pure science. pure fun.

I may not have gotten in line when they were handing out maternal genes, but over the years I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about traveling with kids. Your touring itinerary can’t include wine tasting or sampling a local brew pub’s creations. There’ll be no perusal or quiet contemplation of the great works of art housed in museums. And don’t even think about browsing antique stores offering fragile breakables. You must instead resort to something which not only spawns creativity but also entertains. The Imagination Station fit the bill.

Formerly the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), the hands-on museum located on the riverfront in downtown Toledo caters to children of all ages, whether 4, 6, 12 or, yes, even 57! Filled with over 250 interactive exhibits, this place was amazing. Before we even made it through the lobby, we were enthralled with Homage to the Art of Science (pictured above), a Rube Goldbergian-style machine that creates music via user-dropped billiard balls. But there was so much more to see and do.

With Zhak’s fascination for paleontology, traveling exhibit The Big Dig was naturally the first thing we explored.

Past the larger-than-life dinosaur sculpture carved out of 25 tons of sand by professional sand sculptor Carl Jara,

the kids had an opportunity to discover all sorts of prehistoric fun.

They excavated their way through piles of Northwest Ohio shale in search of fossils

Created fossil imprints*

And even had a chance to become a dino parent ... which, from the looks of things, is not all it’s cracked up to be!*  (Love this photo!)

It was then time to check out some of the permanent attractions.

The High Wire Cycle hovers over 20 feet above the ground and is suspended on a 2-inch cable with a 275-pound counterweight which enables all its riders to defy gravity. Deni was the brave one here and managed to traverse the entire wire, first backward then forward. I gave it my best shot, but looked down after back-pedaling a mere two feet. My fear of heights kicked in and I had to call it. By the way, those are not my canvas deck shoes. I was sporting stylish sandals that day, but had to swap footwear with Deni since we were required to wear close-toed shoes. I do have a fashonista reputation to maintain, you know. Enough adventure.  Cute shoes and solid ground, please!

In the Little Kidspace, the kids could hop aboard a fire truck*, shop in the grocery store* or climb on the treehouse.

Water Works was an entire learning world dedicated to nature’s most powerful resource. What is it about H2O and its splashiness that kids find so alluring?

Deni and Faith bounced forward, backward, sideways, up and down during the virtual reality video in the simulator theater while Mark, I and the boys hung out in the energy factory. (Kaden was too short and Zhak too chicken to ride!)

When it was our turn, Faith decided to partake of additional jostling and forked over another token ($1) to ride again.* Oh to be an adventurous pre-teen again … I felt like hurling; one ride was enough for me!

On the lower level in the Mind Zone, we were able to discover how the mind processes, interprets and creates illusions and perceptions.*

The Gravity Room was also a huge hit … though Faith outdid me once again. I couldn’t stand up straight or crooked in there!

Finally, Deni and Faith tackled Boyo, a yo-yo like attraction in which you must utilize your own strength and basic science principles. Deni didn’t fare too well, but Faith managed to propel herself 13 feet into the air.* Did I happen to mention what an adventurous girl she is?

We spent most of the morning at the Imagination Station, yet easily could have stayed the entire day. It proved to be great fun for all of us and definitely worth a visit. Check it out if you’re ever in the area!

Imagination Station

One Discovery Way, corner of Summit and Adams Streets

419.244.2674

Big Kids (13+) $8.50

Kids (3-12) $6.50

Seniors (65+) $7.50

Children 2 and under free!

* Thanks to Deni for sharing her photos!

Are We There Yet?!?!?

What do a cow, a horse, a red barn, an airplane and a police car have in common? Give up?  Okay, I’ll give you a hint.

We were on our way to Ohio, but a three-hour trip in the eyes of a four-year-old and a six-year-old may as well have taken three days. “Are we there yet?!??!” was uttered before we even left the city. My jumbo bag of kettle chips disappeared in a mere five minutes. And one can only listen to the same Tom and Jerry cartoons over and over and over for so long before they start losing all sense of sanity. A diversion was definitely in order.

