Sunday in the UP

I don't think this will be a long one in terms of narrative, but there will be plenty of photos.  I'm writing it on Sunday night and posting it on Tuesday as I make my way back home to Pasadena.  A Sunday of driving and sightseeing in the Upper Peninsula.  Pure Michigan.  Pure beauty.

A late start to our morning, but at last we were out the door of the hotel and in the car, and before you know it, we were in Munising. 

A small town, barely 2000 people there (if that!).  We stopped into a little coffee and book shop for a modest lunch,

and then poked in a store

and saw one little corner of the town before wandering down to the lakefront. 

We could have booked onto a tour boat

to go see the Pictured Rocks, but no, we opted to just go see what we could by driving into the National Lakeshore instead.  Still, it was a gorgeous day on Lake Superior!

First stop, Miners Castle. 

A cool formation, not overrun with folks, happily.  We got some great shots there. 

The water was stunning.  After that, it was on to Miners Falls,

another easy walk to see, and a beautiful sight.  More of a waterfall than I expected, to be honest.  Impressive.

The last stop was not in the park but west of Munising, near Christmas.  The Bay Furnace, the ruins of an old furnace operation right on the lake shore. 

We stopped to admire it, and I got to go down to the water edge

and touch the lake.

We noticed on our drive and walking just how green everything was. 

And also how there were spring flowers in abundance:  forget-me-nots,

violets,

trilliums. 

So fantastic.

I have an odd relationship with the UP because of a long in-law history that has ranged from fine (right now) to very not fine (18 or so years ago).  Today, though, this part of the world really showed itself off marvelously!

And then we came back to the hotel and had a good meal in the dining room overlooking the water.  Pork shank for me!

adding to the collection

Another short blog post from Honolulu. We intend to spend much of today on the beach with books and postcards and bathing suits, and it's only the graciousness of Conrad that let's me take a little time to blog first. So, a quick entry wherein I poke gentle fun of my vanity.

Aloha shirts. I love them. Colourful. Fun. How many do I have now? I've lost count. And now I have a few more. As if I could come to Hawai'i and not buy at least one. At least.

So then, a few shots of the new shirts. Ah yes, oooo and aaaaah over them and wish you had your own.





The beach beckons; further blogging can await airport time tomorrow and down time on Labour Day. Have a great long weekend everyone!

shopping in YVR

Because no vacation trip to Vancouver would be complete without visits to my temple, The Bay, and my new shrine, Koda Klothing,
and my long time mainstream Canadian obsession, Roots, I offer you photos of shopping done, things considered (but not purchased), and a glimpse into how very stereotypically gay I can be and was on the most recent trip up.

The fun hat from a shop on Granville Island? Inspired by Martin, of course!

And, frankly, I look pretty snazzy in a new shirt found at Koda paired with a jacket on sale from The Bay on the previous trip up.

One day, however, I shall shop with my other retail god (TK, the Master of All Things Outlet is the first shopping god I worship), Chris. The things he finds are remarkable. I will be brave...

small vanity post

I keep meaning to catch up on this blogging thing - I think I should rename the blog to Peter Can't Keep Up or something similar - and I do have things to say about the recent DC experience (food!) as well as the holiday weekend up in the UP (food!).

I will, I promise. All good things, etc.

For now, a vanity post. New shirts for the DC conference, a whole slew of them wheeled out. Short sleeves were my theme for the most part, though I wore long sleeve to the Merritt dinner at the Folger.

And you know what? Really, I rocked those shirts, truly. Day in and day out. Fun clothes to brighten up the life of a librarian.

;-)

A number of the shirts have shown up in posts already, but I think this one is best anyway. Admit it, you want it...

post-ALA quick post

So here am I, ages removed from the last blog entry (scant opportunity/access while a week in DC, other excuses, blah blah blah), scarfing down lunch at home before Conrad gets here, we pack up, and head north to the UP. Time enough to at least say hello to my four readers.

[hello!]

So let me check in by saying a few quick words on recent things, and over time catch up in more detail:

A week hanging out with my best friend, Todd? Wow. Lucky me! More raving to come. Also, a note to self: make sure to have the makings of cookies for next weekend on hand.

Bonus marks for the quality time with Buster and Coney, those gorgeous Labs. I am truly in love with those dogs.

A week hanging out with my longtime conference roomie and close friend Martin? Wow. Lucky me again! And again, more raving to come.

Cute outfits!

Coordinated outfits!

Great food!

OK, Conrad just got in the door. Time to get motoring and enjoy a long holiday weekend as an honourary Yooper!

benefits

Conrad has many many fine qualities for which I love him dearly. But I must confess, among them is the fact that I can forage in his closet for things to wear when I tire of my own closet. That we're a similar size is a lovely benefit. And really, this shirt is both funky and cute. Suits me nicely.




Oh, come on, no jeering - my vanity has been well-established on this blog already!

they grow 'em tall in Virginia

I actually wanted to title this post with David's last name. It's become an affectionately humourous thing to do to refer to him by it, but you have to imagine that in doing so, there is an exclamation point. Hence: Xxxxx! It's a one syllable last name, and lends itself beautifully to this silliness. Alas, I don't put last names on this blog if I can help it, and so I shall not do so now.

Instead, let's know David for a few other things:

• height - they grow 'em tall in Virginia
• humour - the man laughs a lot. Smiles. Laughs. Cheerful. Cheering.
• hotness - I KNOW that many many men in the GLBTRT would looooooove quality time with David. Whatever that means!

Conrad is still in Honolulu (back on Thursday, yay!), and David needed a bit of a break from rural life downstate with Farmer Dave (his partner). A trip to Chicago, a chance to hangout outside of conference? Heck yes!

I met him downtown - he had walked over from the train station. Our first mission: Nordstrom Rack, where we'd successfully found shirts to fit his frame last summer. Fun shirts. Apparently Farmer Dave made some comment about David shopping with me and coming home with more embroidered shirts. That made me laugh.

We both hit the racks and the fitting rooms - David had a haul of 15 to try on. We found this one in particular that was just so bad 80's Parachute Club sort of gear that HE had to try it on. Lo, it was a woman's top on the wrong rack. It kinda fit him, but he doesn't have the bust to really work it.

;-)

David ended up with a few shirts and a pair of shoes, while I tried on several possible ones

before settling on a couple of short sleeve Brokeback shirts.
Size small. I just wanted to brag about that.

A late lunch then at Bin 36, a cab up to Boystown, more stores and ice cream, a walk home. Laughter.
A ton of it.

Dinner was at Wakamono on Broadway - we took along a bottle of Chardonnay and settled down to tempura and maki. No other big plans for the night - David wanted to see photos of BC, and I never mind boring people to tears with photos!

We kinda slept in. And then we kinda just lounged around a long while before bothering to head out, this time to Hearty Boys for brunch sitting at the bar. I wish the food were better - the menu reads so well, and the waffles looked great. Tough as leather and cold. I didn't mind - conversation was good, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was fun, too. Plus, at least I had a bit of bacon.

And then it was afternoon. David and I looked at more BC and other photos lazily before I roused us to grab a coffee and go walk over by the lake a bit. We were barely home after that when he was off to catch his train back to Farmer Dave, leaving me to hope that he can come visit again - Conrad has only met him once but would have enjoyed the visit a lot - or that I can check out downstate one weekend down the road.