HOT in Coleman, MI 7-31

Hot, Hot, HOT. Just sitting and doing nothing the sweat just drips and rolls down your body. I see why us westerners don’t last too long in the east! We got up this morning and it was a little cooler, but the high humidity was as sticky as ever.

We got moving so we could be at the tire center when it opened at 8:30. This town’s symbol might be the smiley face, but the people don’t practice smiling at all. They just stare and barely respond if you say hi. It has been interesting going across this country. We might all be Americans, but we don’t even act friendly to our own people. It is weird to feel foreign in my own country. It has been one of the most disappointing things we have discovered about the “United” states. We can’t even use all the fingers on one hand to count the number of friendly communities we have been in. Now that isn’t to say that we don’t run into the occasional friendly person lurking around!

We have been spoiled with Les Schwabb tire centers on the west coast. They are friendly and move quickly and go the extra mile. They even give the rims and tires a wash before they put them on the vehicles. Here in West Branch at Timmy’s Tire they slogged around and Larry had to ask them for new tire stems. They were going to put the old ones onto our new tires.

We were on the road again by 9:20, but we didn’t go very far. Just to Walmart’s parking lot so we could have our toast! Then we headed south. We only went about 77 miles today. We wound around the back country again and saw some wonderful houses. For the most part they are kept up really nice and have wonderful flower gardens. Larry saw his first Amish buggy today. I had seen them before in Ohio when I had visited my sister. Today just as we were getting set up a nice man asked us what in the world we were doing in Coleman all the way from California and offered us vegetables from his garden. So I now have some summer squash and cucumbers.

We are staying tonight in Coleman’s city park on highway 10 NW of Midland. We wanted to go into Midland and see the Dow Gardens. It was 97 with 60% humidity so the heat index is up in the mid to high 100’s. Silly day to go walk around outside but when you are on your way through you just do it! I love taking photos of flowers so it made it bearable. Lots of black squirrels running around. Don’t recall ever having seen one before. After we were done with the gardens we drove all around down town Midland. It is a beautiful city. Stunning, HUGE old Victorians and Craftsman homes.

We were back home by 3:30 where the power isn’t strong enough for our a/c. Painful, but as least the wind is blowing and moving the air around! We are starting to adjust to the heat …thank goodness. Oh, I forgot to mention that it costs nothing to stay here for the night. I have to go sit outside and get some air…until tomorrow……

This was posted late because we didn't set up the satellite dish! Too hot and too many trees!