Happy Birthday America!

Ok, so I’m a day early, but I figured I had better write this week or folks will think I am done with my own yearly birthday ritual. I do have legit excuses the past 2 weeks. I forget what was going on two weeks ago, but last week I traveled to the Mayo in Rochester for a 3 month follow up to my pacer and lead replacements. All went well. The pacer is working optimally and the lead the same. They also said my atrial flutter has improved noticeably and they want to try some med changes, rather than an ablation at this point to try and bring my other rhythm issue into better shape. For that, I have to see a different group of doctors in the cardiac department and have to wait until early September for my consult with them.

So enough on why I was absent the past two weeks. I will give you the heads up that I will also be absent next Sunday, as we are heading south later this week for my mom’s memorial in Lake Geneva and will be back early next week. This will be the final time that I will ever be in my folks home there and will actually be visiting as tourists, not relatives of locals. We closed on the house sale back in June and the possession by the new owners will take place once my sister leaves after us next week. 

There have been lots of persons asking me if I will miss the place and my honest answer is: not that much. My mom and dad no longer live in the home and all of the fun I had there revolves in things that I did with my great friend when I was going through High School and College, so it really is not about the place, but the friendships.

So lets see, what has been going on around here… Well, yesterday, Nora had a family reunion for her mom’s side of the family. It was not large and a few family members were missing, but still a great time was had by all. The first activity was breakfast in the community center, then some chatting and then I took some for a boat ride on both the big lake and the portage waterway. The conditions were perfect for that. The big lake was like glass on our side of the peninsula and the waterway never gets too rough down here at the south entry because it is not wide enough for the waves to build. 

After that, they hustled up the road a bit to tour our friends homestead. They have open air and sheltered gardens, some small livestock and then a pair of old quarries on their property. Plus our friends have done a ton of research on their property and cand give lots of colorful information information about things there. The day then ended with a supper at the community club, followed by some more chatting and then everyone went back and probably crashed. I know we did!

Although the activities are over for the reunion, all of the relatives from out of town are still here and will be joining the rest of Jacobsville in the annual Independence Day celebration. Even though this will be the 3rd year running, I think that fact and the fact that Nora and I plan to host if until we can’t, makes it legit to say “annual”. It looks like the weather has already canceled any outdoor activities, but there will still be a potluck lunch at the community center.

As for things going on outside of Jacobsville, I really don’t know! Between being out of town and working my tailfeathers off getting the apartment further towards completion and the outside ready for the reunion and Independence Day celebration, I have not been to town much in the past 2-3 weeks. Kind of a nice thing really. I am sure that the strawberries are approaching ripeness, there might even be some early berries already being sold by youngsters alongside the roads in Houghton/Hancock. Lake Linden will be having their fireworks tonight with the show shifting up the road to Copper Harbor for tomorrow night.

After that, I am sure there are things going on in the Keweenaw every weekend the rest of the summer. I know the Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor art fairs will both be happening. As will the bike festival at Copper Harbor. Lots going on all summer, but for the Dee’s, once we are home from my mom’s memorial service, I think we will be staying put for just about all of the rest of the summer. Which is a REALLY nice thing!

The weather has been quite nice the past few weeks. Many days of dry and sunny weather. We do get some rounds of thunderstorms every third or fourth day, so have not had to water the garden or watch the grass brown up. The temps…well I guess they could best be described as all over the road. From highs in the upper 80’s on some days to 50’s on a few others, we are still seeing it all. The big lake is still not warm at all and when the winds are from the east or northeast, our temps struggle to hold in the 60’s.

I think that gets you all caught up on things. Hope your Independence Day is/was safe and a ton fun!

Good Night from the Keweenaw..
JD