Last year at this time we just moved from Citrus Highlands to Kings Ridge. That was an incredibly busy summer. Well, this summer turned out to be another busy "moving" summer. Only this time we were busy moving ourselves.... Pat and Lilly headed out to visit with Darlene and Buzz followed up by our trip north for doctors appointments and visiting with family and friends.
From mid June to mid August, one or both of us (including Lilly) were on the road. Lilly will have quite a bit to write about so I'll let her tell her own story.
With Pat and Lilly away, and between working I tried to catch up on a few minor home touch-ups. A little masonry repair, tree pruning, etc. helped erase some of the guilt of putting off some of my household chores.
June was a blur! Work kept me pretty busy while Pat and Lilly boarded a jet and flew to Indiana for several weeks to visit with Darlene, Buzz and Winston.
Although, it seemed easier for Pat to simply carry Lilly through security and onto the plane. Below, Pat is carrying Lilly but they were moving quickly so I missed Lilly looking so inquisitively as Pat made her way to the jet. Pat says that Lilly was a terrific traveler and except for takeoff and landing, Lilly was on Pat's lap in her bag and Pat could easily pat her. Lilly never made a noise and both Pat and Lilly made the two hour trip with ease.
Meanwhile, the weeks they were away I got to eat out, finish up a woodcarving, caulk some windows and one of the weeks was a blur thanks to a scheduled full week plus at work.
Pat and Lilly had a grand time with Darlene, Buzz and Winston. Lilly got lap time with everyone and then some. She also managed to try to find the most comfortable piece of furniture in the entire house. (She'll tell you all about it.)
Pat and Lilly made it home safe and sound but (I think) Lilly was still in Indiana "mode!" Although, it could have been "jet lag." She seemed a little confused by all she'd been through... until she saw all her toys on the floor of our living room!
Pat and I figured we needed some supper so with a pat on Lilly's head we both made a bee-line to one of our fast food haunts, Steak and Shake!
Now all we had to do is prep for our month long trip north. Our plans were to drive and sleep (overnight) in our new RAV4. Along the way we were to stop-over in PA to visit with Lilly's Mom and owner, head to NH and spend a few days with our good friends George and Judy and then finish up in Peabody, MA with Pat's Sister Angela and Bill.
Funny, but the first day's drive (both going and coming home) were frustrating to say the least. We utilized a tow-bar carrier for our large bags and planned to make the rear of the RAV4 our bed and "camper" for a night or two along the way. We had it all figured out. Pat had a comfy air mattress and I had a camping matt. We brought along an electrical extension cord and a small fan, purchased window screens for the side and sunroof windows and we were ready! All we had to do was get into a tent site at a campground along the way......that's all!
We thought we'd try Pedro's "South of the Border! You know, the one with the bill boards that stretch for about 130 miles of Rt. 95 north and south. We pull in and there's a couple of kids riding scooters around the campground! Forget that! We pushed northward. At around 600 miles I had had enough and settled for a Flying J we've stopped at many times.... with our motorhome. This time we were "roughing" it!
We settled in for what turned out to be a short night. Without our fan moving the air the car became quite stuffy and warm. With a splash of cold water on our faces and a cup of coffee we headed out.
We knew, our next stop would be our reward. Over very own "cabin in the woods" in the heart of Amish Country. The tiny cabin was better than we hoped. We treated ourselves to a brief but warranted "time-out."
The cabin was bright, clean and very comfortable.
This is where Lilly got spoiled. The bed was short enough for her and well... you know what that meant!
Once refreshed we headed out to meet up with Becky and Abner and (after two years) reacquaint Lilly with her Mom, Haley and Becky her owner.
Pat and I know that Becky was truly excited to see Lilly. Becky told us that Lilly was the "first out" and she had to assist with Lilly's birth. We also know that Becky has just a little more fondness for Lilly due to Lilly's not very settling first few months of her young life. Lilly was sold to another family before us. They returned Lilly to Becky for a couple of reasons. We heard they had young boys and were too rough for such a tiny pet and they also thought Lilly had some stomach issues. Thankfully for us and everyone who knows Lilly we are glad they returned Lilly. Lilly is from a litter of three pups.
The "Mom and daughter" reunion started out with small steps and some "who is this" stand-offish attitude but eventually they did play together. We'd like to think they knew each other but the real reunion was for Becky. We're pretty sure that if we didn't take Lilly Becky would have liked to have Lilly stay with her.
Oh, and mother and pup really did look alike!
That's Lilly's Mom, Haley on the left.
We spent an evening sharing puppy stories and all the things Lilly's been up to.
With a good night's rest behind us we headed out to show Lilly her "home town."
Across the street from the campground Lilly got to check out a very unique pond.
This is where an Amish family raise trout for PA lakes and Ponds.
The young are separated from the adults.
The adults
The Amish farm across the street (on the other side of the campground) from the Beacon Hill Campground.
