div class="articleImageCaption" style="width: 200px;">Temperate weather makes Leelanau a great place to grow cherries, wine grapes and apples. (Courtesy of the Leelanau Herald)</div></div></div>the <span class="" id="apture_prvw3" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; color: inherit; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #e0e6ec; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 17px; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0px; width: 0px;"></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Lake Michigan</span></a><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span> coastline. It gives you the feeling of remoteness and privacy, even when you're just a mile or two out of town (that town being, depending on your travel planning, Leland, Northport, Suttons Bay or Glen Haven). If you wanted to, you could go full-bore hermit here, and rarely see another soul.<br />
But a quarter-mile in from the big lake, you'll find a lovely, civilized, urbane community, fairly buzzing with activity. Much of the land has been cleared to make way for orchards (cherries and apples abound) and vineyards (there may be more wineries per square mile here than any place I've ever been).<br />
It adds up to a picturesque slice of Americana that, while rooted in tradition, is anything but old-fashioned.<br />
The foodie scene in Leelanau is intense (Is that <span class="" id="apture_prvw4" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; color: inherit; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #e0e6ec; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 17px; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0px; width: 0px;"></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Mario Batali</span></a><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span> at the farmers market in Northport? Yes, it is!). This is particularly true in the summer months, when the rich Midwest soil throws forth fruits and vegetables with enthusiasm. Produce here rivals the best anywhere, and every tiny town has a farmers market — honest-to-goodness farmers markets, staffed by local farmers, not farmers from other parts of the state or faux-farmers hawking produce they picked up off a truck.<br />
<div class="articlePosition3" style="width: 200px;"><div class="articleImageBox" style="width: 200px;"><span class="articleImage"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4023182" target="_new"><img alt="" border="0" height="271" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2011/1015/20111015_093952_tr16peninsula2_200.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></span><br />
<div class="articleImageCaption" style="width: 200px;">Historic Fishtown on the northwest shore of Lake Michigan in Leland. (Courtesy of the Leelanau Herald)</div></div></div>And if you happen to miss market day, you'll find tomatoes, corn and lettuces at the end of nearly every driveway in the county. Just drop a couple of bucks in the jar, bag your goods and head back to your rented house to cook 'em up.<br />
Renting a house is the best way to handle lodging in Leelanau (there are dozens listed on <a href="http://vrbo.com/">vrbo.com</a>). Here's why: The restaurant scene, while passable, is limited, so having your own kitchen is a big plus. Pick up some smoked fish and wine in Leland, some steaks in Cedar, a pie down in Traverse City, and some fruit and vegetables along the way, and you're good.<br />
If your budget is generous, you'll want a house on the big lake, Lake Michigan, where the sunsets sprawl across cocktail hour and where after dinner you can build a fire on the beach (hello, s'mores).<br />
When you do choose to go out, your best breakfast is a cinnamon twist from Barb's Bakery in Northport. Midwesterners do know their way around baked goods, and this soft, homey, not-overly-sweet breakfast pastry is no exception.<br />
Lunch calls for a sandwich and a "Chubby Mary" (a Bloody Mary garnished with a small smoked whitefish, whole) at The Cove, located on Leland's charming dockside strip. You'll find sandwiches and salads and an excellent whitefish spread. If you're picnicking, visit the Village Cheese Shanty. They stock plenty of local wine, too.<br />
For a special dinner, visit the upscale Riverside Inn, also in Leland,<br />
<div class="articlePosition5" style="width: 200px;"><div class="articleImageBox" style="width: 200px;"><span class="articleImage"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4019436" target="_new"><img alt="" border="0" height="149" src="http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2011/1013/20111013__20111016_T01_TR16LEELANAU~p1_200.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a></span><br />
<div class="articleImageCaption" style="width: 200px;">If your budget is generous, you'll want a house on Lake Michigan, with its sprawling sunsets. (Andy Fishering )</div></div></div>for their resplendent Porchetta plate, a slow-roasted spiral of local pork belly rich with herbs and fat and a barely sharp red wine sauce. (You won't finish it, so take the rest home for lunch tomorrow.)<br />
For a more casual dinner and a chance to hang with the locals, head to Fischers Happy Hour, halfway between Leland and Northport. You'll grab a burger and a beer, or perhaps a bowl of navy-bean soup. Another option, the Bluebird Bar in Leland, for a basket of fried smelt and a glass of Michigan wine.<br />
This being Michigan, there's water everywhere, including many smaller "inland" lakes in driving distance — the most notable being <span class="" id="apture_prvw5" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"><a class=" snap_noshots" href="http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; color: inherit; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: -1px; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #e0e6ec; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px 2px; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 17px; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 0px; width: 0px;"></span><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; cursor: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/crsr/socialLink.png), default; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; top: 1px; width: auto;">Lake Leelanau</span></a><span style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: none; display: inline; float: none; height: auto; line-height: 1px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static; text-decoration: none; width: auto;"></span></span>, which stretches for much of the length of the peninsula and offers swimming, fishing and generalized hanging out. (Don't skip a swim here: The water's much warmer than in the big lake.)<br />
Summer is not the only season on the Leelanau Peninsula — far from it. This region rivals New England for fall foliage. Bring a sweater: The average October temperatures top out at about 59 degrees.<br />
<i>Tucker Shaw: <a href="mailto:tshaw@denverpost.com">tshaw@denverpost.com</a>, <span class="aptureLink " id="apture_prvw1"><span class="aptureLinkIcon" style="background-position: 100% -1149px;"> </span><a class="aptureLink snap_noshots" href="http://twitter.com/tucker_shaw">twitter.com/tucker_shaw</a></span></i><br />
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<h3>Leelanau Insider's Guide</h3><b>Get here:</b>Your best bet is to fly to Traverse City. United/SkyWest operates one daily direct flight starting at $547 round-trip.<br />
<b>Dine</b><br />
In Northport<br />
Fischer's Happy Hour Tavern, 7144 N Manitou Trail, 231-386-9923<br />
Barb's Bakery, 112 N. Mill St., 231-386-5851<br />
In Leland<br />
Bluebird Bar, 102 River St., 231-256-9081, <a href="http://leelanau.com/bluebird">leelanau.com/bluebird</a><br />
The Cove, 111 River St., 231-256-9834, <a href="http://thecoveleland.com/">thecoveleland.com</a><br />
Riverside Inn, 302 River St., 231-256-9971, <a href="http://theriverside-inn.com/">theriverside-inn.com</a><br />
<b>Meats</b><br />
Pleva's Meats, 8974 South Kasson St., Cedar, 231-228-5000, <a href="http://plevasmeats.com/">plevasmeats.com</a><br />
<b>Pies</b><br />
Grand Traverse Pie Co., 101 N. Park Street, Traverse City, 231-933-3972, <a href="http://gtpie.com/">gtpie.com</a><br />
<span fd-id="default" fd-type="end"></span></div><div class="articlePositionFooter"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;"><strong><span class="aptureLink " id="apture_prvw2"><span class="aptureLinkIcon" style="background-position: 100% -1148px;"> </span><a class="aptureLink snap_noshots" href="http://twitter.com/tucker_shaw">Follow Tucker Shaw on Twitter</a></span></strong>.</div></div></td></tr>
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Read more:<a href="http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#.TpuXV6lQ2Pk.email#ixzz1bdXELnIX" style="color: #003399;">Indulge your inner hermit in Michigan's Leelanau - The Denver Post</a><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#.TpuXV6lQ2Pk.email#ixzz1bdXELnIX" style="color: #003399;">http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_19107370#.TpuXV6lQ2Pk.email#ixzz1bdXELnIX</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The only possible bad downside to all of this sudden publicity is that we could be suddenly overrun with with a population influx, driving property values up and straining our available resources.</span><br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But, then again, "A stranger is a friend that you haven't met yet", so come ahead and be my neighbor. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB69jzXeCG93A6fEnvMgUAdAb6YUPPe9FhF9zwuwvW5myImWc04S0uuNBR_cZL4EtwOC4xr8nz90rr7TNE3XoUDa08wERsR_QXso30vEJKkIakKVyujE1_E7mLgE7e42PH2Ci18Q/s1600/SingleSmiley.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB69jzXeCG93A6fEnvMgUAdAb6YUPPe9FhF9zwuwvW5myImWc04S0uuNBR_cZL4EtwOC4xr8nz90rr7TNE3XoUDa08wERsR_QXso30vEJKkIakKVyujE1_E7mLgE7e42PH2Ci18Q/s1600/SingleSmiley.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-30160586687615973292011-10-03T11:31:00.003-07:002011-10-27T20:54:20.240-07:00The Tomato Sandwich<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333233; font-size: 15px;">One of my favorite summertime treats is a big sloppy, with juice running down your arms, tomato sandwich made with fresh ripe tomatos straight from the garden.</span><br />
<div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Now this is a <span style="color: red;">"TOMATO SANDWICH"</span> <u>NOT</u> a "BLT" or a "Club Sandwich". Just as a hamburger is not the same as a cheeseburger, they are another kind of sandwich, which I also sometimes enjoy, however, a pure tomato sandwich is sans any flavor detraction such as bacon, lettuce or any other ingredient other than those listed here.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span">In our family this was a treat shared through the years of my youth by myself and my mother, Donna Page and I credit the invention to her. I don't recall any other members of my family relishing them with as much </span>uninhabited gusto<span class="Apple-style-span"> as me and my mom. </span><br />
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</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">A. The Ingredients</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_g7ODgH-F15YPc1ersU9dUSOn-59hDF2-nKPGXPakOAbSQ3eqs2Y2jeOj7kmDvfz7Z-4w3j7nUHpZL79KVRg-dA8fLytTRtcahGRQhBPBe5G5ite42SmbkdRpqZSHiWL89qkog/s1600/Tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk_g7ODgH-F15YPc1ersU9dUSOn-59hDF2-nKPGXPakOAbSQ3eqs2Y2jeOj7kmDvfz7Z-4w3j7nUHpZL79KVRg-dA8fLytTRtcahGRQhBPBe5G5ite42SmbkdRpqZSHiWL89qkog/s320/Tomato.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. Tomatoes: You must start with a summer-ripened tomato. Any color will do, but it has to be dead-ripe, succulent, and bursting with juice. It should never be refrigerated. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUB7f7t4BiNMz7jQTHBALB-hVdux8BWWRMsA08wPA1tsBlDw6PN2RlB15zBCGTF7OGU42dWkJWRkpruyfTkxUSIA-AF9TuFIKj1zHV4ESypDge3A6BLertWrQ1bYgq3Mp4kg2Og/s1600/Mayo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUB7f7t4BiNMz7jQTHBALB-hVdux8BWWRMsA08wPA1tsBlDw6PN2RlB15zBCGTF7OGU42dWkJWRkpruyfTkxUSIA-AF9TuFIKj1zHV4ESypDge3A6BLertWrQ1bYgq3Mp4kg2Og/s1600/Mayo.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">2. Mayonnaise: You need mayonnaise, <u>NOT</u> ‘Miracle Whip’…Miracle Whip is a nice condiment for making potato salad but should never be used on sandwiches as it’s strong flavor overpowers the other fillings. If you don’t have any mayo on hand, STOP now and go to the store and get some. Mayo is part of the magic of a perfect tomato sandwich.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUuesikMubkXQWXdlSe8PJXNxSOQ_F0ubuTX95Xp9dd7CpgNvA_42Az9c7ZqGFJzeIy1VGjVkhREfa-nZNPNf4j2k8Mr8ya4kY9usoZVdzjhSGhBNDfsxe1SWUixC0cnbmFv42Q/s1600/Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUuesikMubkXQWXdlSe8PJXNxSOQ_F0ubuTX95Xp9dd7CpgNvA_42Az9c7ZqGFJzeIy1VGjVkhREfa-nZNPNf4j2k8Mr8ya4kY9usoZVdzjhSGhBNDfsxe1SWUixC0cnbmFv42Q/s320/Bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">3. Bread: Two lightly toasted slices of that soft and squishy bread that you never admit buying. You don’t want highly flavored bread that detracts from the filling. