Back to life, back to reality

We have returned and settled back in from our fabulous summer vacation “up north” (as they say in Michigan) on the Lake Michigan shore.

If you’ve never vacationed on the Michigan side of Lake Michigan, you should. As a non-native, I can say without bias that it is one of the prettiest places in the U.S. The lake seems as big as the ocean, just as blue, but without the salt.

If the beauty isn’t enough to convince you, maybe a philanthropic approach can. I can say this without bias as well: Michigan needs money desperately. Tourism is the third-largest industry in the state (who knew, right?), and as with many things in this recession, it is taking a bit of a hit.

That said, our vacation was really all about us. We brought in quite a few out-of-staters in the form of friends and family – doing our small part to increase the tourism base – and we had a great time. We went to one of the same places we ventured last year, and we hope to go back next year.

Jellybean and Peanut are becoming beach kids, which I think is so cool. Yet another feather in their caps as little Michiganders.