Journal

We stopped for a picnic lunch in Iowa at a "Rest Area" north of Des Moines and it was wireless! Amazing to sit there at our picnic and read our email. We drove from the farm to Stillwater, MN on Tuesday and stayed at the Lowell Inn a lovely old hotel built in 1927. Pat had eaten here about 30 years ago - a four course meal with selected wines which included having escargots for the first time. We did not have the four course meal but had an equally good one in the dining room after having cocktails outside on the patio. Then on to Manitowish Waters, WI for our third visit to the Smiths' at their northwoods cabin. Although the area is suffering for lack of rain it is still beautiful and fun to see the chipmunks, nuthatches, chickadees and a bald eagle which was circling over the lake. We took a walk on a national forest interpretative trail on Thursday and at least yesterday could identify numerous trees of the area. Tomorrow, we drive across the upper pennisula of Michigan to Bay Harbor to visit Pat's cousin. This will be new territory for us.

The drive across the UP (people who live there are called "Yoopers") was long but easy. Pat's cousin and his wife, Larry and Annette, have a lovely Lake Michigan condo around Petosky, MI with a killer view of the lake. We had excellent wine and ate at excellent restaurants during our four day stay. One day we played golf at "True North", a beautiful golf course. Larry gave me some golf pointers and all were very nice about my golf playing - as Pat said, I probably enjoyed the course the most because I got to hit the most strokes!! Another day we took the ferry to Mackinac Island which was delightful. On Thursday we drove to Chicago to visit Leah.

Leah's newly renovated co-op apartment is beautiful - what a good and big job she did. The kitchen is lovely and the uncovered hardwood floors look great. Pat and I went to the Field Museum on Friday and really enjoyed it. The exhibit on "The Evolving Planet" was very well done. A great meal in the evening at "Wildfire" and then home on Saturday.