Abbotts Closeup Magic Convention 2011

Here’s an interesting story, a couple years ago Mary went to a Evening Magic Show and the Master of Ceremonies was Stephen Bargatze, who grew up in Tennessee. Afterwards Mary told me she had a bus driver named Bargatze who drove her to school each day and she wondered if the two were related.

Years later Stephen Bargatze (perhaps the premiere comedy magician in America) shows up at a Closeup Magic Convention so Mary made arrangements to photograph some of the show and got to meet Stephen who said the bus driver who drove her to school was actually his Great Uncle.

Below are some of the pictures from the Convention, you can see Mary in 9 of the pics (another photographer was on the other side and took some pics) and we also included 6 pics Mary took.

Continue reading “Abbotts Closeup Magic Convention 2011”

Winter in Mackinaw 2011

I had to attend a safety meeting at one of our customers up North, so we checked the weather, called the school and kept James out a day, and took him on a quick up North trip to see the Straights of Mackinaw frozen in winter.

I had been up here before in the winter, usually January or February, but I think this was a first for the family being up here, even though it was only for a little while. For the most part, everything was closed except for the souvenir shops outside the Fort, (a couple restaurants, and the Holiday Inn Express were also open). We did not cross the bridge because of the high winds and lack of time but I think James understands why we go up North in the summer and not the winter.

Continue reading “Winter in Mackinaw 2011”