***Welcome To The New Cruise Countdown Club***

[mstrc1]

Sharon, it sounds like you have had a very nice vacation. I love Mackinaw Island, it is nice to rent a horse and buggy and go around the island. You probably ate at the Grand Hotel?

 

Tell us about the rest of your experiences upon your return.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Hi Kathy, yes we ate at the Grand Hotel, what a place! The buffet was saw long you could hardly see the end of it. It was included in our trip so we didn't have to pay, but heard some people say it cost $10 to just go into the hotel and $30 for the buffet. We rode the horse drawn carriages and of course bought fudge from several of the shops.

 

We went through the Soo locks on the border between MI and Canada on a ferry boat much like the ones on the cruise ships that take you from the ship to the port. Then went to Taquemaonen(sp?) National forest to see the water falls and have lunch in a rustic grill and pub where they brewed their own beer. We had root beer though instead. Also went the the Indian casino called Kewanea where we deposited some money in the slot machines. On the way home yesterday went to the Peshtigo fire museum, boy that was a terrible fire, they called it a fire tornado. It killed almost everyone in town and completely leveled the town itself, because it was moving so fast.

 

Anyway glad to be home, I did gain 3 pounds though that I will have to work on getting off again in addtion to a few more before the class reunion the end of October.

 

Hope all was well with you and Bill, Sharon

[mstrc1]

Sharon, it sounds like you had a real nice get-a-way. I am glad you enjoyed your trip and the food sounded great. I think the movie "Somewhere In Time" was filmed at the Grand Hotel. That is some Hotel. Wow charging $10 just to enter the hotel is crazy.

 

The 3 pounds probably came from the fudge. I know my gain is from drinking wine. We got a lot of rain yesterday and it is kind of windy today, but the sun is shining. Back to the grind,

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Yes they did film that movie there and the bus driver had the movie and showed it to us on the way home, that was great!

 

It has rained all day here and still is, no sunshine for us today. So tonight is ww, how do you think you did? We had Zumba today, but it will be the last week. I kinda saw it coming, there just wasn't enough people coming to keep her in business and she said her xDH lost his job so the little he was contributing will no longer be there either. She has a full time job starting Oct 1 at the Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva. She was supposed to start Dec 1, but one of the "higher-ups" took one of her fill in classes and really liked her. So she told some staff official that they had to get her full time and right away. So it's going to be a little quicker than she had planned to shut down her studio. Guess I'll have to find somewhere else to go because if I don't go and exercise with a group I tend to slack off.

 

Well better get dinner started.. Sharon

[mstrc1]

Sharon, too bad about the instructor. It seems like everything is coming down on her all at once. I did not go to WW last night because I only have to attend once a month to maintain my life membership. I am concerned that I will loose my free membership for putting on too much weight. I gained another pound last week, so now I am trying to get on track.

 

It is overcast here today with some showers. Kind of a depressing day altogether. Well that was nice that the bus driver gave you that movie to watch on the trip back home. There are sciences where he is driving up to the hotel in a car, and that is not possible there as they only have horses and bikes. I guess it was just a movie thing.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

I remember seeing him drive up in the car, and they did used to allow cars, it was not until later that they banned them, I forget when they enacted that though.

 

Say I have been conversing with some gals on another site called Menopause sisters. It is listed under Friends of Cruise Critic almost at the bottom of the message boards page. One of the gals there remembers you from when she was on our board. Her name is Diane, she lives in Califonia and can fly an airplane, do you remember her? She said to tell you to stop in and say hello. There are about 12 or so gals on this other board and its interesting as to what all is going on in their lives.

 

I don' blame you for not going to WW if you think you will lose your status, its too hard to get there and you sure don't want to start paying to go again. I have lost one of the pounds that I gained while we were gone, but today had some hot chocolate chip cookies, right out of the oven.

 

We have had rain all day again too, looks like thats whats also coming tomorrow. On Thursday we have reservations for Ten Chimneys about an hour north of us. I got the reduced price tickets from Groupon and need to use them as they expire on Oct 1st. We were going before we went on the bus trip but it was the Sat before and Bill was sick then. It was the home of Allen Funt and Lynn Fontaine, supposed to be quite spectacular.

 

Looks like quite a marathon coming up this weekend, isn't it? I suppose Bill is helping out with it in some way, will that mean another stay in Chicago at a hotel for you?

[mstrc1]

Sharon, yes I do remember Diane. Her husband used to work for United just like my Bill did. I remember she was taking care of her Mom as she was sick like my FIL was. What a small world. So what exactly is this you are going to tomorrow? It has been raining all morning here today. Just another day in paradise.

 

I do not know anything about a marathon this weekend other than a big run/walk on Saturday. We will stay downtown for 2 nights for the Chicago Marathon on October 9. Yes, Diane was a part of the old site and we had a very large group then. Then everyone went their own way. She is a very nice lady. She must think we are both nuts just having the 2 of us on the new site now. I am surprised that more have not joined in. Only the occasion who just pop in and out.