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQDOVd4S82SWGEHYjsCeFjb5j-9c5GT7SX2XyR3XiS-z7YoC7f6GyKS3IUcNlzwkd3DT-iyJLXmmt5uwUrCVLdEdqh7VqVQs7Kz1_9VhMzjPwdIlmy5xJQx56OGsr2UwkYEQ59A/s1600/Onion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQDOVd4S82SWGEHYjsCeFjb5j-9c5GT7SX2XyR3XiS-z7YoC7f6GyKS3IUcNlzwkd3DT-iyJLXmmt5uwUrCVLdEdqh7VqVQs7Kz1_9VhMzjPwdIlmy5xJQx56OGsr2UwkYEQ59A/s1600/Onion.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">4. Onion: Sweet onion sliced, preferably Vidalias if in season.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzOsmQjPF47CAxN-CvtOxKECS8b1dXb0QifY3RJbSNBo8-ZtA2jECk21lbjoxVYP5mREHkVD9Z8tM0S6_2sU5pYXw7KhSQSMnplKTsnE9zkDiAbGalIDQzSdttfNSd6hDGte4AQ/s1600/Salt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzOsmQjPF47CAxN-CvtOxKECS8b1dXb0QifY3RJbSNBo8-ZtA2jECk21lbjoxVYP5mREHkVD9Z8tM0S6_2sU5pYXw7KhSQSMnplKTsnE9zkDiAbGalIDQzSdttfNSd6hDGte4AQ/s1600/Salt.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">5. Last but not least, salt.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">B The Assembly:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">While the bread is toasting, use your sharpest knife <a href="http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=1721"><span style="color: #221399;"><i>(if you don’t have a Cutco #1721, you should get one it is the best tomato slicing knife in existance)</i></span></a> to slice the tomato vertically in 1/2 inch slices & then cut off the tops of the slices that have bellybuttons where the stem was. Peel the onion and slice it horizontally in 1/8th inch slices. Slather the mayonnaise on both slices of the toast, making sure it flows all the way to the edges, perhaps with an artful drip over the edge. Carefully fit the tomatoes onto the toast cutting it to fit the best you can. Top with a layer of the onion slices, lightly salt, put the top on and VOLA!</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">C The Eating:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Sandwich in hand, you may now move to the sink and start eating. Grasp the sandwich with both hands, shielding the backside as the tomatoes sometimes try to escape by squishing out the back. Have plenty of napkins or paper towels handy, as the juice will run down your chin or your hands. Optionally put your sandwich on a plate and eat at the table, don’t forget the paper towels.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The first bite is all about texture—the soft bread, the velvety emulsion of mayonnaise, the luscious tomato, bursting with juice – a unique and wonderful sensory experience. By the third bite, be ready for the harmony of flavors in which yeasty bread, creamy mayonnaise, crisp onions and tart-acid-sweet tomato come together, accentuated with the salt. Don’t hurry. Savor the flavors.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Tomato sandwiches are about as basic as you can get, every one of them is delicious. In the summer I eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or in between. And every last one of them is perfect.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-45926325690087330302011-09-13T16:59:00.004-07:002011-09-13T17:23:21.340-07:00The Eyes Have It!Last fall before we went west for the winter I noticed that I wasn't seeing as sharply as I was used to, particularly with my right eye. This was somewhat surprising to me because I had my glasses prescription updated just the year before and my prescription usually did not change much over a much longer period of time. "Oh well," sez I, "I'de better go in for an eye exam to get new glasses before we depart." So I made an appointment with <a href="http://cedarruneyecenter.com/cedar-run-eye-center-about-us-our-staff.php">Dr. Jodi Hummel</a> at the <a href="http://cedarruneyecenter.com/cedar-run-eye-center-about-us-our-promise.php">Cedar Run Eye Center</a> here in Traverse City for an exam.<br />
Well it didn't turn out as I expected when she informed me that I needed<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rYtBsmVOOQ&feature=player_embedded"> eye surgery</a> as I was developing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cataract">cataracts</a> in not only my right eye but the left as well, although not as advanced. But because we were leaving shortly to spend the winter in the Southwest she assured me that I could wait until this spring when we returned.<br />
So in May after we had gotten settled in here at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5711077374/in/set-72157621672534395">"The Farm"</a> I made an appointment with Cedar Run Surgeon, <a href="http://cedarruneyecenter.com/cedar-run-eye-center-about-us-our-staff.php">Dr. Timothy Hanley</a> for a total<a href="http://www.seewithlasik.com/docs/crystalens-restor-lens.html"> lens replacement</a> in my right eye. The surgery on my right eye was done on August 3, followed on August 31 on the left eye. The good news is that there is now an improved lens implant called <a href="http://www.crystalens.com/us/">Crystalens</a> that allows eye focusing with your eye muscles just as your natural lenses. Since Mother Nature saw fit to give me lenses were not focusing correctly I have been nearsighted all of my life, but with the new lenses I am not nearsighted anymore and no longer have to wear glasses. Hooray, hooray! For the first time in my life I can buy sunglasses right off the rack.<br />
But...now here's the rub, <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/default.aspx">medicare</a> will only pay for the old fixed lenses. The new lenses come with an additional out of pocket expense of $2500 per eye that medicare will not cover. What would you do?<br />
To me it was <a href="http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hobsons-choice.html">Hobson's choice</a>...we forked over the additional five grand which means that we will be rag picking and eating gruel for the next year or so. ;-)<br />
I am still on a daily course of eyedrops but the outcome on both eyes appears to have been successful and I am now driving for the first time sans glasses.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/a9qEeD6jRJ8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Here is a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9qEeD6jRJ8">video</a> of actual lens implant surgery. It is a large file so unless you have a high speed connection it may take a long time to download. <br />
Warning: Not for the faint of heart<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HagzTRmUBIE">"I Can See Clearly Now"</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-710646334817134822011-08-25T10:30:00.001-07:002011-08-25T10:33:54.739-07:00You CAN go back again!Last Saturday evening, 9/20, Teddy & I <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5155146965/in/set-72157618211078133">motored</a> down to my old home town, <a href="http://www.ci.manistee.mi.us/">Manistee, MI,</a> a distance of about 70 miles, to attend my 55th <a href="http://www.alumniclass.com/manisteehs">High School reunion</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8nuIgI45dGBMlXdpwMU778DK-MiMK9wlWRTlpLdL7B9zYq4olpurN2qxovttu5luMxAUeInJb8MsQ9koxSz9SPPptNxHNmYobF5Ifia7FjzcYqAEpOGUMqqrlNND0Cl14CpDg/s1600/mhsyb+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8nuIgI45dGBMlXdpwMU778DK-MiMK9wlWRTlpLdL7B9zYq4olpurN2qxovttu5luMxAUeInJb8MsQ9koxSz9SPPptNxHNmYobF5Ifia7FjzcYqAEpOGUMqqrlNND0Cl14CpDg/s320/mhsyb+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: right;">Here's a page from our yearbook showing what some of us looked like then..</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;">That's me, 2nd from left, bottom row.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR714U1FGXzOOpMeNcSkprONB0pxzkeaEGcSv5XYZvqcT2tA3jl8Armm6byDUYvPnIrHQCsuobKeJyatiQqHDkkbnm_T_jgiCTOYI-Yf5HIYuhOsz4f_UL2g92w6pjH2Bnh-S8w/s1600/MHS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR714U1FGXzOOpMeNcSkprONB0pxzkeaEGcSv5XYZvqcT2tA3jl8Armm6byDUYvPnIrHQCsuobKeJyatiQqHDkkbnm_T_jgiCTOYI-Yf5HIYuhOsz4f_UL2g92w6pjH2Bnh-S8w/s320/MHS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYjA7Ol4dJbNE5lLW9duV5a6EN1QTSN0VhH0X2VUQ_eVR-dftd7hplQlaeDLBsi6GJV0PtPCae9WUK12yHvUZgVWzJ3BdN0OnlCMNpQTrQTJKqIXIMdy4BZ4S4FVZyfq4AD05Wg/s1600/55th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">..and here's what we look like now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">That's me, left end, front row.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hmmm, looks like I've put on a few lbs. ;-(</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">We had a lovely dinner at the <a href="http://www.manisteegolfandcc.com/">Manistee Golf & Country Club</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;">It was great catching up with <u>old</u> friends and finding out what paths their various lives had taken them. We had Doctors & Lawyers but I don't think that we had any beggars or thieves, at least I certainly hope not.</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-36280846583986931622011-08-10T22:44:00.002-07:002011-08-14T05:50:34.316-07:00Visitors from WisconsinJuly 27 thru 30 we were again honored with a visit from our very good friends from Appleton, Dick and Jen Orr. They timed their visit to coinside with the annual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traverse_City_Film_Festival">Traverse City Film Festival</a> which was running all that week. We had great plans to take in some of the film at the festival but we got caught up with other activities and never got to any of the films. Oh well...there's always next year. (smile)<br />
They arrived Wednesday evening; we had a nice dinner and then we spentThursday visiting the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnTjzP6zsbQ&feature=related">Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore</a>. Dick wanted to have a go at climbing the dunes. He was ill and missed going to the dunes last year and didn't want to let the opportunity go by again. It turned out to be a beautiful day; not too hot, just right for a dune climb.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFTb8r7jiYrE0Ucbt9o2r6mOyQaAstCZVotRqbNEjNLFf8nu1d5iHr6dBwJ0RkO1hCFF6yrJTHD4DNVgrRTqL4yqgPnm-fCFgFRYhycX8PU1GCZoHMejTOTccls2LqJ-pUqZmAQ/s1600/STart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFTb8r7jiYrE0Ucbt9o2r6mOyQaAstCZVotRqbNEjNLFf8nu1d5iHr6dBwJ0RkO1hCFF6yrJTHD4DNVgrRTqL4yqgPnm-fCFgFRYhycX8PU1GCZoHMejTOTccls2LqJ-pUqZmAQ/s320/STart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">I waited in the car while Teddy , Jen & Dick attacked the dune.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here they are just starting out...</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPLgkbYPZbyYRn4MAfSImSjANIDrjumERV6ZtNdwnX2U_VB6TvGsLJu55fsgYYHa3-7c-1spoTGFMjhS5jK5cvbebhDOCHtQUFGanb0RSAJgAEpNAdQAVDiKrM75aOu1sdlOTKA/s1600/OT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAPLgkbYPZbyYRn4MAfSImSjANIDrjumERV6ZtNdwnX2U_VB6TvGsLJu55fsgYYHa3-7c-1spoTGFMjhS5jK5cvbebhDOCHtQUFGanb0RSAJgAEpNAdQAVDiKrM75aOu1sdlOTKA/s320/OT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">...and here they are just cresting the first stage about 20 mins. later.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; color: black; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">After that they disapeared from my sight as you can't see the second rise from the ground.</span></span><br />
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Meanwhile I amused myself by watching <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/6040067239/in/photostream">people play on the dunes</a> and engaging total strangers in conversation, as I am wont to do. (grin)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">About 40 minutes later the reappeared none the worse for the wear. Next we drove the<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBZ5yWwt-yY&feature=related"> "Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive"</a> a 7 1/2 mile loop that meanders through forest and dunes with several overlooks of Lake Michigan along the way from the top of the dunes which rise some 400 feet above the lake in this area. If you should ever visit the area this is a not to be forgotten look at the magnificence of Northwestern Michigan. Growing up here I was not aware of how beautiful it is where we live, I suppose I was thinking that the whole world was like this. It wasn't until I left that I appreciated the land of my birth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We arrived back at "<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3750158241/">The Farm</a>" late in the afternoon tired and happy and toasted our friendship with double Martinis all around before dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then on Friday we went on a drive through Leelanau County, stopping at historic "<a href="http://www.fishtownmi.org/">Fishtown</a>" in <a href="http://www.lelandmi.com/">Leeland</a>, had a smelt lunch at "<a href="http://www.dickspourhouse.com/home.html">Dick's Pour House</a>" in the village of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Leelanau,_Michigan">Lake Leelanau</a>, drove to the tourist town of <a href="http://www.suttonsbayarea.com/">Suttons Bay</a> and finished up the day with ice cream at <a href="http://www.moomers.com/">Moomers</a>, named the best ice cream in America by ABC's "Good Morning America" a few years back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sadly, Dick & Jen had to return to Wisconsin Saturday morning so after a hearty breakfast of Belgian waffles made by yours truly, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/?saved=1">the waffle King</a>, we bade them Bon voyage for their trip home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Their visit was all too brief but we are looking forward to seeing them as well as all of our other Wisconsin friends when we visit Appleton later this fall.</div><div style="text-align: right;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br />
