The Ray Ray tree house

I met Arthur Eastman 3 weeks ago about when I got my wisdom tooth extracted. I was on so good drugs and thought I needed to get out of the house because it was a beautiful fall day. Dam if it did not take me around the block to see Dale's house on the corner of Seymour and Butts aka Maple street. The house was where my friend Rick Benson use to live at decade ago and it had asphalt siding on it. It look horrible! Now here it is in all it's new glory after Arthur and his crew got done putting his heart and soul into Dale's place.


I said to Arthur, how this mad the place look 200 percent better and that I was looking for somebody to flatten my roof on my front porch and build me a deck wrapped in cedar just like this.
The only problem was that I did not have the cash for it ,but was willing to trade my fully restored 1989 GMC truck and camper for the labor. Arthur ears perked right up and came right down to see the job. Timing is everything and Arty needed a truck and I need a roof and new deck so by Saturday, October 10th 2010 my dream of a upper deck was started.
I was a little worried because I was on my way to Kalamazoo for Mary's birthday party this weekend. It's not everyday your birthday flls on such an occasion as 10102010. I have to say seeing My best man Hal and his wife Peter, going to a wonderful play about a Gay baseball player and having a wonderful time at Marys party the weekend was just perfect.
I took my own color tour across to South Haven, Sauatuck and Douglass dunes beach aka Oval beach for a wonderful day of photos and reminiscing of what a wonderful summer season this was. It might not have been the most productive in money, but it was a wonderful time with friends and family. My porches have never been as busy as they where this year. I love it when people feel comfortable enough to just drop by and hang out with me and Bertlee or whoever might be there. I feel blessed with all the friends and fellowship we share at my little end of the world. Sitting at the beach saying goodbye to summer has been tradition for me for over a decade and today was one of the best! On my drive home I was excited to see how far Arthur and his crew got on the project. I pulled in the driveway about midnight, and was amazed at the progress that they had achieved in such a short time!








It rained on Wednesday so this slowed the project down to a crawl and there was a hole in my house where there use to be a window. The cold creeped in and Taylor said it was bone chilling for him to sleep that day. Taylor works at liquid web and his job is from midnight to 8am so the crew has been keeping him up. I told him to just look at the results and the 10x26 foot deck will be so worth it in the long run. This is adding 260 square feet of brand new living space to the second floor that was never there. You can tuff it out for a week until they are done.


This week was a little slower than last because now it's the little stuff that needs to be finished. Arty agreed with me about replacing the sides that where not covered in cedar shingle with new 8 inch side boards and he is working on that and the last of the V side roof. It will finish off the project with the respect that it needs and after returning the extra material to Menards there was a 13.00 dollar credit.
I decided to have a small dinner party up on the tree house with Bertlee, Taylor, Jamie and JR. What a wonderful show of color the maples gave us as the sunset! I am so happy this has come true!



We had to move a couch today out of the house form the second floor and it was a bear! I pulled the truck up and Arty and his son got on that and Bertlee and I got on the new deck. It worked much better than just dropping it over the ledge.
Arty will be done hopefully by Friday and I can clean up and have my house back in order. Timing is everything!
Saturday October 23rd
Well Arty ran out of boards to finish last night so I am out to get them at menards. Jackies diner called me first though because I could not get off the exit since it was closed. It's raining so he just might not finish today, I hope by Monday night it will be finished. Happy saturday and this rain will bring lots more color and leafs, on the ground.








-- Post From Little Rayray iPad

Location:116 west maple street, Lansing, Mi 48906

The first Sunday Walk Old town October 3rd 2010

Well it is hard to believe but it has been a year since I showed my work at Turner Dodge Mansion. I am sitting down here at Heart and Soul getting breakfast before the show and looking at my wonderful work that hangs on there wall. I stopped here to see my favorite gals and to get my print of North by Northwest. I hope I sell a lot today it would be great!
Well breakfast is here so I will write more later.....
I was able to show a lot of my new work and talk with a lot of people but all I sold was two prints. I did get a lot of cards into people's hands and I had a greet time. I will also be in the December first sunday walk. I will say it is a great opportunity and I do get to show my work. I just finished a short video piece for my Cinima class about old town artist and the walk go check it out at http://vimeo.com/15545355


