Tuesday-Wednesday - July 28-29

 Tuesday - Cloudy and cool.    We walked to The Coffee Factory; back to Catrina and Allie and Owen picked us up at 10:30 and we were off for a big day!!!

First stop was Ryke's Bakery which has been here since 1937 - they also have locations in Grand Haven and Holland.    What a wonderful selection (CT friend Linda had brought us some thin butter cookies which were delicious)!!!    Allie and I stocked up on muffins, apple fritter, cookies, etc.    Oink!

Then downtown Muskegon to see the tiny businesses "Western Market" - unfortunately, they are not open till Thursday-Sunday, but we could at least see these cute little shops and the beautiful flowers.     Drove around Lakeside and the beautiful Muskegon beach which is wide and long.    

Lots of tiny shops (Western Market) downtown Muskegon

Here come the twins

Beautiful flowers in these watering troughs

Pat, Allie and gorgeous "snowballs"

Lunch was a big hit at BoDocks - great food with Lucy, our very attentive waitress.

Allie and Owen at BoDocks

Back on the road to Grand Haven.    The 100th anniversary of the US Coast Guard is happening all week long here - we knew it would be busy and took a bit to find a parking spot (Allie is a very good chauffeur).   It was very windy and 76.   Large carnival was set up for the kiddos (not for us).    The guys found a good spot to sit, visit, people watch, etc.    Allie and I browsed the shops on Washington Avenue.

A treat for Mark at Patricia's Chocolate

The plan was to stay until 10 when the water fountain show would begin (since 1962 a big-time tradition here) so we had hours to go....stays light up here much longer.    We went to "Tip-a-Few", recommended by Pat and Ron.    Sat outside and had drinks - so pleasant and watching all the people and goings on as we were across the street from the carnival food vendors.    Outside they just have drinks and a food truck, so Mark put our name in for an inside table - 50 minute wait.    Outside seating is large, but small inside - quite the place and we all had Mexican (per Pat's recommendation)!    All very good.    Walked to the car to get Mark's seat with a back as we would be sitting on concrete steps.   

Bundled up before the show

Our view for the fountain show - all lit up at night changing colors, but pics didn't turn out very good.

We found a bench along the water - a concert was going on with 80s music, so as soon as that was over, we were able to go in for the water show which lasted about 25 minutes - wish they had played some patriotic music....but still a good show.   Mark and I saw it many years ago, 1st time for Allie and Owen.    And then back home - what a long but fun day.....crawled into bed at 11:30 and enjoyed a good nights sleep!

 Wednesday - Owen and Allie picked us up at 9:30 and off to The Coffee Factory - we wanted to show them this funky place - we enjoyed our coffees and breakfast.   Then to the Laketon cemetery in North Muskegon where Owen has family buried.    He is big into family ancestry and they frequently visit cemeteries in their travels.    Mark found Owen's great uncle's gravesite, so success !

Allie and I dropped the guys off at the US393 (LST - Landing Ship Tank).    It did 30 trips across the English Channel hauling troops and tanks for D-Day.  It is 328' by 50' and there are only 2 of these ships remaining out of 1,052 that were constructed during WWII  - the other one is in Evansville, IN which Owen has toured.                          

 US393

       

They toured that while we gals shopped at Harding's for groceries. Took groceries back to Catrina and then picked up the guys, but they still had lots to see, so waited about 20 minutes.   They thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Off to lunch at Fatty Lumpkin's - Ron had told us about this place and it was a winner - very good sandwiches in a funky old building in a residential building.    They brought us back to Catrina and went to their hotel....naps for all coming up.

Fatty Lumpkin's

Allie and Owen came over around 5 for drinks and snacks.    We had planned to have dinner at Teddy Spaghetti's, but they were having a special buffet dinner tonight and very busy.    At 5, there was a 45-minute wait, so we stayed here at the marina and ate at the Muskegon Brewing Co.

The American Patriot (Great Lakes cruise) came into Muskegon this afternoon

One final pic of our very fun 3 days together

Mark, Pat, Allie, Owen

Allie and I went for a walk and watched the beautiful sunset on this perfectly clear night.

Lovely sunset

Bye bye to Adelaide Pointe Marina - been a very enjoyable stay here in Muskegon

Sad to say good bye to our dear friends, but they're coming to Port Clinton the end of August.    So many laughs and just tons of fun!    Tomorrow they are off to Frankenmuth to meet friends - can't wait to hear what they think of Bronner's Christmas shop!

We leave tomorrow to cross the lake....

    

Monday - July 27

 Rainy morning but didn't get that much despite what radar looked like.    The sun came out and we went for a walk.   Then more rain at 11:30.   Then we were under a severe thunderstorm warning for several hours.