I don’t know how my parents did it back in the day touring the country with four kids—and even Grandma one year!—in the back of a station wagon, but they always managed to keep us amused. Amongst our proclamations of “Mom! She’s touching me!” and “I have to go potty!” were our own whiny inquiries of “Are we there yet?!?!?” It was at that point when Mom would whip out those nifty cardboard travel scavenger hunts with the sliding windows. We’d be engrossed for hours trying to find everything so we could be the first to yell “Car Bingo!” (sibling rivalry thing, you know). Had I been thinking ahead I would have brought the very same thing we used on road trips when I was growing up, but what do I know? I’m the aunt, not the mom; I don’t typically travel with kids. So I did the next best thing.

An impromptu checklist on the back of an envelope and the promise of a prize to the first person who could find all five—a cow, a horse, a red barn, an airplane and a police car—worked for 6.2 minutes. Then it was “This is too hard!” Suffice it to say that patience is not a virtue when you’re six and awaiting a surprise. Kaden was actually pretty observant and spotted more things than Zhak did, but they each were winners in the end. I had found THE cutest crocheted armadillo and panda bear finger puppets at a store in Williamston a few weeks earlier and knew they’d be perfect for entertaining the boys in a pinch. That held them over until we took a picnic break near Brighton. After another hour of … yes, you guessed it … Tom and Jerry and seven more queries of “Are we there yet?!?!?” we finally made it to Uncle Mark’s new house.

Stay tuned… this is going to be an interesting weekend!

Twist and Shout

I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect July evening. Submarine sandwiches and pizza from Vitales; Perry, Cherri and the twins; and Beatles tribute act Classical Mystery Tour (you know how much I love the Fab Four). I didn’t want to be anywhere else but back on the slopes of Cannonsburg relaxing in a lawn chair and enjoying the Symphony’s final show of this year’s summer series.

This was Sarah and Olivia’s first “rock concert.” Once they got past the “This is boring!” picnic portion of the Pops (thank goodness for snow cones … they haven’t quite yet mastered the fine art of people watching), they were (literally) shakin’ a leg and twistin’ and shoutin’ with the rest us. And, yes, it’s true … Olivia really does move like a pole dancer. Highly entertaining! After all was said and done, she wanted to know if they could go to Picnic Pops again next year … with Aunt Lynn. You bet! Good food, good friends, good music, good fun!

Summer and its special offerings flies by way too fast …

Michigan Drivers?

I’ve already admitted to not being a 9 to 5 kind of girl. That, of course, means I don’t keep banker’s hours and have to rely upon the advent of modern technology to do things like, well, banking. Instead of stopping into my local branch to schmooze with the tellers and score a Dum Dum lollipop, I simply zip through the ATM and conduct transactions from behind the steering wheel of my car. I’ve recently made two observations in this regard.

When PNC merged with Nat City, I discovered its ATM’s language option menu has significantly expanded. It used to offer just English or Espanol, but now I’m seeing German and a whole lotta foreign characters which mean absolutely nothing to me. I know many who would quickly declare, “Hey! If you want to live in America, learn to speak the language.” I don’t mind this though. Whenever I travel abroad (not to be confused with when I travel AS a broad), I try to learn a few key phrases in the country’s native tongue. “Hello!”  “Goodbye!”  “Please!”  “Thank you!”  “Where’s the bathroom?”  “More wine please!” And even though I managed to master using a computer in the Far East with icons which were totally Greek—er, Chinese—to me, I don’t like playing Russian roulette with my money. When I’m far away from home, I’m always happy to discover an ATM with an English language option. Though the thriving metropolis of Grand Rapids is a far cry from international destination cities, I do believe that cultural boundaries are becoming more and more blurred, and the world is evolving into one big melting pot. I have no qualms about this ATM feature.

But the one at the credit union was throwing me for a loop. Look closely … do you see what I see? (Note: “See” is the key word here!)

Yup, that’s right. It’s Braille, the system which allows the visually challenged to read and write through touch. On a drive-thru ATM.

Um, does anyone else find this just a wee bit disconcerting?

Just Because

I truly believe women are from Venus and men are from Mars … and likely a whole bunch of other planets on which we cannot fathom how life exists. Let’s face it … we don’t think alike and we certainly don’t act alike. Is it any wonder, then, why the task of one trying to figure out what makes the other tick is anything short of a monumental undertaking?  Not to worry.  I’m going to let you in on one of our secrets.  If you are of the male persuasion, you’ll want to take notes.  Yes Dad, that means you, too!  Go ahead.  Grab a pencil and paper.  I’ll wait.

