Out and About Blog by Norm Stutesman

Visiting Honolulu is nice, but it doesn’t mean that you have really been to the true Hawaii. There is so much more to see and do. The same can be said for Michigan. Kalamazoo and the Three Rivers area are also very nice, but to experience the true Michigan, I feel you should venture north of Grand Rapids. As a …

I’ll start this week’s column by trying to get myself out of the dog house. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the subject of Living Wills. If I came across suggesting that a Living Will is the way to go, I apologize. I did some reading on the subject, and it seemed like a good idea. I do …

As promised, I’ll share our return trip back to Pure Michigan from Omaha. It’s great to get away from the everyday grind and enjoy some downtime, but for me, it’s even better to get back home to your own bed and the daily routine. Call me crazy, but I’ve never enjoyed being away from home for more than one week. …

Once again I’m taking you along as we really get Out and About. On September 12, we left Three Rivers for Omaha, Nebraska, where we would join a couple thousand other Lions for three days of breakout sessions, celebration, camaraderie, and, of course, food. This annual gathering is known as the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum. Last year it was held …

I’m not an expert on dining out, but my wife and I probably dine out more than we dine in. This doesn’t mean that our refrigerator is empty; as a matter of fact, it is filled with everything you could possibly want when it comes to snacking, and I can put together one heck of a Dagwood Sandwich at a …

For someone with such a love for airplanes, and aviation in general, it might be hard to believe that I have never attended an air show. This ended on Saturday, August 20, when my brother and I attended “Thunder Over Michigan” at Willow Run Airport, near Detroit. My brother, who also shares a love of aviation, lives in Ann Arbor …

I try my best to remind everyone about holidays and trash pickup days. I should have mentioned this last week, but I ran out of column space, so here is that information a week late. Monday was Labor Day, a holiday for just about everyone. Your trash removal person had the day off, but will be working this next Saturday. …

Weather is an easy topic to write about. It’s always there and, most of the time, its popularity is way below par. There’s nothing we can really do about it, especially here in Pure Michigan. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather here in Michigan, just wait five minutes.” I am as guilty as anyone when …

If you have served in the Armed Forces and have a DD214, which serves as proof of your service, you can be a member of the American Legion. If you are a member of the American Legion and served in a combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW (Veterans of a Foreign War). If you served in the …

I’m in pretty good health for a person my age. I’m diabetic, I’ve experienced a heart attack, I’ve had shingles, and last September my gall bladder was removed. I try to get plenty of rest, eat healthy meals, well most of the time, and try to exercise as much as I can. I have an occasional beer, but I don’t …