It’s Thursday, time to rise and shine! We went to the garden and were surprised to find a visitor – a horney worm, also known as a Tomato Horn Worm or a Tobacco Worm. We noticed him because of the poop he left on the ground. Unfortunately, we had to dispose of him in the trash can.
Did You Know?At full size, the tomato hornworm is about 3 to 4 inches in length.It is one of the largest of all garden caterpillars. It is green in color and typically has eight diagonal white stripes on its sides. The tomato hornworm also has a black horn projecting from its rear.
These plump caterpillars get about four inches long and can devour all the leaves on a tomato plant in a single day, but are completely harmless to humans.
Once fully grown, caterpillars drop off the plant to the ground and dig four to six inches down into the soil to create their pupation chamber.
He’s an ugly little fella, but he hides well in the tomato plants.
Upon entering the house, we noticed the roses awakening as they greeted the sun. He seemed to be enjoying the day.
What do European Flowers use for money? Eu-rose.
The roses are enjoying the cool down.
We have replaced the old tarp covering the potting bench and sink with a new one which is 16 mil thick. Hopefully, this new tarp will last for at least a year as the previous one, despite being “heavy duty”, was no match for the sun’s power and was eventually baked to a crisp.
In a recent El Niño forecast by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a greater than 95% chance that El Niño continues across the Northern Hemisphere through the winter into 2024.
It is ready for the wet winter being forecasted.
Just above the potting bench is the orange tree belonging to our neighbors. They have kindly allowed us to pick as much fruit as we want, so our table will be filled with oranges all winter.
In another two months, we will have oranges!
I told Mary to look at the orange tree, and she immediately thought of our recent trip!
Our baby grapefruit tree is trying to grow up early. He had six large grapefruits on him already! The name for the Grapefruit was created by a Jamaican farmer when he noticed the fruit grew in clusters similar to grapes.
The grapefruit is doing well; the moth is just visiting!
11:00 am and time to go. We called Jan, but of course, she could not make it. We will ask again after the first of the year. We can’t have a one-way friendship!
We had “Z-Man,” George, Vicky (a delightful addition), Iris & Will, and the Ash’s today. Many of us tried their new crab and shrimp sandwich; it was outstanding. We stayed and talked until 1:30 p.m., at which time we scooted out as Mary had some paperwork to pick up at 2:00 p.m. in the local gym.
Dressed for the occasion.
After arriving home, I spent some time working in the yard before Mary woke up from her nap. Later, around 5:00 p.m., we took our dog, Scout, for a walk around the neighborhood, covering a distance of 0.8 miles. We plan to increase our daily walking distance to at least two miles.
Yesterday evening, Mary cooked delicious stuffed peppers for dinner, and we enjoyed watching a couple of entertaining movies. By 9:00 p.m., we headed to the office, where Mary proofread the vacation website that we had created for our recent East Coast trip. I made the necessary corrections, and now we can send it out to our friends for them to enjoy!
It was the bewitching hour, so we went to bed early. We need to be up and running by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow! Mary has a gym appointment, and I need to go shopping at Home Depot.
I’ve learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
It’s that time of the year when Mary and I like to watch Halloween movies. This morning, we were frightened by the movie “Monster With The Aluminum Head.” I may have nightmares!
Okay, so the truth is that we had hair appointments. Mine only took a few minutes since I have only one hair, but Mary’s took much longer. I save money; she trims the one hair and combs it with a washcloth!
What do you call lice on the hairless head of a man? Homeless.
“I sell the aluminum foil afterward!”
We love holiday attire. I found the perfect outfit for Mary as the weather gets colder. This month I am wearing my Halloween shirts every day!
If she had her hat on, RUN!
After leaving the hairdresser, we went to the Elks Lodge where we met Bob Z. We discussed and finalized the arrangements for Saturday night. The lunch at the Elks Lodge was quite good and after a while, Bill Capps arrived. We made plans to meet with him and Mary to dance later in the evening.
The Lodge was decorated well!
As we departed the Lodge, the front door display was ready for Halloween. It was spooktacular!
We are not sure we want to sit at this table!
