Jack Buys a Car !

A big incentive for getting a job at Pizza Hut has been having the money to buy a car. After a lot of research online, Jack decided upon a Jeep Patriot. He very much wanted a black one, and got a good deal on a 2014 Patriot. It of course has 4 wheel drive so he hopes to drive it to go skiing for years to come!

Michigan Football

Michigan has a great football team this year, up to #4 in the polls and contending for a spot in the college football playoff. In mid-November, John went out to Detroit for work and combined it with a trip to visit Joseph. He got to see Joseph's apartment, went out to dinner a couple of times, and went to the Michigan-Indiana football game with 110,116 other people. It was a cold evening, and a closer game than thought, but Michigan won 31-20.

New Ski's

Both Jack and Henry have grown quite a bit in the past year-plus, so they have outgrown their skis and needed new ones. Both picked out more unique skis offered online. Jack's were shipped to us; Henry's were made by a shop in Portland. We were headed to Oregon for a weekend, so we decided to stop in the shop and pick them up. It's called ON3P, and it's a small hole-in-the-wall in an industrial park, but they are well regarded for their skis. When we came by to pick them up they gave us a tour of their manufacturing facility so we could see how they start with a flat sheet of bamboo and turn it into the finished products that can be skied on. Very neat!

Henry's skis up against the wall when we first arrived at the ski shop

The lobby of the shop. No photos in the manufacturing area - top secret production methods in use!

Bringing the skis into our garage

Jack with his new skis

28th Anniversary Trip to Oregon

For our 28th wedding anniversary, John and Mary Jo spent the weekend on the Oregon Coast, at a wonderful new hotel on the beach overlooking one of Oregon's famous rocks that sits about 200 yards offshore. It was a gorgeous sunny weekend and we took a long walk along the sand, up over the surrounding dunes as well as along the flat sandy beach. Sunset was amazing, as the sun set right behind the Haystack Rock and we could watch it from the balcony of our room.

View from our balcony

Climbing up on the dunes for a great view of the waves coming ashore

"Haystack Rock"

Sunset

David Wright's Last Game

In late September, John went back to New York to see David Wright play in his last game. It was a playoff atmosphere at Citifield with a packed house and lots of ovations. The Mets won 1-0 in 13 innings!

David Wright's Last At-Bat