Visiting Family & Friends

Road trips to see out-of-state family and friends have become an extended trip for us as it involves stops in RI, our home state of NJ and PA. Our most recent 12-day trip included those states and several we passed through in between. 

During this trip, we attended a college graduation in RI, a soccer game and Mother's Day celebration in PA and visited an unusual museum (more on that later) there. In NJ, we took a long-time friend to dinner to celebrate her retirement after 44 years with the same company; treated a 98-year old friend to a take-in lunch at her home and visited with a former co-worker of mine. 

It's unusual for me, but there wasn't a lot of photo-taking on this trip except at the graduation; however, a lot of happy memories were made.  

The smiling graduate above is oldest daughter who received an MBA degree from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. In addition to ourselves, her children, husband and other family members attended the event.

In PA, the youngest granddaughter is an avid soccer player and on a traveling team this year. We watched one of her Saturday morning games which was in her hometown. 

In between the RI and PA visits, we treated ourselves at two food places in NJ, neither have NH locations. That's our excuse for these less-than-healthy eats.

White Castle is famous for its small, square hamburgers or sliders which sold for 5 cents when introduced, but have gone up in price, now $1.29 to $1.59. Founded in 1921, in Wichita, KS, it's credited as the world's first fast food hamburger chain, but it's not a franchise. The company has been family-owned since its founding with every location privately owned. White Castle operates over 350 restaurants primarily in the Midwest and Northeast, and some Southern and Western states. Since there's no New England location, we wait for a NJ trip and dined at the same one in Piscataway, NJ, that was written about in this 2019 post.

Rita's Italian Ice was founded in May 1984 by a former Philadelphia firefighter, Bob Tumolo, using a family recipe and the business was named after his wife, Rita. The product was originally advertised as water ice, using the Philadelphia regional term for what's called Italian ice in other parts of the country. In 1989, the family  franchised the business. Rita's has over 600 locations in over 30 states, predominantly on the East Coast and in the Sun Belt (Florida to California). The closest franchise to NH is 45 minutes south in Walpole, MA.

We enjoyed family, friends and treats on this road trip. As satisfying as all of these were, there really is no place like home — at least until our next road trip or travel adventure.

Today is My Day !

The new year started last month, but my personal new year starts today on my 🎂.

The older I get, the less a need for celebrations and presents have become to me. There’s no need for things that seemed important in (much) younger days.

Now, birthdays are celebrated because of the day and all year long. When sending them a card, I always advise others to do the same. After all, it only happens once a year, thankfully.

For myself, this annual occurrence has become more of an experience the few years. Last year, we took the SnowCoach part way up Mt Washington for a unique experience. 

This year, we’re on a short 3-hour road trip to N. Conway, NH, for a meet-up with long-time friends, Jill and Art, who live in our home state of NJ.

We enjoyed breakfast with friends at Peach's in N Conway, NH

Yesterday, went to breakfast at a favorite local restaurant, Peach’s. Today, we’re playing candlepin bowling at a sports center in Fryeburg, ME. (Candlepin bowling is a variation of bowling played mostly in New England and the Canadian Maritime provinces. It’s played using a handheld-size ball and tall, narrow pins that look like candles.) 

We "met" this bear and moose at a hotel in N Conway, NH

Later, we made some new friends here.who were not in the wild.

Dinner tonight will be followed by chatting and game playing with Jill and Art, who became grandparents twice in the past year and are happy to talk of their grandsons. We leave for Nashua, NH, tomorrow. Our friends remain here a few more days.

This year, instead of being surprised, the surprise was on others. This past week, Patrick had contacted friends in the mill aptpartments meeting for brekfast on Saturday. It was a frigid morning when 10 others joined us at The Yolk, a local breakfast and lunch eatery.

Birthday breakfast with Clocktower friends & neighbors

It was my treat to see the surprised look on everyone’s face when told their breakfast was my “gift” to all. They had no idea beforehand. One of those priceless moments.

My year of celebrating has just begun, there’s more to follow in 364 days ahead 🎉.

How did you, if it’s passed, or if not, will you celebrate YOUR 2026 birthday?

Meeting Blogger Friends

We have been fortunate in our years of blogging to have met several bloggers both in the U.S. and abroad. These meet-ups have always been wonderful get togethers with bloggers who had already become friends, so that an in person meeting was extra special. Several of these have lead to additional get togethers.

