Morning Sun video

The Morning Sun has launched into the video age, putting material on our Web site, www.themorningsun.com.

So far, I'm the only reporter to put anything up. I went out to the Blanchard Steam & Gas show last weekend, and met a man named Philip Simon. Here's his story:



I've got another one coming -- teenagers using pink flamingos as a fund-raiser. It just seems to take forever to get put on the site.

The band is back!

After five days of intense work, the 2007 edition of the Mount Pleasant High School Marching Band is back on the field.
Robert is back in the clarinet section, and Katherine joined the guard.

Band camp was over on Saturday, and the band took the field at Community Stadium to show off "Socially Numb," the 2007 show based on the music of Pink Floyd:



The band is scheduled to play at halftime of the Oilers' football game against Saginaw High on Thursday. The next show is Sept. 21 at Community Stadium during the game against Saginaw Heritage, and the first competition will be Sept. 22, during the Flushing Invitational at Atwood Stadium in Flint.

The answer was YES!

Matthew and Annie are engaged.
I got word at 4:30 Friday afternoon, when a text message popped in from Matthew.
It read:

You were right. She didn't let me finish. She said yes!

Matthew and Annie had been planning a trip in August for some time. Originally, the plan was to spend some time at a borrowed condo in Florida, but that friend's condo may have been the only piece of property in that state to sell. So they ended up in Petoskey, and they were on Mackinac Island when Matthew proposed.
Here's how Annie described it on her MySpace blog:

It was so romantic. We went for a hike to Arch Rock, such a beautiful site. He asked me there. I don't think I even let him finish what he was going to say before I said YES! My ring is still at home. He said we can go get it together to make sure it's perfect. He got me one while we were on the island in the meantime, but he said this one isn't for long. I love the one I got on the island. It's so pretty, too. I'd be happy with this one. We had a blast on the island, got those old-time photos taken, fudge, and ENGAGED! How could life be any better?

It's just the two of them Up North, which is the way it should be. Lexie, Annie's daughter is with us. She's snuggled up on my lap as I write this (one-handed typing is not my strong suit), and having a toddler cuddle close is just something magic.
Things are very tentative. At last word, the ceremony is likely to take place in 2009, after Annie gets her business degree from Grand Valley. Following that, the plan, I think, is for Matthew to adopt Lexie formally.
So am I a grandfather yet? Hey, I got the job, even if it might take a while for the paperwork to catch up.

MIT??? WTF!

If you'll recall, there was a lot of excitement when Michigan invited Andrew to come down and see the engineering school. Today's mail brought more excitement -- MIT, yes, THE MIT, simply sent Andrew an application.



Oh, Wow. What kind of a grin is that?



We had a very frank discussion -- MIT costs about $50,000 a year, a whole lot more than in-state tuition at Michigan. The university is very up-front, admitting only about 16 percent of the people they interview -- and yes, they interview applicants.
But it's all part of the adventure, and I'm more than willing to pay the application fee just to see what happens.
After all, they asked him.
Just a side note: Michigan's application is 23 pages long. MIT's is 28 pages.
Central's is, um, four, but applicants only have to write on two of the pages.

Snuggle kitties

Minden, left, and München share a kitchen stool on a summer morning.
Just 'cuz it's cute. Aren't they pretty?

The big fire

For about the last week, we've been distracted by a little fire Up North. Called the Sleeper Lakes Fire, it's grown from 5,000 to more than 18,000 acres in Luce County between Newberry and Pine Stump Junction. More than 220 firefighters have been trying to bring this awesome fire under control.
It's personal -- the smoke sometimes has been drifting south as far as Kissy Missy's Mom's place, making things uncomfortable. When the wind shifts, the fire moves toward the family's cabin.
These photos are by Michigan Department of Natural Resources photographer David Kenyon. Above, a Michigan Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter based at Grand Ledge hauls a 750-gallon "Bambi bucket" after dumping water on the flames.



All that was left in the wake of the fire was charred earth, and dead and dying trees.





At right, Luce County Sheriff Kevin Erickson and the flight crew of a National Guard Chinook helicopter based at Selfridge Air National Guard base near Mt. Clemens plan a flight over the fire.









Michigan DNR Fire Officer Mike Stearns from Gaylord sprays a foaming agent on the roof of a hunting cabin near the fire.

Other photos: Newberry-area photographer Gina Harman has posted some amazing shots.

WLUC-TV has a report

Campground owner Cathy Clementz has been updating her blog with news from near the scene, as well.

At Blue Lake's Stewart Shell

Robert performed Sunday at the conclusion of his adventure at Blue Lake with the Red Band. The finale of the show: Karl L. King's "The Trombone King," a classic mid-century march.





Robert's friend Jalen, an orchestra student, spent his first session at Blue Lake.






Things never seem to slow down during the busy 12 days.