December 27, 1994: Briarwood and Yost Arena

After Christmas, I drove to Ann Arbor to visit with the Gonyos and Lawvers. We had our annual Christmas party at the Lawvers house.     We went shopping at Briarwood.   Wendy had got her wisdom teeth removed so was resting.    She was knocked out for the surgery.   

In the evening, Joy and I went to see Adam play hockey at Yost Arena in Ann Arbor.      Adam was on a hockey team.  They lost their game today with a score of 2-0.   Adam was happy that we came to see him play. I enjoyed chatting with Jo Lawver. 

December 22, 1994: Marilyn Monroe

In the evening, Grandpa and Grandma Thomas, Steve, Charlene, Kelsey, Mom, and I went for dinner at Pietros Restaurant in Grand Rapids.  We surprised him with a Marilyn Monroe impersonator.   The lady who impersonated Marilyn was a substitute teacher during the daytime and Marilyn Monroe at night.   It was so funny!  Grandpa got to take her garter off.    Grandpa looked like he was in heaven.   She really did a great job.    We were laughing so much. 

December 10, 1994: Ron & Joan Morse's House

Mom and I went to Ron and Joan Morse's house for dinner.  I met Joan's brother, Ron. I told my Mom that I thought we would have mac n' cheese, as she used to always make that as a part of our dinner, which I loved.      Sure enough, we had mac 'n cheese which made me so happy.     We also had breaded chicken and a creamy vegetable casserole.    

Jim came home and Joan told him what she wanted for Christmas. She said she wanted a nightie.   He turned bright red and was embarrassed.  We laughed so hard.

We all went to the Holland mall to go shopping.  

Jim told us he just bought a new Dodge Neon and a cop hit him and tried to blame it on Jim.  This happened about 6 weeks after Jim had bought the car.    I can still remember when Jim and I were kids and he would follow me around and I would try and run away.
His brother, Danny, was attending Ferris State University.    His younger brother, Phil, had grown up so tall.      Jim's dad, Ron Morse, was a good friend of my dads. They met while attending Muskegon Community College.   Ron was in my mom and dad's wedding.  

December 3, 1994: Annual Chicago Trip

Mom and I took a bus trip to Chicago for Christmas.   Lisa Micka's parents were on our bus which was a surprise.   Mom and I went to the Art Institute and saw Picasso's paintings.    Mom kept saying "That's art?   I could slop that together."   I was so embarrassed.    

We went shopping at Marshall Fields and of course, went to the 7th floor to see the famous Christmas tree.  Then, we went shopping at Water Tower Place.  On our walk, we saw a taping of the TV show, "ER".    At TJ Max, we ran into Karen and Ernie Simons.  Karen has been our friend and accountant for years.   

We had a really good time on our trip.   We look forward to this every year. 

October 25, 1994: Kim Daugherty's Confirmation

I got a call from my neighbor, Kim Daugherty, who asked if I would be her sponsor when she was confirmed in into the Catholic church on May 10, 1995.  I felt so honored!    It meant alot to me that she chose me to do this.    Kim and I grew up together on Lawnel Ave. Her brother, Bill, was my age. She was about 5 years younger than we were.   

I will never forget the time that I told Kim about Santa Claus and how mad her mom was at me for telling her. I ran out of that house so fast.    It was a little while before I went back to their house. 

September 9, 1994: Rolling Stones Concert in Lansing

Sue and I decided to go to the Rolling Stones concert in East Lansing at the Spartan Stadium.     She lived in University VIllage which was close by.    The tickets were $45 each.     Sue and I bought t-shirts.   We were high up, but in the middle, so we were able to see the concert pretty well.    There were 50,000 people who came to this concert.    

Lenny Kravitz opened up for the Rolling Stones.    During the intermission, the whole crowd did the wave which was pretty cool.   Mick Jagger sang "Satisfaction", "Voodoo Lounge", etc.    At the end of the concert, there were big inflatable balloons that came out behind the stage in the shapes of the performers of the band.     Then, fireworks went off while they sang the last song.      It was one of the best concerts I had been to.

