My only big accomplishment for the day was paying bills. Yay. But at least I got most of them paid. I still have a couple that I am doing today. I don't know why paying bills is so traumatic for me. Oh, yes I do. I would rather use any money that we have for fun things - like food, and travel and such. Where would mom and I travel? That is a darn fine question.
I took a walk downtown. The library got in a book that I put on hold. A friend suggested I read Water for Elephants. I have seen the movie and vaguely recall enjoying it. She said the book was, of course, better. And so far, she is right. Anyway, I walked downtown, also went to the Smith Opera House, the bank and to Madia's Market. I figured it was easier to get things there, which was sort of on the way home, than to get home and head back out to Wegman's, or even walk to Wegman's on the way home. Madia's did not have an awesome selection of produce. Not a surprise really - but I did get some brussel sprouts which turned out to be fresh and happy. And corn - which was actually better than the picked over corn I usually end up with from Wegman's. Might just have to swing by there today (Friday) and get more corn when I head out for food shopping.
My epiphany-let isn't really all that earth shattering. When I was getting the rest of the edible chicken separated from the non-edible bits the other day, the chicken was still hot. Not fun on the fingers. Other times, I take the chicken out of the fridge and it is really cold. Also not fun on the fingers. So, here is the epiphany - when I take the chicken out of the fridge a few minutes before I start to work on it, it becomes warm enough that my fingers are not numbed quickly! Yay!
Does anyone think I ought to feel guilty about recycling old New Yorkers and other magazines? And does anyone want mom's old huge electric typewriter? If not, it is getting recycled. You must come and pick it up - I ain't shipping that sucker anywhere!
Drove to Ithaca last night and had a pleasant evening with a nice woman! Yippee! She suggested a new-ish place down there. We sat outside and watched the sun set and the stars rise. It was awesome! (Little in-joke there...)
Showing posts with label drive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drive. Show all posts
Friday, May 31, 2013
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Misplaced my camera
Well, my mom's camera, actually, has been misplaced. After wearing it on my hip for most of the last year, I put it down somewhere and now I can't find it. Grrr. It will turn up. Unless mom put it somewhere, then it might be gone forever. We still haven't found her glasses. Probably won't find her glasses until we move out of this house. (Found the camera at least...)
I forgot one of the most exciting things that happened on Friday. I made a bit of caramel popcorn by melting some caramels in the microwave. Not perfect, but tasty anyway!
Now that Saturday is "in the can" Sunday has arrived in all of its splendor! My brother and his children arrive much later today - probably past midnight - so officially Monday, but who is counting. Before he gets here, I still have to make his bed. I am going to jump right on that. Oh, and I need to plan something for dinner tonight. Oops, I don't think I have any kid friendly food for breakfast on Monday. Hmm, something else to think about.
Saturday was again a not very productive day. It was chilly here in Geneva, NY so I did my best not to go out too much. I did get to the store, Wegman's, and bought some comestibles. And will go again today. I bought a cabbage and forgot to get more mayonnaise to enable me to make my version of coleslaw. It is coleslaw time of year. And I got more corn on the cob, which mom dutifully husked. Or shucked.
Later, I drove to Syracuse to meet a person from POF (Plenty of Fish) for a beer at Empire Brewing Company. I really don't like going out on Saturday nights - it is just so crowded. And this Saturday was no exception. Maybe I ought to change my mind, though. There were lots of pretty people wandering about.
I did manage to secure us two seats at the bar. After she arrived, rose between her teeth and a copy of 50 Shades of Grey III under her arm (as I had jokingly suggested), we had a lovely time chatting about this and that and the other thing. The time passed quickly, and suddenly it was pumpkin time for me. It really isn't that long a drive to and from Syracuse, in the greater scheme of things!
Unfortunately, the movie that I had put on for mom before I left malfunctioned - despite being washed. She said it quit on her soon after I left. Sigh. Technology - sometimes it can be frustrating. Not sure what to do about that movie. Probably toss it unless I can find a way to make it happy and work.
I just read an awesome little article - awesome because I agreed with it. I am, as some of you now, fairly liberal in my views of society and politics. Here is a link: http://www.glittersnipe.com/2012/07/04/dont-tread-on-me-either/
I forgot one of the most exciting things that happened on Friday. I made a bit of caramel popcorn by melting some caramels in the microwave. Not perfect, but tasty anyway!
Now that Saturday is "in the can" Sunday has arrived in all of its splendor! My brother and his children arrive much later today - probably past midnight - so officially Monday, but who is counting. Before he gets here, I still have to make his bed. I am going to jump right on that. Oh, and I need to plan something for dinner tonight. Oops, I don't think I have any kid friendly food for breakfast on Monday. Hmm, something else to think about.
Saturday was again a not very productive day. It was chilly here in Geneva, NY so I did my best not to go out too much. I did get to the store, Wegman's, and bought some comestibles. And will go again today. I bought a cabbage and forgot to get more mayonnaise to enable me to make my version of coleslaw. It is coleslaw time of year. And I got more corn on the cob, which mom dutifully husked. Or shucked.
Later, I drove to Syracuse to meet a person from POF (Plenty of Fish) for a beer at Empire Brewing Company. I really don't like going out on Saturday nights - it is just so crowded. And this Saturday was no exception. Maybe I ought to change my mind, though. There were lots of pretty people wandering about.
I did manage to secure us two seats at the bar. After she arrived, rose between her teeth and a copy of 50 Shades of Grey III under her arm (as I had jokingly suggested), we had a lovely time chatting about this and that and the other thing. The time passed quickly, and suddenly it was pumpkin time for me. It really isn't that long a drive to and from Syracuse, in the greater scheme of things!
Unfortunately, the movie that I had put on for mom before I left malfunctioned - despite being washed. She said it quit on her soon after I left. Sigh. Technology - sometimes it can be frustrating. Not sure what to do about that movie. Probably toss it unless I can find a way to make it happy and work.
I just read an awesome little article - awesome because I agreed with it. I am, as some of you now, fairly liberal in my views of society and politics. Here is a link: http://www.glittersnipe.com/2012/07/04/dont-tread-on-me-either/
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Fleeing Friday
As you all know, I love alliteration. The lazy man's way to make language seem interesting. We didn't really flee anything, we just headed to Kingston, NY for the beginning of Erich and Shelly's wedding festivities.
Because of the proximity of the wedding, we didn't have to get up early, which is a good thing. I like to sleep latish (which is often 9:30 or so) and do a bunch in the morning - like write my blog, do my daily challenge, check out facebook, maybe look at the news online, the weather, play a little on my phone (I keep playing Flippety and seeing if I can make it crash) (speaking of which, my great nephew Lewis crashed it again - and my nephew Ernst, an actual programmer sort told me one way to maybe prevent the crash - though I think it is not necessary as I doubt many people will actually do what Lewis does - just randomly push on the screen over and over again until it crashes...), maybe work on a project or two, figure out the day, plan dinner, etc. I usually get a lot done in the morning - mainly because I have silence in which to work. No nattering. I don't mind a few minutes of nattering now and again, but incessant nattering is another thing entirely...
