Tuesday, October 22, 2013
I tried once keeping a separate book blog about books I have read. It lasted about a week. There is not enough time to do both-read the book and then also review the book. Amanda and Bryan suggested last spring I at least write down the names of a few books I have found interesting. So I have been keeping a list. What I look for are well developed characters, and a plot that twists and turns. I do not like predictability. Copy and Paste so here is my list....
Teatime for the Firefly by Shona Patel. Interesting work of fiction that takes place in the tea gardens at Assam. Covers so many topics; rights and living conditions of the tea pickers, life for the managers in the isolation of Assam, the Japanese advance into India, women’s rights and education in India, marriage traditions in India, and the riots between the Hindu and Muslims. (sadly still going on today) And this is all woven around a non-traditional Indian love story. Enjoyable book.
The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flag. The storyline flips back and forth from the past...the Jurdabralinski Family of Pulaski, WI, and how all three daughter’s became WASP’s and the son became a flyer in WWII to a current date and a Sookie Poole living in Alabama. Enjoyable, light read with some fun twists and turns. Sookie is a “Southern belle” type of women who reminded me a bit of Miss Julia.
1493 : uncovering the new world Columbus created by Charles C Mann. I have not finished this book - spring arrived with its garden work - but what I have read, I really enjoyed. I plan to read the whole book this winter. This is non-fiction and explains how Columbus’ arrival introduced new plants, animals, insects, bacteria etc that changed the entire world forever.
The 100-year-old man who climbed out the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. Just a funny, odd book with a plot that twists and turns. How can one not like a book with a title like that?
Sisters: a novel but Rosamund Lupton. Normally I don't read thrillers. But I loved this book. I am still not sure what exactly happened at the ending. I would love to talk about it with you if you read it. I also read her followup book Afterwards : a novel. It was OK, didn't like it quite as much.
Away: A Novel by Amy Bloom. Follows the life of a Russian immigrant in the late 1800's as she makes her way across to US to get back to Russia. She has no maps and no money. I wrote that summery from memory so I hope I have the correct date. I found myself rooting for the heroine, it is kind of a bittersweet, sad story.
Beautiful ruins: a novel by Jess Walter This was a fun read covering the lifetime of a small Italian innkeeper. It even involves movie stars! Kind of an odd love story, but not sappy like a romance novel.
Binocular vision: new & selected stories by Edith Pearlman. Short stories- all with a message that will make you think. Some I still don't understand. It is the kind of book that one will want to read over and over.
Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussman. I don't normally read murder mysteries but this one had a fun plot and the characters were well developed. Two now-married ( pretty dysfunctional marriages if I recall correctly) cousins, who had grown up spending the summers at the family mansion in Martha's Vineyard, return for a vacation.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriaty. 1950's women wakes up with no recall of the past 10 years. The storyline is trying her trying to find out what happened that made her forget.
The secret lives of dresses by Erin McKean. You might find this a bit "light". It comes close to being a romance novel but I found it a fun read and like the idea of clothes have lives of their own.
The orchardist: a novel by Amanda Coplin. Loved this book. In the late 1800‘s, an Oregon bachelor living peacefully with his elderly mom, taking care of his orchard, when two wild (as in feral) pregnant teenagers show up. Kind of gruesome and horrific sometimes, so beware.
Dear Bob and Sue by Mat and Karen Smith. Nonfiction written in letters. A middle age couple quite their jobs and visit all 59 US National Parks. I really enjoyed this book. It is often free on Kindle.
I have about 12 series I also read. Most of those are pretty light reading, cozies in just about every topic: bee keeping, apple orchard, tea shop, fishing, needlework shop.... I also read a bloody mystery series set in MN by William Kent Krueger - main character a likable Cork O'Connor. Aunt Dimity Series, Miss Julia Series. Always looking for that next great book. I definately do have abibliophobia.
Dear Bob and Sue by Mat and Karen Smith. Nonfiction written in letters. A middle age couple quite their jobs and visit all 59 US National Parks. I really enjoyed this book. It is often free on Kindle.
I have about 12 series I also read. Most of those are pretty light reading, cozies in just about every topic: bee keeping, apple orchard, tea shop, fishing, needlework shop.... I also read a bloody mystery series set in MN by William Kent Krueger - main character a likable Cork O'Connor. Aunt Dimity Series, Miss Julia Series. Always looking for that next great book. I definately do have abibliophobia.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Putting up for Winter.
