HM: Touring 37 Sq. Miles

Honeymoon Day 4

We were surprisingly adjusted to Island time, which was probably the benefit of spending so much quality time in the Atlanta airport. The first thing on our agenda was the island tour with Bertrum Thomas, a witty older guy who gave a nice tour. We toured the whole island and had a few stops along the way. The first was at Simpson bay, where we got some rundowns on the island particulars. Like, there is a water and power station on each side of the island (French and Dutch) and they run on different voltage. We also saw the spot of a new resort and a questionable church site. From Simpson Bay, we went a bit through the Dutch side and found ourselves at the French border. The only way you know you are crossing over is the “Welcome” signs and the white tags on the road.

We stopped in the capitol of the French side, which is Marigot. We walked around a bit and I wish that we had more time available to take in food choices. The bakery that I had wanted to visit was closed for the day and the market was quiet with a few exceptions. We saw Fort Lewis, which was the French fort, but did not take the trek up to see it. From the capitol we went out in the countryside and saw the guavaberries, which aside from tourism, is their biggest product. You take the guavaberries and add them to a pina colada! So good. Another misfortune for Matt is that they are rum. Their products used to be salt and sugar cane. These products are no longer being a reliable export for the country. From there, we went to Orient Bay and enjoyed a walk along the beach with a guavaberry colada.

 We got back on the bus and went through the French Quarters and saw their main livestock! Although we never partook in enjoying cuisine from this animals, we saw it on the menu. We crossed back over to the Dutch side and went through the capitol of the Dutch side, Phillipsburg. This city is known for it’s shopping and because of the location to the cruise docks, they have stores such as Tiffany’s, LaCoste, Ralph Lauren, Cartier, and so on. They can fit up to 8 cruises in the bay and when you get up to 10,000 on a cruise, that makes for some interesting opportunities. Their two shopping streets are Front Street and Back Street and Matt and I also took in the boardwalk. From there we headed back to the resort, and passed a cemetery, which was super intriguing. Because of the water and the hurricane, the set up was a bit different than what we were used to.

Our tour guide focused on a few things that were very interesting. So much of the island has changed because they are building the island out onto the water to better fit their needs. They are building up the land and expanding in that sense. He also commented that the laws (like the power abilities) are different for each side. What is done on one side is sometimes not allowed on the other. He did saw, we are not French or Dutch, but we are one island. And aside from some semantics, it was obvious to see how that worked. We also never changed our money over, everything ran in dollars (French and Dutch side). Although it got more problematic with the French side, which was on the Euro, we did get the crossover to happen pretty seamlessly. Language was also not a barrier. Everyone spoke English, Mr. Thomas explained that the island is surrounded by British Islands and before the airport was established, traveling only occurred by boats to these British Islands. This necessity boded well for the island as the English probably has served the tourism industry beyond what was expected.

Mr. Thomas: See the rules are different and the law is different on the two side. If you are married on the Dutch side, you are single on the French side. (long pause) I'm just kidding.

After the tour, Matt and I headed back into Phillipsburg. After doing some light shopping, we headed to Barefoot Restaurant. We started with some jerk wings, which I’ll admit I had my doubts, but they were so tasty. A bit of a kick with the seasoning, but worth mentioning for sure. Matt had a shrimp dish while I ventured out to try conch (the meat inside the big seashells). Matt’s meal was definitely the best and I found myself jealous as mine was a bit chewy…not what I was expecting. The flavor was good, but I couldn’t get past just how chewy.

As we were sitting there, suddenly the clouds let loose. The rain came in buckets and we found ourselves stranded as it continued to downpour. We had another drink but found that we wouldn’t be able to out wait it. We continued some browsing on the front street stores before heading back.

As we sat and watched the rain, we decided to smoke a few cigars. Sounds great in theory and after struggling to light with a match, we did enjoy them. That is until I finished mine and realized that my stomach/body hadn’t built up the tolerance to tobacco and smoke and I found myself a bit sick! What a wimp.

 

After a slight nap and some ginger ale, Matt and I headed down to the resort’s meal special…surf and turf. I’ll admit I was very disappointed. The flank and skirt stakes were a waste of time (but most steaks are compared to what we get from home). The salad bar seemed bleak. The pork was dried out. The lobster was okay, but I’m determining that maybe I don’t like lobster…it’s okay but crab is waaaayyyy better. The best thing of the dinner was the soup and the bread. I’m not sure what kinda soup…I’m thinking it was a seafood. What’s funny is that I had 2 or 3 bowls of it…and it wasn’t until we were getting ready to leave that Matt even tried it and he surprisingly agreed.

Best meal: The Barefoot restaurant meal…If I had ordered Matt’s shrimp, it would have been an EASY pick…but because of the chicken wings, the rice, and the fried plantains it still was pretty noteworthy.

While walking on the French side…
ALR: I’m so glad I have you here to translate for me, just like I translated in Cabo.
MJR: Screw you!

HM: SXM

Now I previously mentioned about the St. Maarten airport. I knew I couldn’t hold Matt off this for a long time so after breakfast, we headed back to SXM and their runway end. Now looking back, this may have been one of my favorite days.

At the end of the runway in Simpson bay on Maho Beach we headed and there. We grabbed a seat, had a drink and watched the beach. I could tell Matt was anxious to get out onto the beach so I suggested that we get a bucket of beer and head out there, just in time for the first plane.

MJR: It’s coming!
ALR: I see it, it’s a plane.
MJR: GIVE ME THE CAMERA.
MJR grabs for it…it comes out of ALR’s hand and smashes against the rock…he grabs it up and scampers up to the road and fence.
ALR (to herself): That is why I don’t have a big expensive camera.

So we watched the planes come in and leave. They got so close you could see the people in the windows. My favorite was them flying in…almost like they would take out a bus if it was parked on the road, but Matt loved when they took off. The first few showed me where the boundary-ish was on the beach to avoid the jet blast….and then came the 747.

