October 6, 2016

• Picture Update

  I haven't been on social media a lot lately, and I'm way behind on letters to my pen pals. It's been a crazy year. Since March I've been on eight (I think) road trips. I've kind of lost count. I have at least two more ahead of me before the end of October. At the moment I am enjoying a short break from driving while I deal with some insurance and repair stuff and try to let my hands unswell and stop hurting. Here's a brief pictorial of what I've been up to for the past week or so.

  My younger sister came to visit me last week. She flew into Chicago and took a bus to Michigan City where I picked her up. Unfortunately, on my way to picking her up, this car slammed into the back of my van at full speed while I was at a red light.

  

  My van doesn't look like it has much damage, but the car went underneath it, then popped up, so the damage is mostly underneath the back of my van and in the cargo area - where there is now a 3-D impression of the front end of a Honda. So that's the insurance and repair stuff I'm trying to get started. The van won't be fixed until next month, but it's okay to drive so the remaining road trips are still on.

  

  My sister and I went to Wisconsin to visit our cousin on Washington Island. We had a great couple of days, even if the Northern Lights were a bust.

  

  We enjoyed beautiful sunsets...

  

  ... and peaceful sunrises on the island.

  We also visited a lavender farm, climbed an observation tower, and generally explored and enjoyed our time on the island.

  

  Once back in Michigan, we spent a couple of afternoons in beautiful St. Joseph, one day at the south pier with a view of the lighthouses across the river.

  

  The lake looks smooth in all the pictures, but it was actually a bit choppy. Notice everyone wearing jackets.

  

  The navigation beacon at the end of the south pier has been defaced with graffiti since last time I was there, which made for a great photo of my sister (leaning on the steps) and my daughter (leaning against the railing).

  

  That evening we met up with murisopsis for a Wine & Canvas night.

  

  Sunday afternoon was spent at the north pier before I took my sister back to Michigan City to catch the bus to Chicago.

  Now I'm working on some writing when my hands allow, but I'm kind of stuck at the moment and need to start again tomorrow with a fresh outlook. If I take a sleeping pill tonight, maybe I'll be awake enough to write tomorrow.

  I'm off to Arkansas to see my mom in a couple of weeks, then another trip to Delaware to spend some time with my husband and attend a geocaching mega event in New Jersey, and a mad dash home in time for trick-or-treating.

  That's most of the highlights. My finger is too swollen to bend now, so time to stop typing, take that Ambien and go to bed.

  • 12:09 am
  • 7 Comments