Catching Up - Long Weekend in Michigan

I've been somewhat discouraged from blogging lately due mostly to very busy work days, and even busier evenings. I'm going to try to get caught up today. First of all, the boat is still in the shop (I really need a name for that boat!) The Clark's Landing Sea Ray Dealership has had it for 18 days now. I called yesterday and they told me they had to wait for the "master mechanic" to look at it. That makes me feel a little better about my difficulty in diagnosing the overheating problem. Weekend before last, I joined Dianne for an extended weekend conference in Traverse City, Michigan. First we hung out with Dann & Lisa Wollet at their annual "Ham Jam," where we had great food, wonderful company, and a really fun all-day jam session. Then we made the drive up to the little tourist town on the shore of Lake Michigan. I was surprised at how clear and deep the water was. Dianne has some good pictures on her blog. We got in some hiking on the giant sand dunes around the lake. I mostly explored around Grand Traverse Bay and the western shore of Lake Michigan while she was in conference, but one afternoon I tagged along with her to some scientific lectures aboard the tall ship Manitou cruising the Grand Traverse Bay. Heading back to the Detroit airport, we took the scenic route by crossing the state and driving down the coast of Lake Huron. I liked it there. It reminds me of the area around the TVA lakes, except maybe 20 years ago. There are lots of mom-and-pop restaurants and hotels, little bait shops, and kitchsy tourist traps. It was a fun and relaxing long weekend. -S