"I am reviewing the whole situation"

Those words come to mind, actually from a song of the Broadway musical Oliver. Fagan reflecting upon his situation.

What a summer schedule! Canadian cottage two times in May; an almost 2 month journey starting with meeting Andre and Sarah South of Chicago to lend them the Alero, then Kathy and I taking I 55, jumping off episodically to follow reminants of the original Route 66 (Chicago to LA) on our way to St. Louis MO. As we did so, we encountered Abraham Lincoln's past, mostly pre-American Civil War. In Springfield Ill., we toured the Lincoln Memorial Library and museum. The complexities of Slavery, and the general sense, at least for the leadership, both black and white, that once slaves were freed, that the now freed slaves would want to go back to their homelands in Africa. Obviously, that did not happen.

Kathy and I were both moved emotionally by our visit to Springfield and discussed many related topics on our way to and subsequently through Missouri. Staying a hot and tornado warning night in a State Park with few other campers, we remained off the "beaten tract" for part of the next day as we headed West through small towns and burgs until catching up with I 70 again, making Hesston KS in the early afternoon. From JD and Vilma's wedding reception (State's Side) we traveled the high plains onto Vancouver BC our jumping off point for Yukon Territories and beyond. Whitehorse, a town as far South as the riverboat ferries would go (up the Yukon River, since it flows from South to North and then West in Alaska), where the rapids were so treacherous that traversing them was perilous so the riverboats would collect man, beast, and belongings who had sucessfully either "shot the rapids" or portaged around them, and taken them the next 427 miles North to Dawson City were the Gold Rush occurred in 1898 and 1899. By the time 99% of the gold miners arrived in Dawson City, almost all the claims were staked and there was nothing available. More than a century ago, Dawson City was a town of 30,000 people; now it has barely 2,000 permanent inhabitants.

Making friends with a small group of people was the unintended consequence of doing the Land Tour first as we stayed together for the entire 19 days of land followed by sea cruise. We have promised sharing pictures with each other, but the process of reviewing has yet to begin. There are lots of pictures along the trip and have yet to be edited and transfered to a CD.

The next segment of our trip was related to family in the Bay area, followed by a Western tour, more family then home. Bright and early the following morning, we picked up Nana at DTW and began our family times again, both in East Lansing and the Canadian Cottage where we are today.

This morning to mid afternoon, it has been overcast with spits of rain. Rythm at first did not want to get into the rowboat as he was worried the boat and ride were going to be "tippy". However, after reassurance by Grandma Kathy who stood on the deck taking pictures, I placed him onto the stern seat of the rowboat, and we began to row together. Rythm and I rowed across Little Pike Bay, my hands upon his: "forward and back; forward and back" we said as we were propelled across the water. As of now, @ 3 PM, the sun is poking it head out of the breaking up cloud bank, winds from the South Southeast and a bit humid. When Rythm awakens from his nap, Grandma Kathy too, we will head for Sandy Beach since the shallow warm water has been a magnet, drawing an initially reluctant Rythm into its enchantment, transforming a once stay-on-the-shore-no bathing-suit-please-and-I-will-keep-my-shoes-on-thank-you to a run-across-the-sand-into-the-water-catch-me-if-you-can runabout 3 year old. Repeated trips to Sandy Beach; seeing other young children in the water helps as well.

Bec, Johan and Marcus are due tomorrow sometime and Thursday morning RJ heads back to the Bay Area; Yasmina and Rythm, picking up Nana from Grandma Betsy's will be headed for Washington DC and the "Gentleman Johnny Robinson Family ReUnion", 500 strong held over the weekend.

Kathy and myown summer plans extend to staying at the cottage until after Labor Day. A visit by Bob and Kathy V will be sometime near the 3rd week of August.

There is enough blue in the sky to make a pair of sailor's pants, so we just have to wait for the sleepy heads to arise.