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</span>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-53590196605413220942011-07-30T21:57:00.003-07:002011-07-30T22:42:29.453-07:00Off The Road & On "The Farm", With Larry & TeddyThere comes a time in every full-time RVer's life when he/she must give in to the revenges of age, claim a spot on this planet and <a href="http://quakermarine.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=189">hang his hat</a> there.<br />
The physical demands and the cost of travel have finally convinced us that we must now bite the bullet and stay here in <a href="http://www.facebook.com/leelanau">Leelanau County, Michigan</a> year around on the Schlueter family cherry farm. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/847358454/in/set-72157602806012855">Teddy's brother, John</a> owns the farm but has his own home and as the farmhouse was standing vacant since the passing of Teddy's parents, John has given us a life lease on it in lieu of Teddy's share of the farm. We have named the house <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5711077374/in/set-72157621672534395">"The Farm"</a></b> and I am changing the title of our blog to "<a href="http://www.larryandteddy.blogspot.com/">On The Farm With Larry & Teddy</a>" to be more indicative of our current life style. In the past three summers we have had some badly needed major upgrades done and are now finally finished with the remodeling. I really enjoy being here and am thinking that I might even enjoy looking out at the snow covered fields this winter, knowing that I don't actually have to go outdoors to shovel snow as John will plow us out and I don't have a job to go to anyway. So <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/sets/72157602004467308/">Teddy</a> and I will just stay indoors, drink hot chocolate, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Y27P3M/ref=sv_kinc_0">read books</a> and watch the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/sets/72157594174211069/">birds</a> on the feeders.<br />
We have made many lifelong friends during our six years if RVing and treasure their friendship. We are hopeful that some them as well as our Wisconsin friends might, visit us here on <b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5711077374/in/set-72157621672534395">"The Farm"</a></b> winter and/or summer. There are many things to see and do here in the <a href="http://traversearea.com/index.htm">Grand Traverse region of Michigan</a> and it is truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet.Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-77070059766478484832011-07-17T12:17:00.005-07:002011-07-17T12:29:18.060-07:00CPAP<div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 14.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 5.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I mentioned in my blog of June 13 We decided to establish local doctors and dentists here in Traverse City. Well one of the upshots of that resulted in my new cardiologist, </span><a href="http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/drs/michael_a_lauer/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dr. Michael Lauer</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> putting me through a pretty through physical examination. I've had blood tests, a chemical stress test, had funny machines whirl around my body probing my insides with mysterious rays, underwent a </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I6vCR7MIJE&feature=related"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cardiac catheterization</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> where they run a probe up the artery in my groin to my heart and then squirt a dye into my blood stream and watch it on a TV which is mysteriously looking at my insides. Then he had a </span><a href="http://www.apneasure.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">self administered test kit</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> sent to me where I hooked myself up to some kind of a computer, slept through the night with it and then mailed it back for analysis. Results were that I supposedly need more oxygen at night so I was sent to a </span><a href="http://www.harboroxygen.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gas man (Harbor Oxygen) </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to get an </span><a href="http://www.airsep.com/medical/visionaire.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">oxygen machine</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> to wear nights. But hold on, Dr. Lauer wasn't done with me yet; On Tuesday night July 12, I had to go to a </span><a href="http://www.munsonhealthcare.org/clinical_svcs/sleep_disorders/home/sleep_contact.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Sleep Center"</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">: where I slept in a room with about a hundred wires attached to my body & head, with a "Darth Vader" mask over my nose and a voyeur watching me on CCTV all night. The voyeur, was apparently disappointed that he failed to catch me in some kind of self-abusel activity, and to get even, he diagnosed me with </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep apnea</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. So on Thursday the 14th, back I went to the gas man to get hooked up with a </span><a href="http://www.cpapsupplyusa.com/DS250HS-Respironics-PR-System-One-REMstar-Plus-CPAP-Machine-and-Humidifier.aspx?affid=googlebase"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">CPAP machine</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To use the machine you have to wear a "Darth Vader" mask which covers your body's air input ports and supplies you with a constant positive air pressure when you inhale. There are several types of masks available, some that cover your entire face, some that only cover your mouth & nose, some that only cover your nose, and some, called nasal pillows, that seal directly to your nostrils. I went with the </span><a href="http://www.resmed.com/us/products/swift_fx/image-gallery.html?nc=patients&sec=true"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Swift FX Nasal Pillow</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> mask as it seemed less invasive. Well...that night I lasted about two hours with that CCRAP machine. It made the inside of my nostrils very sore. </span><a href="http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/torquemada/index.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Torquemada</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> could have used one during the Spanish Inquisition. So Friday morning I packed it all up and back to Harbor Oxygen. They then sent me back home with a </span><a href="https://drivemedical.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=84_203&products_id=1827"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nasal mask made by Drive Medical</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here I am pretending to sleep in my second mask all ready for SCUBA diving. I wore this one thru Friday night but it makes the bridge of my nose quite sore so Monday it goes back for a third try. If I'm gonna do this then I hafta get it right or I won't wear it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">You will notice that <a href="http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/kitty,nazzie">Nazzie</a> appears to be a bit skeptical of the whole thing. ;-)</span>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-50959320764691127912011-07-03T16:57:00.000-07:002011-07-03T16:57:31.063-07:00Reflections on turning seventy-four<div style="font: 24.0px Arial; line-height: 18.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Reflections on turning seventy-four</div><div style="color: #999999; font: 14.0px Arial; line-height: 21.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Tomorrow, July 4, 2011 I attaine the ripe old age of 74. In truth I don't feel much different mentally than when I was 24. It's just that the old body starts to break down like an old Buick.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">It brings to mind the old adage, " if I had known that I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself."</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Here are 15 good things and 15 bad things about being 74 years old in the modern world. I'm sure that those of you who are seniors can add some more of your own.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">GOOD THINGS:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. Senior coffee at McDonalds.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">2. Can flirt with young girls as they just dismiss you as a harmless old coot. (men only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">3. Can drive at 55 as have nowhere that you have to be any way.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">4. No longer a slave to fashion; i.e., Can buy your clothes at Goodwill.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">5. Can take a nap whenever you want.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">6. Don't understand popular music, nor care to.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">7. Food you used to not care for is now delicious.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">8. Get to wear your cap with the bill facing forward.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">9. Men talk to you while looking directly at your face instead of staring at your boobs. (women only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">10. Don't have to worry about gall stones as have no gall bladder.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">11. Don't have to shovel snow.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">12. No more periods. (women only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">13. No longer get a "stiffy" every time you see a hot girl. (men only</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">14. Don't have to pay income tax as income is not high enough.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">15. The knowledge that you aren't going to die young.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">BAD THINGS:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. Decaf coffee.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">2. Remembering how much things used to cost.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">3. All your friends are old people too.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">4. Have to take a whole lotta' pills every day & don't know what most of them are for.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">5. Your feet hurt, your back hurts, your knees hurt...everything hurts.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">6. Don't understand popular music, nor care to.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">7. Hot flashes. (women only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">8. Food that you used to like doesn't taste quite so good.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">9. Insomnia.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">10. Anti-insomnia i.e., fall asleep at inopportune moments during the day. Like in the middle of a movie or when talking to wife. (men only, could be a good thing too)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">11. Getting up to pee two or three times in the night.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">12. Going into the next room to get or do something and then forgetting what it was.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">13. Have to wear suspenders to keep your pants up. (men only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">14. What used to be your cute perky breasts now are not cute and definitely not perky. (women only)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">15. Most of the time you can;t find your glasses.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">BEST THINGS ABOUT HAVING A BIRTHDAY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. Strawberry shortcake.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">2. Burgers & Dawgs on the grill.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">3. Get lots of cards & greetings as folks usually remember your B'Day when it's on the 4th.