YOOPER LIFE

Bathroom Remodel

2007-03-15T14:33:00.000-05:00

We hired a handyman to help with the bathroom demo. Don't EVER let a stranger with a sledge hammer in your house!! The guy damaged walls that weren't even in the same room as the demo project.

Update

2007-03-03T06:13:00.000-05:00

A lot of time has passed since the last post. In that time we have acquired two new dogs (Goffrey and Dante), a Jeep and we continue to geocache, even in the snow. Last weekend I snowshoed across Lake Michigamme for an island cache called Island Lost.

Here are some pics of Geoffrey and Dante. Geoffrey is a purebred German Shorthaired Pointer. Dante is a mix-breed from the animal shelter.

Sunday Geocaching Trip

2006-08-16T19:55:00.000-05:00

We went geocaching today with VictoryMike, Mad Poet and Dajayhawk. What a great day with great new friends! We hit ten caches, some easy and some quite difficult. We did our first five-star terrain (most difficult) but it was more like a four and a half. There was a particular vertical that was challenging with steep slopes on loose rock - about a hundred feet of crawling upward. Some of the caches we visited were Mount Mathew, Stoney Mills, La Riviere de Mort and the Dead River Walk.

Untitled

2006-03-15T06:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we took Max to the Humane Society. The day previous he bit our son Corey for trying to take a spoon away. This is not the first time Max displayed this behavior and certainly wasn't going to be the last. He was an aggressive dog who was very proprietary. Whenever we left town it was impossible to find a dog sitter. When we could get one we had to wonder if he would flake out on them. We tried obedience classes and they helped with his manners - sit, stay, etc. - but he remained flaky.

Corey seems to be OK but he does have some puncture wounds on his hands. The doctor gave him antibiotics to prevent infection. We are just lucky that Max didn't do more damage than he did or that he didn't bite one of the grandchildren, a neighbor or friend.

Max will be put to sleep in 8 more days since he is not adoptable. We will miss you, Max.

To our friends and family who have stopped visiting us because of our dog, we are sorry it took so long for us to see the light.

Trenary Outhouse Classic 2006

2006-02-26T12:58:00.000-05:00

The company I work for, Motion Industries, graciously sponsored an entry this year in the 'Thirteenth Ever Trenary Outhouse Classic'. Below are some of the pictures we took. Luke Joki and Jeff Huot were the pushers and Luke took home a $500 prize just for showing up.

Eye Candy

2006-02-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

This is one of many photographs from my portfolio which is located on the web: Thom's Photography Gallery

The American Lunch Break

2006-02-23T13:09:00.000-05:00

All I wanted was to sit down in the lunch room for 15 minutes to eat some goddamn tuna fish. Barely after closing the door I get paged for a phone call. Then they send someone in to tell me I have another phone call – and THEN someone actually comes in and asks a question about an order. Finally, a fourth person comes in and asks me about packing slips. All the while I am NOT getting paid while I'm 'at lunch'.

I'M IN THE LUNCHROOM. . .EATING. . .MY LUNCH. BACK THE #&*% OFF AND LEAVE ME BE.

2006-02-20T21:00:00.000-05:00

Just Max being curious. Sure, he looks cute here but you should see what he looks like when a stranger comes into the house.

UP 200 Dog Sled Championship

2006-02-17T22:09:00.000-05:00

The temperature was below zero with the wind chill reaching minus 35 fahrenheit. Our walk was well over a mile long, reaching from the corner of 7th street and Washington down to Mattsson Lower Harbor Park and back. As we walked, cheers and shouting indicated that a dog team was on the approach and we would move closer to the barricades for a better look. The eager dogs paid no attention to the bitter cold as they had one purpose in mind - running. On Sunday we will return to the finish line and take more pictures in good light.

Out The Window

2006-02-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

Looking out the window all I see is white. White sky, snow falling, everything is covered in white. We are supposed to get up to two feet of snow by tomorrow. The UP200 Dog Sled Race is kicking off tomorrow night. The wind chill is supposed to be -25 degrees fahrenheit.

OK, Goals Don't Suck

2006-02-16T11:03:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and stepped on the scale. Finally. . .198 pounds! It's been a long time coming but I'm glad to see 200 lbs. come and go.

Fat Guys Don't Run?

2006-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

We have been going to a local gym, and as mentioned I have lost thirty pounds. I'm stuck at 201. That's certainly aggrevating but it's not my the subject of my rant.

When we went to the gym yesterday there were signs on the treadmills that prevented anyone from running if you weigh more than 200 pounds. Here's the point: Why would you have a business that helps people lose weight when you won't let heavy people use the equipment they paid to use. It was bad enough there was a time limit of thirty minutes on the treadmills, but now there's no running? You are thinking I shouldn't be upset, right? Fat guys don't run anyway. Well, I run two miles a day.

Our membership expired today and we will not renew it. We will go to the other local gym across the highway.

Goals Suck

2006-02-06T06:37:00.000-05:00

I have been trying desperately for the last month and a half to get below two hundred pounds but it seems it is a battle I am not supposed to win. No matter what I do the weight will not come off. I try more intense cardio workouts, weight training and limiting my food intake. Most days I walk to work - a distance of 1.65 miles each way. My fitness level has increased dramatically as I have worked up to running two miles on the treadmill and my workout weight for the legpress is 630 pounds. Nonetheless, getting my wieght below two hundred seems nearly impossible. I hover between 201 and 203. How do I get past this point so I can get down to 180?