Mary found a friend. He had just come back from his Weight Watchers meeting and was feeling a bit hungry!
Why are skeletons so calm? Because nothing gets under their skin.
Smoooooch
We worked around the house until 7 p.m., then headed to Tustin Senior Citizens Center for music and dancing. The usual suspects were present. The music was perfect for dancing and we did waltzes, cha-chas, swing, rumba, and some other things we made upas we went.
The Smoothies did a superb job this evening
We made it back home at 10:00 p.m., watched a movie, and then crashed.
I had a dentist’s appointment in Huntington Beach at 10:00 a.m. right near the Beach Blvd Five Points intersection. While traveling there, we made a list of items we needed to do for our upcoming travels.
The dentist gave me good news – the implant is in place and just needs to have the crown tightened. I already have an appointment with Dr. Annie next week.
On the way home, we went to the Original Pancake House here in Orange and shared a super large vegetarian omelet! With that accomplished, we didn’t eat the rest of the day!
We are now using a travel agent instead of attempting to do it ourselves; they have the expertise, plus Leah has been a friend for almost fifteen years!
After getting home at 11:30 a.m., we worked in the office until 7:00 p.m. We talked to Leah for an hour, filling in the Caribbean and Ireland paperwork. Leah is going to call Colleen and get her info tomorrow.
The Panama Canal cruise is in 177 days. 15 Day | Panama Canal – Ocean to Ocean with Total Solar Eclipse – Ship: Emerald Princess departing
Los Angeles, California on Apr 05, 2024
We stayed up past midnight with me finishing off the last adventure and Mary knitting for Robin a surprise.
Memories: Off To See Grandma: I remember it was 1958. My grandma Lewis, who was Mom’s mother, lived in Tracy, California, which was an 8-hour drive back then. Dad always wanted to leave early to avoid the hot Central Valley weather. We had a 1958 Chevy station wagon, and Dad would drive with the windows open, his arm resting on the door. This was before air conditioning was popular. By the time we got to Tracy, Dad’s arm was blistered. Mom applied “Kip” on it to soothe the burn. I couldn’t find any reference to Kip on the internet. It’s probably too old.
After a few days away from home, Dad was driving down the highway when he spotted red flashing lights, indicating that he was about to be pulled over and issued a ticket. Dad complied and was very courteous to the police officer. Meanwhile, the officer’s partner got into the patrol car and informed his colleague that there was an emergency in town before driving off.
We always support our police force!
After Dad offered him a ride, we drove the stranded officer to the police station located in the next town.
The officer apologized and explained that he couldn’t tear up the ticket since it was serialized. However, he did write a note on it to the judge. I am not sure what the note said, but my father never received the ticket, and it was never recorded in his driving history.
Did it stop Dad from being speedy? No chance.
We returned to town after being away for almost a week and a half and had a doctor’s appointment on Monday. As expected, we had to visit our dermatologist in Los Alamitos. The doctor informed us that our face was doing well, but he discovered some cancer on my chest. So, we will have to visit Long Beach for another check-up in the near future.
While in Los Alamitos at 11:00 a.m., we decided we must have lunch with Miss Robin. We went to the Yucatan Grill in Seal Beach and caught up and planned!
I told Mary about the Lime-Chicken soup, which I thought was great. I made this from scratch at home many years back. Lime soup is a traditional dish from the Mexican state of Yucatan, which is made of chicken or some other meat such as pork or beef, lime juice, and served with tortilla chips.
Did you know that the best chipotle is served in the Gulp of Mexico?
Lime Chicken Soup
Having just returned from Ba Haba, I needed my lobster fox, so I had the Lobster Enchilada. It was amazing, and the presentation was excellent. I threw in a hard-shelled taco, just in case. Then I was hit by the news: Per serving: 837 calories, 40 grams protein, 46 grams fat (percent calories from fat, 49), 66 grams carbohydrates, 190 milligrams cholesterol, 1,606 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Lobster Enchilada
We decided to visit Jan and remind her she is going to the Elks on Thursday with us. We went next door and got her a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich!
Philly Cheesecake Time For Jan
We dropped the sandwich by and visited for about twenty minutes; we had to get back to Scout!
