tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21588914126806114822024-02-06T20:01:32.366-08:00Alissa's Grand AdventureWhile Alissa is busy fighting off Larry, she's going to take some amazing journeys - with your help!Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-61418621602150787042009-08-30T22:19:00.000-07:002009-08-30T22:28:49.891-07:00Alissa Hits the High Seas - Both North and South<span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">NORTH TO ALASKA</span></span><div class="Section1"><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">HI, my name is Alissa and I have been traveling all summer.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> In July I went to Sitka, AK with Eunice, her DH and 2 DD with their husbands. We boarded the boat with the captain and his wife.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVClMY3p6ePvN9Pr4zZHag9TFOffjouX5l0i6TJXnyyPZRtxgk62dS85xhUIuL4jqByZClUl0jz3uL51l1rNjZdGbA46g29T939WJXJRzyVhAvtg1IU08V82JWne9FYwwGfbiWTIcR_2U/s1600-h/Pic+1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVClMY3p6ePvN9Pr4zZHag9TFOffjouX5l0i6TJXnyyPZRtxgk62dS85xhUIuL4jqByZClUl0jz3uL51l1rNjZdGbA46g29T939WJXJRzyVhAvtg1IU08V82JWne9FYwwGfbiWTIcR_2U/s320/Pic+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375993941437039634" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> I got so excited because I decided maybe something here would get me on a TV show.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">Here I am getting ready for Fear Factor.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgSdgqkuTCah8xv6PBGbYgMNM_R6NQlbubki_yAGUevt_evmcCAzQ3i7oPH5Kp8BzgbiN6WGo3dDttkFQPz4HgiqWA6azpX5y3A1RCBPe7B-0iqPuMDdvmV0O7ZxqYupNnV0CAZfbJcc/s1600-h/Pic+2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgSdgqkuTCah8xv6PBGbYgMNM_R6NQlbubki_yAGUevt_evmcCAzQ3i7oPH5Kp8BzgbiN6WGo3dDttkFQPz4HgiqWA6azpX5y3A1RCBPe7B-0iqPuMDdvmV0O7ZxqYupNnV0CAZfbJcc/s320/Pic+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375993942944075026" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">I thought of Deadliest Catch too, but I found something better to do with the catch.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bcGhI5bp3cWpqBOsRIODn6tq5HLtrzllcb_-LInLV3TJwgDD9pXmKGOQAOd3owcrhSsYCyoveRDOpuH1gJiG-9s4jIXoKEgJZA5AWKh14tZHq94BNJC-maEc7qOX68Tqa9OADQD7tBA/s1600-h/pic+3.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bcGhI5bp3cWpqBOsRIODn6tq5HLtrzllcb_-LInLV3TJwgDD9pXmKGOQAOd3owcrhSsYCyoveRDOpuH1gJiG-9s4jIXoKEgJZA5AWKh14tZHq94BNJC-maEc7qOX68Tqa9OADQD7tBA/s320/pic+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375993952070661266" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> One of my biggest secrets got out while I was here. I turn into The Knitting Fairy whenever I get around yarn and all this Noro really did it to me.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbNYU6tA6ZXTLfRXxcJTlUyU6BuJ6g64JtQvug7ggJ-QbdEAOZoIX-tUe2jd28anbnl74r8kbDJjE5moGAKmNyIdChdNhggnVTn-Y2VXpaGpi3a2fVQD-2YL_LoPHuHk0IpuGKcTysok/s1600-h/pic+4.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbNYU6tA6ZXTLfRXxcJTlUyU6BuJ6g64JtQvug7ggJ-QbdEAOZoIX-tUe2jd28anbnl74r8kbDJjE5moGAKmNyIdChdNhggnVTn-Y2VXpaGpi3a2fVQD-2YL_LoPHuHk0IpuGKcTysok/s320/pic+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375993958126238946" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">This is what some of the Noro turned into.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CWY-dnwx2cLT4wL8nbXhqJ-rHOmPLq9z2C5R6tSgErcXkY3vu0UyXHaITbMDvH-XExXZFd8hafqGhxjSicnyRTs0xtkBLv6vLWgnQSlL-mtlle7qRvfKRtMMmYg-xhmh7z6krGGHcRw/s1600-h/pic+5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CWY-dnwx2cLT4wL8nbXhqJ-rHOmPLq9z2C5R6tSgErcXkY3vu0UyXHaITbMDvH-XExXZFd8hafqGhxjSicnyRTs0xtkBLv6vLWgnQSlL-mtlle7qRvfKRtMMmYg-xhmh7z6krGGHcRw/s320/pic+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375993963799315186" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span> </p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:180%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';font-size:180%;">SOUTH TO TAHITI</span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> After 5 days of eating, knitting, and catching fish, I along with Eunice and her DH flew to Los Angeles and on to Tahiti. Boy that was a long flight. I couldn’t believe it when they decided I needed to get on another boat!</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWeKH1ZIjxyCdWA09RViHaikJsQTmw2rNPljq8MWKuWaZ15p9TqYWjTWfVnhH97XD9z2REjDTiaib0d4o0NCCkGza0xr-fkhacGdKZTFuX0KsjeFS8HsFJ68Wa52G8HW_PZL1bJ1Cgn8/s1600-h/pic+6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWeKH1ZIjxyCdWA09RViHaikJsQTmw2rNPljq8MWKuWaZ15p9TqYWjTWfVnhH97XD9z2REjDTiaib0d4o0NCCkGza0xr-fkhacGdKZTFuX0KsjeFS8HsFJ68Wa52G8HW_PZL1bJ1Cgn8/s320/pic+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994395968892690" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> Now they put me to work. There were 8 crew members sailing this boat for 1500 miles to a Bible School in Samoa. I was part photographer (they knew I lived with an excellent one), and part cook.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> The second day we stopped at Bora Bora and had lunch at Bloody Mary’s. </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ahFTKTVQ8VUVa4IF9RATe_JxMl1d2BNmEYfMYIs2EWqa7QeWDsIoy9skdqn5ejHaCb0q1tmNxkgWXdeFilgT3okj033jXszXHiwyU4RG3mBp0n0ptyMK4QpL2sWWQxrHab-DCXKjKJY/s1600-h/pic+7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ahFTKTVQ8VUVa4IF9RATe_JxMl1d2BNmEYfMYIs2EWqa7QeWDsIoy9skdqn5ejHaCb0q1tmNxkgWXdeFilgT3okj033jXszXHiwyU4RG3mBp0n0ptyMK4QpL2sWWQxrHab-DCXKjKJY/s320/pic+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994400839601234" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">Hey I could play the lead in “South Pacific” and stay on this island.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8Frl_-i3cJVaM5PwCTnsiMZP48TxAU9zC2gAzj_RfFs6pVp9b5oHMpBy84f8vBk7ZSDgUe8UsW6Sd3Jj1v9HVN1wdc4FthDyRDHjsCyNuxGh5zM7BU6KI8R8TIKa9W_KPzRgTMOouxc/s1600-h/pic+8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8Frl_-i3cJVaM5PwCTnsiMZP48TxAU9zC2gAzj_RfFs6pVp9b5oHMpBy84f8vBk7ZSDgUe8UsW6Sd3Jj1v9HVN1wdc4FthDyRDHjsCyNuxGh5zM7BU6KI8R8TIKa9W_KPzRgTMOouxc/s320/pic+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994408166143794" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">After that we traveled for 3 days in rough seas and never saw land or another boat. I did great and never got seasick, but had to sleep on my back so I didn’t roll out of bed. The view was the same from every window! Are we alone in the world?</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFuXEQ_jR7A9unMNgCg-0L62gdmaKJybFU01AoT_jJom_gz6L7KGi0_FKUe6aTZt0o2l8b9PnOu5YrD4WpDuX6aO_xXxnqwck9D0sEph9SXMsSjuHoVSb6vBv4lC3dDwlsEYR5dI1rg0/s1600-h/pic+9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFuXEQ_jR7A9unMNgCg-0L62gdmaKJybFU01AoT_jJom_gz6L7KGi0_FKUe6aTZt0o2l8b9PnOu5YrD4WpDuX6aO_xXxnqwck9D0sEph9SXMsSjuHoVSb6vBv4lC3dDwlsEYR5dI1rg0/s320/pic+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994418247087554" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;">I found the best place to rest was in some malabrigo and yes, The Knitting Fairy showed up again.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVZtXt8OnXKjXkJ8D8QTUTdq0h7bzvJajVks1UKHHoaA8rUN-YP_xEre-dfVeSaPFSYviLMLqPqWDnRfy-5CKdCPUBWs05CB1aRLzkKoKyX4mGrrMz6E7oONHLmcuLSQ4eK6S7I3bDtw/s1600-h/pic+10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVZtXt8OnXKjXkJ8D8QTUTdq0h7bzvJajVks1UKHHoaA8rUN-YP_xEre-dfVeSaPFSYviLMLqPqWDnRfy-5CKdCPUBWs05CB1aRLzkKoKyX4mGrrMz6E7oONHLmcuLSQ4eK6S7I3bDtw/s320/pic+10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994420208920450" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> After 9 days at sea we were in sight of Apia, Samoa. We put up the Samoan flag and blew the horn. The students and staff on shore all cheered.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> We were happy to get off the boat and head for a hotel. Why are we all walking so funny and why does the ground seem to be moving?</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> Wow, I just found out that ”Survivor” is being taped here. Maybe I could be on that show! Too bad their whole filming crew is staying at the other hotel.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> I spent the next few days visiting the Bible school, touring the island, and hanging around all the beautiful flowers.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNPHhA29zzv8WWyEUo9Og2AVX6bbtTtH1LD3IfES5HsEw2ya9fmWFkQ1O_6VARvxb257bCJKsxp_S3jQsjt4O3uaTQTzFsTqUFI4a9dDvDyDSUgfJzfVwZFsg4pYuMhwXOrCO_KtFwBQ/s1600-h/pic+11.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNPHhA29zzv8WWyEUo9Og2AVX6bbtTtH1LD3IfES5HsEw2ya9fmWFkQ1O_6VARvxb257bCJKsxp_S3jQsjt4O3uaTQTzFsTqUFI4a9dDvDyDSUgfJzfVwZFsg4pYuMhwXOrCO_KtFwBQ/s320/pic+11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994886400679810" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3q3ybzeHr-sxoesQg3c-sh8pFn6HlQTTVDmCn7vSOjzfjFYqgIgHdY2O69IkWDK40_x_3XLut0cmb3FrHDSDli0WqndhupUjIYFTYyBMWIIURoHhFA08sdVvHaozQPg9s7KBijUQz9PM/s1600-h/pic+12.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3q3ybzeHr-sxoesQg3c-sh8pFn6HlQTTVDmCn7vSOjzfjFYqgIgHdY2O69IkWDK40_x_3XLut0cmb3FrHDSDli0WqndhupUjIYFTYyBMWIIURoHhFA08sdVvHaozQPg9s7KBijUQz9PM/s320/pic+12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994888135190194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtzJY7-0N_vppD3DgfAvZwMWrdzQrdIXyVOpJLWXo57sIBvm1B6fCF_xKfn6Ae6pXpN98vKkcK8W7kVsLoqeSB6t11X6IsFD3Uqj_snXQgm5tuHSkna_q4phloJMar4h_ACezP_LzkCE/s1600-h/pic+13.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtzJY7-0N_vppD3DgfAvZwMWrdzQrdIXyVOpJLWXo57sIBvm1B6fCF_xKfn6Ae6pXpN98vKkcK8W7kVsLoqeSB6t11X6IsFD3Uqj_snXQgm5tuHSkna_q4phloJMar4h_ACezP_LzkCE/s320/pic+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994893307824898" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> After being gone for 3 ½ weeks we flew back to DFW. What an adventure. Next time I am going to take my DH along and stay in the honeymoon cabin.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBDnJLr52RrPkx-_TEAmgV8eIfM-E9voTcHXSgGj5rPfeg1BN9dvW5n3infIrGsIMRQBMZFm9ePlwem5KMbVntseYzJ8ZOQMCBx9B-MvemQJZ5uYc2JrK7aYsjXQOu_4HgnNCUuV1dL8/s1600-h/pic+14.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBDnJLr52RrPkx-_TEAmgV8eIfM-E9voTcHXSgGj5rPfeg1BN9dvW5n3infIrGsIMRQBMZFm9ePlwem5KMbVntseYzJ8ZOQMCBx9B-MvemQJZ5uYc2JrK7aYsjXQOu_4HgnNCUuV1dL8/s320/pic+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994904664757442" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:100%;"> And, by the way, I didn’t get on a TV show but I did make the cover of a magazine!</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohUe25VpI5WtN1PEpcIHeQFlNtIUJzrjWdK2KauZuzp3PIU7hwE-diRuNM9TDl0mElHRXabEitFFfdoAJd1Q7vF46bPP4gcV5-ixH5CX6jqrB21MMr81V0qtgRNNjlAGRxeUHqu7un2A/s1600-h/pic+15.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohUe25VpI5WtN1PEpcIHeQFlNtIUJzrjWdK2KauZuzp3PIU7hwE-diRuNM9TDl0mElHRXabEitFFfdoAJd1Q7vF46bPP4gcV5-ixH5CX6jqrB21MMr81V0qtgRNNjlAGRxeUHqu7un2A/s320/pic+15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375994912834817762" border="0" /></a></p></div>Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-82852993437892371452009-08-22T22:23:00.000-07:002009-08-22T23:09:05.179-07:00Alissa’s Excellent San Francisco and Napa Adventures<span style="font-size:100%;">Alissa helped with all the research to plan the perfect vacation to San Francisco and the Napa Valley.</span><br /><div style="margin: 1ex; font-family: trebuchet ms;"><div><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTmXNRs0a1ehINLsEAsGMOXPIa6XFvLAgInHtf1VExQkFZgpUqEm8Ei6PBjTpFrdRNHQQnPyQa3GFINItKLHJI4vXEhG9M6oxHHTwjqRxdbSp8o_1Fry1xtxLcmOki2abCBCMMiq2ZE4/s1600-h/Napa+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTmXNRs0a1ehINLsEAsGMOXPIa6XFvLAgInHtf1VExQkFZgpUqEm8Ei6PBjTpFrdRNHQQnPyQa3GFINItKLHJI4vXEhG9M6oxHHTwjqRxdbSp8o_1Fry1xtxLcmOki2abCBCMMiq2ZE4/s320/Napa+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373032956606236242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic1A"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" />She said good bye to Katana. Alissa knew Katana would have fun at the doggie resort.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWUzz9G8ylbtm5dAl3edC3YQUkt53L1OEZZZWjMPQQfhm0EKJI_XaLNtiWcdECPxCHcI4kE8Lq3Wj9vQ_fSwYHisP4CjHwiM0aufk_qcDhcdlkVEGZZ5Y3jgO-n-NZMJH2thT1WTpTo/s1600-h/Napa+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZWUzz9G8ylbtm5dAl3edC3YQUkt53L1OEZZZWjMPQQfhm0EKJI_XaLNtiWcdECPxCHcI4kE8Lq3Wj9vQ_fSwYHisP4CjHwiM0aufk_qcDhcdlkVEGZZ5Y3jgO-n-NZMJH2thT1WTpTo/s320/Napa+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373032960623718178" border="0" /></a><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic1B"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> </span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">She grabbed her back pack and headed out the door.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB1e4J-w9PmEX41t0QYiGGyFal5GjtDKS4IMtgpYEXjHuQWwN63vCpTEwm4S76hFXYA7zK3EQGBemIZ48Olq2wO_iLzeMF2n1Bm3R7vy_CqHL1zy98DksgfIL76ui_wHQlPm38xozFFI/s1600-h/Napa+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB1e4J-w9PmEX41t0QYiGGyFal5GjtDKS4IMtgpYEXjHuQWwN63vCpTEwm4S76hFXYA7zK3EQGBemIZ48Olq2wO_iLzeMF2n1Bm3R7vy_CqHL1zy98DksgfIL76ui_wHQlPm38xozFFI/s320/Napa+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373032970418322018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic1C"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Alissa got to check out the cockpit of the plane. The flight crew was so cool.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA6-aBcWAW2wWJAANJ61_OEZJOAb-0OhqXHX3HnIVMHPym1n9T2DWrPK8q2zsM8u10f7TxMNKaZU5c8Khijd-fLDmdJ3pCHA5PxItYQoloDyeKZRh9Xj9EGNverK_S42nDHZyn4eEnDI/s1600-h/Napa+4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA6-aBcWAW2wWJAANJ61_OEZJOAb-0OhqXHX3HnIVMHPym1n9T2DWrPK8q2zsM8u10f7TxMNKaZU5c8Khijd-fLDmdJ3pCHA5PxItYQoloDyeKZRh9Xj9EGNverK_S42nDHZyn4eEnDI/s320/Napa+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373032975152611026" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic1D"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> More throttle, Alissa! More throttle! </span><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic1E"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RO6BcJaJqlCtCk-F5Go2PsywJdxfyAqpl0XSO6Byr7UGf6H8S0yGXtOew7RPFCL7bXJ664-fRBB8sZh_3w0imiwxwNMkqLDNb88Dq0gLhxNNpuEvRfd0ROT2J0WjXFOln3KyCnc-mmU/s1600-h/Napa+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RO6BcJaJqlCtCk-F5Go2PsywJdxfyAqpl0XSO6Byr7UGf6H8S0yGXtOew7RPFCL7bXJ664-fRBB8sZh_3w0imiwxwNMkqLDNb88Dq0gLhxNNpuEvRfd0ROT2J0WjXFOln3KyCnc-mmU/s320/Napa+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373032980276493618" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">This is the nice lady Alissa met at the car rental center. She got married when she was 75 years old! We were almost that old by the time we got the car.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3CM6JfuT6wy6xS-IEF4cY-75GGaiiu5H4mhXU27IUDKKggY7DM7YiTJ9Nhe6KXS2cx2qYhhBaaK2s7AAnQyJtFW8E2mpLM-OYbtGkdA846ByLfxd9jmUc7PGZjkopEuJLMKcSm40ye0/s1600-h/Napa+6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3CM6JfuT6wy6xS-IEF4cY-75GGaiiu5H4mhXU27IUDKKggY7DM7YiTJ9Nhe6KXS2cx2qYhhBaaK2s7AAnQyJtFW8E2mpLM-OYbtGkdA846ByLfxd9jmUc7PGZjkopEuJLMKcSm40ye0/s320/Napa+6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033442974556274" border="0" /></a><br /><a name="0.1_graphic1F"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> In San Francisco, the first order of business was a cable car ride. Hang on tight, Alissa!