Well, that was quite a little digression, verging on a rant. Moving on. I got up and did a lot of the above stuff before going in to mom's room and checking on her status. Asleep. Gentle prodding yielded an awakening mother. While she was starting to do the arising thing, I got her blunch (breakfast and lunch) (not brunch - that seems to be something that happens before lunch time, while blunch is something that happens at or around lunch time but is one's first meal of the day) and some coffee. Much as I disdain coffee, it does seem to clear some of mom's mental fog. Not memory and such, just her normal morning miasma of unhappiness and disgruntlement. And I started cleaning the kitchen which I like to leave as neat as I can when we go traveling. Few things are more unpleasant than coming back to a messy kitchen after being away.
We got out just at one - barely. Yippee! The drive was pretty smooth - no back-ups or traffic snarls. Mom did natter quite a bit - sadly, she has a way of harping on the two topics I most dislike talking about - money (ick) and my house in NC. When I say that I don't want to talk about them she gets angry and says that she can't talk about anything. Sigh.
The lovely Super 8 motel used to be something else I am sure. It is more of a hotel than a motel - with the rooms all opening on inside corridors. It is ok. Not scintillating. Mom doesn't like the pillows (too hard) and we had a little electrical problem - the multi-plug in the wall was loose - or the plug plate was loose or something was loose. Anyway, the staff swapped things out and it all works fine.
Since we had some time to kill, I turned on the news for mom, missing most of the BBC news because it started half an hour earlier here than it does in Geneva. And then ABC for some reason was out of synch. Other channels were fine - just ABC was weird. Oh well.
Off to the rehearsal dinner at the lovely Rosendale Cafe in Rosendale NY - where the wedding is happening as well. (Not the Cafe, but in or near Rosendale.) We ate outdoors (not my favorite thing) at unassigned tables. It all worked out eventually. Juliet was kind and forced me to not sit with mom. Yay her! Mom ended up sitting with Juliet and Candace and Karl (my brother and his wife). I sat with two of my nephews, their significant others and Lewis (Ernst, Jill, Sam, Abby). Food was good - all vegetarian (sigh). I had a sweet potato burrito - which I enjoyed - though Jill's Greek Salad - which seemed more like a Mediterranean plate than just a salad, looked excellent as well. And I got to have two yummy Rogue Dead Guy beers! Yay!
All in all, a decent day! Tomorrow I will write about the wedding, which is happening today!
Because of the proximity of the wedding, we didn't have to get up early, which is a good thing. I like to sleep latish (which is often 9:30 or so) and do a bunch in the morning - like write my blog, do my daily challenge, check out facebook, maybe look at the news online, the weather, play a little on my phone (I keep playing Flippety and seeing if I can make it crash) (speaking of which, my great nephew Lewis crashed it again - and my nephew Ernst, an actual programmer sort told me one way to maybe prevent the crash - though I think it is not necessary as I doubt many people will actually do what Lewis does - just randomly push on the screen over and over again until it crashes...), maybe work on a project or two, figure out the day, plan dinner, etc. I usually get a lot done in the morning - mainly because I have silence in which to work. No nattering. I don't mind a few minutes of nattering now and again, but incessant nattering is another thing entirely...
Well, that was quite a little digression, verging on a rant. Moving on. I got up and did a lot of the above stuff before going in to mom's room and checking on her status. Asleep. Gentle prodding yielded an awakening mother. While she was starting to do the arising thing, I got her blunch (breakfast and lunch) (not brunch - that seems to be something that happens before lunch time, while blunch is something that happens at or around lunch time but is one's first meal of the day) and some coffee. Much as I disdain coffee, it does seem to clear some of mom's mental fog. Not memory and such, just her normal morning miasma of unhappiness and disgruntlement. And I started cleaning the kitchen which I like to leave as neat as I can when we go traveling. Few things are more unpleasant than coming back to a messy kitchen after being away.
We got out just at one - barely. Yippee! The drive was pretty smooth - no back-ups or traffic snarls. Mom did natter quite a bit - sadly, she has a way of harping on the two topics I most dislike talking about - money (ick) and my house in NC. When I say that I don't want to talk about them she gets angry and says that she can't talk about anything. Sigh.
The lovely Super 8 motel used to be something else I am sure. It is more of a hotel than a motel - with the rooms all opening on inside corridors. It is ok. Not scintillating. Mom doesn't like the pillows (too hard) and we had a little electrical problem - the multi-plug in the wall was loose - or the plug plate was loose or something was loose. Anyway, the staff swapped things out and it all works fine.
Since we had some time to kill, I turned on the news for mom, missing most of the BBC news because it started half an hour earlier here than it does in Geneva. And then ABC for some reason was out of synch. Other channels were fine - just ABC was weird. Oh well.
Off to the rehearsal dinner at the lovely Rosendale Cafe in Rosendale NY - where the wedding is happening as well. (Not the Cafe, but in or near Rosendale.) We ate outdoors (not my favorite thing) at unassigned tables. It all worked out eventually. Juliet was kind and forced me to not sit with mom. Yay her! Mom ended up sitting with Juliet and Candace and Karl (my brother and his wife). I sat with two of my nephews, their significant others and Lewis (Ernst, Jill, Sam, Abby). Food was good - all vegetarian (sigh). I had a sweet potato burrito - which I enjoyed - though Jill's Greek Salad - which seemed more like a Mediterranean plate than just a salad, looked excellent as well. And I got to have two yummy Rogue Dead Guy beers! Yay!
All in all, a decent day! Tomorrow I will write about the wedding, which is happening today!
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| The Sign! |
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| Rockin' Rosendale Cafe |
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| Betty (mother of the groom) Mom and Juliet |
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| Ernst (father of the groom) and Paul |
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| The menu |
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| Ernst reading a sonnet that he wrote (we are that kind of family) |
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| My sweet potato burrito |
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| Jill's Greek Salad/Mediterranean Plate |
Thursday, August 9, 2012
There and back again
Yesterday was a driving day. I got up really early - the alarm was set for 6:30 but I think I woke up before the alarm. If I really slept. I don't think I did sleep that much. I did sleep a little. Anyway, I got up and got out the door before 7, as was my plan and my desire. Where were you going so early, I hear you both saying? Excellent question. I was heading to CT. A friend wanted to come visit Geneva, and she couldn't get herself here easily, so I volunteered to pick her up. Heck, what is a 5 hour drive each way amongst friends?