-- Post From Little Rayray iPad

Location:North Lansing, Michigan,48906

Getting my tooth pulled

I am sitting in the dentist chair waiting for my mouth to get numb so the doctor can pull my number one wisdom tooth. I ended up getting a cavity in-between. When I was 21 they told me I should have them out but I was a chicken. I hate pain and thought when it was time I would grin and bear it. Well that was today and I have been stressing it all weekend. I didn't even sleep last night and I worked in the lawn to get everything done so I would not have to worry about the pain. Dr peters just came in and has a big set of dirty pliers to pull my tooth now so I better hold on here we go! Here is what the tooth fairy looks like !



-- Post From Little Rayray iPad

Location:Mason mi

P town vacation 2010

Bertlee got up early and I slept in at David's so that I would be totally rested for the day. Bertlee went for a walk on the beach and I think almost watched the sunrise. I took my tome and got ready just about the same time David rolled out of bed. Breakfast was great and we had a wonderful time on the deck overlooking beautiful Buzzards bay. After breakfast, bert and I went for a walk down to the ocean to see the little crabs running away as you walked by them! It is so fun to see then run with such a big claw and such force! Could you imagine having a hand as big as your body! Check it out!
The boys at the dock where catching blue rock crabs.
They where using raw chicken legs and they said there grandma was going to cook the crabs for dinner. This was such a wonderful way to get your seafood!
We stopped by David's house before we left for P town and this gave me a little time to take some HDRS at David's house. Check the out and tell me what you think.











The Drive down to P Town
I decided to let David drive and me and dolly the dog rode in the back seat. David can handle this crazy driving and all the round a bouts, so it gave me time to catch up on my blog.
Dolly could not sit still while her dad was driving, and she was a little nervous about dave's driving. She and I where on the same path! I did get David to stop for clam chowder after the tenth place we passed. I have to whine like a back seat driver to get some though!
Ray and Karen had left at 11am and we left at 2pm. They only arrived less than a hour before us! That is how bad the driving is going to the cape on a Saturday is! We switched places when dropped the boys off at the "Ranch B and B". The ranch is right down in the heart of P Town and the street are not your normal streets. They are barely two lanes and have never changed from there brick ways. Parking is a premium and you never park close. By the time I got back the boys had settled in and the cocktails where already served! Bertlee was waiting for me to go on a tour of the Ranch. Wow was I amazed!


We where greeted by Rob, which became gorgeous Rob by the end if the night. He became a mascot for the Ranch and I hope they use this shot rather than the ugly one they use online,the drawing one. Come on thins so much better don't you think?




We had a wonderful pot luck dinner right at the ranch and there was Chicken and wonderful barbacue with steak and sausages , and corn on the cob and cumber salad! It was so good! Ray and Karen and her sister came over and eat with us. They had to sit outside because woman are not allowed in this establishment. Gorgeous Rob show the girl a great time while they ate.



He was desert! Dam look what testosterone shot can do for a 47 year old man!
Ray and all of us ended up down by the dock and had a wonderful time to take this shot.


David Stjaques, my buddy from the cape and me and Bertlee !
Ptown August 2010
This was such a great time and everybody down there treats you like a wonderful friend that you have known forever! I have nothing but great memories of my trip to the cape with my buddy Bertlee. This is when we stopped at Niagara Falls



This is a HDR so it looks this way. I think people should not be in them so far . I hope that changes in the future.
This is at the falls too....



Look at that rainbow! So cool. I hope this brings a little sunshine to you just by looking. Ptown day two tomorrow.

-- Post From Little Rayray iPad

Arriving at Cape cod, Wareham, MASS David's place

Driving up state New York in the dark and the rain was really a long tiring part of the trip. Thank god it was at night. We where going to stop in Wochester, MASS for the night but what the he'll, after midnight it would of really not mattered. David called and said that the storm was really strong and he was up because of it and if we wanted we could drive right though.





We arrived at about 3am and dolly, David's dog, welcomed us with lot of barking. She settled Dow and David had the guest room chilled and beautiful as usual. We crashed until about 9 am and bert got up earlier than me. I had dreams that I was still driving, you know that was hard to shake but after seeing David it was all gone. I met my buddy David in 2001 and we have been great friends ever since. We came down here in 2007 and spent 2 weeks enjoying Boston, Warham, and Cape Cod in general. David is such a great host and our friendship has grown over the years that I would not know what to do without him.











