Rural Life in the UP of Michigan Some stories about life on 160 rural acres in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

I was recounting the summer’s events with a friend of mine this afternoon, and was struck by the highlights:

1) Helped move my Dad, who has dementia, to an assisted living facility.

2) Caught pneumonia, and was pretty sick for about 6 weeks

3) Got informed by our local vets that our beloved dog Franco, who just turned 6 years old a few weeks ago, likely has a fatal spinal disease.

4) Made a quick trip to the Michigan State Small Animal Clinic, where they determined he instead has a nasty case of Lyme disease. While not fabulous news, Lyme is treatable, and Franco is now on an aggressive course of antibiotics, which seems to be working.

5) Worked to encourage my Mom to move from the home she and Dad have loved on the Grand River in Dimondale to a more suitable sized apartment with services more in line with her age. Today, I think she agreed to the move.

Whew! Even writing all that was hard work. We have made several trips downstate this summer to help Mom and Dad adjust to their new reality. While we were down there last time, I took a picture of a picture in his room:

I’m pretty sure that I am the little guy standing next to him inside the doorway of his business, which was called Ruhf’s Feed Store in those days. Dad’s hard work, talent, and his wisdom for enticing my younger brother into the business, all contributed to seeing that business expand to the success it is today. Looking at that picture of Dad standing in the doorway of his place, so full of vitality, courage, and smarts, makes me think about the wisdom of the circle of life. While it is hard to see him so diminished by age and dementia, I know full well he had a life he has lived to the full. He enjoyed his work, especially if he could make a good deal or two during the day. He loved his family, and liked having us spend summers on a lake near the place he grew up.

That little guy standing next to him is me, now 62 years old. I’ve had a career I’ve enjoyed, retired from it, and am enjoying my second life on our beautiful acreage. I hope you enjoy reading about my life as much as I enjoy writing about it.