Enjoy!!
Many thanks to Carrie, Justin and Mariah, John and Carolyn, Suzie, Billy and Janice, Sandy, Ozzie, Heather, Triston and all the folks we met while on our vacation to the East Coast.
Gary asked what the favorite part of my trip was. I said "The People. They are the ones that made it special for us."
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
6/16, Friday - To Reno and Beyond
We pack a bag for Molly Brown and drop her off at FurPersons. She is so excited to get there. She just wants IN! NOW! So we don't feel bad about leaving her there. The staff there loves her.
We expect to have lunch at Bartle Lodge but find Linda is still serving breakfast. We have breakfast!
Our drive to Reno is uneventful.
We stop at Carrie and Justin's to make a plan for dinner. I get to see some of Carrie's art that I have only seen on line. Wow, the girl is so talented. I love the florals she has done. She also has her paint and sip picture on her wall of fame. We are lucky Justin is home from work and he can join us for dinner.
Before dinner, we drive over to Carolyn and John's to see their remodeled bathroom. They have gone to the top with this bathroom upgrade. They got rid of the big soaking tub and had a fantastic shower installed with wonderful touches in the finishes. There are other upgrades to the paint, guest bathroom and the fireplace surround in their bedroom.
The Poop d'resistance is their Toto Toilet. It is programmable, washes and dries front and back. Remembers the user, is preheated, and self closing. What will they think of next? In hot, hot Reno summer I would want to be a guest in their bathroom.
We all meet at Casa Grande for dinner. Mariah comes too. So nice to see our beautiful grand girl. She is busy this summer with 2 jobs and a boyfriend. I hope she finds time to sleep.
After dinner we drop ourselves and luggage off at John and Carolyn's. They will drive us to the Reno airport for our Red Eye flight to Kentucky.
Mariah drives our car to Carrie's house where it will be parked for the duration of our trip.
We expect to have lunch at Bartle Lodge but find Linda is still serving breakfast. We have breakfast!
Our drive to Reno is uneventful.
We stop at Carrie and Justin's to make a plan for dinner. I get to see some of Carrie's art that I have only seen on line. Wow, the girl is so talented. I love the florals she has done. She also has her paint and sip picture on her wall of fame. We are lucky Justin is home from work and he can join us for dinner.
Before dinner, we drive over to Carolyn and John's to see their remodeled bathroom. They have gone to the top with this bathroom upgrade. They got rid of the big soaking tub and had a fantastic shower installed with wonderful touches in the finishes. There are other upgrades to the paint, guest bathroom and the fireplace surround in their bedroom.
The Poop d'resistance is their Toto Toilet. It is programmable, washes and dries front and back. Remembers the user, is preheated, and self closing. What will they think of next? In hot, hot Reno summer I would want to be a guest in their bathroom.
We all meet at Casa Grande for dinner. Mariah comes too. So nice to see our beautiful grand girl. She is busy this summer with 2 jobs and a boyfriend. I hope she finds time to sleep.
After dinner we drop ourselves and luggage off at John and Carolyn's. They will drive us to the Reno airport for our Red Eye flight to Kentucky.
Mariah drives our car to Carrie's house where it will be parked for the duration of our trip.
6/17, Saturday - The Red Eye and Green, Green Kentucky
We spend all night on the plane landing at Chicago O'Hare airport and then flying in to Cincinnati Logan Airport, arriving in the morning.
Suzie is just coming down the escalator when we are going up the other side. That is really the story of our friendship. We always find each other where ever we are. From our first meeting in Sturgis, SD to our meet in Cheyenne WY in 2015. I hope it is always like that.
As we drive to Dry Ridge Gary remarks that he sees many people mowing their lawns. He considers lawn mowing to be the state pass time.
We drive to lunch in a packed local restaurant and then to her home to unload and then get a tour of their place.
Suzie and Dick built this place a few years ago. We have heard of it but never seen it. The house is 2 story. The first story being the living quarters with a big deck off of the living room and dining area. A roomy kitchen and wash area, bedrooms, bathroom and 2 car garage. Family heirloom furniture rests beautifully throughout their home and some of Suzie's eye-catching quilt projects decorate the walls. Her hand-crocheted pineapple pattern circular table cloth takes my breath away.
The bottom floor is Suzie's quilting room. It is so well done. She has quilt groups there and has one planned next week for cancer quilts, after we leave.
She shows us Dick's shop, additional car space, wood working equipment, cycling mementos, motorcycling mementos. All things Dicky.