Jan said this would last her two days!
After returning home, we resumed our work in the garden and did the last of the wash from the trip. Later, we visited Jeff for a while and then came back home to watch Halloween Town and Going to College in Halloween Town. Disney used to produce great movies, but they started producing low-quality content after becoming more politically biased.
Posted inCooking, Doctor, Friends|Comments Off on Monday Has Arrrived And The Wash Is Done!
We have been busy with the garden! Removing summer plants can be a lot of work, but it’s great that it’s looking good now. It’s always satisfying to see the progress after putting in several hours of hard work. And it’s a good idea to finish everything before the next mid-November cruise. We will get the soil turned and ready for planting just before Halloween!
Gardening requires lots of water—most of it in the form of perspiration.
Tearing out the summer garden was work!
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
While cleaning out the garden, Mary found hidden veggies. She made a stuffed bell pepper dish with a green stir-fry.
We are still finding veggies!
We watched Hocus Pocus II and laughed all the way through the movie. I also treated her to a dose of Elvira, Mistress of the Night. Corny as ever but very funny. Elvira is the same age as Mary!
Her movie comments are priceless.
But in real life, she is Cassandra Petersen.
Amazing!
We hit the sack at 8:00 p.m., recovering from last week’s adventure to the East Coast!
We stayed put today and finished off all our wash from the trip. We walked the yard and developed a plan of attack for tomorrow.
At 2:00 p.m. we had a masseuse come to provide us each a 90-minute massage courtesy of the Armstrongs!
Mary cooked spaghetti using angel hair pasta, and it was fantastic. I even had a third serving!
I asked Mary, “How small is the smallest type of pasta?” She replied, “It’s about a centimeter orzo!”
The sauce was to die for!
We watched a movie called “Last Vegas,” which was hilarious. The plot revolves around four friends who take a break from their daily lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single friend.
The cast is amazing and makes a wonderful group of best friends. De Niro portrays that mature friend who is like their father, Douglas is that friend who refuses to give up on anything, Kline is that really nice guy, and Freeman is the childish one. I absolutely loved the movie!
We crashed at 9:30 p.m. and are about 90% recovered from the trip! MAry hit the sack first and by the time I brushed my tooth, she was sound asleep!
We had a fantastic time over the past eight days, starting with a medical conference. This was followed by a week spent with our lovely daughter and her family. During that time, I had the opportunity to meet our two newest great-grandchildren! Additionally, Colleen’s in-laws were there, so we had the chance to get to know them better.
We invited the children to join us for breakfast at the B&B. Before the meal, Sarah dropped by with her rambunctious “grand dogs.” Pictures to come!
My oldest grandson, Jon, is an amazing man!
We drove through the countryside on our way to the nearby airport, and that hour was delightful, with the colors of the trees changing in front of our eyes. The colors of the trees are changing right before our eyes.
We boarded the airplane, and Mary started filling out her paper calendar for 2024.
Busy creating her 2024 calendar book!
The sky was breathtaking, and despite the small size of our aircraft, opting for a first-class ticket was worth it. We had plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy some wine, and we could arrive at our destination before everyone else.
The skies were clear early on!
I saw this cartoon and thought about Colleen making the doctor’s appointment for Mark (Colleen’s hubby)!
We thought of Mark!
We arrived in North Carolina and hurriedly walked from Concourse L to B, anxious about our delayed arrival and the fate of our luggage.
We are getting ready for the five-hour flight.
We traveled on a brand-new Boeing 737, which was an incredible experience. The aircraft provided ample space and had an internet connection. The bar had a wide selection of drinks, and the beef ribs were exceptional. Additionally, I got Mary’s shrimp cocktail, which she didn’t want. For dessert, we had a choice of ice cream flavors, which was an excellent finish to the meal.
Amazing cloud cover.
We arrived in Orange County at 7:05 p.m., which was 10 p.m. our time, right on schedule. After reaching there, we called Robin and found out that she had picked up Irene, and they were having a good time at a restaurant in South Coast Plaza.
The city was lit up, much like me!
We got home in one piece, unloaded the bags, and sat and visited with Irene and Robin for a while. Irene set sail for her home at 9:00 p.m. We continued talking to Robin for another hour when my lights went out! Stick a fork in my, I am done!
