August 16, 2014
One Week, Four People, Up North
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Scenes from our recent vacation
Here is a group of artists and their easels on the beach. It's hard to get the colors right when sand keeps blowing into the paint.
Four old friends take a break from a game of mini golf.
M and K play a game at Lucky Jack's - they have this game at home, so why not pay someone else in another city to play it when you're on vacation?
"So then I said 'I know you're still wearing it, but I found the watch, so it's mine. Ha ha ha ha!'"
K and Laurie play a game where they shoot balls at a target at Lucky Jack's.
A nice evening shot of the Frankfort lighthouse - picture by J.
On the way home, we stopped at Adventure Island in Cadillac, MI. M and I challenged each other to a few laps on the go-kart track. M demonstrated outstanding leadfootery and reckless driving, two traits I hope he doesn't carry with him when he starts to drive real cars.
M and K enjoy a plastic straw full of honey at Bee Dazzled, a farm in Benzonia (near Frankfort).
K and M on the beach.
M and K enjoy a decaf mocha while playing checkers at Trick Dog, an art store and coffee shop in Elberta, across Lake Betsie from Frankfort.
"...and I found the '64 Buick over there where that seagull is. I told you about the '64 Buick, right?"
This is what the lighthouse looks like when you're standing right next to it. It's much taller than it appears from shore.
Another great sunset shot by M.
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Scenes from our recent vacation
Here is a group of artists and their easels on the beach. It's hard to get the colors right when sand keeps blowing into the paint.
Four old friends take a break from a game of mini golf.
M and K play a game at Lucky Jack's - they have this game at home, so why not pay someone else in another city to play it when you're on vacation?
"So then I said 'I know you're still wearing it, but I found the watch, so it's mine. Ha ha ha ha!'"
K and Laurie play a game where they shoot balls at a target at Lucky Jack's.
A nice evening shot of the Frankfort lighthouse - picture by J.
On the way home, we stopped at Adventure Island in Cadillac, MI. M and I challenged each other to a few laps on the go-kart track. M demonstrated outstanding leadfootery and reckless driving, two traits I hope he doesn't carry with him when he starts to drive real cars.
M and K enjoy a plastic straw full of honey at Bee Dazzled, a farm in Benzonia (near Frankfort).
K and M on the beach.
M and K enjoy a decaf mocha while playing checkers at Trick Dog, an art store and coffee shop in Elberta, across Lake Betsie from Frankfort.
"...and I found the '64 Buick over there where that seagull is. I told you about the '64 Buick, right?"
This is what the lighthouse looks like when you're standing right next to it. It's much taller than it appears from shore.
Another great sunset shot by M.
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A Trip to Jackson, Some Tennis, and a Few Links
Jackson Visit
We went to Jackson last week to visit Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa), and especially to see Dad's (Grandpa's) most recent sculpture outside Ella Sharp Museum.
It's titled "The Blonde Trick-Rider Practices for the State Fair".
At Ella Sharp, M finally realizes his dream of being on TV. Or in TV. Or behind TV.
M and K try out the "Whispering Bench", so named because a person can whisper into one end and the other person can hear it perfectly.
A yucca plant next to the house has sprouted quite a stalk.
While we were at Ella Sharp, we noticed a lot of hot-air balloons taking off. We were a little puzzled since the Hot Air Jubilee is scheduled for this coming weekend, but we were told that this was a preview of the Jubilee, intended to create excitement and publicity for the real thing.
Tennis Update
K played his first official USTA tournament over the weekend. He played four matches over two days, and we were exhausted just watching him play. Three of his four matches were against kids who had played many tournaments in the past, but he played hard and didn't give up any easy points. For all the time we were there, we somehow neglected to take even a single picture.
Links
Gears, gears, and more gears.
A clever idea for the reader on your Christmas list.
Shops and shopkeepers.
I keep looking, but I've never seen one of these to rent at the canoe livery.
And finally - nope, nope, nope-ity nope.
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We went to Jackson last week to visit Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa), and especially to see Dad's (Grandpa's) most recent sculpture outside Ella Sharp Museum.
It's titled "The Blonde Trick-Rider Practices for the State Fair".
At Ella Sharp, M finally realizes his dream of being on TV. Or in TV. Or behind TV.
M and K try out the "Whispering Bench", so named because a person can whisper into one end and the other person can hear it perfectly.
A yucca plant next to the house has sprouted quite a stalk.
While we were at Ella Sharp, we noticed a lot of hot-air balloons taking off. We were a little puzzled since the Hot Air Jubilee is scheduled for this coming weekend, but we were told that this was a preview of the Jubilee, intended to create excitement and publicity for the real thing.
Tennis Update
K played his first official USTA tournament over the weekend. He played four matches over two days, and we were exhausted just watching him play. Three of his four matches were against kids who had played many tournaments in the past, but he played hard and didn't give up any easy points. For all the time we were there, we somehow neglected to take even a single picture.
Links
Gears, gears, and more gears.
A clever idea for the reader on your Christmas list.
Shops and shopkeepers.
I keep looking, but I've never seen one of these to rent at the canoe livery.
And finally - nope, nope, nope-ity nope.
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Happy Independence Day, America!
M, facing the camera, in the middle of the action, wins the pie-eating contest. The boy with his back to camera who jumps up and celebrates has not actually won - M won, as determined by the judge in the orange shirt. M has dominated this contest two years in a row. Sadly, this is not the kind of talent that helps him get better grades or leads to a promising career, although it does temporarily satisfy his desire for dessert.