Matt was pumped. He was ready and excited doesn’t come close to describing what was happening with him. I decided to back down the beach into the safe area to ensure that I got a picture of it. So there I was and the KLM came closer and just as I looked up, I saw our neighbor beach dweller ( the wife of 1 of the 2 cruiser couples) run up to put her foot on her bag and towels to ensure it didn’t blow and I realized that maybe I should do the same! And then it hit me…it was excruciating for minutes and what I envision a hurricane to feel like. I picked up Matt’s hat to protect my face and gave up the attempt to take Matt’s picture and just kept waiting for the pain to be over.

When it was, Matt came over to me hunched and sandblasted and had the audacity to be pissed. Not for my safety or my concern. I could have lost an eyeball! But was pissed because I rode the jet blast of a 747 and he did not. I could have punched him. The 747 did not gun the engines at the end of the ramp like the rest but was powering up as he made the curve which was where I was dutifully standing, waiting with my camera. The sand was engrained in my skins, behind my ears, my arms, my legs. I had welts forming on my thighs, on my stomach, and my back. The sand in my hair was so gritty I couldn’t imagine how I was going to get it out….and he was pissed it wasn’t him. Frankly, so was I.

Other planes came and went and Matt picked up a few welts here and there and got covered in the sand, but nothing like the one KLM that ripped through. The cruisers left and we got hungry. We headed up to the bar for a meal. Matt ordered the Dutch Croquette von Dobben and Buttered Bun and I shared the KLM Pizza with him. On it was Pomodoro, mozzarella, prosciutto, funghi, (tomato, mozzarella, ham, and mushrooms). We enjoyed a few more planes before taking off to walk a bit around the area.

We wandered a bit in the shops that were nearby where I picked up a hat that I’d been looking for for some time. I asked Matt if he wanted cigars and he seemed surprised. I had assumed with us being so close to Cuba, we’d want to take advantage of that. (Foreshadowing for later). And with these purchases we continued on. We had a few drinks at a local bar and was ready to keep moving. The trick about St. Maarten versus Cabo is that the set up isn’t conducive to wandering and exploring. We ended up working to hail a tag with a friend/body builder who attempted to give me whistling lessons.

After splitting a gouda cheeseburger at the resort bar, we attempted to take a shower to get some of the sand off that had embedded into our skin after each take off. The tub could have been a beach and even after that I found I missed the beach that was STILL sitting on my scalp.

What a great day!

Best meal: Matt's sandwich was hamburger and mashed potatoes mixed together and fried was so good and my pizza was great too. We had a beach, a beer, a meal, and the entertainment!

ALR with her notebook: “What planes did you ride today”
MJR Begins to list them.
ALR writes them down, page looks like this:
          Matt rode
                  MD80 – 2 of them
                  757
                  737
                  A-320
                  3RJ175
                  Challenger
                   747 (sort of)
                   Citation
                   Dash 8
           Amanda rode
                    747
MJR grabs notebook out of ALR’s hand: “WHAT!! Sort of? GRRRR….Screw you!”

HM: Hotlanta be Gone!

One minute, there we were, flying high, living large in first class, wrinkling our noses at those that were forced to sit like sardines in the back, drinking vodka and gin and being snobbish. The next minute, we found ourselves in the lobby of the terminal, protecting our turf. We had managed to grab a couch in the main aspect of the large room, there was only 4 available and if we were to move to grab drink or things at the chop house or IHOP, we’d lose this protected space. We also had our main bags with us as we had to claim them. See, Matt and I, in an attempt to save money and time, decided to stay the night at the Atlanta airport. We arrived at 10:30, had to grab our bags and we would have to be back by 9:00 or something like that the next morning to ensure that we made it through customs and our international flight. I was unsure about this idea, but Mr. Airport was ready.

Ready until we were doing it and his sleep was stopped by the floor cleaning who in Matt’s mind was taking too long and was too loud. The funny part was I actually didn’t mind him. See when I was sleeping and was lightly awakened by this, I actually had one of those moments that you forget where you are but recognize the sound as something similar. The sound reminded me of a lawn mower and I was taken back to my parents’ house. I didn’t think it was that bad. See it also drowned out the 2 types of music that was being played (one was overhead sound and the other was coming from some local shop or restaurant – and they did not complement each other). It also drowned out the two girls that continually chattered back and forth irritatingly and incessantly. See, so I didn’t mind the floor guy but I think Matt was ready to string him up by the floor cleaner cord. Eventually we shifted spots and I got the couch back as it didn’t fit Matt at all and if I wriggled just right it did fit me. There was my first 2 hours of sleep. Matt woke me up at 4:30 when it was finally allowed that we could check our bags and get our boarding pass. I suppose that I could have shown a bit more excitement that we could keep moving forward but it was 430 in the morning and we were both a bit punchy.

After checking the bags and getting into the sterile area, we found our gate and Matt laid down across the floor while I took 3 or 4 chairs above him to cuddle on. This was better than the lobby but I still was irritated that CNN or something similar was blasting Anthony Bourdain’s show. And given any circumstance but the sheer need for sleep, I would have been happy as the show sounded interesting and I actually wanted to see it. They should have put something quieter and more boring on at 5:00am.

We slept for a couple more hours and finally got up and had bagels and coffee and juice in the concourse. We made our way back on the plane…Matt would tell you what it was…I think it was an MD80 or a 757, I can’t remember, either way…to get to our seats, we went left! And I was never so glad in the fortuitous gift of first class. We had our hot towels, our champagne to start the flight, our snacks, our meal which was pasta gnocchi for me and a chicken for Matt with cheesecake custard of some sort for both. We continued the meal with screwdrivers and gin and tonics and while we watched a movie, Matt also settled in for a nap.

