My New Neighbor

Recently, I was puzzled with wonder after hearing what I thought was a knock on the front door. I made my way to the door and opened it. I looked outside and saw my front step devoid of anyone. "Huh. Thought I heard a knock." I continued with my busy work in the house only to hear a tap again.

This time, when I opened the door, I met my new neighbor. FRANK THE WONDER SQUIRREL! He stops by each day, and kid you not, runs into the front door (I will get it on video soon). He then waits 10 foot away for a snack. I planted the camera by my front porch to show him fetching the piece of bread! Pleasure to meet you Frank!

Chef Jitters! Fall Grill Cheese and Tomato Soup!

I offer you a simple fail proof fall TEAMT ALMOSTGUNLAKERS recipe!!! Can you believe I use 3/4 of a loaf for one sitting with my girls????(and one neighbor girl-what's a guy to do with FIVE girls in the house????Make Grill Cheese!~)






And how NOT to make brownies! (I forgot the eggs!!!!)

A Little more...

Another wonderful thing that happens on "my" weekends? My prodigal son returns!

And by the way, this is the how to make a fire!

D'ruthers

If I had my druthers.....I'd come back as Don Draper from Mad Men......What an awesome addictive show! So much drama on this series.....Love it! The pressure and stress of work and a bunch of people with some vices that distract them......And, Don's wife has a severe resemblance to June Carter...





Did I mention that the entire cast smokes? It was well prior to the known risks......Mom walking around smoking with her kids....The DOCTOR smoking......WOW

Friday Night

Just chillin' with two of my girls at a nice bonfire tonight......What you up to???

Kid's Fish Died

Here is the flushing ceremony....

Me and My Mistress lady......The sea!!!!! I miss her!

I enjoyed some time on Lake Michigan with my brother and Head Custodian Joel! Above is the end of a long fight with the fish!

And the sheer climax of landing the fish!

It has been a while but I have a feeling it won't be long before I can take my boat out there and enjoy my mistress.......The SEA!!!! (of course it is impossible for a single guy to have a mistress by the definition of the word but YOU know what I mean...)

Calling all Ship Captains

I am curious how many people still look at this blog.....I know that the posting has been so intermittent over the last 6 months......BUT I AM IN BUSINESS AGAIN AND PLAN ON KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF MY DAILY LIFE!

Leave a comment with a nickname or clue who you are if you are checking this out still.....If you are brand new, leave something like, "Traverse City, Michigan" or wherever you are from....

Where is she?

On the bottom of Lake Superior.....Here's a tribute...

The New Palace!!!

Finally got my own place again!!!!!! Send me a doctor because I'm in ecstasy!

Thanks to the missionaries that let me stay in their house! It is, however, a big sigh of relief for me and the girls to have a place all our own!!!!! I have a whole wall dedicated to the maritime lust in my heart.....A pic of the ol' Edmund Fitzgerald.....I am the Captain of this new vessel!


An old fashioned Port side lamp used on a ship at the turn of the century....

I am going through the Obvious moving steps unpacking, stepping over boxes, and loving it.....

I forgot how much stuff I had as I have been living out of a suitcase for several months....And yes, I brought my toothbrush for the trip.....

Enjoy a few snapshots of the new TEAMJITTERS PALACE OF WONDER AND AMAZEMENT!

It works out so well....Only a few minutes from the kids....Same bus route so they can get on and off the bus at my or her house.....Park in the backyard.....Teddy the wonderdog can stay here on weekends I have the girls......Its a 3 bedroom house with a garage.....AND ITS MINE! (As long as I pay the rent :) )






For a little surprise I treated my angels to a little surprise on their new Disney bedding, a FRESH ROSE!!!!! Wanted to be the first guy that bought them and surprised them with a rose!!!! Needless to say they loved em!

The backyard is huge and has a fire-pit! My neighbors are in for more than they bargained!!

U.P. Escape!

Where do I start? Obviously for those of you following the rambling Jitters life here on the blog, you know that this past year was the crumbling of life as I knew it...But just as new growth prospers through the freshly charred remains of a forest devastated by fire, MY NEW FRESH START ON LIFE BEGINS!

Have you ever walked through the remnants of a woods plagued by a wildfire? If you make a visit to the site of the inferno, you will see that green seedlings begin to pop out from the barren earth and grow toward the sky! The conditions created by the devastation are perfect to foster widespread nutrients and growth that had not existed in the very same soil prior to the fire. My life has mirrored this very same process. Although my forest grew for many years to towering heights and was torn down by life's storms, I am looking all around and see life exploding into new adventure and growth!

In true ALMOSTGUNLAKERS style, significant events call for big plans....So I decided to hop in the hot Honda, stop and buy a road Atlas, and HEAD FOR THE MACKINAW BRIDGE! I stopped at Walmart on the way and purchased this HIGH ROLLER OUTFIT complete with an ol' fashioned hat and silky super gaudy silk tropical shirt!



I then proceeded to the Mighty Mackinaw Bridge. My trip planning, although short, was a problem solving process. What is it my soul longs for and enjoys? Seconds later, the answer was screaming out.......SHIPS! SHIPWRECKS! THE MIGHTY SEA!

As I glanced over the Michigan fold out map in the parking lot of Walmart, I focused on Lake Superior and a small dot next to the connotation "Whitefish Point, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum". I put the car in drive and headed north.....



I must admit to you that as I crossed the Mackinaw Bridge, a tear filled my eyes until I felt a full drop race down my face. It was at that moment I realized that the crossing of the bridge was synonymous with what was occurring in my own life. Leaving behind one way of life and crossing into new territory.....It was INSPIRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I stopped on the opposite side and pulled into a lot. The cool winds of the lake pushing against my eyelashes and plummeting into my nose were inexplicable. New life, fresh air.....I sucked in a deep breath and felt regenerated....I then continued on my journey north....

Ever notice how when taking a vacation trip you take pictures? Why is it that when you get home and look over the photographs, you wonder, "why did I take a picture of that?" Perhaps the best part of vacation is the anticipation....It is obvious that my excitement was on full tilt when I felt the need to photograph this billboard?

Anyhow....





My arrival in Sault St Marie was very exciting as well. I watched this large vessel make her way into the Soo Locks....Followed by a lunch for 1 in a cozy restaurant....

It amazed me that each place I went on this vacation people asked, "will there be two of you sir?" "Just two people in your room sir?" "Smoking or non and are you waiting for someone?" I smiled contently and simply said, "I am by myself." As I followed the hostess back to my table, that statement rang out in my head. "I am by myself." Really? Wow...I am not used to that. To go from living with five women in the same house...The sound of constant footsteps, laughing, fighting, the flurry of commotion......and now-Silence....A Table for one.....An empty car....I have begun to listen to myself and do some deep pondering of my life.....

After taking in the sights of the busy shipping town, I ventured further north.....To my ultimate destination........Whitefish Point! The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum....Enjoy these photographs of the items recovered from the great Edmund Fitzgerald, which sunk just 15 miles from Whitefish Point in Canadian Water....

To soak my feet in Lake Superior.....To pause in front of the bell which rode to the bottom with 29 souls aboard this doomed vessel......WOW!


















I spent a windswept night on Lake Superior at Freighters View Cabins.....It was so peaceful to sit in solitude on the shore, feeling the cold lake lap on my toes and watching the distant lights of vessels pass so quietly....I opened every single window in the cabin and consumed into my soul all the soft cool wind Lake Superior could offer...