Day 1 April trip to St Paul MN

Elizabeth's Graduation from Metro State in April in Minnesota.  An April Graduation! Whoever came up with that idea was Crazy!  Winter this year did not want to let Spring in. Snowstorms were blowing thru the upper midwest into the eastern states rampantly just 2 weeks ago. With freezing ice and Temps in the teens. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. It was my youngest daughter graduating from college and I wanted to be there. What an accomplishment.

Ok so I started packing. 5 turtle neck tops, warm pullover sweaters, a couple of warm Sweatshirts. My jacket, boots, a warm robe, socks.  I thru in a few long-sleeved Light T's just in case it was warm enough.  I'm ready!  Took Bella to the groomer's to get her nails clipped, her coat shampooed and the hair around her face and eyes trimmed. I asked them not to cut her hair tho, she wasn't used to Minnesota weather and I did not want to have a frozen puppy-sicle on my hands if the weather was truly frosty. Lol.

We left early Friday  Morning on April 20th. My plan was to drive until 8pm or within a 7 - 8 hour ride left to St Paul.  Knowing that the sunset came about 8:30 pm. Since this was my 1st long drive since recovering from back surgery last August I wasn't sure if this was a viable goal - would I still be able to make it in 2 days or would I need a third?

I drove 500+ miles Friday. Stopping often for breaks, (like every 2 hrs or so), giving myself and Bella potty breaks and time to stretch our legs.  This was Bella's 1st long-long road trip. She had been with me to go to Nancy's house in GA but that was only a 4 1/2 hr ride with one break in between.  I stopped at 7pm for the night in Indian only 7 1/2 hr road time from St Paul.

Bella's did well her 1st night in a hotel. At first she wanted to bark at every noise she heard outside our door. With reminders to keep quite she settle down and got comfortable in our room.  It was a memorable 1st day.

I had intended to go straight Thru TN on I 40 then shoot up into Illinois to stop at my favorite hotel in Bloomington - Normal Illinois.  Instead I choose a route that was deemed shorter bt GOOGLE MAPS. (Stupid Choice) up thru Kentucky and Indiana and CHICAGO -  (a Costly Choice).  It cost me almost $20 in tolls after getting lost on the Chicago toll roads. It seems like all the roads surrounding Chicago are toll-roads. GRRRRRRRRRRRR.  "I know better"! Ha Ha !!!!!!!!!!! NOT!

DON''T book a room @ the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston Texas!

I know its only the second week in July but it already has been a busy summer for me.  I moved to Tennessee mid May and was just getting settled in when Family Vacation Time hit... Galveston Island Texas, our destination - Beach House was ready for us... I left on the 20th of June and drove down to meet up with my kids at the Beach House we were renting.  I enjoyed the ride through the states, South Tennessee, the tip of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, till I got to Louisiana.  I had stopped in a Mc D's for an break and an ice cream cone in Mississippi only 6 miles from the Louisianan border.  Rested I proceeded to drive into Louisiana Planning to stop in New Orleans then on to Baton Rouge and on to Texas.  Well I had to cancel that thought pretty quickly!  As soon as I got into LA it started to Rain, a big downpour, I couldn't even see out my windshield and had to pull over to stop several times because the heavy downpour made driving impossible.  So I headed toward Baton Rouge, slowly and finally the rain stopped just before I got to my chosen stop for the night, a small town about 3/4 of the way thru the state.  I resumed my trip in the morning and headed towards Houston Tx were I planned to meet my daughter Nancy at a hotel.  That turned out to be a farce.  She had booked a room at the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston.  I arrived, got my room key and off the the room I went.  When I opened the door the odor of cleaning agents was VERY strong.  That should have been my hint to turn around and get out but I was to meet my daughter there!  So I gingerly went in and looked around all seemed ok at first glance.  I decided to turn on the TV and it wouldn't work so I looked for the phone to call the desk! no Phone!  I had to walk back out in the 96 degree heat to the desk and ask for help.  The attendant tried but could not get the TV to work but I did by plugging in a HDMI cable that was hooked in.  I started to settle in and get my CPAP plugged in and moved the little nightstand away from the wall to plug my machine in and what to my horror! I saw a large 1 1/2" Dead Roach lying on the floor by the bed.  Ewwwwww! that freaked me out the I took a closer look and saw an empty, torn candy wrapper under the bed.  I then looked more closely at the bathroom too.  there were dead bugs behind the toilet and a large long black hair stuck to the tile under the sink.  I called Nan to let her know about the room, fearing that she would be pulling into this hotel at midnight with the kids and baby Amelia.  I packed up my car and scooped up the dead bug a napkin and brought it to the desk and checked out!!!!! I was so mortified by the uncleanliness of the place I just wanted to throw up!  So if you are ever in Houston DON'T stay at the Baymont Inn & Suites in downtown Houston.