We arrived mid afternoon in St. Maarten. Let’s back up a bit. See this was Saturday. I started my vacation on Thursday night but Matt waited until Friday at 1:00. I drove him into the airport and he worked on Friday morning while I finalized packing, details around the house, some final errands, and some light cleaning. See, he went into work because the past three weeks have been yucky for him. The jets are a blessing in offering vital area service that is well needed and reliable but also come with expansion issues and needed space. Because of this expansion, they’ve had the ramp unavailable for use and have been busing passengers with a big yellow school bus. He went in on Friday to ensure that the first flight of our honeymoon, we would not be getting on a bus to start our honeymoon. But back to St. Maarten, you wouldn’t believe the ironic laugh that I felt bubble up when we got off the plane at St. Juliana Airport and got on a bus to make our way to the terminal.

The instant heat was a beautiful feeling. It forced us to rip off sweaters and roll up sleeves that had followed us down to the Caribbean. We grabbed our luggage and a cab and made our way to Divi Little Bay, where Kevin had secured us a location. I took it as a good sign to see the front desk stocked with rum punch for those waiting in line to check in, and I didn’t have a problem enjoying it while Matt handled the details of the front desk. I did get him a virgin one to tide him over.

After trekking up the hill (which is shared with Fort Amsterdam), we got into our rooms and enjoyed the set up. It was one bedroom, 2 bath, a full kitchen, a dining room, a secluded walk out patio, a living room, and a luxury tub (Bigger than most but still not meant to be enjoyed by us). Our only complaint on the whole room was the distance from the beach and the excursion up the hill.

We ended the night with a look around the resort, which had 3 pools (one was an infinite pool), 1 snack bar, 1 restaurant, and 1 bar. We walked a bit of the beach, saw the spa, the dive shop, the other activities, and finally settled into the bar for some beer and another rum punch for me. We enjoyed a meal of Mahi Mahi in Caribbean sauce and a combination plate of Chicken, ribs, and pork. We had to have a starter of mozzarella sticks and their marinara was unique as it was a salsa-ish marinara.

And after a long day after a longer night, we went to sleep in our king sized bed.

Best meal: I really enjoyed all the meals that we had. The bagel with lox cream cheese, the gnocchi, and the fish…hard to pick one. But I did feel good that I had settled into my favorite drink of the rum punch.

Back in the Atlanta Airport, on a cold couch and a cold chair that was never meant to be sat on for more than 20 minutes at a time….
ALR: I do have the pillow that I stole out of first class would that help you get more comfortable (snuggling with the blanket that was also ripped out of first class)
MJR: Yeah, that’d be nice.
ALR: Hmmmm….I think I will take that as you eating your words for gwauffing at me for taking them when I did.
MJR: Yeah, Yeah…yes, good thing you did.
ALR: I expect more vigor next time I do something that DOES benefit you in the long run despite you chastising me.

HM: Ode to a Kevin.

From the wedding....to the HONEYMOON!

The past week was an amazing week and we have one man to thank for making that possible. Uncle Kevin Remynse. For our wedding, he gave us an opportunity to choose the date and location for our honeymoon. And after careful thought and planning….we chose to go mid-October to St. Maarten. This Caribbean Island, also known as the friendly island, was one I found through some internet research. I found it online, it was the #2 or #3 location for either honeymoons or getaways. Why didn’t I go with the number 1….because of the connection to us. Matt is proud of his Dutch heritage and the island is half French and half Dutch and then the aviation connection ensured it was a spot on hit. The runway is on the edge of the beach which means that take offs or landings directly impact the beach. These two things ensured that Matt would be bought in and I wanted to experience the Caribbean and the food …so I didn’t take the requirements as seriously as my husband. He was sold though once I gave him a bit of information.

So next we presented the info to Kevin who worked his magic and got us a reservation and resort from our choices. With the date and hotel set, we worked on the flights and this was where things got even better. Michele and Randy went forward and gave us our wedding gift, which added further to the trip. They gave us upgrades on our plane tickets to first class. Meaning of the 6 flights, we’d fly priority on the 4 that were available. Plush seats, preboarding, drinks, snacks, leg room….we were set.

Here’s a bit how it went down. We took off from Dickinson to Minneapolis. We landed and had a bit of time in MSP to get to our gate, have a bit of a snack including fish tacos at Maui Tacos, and enjoy a drink and some technology at our gate. So there we were…2 A and B….enjoying our complimentary drinks, and our complimentary turkey Panini with corn chowder soup. Gliding into Atlanta, mentally preparing for our final leg of the journey.

Best Meal: Even though the fish tacos were pretty good, I really enjoyed the experience with the turkey Panini that was provided in first class. “I don’t know what people were talking about when they said airplane food wasn’t good, this is actually a really good sandwich.” MJR

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome you aboard Delta blahblahblah with service to Minneapolis. We’d like to especially welcome the station manager who is flying with us and his new bride. They are just beginning their honeymoon. Congratulations to them.” –Our pilot on the first leg at DIK  

A Memory Shared

After the final words were said and Bob was laid into the ground, a woman that I had met at the viewing came up to me. She said that her husband, Bob's brother, hadn't been able to make it as the drive wasn't doable and he was devastated. She said she noticed that I had taken a few photos and was hoping that I could forward them on to him. When I got back I sent them on…and this was the response that I received. It reminded me that many people were impacted by this man on so many levels and I admired him a bit more for the impact that he made on those that he loved.

