"Leaving On A Jet Plane"

 I'm going to do it...

                 And, I feel a bit apprehensive about it....

I haven't traveled by public transportation since before Covid started but I am going to do it. "I'm leaving on a jet plane" Friday, 

headed to New York to spend Thanksgiving with my youngest daughter and her family.

It's been just over two years since I was there which means that I have not seen my grandson, Griffin, (Susan's oldest) nor his brother, Owen. Susan and the youngest son, 13 year old Tighe, did come down to see us once. 

   Susan asked me what I wanted to do while there. 

Well, it's like this.... I am so 'INTO' good food right now. Just savoring each and every bite when I find something that is outstandingly delicious. And, believe you, me, New York has some great food!

So, I want to go to a restaurant in Greenwich, Ct. that I haven't been to yet. 

And, of course, I have to go to La Pain, a French place there in Rye. They have the most yummy breakfasts!!

Grandson Griffin and his sweet Kelsey live in the City and I haven't seen their apartment so I want to do that. And, probably try out an eating place near where they live. That will be soooooo fun. Maybe there will be some Christmas decorations up already in the City. 

We will be dragging out the Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving is over and maybe we will make some crafty something. I will be sure to make lots of pictures. 

I have been so limited with the picture taking because I have 'shot' everything within my sight range more than once and I just need something new to get in my viewfinder! 

I won't have my laptop with me. So, it will probably be when I get back home (and I don't know yet when that will be). Susan bought a one-way ticket. hehe. But, I promise you plenty of pictures when and how I can use them. 

And, keep your fingers crossed that there are no disgruntled passengers that are mad about wearing masks on that plane! Maybe if they don't want to wear a mask, they should take the train or rent a car. But, my flight is only 1 hour and 20 minutes so here's hoping it's an easy one. 

                                                                              

Fall In the Countryside.

 I woke up to 39 degrees this morning but the sun rose and before long it was warming up. Got into the mid 70s. 

                                      What a day to get out for a drive in the country!!

First, Shirley and I had lunch. Q Daddy's Barbeque just opened in her home town so I drove up and we totally stuffed ourselves. It's just the best! So, if you are driving through Wakefield, Va. you just gotta stop and get some barbeque! 

A brisket sandwich (only half here), two huge hushpuppies that were perfect. Broccoli salad, potato salad and picked onions and cucumbers. No, I did not eat it all. I brought home enough to eat on for awhile. Yummy

                                       Then we girls headed out into the countryside. 

                                         I'll take you with us so come along and enjoy.

Anytime of the year, I love to find old buildings in unexpected places. 

All we needed was a picnic basket filled with yummy food. But, we had already eaten.

What a peaceful place

Color here and there. A sign of Fall. 

I love reflections in the water. 

Time is achanging!

      I wish some lawmaker would be brave enough to abolish this stupid time changing thing!! 

                                                           What are your thoughts?

I Love Watermelon and Thoughtful Sons-in-law

 I love watermelon, have loved it all my life. I remember us getting watermelon on the 4th of July, the sound of it as it split open when the knife entered it's skin. Now, that's a juicy , ripe melon. My kind. 

There is no way I can lift a watermelon now, at this age, and put it into my shopping cart, haul it up to my apartment and then slice into it. Besides that... I can't eat all of that before it will go bad. 

I have the sweetest son-in-law. When he buys a watermelon he get it a little larger than he normally would. When it's cut into, he takes a slice, cuts it up into chunks, puts it in a ziplock bag and brings it to me. He knows I love the stuff and I suspect that he knows he's racking up a lot of points in his favor, too, when he does things like that. 

The Good Cat Jupie and His Friend Squirrel

 I was a Depression Baby. Guess that tells you how old I am! But, my Daddy had died and Mama had it rough. The first job she had after Daddy was gone paid her $2 a week. 

When Roosevelt took office he promised to help all those struggling people so he started the New Deal. With it came the WPA and the CCC.

The WPA (Works Progress Administration) put nearly 8.5 million men and women to work and my Mama was one of them. She cleaned up books for the county library that were showing wear and tear. If it couldn't be fixed they were discarded. Mama brought several of the discards home to me. One was "The Tale of the Good Cat Jupie" 

I love that book. The main character was Jupie who lived in a little house by the side of the road. One day a sad little girl came by and she had no one so Jupie invited her to live with him. Their best friend was Squirrel who lived in a tree in the nearby woods.

The reason I am telling you all this is....

I walked out on my balcony a couple days ago and saw something on a thin tree branch across the driveway. I couldn't tell what it was... maybe a plastic grocery bag that had blown up there.

I use the zoom on my camera for binoculars and so I took a closer look.

It was Squirrel.

Not Jupie's squirrel but some other squirrel.

I immediately thought of how many times I have read that little book that Mama brought home for me. Over the years I have read it to my children, grandchildren and my great-grands. 

Those three delightful characters have provided me and others with so much enjoyment for over 80 years. It is proudly displayed on a book shelf in my  apartment. 

Sometimes the least little things will trigger precious memories from long, long ago.