The drive out was pleasant enough - sure the sun was in my face for much of it. But it is a pretty time of the year to be driving around this part of the country. And although it was a long-ish drive, it didn't seem that long. Yay for not seeming long. My GPS did an awesome job of getting me where I needed to go.
I got there, played with some beagles and packed my friend into the car. She was all packed and ready! Yay! We needed to make a stop at a Post Office - I had a letter that I had forgotten to mail in Geneva (too early in the morning). Kelly navigated us there. Then the GPS took us on a Scenic Route back to I-90 - yay! I do like scenic routes when I am not in a hurry! The whole drive back to Geneva was much more pleasant as I had a good conversationalist to keep me company! That always makes a drive go more betterly.
After getting back, we took some time to decompress. Ok, I needed time to decompress. Driving is enervating. I didn't really have any interest in cooking, so we went to Ling Ling Chinese Buffet. Much easier than cooking. Everyone can get what they like and eat as much or as little as they like. And it isn't too terribly expensive. All good things. My favorite part was having a cooking with a little bit of soft chocolate ice cream on top of it. Yum!
We got back to the house in time to watch the women dominate in Beach Volleyball. Then a night time walk and suddenly it was time to sleep! How did that happen? Where did the day go? Oh, right, 10 hours of driving will eat up a day! :)
The drive out was pleasant enough - sure the sun was in my face for much of it. But it is a pretty time of the year to be driving around this part of the country. And although it was a long-ish drive, it didn't seem that long. Yay for not seeming long. My GPS did an awesome job of getting me where I needed to go.
I got there, played with some beagles and packed my friend into the car. She was all packed and ready! Yay! We needed to make a stop at a Post Office - I had a letter that I had forgotten to mail in Geneva (too early in the morning). Kelly navigated us there. Then the GPS took us on a Scenic Route back to I-90 - yay! I do like scenic routes when I am not in a hurry! The whole drive back to Geneva was much more pleasant as I had a good conversationalist to keep me company! That always makes a drive go more betterly.
After getting back, we took some time to decompress. Ok, I needed time to decompress. Driving is enervating. I didn't really have any interest in cooking, so we went to Ling Ling Chinese Buffet. Much easier than cooking. Everyone can get what they like and eat as much or as little as they like. And it isn't too terribly expensive. All good things. My favorite part was having a cooking with a little bit of soft chocolate ice cream on top of it. Yum!
We got back to the house in time to watch the women dominate in Beach Volleyball. Then a night time walk and suddenly it was time to sleep! How did that happen? Where did the day go? Oh, right, 10 hours of driving will eat up a day! :)
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| The Post Office |
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Day Seventeen - Sonoma (CA) to Las Vegas (NV)
Long driving day, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. There was one point in there when I thought my calf would burst into flame spontaneously, but luckily that didn't happen. I don't have a fire extinguisher in the car. Do you? And speaking of car - anyone have a good mechanic? I am hearing some weird sound when driving that I don't like. I am not a car-o-phile, so have no idea what it is or what it could be, so please don't ask. And I don't really know how to describe the sound. It just is freaking me out a little. Just thought I would share.
Google said that trip would take just about 10 hours. My GPS said 9:30. With stops, google was right. Without stops, my GPS was closer - I think it took me 9 hours of actual driving time. Yes, I did exceed the speed limit here and there - not by much, most of the time. Usually 5 miles above the posted speed limit. But at times, when I was doing that speed, and I was in the slow lane, being passed by an older person in a shopping cart, I did up my speed to go with the flow of traffic.
The route we took was zig-zag-a-licious. Oh, I finally realized what GPS stands for: God Per Sonified. Ok, not really, but mom thinks I worship the thing a little too much. Perhaps she is correct...Anyway, mom routinely says things like: I am amazed at how you seem to know where you are and how to drive around. I point out the GPS (an acronym that often escapes her - it is the EPS, PSG, GSP etc...). This time it sent us to Interstate 5 for a longish time. We stopped for gas and food for the first pit stop in Santa Nella, CA. Mom had Wendy's food - I had a bit of her burger and a few of her fries.
Back on the road, which was still in progress, we headed to our first turning. Some small road that took us due East. Then a small freeway (99 again, I think) that took us South. Then East again, through a mountain range, where we stopped at a town called Tehachapi (accent on the ha). Gas was expensive and the pee place was not the happiest I have seen. The people clerking the store were college kids who would have rather lived anywhere but there (one of them looked like Noelle from the Raleigh Saucer).
Back on the road, we eventually hit Interstate 15/40 - though 40 left us pretty quickly. I don't know that I have ever done this road before. It didn't look at all familiar. And the 15 miles up and 10 miles down (almost straight roads) didn't feel like something I had done. Oh well - we did finally make it to Las Vegas and the motel - a TravelLodge not that far from the strip. I didn't know that TravelLodge was part of the Wyndham family of hotels. I think I have a Wyndham card. But since I used priceline to reserve the space, I don't think I can also get points. I don't know. It doesn't hurt too much to ask...
The place is ok - though the pillows are bizarre - little teeny rock like things. Weird. Oh, and I swear there is a mat on the bed like kids who wet their beds use...
After getting the car unpacked, we headed out to dinner. It was time for us to get to a brewpub since the last few dinners mom and I have had together have been fishy (Thai food one night and sushi the other...). I did a search and came up with a few in the area. I chose Big Dog Casino and Cafe.
It was further than I thought it would be, in a part of town I had yet to visit. Let me state here, if I haven't stated it elsewhere, that I enjoy places like Las Vegas (not that there are many, but still...). I just like the amazing amounts of people watching that is (are?) available. And I do like going to see some of the shows. I don't really have the funds to gamble, but I do enjoy what little I can do. Basically I gamble $100 once and see what happens. But I do it in $0.25 increments so it takes a little while. 4 bangs (so to speak) for each buck. :) This is not a place that I would like to own a home (SF yes, NYC yes, Paris, yes etc.) when I am richer than Croesus, but I will probably visit here off and on until it is no longer enjoyable...
So, anyway, we made it to the place. The door was intimidating - looked like the door to a strip club or a private club in a bad part of town (which this didn't seem to be). But upon opening, it looked much like any other bar - except of course for the gambling machinery. And the smoke. I am just not used to smoke indoors anymore. Glarg.
Overall, I enjoyed the place. Decent beer, good food, nice server, Kristan, who didn't spend much time with us, but that was ok, we survived. More on this in my new blog - Brewpubs and Such. Yes, I decided to start a blog about brewpubs - and maybe eventually that will morph into a book. Or not.
Google said that trip would take just about 10 hours. My GPS said 9:30. With stops, google was right. Without stops, my GPS was closer - I think it took me 9 hours of actual driving time. Yes, I did exceed the speed limit here and there - not by much, most of the time. Usually 5 miles above the posted speed limit. But at times, when I was doing that speed, and I was in the slow lane, being passed by an older person in a shopping cart, I did up my speed to go with the flow of traffic.
