Returning to Michigan this year was an apprehensive move. My
wife wasn’t sure I was up to the long drive, it’s
1,500 miles. When we left the Florida Keys, temperatures had
been in the 90s daily for a couple of weeks. We had delayed
arriving in the Keys for three months so we wanted to spend
a few extra weeks to see how June was.
WOW is all I can say!
We had been told June is a great month in the Keys and we were,
we thought, ready to experience it.
The main thing we learned was that those people who told
us it was great in June had been left out in that torrid
sun way
too long. I don’t consider conditions with temperatures
above 95 degrees as “great.”
I just call it REALLY HOT, especially when the thermometer
reads in the high 80s at night.
I
suspect our next electric bill will be similar to the national
debt — the AC ran around the clock, seldom
cycling. It just ran and ran and ran.
We kept getting calls from our Michigan friends telling us
how great the weather was in Michigan. We just ignored them,
after all every year for the last 25 we had returned to snow
or at least brown fields and trees with only a few buds on
them. How different could a delay of three weeks for our return
be?
A lot! Michigan was beautiful this time of year.
I
was certain I could handle the drive and as we departed the
Keys was certain the traffic would be much lighter
than other
trips. I was mistaken on the second count; traffic
was bumper to bumper in both directions — on a
Saturday. So much for the idea all the snow birds were
off the
road. I have
no idea where all those people were headed.
The
90 degree weather (and a reading of 100 in Georgia) stayed
with us all the way to Ohio where
it dropped
down into the
80s. As we drove through Ohio we noted the extensive
amount of road repairs underway. Actually, it
seemed like I-75
was being rebuilt all the way from the Florida
line. While in
Ohio, we gazed at the statue known as, “Touchdown Jesus” just
outside Cincinnati. We were saddened to see on
the news it was struck by lightning and destroyed
the
day after
we viewed
it.
As
we traveled we turned on the radio to keep up on the latest
reports on the Gulf disaster.
My
last three
columns
had focused
on events there and it was never far from my
mind and I’m
sure the minds of most of my readers. Whenever
we stopped along the route home we heard people
talking
about
the Gulf. Many
had their own ideas on how to solve the problems
and all were saddened by the loss of wildlife
and their
habitat.
The
assault on the environment of the Gulf is great enough to
upset a whole nation. I’ve
seen so many teary eyed people talking about
how they
feel,
and I admit
to tearing
up also.
As
I see it, these are very sad times. I can only imagine how
hard it is for the fishermen
and shrimpers
with
thousands of
dollars invested in boats and equipment — and
no place to fish. The problem is made greater
by the fact
they have
no idea when they may get back to work.
We
made it home and are in the midst of unpacking, such an ugly
job. We had the
TV on and heard
the coverage regarding BP’s meeting
with President Obama. The President said
BP had
agreed to establish
a $20
billion
escrow fund
to pay
loses resulting from the Deep Water Horizon
oil spill. BP also agreed to set up a
fund of a $100
million
to pay for
losses
to those unemployed by the halting of
the deep water drilling. There was no
mention
of when
the oil flow
could be expected
to be stopped or brought under control.
Every
estimate of oil volume pouring into the Gulf waters seems
to be larger
than
the last.
I find
it amazing that
each day
the estimated amount of oil being recovered
by BP also increases. Every day they
are processing this
oil and
profiting from
this well that is harming everyone
else — this
does not seem right.
Taking into account all of the facts, I have one question.
Do
the people at BP who called the Gulf folks “small” really
want to stop the leak?
As we viewed the Gulf oil leak coverage on CNN in Florida,
we got homesick when the Pure Michigan ads aired. I know those
ads were designed a couple of years ago but they sure fit in
right now.
Let’s hope they prove to be a boost for Michigan’s
economy this tourism season.