Wednesday is trash day in my neighborhood and, even though those trucks don’t roll through until late morning, I always make sure the garbage can is curbside the night before.  As I was collecting refuse tonight to deposit into said receptacle, I noticed most of my floral bouquets were on their last leg (stem?) and needed to go as well.  Not bad, though. They had not only brought me joy on my birthday, but also the entire week that followed it.  Every time I entered the room, I was greeted by colorful and fragrant blossoms.  I was happy.  I smiled.  I even danced a little bit.  They had brightened my day, my surroundings and my life.

While I can’t attest to the fact that I’m speaking for the entire female population, I’ve got to believe most women would agree with me.  Are you ready for it?

We.

Love.

Flowers.

At a loss for gift ideas?  Forget candles, books, CDs, bath products, a Starbucks gift card, a bathrobe and/or slippers, or a box of Godiva chocolates that we truly do love but hate to admit will just add another five pounds to our already bulging thighs. And under NO circumstances, no matter how much we beg, should you purchase for us a blender, power drill or gym membership. Instead run—do not walk—to the nearest florist and buy flowers.  They work wonders when celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or Valentine’s Day, for sending congrats, or when you really mess up and are seeking forgiveness.  Yes, it’s been known to happen to even the best of you.

But here’s the important part of this notion. Try sending flowers “just because.”  Ever notice how thrilled we are after receiving flowers when expecting them? You should see our reaction when we aren’t. Your gesture is simple yet thoughtful and, though you may not fully understand why, we will love you for it. It lets us know that on a particular day, for no apparent reason, you were thinking of us.  Trust me. You’ll score MAJOR brownie points.

You know what that means, don’t you?  If we’re happy, you’re happy.  ‘nuff said!

Oh, to be young again ...

One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to go to the library. Back in the day I didn’t have all those techno gadgets to entertain me and often turned to books. They were portals to the places I yearned to visit, things I wanted to try, and people I was dying to meet. After coming home with borrowed stacks, I’d wander to the backyard, climb our big old tree, and settle in to journey elsewhere. It was my favorite place to delve into the pages … until that day I crossed paths with an opossum who had taken over my crook.  You never saw anyone come down a tree so fast!

The library card tucked away in my wallet has recently resurfaced and I was surprised to see it still bore my married name. I have, after all, been a single girl again for nearly seven years. Has it really been that long since I’ve last perused the public shelves? Even though I now prefer to buy books instead of make use of the library, I decided it would be a good idea to update my card and revisit an old friend.

Besides the rows upon rows of endless shelves housing books in which to get lost, wanna know my favorite thing about the library? It’s the smell … that musty aroma of tattered pages and worn bindings. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Suddenly I am ten years old again. Someone really needs to bottle that scent.

But of course, though I still have the inclination, I don’t have the time I did back then. What I wouldn’t give to be a kid again with three-month summer vacations which afford me an opportunity to do nothing but hang out at the library and indulge.

Did I happen to mention I hate being a responsible adult?

On This Day ...

It’s been a kick back, lay low kind of day. Nothing major goin’ on; no history-making events to report. Well, at least not this year in my neighborhood, but look at what has happened on July 25 in the past. Why do things like this fascinate me?

2009:  Harry Patch died. The 111-year-old former plumber was Britain’s last living World War I veteran. Refusing to talk about the war until he reached the age of 100, he spent 11 years before his death traveling around the world speaking about his experiences.

2008:  Randy Pausch succumbed to pancreatic cancer. A professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he gave an upbeat lecture entitled The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. The book he co-authored on the same theme became a New York Times best-seller. If you haven’t yet read it, you must do so. Inspirational!

2000:  Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde supersonic passenger jet, crashed just after takeoff from Paris. All 109 aboard, as well as 4 people on the ground, were killed. It was the first and only crash in the Concorde’s 31-year history. The Concorde hit a piece of metal dropped from a plane that had taken off earlier, which shred a tire and threw it into one of the engines causing a fire. The high-speed jets, which could fly faster than twice the speed of sound at 1,350 miles per hour, were permanently grounded in 2003. Bummer. No. 72 on my Bucket List was “Fly on the Concorde.”

1999:  Just three years after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, Lance Armstrong won the first of seven consecutive Tour de France victories.

1992:  Barcelona hosted the Olympic Games, the first in three decades without a boycott. Approximately 9,300 athletes participated and represented a record 169 nations.