We decide to drive to Billy's big boat (Suzie's son). He has been working on it today and keeping his Setter Phoebe cool with the ac on inside. It is so lovely to sit on a boat and talk about the day. It is so nice to pet a nice, pretty dog like Phoebe (who makes us miss our Molly Brown).
Billy suggests Dinner (late lunch/early dinner) at Jewell's On Main, a local restaurant with a world-wide reputation. I must say the food is good. The company is better. It is a family restaurant and you have to get in line to get served. Happy for the experience.
Once back at Suzie's I nap and wake to find Gary and Suzie binge watching "Heartland" on Netflix so I join in until bed time.
Suzie is just coming down the escalator when we are going up the other side. That is really the story of our friendship. We always find each other where ever we are. From our first meeting in Sturgis, SD to our meet in Cheyenne WY in 2015. I hope it is always like that.
As we drive to Dry Ridge Gary remarks that he sees many people mowing their lawns. He considers lawn mowing to be the state pass time.
We drive to lunch in a packed local restaurant and then to her home to unload and then get a tour of their place.
Suzie and Dick built this place a few years ago. We have heard of it but never seen it. The house is 2 story. The first story being the living quarters with a big deck off of the living room and dining area. A roomy kitchen and wash area, bedrooms, bathroom and 2 car garage. Family heirloom furniture rests beautifully throughout their home and some of Suzie's eye-catching quilt projects decorate the walls. Her hand-crocheted pineapple pattern circular table cloth takes my breath away.
The bottom floor is Suzie's quilting room. It is so well done. She has quilt groups there and has one planned next week for cancer quilts, after we leave.
She shows us Dick's shop, additional car space, wood working equipment, cycling mementos, motorcycling mementos. All things Dicky.
We decide to drive to Billy's big boat (Suzie's son). He has been working on it today and keeping his Setter Phoebe cool with the ac on inside. It is so lovely to sit on a boat and talk about the day. It is so nice to pet a nice, pretty dog like Phoebe (who makes us miss our Molly Brown).
Billy suggests Dinner (late lunch/early dinner) at Jewell's On Main, a local restaurant with a world-wide reputation. I must say the food is good. The company is better. It is a family restaurant and you have to get in line to get served. Happy for the experience.
Once back at Suzie's I nap and wake to find Gary and Suzie binge watching "Heartland" on Netflix so I join in until bed time.
6/18, Sunday - Father's Day and Four Wheeling in Corinth KY
Today is Father's Day.
We struggle through making two different kinds of coffee at Suzie's. She has all the fixings, we just have to figure out how to make it work.
We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel and everyone knows Suzie, gives her hugs and sends love to Dick. Janice, a good friend to Suzie who looks like she and Suzie could be related, shows up a little late but start telling stories right away. She has a Kentucky accent and it lends to the fun flavor of her stories.
Breakfast is good. I had grits for the first time. Reminded me of cream of wheat and I liked them sweet. The specialty apple butter was good too AND the syrup with some real maple syrup in it in cute little glass jars. (Like a little liquor bottle but with syrup instead of liquor).
We drive to Lexington, in Suzie's car, where Dick is staying at The Lantern at Morning Point. All the while Janice is regaling us with great stories about many things including "little man hands". I was in tears with that story. The drive is interesting to say the least.
We find Dick in the lobby. He is slouched down in his chair. His chin has slid down in to the hard collar they have him wearing for his neck issues.
Suzie and Janice introduce themselves. Suzie adjusts the collar so Dick can see forward. Gary get's down at eye level and Dick's face just lights up when he realizes who he is looking at. (He didn't recognize me but knew who I was after he saw Gary). Dick gets up and uses his little push walker and we go to his room.
They allow you to bring your own furniture and decorations in to the facility. Dick has his wonderful cycling photos and a fantastic quilt that Suzie has made from his Harley Tshirts. Dick opens his cards and gifts and we chat. He looses train of thought easily.
The staff nurse comes in to check on us and let us know that lunch will start in about 20 minutes. They are taking good care of him there.
This is all so sad. Dick has been a good friend for many years and seeing him so frail is heart breaking. Suzie is doing the best she can but she misses her man, you can tell.
As Dick is seated to lunch Gary tries to find a bath room and sets of the alarm on the front door. Then when he is in the BR he locks the door and I watch a young nurse start to use her key to open the door to see who is in there with the door locked. I talk loud enough to stop her and moments later Gary steps out. It is a good tension breaker after our visit with Dick.
We drop Janice off at her car in Dry Ridge and continue to lunch at Suzie's.
