just ONE eeensy-weensy highlite of today's travels

THIS was a lovely little spot that we ALMOST passed. The Captain, with all his patience, stopped more than once for my Kodak "whims".

Unfortunately, the mill is only open on weekends, so we missed out on seeing the 22' wheel that was inside the main building. Oh well ... our next stop could be even more picturesque??!!!

The weather was perfect

.... no sweatin'

VA 2 PA ...... and tomorrow? who knows !!

hit the road Jack (Captain)

Today's itinerary takes us from this scenery in Virginia ..... to Pennsyvania! I'll see what I can "snap" to picture our journey for the blog!!
I find the architecture in this area to be comforting- if that's possible for a building. Every house (even the mansion-esque ones) look "homey". EVEN a home that's a little run down ... appears shabby-chic!!

and I LOVE the fact that you see soooooooo many flags flying at private residences! YAY

& this is scenery I hope to see (and experience) again real soon.

sticky, hot, WONDERFUL day in Virginia!!

IMAGINE, if you will, driving through countryside looking like this .... to
arrive at Lori & Andy's scenic property, in time for fwarm caramel sticky rolls & fresh fruit (and eggs, & bacon, & potatoes). AND a vanilla latte to frost MY cupcake!!








Then off we headed to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.

WOW .... airplanes, helicopters, jets, gliders, space shuttles ....

and what could possibly be my new chandelier. hahahaha (just kidding, it's a satellite)

It gave Lori & Pa some quality time together. And we girls even managed a little time to gab between us. She is one of my fav people in the world & even when there are HUGE gaps of time between visits, we take up where we left off. She's a keeper!

THEN ............. back to the house for an amazing lamb dinner & homemade pecan pie. How spoiled can we get?!!

pick up the rental car, set up the GPS ... the usual

picked up the rental car (pretty nice ride)- Maryland plates ......

loved the scenery on our way from DC toward Culpepper (I love saying that town with a southern drawl)

& found this hitch hiker on the car after we got to hotel (sadly .... the critter must have fallen, since he was already dead)

Hello to all .... arrived safely in DC

With the travel starting on the Captain's birthday- I decided to give him the underwater book I made for him ..... while we were in the Red Carpet Club. Pa & I were enjoying our fresh morning latte at the same time.

Pa settled in quickly on the plane .... & even took a couple of cat naps.

the skies were so clear when we took off from SFO- that I was snapping pictures from window!
*** I gotta say- between the comfy seat, space of MY OWN, and food on real dishes (and coffee that didn't taste like mud) ..... I could easily get used to flying first class more often!

the fruit plate was quite yummy (and I just love the cinnamon crackers)

What seemed like minutes outside of San Francisco- the land was blanketed in snow!

as we got close to Dullas, it was soooo green & lush (I love that about the area)-

the homes had space around them of dense forest or rivers ...... then getting closer yet, the homes took on the ticky-tack look of boxes all lined up.

great dinner ... (if you believe in eating dessert 1st)

Well there's no point in havng a birthday if you can't have a cake (or so the neighbor says) and according to the capatin- what's the point of cake if it doesn't involve chocolate??!! AND of course- sharing it is healthier :o)

I think the Captain felt pretty special when this GIANT thing showed up!! (thanks Jules & Danno)

My buddy Spiker practically paid me NOT to include her footsies on my blog. We spent a few hours at the local beauty college for twin mani/pedi treatments today. Even though I thought hers looked totally fab .... I think she was self-conscious of her casper sking next to mine (tee-hee-hee) BUT SOMEBODY has to show off all the heard work (& patience)

if it ain't packed now .... I'm not taking it!!

WHAT I AM taking with me on this trip is the comfort from friends & neighbors as they "send" us off on our trip- with the reminder that they are here to watch over my kitty kats & the castle. What an amazing gift. Thanks Jules, Thanks Spikey. XOXO

JUST ABOUT ready for an adventure

SO ..... I'm "sporting" a new banner in honor of our East Coast adventure that starts (at 4:30am) tomorrow!!

AND the wooooooooooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo for my Captain's birthday as well.

to my fav niece-in-law(the only you say?)

" and since a picture says a thousand words"

I leave you now (for much of the day) with a picture of our resident quail.











& what I look like at the moment .... as I dream about having 2 weeks off on a trip with a couple of fellas that I like a whole lot!!

I WORKED on my work day?!???

I don't expect to get any sympathy from my sister LouLou, but if I had HAD some time time to do so, I would have felt sorry for myself yesterday! I started out with the perfect frame of mind .... or so I thought. I knew Ms Ray-Ray would be working with us, so that makes the routine a little smoother & social. That being the case, it also means that I can go in a few minutes later as well- since she jumps right in & gets things prepared for the day before the office opens. Looking at the schedule ..... hm, should go nicely. 9am ..... all is well, getting lots done. Pace is a little slower than norm, nice for a change (since I'm not there doing it all by myself) Ms Ray goes & gets a muffin & coffee. All is moving along fine. THEN 10:15 hits and everyone in Cambria either shows up, hangs around past appt time to chat up or calls. Lunch time rolls around- get Rach out the door so she can come back ...... and the patients are still there. Then lunch time ends and I am finally finishing up the morning! Locked the door for 10 whole minutes before starting up again .... but it DID flattened out at 4pm & we finished up all our chores! THANKS RACHEL .... don't know what I would have done without you!!!!
IN OTHER WORDS .... there was nothing funny today. I WAS NOT funny today either! BUT- it was a productive, high volume day and after all ...... it was a work day (duh). And so it shall be this morning as well. :o) onward soldiers!