 

I have to get the weight under control before I go back. Too much drinking wine that is doing me under. Good you were able to loose the pound already. I did not know they used to have cars on the island. I like it the way it is now.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Well we actually have a little bit of sun this afternoon! I think I'll take Tinker for a walk, all she has been doing is sleeping. I am cutting back on her medicine to see if that makes a difference or not. We had a good Zumba class and found out that the instructor is teaching a class acutally even a little closer to me on Thursday mornings at 9am. So we are all going to try and go there to keep our friendship and excercise together.

 

Tomorrow the Ten Chimneys is an actual residence and the tour is inside and outside the house and supposed to take about 2 hrs. That is about all I know about it, so I will have to tell you more after we go and see. I know we had to make reservations 10 days in advance because they said there were so many people wanting to go through the house.

 

About Diane, her husband is still working and she has moved her mother closer to her and now is trying to get her mothers house in order to sell I believe. It makes it nice for her with her mother closer as she was having to travel quite often to visit with her. Seems her mother has memory problems and doesn't remember how often or when she visits.

 

I bet the information I heard about the marathon is the one in October, its supposed to be quite large and bring in a lot of money.

 

OK, gonna get busy, have a great rest of the afternoon, what kind of wine are you drinking? Sharon

[mstrc1]

Here for a few hours today. My old nemesis, viral pneumonia from Ft. Bragg in 1970 has made a guest appearance. Once every 3 or 4 years it pops up when the weather makes a drastic change.

 

I’m feeling much better and my temperature has stabilized now. It varied from 99 to 102 for the last four days. I’m not 100% yet, but will be in a few more days. I’ll probably stop at the club tomorrow afternoon. I can give you a call when I’m coming out to see if you’re available. A nice cool beer will probably kick my butt so I won’t stay too long. That will be the first cocktail since last Friday.

 

Please give me your cell number.

[timeormoney]

Kathy is that you? Sorry to hear you are not feeling well, but this last post sure doesn't sound like you.

 

Do you want to keep our small and personal board going or do you want to go over to the other board, I'm alright with either one and enjoy "talking" with you.

 

We are going to the Ten Chimneys today, it was a little sunny earlier, but as long as it doesn't rain, I'm thinking it will be ok. Part of the tour is outside and part inside. Its supposed to be a 2 hour tour so it must be pretty much spread out or they let you have a lot of time to look at whats there.

 

Sharon

[mstrc1]

Sharon, I do not know how that got on my page as I have been having problems all morning. Crazy as I did not write that at all. My post that I did write earlier is not there.

 

It is entirely up to you what you want to do. If you want to dump this site and go to the new one or continue here is up to you.

 

 

Kathy

[mstrc1]

Sharon, I don't know where that post ever came from as I had written something else and it never got posted at all. I have had nothing but trouble with the computer all day long loosing connection.

 

I am glad to see that your instructor is closer to where you live now. Also the sun shone through somewhat today and in and out with showers. Yes, I did hear about the news about how the marathon brings in a lot of business and new people. We will stay downtown for 2 days in a couple of weeks.

 

Let me know all about your tour today when you return. It really sounds like a huge place. As I said before, you decide what you want to do. Either continue to stay here or transfer to your site. Or we can do both, whatever you decide is fine with me.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Kathy, I knew that wasn't you, just couldn't figure out who it was, thought maybe Bill, but then he never has gotten on here before, that was really strange!

 

We got lost going up there, was supposed to take 1 hr 6 min according to mapquest, but Bill said "I know how to get there, I used to drive up there all the time to get my queen bees." Well we never made it the way he said, so I called them and they gave us new directions that included getting on I94 and driving for about 40 more minutes from where Bill thought we should be. Needless to say I was not very happy. We finally got there and they wanted to have us wait for over an hour for another tour, we weren't even going to stay and told they that, so they got us into the tour leaving in 1/2 an hour.

 

I will write more tomorrow, just got home after stopping for dinner.

 

Why don't we try doing both boards for a bit, its awfully nice to talk with you on a daily basis.

Sharon

[mstrc1]

Wow Sharon, I don't blame you as I would be upset to getting lost like that and missing what you really wanted to do in the first place. There was a massive power outage last night for 2 1/2 hours. We were the only house with power as we have a backup generator, and that was nice. It also got very windy as well.

 

OK that sounds good to go with both sites for now. Today sunny but still windy and a bit cooler. What are your plans for the weekend?

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Hi there, I just got some $25 coupons for 3 different restaurants for $2. They were having a special sale. There were 2 others I wanted to get but they were all sold out and they were really goo restaurants, oh well maybe next time I'll get in on it quick enough. I have been following a silent auction put on by the Janesvill, WI newspaper the Gazette and one of the items up for auction is permanent makeup. I would love to get my eyebrows done but so far have bid $194 and its not up to the reserve price you have to meet to win the bid. Two other gals are also bidding so I don't know how high its going or if I'll keep bidding more or not.

 

Had the last Zumba class but we are all going to the Tuesday and Thursday classes that she has at the other location and we are trying to coordinate a Sat for all of us to go up to the Grand Geneva for a day, using the day pass she gave us. She was selling her "stuff" so I bought 2 zumba pants and some big and small zumba weights.

