Too many options

Two thousand-twelve is one of those years when Independence Day falls smack dab in the middle of the week, creating a two-weekend holiday. For many, today is the beginning of a 10-day summer vacation.

As said earlier this week, it's feast or famine for me.

When I first looked at my calendar back in January, I had penciled in a long Friday to Wednesday camping trip for this weekend, since next weekend is an "on ambulance call" weekend.

When a graduation party invite arrived, I modified my get-away plans.

Earlier this week, an invite to hang with a friend in West Michigan arrived.

So I'm torn as to what I want to do with the next four days. 

Sigh. Too many options! Here are just a few choices:
Go camping (always a favorite). With this intense heat, the trip sounds like both a great option and a potential exhausting experience.
Go to West Michigan -- Saugatuck -- for a couple days. I don't know why, but that drive seems like I'm headed to the other side of the planet rather than the other side of the state.
Stay closer to home, see some movies (to beat the heat). I have a couple list of movies, but never seem to make the time for viewing.
Stay home and clean the house, do yard work and prepare for our upcoming family reunion. HA!
Take a couple short day trips. Not out of the question.

Feast or Famine.

 Check out all the bloggarety at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

It's going to be a WICKED night

Galinda and Elphaba - WICKED

 I'm so looking forward to seeing WICKED tonight at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts on the campus of Michigan State University (Go Green!).

Uncle Bill will be sharing this theatrical performance with family: Jeremy, Cindy, Hannah, Matt, Lisa, and my buddy Ron.

I saw the show about a year ago and loved it.

Billed as "The Story of the Witches of Oz before Dorothy arrives," you actually get a back story to many of the characters along with some wonderful music.

Hopefully everyone enjoys it as much as I have.

I put this link to my blog because so many people come to the blog from my Facebook page.

Check it out directly at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Feast or Famine

Once the month of May arrives, it just seems like there are never enough hours in the day. Yard work, multiple meetings, camping and other travel or just going to the beach.

Tonight is one of the few nights I don't have a meeting, but I do need to work in the garden -- WATERING the tomatoes and pepper plants.  I'm actually at the point of adding an mini-irrigation system.  Thankfully this dry weather means the lawn doesn't need to be mowed.

The next few days of my life are almost scheduled with plans, albeit tentative, for down to the hour.

But that's how I get things down when I have a lot to do.  Plan, schedule execute.

Stop by the blog for the next few days and I'll tell you about some of the fun I have planned.

CHEERS!

BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

I just can't do it...

Sadly, this is what my hard boiled eggs look like peeled.

Sometime ago I wrote about soft boiled eggs.  Eggs and soldiers is what, I believe, they call it in England.

I have no problem cooking a soft boiled egg to near perfection.

But I cannot, not matter how hard I try, make a hard boiled egg.

Well, I can BOIL the egg.  Try to get the shell off the damn thing.

Even with ALL the trick: bring the water to a boil and turn off the heat, leaving the eggs set for 15 minutes; or boil the eggs for 5 minutes, then plunge them into ice water; vinegar in the water; baking soda in the water.  I even read on line where some woman had instructions how how to BAKE the eggs into a hard state.

This whole egg boiling thing is causing me concern because I need a couple dozen for a party this weekend. I hate picking the shells off cause some shells always end up IN the dish I'm preparing.

Thankfully the eggs will be chopped up. I'm pretty sure if I was taking deviled eggs, I'd be a basket case.

Hopefully some miracle will occur and the eggs will peel easily.  Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Egg on my face, perhaps, at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Tuesday Tally: Movies to see in July & August

A couple months ago I posted a list of movies I wanted to see in the coming month.  I have failed miserably. Just not enough time between other committments.

But I'll give it a whirl and offer a list for July and August movie-going:

The Amazing Spider-Man - Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.
TED - A story centered on a man and his teddy bear, who comes to life as the result of a childhood wish.
The Dark Knight Rises - Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
360 - A look at what happens when partners from different social backgrounds engage in physical relationships. 
Hope Springs - After thirty years of marriage, a middle-aged couple attends an intense, week-long counseling session to work on their relationship.
The Expendables 2 - Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.
Sparkle - Set in the 1960s, three sisters form girl group and soon become Motown sensations, but fame becomes a challenge as the close-knit family begins to fall apart.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green - A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears.
Lawless - Set in the Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities who want a cut of their profits.
7500 - Passengers aboard a flight across the Pacific Ocean encounter a supernatural force.

Movie madness and more at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

One reunion down, two to go!

Sunday was a long day with the "Newspaper Gang" reunion, followed by a couple ambulance calls.  I got home about 11:30 pm and the bed was looking good.

Not much time for blogging today, so I'll just share this "Gang" photo of those who were able to attend our gathering.

Front row, from left, Mary Drier, Robin Gaeth, Vicki McBrayer, Hope Haley, Sally Rummel, Mary Fournier and Fran Davis.

Middle row, Jean Norton, Bill Esch, Dave Eberlein, Mark Rummel, Betty Guenther and Jack Guza.

Back row, Judy Koch, Tamie Cook, Marie Lupp, Tammy Philp, Wanda Eichler and Pat Holland.

This is just a sample of the many people who were part of newspapering in Western Thumb of Michigan.

I'm really happy to have been part of that era.

More blogging from Bill at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com

Reunited!

Our Gang from the Newspaper Reunion, 2011

Summer is a time when families, classmates and other throngs of people come together in annual events called "reunions."

This summer, I have three reunions on the calendar. The first is today when the "old gang" (and I mean old as in previous) from my life in the newspaper business are getting together.

We're going to enjoy a simple potluck dinner with lots of memories and even more laughs.  We'll get to catch up on what's going on with the people we used to see on nearly a daily basis.

As I get older, I realize it's important to attend gatherings like this. Especially when the reunions involve families.

In a couple weeks, we're having a three-day Esch Family reunion near Caseville.  Two years ago we gathered in Colorado. My dad's sisters, from Colorado and Arizona, and brother, from California, will be here with their spouses.  A few of my cousins will be joining the fun as well.

Then, in August, my mom's family will gather in Elkton.  This reunion is very much third and fourth generation of family.  Maybe that's what makes getting together necessary.

With the reunions, camping trips and other plans, summer will be gone before I know it.

So here's to enjoying everyday to the fullest!

A gathering of other stories are found at BareNakedBill.blogspot.com