Our friends Owen and Allie arrived during the storm....we met them in the boat dealer area of where the restaurant and event center are located.    We went upstairs to the event center and waited out the storm - thunder, lightning and rain (1/2").    We left around 3:45 and they dropped us off at Trinity Hospital to see our friend Leon.    They went onto their hotel to check in which was pretty close by.

We had a great visit with Leon who was alert and chatted away.    He is being transferred tonight to a rehab place in Grand Rapids.    We wish him all the best with his health issues.

While we were at the hospital, our friends Ron and Pat stopped by - we all boated together in the 80s.   What fun to be together and reminisce.

Mark and I said our good byes, I texted Allie, they picked us up and we went to The Lake House for dinner - very good and everyone happy with their meal.    Back to Catrina in the sunshine for more visiting.   Looking forward to a fun day tomorrow!

Owen and Allie

Sunday - July 26

 Started our day with online Mass with Father Jonathan in Port Clinton.    St. Mary's here in Muskegon would be a little jaunt to walk, so as always, good to be back with one of our favorites!

Next up was wash Catrina - tah dah....she looks so good but we know the bugs/spiders will be back!

We went for a walk in the afternoon - very hazy today and humid.     Nice walking/biking paved path that goes past the marina.    After we got back we had a light supper at the Muskegon Brewing Co here at the marina.

The 4-day fishing tournament ended today - top prize was $10,000

Looking forward to tomorrow when our friends Allie and Owen arrive for a few days....

So happy our friend Leon is out of ICU - we talked to him today and he sounded good.    Hopes to be going to a rehab place in Grand Rapids later this week.

Zoom tonight we were missing Janet, Tom C. Tom H, Marilyn - Discussed the family reunion next Saturday, health updates, Tom and Beth are in Alaska for 3 weeks, waiting for our niece Sarah to have her baby due the 17th.   

Have a good week,

Saturday - July 25

 We walked to The Coffee Factory (15-minutes).     The old Shaw.Walker furniture company from the 1800s (closed in 1989) is being converted into luxury condos after sitting empty all these years.   What a massive project - some of the windows were installed this week.    The Coffee Factory is in part of what has been renovated so far....it is in such an out-of-the way spot, but very popular and with many signs pointing to where it's at, coffee lovers are having no trouble finding this funky gem.

Back to Catrina and as I'm climbing up the steps, I noticed one of our cushions on the bridge was gone!!!    WHAT????    Where could it be and how did it become unsnapped and fly  out of the upper station.   It was good size, too. That's a first in the 18 years we've had power Catrina.   YIKES!    Mark mentioned to some guys on the dock asking if they had seen a loose cushion?   Nope....

We needed fuel and a pumpout, so undid all the lines and drove a short distance to the fuel dock only to be told their pumpout was out of order!    UGH............Nick apologized and suggested we go to Great Lakes Marina across Lake Muskegon.    So off we went - nice guys there took care of us and back across the lake to Adelaide Pointe.    After getting all the lines secure, power cords and hose hooked up, we each went in a direction to look for our lost cushion.     St. Anthony was obviously looking out for us, cause there it was on the dock leaning against a dockbox thanks to some good samaritan who found and brought to the fuel dock!    Thank you.....it needed a good scrubbing but nothing soap/water and a little elbow grease won't clean!     

Nick is one of the dockhands and been so nice since we arrived last week and now was the "keeper of the cushion."    We knew it would float but with these strong winds, could've been across Lake Michigan!!!  When Mark carried it back to Catrina, the folks cheered that lost cushion was found!!!     End of story - AMEN!

Lunch and a quiet afternoon.    We did check the calendar out for September and October  when we're in IL, NC and FL and set some things up, including our reservation at Kamp Komfort.

Walked late afternoon - no weddings this weekend here at the marina, but a reception at the event center - lots and lots of pretty long dresses for the guests.

Along our walk came across lots of these pretty blooms with red center?    

Friday - July 24

 It's so nice to wake up to clear skies these past few mornings after all the smoke in the air.

Some of you have asked how my head is doing - much better and doing my vestibular exercises faithfully,  I'm still "off" a little when I get up, but then head clears and I have a good day - just gotta watch the balance.    

Mark took the car back to Enterprise and then our CT friend Linda brought him back to the marina.    

We had lunch and Mark hosed down the boat - while we were gone a few days, the bugs came out to play!!!😠

Philip shared his big news this afternoon - he'll be flying for Fed Ex.....so happy for him.    As he said many years ago "I can't believe they pay me for doing something I love so much"!   Congratulations!!!

We walked downtown (1.2 miles) and had drinks and an appetizer at Carlisles (recommended by friend Linda).   All good and then walked 2 more blocks to Hackley Park where they have concerts every Friday night - big crowd, lots of food trucks, etc.    We stayed for a few songs and then walked back to Catrina.

Beautiful old train depot that is now the visitor's center here in Muskegon

Have a fun, safe weekend!