July 4th Greetings to All!
We are having a beautiful July 4 here in Michigan. The weather barely hit the low end of 80 degrees, and we had a picnic with a number of friends, acquaintances, and several people we hadn't met before today.
[Editor's Note: I started this on July 4th, but then we got together with some neighbors to eat s'mores and set off fireworks and it got too late to get it in before midnight.]
Happenings
A band plays to a pretty good-sized crowd at Top of the Park
We went to Top of the Park, part of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival last night. We had some yummy local food, saw some great musical acts including local favorite Laith Al-Saadi, whose music reminded me of southern jam-band blues. Great stuff. M and a friend of his stayed late to see the movie, which ended around midnight. J and I went home and went to bed at a sensible hour.
A Global Hello
I want to say hello to my friends and coworkers in India who tell me they regularly read this blog. Hello to Mahesh, Sai, Sampath (who have told me they read it) and all my other colleagues there.
A Graduation, and End of the Year Honors
M outside the school, on graduation day
Graduation Day
He finally did it - M completed eighth grade on Friday! There was a ceremony in the gym with all the students, and it was a packed house with parents, grandparents, and quite a few siblings who had taken the morning off school to see their brother or sister.
We were proud to watch M receive honors for being one of the top science students in the grade. He also was recognized as one of the 31 students who received all A's for every quarter from sixth through eighth grade. Last but not least, he was nominated for the "Golden Bear" award - two boys and two girls are named "Golden Bears" for being all-around great students, citizens, helpers, and just plain good people. They are nominated by teachers, and each teacher gets to vote for the winners. As they say at the Oscars, it's an honor just to be nominated, and the fact that M's teachers felt highly enough of him to nominate and vote for him makes his parents extremely proud.
During his three years at Slauson, M played soccer, volleyball, and tennis. He was a member of the Science Olympiad team for two years, the second of which saw him get a medal at the State competition. He was one of five students who made the morning announcements each day during the past year. He is going to do some volunteer work this summer at Safety Town, a class for preschoolers who will be in Kindergarten next year. He will also be going to band camp in August.
He has made a fine impression on his teachers and classmates in middle school, and we know he'll do the same next year at Pioneer High.
Great job, M!
M plays a sax solo with the Slauson Middle School Jazz Band before the graduation ceremony.
Math Olympiad Wrap-Up
On Saturday, another (long) year of Math Olympiad ended with a ceremony and lunch celebrating the hard work that all the students exhibited in the name of math education. This ended K's second year in the Math Olympiad program, and his second year of receiving a medal for being the top student in his class. His "top" status was determined by test scores, attendance, participation in class, homework, and other factors.
K has a special talent for math that he is going to continue to grow in the years to come. He was taking seventh-grade math this year as a sixth-grader, and next year will take eighth-grade math. In eighth grade, he will likely go to Pioneer High for first-hour math, then go back to middle school to take his other classes.
Congratulations to K on his high level of achievement in Math Olympiad!
K (third from left in the front row) has two medals - the one with the yellow lanyard is for being the top student in the class
K outside Tappan Middle School, where the Math Olympiad classes were held every Saturday morning during the school year.
Piano Recital
One of the few who know the words. Unfortunately, his nickname is Silent Eddie.
Recital
The boys played two pieces each at their annual piano recital. It was at a new location this year, and they played really well. Grandma and Grandpa Bruey and Grandma and Grandpa Smith all trekked to southeastern Michigan to enjoy the music and good company of their progeny.
K mugs in front of the piano. He played two pieces by Schumann.
M rolled up his sleeves and got to work at the recital. He played two pieces by Vandall, one of his favorite composers.
After the recital, we went to Qdoba, to which I had never been, and then around the corner to Orange Leaf, a frozen yogurt, mix-your-own-concoction place. They had soft-serve machines with different flavors, and toppings like fruit, M&Ms, cookie crumbles, and waffle cone bits. You combine whatever you want in the bowl and pay by the pound. Easy and delicious. We'll probably be back soon.
The end of school is right around the corner, as is Memorial Day. We're looking forward to some warm weather, some picnic fun, and definitely some lazy naps on lounge chairs. I hope the hummingbirds keep it down so I can get some rest.
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Jazz Soloing for Eighth-Graders
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M jams along with the Slauson Middle School band
Jammin'
We knew he had a solo in the concert (he told us at dinner right beforehand), but we didn't realize that M and three of his bandmates were going to be featured soloists, at the front of the stage, during a jazz number. M and the other three players improvised solos, accompanied by the rest of the band. The song itself was an original composition by all the band members, and was called "In Jeopardy".
Congratulations on your solo, M!
Links
I really like this line of watches.
Olympic curling like you've never seen it before.
Collin describes how to use breadboards and perfboards.
M jams along with the Slauson Middle School band
Jammin'
We knew he had a solo in the concert (he told us at dinner right beforehand), but we didn't realize that M and three of his bandmates were going to be featured soloists, at the front of the stage, during a jazz number. M and the other three players improvised solos, accompanied by the rest of the band. The song itself was an original composition by all the band members, and was called "In Jeopardy".
Congratulations on your solo, M!
Links
I really like this line of watches.
Olympic curling like you've never seen it before.
Collin describes how to use breadboards and perfboards.
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