Got up on August 31st ready to depart for Derry in Northern Ireland. After breakfast, the five of us adjoined to the sitting room where we looked at bed & breakfasts at Derry and we decided to stay at Phoenix B&B for the next two nights. Jeannette and Allan left before us and we were to meet up in Derry. Fosters and I, driving along, saw Fort Dunree at Buncrana so we turned in. And enjoyed exploring the fort and its grounds. This fort, smaller in size than at its prime, was erected to guard against possible invasion of a French fleet. In the late 19th century, the fort was enlarged with the building of the “top” fort on Dunree Hill. After looking at various military memorabilia, array of guns, and underground bunkers we went into the coffee shop for coffee and looking at items in the gift shop; I purchased a photograph of wild flowers taken by a local artist.

As we were leaving, the kids drove in and we decided to gather for lunch. We took the “scenic” byway with a very narrow road that had grass growing in the middle while the kids went the faster route. Our lunch was at the Linx Restaurant in Ballyliffin; good service and food. While the kids went on to Derry, we continued to drive to Malin Head, the northern furthest point of Ireland. It was very windy but we enjoyed walking the various parts; it was great scenery! We then went to Farren’s Bar which holds the claim of being Ireland”s most northerly pub on the mainland; it was established in the late 1800’s. The woman working behind the bar enlisted another bartender to write our first names on the head of each pint.

After drinking our pint, we proceeded on to Derry. Derry is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-largest city on the island of Ireland. While the city is more usually known as Derry, Londonderry is also commonly used and remains the legal name. There is an old walled city on the west bank of the River Foyle which slices Derry into the eastern and western chunks. We found the Phoenix B&B; Allan and Jeannette had already arrived. Once we settled in, we decided to take a 20 minute walk to Walled City Brewery where we had a beer and dinner; good beer and excellent food. In order to get there, we crossed the Peace Bridge which links the Catholic Nationals on the West Bank to the Protestant Unionists on the east. Returned back to our lodging and turned in for the night.

September 1: Woke up, took a shower, and looked at lodging for the next two nights; everything looked filled at Portbrush so, after breakfast, the kids went their own way while the Fosters and I called on various B&B’s. Finally found a place available Friday night but not Saturday which meant our possibly changing future plans we make of had. But we did not worry about it and set out for a 10:00 walking tour of the wall and Derry history.  John, the tour guide, did an excellent job of explaining the battle of the British and Irish that lasted 150 years plus the Bloody Sunday uprising in the early 70’s.

We had coffee and went on to explore Guild Hall, a ceremonial seat of city government and entertainment which have many, many stained- glass windows showing scenes from Derry history. We went through the exhibit hall, saw the Council Chamber, party offices, and assembly hall.

Meet up with the kids for lunch at Quay Place where I had a chicken pita and pint of beer. My battery had died in my camera and I did not have the replacement so we, minus Jeannette & Allan, walked back to the B&B where I had left the replacement in the charger. With the camera now operational, we went to explore Bogside Murals. The Catholic Bogside area was the tinderbox of the modern Troubles in Northern Ireland. Bloody Sunday, a terrible confrontation during a march that occurred more than 40 years ago, sparked a sectarian inferno with the ashes still not having completely cooled. The 12 panels of murals gave us a glimpse of the community’s perception of those events so many years ago.

Off shopping with Tom being the only one of us finding anything to purchase. We had refreshments at Masons and sent a message to the kids about meeting us for dinner. It was decided on The Diamond; it was curry night so three folks had curry while Sarah had chicken skewers and I had chicken avocado salad. Back to our lodging where we called it an evening. The next day will be Ballycastle with three or more stops in between.

September 2: Got up, dressed, and packed for our next stop at Ballycastle. Had breakfast, adjoined to the sitting room where we started to look at lodging for Saturday thru Monday. Meanwhile, Allan and Jeannette were leaving to return to Dublin; they had a return flight home early the next morning. We said our good byes to them; it was great that they were able to join us as long as they did. Finally we found lodging for Saturday & Sunday nights; not sure about Trim because, where we wanted to stay had only one room available so we hoped there would be a cancellation and will find out later on. Meanwhile, we paid for our lodging; the host was great, the food good, but the room was quite small with very bad pressure in the toilet, lumpy mattress, and much outside noise. After loading our car, we headed for our evening stop at Ballycastle. Our first stop was at Portstewart where we went to the toilets and shopped the gift area at a local coffee shop.

The next stop was Dunluce Castle; it is one of the largest in Ireland and beautifully situated but there is little left to see. During the Middle Ages the castle resisted many sieges but, on a stormy night in 1639, dinner was interrupted as half the kitchen fell into the sea taking servants with it. This was the last straw for the lady of the castle who packed up and moved inland, and the castle began its slow submission to nature.

Bushmills Distillery, which is the world’s oldest, was our next stop. We went on a 40 minute tour learning the process and ended in the bar area where I got a free sample of their 12-year old whiskey; it did not taste bad but certainly not my drink of choice. Since we had not had lunch and a restaurant right there, we ate at the distillery. Onward to Giant’s Causeway which is a World Heritage Site; a long stretch of coastline famous for its bizarre basalt columns. The shore is covered with large hexagonal pillars that stick up at various heights. After returning to the visitor center, we shopped in their gift shop where I made some purchases for people back home.

It was getting toward 4:30 so we decided to head to Ballycastle and our B&B for the evening called Hillsea.

It was very nice both on the outside and the inside. After settling in we walked to the town center where we had drinks and dinner at The Central; the evening was made more pleasant with two gentlemen playing musical instruments and singing. We walked back to our lodging and said goodnight; it was nice to have an early evening.

September 3: Had a really good night sleep; woke up around 6:40 and did not want to get up but made myself. Met Fosters for breakfast; we checked out of our lodging and were on our way. There was nothing on the agenda for the day so drove slow and enjoyed the coastal drive to our destination town of Carrickfergus. We stopped at Carnlough for a walk and toilet stop. At Glenarm there were walled gardens so we stopped, walked the area, and had coffee plus coconut macaroon at their coffee shop.

Drove to Carrickfergus where we checked into The Keep House B&B; settled in and then walked to the rail station where we looked at schedules of trains going to Belfast the next day. And then onward to Carrick Castle; a delightful 1.5 hours of walking around.

We went to the local super market where I picked up a bottle of wine; the Fosters went to the restaurant, Windrose, where our hostess had made us reservations while I walked back the our lodging to put the wine in the refrigerator and give our hostess updated train schedules. Walked to the restaurant and joined up with the Fosters. After a couple drinks and dinner of prawn cocktail plus salad, I paid my bill and left the Fosters to walk the waterfront on their own. This was the earliest night of the whole trip to be in my room; drank a glass of wine and read. The next day we were going via train to Belfast.