Amanda, 
Thank you so much for the Obit and the pictures.  I am so sorry that I was not able to be there and meet some of my relatives.  Bob was a HERO to me in so many ways.  My memories of him when I was 5-7 years old;  My mother would play songs about the war and insert Bob's name into them,  And the morning that he arrived home at the end of the war, is emblazoned into my memories.  He was wearing his leather flight jacket with the white scarf out in front and was the picture of a war hero.  About 3 years ago, he gave me a picture of himself that looked very much like that.  I carry it everywhere and show anybody that I can and tell them his war stories.
He was also a great role model having starting college at a later age.  Jane and I got married after I left the Air Force, and I immediately entered Western Michigan.  Bob encouraged me in many ways that he had  found helpful.  I too, worked full time during my 4 years at WMU and had 2 children when I graduated 4 years later.  Bob was always there to give me welcomed hints and advice.  He was what I call a "Significant Other".
  Thanks so much for all you have shared with me.  Sorry that I did not get to meet you.   Love,   Uncle Harry  (Punk)

Bob Remynse, A Tribute Trip

October 7, Monday morning started with a phone call and Matt knew immediately.

When he answered the phone, Michele was calling to tell him that Grandpa Bob had passed away that morning, shortly after waking up. That 1 minute call changed our entire plans. Matt and I started prepping for our trip to Michigan. Within 24 hours, we found ourselves packed and on the road to Portage, Michigan, we had a brief stop in Bismarck to pick up Michele, eat and then we were off.

Here’s how the start of the ride went:

(MJR driving, Michele shotgun, ALR in backseat)

MJR: We are going to take road blah to road blah to road blah.

Michele: NAH AH!!! We are taking road blah to road blah.

MJR: No, We are taking Blah not Blah.

Michele: Let me pull out MY atlas!

MJR: Why do we have GPS if you brought an atlas?

Michele: I like to look at maps.

MJR: I do too, let me see.

Michele: NO!!! YOU are DRIVING!!! I’m looking!

MJR: When I looked it up it’s blah to blah to blah around Chicago and blah.

Michele: No…BLAH will take you into Chicago.

MJR: why don’t we pay attention to where the GPS takes us?

Michele: She will lead us astray and be wrong!

MJR: Why do we have her then?

Michele: Because. Amanda, do you want to see where we are going? Do you want to look at the map.

ALR: (watching the billboards of Bismarck drive by at 79 miles per hour wondering what I signed up for)



This was the first fight about the map and the roads…but not the last and I write using Blah because I didn’t care what roads we used to get there…just get me there.

So we drove..and drove…and that’s when I determined bathroom breaks were frowned upon. This is the part of the blog that I give light that we took my car. Now…I didn’t get to drive my car and I had no influence over it’s stop. I think this is what we refer to as a hostage situation. I was being held against my will and denied basic human rights. Water, bread, etc. This remained constant through the trip there and back. I was told things may be different if the situation for the trip was different, but I’m not trusting this quite yet.

Back to the trip. We stayed in Eau Claire, Wisconsin the first night. We decided to eat at the Green Mill, which was attached to the hotel…poor service and mediocre food. My soup was good and it hit the spot. Best meal of the day was subs and pizza at Nardellos in Bismarck. Service was great and the food was wonderful.

Next day, we woke up. I was given shotgun privileges. This later was transferred into keeper of the tollbooth change, which was more expensive than one would imagine. One toll was $3 all by itself…we had to have paid over $15 in tolls. That doesn’t discount for driving on construction. I thought we were sick of it with it being on our main road in Dickinson, I was wrong…it was more irritating in Illinois. We did not stop in Chicago for Chicago dogs and I cried a bit in my head…so close but so far away.

We did end up stopping for a brief breakfast at Steak and Shake. Now this is where I’m reminded that I live in North Dakota. Gas is currently $3.52 and diesel is $3.99. You can’t have a lunch in a sitdown restaurant without having a full hour because service is slow and they are busy and you can’t do it under $12.00. They don’t have value menus at fast food places because they don’t need to. The food (fast food or other) is also mediocre at best and the service is bad at best. Now fast forward, the three of us ate there for $18.00, tip included. The meal was good…the portions were huge and we left content. We continued on to Portage.

When we got there, Matt showed me the house that he spent many summers at. Now, Matt handled the news of his grandfather’s death well, he said he had made peace with this and will remember the man that was full of life, a full schedule, and a dog near him. Seeing these major pieces that contributed to the man I loved was moving. Seeing the view of the lake and the places that we remembered going with his grandparents was touching. He became nostalgic with the memories that came flooding back and it was nice to see what had made such a big impression on him. I had never met Bob so I wasn’t sure what I was going to expect when things got rolling when we arrived at the house.

Things were in full swing, a schedule was set. The viewing was on Thursday and the funeral and burial was Friday. Lee, Matt’s grandmother seemed in good condition all things considered. She was having trouble with people and faces but her appetite was clear and seemed to be awake and talking more than the family had seen in the past.

Thursday started off with a walk down Matt’s memory lane to the Air Zoo. This was a spot that was synonymous with Bob in Matt’s mind. He remembered the planes, the displays, the models, and simulators, the depictions/dioramas and it suddenly made me realize the impact that this man had on my husband. Matt’s interest and love of aviation and flight could be traced back to the influence of Robert Remynse.

From the Air Zoo, we headed back and prepped for the viewing. I was glad that the family was able to get together for the most part. The only face that we were missing was Eric, who had just left and wasn’t able to get off the boat in time. His presence was made known though through stories. But the family was there to be there for Lee and support each other. The wood casket was beautiful and the flag was draped in honor of his service.

The funeral was the next day and the service was nice. The pastor related the versus and the message back to Bob’s loves and life. I do laugh at Lee’s thinking the service should have been a bit shorter, but things were positive for the most part. The meal was nice and upon finishing, they prepared to go to the cemetery. The pallbearers were the three father/son pairs and in their respective order. I thought it was a nice touch. The drive to the cemetery was hard for Matt. Don’t read into that, it wasn’t because of the final good bye, which I know was on his mind. But when in a processional, you don’t stop for red lights or signs. You stay in the line and you just go. The tribute honks and looks were thoughtful.

