Now these guys have the idea. Let the women wear themselves out chasin' after the bargains. I'd rather be makin' wood.

Charlie was tied up today with a buzillion pasty orders to process up at Still Waters, so he asked me to pitch hit. This shot he received from Donn de Yampert captures alot of the season. Down to earth. The only sad reminder in the background is the "Store for Rent" sign where the K-Mart used to be. I miss them blue light specials.

Less see if da Dollar Store has any new tools - -

I love this picture! :)

Every morning before I start my day I look to see what the picture of the day is. I live in Lower Michigan. I went to the government census web site to find out how many people live in the UP. I couldn't find it. Does anyone know how many people live in the UP?
Thanks
Jeff

This photo should be a pastycam caption contest!

Aw, nooo. The K-Mart's gone? Have any other stores left the Mall? :o< Is the Snyder Drugs still there?

Hi Jeff in Utica: Doing a quick addition of the 15 UP counties on the census web site, I get 317,616. As I recall, the UP population has remained relatively steady at around 300,000 for many years.

It looks as though the one guy is saying to the utter "well ya know I could be home now workin in da shop, but you know how dem women are when it comes to christmas, It was ment for women and kid's. And the other guys reply would be I know what ya mean, you betcha. eh

Another Question from the guy who is looking to relocate...

Something I haven't mentioned is the fact that I am a Radio DJ and musician. I am wondering what market there is, living in The Keweenaw, for Radio DJs, and even concert performing musicians.

Please see:

http://artists.iuma.com/iuma/bands/a.j._harrison/

and

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/harrisaj

Please advise. We ARE planning! :)

Thanks!

The one link failed... Who knows why! Try again with:

http://artists.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/A.J._Harrison/

Thanks!

Instead of wasting this space, I should have explained in the original letter... A.J. Harrison is my stage name. Hope no one got confused! It's actually me!

Alex Tiensivu

Ya Gotta Luv It!!!!
How about Grumpy OLd Men III?
Looks like everyone we know and love. Couldn't
really be crabby if they tried any harder, but under it all I'll bet they're just big old
Huggy Bears.

These old Finlanders aren't waiting for women , both are waitng to get their hands on Heikki Lunta. They figure Heikki had to bring his wife shopping, heck his wife can't drive in this snow.

Hei, Alex T. We're rootin' for you. Good Luck and best wishes comin' UP here. Do you come from the Calumet area?

Hei, Toivo, love that pic. I've sat in the same spot a few years ago, too. Looks like everybody's uncle or grandpa, 'eh? Kiitos, Donn!

Thanks Toivo, for keeping the Cam from being too late today. When I got home here I found a bunch of shots which Donn took today walking along the lake, and my teeth are still shivering. Maybe we can get an earlier start tomorrow, and give everybody a virtual ice tour.

For all of our local friends, check your snail mail box the next couple of days for a letter from yours truly and Joe Kirkish. Joe's Mom lived at Still Waters some time back, and Joe has become a regular fixture at the Home since then - reading several times a week, showing movies, and hauling our people to the Calumet Theatre in the old van. Speaking of the van... the letter tells about our current project, with the goal of getting a new van for the residents at Still Waters. Visitors to this website have helped us greatly over the years to update the furniture, carpeting, and roof to keep this community-based Home for the Aged effective in serving the needs of elderly Copper Country folks, regardless of their income or resources. Thanks to all who have provided help, especially those who have contributed online.

While typing this I've been listening to Alex's song "You were the missing piece to the puzzle of my life". Nice :o)

Well thank you!

(I wrote that for my son, Joshua)

"Does anyone know how many people live in the UP?"

Too many.

Been there, Done that....

Hey. How about those Negaunee Miners. State Champs. Holly Waaaaaa. When I went there the only thing we hoped for was that Lodie Morris' team would beat Ishpeming.

another take off of an old photo and caption
"been shovelin' snow long?"

Pasty.com: YOU ROCK!! I am a fan for life.

I am a transplanted Michigander living in Virginia. You can take da girl out of da UP but you can't take da UP out of da girl!

Speaking of now-defunct institutions, I miss the ol' Pizzarena in Houghton, which later became the Consumer Advocate, I believe... and the "Quick Slop" burger joint, now the site of a Burger King. Is Rudy's Bar still in Hancock? Ahhhh, those hot roasted cashews...one of life's simple pleasures (along with ice-cold Bosch beer in longneck bottles).

EM took the words right out of my mouth when I first saw this picture: Yoopers--Ya gotta love 'em!

What a great photo! You see this all the time at the malls, and once in awhile it is my husband sitting waiting.

I didn't get to log on yesterday. To my great surprise this morning....there is my uncle waiting at the mall...Unle Bill (Viljo Lohela) is waiting at the mall...not for his wife (he's single) but mainly for time to pass. By the way he is the retired pasty chef from the Kaleva Cafe in Hancock. Also brother to the late Toivo Lohela formerly from Still Waters. (re:freep picture of the Still waters pasty crew) By the way he IS looking rather grumpy...the one on the right)

OMG Walt in Ohio-thanks for identifying Bill! I used to work at the Kaleva from '86 - '88 part time while going to Tech. When visiting after graduation, I wondered if Bill was still Chief Pasty Maker or not. It's good to know he's still alive and kicking!

the man on the left is Albert Riutta,after i saw this i found these two at Kaleva having coffee and told them they where the picture of the day on the computer, that didnt seem to phaze them much, but Albert did admit he might have been watching the women.

For a UP Population estimate, know your counties and go online to the Census Bureau website and click on PEOPLE and dig around. Whole lotta interesting stuff on our site. Comments welcome.
www.census.gov

p.s. Supposed to have a blizzard in Washington tonight. Check out how your national leaders cope with Mother Nature in tmw's online Washington Post. Very funny to a UP refugee.

Hi Walt in OH. I'm your old neighbor from across the street. Nice to see you last summer. I knew right away that was Uncle Bill. I have to get my UP fix everyday by checking the Pastycam too. Nothing beats good ol Copper Country hospitality snow and all!!!

Thats my uncle on the right! Can you believe that at 84, he was making pasties six days a week last year. His friend, Alan on the left is an accomplished artist of some reknown. These guys have sisu!

Oh how many times I waited there as a child waiting for the Christmas shopping to be done at K-Mart... it was a drive from Ontonagon, but every Christmas we would make the snowy drive... I miss the Consumer Advocate too-best enchiladas!

These guys are wallowing in stunned disbelief after watching the Eimenem movie "8 Mile" at the Copper Crown. Waino told them the movie was about the early days of Henry Ford with soundtrack done by Frankie Yankovich.

I immediately recognized Bill on the right in the picture. He was the pasty maker and floor cleaner at the Kaleva when I worked there from 1983-1986. From what I understand he just recently retired. Bill taught us waitresses a lot about not wasting things and good hard work. When I would get to work for opening shift at 4:45, he was already there. He made excellent pasties. Bill always worried about his floors when he went to Finland. When he came back, he always had to do extra work to get them back to his standards. The men in this photo are good examples of good, Copper Country residents. I think they're resting after years of hard work.

I love this picture! My father was very ill and would accompany my mother to the local mall so she could walk inside for exercise. He enjoyed the time spent talking and drinking a coffee or two. We had 500 business cards printed for him that read "Official Mall Sitter". He handed them out and made many new friends.