We Are Family Even If You're Not My Favorite

My father was the youngest of eight children, and I am the youngest cousin in the family. I'm closer in age to my second cousins which has led me to establish close relationships with them, as well.

My fathers oldest brother passed away at a young age leaving behind a daughter who was my fathers godchild. Being Polish and Catholic my father took this responsibility to heart and treated my cousin Lorraine just like a daughter, and my sister, brother, and I love her like a sister.

This is my cousin Lorraine holding me on her wedding day in 1952 as you can see there is a large age difference. She being the oldest cousin and I the youngest.

Recently my cousin moved to Florida to live with her oldest daughter. She needed to downsize her belongings, and after her six children removed what they wanted from the house I was called to come pick up some items. Thrilled I was to see two photo albums filled with black and white old photos, some old suitcases, old prayer books, and a shirt box from a fancy department store in our town that has been gone for over forty years.

I said my goodbyes, knowing this would probably be the last time I would be able to hug and kiss her, but because of modern technology I would be able to chat and see how she was doing via Facetime or Skype.

She is all settled in at her daughters house and is doing extremely well, we talk often.

When I arrived home that day with the treasures that my cousin gave me, I quickly unloaded the items in the garage, and brought the photo albums in the house to have a look.

Excited I placed the album on the table and opened it up to find it was filled with photos of my least favorite aunt and her husband.

I am now the keeper of their 19 X 12 wedding photo minus the vintage bubble frame.

The two albums were filled with photos of Aunt Vi, here is just a sample.

The pages were filled with photos of Aunt Vi, but I did come across a photo of my father with my aunt.

This photo was taken in 1921, my father was born in 1909. He would have been twelve years old in this photo, but he certainly looks older. This is the only photo that we have of my father as a child, we have never seen a baby or toddler photo of him. This is a treasure to us, and I appreciate that my aunt kept it safe in her photo album so that I could find it.

I will carefully store my aunt and uncles photos as I have done with the other family photos for future generations.

I know that my cousin Ruth from the blog Dian's Timpanallley is laughing at me right now. Ruth lived in a different state and only visited once in a while, so she thought Aunt Vi was wonderful.  

I'll show you my other treasures in a future post.

 

Let The Remodel Begin

My daughter and her family have moved into their new house, and mine now seems so very quiet. Not to worry the noise will soon return in the form of my kitchen redo.

The new kitchen cabinets will arrive sometime this week, upon arrival of the cabinets, installation of the flooring will be scheduled as will 'Bob the builder', my contractor. It will take him two days to gut my kitchen before the flooring can be installed, four days for the removal of the old floor, new sub floor and the laying and grouting of the porcelain wood tile. That is just the first week of work!

I have started the process of clearing out my cabinets, and I am not enjoying it. I already have a box for our local Goodwill.

This is my eat in kitchen straight out of the 70's. The soffit will be removed, and the new cabinets start at the ceiling and have crown molding.

These are my choices white cabinets, I am considering painting the kitchen a shade of green, backsplash, countertop and flooring.

Any and all suggestions on how to survive a remodel or design suggestions are more than welcome.

Pink

Hot pink is the color of my granddaughters new bedroom, I can't wait until Friday when the movers deliver all of the furniture and my daughter and her family can start enjoying their new home.

Our little girl loves pink, and pink it is.

This light fixture is perfect for a little girls pink and gray room.

When the light is turned on it casts marvelous designs on the ceiling and walls.

Linking with Shadow Shot Sunday, SSS2

Break

Dear Blog Friends,

I will again be taking a two week break from blogging. My oldest daughter and her family have moved in with me until the finishing touches are done on her new home, and I will be helping her get all settled in. I hope the little ones will allow me to use my computer to keep up on my favorites. See you soon.