After lunch we drive to Billy's in Corinth. He offers to take us for a ride in his 4x4. Suzie gets in and belts in and I follow her lead. It has been raining. The trees and tall grasses are wet so we get a soaking on this butt-clenching tour around his property. We jump some deer. We visit his tobacco barn (which is not old). The view from the top of his property is really beautiful. These are things you hear about as a kid but never get to see.
Billy has not set (planted) any tobacco but has a nice garden with a tall deer fence.
There are two geometric panels on his property. These are painted quilt blocks. Many of the barns in Kentucky sport these colorful blocks. They are part of the "Quilt Trail" For a better understanding look up Kentucky Barn Quilt Map on Google. I get some nice photos of the two on his property. They are bright and remind me of the decorative Hex signs on Pennsylvania barns.
Billy and Gary start talking cars and old cars so Suzie and I go sit on his porch while they talk it out.
We drive back to Suzie's for dinner, the crock pot pork roast she cooked yesterday with all the fixings.
My hair is sure curly here in moist Kentucky.
We struggle through making two different kinds of coffee at Suzie's. She has all the fixings, we just have to figure out how to make it work.
We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel and everyone knows Suzie, gives her hugs and sends love to Dick. Janice, a good friend to Suzie who looks like she and Suzie could be related, shows up a little late but start telling stories right away. She has a Kentucky accent and it lends to the fun flavor of her stories.
Breakfast is good. I had grits for the first time. Reminded me of cream of wheat and I liked them sweet. The specialty apple butter was good too AND the syrup with some real maple syrup in it in cute little glass jars. (Like a little liquor bottle but with syrup instead of liquor).
We drive to Lexington, in Suzie's car, where Dick is staying at The Lantern at Morning Point. All the while Janice is regaling us with great stories about many things including "little man hands". I was in tears with that story. The drive is interesting to say the least.
We find Dick in the lobby. He is slouched down in his chair. His chin has slid down in to the hard collar they have him wearing for his neck issues.
Suzie and Janice introduce themselves. Suzie adjusts the collar so Dick can see forward. Gary get's down at eye level and Dick's face just lights up when he realizes who he is looking at. (He didn't recognize me but knew who I was after he saw Gary). Dick gets up and uses his little push walker and we go to his room.
They allow you to bring your own furniture and decorations in to the facility. Dick has his wonderful cycling photos and a fantastic quilt that Suzie has made from his Harley Tshirts. Dick opens his cards and gifts and we chat. He looses train of thought easily.
The staff nurse comes in to check on us and let us know that lunch will start in about 20 minutes. They are taking good care of him there.
This is all so sad. Dick has been a good friend for many years and seeing him so frail is heart breaking. Suzie is doing the best she can but she misses her man, you can tell.
As Dick is seated to lunch Gary tries to find a bath room and sets of the alarm on the front door. Then when he is in the BR he locks the door and I watch a young nurse start to use her key to open the door to see who is in there with the door locked. I talk loud enough to stop her and moments later Gary steps out. It is a good tension breaker after our visit with Dick.
We drop Janice off at her car in Dry Ridge and continue to lunch at Suzie's.
After lunch we drive to Billy's in Corinth. He offers to take us for a ride in his 4x4. Suzie gets in and belts in and I follow her lead. It has been raining. The trees and tall grasses are wet so we get a soaking on this butt-clenching tour around his property. We jump some deer. We visit his tobacco barn (which is not old). The view from the top of his property is really beautiful. These are things you hear about as a kid but never get to see.
Billy has not set (planted) any tobacco but has a nice garden with a tall deer fence.
There are two geometric panels on his property. These are painted quilt blocks. Many of the barns in Kentucky sport these colorful blocks. They are part of the "Quilt Trail" For a better understanding look up Kentucky Barn Quilt Map on Google. I get some nice photos of the two on his property. They are bright and remind me of the decorative Hex signs on Pennsylvania barns.
Billy and Gary start talking cars and old cars so Suzie and I go sit on his porch while they talk it out.
We drive back to Suzie's for dinner, the crock pot pork roast she cooked yesterday with all the fixings.
My hair is sure curly here in moist Kentucky.
6/19 - Monday - Kentucky, Indiana, Kentucky
Off on the back roads of Kentucky to Indiana. Tobacco barns, fields of tobacco and corn growing at different stages. Horses and foals and endless green lawn.
We end up in Vevay, Indiana at the Switzerland County Historical Society museum. Consisting of two buildings chock full of Ohio River lore and history of the Swiss pioneers who settled in the area.
Gary is tall so the Director asks him to post the flag for the day.