August 7, 1994: Mac Wood Dune Rides

Skip, Jo, Jase, Joy, George, Dawn, Owen, Kim, Adam, and I went in Skip's van to go horseback riding.  We found out that Rainbow Ranch was closed on Sundays.   I told Jo that I wanted to see the Chippendales for my 21st birthday.    She said she wanted to go too.   We went for ice cream and then back to the campsite and packed up.

Some of us still wanted to go do something, so Jo, Skip, Jase, Adam, George, Marianne, Joy, and I went on the Mac Woods Dune Rides.   We had a lot of fun on the ride up and down the dunes.   Silver Lake was still my favorite place for our annual camping trips.

August 6, 1994: Silver Lake

Some of us went for a walk down the road to the grocery store and looked around a strip mall by the go-carts.  On our way, we noticed that Skip and Jo arrived and were checking in.   Harold and Skip asked if I had a boyfriend and I broke down in tears.      Jo and Heather said that I am pretty and not to worry about it. It was hard on me being around everyone who had boyfriends, which I had always wanted.    Joy reminded me that I should just be happy and not worry about it.

Went to the lighthouse with Dawn, Jase, and Adam in Cheryl's car.    The water was cold.    Adam dug a huge hold under Skip's towel and when Skip came back, he plopped right in the hole.   We were all laughing.  

We celebrated my Uncle George's 50th birthday, which was August 3rd.    We played a game where we all had to come up with "C" words and couldn't repeat the same word.   The game went on forever.  

I got smart tonight and slept in the camper where it was warmer.   

August 5, 1994: Silver Lake

Arrived at Silver Lake State Park about 10 a.m. after a gorgeous drive on US 31.   I met Wendy's new boyfriend, Todd.   George, Marianne, Cheryl, Kim, Owen, Joy, and I went shopping in Pentwater while Wendy and Todd stayed at the campsite.  

Cheryl and I talked about the bicycle trip she and Harold took to Stowe, Vermont.    Heather leaves for California in 2 weeks.   Marianne's brother, Bob and his wife, Elaine, came by to visit and had dinner with us.   Then, we all went to watch the bikes and scooters on the sand dunes of Silver Lake.   George, Bob, and I walked up one of the biggest hills.   I made it to the top.   The view of the area was spectacular.  

After dinner, we went to see the sunset near the lighthouse.    We went miniature golfing.  

We went for hot chocolate and watched Kim and Owen on the go-carts.  
When we got back to camp, Heather, Dawn, and Harold arrived.      I slept in a tent tonight. It was 45 degrees and my feet were frozen.    This was the first time I had slept in a tent outdoors and probably my last time.  

July 29, 1994: Cedar Point

Sue and I drove my Ford Tempo GL to Sandusky, Ohio.   We went to Cedar Point and rode 11 roller coasters and the Demon Drop.   The longest we had to wait in line was 30 minutes, which was unusual, as the wait times can be 1 to 2 hours.    We both liked the Raptor. That one went 57 mph, upside down, with your legs dangling. It was alot of fun.    Went on the Magnum that went 72 mph with a 200 foot drop.    

I didn't like the Demon Drop.     We went on the log ride and Snake River Falls.    We saw the dolphin show. Drove the antique cars, which I remembered were my dad's favorite at Deer Park in Muskegon.  

July 13, 1994: Deli - Slicer Incident

It was very busy in the deli today.  I was working by myself today from 4-8 p.m.  Every single customer had to have their meats thinner or thicker.   Our slicer wasn't working properly.  A customer wanted Virginia baked ham.   I had the guard on the meat and it still didn't slice, so I held the meat down and my left middle finger slipped and I cut it on the blade.  Barb Rambo, the bakery manager, had to take me to emergency at Hackley Hospital.    I got 3 stitches on the tip of my finger.    My finger throbbed all night.  

July 10, 1994: Chicago

Mom and I walked down to Michael Jordan's restaurant.   The restaurant had 3 floors.    The first floor had the bar and a big screen TV.  The 2nd floor was where we had lunch.   In the back, there was a huge office where Michael Jordan sat when he was at the restaurant.      Then, we went shopping at Water Tower Place.    Mom said she was going to change her style of clothing and her hair color.    

We left Chicago at 5:30 and took the train back to Holland.   We had a wonderful time on our vacation. I love big cities.