Super Snowy Sunday

2006-02-05T12:21:00.000-05:00

It's February 5, 2006 and today is Super Bowl XL. We had a pretty substantial snowfall last night so Corey and I spent a few hours removing snow today. Our friends called to cancel their Superbowl party about an hour ago because the road is impassible with four wheel drive trucks stuck all over the place. The wind and snow are supposed to continue until 6PM tonight and we will undoubtedly have to go out and shovel some more.

Where's Winter??

2006-01-29T12:40:00.000-05:00

The lack of snow is really a downer this year. The tourists aren't coming into the area the way they should be. There are fewer snowmobiles and skiers on the trails. Even the ice is getting unpredictable for ice fishermen in the southern parts of the Upper Peninsula. We are almost into February and there isn't much time left for winter to make a comeback.

Four Things About Thom

2006-01-21T07:36:00.000-05:00

Four Jobs You've Had In Your Life:

1. Christmas tree farm hand
2. Photographer (Weddings, concerts and drag racing)
3. Printing press operator
4. Built interior parts for the Dodge Viper

Four Movies You'd Watch Over and Over

1. Clerks
2. Office Space
3. Eddie and the Cruisers
4. Dogma

Four Places You Have Lived Besides Current Residence

1. Mt. Pleasant, MI
2. Holland, MI
3. Royal Oak, MI (Detroit Suburb)
4. Clarksville, TN

Four Places You've Been On Vacation

1. New Orleans, LA
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Florida (all the fun stuff)
4. Chicago, IL

Four Websites You Visit Daily
1. Google.com
2. DPChallenge
3. Men's Health
4. The Aurora Predictor

Four of Your Favorite Foods

1. Chicken
2. Duck
3. Bison
4. Venison Jerky

Four Places You'd Rather Be Right Now

1. Alaska
2. Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
3. Copper Harbor, MI
4. Playing racquetball

Past to Present

2006-01-16T07:01:00.000-05:00

I was watching the movie 'Clerks' the other night and noticed something that made me start thinking. In one of the scenes they show the sign for the video store. The sign reads 'VHS and Nintendo'. Given the fact that the movie is only 11 or 12 years old I was a little shocked at the fact that technology is moving so rapidly. Nowadays the sign would read 'DVD and XBox' or something (sorry, I am not a gamer).

Then I started thinking about other things that changed significantly in the past 37 years. Here are a few:

Then: Reel to reel 4 track audio, vinyl albums. Now: MP3s, CDs. Over time: 8 Track tapes, cassettes.

Then: Three local radio stations. Now: Hundreds of satellite radio stations.

Then: Magnetic north compass. Now: On-board GPS navigation in cars.

Then: Writing my own programs on the Commodore 64 (That's 64K memory for the whole computer, kids). Now: Windows, the internet.

Obviously there are many, many more to add. The truth of the matter is it makes my head spin to think where we will be in another 37 years.

Max is Getting Fat While We Try To Get Thinner

2005-12-28T21:07:00.000-05:00

While Anne and I have been dieting for the last six weeks, Max has been putting on weight. He has finally reached ninety pounds! On a brighter note, I have lost 21 pounds and Anne has lost 15 pounds.

2005-12-24T21:18:00.000-05:00

We took Max up on the Peshekee Grade to play in the snow today. He likes to run and catch snowballs. The snow was falling and the weather was perfect. After parking at the end of the road and playing with Max for a while we walked up the snowmobile trail and found lots of ice formations on the rocks.

Long Days

2005-12-23T06:20:00.000-05:00

As I write this I am getting ready for work. We were supposed to have the day off but since we are moving the office and warehouse we'll be working from 7AM to 5PM instead. Wednesday and Thursday yielded 15 hour work days while Monday and Tuesday were only 12 hour days. No matter - the task is almost finished and I get to relax on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Sick and Tired

2005-12-18T20:32:00.000-05:00

No, really. I have a cold and it's kicking my butt. Helluva time to be sick, too, with Christmas coming next weekend and all. On top of that, the company I work for is moving to a new building next week. I should have rested more this weekend. (Dear Santa, please send cough drops and hot tea.)

A New Look for the Blog

2005-12-18T20:28:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone enjoys the new look of the blog. I was looking for something a little more - well - unique. I also added a visitors map so be sure to look in the links section and leave your pin on the map. If you are from somewhere other than North America just pin the map in the ocean nearest your continent. There's also a new counter so I can see if you folks are really checking in.

Season's Greetings!

2005-12-11T08:15:00.000-05:00

This is our dog, Max, sitting in the foyer with the Christmas tree.

It's About Time

2005-11-16T09:20:00.000-05:00

The sun is out and the snow is falling. Ishpeming in the winter reminds me of a snow globe.

So far I have kept my promise to myself that I will not give in to buying a truck just so I can be warm on the way to work. Besides, with thermal underwear I don't get cold. The only thing a truck would do is get me here faster. I would still have to clean off the windows and wait for the thing to warm up so it really doesn't make sense to me. I walk out the door and twenty-five minutes later I am sitting at my desk. The exercise is great since it's a two-mile walk round trip. The best part is the solitude and quiet. There are a few others who walk in the morning and we always exchange greetings. Small town life is the greatest.