After, Gary asks to go down to the Ohio River and a big barge is coming up river with covered cargo. Really amazing sight.
Suzie drives us over the mountain top to the Amish store for lunch. A bigger deli sandwich you have never seen.
We visit the locks from the 3 story viewing platform. My stomach is in my throat but the breeze is cool off of the river.
Back to Dry Ridge and a tour around the neighborhood.
Gary barbecues for dinner and Suzie mentions fireflies and moonshine. I say that sounds like a good poem to me. She sets us up with a taste, just a taste of moon shine and we wait for the fireflies to appear.
As the sun goes down the little bugs appear with quick flashes of light. They start out in the grass, and as day darkens to night they flit up in to the trees and look like fairies sending out messages in firefly code.
What a beautiful end to the day. A child hood dream come true to see the Kentucky fireflies.
Never seen 'em.
Never thought I would.
Fireflies flitting
In Kentucky Wood.
From the dewy grass
To their tree top bower
Little butts that shine
Blinking through the hours.
We end up in Vevay, Indiana at the Switzerland County Historical Society museum. Consisting of two buildings chock full of Ohio River lore and history of the Swiss pioneers who settled in the area.
Gary is tall so the Director asks him to post the flag for the day.
After, Gary asks to go down to the Ohio River and a big barge is coming up river with covered cargo. Really amazing sight.
Suzie drives us over the mountain top to the Amish store for lunch. A bigger deli sandwich you have never seen.
We visit the locks from the 3 story viewing platform. My stomach is in my throat but the breeze is cool off of the river.
Back to Dry Ridge and a tour around the neighborhood.
Gary barbecues for dinner and Suzie mentions fireflies and moonshine. I say that sounds like a good poem to me. She sets us up with a taste, just a taste of moon shine and we wait for the fireflies to appear.
As the sun goes down the little bugs appear with quick flashes of light. They start out in the grass, and as day darkens to night they flit up in to the trees and look like fairies sending out messages in firefly code.
What a beautiful end to the day. A child hood dream come true to see the Kentucky fireflies.
Never seen 'em.
Never thought I would.
Fireflies flitting
In Kentucky Wood.
From the dewy grass
To their tree top bower
Little butts that shine
Blinking through the hours.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
6/20, Tuesday - Quilts and Kentucky Race Horses
A private quilt showing starts the day in Dry Ridge. Mrs Davis pulls out all of her quilts and some of her family heirloom quilts as well.
We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel again. It is very good. Suzie gets hugs from most of the wait staff there.
I had my heart set on driving to the Racing Museum at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Suzie suggests Old Friends ranch in Georgetown KY. This group has made it a personal goal to rescue old race horses so they can live out their lives running in the green paddocks in Kentucky.
We get there and have missed the tour. That throws a horse shoe in to our plans as our flight leaves tonight and we can't stick around for the next tour.
Do you have a place I can walk to to take some photos? I ask. It would be awful to come to Kentucky and not get a photo of a horse. As I am talking to the lady a man stands asks what the concern is. Suzie explains that we came to see horses but are on a time limit because of the flight. Come on, he says. Lets get in the golf cart and I will give you an abbreviated tour. We are having a farrier class on the ranch today he explains.
Once in the 4 man golf cart he grabs a bucket full of carrot pieces and off we go. I don't know why anyone would give a horse drugs, he says. They will do anything for carrots.
We drive to the paddock where American Champion race horse Silver Charm comes running when the man shouts "Who is the most beautiful horse in the universe?" This fellow has great rapport with Silver Charm who rubs lovingly on his shoulder for more carrots.
We then drive to the paddock of War Emblem. This horse is dangerous so we have him behind a double fence. It has taken over a year for us to gain his trust. He tried to kill several of us when he first got here. War Emblem was a successful racer but not a successful breeder he explains. He watches War Emblem but speaks to him with love and carrots. We get some beautiful shots of this thoroughbred.
We meet Archie next. An old racer that did not weigh enough for the slaughter house in New York. Blind in one eye and with no teeth this horse loves the man who is giving us this brief tour. And he loves small carrot pieces please.
I am not sure if they are doing it for love or money but these horses will have the best rest of their lives at Old Friends Retirement home for race horses.
Looking through the brochure later we find out the fellow who gave us the tour was the President of Old Friends, Michael Blowen.
Suzie drives us back to Dry Ridge to get our bags and then to the airport in Cincinnati. It is hard to say goodbye to our old friend. Suzie has been gracious and has introduced us to Heartland on Netflix. I wish Kenducky was next door to California so we were not so far apart.