September 4: Had another good night’s sleep; showered, dressed, and read until Fosters knocked on the door. Went to breakfast and then walked to the train station for our trip to Belfast. Arrived at central station and decided to walk to town center where we wanted to pick up the hop on/hop off bus. On our way, we discovered the St. George’s Market which is similar to Cedar Rapids downtown market. Stayed long enough for Sarah to make a purchase and then on to the bus area; stopped a bus along the way and he gave us a ride to the hop on/off bus and tickets.

The first off stop for us was Titanic Museum Belfast where the ship was built. We spent 2 hours going through 8 different galleries depicting the following: Boomtown Belfast showed how thriving industries and innovations led to the Titanic’s creation, The Shipyard Ride tour took us through the shipyard experience, The Launch had an audio display of the Titanic’s launch on the 31^st of May 1911, The Fit Out illustrated the ship’s interior, The Maiden Voyage covered the 10 decks of the ship of which 8 were for passenger use, The Sinking displayed the collision with the iceberg, The Aftermath told of the British and American inquiries into the disaster, and Myths/Reality told of the stories, films, books and legends that still exist today. All of it was interesting but, after time, I was ready to leave. We went to the coffee shop where we purchased coffee to go.  While outside, we wandered over to the SS Nomad which was a steamship built in 1911 by the same company that produced the Titanic; it has been restored to her original glory and is docked near Titanic Museum.  We could of gone on board but our bus had arrived so did not have time.

We  got on the bus and listened to the tour guide describing the history of the various stops on the tour.  We saw sights such as St. George’s Anglican Church, Cavehill Park, Antrim Road, Full Belfast Peace Wall, Queens University, Belfast Castle, and Peace Statue. When we got to the place the tour started earlier in the day, we got off and went shopping at Carrolls which is a gift/souvenior type of place. After making some purchases, we headed toward the St. George Market where we looked at the merchandise displayed in the various booths. We had not eaten since breakfast so Sarah and I shared a spinach/goat cheese pie.

Onward to the rail station where we had about 50 minutes to wait for the next train. While waiting, we each had a pint of Guinness. The train arrived and we were on our way back to Carrickergus and our lodging.

After a rest in each our respective rooms, we headed to Ownies for dinner. This is a local bar/bistro which served a delicious grilled chicken salad with strawberries and grapes. Finished our meals and headed back to the lodging; we stopped at an ATM along the way for more money. For some reason, Fosters card would not work in the machines within Northern Ireland but mine would so I lent them money throughout our journey in this part of the country. Back at the lodging, we said our good nights. It was early enough that I finished the book I had been reading. Lights out around 10:00.

The morning of September 5 we had a late breakfast (8:30) and got ready to depart. Left Carrickfergus heading south toward Trim. Only two more days in my adventure but I will be ready to go home. We stopped at Newry for coffee at a place called Bojangles and then shopped in order for Sarah could get rid of some pounds; since we will be crossing back to Ireland which uses euro currency. We went into Edinburgh Woolen Mill where I purchased a blue lambs wool sweater for myself. Our next stop was Battle of Boyne site; this battleground is huge in Irish and British history. The riverside pasture was the site of the battle in which Protestant British decisively broke Catholic resistance, establishing Protestant rule over all of Ireland and Britain.

Back in the car to head to the visitor center for Newgrange, a grassy mound atop a hill dating 3200 B.C. which makes it 500 years older than the pyramids at Giza. At the visitor center we purchased a ticket for the 3:45 tour of Newgrange (one of two burial sites we could visit) which gave us time to kill. First we had lunch in the restaurant where Sarah and I split lasagna. Next shopping in their gift shop; I purchased a couple gift items. And then we toured the museum which explained the Boyne River Valley and the 40 some burial mounds found in the surrounding hills. Exhibits recreated what the pre-Celtic people were like. A bus took us to the burial site where the guide explained the tomb is aligned precisely east-west so, as the sun rises on the shortest day of the year, a ray of light enters through to roof box and makes its way down the passageway. The entrance is a mosaic of white Quartz and dark granite. Very interesting visit.

Onward to Trim where we arrived at The White House Lodge around 5:45. After settling in, we walked to Regan’s for a drink. This is a tiny, low-ceiling pub residing next to an old Norman bridge. And then we walked to the town center where we had dinner at the Castle Arch Hotel. I ordered beef salad, grazed with chili sauce and sesame seeds; it was delicious! Walked back to our lodging and bed.

On September 6 we were returning to Dublin for an overnight at the Clayton Hotel. Our plans for the day were to visit Hills of Tara, do some shopping, check into the hotel, take the car to Hertz, and bring the hotel shuttle back to the hotel. But first we had breakfast and checked out of the B&B. And on to the Hills of Tara, located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that contains a number of ancient monuments and, according to tradition, was the seat of the High King of Ireland. Tara is one of the largest complexes of Celtic monuments in all of Europe. After checking in with visitor center, we watched an audio video about the history and importance of the hills. We walked around the area taking in the beauty and history of the place.

And then we shopped where I found a few more gifts for Christmas. To the north of Dublin, we stopped at Dungsangon for gas and lunch. Tom navigated us to the hotel which was much easier than last year where it took 3 passes before taking the correct exit. Checked into the hotel, settled in our rooms, took the car back to Hertz, took their shuttle to the area of the hotel shuttle, got on the hotel shuttle, and returned to the hotel. We had a couple drinks in their restaurant and ordered an early dinner of pizza.

After eating and paying the bill, we returned to our rooms where I re-packed my large case. Then read and watched a movie on Netflix. Lights out at 9:00.

September 7: Up at 6:30; it was not a good night sleep. This hotel is quite expensive and certainly not worth the money with noise of garbage trucks, parking lot, and airplanes throughout the night. Never will book there again! We got the shuttle before 8:00, arrived at the airport and checked in/went thru airport security without any problem. Breakfast was ordered which we ate and then did some shopping. Again, more items purchased for Christmas gifts. One advantage of flying out of Dublin is going through US Customs there instead of when we land on US soil; it seems so much easier. So thru US Customs we went without any problem. Another difference between last year and this is Delta now has a lounge for priority passengers so we went there and relaxed before our flight was called. Onto the plane and winging home; I was ready! No problem until boarded for last leg of the journey in Detroit; because of storms, weight had to be redistributed so a couple non-paying folks were booted off, bags in the overhead put under the seats in front of us, and bags from underneath in the cargo hold were brought up and placed in the overheads. Finally, after unloading approximately 200 lbs. of fuel, we were underway. Arrived in Cedar Rapids about 45 minutes late. Retrieved my checked bag and got the shuttle for home. Arrived around 10:15 and was greeted by Beauty and Cutie. It felt good be home!