July 9, 1994: Untouchable Tour

We took the "Untouchable Tour" today.  The bus driver and spokesperson dressed like gangsters in Al Capone's day.     They held up the bus. It was funny.    Saw the Hotel Lexington where Al Capone stayed.   We went down Maxwell St. where people sold all kinds of tires and junk.   We won prizes on the bus. I got a coffee cup and mom got a switchblade.   

Had lunch at Planet Hollywood.   It was owned by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, and Sylvester Stallone.  

Then, we stopped at Ed Debeviks across the street. It was a 50s style restaurant known for snippy waiters and waitresses.     Our waiter was dressed as a pirate and asked us 'What are you looking at?  Are you crabby today? 

Went to Al Capone's museum to watch a short show.    Then, went shopping at Water Tower Place.  

In the evening, we went to the show, "Tony and Tina's Wedding".   We went into this fake church for a fake wedding. The maid of honor was pregnant and one of her other bridesmaids was fat.    At the fake reception, everything went wrong. The priest got drunk, wedding party was drunk, and they were all having affairs with each other.    The food was delicious.   It was a really funny show to go to. I highly recommend it.

Then, we walked through Old Town.   I loved looking at the brownstones. They reminded me of the homes in the show, '227'.  

July 8, 1994: Chicago

We walked along the beach on Lakeshore Drive to the oceanarium.    It was a gorgeous day for walking along the beachfront.     My leg was still killing me. I limped the whole walk there.    The last mile we had to take a cab as my leg hurt so bad and we were running late for the 10 a.m. dolphin show.   I enjoyed the sounds of a noisy city.     The oceanarium overlooked Lake Michigan which was so neat.    Dolphins eat 40 pounds of food a day.

Then, we walked over to Grant Park for the Taste of Chicago.   I had stuffed pizza and Eli Cheesecake.   Mom and I tried shark meat, which I didn't like.   Then, we took a ride on the ferris wheel that overlooked the city.  It started to rain while we were on it.   

Walked from Grant Park to Michigan Ave to go into the Nike store.    There was a basketball court on one of the floors. 

July 7, 1994: Chicago Trip

Mom and I took the Amtrak train from Holland to Chicago for our summer vacation.    We got to Chicago around 10:30 a.m.  The past few days, I have had to do step aerobics in gym class and my legs were not used to it.    Anyway, I had a hard time walking around Chicago as I hurt one of the muscles pretty badly.    

We stayed at the Rafael Hotel on Delaware St.     We had a gorgeous room with a mini bar.    We took a Gray Line Tour of Chicago.    We went shopping at Navy Pier.  

We went for dinner & show at "Tommy Guns Garage".    We were greeted by a man dressed like Al Capone with a gun.   He asked us for the password. The password was "oil change".    During the entertainment, they took my mom up on stage. It was so funny.  She got 2 free tickets to Al Capone's museum and a bullet that whistled.

July 1, 1994: Gretta Bugee Trebilcock's Wedding Reception

Took Kara and Sue to Gretta's wedding reception at the Mormon Church in North Muskegon.   The reception was done in red, white, and black.  The centerpieces on the tables were fish bowls with red crystals on the bottom and black fish.   Gretta's husband, Jon, worked as a construction worker during the week and a DJ on the weekends.   The ceremony was held at the Mormon Temple in Atlanta, Georgia.   Gretta's family moved to Roswell, Georgia in December 1993.   

June 29, 1994: Body Posture and Weight Control Class

I signed up for a Body Posture and Weight Control class at Muskegon Community College.  I found out my measurements.  My bust was 32 1/4", 26" waist, and 36" hips.  I did 53 situps and 30 push ups.  I am medium boned and supposed to weigh 110 pounds, of which I am 13 pounds over.   The worst food to eat is Lunchables, salt and saturated fat.

June 28, 1994: Training of New Employees at Plumbs

My supervisor, Christina Merrill, in the deli wrote me a wonderful letter about how well I had trained Dacia Lange.    She asked if I would train another girl the same way I trained Dacia.    She said that everything looked nice and to keep up the good work. That sure made my day.      I always believed that training was the most important part of the job.  I wrote out directions and approximate times as to when things should be done in the deli.   I was not trained very well when I worked at my first job at Burger King

June 16, 1994: Beach with Matthew

It was another warm day in Muskegon, so I took Matthew and his friend, Derek, to Bronson Park to go swimming in Lake Michigan.     I saw Regina Kuhn down at the lake.      Matthew found a big rock and took it home.     Then, we got ice cream at Frosty Oasis.    Then, ran in the sprinklers with Matthew.    He was like a little brother to me.  