After spending the night in a cleaner hotel in Houston I met up with Nancy and we made our way into galveston which was only an hour away.  She showed us around town a bit, we took a ferry ride across the bay and then made our way to the beach house.... The week was perfect despite the rain, we were at the beach.  I enjoyed my weeks stay at the Beach House, did a little sight seeing and a lot of just hanging out on the deck or in the house relaxing while the kids did their own thing... the week went fast and before you knew it - it was time to head home.

The drive home was uneventful, I had decided to take the coastal route instead of going back up toward Houston and  except for the ferry ride.  I waited almost an hour to get on the busy ferry and when on the ferry broke down so all the cars, including me, had to back off and wait for another ferry taking another hour of waiting.  finally I was on my way.  the skies were clear with no hint of rain the entire trip home.  I ddn't make a lot of stops along the way because of the heat.  it was around 96 degrees out all the way home.  It took me two overnight stays before I arrived home in Newport TN around 10pm on Wed eve.  So glad to be home and the bonus was 78 degrees out.  how nice!  It was and adventure and I enjoyed it immense, so now back to the real world....  and a whole lot of summer fun to share with you. 

Another Road Trip! Yeah!

Another Road Trip! Yeah!

Today I left on a Road Trip to Lynchburg VA to attend my 2nd Cousin, Amanda's Wedding.  I am looking forward to meeting all my cousins and Aunts that will be there.  Aunt Flo, the Brides Grandmother is in her mid 90's and I haven't seen her in such a long while and My cousin Judy and Aunt Anita will be there too as well as my cousin Marion.  I am looking forward to seeing them.  I want to take a lot of pictures along the way but opp's I left my Camera Charger at home....on the table.  So I do hope I can purchase an new one at Wal-Mart or Target. 

 

The roads were clear today and the traffic light and I was able to make it to my 1st sleepover destination before 7pm even tho I left later this am than I thought.  My 1st stop was at the La Quinta Hotel in Bloomingburg IL.  I stopped over at the Cracker Barrel Restaurant and had a nice supper of Grilled Chicken and Macaroni.  I also purchased a cute wedding gift for the couple and they wrapped it up very nicely for me. 

 

I just had a hot shower and took my pm meds so I will be going to bed shortly.  I will get up in the am and have a good breakfast here at the hotel then I will be off.  I talked with my brother Ed and he will be leaving on Friday to come on down.  It is about a 10 hour ride for him. 

 

Tomorrow I think I will stop at a quilt shop along the way.  My next stop is in West VA at a Best Western.  Well Good Night all, more updates to come.

 

Bouquet's for my favorite Actors

Friday Sept 6th I didn't make it to West VA but stopped at a day's Inn in Mt Sterling KY about an hour and a half away.  it was 7pm yesterday eve,  I needed gas so I got off the highway and then realized that there was a coupon for this hotel in the hotel coupon book.  (thanks to my brother Bobby I have been collecting them for each state I enter,)  I decided this was were I would spend the night.  I got a great rate, the room was clean with fresh sheets and towels.  the accommodations had been well worn over time, (an older motel)  but I had great internet service & good TV.  I watched "Les Meserables" before going to bed.  What a movie, very good, after all they took home the Oscars.  well its almost 7:30 here so I am getting ready to leave on the last leg of the trip. 

Here are some pictures from my vacation and some reminecing

They make great Pastrami sandwiches here at Tommy's - a wonderful NY experience. 

The view from my Brother Ed's RV



Eddy and Helen buy their honey and maple syrup from this Local farm.  It's just down the road apiece. (note the sign, "Wicopee Rd"

The High School I attended in Elmsford NY.

The Girls Entrance

 Alexander Hamilton High School

The Boys Entrance



The area where my dad had a well and built a small rock pond on Taxter Rd, Elmsford NY.  Now over
grown with trees and old stumps.  Just beyond is a small stream where my brothers and I used to
catch crayfish.  lots of great memories here.



The old driveway going up to our neighbor's home.  My brothers and I used to sleigh ride
down this driveway all the way to the street in the winter time.  The tall tree to the left
with a limb restin on it was at the right back corner of the garage.  We used to climb this cherry
tree all the time and sit on he garage roof gazing up at the clouds n the sky.

Note the remains of an old mailbox strapped to the tree at the driveway entrance of my old
homestead on Taxter Road where I grew Up.