Tuesday, August 23: Mary, Joe, and I went to the airport about 8:45; my flight was to leave at 10:15. First connection was made in Detroit; I had some time to kill so went to Delta lounge where I had some lunch of soup and vegetables along with a glass of wine. Second connection was in Atlanta where I met up with the Fosters; we went to the Delta lounge where we had some wine until our last flight to Dublin boarded at 6:20. We boarded and settled into our “rooms” for the night. After champagne, wine, and dinner it was time to put down the seat and go to bed. Woke up about two hours out of Dublin and had coffee plus breakfast.

Arrived in Dublin shortly after 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24.  After retrieving our luggage and Tom getting euros, we went to Hertz to fill out paperwork and pick up the rental car. Due to Tom having good directions with Sarah assisting, I was able to drive out of Dublin with minimal problem and on our way to Trim where we had reserved rooms at Highfield House B&B.

Trim is in the heart of the Boyne River valley and is renowned as one of Ireland’s most beautiful small towns with its monuments, parks, trails, and floral displays . Our rooms were not ready when we arrived around 10:00 so we walked to the phone store where Sarah and Tom picked up prepaid cards for their phones. We walked to city center area and Trim Castle which is an Anglo- Norman castle started by Hugh de Lacy in 1173; we did not take the tour of the castle but walked the grounds. Our exploring took us to Yellow Steeple and Sheep Gate; the steeple was originally the belfry tower of the Augustinian Abbey of St. Mary and has gotten its name because of its color in the evening sunlight. The Sheep Gate is the only surviving gateway to the Medieval town of Trim. At this point, we went back to our B&B where our rooms were ready. Before heading out again, we took a few hours to rest. Oh, it felt so good to brush my teeth and rest my eyes for a few minutes. Our afternoon walk took us by the Old Mellifont Abbey which was Ireland’s first Cistercian monastery, the Maudlin Cemetery which was the site of the Leper Hospital of Mary Magdalene, Millennium Bridge, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a pub we wanted to go into but it was not open.

We walked to the town center and ate at Judge and Jury. Because of the long flight the night before, we decided on an early night. I was in bed on my way to dreamland before it was dark outside.

Thursday, August 25, arrived with sunshine. Met the Fosters for breakfast at 8:00;  the owners certainly knew how to provide a great breakfast with full menu selection that included fresh scones. After having a final cup of coffee in the patio area where we discussed our day, we checked out and headed to Westport. We stopped at Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre which interprets an Iron Age bog road, the largest of its kind to be uncovered in Europe dating from 148 BC.  It was interesting to hear the history from the volunteer person; however, she was VERY enthusiastic about the subject and became quite lengthy with detail.

Lunch was at Swan Tavern in Lanesboro; I ordered the lamburger thinking I was going to get a sandwich but it turned out to be a full meal with potatoes and gravy plus vegetables which was too much food for me! Arrived in Westport about 4:00 and after settling into our B&B called Killeny House we walked to the town centre where we explored the shops, pubs, and restaurants. I made a purchase at a kitchen store called Market 57, a store full of great kitchen gadgets and gourmet food, candy, and jams. We had dinner at Clock Tower which had a varied menu and the food was good. After dinner, we went to three places where music was being played; the best was at Matt Mallory but it was very crowded.

Decided to head back and call it an evening. Into bed about 11:30.

On Friday, the 26^th, we had breakfast and headed to Achill Island which is Ireland’s largest island. It rained on the way but cleared up and we had a glorious day. At Mulranny, we turned onto the loop that took us to Achill Sound; from there, we took the northern route where we stopped for coffee at Dugort at a neat coffee house which displayed a lunch menu and desserts that looked fabulous.  There were many blackface sheep spotted during our drive; thousands of these sheep were imported from Scotland during the 1850’s and, today, roam on mountainsides, valleys, and on the road.  From Dugort, we drove to Slievemore Mountain (second highest peak on Achill Island) and the Deserted Village plus cemetery.  The Deserted Village consists of some 80 – 100 stone cottages located along a mile long stretch of road on the southern slopes of Slievemore mountain; it is believed this settlement dates back to at least early Medieval times.

After leaving the settlement, we continued on our goal of driving all the way to the end of the island and winding up at Keem Bay, an area of sheltered beach surrounded by high cliffs.   We thought we would have lunch there but there was only a vendor truck selling hot dogs.  Sarah and I waded in the Atlantic Ocean while Tom took pictures. Back into the car where we went to Keel and had lunch at Gielly’s; Sarah and I had tuna panini while Tom had seafood chowder…everything was great! On our way back to Westport, we stopped at a couple pottery places where, at one, I purchased a vase.

Back at Westport, we made a brief stop at our B&B and then walked to the Town Centre where live Irish music was found at JJ O’Mallory so we ordered some drinks and appetizers (since lunch was late, we did not want a full meal).

Really enjoyed the music and hated to leave but it was time…back to the B&B with lights out around 11:00. But it was a very noisy evening with partying going on from 12:30 to 3:00 in the morning; not a good night for sleeping.

Saturday, the 27^th, I awoke before the 6:30 alarm, took a shower, and worked on my notes until Tom Foster knocked on my door at 8:00. Went to breakfast which did not vary from the day before. After talking it over the night before, we wanted to thoroughly check out the next B&B we select on the internet before making reservations for our Sligo stop. This B&B was selected by us because we thought it was an old distillery turned into a bed and breakfast which turned out not. The innkeeper was very friendly and nice but the bed hard, very plain decor, and not what we preferred. After breakfast, we looked at various options, settled on one we thought would be good and Tom called/made us reservations. Fortunately, Jeannette and Allan who are joining us in Sligo were able to reserve at the same place! We headed toward Sligo with a couple detours…prehistoric fields and cliffs. We first stopped at Ballycroy National Park which has 11,000 hectares, or approximately 4455 acres) of Atlantic blanket bog and mountainous terrain dominated by the Neptin Bog range. After a cup of coffee, we took a walk along the pathway and shot some pictures.

Our next stop was Céide Fields which is the most extensive Stone-Age monument in the world; field systems, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs of 5,000 years ago. After viewing a video talking about the times, we walked around the enclosure.

