Torch Lake Musings

It's been months since we have touched base with everyone. Retired life continues to grow on us. In January we made a trip to California to visit Andy, Katie and Will. We were able to spend one day with Jon and Trish and the children as well.






Will has a favorite thing to say these days: Tell me a story about that. So we spent hours 'telling stories' about trips we took to the park, the children's museum, the mall ---whatever we did had accompanying stories. When Andy and Katie came home from work, Will would ask them to tell a story about their days. Guess it is just a two year old substitute for 'why'. But we loved it!

In February we spent a day in Sparta. Bob, Matt, Jacob and Eli took in the Grand Rapids Auto Show-the fourth year in a row. Jill, Elaine and Sami met Aunt Kate for breakfast and spent the day shopping in Rockford.

We have been enjoying our mild winter. There has been much less snow this year, warmer temperatures and the lake never iced over for long. This week we have awakened to thin ice covering some or all of the surface, but by noon it is gone. Bob has been downhill skiing a couple of times a week at Shanty Creek. Jill is going to yoga a couple of times a week. So we do a little bit to stay healthy. Both of us are feeling fine, though some have questioned if Jill is getting a bit forgetful. In order to be sure none of you know for sure if she is crazy or not she has worked out some strategies for appearing to have a great memory:

• When sending birthday cards, she will put a check mark next to the name on the calendar so she doesn't send two to the same person. Good idea, huh, Trish.
• She has taken a refresher course on the arrows that show up in the email in-box. Now she knows for sure, that if the arrow curves to the right, she has already forwarded it to someone. A quick check of the sent box ought to keep her from sending the same emails over and over. Right!?!
• In order to remember all dates of importance, she will adopt the Sarah Palin trick of writing on the palm of her hand things she should remember until she gets to a calendar. Never want to miss a grandchild's music program again!!

Perhaps some of you will remember what Grandpa Johnson often said about having 'sometimers'. Hope none of the rest of you ever get it!!

Jill is going to Sparta next week to spend a day reading in first grade classrooms at Jacob's school. It has become a March tradition since that is when schools celebrate Reading Month. There are still a number of teachers and other staff members that were working with Jill in Sparta so many years ago. While she is there she will get to take in a swimming class with Jacob and Eli (watching, not swimming).


A week from Saturday we are leaving for a trip to Italy. The tour will take us to Milan, Venice, Florence, Sorrento and Rome. Several of our friends are going with us-it is a group of 10 people we know from various times in our lives. Our group will make up about a third of the total tour so there will be opportunities to meet new people too.


We will go to Molly's in April to share in the joy of Ben's First Communion and the pain of Dave's knee surgery.

Other than that, nothing new to report. Hope everyone is well. We always welcome news from your homes.

I can't figure out how to put titles on these pictures or how to get them where I want them to be. I know, no pictures of Dave or Elaine, but nevertheless, I will publish and hope you enjoy.


Jill and Bob