Monday, October 31, 2016

November - Following Fall South

 
30 Nov: The Smooch Family is headed south from Atlantic Beach, NC on any road (likely 17) to avoid rain. The winds are strong, the 75 degree temperature is great, even warm. The rain didn't last long. An eagle was spotted soaring over us; we arrived at a Meeting Street Inn, a marvelous old hotel in the historic district of Charleston, SC hungry enough to go out for dinner. The Low Country Bistro gave us a ten dollar discount because they couldn't meet our dietary restrictions. Tomorrow we continue touring the city. Now we sleep. Zzz good night. We arrive at Cousin Sharon's on Hilton Head Thursday, then Columbia, SC on Friday for a week stay.
 
29 Nov. Ron arose at daybreak to photograph the gorgeous sunrise that disappeared when clouds appeared and the winds picked up. Cynthia edited files all the day long! Packing was Ron's game plan for the day. Recycling was another big project. We skipped lunch and ate at the hotel again this evening. Windsurfers were out enjoying the high surf and windy day. We. Are. Packed.
28 Nov: Progress is being made on the Reunion Files (Software for the MAC to organize lineages). Ron walked the beach to Food Lion returning with very tired legs, the left arm does not seem as swollen. Dinner at the hotel was surprisingly good. We started packing for departure early AM Wednesday. This hotel does not have laundry facilities. WooHoo! We have walked about 4o miles this week.
 
27 Nov: Atlantic Beach, NC working away entering research data, taking a break for a 3 mile roundtrip walk to Food Lion. Gorgeous but humid day. We worked on our files so late we rode to dinner at the Island Grille.
 
26 Nov: Only 28 more sunrises before Christmas. Ron walked to the store while Cynthia edited genealogy files that became corrupt through merging. Tonight we rode to dinner at the Island Grille. Mark 11:24.
25 Nov: Atlantic Beach, NC - a gorgeous day - 72 humid degrees. A morning 3 mile walk to the post office and Food Lion for pretzels, sorbet and popsicles with zero fat was mmmm satisfying. After several hours on our electronics we ventured forth to the Island Grille for dinner only to discover Ron wasn't hungry after sorbet, pretzels, popsicles and 2 bowls of fat- free cereal with frozen fruit and protein powder. We split an entree of Mahi-mahi. Our daily walk totaled 10 miles. No. we did not do any Black Friday shopping but we talked to people who did buy clothes and TV sets. Photo of sunset taken near Island Grille
24 Nov: Happy Thanksgiving!!! Thanks be to God for all things living, each other, our health, each other, our family, each other, and for you, our friends, we thank God! Our 17 year old niece Erika is in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City making big news in her home town of Edwardsville, Illinois. We watched the parade, delighted to catch a glimpse of Erika, walked the beach enjoying waves, sandpipers, fishermen and Cynthia found some babies to talk to before the hotel's Thanksgiving Day Buffet. Tryptophan kicked in. Zzzzzzzz
23 Nov: Atlantic Beach, NC. After basking in the hotel room sun, we were surprised by a chilly walk to Food Lion; the return walk was warm. Update on Ron's deep vein thrombosis: the swelling in the left arm is significantly reduced. We plan 8 days of work on manuscripts and family group sheets before traveling to Columbia, SC. Energized by a 3mile walk this AM, we were encouraged to walk 3 miles to our favorite restaurant, the Island Grille, totaling 9 BIG miles today.
22 Nov: Departure for Atlantic Beach, NC for 8 more RON - REST days. temperatures call for heated gear, seats and handlebars for the three hour ride in 40 degree weather - now subtract another ten degrees for riding in the wind. Our first stop is the Orange County Register of Deeds Office by invitation. The recorder of Deeds is most impressed with Ron's' map platting. The day promised no hint of warmth; even the chronic hypothermic Ron was cold.
 
