New York!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can one little van hold so much? Okay, it is a bit bigger than Tillie the VW bus but still...

Waving goodbye to John & Judy this morning at last we arrived home in sunshine this afternoon. I think we were happier to see Bertha & Gus, the cats, than they were to see us. (Susan spoiled them shamelessly while we were away.) However, the number of boxes and bags that made their way from the van to the kitchen (and that Bertha & Gus have been busily "helping" to unpack) has redeemed us somewhat.

And even though we have stacks of stuff to put away, and there's snow, and it 27 and not 87, it's REALLY good to be home!

Over and out until our next trip.....

Daylight daylight eastern time...

We resolved last night to get up early and be on the road this morning at 6 or shortly thereafter. John set the alarm in the motel and bright and early at 5:45 it went off. John thought he'd grab a cup of coffee when he turned in the key only to come back (with this sheepish grin) saying it was 5:00 (really 4:00 to us since we'd just come from central time). We got an earlier start than we had planned.

On to West Virginia for breakfast. West Virginia, are you out there? Where are your local restaurants (not the chains)? We drove back roads for 45 minutes before finally giving up and getting a biscuit from a chain. Yuk! Greasy! Never again.

Maryland came next and in terms of food, came through in spades with the Culinaire Cafe run by the Allegheny College Culinary Arts Program in Cumberland. That's downtown Cumberland in the photo, a pretty little city. It pays to pick up the info at the welcome stations and find out about these things. The food was excellent and the waiter was sweet (although he could have used our "Tips for Tips" - or perhaps we're just in a grumpy mood from getting up too early.)

Breezing through Pennsylvania before finally arriving in NJ at John & Judy's, practically where our trip began. Yesterday I was wearing sandals when we left Missouri and the temp was in the 70's. Here in NJ there's some strange white stuff outside and, although Judy did suggest we might enjoy an outdoor picnic, we opted against it.

Tomorrow? Home at last but, hopefully, not with as early a start as we had today.

Illinois, Kentucky

Jeannette made us her GREAT and, now famous because of this blog, homemade buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy before she & Don sent us on our way this morning. Thanks!!!

Traveling across the lower part of Missouri we stopped at the one place the welcome center lady had recommended - Big Springs, part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways run by the National Park Service. She was right. It is beautiful and impressive - 288 million gallons of water bubble out of that baby each day. That = a LOT!

Crossed the Mississippi River, tried not to blink so we wouldn't miss Illinois, then crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky. Took their beautiful parkways diagonally across the state, luckily evading the tornados and have ended up for the night in Lexington, "The Horse Capital of the World" (although we've actually only seen 5 horses today in the whole state - they must be somewhere...).

So, since the parkway doesn't go through towns and I only got one photo to share, I'll tell you the best possum story I know as told to me in Missouri. And it's true.

Once upon a time there was a possum who decided to go "urban" and take up residence in a nice neighborhood on the outskirts of town. After all, what was there not to like? Green grass never higher than belly level; dogs were always fenced in and were fun to tease; tasty treats were left out for fat cats that were up for grabs; covered porches to sleep on if the weather turned nasty. One day a very select neighborhood committee decided the possum was the perfect candidate to participate in the possum relocation program. Even better, they would fully fund the project - have-a-heart carrier, cat food incentive trail, transportation. The very first night the possum decided it was an offer too good to refuse. Morning came and the aforementioned select committee transported the possum to his new home. Was the program successful? No one is sure. Apparently, rather than rolling over and playing dead as possums are expected to do, this one took off running when his feet touched the pavement. To this day folks wonder what happened to him and if releasing him in the parking lot of (the name is real) the "Second Chance Church" had anything to do with his quick departure.

Missouri!

We're in Ozark visiting my childhood friend, Jeannette, and her husband, Don. We're at the beautiful Ozark Mill, now abandoned but, with only a few million dollars, could once again be up and running. Maybe in another lifetime.

Please note if you will the choice lighting fixtures at the mill. I thought the use of compact fluorescent bulbs was a nice touch.

By the way, it's year round fishing on the river behind the mill for Ozarks favorite panfish. If you're interested, Joe, you can even take a free class on "Crappie Fishing for Beginners".

Sometimes days are "two pointed" for John. Can you guess where this photo was taken? Hint: the name of the store is the same as the varmint in the photo, the one with the hair. And why is he (John, not the bear) looking so dour? Is it because Patty thought that the slightly warped sander in the seconds department did not need to find a home in NY?

Heading north... east...

Waving goodbye to Mother, Becky & JA, we began the trip back to NY. I must admit I was a wee bit in doubt that JA had been born in Texas, but then we passed the sign so I guess it's true.

Taking back roads north we happened on Baird where Grumpe's Specialties makes lollipops. Not only do they make lollipops but they'll put your logo or whatever you want on them. Pretty neat for a little Texas town in the middle of nowhere. Although they didn't appear to be giving factory tours, John did score a couple of samples at their office supply store.

Up the road aways is Throckmorton (love the name) that the Texas legislature has deemed "The Capital of Cow Country". Although we hunted all over (okay so it was only the few buildings on Main St. - with a population under a thousand you don't need many) for something that said this, it was clear that football rules, not the legislature. The only slogan we could find was "Hometown of Dallas Cowboys' legend Bob Tilly". So much for the cows...

Further north is Archer City, home of the "Wildcat Burger" (a gut buster to be sure with homemade onion rings and kitchen cut fries). It's also where Larry McMurtry is from. You remember him - he wrote Lonesome Dove etc. His hobby/passion is collecting antiquarian books and he is slowly buying up the storefronts to keep and supposedly sell them through his sideline business, Booked Up, Inc. The photos? It turns out that "Texasville" and "The Last Picture Show" were both filmed in Archer City (although, to be honest, I don't know if the theater showed up either. However, thought you might like to see both sides of the theater. Gives another meaning to open air entertainment...

Finally, Oklahoma! Turns out Texas does not have "the largest" of everything. We understand Vinita, where we're staying tonight, has the world's largest McDonald's although we haven't seen it yet. But my absolute favorite "largest" is the world's largest totem pole created by folk artist Ed Galloway in 1948. It's just south of here off of Route 66 near Foyil. There are other "creations" in the park but this is the best and well worth the trip to take a look.

Oklahoma is also "The Home of the Parking Meter" and "The Cowchip Thowing Capital of the World". And, to think, before today all we knew about Oklahoma was our friends Marilyn & Jim somehow grew up there...

Signs of spring...

The first sign of spring was the "super moon" as described by the Texas weatherwoman. Of course things are always bigger in Texas but I guess it was also true it was the closest it would be to the earth for a "fair number of years". The second sign of spring was Mother's first harvest of green onions from her garden, enough for 1 each for her, John & me. And the other sign of spring is Sarah's birthday. Happy Birthday Sarah!!!

Back to earth and the photos... the beginnings of the quilt Becky is making for the new Habitat owners. Each volunteer has signed a block and the next group coming in will also sign a block. Her goal is to have it done to present to the family at the dedication the end of April. (Trust she works faster than I do!)

Then there's the traditional "passing of the pie" (homemade by Grandma with the last of the apples from NYS as well as a few others) to grandson, Scott. (He was born in Texas and, as I said before, things are bigger, in this case, taller, in Texas.) The other family photo, Mother with her two daughters (in case you couldn't count).

The last photo is specifically for the staff at Red's Body Shop. Ever consider going into the conversion backhoe business?

All the news...

Still locally owned. Still all the local news (that's fit to print). Still on the newstands for under a buck. Still sold on the honor basis. Still leave your money in the same glass jar. Way to go Mason County and Mason County News!