Two New Grandsons

2005-11-08T21:49:00.000-05:00

Here are our most recent grandsons: Caleb and Mason. Caleb lives nearby with his mother, Kim Mager (girlfriend of our son, Corey). Mason lives in Florida with our son Allen and his girlfriend, Jade.

(picture by Corey)

Irony Defined

2005-11-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

I'm writing this as I eat my lunch so forgive me if I get food on your monitor. I have to laugh at a purchasing project I have been working on for many months. The down and dirty version is that Customer A was using Brand X widgets for a very long time until one broke. Many hours of research were put in at the request of Customer A to find a replacement. Upon finding the replacement for the Brand X widget, Customer A refused to accept it because it was the wrong color and had the incorrect writing on it. We found many more options but each was turned down as it wasn't the same as Brand X. We finally convinced Customer A to accept the Brand X widgets. Today, I received a letter from the manufacturer that Brand X widgets will no longer be manufactured - by anyone. I framed the letter and put it on my wall as a symbol of my daily duties. Every time I look at it I will be reminded of how important my job is.

It Snowed Yesterday

2005-11-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

Like the title says - it snowed yesterday in Ishpeming. Waking up to a nice white blanket on everything made me start thinking about Christmas, even though I think it's wrong to decorate before Thanksgiving.

Halloween Party

2005-10-31T10:01:00.000-05:00

We hosted a Halloween party at our house on Saturday. The theme was Voodoo on the Bayou and forty people attended. Our friend, Sean, helped me brew a batch of pumpkin ale to add to the festivities.

Feeling Like October

2005-10-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

Autumn is upon us and the leaves are falling. We are hosting a Halloween party at our house on the 29th of the month. Our theme is "Voodoo on the Bayou", with lots of Louisiana black magic overtones. We'll post pics after the party.

The weather has been cool and there is frost on the ground most mornings now. It snowed pretty good one day a couple of weeks ago. We visited the Hayes Corn Maze last weekend and sat around the camp fire after wandering around in the dark fields. I can't express enough how much I enjoy this time of year. The pumpkins, leaves, bonfires - it all seems to draw people together, priming them for the holidays.

Waterfalls

2005-08-22T07:31:00.000-05:00

Took these shots about 8:30 PM on Sunday the 21st of August.

A New Milestone

2005-08-18T16:03:00.000-05:00

I was contacted by someone who is constructing a new permanent exhibit for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. It seems that they would like to use one of my photographs in their exhibit called "Evolving Planet". As someone who has been published in magazines, newspapers, books and even on soda bottles, this is by far the most honorable recognition I have ever known.

Now, if I could just get something in the art museum. . .

Instruments of Mining - Old and New

2005-08-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

The truck in the picture is one from the newer pit mines south of Ishpeming. The buildings in the background are a reminder of how shaft mining used to support the economy of Ishpeming.

Even today, Ishpeming economy is largely suppored by the Empire Mine and the Tilden Mine. All of the local businesses would fold if these mines were to disappear. Ishpeming is already half the size that it was 70 years ago. With a current population of less than 7000, nearly every man woman and child depends on the mines either directly or indirectly for their livelyhood. About the only people exempt from this effect are the folks who work along the highway where the tourist stop to eat and shop. We know the iron ore won't last forever, but we'll enjoy the benefits as long as they last.

For a good look at life in Ishpeming in the old days, rent Anatomy of a Murder starring Jimmy Stewart. The opening scene features the shaft mine buildings and the entire movie was filmed in Marquette County.

Thought For The Day

2005-08-09T15:51:00.000-05:00

Some people are like Slinkies...
Not really good for anything,
But they still bring a smile to your face when
you push them down a flight of stairs.

A Visit With Kim and Caleb

2005-07-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

This is me with Caleb, our fourth grandchild. We had a nice long visit with Kim tonight. Anne, Shelby and I got to pass Caleb around for a couple of hours and get acquainted with him while we all talked. Isn't he handsome?

Wolf Lake

2005-07-20T22:01:00.000-05:00

Shelby and I went to Wolf Lake to see if we could find a moose. Sadly, we didn't even see a moose track. We did, however, take in a great sunset and found these bald eagle tracks all over the beach. As we were looking at the tracks the eagle flew over us and returned to it's perch in the tall pines.

Sunday Drive

2005-07-17T19:37:00.000-05:00

Today we took Shelby on a drive to Big Bay. Big Bay is about 35 miles northeast of us. We drove until the road ended at the harbor. We went for a swim in Lake Superior as a bald eagle flew overhead. From there we drove back down county road 510 towards Negaunee in search of a waterfall. Just about the time we had given up, we stopped at a bridge to go wading in the river. About 70 yards downstream we found the waterfall we had been searching for. Pictured is Shelby and Anne sitting on the rocks. The falls continued for quite a while as we followed the river.

Visitors

2005-06-21T15:05:00.000-05:00

My grandparents came to visit us for a few days. It was really nice seeing them and we had a good time going to museums and playing cards. A good deal of time was spent sitting on the porch and just talking. We plan on going down to Alma, Michigan to see them the first weekend in August.

Welcome to the Jungle. . .

2005-06-15T06:02:00.000-05:00

*Stands up on soapbox*
It really pisses me off when people don't take care of their property. Looking at this lawn you would think this guy's house was a hundred miles from civilization, but it's not. It's adjacent to our property. Ishpeming has the highest taxes in the county of Marquette but it seems as though they can't hire someone to enforce lawnmowing regulations.