And then on the road again. We stopped at the Downpatrick Head for cliff viewing; these are taking the credit of being second to the Cliffs of Mohr in their beauty and dramatic shapes.

After taking pictures and walking around, we headed for Killala and lunch at the Village Inn. We arrived in Sligo shortly after 5:00, settled into the Pearse Lodge B&B. Allan and Jeannette were ahead of us so we met them at a pub, which serves food, called Hargadon Bros.; I was not very hungry so ordered dessert with my glass of wine. Back to B&B for bed.

Sunday, the 28th, we met for a great breakfast and then split up with Jeannette, Allan, and Tom hiking onto a mountain top while Sarah and I walked to the Sligo Abbey where we took the self-guided walking tour. The abbey is 13^th century and contains the only surviving 15^th century sculptured high altar in any Irish monastic church.

After exploring the abbey, we walked back to the B&B, got the car, and drove to the local farmer’s market by the airport. It was small but fun; Tom, Jeannette, and Allan joined us there. After making a couple purchases, we left and found lunch at The Venue Bar. And then onto Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery where we saw the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs, ranging from 5500 to 6500 hundred years of age, in Ireland and among their oldest with over 60 tombs being located.

That evening we walked downtown to The Snug for some liquid refreshments; Tom was given a free beer by some guy which caused the rest of us to wonder if the guy was trying “hustle” Tom. We listened briefly to a couple performing live music which was so-so listening.

On to dinner at Fiddler’s Tavern and Restaurant; I had the chicken fillet which was quite delicious. One thing about the Irish…they do not skimp on food and provide large quantities of it. We walked back to the B&B with an early night to bed.

On August 29th I woke up early enough to watch the sunrise and get a picture of our bed and breakfast which has been fantastic with wonderful accommodations, friendly host and hostess, and good food.

The five of us met for breakfast at 8:00 and, after paying our bill and loading up the car, we headed north to Belleek Pottery; home to the Belleek Fine Parian china, a pearly coloured china. The company was established in 1857 and is best known for its fine lattice work ornamental pieces that are decorated with pastel-coloured flowers.   We took an excellent 30-minute tour of process and then ended up in the gift shop filled with many, many items for sale.

  We went to Ballyshannon for a visit to Donegal Brewery but they were not open so had lunch at Kate’s Kitchen where I had a very tasty Tuna Melt. Onward to Donegal Castle which was built by the O’Connell chieftain in the 15th century, beside the River Eske, with extensive 17th century additions made by Sir Basil Brooke.

As we made our way further north, we stopped at a coastal beach where Jeannette and Allan waded in the Atlantic while the rest walked the beach.

With that break, we drove to Dungloe where we hoped to get lodging at place called Iggy’s, advertised as a bar and B&B. However, Iggy’s is in Kincasslagh which Jeannette and Allan reached before us. They had enough time to find out Iggy’s does not take in lodgers but Logue’s, a B&B not far from the bar, does so Allan flagged us down as we drove up. Nice accommodations with a beautiful view. Settled in and then walked to Iggy’s for a drink. After our drink, we walked to the Viking House Hotel for dinner where I had chicken skewers and salad; very good. Back to our lodging in time for me to update my notes before getting ready for bed.

Beautiful morning on Tuesday, August 30^th and, after a hearty breakfast, we headed toward Glenveagh National Park where we wanted to visit the Glenveagh castle and walled gardens. On the way, we stopped at a local beach and explored. At this point, Jeannette and Allan went their separate way with the thought of meeting up with us at the park. It was a beautiful drive to the park and we stopped to explore a Catholic Church on the way.

Arrived at the visitor center and decided to walk to the castle instead of taking the shuttle bus. It was a good 40-minute walk but, because of the heat, I was glad to arrive at the castle.

We signed up for the tour and waited about 5 minutes before it began. Good tour but felt it did not encompass a lot of the detail. After the tour, we walked the walled gardens which had both flowers and vegetables. While there, we encountered Allan and Jeannette. We explored the grounds and decided to ride back to the visitor center while Jeannette and Allan walked.

Had lunch at the center and, even though the kids had not shown up, left for Letterkenny where we planned to find lodging for the night. Upon arrival at Letterkenny, it took us awhile to find the Tourist Information Center who, we hoped, would have a listing of B&B’s in the area. The first one they recommended was filled while second one contacted, Ardlee B&B, had available space. We drove there and checked in; the kids were doing laundry so we got a room for them.

Because of the distance from the B&B to the town centre, we decided to drive part of the way; left car at Aldi’s and walked to the nearby shopping center where we got drinks at Oasis Bar; the kids joined us after our first drink. Decided to go the Sister Sara’s for another drink and food but they do not serve food so went to Brewery Bar and Restaurant. Food was good but service slow. Back to car with Jeannette driving back to our lodging. The next day we were headed into Northern Ireland so my blog will describe that portion of our trip in another posting.

 

My sister, Edi, decided to take a traveling nurse assignment at Asheville, NC and at the last minute I decided to travel with her. We connected at the Eastern Iowa Airport the morning of June 2rd; I left my car in the airport parking lot. Lunch destination was O’Fallon, MO where we met Vicki, my niece and Edi’s daughter, and her husband Mark. After lunch, we departed and drove to the eastern side of Nashville, TN where we stopped for the night at Hampton Inn located in Mount Juliet, TN. After settling into the room, we had dinner at Red Lobster. Dinner was very good. And our next stop was Target, where we purchased some needed supplies. We planned on getting back on the road fairly decent time in the morning.

Got up, dressed, had breakfast, checked out, and was on the road by 6:30. We arrived in Asheville around 1:30 or so in the afternoon. The apartment complex was located, and Edi was able to get her keys. However, they did not work so we had to have the manager come over and let us in. She was going to have the maintenance person come and change the lock. Furniture and washer/dryer were to be delivered but neither company had shown up. After unloading all of Edi’s packed items from the car, we went out for a late lunch plus shopping for some supplies. When we returned to the apartment, neither items had been delivered. We started to unpack and put items away. And then we heard a truck; my sister went out on porch and flagged the truck down. It was the delivery for the furniture; they had been given the incorrect apartment number so Edi was fortunate she was able to “catch” them. After the furniture was put into place and the delivery truck left, we had dinner. And then we sat on the balcony talking while enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Tomorrow we are going to do some sightseeing.