Linda & Bob

That was the case with our recent PA road trip which included a reunion with blog friend, Linda, and her husband, Bob. They've had visited Nashua, NH, twice before (2021 and 2023) as family live nearby in nearby Amherst, NH. (If you want to check out Linda's blog it's Days to Remember.)

This year, we wanted to reciprocate by visiting their home in Warren, PA. Over a series of texts, we mutually agreed on the best time. It's an 8-1/2 hour road trip between the two cities, so this visit was combined with a road trip as we really don't need too much encouragement for one. Last week's post described an overnight stop in Corning, NY, a  6-hour drive from NH, which presented the opportunity to visit the amazing Corning Museum of Glass.

Plaza Restaurant, Warren, PA

We met up with Linda and Bob late the next day, which by a happy coincidence was their 27th wedding anniversary. After asking for a restaurant suggestion, we treated them to dinner at the Plaza Restaurant in Warren. Surprises are always nice. It was great to treat our visit hosts.

The Plaza is a family-owned restaurant and a favorite downtown landmark that's been serving Greek and American comfort food for over 60 years, open daily except Sunday. If you ever have reason to visit Warren, PA, it should be a definite stop.

After dinner there was enough time and daylight for a short walking tour in downtown Warren. The city was named for doctor and Major General Joseph Warren killed June 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Most of us are familiar with the midnight ride of Paul Revere and others who rode to warn colonists that the British militia (Redcoats) were closing in to nearby towns. But, what I learned was that it was General Warren enlisted Paul Revere and William Dawes to warn the militia that the Redcoats were closing in. 

General Joseph Warren (portrait by John Singleton Copley) and Warren, PA, memorial

Fourteen U.S. states have a county or city named for this Revolutionary War hero, one in New England is Warren, MA, renamed in 1834 from Western. As for Warren, PA, the city was laid out in 1795 by General William Irvine, who named it in Warren's honor. There's a statue of General Warren in a small pocket park that's named after him and is the only statue of Warren outside of Boston, MA. Commissioned by the Daughters of the American Revolution and unveiled on July 4, 1910. It was refurbished in 2011 when a new sword was attached to replace the original that had been missing for years. 

The 1889 (left) and 1891 views of Flatiron Building in Warren, PA

Another central landmark in downtown Warren, PA, is at the intersection of 2nd and Pennsylvania Avenues. Architecturally striking is a triangular building known as the Flatiron building. This historic eight-story triangular building dates to the late 1800s. Built of Hummelstown brownstone (dense sandstone named after the town it was quarried in), it features a clock tower with a dragon weather vane. The building's history connects to the Warren Savings Bank. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1889 and rebuilt by 1891 as the current structure. Today, it's known as the Key Bank Building and occupied by that bank. The building is referred to as the Flatiron; however, this name has never been a formal part of the record.

Historic Flatiron building in downtown Warren, PA

Directly in front of the Flatiron building, today, is a large ornate fountain. This historical fountain is located in the City Square. The fountain is known for its design that features local wildlife. It was completed in 2010 and was the centerpiece of Warren's Downtown Revitalization Project. It underwent a major renovation in 2022, which included adding a new bird statue. The fountain is a a venue for local events and a popular visitors' spot. It's been referred to as the Northwest Bank fountain and also Heritage fountain.

Veterans Memorial Bridge across Allegheny River in Warren, PA, and photo opp

Our next day's adventure was a road trip with Linda and Bob as navigators and tour guides. What would have been a half hour drive became an hour-long journey due to road closures. Our first stop was Rimrock Overlook located in Warren County in the Allegheny National Forest which offered great views of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Rimrock Overlook was a great photo opp background

The Allegheny Reservoir was created by the controversial damming of the Allegheny River in the 1960s and construction of the Kinzua dam. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the dam and its resulting reservoir created significant controversy and had a devastating impact on the Seneca Nation of Indians. 

View of Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River

Thanks to Linda and Bob we had a wonderful outing filled with a lot of information, but it wasn't over yet. The highlight of this day trip was Kinzua Bridge State Park, home to the Kinzua Viaduct, built in 1892 and once the longest and highest railroad structure in the world. Because of its long and fascinating history, that stop will be the subject of a separate next post.

