STL DPB ON THE ROAD - RIDE 'EM

There is a chain of stores in Michigan and the surrounding region based in Grand Rapids called Meijer. It's like a Walmart with a gigantic grocery store. My son tells me that every single one has a mechanical horse named Sandy near the checkout. For a penny, kids like my granddaughter Audrey can get a little bounce and fantasy.

This is located in another part of the city's Public Museum. The room contains arcade games and other children's amusements.       

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - TEMPUS FUGIT

I didn't know much about Grand Rapids, Michigan, until last weekend. My son decided that we should meet there because it's a lot bigger than the city he lives in, Midland, and isn't Detroit. The city proper has about 200,000 people but the metro area has four times that. One interesting feature is the Public Museum. It has exhibits about history, architecture, technology and culture, all interesting to us visitors. This is the clock from the old city hall, parts of which were preserved when it was demolished.          

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - MADELEINE MONDAY + AUDREY + BONUS

All the grandkids: the redoubtable Ellie, almost 10, with Michigan cousin Audrey, almost 8. Below, grandson Atlas, 4, in my son's hands and about to be thrown in the water, to his obvious delight. All in the pool at our hotel in Grand Rapids.          

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - WE'RE EVERYWHERE, APPARENTLY

Seen in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, across the Grand River. I had no idea what this is about so I had to look it up. It's the local branch of a large international accounting firm. Never heard of it and I don't get any royalties.

Boating today near and possibly on Lake Michigan.         

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - SERENITY IN GRAND RAPIDS

We arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, yesterday afternoon following a day of airplanes and airports. After checking into our hotel we found a very pleasant restaurant called River North, https://www.rivernorthgr.com/home, (the river being the Grand River, hence Grand Rapids, although we haven't found the rapids yet). The owner, Rachel Lee, has decorated the place with a delightful collection of bric-a-brac, much of it on Asian themes. This caught my eye. A frog may be able to do that with its legs but I can't.           

Audrey Monday

I used to have a lot of Madeleine Mondays but it is now impossible to take her picture if she is aware of it. She will pull the camera away and demand to see herself on the LED screen. Which, of course, doesn't work because I cannot get any pictures taken. Kid, it's a lose-lose situation.

But I did get to spend some time with my younger granddaughter, Audrey Crowe, in Grand Rapids on Saturday. We didn't get to see her much in Chicago and it will be harder still when the family moves to small-town Michigan. She's seven months old and pretty cute, even on a bad hair day, while she pulls the world into focus.       

April Is The Cruelest Month

 

So said a very highbrow poet who started out in St. Louis but left as soon as he could.

I was in Grand Rapids, Michigan, yesterday. Why, you might ask? Well, as mentioned Friday, my son Andy and his family are moving in stages to Clare, Michigan, where his wife grew up. Claire and baby Audrey are already there (more about them soon), living with her parents. Andy has to finish the school year teaching in Chicago. So we drove three hours to Grand Rapids, which I knew nothing about, a surprisingly large and pleasant (and cold) town. Claire and Audrey had an hour and three-quarters drive. We spent last night in a house on Lake Michigan owned by the family of a friend of my son, about half way and empty this weekend.

Grand Rapids has this amazing place, the Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, which I would recommend to anyone. Problem is, they are still getting some snow up here (Andy's car was covered with it in Chicago yesterday morning), resulting in scenes like this. Elliott was a sourpuss but maybe he was right.