Fall at Midland City Forest

Midland City Forest

'Sup, players.

So Kris has been harpin' on me lately to go take the kids out to check out fall leaves, seeing how they're comin' in pretty 'flamboyant' right now.  She wanted to go driving down some rural road up north, or walk around somewhere, and finally determined we were going to take the kids - and the dog - up to Midland City Forest to check out the changing foliage.

And then she decided I was going to take my new camera and take some pictures of the kids.

And then Ella invited herself along.

And that's how we ended up with today's blog post, folks.

I'm not going to bother captioning a bunch of these - they basically speak for themselves.  We parked, walked about a mile into the forest, then turned around because I had to leave by 12:15pm.  See, my good friend Trevor - an old buddy of mine from high school - was practically raised by his grandmother during our high school days, and she recently passed away.  I had to be at the memorial service in Clare, which started at 1pm today, which explains why a.) we were only there for, like, a half an hour, and b.) why I'm dressed up in a suit for these pictures.

So yeah, here's some pictures of my family walking around the woods, with Watson and Ella in tow, and with Yours Truly rocking a suit.

Enjoy.

I'd like to try running these paths at some point, but it's always so awkward when you bump into people on these trails.  Plus I don't have the paths memorized yet, so I'd have to stop at every one of these map things in order to assess where I'm at.  Honestly, I'll probably just run on my treadmill at home.  Where I can watch Netflix and not get lost or have to engage in awkward small talk with passersby.

Having the time of her life.

The answer is 'no.'  No, they never stopped running.

Kris asked if she could take my picture, more or less to make fun of me for being dressed so ridiculously out-of-place in Midland City Forest.  I guess you don't see many guys in full suits strolling around the woods.  Whatever.

Who got to walk the dog next was always hotly-contested.

That's Kris.  Picking up Watson's shit.  You're damn right I needed a picture of this.

Striking a pose.  Always have to be ready for the camera in this family.

When the dog ultimately dies I may have to frame this one and give to Alayna - these two are pretty close.

Once and awhile we came across these giant mud patches we'd have to walk around - we've gotten a crap-load of rain around here lately.  Not the kind of thing I was wanting to walk through in a suit and dress shoes, I can tell you that much.

Some creepy-ass tree.

Alayna requested her picture taken on top of this hill along the side of the pathway.  Whatever you say, kid.

Taking a break.

How is it that Abby's the one who's not messing this picture up?  She's usually the toughest one to photograph these days.

Of course you always have to get yourself a few of these. . .

Trail markers of some kind.  I don't know, I don't know how to read these things.

At the first bridge.  We had to wait a couple minutes for a family - with a far-less impressive camera, mind you - to wrap up taking their lack-luster pictures.

The dog never sat still for long.

Heading back towards the car, after about a half an hour or so.  We more or less walked to the bridge, snapped some pics, then started back.  I was running short on time, but Kris wanted to hang out on the trails with the kids (and dog) a little longer.

Alayna took this picture of the two of us, hence the bizarre framing job.  I took off right after this was taken, as I was going hard-pressed in order to make it to Clare in time to catch the memorial service's start time (I ended up walking in ten minutes into the service, but was able to grab a seat in the back without having my tardiness noticed.)

After I left, Kris snapped a few selfies.  Of course.

One last picture on their way out.

- Brian

Another March, Another Funeral

Good evening, Nation.

So this weekend was, without a doubt, a more somber affair as our entire extended family reunited in Clare to lay to rest Cindy's dad, Grandpa Jones, who had passed away in his sleep a couple weeks ago.  On his birthday, no less.  While he had been in a senior care facility for some time, his passing was still hard on his family.

The memorial and funeral services were both taking place on Saturday, but most of our family was going to be heading into Clare on Friday:  my siblings and I, and our respective families, coming in Friday afternoon and staying at Dad and Cindy's, and the entire Grant side of the family staying at the Doherty Hotel.

Kris had to work and wouldn't be able to get into town until later that evening, but I ended up taking a bereavement day off of work in order to pick up the girls from school before lunch and leaving from there.  Bryan had flown in on a red-eye flight from Vegas, and my brother, Chris, was already at Dad and Cindy's when we finally rolled in.

Definitely a depressing reason to get everyone together again, much like last year (almost to the day, in fact), when we came together for Granny Hough's memorial service and funeral.  Besides the occasional Christmas or Eight Point Lake Cornhole Tournament, it seems the only time our family gets together anymore is to honor the passing of a grandparent.

Anyway, here's a quick look at this weekend. . .

Getting some lunch upon arrival (I'm a shitty parent, I don't feed my kids.)

This machine still works (the other one, as you'll remember, fell out of service last summer.)

(This wasn't quite a match for the ages - it was really, really hard to watch.)

Hanging around the bar.

Bryan was scheduled to give a speech at the funeral service, and was still in the process of writing it as we all hung out at Dad's.

Having some beers with Uncle Bryan

Once again, our family purchased The Greatest Pizza on Earth for dinner.  If they had Buccilli's in Midland, I'd weigh 400 lbs.  No doubt about it.

Needless to say, we fell upon this like a horde of Mongols. . .

Some gratuitous food porn shots for you. . .

After dinner, we all caravanned over to the Doherty Hotel in order to meet up with the many Grant families and take full advantage of the hotel's swimming pool. . . 

Some antique manacles on display in the hotel's hallway, bringing to mind the town's shadier past when it was ruled by the mob.  Good times.

The Doherty Hotel Pool (featuring a few dozen cousins.)

No longer afraid of the water (thank God.)

Brians and Beers

Can I just say how happy I am that we don't have to come to a pool packed with life vests anymore?

The next morning, everyone at Dad's got to juggle showers and getting kids ready for the day before heading in to town to the Clare Methodist Church, where the Memorial Service was starting at 11am. . .

Grandpa Jones, formerly of the U.S. Navy

Cindy and her sisters (I'm assuming) had set out several pictures and mementos from Grandpa Jones' life around the reception area of the church, which quickly filled with well-wishers, friends, and family.

Sibling Set A

Sibling Set B

You always have to go Oldest-to-Youngest with these pictures, people:  to not do so would be an act against God.

Not many of us in attendance knew this about Grandpa Jones, but apparently he was on hand for the frickin' Atomic Bomb Testing at Bikini Atoll back in '46, which is insane.

Cindy, her mom, sisters, and some other lady (not sure who.)  I have no idea what's happening in this picture, but it's a good shot of the Jones family matriarchs.

- Brian