</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVLKDNpWABfdrVi6B558Cm9_e0u11R3DooAt8QxgkCb7Zb-WNtzbVYeHWkVRCAY_nyp9UtC1D-ZUwhPAGsgFiE_tvwK3-gCH-K6KdiieECxHeZhgs3n1Ui8MMsRAHcFc2rKpZNz-ywEs/s1600-h/Napa+7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVLKDNpWABfdrVi6B558Cm9_e0u11R3DooAt8QxgkCb7Zb-WNtzbVYeHWkVRCAY_nyp9UtC1D-ZUwhPAGsgFiE_tvwK3-gCH-K6KdiieECxHeZhgs3n1Ui8MMsRAHcFc2rKpZNz-ywEs/s320/Napa+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033451341032466" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic20"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Alissa checked out the souvenirs in Chinatown…</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98jy_6ONkFLTXBLwiihEoWjx9tnq5TScJcfkvQBoL5QQsygTN_luyo_WL6jerPahAvO9V_21qNB8H4SKNULpSIFl7WM_GpA4XgsDnsU8Be8sReuSC3_lRdZPh5urTd351S2SzVXDEo7U/s1600-h/Napa+8.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98jy_6ONkFLTXBLwiihEoWjx9tnq5TScJcfkvQBoL5QQsygTN_luyo_WL6jerPahAvO9V_21qNB8H4SKNULpSIFl7WM_GpA4XgsDnsU8Be8sReuSC3_lRdZPh5urTd351S2SzVXDEo7U/s320/Napa+8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033453034679362" border="0" /></a><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic21"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> …and enjoyed a tea tasting. Jason said to drink lots of white tea.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua9uFt3_X_2EPS5Vu8GpxU-K1BclK99yB4M6HgKx61NOpklPunxeMXvetWYxxme79ARZ4zs3tyydq_scc40ZjzI7tXR9UeHbDkqV5od2bLfO2eVUEAWETdnBxtvFEkxuyNfgvBsStrCE/s1600-h/Napa+9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 307px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua9uFt3_X_2EPS5Vu8GpxU-K1BclK99yB4M6HgKx61NOpklPunxeMXvetWYxxme79ARZ4zs3tyydq_scc40ZjzI7tXR9UeHbDkqV5od2bLfO2eVUEAWETdnBxtvFEkxuyNfgvBsStrCE/s320/Napa+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033464771771218" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic22"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> We went to the S.F. Museum of Modern Art. There was a great Richard Avedon Exhibit. Stop fooling around with the exhibits, Alissa! The guards might catch you.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lX0O8NzTcUOcmIJoc-na7HUCXHuGQEHybZkpjYeoXRPAVfK41oAApHnynWiGgcWTEhQxO2F9IG5AOZ6qjdqqpHW6gS_2FGVB0xlQ6eilgt9BeXhZUyKNAo4LXlnDrqmU2r0rxGny2HY/s1600-h/Napa+10.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lX0O8NzTcUOcmIJoc-na7HUCXHuGQEHybZkpjYeoXRPAVfK41oAApHnynWiGgcWTEhQxO2F9IG5AOZ6qjdqqpHW6gS_2FGVB0xlQ6eilgt9BeXhZUyKNAo4LXlnDrqmU2r0rxGny2HY/s320/Napa+10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033465871756050" border="0" /></a> </p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >The guy at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel wasn’t happy to pose for the picture, but he did. Oh well, he’s ugly and his mother dresses him funny.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIdSknEwJBIR0CHn33xFhyphenhyphena_XcjTb5L0Zfa3FUop6SDwUp7UsnrFyfv5lirrHC5xTozOMuNdvYI21ZFIE8YngywoG4MSBmBibeodxJW4ivlJO0vMU98DX5OrJKrux8hZroKAQWfnaIm8/s1600-h/Napa+11.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTIdSknEwJBIR0CHn33xFhyphenhyphena_XcjTb5L0Zfa3FUop6SDwUp7UsnrFyfv5lirrHC5xTozOMuNdvYI21ZFIE8YngywoG4MSBmBibeodxJW4ivlJO0vMU98DX5OrJKrux8hZroKAQWfnaIm8/s320/Napa+11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033941114464306" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic23"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> At breakfast the next day, Alissa couldn’t tear herself away from the juke box.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpJkc3RepGwnZWrGT5rshG8DMrmqGOovMtrf8oh6ZyEitneWJVP_W3E2g93-GVWiRtzP2EHPnkDVhhTv8jW0Jjzu09sHp6F-J8RK2mArtf66M63hgBMg_3IJjF0dd4U6pFwav7LPLKP0/s1600-h/Napa+12.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpJkc3RepGwnZWrGT5rshG8DMrmqGOovMtrf8oh6ZyEitneWJVP_W3E2g93-GVWiRtzP2EHPnkDVhhTv8jW0Jjzu09sHp6F-J8RK2mArtf66M63hgBMg_3IJjF0dd4U6pFwav7LPLKP0/s320/Napa+12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033944923692674" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic24"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> A street preacher gave Alissa what for.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3_ajXgTbsCvvnYvp38-A88C9vwOOEGceXEe3gZad_Ziug07-R7GMjGtEgP6uI6vpJTBwurB1IVyH_X7RAonwW2kMLPMGX5JxJb9oK4a5jIqXx-ObSA8sxRVfm5acHqOQJtm-cjfTn7g/s1600-h/Napa+13.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3_ajXgTbsCvvnYvp38-A88C9vwOOEGceXEe3gZad_Ziug07-R7GMjGtEgP6uI6vpJTBwurB1IVyH_X7RAonwW2kMLPMGX5JxJb9oK4a5jIqXx-ObSA8sxRVfm5acHqOQJtm-cjfTn7g/s320/Napa+13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033953884464466" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic25"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> What’s a vacation without a stop at a local yarn shop. This is ImagiKnits, in the Castro. Oooh, hand spun!</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcY44oFS6Bt0m1_UbawbUmBdqyYdEGtUjrLLR1DX1cHAbAdyc0RA2jsa75Fnf1ry-aG-UYtDfi99yetRotKjcRL3Bclv0Cy7txqDikQpWZEEeG0JTW7tTZnVNaoKAaeoWAfJ69cE-VflY/s1600-h/Napa+14.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcY44oFS6Bt0m1_UbawbUmBdqyYdEGtUjrLLR1DX1cHAbAdyc0RA2jsa75Fnf1ry-aG-UYtDfi99yetRotKjcRL3Bclv0Cy7txqDikQpWZEEeG0JTW7tTZnVNaoKAaeoWAfJ69cE-VflY/s320/Napa+14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033960752793890" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic26"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Everything a girl needs to be happy. Well, almost…</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvt6AtaVbHPt9yrKPi6yA687CmgUP6oHunOnT_T7kHEysvBYnFhQRMKCts1ZtnZIXMvSU0EaaiLJnSwoAiHdKsZHsjNBTaMfBzRPIeMdrnsvPCSsQ5QNnw3lhHp8RHxpm6HZCUc1_gxc/s1600-h/Napa+15.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvt6AtaVbHPt9yrKPi6yA687CmgUP6oHunOnT_T7kHEysvBYnFhQRMKCts1ZtnZIXMvSU0EaaiLJnSwoAiHdKsZHsjNBTaMfBzRPIeMdrnsvPCSsQ5QNnw3lhHp8RHxpm6HZCUc1_gxc/s320/Napa+15.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373033965875163234" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic27"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> CHOCOLATE!!! Alissa loved the Scharffen Berger shop at the Ferry Building.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHmdUiryq9C5_eFbMuwYDYDqyiLfZdyzBNUK6tMwEUJWNPtMhoSuWH6rRVEunbo108XYWt54ZDPW1kyY2V1DT9by7HkP8W0V5N5L_9iM-f1Ej4_8By1akOQu19Rc28rwzQ6BrdG00Ycg/s1600-h/Napa+16.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHmdUiryq9C5_eFbMuwYDYDqyiLfZdyzBNUK6tMwEUJWNPtMhoSuWH6rRVEunbo108XYWt54ZDPW1kyY2V1DT9by7HkP8W0V5N5L_9iM-f1Ej4_8By1akOQu19Rc28rwzQ6BrdG00Ycg/s320/Napa+16.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034402441861794" border="0" /></a><br /></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic28"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Alissa tried on some jewelry at the street fair.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieAgygUHnJAhxVNsiyB3WAF6ThmJUXn-KjJtAYegSZWRttjwfvucBpV0Ss4eY2IGjGwRDeTMMufJW3QKb8KHkzvu4oL1nLBSboyVbhyphenhyphenAHY2H08pg5Kr82-tzSBkUbBv8ilU8q-3WbRsA/s1600-h/Napa+17.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjieAgygUHnJAhxVNsiyB3WAF6ThmJUXn-KjJtAYegSZWRttjwfvucBpV0Ss4eY2IGjGwRDeTMMufJW3QKb8KHkzvu4oL1nLBSboyVbhyphenhyphenAHY2H08pg5Kr82-tzSBkUbBv8ilU8q-3WbRsA/s320/Napa+17.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034407546924162" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic29"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">Then we left for Napa.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">The cookies are always warm at the Cedar Gables Inn. How do they do that?!?</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMdX2Kz4Nxremu4TS81BxauqSwv-JWom71KVaE9YPMy9PoTqaRVz93LCpm0-Oyf6P9vQ-gySuAWaQxx_rbCOrhkG7bW1NmnRYwDVynbSxoXJgmkF3Eohw6POszyK8DQ-wq_c-pgaY300/s1600-h/Napa+18.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMdX2Kz4Nxremu4TS81BxauqSwv-JWom71KVaE9YPMy9PoTqaRVz93LCpm0-Oyf6P9vQ-gySuAWaQxx_rbCOrhkG7bW1NmnRYwDVynbSxoXJgmkF3Eohw6POszyK8DQ-wq_c-pgaY300/s320/Napa+18.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034414795970066" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2A"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Of course we had to stop at some wineries. When in Napa…</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4_CnG5pUQ4-4u13kqUYe41KxsFE161NHHqo2ea7VW13xDrHdStVoF6smivHyzWBDTJXSmxopSMEByeX90q4lf0LN0riC71y5_P5mAkYRuqNd9Xg3-x4IsPCQnXD7wuyfX9DQXOHJZDY/s1600-h/Napa+19.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4_CnG5pUQ4-4u13kqUYe41KxsFE161NHHqo2ea7VW13xDrHdStVoF6smivHyzWBDTJXSmxopSMEByeX90q4lf0LN0riC71y5_P5mAkYRuqNd9Xg3-x4IsPCQnXD7wuyfX9DQXOHJZDY/s320/Napa+19.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034418957954434" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2B"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Still in Napa…</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmW9JkXMgM1UgzIEyrdz4ZfkSQDHMlwk7xIPEVC47sSs4YDwEg7Lg6MkD278SV9yki1yIWJy8LeY_pgM768lDfcX4NEfLKYxg6Bo5dz9C-Y9WWZmZ1VE1kuJWzcf7L_jofigx5sFTrCg/s1600-h/Napa+20.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXmW9JkXMgM1UgzIEyrdz4ZfkSQDHMlwk7xIPEVC47sSs4YDwEg7Lg6MkD278SV9yki1yIWJy8LeY_pgM768lDfcX4NEfLKYxg6Bo5dz9C-Y9WWZmZ1VE1kuJWzcf7L_jofigx5sFTrCg/s320/Napa+20.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034430670899570" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2C"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> Alissa was the ring-bearer for Karen and Randy’s hot air balloon wedding. We flew a mile high! Alissa wasn’t scared at all.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uMhoO7q5ogjZGPgwrmlRoFoHbiaq89j7Y3szuWzNBJTTChfbIfVO2mBUiLhs8VYDt9vIG6lu1O_HTZ0dVIcin4obdCnQUiCNjfczV_2k1lPFDg7H0C0aRn6G2Z84wcM9BG00Z5Kgo3o/s1600-h/Napa+21.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uMhoO7q5ogjZGPgwrmlRoFoHbiaq89j7Y3szuWzNBJTTChfbIfVO2mBUiLhs8VYDt9vIG6lu1O_HTZ0dVIcin4obdCnQUiCNjfczV_2k1lPFDg7H0C0aRn6G2Z84wcM9BG00Z5Kgo3o/s320/Napa+21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034919505609474" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2D"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /><br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4rVvwlS1DKls2WrpEkYpE4WawcwvoeJFjP6OpihUMvkELsUnxIcZZlrxojT0b5hu8tkTY0AV7KkaZy9tzU7BELhC5FwG4crVVbo-IWZ3DJ0sItvfN-VZF4pfKsnK8N2gye6P_LQF0V8/s1600-h/Napa+26.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4rVvwlS1DKls2WrpEkYpE4WawcwvoeJFjP6OpihUMvkELsUnxIcZZlrxojT0b5hu8tkTY0AV7KkaZy9tzU7BELhC5FwG4crVVbo-IWZ3DJ0sItvfN-VZF4pfKsnK8N2gye6P_LQF0V8/s320/Napa+26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373036945130914962" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">After the wedding, we had lunch at Bistro Jeanty. Alissa picked up the tab. She’s so generous that way.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUvWT6FcW7FCy_DOualFlLF2hTXFBqgD9MHGg6L_kAJiCaxOmsJI2X54m4zJen7NipSwlkaMwlFHQXAN4LXiaJrtDAiAl57Ou7Ed96nps2rVlV8T8M9xcI3kO16Q3WDTY0uq_exejdfs/s1600-h/Napa+22.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGUvWT6FcW7FCy_DOualFlLF2hTXFBqgD9MHGg6L_kAJiCaxOmsJI2X54m4zJen7NipSwlkaMwlFHQXAN4LXiaJrtDAiAl57Ou7Ed96nps2rVlV8T8M9xcI3kO16Q3WDTY0uq_exejdfs/s320/Napa+22.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034926558331042" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2E"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> We had to get up and 4:00 a.m. for the wedding. Time for bed. Comfy, comfy bed at the B & B. Sweet dreams!</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdezOmTgAgoc0MhKohQFeRzeRWS26J8sN5SoZxpXc1n2NlLK-qYzMDqRPcQ2fvQLbVKK1na-JmDtTGGnwNWniGCFEx_vwLHOL029C9k3mzPIjg3q7cjgaoVWQLCTj1oz8xmFT_q1oDWg8/s1600-h/Napa+23.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdezOmTgAgoc0MhKohQFeRzeRWS26J8sN5SoZxpXc1n2NlLK-qYzMDqRPcQ2fvQLbVKK1na-JmDtTGGnwNWniGCFEx_vwLHOL029C9k3mzPIjg3q7cjgaoVWQLCTj1oz8xmFT_q1oDWg8/s320/Napa+23.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034932285690562" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic2F"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> A gourmet breakfast at the Cedar Gables Inn. Remember the movie, “Yours, Mine and Ours”?One of the owners of the inn was one of the 20 kids in that family.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZQcMJ4wJ7gfoWu_YNPr1H0K_U-7tfclmPtZmjfyWGLL2zmNx7OoLB82hcvTsS4YycdSlk4512kLchLmTignWwJz-9tzt2W9CsLy89pZYd_qcOYszDFEH2721q-WhJTBuy4hk-i_zi94/s1600-h/Napa+24.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZQcMJ4wJ7gfoWu_YNPr1H0K_U-7tfclmPtZmjfyWGLL2zmNx7OoLB82hcvTsS4YycdSlk4512kLchLmTignWwJz-9tzt2W9CsLy89pZYd_qcOYszDFEH2721q-WhJTBuy4hk-i_zi94/s320/Napa+24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034937917996066" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a name="0.1_graphic30"></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><img src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?name=d33be9805ff33117.jpg&attid=0.1&disp=vahi&view=att&th=123072731b88b4b7" alt="Your browser may not support display of this image." width="1" height="1" /> All buckled in and ready to fly home.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9AkX95XwxAWF9vjrYE7Jnjt8enEz7arTAYBKxfgTxy2Ojf5XRJajMjwTzxV_UjrvDHfcgO3vf_pv4JELGAZZjGq5xmlNW6d47kFC-m6Buas9ojxN5k30P-eOIDmx1THd0klB-x0BybQ/s1600-h/Napa+25.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9AkX95XwxAWF9vjrYE7Jnjt8enEz7arTAYBKxfgTxy2Ojf5XRJajMjwTzxV_UjrvDHfcgO3vf_pv4JELGAZZjGq5xmlNW6d47kFC-m6Buas9ojxN5k30P-eOIDmx1THd0klB-x0BybQ/s320/Napa+25.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373034938935659938" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-size:100%;">Where will we go next, Alissa?</span></p> </div> </div>Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-10755347121228742832009-08-13T21:13:00.000-07:002009-08-13T22:06:11.846-07:00Cape Cod in July<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Alissa accompanied me to Cape Cod at the end of July to enjoy some sun, sea, and beach time. We started out with a brief wait for our flight at the airport, when Alissa donned and eye mask for a brief nap, since we’d left so early in the morning</span></span><div class="Section1"><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VhDe1MpXzQpDaxMNDtautYbwg3bU-V5PFB4l8Efp7KktAC3PZ9tH9dVzr6-GX-BfXN4cJr8yPgV0rLkZDkkRzKWkqxq6CtYRb5wPu_gf3HaYUUxUmSyL9juieVsRSgM_PM0CYG4f2-w/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VhDe1MpXzQpDaxMNDtautYbwg3bU-V5PFB4l8Efp7KktAC3PZ9tH9dVzr6-GX-BfXN4cJr8yPgV0rLkZDkkRzKWkqxq6CtYRb5wPu_gf3HaYUUxUmSyL9juieVsRSgM_PM0CYG4f2-w/s320/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678153225539298" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">After landing safely in Boston, we drove to Cape Cod in time for a restful night’s sleep listening to crickets. The next day, we visited Bass River, where we were photographed on the dock, before heading to the beach.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL52B_IwA3W4TgQANUJ8UAzwV-ptZABFmDfmksbzbtHL25xXyUGLA0Ki1HL2jL6xhV-JkiL08LoR1aJ0caVZTY2X_28SDdCSXpWDh9EatqujUS7dY-fU6eM9rPScqCs6ucMwZX4aGUq3I/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL52B_IwA3W4TgQANUJ8UAzwV-ptZABFmDfmksbzbtHL25xXyUGLA0Ki1HL2jL6xhV-JkiL08LoR1aJ0caVZTY2X_28SDdCSXpWDh9EatqujUS7dY-fU6eM9rPScqCs6ucMwZX4aGUq3I/s320/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678003600388178" border="0" /><br /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPx50gsiu8mv0YZIZoD45k_YZhGtHtIC3aDdUEesrvqlESWfcBrnRgtmshyphenhyphenRZ5I5yXfDK-yjvTBi_PrTeIa3n8MslVcvVqKlMuoAmTTzBRNMpzqGqt93MZ40MDfIiYu_S_s75CNbxfpM/s1600-h/3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPx50gsiu8mv0YZIZoD45k_YZhGtHtIC3aDdUEesrvqlESWfcBrnRgtmshyphenhyphenRZ5I5yXfDK-yjvTBi_PrTeIa3n8MslVcvVqKlMuoAmTTzBRNMpzqGqt93MZ40MDfIiYu_S_s75CNbxfpM/s320/3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678007919354402" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPx50gsiu8mv0YZIZoD45k_YZhGtHtIC3aDdUEesrvqlESWfcBrnRgtmshyphenhyphenRZ5I5yXfDK-yjvTBi_PrTeIa3n8MslVcvVqKlMuoAmTTzBRNMpzqGqt93MZ40MDfIiYu_S_s75CNbxfpM/s1600-h/3.