& that's the way life goes

I laugh but on the inside I find this absolutely adorable.

It’s also the place where legends are made. In 2006 the Michigan Legislature declared Oscoda the “official home of Paul Bunyan.” Resident Ed Glotfelty said the proclamation recognizes Oscoda as the literary home for the giant legendary logger based on the fact that the first printed story about him was written by Oscoda Press writer James MacGillivray in 1906.
Glotfelty, a history buff and man of sizable stature himself, portrays the lumberjack during the annual Paul Bunyan Festival, set in 2009 for September 18, 19 & 20. Events include a classic antique car show, children’s activities, a Lumberjack Show and a crowd-awing Chainsaw Carving Championship with participants coming from across the nation. (http://www.oscodachamber.com/)

In truth Oscoda isn’t where I spent my early childhood, that would have been at my Papa’s cottage in National City.   Maybe it’s because I only have vague memories of Island Lake and going to my Great Granny’s and that’s why I don’t find it that special.  Or maybe because it’s tarnished by events that happened in my teen years that I remember all to well.  Regardless,   my heart holds a special spot for Oscoda.  Beginning more specifically Old Orchard Campground.

© rialeilani 2006

I’m not good at making friends.  I’m ridiculously shy and I don’t break out of my shell until I get to know you.  Every summer at Old Orchard I made a new friend.  I became a part of a group.  The friendships didn’t last after I went away to college but for those summers  I didn’t feel awkward.  You ran into some of the same people every year.  Some you remembered, some you didn’t.  I’ll never forget being in the camp store and someone yelling my name.  I turned around and stood face to face with a boy.  And I asked, “Do I know you”.  He told me his name and it came back to me but it was still a little funny that there had been so many people the summer before that I honestly couldn’t place him at first.

I used to want to live up there.  I always wanted to live somewhere different.  Looking back it’s probably because where I was I never felt like I fit in.   Luckily, I had a couple close friends but never a group of people.

Years later I still find comfort in visiting.  Every year LP and I decided we are going to go at least once.  I love girlie weekend.  It’s a time to destress and get away from daily life.  We’re open to new people joining us.  We can’t believe that for the second year  it’s just the two of us.  I’ll be doing a lot of paddleboating, canoing, drinking and bike riding.  Don’t miss me too much (haha).  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

*the title has nothing to do with anything, i just suck at naming posts and He Loves U Not was on

This is the time of year I get mega nostalgic. I think way, way too much about the past.  I spent the last 5 weeks or so convincing myself that no one thinks about those times as much as me. That everyone’s lives have moved way beyond those memories. MC has a child now and we are all grown ups.

I was wrong.

I’m not the only one that still holds those memories close and that makes my heart lighter. I have a smile on my face that no one can take away this weekend.

In memory of that 4th of July night here are some things you maybe shouldn’t do on the 4th of July (or maybe you should cuz that was a night I sure as hell will never forget):

• ditch the people you said you’d hang out with to hang out with cuter guys
• use a vacuum attachment for drugs
• imitate MTV’s triple kiss
• share chips not using hands
• do cartwheels down the beach
• give feathers “to keep forever”
• spin too close to the fire
• drink 7 beers in an hour on an empty stomach
• get kicked out of a party possibly before the fireworks start (we can’t remember)
• jump out of a slowing car to head for the woods
• name a bug in the dashboard
• have a first kiss with someone special
• throw up out the car window
• passout in someone’s backseat

I was unpacking some more stuff for my office today.  I ran across some more unflattering pictures of myself that I thought about burning.  However, I did not.  I moved on and found little things that the bestie had made for me over the years, cards, pictures with our sayings and memories on them and last but not least something that made ever little effort I’ve made to let the past go come back and bite me in the ass.

Sometimes when life gets me down I focus on the happiest time of my life.  It helps me get through the day.  Well I’ve been thinking about this one particular time a lot lately.  I’m thinking that I should probably stop looking back so much and look forward a little bit more.

I read awhile ago that when you are obsessing over something, to diet from whatever it is.  Every time it crosses your mind you purposely think of something else.   I don’t remember all of the article just that they suggested thinking about auditioning for American Idol.  I don’t know why that one sticks in my head but it does.  So I’ve been trying out for American Idol a lot lately in my head.

Today in box buried under some old McDonald collectible toys (yes I still have a few from the lion king), a green plastic dinosaur from a Chicago museum and a painted rock I used to have under my pillow I found a tape.  I thought the tape had mysteriously disappeared years ago since I had looked for it, knowing it did exist.  But I had moved from Michigan to Florida and back to Michigan so I had lost hope.

That little bastard tape.  I can’t wait to get it on my laptop to send to the bestie.  She is going to laugh her ass off.

I was looking at the pictures on my computer today and I realized that I never posted any from my little excursion with my best furry friends.  Shame on me!  So be prepared it’s a picture extravaganza.  Haha not really but here ya go:

our little piece of heaven

Liko debating whether or not to go in the water instead of just biting at it

Nani and Scooby wading in the water

Scooby playing with a mussel shell

Liko decided to sunbath

passed out after a day out on the beach

Scooby annoyed I won't leave him alone

The view of Lake Huron

I didn’t want to come home.