When we got there, we prepared for the final goodbyes. The most beautiful piece of his service was the honor guard. The tribute and grace was amazing. And the thank you when the soldier presented Lee with the American flag was a moment that I won’t forget. The final goodbyes were brief at the cemetery. We did take a few minutes to see other family members. We found Bob’s father and sister and his grandparents. We also made a trek over and found Lee’s parents. The amazing part was when she showed up, she knew her maternal grandparents were close by and she knew it was Peter and after a bit of searching, she was right…they were right behind them. The tombstone was just facing opposite directions.

 We also had a remembrance meal that night at “Upper Crust” a pizza place in their old neighborhood. The pizza was like nothing I’d had…it was square and thick. The conversation flowed. The meal was amazing, we all stuffed ourselves, and it was amazing to hear the memories and the laughs. There was even some “quarters” played and I had to laugh when the woman who had never heard of the game and had to be shown how to hold the quarter got it into the shot on the first try! Nancy, Matt’s aunt’s throw was great! This was probably my favorite meal of the trip because of the conversation, the food, and the love that was evident.

                                       

The other part of the trip that was my favorite was reviewing of pictures. There were pictures from Matt’s great-grandparents to Matt’s younger days. The 3 brothers growing up with their “hair styles”. The war pics, the family pics, the house pics. They were all great. I was finally starting to connect all the dots from Ruthie to Mark to Nancy to Curly to Eddie to Kevie to Laurence to Harry. Their photos were kept well and dated back so many years. It was obvious that Bob was a lover of women. There were pages of different women in one book that we didn’t know who they were or how they connected to anyone.

Kevin: My father was a slut. Who was Mardi? Margaret? Helen?
ALR: This photo just says, “A Czech girl, good looking kid!” on the back.

But the photos were sweet. You could tell that he carried some with him and that this preservation was important to him. I did find in his baby book that if he had been a girl, his name would have been “Jean”. I won’t forget the review of his items, from the birth certificate to his dog tags to his war pics to the bomber jacket…he had some amazing memories and I have a feeling that he would have loved his family to be there pouring over them all around the table.

MJR: I wouldn’t trade those summers for anything. I remember my grandparents and the things we did and the times we had. I would spend hours at the air zoo with him and after looking around, I would go with him on the tours. And because the pilots knew him, sometimes when they would go up, they’d take Eric and I and we’d fly over the lake house. And sometimes he’d take me to the golf course, that may have been where I got my temper when I play. He’d let me hit every once in awhile but as I got older we’d go to his big course to play. I remember going to Subway with Grandma and she’d tell me “You know what I want” and I’d go in and order 3 six inch subs. The last year I had to order a footlong. They were great summers. I won’t forget these things.

The final leg of the trip was to head up to the UP...another first for me. We saw some of those that had been there for Michele and Randy while they were stationed there, had a bit of dinner, and did a review of the land that they still have there. I'd never walked through something like that. The trees, the denseness, the leaves, the color. There were brilliant colors and it was great to see a big part of their life that continues to be a bright spot in their memories.

Robert Lawrence Remynse

A proud Veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corp, Robert Remynse served his country, his family, and those entrusted to his care. An outgoing fellow who was just as likable as he was talkative, Robert never knew a stranger. Deeply missed, he will be fondly remembered in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

From the world of fashion to the world to politics, forces clashed in the 1920s to produce one of the most explosive decades of the century. An age of prohibition, prosperity followed many new advancements, discoveries, and inventions of the day which greatly improved the American way of life. A sense of gaiety filled the air, and The Roaring Twenties challenged America’s once conservative nature all while bringing a sense of hope to the nation. During this time of change on August 21, 1925, Lawrence and Katherine (Keegan) Remynse welcomed the arrival of their newborn son, Robert into their arms.

Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Robert was the oldest of six children in his family. He grew up in Kalamazoo in the Oakwood neighborhood where he spent most of his free time caddying at the Kalamazoo Country Club. Robert enjoyed a childhood typical for the times even as the onset of the Great Depression cast a shadow among all. He found his share of mischief as a young boy and enjoyed the adventures of his youth. Robert attended the local elementary school and moved on to Oakwood Junior High before attending and graduating from Kalamazoo Central High School.

During World War II, Robert entered the U.S. Army Air Corp where he served as a tail gunner flying in 49 battles over Italy. Simply a young man with aspirations of winning the war, he was truly a war hero to his family. Following his honorable discharge from the service, he began working for the Upjohn Company. He worked hard to support his young family all while furthering his education on the GI Bill.

Robert's life was in for a few more changes when he met a pretty young lady who stole his heart. On December 17, 1954 he married Lena “Lee” Deiterman who took his young daughter, Nancy on as her own. Before long, Robert and Lee added three sons to their fold with the births of Rick, Randy, and Kevin, who always considered himself the favorite!

After graduating from Western Michigan University in 1959, Robert landed a job with Michigan Bell Telephone Company working as a salesman for the Yellow Pages. He excelled in this capacity and with his outgoing personality; he developed a faithful client base throughout the years. His talents also landed him numerous trophies and awards from sales campaigns. He remained with Michigan Bell for the remainder of his career until 1983 when he retired at the age of 58.

Faith was a vital part of Robert's life. He and Lee were longtime, faithful members of the Lord of Life Lutheran Church. Robert loved the game of golf and he played on many church leagues over the years. Along with golf, Robert loved to fish. His favorite fishing hole was on Sugarloaf Lake with his best friend, Al Vemich. Among his varied interests, Robert bowled for many years and was an avid Chicago Cubs fan. He loved a good game of poker, and every Thursday night for nearly 30 years, Robert and a group of five of his buddies got together to play poker.