We are proud of our daughter, who raised three fine young people, each with a family, good jobs, and homes. The great-grandkids are a lot of fun, like a barrel of monkeys!
Amen!
In summary, the trip was fantastic. Traveling with Dr. Mary is a joy in itself. She finishes my sentences, reads my thoughts, and is up for anything. We have much more traveling ahead of us, including the Amazon, Antarctica, and a return to Australia; we have more family adventures planned with Robin, Joe, Michele, and Colleen!
Between the time I got to bed and went to sleep, it was 3.3 milliseconds!
Posted inAdventures|Comments Off on Adventure Day #9 – Going Home!
We arose at the usual insane time of 6:00 a.m. to get ready to be at Colleen’s at 8:00 a.m. While Mary was getting ready to go, I ordered the owner of the Inn two Halloween shirts from High Seas Trading Company. He expressed great interest in the shirts I wore during the visit.
I sat on the porch, awaiting the kids to arrive.
Taking life easy!
The kids picked us up at 8:00 a.m. We drove 90 minutes to the Conway Scenic Railway. The drive was lovely, especially after the fog lifted.
We drove north from Dover.
We had breakfast at a small bakery adjacent to the train station. Mary wore her new sweatshirt for the first time.
It was time for breakfast and dressed for the occasion.
We have a full tummy and tickets; the day can start!
Enjoying the nick-nacks around the bakery
Colleen met a new friend!
We named him “Bones.”
On the way to the station, we saw an older engine used on their longer routes. It’s an F7 EMD engine circa 1950s. It was in beautiful condition for a fifty-year-old engine.
Old trains were everywhere.
Our train arrived when we entered the station; we were on board in fifteen minutes. No. 573 is a former Maine Central unit; it came on the property in 1995 from the Springfield Terminal. It was named in honor of longtime engineer Gordon Lang in 2021. This unit is typically assigned to the Heritage Excursions.
Here comes our engine!
Our car was nearby, so we only had to walk about 200 feet to board for the 90-minute excursion. Although we wanted a longer ride, everything was already sold out.
Halloween was confusing. My parents always said, ‘Never take candy from strangers.’ And then they dressed me up and said, ‘Beg for it.’
Our car follows closely behind, a good thing!
We boarded and were on our way a few minutes later. I was advised NOT to make my standard choo-choo sounds, so I behaved!
I wanted to put together this list of funny train puns a while ago, but I kept getting sidetracked.
Just us.
We went over the water and through the woods to grandmother’s house. It was an eleven-mile journey to the end of the tracks! We zipped along about twenty miles per hour, crossing through several towns and over five highways where the Engineer got to blow the horn.
We had a fine view of the scenery as it passed by.
We all had a super time!
You wonder where I am? They got me a special seat to be up close and personal.
Two longs, a short, and another long means the train will cross an intersection!
The rivers were more like streams and provided some super photo-ops.
We crossed several bridges before arriving at the end of the line.
Colleen took great pictures as we journeyed down the tracks. The scenery was spectacular and displayed the local farms quite well.
I once asked a conductor how many times a train he was on had gotten derailed. He told me it was hard to keep track.
The farmland was immaculate.
The White Mountains are in the background. The White Mountains cover about a quarter of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. They are part of New England’s northern Appalachian Mountains and the most rugged mountains. Several of the higher peaks contain an Alpine tundra.
The Engineer told us that driving trains is a lot more difficult than it steams.
There is peace in the valley, for sure. This was the athletic field of the local high school!
The sand bars move around as the river gets more active in the wintertime. These streams will get covered in ice toward January.
The ticket inspectors came by. You’ve got to hand it to them…
No shortage of water.
We attempted to count the mosquitos but quickly ran out of fingers. While quite beautiful, we are staying away from the mosquito havens.
Blood money – What mosquitoes use as currency.
Like a jungle!
The engine detached from the train at the end of the line and moved to the opposite end of the train. We then switched car seats to view both sides of the rail lines as we returned to the station.
Did you notice the snow plow on the front of the engine?
The engine changed positions.
