Dear FBI:

I am sorry you did not find Jimmy in my neighborhood. I appreciate how difficult it is to find some bones from 30 years ago, especially in a place like this...so many trees on so many acres. Although the townies seemed to have a weird sense of humor over the whole thing, you have to understand that nothing more exciting than a 4th of July parade ever happens here--and even that is not very exciting! Please also understand that the vast majority of us who live here like it that way, thank you very much. It is part of the "charm" of the place.

A couple of years ago my grandson found a bunch of bones on our acreage--and did not have to dig! There they were, right on top for the picking up. I doubt that they were the remains you were looking for, although 30 years ago, my "yard" was just another natural area here in the neighborhood with dense trees--so it is not without some plausibility that someone could have dumped someone here, and no one would have been any wiser. The bones looked pretty much like deer when my grandson assembled them....so we did not call you. He was so thrilled with them, that he bagged them up and took them for show and tell. His teacher (who thought them creepy) allowed them to be displayed on the "back table" for the class. Then they were packed again and kept in the garage, until his mother threw them out.

So, if these were the bones you were looking for, try the landfill at 5 mile in Plymouth Township. They won't be many feet down, as it was just last year (not thirty years ago)and they are probably still in a brown paper bag. I hope they were only deer bones. The parents at the school would probably find it kinda creepy if Jimmy Hoffa's remains were hanging out in their kids classroom for a couple of days.

Lest you think we were insensitive, we did discuss the possibility of famous remains (e.g. the Oakland County Child Killer and Page Marie), however never really thought to call you about Jimmy. Besides, we are pretty sure they were deer bones. We do have pictures, if you would like them.

Sincerely,



A Milford resident

Back from the Oregon Trail

It was beautiful. It was nice to see something new. It was wonderful to be in a place where fibers and fabrics and things related are appreciated, and apparently are big business. I visited three yarn shops!! The first, the Yarn Garden was wonderful. A very nice selection, and nice but not pushy people. I bought stuff I didn't need, but wanted at a reasonable price from a great selection.

The next one was in the "Pearl District". Definitely uptown. Really nice yarn, but pricey (of course what would you expect really nice yarn to cost?) It was a cute shop with an enthusiastic keeper, who sensed immediately that 1) I knew something about knitting and 2) I was a bargain hunter. She left me alone, and worked on more impressionable customers buying $20.00 balls of exquisite wool so they could teach their ten year olds to knit.

I found the bargain bins in the basement. 40%off. Bought another thing I did not need, but wanted, and it was "reduced". Hand dyed, and in my colors!

Third store was the snootiest store. They would (for a price) knit up their pricey yarn for you. She was not interested in knitters (except maybe for slave labor). Interesting--seems you can make a living selling very expensive yarn to the clueless if you have some slave knitters tucked away.

I returned with new additions to my stash. Also visited a needlepoint store, a button store and a very nice fabric store, but bought only a pattern for a jacket. Portland, you are still a wonderland for the home ecers among us (as long as we have enough cash!)

Rocks, Elk, Slides, etc. On the Oregon Trail

We decided to go to the "beach". It required a two hour ride through the rainy wine country, and then arrival in a typical shore town, resplendent with wind sock sellers and taffy vendors. It was hard to see the beach for all the resorts and condos.

We drove up 101 to Tillamock--taking the scenic route whenever available. Oregon has beautiful beaches. (Note, the tour guide warns anyone entering the water to beware of logs--honest! I could see why!). In Tillamok we visited the cheese factory and had some really good ice cream. Then we took the drive back through the mountains--absolutely beautiful, but full of dire warnings of Elk! Slides! Rocks! Snow! Fortunately, it was an uneventful day for our drive through. Except for a little one lane bridge construction, we just enjoyed the forest.

The moss is notable. They get 90 inches of rain a year. The moss is everywhere!! I have seen whole buildings taken over with mossiness!!! Very strange looking.

Oregon is beautiful. Am amazed that not more people live here. I suppose if that happens, it won't be so beautiful.

Oregon Day 4-Beauty!

Today, because we promised to toil under the cover of darkness, we were let out mid-afternoon. Although it was the beginning of rush hour before they stopped talking, Mr. CP and I were on our way in traffic that the residents of our home metro area would not even comment on in their Traffic copters....and in a short time we were headed east along the Columbia River Valley. Absolutely breathtaking. In less time and fewer miles than I drive from home to my office, we were at the pass--lovely!

Amazingly very few seem to live very much beyond the city. Such a different way of life! We had to get gas along the way, and the little man came bounding out to pump it....not only willingly, but required by state law. So unlike our usual existence.

Love the mountains, love the little man pumping the gas, loved the views. But especially loved the waterfalls!

