Back from vacation!

[LincolnMan]

Hello everybody! I trust the summer is going well for all. I just returned home from vacation in the Copper Harbor area of Northern Michigan. Frankly, I'm exhausted. I think I need a vacation from my vacation! Anyway, the weather was decent- not too hot and minimal rain. However, my thoughts went to Lincoln regarding his "fighting" with the mosquitoes in the Black Hawk war. The mosquitoes were the worst I've ever seen. It made it difficult to be outdoors for very long- as they literally swarmed us. How did Lincoln and our ancestors ever deal with the pesky bugs? They certainly couldn't purchase cans of OFF! I also thought of Mary Lincoln. She traveled with Tad Lincoln in her widowhood years to Northern Michigan- including Copper Harbor. The area probably looks about the same now as it did then-there is so much undeveloped land. We made our usual rounds of the antique stores, of course. This time I didn't find any "treasures." But as I always say: "you won't find anything if you don't look." We'll, I'm glad to be back home. We had no phone or Internet service up there. I bought a track phone thinking it would get a signal- but even that phone did not work there. I look forward to reading and catching up on the posts on this Forum by everyone. Ok, time to unpack!

[RJNorton]

Welcome back, Bill!

[HerbS]

I am now finished moving.It took two years to sell my house. -My move,near Canandaigua,NY.My Son-City of Rochester.I now have "The Wireless Internet".This Saturday I am going to The Seward House to listen to a presentation on Gettysburg.Yes,Bill we have a lot of catching up to do.

[RJNorton]

Welcome back, Herb!

[L Verge]

Congratulations on your new abode, Herb; and Bill, welcome back to your old abode.

[BettyO]

Welcome back - both of you! You've been missed.....

Bill - I second the opinion about how our Victorian kinsmen and women dealt with pesky critters - particularly the soldiers, both North and South. Lots of ticks (think Rocky Mount Spotted Fever - unknown then) as well as the current Lyme Disease, etc. Not to mention mosquitoes! West Nile Virus...if it existed then, as well as malaria, and encephalitis in some cases could be carried by mosquitoes. Lew Powell's oldest brother, Benjamin, died from encephalitis in 1859. One wonders how the soldiers, probably in constant contact with these critters during the summer months, fared....

[LincolnMan]

Welcome back - both of you! You've been missed.....

Bill - I second the opinion about how our Victorian kinsmen and women dealt with pesky critters - particularly the soldiers, both North and South. Lots of ticks (think Rocky Mount Spotted Fever - unknown then) as well as the current Lyme Disease, etc. Not to mention mosquitoes! West Nile Virus...if it existed then, as well as malaria, and encephalitis in some cases could be carried by mosquitoes. Lew Powell's oldest brother, Benjamin, died from encephalitis in 1859. One wonders how the soldiers, probably in constant contact with these critters during the summer months, fared....

It had to be exasperating. I forgot to mention that the tick situation here in Michigan seems severe this year. We had a 12 year-old boy come in the ER this morning with two ticks embedded in his scalp. The critters were not identified as Deer Ticks- but still!

[GARY POPOLO]

Well back Bill, I know how you feel about coming home from vacation and then feeling beat. Could not imagine how our boys from the north and south fought off all the bugs and insects in there time. Also at night you can go to your room and hit the A/C. They sure did not have that option! I guess we can call these the good old days! Herb, Hope you enjoy your new home. Moving to a new home is always exciting. Best of luck to you. Best Gary

[LincolnMan]

Thanks Gary! I may regret it, but we just shut off the air in our home-as the temps have dropped to the low 80's.