The Ultimate Birthday Bash

Anticipation levels were high as Wendy and Ron prepared for their birthday party picnic. We could not have ordered better weather. It was absolutely wonderful in the 70's, with a light breeze, and partly sunny. After a quick errand to pick up ice, and helium balloons, Marina and I picked some wildflowers that were growing along the roadside. Queen Anne's Lace and chicory as a centerpiece for the gift table. My Aunt Angela and Uncle Marv coincidentally were here in town for a wedding. They are from Rochester but now live in Minneapolis, and they joined us for the party. Wendy and Ron did a great job preparing ribs, chicken, pasta salad, and fruit. I made a ziti dish with mozzarella. Most of Ron's family is from Buffalo, and there were about 23 of us. It was fun watching them unwrap gifts. I got Ron some Lavazza coffee, and gave Marina purple flip-flops, a backpack, and an almost exact replica, stuffed doggie, of Jo Jo. Hopefully that will ease the separation, as I head out of town in about 10 days. Marina and I are nursing a case of poison ivy. What would summertime in New York be without some poison ivy? I opted to pull some weeds which included the ivy, along the front of Wendy and Ron's house. I covered up with surgical gloves, but that stuff can get everywhere. It's already on the mend for me, but poor Marina is struggling with the urge to itch. I guess its one of life's lessons on learning to resist and develop patience.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At home now… from the great 2023 Alaska Road Trip!

Image
​ Jo Jo and I are home, from the trip of a lifetime! 106 days, 11,539 miles, 675 gallons of gasoline, a ton of fun, beautiful views, and amazing experiences. Other than a brief head cold, no other mishaps, except my souvenir windshield chips. The Sylver Gypsy performed wonderfully. She kept me safe and warm. My last days were drive heavy, but I managed a quick stop at Bryce Canyon National Park. My last night was in the Coconino Forest near Flagstaff, where I also made a brief stop at Sunset Crater. I’ll need a few moments to adjust being back to reality, but it’s nice to be home!
Read more

Bryce Canyon National Park, then almost home

Image
​ A great night in the Utah desert, and a rather chilly morning, surprisingly, but I got up and hurried out of there with the intention of getting to Bryce Canyon National Park. I wondered if I would have enough time and decided it was only 20 minutes one-way, out-of-the-way as I continued on my route home. This would be my third time visiting Bryce and I’m so glad I did. As with any National Park, there are some new changes and the Ranger told me that because I’m over 20 feet I would have to park in the main parking lot and take the shuttle bus in to see the viewpoints. She gave me a tag to hang in my window. My heart sank to the bottom, since I know the shuttle buses will not except pets, and I was not willing to leave Jo Jo. However, upon examining the tag, it indicated vehicles over 23 feet to park and shuttle. My Travato is 21 feet. Hmmmm, I was annoyed. So I ignored the directions and went straight to the parking area at the sunrise amphitheater and not only did I see other campe
Read more

Wiseman to Atigun Pass, AK

Image
​ Well, today was a blast, as I headed back to Coldfoot. I stopped for gas at the truckstop which included a restaurant gift shop and modest accommodations. $72.00 gas bucks later, I was enticed by their breakfast, even though I ate it in my RV, I couldn’t get over the portion sizes, as I watched others eating, and the prices were incredible. For $15, I got not a 1, 2, 3, but a 4 egg omelette with bacon, turkey, onions and peppers, hashbrowns and a homemade potato bun which I plan on eating for at least 4 breakfasts! It was like an Amazon breakfast that I’ve never seen before. I guess one should go to a truckstop for these portions! How can you beat the price, and it was home cooked right there in the café. I did a little designated trail to the pipeline, much of which can be seen along this highway. After a brief stop again at the visitor center, I went to the minors cabin and historic cemetery. I was told to go to the town of Wiseman, just 13 miles back up the road north, and just pa
Read more