...I fondly remember the TC area and the Kodiak family's homestead-the colder than death -cold water-crisp clear nites huddled under 15 wool blankets and sailing in freezing spray in mid August. The whole town I live in vacationed in Michigan every summer for many a year. I spent a Christmas on Mackinaw Island-freezing to death-broke 3 ribs when messing around with the X-old lady in the Grand Hotel's master suite....but the helicopter ride to the hospital was the most exciting thing-flying over the bridge in bright sun lite after the week long storm broke.....While I can not stand even cool weather I was required to "enjoy it" by my parents for maybe 12 years in the summer time-the Cherry Blossom Queen Probably still remembers me-[yes I was the one....!] Most of the old crowd are gone now-cirrhosis has been hard on them in the "golden years".....and the moths have devoured all the old sweaters- wool blankets and the old cabins are all gone....I will miss the summer's first drink of sulfur water-and the gagging that accompanied the scrubbing of the teeth the next morning after arrival.....raccoons meeting you in the morning in the kitchen and the friendly one finger pointing of the locals for turns in traffic on dusty gravel roads while I choked in the dust....Tree shakers shaking the cherries down and the Latino's stealing all the batteries out of the boats at least 3 times each summer-at least they left the boats!....water rocking the boats dragged up on shore while the rocks made holes in the hulls almost over nite. MOST OF ALL I MISS THE TAFFY FROM MACKINAW ISLAND CANDY STORES...and the dentist refilling my teeth every summer because of the damn stuff. Wearing my self out bicycle-ling around the island and throwing up from all the cherry stuff and sweet confections. There was the local girls fighting the tourist girls over some tourist guy what was ugly as death but came from a family that was "well to do"....formal dinners at the Grand Hotel dressed for dinner and the cherry filled chocolate candy on your pillow at the evenings end.....AH! those were the days!......geof kaye
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