The Convery Press

Summer on Mackinac

I spent a large part of my fall and winter semesters worried about the summer and filling out countless (5) internship applications. I was so excited to spend my vacation working on a research project in one of these programs, but March brought along 5 rejection letters and I had to re-evaluate my plans. My friend Morgan told me she was planning on working on Mackinac for the summer and living in her vacation condo on the island. Her sister Emmalilly was going, too, and then my friend Kirstin got a job at Fort Mackinac. With a few e-mails and phone calls, I had a job lined up at a clothing store, Decked Out, and one month ago I moved into my summer home with Morgan and Emmalilly!

This past month has been a lot of working and a lot of fun. I get about 45-49 hours a week at the store, which ends up being six days. Morgan and Emmalilly work with me, and also at the Arnold ferry dock. There are several older ladies who work at the store and four other girls our age. Most days, I bike down to work, spend about 8 hours selling clothes to tourists, and then make the trek up a steep hill and back home where we cook together, eat, and then bum out on the couch with computers and TV. Not very exciting, but we have fun together. Sometimes we even venture out at night to visit Kirstin, hang out at the Grand Hotel, or go downtown for movies or ice cream.

I have two more months up here, and then a week at home before its time to go back to school. I am trying to enjoy this opportunity as much as possible, as much as I miss home and Ann Arbor. This place is so amazing, and I feel really blessed to be able to see all this beauty around me every day!

Convery Press Bracket Contest Ends — A Week Ahead of the Championship Game

Our participants have demonstrated incredible efficiency in completing the Convery Press 2011 March Madness Bracket Competition.  Though there are still two more rounds of play and the Championship game is more than a week away, we already have our winners.  It is rather sad that not a single member of group could foresee the upsets and have even one of their bracket hopes left intact as we enter the Final Four.  Maureen  will be receiving her $25.00 Applebee’s gift card for her (comparatively) outstanding prognostication.  I am upgrading 2nd place to a $20.00 Applebee’s Gift Card since mom will be in Florida until after the end of the St. William Lenten Fish Frys.  For his third place finish, Brian L. will recieve a family-style pasta dinner.

Final  Group Standings  are as follows:

Rank      Name                           Score

1    Maureen Convery            212

2   Audrey Convery               190

3   Brian Little                           188

4   Judy Theiss                          187

5   Diane Ziroll (2)                   185

6   Scott Convery                     183

7   Tom Convery (2)               177

8   Tom Convery (1)                176

9   Elizabeth Convery             175

10   Brian Convery                    173

11   Gary Theiss                          172

11   Todd Todd                            172

13   Diane Ziroll (1)                   168

13   Patrick Convery                 168

15   Ron Bretz                              157

16  Leslie Bretz                           153

17   Zac Spencer                         149

18   Christine Convery             148

18   Peg Convery                         148

Back to Ann Arbor

Good Friends Are No Trivial Matter

Last night we managed to gather all the kids – Patrick just back from 2 weeks at Camp Sancta Maria, Maureen and Brian 1 day from leaving on their honeymoon, Elizabeth and Zachary from East Lansing and Christine who was busy with friend on UofM’s campus – to Connor O’Neils in A² for their Trivia night.  The prospect of getting together with the the Englishes – Dan & Donna and Matthew (Nate was on vacation) – provided a significant incentive to the three girls.

Trivia night was fun though we did not come close to placing in spite of the fact that Matthew was able to provide nearly as many answers as the rest of our team combined.  (Or perhaps it was because the rest of us combined could barely muster as many answers as Matthew provided.)    We are looking forward to another get-together soon; perhaps with an activity at which we can be more successful.

Christine’s Graduation Party a Blast!

Elizabeth may be enjoying herself in Heidelberg, Germany but she missed a great party yesterday by some 5,000 miles (that’s 8,000 kilometers for our German friends).  The weather could not have been better as the sun shone uninterrupted all afternoon with the exception of a brief overcloud period of some twenty minutes.  Almost everyone was there, though the Fourth of July weekend found some of our family and friends up north for the traditional get-a-way weekend: they were with us in thought.  I know that “my favorite spartan” is anxiously awaiting news and pictures of the event, so here are some photos:

Christine Graduates from Notre Dame Prep

Christine is officially a high school graduate!

Splashdowner

Peg, Christine, & I went to Christine’s end-of-season banquet for Notre Dame Prep swimming.  The banquet was fun with excellent food, but the end of swim season is unwelcome to Christine who has been on the team her freshman through senior years.  While she didn’t make the times she had set for her goals this season, she continued to be a strong swimmer in the 200 and 500 yard freestyle events and was recognized by her teammates with the team spirit award and by her coach for her committment and perfect attendance record.

“Anything Goes” goes well!

Many long weeks of hard work reached fruition this week as Notre Dame Preparatory presented their spring musical, “Anything Goes” this weekend. Peg, Tom, and Patrick went to see the show on Friday evening and enjoyed seeing and hearing Christine from the third row seats she had managed to get for them. The cast is incredibly talented and presented a marvelous production which was complemented by the wonderful music of the NDP orchestra and a magnificent set!

NDP Homecoming 2007