The flight to Washington D.C. is no problem but we get stuck there waiting for the plane to come in from Boston. It is a long night before we get to Massachusetts. Bummed.
We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel again. It is very good. Suzie gets hugs from most of the wait staff there.
I had my heart set on driving to the Racing Museum at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Suzie suggests Old Friends ranch in Georgetown KY. This group has made it a personal goal to rescue old race horses so they can live out their lives running in the green paddocks in Kentucky.
We get there and have missed the tour. That throws a horse shoe in to our plans as our flight leaves tonight and we can't stick around for the next tour.
Do you have a place I can walk to to take some photos? I ask. It would be awful to come to Kentucky and not get a photo of a horse. As I am talking to the lady a man stands asks what the concern is. Suzie explains that we came to see horses but are on a time limit because of the flight. Come on, he says. Lets get in the golf cart and I will give you an abbreviated tour. We are having a farrier class on the ranch today he explains.
Once in the 4 man golf cart he grabs a bucket full of carrot pieces and off we go. I don't know why anyone would give a horse drugs, he says. They will do anything for carrots.
We drive to the paddock where American Champion race horse Silver Charm comes running when the man shouts "Who is the most beautiful horse in the universe?" This fellow has great rapport with Silver Charm who rubs lovingly on his shoulder for more carrots.
We then drive to the paddock of War Emblem. This horse is dangerous so we have him behind a double fence. It has taken over a year for us to gain his trust. He tried to kill several of us when he first got here. War Emblem was a successful racer but not a successful breeder he explains. He watches War Emblem but speaks to him with love and carrots. We get some beautiful shots of this thoroughbred.
We meet Archie next. An old racer that did not weigh enough for the slaughter house in New York. Blind in one eye and with no teeth this horse loves the man who is giving us this brief tour. And he loves small carrot pieces please.
I am not sure if they are doing it for love or money but these horses will have the best rest of their lives at Old Friends Retirement home for race horses.
Looking through the brochure later we find out the fellow who gave us the tour was the President of Old Friends, Michael Blowen.
Suzie drives us back to Dry Ridge to get our bags and then to the airport in Cincinnati. It is hard to say goodbye to our old friend. Suzie has been gracious and has introduced us to Heartland on Netflix. I wish Kenducky was next door to California so we were not so far apart.
The flight to Washington D.C. is no problem but we get stuck there waiting for the plane to come in from Boston. It is a long night before we get to Massachusetts. Bummed.
6/21, Wednesday - World Bagel and
After a late morning in Essex Sandy drives us over to Conomo Point to show us their new house. There are a lot of rules to summer living, year round living in Essex. There house has potential. The property is in an exceptional location. I think that is why they bought the house. Location is everything. They have a view of Essex River Basin marina from their front lawn.
We drive to Danvers to get our Enterprise rental car and mention lunch. The Enterprise Rep pipes up and recommends World Bagel and then says his favorite is the Chicken Salad. We decide that is the right fit for us. The restaurant is busy but we order our sandwiches (or bagelwiches) and grab a seat. We also get some extra breakfast bagels for the Essex house.
What we don't realize until then is that there are no grocery stores in Essex. Sandy leaves us to find our way back to Essex and goes to do some grocery shopping. Gary drives to Ipswich to find the train depot and see about riding the MBTA train in to Boston tomorrow.
We meet up with the Osborn's at Canomo Point. They drive us to dinner at Gloucester House, a nice restaurant on the pier at Gloucester, MA.
The wait staff is new, and dazed and confused. They ask for our drinks order then go away. They guys get their beers but ladies drinks are slow in coming. They ask Ozzie if he wants a beer with that glass? Ozzie's eyebrows fly in to question marks. We order an appetizer of fried clams, they are out of fried clam appetizer he says. So we order a dinner entree of fried clams and that seems to work for them. I try some fried clams for the first time ever.
We finally get our drinks. Dinner comes in a couple of deliveries. He comes out last with my sizzling platter of fried shrimp which is smoking like a wet forest fire. He is trying to see through the smoke waving his free hand before him. It is all to comical.
Then he says I will just hand this to you. Like he will pass this sizzling hot platter over the four of us in to my hands. Nuh-uh I say and Gary and I both vacate our chairs so he can set the hot, smokey mess down in my place.
Dinner is delicious, the company is the best. The owner knows Ozzie and Sandy and he comes over to chat a bit. The owner's wife comes over to chat as she is leaving work.
