Today I am so happy that the sun is shining and I am alive. What a turbolic (made up word) world it has been so far this week, and it’s only Wednesday. Glad the sun is out, glad the snow is almost gone, glad the State of the Union message went out, and no serious fights broke out, just one powerful, seen around the world kiss on the lips between Mrs. Biden and Kamala’s husband, but no one seemed to mind, that’s good. I’m sure Kamala found that just as funny as she does most things, you have to admit she seems like a real happy person, she just smiles and smiles, come what may.
So today is also the gadabout day….couldn’t ask for better weather. I ran up town and got the car washed (cheap one $7), then went on to pick up Giselle, as it is my turn to drive, then on to get Franceska. It was cold when I left to get the car washed, but now I had to drive slow, as the ice layer was melting and I wanted to keep the car reasonably clean. It was not to be…..I had said my prayers this morning, and thought God understood He was to keep the roads icy hard, so my car would stay clean. Not only were the prayers possibly being misunderstood, but Francheska lives on the driveway to hell. Pure black dirt mixed with a little sand, a few holes, and a few bigger holes.
Once everyone settled in, we decided we were going to cruise down to the area of 23 Mile Road and old Van Dyke. Big Lots is there, along with a Salvation Army store, an Amish furniture store, and a regular furniture store called Hampton House Furniture. Franceska said we should eat first. Giselle wanted to go someplace we had never been. We opted for the Romeo Family Diner, same shopping center as the show is in. Food was very good, and the conversation was as lively as always. Of course politics was first on the list. We each brought something different to the “Union” message proclaimed by President Biden and hashed it over thoroughly. But when I mentioned “the kiss,” well that was a clock stopper! We all laughed and laughed just like Kamala does. We discussed the weather all over the country and what it has been doing, and how lucky Michigan has been. Unlike Turkey, for them we will pray a lot, Giselle said the death toll was at 12,000, an unbelievable number to understand. For these people and their country there are not enough prayers in the world.
Big Lots is packed with everything spring and Easter (we need another holiday) new outdoor furniture (didn’t anyone tell them we get a blizzard in March) you would think snow shovels would be on sale now. Salvation Army wants your household goods as they are running out of stuff to sell, (no kidding) they had little to no furniture, no winter boots, but lots of other stuff, and we all got some stuff, and out we went. I think everyone is looking for a PIECE of furniture, whether it is a night stand, a wood book shelf, a rocking chair, an end table, a kitchen table, but lots of people are looking and it is a pain in the neck to go from store to store in hope of finding it. So I think the old Pamida building would be a good place for all the Goodwill, St. Vincent DePaul, Salvation Army and any other thrift furniture places to go so they could all be under one roof, it would be a great go to place I think.
Well we ate, shopped and were on our way home, with the sun in our faces, and the car warm. We drove north on old Van Dyke till it curves around to the Van Dyke expressway. “I wonder where that road leads to, it goes north? I think,” “Take it,” said Franceska, “I don’t think I’ve ever been on this road, whatever it is, no sign,” replied Giselle. So off we went. It looked like it had rained here a lot, road was very wet and kind of grey mud, not too many cars. What a road it turned out to be…Fantasy houses on both sides, ponds, so many different kinds of houses, turrets, towers, porches, rolling hills and stone fronts, white houses, brick, we oohed and ahhed, then we came to an historical sign that explained why it was called Campground Road… There it was in front of us, an encampment of about 50 buildings painted soft yellow with green trim. Small houses or cottages, larger buildings, a horse stable, some smaller buildings, looking so clean and peaceful. I think it was built in 1885, by the Methodist church, but the exact reason escapes me, so I am sending a picture to go along with this story. It is still being used today.
I urge you to take a drive, check out the beautiful homes, and the “Camp,” when you drive past the camp and go straight and can’t go any further, you have reached the road that is the southern boundary of the old GM Proving Grounds. Just don’t do it after rain or snow.
Contact Diane at tct@pageone-inc.com.
