Volunteering!

     Today I volunteered to help fill back to school boxes with supplies for the school year. I was a half hour late due to a prior engagement and they were still setting up when I arrived. Bad sign! A large group of helpers were huddled about and a couple of people were directing the placement of crayons, glue, pencils etc. to be arranged in plastic snap boxes. When all was ready I grabbed two plastic boxes and headed to the end of the assembly line when I heard, "Oh we've got an over achiever here."  All eyes turned to me as I shrugged my shoulders and blurted out, "Waitress."  Pretty soon everyone at my table was doing two boxes at a time.
     Concentrating on getting the job done I did not notice when our table began being labeled the Alpha table. Evidently, we were now in a competition to see who ran out of supplies first. Pizzas arrived and some people stopped to eat but I was not hungry so I stayed with the people who chose to continue working too. This also for some reason brought attention to me. "Let's time her.", someone yelled out and I was clocked at 30sec. to fill two boxes.
     All the school boxes were done a half hour ahead of schedule. As I am walking out of the building I am laughing. OK, today I learned I am a fast, Alpha, over achiever, who knew? These people should meet my sister! We'er both sixty and still laughing.

I cry uncle!

Feeling good about my, somewhat of a, success making it to Mackinac island I decide to push my luck and take the full lake Michigan circle tour. How hard can it be? This time I do not really have any specific destination. But if all goes well I will spend the night in Mazomanie, Wisconsin snuggling with my grandchildren. I'm home!
I cross the Mackinac island bridge one more time and ask the attendant, as I give her another four dollars, which exit leads to Wisconsin. "First right, route 2." she replies. I'm off
and as I follow the lake around it is a beautiful, relaxing drive. I stop from time to time at scenic roadside views. I stop in one of the small Michigan towns and try a Pastie, Michigan can keep those. My GPS is not even turned on and I am relying on my atlas. I arrive in Green Bay, Wisconsin, now what? I find myself on some 35mph frontage road in Sturgeon Bay still following the water and it goes downhill from there. I set my GPS for home. No single. I keep on driving taking any road that says South. It really does not matter which way it turns as long as it still says it is going South, RIGHT? Somehow I am now in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the middle of rush hour traffic on top of a network of bridges that are all under construction. Now I am underneath all the bridges with my GPS screaming recalculating!!!!! Miraculously, I am somehow pulled towards my exit out of the gridlock and am heading in the direction of home and now I'm laughing, laughing, laughing.

How can a road going north take a left turn and still be going north? My GPS for some reason can not locate my B@B in Mackinac city so I pay $4.00 to cross the bridge that goes to Mackinac city only to learn my B@B is the first off ramp before the bridge. Another $4.00 to come right back across. The good news is I made the ferry to Mackinac island in plenty of time to see the island and have an excellent day. I chose to take the carriage ride tour, which allowed me to stop  at all the neat points of interest. Good choice! I did not realize the island.

was so hilly. There were lots of exhausted people walking their bikes up very steep hills. My only mistake was getting off at the Grand Hotel. The driver said it was just a five minute walk to town. True but the walk was down the steepest hill on the island. Better down then up .I am laughing at myself.

I made it

Construction, detours, GPS mal function, turnarounds instead of stop signs, gates at I pass toll stops that can not read your transponder and I still arrived it only took me twelve hours. Definitely laughing at myself!

A summer happening.

Tomorrow I embark on my summer of 2014 Happening. This trip will take me around the Michigan side of Lake Michigan up to Mackinac island. Sounds simple enough unless ,like me, you are directionally challenged. I am putting the finishing touches on my  preparations. Cash from the bank, a stop at the grocery store, gas up the car, charge the camera battery, have I forgotten anything? My bags are packed for the senerios l envision, for example I am told you must dress properly to eat at the Grand hotel, check! If I can figure out how I will post on Facebook and take you along with me. Sorry no pictures I definitely ha ave not figured that out. Give me a break, I am sixty and just having fun laughing at myself.