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pTOCJ_xb4nURycich4ShNPpVWhTO17oJxQuHxQ27wIyvy1HTzjGcPdhwnUjKfSAHsbkjsehb-BCcYVhj0Z1E_XxeBsBtbLpt547DZtqoatoN2ElQmmcwE-vJnLHZFUFiVw8cx-rKNmc/s1600-h/4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pTOCJ_xb4nURycich4ShNPpVWhTO17oJxQuHxQ27wIyvy1HTzjGcPdhwnUjKfSAHsbkjsehb-BCcYVhj0Z1E_XxeBsBtbLpt547DZtqoatoN2ElQmmcwE-vJnLHZFUFiVw8cx-rKNmc/s320/4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678016455467858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Alissa sported a lovely vintage bathing suit, sunglasses, and a beautifully hand-knit sun hat as she lounged on the beach under an umbrella.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48Ng3oceCkj75O1jAr4LfB2R61GkNzGG_RXXSEqfRF_-cZecsr6eB-5TK0Ok9N9oHaddsIpF1_Y1ZoSUIziQzaKeIBM6sys8om0H4ky7aXm-5C8CMlFTgajfj7s7tW4ddIqSfcapigCM/s1600-h/5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48Ng3oceCkj75O1jAr4LfB2R61GkNzGG_RXXSEqfRF_-cZecsr6eB-5TK0Ok9N9oHaddsIpF1_Y1ZoSUIziQzaKeIBM6sys8om0H4ky7aXm-5C8CMlFTgajfj7s7tW4ddIqSfcapigCM/s320/5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678025392102402" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48Ng3oceCkj75O1jAr4LfB2R61GkNzGG_RXXSEqfRF_-cZecsr6eB-5TK0Ok9N9oHaddsIpF1_Y1ZoSUIziQzaKeIBM6sys8om0H4ky7aXm-5C8CMlFTgajfj7s7tW4ddIqSfcapigCM/s1600-h/5.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywcBwMYIl6_jt1UpU84-xLG_vg9igzxWLr5z447abFRQzEpF1N1rlyX6O5M5e7i4SCVyTjHSyq3mVw18JhHu9MnIy8CEeRBqISsgq4v1qNkvZfMWR5Gb4oSAjMl_Y7MSwfKawnunzz3M/s1600-h/6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywcBwMYIl6_jt1UpU84-xLG_vg9igzxWLr5z447abFRQzEpF1N1rlyX6O5M5e7i4SCVyTjHSyq3mVw18JhHu9MnIy8CEeRBqISsgq4v1qNkvZfMWR5Gb4oSAjMl_Y7MSwfKawnunzz3M/s320/6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678630303614178" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">She also made friends with my nephew and went kayaking with my mom (who was, by the way, overdressed for the weather.)</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vsnuAZ-hdMdN5gHBVpdvWShC2s53Z1UJOrBzpI1UjbY-v_Mu4NFjr_gFpmP7RNwZC9HX0t81V-x5eCdi7aEjZm1qO3BzlXhq0NA69R74z5f4hZrrt6X9Xwd3lHAKv5pL3Y0G5LQBU54/s1600-h/7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vsnuAZ-hdMdN5gHBVpdvWShC2s53Z1UJOrBzpI1UjbY-v_Mu4NFjr_gFpmP7RNwZC9HX0t81V-x5eCdi7aEjZm1qO3BzlXhq0NA69R74z5f4hZrrt6X9Xwd3lHAKv5pL3Y0G5LQBU54/s320/7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678633712185058" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Bw4gD-yCaBg6eA7bHOHfEvoBDdRfND6XIbTtytj7MfHtfQnw2WWTk6gN8Q8aMdwdGQvFYiYwo7Cf9VYLj7fwm_EcSzrnhyrertRHBlZ45Kwffkvqkdw3Wk2Q_QQX2ducUBJqgRT2gOU/s1600-h/8.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Bw4gD-yCaBg6eA7bHOHfEvoBDdRfND6XIbTtytj7MfHtfQnw2WWTk6gN8Q8aMdwdGQvFYiYwo7Cf9VYLj7fwm_EcSzrnhyrertRHBlZ45Kwffkvqkdw3Wk2Q_QQX2ducUBJqgRT2gOU/s320/8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678643199028434" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Bw4gD-yCaBg6eA7bHOHfEvoBDdRfND6XIbTtytj7MfHtfQnw2WWTk6gN8Q8aMdwdGQvFYiYwo7Cf9VYLj7fwm_EcSzrnhyrertRHBlZ45Kwffkvqkdw3Wk2Q_QQX2ducUBJqgRT2gOU/s1600-h/8.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGB95Kys9STCWvcsm9gou6AAFZVjq4_NQVgDJakQGC-TS6MsqUjaenTd_wAzY2P9u5kKysX0-WrltFSvwElVIa_pS940D2m1hzHNHy2_F3LiUpoaNac0wk45_FBQmUkD_yl_fWUMKiK4/s1600-h/9.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGB95Kys9STCWvcsm9gou6AAFZVjq4_NQVgDJakQGC-TS6MsqUjaenTd_wAzY2P9u5kKysX0-WrltFSvwElVIa_pS940D2m1hzHNHy2_F3LiUpoaNac0wk45_FBQmUkD_yl_fWUMKiK4/s320/9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678647865786514" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">When the house filled up with people, Alissa and I moved to a tent in the yard, complete with cots and air mattresses for sleeping, and chairs out front…</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvUzyCOZHQzat6odPwcHkrRF6N2WZwXvYTd3Oi4Za2rLER6t84d-fgGieo0Xs1GYQ_qLAEa9pBjM1kmJo955JxEBPHGho_6bUxZt3rblbN7WbpmRawh7seBDFaFA93wUfqJ0FJ9jo6U/s1600-h/10.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJvUzyCOZHQzat6odPwcHkrRF6N2WZwXvYTd3Oi4Za2rLER6t84d-fgGieo0Xs1GYQ_qLAEa9pBjM1kmJo955JxEBPHGho_6bUxZt3rblbN7WbpmRawh7seBDFaFA93wUfqJ0FJ9jo6U/s320/10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369678658809369634" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSVjRt3lRZQrauLZedL1de7Qbi2OeXz0u9Kn1c3atGshNF1xYzWKR4EPKkQJbDML98Nh4fjnrbyrJR8H7ZpOYAP2Zdy0sH7mGREdVxiWoR4DsLiA5BGS5rr3ueAqYzbaGFdhju06FZqY/s1600-h/11.JPG"><br /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSVjRt3lRZQrauLZedL1de7Qbi2OeXz0u9Kn1c3atGshNF1xYzWKR4EPKkQJbDML98Nh4fjnrbyrJR8H7ZpOYAP2Zdy0sH7mGREdVxiWoR4DsLiA5BGS5rr3ueAqYzbaGFdhju06FZqY/s1600-h/11.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSVjRt3lRZQrauLZedL1de7Qbi2OeXz0u9Kn1c3atGshNF1xYzWKR4EPKkQJbDML98Nh4fjnrbyrJR8H7ZpOYAP2Zdy0sH7mGREdVxiWoR4DsLiA5BGS5rr3ueAqYzbaGFdhju06FZqY/s320/11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679096925368098" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">… Tho’ we spent more time with my family than near the tent. Alissa and my mom, who is a long time knitter, had a lively conversation on the breakfast porch (if you look at the photos fast enough it’s like a flip book of the action ;) )…</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLn_BRRi4SiRRvgVAo_sUSLxb_ffJyV0V4mDfTI7TwQzl-VORH4VNGVAOzDaJjj5sqGHIiF_-baxLGkgF9xm-inRgyyatVMgyajsH3Hi6LGVxYzclotF_bhZ86pfGXzjAGXG6qCYSPwQ/s1600-h/12.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipLn_BRRi4SiRRvgVAo_sUSLxb_ffJyV0V4mDfTI7TwQzl-VORH4VNGVAOzDaJjj5sqGHIiF_-baxLGkgF9xm-inRgyyatVMgyajsH3Hi6LGVxYzclotF_bhZ86pfGXzjAGXG6qCYSPwQ/s320/12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679384279926690" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwr16miEUOSoTdlC0zY0dc044XxP6sAnamZe2xfFeFOuetwirK6CF_mNV8J434GH2zLZtgYxRHwJ2Fh5G7bRUhny7AAnSMJTfxYmKGiZKWYjjiuIYIxDKpUtrq6BSWEXWtm5OWctZ8xQ/s1600-h/13.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwr16miEUOSoTdlC0zY0dc044XxP6sAnamZe2xfFeFOuetwirK6CF_mNV8J434GH2zLZtgYxRHwJ2Fh5G7bRUhny7AAnSMJTfxYmKGiZKWYjjiuIYIxDKpUtrq6BSWEXWtm5OWctZ8xQ/s320/13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679116671119186" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwr16miEUOSoTdlC0zY0dc044XxP6sAnamZe2xfFeFOuetwirK6CF_mNV8J434GH2zLZtgYxRHwJ2Fh5G7bRUhny7AAnSMJTfxYmKGiZKWYjjiuIYIxDKpUtrq6BSWEXWtm5OWctZ8xQ/s1600-h/13.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlJnuTBeglF9LUTbAi39SUD8BjmXmCFXMw0okypYrNBegGR1W0pYGpOKOkAmr86CVK1wT_viVQEmENlpfEt7GurfN-rXDU2ELTeJa3BhSOYCY7QSStBUa5jXtoPfvXcnO9vUyUbd3hQo/s1600-h/14.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlJnuTBeglF9LUTbAi39SUD8BjmXmCFXMw0okypYrNBegGR1W0pYGpOKOkAmr86CVK1wT_viVQEmENlpfEt7GurfN-rXDU2ELTeJa3BhSOYCY7QSStBUa5jXtoPfvXcnO9vUyUbd3hQo/s320/14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679125231805858" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlJnuTBeglF9LUTbAi39SUD8BjmXmCFXMw0okypYrNBegGR1W0pYGpOKOkAmr86CVK1wT_viVQEmENlpfEt7GurfN-rXDU2ELTeJa3BhSOYCY7QSStBUa5jXtoPfvXcnO9vUyUbd3hQo/s1600-h/14.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LaUXKOretUWyjW1cQxdhQd9EhTQIk_wxiX_lra-echAHfM85K2t-l36vPAbFr9oLSu2-U1j8O8Mxst8xiRjfSZ7sPyyLPDyLZbR7WY3e7OJqK99XvchYaJNNBe7GOTSHnlGGGxG0lR0/s1600-h/15.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LaUXKOretUWyjW1cQxdhQd9EhTQIk_wxiX_lra-echAHfM85K2t-l36vPAbFr9oLSu2-U1j8O8Mxst8xiRjfSZ7sPyyLPDyLZbR7WY3e7OJqK99XvchYaJNNBe7GOTSHnlGGGxG0lR0/s320/15.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679127523094018" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">… and decided that a trip to a yarn shop was in order. So after returning one of my nephews to his family near Boston, Alissa, my mom, and I went to A Good Yarn in Brookline, and serendipitously, everything was on sale that day!!! So Alissa found herself amongst the lovely lace-weight yarns.</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyUAGeqwwcFYhUF_88XFaKLiL6LMEuOJUidK_XlNTl3o1Sh7MGToXPzdAKtHyfqOf5H0sPUPUY5-NNRxi7dXAL7srNvJS3swkqkQ6K5uZBErefNIhTYK2EYuK1zhjM7HRyEDj1CmfDLM/s1600-h/16.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyUAGeqwwcFYhUF_88XFaKLiL6LMEuOJUidK_XlNTl3o1Sh7MGToXPzdAKtHyfqOf5H0sPUPUY5-NNRxi7dXAL7srNvJS3swkqkQ6K5uZBErefNIhTYK2EYuK1zhjM7HRyEDj1CmfDLM/s320/16.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679775545400562" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Tho’ we all know that a yarn shop should be and usually is the highlight of any trip, Alissa also joined my family at a performance of </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><i><span style="font-size:100%;">Forever Plaid</span></i></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> at the Cape Playhouse at the Cape Cod Center for the Arts. She wore a lovely white sundress that evening that was reminiscent of something worn by a young Elizabeth Taylor, and the performance was wonderful!</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIukw-_54Bzql7MKXjU-HBLA7y5qZsQrq7dC-jk82ppWHdqKQZQRTSubJITqkLWBYv3G3JP_28eTwD6jC9BrtTRoqDwU1Jxu1CFzdkGfSfq3NUrU9u0yvZ9Y1Xm8KxzJ56nEqPhlriLw/s1600-h/17.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIukw-_54Bzql7MKXjU-HBLA7y5qZsQrq7dC-jk82ppWHdqKQZQRTSubJITqkLWBYv3G3JP_28eTwD6jC9BrtTRoqDwU1Jxu1CFzdkGfSfq3NUrU9u0yvZ9Y1Xm8KxzJ56nEqPhlriLw/s320/17.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679780166799346" border="0" /><br /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGIukw-_54Bzql7MKXjU-HBLA7y5qZsQrq7dC-jk82ppWHdqKQZQRTSubJITqkLWBYv3G3JP_28eTwD6jC9BrtTRoqDwU1Jxu1CFzdkGfSfq3NUrU9u0yvZ9Y1Xm8KxzJ56nEqPhlriLw/s1600-h/17.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8BmN464B0mo6ItMkoEIzOLIvVOiuMqR17h6Eq9BNMf86jMPqHBpMIQrlk1mVZtJz5qKYby2pW3jVUOPo5hOORJX6llZedjSeNCUpvynyFRzazoTYQY2X-S1VVpNUElkDpNyazvHf0tc/s1600-h/18.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8BmN464B0mo6ItMkoEIzOLIvVOiuMqR17h6Eq9BNMf86jMPqHBpMIQrlk1mVZtJz5qKYby2pW3jVUOPo5hOORJX6llZedjSeNCUpvynyFRzazoTYQY2X-S1VVpNUElkDpNyazvHf0tc/s320/18.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679785265206658" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Finally, before retuning home, we all shared a wonderful lobster dinner,… the perfect end to a perfect vacation!</span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman';" ><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYWh0rk2PBsXQo062IeJL0mayVGbOAbkf8s9YJJoJy1NEWebxgYSuHM0AfyU8DIixL0esh1CeAkf9cV_q328fWt4Kg-iTlsBl8qgh41lXxSNgyR0725lFONKGEU3mAGS2uxraoODX7eA/s1600-h/19.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYWh0rk2PBsXQo062IeJL0mayVGbOAbkf8s9YJJoJy1NEWebxgYSuHM0AfyU8DIixL0esh1CeAkf9cV_q328fWt4Kg-iTlsBl8qgh41lXxSNgyR0725lFONKGEU3mAGS2uxraoODX7eA/s320/19.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679793754939266" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYWh0rk2PBsXQo062IeJL0mayVGbOAbkf8s9YJJoJy1NEWebxgYSuHM0AfyU8DIixL0esh1CeAkf9cV_q328fWt4Kg-iTlsBl8qgh41lXxSNgyR0725lFONKGEU3mAGS2uxraoODX7eA/s1600-h/19.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRZY7vuX27PS4XrfDe_4uSSkDryNQiaaeL_GR5EDlrq4Ur2-6scFjbgRbAKK3GOgtE-xBAuP8e3Ifpf_5PsBgcVLPM1_oo3M4t2nyqg46ogCbjwzZZj3r3h3sJkpSaje7xrhB66nBAtQ/s1600-h/20.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRZY7vuX27PS4XrfDe_4uSSkDryNQiaaeL_GR5EDlrq4Ur2-6scFjbgRbAKK3GOgtE-xBAuP8e3Ifpf_5PsBgcVLPM1_oo3M4t2nyqg46ogCbjwzZZj3r3h3sJkpSaje7xrhB66nBAtQ/s320/20.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369679800063520962" border="0" /></a></p></div>Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-80146121583371063452009-08-09T21:34:00.001-07:002009-08-10T21:16:35.348-07:00Alissa Goes To The Land Of Pele - Part 2<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">On her fourth day in Hawaii, we went to home of Pele in The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Kiluaea has been continuously erupting since 1983, and is one of the most active volcanos on earth. Right now it has two active vents: One is in the main crater at Halema`uma`u and the other is a vent on the eastern flank of the volcano. This is the first time since 1982 that there has been activity within the main crater. The Curves hiking club had an outing planned to hike from the park visitors center to the Jaggar Museum, and they invited Alissa to go along.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Our hike took us along the crater rim trail and Alissa stopped often to get a look at the crater and the plume coming out of it.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0LqD3TYenvlt4IKlq-hNmtWAqYLVi4VfURQ0HIs50XT53mD9pncOR5GeLizXbgk0Z1_RuCmgme698SOn8PnjWwIgRmZVVYrjpHgUgGgaJO0oqOAi6bd1D7K3gbx89ZYDuDtZUGToXqg/s1600-h/Alissa+45.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0LqD3TYenvlt4IKlq-hNmtWAqYLVi4VfURQ0HIs50XT53mD9pncOR5GeLizXbgk0Z1_RuCmgme698SOn8PnjWwIgRmZVVYrjpHgUgGgaJO0oqOAi6bd1D7K3gbx89ZYDuDtZUGToXqg/s320/Alissa+45.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551028046218370" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Just before we got to the Jaggar Museum, she decided that she had to climb an Ohi`a Lehua tree to get a better view of the landscape. I just couldn't keep this girl out of trees.<br /></span></p><p><br /></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMATiSGJcFWQwI5SIkrjZne05nJpk0VGiL4Zx3BbolOHla2WbNoqy_XEPIseHCOEY5yStUESt_PCESowh-rSSkcgpIDULjJg4jrDU-R8pSW6z2EybJcfrZm6SIBy2YFfKCvX_MZTIbmGg/s1600-h/Hawaii+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMATiSGJcFWQwI5SIkrjZne05nJpk0VGiL4Zx3BbolOHla2WbNoqy_XEPIseHCOEY5yStUESt_PCESowh-rSSkcgpIDULjJg4jrDU-R8pSW6z2EybJcfrZm6SIBy2YFfKCvX_MZTIbmGg/s320/Hawaii+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551035553312450" border="0" /></a> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">One of the Curves members, Kathy, told her the legend of the `Ohi`a Lehua tree:</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Once there was a handsome man named 'Ohi'a. 'Ohi'amet a beautiful lady named , they became lovers. One day 'Ohi'apassed by ,the goddess of fire. immediately fell in love with him so she said, "I like you, be my boyfriend," but 'Ohi'atold that he already had a girlfriend named . Peleis known for her violent temper; and when she found out that she couldn't have `Ohi`a, she turned him into an ugly tree.</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">When Lehua found out about this, she begged Pele to turn him back into human form again, but Pele refused. So Lehua went to the gods and asked them if they could turn 'Ohi'a back into human form but the gods said it was impossible. Instead, they turned Lehua into a beautiful red flower and put her on the ugly tree that was 'Ohi'a so they could be together.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Today acording to legend, when you pick a lehua blossom it will rain, because you are separating 'Ohi'a and Lehua.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">When we finally got Alissa out of the tree, the Jaggar Museum with it's wonderful views of the Halema`uma`u crater and great exhibits called. We ate our lunch over looking the crater and Alissa got her picture taken with the whole gang.