Our car was nearly 100 years old but was quite comfy for an hour’s tour. The Central Railroad of New Jersey, also known as the Jersey Central, Jersey Central Lines, or New Jersey Central, was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s. It was absorbed into Conrail in April 1976, along with several other prominent Northeastern United States bankrupt railroads.
Our car was 100 years old!
Did You Know? North Conway Station is a railway station in North Conway, New Hampshire. Built in 1874, the depot was designed by Nathaniel J. Bradlee in an eclectic Russian Victorian style. The station is also the terminus for the Conway Scenic Railroad. Northwest of the station stands a roundhouse, which now houses the Scenic Railroad’s rolling stock; it was built around the same time as the station. The yard and depot were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as North Conway Depot and Railroad Yard.
The station was beautiful in the sunlight.
We departed the train and walked across the parking lot to the local emporium that sold knives and kitchen equipment. We saw the stove below and took a picture to forward to Dianne.
The stove was in excellent condition!
Seeing a Five & Dime, we had to visit the building. The building’s original construction date is estimated to be about 1840, but its present appearance dates to a significant renovation c. 1900. The rear expansion was added about 1940.
The false front is the only one of its type in North Conway. The store has been in continuous operation since 1939 under several different owners. At the time of its listing on the National Register in 2004, it was one of only two known 5 and 10 stores in the state.
I was brought back to my childhood!
The goods were generally displayed in bins separated by glass with price tags on each bin. I remember making these bins with my father in the 1950s. The counters were changed especially around the holidays. Every once in a while, we could tear out the existing bins, vacuum underneath, and re-lay them out.
Just like my Dad’s dimestores in the 1950s in LA.
I loved the license plate!
The store is on the National Historical Register and featured in the newspaper’s March 31, 2004 edition.
I plan to read more about this later after we get home.
The display of their wares was identical to what we had in LA in the 1950s. I remember when Dad brought “pegboard” into the stores. According to Merriam-Webster, ‘pegboard‘ was first used in 1952. It is often used in garages, retail stores, and other places.
It enabled stores to have a lot more space for their wares.
The glass used in the bins was hand-cut (I probably cut 50,000 pieces myself over ten years). Score the glass, and it was snap!
Memories of days gone by!
Mary had to buy something, so she found a neat cookbook. We saw goodies that reminded us of the old stores but did not get them; we have too much stuff already!
Great find!
The plaque was located on the wall as you enter the store.
We were feeling hunger pangs, and fortunately, there happened to be a restaurant located right next to us. We were thirsty, so we went to the bar and had a wine since it was 5:00 p.m. somewhere in the world.
Just us!
The restaurant was called Horsefeathers! The food was superb, and the company was fantastic!
Almost 50 years in business!
After walking back across the street, we headed home. The kids dropped us off at the B&B, where we freshened up and packed for our trip to Orange tomorrow.
We have invited the family to join us for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Our departure to the airport is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. for a noon departure. Our flight includes one-stop, and we will arrive in Orange at 7:00 p.m.
The city is indeed cute!
At 5:00 p.m., we headed back to Chez Perry for a family get-together as we wanted to visit with the grand and great-grandchildren before we headed home. Cassie had to work, but everyone else was present and accounted for! The fire kept us warm all evening long.
Mary, Sarah, Colleen, and Jon got away from the smoke!
We sat outside until 9:00 p.m. and then headed for home.
The girls had a super time together; Mary fits right into this group of crazies!
We were home at about 9:00 p.m. and made some calls, arranging to be picked up tomorrow at OC Airport. Robin plans to come and get the van; Irene can come along or head for her home after almost a week and a half away.
We are relaxing today after a week of run, run, run! We had breakfast at 8:00 a.m., and it was again fantastic. We brought our hosts a book on Hocus Pocus, witch’s spells. The owner loved the book. We found out the co-owner, Pam, is ill.
Breakfast with Binx
Mary looked up a “Get Well Soon” spell and marked the pages for her using a dining room menu.
Remember, Halloween is the one time I’ll ask you to come as you aren’t.
A spell is coming this way!
The dining room was almost like it was initially in 1872. Everything was carefully restored. The ceiling was hand-carved into the original plaster.
