Tales of Michigan MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Firstly, apologies that I am posting this so early, although it is Monday morning for at least some of the Mumpers (TYVM, you know who you are :)). At any rate, let’s get on with the show …

I was born in Delaware, but from age 3 to 11, I lived in Michigan. I loved Michigan; all four of my brothers were born there. The first town we lived in, from 55-57, was a very small town just over the border with Ohio, Morenci. I don’t have many memories of Morenci, unfortunately, and the only pictures I have were from the photo albums my parents kept. I have recently been in touch with a playmate from those days, though, and she was going there for a visit and is going to share pictures with me. I told her that most of my memories of the town centered around the two main playgrounds.

The next town we lived in was Comstock Park, which is a suburb of Grand Rapids. It is also in a tornado alley; I don’t remember ever seeing a tornado, but I do recall seeing the aftermath of one. This is where I went to kindergarten – at the height of the baby boom generation; my morning class had -56- students! The school system was so over crowded that for part of first grade, they had to hold the classes in the basement of a nearby church. Somehow, I can’t imagine that happening today—especially since they use those portable classrooms. We only lived there for a year and a half, moving in February 1959. Oh, one vacation we took to Silver Lake, over near Lake Michigan, and took a dune buggy ride—great fun if you ever get the chance to do it!

My favorite place we lived in Michigan, though, was Manistee; right on Lake Michigan! Beautiful beaches – I learned to swim in Lake Michigan – but lots of snow during the winter! We had pictures of the kids standing on these huge piles of snow!! My two youngest brothers were born in Manistee. My best friend lived right next door, and I probably spent more time there than I did at home. We’re still in touch to this day. In 1962, though, we moved from Manistee to Interlochen, where both parents taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy the first year it was open. At the end of the year, my mom was asked back but my dad was not, so the family ended up coming back east, where my dad continued training to become an Episcopal priest (all those moves were mostly due to him being a minister; he was trained originally as a Baptist, switched to Congregational when we went to Michigan, then moved to the Episcopal church).

I hope this isn’t too discombobulated! I love Michigan, but haven’t been able to return for a visit since a family vacation there in 1968. I know it’s changed dramatically since then, but it’s good that I have all my familiar memories.

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First?

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: sics Thrak on mouse :

My mother’s side of the family is from Michigan, Alpena specifically. I haven’t been there since the 20th Century.

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Sssshhhhhhh… be quiet. Don’t let ‘em know how good Michigan is. Please go back to the normal programming and talk about corrupt mayors, unemployment, inner city decay, and bad sports teams. Quit talkin’ about how good it is, we don’t want to let the riff-raff in.

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I grew up in Michigan, in a tiny little town in the Thumb area called Pigeon. It’s seven miles from Caseville, wherein lies “the beach” of Saginaw Bay. It was the 80’s when I grew up there, but it was more like the 50’s, with regards to morals and social mores.
Wouldn’t want to live there now, but it was a good place to be a kid.

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Ooooo Thrak! :: pets Thrak ::

Whoops! Sorry about not leaving real comments up there. My computer decided it needed to restart :rolleyes: and then I got distracted… Lehman is declaring bankruptcy and Merrill is being bought by BoA (Bank of America). Tomorrow at work should be interesting.

My memories of Michigan are pretty few. My Dad lived there when I was in Jr. High. I visited once for Christmas with my Grandma; I was 11 I think. On the way to Midland where he lived, we went the wrong way on the I-69/I-96 interchange. Since it was late at night on Christmas Eve, we ended up 3 hours out of our way and in a baaad Detroit neighborhood before we found an open gas station to get directions. But, we made it.

While we were there, I got very sick. I spent two days or so on the couch. Ugh.

Oh, and on a trip to Illinois this past June, I had a layover in the Detroit airport.

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I went to Camp Manistee–which I loved. I only went once. I loved the climax forest best. MI has some really beautiful areas in it.

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I grew up in and still consider Flint, MI to be my home. Yeah, you only hear bad things, but honestly its a very pretty town, for the most part the people are friendly, warm, and interesting. There’s a wonderful farmers market, a great cultural center, and a really wonderful emerging arts community that I think is great fun. I hope one day there will be a job for me there or I get some brilliant idea I think may actually work to reform the schools there so I can go home.

I also need to go to Lake Michigan once a year or insanity will follow.

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Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention- we lived in Flint until I was 8 before we moved to the Thumb. This was in the 70’s when the city went downhill fast. For a long time my neighborhood was young families and old people, decent little houses, not bad. When we moved out most of the houses were boarded up and we heard gunshots on a regular basis. It was not pretty. It’s probably better now, though.

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I love Michigan and hope to never leave. I live in the suburbs of Detroit, but take any opportunity to visit farther north. The pines, the beach, the breeze, the bonfires and starry skies. Sigh I plan on buying a log cabin up there somewhere, someday. The beaches on Lake Michigan in the north-west, around Charlevoux are my favorite. Also, lots of memories in Oscoda on Lake Huron.

Actually, my friend and I are planning a trip just north of Oscoda to go snorkeling around some shipwrecks he knows of, this coming weekend.

