We were in Michigan for a month hanging out with family and friends...and it was wonderful! Besides boat rides, meals with family and friends and celebrating b-days (Jim is 40 now...ouch!), we've also been on a few adventures. We went to Warren Dunes State Park in the southwest part of the state with Kristi's sister and her family. The dunes are huge and they overlook beautiful Lake Michigan. When we went to the beach to go swimming, we quickly decided against that idea. After seeing about a 1000 kids splashing around in the water in a small confined area, it looked as though the water might be used for something other than swimming pleasures. But we did tackle the dunes. The best thing about the dunes, after you trudge up the hill, is running down. You feel like you're going at mach speed. But there is a downside to running down the dunes at mach speed.....gravity. After my nephew Andrew took me up a really steep dune, I (Jim) would find out soon enough what gravity does to a man running down a dune at this incredible speed. About halfway down I proceeded to fall forward and face plant into the sand. But that's not all I did. After my face plant, my momentum launched me into a flip and I landed on my back. Let's just say I still feel that flip everyday in my back when I get out of bed. After I recovered and made it down the hill, I spent the next five days trying to get the sand out of my ears. 
After Warren Sand Dunes, it was time for the 4-H Fair. The 4-H is set up for kids to showcase their talents in showing sheep, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, rabbits, etc. Not being big barnyard type of people, we were in for a real experience. On one occasion, my nephew Andrew (the one that I blame for my back ailments) wanted to spend the night in the sheep barn. Why, I don't know. I'd never actually met anyone that had chosen to sleep in the same accommodations as animals. I think that usually happens when people have hit rock bottom or you're Lord of heaven and earth. My understanding is that someone has to stay the night in the barn at the fair to make sure animals don't get out of their pens or get stolen or something. So, I accepted with great pleasure to accommodate him one Monday evening. As we laid there on our cots, smelling sheep urine, listening to them baaaahhhh all night, the roosters crowing from 3:30 to 6:30am, it was then and there that I decided I never want to be a farmer. I will also never complain about any sleeping conditions for the rest of my life. If my nephew asks me to sleep in a sheep barn again, I'll have to say, naaaahhht this time! But, it was a good experience being around the FFA's (Future Farmers of America) that we'll never forget. Oh, I almost forgot. On the morning after we slept in the barn, all of the owners of the animals came in to feed them and do farm stuff. I watched as this guy put ointment on his hand and rubbed it on the sheep's fleshy part of it's behind.....bare handed. I never did see him wash his hands afterwards. Just a normal day on the farm I guess. 
After a month in Michigan it was time to hit the road again. My parents were visiting family and friends in Massachusetts, so we packed the Saturn one more time (without tents) and hit the highways and turnpikes. Our first stop was in Pennsylvania to visit my Aunt Carol, cousins and their families. I don't know if you remember, but when we were on our trip out west my Uncle Pete passed away. Please pray for my Aunt Carol as she continues to go through this trial in her life. After an awesome visit with family, we headed onto Massachusetts to hang out with my mom, dad, Aunt Brenda, Paula, Janice, Oscar, a.k.a. The Big "O", and other folk. We had such a great time! We went to Martha's Vineyard (island off the coast of Mass...infamous for the Ted Kennedy Chappaquiddick incident), 
golfing, visiting Lexington and Concord, Mass. (where the revolutionary war started), and playing cards late into the night. I did the revolutionary war visit with my friend Dave (he lives in Boston) as Kristi didn't have interest in seeing how America became a free country. The craziest part of the trip was probably my mom and her cronies as they wanted to do a photo shoot to make a calendar. I mean, these ladies are like 60+ and they're posing like it's for Victoria Secret or something. It actually looked like some kind of reality t.v. show. But hey, whatever floats their boat. They had fun. After Kristi's photo shoot with the old ladies and a week in Mass., we started our way back home to Mich. We stopped in Philly on the way as I wanted to see a little more history and run the Rocky steps. Kristi of course was really excited about this stop because it was about America and freedom. After Philly we ended up back in Michigan. Our next stop is next week as we fly to L.A. for the L.A. Shorts Fest. As mentioned a few weeks ago, our film Burying Daniel has been accepted and we'll be there for the screening. We also received tickets in the mail the other day to see Jay Leno on Sept. 7. I think we're more pumped about that then to see our film on the big screen. Should be a good time!
And then after that, it's Michigan for a few more days. We actually talked today after we looked at our finances and we've both decided that we can't stay in retirement forever. Kind of a bummer, but it's time to get back to Atlanta so we can become gainfully employed once again. We should be there between the 15th and 20th of Sept. I guess this leads me into expressing our need for housing when we return. We're looking to rent, so if anyone knows of some cheap housing (basement apartment, guest house or condo) in the Atlanta vicinity, please pass it along to us.
Once again, thanks for reading!
Peace & Love,
Jim and Kristi