Saturday morning, June 4^th, I went for a walk around the complex; there is a very nice swimming pool, exercise room and picnic/BBQ areas along with individual garden plots. We went to a couple stores looking at outdoor furniture and plants. I purchased a couple plants for Edi to place on her balcony. After bringing back purchases, we drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway about 50 miles. It is quite beautiful along with many twists and turns in the road!

We got back to Asheville around 2:30 in the afternoon and drove to Biltmore Estate, a 8,000 acre grand estate built by George Vanderbilt. My main objective was to get a picture of the mansion which we could not see from the road. It cost $60/person entrance fee and, because of lateness in the afternoon, we did not feel it would be worth the cost. Maybe another time!

On Sunday, did a “dry run” of where Edi will be working so she would not have to worry about finding the hospital early the next morning. And we stopped at Kinko’s where I printed out my boarding pass for the next day’s flight leaving Asheville at 7:00 a.m. Onward to Chimney Rock State Park and Lake Lure (an area we had been told would be a great place to stay in the fall for colorful leaves). The park is known for its 315 foot spire overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure; there is also a waterfall. Sadly, the elevator to get to the top of the rock was out of commission and we did not want to walk up 400+ steps one way. We drove through Chimney Rock and drove around Lake Lure. We had lunch at La Strada on their large covered patio with good views of the lake.

After lunch and more exploring, we headed back to Asheville. It was a very nice, relaxing day. That evening we fixed salads for our evening meal.

Monday morning saw us up quite early…before 5:00 AM. While I got all my things gathered together, Edi fixed me a cup of coffee. And then we drove to the airport. It only took about 20 minutes so we arrived by 5:30. After saying good bye to Edi, I checked my luggage and got through security without any problem. And it was an uneventful flight home with my pulling out of the airport parking lot by 10:45 that morning. Good trip, beautiful scenery, and the apartment complex where Edi is living seems quite peaceful.

My great nephew and Edi’s grandson, Chris, was getting married in Virginia Beach and we attended the event; great nephew, Tim, rode with us. We left Edi’s around 7:00 on Wednesday, May 11^th, and headed out. It was an uneventful day of driving with our stopping at Best Western Plus Columbus located in Pickerington, OH. The remainder of the drive was completed the next day, May 12^th. We checked into the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel, settled into our room, and met Edi’s granddaughter, Casey, for dinner around 7:00 in the hotel restaurant.

Casey came back to our room and we sat on our balcony facing the waterfront; it was relaxing and peaceful…even with a volleyball game being played on the beach.

Once we got ready and downstairs on Friday, the 13^th, it was time to head toward the waterfront downtown for the Victory Rover Naval Base Cruise; this was something Brian, my nephew, had made reservations for all of us. There was quite a group of us: Edi, Casey, great nephew Sam, great nephew Tim, great niece Lauren and her husband Randy with their 3 children, Brian, his friend Heather, Brian’s father Larry and his wife Cindy. While we cruised the waters of the Elizabeth River we were given a history of Virginia Beach which is one of the world’s busiest sea ports including the world’s largest naval base, home of the Atlantic Fleet. After the cruise, Edi took in the naval museum while Casey, Tim, Sam, and I did a self guided tour of the USS Wisconsin.

It was a very enjoyable experience. The five of us headed back toward the hotel and decided to have lunch at a place directly across the street. However, they were not open so we ventured next door to a Chinese place; the food was okay. Back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding rehearsal and beer/pizza party at Dana’s and Chris place that evening. Brian had a problem with his one leg so Edi and I went to his room to see if we could discover what might have been wrong. We went across the street to the pharmacy where Edi purchased a cold/hot pack along with an elastic bandage which she wrapped around his leg; he said it did feel better with the wrap. Edi had to be at the rehearsal so Casey and I went with her and watched the proceedings.

The three of us ventured to the beer/pizza party where we spent a few hours in conversations while drinking wine. Went back to the hotel and crashed for the night.

There was nothing planned for Saturday, the 14^th, until the wedding at 6:30. We went to a nails place across the street called Nails Only where all of us got a manicure and Edi also got a pedicure. After making ourselves beautiful, we drove to the boardwalk along the ocean to find a place for lunch. And we did! We ate at Ocean Eddie’s Seafood; they were quite busy so it took awhile for our food to come but, once it did arrive, it was very tasty.

However, all our time was “eaten up” waiting for the food so we proceeded back to the hotel in order to relax before going to the wedding. Lauren, Randy, and the kids came up to the room for a visit. Around 4:00, they left so we could get ready. Edi had to be at the location by 5:30 so I drove her over, dropped her off, and returned to the hotel. Casey and I drove to the wedding. It was a fantastic night; the wedding was beautiful! The reception was inside the hall; there was a buffet dinner with very good food, great toasts made, and dancing.

Around 10:00, we left to take Lauren, Randy, and the kids back to where they were staying. Since we were using Brian’s van, we got back to the venue as the reception dance was breaking up; around 11:30. We dropped Casey off at the bar across from the hotel; she was going to connect with the rest of the wedding party. What a wonderful evening!

Sunday Brian met us at the hotel restaurant for breakfast around 9:00. Casey and Tim (who was going to spend the next week at Casey’s) had checked out and left before we went to the dining room. After breakfast, we gathered our things and checked out. We were headed to Sumter, SC where Casey and her husband, Dan, live. We checked into the Comfort Suites and drove over to Casey’s. I had never met Dan before so got introduced to him. Casey gave us a tour of their home. Casey and Dan fixed us a dinner of steak and baked potato; everything was delicious. It was getting late so we headed back to our hotel.

We checked out of our hotel; Casey and Tim met us at IHOP for breakfast. And then we journeyed to Swan Lake Iris Gardens, home to all eight known species of swan and some of the most intensive plantings of Japanese Iris in the US. The beautiful gardens are located in Sumter and has free admission. We walked thru the gardens and admired all the beautiful plants, sculptures, and swans residing or playing in the water.

After we completed our walk, we said good bye to Casey and Tim; our next destination was Crossville, TN for a visit with our niece, Tammy, and her husband. There was roadwork on the way so we were delayed because of having to wait/crawl along; it did not help that there was an accident which caused us to wait 20 minutes or more without moving while the road was cleared. Arrived in Crossville around 4:00; checked in to the Holiday Inn & Express and headed to Tammy’s home. After greeting us, Tammy provided us with a tour of their house and surrounding yard. Curt came home from golfing; we visited at the kitchen counter while Tammy fixed our evening meal.

Both of us were tired so it was not a late night; we planned the next day with Tammy/Curt and went back to our hotel.