Bike Parade Thundered In

The Milwaukee made Harley-Davidson motorcycle is celebrating their 110th anniversary, bikers from everywhere are converging in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Saturday anniversary festivities. Yesterday, here in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which is just fifty one miles from Milwaukee, bikers arrived to celebrate Harbor Thunder at our beautiful lakefront.

Hundreds of Harley owners arrived at Uke's Harley-Davidsons dealership in Kenosha, the starting point of the Harbor Thunder bike parade that ended at the Kenosha lakefront.

At 5:30 p.m., the first motorcycles pulled out of Uke's parking lot, to start the bike parade. Who were the leaders of this parade? None other than the Kenosha police motorcycle unit who ride Harley-
Davidson motorcycles.

Kenosha police motorcycle unit leads the parade toward the Lake Michigan's lakefront.

Bikers waved and honked their horns along the route to the lakefront.

Many of the bikers proudly displayed our nations flag.

This motorcycle was truly a family affair.
Mom, dad driving the bike, and two kids in the side car.

When the first bikes arrived at the lakefront around 6 p.m., there were still bikes leaving Uke's nine miles back. The unofficial count 782 Harley's, formed a long, moving line of rolling thunder.

It was an impressive site.

Graffiti Allowed

On the end of the dock in Ephraim, Wisconsin, which was originally built by brothers Aslag and Halvor Anderson in the late 1850's sits the Anderson warehouse. 

While visiting Ephraim, Wisconsin in Door County, one landmark that every visitor must see is the Anderson warehouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The warehouse is located on the dock that was originally built in the 1850's by the Aslag and Halvor Anderson.

The original warehouse was destroyed by a storm, the second by fire, the third still standing is now known as the Hardy Gallery. In 1951, the Anderson family sold the dock and warehouse to the village of Ephraim.

Still a working dock, Anderson warehouse is best known for its graffiti covered walls. A sign posted on the warehouse states, boater and visitors are encouraged to continue the tradition of signing the warehouse wall.

Armed with a new package of markers we left our mark on this historic building.

It was difficult to find an empty spot, after several minutes of looking I found the perfect spot...

Sanderson 2013 Family Vacation

If you are ever in  Door County, Wisconsin plan on stopping at the old Anderson warehouse/Hardy Gallery located in Ephraim on Anderson Lane and Highway 42 and leave your mark. 

Joining P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday

Oh What Fun Social Media and Smartphone Cameras

Social media, in particular Facebook, was used during our family vacation, to keep the family members who couldn't be with us up to date on our vacation fun.

Cameras on smartphones helped capture that 'gotta take a picture of this moment, ' case in point while driving down highway 42 to Sister Bay for breakfast at Al Johnson's.

The car was filled with three children and two adults the windows were down, and we were enjoying the blue sky and the scenery. The conversation went something like this.

Who tooted?

Not me, it was you.

Eww, that is a nasty smell!

Following the curve on the highway we discovered we were right behind the STOOLBUS! I always thought they were called honey wagons, we all had a good laugh.

We arrived at Al Johnson's, a Swedish restaurant in Sister Bay, Wisconsin to dine on the Swedish pancakes and meatballs, and to see the goats on the roof, I did a post about this restaurant several years ago, click here.  

Another photo opportunity . . .

Al Johnson's is a very popular place to eat and often times the wait for a table can be long, but we know that if the counter is open you can walk right in and sit down. While others placed their names on a waiting list for a table, we saw all eight chairs empty at the counter we sat down. 

Of course, I needed a photo for a Facebook post. Here is the photo that I uploaded that morning.

This is my youngest daughter, her husband, her two younger boys and my oldest grandson. Shortly after this post my sister sent me a text asking why Susan was wearing her bar on the outside of her shirt. We all had a good laugh, well maybe not Susan, from this photo. Here are some comments from Facebook.

Often times cameras on smartphones are not the best quality, but if I didn't have a smartphone I would have missed this photos. I'm still chucking about these fun photos.

I am joining Smiling Sally for Blue Monday, stop by and checkout this fun blog party.