The route we took was zig-zag-a-licious. Oh, I finally realized what GPS stands for: God Per Sonified. Ok, not really, but mom thinks I worship the thing a little too much. Perhaps she is correct...Anyway, mom routinely says things like: I am amazed at how you seem to know where you are and how to drive around. I point out the GPS (an acronym that often escapes her - it is the EPS, PSG, GSP etc...). This time it sent us to Interstate 5 for a longish time. We stopped for gas and food for the first pit stop in Santa Nella, CA. Mom had Wendy's food - I had a bit of her burger and a few of her fries.
Back on the road, which was still in progress, we headed to our first turning. Some small road that took us due East. Then a small freeway (99 again, I think) that took us South. Then East again, through a mountain range, where we stopped at a town called Tehachapi (accent on the ha). Gas was expensive and the pee place was not the happiest I have seen. The people clerking the store were college kids who would have rather lived anywhere but there (one of them looked like Noelle from the Raleigh Saucer).
Back on the road, we eventually hit Interstate 15/40 - though 40 left us pretty quickly. I don't know that I have ever done this road before. It didn't look at all familiar. And the 15 miles up and 10 miles down (almost straight roads) didn't feel like something I had done. Oh well - we did finally make it to Las Vegas and the motel - a TravelLodge not that far from the strip. I didn't know that TravelLodge was part of the Wyndham family of hotels. I think I have a Wyndham card. But since I used priceline to reserve the space, I don't think I can also get points. I don't know. It doesn't hurt too much to ask...
The place is ok - though the pillows are bizarre - little teeny rock like things. Weird. Oh, and I swear there is a mat on the bed like kids who wet their beds use...
After getting the car unpacked, we headed out to dinner. It was time for us to get to a brewpub since the last few dinners mom and I have had together have been fishy (Thai food one night and sushi the other...). I did a search and came up with a few in the area. I chose Big Dog Casino and Cafe.
It was further than I thought it would be, in a part of town I had yet to visit. Let me state here, if I haven't stated it elsewhere, that I enjoy places like Las Vegas (not that there are many, but still...). I just like the amazing amounts of people watching that is (are?) available. And I do like going to see some of the shows. I don't really have the funds to gamble, but I do enjoy what little I can do. Basically I gamble $100 once and see what happens. But I do it in $0.25 increments so it takes a little while. 4 bangs (so to speak) for each buck. :) This is not a place that I would like to own a home (SF yes, NYC yes, Paris, yes etc.) when I am richer than Croesus, but I will probably visit here off and on until it is no longer enjoyable...
So, anyway, we made it to the place. The door was intimidating - looked like the door to a strip club or a private club in a bad part of town (which this didn't seem to be). But upon opening, it looked much like any other bar - except of course for the gambling machinery. And the smoke. I am just not used to smoke indoors anymore. Glarg.
Overall, I enjoyed the place. Decent beer, good food, nice server, Kristan, who didn't spend much time with us, but that was ok, we survived. More on this in my new blog - Brewpubs and Such. Yes, I decided to start a blog about brewpubs - and maybe eventually that will morph into a book. Or not.
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| Wendy's! |
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| Nice |
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| A windfall of Wind Turbines - mom was thrilled |
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| Dog House |
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Day Nine - Boise (ID) to The Dalles (OR)
There is no right or wrong, good or bad. There are only choices. Value comes from judgement. Just thought I would share...
Day Nine was a day like and unlike any other. Life is weird that way. Every instant is unique, yet every instant is just an instant like any other.
Yup, for some reason, I am feeling philosophical today. Maybe it is because I am up really, really early here in the West. I first woke up around 5 am. For some people, this may be the norm. I am a night person. I generally prefer going to bed at 2 in the morning. Oh well. It is what it is. I have accomplished most of my daily electronic tasks (like Daily Challenge) and now I am left with working on my daily blog post. Maybe I will take a nap... (Speaking of Daily Challenge - I am 18 points from my next tree! Yay!)
We got up and went to breakfast because it was a hot one! Yippee for hot breakfast! As I was wandering around, I noticed that a woman was working a skillet - I asked what she was doing, and she said "making eggs over easy" and would I like some? I said yes, because I enjoy my eggs over easy. I didn't realize that she was making them for her mother until, in Spanish, she apologized to her mom for giving me her eggs (before making her mom another set). See, my Spanish class did come in handy! They were yummy!
After breakfast, I still had some work to do on the blog (yes, blogging is work...). And of course, packing up. We got out at about 10:30 am, though check out time wasn't till noon. I really liked that place. Sigh. Maybe we should have stayed in Boise for the next few days instead of coming here. Or gone on to Portland. Anyway...
The GPS thought the trip would take 5 hours. And it did, not including the stops we made. The first was for lunch at the Smokehouse in, er, someplace, Oregon. Mom and I split a rueben - not the best rueben I have ever had. It didn't seem to have any thousand island dressing on it at all. They did though provide what they called "fry" sauce in a squeeze bottle - ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together. I had never heard of it. Anyone else? We had tater tots instead of fries. Living the wild life! Mom had forgotten about the existence of tater tots, insisting that she had never eaten them before. Who am I to try to convince her otherwise?! She ended up buying three more postcards. I think we are up to 20 or so at this point. And she has yet to write one...I promised no one postcards on this trip. When I did my trip to all 50 state capitals (in 63 days) I sent probably 50 postcards to people. Not including the 50 that I sent to myself (one from each state). God that was an awesome trip, if I must say so myself. It seems like I had more friends back then. Where have they all gone? What did I do to lose them all? Moving on..
The next stop was at a scenic overlook. I really needed to stretch my legs - even though we were only 45 minutes from our destination. Well our first destination. The original plan was to drive to The Dalles (pronounced like "The Dolls") and reserve a space for post-wedding. Then to drive to Hood River and scope out where the wedding was going to be. Then drive to Portland where we would hang out Friday night and all of Saturday. Sadly, I listened to my mom. Yes, I blame all decisions that appear to be "bad" on her. She obliquely (as is her wont) (well, sometimes not so obliquely) complained of being in the car so much. She often couches her complaints in ways that appear on the outside to be concerns for someone else - like me. Anyway, it occurred to me that we could just stop in The Dalles and never go to Portland at all - as long as our basic needs were met - laundromat, oil change and movies. And as long as the room was habitable.
Let us (I always think of lettuce when I say that) examine some of the pros and cons of the two major options - because as any logically thinking person knows, the true options are pretty near infinite considering all of the minutiae.