</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">4. Fireworks on your birthday. How great is that?</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">5. Never have to work on your birthday as it's a holiday. (What, never? Well,...hardly ever)</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">BAD THINGS ABOUT HAVING A BIRTHDAY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY:</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 17.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333233; font: 15.0px Arial; line-height: 20.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. NONE</div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-28361273530140133262011-06-13T18:47:00.003-07:002011-06-14T06:19:49.897-07:00Meanwhile, down on "The Farm"!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">Greetings from<i> "The Farm"</i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC19hMpet08fYU9qsNR3u0yb7T7Tjpm6W5RbJMgQY2EV7DgU6djTLDTGtUJBtUQhyphenhyphenmn7DwqWig2JTDfr7xVddCOQ7wAL1BKoTUsqhqP0BV0CTNgHRFwsgWrjquiLBIix04Plr4A/s1600/The+Farmhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLC19hMpet08fYU9qsNR3u0yb7T7Tjpm6W5RbJMgQY2EV7DgU6djTLDTGtUJBtUQhyphenhyphenmn7DwqWig2JTDfr7xVddCOQ7wAL1BKoTUsqhqP0BV0CTNgHRFwsgWrjquiLBIix04Plr4A/s400/The+Farmhouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> My blogging frequency has been suffering lately because I've run out of things to say. We live our lives day by day, for the most part repeating what we did yesterday and there is a limit on what you can say about a trip to the dentist, beach, movies, garden walk, etc. Since we arrived here on<i> "The Farm"</i>May first we have been busy sprucing up the place, mowing lawns, grocery trips to Traverse, visiting, my brother & family and Teddy's brother and sister & their families.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWTLUkNs6QuPVflE_B-u1N7BOkrCIGpbgBkXVZmwACQK8mllhMU5cN256qZOs0uyuI8R3tLc3_zXb-f6r1Wzz0_J8qav4vGIV_aPctYfVh230jLo5gMBaGYRpTL8Uf9UiyUFVZw/s1600/American+Robin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWTLUkNs6QuPVflE_B-u1N7BOkrCIGpbgBkXVZmwACQK8mllhMU5cN256qZOs0uyuI8R3tLc3_zXb-f6r1Wzz0_J8qav4vGIV_aPctYfVh230jLo5gMBaGYRpTL8Uf9UiyUFVZw/s200/American+Robin.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Robin</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOYk1RncRpXYB_1FZuPuKxvTzuIjqGNswKy40C48ldTWMZe9LwSNjhmLSfemUbpGx5VbkAaguZO-F6wsWnQ3BxdUiXBLOzxFYn0RIQPeR6iiJncVfKv7ee8eh_Nsh46HY9_UaGg/s1600/Red-bellied+Woodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOYk1RncRpXYB_1FZuPuKxvTzuIjqGNswKy40C48ldTWMZe9LwSNjhmLSfemUbpGx5VbkAaguZO-F6wsWnQ3BxdUiXBLOzxFYn0RIQPeR6iiJncVfKv7ee8eh_Nsh46HY9_UaGg/s200/Red-bellied+Woodpecker.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-bellied Woodpecker</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m3hVwcd1alcKGCcLD-1C_qGJd69_xZrdhphnuY5QWZZ5NACMQAZ9l854T2Z7eZk_hgFRmtXeAL_ZILkr3EW7tHihaF65tIuhyBOv7TReRtnk4zRbc9-HKO-4A5mgOCAwhgU2pw/s1600/Downey+Woodpecker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8m3hVwcd1alcKGCcLD-1C_qGJd69_xZrdhphnuY5QWZZ5NACMQAZ9l854T2Z7eZk_hgFRmtXeAL_ZILkr3EW7tHihaF65tIuhyBOv7TReRtnk4zRbc9-HKO-4A5mgOCAwhgU2pw/s200/Downey+Woodpecker.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downey Woodpecker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have also been busy trying to photograph the many birds that visit the feeders that Teddy so faithfully maintains. (click on a picture for a larger view)<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvxDzIKIZw1g4rIpVCre5wiB4WSDoWb7vS6sWoeGRRAfd0KsRk7l2oPKe-UckiDQL3Zx5NmPdds1pHSeUBFmIYxkGZ3eIkEUXgxBQ7skx34St-UgnCRlf6MifEqWSUPM7WQDRtg/s1600/American+Crow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvxDzIKIZw1g4rIpVCre5wiB4WSDoWb7vS6sWoeGRRAfd0KsRk7l2oPKe-UckiDQL3Zx5NmPdds1pHSeUBFmIYxkGZ3eIkEUXgxBQ7skx34St-UgnCRlf6MifEqWSUPM7WQDRtg/s200/American+Crow.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Crow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7GKy0xnLgFbcD_ci7JUYbCha-d6oPX8dLlI9PCwy65XTA7BGg0mOhynqKDLEwzZ59s78xys_DLHCw8y2poo_TYA-b5fSb3RgFO1L46fhV1R9GBF1jLMZsvo7hjTHdrHj7gdG1w/s1600/Mourning+Dove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7GKy0xnLgFbcD_ci7JUYbCha-d6oPX8dLlI9PCwy65XTA7BGg0mOhynqKDLEwzZ59s78xys_DLHCw8y2poo_TYA-b5fSb3RgFO1L46fhV1R9GBF1jLMZsvo7hjTHdrHj7gdG1w/s200/Mourning+Dove.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mourning Dove</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfdEeDcmRoE4P7apQqWMVJmn4-SSFG_hN3CMRcyok8UqYJegt-jhKEFST9Y-QOQ9gGhXLh1WQU2GMWUh19IbYhcMMn1NRLD2GbrpOQYxYHAb_kEnMw4bb5ck4UzfUll7bGip5Sw/s1600/Blue+Jay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfdEeDcmRoE4P7apQqWMVJmn4-SSFG_hN3CMRcyok8UqYJegt-jhKEFST9Y-QOQ9gGhXLh1WQU2GMWUh19IbYhcMMn1NRLD2GbrpOQYxYHAb_kEnMw4bb5ck4UzfUll7bGip5Sw/s200/Blue+Jay.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Jay</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEne_NFCTfJhFDjEdVn9gPwu9X8FVHa0so3Vrs8USiLko5S7wqUL_1HShq4MqG7qoUeZiS9A67npE3deDuk2lPMqR91MXx-nK4__cccarmOtiNug44pf97DZRuhH3PzfVgxBDiwQ/s1600/Chipping+Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEne_NFCTfJhFDjEdVn9gPwu9X8FVHa0so3Vrs8USiLko5S7wqUL_1HShq4MqG7qoUeZiS9A67npE3deDuk2lPMqR91MXx-nK4__cccarmOtiNug44pf97DZRuhH3PzfVgxBDiwQ/s200/Chipping+Sparrow.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipping Sparrow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuhROJRwiKdKP9BT0SGmPp4v2uAnFQoOeZbTO8IsXdzkWWOC9AS_FEkASlJJao6xJIolGg43gohegDM_l3m9AjZmDvMXcBImqA-CPUsrojY4q2U6Vfl6EYh2BhGeVdNxvT5k2BQ/s200/Bluebird.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebird</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGf6z1nWPalUz9YHE9s20i2tnLFFqkWt2Eabzvd_lY80tRdsm8mnE7wsXrLbBjuXrAZPW4ghZgsComIKe6Juzbf3WPmghDF17rXQhcC1eThUpr4ixZjFi_-XUGgcCsptLzj3gfQ/s1600/Northern+Oriole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGf6z1nWPalUz9YHE9s20i2tnLFFqkWt2Eabzvd_lY80tRdsm8mnE7wsXrLbBjuXrAZPW4ghZgsComIKe6Juzbf3WPmghDF17rXQhcC1eThUpr4ixZjFi_-XUGgcCsptLzj3gfQ/s200/Northern+Oriole.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern aka Baltimore Oriole</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuhROJRwiKdKP9BT0SGmPp4v2uAnFQoOeZbTO8IsXdzkWWOC9AS_FEkASlJJao6xJIolGg43gohegDM_l3m9AjZmDvMXcBImqA-CPUsrojY4q2U6Vfl6EYh2BhGeVdNxvT5k2BQ/s1600/Bluebird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>These are all photos that I have taken this year since we arrived May 1st.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W7NEsB7T6O7IVEHGrIOYHM8KSjiX_5cu_Oew8-kkCOd8wfHqdoAVvrnqwREhIx3NA0HL1YaOdAEOLYtqsSk3lRkPrHxxkQRsa6dTlneXFN1S-2oXm1ub1lXP5Mj0DNvdybI5sA/s1600/Common+Grackle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W7NEsB7T6O7IVEHGrIOYHM8KSjiX_5cu_Oew8-kkCOd8wfHqdoAVvrnqwREhIx3NA0HL1YaOdAEOLYtqsSk3lRkPrHxxkQRsa6dTlneXFN1S-2oXm1ub1lXP5Mj0DNvdybI5sA/s200/Common+Grackle.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Grackle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We have also had visits from Chickadees, House-sparrows, House-finches, Ring-billed gulls and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds which I haven't gotten picts this year yet.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuob4KQF-uk-y2R5ECZkh1l9_Lww59n5HoYHnvebg3Zw3bbeX6YeuK26SgZauNtKG6yh-y5wi8KOA1cn10BT5vhDAYXYskM3wM6Fxze126gSVlsvJfjdAIjkcMqSB_TEP0nSLow/s1600/Goldfinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuob4KQF-uk-y2R5ECZkh1l9_Lww59n5HoYHnvebg3Zw3bbeX6YeuK26SgZauNtKG6yh-y5wi8KOA1cn10BT5vhDAYXYskM3wM6Fxze126gSVlsvJfjdAIjkcMqSB_TEP0nSLow/s200/Goldfinch.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldfinch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L3AXU1cbb3yH3Yav2Ja33fHr3emDQsG64fCR5CddSLf5vHPa4o3FKxj-1ow4CyeTAWg-zxPujeAT4bd1PyU1MRMiaurXc-z60ciG5NBKXk1nd4iWuNP9cMRm7PdO3iMrfCm5IQ/s1600/Rose-breasted+Grosbeak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L3AXU1cbb3yH3Yav2Ja33fHr3emDQsG64fCR5CddSLf5vHPa4o3FKxj-1ow4CyeTAWg-zxPujeAT4bd1PyU1MRMiaurXc-z60ciG5NBKXk1nd4iWuNP9cMRm7PdO3iMrfCm5IQ/s200/Rose-breasted+Grosbeak.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose-breasted Grosbeak</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD21X7Bmx18Kvw9EUDy9XFxhS3pQdTomBZ5kQM_-U3Nq8qw1nKdla3I3Jk4fgJoGQa67NDdIz9F32sYRkzl9qbYvtmCWarhm6ngXg0vXeNjU0HveNRNR3qBLO6hwYca1C6auumdw/s1600/White+Crowned+Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD21X7Bmx18Kvw9EUDy9XFxhS3pQdTomBZ5kQM_-U3Nq8qw1nKdla3I3Jk4fgJoGQa67NDdIz9F32sYRkzl9qbYvtmCWarhm6ngXg0vXeNjU0HveNRNR3qBLO6hwYca1C6auumdw/s200/White+Crowned+Sparrow.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-crowned Sparrow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEire2JYPNkJhV_I7041V8AePsoNpQoOUT4s1o2jho36RZRcyf19R9tjhwf435wR3YuKoIS1pJDCPGWHHGZM0SbNXaInPc6g0Lr19hOPc1RAdfsZj_M5c0fa2QRYIbjXBR3_3a_LWw/s1600/Pileated+Woodpecker++%2528Dryocopus+pileatus%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEire2JYPNkJhV_I7041V8AePsoNpQoOUT4s1o2jho36RZRcyf19R9tjhwf435wR3YuKoIS1pJDCPGWHHGZM0SbNXaInPc6g0Lr19hOPc1RAdfsZj_M5c0fa2QRYIbjXBR3_3a_LWw/s200/Pileated+Woodpecker++%2528Dryocopus+pileatus%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pileated Woodpecker </td></tr>
</tbody></table>So we haven't been just sitting around twiddling our thumbs, although now that I think of it, that might be fun except that I'm not sure I know how to<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumb_twiddling"> twiddle</a>.<br />
We had previously decided that if we were going to continue spending our summers and possibly future winters here in the Traverse City area that we should probably establish a local doctor, dentist, cardiologist, optometrist etc. With that in mind we picked up all of our medical records from <a href="http://www.primarycareofappleton.com/PhysiciansStaff/Physicians/CharlesAMcKee.aspx">Dr. Mckee's</a> office in Appleton and made a "get acquainted"appointment with a family practice physician, <a href="http://www.cherrybendfamilycaretc.com/">Dr. Rebecca Hoffman</a> here in Traverse. It went well and we both really like her. She recommended a cardiologist and we now have an appointment to see him. We already had a local dentist, <a href="http://www.traversedental.com/staff.php">Dr. Macare Lumbrezer</a> as Teddy had to have a crown last summer and last week we went in and had our annual cleaning; we have to go back next week, me for a crown and Teddy for a filling. Bummer! We did have one little scare in that my vision in my right eye had been deteriorating over the winter. We already had made an eye appointment later this summer for cataract evaluation. I was told at my last eye exam that I had the beginnings of a cataract. However, three weeks ago I suddenly got massive strings of floaters that sort of looked like bird nests that covered my entire field of vision in that eye. We went in and they found that I had a<a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/257802/detached_or_torn_retina_causes_symptoms.html?cat=5"> torn retina</a>. The <a href="http://www.cedarruneyecenter.com/">eye clinic</a> immediately sent my across town to an <a href="http://64.20.54.254/dr-douglas-covert.html">eye surgeon</a> and within two hours I was having <a href="http://www.eyesearch.com/retinal.surgery.htm">laser surgery</a> done on that eye. Fortunately it went well and my floaters are gradually being reabsorbed. It isn't fun getting old but at least I now know that I'm not going to die young (or rich).<br />
Here on<i> "The Farm"</i> we have finally reached the end of our remodeling and are now beginning to enjoy the fruits of our (Gerard the contractor's) labor. Over the winter Gerard drywalled and painted the ceilings in the dining room, living room and bedroom as well as the walls in the dining room and bedroom. He also put chair rail in the dining room and crown moulding in the living room. The difference is visually striking; when we walked in May first we were gobsmacked!<br />
Here are some photos of the place now. A far cry from when we first moved in two years ago.<br />