Banan-Appeal

2005-06-09T06:28:00.000-05:00

When I was a seventeen years old I bought a 1968 Chevy Malibu (see picture). It was christened "Banan-Appeal". I was so proud of that car. Whenever I was frustrated or upset I would work on it - which was constantly. I poured money into it and got it running like a champ. The car was such a fixture on the street that some guy in the next county copied the paint scheme. In this picture the car doesn't look like much, but it was a work in progress and this is the only shot I have of it now. (Yeah, those are Oldsmobile rims on the back but you use what you have at the time.)

A Moose in the Cemetery

2005-06-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

Click here to read about the moose that has been living in a local cemetery.

You Can't Please Everyone. . .

2005-05-31T17:59:00.000-05:00

Anne had a run-in with a neighbor this morning. She was given an earful because I took the liberty of trimming some branches on the edge of their property. Yeah, I should have asked, but I thought a widow would appreciate someone helping her out. Instead, she launched into a tirade about how that was HER property and we didn't need to go near it.

So why did I do it? Because the branches were growing out into the road and we had drive around them when coming up the driveway. Honestly, it looked like shit. I am glad I did it. We may not live in a big city, but it is a city. It should look like one. Instead we have one neighbor who doesn't even mow because the house is unoccupied - and another who refuses to keep up her property and refuses any help to keep it up.

Ishpeming property taxes are the highest in Marquette County and I'll be damned if I am going to live in a jungle.

Jasper Knob

2005-05-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

When the rain subsided today we went for a drive and ended up at Jasper Knob. It is known as the world's largest gemstone and consists of a hundred foot tall rock formation of jaspillite. Jaspillite is also known as banded hematite (iron ore). We could see the entire town from the top. For more on jaspillite click on this link: More Info on Jaspillite

Eye Candy

2005-05-22T17:35:00.000-05:00

Here are some of my black and white photos from over the years. To see more go to my DeviantArt Gallery.

Fun in the Keewenaw Peninsula

2005-05-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

We took Martina for a tour of the K.P. yesterday. We saw lots of waterfalls and fun stuff. We went to Gay looking for a dump so we could see bears but we couldn't find it. We did see the famous Gay Bar. Sorry it was too dark for a picture (maybe next time). This is a picture of some trucks that had been "in the woods a-muckin". To fully appreciate the last sentence you need to be familiar with the poor quality of locally produced advertising. I'll see if I can get the audio from the Superior Collision ad that the line came from.

We drove all the way to the end of the road - literally. Here is a picture of the beginning of US41. Note the 'road ends' sign in the background. US41 runs from this point which is east of Copper Harbor all the way to Miami, Florida - a total of 1990 miles.

If It Weren't For Bad Luck. . .

2005-05-21T13:28:00.000-05:00

I went for a bike ride this morning with Sean and his wife, Heather. We went to Presque Isle and I didn't even think about the number of black flies that might be out. We began riding and in less than two minutes I got a bug in my eye. I had a nasty allergic reaction and the surface of my eye started forming a jelly-like pool on the surface. Only when it was bright red and swollen did I decide it might be time for a trip to the ER. They flipped my eyelid inside out and swabbed it, cleaning everything. Then they made sure it wasn't scratched and gave me an antihistamine for the reaction. They say it will be fine as long as I put some special drops in my eye four times a day. Next time I'll wear goggles.

Concerns

2005-05-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

Anne and I are very concerned that Will has not left Marquette yet. Martina stays in touch with him constantly, giving him money when he asks.

Here's a little history: Will stole quite a bit of property from Martina's father when they lived with him. He has been known to brag about the B&Es he has been involved in. Will has also hooked up with some of the not-so-desireable folks in Marquette. We are nervous that one day we will come home to find our antiques gone.

We are at a crucial point in this situation. If we put Will on a bus then we offend Martina. If we do nothing we live in fear that our things will be stolen. What do we do?!

Returning to the Nest

2005-05-14T07:28:00.000-05:00

For those who weren't aware, another one of our children has come home to live. We are happy that Martina has chosen to improve her station in life. She has a job and is planning on getting her GED. She also is making lots of new friends here. Martina's husband, Willie (Skeeter) Jones, came with her. He has a reputation for being a liar, a thief and just being plain lazy. He lived up to every expectation. Will left Martina and is now living in a halfway house. He might be working at Burger King. It's a job we forced him to get but it's hard to tell if he really works there or not. He wasted his entire paycheck in a matter of three days and came crawling to Martina asking for more money. He is not allowed in our house any longer. Martina is always welcome.

New Wheels

2005-04-17T07:25:00.000-05:00

Since the truck died I was forced to get new transportation. Idecided on a mountain bike from Lakeshore Bike in Marquette. It was a smart move indeed. I am getting in shape and getting to work at the same time. Granted, we can't go 30 miles into the brush on a bike, but the bike will allow me to save for another 4X4 in the fall. Until then I am content to shed a few pounds and get my body tuned up.

Goodbye, Old Friend

2005-04-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

It is with sad and heavy heart that I must tell you we lost a much-loved member of the family today. At the young age of 19 he always made people laugh and was always fun to be with. He was there for the whole family whenever he was needed, right up to minute his life ended. He was a good truck, indeed. My 1986 Ford Bronco is running no longer. Rest in peace, old friend.