In the morning, we rose and went to Tammy’s for a breakfast of fresh pumpkin scones plus coffee.  Tammy and Curt gave us a tour of the area which is filled with many golf courses. Really enjoyed visiting Ozone Falls Natural Area where we took a path to a wonderful water fall. Because we wanted to be on the road by mid-afternoon so we could get 4 or 5 hours of driving completed on our journey home, we did not drive to any other scenic park. We did stop at Landscape Solutions which had lots of plants plus garden gifts. It was fun to look at everything.

Lunch was at Cancun Restaurant where we received very good Mexican food. And then on the road again with both of us hoping we did not encounter any more road work. We stopped for the night at Mount Vernon, IL where we got a room at the Comfort Suites. Edi was not feeling well so we ventured to Bob Evans where we ordered bowls of soup. Back to the hotel where she laid down for a “nap” at 7:30; she got up around 8:30, got ready for and went to bed. My evening was spent reading and looking at messages on my iPad.

The morning of the 18th, after having breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we headed toward St. Louis and home. Edi called her daughter, who lives in O’Fallon on the opposite side of St. Louis from where we were currently driving, and it was decided we would stop at her place for a very short visit. The morning traffic was heavy in St. Louis which meant very slow driving. Arrived at Vicki’s, got a cup of coffee, and looked at her new living room floor that her husband had laid down…it looks quite nice. Only stayed about 30 minutes and onward to Marion, IA where Edi lives. We stopped at a nursery outside of St. Louis and WalMart where I looked for annuals to be planted in my pots. Dropped Edi at her home and took off for Shellsburg, stopping at HyVee DrugTown on the way, for more plants. Arrived home and was greeted by my two girls, Beauty and Cutie. Another great trip!

 

From April 22 thru May 6, I went on an adventure which consisted of three different destinations located in the Western part of the United States.  For the first five nights, I was in Tucson to celebrate Savanna’s 3rd birthday.  Next, I flew to Idaho for a Hise sibling reunion taking place at Worley, ID.  The last destination was Bozeman, MT. for two nights with Tom and Sarah Foster; they drove over to Idaho and I rode back with them.  And now I will attempt to provide a daily record of everything I did and saw.

Friday, April 22: Mary and Joe picked me up around 7:30; they dropped me off to the airport and I experienced no problems with check in, security, or flight departure. Flew on United thru Denver on my way to Tucson. Retrieved my luggage and Steev picked me up. We went to lunch at Roma’s which have good food. Dropped Steev off at his work and drove to the motel for check in. Greta called; she and Savanna were waiting for my arrival so over I went.

We talked and played until Steev came home from work. Greta made us dinner and then we went outside where Savanna played on the swing while Steev pushed her; Greta watered their plants and pulled some weeds. Came back to the room shortly after 7:00 and am very tired. Plan on reading for awhile and then to bed early. Tomorrow morning I will go with Steev and Savanna to her music lesson at 9:00.

Saturday, April 23: Got up around 6:00 this morning and went for a walk. It was a beautiful morning with flowers on trees and in pots. Got coffee at Epic Cafe; came back to the motel where I had breakfast. All the servers know me because of all the previous visits so there was a very warm greeting from all. Arrived back at the room and got ready for the day. Called Steev around 8:00 and it was decided they would pick me up around 8:40 on the way to Savanna’s music class. Everyone participated in the class and a fun time was had by all!

Went back to Steev’s where Savanna’s grandparents, Melanie and Fred, came with an early birthday present. Greta was not feeling well so she was out of commission the whole day; her sister arrived with pans for cupcakes that was being made for Savanna’s party but it was decided she would take all the ingredients and make them. Greta rested while we made lunch. After lunch, Steev took me back to the motel; he was going to drive Savanna around in hopes she would fall asleep. I swam, read, and watched the NBA play offs. Later in the day, Steev called so I went over. Savanna had taken a long nap and was ready for some action. We called Magpies for pizza to be delivered which we ate outside on the patio. After dinner and clean up, I went back to the motel for the evening.

Sunday, April 24: Once again, I got up around 6:00 and went for a walk stopping at the Epic for my morning coffee. Once I was back at the motel, I went for breakfast. After eating and a shower, I read while waiting to hear from the kids. It was decided Steev, Savanna, and I would go shopping for some party items while Greta would rest since she still was not feeling well.

After shopping, we fixed lunch. Greta and Savanna decided to come back to the motel for a swim; this was in hopes Savanna would tire herself out so she would take a nap before her party.

Greta took Savanna home and I read in my room. Around 2:30, I went to the party; Savanna was sleeping and did not get up until after 3:00…just when party guests were arriving. And what a great party it was! Mr. Nature came at 4:00 and entertained everyone with songs, dance, and music for an hour; he ended the entertainment with everyone marching around the yard while playing their “instruments”; what fun! Then it was time for the piñata breaking; all the kids took turns but it would not break. Finally, Robert (Savanna’s brother) broke it!

When the party was over, Steev prepared us a meal of pasta that was very good. Went back to the motel and watched some NBA while reading.

Monday, April 25: Did the usual morning activity of walking, coffee, and breakfast at the motel restaurant. Shopped at various stores and got a sandwich at the Market which I took back to the motel and ate with a glass of wine. Went for a facial and pedicure at Greentoes; very relaxing! After they were home from work and school, I went to the kids where we played with Savanna and had dinner. After dinner and clean up, went back to the motel for reading and NBA.

Tuesday, April 26: This was Savanna’s birthday so, after my walk and breakfast, went over to the kids; we drove to Savanna’s school where Steev and Greta handed treats of watermelon and strawberries for all the children. After everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to Savanna and the treats were eaten, Greta and Steev read everyone a story.

We said our good byes to everyone at school, went back the kids house, and parted company for the day. I walked downtown and then returned in time to drive to Blue Willow where I was meeting Jim Davis, a old friend from the mid 1970’s, for lunch. It was a delightful lunch; great food and wonderful conversation. Went back to the motel and packed for my departure the next day. Around 4:30, I went over to the kids for birthday present opening. Savanna had many presents to open because of gifts brought on Sunday so it took her quite awhile. But she got some great things; books, pictures, barn and animals, dining/kitchen set, sand utensils, etc.

We went to a Mexican place for carry out. After eating, Steev took me back to the motel where I got ready for bed and read until time to put the lights out.