Make sure you tell the bunny to have a Hoppy Halloween!
The dining room was terrific.
Breakfast was delightful. Mary tried the avocado toast while I did the Mediterranean Quiche. We did a mimosa and a BM just for kicks.
Chow down, buttercup!
The chairs had been refinished, but the tables were original. The tablecloths obscured their finish.
What position does the ghost play in soccer? Ghoul-keeper.
We invited the kids and parents for breakfast on Friday morning at the B&B.
The kids called and said they would pick us up at 8:50 a.m., which was perfect as we visited the butler who had recently lost weight.
Mary found a friend.
We needed a little nibble, so we stopped at a fish shack, and everyone did clams, oysters, or some variant. Mary and I shared a hamburger and fries since we had just finished breakfast.
It is a great “hole in the wall” for excellent food.
The UCC Albacore Museum was just outside the Portsmouth Shipyard, and we visited this vessel. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, often called the Portsmouth Navy Yard, is a United States Navy shipyard in Kittery on the southern boundary of Maine near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1800, PNS is the U.S. Navy’s oldest continuously operating shipyard.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) employs a civilian workforce of top-tier professionals to safely overhaul, repair, and modernize the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet, specifically Los Angeles and Virginia-class submarines.
This is where Mark is employed!
USS Albacore (AGSS-569) is a unique research submarine that pioneered the American version of the teardrop hull form of modern submarines. The revolutionary design was derived from extensive hydrodynamic and wind tunnel testing, emphasizing underwater speed and maneuverability.
It’s a fascinating museum.
In September 1972, Albacore was decommissioned and placed in reserve at the Inactive Ship Facility in Philadelphia. Ten years later, Portsmouth City Councilman Bill Keefe began an effort to return Albacore to her place of birth as a permanent display. It took two years, lots of paperwork, and committee meetings before Albacore was towed from Philadelphia to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. In May of 1985, Albacore was maneuvered through a dismantled railroad bridge and a cutout section of a four-lane highway toward her final resting place. It took nearly six months and a system of locks before she finally was settled on a concrete cradle at Albacore Park.
It is a short walk from the museum to the ship!
See the sub?
The ship underwent multiple redesigns to test various techniques, with the final modification being the installation of counter-rotating propellers that reduced the noise generated during propulsion in water.
It’s a pretty modern design.
We entered the ship and walked from one end to the other. It was crowded with pipes and electronics.
Mark was a submariner while in the Navy and could give us a lot of information most people do not know about.
Squeezing through was a challenge.
What to know where you are going? Go to the chart room; it is always up to date. This was done pre-GPS.
The chart room; where are we going?
The steering room was awash with gauges and controls and even some CRTs. Two operators steered the ship, awaiting the captain’s commands.
Even with her limited conventional battery power, she could reach twenty-seven knots in short bursts. But speed was not her sole asset. She could do tight turns and dives like a jet plane. Her control room resembled the cockpit of a jet, her diving officer directing her course and depth with a single “stick” while strapped into a bucket seat complete with a seat belt. As she dived and turned swiftly, her crew hung on to overhead straps like subway riders.
The driver’sseat.
Cuba and her sidekick sat at the SONARoperator’s console, which faces backward!
Cuba and Rick try their hand at SONAR.
Mary surveyed the kitchen, and only one person ran. The fact that they could feed a crew of fifty was impressive. Colleen also took many pictures, as it was her first time visiting the ship.
The wardroom was a center of activity.
Mary, who specialized in nuclear propulsion, explained the engine room and added to the pre-recorded explanations throughout the ship!
Mark knows submarines.
After departing, the kids dropped us by the house, and we drove over to the B&B, where we just made our appointment for tea. We were in a hurry, so we did not go in. Her home is beautiful.
The starting point for today’s adventures.
We arrived in the dining room at 2:30 p.m. and saw Gail seeing off another couple. Her decorating skills were impressive, especially the bat napkins that we liked.
She folded like a bat!
Her favorite movie is Hocus Pocus. She usually wears a bright red wig with her outfit, but not today because it was 80 degrees out. Gail has been with the B&B for eight years.