21 Nov: Cold! Very Cold! 38 degrees - 10 degrees = 28 degree riding weather on the bike from Hyco Lake to Yanceyville to the courthouse and library. Cynthia was thankful for Gerbings heated gear. Ron's new friend Bill invited us to lunch at the Yanceyville Country Club. Bill and his delightful wife, Karen, from old families local to the area, made our day. They are so fun we must return in the spring on our way to Philadelphia. All of the Deeds we intended to photograph are completed. Cynthia downloaded the book, "Murder in the Courthouse," about a crime in Caswell County during Reconstruction. Our friend Paul G. phoned tonight from his new home in Tonga to tell us construction begins tomorrow on his new home. Paul relocated from Hawaii about two years ago. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonga
 
20 Nov: Where heaven touches Hyco (Lake Hyco) the temperature dropped to 31 degrees over night. The sun sparkles like diamonds on the lake - embraced by hills dressed in autumn bronze. Ron is deed platting, needing additional Deeds from Caswell County courthouse tomorrow. Taking a computer break we pack in preparation for departure on Tuesday. Smooch Smooch thought our clothes should be laundered again this year. Sniff Sniff! Well, maybe. Noon-thirty we hikety to Dockers Grill for lunch. Ain't love grand?
 
19 Nov: Accu Weather reports 64 degrees and sunny. Ron and Cynthia are hard at work on the Lea book; taking a lunch break, we walked 4.4 miles round trip to Dockers Grill marveling at autumn in all her finery; during lunch the skies clouded over, temperatures dropped, whorls of leaves swirled through the air, water was whipped into whitecaps on the lake: "these autumn leaves, November, December." The Smooch Family News: Grandson Eric had a car accident in Ft. Worth, but everyone is Ok.
 

18 Nov: Life is good. We sure have fun together. Breakfast by Smooch was extraordinaire - and off we rode to the Orange County Library in Hillsborough to review Deeds. Orange County Deed Registrar, Mark Chilton, has published the first of 4 volumes of area land grants. The oversized book is exceptionally nice with fine quality paper. Lunch at Saratoga Grill is always a treat. From Hillsborough we drove to Yanceyville to photograph Deeds in the courthouse and took a road less traveled to Dockers Grill to enjoy the sunset on the lake. The late afternoon sunlight shimmered like diamonds on spectacular fall foliage. Oops! In the restaurant Ron realized he left his keychain and leatherman tools buried under leaves outside the courthouse (knives aren't allowed beyond security.). After eating a grilled chicken breast Ron returned to Yanceyville to retrieve the hidden items, dropping Cynthia off on the road to the lake house. Home again, home again, jiggity jig! Deer are out in abundance especially at night; 6 were at the corner of Solomon Lea Road tonight. See the road to our lake house:
17 Nov: Yanceyville today, Roxboro yesterday. Our days are short, with restful reading deed abstracts in libraries. Ron prepares egg white omelets for breakfast, but decent restaurants are not to be found. Yanceyville has a Subway and an Asian restaurant. A restful lake Hyco.
16 Nov: A beautiful note from a lovely couple we met at Balcary Bay in Scotland:
"I am so sorry to hear that Ron is having some medical problems. I read his blog every day and never cease to wonder at the energy and happiness you two enjoy. My geography of the states is getting very good as I look at the map and trace your routes. I enjoy googling the places you visit and read about the history of the places and learn something new. So you see Ron's blog is a continual geography lesson. So pleased we met you at Balcary Bay. I hope you will both be on the road again but please take care and God bless you,". Wynn
Thank you dear friend!
15 Nov: Still ensconced in room 4833: the attending physician reports the Hematologist wants Ron to stay for an additional five days and change Eliquis RX to Warfarin. We disagreed. Instead the Eliquis RX will be increased from 5mg to 10mg. And we were released with orders for Ron to rest during the double dose of Eliquis. The motorcycle was exactly where it was left in ER parking. Cynthia drove the rental car back to the lake house to be dropped off at Roxboro tomorrow instead of the Raleigh-Durham airport. Ron bought food en route. Plans post Tuesday are in ICloud.
14 Nov: Rm 4833, UNC Medical Center, Chapel Hill, NC. EUREKA !! After another three diagnostic procedures, the senior cardiologist said that Ron's situation is not at all unusual for pacemaker patients and that the best treatment is time to allow the body bypass the blockage. Let's hope the hematologist agrees. Since we are in an Oncology/hematology wing, they may have the final say about our discharge. Since today is rainy and cloudy, it is not a bad day to stay indoors. For exercise we walked more than 1.54 miles in the hallways of the Oncology wings. Ron is getting lots done to prepare for more Lea families plat plotting.
Will we go home tomorrow?? Stay tuned.

