***GIRL TIME in Baltimore***

My daughter looking at something on the computer facing our little kitchen area (which we hardly used beyond making morning coffee and having a place for our water and wine to stay cold in the fridge). Our accomodations were very good. First time I've stayed at TownEPlace Suites. Definately recommend TownePlace Suites at BWI

Getting to Baltimore was a HUGE HUGE deal. Due to leave here Sunday at 3:15 and arrive in Baltimore at 4:30. Wouldn't that have been very civilized? We had dinner reservations for 7 pm at Sabatino's in little Italy. However, that didn't happen. We had one delay after another at the airport and I never got off the ground until a little after 8:30 pm. I hadn't had lunch or dinner. I had had a shared snack and drink with hubby when he brought me to the airport at 2 ish. Didn't arrive in Baltimore until about 10:30. So, when my daughter picked me up; we were both really tired and the best we could do for something open to eat that hour of the night on a Sunday near the hotel, was the sports bar at The Marriott about a mile from our our hotel. Had a quesadillas and wine, then we headed to bed.

MONDAY......We dubbed scrubbing day. Remember the song from Pippi Longestocking...it was stuck in our heads. We had our complimentary breakfast at the hotel (ok, not great...but included in the price of the hotel), picked up a shampooer at Home Depot and scrubbed her room, the dining room, and the large common room at the Community House (previously a Convent), where she lives. She picked up a carry out order of something Greek......was good; but I have no clue what it was called; and we continued with our cleaning. Returned equipment, back to the hotel to shower and onto school. She's attending grad school at The College of Notre Dame

She gets a little break in class (runs from 6-9), so we picked up something for dinner to eat later. During her break she ate her sandwich, and I ate my salad while crocheting in the lobby. Was working on a blue-green-yellow baby blanket. Sorry haven't yet taken a picture. A neat little wine bar is near school, so we enjoyed a cheese plate and glass of wine there after class. This is the bottle we enjoyed there, and took remainder with us. A nice Pinot Grigio



TUESDAY we dubbed pamper day. We took a walk around the harbour area which was very pretty, hot and sunny. We stopped at the half way point and had our breakfast at Bonaparte where we could watch the activity on the water. Some of what we saw on our walk



Once back at the hotel and showered, we headed to our massage in Fells Point at The Healing Path. We both had an hour massage that was wonderful! We both highly recommend it. Good Good massages. We grabbed a fruit smoothy and headed for our pedicures which were in WhiteMarsh at Spa on the Avenue. I would have thought it a bit nicer to have both massage and pedicure in the same location; but she thought this was more cost effective; plus she really likes the Healing Path for massage and didn't want to switch from there. We left with pretty toes wearing the familiar and soooooooooooo stylish black flipflops (the only time I wear them), and headed back to the hotel for yet another shower.

All pretty, and relaxed we headed to dinner at Germano's My Scaloppine A Modo Mio was VERY dissappointing. It was tough and dry and not served in white wine sauce as the menu indicated. It was in a red sauce. Pooey!! My daughters Lobster Lasagna was excellant. After our desert 1/2 off bottle of wine (Tuesday special), we headed across the street for a night cap at Sabatino's. We wanted to at least see what it was like, since the ill fated attempt to dine there on Sunday.

WEDNESDAY Was our shopping day. We got a slow and relaxed start in our room. She had some things she needed to attend to on her computer (work and school wise), and I knitted. Then we headed in search of a brunch place where we shopping in Towson. The brunch place was gone, so we ended up having lunch in the food court.........nothing special;, but got the job done. She needed silver shoes for a wedding. Made our rounds and she ended up with a pair from Aldo's, a little big (didn't have a smaller size), so she's using those insert things. I found a much needed purse at Macy's. We made our way then to a little mall by school. Had some time to relax, cool off with our iced chai's at Panera's. I switched over my purse stuff, and knitted and she read/prepared for a reading assessment appointment she had. This was part of her class assignment and she needed to meet with a little 7 year old before school. She dropped me off at The College of Notre Dame while she did her interview/assessment. Spent some time walking around, enjoyed the view from the gazebo, and then headed to the computer lab to cool off and check email while waiting on her to return.
We weren't able to get dinner or even pick up something to eat during the break of her class, as the assessment ran over and there was no time before her class. So, we headed to Waterfront Hotel for dinner after her class. NEAT PLACE! Built as a private residence in 1771, converted to tavern in 1861, housed soilders during The Civil War, used again as a hotel for wayword sailors--continuing as a hotel until 1955 when it was converted to a restuarnt. This brick building is the 2nd oldest brick building in Baltimore. Now thats history!! GOOD FOOD. I highly recommend it. My daughter and her group come here often. I had the veggie quesadillas....yummy and a good marquerita.

THURSDAYPack, check out, breakfast nearby at Bob Evans, and head to BWI. No travel problems this time, thankfully. Girl time came to an end, sadly; but we truly enjoyed ourselves. We're already talking about what we want to do next time!! After she dropped me at BWI, she headed home to unpack, do laundry and repack; and headed out to the train to DC where she was connecting with a couple of friends to share driving to Peoria, Illinois for a wedding this wkend. They went to bed super early Thursday and began driving at 12mn. Rehearsal and rehearsal dinner was yesterday and the wedding today. My daughter is the maid of honor. Long drive back to Baltimore for them tomorrow.
**Project updates:
Finished Mom's yellow shawl (cept for tucking in threads...will post picture later)
Frogged pink and blue blanket, just wasn't coming along right...started blue blanket--about 1/4th done with it--though it might end up being frogged for yarn troubles
Super busy yesterday, unpacking, laundry, mowing (man was it hot), and spraying again for the Japanese Beattles.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND ALL

Girl Time!