Gail is a hoot!
Gail offered to take our picture, and we took him up.
Just us.
We had just eaten, so we had the simple tea, two scones complete with clabbered cream and jelly, and out of tea. Mary did a flowery tea, and I tried the blueberry; both were excellent.
We are so full!!
Binx did a second take after my first noisy sip! I think I scared him!
It’s called “Slurp and Burp!”
Time to eat again? The kids picked us up at 5:00 p.m. and went to the Tuckaway Tavern, a twenty-minute ride. We walked around the periphery of the lot, examining the flowers. We didn’t realize it was also a tea room in the afternoons!
We awaited their arrival in the parking lot.
We could not be seated until everyone was here, so we walked around the gift shop and saw all sorts of beers with strange-sounding names!
A fantastic assortment of beers at the Tuckaway Tavern.
While waiting, we went to the bar, and Jon and Cassie joined us for a drink. Jon is driving tonight, so he had some water.
We had fun waiting for everyone.
After a 90-minute wait, we finally got our seats, and everyone was famished! Logann and Grandma seemed to be close pals, as the photo shows. Although I wasn’t starving, I still ordered the onion soup (hands down the best I’ve ever had) and a small lobster roll. Mary opted for the chicken balls and a salad.
Logann and Grandma Colleen.
We were happy to see Sarah up and about. She went to the doctor, and whatever she had was short-term, and she tested negative for COVID-19. We are hoping to have them come out to California next year.
Sarah was feeling better today and joined us.
The lighting was tricky, so I put away the camera. I needed a wide-angle lens to capture the whole family!
We had a gaggle this evening.
We returned home and crashed for the evening, not even turning on the TV. The day was beautiful, and being with family makes it unique!
We had breakfast at the bed and breakfast this morning, which was fantastic. After finishing our meal at 9:50 a.m., we headed to Colleen’s place. The B&B is now decorated for Halloween with a “Hocus Pocus” theme. There are Binx’s everywhere.
Where does a ghost go on vacation? Mali-boo!
Breakfast was superb!
Today, we go south to Boston to visit the USS Constitution. It is about an hour’s drive.
Colleen drove Jon’s SUV so all six of us could fit in. We had a great time with two sets of parents teasing the kids; they didn’t have a chance!
The USS Constitution Museum is in the Charlestown Navy Yard, part of the Boston National Historical Park in Boston. The museum is near the USS Constitution ship at the end of Boston’s Freedom Trail.
As we walked toward the museum, the USS Constitution came into view. They were maintaining the center mast and had a crane to remove the yardarms. The structure had to be very strong as the sails weighed over 2,000 pounds!
Why did the ghost starch his sheet? He wanted everyone scared stiff.
The oldest commissioned ship on the USN USS Constitution. The USS Constitution, built between 1794 and 1797, is estimated to have 8-10% original material remaining, according to the Naval History & Heritage Command Detachment Boston.
The weather was perfect, with a temperature of 80 degrees and clear skies. Taking pictures was easy.
Getting to the museum was quite a hike but well worth the effort.
We were walking to the ship!
Up we go for our visit to the ship! Thanks to Mark for the photo-op!
Come on, Mark! We need you as a tour guide!
We will send a copy of this picture to the Captain of the Emerald Princess. That poor Captain only had a small joystick to drive his 125,000-ton displacement ship! A wheel like this on his bridge would be an excellent addition.
It has a wheel!
The business end of the ship was interesting. The Constitution was rated a 44-gun frigate, but she often carried over 50 guns. During the War of 1812, she mounted twenty-four 32-pound carronades on the spar deck, a long 18-pound “chase” gun forward and thirty 24-pound long guns on the gun deck.
The 24-pounder long gun was a heavy caliber piece of artillery mounted on the Age of Sail warships. 24-pounders were in service in France, Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States navies. The cannons could reach a mile but were inaccurate at that distance, so most battles were fought with the ships close together.
It took nine sailors to operate a single cannon; normally, thirty cannons were on the gun deck and fourteen on the top deck. The ship had a crew of 450 men!
Mighty armaments
Why are vampires easily fooled? They’re suckers.