13 Nov, Chapel Hill, NC: Early AM a very kind male nurse from ER took Cynthia to Raleigh Durham airport to rent a car to go to our rental house and gather some belongings. The nurse waited for her and led her all the way back to Roxboro. An echocardiogram , a CT Scan, more labs, continued Heparin on IV, plus visits by various professionals took up our day. We were moved to a pleasant Room with a view. The Super moon is indeed super. Thanks to Jim and Joni for sharing photos of the Moon over Maryland.
12 Nov: Ron worked on NC Deeds until 2:30 AM because of excitement discovering they are on the web. We don't have to return to Raleigh. The library in Hillsborough closes at one. But Wally World is open so we can buy groceries and a compression sleeve. It is a gorgeous fall day on Hyco Lake. After a lovely lunch at Saratoga Grill Ron talked to Walt ((MIT alum, Dr. ) who strongly suggested Ron go to ER to have his arm/hand checked for a blood clot. We first went to UNC Clinic in Hillsborough who sent us on to UNC in Chapel Hill to have a venous Doppler (sonogram) that confirmed Ron does indeed have a blood clot in the veins where the pacemaker lead is attached. He was admitted, put in Heparin IV to test for clotting considering he is already on 3 powerful blood thinners to prevent clots
11 Nov: Veterans Day: Thank you. Sunrise started with a magnificent powder blue horizon blending into a luscious lavender. As the sun rose further, the fall foliage across the lake sparkled with burgundy and orange highlights. Vets Day means courthouses and deed offices are closed changing our plans to ride into Person County. Instead, we walked 4.2 miles roundtrip to Dockers Grill for grilled chicken and salad. The 70 degree weather was perfect. Ron chatted on the phone held to his left ear to keep his arm elevated. We spent the rest of the day working on the Lea book and DNA projects.
10 Nov: The ride into Yanceyville Library was very chilly. The Kendall Deed Book we ordered to replace the library's stolen/lost book arrived yesterday. Ron took 351 photos of the Deeds for map platting. Randall (a Lea/Lee cousin) arrived at the library late morning; we took a break for lunch at Subway - buying a foot long so Cynthia can have half for dinner tonight. (we can't go out for dinner because the driveway is too risky downhill on gravel after dark:thirty.) The electrophysiologist was emailed for a North Carolina referral in because Ron's left arm remains swollen - despite sleeping with the left arm elevated. Riots in 25 cities does the cause no good, behaving exactly as expected DT supporters would behave. Self destruction.
9 Nov: Hyco Lake - doing research. Today was chilly. Ron took a walk in the AM talking to Sistah Carol processing the election, a later afternoon walk to Dockers for food. The sunset was marvelous with two very unique rainbows arcing from a light sky into a darker, deeper blue night sky. What would the world be like if people listened to one another - accepting differences - not demanding. That is a democracy.

8 Nov: Hyco Lake - working on our research/computers sitting lakeside will beat sitting in libraries and courthouses for a couple of days. Verizon and Wi-Fi signals are not great. After a 4.4 mile walk (round trip) to Dockers Grill, we discovered it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. There is a very nice young man in the convenience store next door to Dockers. Ron worked on Deeds lakeside. Looking ahead at our calendar, we have reservations for 10 days at Atlantic Beach, NC and a week at Columbia, SC to 2-10 December when cold weather will likely send us to Florida until Texas time in January.

7 Nov: Yanceyville, NC, the courthouse and the library are today's focus. The library genealogy room has not been organized for sometime. Ron organized the books in proper order searching for Vol. 1 of Caswell County Deeds by Katherine Kerr Kendall; it is missing. We bought a copy via Amazon to donate to the library after we use take photos. Dinner was at Subway. Oh my.

6 Nov: Good grief! A thief stole our week. On this day we sleep in, dine out, pack up, move out and move in ( to a lakefront vacation rental for ten days.) In between the ins and outs we will walk. We avoid news. Views from the lakehouse.
5 Nov: Roxboro, NC - our day in Person County Library was pleasant. We sorta/kinda enjoyed breakfast at the Open Kettle because they prepared egg white vegetable omelets with cooking spray; grits were made without butter. Dinner at Timberland Diner was... well.. made without oil, but zero ambiance.




4 Nov: The ride from Suffolk, VA to Roxboro, NC was indeed very pleasant. Upon checking in to the hotel, Cynthia was denied the customary honors Diet Coke. 6 Points were not recorded in our Hilton Honors account, but a phone call to HHonors resolved the issue pushing us into the next tier (so we are earning double points to the end of the year) and Cynthia gets a Diet Coke NOW! We choose Hilton Garden Inn because they make egg white veggie omelets and we avoid vendor breakfast garbage. Ron researched deeds in the Person County courthouse using the new tripod. Dinner at the Country Club Steakhouse was yummy good with zero ambiance.