Pizza was a tradition amongst the Remynse men. For years, Robert made Appian Way pizzas every Friday. First you make the dough and then season the sauce just so.  This love of pizza perfection was quickly handed down to his sons creating a friendly rivalry amongst brothers. Although, the competition was fierce the end result was always the same, family together eating pizza made from scratch all because Robert made a pizza every Friday night. 

When it came to gambling, both, Robert and Lee LOVED to gamble. They spent a month every year traveling by car to Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada for a little video poker before heading to California to visit their "favorite" son, Kevin. After taking in some gambling there, they traveled on to North Dakota to see their son, Randy and gambling at the Indian tribe casinos there before heading back to Michigan. To get their fix in Michigan, they kept the chips stacked at the FireKeepers Casino.

Robert served over 20 years as a volunteer for the Kalamazoo Air Zoo as a Docent. Near and dear to his heart, he absolutely loved talking about the military and his years as a tail gunner gave him inside knowledge on the planes. Robert also had a love for his canine companions. Over the years he had a lovable Basset Hound named Betsy, and a German Shepard mix named Bambi. Each of Robert’s dogs tended to be on the chunky side as he never wanted them to go hungry.

His six grandchildren and great-grandson gave Robert quite a sparkle in his eye. He loved his family beyond compare and was truly proud of them. Always outgoing, he was quite the talker and shared the friendships of many. It was always a pleasure to be in his company as he delighted all with his stories, kindness, and fun-loving ways. He was generous and was known to hide a $100 bill in the house when family was coming over or when he was visiting one of his kids. The fun and excitement of everyone hunting for it brought much laughter and good times shared.

As the years began to descend upon Robert, he began experiencing age related issues. He had 88 great years of living to the fullest with the exception of the last three weeks which embattled Robert to the core. As his health rapidly went downhill, Robert sadly died at his home on Monday, October 7, 2013.

Robert Remynse was a loving family man who would have done anything for those he loved. He was blessed with an abundance of friends, many with whom he developed throughout his career. He proudly served his country, and whenever he and Lee got a gambling itch, they hit the road. Gone but never to be forgotten. Robert's memory will live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

Visit with Robert’s family on Thursday, October 10, 2013 from 4-7 PM at Life Story Funeral Homes, Portage; 5975 Lovers Lane (344-5600). A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 11, 2013, 11:00 AM at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 9420 Portage Road, Portage.

Robert was preceded in death by his sister, Ruth Parker. Members of his family include his wife Lee; children: Nancy (Ashraf Maher) Remynse, Rick (Jerri) Remynse, Randy (Michele) Remynse, Kevin Remynse; grandchildren: Jason (Sara) Remynse, Kevie Remynse, Matthew (Amanda) Remynse, Nathan and Eric Remynse; Beth (Christopher) Fryling; his great-grandson, Jason Remynse II; siblings: Ellie Follin, Harry Carruth, Raymond Carruth, Richard Carruth; many other relatives.

A video link I found online about his time in the war.
Bombing Missions, another link. Matt reviewed his mission book where Bob got a bit more descriptive on things that were happening.
MJR: "According to this, they must have been low on fuel a lot!"

Catching Up...Life Goes On...

We celebrated my birthday. I stopped at the Social Security office and got my name changed there too. My grandmother gave me the best birthday gift, she gave Matt and I the cake stand, the same one that all the birthday cakes have been on, the cake stand that our wedding cake stood on. She did it in her true style. Gave it to me with a bunch of potatoes and carrots…no fuss and frill and all practical. It was wonderful.

 

We went to my parents. It was nice to get back there again…really hadn’t been there in awhile…I don’t think we can count the wedding, that was a blur! We brought back all the wedding presents.

 

We couldn’t bring the arbor home yet. That will be another special truck haul back.We chopped wood for Mom and Dad, which is also way more fun in September than February. But this should be a good start for them. Matt always enjoys doing that.

 

We started organizing the house a bit more…or tried to.

I harvested my garden. I had so few tomatoes grow on my plant I could have named them. If I get every single one that has bloomed to actually develop it will be 5. How embarrassing. I really wanted to do some canning this year…so I begged and borrowed from anyone that would give tomatoes to me. I tried my luck a little and made spaghetti sauce. I also have plans to try tomato soup and plain tomatoes. We’ll see. I did have to call my grandmother on my first attempt.
Grandma: How many did you get made?
ALR: I think I’m not very good at looking at a recipe and seeing how many cans I actually need.
Grandma: Oh, I’m still not very good at that.
ALR: Well that doesn’t give me hope.

 

Other milestone that has happened…we hit 300 posts during September and also by passed most posts for one year. Here are some stats and facts.

• Most used tag is family (170) followed by weekend (167).
• The site has had 5360 pageviews (compared to 2158 when we were at the 200th blog post).
• The highest month was September 2013, this isn’t a shock, especially when you consider it also had the most blog posts.
• The blog has been viewed in 4 countries (USA 5252, Canada 54, Russia 17, and Brazil 4).
• The 2 most viewed posts on an individual basis are “California Girl” and “Moving…” both from 2012.
• The biggest traffic was from our wedding site that we used to collect RSVP’s, www.mywedding.com/matthewandamanadaremnyse.
• The biggest fans are Diana Moser and Randy Remynse…biggest in terms of most vocal. Kevin Remynse makes honorable mention for most comments.
• The blog has had 3 different layouts…and is probably ready for another as the maroon will be around for 2 full years this coming December.

Best meal: pizza and beer for my 30th birthday...to be honest...it was A & B pizza (pepperoni, hawaiian and hawaiian and pepperoni) and Happy Joe Taco Pizza and Summer Shandy Beer.

 

ALR: Tell me a story…when you were young?

MJR: Oh you’re funny. Once upon a time, I met a blonde and married her.

ALR: That’s a good story.

The Aftermath

So no one lets you know how you’ll feel after the wedding is over.