The cannons had various types of ammunition, including grappling hooks for tearing down canvas and rigging, anti-personnel shells, cluster bombs, and the ability to toss flammable liquids to set enemy ships on fire.
They had quite a choice of items to shoot out of the cannons!
The Captain’s quarters were impressive for the timeframe. He used this location to plan battles, meet with his staff, and direct them.
That’s Cuba, Mark’s mother in the mirror!
The Captains quarters
The officers had a place to store their valuables in the safest place on the ship! It was also used to keep unruly wenches!
Lock her up!
The crew has smaller sleeping quarters, with hammocks that sway with the ship, making it easier to clean the floors.
The hammocks swayed with the motion of the boat.
The bilge pumps were interesting as they were manually operated. The bilge area collects any wastewater or fluids that come from the ship. It also gathers condensation that drips inside the hull, and water leaks from other sources. It has to be pumped out and overboard using these manually operated pumps.
The waste was run across the floor and into the sea, making for a horrible smell when in operation.
Manually powered bilge pumps!
The senior officers were given a small private area with a hammock, writing desk, and storage space.
Officers cabins.
The masts are foremast: 198 ft (60 m), mainmast: 220 ft (67 m), and mizzenmast: 172.5 ft (52.6 m). They are anchored on the ship’s keel and run through the decks supported by massive beams.
America’s embryonic navy, which included the USS Constitution and several other frigates, was fashioned in part from a remarkable species of wood called southern live oak. A dense wood that weighed as much as 75 pounds per cubic foot, live oak was solid and resistant to rot and salt air.
Did You Know? Live oak wood is hard, heavy, and difficult to work with but very strong. In the days of wooden ships, live oaks were the preferred source of the framework timbers of the ship, using the natural trunk and branch angles for their strength. The frame of the USS Constitution was constructed from southern live oak wood harvested from St. Simons Island, Georgia, and the density of the wood grain allowed it to survive cannon fire, thus earning her the nickname “Old Ironsides.” Even today, the U.S. Navy continues to own extensive live oak tracts.
The main mast goes through the lower decks and 135 feet into the air.
We went down two decks filled with guns and room for storage and sailors to sleep. The third deck down was not open to the public (I think it was the quarters for the naval crewmen to stay while they were pulling duty).
What? No escalator?
We were framed!
Rick and Cuba joined us.
Colleen and Mark.
I found reading all the posted material to be quite enlightening.
For a 225-year-old ship, it was pretty interesting.
Next stop, Salem, Massachusetts. We had lunch on the way and the 911 Lounge. It was pretty good.
Between February of 1692 and May of 1693, over 150 people were accused, and 25 were killed. Everyone tends to get the gist of the story: mass hysteria caused people to wildly accuse one another, eventually condemning the city’s women. However, there are misconceptions regarding the Salem Witch Trials and parts of the story that are not often told.
Mass hysteria is underway!
The city of Salem ran a public competition to design the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, and it was officially dedicated in 1992 on the 300th anniversary of the trials.
Located just off Charter Street, on Liberty Street, is Salem’s simple yet dramatic memorial to the 20 victims of the witch trials of 1692. Four-foot high granite walls surround three sides, with granite benches representing each victim cantilevered inward from the wall.
Etched on each bench is a name, means of execution, and execution date. On the stone threshold of the memorial, one can read the words of the accused taken directly from court transcripts.
Visitors will note that the words – “God knows I am innocent” – are cut off in mid-sentence, representing lives cut short and indifference to the protestations of innocence.
Did You Know? In 1702, the court declared the trials unlawful. In 1711, the colony passed a bill restoring the rights and good names of the accused and granted £600 restitution to their heirs. In 1957, Massachusetts formally apologized for the events of 1692. In 1992, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a resolution officially acknowledging the accused’s innocence.
Salem has a load of graves.
We saw a 45-minute presentation about the trials, which we found very enlightening.
The museum was fascinating.
After the show, we headed for home to rest up! Tomorrow, we will finally rest and visit the family for lunch and dinner; we have been on the go now for days!
Posted inAdventures, Family, Travel|Comments Off on Adventure Day #6 – Boston, Here We Come!