3 Nov: Lewes, DE saying goodbye to Dean and Janina after an IHOP breakfast, on the road by 11:00 AM through DE, MD and on to Suffolk, VA arriving at 3:30 PM. The ride over the Chesapeake Bay bridge was beyond beautiful; the ride was pleasant, the temperature very warm. An eagle flew overhead. See photo of the rear entrance of the nicest Hilton Garden Inn we have enjoyed to date, built by the city of Suffolk. Our room has a view of the river; the sunset was spectacular.

2 Nov: Lewes, DE, Janina wondered if we miss having a home; we think, "Where we are doesn't matter, because we are." (Ron kissed the bride). The left arm and hand has been swollen the past three days; the electrophysiologist emailed a response to the photos, "This doesn't sound acute, try sleeping differently." A great 4.5 mile hike took us past 7 turtles lined up in a row, a dead, baby snake, and through a lovely canopy of trees. Dinner tonight was at Jake's Seafood; afterwards Dean showed us a video of a triathlon he won and another video their trip to Santorini, Greece.
1 Nov: Dewey Beach, Delaware visiting bro Dean and wife Janina; we enjoyed hiking through Ft. Miles followed by dinner at The Big Fish Grill. Carol was on a speaker phone giving instruction while we looked at chromosomes.






 

Saturday, October 1, 2016

October Leaves on Wheels

 
31 Oct: Dewey Beach, DE: Happy Birthday Bro Dean!!! Its a stellar day; we had a marvelous ride from Philly to bring Dean his birthday gift in person, a hug and kiss; Ron gave the hug saying Janina would give him the kiss. The fall foliage was vivid once we reached Delaware; a working lunch with John Tepe in Wilmington at Janssen's Market was very good; the temperatures cooled off closer to Dover, DE. We enjoyed a great fish dinner at Big Fish Restaurant and a tour of Dean and Janina's charming new home.
 
30 Oct: Indian summer in Philadelphia: the weather is glorious. We didn't need jackets on the ride to meet Herb and Zofia for lunch at Scoogi's. Philadelphia's iconic old stone barns and picturesque farms provide great pleasure.
29 Oct: Appointments at the seminary to work with John T. on the SCS FF applications and Ken P for Volume 7. Working Lunch included Jim Z. The old oak tree, once sitting at the entrance to the Brossman Center, was cut down and had tree doctor determine age of 325 years old. George Washington once camped on this hill at the Battle to Germantown. Dinner tonight was with MIT friend Eric C. At his Penthouse apartment on Rittenhiuse Square (once owned by Katherine Hepburn). The other delightful dinner guests are historians and archivists. The experience of riding downtown on Saturday night was surreal. A big Halloween party was going on for blocks with all sorts of creatures out and about. The weirdest ones were not in costume. The bike was parked several blocks away in a very old neighborhood. Photos are from the penthouse patio:
 
28 Oct: 40 degrees, but sunny, riding to the seminary archives to work. Lunch at McMenamins with the archivist John P. We met new best friends at Scoogi's; two very delightful ladies were willing to join us for dinner and listen to our stories. They thought a movie should be made about us suggesting Meryl Streep to play Cynthia - and Clint Eastwood for Ron if only he was not so old! P When we return to Philadelphia we will invite them to dine with us again. Oh what fun!
 
27 Oct: Morning temperature was again 37 degrees with a real feel of 33. Ron rode to the Archives alone while Cynthia worked on SCS projects in a cozy, warm hotel room; new Hoka One shoes arrived in time for trial on the treadmill. Life and Forefather Membership applications were completed for all family members. Sister Carol was approved for Life Membership with Forefather status, too, making our family a powerhouse takeover! EllaRuth congratulated Ron on inheriting 11 grandchildren.
 