Ever since Jackie sent Emily a copy of "Blueberries for Sal", oh about 25 years ago, I have had this "nesting" feeling as fall arrives. So far this year I have made plum jelly ( yes the plum tree produced again this year) and grape jelly and juice. Strawberry jam was made last June but I guess that still counts as "putting up for winter".
My CSA makes me try new things, and as a result I have made many new recipes this fall. Most are frozen, I am not a canner-yet.
My CSA makes me try new things, and as a result I have made many new recipes this fall. Most are frozen, I am not a canner-yet.
Ina Garten's Recipe for Stuffed Cabbage
Fresh Tomato Soup
And this week I made Green and Red Tomato Ratatouille. I was skeptical as I am not fond of eggplant (except to watch it grow). THIS will now be my eggplant recipe. This morning it really perked up my scrambled eggs.
The plans for today include herbs; freezing in water, preserving in vinegar, and drying some. If I can find more eggplant, I might go out and pick more green tomatoes. I may even sneak next door to the neighbors-I noticed they have a ton of green tomatoes they are not using!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Rachel finally located the cable for our camera, and now we are re-living two years of our lives on the computer. I thought I would start by sharing Gordon's Birthday. Perhaps someone younger can help me find the "embed slideshow" button on picasa because I can no longer locate it. Thus, I am just posting the photos.
Monday, May 27, 2013
OBX on the Bike
Two years ago, Amanda and I took our first multi-day motorcycle trip.
Last week, we took our fourth. About 200 miles short of our longest trip, this one provided new challenges and new sights.
We began our trip late Thursday afternoon, in the same way we began our new-bike-testing ride last fall. Reaching Binghamton, NY was more of a challenge this time, though, as rain storms prowled the skies. The first, and heaviest, caught us early on, just outside of Worcester, MA.
We had chosen to pack the rain gear instead of wear it, because it was so hot and muggy when we set out. We pushed on to the nearest rest stop, which was just far enough to nearly soak us through. We spent some time drying out and waiting for the clouds to break while eating an early dinner. We unpacked the rain gear, and wore it happily the rest of the evening, enjoying it ever more as the sun set and the air cooled.
Friday morning we awoke to find that our electronics had enjoyed the storm even less. My phone had failed to charge overnight, and was no longer recognizing its power adapter. The pocket in which I had been carrying it had not been as water proof as I thought. I was very happy to have brought many paper maps, since we would no longer have the crutch of GPS to rely on for finding out destinations.
We set out southward to a partly cloudy, but otherwise fair day anyway. I mostly aimed for fun looking things on the map, and except for the abundance of large trucks struggling up hills, had a great time finding them. One in particular , between Shamokin and Joliett, was full of steep ascents, descents, and hairpins. We knew at the entrance it would be fun, as we saw the smiles of the couple on the Goldwing coming out.
After lunch, it began to cloud up again, and we spent our time getting through Harrisburg idling in traffic and dodging downpours. Interstate 81 had been closed earlier in the week for a major accident, and the detour persisted. To make traffic worse, another major accident, which caused an emergency helicopter to land on the roadway, also backed up the detour. We were quite happy to finish the long afternoon with a direct ride to our hotel in West Virginia. We even ordered food for delivery to our room to avoid high winds and heavy rain that developed as we checked in.
Saturday morning, we rode directly to the reason we had come so far in from the coast (other than avoiding megalopolis traffic). The Shenandoah National Park extends from Front Royal to Waynesboro, VA. It is home to Skyline Drive, 105 miles of memory of “when driving was fun and relaxing.” Smooth pavement, fun curves, and amazing scenery. It was grey and misty that morning, which served only to keep the general population at bay, leaving the road open for us to roll along at our own pace. Sadly, we would have to forgo the temptation at the end to jump right on the Blue Ridge Parkway for more legendary riding, but we'll be happy with the reason to return.
Saturday afternoon we turned back toward the coast, and made it to Suffolk, VA for the night. Dinner was delicious barbecue and the strangest hole-in-the-wall restaurant, with a DJ attempting to lure people into karaoke. We knew they were desperate when they started dropping off well-spiked margarita samplers.
Sunday was an easy ride to our final destination in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Amanda's aunt, Mary, had been unable to use her week of timeshare, so we were using it for her (thank you!). We checked in, unpacked, and relaxed to the ocean view outside our door.