Bedroom is Finished

2005-03-20T21:34:00.000-05:00

Here is the bedroom in it's finished state. We may add some longer curtains later but for now we like it the way it is.

Note: To anyone wanting to imitate the Damask Stripe finish on the walls, the how-to guide is in the Dutchboy paint section. It is not an easy task and a laser level is recommended for the stripes. The walls took two base coats of a dark brown (Dutchboy Chocolate Truffle) and the stripes are Dutchboy Gold Leaf Metallic paint. Total time for the project was about 20 hours not counting all the trips to the hardware store.

The following is a list of items needed for the project:
Six rolls of painter's tape
Two gallons of Dutchboy Chocolate Truffle paint
One quart of Dutchboy Gold Leaf metallic paint
One large sea sponge
One laser level with vertical capability
Brushes
Wet rags for spill cleanup

The Pinball Machine Is Fixed

2005-03-12T15:10:00.000-05:00

I finally got the parts in the mail today and got the pinball machine running smoothly. It has been out of commission for a good month, maybe more. Apparently the buttons I needed are rare and we had a helluva time finding them. Special thanks go out to Scott Cannon at Lakeside/Money Machines in Louisiana for finding them for me. I got half a dozen just in case one breaks in the future. Scott is a straight up guy to do business with!

Things Work Themselves Out

2005-03-12T08:49:00.000-05:00

I had the most enjoyable work week (save for Monday) since we moved to the U.P. My demotion has lifted a huge burden of resposibility off my shoulders. I can go to work and come home without all that guilt. I don't have to worry about planning things six months in advance. I don't have to be a part of the 'secret society' of management, where you must keep information to yourself for fear of erasing all the plans you have made. Here's a funny little story about Friday:

Only two weeks ago, well after my position change had been decided behind my back, I took a management training/enhancement course. This week I got my certificate in the mail. Jokingly, I asked my coworkers where I should hang it. One of them replied, "You should hang it on the knife that's stuck in your back!"

Life presses on, only now it's a lot more enjoyable.

Bad Karma

2005-03-07T17:48:00.000-05:00

When I got to work this morning my boss told me that he had an experienced Motion Industries Operations Manager who was going to transfer up from Wisconsin to take my job. I get the honorable position of Purchasing Agent. The honorable, considerably less lucrative position of Purchasing Agent, that is. How would you feel if you got demoted and your salary was knocked down to twenty cents an hour above a guy who was hired three weeks ago? Save your comments and pity - I am only venting and will probably delete this entry anyway.

New Photo Gallery at Deviantart.com

2005-03-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

I figured it was about time I put up a gallery of photographs. Click here for the gallery.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

2005-03-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

Many of my employees are complaining of nausea, diziness and headaches. Someone brought in a CO detector and it won't stop beeping. Carbon monoxide is a very serious problem and we are doing everything we can to get solve the problem. However, I cannot help but see the irony in this situation: Ten people are standing around smoking cigarettes complaining that there isn't enough fresh air. It's likely that the forklift and/or the furnace are the biggest contributors to our problem, but in the future we may have to prohibit smoking indoors.

It's a Hard Life

2005-03-01T21:31:00.000-05:00

You can see that the cold weather takes it's toll on people in the U.P. This is me after just two and a half hours of running the snowblower.

Snowing Like It's Never Gonna Stop

2005-02-28T18:54:00.000-05:00

The forcast is one to two more feet of snow by Wednesday. I need to go out and fire up the snowblower so Anne can get in the driveway. The fence is already buried and the steps and mailbox have disappeared. Send a St. Bernard if you don't hear from me in 24 hours!

Trenary Outhouse Classic 2005

2005-02-28T08:17:00.000-05:00

We went to the 'Dozenth Ever Trenary Outhouse Classic' this year. It was warm (in the 20s) with snow squalls. I won't go into too much detail, as you can read about it in the Mining Journal. We had a great time. Take a look at the pictures!

Just an Update

2005-02-13T20:26:00.000-05:00

I have been pretty lazy about updating this thing lately so I figured I would get everyone up to speed.

The house is coming along nicely. We painted the living room a nice graham cracker brown color and have continued our quest for furniture. Anne is putting her sewing talents to good use making things like tablecloths, runners and curtains. I am currently painting our bedroom a rich, dark brown. We are going to move the office down to the butler's pantry and turn that room into a true guest room.

Marty and Kate have set a date for their wedding: April 10, 2006. We'll see you in Vegas, baby!

Next weekend is the UP200 dog sled race. My company was going to sponsor a snow sculpture in the competition this year but it was cancelled due to a lack of participation. That's OK; it will give us more time to enjoy the festivities.

That's about it for now - take care.

Got Snow?

2004-12-26T08:05:00.000-05:00

Here's our latest snowfall - this was only lake effect. As you can see, our back fence is completely buried and the path has all but disappeared. We are still expected to get a few more inches. Anne's car is parked behind the 4X4 so we will have to dig that out first before we can go anywhere.

Christmas Morning

2004-12-25T06:15:00.000-05:00

Minus twenty six is a little too cold. When I let Max out a few minutes ago he licked the screen door. Yup, he got his tongue stuck.

Anyway, We would like to wish all our friends family around the country a very Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa. God bless those who are serving in Iraq and other foreign countries so that we may have a sense of peace on earth during the holidays.