Pros: Less driving, less gas used, less tiring, less moving about for mom
Cons: Small city, not the best accommodations, no bonus points for staying at this place
All in all, it seems like a wash to me. In any case, I chose to stay rather than to soldier on. Maybe it was fatigue of the mind or soul. Whatever. We stayed.
The room is teeny! Shaped in an L. There is a sliding door to the bathroom - and there is a walk-in shower. Hopefully I will be able to coerce mom into taking a shower while we are here. Only one person can really see the television. It is funny. Mom complains when people thump around above her head and complains if she has to go up stairs to a second floor room. Win win! Anyway, we relaxed for a couple of hours before doing a little survey of the town. Found gas (it is expensive out here in Oregon), couldn't find the laundromat, found an oil change place and then gave up and went for dinner.
Clock Tower Ales serves craft beer. Their food menu was not particularly inspired - and they don't make their own beer. But the Thai Chicken Pasta we had was ok. And the beer taster I put together was decent. I picked six beers - they were out of three, so I went for others. And they had a Hell or High Watermelon beer on "Drain the Keg" special, so I had a pint of that. Not as good as the Thomas Hooker Watermelon, but pretty good. Our server was not the nicest or the best, though she did split our entree for us. Another server was much more personable but we didn't have her.
After dinner, we headed back to the motel for a little TV for mom and an episode of Stargate for me before drifting off to sleep.
Day Nine was a day like and unlike any other. Life is weird that way. Every instant is unique, yet every instant is just an instant like any other.
Yup, for some reason, I am feeling philosophical today. Maybe it is because I am up really, really early here in the West. I first woke up around 5 am. For some people, this may be the norm. I am a night person. I generally prefer going to bed at 2 in the morning. Oh well. It is what it is. I have accomplished most of my daily electronic tasks (like Daily Challenge) and now I am left with working on my daily blog post. Maybe I will take a nap... (Speaking of Daily Challenge - I am 18 points from my next tree! Yay!)
We got up and went to breakfast because it was a hot one! Yippee for hot breakfast! As I was wandering around, I noticed that a woman was working a skillet - I asked what she was doing, and she said "making eggs over easy" and would I like some? I said yes, because I enjoy my eggs over easy. I didn't realize that she was making them for her mother until, in Spanish, she apologized to her mom for giving me her eggs (before making her mom another set). See, my Spanish class did come in handy! They were yummy!
After breakfast, I still had some work to do on the blog (yes, blogging is work...). And of course, packing up. We got out at about 10:30 am, though check out time wasn't till noon. I really liked that place. Sigh. Maybe we should have stayed in Boise for the next few days instead of coming here. Or gone on to Portland. Anyway...
The GPS thought the trip would take 5 hours. And it did, not including the stops we made. The first was for lunch at the Smokehouse in, er, someplace, Oregon. Mom and I split a rueben - not the best rueben I have ever had. It didn't seem to have any thousand island dressing on it at all. They did though provide what they called "fry" sauce in a squeeze bottle - ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together. I had never heard of it. Anyone else? We had tater tots instead of fries. Living the wild life! Mom had forgotten about the existence of tater tots, insisting that she had never eaten them before. Who am I to try to convince her otherwise?! She ended up buying three more postcards. I think we are up to 20 or so at this point. And she has yet to write one...I promised no one postcards on this trip. When I did my trip to all 50 state capitals (in 63 days) I sent probably 50 postcards to people. Not including the 50 that I sent to myself (one from each state). God that was an awesome trip, if I must say so myself. It seems like I had more friends back then. Where have they all gone? What did I do to lose them all? Moving on..
The next stop was at a scenic overlook. I really needed to stretch my legs - even though we were only 45 minutes from our destination. Well our first destination. The original plan was to drive to The Dalles (pronounced like "The Dolls") and reserve a space for post-wedding. Then to drive to Hood River and scope out where the wedding was going to be. Then drive to Portland where we would hang out Friday night and all of Saturday. Sadly, I listened to my mom. Yes, I blame all decisions that appear to be "bad" on her. She obliquely (as is her wont) (well, sometimes not so obliquely) complained of being in the car so much. She often couches her complaints in ways that appear on the outside to be concerns for someone else - like me. Anyway, it occurred to me that we could just stop in The Dalles and never go to Portland at all - as long as our basic needs were met - laundromat, oil change and movies. And as long as the room was habitable.
Let us (I always think of lettuce when I say that) examine some of the pros and cons of the two major options - because as any logically thinking person knows, the true options are pretty near infinite considering all of the minutiae.
Pros: Less driving, less gas used, less tiring, less moving about for mom
Cons: Small city, not the best accommodations, no bonus points for staying at this place
All in all, it seems like a wash to me. In any case, I chose to stay rather than to soldier on. Maybe it was fatigue of the mind or soul. Whatever. We stayed.
The room is teeny! Shaped in an L. There is a sliding door to the bathroom - and there is a walk-in shower. Hopefully I will be able to coerce mom into taking a shower while we are here. Only one person can really see the television. It is funny. Mom complains when people thump around above her head and complains if she has to go up stairs to a second floor room. Win win! Anyway, we relaxed for a couple of hours before doing a little survey of the town. Found gas (it is expensive out here in Oregon), couldn't find the laundromat, found an oil change place and then gave up and went for dinner.
Clock Tower Ales serves craft beer. Their food menu was not particularly inspired - and they don't make their own beer. But the Thai Chicken Pasta we had was ok. And the beer taster I put together was decent. I picked six beers - they were out of three, so I went for others. And they had a Hell or High Watermelon beer on "Drain the Keg" special, so I had a pint of that. Not as good as the Thomas Hooker Watermelon, but pretty good. Our server was not the nicest or the best, though she did split our entree for us. Another server was much more personable but we didn't have her.
After dinner, we headed back to the motel for a little TV for mom and an episode of Stargate for me before drifting off to sleep.
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| Reuben with tots |
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| Mom is fascinated with the things |
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| Clock Tower Ales |
Friday, June 8, 2012
Day One - Geneva, NY to Chicago Il
10 hours on the road, give or take. With a couple of stops for food for mom and gas for the car. Ok, so that is a longish drive! Not one that I would enjoy making often. Every once in a while, fine, but monthly would be taxing in the extreme!
We did get up at decent times. I did my yoga, wrote a blog post (lucky you) and was about to head down to the car to do some much needed neatening, sorting and rearranging, when mom walked down the hall! I like it when I don't have to wake her up!
The car didn't take too long to get ready. Since we were all packed, it was fairly effortless to get everything in. Even room for an extra passenger if need be. I have two boxes of books (Diary of a Plate Addict and Bar Dreams) with me - just in case. And my sales sign. We shall see if I actually sell any copies. Mom found a couple more things she wanted to put in her suitcase, after it was in the car, but there was still room, so I got them in there eventually (when we reached Chicago, in fact).