I can see what Lewis and Clark saw in the place!

Bingo on the Oregon Trail-day 3!

After a FULL day of meetings, the hotel hosted a "guest reception". They had food from a Greek restaurant, beer, wine, soft drinks, and Bingo. Really, bingo! There was a whole room full of adults from our conference (most of whom have Masters and PHD's) enticed into playing bingo with pinto beans for markers--not your usual bingo crowd. Mr. CP even got into a few rounds. That was hilarious!

Funny what people will do for a bottle of wine (the prizes). We didn't win. Mr. CP got bored, and tired, and went upstairs. Once the food ran out, the crowd left pretty quickly.

I kept thinking how proud the mothers of those cute, young managers would be of their bingo calling sons! All that money for a hospitality degree, and they end up being bingo callers (but cute in suits and ties)!!! Odd how things work out!

Flip Flops on the Oregon Trail

"They all wear Flip flops"!--Mr. Cp's assessment of the place we are visiting. Perhaps our home climate is wrong, perhaps our friends are just not that "into" flip flops, or perhaps Mr. CP needs to get out more. He honestly observed this footwear preference while on vacation, and found it to be an "unacceptable" oddity.

The city makes him antsy. He had to find some suburbs today.

This city is "nice". Streetcars are free. People walk around on the streets. Most are youngish--20 and 30 somethings. Lots and lots of Tats--another things most of our generation has not embraced. Not little, subtle tats. HUGE, colorful, very visible tats on arms, necks, legs, chests, etc. 1 is right. Laser removal will have its day!

My presentations went "well". This group is a lot like a group attending a wake, and I have been to wakes that are more fun. But at least all I have to do now is sit and listen.

So, although many are wearing various kinds of sandals, Mr. CP has written the natives off as a bunch of urbanized tattooed flip flop wearers. He really does need the suburbs!!!

It is official

4's offer on the "perfect house" is accepted. Still a few more hurdles, but it is looking more like "home"!

Adventure on the Oregon Trail...Day 1

Another early call to be at the airport..Mr. CP in tow. Tried the curb side check in--he deemed slick!!! Dutifully waited with the carry on stuff while he parked and shuttled unencumbered by "stuff".

Security was interesting with sling and brace,etc...Then Mr. cp got upgraded. He was happy:) I however was not upgraded :( however did not expect to be, so was O.K. Did get to board with "those needing assistance"--and good thing too!

I had seat 14C. However the plane did not. NWA had given me a phantom seat! I went back to the "it is too early in the morning for you to bug me" lady at the check in, and after much explanation, and two more boarding passes for seat 14C, I calmly told her AGAIN that there was no such seat on this plane!! Finally, she called someone, muttered a lot, and gave me a boarding pass for 17C.

I was just the beginning of her problem, as there were three rows of other people with no seats either! (I was just the first to appear, due to the assisting part!) At one point, the gate agent boarded the plane and admitted that she had no idea who was on this plane, so if she called out your name, indicate that you were on board. I think people, who had been rioting over "open seating" ,were hesitant to do so, lest they be pulled off....Too much weirdness for my morning.

We had a tail wind, and got to Portland early. Thus had to wait for a gate, and they got the luggage locations all goofed up. It is sunny :) and hot. The luggage arrived, the rental car is a Buick (?), and the freeway was closed. No, really, completely closed!! Thank goodness for GPS, and we have already had the scenic tour of Portland.

So far so good. Tonight we eat...Up the street. Mr. Cp says he can walk. He should sleep well (I hope). Tomorrow I work, and he goes off to play in the wine country....Stay tuned.

You cannot just "run in" to a yarn store

I am going to Portland for a week. I will need to take some sock knitting. Problem is I have 4 or more projects, all in some state near completion,and all unsuitable for a week long trips amusement.

I decided that I wanted to do the pink and black yarn next...but wanted (needed?) reinforcement yarn for toe and heel. So on my "todo" list was the yarn store. Needed black reinforcement yarn. Navy and beige would be good to have too.

Alas, they had no black. Did have beige and grey. Bought that as insurance that it would go away too! Of course saw some purple/beige sock yarn I liked. So more goes into the basket. I still have to find something to take along to knit!

I shouldn't be such an ADD knitter, but it is almost impossible. I have different moods. Different situations. Different lighting and seating. Need different knitting. Only another ADD sock knitter would understand.....

"4" is a real adult!

She will have mortgage debt! That is real!

She found "the" house. It is adorable, and so 4! The cats will love the dining room by day and the upstairs landing in the afternoon. She loves the mail slot, doorbell, the hardwood floors,and the cuteness. Will be so Pottery Barn/Restoration Hardware!! It has good vibes!