If you ever have the opportunity to meet up with blogger friends, we highly recommend doing so. I'm hoping to do it again in NYC before year end.

No Regrets & Update

Have you ever heard yourself or someone else say he/she wished they had been in contact with someone before it was too late?

This past weekend, Solange, my friend and Scrabble-playing partner, who resided here in the mill apartments, passed away. While her death was not totally unexpected because of health issues, it was still a shock. We had spoken a few days earlier to schedule our next game, she told me she was feeling too tired to play. As she often had these days in recent weeks, I told her I would call again in a day or two. She was a fierce Scrabble player who disliked losing and would always ask to play another game. We often split our wins and always shared a treat.

When her son phoned on Saturday, I instinctively knew that the call was not a good one.

Solange was 95 years young, born in Antwerp, Belgium and a Holocaust survivor. She was a registered nurse who later relocated to the US with her late artist husband and they lived in many cities in our home state of NJ. Coincidentally, their last NJ address was close to our last NJ address, although we had never met there. She relocated to NH after her husband's passing to be closer to her son who lived in the state.

Solange became a close friend of both myself and my husband. Patrick. We enjoyed food and conversations through shared dinners at our apartment homes. The most recent was at our home on Easter when she and another resident joined us for dinner. She insisted on bringing a homemade banana tart, which was delicious, even the leftovers.

Private services were held quickly in NJ early this week in keeping with her faith. We were unable to attend; however, I asked her son about holding a celebration of life here at a later date. Her family will be returning to clear out her residence.

This isn't the first time a family member or friend has passed and as sad as it's always been, my goal is to never have regrets about not having called, visited or written. Of course, we all have regrets for many things, but for myself keeping in touch means having a few less.

Thanks to fellow bloggers who asked about the status of my left knee injury, 

Here's an update following an orthopedics consultation and my first physical therapy session. The good news is that the orthopedic review showed the knee structure are intact with a mild degree of arthritis and a mild kneecap dislocation, without any significant tissue damage. Recovery (no pain) could take 6-8 weeks.

My nemesis: Elliptical 

The physical therapy appointment included an evaluation and balance testing and confirmation that my balance could be improved, the lack of which can be attributable to age. For the record, the knee injury wasn't caused by a fall, as I am always careful to avoid hazards as much as possible, particularly snow and ice. Instead, my injury was caused by exercise, specifically the use of an elliptical, stationary equipment in the Clocktower gym. 

As I've learned, repetitive motion on an elliptical can lead to overuse injuries, especially in the knees or hips. Also, the elliptical's motion has been labelled awkward or unnatural, potentially leading to improper form or discomfort. 

If not appropriately positioned using the elliptical, a user could strain their knees — as I did. Also, the low-impact design of this machine often leads to overuse injuries in the knee and hip as users tend not to realize they're doing more than they’re physically able — and that would describe my actions. And, when the orthopedic PA (physician's assistant) shared that she never uses this equipment, I thought, why did I ?

My PT assessment concluded that no brace or walking assistance (cane, walker) are needed. However, I received a set of at-home exercises to perform before the next appointment later this week. Yes, I've been doing them them as this will be the routine for up to 10 weeks

Which do you think results in death more often — hip fracture or cancer?

That's what the PT therapist asked me and, while I had not read any statistics beforehand, I knew that given my age the correct answer would be hip fracture.

While cancer is a leading cause of death at any age, hip fractures can have a higher mortality rate for older adults in the short-term. Being cancer-free may not result in death, but breaking your hip could be fatal. 

Studies have indicated that the one-year mortality rate for older adults with a hip fracture can be over 20% and sometimes worse than those with various types of cancer. Also, the risk of death after a hip fracture can persist for up to 10 years after a fracture.

Why are hip fractures so deadly?

It's due to many factors including immobility-related complications, surgical risks and the overall impact on health and quality of life. One of the most serious risks is the increased likelihood of developing blood clots, leading to pulmonary embolisms or strokes. 

Sometimes, recovery can be long and challenging and can also lead to less independence. Other potential health risks include pneumonia, heart failure or blood clots, any one of which can increase the risk of death. Female patients tended to have better post-fracture survival than men, but had a significantly higher risk for getting a fracture. Unfortunately, people over age 85 had the worst odds for survival.