For the rest of the week, we mostly left the bike parked and walked all over KDH and Nags Head. The area is full of delicious restaurants. We had fresh frozen custard, locally-caught softshell crabs, raw oysters, crispy breaded catfish, great local beer, fresh roasted coffee, quality cheese, and more polenta and grits than you can shake a stick at (trust me, you'd just fling it all over). If you're ever in the area, be sure to visit the Kill Devil Grill, around milepost 9.75, and the Outer Banks Brewing Station, near milepost 9. Even Daredevil Pizza, also near milepost 9, was tasty.
Our first of two major excursions was to Ocracoke Island. They say this is where the pirate Blackbeard hid his treasure and met his end. For us, it was a fun excuse to see the rest of the islands, and to ride a ferry!
Motorcycles get a sort of preferential treatment on the Hatteras-to-Ocracoke ferry. Instead of queueing with the rest of the cars, they park off to the side. The guards load as many cars as will fit, and then put motorcycles in the spaces left over. There is always space for several bikes. The only time we had to wait for a second ferry was when they loaded a fuel truck, which puts additional limits on the number of persons they can load. We still faired much better than the half dozen cars that were bumped back in line by the last-minute appearance of a priority semi trailer. We fit nicely alongside in the half lane that it left.
Ocracoke otherwise was mostly tourist town. We ate some tasty crabcakes, drank some cold coffee, saw the old lighthouse, wandered gift shops, and read books in the sunshine. We also braved wicked sand-filled crosswind to introduce the bike to the beach.
Our other outing was to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The site of their first flight is in Kill Devil Hills, just a mile from where we were staying (the telegram station where they announced to the world was in Kitty Hawk). It made for an interesting follow-up to our accidental Florida vacation — from our modern achievements at Kennedy Space Center, now back to where it, in some sense, began.
After five days of relaxation, with basically perfectly sunny, clear weather, it was time to head back home, and thus time for the rain to return. Once again, we donned the rain gear and rode off. We had some fun in spite of the rain, though: we rode US-13 accross the Chesapeak bay, a route that involves ten miles of continuous bridge and tunnels. We even managed to find one more meal of fresh seafood at the Machipongo Clam Shack.
Crossing from Delaware into Pennsylvania is a bit of culture shock. Delaware looks a little shabby: Applebee's and Kohl's in dusty strip malls between abandoned buildings line the roadway. Hop across the border, though, and you're suddenly in the land of Whole Foods and Ann Tayler, racket clubs and sushi bars. A bit eerie, really.
We landed in Exton, PA that evening, across the road from an amusement park. We shared our hotel with several childrens sports teams in town for a tournament. This actually wasn't the noise problem we expected it would be, but instead meant that getting a table for dinner nearby was a bit of a challenge. We persisted, and happily munched on nachos and crab pizza before retiring for the night.
Our last adventure of the vacation was Sunday morning. We avoided New Jersey by heading north through Pennsylvania, eventually arriving at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. As mentioned, we stayed on the PA side, so we missed out on the twisty Old Mine Road of NJ, but there was still plenty of smooth pavement and easy sweeping curves to enjoy.
The final rush through Connecticut and Massachusetts was cold and wet, but between stopping for coffee, wrapping my feet in plastic bags (my boots have lost their water protection), and focusing on the promised warmth of home, we made it through. Final thanks go to Emily's family, who were house sitting for us while they attended her graduation. They greeted us with hot gyros from our favorite Greek restaurant in Cambridge.
The odometer had advanced 2046 miles when we shut the bike off in the driveway. I changed the oil, cleaned the air filter and chain, and gave it a general wash the next day. It will need new tires in another 500 miles or so, but that can wait for July. The V-Strom is an amazing improvement over the Bonneville. It handles better, holds luggage better, and is more comfortable. I'm already planning a weekend solo trip for August, but I'm sure you'll be reading another two-up story before too long.
Last week, we took our fourth. About 200 miles short of our longest trip, this one provided new challenges and new sights.
We had chosen to pack the rain gear instead of wear it, because it was so hot and muggy when we set out. We pushed on to the nearest rest stop, which was just far enough to nearly soak us through. We spent some time drying out and waiting for the clouds to break while eating an early dinner. We unpacked the rain gear, and wore it happily the rest of the evening, enjoying it ever more as the sun set and the air cooled.