It's a grandma b house on steroids with a grandpa B garage on steroids. (We will have to take some lawn chairs, and sit in the doorway of the garage to drink a beer in his memory!) Unfortunately, has a grandma F kitchen (actually worse, if that is possible)where only the cabinet hardware is worth keeping, but we can help her fix that in time.....

I can't wait to plant the ferns and lilies of the valley, and maybe a few hostas...These are "family" foundation plantings.....Handed down from house to house. Needs some day lilies too. And tulips. Must consult on the color. 1's scheme is purple and white. Think 4 will want RED!...Maybe yellow. She will have the sun for daisy's!

It is so exciting.....Now I have a place to move her "stuff"! 4 will be a real grown up with a mortgage, and a little old man neighbor, and grass to mow, and a darn cute doorbell with a mail slot and short drive to work!

Must remember to get her a show shovel for her birthday.....

...and the walls come tumbling' down!

Today was another adventure in house shopping with 4. She had previewed and preselected several, with "the one" on the leaderboard. She was convinced. Cute, Clean, in her price range.

I was less sure, but we went there second. (The first house was cute, inexpensive, painted by someone who had no clue how to paint, had a doggie door that 4 felt no need for, and needed new windows and some siding--making it ultimately, not cheap!)

The pines towered above the house, being planted as tiny things 60 years ago...She thought they were charming. I saw sticky gutter clogers that were going to be expensive to cut down without damaging the house....

The porch was covered with "artificial grass"--probably glued on with some kind of absolutely super sticky stuff that would never cove off--She had not noticed?? (Was she blind!)? We ducked under the pines, scooted past the tacky fake flowers on the step, and behold the lovely floors within.

Really very nice, except for the place where there once was something (a fireplace?) and the floor was patched, oddly. Nice paint, nice redone kitchen, nice bath, three bedrooms, one down, two up. Sparkling, new paint everywhere! (windows hard to open--original, but painted nicely!) Eye candy!!

Then we went to the basement.... 4 pulled out her flashlight!! (MR. CP would have been so proud!!) and began to inspect the rear wall with great interest (I did not share her interest...so I began to look around. Something was not quite right. Two jack stands...not where one would expect jack stands...then I saw it!!

The basement walls were "pushed in"! Second row of cinder block slanted out---below slanted in. Other side was opposite....whole house was going south!!! (Lest you fear for our lives, it probably had been leaning this way for quite some time....). 4 had the "reject look" when she stopped inspecting the wall.

I explained hydrostatic forces (or attempted to). The realtor looked annoyed (or mystified by my explanation of why the house had a bad foundation!). We scampered out , gave the back a courtesy look, and said "not our house". The realtor later called insisting that the owner would call in a structural engineer to certify that the foundation was o.k.---caveat emptor!!

Turns out that the interest in wall inspection was due to new paint since 2 days ago visit! Seems 4 had taken exception to "mold" on that wall, which must have been in the feed back to the owner/flipper.

So, flipper person...We are not buying your house, or your little game. Caveat emptor--or why it is good to take your mother along when deciding on a house. Turns out, she knows a few things from life experience....our pictures are probably up on the realtors board---first an attic with asbestos (hope the buyers will not get cancer---and glad it is them, not us, dealing with it!) Now the hydrostatic action......

For the happy ending, we did come away with 5 possibilities. One of the first two will probably be "the one". Both are sound, cute, affordable, and close to a starbucks ( C1 was right....First find the starbucks, and it will lead you to the right neighborhoods!).....Offer(s) to follow!

Metro Cool

DC was not cool--at least not temp wise. It was cool in other ways. In just 7 years, there has been much "urban renewal"--much nicer now. Condo's and Cafe's and vibrant neighborhoods...

Still lots of street people, beggars, etc. Hard to see people sleeping in the statues and on the monuments--would think they would be rounded up--but know that isn't easy.

Went to the DAR museum. Learned two new things. "Pudding rings". Interesting. Also the origins of bows on the backs of children's dresses. Walked past the south lawn of the white house. Did the moonlight monuments tour with our group. Kind of fun. Too fast to really see monuments (and dark). Mostly a drive by! Still interesting. If you know where to look, you can see the Kennedy eternal flame from the memorial bridge. Coolest view was from Arlington near the cemetery, where everything lines up...Lincoln, Washington, Capital Hill....Quite pretty at night.

But, best of all was finding jeans that fit--on sale!!

I need to get out more!

Hot time in the city

D.C. was hot. It is summer there! Had a great conference, found some bargains, saw some interesting stuff.

Mr. Cat was thrilled that I cam back! Apparently Mr. CP needs more direction than "feed the cat"--which he only did once a day.

Mr. Cat is thrilled that I am back! So nice to be loved, if only for your ability to pull the lid off the cat food can!