It's important to note that statistics for hip fracture deaths do not apply are not a one-fits-all scenario. It's not just age that's a factor, but gender, pre-existing conditions like cardiac disease, dementia and chronic respiratory issues, plus the timeliness and quality of surgical treatment — all can impact mortality rates. While a 1-year mortality of about 21 to 22% has been cited in online sources for surgically-repaired hip fractures, this is only an average.

Just to be clear — Hip replacement does not result in as many deaths as hip fractures. While this surgery does have certain risks, it's usually much lower than the mortality rate associated with hip fractures, especially in the initial months after the fracture. Several people I know, including fellow bloggers, had successful operations and recovery from hip fractures.

Exercises to improve my balance

Balance decline in adults of (ahem) a certain age isn't uncommon, so I'm not alone. Lack of balance can lead to increased risk of falls and possible fractures. Aging brings a loss of muscle mass and strength, especially in the legs and core, making it harder to maintain balance. While I've been fortunate not to have a serious fall, not taking chances is my goal. 

The balance and strengthening exercise I've been assigned to do at home do not require specialized equipment. All that's needed is a chair and who doesn't have that equipment at home and resistance band provided by the PT therapist, but which can also be bought online. Since I'm not planning to become a statistic anytime soon, these are being done on a daily basis. 

Fall detection (not fall protection) is why I wear an Apple watch  as I often go walking alone. This device will automatically call emergency services if someone becomes immobile after a hard fall and send a message with the location to emergency contacts. Apple is not the only fitness tracker with fall detention, brands by Samsung, Garmin and Goggle also have this important feature.

If anyone is interested in more information, The National Institute on Aging website has helpful information here Older Adults and Balance Problems. 

Sad News in Twos

Sad news arrived the end of last week, twice.

Both concerned the passing of friends. The first was a long-standing friend, Linda, who lived in Washington, DC. Both NJ natives, we met as reporters for a weekly newspaper. As our working careers and lives diverged and we lived in different cities, we kept in contact through visits, phone calls, messages and mail.

The second was a fellow blogger, Vickie Swanson, known as Vee on her blog A Haven for Vee and she was met through her blog posts. This past Friday, a fellow blogger, Abby, posted the news of her passing on Vee's blog with a link to her obituary. There's a guestbook where a message can be written for the family to read.  Also, comments can be left on the blog post .

While Linda and Vee had never met, in death they shared a couple of commonalities. Both were the same age (69) and both waged a multi-year battle with breast cancer. They sadly lost this war leaving behind family members that included a spouse, adult children and grandchildren.

Of course, the older we get, it's inevitable that we will witness the passing of beloved family members and that of dear friends, which includes fellow bloggers as well.

What makes my friend Linda's passing even harder is not having had a chance to have said goodbye and to have offered condolences to her family. That's because I only learned of her late May death last Thursday. She hadn't responded to a June birthday card and several text and voice messages, a couple left as recent as last week. Her voice message played but a message said the mailbox was full . Most likely others who had no knowledge of her death had left or were trying to leave a message. 

I get the bad news online. Earlier, I had searched for her husband, John, fearing the worst as he's ben dealing with MS in recent years. Nothing was found and I never checked for her name. An uneasy feeling led me check last Thursday and the first "hit" was her obituary. Reading it knocked me for a loop, Linda's family created a loving testament to her life and passions, with a link to a website remembering Linda through family photos, where friends could post too.

My message was a belated condolence and explanation that had we known , we would have attended the DC services. Ironically, it was on Patrick's birthday when we were in Cape Cod. W would certainly have changed plans. While my regret is in not having been informed, I understand the family had so many other things to attend to in their time of grief.

I only knew Vee through her posts and as a relative newcomer to her blog. While her posts had been infrequent, I always checked for a current one, which is how I learned of her passing.

Address book of friends 

Why am I sharing? Partly to relieve my sadness at the passing of Linda and Vee. Each was special to many others. But, mostly to share that if you want family to contact friends after your (sorry to say) inevitable passing it might be good to share a friends listing that information with a friends listing. 