After dinner Ozzie drives us around Gloucester as sun sets. It is a beautiful introduction to Eastern seaboard sun set. I have only my cell phone but get some wonderful shots of Gloucester Bay. Sandy explains that Birdseye Foods and Gortons started here and are still in operation.
As we travel from east to west around Gloucester the sun sets more vibrantly. I realize I have left my jacket the restaurant and we drive back for it. Then decide to stop at the ice cream store for dessert. I must say vacation brings out the kid in me. I have an ice cream late at night with this fun group.
At about 3 am all of the fried food decides it has rested long enough in my stomach and about 3 good heaves brings it all up. The cream from the ice cream makes it come up a little easier. Not a good night.
We drive to Danvers to get our Enterprise rental car and mention lunch. The Enterprise Rep pipes up and recommends World Bagel and then says his favorite is the Chicken Salad. We decide that is the right fit for us. The restaurant is busy but we order our sandwiches (or bagelwiches) and grab a seat. We also get some extra breakfast bagels for the Essex house.
What we don't realize until then is that there are no grocery stores in Essex. Sandy leaves us to find our way back to Essex and goes to do some grocery shopping. Gary drives to Ipswich to find the train depot and see about riding the MBTA train in to Boston tomorrow.
We meet up with the Osborn's at Canomo Point. They drive us to dinner at Gloucester House, a nice restaurant on the pier at Gloucester, MA.
The wait staff is new, and dazed and confused. They ask for our drinks order then go away. They guys get their beers but ladies drinks are slow in coming. They ask Ozzie if he wants a beer with that glass? Ozzie's eyebrows fly in to question marks. We order an appetizer of fried clams, they are out of fried clam appetizer he says. So we order a dinner entree of fried clams and that seems to work for them. I try some fried clams for the first time ever.
We finally get our drinks. Dinner comes in a couple of deliveries. He comes out last with my sizzling platter of fried shrimp which is smoking like a wet forest fire. He is trying to see through the smoke waving his free hand before him. It is all to comical.
Then he says I will just hand this to you. Like he will pass this sizzling hot platter over the four of us in to my hands. Nuh-uh I say and Gary and I both vacate our chairs so he can set the hot, smokey mess down in my place.
Dinner is delicious, the company is the best. The owner knows Ozzie and Sandy and he comes over to chat a bit. The owner's wife comes over to chat as she is leaving work.
After dinner Ozzie drives us around Gloucester as sun sets. It is a beautiful introduction to Eastern seaboard sun set. I have only my cell phone but get some wonderful shots of Gloucester Bay. Sandy explains that Birdseye Foods and Gortons started here and are still in operation.
As we travel from east to west around Gloucester the sun sets more vibrantly. I realize I have left my jacket the restaurant and we drive back for it. Then decide to stop at the ice cream store for dessert. I must say vacation brings out the kid in me. I have an ice cream late at night with this fun group.
At about 3 am all of the fried food decides it has rested long enough in my stomach and about 3 good heaves brings it all up. The cream from the ice cream makes it come up a little easier. Not a good night.
6/22 - Thursday - Hostorical Boston and Contact Golf
Up early in Essex after such a crummy night.
Our plan today is to ride the MBTA in to Boston and walk the Freedom Trail. We park our rental car at the North Beverly Station. We talk to locals getting ready to ride to work who say we can buy a ticket once we board the train.
Once on board a lady conductor asks where we are going, how many, round trip? She produces a ticket and ticket puncher and then, like the Conductor on the Polar Express, multi punches our ticket and hands it back to Gary.
Riding the train, we watch the road traffic in to Boston and are SO glad we took the train.
Upon arrival at the station we see an Information booth. We go there and ask the man about riding the subway to the Freedom Trail. Go buy your ticket. He says. We buy tickets for 2 and ask the lady at the window where we catch the subway for the Freedom Trail. Go ask Information. She says. We go back to the same window we went to originally an ask our question again. Just go outside and ask anybody. He says. They will tell you what you need to know. Pick pocketed in Boston by the Information Guy!
We go outside. The city is a-bustle with every type of character. Sports are big here and there are huge team signs for hockey and baseball. We start walking around and find a transit policeman who is watching traffic for a road repair that is going on. We ask him about riding the subway to the Freedom Trail. He is a little puzzled at first. Then the light goes off.
He points at the sidewalk across the street. See the red line on the street? Some times it is paint but it is usually brick. That is the key to walk the Freedom Trail. If you follow that line, you will find the buildings you are looking for.