June 15, 1994: Ashley's First Time at the Beach

Sue and I took Ashley to Bronson Park, now called Krause park. The water was cold.   Sue and I had fun playing with squirt guns in the water while Chris played with Ashley.   This was Ashley's first trip to the beach.    Ashley was such a cute little girl.  I had so much fun hanging out with them.  

May 28-29, 1994: Memorial Day & Grandma Gonyo

On Friday,  I went to Grandma's house at 1845 Manz St and she took me for lunch at Caroline's Place, which was around the corner from her house on Laketon.     She told me she and Helen Speiss tried marijuana years ago when they were at a house that was growing marijuana plants.  Grandma said she hated it.   

My Mom, Marianne, George, and Joy came to Grandma's house on Saturday.   The women went shopping at the JCPenney store on Henry St, while George went biking down to Lake Michigan.   We had ice cream at Frosty Oasis.  In the evening, we all went to see the musical fountain in Grand Haven.   It was very windy and cold there.    Joy stayed at our house for the night.  

On Sunday, we met Grandma at her house and headed up to the cabin in Baldwin for the day.    It was so sad up there without Grandpa Gonyo.    We went shopping in downtown Baldwin and had ice cream at Jones Ice Cream.   We stopped at Peggy Katt's antique store which was in a little yellow house. It was named the Painted Pony.  

We all took what we wanted out of the cabin, as the cabin was up for sale.     We sure had some good times up at the cabin over the years.    We loved going to Ben Franklins, Jones Ice Cream, canoing on L-Lake, swimming, riding the 3 wheeler, playing ball, cards, watching TV, and visiting with Ken and Peggy.

I remember Kim, Wendy, and I used to fight over sitting in the tall yellow stool.    We used to go to the carnivals and parades up there.   

March 3-4, 1994: Visit to Michigan State University

I went to visit Sue Arnouts at Michigan State University.  I couldn't find a parking spot in front of East Akers Hall.    I ended up parking in a lot off of Hagadorn St.      I met Sue's new roommate, Kelly, who was from Saginaw.     I had lunch with Sue and some of the gals on her floor in their cafeteria.   My lunch ticket cost me $6.  

The next day, I got to take the bus with Sue to her math class.    The bus cost me 60 cents.   I got to experience what it was like to be in a large lecture hall.   Each class cost about $400.    Then, when we got back to Akers Hall, I visited with Chad Lawver, who also lived in Akers Hall in room 117.   Chad was going to go to Utah for spring break.   He said Jase was struggling with Chemistry class.  Jase wanted to be a veterinarian.    

March 2, 1994: Visit to Central Michigan University

Today, I drove to Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, to see my friend Kara Filius, as well as my cousin Wendy Gonyo.

First, I went to visit Wendy, who lived in room 231 at Robinson Hall.    She wasn't in her room, so I decided to go see Kara, who lived in room 5 in Trout Hall.   Kara took me to her music class.  I met her teacher, Dave, who also worked on our music for our marching band at Mona Shores.

Later on, Wendy came to visit.  Kara and I had lunch at Pixies which was a 50s style diner.   Then, we drove around Mount Pleasant and over to Midland.  Dow Company was a big employer in Midland.   

March 1, 1994: Visiting Matt Johnson at WMU

Today, I went to visit my friend Matt Johnson, who lived in room 303 in Eldridge Hall at Western Michigan University.   He gave me a tour of his dorm, Haworth College of Business, Waldo Library, Lee's Honor College, Recreational Facility, and the student union.     I decided that I definitely wanted to go to WMU in my junior year.   

Matt wanted to have lunch at Brehms Restaurant inside the Amway Plaza in Grand Rapids, so we drove over there.   

January 21, 1994: Dean's List

I got my letter from the Dean's office at Muskegon Community College.   It said I was on the Deans List this semester.  I got 2 A's, and 2 A- on my report card for my first semester in college. I thought that was fantastic.