In the past few days, blog reading has taken a back seat to sending messages, calling, writing cards and notes, more often than usual, to long-distance friends. I don't want to be someone who, when learning of someone's passing, says "wish I had been in touch." While I am immensely saddened by my friend's death, there's no regrets about not having been in contact over the years.

Certainly like most others, I have contacts on my cell phone, but also keep an old-fashioned name and address book. Entries now are made in pencil vs. ball point pen as there does come the time to update or delete an entry. Does anyone else still use pen and paper address books?

As far as a blog update, Grenville is a co-administrator on this blog. While he posts less often now, he would be able to post any needed update.

On a brighter note, fellow blogger, Jon, has posted his gratitude for everyone's well wishes.  To answer a blogger's question, he's still in Cookeville Medical Center for the foreseeable future. Several bloggers have indicated they will or have posted a card and, as anyone who has been hospitalized knows, these will be much appreciated.

NH-NJ Friends Meet Up

There's no doubt fact that we enjoy road trips. Since relocating to NH, we've taken in state getaways and to neighboring New England states, our own best company. Recently, on a return trip to North Conway, NH, we met up with long-time friends from our home state of NJ and shared good times. And, they introduced us to a popular New England form of bowling.

Friends & us at Peach's

If you ever visit this area of the White Mountains, be sure to make a breakfast or lunch stop at Peach's Restaurant, easily to recognize in a peach colored former cottage on Main St. This is a very popular eatery for local and visitors. If you get there in later morning, there's always a wait line, so we arrived right after the 8 am opening.

It's that good, especially the fruit pancakes and omelettes. Breakfast is available anytime. We checked the open hours because while Peach's opens for breakfast and lunch five days, not on Tuesday and Wednesday,

While this North Conway roadtrip wasn't a first for us or friends, Jill and Art, it was a first for meeting in NH and staying at the same accommodation, the Eastern Slope Inn. Our friends stayed in a time-share condo and we stayed at the historic inn.

Eastern Slope Inn, North Conway, NH, and it snowed during our visit

This impressive 200-room inn has a long history with several predecessors on the same site. Two were destroyed by fire. This was the same fate that felled many stick-built White Mountain hotels years ago with no fire safety features included in construction. 

In 1854, James Randall bought a boarding house on Main Street and renamed it the Randall House. It did very well until burning down in November 1902. His son, Henry Randall, who had assumed ownership after his father's 1898 death, rebuilt what became the second Hotel Randall, opening in July 1903. A 1916 addition brought the room total to 50 and 33 had private baths; features included telephones, electric lights and bells, steam heat. Centrally located, the Hotel Randall was a fashionable lodging. A 1921 expansion brought capacity to 150 guests. But, in November 1925, almost 23 years to the day, the hotel burned down again in under 3 hours. 

Construction on the third Hotel Randall soon followed. This one was built with fire stops in every wall, cement floors in the kitchen and basement, boilers outside the building, wiring in protective cable, and a sprinkler system. The new hotel opened in July 1926, but its success was short lived. Within three years, the economy turned as the 1929, the stock market crash led to the great Depression. Vacations were less affordable; travel changed with the arrival of the auto; guest cabins and motels replaced grand hotels. Hard-hit, the Randall family mortgaged the hotel to the hilt, basically managing it for the bank.

1950s Vintage ad (online source)

Enter North Conway native and businessman, Harvey Gibson, president of Manufacturers Trust Company in NYC. On a winter trip to the area, he saw that skiing and other winter sports could be a lucrative enterprise and bought the by then foreclosed Hotel Randall in 1937. 

Gibson updated the hotel for year-round use, renaming it The Eastern Slope Inn. Business thrived with snow trains bringing skiers to the area. A savy businessman, Gibson is credited with the growth of his home town as a nationally recognized ski center, success which continued after his 1950 death.

The inn fell on hard times and closed in 1975. Soon after Eastern Mountain Sports bought the property for use as a retail store and continued a ground floor restaurant. The rest of the building was unused. The business was short lived and, within a few years, the inn closed again.

In 1980, Eastern Slope Inn Associates, bought the closed resort. After extensive remodeling and added safety updates, the inn reopened in July 1881. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. 