We decide to walk toward the Constitution battleship site and museum. Yes, we are following the red brick line. There is a lady in a wheel chair on the Charlestown Bridge. She has a big DSLR camera and is hoping to get photos of the last tall ship as it leaves the harbor. She wheels along with us for a bit and we chat. There is a helicopter overhead hoping to get photos too. We miss the last ship as we follow the red line to the Constitution Museum. Tours for the Constitution don't start until 2 pm so we are out of luck there so we tour the museum. It is a fine museum with much hand's on stuff for kids, films and quizzes for adults.
At the home of Paul Revere the docent tell us that the wing back chair is also called a fireside chair. It is meant to be drawn close to the fire and the wings hold the heat close to the person sitting within. This reminded me of the beautiful wing back chairs Bill Mortensen made and are in John and Carolyn's home.
Once we finish that tour we walk back in to Boston, following the red bricks and find North Church and Paul Revere's house to tour through. These historical buildings are in the Little Italy section of Boston. I can tell you that the Italian Deli we stepped in to was delicious to the eyes. A little later we step in to a hole in the wall pizzeria and have a salad and a slice each.
The roads in this section of town are so narrow, built for carriages back in the 1600's
After lunch we head back to the terminal. Gary has a golf date with Ozzie and we want to be sure to catch the train out of Boston.
While Gary and Ozzie golf I get to visit with Sandy. One big question for every antique collector (or just collector) is how we are going to disperse our treasured collections. She has a good one.
We are planning on burgers and dogs at Conomo Point. When Gary and Ozzie get back from golf Gary is bleeding from several wounds on knee and elbow. It seems that golf is never to be played whilst wearing your bifocal lenses. And then cut his shin getting out of Ozzies truck. He is a mess.
We get him temporarily cleaned up for dinner. Heather and Bouy join us. Triston is ready to eat. After dinner we stay inside and talk story until it is time for us to drive back to the residence at the barn.
Our plan today is to ride the MBTA in to Boston and walk the Freedom Trail. We park our rental car at the North Beverly Station. We talk to locals getting ready to ride to work who say we can buy a ticket once we board the train.
Once on board a lady conductor asks where we are going, how many, round trip? She produces a ticket and ticket puncher and then, like the Conductor on the Polar Express, multi punches our ticket and hands it back to Gary.
Riding the train, we watch the road traffic in to Boston and are SO glad we took the train.
Upon arrival at the station we see an Information booth. We go there and ask the man about riding the subway to the Freedom Trail. Go buy your ticket. He says. We buy tickets for 2 and ask the lady at the window where we catch the subway for the Freedom Trail. Go ask Information. She says. We go back to the same window we went to originally an ask our question again. Just go outside and ask anybody. He says. They will tell you what you need to know. Pick pocketed in Boston by the Information Guy!
We go outside. The city is a-bustle with every type of character. Sports are big here and there are huge team signs for hockey and baseball. We start walking around and find a transit policeman who is watching traffic for a road repair that is going on. We ask him about riding the subway to the Freedom Trail. He is a little puzzled at first. Then the light goes off.
He points at the sidewalk across the street. See the red line on the street? Some times it is paint but it is usually brick. That is the key to walk the Freedom Trail. If you follow that line, you will find the buildings you are looking for.
We decide to walk toward the Constitution battleship site and museum. Yes, we are following the red brick line. There is a lady in a wheel chair on the Charlestown Bridge. She has a big DSLR camera and is hoping to get photos of the last tall ship as it leaves the harbor. She wheels along with us for a bit and we chat. There is a helicopter overhead hoping to get photos too. We miss the last ship as we follow the red line to the Constitution Museum. Tours for the Constitution don't start until 2 pm so we are out of luck there so we tour the museum. It is a fine museum with much hand's on stuff for kids, films and quizzes for adults.
At the home of Paul Revere the docent tell us that the wing back chair is also called a fireside chair. It is meant to be drawn close to the fire and the wings hold the heat close to the person sitting within. This reminded me of the beautiful wing back chairs Bill Mortensen made and are in John and Carolyn's home.
Once we finish that tour we walk back in to Boston, following the red bricks and find North Church and Paul Revere's house to tour through. These historical buildings are in the Little Italy section of Boston. I can tell you that the Italian Deli we stepped in to was delicious to the eyes. A little later we step in to a hole in the wall pizzeria and have a salad and a slice each.
The roads in this section of town are so narrow, built for carriages back in the 1600's
After lunch we head back to the terminal. Gary has a golf date with Ozzie and we want to be sure to catch the train out of Boston.
While Gary and Ozzie golf I get to visit with Sandy. One big question for every antique collector (or just collector) is how we are going to disperse our treasured collections. She has a good one.