At around 9:40 am, we hit the road. First stop, gas in Geneva. Wow, prices have really dropped! If only it would get below three dollars again. Or even below two. Or free gas for everyone for a month! That would be nifty! Or for life... who says I don't dream big? The drive through NY seemed long, but really wasn't. I am always surprised by how close Buffalo really is. I always think it is three hours away from Geneva, and it isn't. It is only two! Anyway, we eventually got out of NY, zipped into the little nubbin of PA where we made our first pit stop.
Mom had a fish sandwich and I ate two or three of her French fries. I can't eat too much or else I am sure to get sleepy as I drive. Maybe it is just psychosomatic, but that has seemed to be my driving/eating experience over the years. Gas wasn't too expensive.
Back on the road again, we entered Ohio. Hey, when did that part of 90 become a toll highway? Oh, I just looked it up. I guess it has always been. I haven't been on it in a while and was a little surprised. Happy, though, that EZ-Pass is accepted. And apparently it is cheaper for EZ-Pass users. Yay! The scenery was not scintillating. We hit a little traffic in Cleveland. I haven't made much use of the traffic feature of my GPS, having luckily avoided most traffic recently. This time, though, we were in a traffic jam. My GPS flashed a little banner asking if I wanted to take an alternate route that might save me ten minutes. Heck yes! And it did! Exit, zip, zoom, Bob's your Uncle and we were sailing right along again! Yay GPS!
We stopped a second time at the far end of Ohio. They are redoing all of their rest stops and this one looked brand spanking new! Mom got an order of onion rings from Brin, a young woman cook turned new cashier. And I had a chat with Meredith and Matt about this and that. Even gave them a card! Who knows, maybe someone they know will buy a copy of one of my books or eventually download Flippety. Anything is possible.
Next stop, a gas station. Sadly, the gas on the Indiana toll road was exorbitant (was there ever an h in that word?). Little did I know that it would be even more expensive in Chicago. No one tells me these things. Sigh. Anyway, the GPS guided me straight to Mary's building. Great location, two blocks from Lake Shore Blvd in Hyde Park. I do hope that we will be able to come back and have a proper visit at some point. Chicago is too cool a city to spend such little time visiting. I found parking right outside the building.
Mary has a great space - a little labyrinthine for my tastes, but a good amount of space! I have a suite basically to myself while she and mom share the main space. Yay! She went out of her way to cook a yummy dinner and cake for us. Truthfully, I was so exhausted that I don't think I contributed much to the social interaction and begged off to sleep as soon as I could comfortably do so.
We did get up at decent times. I did my yoga, wrote a blog post (lucky you) and was about to head down to the car to do some much needed neatening, sorting and rearranging, when mom walked down the hall! I like it when I don't have to wake her up!
The car didn't take too long to get ready. Since we were all packed, it was fairly effortless to get everything in. Even room for an extra passenger if need be. I have two boxes of books (Diary of a Plate Addict and Bar Dreams) with me - just in case. And my sales sign. We shall see if I actually sell any copies. Mom found a couple more things she wanted to put in her suitcase, after it was in the car, but there was still room, so I got them in there eventually (when we reached Chicago, in fact).
At around 9:40 am, we hit the road. First stop, gas in Geneva. Wow, prices have really dropped! If only it would get below three dollars again. Or even below two. Or free gas for everyone for a month! That would be nifty! Or for life... who says I don't dream big? The drive through NY seemed long, but really wasn't. I am always surprised by how close Buffalo really is. I always think it is three hours away from Geneva, and it isn't. It is only two! Anyway, we eventually got out of NY, zipped into the little nubbin of PA where we made our first pit stop.
Mom had a fish sandwich and I ate two or three of her French fries. I can't eat too much or else I am sure to get sleepy as I drive. Maybe it is just psychosomatic, but that has seemed to be my driving/eating experience over the years. Gas wasn't too expensive.
Back on the road again, we entered Ohio. Hey, when did that part of 90 become a toll highway? Oh, I just looked it up. I guess it has always been. I haven't been on it in a while and was a little surprised. Happy, though, that EZ-Pass is accepted. And apparently it is cheaper for EZ-Pass users. Yay! The scenery was not scintillating. We hit a little traffic in Cleveland. I haven't made much use of the traffic feature of my GPS, having luckily avoided most traffic recently. This time, though, we were in a traffic jam. My GPS flashed a little banner asking if I wanted to take an alternate route that might save me ten minutes. Heck yes! And it did! Exit, zip, zoom, Bob's your Uncle and we were sailing right along again! Yay GPS!
We stopped a second time at the far end of Ohio. They are redoing all of their rest stops and this one looked brand spanking new! Mom got an order of onion rings from Brin, a young woman cook turned new cashier. And I had a chat with Meredith and Matt about this and that. Even gave them a card! Who knows, maybe someone they know will buy a copy of one of my books or eventually download Flippety. Anything is possible.
Next stop, a gas station. Sadly, the gas on the Indiana toll road was exorbitant (was there ever an h in that word?). Little did I know that it would be even more expensive in Chicago. No one tells me these things. Sigh. Anyway, the GPS guided me straight to Mary's building. Great location, two blocks from Lake Shore Blvd in Hyde Park. I do hope that we will be able to come back and have a proper visit at some point. Chicago is too cool a city to spend such little time visiting. I found parking right outside the building.
Mary has a great space - a little labyrinthine for my tastes, but a good amount of space! I have a suite basically to myself while she and mom share the main space. Yay! She went out of her way to cook a yummy dinner and cake for us. Truthfully, I was so exhausted that I don't think I contributed much to the social interaction and begged off to sleep as soon as I could comfortably do so.
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| The back seat got some stuff |
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| Still have room! |
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| Bye house! Be there when we get back, please! |
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| Geneva Gas Stop |
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| I think this was in PA |
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| Ohio rest stop - Flippety is teaching me recognize state flags! |
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| Moderne! :) |
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| Mom and Mary |
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| Jerome helped! |
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| Front of the Park Shore building |
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| Mary's main bedroom |
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| My sleeping arrangements |
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| Mary's living room |
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| Table ready for dinner |
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| Mary's cat Sybil |
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| Yum, food! |
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| Mary made a birthday cake to celebrate all of our birthdays! |
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Driving Day
It was a driving day yesterday - a short one, but still a driving day.
The Econolodge I stayed in must have once been something else, more upscale and classier. Lots of dark wood around. The desk clerk didn't have any idea what it had been. No surprise really. I know my sense of history is shaky at best. Still, glad that my GPS found it!
Got on the road around 10:30 again. A seemingly comfortable time for me to be up and at it. My GPS doesn't seem to have a feature of being able to look at the entire route at one time - like on Google Maps. Oh well. I clicked through a few turns and saw that it was indeed taking me cross country and not down to the super highways and back up. Phew! I like it when I don't have to fight with my GPS.