Friday morning we awoke to find that our electronics had enjoyed the storm even less. My phone had failed to charge overnight, and was no longer recognizing its power adapter. The pocket in which I had been carrying it had not been as water proof as I thought. I was very happy to have brought many paper maps, since we would no longer have the crutch of GPS to rely on for finding out destinations.
We set out southward to a partly cloudy, but otherwise fair day anyway. I mostly aimed for fun looking things on the map, and except for the abundance of large trucks struggling up hills, had a great time finding them. One in particular , between Shamokin and Joliett, was full of steep ascents, descents, and hairpins. We knew at the entrance it would be fun, as we saw the smiles of the couple on the Goldwing coming out.
After lunch, it began to cloud up again, and we spent our time getting through Harrisburg idling in traffic and dodging downpours. Interstate 81 had been closed earlier in the week for a major accident, and the detour persisted. To make traffic worse, another major accident, which caused an emergency helicopter to land on the roadway, also backed up the detour. We were quite happy to finish the long afternoon with a direct ride to our hotel in West Virginia. We even ordered food for delivery to our room to avoid high winds and heavy rain that developed as we checked in.
Saturday morning, we rode directly to the reason we had come so far in from the coast (other than avoiding megalopolis traffic). The Shenandoah National Park extends from Front Royal to Waynesboro, VA. It is home to Skyline Drive, 105 miles of memory of “when driving was fun and relaxing.” Smooth pavement, fun curves, and amazing scenery. It was grey and misty that morning, which served only to keep the general population at bay, leaving the road open for us to roll along at our own pace. Sadly, we would have to forgo the temptation at the end to jump right on the Blue Ridge Parkway for more legendary riding, but we'll be happy with the reason to return.
Saturday afternoon we turned back toward the coast, and made it to Suffolk, VA for the night. Dinner was delicious barbecue and the strangest hole-in-the-wall restaurant, with a DJ attempting to lure people into karaoke. We knew they were desperate when they started dropping off well-spiked margarita samplers.
Sunday was an easy ride to our final destination in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Amanda's aunt, Mary, had been unable to use her week of timeshare, so we were using it for her (thank you!). We checked in, unpacked, and relaxed to the ocean view outside our door.
Our first of two major excursions was to Ocracoke Island. They say this is where the pirate Blackbeard hid his treasure and met his end. For us, it was a fun excuse to see the rest of the islands, and to ride a ferry!
Ocracoke otherwise was mostly tourist town. We ate some tasty crabcakes, drank some cold coffee, saw the old lighthouse, wandered gift shops, and read books in the sunshine. We also braved wicked sand-filled crosswind to introduce the bike to the beach.
Crossing from Delaware into Pennsylvania is a bit of culture shock. Delaware looks a little shabby: Applebee's and Kohl's in dusty strip malls between abandoned buildings line the roadway. Hop across the border, though, and you're suddenly in the land of Whole Foods and Ann Tayler, racket clubs and sushi bars. A bit eerie, really.
We landed in Exton, PA that evening, across the road from an amusement park. We shared our hotel with several childrens sports teams in town for a tournament. This actually wasn't the noise problem we expected it would be, but instead meant that getting a table for dinner nearby was a bit of a challenge. We persisted, and happily munched on nachos and crab pizza before retiring for the night.
Our last adventure of the vacation was Sunday morning. We avoided New Jersey by heading north through Pennsylvania, eventually arriving at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. As mentioned, we stayed on the PA side, so we missed out on the twisty Old Mine Road of NJ, but there was still plenty of smooth pavement and easy sweeping curves to enjoy.
The final rush through Connecticut and Massachusetts was cold and wet, but between stopping for coffee, wrapping my feet in plastic bags (my boots have lost their water protection), and focusing on the promised warmth of home, we made it through. Final thanks go to Emily's family, who were house sitting for us while they attended her graduation. They greeted us with hot gyros from our favorite Greek restaurant in Cambridge.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
For the Ladies...
Next time any of my female relatives come to visit Boston, there is a place we must visit: the Eveden factory store in Dedham, MA. They sell bras. The brands they carry go as small as 28D and as large as 50N, so there's something for almost everyone.
I read a recommendation for this store a few weeks ago and took a field trip. The nice ladies confirmed the size I had measured at home, and then they brought me every bra in the store that came in my size. I bought four that day, then went back a week later when they had a flash sale and bought one more. My purchases included a Freya sports bra, a Freya full coverage bra, two Fantasie padded plunge bras, and a Wacoal strapless bra. My favorites by far are the two Freya bras. They are not fancy, but they are so comfortable!