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I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever been in Michigan other than to drive across a piece of it. I seem to be drawing a blank, so if I have, it wasn’t memorable enough to grab a few neurons in my memory. So I shall have to add it to the list of places to visit one of these days. Especially the UP, which has actually been on the list for a while just based on pretty pictures.

I’ve had a dull and boring day trying (and mostly failing) to work. It’s just been one of those days when I couldn’t get going well, and didn’t have enough motivation to really try very hard. Oh well, this too shall pass.

At least our weather report looks lovely for the next ten days or so – after tomorrow, it’s supposed to be sunny with highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 60s. Yay! Maybe the summer heat and humidity will finally decide to depart. I am definitely ready for some open windows and fresh air.

Talk to you all tomorrow!

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Never (ETA: on reflection – never really) been to Michigan. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been to any states bordering on Michigan… (I have been to Ontario, however.)
ETA: On reflection, scratch that… I’m pretty sure I spent a vacation in Minnesota, at the ripe old age of about 1.5 or 2 (1965). Have been told we drove there and back from MA, so probably have been to Michigan, at least on a drive by…
Zero memories of that, though, which isn’t really surprising given my age at the time.

It is a place I would like to visit someday.

Oh, and look at all the Michiganders (in yiddish: Michiginners :p) coming out of the woodworks! :smiley: (Hi, Rosie II. We’ll definitely need a nickname for you! there’s already one of you here, and she’s been here a tad longer… Sleepy?)

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Great OP, Herbs. I’ve never been to Michigan, at least I don’t think I have and I’m sure I’d know, right?

I just went back to read the end of last week’s MMP and have seen your comments on the Poulet de la Morte. Can’t remember who said what, but the answers are as follows: yes, I did remember the nutmeg, in fact I grated it myself. No, I didn’t use chicken thighs so I may try it again with those. Yes, I was a veggie for about 25 years and then gave it up much to the relief of 'im indoors and his family who have great difficulty coping with a meat-free diet. The Creole seasoning sounds great, I wonder if they ship to the UK…

My Shiny New Boss is on holiday this week and hasn’t emailed me since Friday morning. I have exciting things to do this week. so I’d better get on!

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Here. Crappy mood. Bye.

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Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffienatin’ here. Soon purtification for work must commence.

I had an aunt (mom’s sis, now deceased) that lived in the burbs of Detroit. I still have two cousins who live in the Ann Arbor area. I remember visitin’ Michigan as a cub and goin’ to Niagra Falls. Other than that I’ve been to Michigan a couple of times on bidness.

Tummy is rumbly so I guess I need to forage.

Hope the mood improves Pie.

Later Y’all!

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Hi all. Nice OP herbs. I may have been to Michigan once when I was about 7 years old. I simply don’t remember!

Made Death Chicken yesterday. It was okay but the boobies dried out too much. Next time I will use drumsticks or bone-in thighs.

Back to work … :smiley:

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I’ve never been to Michigan. I have some acquaintances up there I’d love to meet, though.

This has been the weekend of road excitement. Last night Toy Roommate’s car broke down. We’ve determined that the 20-year-old clutch decided to give out. I used my AAA membership to get her a free tow home. WOWCrack is going to get her a new clutch and me a new battery cable because my battery ran low and the corrosion was so bad on the negative terminal that the clamp had to be grounded to the engine mount.

Then on Friday one of my next-next door* neighbors saw a log truck smoking at the main intersection at the end of the street. She called the cops right before this happened. I saw Charred Remains on the side of the road when I went to get Bobbye Froggye’s cricket dinner yesterday.

*Next door to next door

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I had a good friend from Detroit…

rush, rush, rush!

Morning!

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I’ve been through Michigan on my way other places. It looks like Ontario to me, which means’s it’s beautiful. :smiley:
Urgh. Very bad night, and Nat was horrible and desperately “I want Mommy!” to Mr. Lissar all night last night. Work was fine, but getting up a whole lot in the night was not.
Nat’s acquiring very interesting bruises from being Adventure Baby. He’s got a lovely one on his forehead, where he smacked into something trying to climb it, and good ones on his knees. Any day now someone’s going to call CPS on us.

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Yup. Lived in Michigan as a toddler, and on the border in Indiana in a couple of different counties to my early 20s. I love SW Michigan, especially the area around Warren Dunes State Park.

I’m having Death Chikkie for N. O. L. this week.

Public Service Anouncement

I have next week’s MMP. Those of you who wish to participate in the OP have an assignment: Go out and take some pictures of where you do your daily routine, whatever that may be.

I’m gonna pick on Rigs as my example. I know she lives in the general Chicago area. I envision that she might have a shot of the hospital where she works, or maybe the Starbucks where she deblurfs in the morning, etc.

Doggio might have a shot of the bark park where he takes Nellie.

I’m looking for the everyday places, not running downtown to shoot the Sears Tower or the Fashion Mart. Likewise, if you are not comfortable taking a oicture of your house or your workplace, then don’t.

Remember this rule: everday places, not points of interest listed in the Tourist Board pamphlets (unless you have something to do with them, that is).

End PSA.