Northern journey

I'm really back.  I couldn't post on the blog about my travel because it was a surprise party for my older sister who had a "major" birthday on Saturday and my niece and nephew had a party for her on Sunday.  I don't know how often she visits the blog so I couldn't take a chance of mentioning my travel.

So I left Charlotte, NC on Thursday but of course there were airline issues and attitudes ~ UGH so pleasant it is to travel these days.  Kimberly, I now understand why you get so frustrated now that you are traveling so much.  Before Rick and I retired we flew probably four or five times a year.  I can not believe how downhill things have 

gone in a year or so.  This was blamed on "mechanical issues" .... thought the airlines "compensated" you for their errors ~ no more.  Well they comp you with an attitude, a wasted afternoon after carefully planning travel to make the most of your time ~ glad I'm retired and not on someones clock or vacation time while the airline (United) plays games with words.  Oh well, I did get there and had a blast.

I arrived in Burlington, VT late Thursday afternoon and went to my baby sisters condo ~ she was in Dallas for some training (this is the sister I had a weekend in Iowa and Omaha with while Rick was in New England for doctor's appointments.

Kimberly came home late Friday and Chad and Amy came up to visit with me (and Kim).   I finally got to meet my new "grand dog".  Chad and Amy "rescued" Indie a couple months ago.  She is a good girl and full of energy ~ aren't most year old dogs?  Chad and Amy are doing a great job with Ms Indie's training.  

We all went to my nephew's (Kim's son) cross country meet on Saturday and enjoyed being outside on a lovely Vermont fall day.  It was rather warm however as I only packed clothes for a typical New England fall day and I was 

constantly raiding Kim's closet  for clothes more suited to 80 degrees than those I brought!

Chad and Amy left Saturday evening - much too soon as far as I was concerned but it sure was great to see them.

Kim and I traveled over to Crown Point, NY Sunday for the party.  Along the way there was a "tractor parade" in East Charlotte, VT.  Well I had never been to a tractor parade and let me tell you it was worth the 54 year wait.  I had so much fun (I will do an album of the many many tractor parade photos on our picassa site shortly - I am way behind in my updating of that site - bad Tracey!)  There were some vendors at the parade, among which was a "kissing booth".  Well being in VT it was Kiss the Calf............

Is that one cute calf or what!  There is a better picture of the baby and I but there is, unfortunately, a child pretty much blocking the kiss so this is it.... Gosh it was fun.

Also, there was an alpaca breeder there - isn't this guy adorable and spiffed up and looking so handsome with his bandanna on!

Here are a couple pictures of two of the tractors.  Isn't this little boy too cute - he was so so serious driving that tractor.  There were so many tractors ~ old ones, new ones, shiny ones, not so shiny ones, big ones, little ones ........ fun all!

Then on to the party which was held here at the cabin that my brother in law and sister designed and built on their huge, quiet, peaceful piece of land in NY.  They have no electricity in the cabin.  They do have propane for lights and they do have running water and a generator.  So much fun I had.

I am not at all convinced that Candy (my older sister) was surprised or that she didn't figure I would be somewhere around the area for her big day but anyway ..... she put on her very best new hat to go to the cabin where she thought SHE was cooking dinner for ten or so people.

In reality my brother in law, niece and nephew had it all under control and it was most delicious!

Here is an inside shot of the cabin.  The loft area has a bed and some furniture up there and there is a separate bedroom on the lower level as well as the kitchen and a dining room and living room area.  Gorgeous isn't it and so so so so peaceful.

I returned back to Charlotte on Tuesday - without any airline events!  Had great, on time flights.  I'll tell ya I would have been very happy to have extended my trip north by a few days - the colors were spectacular and it just seemed too short a time I was there!

This is a photo of a really cool mobile at the Charlotte airport.  I guess I missed it when I was there on Thursday because I was too busy running like an idiot trying to catch the new flight the I was thrown onto.  The mobile had all kinds of flying machines - it was really neat!