Lobby of the Eastern Slope Inn; fireplace was kept lit

No visit to North Conway is complete without a stop at the North Conway 5 and 10 Cent Store on Main Street, which lives up to its slogan: It's Not Just A Store—It's An Experience. The Main Street store is North Conway's oldest continually operating business.

5&10 cent store, North Conway, NH, circa 1940 (online source)

Years ago, the store was the site of a general store, that was built around 1840, and continued in operation through various owners. In May 1939, it became a traditional 5&10 cent store when Sidney and Lillian Sweeney opened for business selling everything, practical and impractical. The store has been in continuous operation for over 80 years under several different owners. 

Interior views of 5&10 cent store, North Conway, NH

A walk through the store's interior shows that little has changed since the 1940s, aside from what's for sale inside. There's still the original tin ceiling, creaking maple floors and antique wooden counters displays made of glass and wood. The vintage cash register, while still there, is for display only. There's a definite atmosphere of vintage nostalgia here.

North Conway, NH, 5&10 cent store

When the North Conway store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, it was one of only two known 5&10 stores in NH (now, the only one). Its current owners purchased the business in 1977. While, there's hardly anything for 5&10 cents in stock now, there's always something and purchase. We never leave empty-handed.

From their start in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the 5&10 cent store was where shoppers could purchase what was needed on a daily basis.

In 1880, Frank Winfield Woolworth opened the first 5&10 store in Lancaster, PA. By 1911, he ran 319 stores across the Northeast. The pricing policy was that a nickel or dime would buy anything. Most stores prospered when in the Great Depression people could afford to shop there. In the 1930s, inflation led to a top price of 20 cents. By the 1950s arrival of big discount stores, many independent dime stores closed. The 5&10 cent store basically left the American scene in 1997 when the F. W. Woolworth Company ended 118 years in the discount retail business.

Candy is no longer 1 cent

There is a lot of candy for sale here and with good reason. I read that years ago stores would keep shelves just as well stocked as (back then) penny candy sales were crucial to Woolworth’s success. 

He believed that confection, alone, would pay the store's rent. Another reason for his success was a model that still works: importing goods from foreign markets with cheap labor which in the 1880s was Europe, today it's China. 

The 5&10 cent store is gone, but its principle continues. In today's marketplace, the 5&10 cents of 1935 has the purchasing power of $1 and more, keeping hundreds of  dollar stores in operation.

Saco Valley Lanes, Fryeburg ME

Now, about that new to us sport we tried on this road trip.

Unless you're a New Englander, you may not know about candlepin bowling, which includes ourselves as natives of NJ, we only played 10-pin bowling. 

Our visiting NJ friends were very familiar with this game, despite having never lived here. As avid skiers, they visited New England for years with their now adult children and bowled at Saco Valley Lanes in Fryeburg, ME. They showed these first-timers how to play, it was challenging we found out. 

No, the game isn't played with candles, but the pins look like them, which is how it got the name. Candlepin bowling is a popular indoor sport in New England states of NH, MA, ME and also Eastern Canada.

Differences, of course, there's several between candlepin and standard 10-pin bowling: pins are tall and thin, balls are smaller, handheld without finger holds, players roll three balls per frame instead of two. Many candlepin bowlers maintain the sport is harder. (We agree.)

Candlepins, balls, electronic scoresheet

In 10-pin, bowlers throw one frame at a time, two balls per frame. In candlepin, it's two frames, (called boxes) three balls per box, scored by bowling 12 strikes: one in each box, and a strike with both bonus balls in the 10th box. Even if you knock pins over, they’re not cleared until your three-roll turn is up. Unlike in 10-pin bowling, no one has bowled a perfect 300 game; the highest sanctioned candlepin score is 245.

According to the International Candlepin Bowling Association (ICBA) website, candlepin bowling dates to 1880 and is credited to Justin White, owner of a Worcester, MA, billiards and bowling hall. Years ago, pins were inch-thick dowels, resembling candles. In the late 1960s, plastic candlepins began replacing wood candlepins. 

Nashua, NH, has a candlepin bowling center. We plan to practice for a re-match the next time our friends visit. That's because while it was a fun afternoon in Maine, we definitely need a lot more practice. 

Art, Jill, Dorothy (Beatrice) and Patrick (Grenville)

Yes, there was ❄️, both on the way to North Conway and during our stay. Our friends went skiing at nearby Cranmore Mountain and we snowshoed on the trail system near the inn. 