26 Oct: The temperature is 37 degrees making it very cool for the ride to the Archives. We have stayed north too long. After morning archival work Sally W. arrived for a tour of the museum followed by lunch at McMenamin's with Joel G. Ron is making progress discovering the meanings of cryptic source markings on family group sheets.
25 Oct: Hotel guests and wait staff are quite amused by our newlywed behavior. Ron explained to a nearby breakfast diner, "We have been married five years, five months and 13 days; marrying at our age gives certainty to living happily ever after." We managed a short walk to the mall in a pleasant 55 degree weather; Ron continued on to work in the Archives while Cynthia worked on the MAC in the hotel room doing SCS DNA research and upgrading to Version 11 of Reunion for the MAC.
 
24 Oct: Archives at the Lutheran Seminary for another day of archival research. We lunched with Kim-Eric at McMenamin's - dinner at Scoogi's with Kim and Jim Z. Re: the archives. The temperature is supposed to increase the remainder of this week.
 
 
23 Oct - 31 Oct : Plymouth Meeting; we will leave here a week from Monday to visit brother Dean and wife Janina in Lewes, Delaware. We had a marvelous brunch with Jean C. at Scoogi's in Flourtown.
 
22 Oct: Plymouth Meeting, PA, Archives; some vital books are missing from the archives along with a backup hard drive. On to McMenimins with Jim Z - then home to Smooch Smooch - followed by dinner at Kim-Eric's new home in Exton, PA. Life is good except for the traffic! It is raining Harry Potter: the streets are jammed with major Harry Potter gatherings. http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/harry-potter-weekend-in-chestnut-hill/
 
21 Oct: O what a beautiful morning. My goodness, it's Friday already. Time is flying fast. We are off to the archives for a day of archival work with fun friends for lunch at McMenamin's and dinner at Scoogi's. A cool front is approaching with wet stuff.
 
20 Oct: Philly for two Weeks: Breakfasts at the Doubletree are majorly delicious; the delightful dining room manager spends time sharing his pride that his only daughter graduated from Harvard with a degree in neuroscience. The Swedish Colonial Society meeting this afternoon was at Gloria Dei Church (where we married), and dinner tonight with John, Emily and Kim on the ship Moshulu (where we had the wedding morning after brunch). Cynthia and Kim-Eric enjoyed deep discussions about church polity.
 
19 Oct: Mt. Airy, PA: Lutheran Theological Seminary working with John T., Kim-Eric and Bev W.; Kim gave us a tour of the new Swedish Museum where we were astounded to see our wedding photo sitting in front of Ron's books. Cynthia donated her wedding dress, but it is not yet on display. We enjoyed a delightful lunch at McMenimin's Tavern where everyone Skoled with Hefeweisen ale. It was a Great day with good friends. The fire alarm sounded with a call to evacuate the hotel by walking down stairs. By the time we reached the lobby the danger was over so we boogied back by elevator.
18 Oct: jessup, MD: Bob's BMW 12,000 mile service, two new tires and a few misc checks. We stayed at a Quality Inn last night within walking distance to the cycle shop; this morning an altercation broke out in the breakfast room between some guests (looked like druggies) Oh well. We walked the 1.1 mile to Bob's and We enjoyed a test ride on an F700 today. MY Gawd, it seems like a tiny toy. I will go for a second, solo ride to see what more I think about it. Cynthia felt unsettling vibration and felt insecure without a top case to lean against. I advised her to hold on tight, so I thoroughly enjoyed the missing top case. Bob's has a loaner R1200RS that might work well, but it was loaned out today. Apparently they also have a loaner F800GS that will be worth riding, maybe later if the service takes longer than anticipated. After service we will ride to Philadelphia for two weeksof meetings and work in the Archives.
17 Oct: Departing Gaithersburg, MD for Jessup, MD after SCS meeting about DNA project. The bike was left at Bob's BMW for early morning service. Ron walked back to our hotel.
16 Oct; Gorgeous wedding. Full moon. Awesome evening. WooHoo!
15 Oct: oh my! The wedding rehearsal is over and the bride has jitters. We took a stroll around the lake after a light lunch. Tonight was the H ayride and campfire on the gorgeous Smokey Glen Farm. On another note: Our brother- in-law Dr. Robert Baker has a new book out titled Gravitational Waves with a Foreword by Dr. Buzz Aldrin: "Among other excellent discussions this book presents to me an entirely new concept in multiuniverses. Its Chapter 11 describes the osculation or ”kissing” of other universes with our Universe, not the largest scales of our Universe, at huge black holes or “worm holes,” but instead at the smallest scales where the so-called quantum-mechanical “frenzy” or “foam” exists."
 