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFcMJYSwrpwSWxLbLFPl4ix6H2q4cIP9wpt_071PQI1f7qAvUIxcft6TuXckgpby27Smb3qgT0Mm39UtVrFAqyy0Xn39zzboHE-wnTugMxZEvduAT8_1PnPLXENZCJNojOjHhnJSUX0c/s1600-h/Hawaii+4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFcMJYSwrpwSWxLbLFPl4ix6H2q4cIP9wpt_071PQI1f7qAvUIxcft6TuXckgpby27Smb3qgT0Mm39UtVrFAqyy0Xn39zzboHE-wnTugMxZEvduAT8_1PnPLXENZCJNojOjHhnJSUX0c/s320/Hawaii+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551035896799426" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Before we left the museum, she also went inside and introduced herself to Pele.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDaFVwNogFwd03xrCr02JGf9Hb5tXQ6qvAoRDeKl-IPwyIM4BuKyef-JV9sFcdmyyteG4MgK_-0j3I2Z3HbOe1HFgnCGHsCPsRuQRA7hqgp1IGi-DPvSelljCNO9jySYU4gfqy0BaOyE/s1600-h/Hawaii+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDaFVwNogFwd03xrCr02JGf9Hb5tXQ6qvAoRDeKl-IPwyIM4BuKyef-JV9sFcdmyyteG4MgK_-0j3I2Z3HbOe1HFgnCGHsCPsRuQRA7hqgp1IGi-DPvSelljCNO9jySYU4gfqy0BaOyE/s320/Hawaii+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551044625925778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">On our way back to the visitor's center and our cars, we went by Ha`akulamanu, the Sulphur banks, where cracks let the sulphur gases seep up through the rocks and color the area with shades of yellow, white and gold.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-e09G2dKgeJagTd6HFNCtO5iB-gxeRtghqDDhJNPnpe7bXoXOVLbIGI0hjqOzEJ1g7WK_aqMf8L2AJ-coywZXWuJcYMJ8R3qNkjtVMz9oJpjibR1YCwCN4tbDFGLywNS2O5c2znL2Co/s1600-h/Alissa+6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-e09G2dKgeJagTd6HFNCtO5iB-gxeRtghqDDhJNPnpe7bXoXOVLbIGI0hjqOzEJ1g7WK_aqMf8L2AJ-coywZXWuJcYMJ8R3qNkjtVMz9oJpjibR1YCwCN4tbDFGLywNS2O5c2znL2Co/s320/Alissa+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551050642464690" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Alissa was tired after our hike, but when I mentioned that we could go to see Harry Potter with a friend that evening, she jumped at the chance. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">By the time a dinner of Maui Tacos was over, she was very much ready to head for bed and sweet dreams of lehua blossoms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The next day was rainy and misty day so it seemed like a good day for inside adventures in Hilo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">She had so much fun the day before with her Curves friends, that she decided to go work out with them as our first stop of the day.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYiHtZksf_JK3rvWrZ7g1zfqzKm7sg8CYizTgzNJ-PCpnEH9ZEVDUg_z4jXdYG-8kf-HReuaBSBdRta4vACnbozr1TTA1N5vnKHKdWzALQVbOsZUsUUcT3QQkqrGPUzoDTdnLcBDGWJU/s1600-h/Alissa+7.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYiHtZksf_JK3rvWrZ7g1zfqzKm7sg8CYizTgzNJ-PCpnEH9ZEVDUg_z4jXdYG-8kf-HReuaBSBdRta4vACnbozr1TTA1N5vnKHKdWzALQVbOsZUsUUcT3QQkqrGPUzoDTdnLcBDGWJU/s320/Alissa+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551590789457970" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">After a good workout, we decided that we really needed to give Alissa a yarn fix. So our next stop was the Yarn Basket which is the only yarn shop on the island. We are lucky because it is a very nice yarn shop and Harriet keeps and excellent inventory of wonderful yarn. Alissa helped me pick out some Noro Silk Garden yarn for a garter stitch shawl that I am planning on doing while on the plane to Okinawa in October.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3kZsY8JaJ1_EESOpW9acjUM5cp-OlUYM5_6e9wK6gIBDTooRBLiEeZxGThxdLkdbPSqwVSkg4jxDK2wHdmjJryvb_rTTVV181v_zaa4sqy-UfhQiogMgxdHQOzmCeC8z4VT1yg6eDLI/s1600-h/Alissa+11.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3kZsY8JaJ1_EESOpW9acjUM5cp-OlUYM5_6e9wK6gIBDTooRBLiEeZxGThxdLkdbPSqwVSkg4jxDK2wHdmjJryvb_rTTVV181v_zaa4sqy-UfhQiogMgxdHQOzmCeC8z4VT1yg6eDLI/s320/Alissa+11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551595056128770" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Once we had our yarn in hand and feeling very justified because of our workout that morning, we headed to Starbucks for a snack.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuLn-27HnLkq9adLnMBsjT7PqTFnFBnBq6MfKJizWcY1UV9oH5K7TwIcqgn_fYhXtJHQ3GmZKJqVU6_0JTSUWrFnNCoHA_S6ezW9BxdhI3e07616kw4zgoiQuXDLrz5spKOFqGsTgVCk/s1600-h/Alissa+19.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuLn-27HnLkq9adLnMBsjT7PqTFnFBnBq6MfKJizWcY1UV9oH5K7TwIcqgn_fYhXtJHQ3GmZKJqVU6_0JTSUWrFnNCoHA_S6ezW9BxdhI3e07616kw4zgoiQuXDLrz5spKOFqGsTgVCk/s320/Alissa+19.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551599120542002" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">By the time we had done all that, we were ready to go home for a quiet rainy afternoon. Alissa was all inspired by her visit to the yarn store, so she decided to help me with my knitting. This is my third venture into lace and it is a sample piece using Mohair and the Swedish Candlelight pattern. Alissa was a big help.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtMdcoAaAkV5E_aDZ15VYyOQILWjoiIH4Wv2env7iHMidhJdOXAN3FKnL87Gmhmc04thMpSXtm4tGXaNA05s5xcFe2p5uoVtWFTLOwDQp9JOVEG5TThE0lckWgekRnnL_9E42-pivj-c/s1600-h/Alissa+37.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtMdcoAaAkV5E_aDZ15VYyOQILWjoiIH4Wv2env7iHMidhJdOXAN3FKnL87Gmhmc04thMpSXtm4tGXaNA05s5xcFe2p5uoVtWFTLOwDQp9JOVEG5TThE0lckWgekRnnL_9E42-pivj-c/s320/Alissa+37.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551599238770722" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The following day, I had a class in Sashiko embroidery scheduled. Of course, Alissa wanted to come along. Sashiko embroidery is a Japanese craft which is traditionally done with white thread on indigo blue fabric. It is very popular here in the islands. We spent a wonderful morning, honing our Sashiko skills and working on a tissue cover for our project.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_hNm3MuY0tsboh4L_75P-piuLqvX2VFnxINhf0k6WuGr1zJFEOaggWXHE-fnLbzNqyjicA0jNUY67agRiw7cqHm3hDrmSAInvks8k1ZSEo4gzrm2Esgcj1WdHQn97kNbPeUKOOhMuYc/s1600-h/Alissa+23.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_hNm3MuY0tsboh4L_75P-piuLqvX2VFnxINhf0k6WuGr1zJFEOaggWXHE-fnLbzNqyjicA0jNUY67agRiw7cqHm3hDrmSAInvks8k1ZSEo4gzrm2Esgcj1WdHQn97kNbPeUKOOhMuYc/s320/Alissa+23.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368551605503210994" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The afternoon was spent lazing around on the lanai, drinking lilikoi ice tea, talking and reading. Some days are just made to be lazy especially when one is sitting in the jungle in Hawaii.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The next day found us going into Hilo again for a very busy time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">We started off at the Pana`ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens just mauka of Hilo. (Mauka means toward the mountain.) This is a lovely small zoo that has benefited from the work of the many plant societies in the Hilo area. Alissa highly recommends it if you decide to visit the Hilo area. Her first stop was to visit the Hyacinth Macaw named Zoey.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_06wIWRIGu1y8k4PaYIVC1QdUNcgbxurJ5bAw0N5BqN0uhS03lUDAMJXtJIP9H-IJOBeX2GdRM2jDgsY1JjA3mFRsfMJrA69bmDI7l1coA3goM0OIlkUHLGIEs6Ax5h-KiuQSYdBN6XA/s1600-h/Alissa+8.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_06wIWRIGu1y8k4PaYIVC1QdUNcgbxurJ5bAw0N5BqN0uhS03lUDAMJXtJIP9H-IJOBeX2GdRM2jDgsY1JjA3mFRsfMJrA69bmDI7l1coA3goM0OIlkUHLGIEs6Ax5h-KiuQSYdBN6XA/s320/Alissa+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552179390639506" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">After talking to Zoey for awhile, we walked on and came across the two iguanas. These guys are quite tame and used in the petting zoo for children on Saturdays.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcH6e8e6P1f6r47DExeBr8gCJBckeK8AgQfnRKbHzKh6MWozmP-a1xP02_DTLxK4hgg-9lUzWZbhREsIb3Jyq8Jsbph6-KQQJ8lbhv-bspbBw23a_q8TEX7yQ7tRCYKTnkrJ6z_OgV0s/s1600-h/Alissa+9.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcH6e8e6P1f6r47DExeBr8gCJBckeK8AgQfnRKbHzKh6MWozmP-a1xP02_DTLxK4hgg-9lUzWZbhREsIb3Jyq8Jsbph6-KQQJ8lbhv-bspbBw23a_q8TEX7yQ7tRCYKTnkrJ6z_OgV0s/s320/Alissa+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552183639833154" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Our next stop was the monkey play house. This area give the spider monkeys lots of room to run, jump and play. They invited Alissa to come in and join them, but she declined.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgBN0FkJMsziCkDO-j0gtSkQK9mlC8o4yHNktYRbfHCduifr8xt158y3HLtc6nNweOLo_NoihpoafiasJW-0NUcgKnQEGW6JwomxMcxePFXxug-MG_lpaUIRtKLQEoML4BOxJXPonzr0/s1600-h/Alissa+10.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgBN0FkJMsziCkDO-j0gtSkQK9mlC8o4yHNktYRbfHCduifr8xt158y3HLtc6nNweOLo_NoihpoafiasJW-0NUcgKnQEGW6JwomxMcxePFXxug-MG_lpaUIRtKLQEoML4BOxJXPonzr0/s320/Alissa+10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552187406685570" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Before we left the zoo with all its interesting animals, we had to stop and say “hi” to the beautiful white tiger, Namaste. He is now almost six years old and has lived at the zoo for most of his life. He is beloved by all who visit the zoo and loves all the attention that he gets. Alissa thought about climbing in to give him a good pet, but I convinced her that he wasn't quite as harmless as he looks.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VvPUWvdvHxAwaVvIep8MvgomZhvV_6anH_zP88l377LCsd_wR9qZgKaqVMAVEk8p-5b0ypgOvK9YkF2i34aGWrPnzIoReCOqOjYFH9l53lrVS_b6ma2a8M4_E7mHVkMmYjf-wKak93w/s1600-h/Alissa+21.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VvPUWvdvHxAwaVvIep8MvgomZhvV_6anH_zP88l377LCsd_wR9qZgKaqVMAVEk8p-5b0ypgOvK9YkF2i34aGWrPnzIoReCOqOjYFH9l53lrVS_b6ma2a8M4_E7mHVkMmYjf-wKak93w/s320/Alissa+21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552196069979506" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">He has a water filled moat that is also full of hyacinths. He loves to hide in there on a hot day and cool off. And yes, if you can see it, he is cross eyed.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrgX1NLjVcaXhueLfxqNJGf98Q-S02t7TT4QisnuDGyLO8Q3m2hWZ6XQQBQZgQAkFT-xY52cRUS-oCieHZ9d4NaJQzYgXF1FtLfStznLqAvAcP27-rIat8qnBJ-g0t5t6WihldTIdYRw/s1600-h/Alissa+22.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrgX1NLjVcaXhueLfxqNJGf98Q-S02t7TT4QisnuDGyLO8Q3m2hWZ6XQQBQZgQAkFT-xY52cRUS-oCieHZ9d4NaJQzYgXF1FtLfStznLqAvAcP27-rIat8qnBJ-g0t5t6WihldTIdYRw/s320/Alissa+22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552198180361746" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">When we were done at the zoo, the Hilo Farmer's Market beckoned. This market is filled with exotic fruits and flowers as well as regular produce, lots of local food goodies, and tourist souvenirs of all kinds.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65BkHftghjncc_XsuPICjkOm5FEiVGAXlWZL8aGa5BKtqetYlv5SFNNwypsxZPTzF0BavTVVmi47lePlhMNnGqVruAd_7eqBrhE3iX6kE438SYbanIA5ZeMoikLnBauGrSvcaS4Fb6j4/s1600-h/Alissa+31.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65BkHftghjncc_XsuPICjkOm5FEiVGAXlWZL8aGa5BKtqetYlv5SFNNwypsxZPTzF0BavTVVmi47lePlhMNnGqVruAd_7eqBrhE3iX6kE438SYbanIA5ZeMoikLnBauGrSvcaS4Fb6j4/s320/Alissa+31.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552869201330594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The huge array of flowers at such reasonable prices and the great variety of fruits had Alissa wanting to spend all afternoon here.</span></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWfAgdhu38YLslLv71U3GkSeBZcdRwISD20GM_2zqoBNFBqlhvsiqnOaz6CuYaKn2ghj3fEBd26LbULS5wEHncIKCL_PZSf6KhedM6OSjGzGlnGjuUnvdxIOXoSEBm0FLfmz0x3JZYww/s1600-h/Alissa+33.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XbJ2QiCgjaSRHA1ox8kfwkEt6CZiQV5F-EAVnVGl9ZlVU-RdlS-W4p8bf5Le_Rfy-HCzLHzL7xV8fViaqNLLbWpv1BST6mXHO5SEebJtKTUwWAEb21ou502kj9wnQY6PCQpn-ovzIn4/s320/Alissa+32.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552878145277410" border="0" /> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWfAgdhu38YLslLv71U3GkSeBZcdRwISD20GM_2zqoBNFBqlhvsiqnOaz6CuYaKn2ghj3fEBd26LbULS5wEHncIKCL_PZSf6KhedM6OSjGzGlnGjuUnvdxIOXoSEBm0FLfmz0x3JZYww/s320/Alissa+33.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552882804263810" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Our last stop of the day was so that Alissa could visit the statue of King Kamehameha I, also known as King Kamehameha the Great. King Kamehameha was the chieftain who united all the Hawaiian Islands into one kingdom. He began his task of uniting the islands on the Island of Hawaii.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGgQoXRmbjNaQc57boR2uasGFB43g8vtYTNiLguUuNQe1HhaAzi1oQwAZ1SkTTUVSSBrDhu1uU6rm90vJ-2aqAE1RxF_2S0sjOCWsdg6rzc9oc-LIKBnHM_xWatLOfOe95k_Azwbz21A/s1600-h/Alissa+34.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGgQoXRmbjNaQc57boR2uasGFB43g8vtYTNiLguUuNQe1HhaAzi1oQwAZ1SkTTUVSSBrDhu1uU6rm90vJ-2aqAE1RxF_2S0sjOCWsdg6rzc9oc-LIKBnHM_xWatLOfOe95k_Azwbz21A/s320/Alissa+34.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552882085341666" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">It was a very busy day and we were quite glad to get back to our jungle enclave and a quiet dinner and bed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Alissa woke up excited the next day because she was going to the beach with the Kea`au Senior Citizens Club. Now no one would call Alissa a senior citizen, but they said she could be an honorary one for this one day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">She started out her beach day by checking out the beach grass and the drift wood.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtFPa3keDPHks-QA9ZESKIm-Ay69JgGkp0eCRtcss_ieorXXHr1PZCPppig-5nOjqydLqhSoyToKfIGBy1nVKTKpeEKJ5fL3FUwHso5yCi8FgNIWOAkjk6eUiJlXsERT_VkkpBy3XHgQ/s1600-h/Alissa+24.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtFPa3keDPHks-QA9ZESKIm-Ay69JgGkp0eCRtcss_ieorXXHr1PZCPppig-5nOjqydLqhSoyToKfIGBy1nVKTKpeEKJ5fL3FUwHso5yCi8FgNIWOAkjk6eUiJlXsERT_VkkpBy3XHgQ/s320/Alissa+24.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368552890882438722" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">And then she ran over to the rocky part of the beach to watch the waves roll in.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxhB8VVKgp6COS3yDL2LmbciSrsDjddQrLgNEKG8MYJ81n1P5iiqitUZi-QGGoyZhBSqkKrdo4BGPUQ-irI3eWBqWFmBeIOwzIVjXGKHabS7uq0pTJNWOnsrhzCimMLmSuxREgf64T7I/s1600-h/Alissa+26.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxhB8VVKgp6COS3yDL2LmbciSrsDjddQrLgNEKG8MYJ81n1P5iiqitUZi-QGGoyZhBSqkKrdo4BGPUQ-irI3eWBqWFmBeIOwzIVjXGKHabS7uq0pTJNWOnsrhzCimMLmSuxREgf64T7I/s320/Alissa+26.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368553897302088914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Then before I could stop her and in spite of my warnings that we were having heavy surf and there could be dangerous rip tides, she jumped right in the ocean.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ8Oa_8yuYdMPCdz0bqykFTD-diKDcJe57QrMv4RFZKFkFjWfhbxg1r4yTfYjenaYKPeV_iSnKvHqvyGfqCDuT1MjVl2F06U-4aZYAuOSgIzoXspNo7j9g2gw11Exsp_01Np2jrkntZI/s1600-h/Alissa+27.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZ8Oa_8yuYdMPCdz0bqykFTD-diKDcJe57QrMv4RFZKFkFjWfhbxg1r4yTfYjenaYKPeV_iSnKvHqvyGfqCDuT1MjVl2F06U-4aZYAuOSgIzoXspNo7j9g2gw11Exsp_01Np2jrkntZI/s320/Alissa+27.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368553902202001266" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">After we pulled her out and got her dried off she decided to visit the Naupaka Kahakai.