Birches: Friends Report on Sept. 15

Some people are calling our run of excellent weather in Michigan "Indian Summer" although I don't believe it really qualifies for that name. I believe "Indian summer" happens later, if at all, after a siege of bad fall weather. In any event, it has been beautiful here and only a supreme grouch would not appreciate it. Meanwhile, with some stimulus money from Washington, many roads are being repaired. Everywhere we go, there are the traffic barrels. In Saginaw, it's hard to leave town, with all the roads it seems being blocked or narrowed. Again, we are glad, not upset by the happenings. I was driving down a main thoroughfare, Michigan Avenue, and thought how bad it was. Then I wondered when might have been the last time the avenue was in such bad condition and would GUESS, it was in the Great Depression, although I'm not old enough to swear to it.

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What some people are doing and saying

SOMEONE - is slaving away in Rm 61 at BHS, where I once spent many long days -- and years.

ALICE - is suggesting that everyone read this Huffington Post item about how the Democrats ought to get some backbone for a change. Very good article: CLICK

DEB V - will be off to Vegas.

DASHMANN - is off on a golfing excursion with friends.

SANDY - is home from California and will soon be off to France.

TRASE and SCOT - spent the weekend in Chicago, where they attended a U-2 Concert and had lots of other experiences in the big city.

BRENDA and STEVE - are home from a long weekend at Marquette (and a beer fest.)

AMY and IRISH MIKE - are visiting at Traverse City.

GIGI - tells the story of a woman friend of hers who always seems to find the negatives. After taking a tour in Europe, the woman spent her whole conversation time describing the bad weather in London, Paris, etc. This is why some people avoid some people.

SPARTY - commenting on the outburst by Joe Wilson calling Obama a liar, Bob says:

"Can we somehow get rid of the state of South Carolina? When Texas secedes can we make it a package deal?

"Madison, Franklin, Mason, Wilson, et al should have called South Carolina's bluff on the slavery issue in Philadelphia in 1787, Jackson should have let them go in the 1830s, Lincoln should have let them go in 1861; however, there's still time."

MARI - showed up well decked out in Michigan sybols, not because she's a fanatic, but because she wanted to chide SPARTY. Take a look at THE FEET!

SCOT - commenting on our movement to boycott self-checkout machines in stores, he said: "This is why I only purchase hand-built cars. Enough with the bloody robo-auto workers! And don't get me started on milk from mechanically milked cows... everyone knows that milk tastes better when extracted from manually-caressed udder."

BUMPER STICKER: You've all seen the one, "What would Jesus do" but now this: "What would Scooby Do?"

MARSHA - is embarrassed by Congressman Joe Wilson, as they're both from the same State.

BRENDA - has opened a very good new website, MICHIGAN MUGS AND MEALS. Go see her article, UP OKTOBERFEST CLICK

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SOME SNAPSHOTS:

The Thill kids