This makes me giggle even more than Marilyn

Create your own FACEinHOLE

#207: create a FACEinHOLE

Create your own FACEinHOLE

#206: Read a novel by an Indian author

Please read The White Tiger. It's a page-turner, dark comedy, full of wit and insight, extremely thought-provoking. Loved it! --and the debut novel for this author. Impressive. One of those that when you realize it's over, you are just a bit sad. It will take you to a world you have never been to - if you were raised in a Western Democracy of any kind.

It won the The Man Booker Prize.


Read a more comprehensive review that doesn't give too much away.
"A chatty murderer exposes the underbelly of India's tiger economy in this thrilling debut novel."

#205: Ate octopus

Squid yes, Octopus - not until last night. Like it better than squid in fact. Had dinner with iXL crowd at Ilios Noches. Good food, quite crowded. Good wait staff, but kitchen had trouble serving 11 of us all that same time. I would go again though.

#204: Road ten miles on big girl roads in Charlotte

Been riding around my neighborhood for a while now - and bored with it. I decided to get up early this morning, attempting to avoid as much scary traffic as possible, and head out to ride on Providence Rd, Rea Rd, Colony Rd, Sharon View, Old Providence Rd, then back home. That loop took about 1:45 minutes and is almost exactly 10 miles from beginning to end. It was not too bad. The traffic was doable. Rea Rd was really the worst. Get a bit of bike lane on Colony and Sharon View was suprisingly almost traffic free.

Sort of proud.

#203: Made a Memorial Day (July 4) themed cocktail

My inspiration: Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives fame... this was his contribution to this month's Food TV Magazine. I tried to take a picture of mine - but low battery issues. Suffice it to say -- mine was not nearly as vibrant as the picture I nabbed for FoodTV.com, but it tasted mighty fine. I guess you need a food stylist and some great lighting for these results.

Now I wonder what I will do with a great big bottle of Blue Curacao and Watermelon Schnaaps. I think I'll take this to my next book club meeting and see if I can unload some of it there!

Recipe here.

#202: Booked a vacation with an adventure travel company

Well - uncle. No available singleton friends nor boyfriends to vacation with... so heading to Santa Fe/Taos on my own in September with an adventure travel company. Should be interesting - Whitewater rafting, horseback riding, hiking, and the thing I've always wanted to do -- explore the Anasazi ruins. Time to start working on the bucket list...time marches on.

#201: Travelled to the state of Michigan

Rochester Hills, Michigan - to be exact. My Dilliplanes have moved and I paid them a visit. It's a lovely town. I wasn't there at Christmas, but Karen told me all about how they really light up the town and I found these pictures.

Here's what it looks like without the Christmas magic.

#200: Went to The Henry Ford

This is very cool place. Go visit if you are ever in Detroit.










In addition to the new things that follow this post, I saw a courthouse in which Abraham Lincoln tried cases, a re-creation of George Washington Carvers log cabin home and Henry Ford's childhood home.

This website, GreenfieldVillage Memories, is actually a much better site for details than the The Henry Ford website. Here is an excerpt of what Greenfield Village is all about:

Greenfield Village contains three hundred years of America's past along the streets of "America's hometown" village. In 1919 when a new road forced the clapboard house that was Henry Ford’s birthplace from its original location, Ford decided not only to move it, but to restore and refurnish it to match his boyhood recollections.

The restoration received so much press that Ford was inundated with requests to save other buildings. Fearing the foundations of our nation's past would be lost to future generations, Henry Ford brought together original buildings from American's industrial age that led to such miracles as manned flight and the electric light, to share the best and brightest stories of how this great nation was formed.

#199: Took a ride in a Model T

A nice shot of the
Greenfield Village.

#198: Visited the home and cycle shop of the Wright Brothers

Again, at The Henry Ford Greenfield Village.

When the house was first built, the house had no porch, Wilbur and Orville added that. The workmanship was fantastic.

Inside, more evidence of the Wrights' craftsmanship — a solid cherry mantle and staircase, built by the brothers and decorated with bas-relief carvings by Wilbur. One of the rockers in the home — there are several — were also built by Wilbur and Orville for their ailing mother.

By the way - it was Mother Wright who taught the boys to tinker. Their dad was a preacher. Daughter of a machinist of some sort, Susan was resourceful in adapting household tools or utensils to unexpected uses. She designed clothes, built a sled for her children, and her family said that she "could mend anything."

#197: Stood outside the oldest public aquarium in North America

Belle Isle Aquarium, originally uploaded by amber365.

The Belle Isle Aquarium is now closed, but the building was, well, spooky actually.

Here's some history:

The Belle Isle Aquarium was closed by the City of Detroit on April 3, 2005, due to budgetary cuts. It was the oldest continuously operating public aquarium in North America.

This beautiful structure opened in 1904 at the intersection of Inselrue Avenue and Loiter Way across from the Greenhouse and next to the Conservatory.

The Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium are continuing an effort to reopen this facility. For additional information on the FOBIA efforts go to their website: http://belleisleaquarium.com

#196: Stood at the helm of a working pilothouse

Belle Isle - Dossin Museum pilothouse, originally uploaded by amber365.

Belle Isle - Dossin Museum pilothouse.

Exploring the working pilothouse from the freighter S.S. William Clay Ford overlooking the Detroit River.

#195: Made a Square Knot

Belle Isle - Dossin Museum - Making Sailor Knots, originally uploaded by amber365.

More fun at the Belle Isle Dossin Museum.

#194: Sat on one of the anchors of the SS Edmund Fitgerald

Belle Isle - SS Edmund Fitgerald Memorial, originally uploaded by amber365.

Yes, The Edmund Fitzgerald, of Gordon Lightfoot song fame. Listen to the song here.

Photo: I am flanked by gorgeous Dilliplane children.