 

Don't know about tonight, Bill had a rough day, he closed on a duplex that he was selling (yippee) and was very busy. Sounds like the stress got the best of him. I had him take an Advil and sit down for a while before we eat and then maybe he will feel like going dancing.

 

How about you, what are your plans for the weekend?

[mstrc1]

Sharon, you always seem to find good deals someplace. Too bad about having the last Zumba class. But since you were able to find a place close to you that should work fine. Do you think she will get enough people to attend the new studio?

 

Did you ever go out last night? We are going to a car show at the club this afternoon. The rest of the weekend we are just going to start getting the outside ready for winter. Like start putting away some of the stuff. Next weekend we will be downtown the entire weekend.

 

Enjoy the weekend.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

The instructor is just teaching a couple of classes at the other location, her full time job will be at the Grand Geneva. She is out of being self employed all together. She sold us some of the weights we were using and gave us a deal on the zumba clothes that she was selling.

 

We did get to go out last night and had a great time. I guess the pill and the rest did the trick for Bill. Seems like most of our Oct weekends are already taken up, we were looking at the calendar and there are so many things we have lined up to do! Also got an e-mail from Bill's daughter, the one who was going to stay with us the last time she came for a visit, well she is planning on coming again the first week of November. She is also planning on bringing her daughter, who lives in NY and works for some famous clothes designer. We will see where she wants to stay this time, maybe at her sisters again????

 

Got the grass all cut again today since it has finally stopped raining!

[mstrc1]

Sharon, it is sunny today and warming to the 70's this week. So your instructor will do 2 classes by you and her regular job is in WI., and is she teaching Zumba there as well?

 

Someone told me that when you go off meds and have a change in your health that you will start putting on weight. Perhaps that is what is going on with me now that have gone off the patch. I am not happy at all with what is going on with me. It was good that you were able to go out and Bill is feeling better now.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Both of her jobs are in WI, the "closer" one to me will be just Zumba but the other one, probably about 25 miles away will be all kinds of classes, Zumba and Zumba fusion, Zumba tone, Aqua Zumba, Aqua Arobics, kick boxing, wall climbing, spin classes, etc. they have it all! It used to be the old Playboy club years ago and it has been refurbished numerous times since then. I'm only going Thursday this week to the closer one, seems we have just about all of our Sat taken up for October, so many things going on. This coming Sat we are going with some dancing friends to the Historic Auto Museum in Rosco, they have lots more than just autos, so should be fun, then on Sun there is the Fall Diddley at the fair grounds in Belvidere, IL. They will have over 300 vendors displaying they wares. There will be lots of Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas items. Also this month is the dreaded reunion, and I still want to lose another 5 pounds at least! I know you have the marathon next week too, and the hotel stay, looks like great weather for it. Sharon

[timeormoney]

Oops forgot to ask, what meds are you coming off of, and what patch are you no longer wearing? I'm sure it can make a difference whenever you change or quit taking various meds. Hope you get back to normal soon and feel better.

[mstrc1]

Sharon, I am no longer getting estrogen as that was the patch. My body is craving it and is no longer getting it thus throwing my cycle totally out of whack. There is too much of a risk of getting cancer so that is why I had to stop altogether.

 

Wow, you do have a full month planned. Good for you to be doing so much. Let's hope you can loose the 5 pounds before your reunion.

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

No wonder you feel kinda funky, that estrogen does a lot to your body and your mind and when you take it away its not easy. I imagine it will take a while before you feel like your old self, but like you say the health concerns that go with it are pretty steep. I took it for a short while just before I was diagnosed with breast cancer and the surgeon said it was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Then quite a few years later I had my ovaries removed as my mom had first breast cancer and then ovarian cancer and I didn't want to follow in her footsteps.

 

I'm going to Bill's daughters beauty shop today to get my hair trimmed. I would like a new fashionable cut but usually end up with more of the same only shorter! She always asks what I want but my hair seems to do what it wants.

 

Going to be a nice weather week ahead, Sharon

[mstrc1]

Sharon, I decided to go to weigh-in last night and I lost .4 lbs. So that means that I am right at my limit and I cannot gain anymore or I will loose my free lifetime membership.

 

 

Kathy

[mstrc1]

Sharon, it seems we posted almost the same time. lol Well cancer is nothing to mess around with. Your surgeon gave a very good point with the gasoline. I like that. So you are going to get your hair done today. What was the reserve bid for that treatment that you lost out on?

 

 

Kathy

[timeormoney]

Gosh, I think the reserve bid was $216.00, the full price was $360. I think it went for $256 because people kept bidding even after it reached the reserve price. You had to bid at least $10 everytime, and I was going to go once more, but Bill had the football game on and the times for all the regular shows got pushed back 25 min and I missed the deadline. It's ok because who ever it was that got it probably would have upped me again.

 

Hooray for you keeping your free status! I had kind of let my dieting slide, but only gain about a pound back. This week I am working at it again and down a pound. Sure would like to see the down side of 140, so close, only 4 pounds and I'd be there.

 

She did a good job on my hair the top may be a little shorter than I'd like it but the back is very nice,it has short loosely curled layers.