Wednesday, April 27: Got up at 5:00, gathered my luggage, checked out, and Steev arrived to take me to the airport. After saying our good byes, I checked my bags and got to my assigned gate. All went well and arrived in Spokane early but so did Lynda and Sarah; Ron arrived as luggage was coming around the carousels which we retrieved and headed to his truck. Drove to Coeur d’Alene where we went to the Moon Time for lunch and liquid refreshments. Connected with Jack and he  joined us. After everyone ate, we headed for Ron’s; I rode with Jack. Arrived at the house and, after determining which room everyone was going to sleep in, we put our luggage into the applicable room.

Sat around and talked; Kathryn arrived about 5:30. After a delicious dinner of lasagna, broccoli and salad, we cleaned up and talked until around 10:00 or so. Everyone went off to bed anticipating the next day’s activity of exploring the parks Ron manages.

Thursday, April 28: After eating breakfast and taking showers, we took a walk with Hunter, Ron’s dog. Ron arrived from his work mid-morning and we went into Heyburn State Park which he manages; Ron is an Idaho Park Ranger. At the visitor center he introduced his staff and showed us his office. Sarah, Lynda, and I purchased items from the gift shop area. We viewed the cabins including the lake view one I will be staying in with the Fosters Monday and Tuesday nights. Then we drove to St. Mary’s for lunch at The Grub Box. After a filling lunch, we took off for another park Ron manages called McCroskey State Park. We really traveled through beautiful countryside on some rough, traveled roads; it was a fun adventure with the Hise family. After stopping at the store for additional wine and supplies for dinner, we ventured back to Ron’s.

Lynda prepared, with Sarah’s assistance, Spanish Rice which included ground elk supplied from Ron’s freezer. Kathryn got home from work around 6:30 and we sat down for dinner of the rice, salad, and French bread. Everything was delicious! The rest of the evening was spent talking until everyone decided to retire around 10:00.

Friday, April 29: Our adventure for the day was going to Coeur d’Alene for town exploration, shopping, and having a pizza party at Jack’s in the evening. After Kathryn left for work and we dressed for the day, we were off  with Lynda riding with Jack and Sarah/myself with Ron. We met at Jack’s where he left his car and headed to downtown. After parking the truck, we headed to Hudson’s…a hamburger joint established in 1907 with the building being over 100 years old. It is owned and run by the 4th generation of the original owner. You were given three choices of condiments with the hamburger…onion, cheese, and pickles. And the result was delicious! I decided to purchase one of their t-shirts.

Off to other stores we went and I found a couple presents in the Lucky Monkey. We walked to McEuen Park where Tubbs Hill was seen…Sarah and Tom Foster might like to hike this with me when they come next week. After purchasing everyone ice cream cones, we returned to the truck and drove along the park by the lake shore until the road stopped. Then up the hill and across the bridge for another fantastic view of the scenery.

Ron graciously took me to the visitor center so I could get a trail map of Tubbs Hill and a map of the town. On the way to Jack’s we stopped at a grocery store where I purchased wine and beer for the cabin; Papa Murphy’s was another stop where Jack and I bought two pizzas. Jack took us on a tour of his apartment complex which has a swimming pool, hot tub, sauna, and exercise room along with BBQ area plus shuffleboard area…very nice. And then we put the pizza in the oven; while baking, I got caught up on my email which fallen behind because Ron does not have internet. After eating, we said our good byes and headed back to Ron’s where Kathryn was doing some work for her job which was having their annual fund raiser on Saturday that Kathryn had to work at. While watching some NHL teams play in the Stanley Cup playoffs, we had another lively discussion among us.

At 10:30 all of us headed to bed where I read until around 11:30.

Saturday, April 30: We decided not to go anywhere today which turned out an excellent decision. After rising and taking my shower, I put on coffee for all coffee drinkers. We took over a 3-mile walk once everyone had their coffee or preferred morning drink and breakfast. Kathryn stayed behind to do more organizing for the fund raising event later in the day and Jack had not arrived after his morning fly fishing meeting. It was a great walk which Hunter, Ron’s dog, really enjoyed. Upon our return, Jack arrived and Kathryn got ready to depart for her office in Spokane. We helped her to load things in her car and then walked down to The Steamboat Cafe at the marina for lunch and a beer. The day was nice and comfortable so we sat outside and watched the boats on the lake while waiting for our order.

The food arrived and it was quite good. After paying the bill, walked back to Ron’s where people did whatever they wanted to…whether was reading, watching TV, updating notes, reading the paper, taking a nap…very comfortable and relaxing afternoon. That evening we warmed up leftovers from the previous two evening meals.

Sunday, May 1: After breakfast, we loaded into Ron’s truck for a day of exploring. First stop was the Snake Pit for lunch. It is a real cool place established in 1880; lots of old decor and delicious food. Even though I had purchased two t-shirts at previous stops, I decided I needed one from the Snake Pit.

Onward toward I90; once on the interstate, we stopped at Cataldo Mission which is the oldest building in Idaho. Everything interesting with old wallpaper made from newspapers, original wooden flooring, old organ, beautiful interior; there were no pews because Indians did sat on the floor.  We stopped in Wallace, ID; it is the principal town of the Coeur d’Alene silver-mining district, which produced more silver than any other mining district in the United States.

  Once on the road, we headed to Wallace, Idaho; an historic town known for its mining and center of the universe.   It was a beautiful day so we walked the town while taking pictures. And, of course, we stopped for liquid refreshment at the Wallace Brewing Company. And ice cream at Red Light Garage Restaurant; very good!

We loaded into the truck and headed back to Ron’s. Got there around 7:30; Jack decided to head back to his place so, after saying our good byes, we settled in for the night with everyone fixing whatever they wanted for a snack/meal. I tried to connect with the Fosters but no answer so left a message. Tomorrow they will arrive for our 2-night stay in the Lakeview Cabin at Hepburn State Park.

Monday, May 2: After breakfast, everyone started to gather their belongings; we went to the cabin I will be staying in and unloaded my luggage along with the food and booze I had purchased. On to the Visitor Center where boarding passes for Sarah and Lynda were printed. When we returned to Ron’s, Jack arrived and we went to St. Marie’s for lunch while Kathryn stayed home to do some work for her job. While at lunch, I connected with the Fosters; they had talked to Kathryn and she gave them directions to the house. Fosters arrived around 2:30; after saying good bye to everyone, we went to the cabin while the rest of the family headed to Spokane to deposit the sisters at a motel near the airport in preparation for their early flight back home the next day. Fosters brought their luggage into the cabin and we decided to find a place to eat in St. Marie’s; we ended at a place called Gem State which had a decent chef salad (lots of tomatoes and cucumbers). Returned to the cabin and spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the screened in porch; drinking wine and talking.

Tuesday, May 3: Relaxed this morning while drinking coffee and visiting. Tom fixed us breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, and toast.