We are planning on burgers and dogs at Conomo Point. When Gary and Ozzie get back from golf Gary is bleeding from several wounds on knee and elbow. It seems that golf is never to be played whilst wearing your bifocal lenses. And then cut his shin getting out of Ozzies truck. He is a mess.
We get him temporarily cleaned up for dinner. Heather and Bouy join us. Triston is ready to eat. After dinner we stay inside and talk story until it is time for us to drive back to the residence at the barn.
Monday, July 3, 2017
6/23, Friday - A Tour around Essex bay in the Lund
We sleep late today. Gary sleeps latest. His wound has bled through the bandages and I do laundry first thing.
Ozzie and Triston get the Lund boat in the water but there is trouble with the fuel flow and we don't know if we will get out for a ride or not. But we do, finally.
Triston is captain initially and giving us a tour while driving slowly.
Most of Essex River Basin is protected as a green way. Some of the islands have had newer homes removed and old ones restored back to original style of the 1600's and 1700's. One austere home on Choate Island was featured in the movie "The Crucible" about the Salem Witch Trials. They have built a replica of a threshing barn on the island. The basin grasses were prized as feed for livestock for many years.
Ozzie really loves this place, we can hear it in his voice when he tells us about it. It is in his blood. All of his family boat, they all know about "the water". Ozzie and Sandy's families are from this place and have been for generations.
We arrive at Conomo Point Marina. Sandy and Heather have made a picnic lunch and we pick them up at the dock. Triston decides to skedaddle to the house.
Sandy has to stay covered up because of medicine she is taking. She is wearing a fine woven sun hat that I envy.
We eat lunch on the boat. Heather takes over the captaincy and snaps some very fun photos of Ozzie, Sandy, Gary and Me. She is quite a hand at the helm of that boat. Gary and I are both impressed. Cold sandwiches made with love, beers, and good friends. It is a consummate picnic lunch.
After we dock at Conomo Point I decided to ride back with Sandy and Heather. Gary and Ozzie drive the boat back to Essex Marina. A storm seems to be building.
I opt for a nap and let Gary tour the boating museum by himself. We are supposed to get weather tonight. Everything gets closed up and boating activities are shut down tomorrow.
Sandy bought Gary some bananas today. Never saw a happier clam.
We had barbecue chicken dinner at the house Conomo Point and talked story while Heather took the wedding nail polish off Sandy's fingers with some tin foil doo-dads that were reminiscent of Mt. Shasta. Pretty fun.
I am getting my leg pulled a lot out here. Gary is even doing it now.
Sailing photos credit and compliments to Heather Osborn.
Ozzie and Triston get the Lund boat in the water but there is trouble with the fuel flow and we don't know if we will get out for a ride or not. But we do, finally.
Triston is captain initially and giving us a tour while driving slowly.
Most of Essex River Basin is protected as a green way. Some of the islands have had newer homes removed and old ones restored back to original style of the 1600's and 1700's. One austere home on Choate Island was featured in the movie "The Crucible" about the Salem Witch Trials. They have built a replica of a threshing barn on the island. The basin grasses were prized as feed for livestock for many years.
Ozzie really loves this place, we can hear it in his voice when he tells us about it. It is in his blood. All of his family boat, they all know about "the water". Ozzie and Sandy's families are from this place and have been for generations.
We arrive at Conomo Point Marina. Sandy and Heather have made a picnic lunch and we pick them up at the dock. Triston decides to skedaddle to the house.
Sandy has to stay covered up because of medicine she is taking. She is wearing a fine woven sun hat that I envy.
We eat lunch on the boat. Heather takes over the captaincy and snaps some very fun photos of Ozzie, Sandy, Gary and Me. She is quite a hand at the helm of that boat. Gary and I are both impressed. Cold sandwiches made with love, beers, and good friends. It is a consummate picnic lunch.
After we dock at Conomo Point I decided to ride back with Sandy and Heather. Gary and Ozzie drive the boat back to Essex Marina. A storm seems to be building.
I opt for a nap and let Gary tour the boating museum by himself. We are supposed to get weather tonight. Everything gets closed up and boating activities are shut down tomorrow.
Sandy bought Gary some bananas today. Never saw a happier clam.
We had barbecue chicken dinner at the house Conomo Point and talked story while Heather took the wedding nail polish off Sandy's fingers with some tin foil doo-dads that were reminiscent of Mt. Shasta. Pretty fun.
I am getting my leg pulled a lot out here. Gary is even doing it now.
Sailing photos credit and compliments to Heather Osborn.
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