(Click on picture for a larger view)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj391yM8r0bckF-Y3d1q63ywMF0jmm8dFzghGwCoNkFiB0Hg6F8NcnJvZnobz00ZXbftaqSauqg4JfYmFwHK0g0cJTvX__-tEqkIOG0MucAIAXHqaqW1CfFkbRL1mgY5oECZEWtnA/s1600/Bedroom+from+back+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj391yM8r0bckF-Y3d1q63ywMF0jmm8dFzghGwCoNkFiB0Hg6F8NcnJvZnobz00ZXbftaqSauqg4JfYmFwHK0g0cJTvX__-tEqkIOG0MucAIAXHqaqW1CfFkbRL1mgY5oECZEWtnA/s200/Bedroom+from+back+wall.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bedroom looking toward entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjkXUWxvYohiX8ZRm-pIUhPhnBgBYQmNlHWy1jwJoOA6ie9GPZDrDN1FV4or8bNUcVvmmmj0nLQbDL8EMDDJu3bwrlc9Raj1EGdn3hx9D3U2rkFLFMLgXZNTf4dVg4YM5CVl9YA/s1600/Bathroom+from+Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjkXUWxvYohiX8ZRm-pIUhPhnBgBYQmNlHWy1jwJoOA6ie9GPZDrDN1FV4or8bNUcVvmmmj0nLQbDL8EMDDJu3bwrlc9Raj1EGdn3hx9D3U2rkFLFMLgXZNTf4dVg4YM5CVl9YA/s200/Bathroom+from+Entrance.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom from Entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYaRKkxulpX1f59a1i_t5om4CiCVuhvbD6C4-bAA20eo8M0H1lAIcIppMKocPY-tXLwZyGhiMl-sVMGtKOx5AiANv6hafG_-Ui4YgDT75yC7Hev6o8bNXGMVqjvm3C9oZ46mohQ/s1600/Bedroom+from+entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGYaRKkxulpX1f59a1i_t5om4CiCVuhvbD6C4-bAA20eo8M0H1lAIcIppMKocPY-tXLwZyGhiMl-sVMGtKOx5AiANv6hafG_-Ui4YgDT75yC7Hev6o8bNXGMVqjvm3C9oZ46mohQ/s200/Bedroom+from+entrance.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bedroom from entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBFaJMGMiU0SbaxSbVSKhhhzJ-p3Ip4nFOUUZPyXqXkhyAQnAEbpNfAmk-QQGXRAsaOejSrFEA_qDUXLdipb0RqSQu-c3Rf_SzMeGZoGL0e4J_R6Tq21L0ZCoFQRX6ZRh8HyBhw/s1600/Dining+Room+Looking+North.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBFaJMGMiU0SbaxSbVSKhhhzJ-p3Ip4nFOUUZPyXqXkhyAQnAEbpNfAmk-QQGXRAsaOejSrFEA_qDUXLdipb0RqSQu-c3Rf_SzMeGZoGL0e4J_R6Tq21L0ZCoFQRX6ZRh8HyBhw/s200/Dining+Room+Looking+North.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining Room looking North</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJUzICXNigliaTzGQ5bUIB4gdH1fPMWuSUeZ6VFIFmWCzpNcTeGCRNf56634wVNqHj0XQRmMx4G84cPJ-fkeHVzyBHvAJMEeehmUeDj41YX8rW9EM7gKa0Ky9to3__vBZ9OkbOQ/s1600/Dining+Room+Looking+South.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJUzICXNigliaTzGQ5bUIB4gdH1fPMWuSUeZ6VFIFmWCzpNcTeGCRNf56634wVNqHj0XQRmMx4G84cPJ-fkeHVzyBHvAJMEeehmUeDj41YX8rW9EM7gKa0Ky9to3__vBZ9OkbOQ/s200/Dining+Room+Looking+South.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining Room looking South</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApUo6cP-2UKlHkoT1lmrTVGkzxz-nMclY8nMHW5rpLIFFoYq2nRieLMb9CEcIEZBZIYGnUJ92e6EN-s5A_IB00HIo8K9X5eSju5qSV4nCz-7bc24ydz3jvYGdzZ3gAhNa_r06fw/s1600/Kitchen+from+Dining+Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApUo6cP-2UKlHkoT1lmrTVGkzxz-nMclY8nMHW5rpLIFFoYq2nRieLMb9CEcIEZBZIYGnUJ92e6EN-s5A_IB00HIo8K9X5eSju5qSV4nCz-7bc24ydz3jvYGdzZ3gAhNa_r06fw/s200/Kitchen+from+Dining+Room.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen from Dining room</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TkMRFWzTYt6MA9AjyPHUeUITm6jiv7IOYTPLNFdvOgPgnP5rrc_N1H7Pi4hlgukblRThHBCiHKCczGXaxWIVsd82Cjwt8V8FRc7Iy3GAudVlx7xQ5z8LiXtlh7Rg9izCRvf4SA/s1600/Living+Room+Looking+West.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TkMRFWzTYt6MA9AjyPHUeUITm6jiv7IOYTPLNFdvOgPgnP5rrc_N1H7Pi4hlgukblRThHBCiHKCczGXaxWIVsd82Cjwt8V8FRc7Iy3GAudVlx7xQ5z8LiXtlh7Rg9izCRvf4SA/s200/Living+Room+Looking+West.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room looking West</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni8IyKZkldPuKQ2AlTQd34288YUX7-7cAVVfyFktRom3ZT_msY1Tff0DZJ9If0xHk4arSXwqdU2pxyLWPQlOeiZk_GD5cEXdlgvIPP5-E8eiyUINkVpgbOsqRhMVxvZSyZXiqxw/s1600/Living+Room+Looking+North.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni8IyKZkldPuKQ2AlTQd34288YUX7-7cAVVfyFktRom3ZT_msY1Tff0DZJ9If0xHk4arSXwqdU2pxyLWPQlOeiZk_GD5cEXdlgvIPP5-E8eiyUINkVpgbOsqRhMVxvZSyZXiqxw/s200/Living+Room+Looking+North.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room looking North</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoGnUzs4pgOC5Cp6e0-6RAwU4rODn2BlEdsUB0L1wLrRurzkADewCY7uotWqSPzBmD8S2q-IaNgFMVSkRKTPo6apbl2p_EBIQualqI-rgG4sUOoh_pFz9y4Wh5l0bKJB26xdGmw/s1600/Living+Room+Looking+South.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcoGnUzs4pgOC5Cp6e0-6RAwU4rODn2BlEdsUB0L1wLrRurzkADewCY7uotWqSPzBmD8S2q-IaNgFMVSkRKTPo6apbl2p_EBIQualqI-rgG4sUOoh_pFz9y4Wh5l0bKJB26xdGmw/s200/Living+Room+Looking+South.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room looking South</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-3075674992853365882011-05-18T08:40:00.005-07:002011-05-18T09:14:04.371-07:00The Good Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeEnidZsvoujckkywtCJzoYQHEK50AZW44y-CkC3tt3wPcH44NzqUWIGsqP0vyv2cBsSP1RpoT6no4vpdSfoSutVhO-AI-Q785eDaf4akhtY9rOMfWpjPVUl1Ub9_P3gmgMDVKQ/s1600/P1110962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTeEnidZsvoujckkywtCJzoYQHEK50AZW44y-CkC3tt3wPcH44NzqUWIGsqP0vyv2cBsSP1RpoT6no4vpdSfoSutVhO-AI-Q785eDaf4akhtY9rOMfWpjPVUl1Ub9_P3gmgMDVKQ/s400/P1110962.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Today Teddy surprised me at breakfast with some freshly caught<a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/morel-season-in-leelanau/"> morel mushrooms</a> that she discovered in our yard (actually at an undisclosed secret location).<br />
That combined with a sunny-side-up egg, toast, coffee, bacon & V8 made a breakfast fit for a king. Life is filled with surprises both good & bad and today's ranks right up there with the best of the best.<br />
In the words of Mel Brooks in the movie, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082517/">History of the World: Part I</a>, </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"It's good to be the king."</span><br />
<br />
I do love <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3289713320/">that woman</a> to pieces!!!!<br />
<br />
Now if that Readers Digest Sweepstakes guy would just stop by......<br />
<img src="webkit-fake-url://7596DEB1-2950-431A-9309-D8972571E583/image.tiff" />Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-74335646379251898582011-05-11T10:05:00.011-07:002011-05-11T13:44:33.719-07:00Back on "The Farm"Well, we're back from our "long winters nap" in the Southwest and are settling in to our summer habitat here in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leelanau_County,_Michigan">Leelanau County</a> Michigan. We had our contractor, Gerard Belanger do some final drywall upgrades to the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5711077374/in/photostream">farmhouse</a> while we were gone and are very pleased with the outcome. The remodeling took three years and a lot of our cash reserves but we feel that it was worth it. We now have a comfortable <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5064424720/">home</a> to settle into when we can no longer maintain <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/4062211260/in/photostream/">our full-time RV</a> lifestyle. Our twilight years, so to speak; it's hard to imagine but somewhere along the years we have evolved into a couple of old farts. It just <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5710893064/in/photostream/">doesn't seem that long ago</a> that I was inviting this <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/173217800/">cute 18 year old coed</a> out for coffee after class at <a href="http://www.nmc.edu/">Northwestern Michigan College</a>. SIGH!<br />
We arrived here on May 1 and Teddy has been busy every day <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/5711088050/in/photostream/">tending her gardens</a> and I have been busy <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/?saved=1">holding down my recliner</a> so that it doesn't fly away. ;-)<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">In the week and a half that we have been back we have already had quite a number of our feathered friends in or about our yard including:</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Purple Finch</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Goldfinch</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Rose-breasted Grosbeak</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Mourning Dove</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Black-capped Chickadee</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Ring-billed Gull</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Blue Jay</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">American Crow</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Chipping Sparrow</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">White-crowned Sparrow</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Baltimore Oriole</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">American Robin</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Northern Cardinal</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Common Grackle</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Ruby-throat Hummingbird</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Needless to say our cat, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/2671480717/">Nazzie</a> is quite excited for, as you might expect, he has a consuming interest in ornithology.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl7OfsxFybXnARatsh5M0xthkBAAy7ARweEKGhn7Nf-yT84GdsDeFVGlzIdiRyFVS8sbskxsa9DlsKnDcU-O1uNCTpFiZTL5pFRBvALJf564EQlz194S5IbAknV60hUr42qwmQA/s1600/Baltimore+Oriole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfl7OfsxFybXnARatsh5M0xthkBAAy7ARweEKGhn7Nf-yT84GdsDeFVGlzIdiRyFVS8sbskxsa9DlsKnDcU-O1uNCTpFiZTL5pFRBvALJf564EQlz194S5IbAknV60hUr42qwmQA/s400/Baltimore+Oriole.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on photo for full size image</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I haven't taken many photos yet but did manage to snap this shot of a Northern aka Baltimore Oriole.</div></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-56221088373237521662011-04-20T22:02:00.005-07:002011-04-20T22:19:54.672-07:00Movin' OnOur time is up here at Nevada Treasure in Pahrump, NV. Tomorrow morning we will pull-out for our annual trip East to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3750158241/"><b><b><b>our summer home</b></b></b></a> in Leelanau County, Michigan where we will stay until October.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD88Ll4BtKA5PnLsi_v9UgO-_dAEtWmusT-EG0WzOrV-ixvQ18Fu8NZ4W6HnFAuFMi3oDLCSfbRhrgysg7CywZfIsc88IbewQSFl-XEgWkCGGRUVqJ2q7rTYs3oLYtf-czKpe-Q/s1600/Pahrump+to+Appleton+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD88Ll4BtKA5PnLsi_v9UgO-_dAEtWmusT-EG0WzOrV-ixvQ18Fu8NZ4W6HnFAuFMi3oDLCSfbRhrgysg7CywZfIsc88IbewQSFl-XEgWkCGGRUVqJ2q7rTYs3oLYtf-czKpe-Q/s320/Pahrump+to+Appleton+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is an itinerary of our planned overnight stops along the way from here to Appleton, WI where we will spend a few days visiting our son & daughter in-law and old friends from when we lived there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mUM4nL6eXcAcprAA-E1-WFLdyIJSjYDm4tCyQ443Zzm30AN_IuFeer8-CUDf7sRYI0WKvAgivr5n5z71XCqTdqTfIkOTuodj1W27tlcDGaK4mpJcKKLS2s6GjtoUV7Duhvq2hA/s1600/Pahrump+to+Appleton+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mUM4nL6eXcAcprAA-E1-WFLdyIJSjYDm4tCyQ443Zzm30AN_IuFeer8-CUDf7sRYI0WKvAgivr5n5z71XCqTdqTfIkOTuodj1W27tlcDGaK4mpJcKKLS2s6GjtoUV7Duhvq2hA/s320/Pahrump+to+Appleton+map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here is a map showing those same overnight stops.<br />
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Barring any unforseen snags we then will travel on to Michigan arriving there on or about May 1.<br />
Over the winter we had some additional work done on the farmhouse by our contractor, Gerard Belanger and can't wait to see the result.Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-57184741776524383012011-04-01T00:36:00.005-07:002012-04-01T11:21:13.649-07:00Recent Advances in Science 2011<div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><u style="background-color: yellow;">Recent Advances in Science</u></i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><u><a href="http://larryandteddy.blogspot.com/2008/04/southern-californias-golf-ball-orchards.html" style="background-color: yellow;">2008</a> </u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><u><a href="http://larryandteddy.blogspot.com/2009/04/florence-prison-rv-park.html" style="background-color: yellow;">2009</a> </u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><u><a href="http://larryandteddy.blogspot.com/2010/04/recent-advances-in-science.html" style="background-color: yellow;">2010</a> </u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><u style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://larryandteddy.blogspot.com/2012/03/recent-advances-in-science-2012.html">2012</a> </u></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i><u>(</u></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u>4/1/11 • AF News</u></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u>by Pearl Gray</u></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i><u><br />
</u></i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i><u><br />