14 Oct: Gaithersburg, MD and Mt. Airy, MD preparing for the wedding celebration. We enjoyed a great night with the bride and groom at their home and later dinner at Mt. Airy Tavern. This morning we enjoyed breakfast at IHop's. Our suite at the Courtyard Marriott in Gaithersburg is marvelous, overlooking a lake with duckies, geese and a great boardwalk to enjoy a walkity. Tonight's dinner with gathered guests was at Uncle Julio's.
 
13 Oct: Hagerstown, MD library, courthouse and historical society researching Ron's Sweeney's while Cynthia went to a spa; then on the road again to Mt. Airy, MD for the wedding festivities.
 
12 Oct: Scranton, PA to Hagerstown, MD. The Hilton Hotel in Scranton was very nice with a terrific breakfast. The ride with views of fall foliage kissed our eyes with joy! We arrived at the Hampton Inn near Hagerstown (out in the boonies) about 4PM. Happy Birthday Sweet 16 Zoe!
 
11 Oct: Killington, VT to Scranton, PA, arrival by 7:00 PM. Tiny fawn, three Hawks and a Smooch Smooch on the back who was disappointed because she looked short, round and thought three guys laughed at her.
 
10 Oct: Morning hike real feel was 38 degrees above zed. Ron, the trail maintenance man, was hard at work having too much fun. Tonight we pack. Tomorrow we ride!
9Oct: Killington, VT Hiking!
8 Oct: Milford, NH, the Pasta Loft once again served as the venue for MIT friends, Rick and Sherry, Irja and Mike, BD and Drew, Bob (without Rachel), Ed and Mary, and Robert L. The city was in the midst of the Pumpkin Festival so parking was at the high school with a shuttle downtown. The ride from Killington to Milford was 3 hours but the brilliant foliage was breathtaking. The good news is that we got back to Killington without rain or deer or moose in the roads. There was a fly by scare from a big bird that looked like a night flying hawk. I'd estimate that he missed my head by a good five feet. The roads were wet from Hanover to Woodstock, but no rain fell on our parade. It was chilly at 59 degrees, but last year I remember snow atop the motorcycle about this time. It is raining here now, so I hope you are all getting a little relief from the drought as well. From here we head south on Tuesday. Methinks that we will visit Beanie in Keene if Cynthia's raspy throat clears up. Otherwise we will probably go east first to look for New York color, then south into PA and MD. Cynthia will probably be rehearsing her sermon behind me the whole way.
 
 
7 Oct: Inn at Long Trail - Killington, VT, Breakfasts are fun, especially seeing Wanee and Maria. We hiked the Sherburne Pass Trail with Cynthia turning back at the sink hole, Ron turned back at the blocked pathway. Oke arrived with hugs. Owen said hi on the run. Ron rode a circuitous route to view foliage. The color is peak. Cynthia is working on the wedding ceremony.
 
6 Oct: Albany, NY to Killington, VT arriving at noon thirty feeling excited to be "home" at the Inn at Long Trail to hike and ride through New England's brilliant fall foliage. Two fun ladies from Wales took our pictures. Bob, Brogan, Murray and Patty hugged us royally.
 
5 Oct: Departing Coudersport, PA to Albany, NY. The ride through Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon was marvelous. Trying to find lunch in Sayre, PA was not.
 
4 Oct: Departing Novelty, Ohio towards Vermont. Leaves are turning as we watch. Walt and Pam had breakfast with us; Walt rode with us to the PA border where we rode on into the Allegheny National Forest. The foliage has grown increasingly brilliant from Warren, PA to Coudersport, PA. We saw our second eagle soaring overhead.
 
3 Oct: Novelty, Ohio enjoying camaraderie with MIT friend Walt and his lovely wife Pam. Marvelous breakfast at Cafe Michael's, dinner at M Italian in Chagrin, Ohio. We walked through the woods on their lovely farm.
 
2 Oct: Vermilion to Novelty, Ohio for a day with Pam snd Walt.
 
1 Oct. West Lafayette, Indiana to Sandusky, OH -- OOPS -- Vermilion, Ohio. Mostly we are happy to have avoided heavy rain hitting several showers instead. We bypassed Sandusky after not finding waterfront hotels or restaurants on Lake Erie; instead Sanduskyhotels are clumped together five blocks from the water looking all too crowded. We continued on toVermilion where Ron found a Holiday Inn Express with an exorbitant price; but they were almost sold out and we are tired.