 

Memories of the old house on Taxter Road  

We lived in the upstairs of the old Carriage house and Barn without running water, heat or indoor plumbing.  The house was large, having 2 floors.  The main floor had a large apartment with the kitchen, dining room and living room on the left side that had a front entrance onto a large porch with stairs going to 3 upstairs bedrooms.  There also was a wrap around screened in porch from the kitchen to the dinning room, to the right of the main floor was the  attached Stable area, which had stairs in the back going to the upstairs apartment.  The barn had an open area to house a carriage and a few stalls to house the horses.  Mom and dad lived in the apartment above the stable.  On the 2nd.  The upper level of the house had 3 medium sized bedrooms with and entrance to the stair way.  From the back bedroom there were windows where you could look down into the back yard.  we used to climb out on the porch roof when there were rain storms and dance under the water running off the roof onto the porch.  The apartment above the stable where mom and dad lived had an entrance into a small room then the kitchen, a large room to the left is were we all slept. from this room there was a doorway to the stairs going down to the front porch.  There were also 2 or 3 rooms behind our sleeping area that had a door leading to the back stable stairway. 

Since we didn't have any indoor plumbing Dad would have to go down to the well every day and bring back pail fulls of water from the well from which my mother would use for cooking or bathing.  Taking a bath meant using a round steel tub filled with hot water that was heated on our wood stove.  The old wood stove in the kitchen was our only heat source for the apartment.  I remember Dad piling blankets and coats on us as we slept to keep us warm..  Brrrr the mornings were cold and we often huddled around the stove to warm us in the morning.  In the kitchen was a sink with a hand pump for water but it didn't work.  The kitchen window looked out into the back yard were dad kept his chickens, ducks and goats.  The goats were housed in a little shack on the right side of the house.  Our out house was located at the back of the house and to the right of the front porch well hidden by bushes and trees.  I remember planting my 1st rose bush alongside of the outhouse.  It grew tall and had many roses on it which gave off a heady aroma of roses.  To this day my favorite cologne is Roses, (I even have rose sachets in my clothing drawers.)   


A large area to the left of our driveway off of the front porch was were Dad had his vegetable garden.  My Father loved to plant Peas, String Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, cucumbers and onions here.  towards the back are 2 large boulders on which I would sit and read, (I remember going up into the attic were I found a box of books - I read Thru these books the summer I turned 13.  Wow in my imagination I visited Rome, Greece and other exotic places as I read these books,) or lay across them looking up at the clouds by day or the stars at night.  There was a gentle slope down to the road were Dad would Plant Dalia's and Gladiolas. 

My husband Raymond built railroad tracks to scale around the perimeter and made a car using a small engine.  My oldest boy, Raymond Jr. loved to ride around the track on the car his daddy built.  We lived on this property quite a long time.  I was 5 or so when mom and dad moved here from downtown Elmsford and in my mid 20's & Married with 2 children, (Raymond Jr. & Ann,) when we moved to Tuckahoe NY were my 3rd child was born, (Nancy).
 

Vacation time is over :{

I had an awesome vacation time.  I left June 24th to take a road trip back to NY to see my Brother's Eddie & Bobby.  My youngest daughter Elizabeth and my granddaughter Zuri came with me.  Zuri spent her time in NY with her Aunt Rose and visited with her cousins and brother.  Elizabeth went to NYC twice by train and enjoyed time with her cousins.  I relaxed at my brother Ed's House, took a ride in his RV, and enjoyed visiting with family.  Elizabeth and I were able to attend my Niece Kimberly's Wedding last Saturday in Yorktown Hgts.  It was an unrelievedly beautiful day, the bride was beautiful and the reception great!  I also got to go to a great Italian Restaurant in Fishkill NY Avanti's.  Great food, great company!  I drove down to Elmsford NY with Elizabeth and was able to show her where I grew up.  There was nothing left of the place, the house was torn down and the property overgrown with weeds and trees.  I did a little reminiscing - I pointed out the large rock I used as a reading place and the area where her grandpa use to garden.  I also showed her the overgrown driveway that my brothers and I used to sleigh ride down, and the area that Grandpa Hess had built a well and were my Husband and Uncle laid down pipes for running water. Great memories.  I drove up to my old High School - took a lot of pictures of it.  Then drove into downtown White Plains, which I did not recognize at all.  Beth and I stopped in a  Deli/Café and had lunch.  She had a turkey sandwich and I got a pastrami.  Yum! 

Road Trip with my Daughter

Barn Located North of Charlotte N.Carolina

the wood shed maybe?

 Note the contrast on this Barn Door

The old Barn Door

Yesterday I took a Road Trip with my daughter Nancy.  It was a lovley day out, a little windy and cool but blue skies and clouds were abundant.  we went down on Hwy 52 towards Rochester MN to take pictures of the many Barns that are down there.  We did get a lot of good pictures and I will post some here.  Barns have always fasinated me - I love the color and texture of the weathered wood.  I took some pictures last year when I was in North Carolina of an old abandoned Barn and outbuildings.