</u></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;"><b>WASHINGTON</b> –– At a press conference held this morning at the <a href="http://www.semel.ucla.edu/sleepresearch">Sleep Research Center</a> at the The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health</a></span> in Bethesda, Maryland it was revealed that for over a decade neurologists have been working on a project that allows humans to live without the need to sleep. While working on a program investigating the underling causes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder">Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),</a> Doctor Roland Jerrome noticed <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungian_cognitive_functions">cognitive function</a></span> correlations between <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_eye_movement_sleep">REM sleep </a>patterns and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_deprivation">sleep deprivation</a>. He was then able to get a research grant for further research and formed the "Sleep Research Center" under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health. A breakthrough came in 2001 when he implanted a <a href="http://www.chemistry.nmsu.edu/~research/sensors/srg/research.html">microchip transducer</a> behind the ear of a rhesus monkey. Probes from the implant were then routed into the ocular nerve center in the<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_603573772"> </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex">cerebral cortex</a></span> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occipital_lobe">occipital lobe</a> of the brain. It was then programmed to send artificial REM sleep signals. Astonishingly it appeared that the subject did not seem to require sleep and in fact was quite active during normal sleep periods.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">In late 2003 an improved device dubbed a <a href="http://www.stemulator.net/">"stemulator"</a>, was implanted successfully in a human volunteer, another in 2005, two more in 2006, two in 2009, and in four subjects in 2010. That makes a total of ten subjects who are currently "wearing" the device and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 17px;">Dr. Jerrome said that they will be taking applications for twenty more volunteers in 2011. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">None have slept at all since their implants were installed. The <a href="http://www.stemulator.net/">stemulator</a> implants are programmable wirelessly from a central transmitter which sends a pre-programmed "<a href="http://www.i-doser.com/storev3/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=70">Sleep Dose</a>" individually to each participant when it detects <span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefrontal_cortex">prefrontal cortex</a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13pt;"> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parietal_lobe">parietal lobe</a> activation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Currently the only drawback is that the subject has to remain within range of the center's transmitter for at least twenty minutes in any 24 hour period. However, Dr. Jerrome is working on a physical receptacle not unlike the <a href="http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=usb+connector+pinout&revid=1781862985&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=hXiVTefWHcO1tgf1pIWHDA&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1388&bih=951">USB connector</a> on your computer that can be implanted behind the ear to allow an individual to plug in a dose of eight hours of sleep whenever the need arises. If the individual desires, he or she can skip this step and would then go into a normal sleep cycle. It is presumed that most people would initially opt to live their lives with normal sleep cycles and only program in sleep when needed (a cross country motor trip for instance). The advantages to emergency responders, long haul truckers, airline pilots, medical workers, military personnel, etc. are obvious. Applications may also include the ability to produce a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspended_animation">suspended animation</a> state that would allow astronauts to travel to deep space regions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12pt;">Future generations will most likely adjust work and production schedules for most activities across the board. Dr. Jerrome also stated that it is not unforeseeable that in the future,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_splicing"> DNA or RNA splicing</a> may make it possible to achieve the same results without the need of a physical device. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoBodyText">Dr. Jerrome predicts that barring any unforeseen setbacks, the procedure could become available to the general public by mid 2015. <o:p></o:p></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-80764474398122606902011-03-15T13:20:00.008-07:002011-03-15T13:36:49.056-07:002011 NEVADA SPRING SAMBOREE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just about everybody that RVs joins the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Sam_Club">"Good Sam's Club"</a>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Sam_Club" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Good Sam Club</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is an international community of RV owners. Its stated primary goals are to make </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RVing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> safer and more enjoyable, and to save members money through club-endorsed benefits and services. It claims over a million members. <a href="http://blog.goodsamclub.com/">The Good Sam Club</a> is currently owned by the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinity_Group_Inc." style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Affinity Group Inc.</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, which also owns </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.trailerlife.com/">Trailer Life</a> Publications</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, <a href="http://www.motorhomemagazine.com/">Motor Home</a> Publications, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.campingworld.com/">Camping World</a></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.woodalls.com/">Woodalls</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> RV park directories. Members also receive discounts at affiliated RV parks.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many Good Sam members have formed smaller regional clubs or <a href="http://www.goodsamclub.com/community/Chapters.aspx">"Chapters"</a> of like inclined members to share camping outings and social gatherings. These regional chapters then periodically host large <a href="http://www.goodsamclub.com/community/EventsAndTours.aspx?rel=1&et=51">"Samborees"</a> where members of various chapters and members at large get together for a mass themed rallies usually lasting from three or more days. We had never attended a Samboree but noticed in the monthly Good Sams magazine, <a href="http://www.goodsamclub.com/rvcentral/highways.aspx">"Highways"</a> that there was to be <a href="http://www.goodsamclub.com/community/EventDetails.aspx?eventid=8579">one at Nevada Treasure March 10 thru 1</a>2. Since we were going to be <a href="http://www.nevadatreasurervresort.com/">there </a>anyway we decided to attend.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting Wednesday the 9th the park started to fill up and by Thursday afternoon the park was full with overflow parking regulated to a <a href="http://www.legendsofamerica.com/rv-boondocking.html">dry camp</a> area specially created by the park.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxHy7CWwzLDVcu0TS65UMoTxoChB-BhNEFrh98FbSnCRQo1g5zH2Xb5LkjimZkcr8hCiMgvL74qRXDhVME9h9S-ALJp1Syx1ltSyFTZVa9WbYDX4VrBD0tUZPy__HabvCfugv0Q/s1600/Big+tent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxHy7CWwzLDVcu0TS65UMoTxoChB-BhNEFrh98FbSnCRQo1g5zH2Xb5LkjimZkcr8hCiMgvL74qRXDhVME9h9S-ALJp1Syx1ltSyFTZVa9WbYDX4VrBD0tUZPy__HabvCfugv0Q/s320/Big+tent.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">A huge tent was erected in the parking lot and many of the activities were held there such as opening & closing ceremonies,</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">(here Teddy and our good friend Eva Syberden enjoy their morning coffee)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">and a catered breakfast & dinner on Saturday. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">There were game and card tournaments, a pet parade, golf outings etc. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2FKyIFlBretmT-IvDIJjDsVjjJttpMwqrnz6mw0NgE9D6cR4NOQTsjWTPqu5xpnTyxo7NuY6vYW3W5sGP_Kz7lNrCS9HUdltDAHDoQAWLS2Mw5WfcBIMhBWX4FGFxL99xDFVPQ/s1600/Vendors.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2FKyIFlBretmT-IvDIJjDsVjjJttpMwqrnz6mw0NgE9D6cR4NOQTsjWTPqu5xpnTyxo7NuY6vYW3W5sGP_Kz7lNrCS9HUdltDAHDoQAWLS2Mw5WfcBIMhBWX4FGFxL99xDFVPQ/s320/Vendors.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The park has a large <a href="http://www.nevadatreasurervresort.com/convention.htm">convention center</a> and it was filled with various vendors including "waterless cookware", name badges, clothing, flags, books, RV accessories, and tour companies.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">The theme was "<a href="http://www.trailerlifedirectory.com/Explore/EventDetails.aspx?&eventid=8579">Pirates of Paradise at Pahrump</a>".</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Saturday afternoon there was pirate costume judging at the <a href="http://www.nevadatreasurervresort.com/amenities.htm#pool">pool area</a> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">We had a great time and will probably attend another Samboree in the future if opportunity permits.</span></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-18280052218067799942011-03-04T12:37:00.004-07:002011-04-01T08:18:12.773-07:00We've moved!On March first we left <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Havasu_City,_Arizona">Lake Havasu City</a> for this season and moved 200 miles NW to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahrump,_Nevada">Pahrump, Nevada</a>. It will soon to be too hot in Arizona to suit us; it's about ten degrees cooler here than in Lake Havasu City.<br />
We are once again at <a href="http://nevadatreasurervresort.com/">Nevada Treasure RV Resort</a> where we will stay until The first of May when we head back East to our <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3750158241/">summer haunt</a>s in <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/cedar-michigan/">Cedar</a>, Michigan (Near <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traverse_City,_Michigan">Traverse City</a>).<br />
We have been busy settling into our new location and dealing with all of the petty annoyances that accompany moving, leaky hoses, leveling the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/4062211260/">trailer</a>, hooking up to sewer, replenishing my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballantine's">Scotch supply</a> etc.<br />
More later.Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19854395.post-69964639652083406902011-02-11T15:14:00.010-07:002011-02-12T13:42:17.252-07:00The Green Bay Packers win Superbowl XLV<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last Sunday, February 6th we watched our hometown Green Bay Packers win Superbowl XLV.<br />
<div>The park hosted a superbowl pizza party in the clubhouse but after consuming our fill of pizza, Teddy and I opted to watch the game here in our fifth wheel......less distractions. Here in Arizona, rather than in Wisconsin, the Packer fan base is in a minority. Most of the folks here in the park were more interested in socializing than in watching the game. Also we get a much better picture in HD here in the trailer than on the clubhouse video projector.</div><div>Following are some game stills taken from the GB web site.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqUag9HsALg0F9MXnVStUtiQ3s0mpfdOjDXiHvu1rOXlbyh69tAkUqHu4Bm8BYlRaVVj9Qevi7nIgTTXpmQ5GgM5vop6RQwH0MBF8FwnM7tYvm8ordz9zQbNP8AGqnNmYBiJ8ig/s1600/Rogers+with+trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqUag9HsALg0F9MXnVStUtiQ3s0mpfdOjDXiHvu1rOXlbyh69tAkUqHu4Bm8BYlRaVVj9Qevi7nIgTTXpmQ5GgM5vop6RQwH0MBF8FwnM7tYvm8ordz9zQbNP8AGqnNmYBiJ8ig/s640/Rogers+with+trophy.jpg" width="510" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rogers with Lombardi trophy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZdhiW2EdoajSa96j7uAvu6dtd08Kfb8bDYfx7Xlq0TvRuQOfP404fiTMZb_-zwBdOfBFbBXLyVkR9wyfTKgwA4BfA1X7g2vDXWdouIqwmmur1KT-J9GCR9CZWhiOfc0NeYJxTA/s1600/Woodson+with+his+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZdhiW2EdoajSa96j7uAvu6dtd08Kfb8bDYfx7Xlq0TvRuQOfP404fiTMZb_-zwBdOfBFbBXLyVkR9wyfTKgwA4BfA1X7g2vDXWdouIqwmmur1KT-J9GCR9CZWhiOfc0NeYJxTA/s640/Woodson+with+his+family.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Woodson #21 celebrates with his family</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuL3KlKL5JDHxhYrOol87W9acXesJRyjDmGM82wecg_oHwQ0sno5hm2wBCx5UPyCRVvGUD4AxjDjR2yMiHqFbi3B9UYVy8QBbIiDS5T6Brd_JcjUZaOcswyT-Qh6b5Ybq7_IqjQ/s1600/Tom+Crabtree+holds+his+son+Bryce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuL3KlKL5JDHxhYrOol87W9acXesJRyjDmGM82wecg_oHwQ0sno5hm2wBCx5UPyCRVvGUD4AxjDjR2yMiHqFbi3B9UYVy8QBbIiDS5T6Brd_JcjUZaOcswyT-Qh6b5Ybq7_IqjQ/s640/Tom+Crabtree+holds+his+son+Bryce.jpg" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Crabtree holds his son Bryce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonVKLr7GkpjCRAhlQn4QZ98_l_Dg0_q0gGCy_mz6Uf42gENK6-ryGYPkTLlfPMHxtQY9UDmNB7jKpGapj_Z1y-xupGDy_pKKLW4aQkK4md5kXZuo2DZZhqF99gcgN7-cp3BcqOw/s1600/Terry+Bradshaw+looks+on+as+head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonVKLr7GkpjCRAhlQn4QZ98_l_Dg0_q0gGCy_mz6Uf42gENK6-ryGYPkTLlfPMHxtQY9UDmNB7jKpGapj_Z1y-xupGDy_pKKLW4aQkK4md5kXZuo2DZZhqF99gcgN7-cp3BcqOw/s640/Terry+Bradshaw+looks+on+as+head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy+.