Because it is a factory store, they get more colors and prints than neutrals, and they are generally a season behind the current collections. They get one of each size, so I can't simply go back and buy more of the two bras I love most. However, also because it is a factory store, the prices are good; the most expensive bras are $39.99, most are $29.99, and my two Freyas were both less than that. The store is close enough that I will go whenever they e-mail to say they have new stuff - I would like one or two more to get me through the average laundry cycle.
Here are some things I learned about bras:
If you want to take a look at the Eveden brands, you can see them online here: www.eveden.com
Then, plan a trip to Boston, and we can go shopping! (You can probably find these brands at high-end lingerie stores, but they will be upwards of $70 each.)
If you want to measure yourself, this guide has a reputation for being the best on the internet. It was created by a guy who wanted his wife to have a bra that fit; he shared his methods. His language is frank, but his information is solid.
I am never going back to Victoria's Secret again.
I read a recommendation for this store a few weeks ago and took a field trip. The nice ladies confirmed the size I had measured at home, and then they brought me every bra in the store that came in my size. I bought four that day, then went back a week later when they had a flash sale and bought one more. My purchases included a Freya sports bra, a Freya full coverage bra, two Fantasie padded plunge bras, and a Wacoal strapless bra. My favorites by far are the two Freya bras. They are not fancy, but they are so comfortable!
Because it is a factory store, they get more colors and prints than neutrals, and they are generally a season behind the current collections. They get one of each size, so I can't simply go back and buy more of the two bras I love most. However, also because it is a factory store, the prices are good; the most expensive bras are $39.99, most are $29.99, and my two Freyas were both less than that. The store is close enough that I will go whenever they e-mail to say they have new stuff - I would like one or two more to get me through the average laundry cycle.
Here are some things I learned about bras:
- Buy a bra so it fits snugly on the loosest set of hooks. As it stretches over time, you will be able to tighten it so the band is supportive.
- Don't wear the same bra two days in a row - they need time un-stretch between wearings if you want them to last, so alternate at least two during the week.
- Wash bras in lingerie bags on the gentlest cycle, or hand-wash them. Dry them flat or hang from the middle (gore), not the straps.
- Store bras nested together in a drawer, but don't fold the bra in half at the gore and turn one cup inside out to fit inside the other.
- Apparently it's very common for women in the US to wear bras that are too large in the band and too small in the cup.
If you want to take a look at the Eveden brands, you can see them online here: www.eveden.com
Then, plan a trip to Boston, and we can go shopping! (You can probably find these brands at high-end lingerie stores, but they will be upwards of $70 each.)
If you want to measure yourself, this guide has a reputation for being the best on the internet. It was created by a guy who wanted his wife to have a bra that fit; he shared his methods. His language is frank, but his information is solid.
I am never going back to Victoria's Secret again.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Nemo: The Blizzard of 2013
Depending on which weather service you listened to, Nemo was either the impending "Snowpocalypse", or "The Blizzard of 2013." The governor ordered everyone but emergency personel off the roads by 4pm on Friday, with fines of up to $500 or one year in jail. The MBTA stopped all bus and train service at 3:30. Schools called off Friday before people went to be on Thursday.
We woke up Friday to … something less than flurries. The flakes steadily got larger, until midday when it was warm enough that wet freezing globs fell more like rain. By that point the ground was starting to cover. The wind came up and snow continued all afternoon. We went to bed Friday night with four to six inches on the ground.
Saturday morning, we found closer to 18 inches outside, with drifts reminiscent of Nebraska. Nothing house-height, mind you, but it's rare to get enough wind to really make drifts at all in Lexington. By the time the snow stopped around noon, two feet or more of snow covered out lawn.
So what did we do? Strapped on skis and snowshoes and went out to play, of course! The top layer was all light, fluffy stuff. I wore the snowshoes, and I sunk in probably three or four inches in the flat spots, or just an inch or two on the stiff drift ridges. Amanda followed on skis and said it was actually really great quality with just the little bit of packing in my tracks.
We eventually stopped to shovel. The plow came along later … and we went out to re-shovel to get the car out Sunday morning. Now I've just shoveled the front steps in case the mail service makes the rounds today. And, thanks to Amanda's prodding, I've taken some pictures. They're a bit dull because it's grey outside, and snowing again, but we hope they'll put everyone at ease.