1990:  Roseanne Barr sang the National Anthem at a San Diego Padres game. Many believe it to be THE worst rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. Ever.

1985:  Rock Hudson, most notable for his role as a leading man in romantic films, publicly announced an AIDS diagnosis. Though he never openly admitted it, he was thought to be gay. He died on October 2 the same year; his death fueled awareness for the disease, which had just started being reported in the early 1980s.

1984:  Russian astronaut Svetlana Savitskaya was the first woman to walk in space while stationed on the Soviet space station Salyut 7.

1978:  Louise Brown, the world’s first test tube (in-vitro fertilization) baby, was delivered by caesarean section in Oldham, England. Drs. Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards developed the process to conceive a child in a laboratory and then implant it in a uterus to develop normally. Though it was controversial at the time, the procedure now is considered mainstream.

1975:  The Broadway musical A Chorus Line premiered. It won 12 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and had a run of 6,137 shows.  It still holds the record for the longest-running musical produced in the U.S.

1969:  Senator Edward Kennedy pled guilty to leaving the scene of a crime, a car accident on the island of Chappaquiddick where Mary Jo Kopechne drowned. He was sentenced to a two-month suspended jail sentence.

1964:  The Beatles’ album A Hard Day’s Night went to No. 1 and stayed at the top of Billboard’s chart for 14 weeks, the longest run of any album that year. You knew I was going to get the Fab Four in here somewhere, didn’t you?

1962:  The House passed a bill requiring equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. We’ve come a long way, baby!

1960:  The U.S. Republican convention nominated Richard Nixon as a presidential candidate. He was not a crook … or was he?

1952:  Puerto Rico became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth.

1953:  The New York City Transit Authority is created and takes over subway operations. Fares were raised from 10 cents to 15 cents and the use of tokens initiated.

1946:  The first bikini was shown at a Paris fashion show. Oo la la!

1946:  The U.S. conducted the first underwater test of the atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific as part of the Operation Crossroads series of nuclear bomb tests. The bomb, Baker, was detonated 90 feet underwater. Its explosion contaminated the target ships so badly that the Navy had to cancel the one remaining nuclear weapon test called Charlie.

1946:  At Club 500 in Atlantic City, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis staged their first show as a comedy team.

1917:  Exotic dancer and courtesan Mata Hari was sentenced to death for espionage in Paris. Accused of spying for the Germans in World War I, she was executed by firing squad on October 15, 1917.

1909:  France’s Louis Bleriot flew the first airplane across the English Channel. The self-trained pilot made the flight in 37 minutes aboard an aircraft he designed himself.

1871:  The carousel was patented by Iowan Wilhelm Schneider.

1866:  Ulysses S. Grant was named as General of the U.S. Army and the first to hold the rank commonly referred to as “Five-Star General.” Just in case you aren’t up to speed on your U.S. history, he later became the 18th President of the United States. But who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?

1788:  Wolfgang Mozart finished Symphony Number 40 in G-Minor. Mozart started composing when he was five years old and created more than 600 works in his lifetime. He is considered one of the most influential classic composers of all time.

Serendipity

Facebook Schmacebook. Who needs it when you can reconnect with a long lost friend at the gas station?

I’m on a serious mission to score as many Speedy Rewards points as I can and am trying to take advantage of every opportunity. Not only does their website tell me the monthly specials which can be utilized to score bonus points, but also where the lowest gas prices in the city can be had. The Lake Michigan Drive Speedway was a whole $0.10 per gallon cheaper than the station right around the corner from my house in Dutch country (go figure!). Since I had a ton of errands to run on that end of town, I’d detour there. But first I’d check in with the cashier. If I’m going to spend $50 on fuel, why not use a gift card to purchase gas and earn another 1,000 points? (Don’t you just love the way my scheming mind works?). So as I’m patiently standing in line awaiting my turn, I scan the crowd.

Denise?!?

Sure enough. It was a friend I used to hang out with nearly 30 years ago. (Wow … for some reason saying that just made me feel really old.) We exchanged the Cliff’s Notes version of what we’ve been up to all these years, as well as contact info with the promise to schedule time to catch up in depth. I was thrilled when she called a week later and suggested lunch. Since she mentioned she still keeps in touch with our friend Jean, she was joining us as well.