The realization suddenly hits you that you’ll never wear a white dress (or white vest in Matt’s case) and you are sad, devastated, and distraught by this fact. You’ll never be the center of the head table, have people tell you how gorgeous you are, have people wish you well, plan their day to spend with you, you’ll never be the one that people want to see kiss….it will never be your day again. SAD.

Here’s what I’ve decided…
1. Dickinson State U’s Foundation has a Charity Ball that requires formal wear to attend…Matt’s going to rent a tux and I’ll wear my wedding dress.
2. Next wedding we go to, we have our outfit picked out. They say it’s rude to wear white to another woman’s wedding, but I also have a white purse after Labor Day…to heck with standard social conventions.
3. We are going to put our fancy attire on every once in awhile and go crash weddings…we’ll call it impromptu vow renewal.
4. We’ll occasionally put out dress attire on and stay in and watch tv and eat fancy meals.

Yes, I’m mourning the loss of our beautiful day. I’m mourning that it’s over…done…and I’m trying to keep anything possible since the day. I’ve looked over the pictures that we have a million times. I wore my wedding hair and makeup two days in a row. I still have my wedding nails and am trying to keep those as long as possible. We’ve unpacked the suitcases, I’ve rehashed as much as I can on the blog, we’ve been using the gifts, we got 99% of the thank you’s complete. We have the dress at the dry cleaners and have even picked it up. The tux is long gone back to the rental place. But my feelings of post-partum wedding blues are there. What’s going to happen after the honeymoon? When I’m officially no longer a bride? When I can’t think of us as “just married”? We haven’t gotten pics back from the photographer yet…and I think I’m okay with that because that will be my last wedding bliss. Reliving the memories for a final time. Even thinking about that makes me want to go get into the dress and defrost the cake. Matt even rolled his eyes when I made an attempt to prolong the wedding by clanging the glass at dinner. Obviously, he’s made peace with this end. I haven’t.

Okay…so while you’ve been reading on the deconstructed wedding…Matt and I have been going about living our boring nonwedding lives. (SIGH). We go to work. We come home. We eat dinner. We go to bed. BORING.

We have had a few weekends of settling. We had his parents visit us for a weekend and we were able to do some running around town including a trip to Fluffy Fields Vineyard and the Pride of Dakota Show. Was good to visit with them a bit as we really hadn't had them alone since our birthday camping trip before the wedding. And they brough fish for us. They can come anytime they want if they want to bring me...I mean, us, fish. Mom also gave us fish to us too!! Can't wait to see them smoked!

Best meal: I came home and Matt had prepared smoked ribs for me. I added cornmeal to the mix. We ate on the patio. The scary part was how dark it got so soon. I’m not ready to put the patio furniture away. I’m not ready to be done being a patio person. I liked our breakfast and suppers through the patio door. I liked the shelter of the tree and how peaceful it was with the greens. And now I’ve added my lights (am planning on adding more).

ALR: WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE OVER?
MJR: You aren’t happy?
ALR: I’M SO SAD…IT’S DONE AND I’VE GOT NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT!
MJR: You have a Husband!
ALR: You know what I mean!

Twenty-five days since our wedding....

A Note of Thanks and Love...

A letter to our parents…

(alternative title: To our biggest blog readers and my Dad...)

When you read this Matt and I will both be thirty and married. Now both of these things could not have happened without you. Sure, we can joke about the conception thing, thanks for that. Each set has their own story of the particulars. Ironically, the details happened about the same time just completely different situations and countries. But in all seriousness, your love and guidance since the moment we were born has shaped our values, our personalities, our goals, and our motivations. You have provided an example of quality of character, demonstrations of strength and perseverance, and truths of what it means to be a partner in a relationship.

These examples served as guideposts as Matt and I struggled in dating. I have always openly admitted that I’ve never been a good dater. I chose the wrong guy for the wrong reasons and thought that I could make things work. Matt just didn’t find me soon enough, he can decide whether or not he wants to admit that his dating game wasn’t exactly top-notch (I’ve got eye witnesses in the fire department, so I don't need the verbal confession). But when we privately determined what we wanted in our partner, we went back to what we saw at homes and valued. Little did Matt and I know, but our first date and the conversations that we shared about our families is what solidified the months and years to come.

You’ve watched Matt and I date and sharing the news of our engagement with you before any of the rest of the world was a proud moment. We knew that it wasn’t a grand announcement but an off the cuff moment and that’s how we were raised…in simple situations that were created grand by the news and the people in them.

Now to the guts of this letter…thank you for these past 30 years. Thank you to what you’ve provided for us. You’ve provided tough love, an appreciation for an honest work ethic, a clear voice, and a continued listening ear with the guiding voice. Your example in love and your examples of parenting will take us through our wedding. Thank you for our wedding. You both provided in ways that can’t be described. You helped us where you could financially and that did not go unappreciated. This help allowed Matt and I to have the day that we didn’t even know we wanted. You provided reason when asked and you were there for us from the first step in dress and tux to the walk down the aisle to the final good byes at the end of the night. We could not have had our day without you there. When Matt and I found ourselves alone that night, I thanked him for convincing me that I did want the wedding and all that had happened because I couldn’t have imagined what we had had without you there to see your years of support blossom as Matt and I started a new chapter in our lives, together.

On behalf of my husband and I…although it will never convey what we really would like it to, a final thank you for you.

Your daughter, Amanda Lynn

Wedding: Final Review

It’s the last wedding post. By the time you read this…I’ll be 30. Old. Married. And potentially boring. However, I'll be sure to point out that I wasn't when I was married! I was young!

This is a reflection post.
Some of the things I loved….

The photographers - Shout out to Yetter Photography (Ken Yetter with Kim Symington) who worked to capture our memories….we haven’t seen them yet but I’m so excited to see the turn out.