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMeACJJRdGn2TGTscnGzXrMnpjYu8vRAc09IXWdZXiICoP9x4v_YVE6xBZAP-WI8SUuIpJraOn-0Mo8LsroUOFin5x1kRdHfKKRkJNHK87qsXAA1Ycfy6wnBefskTNm-8dJAJ9EPxqWU/s1600-h/Alissa+28.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMeACJJRdGn2TGTscnGzXrMnpjYu8vRAc09IXWdZXiICoP9x4v_YVE6xBZAP-WI8SUuIpJraOn-0Mo8LsroUOFin5x1kRdHfKKRkJNHK87qsXAA1Ycfy6wnBefskTNm-8dJAJ9EPxqWU/s320/Alissa+28.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368553907296524578" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">As you can see the Naupaka blossoms have only one side to them. This is another story of Pele thwarting young lovers because of her jealousy:</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:ArialMT;font-size:130%;"> It is said that two lovers, greatly devoted to each other, came to the attention of the Goddess Pele. Pele found the young man desirable and appeared before him as a beautiful stranger. But no matter what Pele did the lovers remained devoted to each other.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:ArialMT;font-size:130%;">Angered, Pele chased the young man into the mountains, throwing molten lava at him. Pele's sisters witnessed this and to save the young man from a certain death they changed him into the mountain Naupaka Kuahiwi. Pele immediately went after the young woman and chased her towards the sea - but again Pele's sisters stepped in and changed the young lover into beach Naupaka Kahakai.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">It is said that if the mountain Naupaka and beach Naupaka flowers are reunited, the two young lovers will be together again.</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">After learning the legend of the Naupaka flowers, Alissa decided that it was time for lunch. Lunch today was a Bento. This is a lunch packed in a box which is the meaning of Bento. They can contain many different types of local goodies. Alissa's lunch today had white rice, cone sushi, fish, chicken, beef, long rice (mung bean noodles) and pickled vegetables. She said it was too much to eat and she took some of it home with her for an afternoon snack.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39I23ljgsaRmYq76mHbujdfmyZlB7VvHpkLgj2SvmJymdZ_lHTnJ1IUH77asYyH7MQGyOTbOGxHIBrSYSw909iAq5m4Hq9QzyQS0D16oePt_b_-MkqIayklmt_0mZKkkTiBQlCe8w3bU/s1600-h/Alissa+30.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39I23ljgsaRmYq76mHbujdfmyZlB7VvHpkLgj2SvmJymdZ_lHTnJ1IUH77asYyH7MQGyOTbOGxHIBrSYSw909iAq5m4Hq9QzyQS0D16oePt_b_-MkqIayklmt_0mZKkkTiBQlCe8w3bU/s320/Alissa+30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368555136392208498" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Before she left the beach, she had her picture taken with all her new friends in the Seniors Club.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQUuOdSPfhWxbmakZ66LsnL9B3_EIGyFwbOfP3yT5j0RHQelDpwqbh8E6NsZqHA7yAwiYfoTGhNONehFLpJxjEBzIWo2q7WpdJKpHl9JwekdVLncO_kPIDSYUG5Imu9vPR23i-70MSdo/s1600-h/Alissa+29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQUuOdSPfhWxbmakZ66LsnL9B3_EIGyFwbOfP3yT5j0RHQelDpwqbh8E6NsZqHA7yAwiYfoTGhNONehFLpJxjEBzIWo2q7WpdJKpHl9JwekdVLncO_kPIDSYUG5Imu9vPR23i-70MSdo/s320/Alissa+29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368553908696981730" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">On the day that she left, Alissa had an afternoon flight to catch. So she started off the day with a game of hide and seek in the garden with the dogs. She first hid in the timber bamboo. Keanani almost found her, but because she didn't look up, Alissa escaped detection.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xDlOe5oTqTJS0TJgvJf5iOeUIgAWgnxZr0JOo4uAIi6cYbvqGKmd9xnKKfoxJvvd5H06irABvR6ez9qcO3qadNLcHo58vWm3zJ4BLqt47V_F434Udmx1g5x_jJ5Ir-Xv3nd-rX22_OA/s1600-h/Alissa+40.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2xDlOe5oTqTJS0TJgvJf5iOeUIgAWgnxZr0JOo4uAIi6cYbvqGKmd9xnKKfoxJvvd5H06irABvR6ez9qcO3qadNLcHo58vWm3zJ4BLqt47V_F434Udmx1g5x_jJ5Ir-Xv3nd-rX22_OA/s320/Alissa+40.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368553915690015250" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Then she escaped detection twice by hiding among the anthuriums.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuXllf603n134G156yZwlxThTrOqOHlRvmpLB7oBeXGqObRThoknhp_UZBavqwTpz-83C8PxGtl7qcdBZk9K_u19GU_gsYVN5dW8yl982zBbh8xhRxl9ZdlDmmAhbFD-eNypAJH1964o/s1600-h/Alissa+41.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzuXllf603n134G156yZwlxThTrOqOHlRvmpLB7oBeXGqObRThoknhp_UZBavqwTpz-83C8PxGtl7qcdBZk9K_u19GU_gsYVN5dW8yl982zBbh8xhRxl9ZdlDmmAhbFD-eNypAJH1964o/s320/Alissa+41.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368554656612531634" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTJMVFi51T0Kk6djZJtURhaZiPVXQIa4xSRrRZsvuFKsgwEeEjxXPhroDXfA0faYgXDnmu6SAhXbciOuqQCxEjFUm0YVX6ISnSXWibkQuWGOreNOVKOvG5eUEtgolvq_G2uWzrO6ytA8/s1600-h/Alissa+42.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTJMVFi51T0Kk6djZJtURhaZiPVXQIa4xSRrRZsvuFKsgwEeEjxXPhroDXfA0faYgXDnmu6SAhXbciOuqQCxEjFUm0YVX6ISnSXWibkQuWGOreNOVKOvG5eUEtgolvq_G2uWzrO6ytA8/s320/Alissa+42.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368554663314117858" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">But when she thought she was well hidden among the weeds, grasses and yellow hibiscus, both Keanani and Hoku found her. Neener, neener, you're it, Alissa, called Hoku.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMbnjrJ9ygFWTTQHc6huVUrfjS-DBp4VFiJl3eJ6QT9eXov9su5zHZ-j_bZ6vhuvu8q_oU19ZZxZ4qL7bAZ-naukyg3YjtjmqGNmeymssZhemV4wgEvVPhVndKzt0GyRC6E3JTa8ciBI/s1600-h/Alissa+43.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMbnjrJ9ygFWTTQHc6huVUrfjS-DBp4VFiJl3eJ6QT9eXov9su5zHZ-j_bZ6vhuvu8q_oU19ZZxZ4qL7bAZ-naukyg3YjtjmqGNmeymssZhemV4wgEvVPhVndKzt0GyRC6E3JTa8ciBI/s320/Alissa+43.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368554664202292770" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">On our way to the airport, we stopped at Ken's Pancake House, a local institution, for lunch with the Lunch Bunch from my Worship Community. Alissa decided to throw all caution and calories to the winds and have some of Ken's famous macadamia nut pancakes with lilikoi syrup.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxoOdzrsqQeMrh8rk1pZgHSitOXw1adfwHeQFN6KWMWXxaVcanMHSngeiXRwW4VPDwF_ska144jj1htHclGsLdyQemdUBRmUQBjplsSSCTxcY58DxRJLOz7eW40afS36yI5shDg0bE8Q/s1600-h/Alissa+36.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxoOdzrsqQeMrh8rk1pZgHSitOXw1adfwHeQFN6KWMWXxaVcanMHSngeiXRwW4VPDwF_ska144jj1htHclGsLdyQemdUBRmUQBjplsSSCTxcY58DxRJLOz7eW40afS36yI5shDg0bE8Q/s320/Alissa+36.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368554665538276642" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">I was sad to see Alissa leave. We had a wonderful time together, and hopefully she will be able to come back very soon and visit the Island of Hawaii again.</span></p>Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-11057032111388766362009-08-09T21:25:00.000-07:002009-08-09T21:35:26.926-07:00Alissa Goes To The Land Of Pele - Part 1<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">I wasn't traveling anywhere this summer, however when I asked Alissa if she would like to come visit me on the Hilo side of the Big Island of Hawai`i, she jumped at the chance. It took a little planning, but she was soon boarding a plane and heading west to the islands in the sun.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">It's a long trip from Dallas to Hilo so Alissa's first stop after a quick shower was the hammock on the front lanai; where she settled in with a good book and a glass of wine. She kept a lahala hat close by incase the sun got too bright. </span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxpGZ5Q5PA4uX3yKrbamZU1QcXPXN8V6d22CrMHsbvcTchLXiMqm12eEiZTwkiSSdaV4sKp9Mb_Ol6v-Ig9iTaeYjAMjeWtoPtSVBzk9ICAY4P3pnAV7CnyAf8uxndZMkhn03BZH7HEE/s1600-h/Hawaii+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxpGZ5Q5PA4uX3yKrbamZU1QcXPXN8V6d22CrMHsbvcTchLXiMqm12eEiZTwkiSSdaV4sKp9Mb_Ol6v-Ig9iTaeYjAMjeWtoPtSVBzk9ICAY4P3pnAV7CnyAf8uxndZMkhn03BZH7HEE/s320/Hawaii+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187033738545234" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">After a good nights sleep with the coqui frogs singing a lullaby and a hearty breakfast of papaya, fresh eggs, and toast from Hawaiian sweet bread, Alissa was ready to see some of the island. We decided to go into Hilo and visit the bay front area.</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The first stop was the parking lot at Coconut island where she could look across the water to the island.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxqryhEbGJVFEgTpMfNmYRG1JJTmhxPol2T_JyKc4y7dPoSf91j2LhZ2U5ufri5Y6ac-Pp6nLKQiCoE6W3Ca9KPxfZB3a1Lhtr4uQvI9x4G65MX94MEa1FDxJKOnFhdHjtOQXckJ7dCs/s1600-h/Alissa+12.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxqryhEbGJVFEgTpMfNmYRG1JJTmhxPol2T_JyKc4y7dPoSf91j2LhZ2U5ufri5Y6ac-Pp6nLKQiCoE6W3Ca9KPxfZB3a1Lhtr4uQvI9x4G65MX94MEa1FDxJKOnFhdHjtOQXckJ7dCs/s320/Alissa+12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187035494749538" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">She wanted to run across the bridge to the island, but I convinced her that it wasn't going anywhere and that she should stop and enjoy the view of Hilo Bay. </span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoZjwEKTRLY6LSSvvwDTvPL1E-H-a2L2ZqzcMF0RkuhV9FzMuLt_9rOPhZt0IlkIthvHO4Wem-FaCNDrBiBArBYaxBai4hhbH93ZuDbxtWYM4zYONqLOlyGr7nYr9pJQquSh0YeqwsdI/s1600-h/Alissa+13.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLoZjwEKTRLY6LSSvvwDTvPL1E-H-a2L2ZqzcMF0RkuhV9FzMuLt_9rOPhZt0IlkIthvHO4Wem-FaCNDrBiBArBYaxBai4hhbH93ZuDbxtWYM4zYONqLOlyGr7nYr9pJQquSh0YeqwsdI/s320/Alissa+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187044798209602" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The first thing she did on the island was decide that since she was on Coconut Island, she should climb a palm tree. </span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-vh673prNz2A31HJk-NMs1dMpboWLjG5qvGH8ErsnkymJgFQAvlm-T4gZEXYiE0d16yg6_12T-GhfXR-NxT1pFNWlywMXmkh0LT-8gko85u25MaUslgtz_kcyL0FosC4oTkCpkBN9YA/s1600-h/Alissa+14.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-vh673prNz2A31HJk-NMs1dMpboWLjG5qvGH8ErsnkymJgFQAvlm-T4gZEXYiE0d16yg6_12T-GhfXR-NxT1pFNWlywMXmkh0LT-8gko85u25MaUslgtz_kcyL0FosC4oTkCpkBN9YA/s320/Alissa+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187051814000322" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Alissa really enjoyed talking to the local people who were at the beach. She learned that the Hawaiian name for the island is Mokuola; and that according to Frances Reed in her book “Hilo Legends” (Petroglyph Press) this is how Mokuola came into being:</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">It is said that the famous trickster demigod Maui, who lived in Hilo with his mother, the goddess Hina, in a large cave below Rainbow Falls, owned a magic canoe and magic fishhook. With his magic canoe, Maui could cover the distance between the Big Island and the island of Maui with two sweeps of his paddle! And with his magic fishhook, he could catch all the fish in the ocean!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">One day, while watching a canoe head out on a long, arduous journey to the island of Maui, the demigod wondered if it might not be better to have all the Hawaiian islands joined together. That, he reasoned, would be a tremendous help for all his people. Inspired, Maui called upon Hawai'i's chiefs and strongest men, and told them of his plan to bring all the islands together. "I shall need your help in the pulling," he instructed them, "but no matter how long it takes or how difficult it may be, you must never look back to see our progress until all the islands were completely joined."</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">All the men obeyed and eagerly set out to begin their exciting task. The first island chosen to join Hawai'i was it's nearest neighbor, Maui. Maui the demigod fastened his magic fishhook onto Maui the island, and at his command-"'Oia! Go"-the chiefs and strong men paddled with all their strength. Slowly but surely, the island moved behind them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">As Maui had commanded, no one dared look back, although everyone was curious to see the results of their work. It was a struggle, and they paddled long and hard, until the two islands were but a few feet apart!</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">One of the chiefs, however, unable to contain his curiosity, peeked behind him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">In an instant, the spell was broken. The island of Maui slid back through the sea to its former position, despite the best efforts of the demigod Maui and his men to pull it back. Only a small piece of Maui remained, the part where the fishhook was still deeply fastened.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">This is how Mokuola, once part of the Valley Isle of Maui, happens to be in Hilo Bay.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">While she was visiting with the local people, she decided to go wading with this young boy. </span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8oyGIWfbNPpMNVp-MzqE3lvGISg7nuJGPBaEq1xvklXvSOH9Lzl6pGQ2jvfY0jPH-WgUjynQdY6z0StYDNaGYfWl4UfrtDwSziwupRqgqLvp_4WHtFGlpqZvTN-srxHIXkyBuL4c-hIw/s1600-h/Alissa+15.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8oyGIWfbNPpMNVp-MzqE3lvGISg7nuJGPBaEq1xvklXvSOH9Lzl6pGQ2jvfY0jPH-WgUjynQdY6z0StYDNaGYfWl4UfrtDwSziwupRqgqLvp_4WHtFGlpqZvTN-srxHIXkyBuL4c-hIw/s320/Alissa+15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187057309005506" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">From Coconut Island, Alissa looked across the water and saw a lovely park. She thought this would be a good time to also visit Queen Lili`uokalani Park. Queen Lili`uokalani was the last reigning monarch of the Hawaiian Islands and was forcefully deposed by the United States Government in January of 1893. As well as her role as monarch of the islands, she was famed as an author and composer. The beautiful park along Hilo's Bay Front is named after her.</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">As soon as we got to the edge of the park, Alissa decided to climb another tree. She said she could get a much better view of the park from up in the Banyan tree. </span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eVhNS6jZeBMOk3zza7XlISeUSU_glLOjz8Q_uYFuce-wMprzhoyCEumlkP2Dv_FjSfTP_baaqzbyuPDgUPeGfdHwyZrsklZLkb5jwNNYvVwBWe5iexMUDKrN6YWkG5l2rz6fqe2jB4M/s1600-h/Alissa+16.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eVhNS6jZeBMOk3zza7XlISeUSU_glLOjz8Q_uYFuce-wMprzhoyCEumlkP2Dv_FjSfTP_baaqzbyuPDgUPeGfdHwyZrsklZLkb5jwNNYvVwBWe5iexMUDKrN6YWkG5l2rz6fqe2jB4M/s320/Alissa+16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187833843547954" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">However I was able to coax her down after a while and she enjoyed her view of other parts of the park.</span></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinLNtODd4_UdAk4_Whqo4W6GCvl10AKNN7QJOqrfiH3TLvtuuydx_cnQrQi2vo98sEg4A7cujToYG5IDnH1Wr_HrmGZSjORkBzZB_Yve2JHbwD6ZETG9mBYfc-nr49Yv-dr7EPBC7zcA/s1600-h/Alissa+17.