When I recently reconnected with Rob I marveled at how he was still the same person after all these years. Neither Denise nor Jean has changed either, and as soon as we saw each other we were instantaneously transported back to our running around days. The beach, the boys, the bars, the boys, the good ‘ole days. Did I happen to mention the boys? (Don't let those religious pictures in the photo fool you.)  Our gang back then consisted of me, Denise, Jean, Mary Ann and Marianne (no, sorry; no Ginger). Though the crazy things we used to do are still vividly recalled, ironically none of us can remember how we came to be friends. Denise and Jean had met at work long, long ago and have remained steadfast since, but trying to piece together the remaining timeline from three fading memories was a bit of a challenge. We finally surmised that the paths of Denise and I crossed in the very, very early days of CAC (the Catholic Alumni Club, fondly referred to back then as “Catch a Catholic”), but it would be several years before either of us got entrenched in that scene. We had places to go, things to do, people to meet.  The five of us spent a couple of years as partners in crime before we started getting married, relocating and going our separate ways.

Mary Ann, Marianne, Denise, Jean, Lynn

What a fun trip down memory lane today proved to be. We’ve vowed to keep in touch and try to do lunch every month or so. Though all of our lives have travelled down different roads, we still share the commonality of a thing called friendship. Other than the memories, I can’t think anything better to hang on to.

Reach Out, I'll Be There ...

Perry told me earlier in the week that his family was visiting for the weekend and, since I “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” I wrangled an invitation to join them for Picnic Pops. I’ve been to many of the Symphony’s summer evening concerts and they never fail to disappoint. Well, maybe it didn’t go quite as planned that year they performed those awful show tunes and the skies opened up on us, but the rest of ‘em have been great fun. “Get Ready” for a night of craziness!

I had heard many things about Perry’s sibs (all good, of course … just in case they’re reading this!) but it was the first time I met any of them. When you hail from podunk Hillsdale, the six degrees of separation thing comes into play a whole lot faster.

Scott is a high school friend of Perry

though he actually graduated with Perry’s sister Pam

and is now dating Perry’s sister Penny

(Did you follow all that or do I need to include a flow chart?)

Cherri, of course, didn’t become part of the family until many years later.

I immediately hit it off with everyone. We laughed and danced the night away to Motown’s Greatest Hits with thousands of our closest friends. Or was it “Just My Imagination”?  I swear I’ve NEVER seen such a large crowd at Picnic Pops, though I suspect it had something to do with the fact the concert had been rained out the night before. Instead of being “Up On the Roof,” we ended up sitting in the nosebleed section halfway up the first ski slope (thank goodness for great camera zoom), but had a riot nonetheless. Can’t remember when I last had that much fun. Needless to say, none of us wanted it to end.

I even managed to (sort of) figure out the video feature on my camera. If you thought I was dangerous before ...

Back at the ranch (a/k/a Cherri and Perry’s house) more adult beverages flowed and the silliness continued. It was amusing how a simple game of “P is for …” can quickly go downhill. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the last time I threatened to skinny dip in their pool was following a Picnic Pops concert and the consumption of mass quantities of alcohol.

Good times, bad hangover. Will I ever learn?

Awakening

Just like the butterfly, I too will awaken in my own time.

~Deborah Chaskin

Under Water With Zhak Cousteau

To say that the deep blue sea has captured my nephew Zhak’s attention would be a gross understatement. He is a walking encyclopedia of all things aquatic and a great source to turn to when fishin’ for facts.

While the hammerhead shark is his fave, with the help of his other marine buddies he can tell you all about life under water.

From fins

to teeth that would make the tooth fairy happy

to what they eat (burp!) and how much they weigh.  He is not only informed, but also highly entertaining.

But what else would you expect from the combination of a manatee named Mike, a dolphin named Dipper, a shark named Smiley (c’mon … did you really think it would be anything else?) and an imaginative kid named Zhak?

The Celebration Continues!

My bday festivities continued tonight when I celebrated with the rest of my “fam.” Dear friends Perry and Cherri were taking me out for dinner, but I was informed our first stop would be their place since the girls has special gifts for me.

I hadn’t even stepped one toe into their house when Sarah greeted me with a grin and huge box wrapped in kitty paper. Nestled inside was Sarah-inspired pottery. Not only did she do all the painting herself, but she actually came up with the idea on her own. How sweet! It definitely looks like something I would have picked out for myself. Olivia’s gift was just as extraordinary, but requires a bit of explanation.

