Saturday, July 26, 2014

I Have a WHAT on My Back?

Remember this photo from a month ago?

I am so thankful to be living in the UP. I love the woods, the water, the wildlife...all of it except for one teeny tiny specific thing.

Last Sunday - after church, lunch, getting the cabin ready for our next renters - Steve and I decided to take a nice leisurely Sunday drive to Lake Superior. It was a warm summer day and after church that morning I had changed into a tank top, something I haven't worn much this summer up here.

Sitting in our chairs, toes in the sand, watching the small waves roll onto the shoreline, Steve said something that made me look at him. And I saw it. That concerned grimace.

"Oh no," he repeated, and rose to his feet.

"What?"

He didn't answer.

"Whaaat?"

"Just sit still," he said, coming around to the side of my chair.

AND THEN I KNEW MY GREATEST FEAR HAD HAPPENED (well, one of them anyways)

"A tick?" I asked, hoping against hope I was wrong.

"Yah," he said. "Just sit still. It's on your left shoulder blade."

I WAS sitting still. I didn't dare move.

It seemed like 10 loooong minutes before he got the darn thing to let go of me. It was latched on pretty good, but for how long? I had no idea. I don't make it a habit to look at my back.

That night Steve put Neosporin on the bite, and covered it with a bandage. The bite seemed to be healing just fine until Wednesday night. Thursday morning Steve announced we were going to the doctor.

The doctor feels all is well and most likely it was a wood tick verses the Lyme disease carrying deer ticks.

Whew.

Hope you're not squeamish.

Or eating.

This was what my back looked like Thursday morning.


But today it itches like crazy and looks so much better! 

Today I am just ticked-off. 

(Couldn't resist.)

Do tick checks people. 

If you're like me and don't have that habit of looking at your back on a regular basis, get your favorite person to check your back for ya!

Have a happy tickfree weekend everyone!

~Debi

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Yooper 4th of July Parades



Love this pooch!
In my opinion he should get first place in the canine division.

I had 95 pictures that I thinned down to 42 or so. So I won't do much talking on this post so as not to make you miss something more important due to this silly 'ole blog. These first photos were taken on July 4th, 2014, in Grand Marais, Michigan, on the shoreline of Lake Superior. And you'll see the weather was superior also.


Town is filling up.

Love the shadow of the American Flag.






Gotta show the firetruck!


Grand Marais Groomer


This festive little fellow...


Another smoochy pooch...



And pics of why we love Grand Marais!

Next stop...

July 5, 2014 Trout Lake, Michigan

Cloudy Day



Gotta have a fire truck or two...





Big beautiful truck...


...with Marny on the top, waving at the people and occasionally throwing candy...


...until she hears Steve's soft voice calling her name (ahem) and finds us in the crowd...


...and throws us handfuls of candy! Thanks Marny!!


And here we have another festive canine.





Hey, a side-by-side...TRACTOR!


Here comes Dean with one of the groomers from the Chippewa Snow Chasers Snowmobile Club.


Want some candy, Deano?


...or three fire trucks.



As soon as the parade exited town, a train came on through. Perfect timing.

Next, the Curtis, Michigan, parade on Sunday, July 6, 2013.

It rained on their parade.

But the parade must go on...




Laddies, keep them kilts dry...


Someones not too fond of the weather...


Gotta have more fire trucks...


Smokey the Bear...


Um...fire truck mascot?


Expecting it may rain harder...


Rubber Ducky...


The ship's aground on the shore of this
uncharted desert isle
with Gilligan,
the Skipper too.
The millionaire and his wife,
the movie star,
the professor and Mary Ann,
here on Gilligan's Isle.


For real...
the Skipper and Gilligan sang!


Drum roll please...Last but not least a...ah...an OSB board, lattice covered, spray painted quickly, appears to be a golf cart transporting Christmas wrapping paper thing-a-mah-jig?

Applause! Well done!

Well, hey, thanks for participating! Great job everyone!!!

Hope you enjoyed the parades and didn't doze off. I'll try to post shorter next time.

Promise.

~Debi

P.S. I may or may not have my fingers crossed.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Interlochen Olympic Triathalon 2014


Last weekend our son Riley participated in an Olympic Triathalon in the town of Interlochen, Michigan. Interlochen is home to an arts college. Apparently, Norah Jones, a famous singer songwriter, attended this college once upon a time. It is a beautiful little town with lush forests and lakes.

We camped with Riley and Lindsey in a rustic campground. The first night things got a little wet due to passing showers. The next day we hung things out to dry and headed off to the race first thing Sunday morning.


Riley left a little before us and we found him getting used to the water. The first part of the triathlon is a 1 mile swim.


Then there was a quick meeting about the dos and don'ts and rules, etc.


The swimming course is all ready to go.


Lindsey saying "Good Morning" to a neighborly dog...


...while Lindsey's family's dog, Bentley, looks on.


Getting ready for the swim.


And they're off...


Appointed people watch for anyone that may get into trouble and need help.


Finish line!! Now off to the transition area to get his bike.


Focus.


Transition area.

NO one is allowed in except the race participants. It is very closely monitored.



Riley quickly peels off his wet suit and and gets into his biking gear.


And he's off...


Bikers go up and then come back the same way on this 25 mile route.



I almost missed the shot!


Drop off the bike and put on them running shoes...


The final finish line for the triathlon earlier in the morning was pretty quiet.


Riley at the finish line after a 6 mile run.


I'm tuckered out just looking at the time it took to do this triathlon.


High five with dad.


A pretty Lindsey and sweaty Riley.


Family hanging out while Riley relaxes.


Our campground was on a pretty lake called Green Lake. The lake Riley swam in for the race was Duck Lake. In the afternoon of race day, the sun came out and we took a walk to the shoreline and enjoyed the weather and each other's company.





And watched Steve swim.

In August, we will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, and watch and cheer on Riley when he will do a full Ironman Triathlon.

Way to go, Riley!!!

So proud of you!!!

Oh, and by the way, I got the shot...


...yea, that one.