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 235px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhinLNtODd4_UdAk4_Whqo4W6GCvl10AKNN7QJOqrfiH3TLvtuuydx_cnQrQi2vo98sEg4A7cujToYG5IDnH1Wr_HrmGZSjORkBzZB_Yve2JHbwD6ZETG9mBYfc-nr49Yv-dr7EPBC7zcA/s320/Alissa+17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187838081640370" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLSVdMFeUWbxkrASMEwBxpJglHt7eG7gpvl-793cYqBksG-afhy4tx0r4fLNd3f-b1mse1mK8_rOfcs-krLWekvMNpESs8ETaSJgDIusA-GmUIjWiDeEzN9b5k0QsejbjnfH9ZY1vAiM/s1600-h/Alissa+18.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYLSVdMFeUWbxkrASMEwBxpJglHt7eG7gpvl-793cYqBksG-afhy4tx0r4fLNd3f-b1mse1mK8_rOfcs-krLWekvMNpESs8ETaSJgDIusA-GmUIjWiDeEzN9b5k0QsejbjnfH9ZY1vAiM/s320/Alissa+18.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187841404076962" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">On our way back home, we decided to stop at my favorite wine store, Grapes. Alissa wanted to meet Randy and to pick up some wine for the evening.</span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDrRl60iy7uyZCpXBYUiy7TYnDolIRmgzgLQQ5FFomqUJ-qOSNBPCB-_r_0X_EZSmGoz8LzKPystoZK47YgDX52Chy_x2N29kEXJSfeg0pJ09T18komBVLHF1GK3WSICX4zkmYQSUtd4/s1600-h/Alissa+35.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDrRl60iy7uyZCpXBYUiy7TYnDolIRmgzgLQQ5FFomqUJ-qOSNBPCB-_r_0X_EZSmGoz8LzKPystoZK47YgDX52Chy_x2N29kEXJSfeg0pJ09T18komBVLHF1GK3WSICX4zkmYQSUtd4/s320/Alissa+35.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187846624258882" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">We finished our day with with a stop at Cafe 100 for a Loco Moco, but Alissa and I were both too tired to take pictures. A Loco Moco is a unique local dish that consists of white rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried eggs, and gravy. Totally unhealthy and totally “ono” (good) eats.</span><br /></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">The next day we were pretty lazy in the morning, and Alissa spent part of her time on the lanai of my studio/guest house reading a good book, sipping a cold drink and enjoying the sound of the fountain and the local birds.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdQw_w0kb8TQ8KeistZD1ecdWVi8X0s0s8aMip7-VBRbECkPKae8p4tHfE7j6wueJB6dNmpxDiWaAlupxpwBstRR1_Zb9j9Cdgu0lzag7dhyphenhyphenx78dp7hQdTmBnYIDhM6YWvYcvYDTtEn4/s1600-h/Alissa+39.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdQw_w0kb8TQ8KeistZD1ecdWVi8X0s0s8aMip7-VBRbECkPKae8p4tHfE7j6wueJB6dNmpxDiWaAlupxpwBstRR1_Zb9j9Cdgu0lzag7dhyphenhyphenx78dp7hQdTmBnYIDhM6YWvYcvYDTtEn4/s320/Alissa+39.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368187849259271938" border="0" /></a></p> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">Later that afternoon, Hoku had an agility lesson with Andrea Dexter who was here from Seattle for a seminar with the Orchid Isle Dog Agility Club. Alissa decided to go along for the trip and to watch Hoku. She was impressed with how fast Hoku could run the obstacles.<br /></span></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ojHvToVifEDyC0dX_Pc9ICqyftEfqXkbQTjaYLvXwRMzRK4xW8BeWhx9x7Z-GYMTPqS17FZSvoAsHeLeXcgTJtEXTwa4lU7MTBxJkZvxIz1ywQjugVJYJMPMkEzr4yHcuhG5uiVBzKU/s1600-h/Hawaii+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ojHvToVifEDyC0dX_Pc9ICqyftEfqXkbQTjaYLvXwRMzRK4xW8BeWhx9x7Z-GYMTPqS17FZSvoAsHeLeXcgTJtEXTwa4lU7MTBxJkZvxIz1ywQjugVJYJMPMkEzr4yHcuhG5uiVBzKU/s320/Hawaii+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368188407735270514" border="0" /></a></p> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:100%;">That evening, she went to the dinner and a movie night with the Agility club at Toni Barnhart's house. She had fun laughing at all the antics of handlers and dogs.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Qlc7USHtFqkLh5FeWJFcZpNqT7DDZrpw9QoU2YkNuklf8uQuROs3T14YtcdW_ohSKhog486KdkKjmcSDf_T5vofihm0V6-4W5kXCW_g0iqo15Hx1vG60sIsjsoK6n0hSyYAcVdhd8_g/s1600-h/Alissa+44.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Qlc7USHtFqkLh5FeWJFcZpNqT7DDZrpw9QoU2YkNuklf8uQuROs3T14YtcdW_ohSKhog486KdkKjmcSDf_T5vofihm0V6-4W5kXCW_g0iqo15Hx1vG60sIsjsoK6n0hSyYAcVdhd8_g/s320/Alissa+44.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368188414551146242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />MORE TO COME....Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-89251257773991909312009-07-10T15:26:00.000-07:002009-07-10T20:51:19.957-07:00Alissa does PADay 1<br />Started out by getting up at 4am to catch a 6:15 am flight to Philadelphia. Since Melanie only had Cliff bars to eat for breakfast, Alissa decided on arrival that she needed some actual food. Melanie's Dad suggested a Lower Pottsgrove favorite called the Sunflower Cafe. There she ate eggs "Shirley Style" (scrambled with toasted homemade zucchini bread and grilled veg), although she probably stole some of the bacon off Dad's plate.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZxg3TELaI/AAAAAAAAGhw/uqS_r_hpsPg/s1600-h/P1020802.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZxg3TELaI/AAAAAAAAGhw/uqS_r_hpsPg/s320/P1020802.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356593616217451938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZx912zeAI/AAAAAAAAGh4/fGbHtA3JwTo/s1600-h/P1020801.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZx912zeAI/AAAAAAAAGh4/fGbHtA3JwTo/s320/P1020801.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356594114046687234" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the way to Dad's house, they decided to stop at Melanie's step-sister's (Amy) new salon Belle Ami. Melanie joked about getting a manicure and pedicure at the last minute, but Amy took it seriously and fit them in for a short but sweet pampering session.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZy7UKHB3I/AAAAAAAAGiA/iHKsnOJ8tUU/s1600-h/P1020803.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZy7UKHB3I/AAAAAAAAGiA/iHKsnOJ8tUU/s320/P1020803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356595170152744818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After a long nap and a few phone calls, it was time for dinner with friends (Heather and Mark) at a newly opened Japanese restaurant (it's a big deal for that part of the world anyway). Alissa ate lots of sushi and ate Melanie's portion of the green tea ice cream.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ0oysxbrI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/qHux1WQaLhc/s1600-h/P1020812.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ0oysxbrI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/qHux1WQaLhc/s320/P1020812.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356597050956934834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ0osv35hI/AAAAAAAAGiI/6cG3etcjEK0/s1600-h/P1020809.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 179px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ0osv35hI/AAAAAAAAGiI/6cG3etcjEK0/s320/P1020809.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356597049359328786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mark and Heather had befriended the bar tender and manager on an earlier visit, and since Melanie noticed they were quite handsome, asked if she and Alissa could be introduced as well. Alissa asked Melanie if she had a thing for Asian guys and the subject was quickly changed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ15S03JNI/AAAAAAAAGiY/9ryVIEGAKzw/s1600-h/P1020813.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ15S03JNI/AAAAAAAAGiY/9ryVIEGAKzw/s320/P1020813.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356598433970332882" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 2<br />Alissa, Melanie, and Dad decided that this would be a great day to drive to Jim Thorpe, PA at the base of the Poconos. First up was a ride on an old steam train through the Lehigh Valley Gorge, and all the touristy things that went with it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5Wd8fRgI/AAAAAAAAGi4/HoYKMreO2eg/s1600-h/P1020829.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5Wd8fRgI/AAAAAAAAGi4/HoYKMreO2eg/s320/P1020829.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356602233706202626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5WOOhqnI/AAAAAAAAGiw/56mshLNCV-Y/s1600-h/P1020828.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5WOOhqnI/AAAAAAAAGiw/56mshLNCV-Y/s320/P1020828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356602229486889586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5VrAt1mI/AAAAAAAAGio/-axEBpU5GCY/s1600-h/P1020826.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 318px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5VrAt1mI/AAAAAAAAGio/-axEBpU5GCY/s320/P1020826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356602220033726050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5VEfPKnI/AAAAAAAAGig/p4sKxnlpI9Q/s1600-h/P1020824.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 280px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ5VEfPKnI/AAAAAAAAGig/p4sKxnlpI9Q/s320/P1020824.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356602209692756594" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Afterward there was a trip to the Asa Packer mansion, as Dad likes old houses.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ7UGzSXjI/AAAAAAAAGjI/TauSpxBn4kg/s1600-h/P1020869.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ7UGzSXjI/AAAAAAAAGjI/TauSpxBn4kg/s320/P1020869.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356604392157109810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ7T7ybw7I/AAAAAAAAGjA/8B5piPJDy6c/s1600-h/P1020862.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ7T7ybw7I/AAAAAAAAGjA/8B5piPJDy6c/s320/P1020862.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356604389200741298" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then it was time to eat lunch, wander around and look at the beautiful architecture, and taste some local wine. Alissa and Dad were taken (dragged?) to a local organic/Buddhist cafe where Dad tasted hummus for the first time. Alissa thought the Chardonnay was the best at the winery.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ88cIIadI/AAAAAAAAGjg/AZZ230AHfDI/s1600-h/P1020872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ88cIIadI/AAAAAAAAGjg/AZZ230AHfDI/s320/P1020872.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356606184588077522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ873eO6wI/AAAAAAAAGjY/vvIey4DLK5Y/s1600-h/P1020878.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ873eO6wI/AAAAAAAAGjY/vvIey4DLK5Y/s320/P1020878.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356606174748666626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ87nF3VcI/AAAAAAAAGjQ/7gsgTIGzdpw/s1600-h/P1020868.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlZ87nF3VcI/AAAAAAAAGjQ/7gsgTIGzdpw/s320/P1020868.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356606170351490498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 3<br />Alissa was wanting to check out two LYSs in Reading, PA, but a quick check of the websites indicated they were closed. Dad thought they could go out to Lancaster county to the big craft warehouse (because he loves driving out there) and see what turns up. Low and behold, a new (to Melanie) LYS appeared on one of the main roads out ("Go back! Go back!"). The store had lots of shiny things to look at, and Alissa needed her picture taken with the afghan with purple in it. Melanie walked away with a skein of lace alpaca and 3 skeins of fingering weight (because Alissa is an enabler). Alissa also got quite the giggles over the store attendant thinking that Melanie's dad was her husband, which Melanie explained was a hazard of having a dad with no grey hair at age 64.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfJ8fQ_lLI/AAAAAAAAGjw/zN7ePvNuSgo/s1600-h/P1020883.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfJ8fQ_lLI/AAAAAAAAGjw/zN7ePvNuSgo/s320/P1020883.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356972322802603186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfJ76LohmI/AAAAAAAAGjo/nN_teIpBISk/s1600-h/P1020884.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfJ76LohmI/AAAAAAAAGjo/nN_teIpBISk/s320/P1020884.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356972312848008802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The craft warehouse was a disappointment, but Dad had a much better idea. We were not far from a town called "Intercourse" so Alissa had to have her picture taken next to the sign. She was also informed that the driving route goes from "Blue Ball" to "Intercourse" to "Paradise." (Alissa insisted Melanie was making it up, but she is not. Check the map.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfLTVmPZ6I/AAAAAAAAGj4/SQd4eymE1QM/s1600-h/P1020886.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfLTVmPZ6I/AAAAAAAAGj4/SQd4eymE1QM/s320/P1020886.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356973814855985058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Melanie decided Alissa needed to have a hand-rolled soft pretzel from one of the Mennonite run businesses before stopping at the next LYS. Warm out of the oven cinnamon sugar pretzels take precedence over yarn when one is hungry.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfMYGohl0I/AAAAAAAAGkA/dz18tcVi4J0/s1600-h/P1020887.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfMYGohl0I/AAAAAAAAGkA/dz18tcVi4J0/s320/P1020887.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356974996250007362" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At the Lancaster Yarn Shop Melanie picked up a skein of Alpaca from a local farm (Was the fact that Alissa is an enabler mentioned?) and Alissa also got to knit a few rows on the charity scarf. <a href="http://keepthefleece.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&Itemid=90">More about that here.</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfNuxRK-kI/AAAAAAAAGkI/LiGP8LWm9sk/s1600-h/P1020888.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfNuxRK-kI/AAAAAAAAGkI/LiGP8LWm9sk/s320/P1020888.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356976485163530818" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dad made sure there was also time to stop and take pictures of the beautiful farmland.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfOxTBGnnI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/tXpqJiiTA9k/s1600-h/P1020891.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfOxTBGnnI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/tXpqJiiTA9k/s320/P1020891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356977628094307954" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Monday night it was time to move in with Heather and Mark for the remainder of the stay. And for Alissa to meet Faschnacht.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfP60GtOdI/AAAAAAAAGkY/suVQP6Jan3o/s1600-h/P1020897.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 197px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfP60GtOdI/AAAAAAAAGkY/suVQP6Jan3o/s320/P1020897.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356978891106630098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 4<br />Alissa was hoping to do part of the Brandywine wine tour with Melanie and her mom, but since Mom wasn't feeling well they went to see "Up!" in 3-D instead. ("Squirrel!"). Since it was 20 degrees cooler in PA than TX it was a nice day to sit on the deck that Mom's husband had built.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfREzljnZI/AAAAAAAAGkg/6r2LhJi3yZA/s1600-h/P1020898.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfREzljnZI/AAAAAAAAGkg/6r2LhJi3yZA/s320/P1020898.