August 6-8, 1993: Annual Camping Trip

I left in the morning for Benzonia, MI which was near Traverse City.    I stayed with the Gonyos, Klees, and Lawvers at the Vacation Trailer Park off of US 31.   Our lots were 90, 91, and 92.    On Friday afternoon, we went to Traverse City to Cherryland Mall.   We listened to Cheech and Chong on the way back to the campsite.  

Adam was looking for a wire for the grill. They didn't have one in the campground store, so we hopped the fence and went across the street to this store.

Played baseball with Adam with a broom and beer can.    Adam was letting gas alot as he had eaten so many cherries. It was so funny.

On Saturday,  we did water aerobics in the pool, using filled milk jugs.  

Then, we took Crystal Lake Rd to Lake Michigan.   I went swimming with them all.    Jase and Adam were looking for Petoskey stones.   Jo told me she has had diabetes since she was 22 yrs old.    She said that birth control had triggered the symptoms.  

Chad was going to Michigan State University in the fall, but didn't know what he wanted to get his degree in.     Rode back with the Lawvers. We listened to the Cheech and Chong tape which was so funny.   After dinner, we went miniature golfing at Crystal Falls Miniature Golf Course.  Jase taught me the right way to hold a golf club.   I got a hole in one.   

On Sunday, we had a big breakfast.   We went to the lighthouse in Benzonia.  It was built around 1853.  

July 1, 1993: Paul Patterson's Injury

The neighborhood kids used to always come to my house to hang out, as I always found fun activities to do like golf, riding bikes, getting ice cream, etc.     You could also call me the Big Kid on the Block.   
With permission from the parents, I took Jeff, Jason (neighbors of Matthews), Matthew, and Paul to D&B Golf Range in Fruitport to practice our golf swings.     Paul could hit golf balls 150 yards.    He was 12 yrs old on April 6th.   He accidentally stood behind Jason who was going to swing the golf club to hit the ball.    Paul ended up getting hit on the left side of his head with the club.   He fell to the ground and blood came oozing out in buckets out of his head. I raced to get help.  The ambulance was called.
I called Mrs. Patterson to let her know what happened. I was so scared to call her.    

He ended up being ok.   He kept worrying about the blood ruining his baseball hat he liked.   He had 2 staples put in his head.    He even played his championship baseball game later that day and won.   

June 13, 1993 - June 26, 1993: Trip out West

June 13, 1993:   Minneapolis, MN

We left for Minneapolis, MN.   It took us 12 hours to get to Fred & Janice Soop's house.   On the way, we stopped at a cheese store in Wisconsin and then at the A and W Rootbeer.    I did the driving over the Mississippi River.    We got to 4300 Brookview in Burnsville, MN around 8:30 p.m.

June 14, 1993:   Mall of America

Fred  and Janice took us to the Mall of America which had 400 stores.    We walked through Camp Snoopy and had lunch at the 50s/60s diner, Boogies.       We went through an area that had train models, as that was one of Fred's hobbies.    

June 15, 1993:   Downtown Minneapolis

The Soops took us into downtown Minneapolis to walk around the skyways that connected all of the buildings.  I think this concept would be great for all downtown buildings in the colder climates.
I went down the same escalator in the IDS building as Mary Tyler Moore did in the beginning of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.   Then, we went shopping at the Target store in the Burnsville Mall.

June 16, 1993:   South Dakota

Took 90 West to Rapid City, South Dakota.  We stopped at a ghost town along the way.    Stopped in Dsmet, South Dakota where Laura Ingalls lived as a child.   Drove to Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.    I drove through the Badlands.  We got there at sundown, so we only saw about 20 minutes of it.   A thunderstorm had started.   It was scary driving in the dark along the edge of the cliffs.    Visited Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota.   The shops were really neat with little figure people outside. It looked like a little main street in Europe.  Stayed in Rapid City for the night.

