The steep spiral staircase in the lighthouse at Iroquois Point has 72 steps. I climbed them. Twice.

I haven't blogged our Family Fridays in a couple of weeks, but we've still had them. Two Fridays ago, Teri and I geocached our way across Route 30 on our way to Orrville, then joined the girls, and the whole Johnson clan for Emily's Graduation Party and a whole Independence weekend of fun. Last Friday started out with more geocaching and a picnic lunch at Pontiac Lake, then we picked up Saturday afternoon with enough hours at our friends' pool to turn me into lobster man for most of last week.

This week, we started Family Friday a day early, with a drive to my inlaws' cabin in Grayling on Thursday evening. This gave us a good head start on our weekend trip to Sault Sainte Marie.

This one courtesy of Daisy, from the Channel 4 website.

Looking out my kitchen window about an hour ago. There's snow on the ground, but it's mostly just a thin cover from the dusting we got after the big thunderstorms that rolled through here on Thursday night. The ground cover in the common area behind our house is all but gone, and I can see in our stand of trees that a couple more of the dead elms are now lying next to the top of the maple tree that split off last fall. It's a beautiful, sunny morning.

Just inside my kitchen window sits the electronic indoor/outdoor thermometer we got for Christmas. Oh, I see it's gone all the way up to 25. Wait, no, that's 2.5 degrees. While I made my coffee, I watched the temperature drop down to 1.9 degrees, then drift up to 2.7, then settle back at 2.5 again.

This came to mind last night, and Sheri's Superbowl email reminded me of it again. It's a simple winter driving tip (that would also work on the "black ice" of Florida's oily roads during the rainy season) that I'd never heard in all my years of driving:

If your car starts to skid, don't look at something you're hoping to not hit. Look where you want your car to go.

I think I heard this for the first time either last year or the year before, and I've tested it enough times (deliberately and out of habit) to prove it true. The car tends to go where you're looking, so once you realize that you're in trouble, look where you want to go to be out of trouble, and you will generally do the right things to make the car go that way.

The day after Thanksgiving! The ground is covered with snow. We had an early snow this fall. The girls will play in the snow most of the morning. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Dorothea's this year. I have so much to be thankful for I hardly know where to begin and certainly not where to stop. We have had a wonderful year. Our carpeting, television and chair are paid for. The girls have been in good health - I'm happier than I have any right to expect. It looks like a wonderful Christmas ahead.

A damp late summer morning. Outside my window this morning I see John Bader's car parked along the street. He went to California with Jim to attend Mary's funeral. She was just my age. Things happen so quickly sometimes! It's too damp to mow the lawn this morning - that can wait until tomorrow - today more sewing. This time for Vicki. They came home last Friday night. We were surprised they were gone 15 days and she had a wonderful time.

Vicki isn't home yet. They left 2 weeks ago today. Another beautiful day outside my window - a bit cool. I did lots of sewing this past week. Daddy got me a new coat for our wedding anniversary on Wednesday. I must fix it today. It's about 1 1/2 inches too long. Luanne and Susan are playing hostess to Jackie Howe of Akron this week. They'll all be here tonight.

Friday. Grandma and Grandpa left with Beachey's for a trip this morning. Vicki is still away - heard from her - having a wonderful time. I must start my school sewing today. I have lots of dresses to make. It was very hot yesterday when I mowed the lawn - this morning it's nice and cool - an autumn air.

A damp, almost rainy, morning. I hope it clears up. We're to go to Grandma Lehman's for a picnic dinner. Ruthie and family are to be there - also Carrie - etc. Fireworks tonight - the girls will enjoy them from our own backyard.

June 26, 1950

Monday morning, June 26, 1950. Another busy week ahead. Preparations for vacation next week - The Question - Should I spend my time sewing vacation clothes or finish cleaning the girls' bedroom and get it done before we go?

Answer - I'll do the most and best I can. Simple, isn't it? I hope Diller has time to mow the lawn this week, as I look out of the window I realize that's a job of the week, too. It's going to be a lovely wash day so I'd better get started.

No date (June 1950)

The air is cool and fresh this morning by my kitchen window. It was so very hot yesterday - then it rained toward suppertime - it seemed to wash away the heat. We went to Grandma's to get some eggs and Grandma Lehman came home with us. She wants to shop for shoes today.