During a visit shortly after school let out for the summer, the girls shared their art portfolios with me. Yes, that’s right. Portfolios. In kindergarten.  Each week throughout the school year their art teacher introduced her students to a different artist and his work, explained the concepts behind his creativeness, and then turned the kids loose to craft their own pieces using what they had learned. I gotta tell you … I’ve never met this woman, but am totally impressed with the way she launched them into the world of art. I was wowed by what both Sarah and Olivia had done. Their amazing artwork is worthy of framing; an entire wall in Perry and Cherri’s house needs to be turned into a mini gallery to showcase their creations. Fortunately for me, one piece found its way to my house.

Once Olivia saw that Sarah had made something for my birthday gift, she declared she wanted to make something, too. She ultimately decided to frame one of the projects from her portfolio. She wasn’t quite ready to part with her favorite (nor would I want her to) and chose the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired piece instead. Seriously? How on earth did she know I’m a HUGE FLW fan? Cherri often comments that Olivia and I are on the same page and that she could be my child. (And though it’s an entirely different story, she also swears Olivia is going to end up being a pole dancer. Should I be worried?) Her gift, too, is very much my taste. I am truly touched that the girls put so much thought and effort into their gifts. I love my nieces and their pieces!

But they were spending the evening with a babysitter while Perry, Cherri and I took off for more adult-type celebrating. Grill One Eleven in downtown Rockford was the destination of choice. We snagged a table on the upper outdoor deck and indulged in great food, drink and conversation. They ran into friends Kurt and Judy, who we ended up joining later in the evening to enjoy more cocktails and the musical entertainment. Good times!

A huge thanks to Perry, Cherri, Sarah and Olivia (and Kurt and Judy, too!) for making this year’s birthday celebration so special. Love to all of you!

They Say It's Your Birthday ... Well It's My Birthday Too Yeah!

I cannot believe an entire year has passed since I turned the Big Five Uh-Oh in Sin City. Where DOES the time go? While that celebration was fabulously fun (from what I can remember), this year’s festivities were much lower key. No whirlybird tours over Hoover Dam. No destination restaurants with scrumptious cuisine and signature cocktails. And, sadly, no hottie Italians. But there were two special guys who helped me make a wish this year.

I don’t know how a six-year-old and a nearly four-year-old have social calendars fuller than mine, but my nephews graciously agreed to squeeze me in to celebrate my day. They shared their two-hour window between daycare and a pool party, and invited me over for a birthday dinner. The grilled chicken was delish and the tropical flower bouquet gorgeous (Zhak informed me gladdy-nolas were not to be found). But the icing on the cake of this celebratory soiree wasn’t cake at all. It was Moose Tracks ice cream and a Swiss cake roll sporting a solitary candle. My fave!

Thanks Zhak and Kaden (and Mommy, too!) for the best birthday party!

Things That Go "Boom!"

Today was another one of those thunder and lightning and deluge kind of days. It reminded me of a conversation I had earlier in the week with my dentist. Well, not really a conversation. There can’t be an exchange of dialogue when someone has their hands in your mouth, can there? Don’t you just love it when they’re working on your teeth and start asking you questions? Anyway, to rephrase, she was talking and I was listening. She had told her kids it would be a good project to see if they could discover where thunder and lightning came from. They, however, didn’t think it sounded like a fun thing to do on a rainy afternoon. I, on the other hand, was intrigued, but admittedly forgot to Google it until I noticed today’s gloomy skies. Allow me to enlighten you (pun intended!).

Lightning flashes, thunder booms. Any questions?

Okay, okay. Science never was one of my favorite subjects, but let me see if I can expound on that.

Lightning is an electric current. In a thundercloud, small bits of ice (frozen raindrops) bump into each other as they move around in the air and all of those collisions create an electric charge. After the entire cloud fills up with electrical charges, the positive charges (protons) form at the top of the cloud and the negative charges (electrons) form at the bottom of the cloud. Since opposites attract (THAT part I remember!), it causes a positive charge to build up on the ground beneath the cloud. The ground’s electrical charge collects around anything that protrudes, like mountains, trees or (yikes!) people. The charge coming up from these points eventually connects with a charge reaching down from the cloud and … Zap! Lightning strikes!

