One of the activities that we get to enjoy during the summer is kayaking.  Of course the least enjoyable task in kayaking is loading, strapping and transporting to the launch spot then unloading at which point your too exhausted to actually kayak.  So… one of the homeowners associations that I belong to, the one with access to the water, had a couple of spots available on their kayak racks for a small charge.  I couldn’t write the check fast enough!  Now all we have to do is drive to the access point, 3-4 city blocks, and launch right from the dock.  Sweet!

Well it’s been six months in the making but the solar installers finally finished and I’m now making some of my own power.  I was surprised that the panels are able to produce even in Michigan’s dark and gloomy winter days.  The local power company only allows homeowners to install enough panels to produce no more than 70 percent of their annual usage so I am anxious to see what that amounts to.

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Robin did it for Pat’s 50th, 60’th and again for her 70’th all surprise gatherings and Pat was clueless every time including this one.  This surprise started at Detroit Axe for what else but axe throwing and it was a hoot watching those who decided to participate.  Here is Pat practicing before they starting to keep score.

Not everyone invited could attend but was still a good sized crowd.

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So I’m downstate for work and still have a week to go when during my morning breakfast I get a notice from one of my cameras at the home. Needless to say that the last thing you want is one of your video cameras capturing this:

I got ahold of my neighbor next door who was nice enough to head on over to see what he could find.  A return call indicated that he could see something was inside but could not find anything so he set a live trap.  I threw a few things together and started my four hour trip to see what was happening myself.  Six hours after the first notice I’m heading into the house and disappointed that the live trap is empty.  I’m hoping that he found his way back out.  Nothing more for the rest of the day so I went to bed sleeping with one eye open.  Next morning still nothing so I make breakfast.  The little critter must have been hungry cause as I’m eating at the island movement catches my eye and there he is looking up at me like I’m supposed to give him some of my food.  Had he been any bigger I would most likely been standing on the island instead of chasing him around the island.  Long story short I was able to get him go out the front door, that I had opened. Just a tiny baby squirrel that was no longer in the house!

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I wasn’t able to finish my work downstate so it’s back down sometime in mid-November but I’ll be back in time for Thanksgiving and the traditional Christmas decorations.

Well I’m happy to inform that the removal happened today and I couldn’t  be happier.  To say that just one individual could complete the task took me by surprise would be an understatement!  But there he was equipped with a blow torch and a grinder and in no time he had that fixture laying on the ground in to pieces quickly loaded on his trailer.  All I can say that is that I couldn’t be more impressed.  Great job dude!

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Now all we have to do is remove the existing plantings and add a few pine trees.  We did keep the electrical, which will be updated so that we can add Christmas lights to the new pines during the holiday season.