We got an early Christmas present yesterday. Our oldest son called to say he is getting married. They want to get hitched in Las Vegas on a pirate ship at Treasure Island. Congratulations, Kate and Marty!! I guess we know where our next vacation will be.

Broken Toes

2004-12-24T20:19:00.000-05:00

Max and I were running through the house last night and I slipped into a door frame with my left foot. The fourth and fifth toes are broken and I have a purple bruise. I have to return to work on Tuesday so I hope that I can at least get a slipper on my foot. Getting around in the snow is a bit difficult. Anne has had to do the snow removal, and I feel really bad about it.

The Untrainables

2004-12-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

Temporary employees have their place, but sometimes a few slip under the radar that shouldn't even be near an office. I had one recently that claimed to have been an office manager for three years. This particular individual didn't even know what side of the sticky notes to write on. Wouldn't you think that when your pen drags through the glue you would wonder what was going on? That temp no longer works for me. Where do these people come from?

Kidnapper In Our Backyard

2004-12-09T18:23:00.000-05:00

Erik Mattfield, who lives right around the corner from us, tried to kidnap a woman who works at the local convenience store. Talk about stupid. The store was practically across the street from his house. His weapon of choice was an ax. What a moron.

Stating The Obvious

2004-12-08T21:33:00.000-05:00

Sure, the temptation is there. . .

How Embarrasing

2004-12-08T20:10:00.000-05:00

Here's a bit of news from a local radio station - WMQT.

Well, you voted...and after 5 weeks of competition, THIS has been declared as Upper Michigan's Favorite Song...EVER:

DEF LEPPARD'S "POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME"!!!!

Thanks to the thousands of you who voted since November 1st. Listen closely for you favorite song...ever, and make sure you join us after the holidays as we start determining "Upper Michigan's Favorite LOVE Song...Ever"!!

Just for the record, I din't vote for that song - ever.

A New Toy!

2004-11-22T13:39:00.000-05:00

Look what we found! There were only 1596 made and this one is number 1503. It is in nearly perfect working condition, after replacing the rubber components and drilling the lock.

The Holidays Are Near

2004-11-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since the last post. Just wanted to tell our friends and family that we are thinking about you even if you are to afraid to drive all the way up here in the snow. HA!

Here's a picture of what you are missing. . .

No New Projects Until Spring

2004-09-20T07:36:00.000-05:00

I'm so glad the porch is done. It looks far better than either of us imagined and added several thousand dollars to our property value. I can't even begin to keep track of the number of people who have stopped to compliment us the improvement. Cars are actually stopping and blocking traffic to comment on it.

I will not be starting any more projects until spring. My list is still growing though. I will probably do some small things around the house but the big stuff is definitely on hold. I do have a small thing in the works - a frame for the milk cap. The glass should be ready today.

Speaking of glass, a funny thing happened yesterday. I was bringing the sawhorses out of the basement and asked Anne to open the storm door. She unlatched it and swung it open but the return pulled it back too quickly and shattered the window. Oops!

We're Finished! (not Finnish)

2004-09-19T19:07:00.000-05:00

The porch is done and we are glad. That was one mother of a project. Too tired to write at this point. Need food. Need sleep. Pictures to follow tomorrow.

New Sounds for a New Generation

2004-09-17T15:33:00.000-05:00

The Dirty Americans are a great new band from Detroit. Click here and visit their website. Buy their album and go to their shows.

On This Day in 1968

2004-09-13T06:04:00.000-05:00

I was born in Gratiot County, Michigan on September 13, 1968. Yesterday I whacked myself in the forehead and nose with a hammer handle while ripping out nails from a board. You might think that in 36 years a person would gain a little sense. My head is still throbbing. I hardly slept it hurt so bad. I guess accidents happen. . .

On a brighter note the heating and plumbing guys are going to be here at 8:15 a.m. Fortunately, the weather has turned on the warm side so the cold weather isn't so much of a threat right now. In early August we were waking up to temps of high fifties - in the house. Anyway, they are coming to show us how to operate the heating system. We aren't idiots or anything, it's a radiator system that's nearly a hundred years old. That's right. We still have functional antique radiators in every room.

Update - 9:15 a.m.: Boiler is in good condition and everything is working properly! Only cost $80 for the checkup.

A Piece Of History

2004-09-12T18:31:00.000-05:00

Here's a little item I found under the siding when we demo'd the porch. Obviously it's from Anderson Dairy - but look at the phone number! I have been told that Anderson Dairy went out of business about 30-40 years ago. There is an appliance store in it's place now. The old dairy barn still sits behind the new building.

Porch Construction Is Complete

2004-09-12T13:15:00.000-05:00

Now that the building phase is done we can move on to the clean up. We'll let everything set until next weekend and make sure the wood is nice and dry before painting.

Planning A Trip

2004-09-11T07:32:00.000-05:00

A note to all our family - we are planning a trip downstate to see everyone in October. We'll let you know by phone when we are coming. We'll also be going to Chicago's Eleventh Hour haunted house attraction this year. The website is HERE. We've been to this before and it's a scream. Probably the best Halloween attaction we've been to.

