I am in a Super 8 Motel in Rochester, Indiana.
I was supposed to be in Holland, Michigan. That was the plan but you know how it goes when you are traveling. Things happen and then you find yourself on a different road with a different destination.
I haven't taken the time to blog because my days were full up with visiting with friends and family. So I have fallen behind. It will take a couple posts at least to catch up.
The last post I was in Steven's Point where I spent the night at Barbara and Rolf's home in the woods not far from Steven's Point and Amherst, Wisconsin.
I got up at six and was out the door by 6:30. Before I left I brought in a paper copy (one of the few I brought with me) of The Journey Continues. We shared hugs and I was on my way south toward Waukesha where George and I lived and he ran his business for over 25 years.
But first stop was John Deere where our former employee, John Richmond now works. He started at Rentapen fresh out of engineering school. He wasn't married then. Now his oldest son is in college! He worked for Rentapen, I think, 17 years. A few of those years he was the only employee and he worked in our basement with George.
Once when the business moved and George was getting his own office, the employees pitched in and got George a Carl Brenders print and had it framed. George loved that picture. I am glad it found a good home with John. I know John will remember George when he sees that picture and all that he learned while working at Rentapen.
John still does manufacturing engineering, but he also runs a 3D printer. He gave me a sample. This John Deere plant makes Gators (a small 4-wheel-like tractor).
After I left he texted me a sample of his daughter's art work. She is in high school and loves to draw. She has made up these characters and keeps drawing them in different situations.
We chatted in the parking lot for quite a while about all the folks we knew in common and where they are at now.
My next stop was in Hartford, Wisconsin. My dad's sister lives in a condo there. I stopped at a grocery store and picked us up some deli salads for lunch. While we were visiting my Aunt showed me documents she had found in my Grandmother's attic. Large and full-color baptism and graduation papers. The church papers were in German. My Grandmother's family had emigrated from Germany and were in Chicago. They must have gathered in a neighborhood full of German speaking people that had a German speaking Lutheran church.
I had an appointment, so I had to go right after lunch. I was meeting my friend Jane to go for a bike ride on the Glacial Drumlin Trail starting in Waukesha, Wisconsin! It was a perfect day for a ride, sunny and just warm enough.
I got to the meeting spot early and sat on my trike watching the busy bees and flies on the ... rag weed or golden rod flowers and the Asters. I was amazed and delighted.
I am trying to load it directly without edit. We will see if it works.
I thought that Mark was going to be working today so it would be just Jane and I riding, but Mark adjusted his work schedule and came to ride with us! Yay!
They are doing a lot of construction in Waukesha. It is affecting the Glacial Drumlin Trail. We rode down to where they are creating and underpass under Hwy TT. But we couldn't get through. We then rode a different branch of the trail. There are parts of the trail where the fields on both sides were filled with fall wildflowers. I wondered if the county had planted them or if it was natural. I am sure they have to do burns to keep the trees and invasives from taking over. I was smiling as we rode the curves and small undulating hills.
They often skype with me and did so right on through George's illness.
When I was planning this trip they kept saying, "Come stay with us!... You can stay here while you visit folks." and "You can stay with us as long as you need."
For dinner they took me to a vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Manna. They didn't let me pay! Thank you so much, Jane and Mark!
Wow, that is was a full day! And it was only one day... So much to tell you! But no time right now. I gotta go ride! And .... drive and drive.
EXCEPT...
While I was at Mark and Jane's home I was able to listen on-line to the rest of the audio-book and send my corrections to Robin Seigerman the voice actress. She made the corrections and now it is getting closer to being published!
She did such a great job! I think listeners will have fun riding in their car "Trippin'" with us while they are on their own trip.
The AlzAuthors is featuring me right now in their newsletter they published yesterday. Click here to read it.
The artwork looks like a wonderful illustration for a book. Encouragement recommended by John for his daughter.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Audrey. That is why I shared her drawing. It really pops!
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