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry Bradshaw looks on as head coach Mike McCarthy holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy </td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUWY69kt7_VMKaSxn1DtzDcikPrVodfotnX3sYWkOQdEfh1AAu8LT-sfqb9kH85BXU7823HEQmagSNQhQRtTIW3_D3k7Tv2BD3aO2NZwKUCiuCFi-VvNVksmSxU980eC5L8mfaw/s1600/Aaron+Rodgers+%252312+and+Clay+Matthews+%252352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUWY69kt7_VMKaSxn1DtzDcikPrVodfotnX3sYWkOQdEfh1AAu8LT-sfqb9kH85BXU7823HEQmagSNQhQRtTIW3_D3k7Tv2BD3aO2NZwKUCiuCFi-VvNVksmSxU980eC5L8mfaw/s640/Aaron+Rodgers+%252312+and+Clay+Matthews+%252352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Aaron Rodgers #12 and Clay Matthews #52</span> </span></div></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnoR-SiSkVWcGGMqPb5ORY9kWou0u-l2bi47eRCA7CfB58XBg3JVWN03sPbIC71TjYbQNfeoYF83b0-bEJoHQ8JfNIygD7Uw8-evs37H_1EXzR3md0Vek8_klOgKQTwM8dbcj2Q/s1600/A.J.+Hawk+%252350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnoR-SiSkVWcGGMqPb5ORY9kWou0u-l2bi47eRCA7CfB58XBg3JVWN03sPbIC71TjYbQNfeoYF83b0-bEJoHQ8JfNIygD7Uw8-evs37H_1EXzR3md0Vek8_klOgKQTwM8dbcj2Q/s640/A.J.+Hawk+%252350.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A.J. Hawk #50</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpERCJ0h9iV7CYnkkdVfgh3zN3DXtHM-9XdS_iO6VzlfhtlmWY6T7UGojYNA9c-UBMfa5yf2vrP5JiGlky_YojPzsKHQWJvSIe0yxLUuc3onaW4drtUvvzHJvEPdJFWoKAXtwPw/s1600/Woodson+%252321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpERCJ0h9iV7CYnkkdVfgh3zN3DXtHM-9XdS_iO6VzlfhtlmWY6T7UGojYNA9c-UBMfa5yf2vrP5JiGlky_YojPzsKHQWJvSIe0yxLUuc3onaW4drtUvvzHJvEPdJFWoKAXtwPw/s640/Woodson+%252321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodson #21</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGHi_sp2k1HFMMSTiLMRinojvzMmrmxXLZG9m7Xw94wmBKw0C47eJbEqSbz5DwZeqJHAHeGk_8-J0_d_4DuOSSBRfCueAMzDUrfKK0KdJweO0adPB9xKbG35Y6LKhikUMbgf7dw/s1600/Touchdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGHi_sp2k1HFMMSTiLMRinojvzMmrmxXLZG9m7Xw94wmBKw0C47eJbEqSbz5DwZeqJHAHeGk_8-J0_d_4DuOSSBRfCueAMzDUrfKK0KdJweO0adPB9xKbG35Y6LKhikUMbgf7dw/s640/Touchdown.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touchdown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDZBRUtRPlo4ycBVPU2OMfjI9gxedg9Peh9Q9XiJc8BMhfFW4JJcIJCU_Q04HSsAffqn8QmpgntodNdybjcjYoO3xqRAfpaayXSYqN8U025TA8RU4Oof1eq8DcCczI5psTVJ9fA/s1600/U.S.+Navy%252C+sailors+and+Marines+watch+Super+Bowl+XLV+aboard+aircraft+carrier+USS+Harry+S.+Truman+%2528CVN+75%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDZBRUtRPlo4ycBVPU2OMfjI9gxedg9Peh9Q9XiJc8BMhfFW4JJcIJCU_Q04HSsAffqn8QmpgntodNdybjcjYoO3xqRAfpaayXSYqN8U025TA8RU4Oof1eq8DcCczI5psTVJ9fA/s640/U.S.+Navy%252C+sailors+and+Marines+watch+Super+Bowl+XLV+aboard+aircraft+carrier+USS+Harry+S.+Truman+%2528CVN+75%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">U.S. Navy, sailors and Marines watch Super Bowl XLV aboard aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzlzf-viH-l4zBELYBzyS_xMhv-KSQRzIqpj2SLPXmq_OHcYwgEUxw_9vOlbuUSF2hV8H7u4dfeH_lyXfIKfcmYV0Zm_DPqsw1bxqPLAQm3cGKqDvfEuFnLymSlTXjrd7GhbwMg/s1600/Scott+Wells+%252363+celebrates+holding+the+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzlzf-viH-l4zBELYBzyS_xMhv-KSQRzIqpj2SLPXmq_OHcYwgEUxw_9vOlbuUSF2hV8H7u4dfeH_lyXfIKfcmYV0Zm_DPqsw1bxqPLAQm3cGKqDvfEuFnLymSlTXjrd7GhbwMg/s640/Scott+Wells+%252363+celebrates+holding+the+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Wells #63 celebrates holding the Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20s4Xu5lCcxupNc2ubdxMRF8VGijLglvGvpEvPQZEpk7ocSr_3lXA2oe1T36weFvlapFGwB2lxSHKYnxL1Ud5zRhWt5mNQKwrn2SiVAL4a2TV9J_nbC00o9tW7sNow2Zdo7-6uw/s1600/Super+Bowl+MVP+Aaron+Rodgers+%252312+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy+as+Clay+Matthews+%252352+looks+on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20s4Xu5lCcxupNc2ubdxMRF8VGijLglvGvpEvPQZEpk7ocSr_3lXA2oe1T36weFvlapFGwB2lxSHKYnxL1Ud5zRhWt5mNQKwrn2SiVAL4a2TV9J_nbC00o9tW7sNow2Zdo7-6uw/s640/Super+Bowl+MVP+Aaron+Rodgers+%252312+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy+as+Clay+Matthews+%252352+looks+on.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy as Clay Matthews #52 looks on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44UQrbKqjPwF3z4oiGF5MPLaJtNCsafY8kQUjeCh1O7ttZZe7nQXemR3Ox37eUwqLPuWipB32iJFKWAyMXv8xHDcYx_PnKm_Udk1Ujsd6DK5xh2PJmYTy2KiOfzBhyphenhyphenUIzl1062g/s1600/Super+Bowl+MVP+Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44UQrbKqjPwF3z4oiGF5MPLaJtNCsafY8kQUjeCh1O7ttZZe7nQXemR3Ox37eUwqLPuWipB32iJFKWAyMXv8xHDcYx_PnKm_Udk1Ujsd6DK5xh2PJmYTy2KiOfzBhyphenhyphenUIzl1062g/s640/Super+Bowl+MVP+Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHQPcbnqWT6JvD_PT-0un3j7bwxyYTbA0BKYJqO_l8j4TaCxz90rS0_y2EtzPGKlfPkR8XUmiVqO2bCWGL-o8OeyIH9Z609yttMih761qeCKVN-DIIQ1sg_IHJhSAqcK8NkLuFQ/s1600/Rogers+rehydrates+on+the+sideline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHQPcbnqWT6JvD_PT-0un3j7bwxyYTbA0BKYJqO_l8j4TaCxz90rS0_y2EtzPGKlfPkR8XUmiVqO2bCWGL-o8OeyIH9Z609yttMih761qeCKVN-DIIQ1sg_IHJhSAqcK8NkLuFQ/s640/Rogers+rehydrates+on+the+sideline.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rogers rehydrates on the sideline</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEYPwlu8oIsxWMpccrc13iCWb_MuyVH2uxaGsbF06FmiR4gAp5uBn397ytBBisTk4khfdfr_q_v0vRINYc8vz-PeAPgOprrT3RdBOoCBEZr1XdDaIlviIabl-iQTONGs2YIOmSQ/s1600/President+and+CEO+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+Mark+Murphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEYPwlu8oIsxWMpccrc13iCWb_MuyVH2uxaGsbF06FmiR4gAp5uBn397ytBBisTk4khfdfr_q_v0vRINYc8vz-PeAPgOprrT3RdBOoCBEZr1XdDaIlviIabl-iQTONGs2YIOmSQ/s640/President+and+CEO+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+Mark+Murphy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers Mark Murphy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi068roBPYKsyPhUxIhet-emhjFODnSEnd2SbLBse_j2iuEQrX5FYdnggYyS1BFdZoY5ZcR3Q5wpcdTeywnk-AHGEqc7Vthe1o3eXTyS1_UlRXFoNRwgX0gqcmB2DXPuo6vt1gpnw/s1600/Packers+General+Manager+Ted+Thompson+celebrates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi068roBPYKsyPhUxIhet-emhjFODnSEnd2SbLBse_j2iuEQrX5FYdnggYyS1BFdZoY5ZcR3Q5wpcdTeywnk-AHGEqc7Vthe1o3eXTyS1_UlRXFoNRwgX0gqcmB2DXPuo6vt1gpnw/s640/Packers+General+Manager+Ted+Thompson+celebrates.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packers General Manager Ted Thompson celebrates</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtd1q-hk12nG6QEpveoo__HfDx7BxYzKqMDKWxXwpIw2upn4IhIVpfM6cFOI7S59aInCNekpPL8ArAFrjMHK_n9QefoC3IY11ttM5y-njLF8mkuYIEzrLryfQsud65rN6OPIweg/s1600/Nick+Collins+%252836%2529+celebrates+a+touchdown+with+Clay+Matthews+during+the+first+half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtd1q-hk12nG6QEpveoo__HfDx7BxYzKqMDKWxXwpIw2upn4IhIVpfM6cFOI7S59aInCNekpPL8ArAFrjMHK_n9QefoC3IY11ttM5y-njLF8mkuYIEzrLryfQsud65rN6OPIweg/s640/Nick+Collins+%252836%2529+celebrates+a+touchdown+with+Clay+Matthews+during+the+first+half.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick Collins (36) celebrates a touchdown with Clay Matthews during the first half</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnV518uvFT3FEIJNCLBjRHcIwkrcd3SOdTEPVnSdoviYh9Jx3nG8eQQb6QjoLkR5BZH5BD3WMGKeWaE-iy8IrCfduMR-ktPLKQfA3EXfJFHHiwqig4SGiCUvxy2zG1WoqHtpjOWQ/s1600/Packer+Fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnV518uvFT3FEIJNCLBjRHcIwkrcd3SOdTEPVnSdoviYh9Jx3nG8eQQb6QjoLkR5BZH5BD3WMGKeWaE-iy8IrCfduMR-ktPLKQfA3EXfJFHHiwqig4SGiCUvxy2zG1WoqHtpjOWQ/s640/Packer+Fans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packer fans celebrate a touchdown</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oWg3n5zYvyU2eCK8qwZBoMkGgqu0zmtl1MT8gS4F-la49a85w1NhNldPR-cnF9u6X8S1Jeko8nrFRtLd3GFJ5WIo45XRONf7fphZ4jvAzhfqmdomfTp1z_ARLY2wgF0_fU2avQ/s1600/Packers+Celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oWg3n5zYvyU2eCK8qwZBoMkGgqu0zmtl1MT8gS4F-la49a85w1NhNldPR-cnF9u6X8S1Jeko8nrFRtLd3GFJ5WIo45XRONf7fphZ4jvAzhfqmdomfTp1z_ARLY2wgF0_fU2avQ/s640/Packers+Celebrate.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packers celebrate in the locker-room</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuReJ68AKDbe70Am2pSRs0sNjQJep2wUHUUVxxmbM2tPx6jsG6Xet0BLUY02A1ab7jilQ0ZjwimSKnfZV4aIixnXUach3li7rHYsONujVwsMGejB5DDuT2Q0CeHhUm_9vZepQWSQ/s1600/Packers+fans+celebrate+after+winning+Super+Bowl+XLV+31-25+against+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuReJ68AKDbe70Am2pSRs0sNjQJep2wUHUUVxxmbM2tPx6jsG6Xet0BLUY02A1ab7jilQ0ZjwimSKnfZV4aIixnXUach3li7rHYsONujVwsMGejB5DDuT2Q0CeHhUm_9vZepQWSQ/s640/Packers+fans+celebrate+after+winning+Super+Bowl+XLV+31-25+against+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cheesehead Packer fan celebrates after the Green Bay Packers win Super Bowl XLV 31-25 against the Pittsburgh Steelers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnlVQve03evnGKIGHYwkhI6y7FBh90r4AZyhVyfhVj_gcIomwpX2eY9AZRNygPk87NkEHRAmGDgmtVXBDy8xZnVkIVXU4CKjK47O1EL0vvdWeCWT9uxjpqticJ80fTKyaUCWznA/s1600/Mike+McCarthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnlVQve03evnGKIGHYwkhI6y7FBh90r4AZyhVyfhVj_gcIomwpX2eY9AZRNygPk87NkEHRAmGDgmtVXBDy8xZnVkIVXU4CKjK47O1EL0vvdWeCWT9uxjpqticJ80fTKyaUCWznA/s640/Mike+McCarthy.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike McCarthy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcHmBkYZoqoUbZBrBRuN01hbuaUe4qFzHpLHEjPOifs3ZQrXXNSDXg_QkdJphL6BlIZ71udFx-0R1F4YUNreSHz7oe5MXhzvJtxfYfT_L1WV1TwX1UuPx2gmgIyTC9JClMaGowg/s1600/Matt+Wilhelm+%252357+celebrates+with+his+son+Mason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcHmBkYZoqoUbZBrBRuN01hbuaUe4qFzHpLHEjPOifs3ZQrXXNSDXg_QkdJphL6BlIZ71udFx-0R1F4YUNreSHz7oe5MXhzvJtxfYfT_L1WV1TwX1UuPx2gmgIyTC9JClMaGowg/s640/Matt+Wilhelm+%252357+celebrates+with+his+son+Mason.jpg" width="624" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Wilhelm #57 celebrates with his son Mason</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDVTdMOeQIbLd9n0iyPXm8uE3ffvuh9-W7BeRYsEyw4Cj82luI5_9Y-2md2zp1Y7fRPfnV5HxTKui_8BDtb-j2eE0XQ8ohRGdwfofNfwqNQJTpEZpUSe7VAFhAjQdSnUGFW6PRA/s1600/Matt+Wilhelm+%252357+celebrates+with+his+daughter+Tianna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLDVTdMOeQIbLd9n0iyPXm8uE3ffvuh9-W7BeRYsEyw4Cj82luI5_9Y-2md2zp1Y7fRPfnV5HxTKui_8BDtb-j2eE0XQ8ohRGdwfofNfwqNQJTpEZpUSe7VAFhAjQdSnUGFW6PRA/s640/Matt+Wilhelm+%252357+celebrates+with+his+daughter+Tianna.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Wilhelm #57 celebrates with his daughter Tianna</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEStz9pV7z8nLC4afD79vhvan85rgQTTJQkMffmVjQzmvR22AN6w3lZgJmzTAY8TY1X0X7HaSeuQgOdJyrBJNaVs4_I7EdAoZjnRRgQhRcNVLMczDWlfTuSSp6ZK8iZM2r0YdjVA/s1600/Mark+Murphy%252C+left%252C+and+general+manager+Ted+Thompson+hold+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEStz9pV7z8nLC4afD79vhvan85rgQTTJQkMffmVjQzmvR22AN6w3lZgJmzTAY8TY1X0X7HaSeuQgOdJyrBJNaVs4_I7EdAoZjnRRgQhRcNVLMczDWlfTuSSp6ZK8iZM2r0YdjVA/s640/Mark+Murphy%252C+left%252C+and+general+manager+Ted+Thompson+hold+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Murphy, left, and general manager Ted Thompson hold up the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvqf_KpHSqn4ZLr4U9GAHRCvOq7aKSOch36TuV7a9DP6XS0WXO4I3e9HpHF21pcxFbetD_Uykke7AlvSeJIv0lC4r5vz_LTqisJYId6H0LSB5Mff5nHoHPGAc5xljYgfCVANuFMg/s1600/lMVP+Aaron+Rodgers+%252312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvqf_KpHSqn4ZLr4U9GAHRCvOq7aKSOch36TuV7a9DP6XS0WXO4I3e9HpHF21pcxFbetD_Uykke7AlvSeJIv0lC4r5vz_LTqisJYId6H0LSB5Mff5nHoHPGAc5xljYgfCVANuFMg/s640/lMVP+Aaron+Rodgers+%252312.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MVP Aaron Rodgers #12</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyZi4DDiN7IH5TTEbMJmJeLhb73e9OH7F3nr7Lj6zxz_sKYw_9pOq3lXuYEhlc1QLMZWKmWH8wOfA5ON2uLFoz8iClK5cuiYUwxWlVcOP57XPe3IYC4WpgY096uiivLOI0qPfQg/s1600/Korey+Hall+%252335+sits+on+the+side+of+the+field+with+his+family+after+the+game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJyZi4DDiN7IH5TTEbMJmJeLhb73e9OH7F3nr7Lj6zxz_sKYw_9pOq3lXuYEhlc1QLMZWKmWH8wOfA5ON2uLFoz8iClK5cuiYUwxWlVcOP57XPe3IYC4WpgY096uiivLOI0qPfQg/s640/Korey+Hall+%252335+sits+on+the+side+of+the+field+with+his+family+after+the+game.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korey Hall #35 sits on the side of the field with his family after the game</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpfRsogMqp9Jf1GUbl27JQFVTlj-sIj2nHbQi2WUtaMoU7RNzqKhuaN96kp7bY1gnDnWpKghO62KvCQAOoE6il8EEfPoIzxenXN2wa6Lz2Y8f0PqOPcAtoQn42DomK3daPwrhgA/s1600/Jordy+Nelson+%252387+and+Greg+Jennings+%252385+celebrate+after+a+late+touchdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxpfRsogMqp9Jf1GUbl27JQFVTlj-sIj2nHbQi2WUtaMoU7RNzqKhuaN96kp7bY1gnDnWpKghO62KvCQAOoE6il8EEfPoIzxenXN2wa6Lz2Y8f0PqOPcAtoQn42DomK3daPwrhgA/s640/Jordy+Nelson+%252387+and+Greg+Jennings+%252385+celebrate+after+a+late+touchdown.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordy Nelson #87 and Greg Jennings #85 celebrate after a late touchdown</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGDALSkMq6KSGoVf6OqN5JdddGIruk8ucHdqbGaSSMzmUObJnXXDvXqld47f69HHhMZxmVKFrXjPn6Jei1cRhz6E0zdueXhllYvKyJ1hZROmeDMiHYGYsPjYWqmGGBLAAY-wsIg/s1600/Jarius+Wynn+%252394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGDALSkMq6KSGoVf6OqN5JdddGIruk8ucHdqbGaSSMzmUObJnXXDvXqld47f69HHhMZxmVKFrXjPn6Jei1cRhz6E0zdueXhllYvKyJ1hZROmeDMiHYGYsPjYWqmGGBLAAY-wsIg/s640/Jarius+Wynn+%252394.