The locations – Hawktree provided a great backdrop. The location and view was beautiful and the staff was accommodating with our menu request. I also loved that they were totally good with us taking pictures on the course and borrowing the 2 carts.

Radisson- holy crap were Matt and I impressed. The facility was great to preplan with (Cheers to Mike), the front desk was friendly and accommodating, the wait staff for the banquet was on point and wonderful, the bartender was thoughtful, the meal was amazing, the night manager was helpful, accommodating, and understanding. Their rooms were beautiful and their moving the “party room” versus shutting them down was the picture of customer service. Would recommend them to anyone! And we loved having people cut down on driving after the night was over.

Our decorator – Lynell and her team was great. They required 2 meetings, and a couple emails and created the image that we were going for perfectly. Talk about stressless and maintenance free. We showed up and it was set up and beautiful…better than we could have imagined and then the next best part…she took it all down and we didn’t have to do anything with them!

Our arbor – So glad Gary looked at it and Dad was there to put it together and then even take it apart in the rain the next day. It was the perfect addition for the ceremony.

Elvis Entertainment – our dj, Kenny, was great. Kept people on the floor, played some great music, was willing to work with us and ensured that the pieces that we wanted were there. He had a great price especially considering what he delivered.

The details – I know Matt was worried I was burning up time and energy with silly things but the programs were what I wanted, the hotel packs complete with crossword and recommendations were something that was low cost to Matt and I but personalized (by the way…I promised someone a copy of the crossword and I couldn’t remember who it was…sorry…if it’s you tell me!). I liked our mileage sign of where we’ve been and going. I liked how the guest book turned out…and I really liked the streamers that the ushers handed out after the ceremony.

The food – from rehearsal with the Chicago dogs (complete with poppy seed buns) to the meal at the Radisson …all the food of the weekend was amazing. Mom and Michele put together great spreads at their house. The cakes (Shantelle’s, my grandmothers, and our cupcakes) were all fabulous and enjoyed by me. And the snack bar with pretzels, cheese balls, and pub mix was a great idea that we are glad we pursued that only got better as the night progressed with party sandwiches! What amazed me was the punch! We had taste tested the punch when we decided to get it. It’s a pineapple lemonade type. We’ve seen so many places where the punch is terrible and doesn’t get drank. This was not the case, I didn’t even get a glass as it was gone! We were happy that we did decide to go forward with it because was a hit.

The personalization – that was a big thing for me…I knew people knew Matt or I and maybe even Matt & I, but I knew that number wasn’t as big as I’d liked. I wanted people to get to know us a bit better. We were careful in planning out the ceremony from the processional to the vows and readings to the receiving line. I put information in the program, in the hotel pack, on the path way up to the club house, on the sign at the reception, in the shoe game…I tried to show people Matt and I as best as possible…it was a great way to celebrate and make me think of how far him and I've come. But also for people to see how we are together.

Escorting – this isn’t a broad stroke like the rest I’ve mentioned, but I loved that Matt walked my mother down the aisle to start the ceremony. We had the ushers play a vital role in the ceremony.

Actually, here’s how the processional went:

Burke Gardner

Jess Erickson escorting David Evans

Tyler Berger escorting Darlene Dagman

Jeff Thompson escorting Elaine and LaVerne Moser

Fern Moser escorting Michele and Randy

Matt escorting Diana

Todd Ehresmann escorting Kate (Moser) Black

Jayme Tenneson escorting Stacy Sturm

John Pinkerton escorting Shantelle (Monger) Petroff

Eric Remynse escorting Alaina Moser

Brendan Dean escorting Tiffany Kuntz

Perry escorting Amanda

The fashion – Yes, I loved my dress. The corset and the crinolines. And I loved that Matt loved it too. (I’m not sure that David’s Bridal was worth dealing with to get it…PS Don’t use David’s Bridal). I loved the charcoal tuxes (White Lace in Bismarck was amazing)…I was so happy with just how good all the men looked. I loved my bridesmaids in their dresses. I know the matching dress thing is SO 1980’s…and I don’t care…they all looked dang good and it worked with every body type. I loved my shoes with Matt’s socks that Michele found and grabbed for us at Kohl’s. I loved our mother’s dresses…they looked so stylish and everything looked so good. I loved the little boys in their bowties and Kemma in her dress. I loved that Grandpa David and the Baker boys wore shirts that matched the wine/burgundy color. And then you add that with another favorite…the flowers (made by Tiffany)…and everything even sang even more. Not a regret in my head for having artificial! Did you see my bouquet!!!

Our guests – I was so glad to be surrounded and supported by friends and family. There were so many people having a great time and the smiles were amazing. The fact that we'll never get to see that room of that love of people again....completely amazing!

Our wedding party – I’m not just talking about our bridesmaids and groomsmen…The day wouldn’t have been as wonderful if it weren’t for the flower pinner, the gift attendants, the beer pourers, the program attendants, the gift book attendants, the ushers, the host couples, the readers, my personal attendant, and our family and parents. You took care of us. You made sure that I wasn’t crazy and that Matt was taken care of. You were the reason we had an amazing day and the fact that you wanted to be part of our day, we are so greatful. I love that so many people added so much to our day.

So yes, in closing, I loved our day… there are so many details that I want to remember for the rest of my life. So thank you for bearing with me as I recounted them time and time again. It’s truly amazing that I remember hundreds of positive details. And while I loved all these details and the culmination of them is what made the day so happy, it is the love that I share with my husband that made the day the best of my life.

MJR (on the processional): I’ll take a Moser down the aisle and I’ll bring a Remynse back.

Something old: My great-great-great Grandmother Lydia’s wedding ring with a garnet and pearls in it. I wore it on my right hand.

Something new: My dress, which was purchased by my parents.

Something borrowed: My veil, which Sara had used in her wedding as well

Something blue: For Matt.