Intercourse, PA is a great tourist attraction. Besides the Kitchen Kettle Village (loaded with tasty goodies) there is a massive tractor dealership.
We also spent some time visiting with our friend Debbie, the Owner of Pepper Lane Fudge and Sweets. Debbie is also a fan of Lilly's Blog!
When visiting the Lancaster, PA area the following "must do's" are in order:
Sample jams & jellies at The Jam & Relish Kitchen
Hot Dog lunch at The Kettle Cafe
Country sausage lunch at Stoltzfus Meats and Deli
Topped off with moon pies almost anywhere in the area
purchase; country sausage, moon pies and fudge
Oh! And of course sight-see!
I have to admit, being a guy I was drawn to this unique and brute tractor.
Standing next to this beast, my head reaches the top of the tread!
Lilly was right at home!
We spent a couple nights in NH with our good friends George and Judy. We were all somewhat timid to let Lilly meet their Chocolate Lab, Koda but they managed to get-a-long. We were more concerned about Koda stepping on Lilly! All went well and as you might expect...Lilly wants to tell you all about it!
We happened to drive around with them as they looked for a motorhome to downsize to. I couldn't resist taking a photo of this Cobra sitting in the Camper dealership lot. My favorite!
George and Judy were looking to downsize from a 32' class C to a 24' Class C. We later learned that they found a 24' Sunseeker on a Mercedes chassis they fell in love with. Perhaps we'll see them down here this winter!
On with our visit...
One of our "things to do" is visit with some or our relatives.
My cousin Angela's sister, Mary Ann and her husband Matt planned a get-together for our Aunt's birthday.
Angela (Bill's wife) had a previous engagement so Bill, Pat and I headed to the party.
Below Aunt Ruthie and her brother (Uncle) Joe greet each other.
Here's where everything gets fuzzy! With names that is!
Our cousin Rick (Angela's brother) is to the far right. Rick's wife, Pat is second from the left seated.
Mary Ann and Matt have opened up their home for this get-together for the past several years. They're wonderful and gracious hosts.
Our Aunt Ruth has always been close to Pat and me.
(You may recall that Aunt Ruth married Pat's Mom's brother Leo. Hence, Ruth is Pat's Aunt as well. And, Leo was my Uncle as well. It seems all so confusing. But, no, Pat and I are not related!)
Below, Ruth's daughter Angela is taking the phone photo. Mary Ann's husband, Matt is leaning on the door jamb. My cousin, Diane is in front of Matt.
Angela's sister, Lisa is in the pink top at the left of the photo. Angela's husband, Bob is taking the photo below right.
We had a terrific time reconnecting with many of our relatives for the afternoon.
Next, we had to see where our Great Niece, Ashley works. The Nevins Library in Metheun, MA is perfect for a young lady majoring in library science and is in charge of the Children's section.
The Library is in a grand building...
...with a location to match.
We dropped in on Ashley and caught her completely off guard!
As you can see, she's rather quiet and camera shy!
I asked repeatedly if I could take a "serious" photo of her....
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Let's try that again!
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I guess that'll have to do!
We enjoyed our stay with Bill and Angela in their home of forty-two years.
Purchased a week after Pat and I were married.
We also found out why Angela and Bill's children, Bill Jr. and Dawn and their kids visit with Bill and Angela so often.... great food! Wow, Pat and I were treated to a couple of weeks of delicious meals and awesome desserts. Thankfully, we got to enjoy them after our blood tests!
Besides more than a few doctor's appointments (which all turned out well, thank you).
We enjoyed just "kickin' back" and a lot of "down time" with lots of conversation sprinkled in. We longed to do a few "down home" things that we've missed for years.
First, we headed to the ONLY place to get roast beef, "The Land 'n Sea" restaurant. Fortunately its only two miles from Bill and Angela's house! Yeah, we hit that more than a couple of times... after the doctor's visits that is!
Next, we had to get back to a place that was THE place to go in the summer when we were kids. After all it had amusements, plenty of places to get a great variety of foods (treats) and the beach!
We headed to the Salem Willows Park twice to enjoy some great Chinese food and walk about the park where we used to play as children.
As small as it is, in the 50's and 60's it was a place we could get to in minutes and visit quite often.
Let's take a "walking" tour...
The single main "midway" is just about a 1/4 mile long. It housed several attractions that are still in operation today.
Below the "Willows Casino" is now a place for games with a smattering of some of the "old timers" you'll see. It also housed the "Whip." An oval shaped track that you would sit in cars that flung its riders around the two curves.
The park was basically covered with willow trees. Sadly, a storm called "The Perfect Storm" of 1991 roared through and took out many of the willow trees along with a few people on a ship anchored in the harbor. It also destroyed the famous fishing pier.
This grand old park offers places to party in groups or enjoy summer musical programs.