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jarius Wynn #94</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7m313OhpF-l4EkAn2TuMfr7OUudaltJMcPFT8LUEVUYxeyiGYkxYMZcVrIxA4YlgViMpBV4ragWMfNBNb8QMXKPFJ9Kc-5vMZeCq5dgqigaM0jxAQRh_JZnSsncxAbqrWalv2Q/s1600/Green+Bay+Packers+president+Mark+Murphy+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7m313OhpF-l4EkAn2TuMfr7OUudaltJMcPFT8LUEVUYxeyiGYkxYMZcVrIxA4YlgViMpBV4ragWMfNBNb8QMXKPFJ9Kc-5vMZeCq5dgqigaM0jxAQRh_JZnSsncxAbqrWalv2Q/s640/Green+Bay+Packers+president+Mark+Murphy+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDldTwvChI25yfBX5G4jBYmuMfXCP76DT9wXbeSqojnlebliemmqH0Are143TTauzA_dOqr0QSlk0JTuglQ0m0YUydy0CtX-kaRbZDl8olzfk5wGJF_huEpciXPtTODPuR8oGfXw/s1600/Greg+Jennings+%2526+Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDldTwvChI25yfBX5G4jBYmuMfXCP76DT9wXbeSqojnlebliemmqH0Are143TTauzA_dOqr0QSlk0JTuglQ0m0YUydy0CtX-kaRbZDl8olzfk5wGJF_huEpciXPtTODPuR8oGfXw/s640/Greg+Jennings+%2526+Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg Jennings & Aaron Rodgers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYwWFTYa5OfAQqN63CVa0_2BuB-dsl_11aky1ERkgze3WISnuP97UB-9120Nuepbb3k5UFoPmuqTbE_Wb5IYSQOE2zZZo2B8gFcxW24tJHbwUAovTE21BfrLm6VwVNkXKf9mBpA/s1600/Head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYwWFTYa5OfAQqN63CVa0_2BuB-dsl_11aky1ERkgze3WISnuP97UB-9120Nuepbb3k5UFoPmuqTbE_Wb5IYSQOE2zZZo2B8gFcxW24tJHbwUAovTE21BfrLm6VwVNkXKf9mBpA/s640/Head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+holds+up+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHyxzRspbwobkCtjCuqa2f9lpxMWx8I6KExs4pfAd1T0WY-VVqjiXbWB3NFqs4uT7Adhz_YKPaijgEtafJMZG46sqUln2BbLtNgaH9sCQdQ0V-pPo8PLv8KRxvaeGMFawNndIXA/s1600/James+Jones+%252389+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+tries+to+avoid+the+tackle+of+LaMarr+Woodley+%252356+and+Ike+Taylor+%252324+of+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHyxzRspbwobkCtjCuqa2f9lpxMWx8I6KExs4pfAd1T0WY-VVqjiXbWB3NFqs4uT7Adhz_YKPaijgEtafJMZG46sqUln2BbLtNgaH9sCQdQ0V-pPo8PLv8KRxvaeGMFawNndIXA/s640/James+Jones+%252389+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+tries+to+avoid+the+tackle+of+LaMarr+Woodley+%252356+and+Ike+Taylor+%252324+of+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Jones #89 of the Green Bay Packers tries to avoid the tackle of LaMarr Woodley #56 and Ike Taylor #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxfM_hmEtg3yFEokyF_AuMTGO6vxgVcbQs_FyvkOMVgeCRrRHy0fakwz2eMdZkz-odxqeZl74SegcvfW7zVtrHNSx4pxe-pkRo1pkiH6ORUw5tKCjtxu2m6d6qOI4c9QDEPt9zA/s1600/Green+Bay+Packers+Fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxfM_hmEtg3yFEokyF_AuMTGO6vxgVcbQs_FyvkOMVgeCRrRHy0fakwz2eMdZkz-odxqeZl74SegcvfW7zVtrHNSx4pxe-pkRo1pkiH6ORUw5tKCjtxu2m6d6qOI4c9QDEPt9zA/s640/Green+Bay+Packers+Fans.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Bay Packers Fans</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxul6jc-8cX02GAGHD1K7LEjz24AdkJsnqh8gsFDQEZj0xstjQOAtal4cr3nrTf0Un4l3agRJ1-pW3wuBihiWvbO6s8PzZFb2p1RbJIItg9k-OttvITKoa6KsnM9KgKxzA7ETYw/s1600/Fans+Celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxul6jc-8cX02GAGHD1K7LEjz24AdkJsnqh8gsFDQEZj0xstjQOAtal4cr3nrTf0Un4l3agRJ1-pW3wuBihiWvbO6s8PzZFb2p1RbJIItg9k-OttvITKoa6KsnM9KgKxzA7ETYw/s640/Fans+Celebrate.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fans Celebrate</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmBsYRl21XZmrVeq9uysaWRjLqgNJGFgu6boWauEYUBK6uEQF4TwOHSWT4SepFScvs2TCPgFoSRjCfZ64m_JfD4PJgJ8lhEMkjsHQORB4bbiI54GR4rvSFMI9MyRsnvEPMiKNrw/s1600/Donald+Driver+kisses+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmBsYRl21XZmrVeq9uysaWRjLqgNJGFgu6boWauEYUBK6uEQF4TwOHSWT4SepFScvs2TCPgFoSRjCfZ64m_JfD4PJgJ8lhEMkjsHQORB4bbiI54GR4rvSFMI9MyRsnvEPMiKNrw/s640/Donald+Driver+kisses+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Driver kisses the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GELEp9j9hOAGzi8G-eNC2sSZNPLuHxJxjLvuhu9pGKR5VEnmea6IPWO_WeTmbPyb6QsnkVDhf4qA6OvUvGMY0ej3W-ylnQWTFeHwFBB5IA9Is2-3lVpWx5IFF0lJE9REnrXpYQ/s1600/Donald+Driver+%252380+celebrates+with+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GELEp9j9hOAGzi8G-eNC2sSZNPLuHxJxjLvuhu9pGKR5VEnmea6IPWO_WeTmbPyb6QsnkVDhf4qA6OvUvGMY0ej3W-ylnQWTFeHwFBB5IA9Is2-3lVpWx5IFF0lJE9REnrXpYQ/s640/Donald+Driver+%252380+celebrates+with+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Driver #80 celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLMA5ycimKywuaYxWfC_7n-GTf85YbK8ws7WriBrh99mENvKP8TT9Zo1UDKZG041vltT6XfaxYtOA7mKIFI43WHmsk-KWKH_H_tloQEM7CxZqInK70rGwBx-wISi7o_5_18XkbA/s1600/Clay+Matthews%252C+right%252C+is+congratulated+by+his+father+Clay+Matthews+Jr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSLMA5ycimKywuaYxWfC_7n-GTf85YbK8ws7WriBrh99mENvKP8TT9Zo1UDKZG041vltT6XfaxYtOA7mKIFI43WHmsk-KWKH_H_tloQEM7CxZqInK70rGwBx-wISi7o_5_18XkbA/s640/Clay+Matthews%252C+right%252C+is+congratulated+by+his+father+Clay+Matthews+Jr.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clay Matthews, right, is congratulated by his father Clay Matthews Jr</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9bJFX0m-9Dc5BrwicyKNtSZRrZYnDUB4R4fOZXvfh8LTZSn_0ja2_5YtorqeaCTZ18ad78_TWt1hb4h12Solhd_GC42qNxF0qmkEQlsTN-rIJc0-XBHKkqIOs_G4xe7wElJvlQ/s1600/Clay+Matthews+%252352+celebrates+late+in+the+game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9bJFX0m-9Dc5BrwicyKNtSZRrZYnDUB4R4fOZXvfh8LTZSn_0ja2_5YtorqeaCTZ18ad78_TWt1hb4h12Solhd_GC42qNxF0qmkEQlsTN-rIJc0-XBHKkqIOs_G4xe7wElJvlQ/s640/Clay+Matthews+%252352+celebrates+late+in+the+game.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clay Matthews #52 celebrates late in the game</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl6tqn5qknAgbrhVzpThIqmkgaFgxOPlDzfj2UQBth2XiYGEz4o2tlUOLGZh-kkZf-sHai-gKxPbQr58yqBM_wLipKTuWPdGO6a1ztZqEMZuOPxvs-R7Pyyzsq-wMU5BWSmtDVA/s1600/Clay+Matthews+%252352+and+Desmond+Bishop+%252355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigl6tqn5qknAgbrhVzpThIqmkgaFgxOPlDzfj2UQBth2XiYGEz4o2tlUOLGZh-kkZf-sHai-gKxPbQr58yqBM_wLipKTuWPdGO6a1ztZqEMZuOPxvs-R7Pyyzsq-wMU5BWSmtDVA/s640/Clay+Matthews+%252352+and+Desmond+Bishop+%252355.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clay Matthews #52 and Desmond Bishop #55</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvRGCSQkBW8SreHNZwU8ZzkbsJ7E2eRs59NXbXn-XJVxA26zFvJe1qErPfkn3vi7f9mCGOTOBiB-pOqvsTvVExqUBliJWBIul_1b7o-kVZUbirxdozzFcthvtJgi9fZn7StlBOA/s1600/Charles+Woodson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvRGCSQkBW8SreHNZwU8ZzkbsJ7E2eRs59NXbXn-XJVxA26zFvJe1qErPfkn3vi7f9mCGOTOBiB-pOqvsTvVExqUBliJWBIul_1b7o-kVZUbirxdozzFcthvtJgi9fZn7StlBOA/s640/Charles+Woodson.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Woodson gives a TV interview</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWFfYCe-dK1KpSxYJIg6DeDpixqM1vL5aol6_Aq1BwTf9YKgy8Jxrwb_cdfdjZ5wiOCosoKbcxJts-unjRq0AWIruFq1O6O-ttbFXlH9RCUmmFW1KzNPMptZneNDyCha0NP5G1w/s1600/Ben+Roethlisberger+%25237+of+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+gets+sacked+by+Frank+Zombo+%252358+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWFfYCe-dK1KpSxYJIg6DeDpixqM1vL5aol6_Aq1BwTf9YKgy8Jxrwb_cdfdjZ5wiOCosoKbcxJts-unjRq0AWIruFq1O6O-ttbFXlH9RCUmmFW1KzNPMptZneNDyCha0NP5G1w/s640/Ben+Roethlisberger+%25237+of+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+gets+sacked+by+Frank+Zombo+%252358+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers gets sacked by Frank Zombo #58 of the Green Bay Packers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlrPEd_GxX-r4LVCYJAlrwTG96NVojcLZBeRy2LamJN3z_I2QVK9ipoNRYlCS3CR8WqlVjYJMke0OLeP9dyeFRRWpknQYhywgUhi3N9888yxcv4qla2I8roGCBtRAh-R1KcDAJA/s1600/Bryan+Bulaga+%252375+Chad+Clifton+%252376%252C+and+James+Jones+%252389+celebrate+the+win.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlrPEd_GxX-r4LVCYJAlrwTG96NVojcLZBeRy2LamJN3z_I2QVK9ipoNRYlCS3CR8WqlVjYJMke0OLeP9dyeFRRWpknQYhywgUhi3N9888yxcv4qla2I8roGCBtRAh-R1KcDAJA/s640/Bryan+Bulaga+%252375+Chad+Clifton+%252376%252C+and+James+Jones+%252389+celebrate+the+win.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryan Bulaga #75 Chad Clifton #76, and James Jones #89 celebrate the win</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNKxb8tn1TSXmed2dQQ1INK1ee1w_PiDMQzP3HaMvRAQqi4G2gXQuItxomlSXOHztQIifuDKsOILfLWD-k6va-G-SlTerbduWwEqUO_N7n1PdtZ1Ad5bkVx9kOxHe8pNd3_EO2A/s1600/C.J.+Wilson+%252398%252C+T.J.+Lang+%252370+and+Ryan+Pickett+%252379+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+dump+Gatorade+on+head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+after+they+defeated+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+31+to+25+in+Super+Bowl+XLV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNKxb8tn1TSXmed2dQQ1INK1ee1w_PiDMQzP3HaMvRAQqi4G2gXQuItxomlSXOHztQIifuDKsOILfLWD-k6va-G-SlTerbduWwEqUO_N7n1PdtZ1Ad5bkVx9kOxHe8pNd3_EO2A/s640/C.J.+Wilson+%252398%252C+T.J.+Lang+%252370+and+Ryan+Pickett+%252379+of+the+Green+Bay+Packers+dump+Gatorade+on+head+coach+Mike+McCarthy+after+they+defeated+the+Pittsburgh+Steelers+31+to+25+in+Super+Bowl+XLV.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">C.J. Wilson #98, T.J. Lang #70 and Ryan Pickett #79 of the Green Bay Packers dump Gatorade on head coach Mike McCarthy after they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31 to 25 in Super Bowl XLV</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa0fKpEOMSzFsCwN9Uja7dwCMhzQKuxODYx3spiu8ww9x0ha7MzXPb0Z3cRLuiOkcL7FSViR8sARxk78hqMDoATDYgWtnefXx-WAB3w3-qmF049PxhN3U5Mid1edte93ZgISjIg/s1600/Charles+Woodson%252C+right%252C+%2526+family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwa0fKpEOMSzFsCwN9Uja7dwCMhzQKuxODYx3spiu8ww9x0ha7MzXPb0Z3cRLuiOkcL7FSViR8sARxk78hqMDoATDYgWtnefXx-WAB3w3-qmF049PxhN3U5Mid1edte93ZgISjIg/s640/Charles+Woodson%252C+right%252C+%2526+family.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Woodson, right, & family</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UVEdvpyvOjZXEbkmoKcqNxLQW6jbh6f9n-JMOXXt24hwlT85XhSAZXg1k03qxoP2YYwZWNfw83bfdAU1s57JD_psn5ci9fD_CfPr6VV9y7jjEx5XWRShrzTTJYj2tfupTwNYZw/s1600/B.J.+Raji%252C+left%252C+and+teammate+Robert+Francois+celebrate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UVEdvpyvOjZXEbkmoKcqNxLQW6jbh6f9n-JMOXXt24hwlT85XhSAZXg1k03qxoP2YYwZWNfw83bfdAU1s57JD_psn5ci9fD_CfPr6VV9y7jjEx5XWRShrzTTJYj2tfupTwNYZw/s640/B.J.+Raji%252C+left%252C+and+teammate+Robert+Francois+celebrate.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B.J. Raji, left, and teammate Robert Francois celebrate</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_3inmWMNhq6ypmNlZ7207G6gX21psaG0vctLAPOo0xU2YO9MzjNRnuNHWFHq53E3aTL6oDrMiSHAxVr-lDVzPfCozZCRKuudRPxn-6FBA74Tt7XhYMW52M8RN8LKy-lhHQYhrA/s1600/Andrew+Quarless+%252381+kisses+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_3inmWMNhq6ypmNlZ7207G6gX21psaG0vctLAPOo0xU2YO9MzjNRnuNHWFHq53E3aTL6oDrMiSHAxVr-lDVzPfCozZCRKuudRPxn-6FBA74Tt7XhYMW52M8RN8LKy-lhHQYhrA/s640/Andrew+Quarless+%252381+kisses+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Andrew Quarless #81 kisses the Vince Lombardi Trophy</span> </span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-32soF3rgH5wouFqMwOAwS-KcTAm3WeHUaPBOCj0GJIrtRjlu9B54GjdQbrLWaS1xAH0yxD3MFr02WjPP9sauQoR7jcSmD2pLp4QUI0mhFJfCJfTL6mJsXpFlx7vBs0jeHUPZA/s1600/Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-32soF3rgH5wouFqMwOAwS-KcTAm3WeHUaPBOCj0GJIrtRjlu9B54GjdQbrLWaS1xAH0yxD3MFr02WjPP9sauQoR7jcSmD2pLp4QUI0mhFJfCJfTL6mJsXpFlx7vBs0jeHUPZA/s640/Aaron+Rodgers.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron Rodgers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YQIRVyI4L1Rh1Uex7cnKQVNbdmTND1fiZp6hhwOdOKsCSxUP1dl7YuaFgo8sUnBAPYUnwQt1QcxJO4HfiLT87NlG2xeCvlqECIdXVMc6w_4xRG4DoA5_wHhnzauSU5B8_qan_Q/s1600/Aaron+Rodgers+poses+with+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YQIRVyI4L1Rh1Uex7cnKQVNbdmTND1fiZp6hhwOdOKsCSxUP1dl7YuaFgo8sUnBAPYUnwQt1QcxJO4HfiLT87NlG2xeCvlqECIdXVMc6w_4xRG4DoA5_wHhnzauSU5B8_qan_Q/s640/Aaron+Rodgers+poses+with+the+Vince+Lombardi+Trophy.jpg" width="462" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron Rodgers poses with the Vince Lombardi Trophy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYflXU4Y0haqHccFCZPNWMFQF9cSjkw48697yUV_ZaN7gyeVvoJ4-2Vb0nSlb9YgjV97DvPZPIUbG4FkdQ_zcAEOqdwAD4Tz96E93lAidv_KHgZHngJIbP5WUiqxhBMkZeTl9fQ/s1600/A.J.+Hawk+holds+his+2-month-old+daughter%252C+Lennon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYflXU4Y0haqHccFCZPNWMFQF9cSjkw48697yUV_ZaN7gyeVvoJ4-2Vb0nSlb9YgjV97DvPZPIUbG4FkdQ_zcAEOqdwAD4Tz96E93lAidv_KHgZHngJIbP5WUiqxhBMkZeTl9fQ/s640/A.J.+Hawk+holds+his+2-month-old+daughter%252C+Lennon.jpg" width="460" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A.J. Hawk holds his 2-month-old daughter, Lennon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6h4bD77WxB8vTnDJZ-sBHZ2_v5Xe8UQRqJ66eRuOZ45AiZdzKUHH0aJYcRSnB5NhCIweVB5VL2uilDe0zUHqSD08h4Icpg_7_xSrZbB1zCbkdmXNM3J5cnZkK4orWrKtd0OpRAg/s1600/A+Thai+Buddhist+monk+walks+past+the+half+time+show+on+a+TV+screen+at+the+Roadhouse+Bar+in+Bangkok%252C+Thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6h4bD77WxB8vTnDJZ-sBHZ2_v5Xe8UQRqJ66eRuOZ45AiZdzKUHH0aJYcRSnB5NhCIweVB5VL2uilDe0zUHqSD08h4Icpg_7_xSrZbB1zCbkdmXNM3J5cnZkK4orWrKtd0OpRAg/s640/A+Thai+Buddhist+monk+walks+past+the+half+time+show+on+a+TV+screen+at+the+Roadhouse+Bar+in+Bangkok%252C+Thailand.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Thai Buddhist monk walks past the half time show on a TV screen at the Roadhouse Bar in Bangkok, Thailand</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Larry & Teddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822412860758809205noreply@blogger.com2