The grumbles and growls of thunder come from the rapid expansion of the air surrounding the lightning. When a bolt travels from the cloud to the ground, it opens up a hole in the air. Once the light is gone, the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave. Voila! Thunder! The flash of lightning and accompanying thunder occur around the same time, but we see lightning before we hear thunder because light travels faster than sound.

Yes, this is probably useless weather trivia, but I find it as fascinating as those nerdy scientists. I’m thinking I should have paid more attention in class.

Shop It, Live It, Love It!

Decisions, decisions. Do I stay home to break in the new shop vac I received as an early bday gift (yes, it was from a guy; how did you know?) and eradicate all the spider bodies that have accumulated in the basement or hit the road at the crack of dawn to spend the day with Mark? Yeah, you’re right. Those arachnid carcasses have been down there for a while; what’s another week or two? Although I don’t relish the thought of rolling out of bed at 7:30 a.m. and driving solo for 1.5 hours, it seemed like the lesser of two evils and a heck of a lot more fun. Day trip it is! I promised Mark I’d be done grumbling and groaning and fully awake by the time we met in Williamston.

Why Williamston, you ask? Well, it’s exactly halfway between Grand Rapids and Toledo and is known for its antique shops. ’nuff said.  And to sweeten the pot, Mark offered to throw in a birthday dinner. How could I refuse such an offer?

The quaint city, located just east of Lansing, was first occupied by a small band of Chippewa Indians which used the area in the mid 1800s as a summer village for planting crops and burying their dead.  The area was settled by Europeans in 1834 when Hiram and Joseph Putnam relocated from Jackson. Even though they stayed less than a year to plant and harvest a single crop of oats, Williamston Road was renamed Putnam Road inside the city limits in their honor.

In 1839 the Putnam Brothers sold their land to the Williams brothers from New York. James M. “Miles” Williams built a dam, saw mill and a grist mill in town; he eventually platted the land in 1845 and named the town “Williamstown.” It is remains a mystery as to what happened to the “w” in its name. Thereafter the town was a popular stop on the Grand River Trail from Detroit to Lansing in the 19th century. It incorporated as a village in 1871 and later a city in 1945.

Our first stop would be the Antiques Market of Williamston. Since it opened at 10 a.m., we agreed to meet at that time at the Exit 117 Park ‘N Ride, conveniently located at the Williamston exit. As soon as I jumped in his car, Mark handed me a bday gift: a Beatles-themed card stuffed with green and a note which read, “Treasure Bucks: You see it, you like it, you buy it!” By Jove, I think he’s finally got it! Oh yeah … and a package of Double Stuff Oreos, too. He knows me too well! We were then off to discover where I could best put those TBs to good use.

The antiques market was HUGE and had a ton of interesting things. In fact, we didn’t even make it through the lobby before Mark had stopped to scope things out! After poking around for over three hours, our growling stomachs started to get the best of us. It was definitely time for lunch. Although he found several things he liked, Mark only ended up buying an etched glass pitcher for $10. I walked away empty handed, but not because I didn’t find anything fabulous, mind you. I just loved a vintage red and lime green three-piece Hanzakos California pottery coffee table set ... but I didn’t $95 love it. Someday soon I’ll go back; if it’s still there it was meant to be.

The downtown area welcomed us with many well-preserved turn-of-the-century buildings. With such a charming small town atmosphere, how could we eat anywhere but Ellie’s Country Kitchen? BLTs definitely hit the spot. The Victorian-era structures in the business district looked interesting.  I just love old architecture with cracks and bricks and tin ceilings.  A return trip is in order to properly tour historic Williamston. But for now there were more antique stores begging to be browsed.

Mark found a few more things at Sign of the Pineapple Antiques located directly across from the restaurant, but several other stores down the street had already closed up shop for the day. So we checked out Bloom, a funky little boutique with an eclectic mix of vintage and whimsical gifts, grabbed an ice cream cone, and headed to Red Cedar Antiques. Boasting full service quality treasures in 41 rooms you’d think we’d find something. Not to be. In fact, a total bust. Didn’t like the owners, didn’t like the merchandise, didn’t like anything about it. Time to get the heck out of Williamston.

Since the Little Red Schoolhouse back in Lansing was open until 8 p.m. and we still had a good 1.5 hours of perusing to do, we headed west. Unfortunately, it not only housed antiques but also arts and “craps.” But Mark was yet again successful in finding several things he liked. Time for dinner!