The drive was slow and pretty. Most of the time the speed limit was 50 miles per hour. This is great for gas mileage. And since I was in no tearing hurry, it didn't matter. I was hoping that I would stumble upon something especially interesting to me along the route - like a surprise brewpub or the like, but it didn't happen. The scenery, of which I took no driving pictures, was gorgeous throughout the whole trip. I drove through the middle of both Vermont and New Hampshire. And drove across a good bit of Maine as well. Little or no traffic and not too frequently was I trapped behind excruciatingly slow vehicles. Yay!
I got to Belfast a little earlier than I had thought so I decided to stop and buy some sunflower seeds (I was running perilously low) and then decided a "final moment of freedom" beer was called for. I was going to go to Three Tides, but they didn't open until 4. So I went to the Lookout Bar instead. I like that place. It was pretty much deserted when I got there. Had a nice long chat with the bartender. And met two nice people - one from Buffalo and one from DC. Couldn't figure out their relationship. I gave them all cards. Lucky them.
After finishing my tasty Casco Bay red ale from Maine - they have 11 taps of Maine beer there - I headed on down the road to Juliet and Paul's house. Vacation was basically over. Oh well - I knew it would be. Apparently Mom and Juliet have been having a good time. That is a good thing. Mom continues to surprise me with what she remembers and what she doesn't. I try not to give too much away when bringing up a past event to see if she actually remembers or whether she is just nodding and saying she remembers. Hard to tell sometimes.
It is cold and wet here in Maine just now, so there was a fire going in the fireplace. Yay! We sat around and caught up a bit. Mom and Juliet had gone shopping at the T-Shirt store - Liberty Graphics - and had shirts for everyone (relatively). I like my rooster shirt a lot! Eventually we headed to Chez Michel for dinner. It was my first visit and it was a good one. We had a very pleasant server who is getting married soon. She and Juliet talked about teaching since they both have grade school teaching in common. We all ate good food - I think that mom and I both ate too much. She had Haddock Oscar with lobster instead of the normal crab. Juliet and Paul had Blackened Haddock on spinach. I had Duck au Poivre. Mine meal was very tasty. We even had dessert. Mom and I tried to finish a piece of Death by Chocolate - we did good damage but didn't manage to completely make it disappear. Oh, I had a porter from Andy's brewery - a Maine brewer. Something was dreadfully wrong with it so I sent it back. Ick. No one there knew anything about beer and thought it was just fine. Blech. I ordered a pale ale in its place and that wasn't bad. Yippee!
Driving home, we realized that the tide was very high. Juliet and I walked down to see just how far it had come up - pretty darn far!
We all ran for a beds and called it a day. Yay sleep!
Sorry that the pictures are out of order. Life is that way sometimes...
The Econolodge I stayed in must have once been something else, more upscale and classier. Lots of dark wood around. The desk clerk didn't have any idea what it had been. No surprise really. I know my sense of history is shaky at best. Still, glad that my GPS found it!
Got on the road around 10:30 again. A seemingly comfortable time for me to be up and at it. My GPS doesn't seem to have a feature of being able to look at the entire route at one time - like on Google Maps. Oh well. I clicked through a few turns and saw that it was indeed taking me cross country and not down to the super highways and back up. Phew! I like it when I don't have to fight with my GPS.
The drive was slow and pretty. Most of the time the speed limit was 50 miles per hour. This is great for gas mileage. And since I was in no tearing hurry, it didn't matter. I was hoping that I would stumble upon something especially interesting to me along the route - like a surprise brewpub or the like, but it didn't happen. The scenery, of which I took no driving pictures, was gorgeous throughout the whole trip. I drove through the middle of both Vermont and New Hampshire. And drove across a good bit of Maine as well. Little or no traffic and not too frequently was I trapped behind excruciatingly slow vehicles. Yay!
I got to Belfast a little earlier than I had thought so I decided to stop and buy some sunflower seeds (I was running perilously low) and then decided a "final moment of freedom" beer was called for. I was going to go to Three Tides, but they didn't open until 4. So I went to the Lookout Bar instead. I like that place. It was pretty much deserted when I got there. Had a nice long chat with the bartender. And met two nice people - one from Buffalo and one from DC. Couldn't figure out their relationship. I gave them all cards. Lucky them.
After finishing my tasty Casco Bay red ale from Maine - they have 11 taps of Maine beer there - I headed on down the road to Juliet and Paul's house. Vacation was basically over. Oh well - I knew it would be. Apparently Mom and Juliet have been having a good time. That is a good thing. Mom continues to surprise me with what she remembers and what she doesn't. I try not to give too much away when bringing up a past event to see if she actually remembers or whether she is just nodding and saying she remembers. Hard to tell sometimes.
It is cold and wet here in Maine just now, so there was a fire going in the fireplace. Yay! We sat around and caught up a bit. Mom and Juliet had gone shopping at the T-Shirt store - Liberty Graphics - and had shirts for everyone (relatively). I like my rooster shirt a lot! Eventually we headed to Chez Michel for dinner. It was my first visit and it was a good one. We had a very pleasant server who is getting married soon. She and Juliet talked about teaching since they both have grade school teaching in common. We all ate good food - I think that mom and I both ate too much. She had Haddock Oscar with lobster instead of the normal crab. Juliet and Paul had Blackened Haddock on spinach. I had Duck au Poivre. Mine meal was very tasty. We even had dessert. Mom and I tried to finish a piece of Death by Chocolate - we did good damage but didn't manage to completely make it disappear. Oh, I had a porter from Andy's brewery - a Maine brewer. Something was dreadfully wrong with it so I sent it back. Ick. No one there knew anything about beer and thought it was just fine. Blech. I ordered a pale ale in its place and that wasn't bad. Yippee!
Driving home, we realized that the tide was very high. Juliet and I walked down to see just how far it had come up - pretty darn far!
We all ran for a beds and called it a day. Yay sleep!
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| The entertaining EconoLodge in Montpelier, VT |
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| Last Hurrah |
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| Lots of Maine beer |
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| The view from the Maine house |
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| Paul, Juliet, Topo |
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| Juliet, Topo, Velvet and Mom |
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| Mom |
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| Death by Chocolate - not a bad way to go! |
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| Mom's haddock Oscar with Lobster |
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| Chez Michel's sign |
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| Paul, Juliet, Mom and Me |
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| My delectable duck! |
Travel Adventure Day One
I did something that I don't normally do - I planned stops along route. Yup, I actually stopped a few times on a trip. I didn't just get in the car and drive to my final destination. Yay me! I am growing up. Sort of. I still wasn't relaxed enough to stop when I hadn't planned - like to take a picture of hay bale art - or at a brewery restaurant that I hadn't known about that I saw along the route. Sigh. Baby steps.