Heading of today for Girl Time, naturally I have yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles packed, and now need to put some in my carry on bag. Daughter is a knitter and crocheter too..........guess what we plan to do!

Looking forward to girl time, will be in touch on return.

Happy stitching to all, be safe and be happy.

A few pictures of flowers from my yard for you to enjoy while I'm gone.

Muir Woods

Continuing to share my vacation pictures as I get a group edited. These are from Muir Woods. Most interesting thing to me is how a woods of these magnitude can be soooooooooo close to San Francisco, so close to civilization. These trees are awesome! How forward thinking to preserve them. You can see the size by how small hubby and I look when standing near them. It's not possible to look up enough to see the tops of tree without feeling like you're going to topple over backwards.

The picture with the rings shows the life span of this large tree. Cut down in 1930, thats the most recent date and going back prior to 1100. The date in the first ring is too blurry for me to make out. Wonder if I have a brosure that will tell me. hum....

We're looking sleepy, I think in the pictures; which we were. We got up early and wanted to get there before all the tour busses. Our plan worked well, as we were leaving the lots were filling up.

The black inside the tree is from fire, we saw a lot of that, and somehow these trees survived. We were told by another visitor that the fire causing that black was 200 years ago. We didn't read that anywhere ourselves so not sure if that's true. Again...wonder about the brosure, must check.

Long and tiring day at work yesterday and more of the same promised for today. Legs and feet sure felt it last night. Managed to make a few squares last night, but was too tired to work on Mom's yellow shawl. Perhaps I'll get more done today.

Hope you enjoy your peaceful walk in the woods!

Pigeon Point LightHouse--Hostelling

Built in 1872, still active though in need of repair and closed to the Public, Pigeon Point Light House--Historic State Park---Hostel.

This lighthouse is 50 miles south of San Francisco, between Half Moom Bay and Santa Cruz on The Beach Road. A rugid 115 feet tall lighthouse. Rooms-hostels- $20.00 a night. This was one of the tallest lighthouses in America, a good place for whale watching, hiking and relaxing. Care to help the preservation effort...there's a campaign to Save the Light.






You can see in all these pictures how cloudy, cool and grey it was while we were on vacation. Surely no need for sun screen, but I hadn't expected to need a hooded sweatshirt and a coat while in sunny California.

Been working on mom's yellow shawl some, alternating with working on the pink and blue baby blanket/bunty. Finding it hard to do work much on either knitting or crocheting with the warm weather. Yarn stitcks to my hands.

Switched last night to working on some squares for a Patriotic Project/Charity. Little of this, little of that.

And now, time to do some ever popular laundry (NOT so popular withe me and some yard work).

THE PRESIDIO says HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA !!!

I can think of no better way to say Happy Birthday America, then to honor it's Veterans. A well cared for National Cemetery does just that. The Presidio, a Spanish Fort, a military base, renouned medical facility, National Cemetery, and now a National Park.


This was one of the places hubby and I visited last week while on vacation in California. Definately one of the highlights for me. Many of you know I spend a good deal of time in cemeteries, photographing and documenting military stones; as well as others. This was quite impressive, one of the better cared for cemeteries I've been in, stones washed, perfectly aligned, grass mowed and water. A fitting tribute to our service men and women. I am a lover of peace, but do honor and respect those that have and are serving.

Take notice of the fog, it was, while cold and windy there a very moving experience. We could hear fog horns in the distance from the bay.

A special ceremony and program kept us from being able to see the whole base, the horses with Spanish Riders were a part of that.

Some construction is several areas also weren't open for touring; but we still were able to enjoy the base. Historic barracks, some being rehabbed, while others very much in a state of decay. Pilots row, vintage homes restored and lived in today bring life back to this Military Post.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

In The Air, On The Road........AND

This is the yellow shawl I started on the plane on my way to California. I'm using a very pretty yellow, double strand..good ole Caron Wintuk, such nice yarn. The basic dishcloth pattern with a slight variation to have a widder edge (using 3 stitches before I do my yarn over). Using size 11 circular needles. Worked on it coming home on the plane also, and managed a few rows after work last night, so think I'm about half done. This will be for my mom's 80th birthday this month.

This is the baby blanket I started while on vacation, as we were traveling in the car. Using both blue and pink so it will work for either a little boy or a little girl and will go to one of my charities. Not sure yet which one, need to check my list once I get it done. Probably about 1/4th done with this. Bulky Modea yarn, 13 circular needles...again variation of the dishcloth pattern.


Haven't done any work on my multi colored ghan, or my Candy Corn ghan since returning from vacation. Candy Corn maybe 1/4th done, and multi-colored ghan probably 10% done. Both of these are crocheted projects.

Here are a few more pictures from vacation. We left Desert Springs and traveled up the beach road, hubby loves to drive and some of the scenery was quite pretty. Some hard to see due to the haze. I thought the wind farms were facinating. They went on for miles and miles! We stopped at a state park on the beach to dip our toes. But, in the process I burned the bottom of my feet -----------the sand was really really hot. You can see not that many people were on the beach, very windy and a bit cool I think. This was day 2 of our vacation. Takes time to drive up the beach road, it's much slower!!