These are the piles the plow left behind. That shovel is about four feet tall.
Ski and snowshoe tracks through the front and back yard.
The sidewalk (cleared by the city), and our stairs (cleared by Amanda and me).
And finally, the whole snowscape from the road.
For us, it really wasn't too bad of a storm. The lights flickered once or twice, but we never actually lost power. We have no tree limbs down that we can see. No trouble with blocked vents. No food or water shortages. It was pretty much just a great excuse to stay home and relax for a weekend!
Update: Since I had an excuse to go out again (our landlord was cleaning off the roofs), I snapped a quick shot of our snowshoes in use. https://twitter.com/hobbyist/status/300999531154243586
We woke up Friday to … something less than flurries. The flakes steadily got larger, until midday when it was warm enough that wet freezing globs fell more like rain. By that point the ground was starting to cover. The wind came up and snow continued all afternoon. We went to bed Friday night with four to six inches on the ground.
Saturday morning, we found closer to 18 inches outside, with drifts reminiscent of Nebraska. Nothing house-height, mind you, but it's rare to get enough wind to really make drifts at all in Lexington. By the time the snow stopped around noon, two feet or more of snow covered out lawn.
So what did we do? Strapped on skis and snowshoes and went out to play, of course! The top layer was all light, fluffy stuff. I wore the snowshoes, and I sunk in probably three or four inches in the flat spots, or just an inch or two on the stiff drift ridges. Amanda followed on skis and said it was actually really great quality with just the little bit of packing in my tracks.
We eventually stopped to shovel. The plow came along later … and we went out to re-shovel to get the car out Sunday morning. Now I've just shoveled the front steps in case the mail service makes the rounds today. And, thanks to Amanda's prodding, I've taken some pictures. They're a bit dull because it's grey outside, and snowing again, but we hope they'll put everyone at ease.
Update: Since I had an excuse to go out again (our landlord was cleaning off the roofs), I snapped a quick shot of our snowshoes in use. https://twitter.com/hobbyist/status/300999531154243586
Sunday, January 27, 2013
What we did on Friday
Hi Everyone!
We took the morning off work on Friday morning to go to a Friends of the Library event at Wellesley. Madeleine Albright spoke about her new book, Prague Winter, and answered questions from the audience, and then we stood in line to have our copy signed. Bryan took a picture during the signing.
Madeleine Albright is incredibly eloquent and very funny. She told some great stories, and the depth of her knowledge is fascinating. She spoke without notes and gave very complete answers to some complicated questions from the audience. If you ever have the chance to hear her speak, I would recommend it!
Hope everyone is well!
Amanda & Bryan
We took the morning off work on Friday morning to go to a Friends of the Library event at Wellesley. Madeleine Albright spoke about her new book, Prague Winter, and answered questions from the audience, and then we stood in line to have our copy signed. Bryan took a picture during the signing.
Hope everyone is well!
Amanda & Bryan
Sunday, November 25, 2012
We're home!
Just in case anyone was wondering, Bryan and Emily and I made it home safely, about an hour ago. We had smooth travels all the way.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
How We Spent Our Sandy Vacation
Amanda and I traveled to Florida last weekend to attend a memorial service for my grandmother. The service was very nice, and we were able to spend time with family I haven't seen in several years. In fact, Amanda even met my uncle Bill and aunt Donna for the first time!
What we didn't realize until Thursday night was that Hurricane Sandy was planning an east coast visit the same weekend. We arrived in Florida on-time Friday evening, after most of the wind and rain (just a few gusts and one crazy pour). Saturday was grey and cool, but otherwise fine weather. Sunday, we woke up to an even lighter sky … but also a phone message from JetBlue informing us that our return flight to Boston had been cancelled.
We packed up an drove toward the airport anyway, holding on the phone in a queue estimated to be, "longer than 60 minutes." Halfway to Orlando, we even had to pull over at a McDonalds to recharge Amanda's phone. But 90 minutes later, we had our answer: we were stuck in Florida until Wednesday morning. Sandy was due to turn inland, and no airline wanted their planes sitting on runways in the predicted path.
After several minutes of freaking out about things we were meant to do at work at the start of the week, we calmed and started making more phone calls. Remarkably, the Holiday Inn was not yet full of other travelers. Extending the rental car was equally easy. So, we had lodging, and means to get to food/laundry/etc.
Now … what to do with ourselves for two and a half days?