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356980162277907858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 5<br />Most of the day was spent at Melanie's friends' Bill/Grace's log cabin in Lower Pottsgrove. Alissa needed to have her picture taken on the porch and by the purple flowers flanking the coi pond. Do you think Melanie and Alissa share an affinity for a certain color?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfSgbEBklI/AAAAAAAAGkw/1kn35lydwyQ/s1600-h/P1020903.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfSgbEBklI/AAAAAAAAGkw/1kn35lydwyQ/s320/P1020903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356981736242778706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfSf1W28xI/AAAAAAAAGko/Z58ty3ddIbI/s1600-h/P1020900.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfSf1W28xI/AAAAAAAAGko/Z58ty3ddIbI/s320/P1020900.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356981726121227026" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 6<br />Thursday was another trip with Dad to Longwood Gardens, the world's premier horticultural showplace (according to the website) and one of Melanie's favorite PA stops. Alissa was able to take in the Japanese garden, the bell tower and waterfall, the fountain gardens, the conservatory, the idea gardens, and Melanie's favorite, the lily pad display.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVcbNXmdI/AAAAAAAAGlY/VzJl3txHVsM/s1600-h/P1020926.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVcbNXmdI/AAAAAAAAGlY/VzJl3txHVsM/s320/P1020926.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356984966097377746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVcDs-pBI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/0TsxESc0RsU/s1600-h/P1020905.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVcDs-pBI/AAAAAAAAGlQ/0TsxESc0RsU/s320/P1020905.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356984959787508754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVZNphNkI/AAAAAAAAGlI/oqa8_jy05yY/s1600-h/P1020917.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVZNphNkI/AAAAAAAAGlI/oqa8_jy05yY/s320/P1020917.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356984910917744194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVY3nvP7I/AAAAAAAAGlA/9iyZbF7EXM0/s1600-h/P1020914.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVY3nvP7I/AAAAAAAAGlA/9iyZbF7EXM0/s320/P1020914.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356984905004695474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVX3c8uEI/AAAAAAAAGk4/aim3GQcBDvk/s1600-h/P1020908.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfVX3c8uEI/AAAAAAAAGk4/aim3GQcBDvk/s320/P1020908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356984887779571778" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW20ds7dI/AAAAAAAAGl4/TMrgxM9BOl4/s1600-h/P1020962.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW20ds7dI/AAAAAAAAGl4/TMrgxM9BOl4/s320/P1020962.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356986519064997330" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW2apdTEI/AAAAAAAAGlw/-NctuU858S8/s1600-h/P1020953.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW2apdTEI/AAAAAAAAGlw/-NctuU858S8/s320/P1020953.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356986512134982722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW2Pc3KEI/AAAAAAAAGlo/4JnsDnzuD8I/s1600-h/P1020947.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW2Pc3KEI/AAAAAAAAGlo/4JnsDnzuD8I/s320/P1020947.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356986509129361474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW1sV3DlI/AAAAAAAAGlg/R23hO5haRyI/s1600-h/P1020939.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 270px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfW1sV3DlI/AAAAAAAAGlg/R23hO5haRyI/s320/P1020939.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356986499704753746" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Thursday was also Heather's Dad's 81rst birthday, and Alissa and Melanie were invited to join them for a lovely meal at the William Penn Inn, complete with snapper soup.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfXyUGoFNI/AAAAAAAAGmA/HjviXh9xGhA/s1600-h/P1020967.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfXyUGoFNI/AAAAAAAAGmA/HjviXh9xGhA/s320/P1020967.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356987541170427090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 7<br />Alissa joined Melanie and sister for a 12 mile hike along the Perkiomen trail. They also encountered the cousin of the snapper from the soup the night before.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfY_LWd9II/AAAAAAAAGmQ/6fmJA9paEg8/s1600-h/P1020970.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfY_LWd9II/AAAAAAAAGmQ/6fmJA9paEg8/s320/P1020970.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356988861670880386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfY-n3C6KI/AAAAAAAAGmI/y8MrzQkbNcc/s1600-h/P1020974.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfY-n3C6KI/AAAAAAAAGmI/y8MrzQkbNcc/s320/P1020974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356988852143843490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Day 8<br />Alissa and Melanie were supposed to attend a wedding. Ask Melanie about the drama involving the "supposed to" part. Instead, the day was spent knitting, reading, and napping on Mark and Heather's beautiful shaded porch.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfaX9Tq-uI/AAAAAAAAGmY/V0XBABmCOPY/s1600-h/P1010039.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kJydI6hQIdE/SlfaX9Tq-uI/AAAAAAAAGmY/V0XBABmCOPY/s320/P1010039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356990386909412066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Last Day<br />Up early, although not so early, for a breakfast with Heather and Mark, and then off to the airport. Here is where Melanie learned that sunflower butter is a deadly weapon so it can't be taken in the carry on. Fortunately, the alpaca lace, Lancaster alpaca, and 3 skeins of Nature Spun made it back to TX safely.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-71728747038369012412009-07-06T20:44:00.000-07:002009-07-07T06:48:06.813-07:00Where the Real Nature is....<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>We decided to get ready for our Trip! Alissa insisted that we needed knitting – but with five of us traveling, I knew we would have to keep it light.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0YVHf90Th1Yi9Aw88jKi2A2ytBim4JV_fH_1mBqjv5H1iPQ2_PzVVf2o7z_ma09nyCfrQvcUuHdzyqd-GzK-aQNI659DhYDLC9s7svKSIhEQJ02dNgwFnY2LAu6HSmRML9kHNMFeYJY7/s1600-h/DSCN3498.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn0YVHf90Th1Yi9Aw88jKi2A2ytBim4JV_fH_1mBqjv5H1iPQ2_PzVVf2o7z_ma09nyCfrQvcUuHdzyqd-GzK-aQNI659DhYDLC9s7svKSIhEQJ02dNgwFnY2LAu6HSmRML9kHNMFeYJY7/s320/DSCN3498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355568566568290162" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>I know – I couldn’t believe that was all we were taking as well – but it worked out beautifully.<br />And we were off!<br />Our first stop was in Oklahoma City. We had to stop at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_P._Murrah_Federal_Building">Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building</a> . It is a touching memorial - quite beautiful and overwhelming. Alissa insisted that we would have to come back again and spend time in the museum.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaavFBQuhlIdHlOwEVAFyJvKt_BYpQEtZDlZWA9S5zFhIyHM3ZK87RCu_2iZmR_cglh_cEnyNXiDMP0YjR6C6BP_XKAHChKo1Sz3jTlEAdBo9yAp8LL7EtQxVeDFqmh730mIMnobTIyMhP/s1600-h/DSCN3514.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaavFBQuhlIdHlOwEVAFyJvKt_BYpQEtZDlZWA9S5zFhIyHM3ZK87RCu_2iZmR_cglh_cEnyNXiDMP0YjR6C6BP_XKAHChKo1Sz3jTlEAdBo9yAp8LL7EtQxVeDFqmh730mIMnobTIyMhP/s320/DSCN3514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355568560597141426" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />Then we stopped at the ONLY YARN STORE ON THE ENTIRE TRIP. Yup – just the one. We knew that even with two of us clamoring to go to yarn stores – that we would not be able to stop at all of them and there was no room to fit even ONE skein of yarn (I am serious about that). So we decided to pick just this one. We stopped at <a href="http://www.swakknit.com/">SWAK</a> in Guthrie.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QQdUoSrLBg11GH0ylMr775rxPMoG0FvJxPCmar96hVMmB2VDSk9MLCsdpBrnoBUWvtYxkEXnTom1HNg5375VA0aUfiTLNF5jPKSOgo0z_26i3-fvnW9Zk-bsY11jvagFN-_Fexglr4qD/s1600-h/DSCN3518.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QQdUoSrLBg11GH0ylMr775rxPMoG0FvJxPCmar96hVMmB2VDSk9MLCsdpBrnoBUWvtYxkEXnTom1HNg5375VA0aUfiTLNF5jPKSOgo0z_26i3-fvnW9Zk-bsY11jvagFN-_Fexglr4qD/s320/DSCN3518.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355568554468918306" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt23BX9jM8Fh4fRvCjoFgByRa4QH8nTxiI2kU1KmhVr6Y-bTM3PPPgbSKfSjDgztZdCXLG8-xF1mFTr7Ku5I0av0WYcXasbCTTamwYb9Q4N8wNNY-veyzJbE2tvLui2j-yHsAR_X0icRo/s1600-h/DSCN3519.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt23BX9jM8Fh4fRvCjoFgByRa4QH8nTxiI2kU1KmhVr6Y-bTM3PPPgbSKfSjDgztZdCXLG8-xF1mFTr7Ku5I0av0WYcXasbCTTamwYb9Q4N8wNNY-veyzJbE2tvLui2j-yHsAR_X0icRo/s320/DSCN3519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355568568776532562" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div>Yes – Betty Boop is becoming converted. She actually brought some knitting with her on this trip and knit for a while! I know Alissa was secretly thrilled. I am hoping it is more than a fad for her and she learns to enjoy it for her entire life.<br />Our first evening was in a small hotel and Alissa staked out the bed before Boop and I could decide. It was a little crowded with three – but we had pillows enough for everyone. The hotel rooms got progressively larger with each night (not on purpose) but it was a good thing. Because by the time you get to the end of the trip – you don’t want to be in close quarters any longer…<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnecVNEqDwrcuhE518Wv50mlYY8dJTdRmbhZs3CnE7r2A3-rgUk0gzfK7-1eTOLZNRqLrVP0WXGDxmCuSMsbnSxtnvSGokbHk7MrFtdYSbtDRJ-GK95LrMdN0gF0wYhXkmKdjlbu0Bii8W/s1600-h/DSCN3522.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnecVNEqDwrcuhE518Wv50mlYY8dJTdRmbhZs3CnE7r2A3-rgUk0gzfK7-1eTOLZNRqLrVP0WXGDxmCuSMsbnSxtnvSGokbHk7MrFtdYSbtDRJ-GK95LrMdN0gF0wYhXkmKdjlbu0Bii8W/s320/DSCN3522.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355567158855143362" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />Again Alissa was making all kinds of decisions about where we would stop, she insisted that we stop at the world’s largest ball of twine.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4dvhyphenhyphenRBkVg9de4Yn3XE5iQwdOqI7pUF9F_FVP2r6NSE912QC3g9lZn-pQfGPy81P8SG7anyGq-NL6mdBQYDf7bxAyMYbKmDUX7lklYkSbkK-23u6jS4-MenkKrfK5cpX7iXvlbfDmvnI/s1600-h/DSCN3570.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4dvhyphenhyphenRBkVg9de4Yn3XE5iQwdOqI7pUF9F_FVP2r6NSE912QC3g9lZn-pQfGPy81P8SG7anyGq-NL6mdBQYDf7bxAyMYbKmDUX7lklYkSbkK-23u6jS4-MenkKrfK5cpX7iXvlbfDmvnI/s320/DSCN3570.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355567148625937794" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>Please note this is Sisal Twine and it was HUGE. Since it is outside with only a covering over it – it did smell a little – but Alissa still wanted to start knitting with it. (The Big Texan had to hold her back).<br /><br />Then because the Big Texan is fascinated with Stonehenge – we had to stop at <a href="http://www.carhenge.com/">Carhenge</a> . This is an exact replica of Stonehenge made out of CARS!!!<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEhc9v8y_arXip_1ybobGpDx3LadQ016CDh4S8CZ0JS5zON0pjPf55XLp1NjR_x4bVcz8g8SxN3LC_ngpOSWO8_VrHB-gLZuu68E2E3XvK9kSFsKqej5VNOFVQd9eZ8G6_f3lzS3Ef4-T/s1600-h/DSCN3581.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEhc9v8y_arXip_1ybobGpDx3LadQ016CDh4S8CZ0JS5zON0pjPf55XLp1NjR_x4bVcz8g8SxN3LC_ngpOSWO8_VrHB-gLZuu68E2E3XvK9kSFsKqej5VNOFVQd9eZ8G6_f3lzS3Ef4-T/s320/DSCN3581.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355567144781710914" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>We finally talked Alissa & The Big Texan into getting back in OUR car so that we could get going on to our REAL destinations…<br /><br />We did run into a few road blocks along the way…<br />Buffalo – yes Buffalo.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz5l0YiHxaidphvOBi2iHNEDqNXcRRuyb0SE1EJuLE3Ff-J-6FSEirmjMqX9BTaAH9OHb2dtWvirKA_NmvYr2w8xx-MfWSvRKS7vD2Dgs77b9cTVzEb21PrekhDr8_um_91krA64JALBI/s1600-h/DSCN3605.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz5l0YiHxaidphvOBi2iHNEDqNXcRRuyb0SE1EJuLE3Ff-J-6FSEirmjMqX9BTaAH9OHb2dtWvirKA_NmvYr2w8xx-MfWSvRKS7vD2Dgs77b9cTVzEb21PrekhDr8_um_91krA64JALBI/s320/DSCN3605.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355567142499895298" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>This one decided that our front headlamps had enough bugs on them to make a meal and it began to lick the front lights… Then it had an itch and it began SCRATCHING ITSELF on the car!!! The whole car moved!<br /><br />Where did we end up going?<br /><a href="http://www.nps.gov/moru/">Mount Rushmore</a> … we thought there should be a few more faces added to the monument… see?<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-yVncKGhFV2O6J-oem6l6yL8dYAr7LbhY9M3blVBXGqsZV1yf0rzpcv6ACx8mh68Pkc4Mym7nnOoV9exwgNdSHs11GMuwNjhz3h86qZ4cka8lkfDZSlnAT2CdyNW9sLDYEzBx2c3i5_N/s1600-h/DSCN3626.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM-yVncKGhFV2O6J-oem6l6yL8dYAr7LbhY9M3blVBXGqsZV1yf0rzpcv6ACx8mh68Pkc4Mym7nnOoV9exwgNdSHs11GMuwNjhz3h86qZ4cka8lkfDZSlnAT2CdyNW9sLDYEzBx2c3i5_N/s320/DSCN3626.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355565960423328082" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/">Crazy Horse memorial</a> in South Dakota …<br />Here is a small scale of what the final monument is proposed to look like. (or at least the horse part)...<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2Bm19lcTYO3DdDGdiHEj6bheCXLHJW2ZJJadigj2QVG7BNCINPjNLcB6OnjRqIxmPZTKJZDu165qHNMottQjTFnkP4WLzVNMkPSTRBvfF9bCe5PpOS1wdtI9Kr51_nexJ7UynLNqMAl/s1600-h/DSCN3645.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijT2Bm19lcTYO3DdDGdiHEj6bheCXLHJW2ZJJadigj2QVG7BNCINPjNLcB6OnjRqIxmPZTKJZDu165qHNMottQjTFnkP4WLzVNMkPSTRBvfF9bCe5PpOS1wdtI9Kr51_nexJ7UynLNqMAl/s320/DSCN3645.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355565918894622018" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>e<br /><br />Since Alissa was paying – and we all took the bus up to the side of the mountain for a closer look. Alissa says I look a little like Crazy Horse (or maybe she said that I just look a little Crazy, I am not sure…)<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GsN1GOLVBN08EzdILlbYd2Xud7ntez7gMYFFF-XLEwwQqgd-M2T0vlj8Z1U9xqhD-tmZY5CzsFQxEnVNvj-ArR1nZ2Mc5prZr91r63njzAzrICpfXm4mUoaV3cJuibihFr2LiHX3LRYa/s1600-h/DSCN3658.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GsN1GOLVBN08EzdILlbYd2Xud7ntez7gMYFFF-XLEwwQqgd-M2T0vlj8Z1U9xqhD-tmZY5CzsFQxEnVNvj-ArR1nZ2Mc5prZr91r63njzAzrICpfXm4mUoaV3cJuibihFr2LiHX3LRYa/s320/DSCN3658.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355565903719690370" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We did cook dinner in our room that night. Alissa had told me to pack a crockpot in my suitcase and we put together dinner before we went out on some of our excursions. We did have a delicious Crock pot lasagna (but she would not share the recipe – so I had to try to memorize it). She also wouldn’t let me take pictures of her making it – but I think I will be able to recreate the meal at home.