After cleaning up and getting dressed for the day, we went to the Visitor Center where Fosters purchased an annual pass while I talked to Ron about where to eat and the time that evening. We then went to the trail head of Indian Cliffs which we hiked. It was  perfect weather and all of us enjoyed the scenery and views tremendously.

After the hike, we headed to Coeur d’Alene where I wanted to go to Bed, Bath, & Beyond for an item for Kathryn; however, they no longer carried what I was looking for. I called Jack as to where we were going to eat lunch and he agreed to meet us. The place was called Daft Badger Brewing; great atmosphere, excellent food, and perfect weather for eating on the patio.

Jack did not want to shop with us downtown so I said my farewell to him. Downtown to the Labrador Store for a gift for Hunter, and MixItUp for a “thank you” item for Kathryn/Ron.

It was time to visit a couple more craft beer places; Trickster and Paragon Brewing. At the Paragon, I purchased an item for Kathryn and Ron along with enjoying a good beer. Of the three places, I liked Daft Badger the best and the beer at Trickster the least. It was time to head back toward our cabin; we picked up Ron and Kathryn for an evening meal at the Coeur d’Alene Casino outside Worley. Dropped the family at their place after saying our good byes and went on to the cabin where we headed toward our individual bedrooms for reading and sleeping.

Wednesday, May 4: Got dressed, loaded stuff in the car, and took off for Bozeman. We had breakfast at the Red Lantern Garage in Wallace; there were 3 guys sitting across from us, locals that come into the restaurant every morning for coffee. One of the men showed us a letter he had just received from a student and teacher located in Walnut, IA. It sure is a small world! After walking around the town, we headed toward the Fosters home. We had lunch at Cracker Barrel in Missoula. When we got to Butte, Tom and Sarah showed me an open pit mine called Berkely Pit; it was interesting to see. We went to a local brewery called Quarry Brewing; good beer, great atmosphere, fun time. On the road again, we stopped at the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks for dinner; this hotel was built in the 1800’s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Arrival at the Fosters around 8:00 where we settled in for the night.

Thursday, May 5: After getting dressed, I took off for a walk around the Foster neighborhood. After the walk, had coffee with the Fosters at their neighbor, Marcia, house. It was a beautiful day so we had the coffee on the outside deck. After coffee, we had a late breakfast at Mountain Arts Coffee Pot; while there, I browsed their gift area and purchased a ceramic spoon rest. We returned to the Fosters; Tom mowed the yard while Sarah and I looked at all her flower beds.

Since my flight home was early the next morning, I repacked my bags for the trip. Later in the day, we went to Madison River Brewing for some liquid refreshment.

And dinner was at MacKenzie River Pizza Co.; good beer and, once served, great pizza. Back to the Fosters for conversation and early to bed.

Friday, May 6: Since my flight left Bozeman at 7:00, we were up and on the road to the airport by 5:00; NPR’s Morning Edition was being broadcast live in Bozeman so Tom and Sarah planned on going there after dropping me off. Check in, going through security, and boarding were uneventful. Connection in Denver was quick and, before I knew it, I was arriving back in Cedar Rapids with my friends, the Robinsons, picking me.

It was a great trip filled with lots of adventures.  I am so happy that I could spend Savanna’s 3rd birthday with her and be able to join in on all the celebrations; Greta and Steev are such fantastic parents…and wonderful son/daughter to the steply-ugh-mother.  Having time with the Hise siblings was great fun and so relaxing; I’m glad to be able to keep contact with everyone even though Tom has passed away.  And the Fosters…what can I say…they are great friends who I always enjoy spending time with so they coming over to Idaho was a very positive for me.  Lastly, I need to thank Mary and Joe for the ride both to/from the airport; they are always willing to lend a helping hand.

On March 2nd, I flew into Boston and took the Dartsmouth Coach to Lebanon, NH where my sister has been a traveling nurse for the past 13 weeks.  Her contract had expired so she was ready to move back to her home in Marion, IA; I traveled out in order to keep her company during the long drive.  Edith picked me up at the coach depot and we went to her apartment for a delicious meal of chicken and vegetables with dumplings.  Her cats, Junior and Midnight, were closely watching us during the whole process.  After the meal, we did some packing but Edi had much of it already completed.

The next morning we decided to explore for the day so we traveled to Portsmouth, NH; the town sits near the mouth of the Piscataqua River, a short, wide river that divides New Hampshire and Maine.  Settled in 1623, Portsmouth claims to be the nation’s third-oldest city. It served as a focal point on the Eastern seaboard until the late 1800s when rail travel did in the shipping industry. John Paul Jones’ ship The Ranger was built in Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (which lies across the river in Maine) was established in 1800 as the country’s first Naval shipyard.

We parked and explored a few stores; one, the Tugboat Alley, was especially fun with some great t-shirts and a friendly owner.  After walking around, we headed toward the ocean where we was hoping to find a place along the waterfront.  However, due to the time of year, many restaurants were closed so we settled for Tio Juan’s Margaritas in Exeter, NH.  Since it was mid-afternoon, we decided to head back to Lebanon.  Upon arrival, Edi did some last minute packing while I took a walk.  That evening we put a quiche in the oven for our evening meal.  We decided to leave for Iowa the next morning so settled down for the evening around 10:00.  Upon awaking, I took another walk while Edi did some cleaning.  When I returned, I took items to the dumpster and then packed up the car with Edi’s help.  We got the cats in the vehicle and took off around 9:15 in the morning.   The overnight stop was at the Clarion Hotel in DuBois, PA.  Both the cats were happy to get out of the car.  Pizza was delivered to our room; while eating, I used my iPad to see how much far we had to go.  Turned out to be another 12 hours of driving so we decided to get up at 5:00 a.m. in order to get home by early evening Saturday.  However, Junior and Midnight decided getting up at 2:30 was the way to go and, after trying to sleep for over an hour, we decided to get up and leave; loaded up the cats, checked out, and was on the road by 4:00 a.m. eastern time.  Stopped along I80 somewhere in Pennsylvania for breakfast and lunch in Illinois was at a Subway.  We arrived at the airport parking lot, where I had left my car at departure on Wednesday, around 3:15 central time.  Even though I had been up for many hours, I did not feel tired at all until around 9:15 that night when I was watching a movie and it hit me suddenly that I was.  Went up to bed where I immediately fell asleep and did not wake up until 7:30 the next morning.  Another good trip; I always enjoy spending time with my lovely sister and I am glad to be retired so I can make trips like this.