Yes, these are the original boats our families put us on in the '50's. I can remember actually riding in them. Sadly, they've been repaired repeatedly but that cannot erase some fond childhood memories.
"The Willows" is nestled on a strip of land that extends into Salem harbor.
The view below offers a hint of the rocky coastline along the New England shore.
The view is looking north across the narrow harbor toward Dane Street Beach in Beverly, MA.
During our stay we learned on the local news station that a sail boat came to rest by the "Beverly Light." across the bay. The lone person on the boat died of natural causes and the boat with nearly full sail washed up and onto the rocky shore. Below the boat is healed over and on her side.
Do you remember these? I dropped more than a few pennies (at the time) to see these cartoons. Only they had about 6 or 8 of them back then.
The best popcorn and Salt Water taffy you can buy!
We used to watch taffy being pulled and wrapped on these machines!
The main beach.
The Fishing pier. Replaced after "The Perfect storm" (AKA the No Name Storm).
My father would rent one of the small row boats and took my brother and me fishing more than a few times from this pier. The storm also wiped out the large building that was constructed on the left of the pier.
This is "the Cove." I spent many days climbing on the rocks and playing in the tide pools as the tide receded. My Mom took me here quite often. She enjoyed reading and I enjoyed playing. But best of all we both enjoyed going to get hot dogs or chicken chop suey sandwiches at one of the oldest established Chinese restaurants in the park. And, its still open today.
My how the prices have changed!
On our final visit to "The Willows" we were blessed with a glorious sunset.
So, you think Florida is the only place you can have some really ominous and threatening sky?
And sometimes the North Shore gets a blast of reality in the form of a "micro burst.' Right across the street from Bill and Angela's this tree was sheered like toothpicks!
We were all excited to be able to go outside and glimpse the "Blue Moon."
One of the other "big" events of our visit was our Great Niece Ashley's trip to Wisconsin. She was to bring her friend, April home to Wisconsin and she was planning to drive back by herself! Well, that wasn't flying with us adults all that well so fortunately, her Aunt Dawn was ready, able and willing to accompany her for the trip. (Thank you Lord!) Dawn took advantage of the trip to plan a surprise visit with a good friend living in MI. Ashley planned to drop Dawn off in MI drive on to WI, drop April off, drive (alone) over the top of WI, across the five mile Mackinaw Bridge to Mackinaw City and down MI to pick up Dawn and head home. Phewww!
They squeezed their gear into the car filling up the trunk and the rear seat leaving just enough space for Dawn and her (survival) food tucked under her forearm!
Time to hit the road! Final goodbyes!
(Editor's note: The photographer is not responsible for the actions of the three "on-lookers" in the background!)
With wild abandon, Miss Ashley, music plugged in and (reluctant) approval from us "grups"* was all systems go!
("Grups" - Term for Grown Ups in an original Star Trek series)
As they left we knew only too well this was going to be a trip for the ages! (i.e. Young ages!)
Fear not, they had a great trip, saw many things they wanted see as well as some things they weren't expecting to see. They had a great time and made it home safely.
And with a whole lot of stories to tell!
(It might have had something to do with hourly phone calls to keep them on their toes!)
The four of us also managed to squeeze in a lunch with Jack and Alice. We enjoyed a lunch at the "9's" in Norwood, MA.
In typical fashion, we posed for the waitress but even she noticed we weren't smiling!
So, she told us she wouldn't wait on us until we smiled for the camera......
That's all you have to say around us... if you want to eat.... smile!
That's better!
When leaving, we caught sight of Jack's license plate!
Does anything seem different?
Jack want's to be able to show any police officer that indeed his truck IS and HAS been regularly and duly registered!
Before I forget, here's one for our good friends up north in NH, Chuck and Laura...
We enjoyed meeting up with Heather, Steve and the girls. We were happy to hear they had a great time!
The only other thing to report is that Dawn spent most of her time before, during and after the trip "surfing" the web for photos of her son, Cody. Cody is going through the Army Reserve boot camp! Need I say more? All I can tell you is that Dawn was on a mission to glean any photo possible of Cody from the Company Facebook page. After threatening calls to the base commanders, they gave in and sent this photo to "ease a Mother's pain" so to speak.....
That's Cody first from the right....
third from the right....
fourth from the right....
fifth from the right....
eight and ninth from the right!
Pat and I made it safely home. We logged 13 hours of driving the first day. Stopped overnight at a Flying J Truck Stop in Ruther Glen, VA and 15 hours on the road to drive into our driveway at 10:30pm.
We've been spoiled driving south over the last ten years!
We think we're flying and renting a car next year!
Now it is time to relax...
Oh, Angela, by the way our stash of chocolate lasted almost seven days!
Ahhhh, now after all this writing, its time to eat...
...one for you.....
and, one for me !
By the way Earl of Sandwich finally replaced, moved their soda machines and added an automatic ice maker....
OH!!
Here's another Hidden Mickey!