June 17, 1993:  Mount Rushmore

It was quite cloudy and misty, so we couldn't see Mount Rushmore that well.   Saw the President's sculptures.   The Black Hills were like nothing I had ever seen in my life.       Then, we went to Deadwood, South Dakota.   We got to ride in a limosine to one of the casinos.    I felt like I was in an old west town with all of the casinos and narrow streets.

June 18, 1993:  Yellowstone

Had breakfast at Perkins in Gillete.   I drove through a tunnel and around Bighorn Mountains.    In Bighorn National Park, we heard that Gillete had a tornado warning just about 1 1/2 hours after we had been there.   It was pretty foggy, which made driving treacherous.  We stayed in a cabin at Lake Lodge.   Saw some buffaloes along the road on our drive.

June 19, 1993:  Yellowstone

Took a tour of the Lower Loop in Yellowstone National Park.   We sat next to a family from Ohio. They were called the Amazing Glen Family because one of the kids did a magic trick with the bus driver.    Saw Old Faithful, Old Faithful Inn, geysers, hot springs, and the Continental Divide.
We saw elk, moose, and bison.   Our tour guide was Jim Brehms.    

Tonight, we stayed in Grant Village. It's very modern, but cheaply made.  You can hear every noise through those walls.     Had dinner at a steakhouse.

June 20, 1993:  Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Left Yellowstone National Park and drove through the Grand Tetons.   We stayed at the Golden Eagle Motor Inn on Broadway Ave. in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  We made reservations for white river rafting.   At night, we went in a covered wagon and had a delicious meal.  The guy who drove ours was from Utah.   

June 21, 1993:  White River Rafting

Today, we went white river rafting in Jackson Hole.   We wore plastic pants and jackets and still got soaking wet.  Our group was alot of fun.   It rained and thundered while we were on the ride.   Mom fell off her seat alot while we were going through the rapids.     Then, we had a buffalo burger at Jedediahs.   

June 22, 1993:  Estes Park, Colorado

We drove to Estes Park, Colorado.   We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Estes Park.     Enjoyed looking around the shops.

June 23, 1993:  Estes Park, Colorado

Went on the Wilderness Tour on an old army truck.   The ride went through the Rocky Mountains.   I swear it had to be one of the bumpiest roads in America.   Toured the Stanley Hotel, which was based in one of Stephen King's novels.     Stephen King stayed at this hotel.      Then, we went on an aerial tram.  

June 24, 1993:   Nebraska and Iowa

Stayed at the Best Western in Council Bluffs, Iowa.   Called Skip's parents in Omaha, Nebraska.    Adam was visiting his grandmother.     His uncle had a farm in Friend, Nebraska.    He said they went to Women Lake, Minnesota in the summer, too.   That was a 16 hour drive from Milan, Michigan.   Mrs. Lawver said it was 225 miles to Ottumwa, Iowa. 

June 25, 1993:  Rosie's Big Food Diner in Eldon, Iowa

Continued on I-80 east to Ottumwa and Eldon, Iowa.    We ate at Roseanne and Tom Arnold's diner called "Rosie's Big Food Diner".    On the way out of the bathroom, I went through the kitchen and saw their phone number posted on the wall.   I wish I had written it down.    No one in town would tell us where they were building their big mansion, so we drove down many of the roads and finally found their guest house.     We stayed the night in Illinois.

June 26, 1993:  Homeward Bound

We got back to Grand Haven and had to wait for the bridge.    We put on about 4,000 miles on the Ford Tempo on this trip.  Overall, it was an excellent trip. We saw so many things.  It was definitely a trip that every child should have the opportunity to go on.

June 12, 1993: My Open House

Matthew came over and helped us tie the three balloons to the sand bags in fancy paper.    After that, Matthew and I went to Sue's open house and helped set up tables and chairs.  

Went back to my house and got dressed for my open house. I wore a light green dress with white polka dots.    Charlene and Steve came early to help decorate.  