I had determined that getting out of the house around 10:30 am would be a good thing. How I came up with the time, the logic now escapes me. But that is what my brain had calculated. And that is when I managed to head out the door. I packed oddly, though. I took some stuff that I didn't really need to take until the marathon trip. I did get some dishes done and the plants watered - well, Augustus watered - a few drops from a pitcher and a promise that someone with more caring would attend to them soon. It will have to suffice.
Got in the car, programmed in the first stop and headed off into the sunrise, sort of. East at least. It was only an hour and a bit before I arrived at Turning Stone Casino and Resort. I had never been before and thought now would be a good time to visit. It was a bit of a shock to smell smoke inside the building. NYS has been smoke-free inside for a long time - but not in an Indian Casino apparently. Ick. I survived, barely. I wandered through to see what was who and found the place to sign up for a "Diamond" card. I long for the days when one could cash out whenever one won - the clink of quarters in the chute was music to my ears. Sadly, no longer. I put money on my card and took money off my card. How dull! I played the $10 that was given to me for signing up (lost it all) and then played $50 of my own money. I ended up with $37. Not too bad for a half hour or so of fun watching the dials spin!
Next stop, Utica to visit the people who brew Saranac beer. I hadn't realized that they were the brewers of Utica Club. Awesome ads they used to have - with the talking steins. Those were days. I knew I was between tours, but thought it wouldn't hurt to see the place. The store was boring and they didn't have the caramel porter in stock. I guess it is seasonal. Sadly, the woman in charge of the store rubbed me the wrong way. That is just the way things happen sometimes. Perhaps it was because I was hungry, but she irked me and it took me a bunch of miles (50 or so) to shake the bad feeling she left in my aura.
Off to Glens Falls. Mom and I stopped there last year on the way to Maine. Turns out there is a second brewpub in town. I am glad I stopped. Cooper's Cave Ale Company is about five businesses in one. Ice Cream makers, Soda makers, Gift Shop, brewery and restaurant. I chatted with the owner, Paula, for a bit. And all of the people I spoke with her pleasant and accommodating. The only negative in my book was the lack of wifi - which is a conscious decision on their part. I hope that is revisited at some point. Anyway, I had a delicious bowl of Buffalo Chicken Soup. (The soup was good too. :) ) And a taster of six beers. I thought the taster was a bit pricey, but life is like that sometimes. I enjoyed all of the beers that I tasted. And there were six others that I didn't taste. I guess I have to go back again.
I didn't linger too long, though it was a place that was comfortable to just hang out in. I had to make tracks so that I could get to my next stopping point.
The drive to Burlington wasn't too arduous. I got there around 7:30 and called Lisa on the phone. We knew each other from High School but hadn't kept in close contact all that time. Recently we found each other on Facebook. It was great catching up with her. We ate a yummy dinner and were going to have beer, but it was just too crowded in town. There was a Jazz Fest happening, and I was too full anyway. So it was time to sleep. I decided, rather than staying in Burlington, to head a bit further down the road. I asked my GPS to find me a hotel and it did: an interesting EconoLodge in Montpelier (capital of Vermont). Much needed sleep was accomplished! A long and fun driving day!
I had determined that getting out of the house around 10:30 am would be a good thing. How I came up with the time, the logic now escapes me. But that is what my brain had calculated. And that is when I managed to head out the door. I packed oddly, though. I took some stuff that I didn't really need to take until the marathon trip. I did get some dishes done and the plants watered - well, Augustus watered - a few drops from a pitcher and a promise that someone with more caring would attend to them soon. It will have to suffice.
Got in the car, programmed in the first stop and headed off into the sunrise, sort of. East at least. It was only an hour and a bit before I arrived at Turning Stone Casino and Resort. I had never been before and thought now would be a good time to visit. It was a bit of a shock to smell smoke inside the building. NYS has been smoke-free inside for a long time - but not in an Indian Casino apparently. Ick. I survived, barely. I wandered through to see what was who and found the place to sign up for a "Diamond" card. I long for the days when one could cash out whenever one won - the clink of quarters in the chute was music to my ears. Sadly, no longer. I put money on my card and took money off my card. How dull! I played the $10 that was given to me for signing up (lost it all) and then played $50 of my own money. I ended up with $37. Not too bad for a half hour or so of fun watching the dials spin!
Next stop, Utica to visit the people who brew Saranac beer. I hadn't realized that they were the brewers of Utica Club. Awesome ads they used to have - with the talking steins. Those were days. I knew I was between tours, but thought it wouldn't hurt to see the place. The store was boring and they didn't have the caramel porter in stock. I guess it is seasonal. Sadly, the woman in charge of the store rubbed me the wrong way. That is just the way things happen sometimes. Perhaps it was because I was hungry, but she irked me and it took me a bunch of miles (50 or so) to shake the bad feeling she left in my aura.
Off to Glens Falls. Mom and I stopped there last year on the way to Maine. Turns out there is a second brewpub in town. I am glad I stopped. Cooper's Cave Ale Company is about five businesses in one. Ice Cream makers, Soda makers, Gift Shop, brewery and restaurant. I chatted with the owner, Paula, for a bit. And all of the people I spoke with her pleasant and accommodating. The only negative in my book was the lack of wifi - which is a conscious decision on their part. I hope that is revisited at some point. Anyway, I had a delicious bowl of Buffalo Chicken Soup. (The soup was good too. :) ) And a taster of six beers. I thought the taster was a bit pricey, but life is like that sometimes. I enjoyed all of the beers that I tasted. And there were six others that I didn't taste. I guess I have to go back again.
I didn't linger too long, though it was a place that was comfortable to just hang out in. I had to make tracks so that I could get to my next stopping point.
The drive to Burlington wasn't too arduous. I got there around 7:30 and called Lisa on the phone. We knew each other from High School but hadn't kept in close contact all that time. Recently we found each other on Facebook. It was great catching up with her. We ate a yummy dinner and were going to have beer, but it was just too crowded in town. There was a Jazz Fest happening, and I was too full anyway. So it was time to sleep. I decided, rather than staying in Burlington, to head a bit further down the road. I asked my GPS to find me a hotel and it did: an interesting EconoLodge in Montpelier (capital of Vermont). Much needed sleep was accomplished! A long and fun driving day!
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| Lovely Turning Stone |
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| Where Saranac gets made |
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| Welcoming Door |
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| Beer list |
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| My flight |
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| Yummy soup! |
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| Taps and glasses |
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| Jazz Fest in swing in Burlington |
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| Seeing this made me think of the Turkish women who are coming to Geneva |
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| Alrighty then... |
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| My gyro! |
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| Lisa and me |
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| King size for queen size price! |
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