He throws great parties, and he and his brother Ray treat us so well. I can't say enough great thinks about the StJaques.
David had to go to work for a short time before the weekend in P town, so me and Bertlee went to the "Crack of dawn" for breakfast. After that, we just took a drive to see the shoreline and ended up getting lost in the wonderful shoreline that cape cod has to offer. David called and said that he would be home within the hour so we headed back to his house. We are staying at his families summer home on the ocean and it's near Buzzards Bay. I can't wait for our wonderful weekend to begin!
David was still getting things around when we arrived and I too a moment to go out and photograph his house and view on the cape. Hope you enjoy the view.
Buzzards bay, StJaques Family home























This was a great day and to boot we got to swim at the pool and look at this wonderful view at the family home on the ocean. Ray was running a little behind, but it just gave David, me and bert more time to catch up. We had cocktails and before dinner snacks out by the pool.





What a great place to be!
Dinner was great and steaks, cohogs, and a wonderful salad. Desert was the best, and girl scout cookies hit the spot along with the laughs and wonderful crazy times.

Time for bed, P town here we come!


-- Post From Little Rayray iPad

Journey to Niagra Falls

The Lake Erie shoreline drive of Canada was so beautiful that I would recommend it to anybody. Bertlee and myself stopped at a farmers house for pickles and some beans and met a wonderful Canadian Gal , Elaina. She was so happy that she had somebody from the US stop by her place. We talked for a little bit and she was so friendly! We love canada! The coastal drive was so wonderful even though it added time it was so much better than the highway. We did stop once to put our feet in Lake Erie and saw the Who and pink Floyd the wall.









Niagara Falls


We arrived about 2ish and the sky was so beautiful! Bertlee had never seen them up close so we parked by the space needle and walked down closer to them. Wow was it HOT!
So, so many tourist and Bertlee was amazed. What he was really amazed at was the garbage! He looked down and it was scattered everywhere! So much for clean canada at the falls. Dam tourist!


This is suppose to be one of the 7th wonders of the world and they just little it up like no end. Hopefully you don't see it in my photos. We stayed for about a hour and a storm was brewing so it was time to cross the border.
Up state New York here we come!


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Canada leg of Our Adventure

Bertlee did the countdown on text as the day was ending at work for him and he arrived home just as I put my last bag in the Pt cruiser. It was so hot and muggy I just wanted to hit the road and have the air conditioning on! We left at 5 and followed storm all across Michigan into Canada. We arrived in St Thomas just as the sun was going down and the storm was arriving. I stopped and took a HDR of the old Railroad station that is being renovated. It was so cool!
I accidentally printed the map backwards so it took us a little bit to find Rhonda and John's place but we did, and arrived just before 9PM. Wow it was a beautiful house , and since it was the first time meeting John , he was a bit shy, it did not take long and before you knew it he was chatting with us like he knew us for a long time.
I could be wrong, or it was the wine but I could tell that Rhonda truly seems content and happy. I am so happy for her and John! If anybody deserves this, it's Rhonda. John is one lucky man.


At Rhonda and Johns during a wonderful dinner and rain storm.


Rhonda and the "Old Hudson" and smiles

August 5th 2010
Bertlee just told me this morning at breakfast that he did not sleep well on Wednesday , so that is why he went to bed earlier last night. I hope he gets the sleep and rest that he needs on this vacation. He deserves to go back to work rested and adventure filled. Hell, we all do! Rhonda said goodbye to us and headed on to work and pointed us towards a breakfast place in St Thomas but they are on vacation this week just like us. We decided to head the the queens highway of 3 . Route 3 that is, so we could see the small towns and all there lovely splendor. The day is beautiful and the next town we have stopped at for breakfast was Aylmer, and we are eating at Johnny's Lunch Express. Wow was the food great! You could not believe the bacon it looked like pork chops! Canada you know your bacon. My steak was really good too! Thank you Rhonda and thank you Canada! Now we are ready for a leisurely drive across to Niagara Falls.



-- Post From Little Rayray iPad