Sunday Dinner
It was late in the day on a quiet sunny Sunday. My husband was wrapping up his project for the day and I was debating what to make for dinner when I hear motorcycles coming up our street. I ask my husband if he is expecting anyone. He assures me he is not but the sound is getting closer. As I look towards the driveway I can see someone is most definitely here. As they make the final turn of our driveway I realize it is more than one someone. It is my brother-in-law with my sister on the back of her hubby's Yamaha and his best friend on his Honda.
I ask them what they are up to and they explain that they have wanted to try the restaurant my hubby and I like to visit. My sister asked if I had started dinner yet and I told her I was just about to start. I looked at my husband who said "I guess we are going out". We got cleaned up and changed. My hubby pulled the Harley out of the garage while picking on the guys about not having real motorcycles. Once the guys start getting irritated he confesses that he likes both of their bikes and admits that their bikes are faster.
We pull out and head towards Bad Axe taking every indirect route my hubby can think of. There are so many things to see along the way that you miss when you are stuck in traffic as you often can be on M-53. The deer way out in the field (where I like them) and the beautiful houses are just a couple of the things you will see. The smell of grills and campfires invade your nose and remind you what summer is all about. The warm evening made this a beautiful day for a ride. Unlike the dead of summer when the sun can bake you, today was perfect.
We arrived in Bad Axe and made our way through the busy streets to our destination. The Pepper Mill has commercials on the radio all the time up here, but, if you have never been you have to try it once. The lot was fairly empty but it was almost 7 pm on a Sunday. Up in the Thumb of Michigan most people still keep Sunday as a family day so it didn't surprise me that there were only a couple people inside. We chose a table and our waitress was there as the last person took their seat.
The place reminds me of a small town cafe. Simple and cozy yet warm and personable. The menu offers choices for every style including mine with their wide selections and half orders. I hate going out and having so much left over that I feel guilty ordering desert because lets face it, desert is the best part of going out. Their soup and salad bar is almost a meal in itself. Their food has that home cooked appeal and their desert is fabulous. The staff compliments this home town feel almost as well as the food.
As we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant we debated where to next. We decided to round out the day up to Port Austin on the lake shore and out to Caseville before heading back. The trees along the lake were just getting a hint of color to them. The lighter traffic as we came into Caseville was a sure sign that summer was on it's way out. We stopped for a walk along the pier where the waves were crashing in. There was a storm front moving across the north side of the lake. We decided to head south before it did.
We pulled out heading south down paved country roads. The only downside this time of year for riding is the farmers are all in the fields and stirring up the wild life. You have to be more alert because some of the wild life includes the deer. I don't mind deer but I like them much better way out in the field where I can just barely see them. As I was watching I just happened to be the only one who saw it. This deer had to be at least an eight point and he just stood in the ditch watching us as we rode by.
When we finally arrived back at our house I asked my husband if he saw the deer. Everyone all at once asked "what deer?" I laughed because we all like hunting and when I told them about the deer they all wished they would have seen it. I was just glad it stayed in the ditch. We played cards for a little while before calling it a night and cursing Monday for coming so soon. Great food, family and riding made this the best end to the weekend I could have asked for.