Snowshoeing on trails behind the Eastern Slope Inn

This was the first time we had used our snowshoes in several years, but the good thing is that we had not forgotten how — just keep walking.

Happy Friendsgiving

Tomorrow, here in the U.S., many folks will celebrate Thanksgiving with a lot of great food and surrounded by family and/or friends. 

There are those who do not have the closeness of family and friends because of distance, health or other reasons. That was the case when we lived in VA, away from family. So, we invited folks we knew, who were in a similar situation, to join us for dinner. We always had the best times. In recent years, such a gathering has been called Friendsgiving, combining "friend" and "Thanksgiving" to refer to a meal eaten with friends — on or around Thanksgiving. It's still a celebration. The only difference is the people you celebrate with, regardless of whether or not you're related. After all, it's being together that's the most important part of the holiday.

This 🦃 holiday, we're neither celebrating at home nor visiting family, but will celebrate with friends and others we haven't (yet) met here in NH. Yes, we're on the road again, staying in a hotel in the White Mountains here. We expect to visit with family members during the🎄holiday.

Enjoy your celebration and if you're planning to holiday shop, we hope that you find things not only on your list, but on sale too ! (Blog posts will be on a break for the holiday too.)

Our Best Wishes to All for a very Happy Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving celebrated with all those special folks in your lives and perhaps a few new ones too. 

Thanks to everyone who has read and commented (or not) on blog posts this year which is fast drawing to a close. To us, fellow bloggers are "friends" we haven't met and, even if we never meet in person, friendships also can be virtual, like everything now. 

Thankful for Everyone

Beatrice & Grenville

We Went "Peopling"

Tis true, we've been off on a(nother) road trip the past week and a half. Unlike previous ones, this trip was to visit with people not to see places. Not just any folks, but the best type — family and long-time friends, many most of whom we hadn't seen in awhile.

Faces of family & friends visited in NJ and PA

We traveled to our home state of NJ, then to PA, and back to NJ before returning to NH.

My brother, Tony and wife, Anita, long-time friend, Margaret, and us in NJ

Our first NJ visit was to long-time friend, Margaret, a neighbor of my late parents. She celebrated her 94th birthday this past June. We spent a wonderful visit at her home before going to lunch with my brother, Anthony (Tony) and sister-in-law, Anita. We also visited Virginia, shown in the top right collage photo, an amazing 93 years young who knew my late. She and Margaret are friends who talk every evening.

Tony my "baby" brother is three years younger than myself and my only sibling.

Long time NJ friends, Jill & Art

Another NJ visit was with longtime friends Jill and Art. Jill and myself were co-workers over 25 years ago and we have maintained a now long-distance friends. 

Even longer friends, Sara & David in PA

An even longer friendship is that of Sara and David, fellow NJ natives, who now live in New Holland near Lancaster, PA. A highlight of our get togethers is to take a group shot followed by separate photo pairings. It's always fun the next time we see each another to compare pics from the previous time(s). My friendship with Sara predates her marriage; we attended high school together in NJ, many years ago.

This PA hotel is a steamboat-type accommodation on land

One of the most unique lodging experiences in Lancaster, PA, is at the Fulton Steamboat Inn, a steamboat environment on land in unique nautical or Victorian themed guest rooms. This was our accommodations thanks to a gift certificate received last holiday season from PA family members.

Why is a steamboat in the middle of Lancaster County, PA?

It's because Robert Fulton, the man credited with developing the idea of propelling boats by steam, was born in 1765 in a small farmhouse a few miles south of this location. 

In 1807, Fulton teamed with another engineer, and they designed and constructed the first successful steam powered ship, The Clermont. Fulton is credited with turning the steamboat into a commercial success and transforming transportation history.

Faces of youngest granddaughter

Our PA visit was to spend time with the youngest granddaughter. We were looking forward to seeing her play soccer on Saturday morning, but she didn't play.

We shared grandparent time 

While this was basically an indoors visit, sometimes those can be fun with game playing, coloring, story reading and naps too. 

This road trip was a busy one with many visits. As much as we enjoy seeing new places, there's nothing better than spending time with family and friends. We're sure you agree.