Dinner at Pasquali's

2004-09-10T20:29:00.000-05:00

We had heard good things about a bar called Pasquali's. The food was OK, and we had the privelidge of meeting Carl, the resident booze hound. One of the other regulars called him 'Carl the Angry Drunken Gnome'. In a sense, the old guy did resemble a gnome - he was short and walked with a cane. His face was full and he had plenty of facial hair. Despite spending his life on a bar stool he actually looked to be fit. He was full of questions and even more full of crap. Nonetheless he was amusing. We played a few games of pool and listened to the first half of the Negaunee v. Gladstone high school football game on the radio before calling it a night.

Here is perhaps one of the strangest coincidences I have ever run across in my life. When we walked into the bar there were only four of us - Carl the Gnome, Anne, myself and the bar maid. Three ladies entered the bar shortly thereafter and began talking about how one of them had a birthday today.
Then one of them said, "My birthday is tomorrow."
The third said, "My birthday is Monday."
The bar maid said, "My birthday is Monday, too!"
I, of course, added, "No, my birthday is Monday!" And it really is.
So, out of seven people in a bar, three had the same birthday which was preceeded by two of the others who had birthdays on the two days previous.

Weird? I think so. . .

Need A Price Check On Shoes, Please. . .

2004-09-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

Our latest addition to the industrial supplies we sell is shoes. My company has been selling bearings and PT equipment for 50 years and now we sell shoes. I thought we were pushing it with Gatorade. Anyway, if you want Mechanix brand shoes give me a call at Motion Industries in Ishpeming, MI. The price is about $79. What's that? You need the Gatorade concentrate, too?

A Few Links To U.P. Sites

2004-09-09T20:50:00.000-05:00

Trenary Outhouse Races

What Da Heck Is a Yooper?

Da Yoopers Website

More Progress On The Porch

2004-09-09T20:17:00.000-05:00

Today I came home from work and started in on the porch again. This time I managed to get one of the side railings done. It wasn't too difficult by myself, except everything had to be custom cut because of the intentional slope of the floor for precipitation runoff. Tomorrow evening I should be able to finish the other side railing and Saturday I'll finish the railing on the steps. I need to pick up two more finials for the post tops. The project is really taking shape.

Off To Work

2004-09-09T05:41:00.000-05:00

We have to keep the taconite and hematite mines running so I'm off to work. It's our job to make sure they have enough gloves, toilet paper and bearings to make it through another day.

Progress on the Porch

2004-09-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a little update on the progress. Note the handrail. Also, most of the mess is cleaned up from the last picture.

Today's Youth

2004-09-07T18:31:00.000-05:00

I have been trying for several months to find reliable employees to replace the ones I've lost over the past year. I keep trying the temp agency, but I've only had limited success. I have two people that I would consider hiring. I thought I had another one but he turned out to be lazy and disinterested.

Today I decided that I should start actively recruiting people. I began to look around at people who were working at businesses that I frequent, hoping that someone would strike me as outstanding. The plan was to approach a superstar and talk them into working for me instead. Too bad I couldn't find any superstars. I can't even find bench warmers.

I went into Pamida, a local department store - not one employee said 'hello' or offered to assist me. No problem, there are other places to look.

I went to a local hardware store - all four young men stopped their conversation to say 'hi' but then resumed without asking if I needed help. I asked the manager for some brackets to reinforce a post and he shuffled off to the aisle and pointed them out.

I then went to a lumber yard where they locked the door as I was walking up the steps. I guess it was against company policy to stay open for one more customer.

Finally, I figured I'd get a bite to eat at Beef-A-Roo (yes, it's the real name of the restaurant). The young man behind the cash register was unfriendly and obviously had better things to do. There was another young man in the back who was making fun of two of the customers who wandered in after me. His remarks were loud enough that the customers heard him. When the customer challenged him he just made faces. A young woman just laughed at his jokes. One of these three had to be in charge. Sad, isn't it? On a brighter note, the city of Negaunee has FIVE village idiots instead of one. . .the two customers actually placed an order and ate there!

I wish I knew what the hell is going on with the new generation of workers.

Making It Our Own

2004-09-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

We've been in the new house for a month now. After tearing all the ugly siding off the front porch columns we discovered the original ones underneath. We also discovered the bases of the columns were rotting. It's a good thing we decided to investigate. The last week has been spent preparing to replace the rotting wood. On Saturday my father came up from Escanaba and we jacked up the roof, replaced the pedestals under the columns, put a post inside the columns for extra support and started adding new handrails. It's raining cats and dogs today so it looks like the project is halted for now. We really need to get this porch finished within the next week so it can be painted before the first snowfall.

Also over the last week we have met several of our neighbors. Richard K. (last name is Finnish and very complicated) is an older gentleman who is a friend of Emery Morell, previous owner of the house. Mr. Morell stopped by yesterday to introduce himself. He coundn't understand why we uncovered the old columns. He thinks they are ugly. He also gave us some insight on what happened to the pocket doors to the living room. He took them down because they were too much work to open and close. He claims the top rail is still there so we could put in new doors if we wanted. (Mr K. and Mr. Morell are both in their late eighties.)

Mr. Morell also shared stories of parties held in the house long ago. He said they used to have dances in the foyer. I wish we had some pictures of the house from that era.

One Year Ago

2004-09-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

A year ago I was visiting Ishpeming trying to find a house for Anne and I to live in so that we could move to the Upper Peninsula. So much has changed that it nearly makes my head spin.