Aha! The Harry Potter exhibit at Universal Studios! We've heard about it, why not? A replica of Hogsmead, Hogwarts castle, the Hogwarts Express, butter beer (good, like cream soda), pumpkin juice (a bit too sweet), Cornish pasties (really hit the spot) … we had a ball. Wizards in robes singing with frogs, Olivanders wand shop, and the animated pictures … wow.
So that entertained us for the rest of Sunday. Monday we had to be practical: laundry (since we had packed for a light two days), and a bit of shopping. We were also able to contact college friends we hadn't seen in years, and meet them for dinner.
Tuesday was a bit of a looming hole. Would we just sit around and read? More shopping? Then I remembered some of the signs we had seen along the highway…
Two nerds… Florida… Kennedy Space Center. It was awesome. We saw the amazingly large Vehicle Assembly Building, where the load rockets onto the mobile platform before wheeling them out to the launch pad. We saw the launch pad where all of the moon-landing missions left the Earth. We saw a Saturn V rocket, which is huge - the length of a football field, nose-to-tail. We experienced a simulated shuttle liftoff. And, the big highlight, we saw the shuttle Atlantis up-close, as it was undergoing its final preparations before being moved to its new home inside a brand new building at the visitors complex.
To cap it all off, the trip home was smooth and on-time. Apart from a few sticks in the driveway, the house looks untouched. We're not even sure we lost power. Quite the relief, after watching all the pictures of New York and New Jersey stream across the televisions in the airport.
So that's how we spent our Sandy Vacation.
Be sure to follow the links to the albums - there are larger versions of the pictures, and more!
What we didn't realize until Thursday night was that Hurricane Sandy was planning an east coast visit the same weekend. We arrived in Florida on-time Friday evening, after most of the wind and rain (just a few gusts and one crazy pour). Saturday was grey and cool, but otherwise fine weather. Sunday, we woke up to an even lighter sky … but also a phone message from JetBlue informing us that our return flight to Boston had been cancelled.
We packed up an drove toward the airport anyway, holding on the phone in a queue estimated to be, "longer than 60 minutes." Halfway to Orlando, we even had to pull over at a McDonalds to recharge Amanda's phone. But 90 minutes later, we had our answer: we were stuck in Florida until Wednesday morning. Sandy was due to turn inland, and no airline wanted their planes sitting on runways in the predicted path.
After several minutes of freaking out about things we were meant to do at work at the start of the week, we calmed and started making more phone calls. Remarkably, the Holiday Inn was not yet full of other travelers. Extending the rental car was equally easy. So, we had lodging, and means to get to food/laundry/etc.
Now … what to do with ourselves for two and a half days?
 |
 |
| Harry Potter at Universal Studios (album link) | |
Aha! The Harry Potter exhibit at Universal Studios! We've heard about it, why not? A replica of Hogsmead, Hogwarts castle, the Hogwarts Express, butter beer (good, like cream soda), pumpkin juice (a bit too sweet), Cornish pasties (really hit the spot) … we had a ball. Wizards in robes singing with frogs, Olivanders wand shop, and the animated pictures … wow.
So that entertained us for the rest of Sunday. Monday we had to be practical: laundry (since we had packed for a light two days), and a bit of shopping. We were also able to contact college friends we hadn't seen in years, and meet them for dinner.
Tuesday was a bit of a looming hole. Would we just sit around and read? More shopping? Then I remembered some of the signs we had seen along the highway…
 |
 |
 |
| Kennedy Space Center (album link) | ||
Two nerds… Florida… Kennedy Space Center. It was awesome. We saw the amazingly large Vehicle Assembly Building, where the load rockets onto the mobile platform before wheeling them out to the launch pad. We saw the launch pad where all of the moon-landing missions left the Earth. We saw a Saturn V rocket, which is huge - the length of a football field, nose-to-tail. We experienced a simulated shuttle liftoff. And, the big highlight, we saw the shuttle Atlantis up-close, as it was undergoing its final preparations before being moved to its new home inside a brand new building at the visitors complex.
To cap it all off, the trip home was smooth and on-time. Apart from a few sticks in the driveway, the house looks untouched. We're not even sure we lost power. Quite the relief, after watching all the pictures of New York and New Jersey stream across the televisions in the airport.
So that's how we spent our Sandy Vacation.
Be sure to follow the links to the albums - there are larger versions of the pictures, and more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)