Looking Back

It feels like it was yesterday, but it was nearly a year ago that we decided to go on 60 dates. Sue had the idea since my 60th birthday is 12/31/2018. I was tasked with setting up the dates, and scheduling the dates and Sue could not object. Anything could count as a date, big and small events. Now we are at the end of this journey and we made it. I am convinced we forgot to record some of our dates because we had so many. But it was great! The kids are growing up and leaving the nest, and this leaves just Sue and me.

Where do we go from here? At the end of 2019, we have our 30th Wedding Anniversary. This is another great opportunity to come up with a plan. So… for 2019 we plan 30 dates but we want to only count the little bigger once. Let’s see where are at the end of the year. We will be off to a great start with a trip to Cancun on Jan 5th.  You can follow it on a new blog at

https://franzdates.blogspot.com/

This blog was written after the fact, but we want to keep the next one up as we go. We don’t publish this blog to gather attention. It is a great way to capture memories and share with our family. Also, w had friends that really liked the idea and try to do something similar. One of our friends goes for
 Dates in 2019 and another one for 28 (wedding anniversary). There are a few others that I am not sure what exactly they do, but they are trying to spend more time together. These days we are all busy with careers, kids, hobbies and many other things. Therefore it is even more important to take care of each other and cherish each others company. We fell in love at one time and we need to make sure that this does not get lost in the daily routine and the stress of our lives.

Birthday Celebration

FINALLY!!! WE MADE IT! This is our date number 60 on Bert’s sixtieth birthday. Ok, it was a little different, since this was not just Sue and Bert. We traveled (with Anna) to visit our friends, the Wess family, north of Chicago. On the way, we had Dim Sum in Chinatown (with Anna). And then we celebrated together with the Wess family and the Megan’s. Bert got a great homemade birthday cake.  There is no better way to celebrate than being with friends and family.
We had to work hard to get all 60 dates in, but we made it.  It was a great year, and we decided that this was one of the best ideas we (or better Sue) ever had. Too many times do we rush through life and forget to stop and enjoy our blessings. We have the best intentions when we rush and try to accomplish too many things in life for family, kids, and friends. It is just s important to enjoy the moment and each other. It is like riding a riding from one coast to the other. If you don’t get off the train once in a while, you can enjoy the beauty of life through the window, but all you see will become a big blur by the time you arrive at your destination.
Let’s stop more often, enjoy life and celebrate life. Our creator did not create all the beautiful thing surrounding us for nothing.
We enter the next year with a new idea. 30 dates in one year. We try to make them a little bigger - if we can.  30 dates – one for each year that we have been married. Follow us on our new blog at https://franzdates.blogspot.com/

Movie Night - Second Act

One of our favorite places, close to the Lake House. Movie Night is always good. '

This movie was fun but nothing you absolutely need to see.

Rock n Thai - Dinner

This is just a small little restaurant. A friend of ours recommended it, and we were kind of surprised when we arrived. We thought it was a little bigger and fancier. BUT – the food was great, and the peoples serving us were friendly.  Is there anything better than hot soup on a cold snowy day with great company.

https://www.facebook.com/RockNThaiCafe/

Breakfast at Mug Shot

We enjoy the Lake House in Allegan for two years, and we tried multiple times to get to this place. Unfortunately, they are not open on Sundays. But, finally we made it and we were pleasantly surprised. It is a nice, good size coffee shop, with a good selection of teas (important for Sue) and some nice food. This is not the usual breakfast or lunch food. Their plates are not too big, and they show some real nice creativity with their meals. It is a great place to sit down for a good conversation, to read a book, or just relax. The big windows with a view onto the river are really enjoyable. We can’t wait for the weather to warm up and try out their patio. This will become a place we go more often. This is a jewel in the rough.

https://www.facebook.com/Mug-Shots-Coffeehouse-116223861837913/https://www.facebook.com/Mug-Shots-Coffeehouse-116223861837913/

Shopping and Dinner at Mizu Sushi

Wonderful Christmas GR Symphony