I hate eating at chain restaurants you can find in every city around the world, but it seems that was all this neighborhood had to offer. Since I’ve never met a mooey steak I didn’t like, we decided on Logan’s Roadhouse. Add a salad with bleu cheese dressing, a baked potato with butter for four and Mark picking up the tab for my birthday. I was a happy girl!

Williamston was a great little city and a fun place to explore. Thanks, Mark, for coming up with the idea. It was the perfect way to launch my birthday celebration!

Just Wonderin' ...

They say you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. Exactly what number equates to “a lot”?  10?  50? 1,756,493?  I’ve smooched “a lot” of amphibians, but still no knight in shining armor. The only thing I’ve managed to acquire is a bunch of warts and a craving for frog legs sautéed in herb butter. Mmmmmmmmmmm …

So I was just wonderin’ ... do I need to invest in more Chapstick?  Hopin’ my Prince Charming hasn’t ended up on a dinner plate as someone’s entrée!

Ugly Duckling or Beautiful Swan?

Whenever I travel I eat and drink at the most unique restaurants. I shop at hundreds of distinct stores, and I visit local galleries, museums and sites. The thing that stands out the most, however, is the people. I always discover a huge diversity of colors, shapes, backgrounds and stories.

Too often, though, we tend to judge people by their outward appearance. I’ll readily admit I have been guilty of this; will you confess as well? It’s not until we stop to talk to someone that we really get to know what they are all about. Among shop and restaurant owners, fellow travelers and the millions of others with whom I cross paths as I wander, I never fail to meet an interesting mix of people and personalities. Whether it is a quick hello to someone standing in line with me, an explanation by an artesian of his work, or an in-depth discussion of how an ethnic shop owner or restauranteur came to do business in this country, one thing stands out through and through. Outside appearance is merely packaging. It is not until we stop to unwrap it and take the time to find out what is on the inside that we truly get to know the wonderful person there.

Even if you don’t travel any further than your own backyard, make an effort. Can you imagine what would happen if we all saw the beautiful swan instead of an ugly duckling?

One Man's Junk

You’ve probably noticed I’ve been on this antiquing kick as of late. And you’re probably wondering what the heck I’ve been smokin’ because you correctly recall that my taste tends to lean toward the contemporary. I prefer simple and uncluttered instead of elaborate or excessive ornateness. Mark, on the other hand, is into all that woodsy, earthy, musty stuff and on a mission to decorate his apartment with such one-of-a-kind finds. So I’ve been tagging along in his quest and helping him spend his money. He’s unearthed some of the coolest treasures.  Believe it or not, every now and then even I manage to find something that calls to me and ultimately finds its way back to my home.

While many antiques can be outrageously expensive, there are some great pieces to be had for a few bucks. In fact, it’s become a game of sorts to see what I can find for under $10. What have I discovered so far?

The square-based amethyst vase in the photo above was purchased in Findlay for $6.50. (Yes, those lilies smelled as lovely as they looked.)

I scored this picnic basket for only $3 at the Marine Corps garage sale in downtown Toledo. It was much cheaper than that Longaberger version I’ve been coveting and supports a much worthier cause.

I spotted this vase in the Maumee Antique Mall. It not only sported a price tag of $2.50, but also the original “Vetreria Etrusca” sticker. I did some internet research when I got home and, sure enough, discovered it was indeed manufactured in Italy. It’s the perfect complement to the Murano glass piece I purchased there during my visit in 2004.  (Pay no attention to those dusty shelves!)

This Riva Designs tulip pitcher turned up in the antique mall in Archbold. Originally marked at $6.95, everything in the booth was half off; I walked away with it for $3.47. I love when that happens!

And finally, these crock vases were my first antique find at a quaint little shop in Pemberville back in February, only $3 each. How much do you think I would have paid had I purchased something similar at Pottery Barn? (Yes, that is a wicker basket you see in the photo next to the vases. While definitely not contemporary, it has a special place in my heart and my home as it was hand-crafted by my great-grandfather.)

It’s been fun to poke around for hours on end through the collections of everyday artifacts from days gone by, especially when I happen to find something that just screams “Lynn!” The amusing (or should that be scary?) part is Mark and I remember actually having many of these things in our homes while growing up. If we’re finding them in antique stores, does this mean we’re getting old?