Saturday was great. I met Altu and we went to Old Town for Tourist in Your Own Town day. There was an art fair this time (first year for that) and that was fun to browse (I was good and just looked). We had lunch at Portable Feast and we ran into what seemed like everyone we knew. My mom was there, Sharon P of Knitknacks was there with her SO Lynn, plus my friend Diane who I’d not seen since I returned from Africa, and my friend Jacquie who I hadn’t seen in even longer. Music friends, art friends, the world was in Old Town today. Very good.

I got Altu to Turner Dodge Mansion, which had been my primary goal for the day. She likes frilly, decorative, girly sorts of things, and Turner Dodge is just right. It was originally built in the 1800s and then they did a huge addition and renovation in 1900-1903. This year they finished the renovation of the building (it is owned by the City of Lansing Parks and Rec department, same as Foster Center). The gardens are reason enough to visit, but then the building is even more amazing. Altu loved it. I knew she would.

I dropped her back at her restaurant and then I went home and actually did start cleaning house. I joke that I need something closer to a shovel for cleaning, than a broom, because I have tooo many things! Throwing away/giving away seems the only way out of my space/clutter dilemma. I did OK today, I think. We overfilled the recycling bin and the car is full of returnable bottles (treat money). The first three “rooms” you see when you enter the house from the side door, are much more liveable now. I need to keep going now that I have some momentum, but it’s a good start.

Oh, and Brian took me to Altu’s for dinner (sort of in the middle of the housecleaning part of my day) so we got to hear Temesgen Hussein play Ethiopian music. I got to knit a bit, both there and during lunch with Altu as well. I am making progress on Brian’s socks again and I have about half of one sock for myself as well.

Photos: 1)Turner Dodge Mansion and grounds, approached from River Trail. 2)Turner Dodge Garden. 3)Musicians at the center of Old Town… during Sara’s musical saw solo (guy holding microphone is in the band but here he’s dancing to her solo).

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