Jeff Goodall (a friend and co-worker from the Detroit area) stopped today to visit us on his way around Lake Superior. He's always wanted to drive around it and figured there's no time like the present. Have fun, Jeff!

Sure, I'm Kinda Cheap

2004-08-28T17:55:00.000-05:00

I was sampling some extra crispy bacon this morning while Anne was cooking breakfast and cracked a molar. The tooth wasn't in the greatest shape but it wasn't bad either. The thing just kinda wiggled in it's socket and Anne told me to call a dentist. I argued that a dentist on the weekend would be expensive. Besides, we had work to do on the porch and I wouldn't be any good after seeing a dentist.

So I leaned against the door frame and started working the tooth back and forth. Of course it hurt and I almost passed out after five minutes of this. I then moved to the couch to lay down and finish pulling the tooth. It took about 45 minutes to an hour but the loose piece came out. It was quite a bit bigger than I thought it would be. I got the bleeding to stop and nuked some eggs in the microwave for breakfast. You know what? It healed rather quickly and was far less painful than if the dentist had done it. And I got some work done on the porch.

What The Heck Is THAT?

2004-08-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

We went to a company picnic and there was a guy who makes instruments out of anything you can find laying around. I still haven't seen the stand up bass made from a Jeep gas tank, but here is Mark with the 'candolin'.

We've finally bought a house!

2004-08-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

We bought a house in Ishpeming. It's big with high ceilings and hardwood floors. The living room and dining room combined have more square footage than our entire old house. This is what it looked like before we started the demolition on the porch.

A Little Cold For July

2004-07-09T22:57:00.000-05:00

Here's something you don't see all the time. . .

Baby Threats

2004-06-22T08:58:00.000-05:00

I found one of the snapping turtles laying eggs on the side of the road last night. By this morning something had dug them up and destroyed them. A little sad, no?

New Threat

2004-06-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

As the warm weather and the rain create humid conditions here in National Mine, we have raised our alert level to orange. You see, with the ticks, mosquitoes, black flies and mayflies we have noticed a significantly larger threat in the yard. Snapping turtles. With heads as big as my fist they are a very real danger to Max, our dog. We now have to check the yard when it rains before letting Max out to do his thing so he doesn't end up losing his sniffer. I wonder what the next surprise will be?

Cold Weather

2004-05-24T08:46:00.000-05:00

Here it is - May 24, 2004. It was 35 degrees when we woke up and we heard it snowed in Marquette this morning. It's hard to believe that Memorial Day is only a week away.

Our offer on the Queen Anne home was accepted. All we have to do is wait and see if the other people who already had an offer can close in the next eight days. Highly unlikely.

Looking for a New House

2004-05-21T08:34:00.000-05:00

We made an offer on a house last night that is at least four times larger than our current house. It was built in 1875 and has much of the original woodwork and features. We'll keep our fingers crossed!

Heikki Lunta Prevails

2004-05-02T08:01:00.000-05:00

We were discussing the possibility of taking the canoe out today but since it's SNOWING AGAIN we will wait another week or two. Besides, we have to buy paddles and flotation cushions. Our canoe has been passed down from my grandfather to my father to me. It has a small hole in the bottom which has been patched several times. If Heikki Lunta would take a rest I would go to Marquette for the paddles and cushions so we could spend a day on the lake.

Safe Practices?

2004-05-02T00:12:00.000-05:00

Ok, so things are a little behind the times up here. What's the big deal?

Cold, Wet and Snowing

2004-04-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

Yup. It's snowing again.

Warm Enough for a Cookout

2004-04-24T00:15:00.000-05:00

It finally warmed up enough for a cookout. It was still cool enough for a bonfire. All that would burn was cardboard because the wood was still too wet from the spring thaw. The burgers and brats were good though!

Freaky!

2004-04-21T12:52:00.000-05:00

It's snowing right now. . .

Work, Work, Work

2004-04-18T12:19:00.000-05:00

I found myself at work on Sunday again. This time I had a small remodel project to initiate. We put a second counter in our customer service area to better accomodate our increasing walk-in business. The counter replaced an old window with manufacturers stickers covering 95% of it. It looked like hell.

House Hunting

2004-04-17T20:15:00.000-05:00

We went looking for a house today. There isn't much out there for sale in our price range so we will probably buy land and build our own house. We have plans of using log and stone from the property that we buy. Later in the day we brought Max home and took the truck back out on the snowmobile trails for some fun in the mud. It's strange to have snow on the ground and mosquitos in the air. We then took our muddy 4x4 to an overrated 'steak house' called Derocha's on Highway 41. We finished the evening by watching The Matrix - Revolutions, which was equally overrated.

Fine Dining - Carribean Style!

2004-04-16T22:45:00.000-05:00

Tonight we enjoyed a luxurious seven course meal at NMU's Jacobetti Center. The proceeds from the $75-per-person tickets went to help fund the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program which NMU is nationally famous for. The menu relfected the Carribean theme and featured glazed shrimp, swordfish with mango and caviar, rum-glazed chicken, kiwi and champagne sorbet, a rum-soaked cake with chocolate frosting and banana sauce and more. There were four very different wines served with the meal, each with a separate course. At the end of the dinner there was an auction to raise additional funds for the program. Getaway packages to Detroit, Chicago, Traverse City, Drummond Island and San Francisco were auctioned as well as artwork from local artists. We would like to thank Dan Torres for inviting us to this spectacular event.