Guest included:   Gonyos, Sheri Goodhue, Charlene & Steve, Valerie, Karen Daly, Grandpa and Grandma Thomas, Grandpa and Grandma Gonyo, Maxine, Diann & Pete, Lorraine and Christi,  Debbie & Stacy, Sue, Mrs. Arnouts, Ashley, Tillie, Kara, Lucy and Larry Filius, Dykemas, Connie & Kim Daugherty, Elsie, June, Irene Anderson, Jake Messinger, Ann Tyler, Helen Musselman, Meghan and Mrs. Piersma, Mr. Hesling, Anne Kulikowski, Wysozans, Zimmers, Ernie & Karen Simons, Andrea Erwin, and Matt Johnson.

Eric Anderson had his open house the same day.   Our food was catered by Tudor Catering.    We had pasta salad, turkey and ham sandwiches, baked beans, pop, coffee, punch, and cake.  I got the cake from Goobers Bakery.

June 2, 1993: Commencement Day

I got up at 7:30 a.m. and took mom to work.    Voted yes for Proposal A for 6% sales tax used for schools and the extra 2% would go towards the students in every school district ($4800 per student).    Then, went to Great Lakes Ford to look at cars. All of them were over $10,000.  

Sue picked me up at 12:15 to go to our rehearsal for commencement at LC Walker Arena.   I sat next to Jennifer Geiger and Stacy Gosma.   

When I got home, I saw that Jeff had taken down Eric and Matthew's swing set that had been up for 16 years.    

Sue picked me up at 7 for our Commencement ceremony.    We got our caps and gowns on.    I walked with Chris Gerling to our chairs.     I was so nervous as I walked on stage to get my high school diploma.  

Jayme Whitby, Sarah Meisch, and Meghan Houle gave good speeches.  They said to work hard and that effort always brings a reward for it.  Also, don't ever think your goals can't be met, because they can.   It doesn't matter how smart you are, how your grades are, but what does matter is how you apply the things you know throughout your life.    Each one of us shapes the way we are and helps us throughout life.

Mom, Grandpa and Grandma Gonyo, and Grandpa and Grandma Thomas came to the ceremony.    Andrea Erwin and Jessica Walsh screamed my name when I walked across the stage to get my diploma. 

I got a big hug from Chris Papp after the ceremony.  Cate Freisleben came up to me and hugged me, along with Matt Johnson, Cheli Sibley, Sue Arnouts, Bob Hunt, and Jenni Krybez.   

Our class gift was money for an endowment.  

May 29-31, 1993: Memorial Day Weekend

Mom and I headed up to the cabin in Baldwin.   We waited for the Gonyos to come, but they were late, so we decided to go to downtown Baldwin shopping.    We visited Peggy Katt at her antique store. Her granddaughter, Nicole, had mono and was here for the weekend.    When we got back to the cabin, the Gonyos had arrived.      I told Wendy and Joy I really liked Jase and would give him three sons.   We were all laughing.   

On Sunday, we went to mass at St. Anns in Baldwin.    The church was crowded.    After church, we went to Ludington to go shopping.    We had lunch at a Greek restaurant.    Joy bought a t-shirt that said "I want it all".      Then, we went to Pentwater to do some more shopping.   

Peggy and Nicole came up to the cabin for a visit after dinner.      

On Monday, mom and I left and headed up to the gravestone to put flowers down.    

May 28, 1993: Senior Breakfast/Last Day of High School

We had our Senior Breakfast on our last day of high school.   Sue and I were in love with Chris Papp.     We were so happy to get his senior picture and name card.    On the back of the card was an invitation to Chris's open house.  Of course, we had to go to that.    In Spanish class, Sue and I got a picture taken with Chris Papp.   

After school, Molly and I went cruising up to Silver Lake.   

My friend Patty Kmiecik turned 40 years old today. I brought over a birthday card for her after school.