leder legends

 Whole Foods has recently come to Grand Rapids.  It's a lovely, spacious clean store with lots of variety and plenty of parking.  https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/grandrapids It has a bakery, a deli, etc. Rose thought it would be "fun" to choose our lunch from their hot and cold bar. Last month she and her daughter had picked up food for a picnic there and thought the variety was decent. Plus, the seating area was pleasant and airy etc. So, that was our choice this week (a new place every week is the goal). The price for the hot and cold bars is the same- $12.99 per pound- so we could sample as many interesting items as peaked our interest.  The cold bar was not too exotic although there was a great variety of olives and "Mediterranean" salads. Everything was fresh- no browning lettuce at whole foods! The hot bar ranged from huge meatballs and sauce to curried veggies and rice etc. After making our choices we headed to the checkout where our lunch was wei...

Asher turned 8 on Saturday.  Family and friends, great weather, good food and lots of presents...of course! Photo dump of him opening his presents! Sasha- sweetest dog ever but oh so big! Cake first! All the kids got into it and helped! We always give the grands one dollar for every year! Happy boy!

Asher turned 8 on Saturday. Family and friends, great weather, good food and lots of presents...of course!!

  Visits from grandchildren are always special and we were fortunate to have 2 visit us from Alaska! The visits are never long enough! They bring so much love, energy, joy and chaos to our quiet retirement years that when they leave it is just TOO quiet! We spent a day a John Ball Park Zoo with the local cousins- even the 16 year old came along.  She reluctantly joined in the group pictures! We took them all out for breakfast before and then after supper the little girls were still bursting with energy so we went to a park! Going to IHOP is what the Alaska girls love! Bubbles in the park! We discovered that one bottle had a better mix than the other! June baked brownies with me one morning before anyone else was up.  The BEST part! And then Celia decided she wanted to bake cinnamon buns with Opa.  A great tasty result (and sideways pictures) They  spent a long afternoon swimming at Millennium Park and  went to the childre...

I occasionally think that people don't believe it when I tell them we have a deer problem in our neighborhood.   Yet, 4 years ago, we came back from a vacation to a stem-fest. The deer had eaten their full and there were no leaves left on any of the many hosta in the yard. It was so discouraging because nothing was keeping them away. I was ready to give up but the neighbors had had luck with a fence so I tried.  Part of a front flowerbed, all along the east side of the house and the entire backyard are fenced... I have to admit it's not pretty fencing  but it worked.  The yard is full and lush and I love it!  We still have deer but only in the front yard!

This summer, R and I have been enjoying a Wednesday lunch out. Yesterday, we chose a local store with a deli, beer bar and a shady patio.  Beer comes in these cute small glasses for only $3.50.  R likes the darker ones and so did the bee, so she could only drink half while bee swam!   After we had finished eating, I took pity on the poor thing and it amazingly crawled around until its wings dried. It flew away without us noticing!

 There has been an unprecedented political storm here in the USA this summer. Let’s not forget! President Joe Biden- not popular, old, senile, incapable of doing the job. He gets Covid and decides he will not run for re-election.  We question who was actually running the country during his time in office and who forced his hand by plugging up the $$$$.  Let’s not forget! Kamala Harris- very unpopular, ineffective and unable to speak. Gets the support of the Democratic Party when Biden says he will not run. All the very public and very left statements she has ever made are being erased by the media. Let’s not forget! Unfortunately, she is rising in the polls.  She has yet to say anything unscripted since getting the nomination. Will she survive a public debate with Trump? She has just named Walz , governor of Minnesota , as her VP pick! Former President Trump- very popular, old but not senile, seemingly a straight shooter, has gotten things done in the past but has ...