<br /><br /><br />We then were headed up to Montana but we had to make a quick stop in Wyoming. Does anyone remember the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”? Well we had to go and see <a href="http://www.nps.gov/deto/">Devils Tower</a> in Wyoming! Alissa was surprised that it wasn’t made out of mashed potatoes – but I reminded her that would have been hard to get enough butter for that many mashed potatoes anyway…<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdyXvCk3EQJSl0JsQCw0py6nZdS3O91URF9ug4H2Enyj_DxBaMdx5sFdcglKuVroau8TMr9FI6ryGDkxsFrd0ATetw8FRXdduQ_wEuIdegC7TIm8y4bueNu4y5LNS-uGG3A1xqZv4NyFY/s1600-h/DSCN3663.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdyXvCk3EQJSl0JsQCw0py6nZdS3O91URF9ug4H2Enyj_DxBaMdx5sFdcglKuVroau8TMr9FI6ryGDkxsFrd0ATetw8FRXdduQ_wEuIdegC7TIm8y4bueNu4y5LNS-uGG3A1xqZv4NyFY/s320/DSCN3663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355565885942032018" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></a><br />We did get to Montana and visited Great Falls – but the camera needed new batteries (it was Alissa’s turn to charge them and she forgot) so we only got a few pictures. But I promise it was beautiful country.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZceuLdxu0qyEAlRZHdPeTif2mqnra0taK6vksg5irrbXi7wY4FNFJ0YMbckCQXa1mEfpQ8maOOy7qaxD0Yp16MopGt3C8Uk_BsHJkW3muAcc34ge3OjTIdcqYUJawdgiHMxiddNUA64U/s1600-h/DSCN3727.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZceuLdxu0qyEAlRZHdPeTif2mqnra0taK6vksg5irrbXi7wY4FNFJ0YMbckCQXa1mEfpQ8maOOy7qaxD0Yp16MopGt3C8Uk_BsHJkW3muAcc34ge3OjTIdcqYUJawdgiHMxiddNUA64U/s320/DSCN3727.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355565860344014130" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />Our next foray was down to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/yell/">Yellowstone National Park</a> .We stayed two days in Yellowstone and saw so many beautiful things! We saw an eagle’s nest (but we couldn’t stop and take a picture – we had to do a drive by picture)<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAenzXGjW4b8D-yJNUpstfLnj23rQkWBUqDTVhCc4aXv_4WnEONOhEEZhl_EMTTfjvOgSFOcyv5cxkPBq_12w7TxUmucjAvcQzvZzKbczEy0KEX5cN5DzAKaRPA_Rmu0-Arpt9LhyphenhyphenyCVZ/s1600-h/DSCN3749.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAenzXGjW4b8D-yJNUpstfLnj23rQkWBUqDTVhCc4aXv_4WnEONOhEEZhl_EMTTfjvOgSFOcyv5cxkPBq_12w7TxUmucjAvcQzvZzKbczEy0KEX5cN5DzAKaRPA_Rmu0-Arpt9LhyphenhyphenyCVZ/s320/DSCN3749.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355564219801725474" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />We saw some Falls<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWSK44QFbelABR4ARMSvaDfC2IEqg3_3WVOUvJrbDqrnjx3-_UHL23tbamJHbKW1kfBgxGBYxuQsp1R0TZGx3Fnf_r5nchlvSCpwzEZPg6xcm4zdqa_EMxN8BOPAuOunXaxZen3-0VRe9/s1600-h/DSCN3754.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWSK44QFbelABR4ARMSvaDfC2IEqg3_3WVOUvJrbDqrnjx3-_UHL23tbamJHbKW1kfBgxGBYxuQsp1R0TZGx3Fnf_r5nchlvSCpwzEZPg6xcm4zdqa_EMxN8BOPAuOunXaxZen3-0VRe9/s320/DSCN3754.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355564211644580178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwqZ5mWqA8wVp3EDGBNe3oJSsemCQgiwRmMqr187Vl1y7CSCwPmPiAdtxaU4PaRNUrOBhK3rcUK-K1NaiNmwFvauZI_Hrec7ZtHHQh7NL4xvwc-Wl-dLpov7kVdquxm-9cG_FDhnNSTPJ/s1600-h/DSCN3764.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwqZ5mWqA8wVp3EDGBNe3oJSsemCQgiwRmMqr187Vl1y7CSCwPmPiAdtxaU4PaRNUrOBhK3rcUK-K1NaiNmwFvauZI_Hrec7ZtHHQh7NL4xvwc-Wl-dLpov7kVdquxm-9cG_FDhnNSTPJ/s320/DSCN3764.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355564206923704898" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></a><br />Alissa wanted to take a picture – so we let her, but I don’t know WHY we wanted this guys arm in it…<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMONoZLG71ECqIbJHoe3zJDJjGzm-sUQ-ON6bfLdjimwzzwgJJFrBFUqt8kOzVKHZyysYV7i9-kd1o8_SpLZfbwiZSLW1tg27n6_twX5sG_lHtI3kLIDbxeCnuKOrePbqwfldShUrHU1R/s1600-h/DSCN3767.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMONoZLG71ECqIbJHoe3zJDJjGzm-sUQ-ON6bfLdjimwzzwgJJFrBFUqt8kOzVKHZyysYV7i9-kd1o8_SpLZfbwiZSLW1tg27n6_twX5sG_lHtI3kLIDbxeCnuKOrePbqwfldShUrHU1R/s320/DSCN3767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355564196597936066" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />We saw some Mammoth Springs<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vQpwxfN8OQxkRDYrQOTAlR7UQ490Ug6Qp4Yh77iu2n0v9IPdaXm7rJQXnaYzyVIfsdOvu-_Bj5p3Fxq-RO7uZY60fEVJOGZjLPgWRuywb8Q15lC6jQfU3Bh_fSr21Bb-isnoJ9jx2KND/s1600-h/DSCN3827.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vQpwxfN8OQxkRDYrQOTAlR7UQ490Ug6Qp4Yh77iu2n0v9IPdaXm7rJQXnaYzyVIfsdOvu-_Bj5p3Fxq-RO7uZY60fEVJOGZjLPgWRuywb8Q15lC6jQfU3Bh_fSr21Bb-isnoJ9jx2KND/s320/DSCN3827.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355564195905454306" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We had dinner out of the crockpot again that night. It was my turn to cook and I made a Beef Stroganoff. It came out delicious and I would share the recipe – but I think Alissa might want to keep it a secret too…<br /><br /><br />We did stop at the gift shop and Alissa wanted to buy this book – but she didn’t have quite enough cash on her – so she settled for a picture…<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJbgvEsgAMYBAlR_COcKqm3XQLP1uKNSckgxQWFj9SMGXzsD66kPrx5GN1d8zFYoKxKgxGC0A_6IQ4kWoCuMNLJpGJvCV9_uiqek79EbU6_cRO2sFM5K8VZevjx5Y7HpJmUvMuU9Gni4l/s1600-h/DSCN3850.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKJbgvEsgAMYBAlR_COcKqm3XQLP1uKNSckgxQWFj9SMGXzsD66kPrx5GN1d8zFYoKxKgxGC0A_6IQ4kWoCuMNLJpGJvCV9_uiqek79EbU6_cRO2sFM5K8VZevjx5Y7HpJmUvMuU9Gni4l/s320/DSCN3850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355562854767610434" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />Our last day in Yellowstone – we got to see old Faithful.<br />Before it erupts<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA44AjmYXA2ekTKrf8z7-6OYfZj8XORoxZAaD7MvU-iMHMCR7Bv43aykZqArZhdGgxiTISVdSjFrm14FFAw9-5YXYFzeK2439WBqpkUcp8uFJ00btevSBf8unAhEqYT7P3_YpfiMJOfHH/s1600-h/DSCN3915.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA44AjmYXA2ekTKrf8z7-6OYfZj8XORoxZAaD7MvU-iMHMCR7Bv43aykZqArZhdGgxiTISVdSjFrm14FFAw9-5YXYFzeK2439WBqpkUcp8uFJ00btevSBf8unAhEqYT7P3_YpfiMJOfHH/s320/DSCN3915.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355562846797787330" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />During eruptions<br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCTZDtORyqr5U7KTC_NwzpZxPIb0xLVOIEQoPQcJxie56gsY_fAFJOlT9rpHYBUd3DteFghsQU77MYvN5H9ac90rQ1ABNGmKutgOHUrJU2o-hMmJggKXKVACemv47a4P1HuhzQT3xW-sm/s1600-h/DSCN3952.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCTZDtORyqr5U7KTC_NwzpZxPIb0xLVOIEQoPQcJxie56gsY_fAFJOlT9rpHYBUd3DteFghsQU77MYvN5H9ac90rQ1ABNGmKutgOHUrJU2o-hMmJggKXKVACemv47a4P1HuhzQT3xW-sm/s320/DSCN3952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355561976248358914" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></a>Here is a tree for scale. It is about 75 feet tall. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoA54mWnmaL-8M2kr9vu594wHDAc4uLe7INlDJdISBvPz6f-pNvYIA0MKvlBnBrlEzokwGi1ppPSX5w4Vdunn-G1X-ftAVxBRlVMrFlX5ORZrkO3j_ARKnWGMz_376uxQ1xHQtCaY6V0r/s1600-h/DSCN3953.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikoA54mWnmaL-8M2kr9vu594wHDAc4uLe7INlDJdISBvPz6f-pNvYIA0MKvlBnBrlEzokwGi1ppPSX5w4Vdunn-G1X-ftAVxBRlVMrFlX5ORZrkO3j_ARKnWGMz_376uxQ1xHQtCaY6V0r/s320/DSCN3953.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355561984520844114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" /></a><div><br /><br />At the end of it’s eruption<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9SfQhqcIte30omMP9TujStk20TdKfcfysnwvvKUMZOSFQgR9-tCv5x60eBHt6ATyGQJa_oxuETXgswOO3HH6KT_pX8qsfE5nVFJk2_gxzZ_LNotJYlWnK1ljvPTs7hhgqlI_87TXA6lC/s1600-h/DSCN3980.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9SfQhqcIte30omMP9TujStk20TdKfcfysnwvvKUMZOSFQgR9-tCv5x60eBHt6ATyGQJa_oxuETXgswOO3HH6KT_pX8qsfE5nVFJk2_gxzZ_LNotJYlWnK1ljvPTs7hhgqlI_87TXA6lC/s320/DSCN3980.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355561358866820322" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />Then we had to take a photo opportunity at the Continental Divide!!!<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ7b3ITnLo-Bzfa-HedZgiXM6qweRGekfPQVbj-9lRVppWkK5ykJdYFDnmYFl-b9yTF3BUn5GF-0fYO4EY7Q-1wQZD5ZoA97FGisLBUK8Cq9fWQuu7WDjUlAwL9BSZ7ZAnYczo5KQ7VrW/s1600-h/DSCN3995.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ7b3ITnLo-Bzfa-HedZgiXM6qweRGekfPQVbj-9lRVppWkK5ykJdYFDnmYFl-b9yTF3BUn5GF-0fYO4EY7Q-1wQZD5ZoA97FGisLBUK8Cq9fWQuu7WDjUlAwL9BSZ7ZAnYczo5KQ7VrW/s320/DSCN3995.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355561356846333714" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />We went through the Grand Tetons<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuX4rPHQ61kDxsyJiahO9v8mlHd72gEITFnzjsFSzhvOGD-Mu6K9y-aFvwBOfoJ2I7iLJqCzGFhHH28ZFevZkM4Q5twXXk2RvkPs9BRbicgAYG0jtmlNDMjjUkz84Ss-XlizMnFOVoG9GE/s1600-h/DSCN4014.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuX4rPHQ61kDxsyJiahO9v8mlHd72gEITFnzjsFSzhvOGD-Mu6K9y-aFvwBOfoJ2I7iLJqCzGFhHH28ZFevZkM4Q5twXXk2RvkPs9BRbicgAYG0jtmlNDMjjUkz84Ss-XlizMnFOVoG9GE/s320/DSCN4014.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355560051629724482" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a>We took so many pictures and made so many stops that The Big Texan would not stop anymore and we had to start taking pictures out the car window. Alissa is pretty good at that.<br /><br />We drove through Jackson Hole<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtwDmtRseJ0oDRDlAoYplOw4X_YnL11mDgnvMa_TaD_uRCPhGFP5VkjGLEeS5uwNUFeBwQhYsB7ebYyF8yP9yl5iPYvUu_cwuXQm3PVRITSk-eTYJWAUr4Q63jdYO26zSZAjP6wQJpF7Q/s1600-h/DSCN4053.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtwDmtRseJ0oDRDlAoYplOw4X_YnL11mDgnvMa_TaD_uRCPhGFP5VkjGLEeS5uwNUFeBwQhYsB7ebYyF8yP9yl5iPYvUu_cwuXQm3PVRITSk-eTYJWAUr4Q63jdYO26zSZAjP6wQJpF7Q/s320/DSCN4053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355560046044246178" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" /></a><br />On the way to Denver to visit some family and then we SPED home. We packed the camera that night and didn’t even pull it out because we had to drive from Denver to Lubbock in one day and then from Lubbock on home the next. We knew we wouldn’t have time to take ANY pictures and quite honestly we were ready to be home<br /><br />I have to say that Alissa is a great traveling companion and a terrific peace maker. She would always step up and settle things when there were any disagreements in the car.<br /><br />But she didn’t take her turn driving…<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Knitting Rosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02476842971113308757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-20396674654533905362009-07-03T16:34:00.000-07:002009-07-04T06:15:46.525-07:00A Trip to Birch Island with GazeboGal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4ndwSwJfltv2Bs4Ieq8EjC4DE4k5CTjCdepDgzya-J4zY14soOIVzthKmyseCz7Q4l63zHm7bmcbTu9rpLEbJ5ykag8nzoZdpvjHXYQjLF4Q_b2MvTwHT83VI2zKZqB5bmA7CCBIQDE/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+8+Bridge+in+Fall.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4ndwSwJfltv2Bs4Ieq8EjC4DE4k5CTjCdepDgzya-J4zY14soOIVzthKmyseCz7Q4l63zHm7bmcbTu9rpLEbJ5ykag8nzoZdpvjHXYQjLF4Q_b2MvTwHT83VI2zKZqB5bmA7CCBIQDE/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+8+Bridge+in+Fall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354592638183755074" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Alissa was all about helping me pack the yarn - here she is with my second crochet project ever, supervising the pink and purple stash.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFlLbO_Inq9PEEpEHT6SRaU2B47gTRfn-93pa7X9l4ZM9vVlwbv1iquBgLJnCBpbP5d6Dusbsdt6YW35dPvpFUaVS-JLc0vDU2Ed4Yh3IGKQmaUvSe3st62u1VN11FEIjiiNU-6HLNTI/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFlLbO_Inq9PEEpEHT6SRaU2B47gTRfn-93pa7X9l4ZM9vVlwbv1iquBgLJnCBpbP5d6Dusbsdt6YW35dPvpFUaVS-JLc0vDU2Ed4Yh3IGKQmaUvSe3st62u1VN11FEIjiiNU-6HLNTI/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381677181329026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Once the car was packed and my kids and their friend C were buckled in, we were all ready to go.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGK32CQ_cM0QHijJM34W57s2ii5QM2FSPnJ8_ND6Qc4IU_BjNzK6AUXotS5PuL7o0L4qtoz6Hed58cMBMoAZEF_UjFyPeUNymf4p4lTLeDUhl4R7XdVq_9dDPulY81vKuTxeETbDO_UM/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGK32CQ_cM0QHijJM34W57s2ii5QM2FSPnJ8_ND6Qc4IU_BjNzK6AUXotS5PuL7o0L4qtoz6Hed58cMBMoAZEF_UjFyPeUNymf4p4lTLeDUhl4R7XdVq_9dDPulY81vKuTxeETbDO_UM/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381682766286930" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Now, a trip to Birch Island includes a boat ride, and Alissa was more than ready to drive our new Lancer - good thing, too, 'cause I'm not so good yet with the inboard/outboard.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsb3CJXarlH4ANZM6u3iFCYYJamWuaP7AXuGPY_zuTtcaQkOUeezJLuUFn2ln-GYd7yzsfeYBjFu5yHXB6P83RuEwCL3ERnyvWhkRMT-8NR5DurfH2Z-HteFtkcmtTtV_UDOirB5aq1s/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsb3CJXarlH4ANZM6u3iFCYYJamWuaP7AXuGPY_zuTtcaQkOUeezJLuUFn2ln-GYd7yzsfeYBjFu5yHXB6P83RuEwCL3ERnyvWhkRMT-8NR5DurfH2Z-HteFtkcmtTtV_UDOirB5aq1s/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381685480066290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We got the the island where we were graciously welcomed by my Mom. It was a pretty rainy, cold week, so we had soup and toast for supper pretty frequently.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1irt1OLfLBlK8HD7eY7tsVlAZRkWzUnBy3gN40yxr0c4yUOR_FqV6gfv3agi7ut0B-CtkQfIcEAOGNf4d_AqR-7aS4rjG985gVjLXNElENzUHjCeLlcFwGcbcXDOFj8RPJ0kGMylkog/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1irt1OLfLBlK8HD7eY7tsVlAZRkWzUnBy3gN40yxr0c4yUOR_FqV6gfv3agi7ut0B-CtkQfIcEAOGNf4d_AqR-7aS4rjG985gVjLXNElENzUHjCeLlcFwGcbcXDOFj8RPJ0kGMylkog/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381692201844530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Not a lot of sun & fun,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBUK6A_Cxne_f6CG9ljAxyaJSNRSzwPf2UzQe0Hy0EyeEFO8hrZe9tekbBc7Qu4PCCCtLeqn8G2D86xNaLzEPed2yR6V3YXId-LU9Ms3bmbVWSOmRXYm14o_EesqITLlDSVYga8R46Js/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+9+Paradise.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaBUK6A_Cxne_f6CG9ljAxyaJSNRSzwPf2UzQe0Hy0EyeEFO8hrZe9tekbBc7Qu4PCCCtLeqn8G2D86xNaLzEPed2yR6V3YXId-LU9Ms3bmbVWSOmRXYm14o_EesqITLlDSVYga8R46Js/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+9+Paradise.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354592644238139170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> but plenty of visits with neighbors<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-srGq4mTod8iWvPq5ypFRed2_YePbp6W12ztRYWkBujK70iwEJTYh_2aDaYVLOerzheA9gKNv9qtgkXADBLCYsMhjXbt7yWd5nOZTQhA-7zHRSF9kNKCVx5QQ3MZ7sLSRuck1xburDg/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-srGq4mTod8iWvPq5ypFRed2_YePbp6W12ztRYWkBujK70iwEJTYh_2aDaYVLOerzheA9gKNv9qtgkXADBLCYsMhjXbt7yWd5nOZTQhA-7zHRSF9kNKCVx5QQ3MZ7sLSRuck1xburDg/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381696528402738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and time for knitting. Alissa demonstrated her five-socks-at-once technique on some mini-socks<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaJTxjC16RIk__FxU6M_dkPNWOgU5IsS4MIcs_CEOJJ2X8fts1tP95Gm0hrtCbpE_XPYim5WDG6KWXDMCHhZ85Je02rokUEtfruBIOr0Kb3eVJsAVWJUZYohh0rx8MIqsOvgV1I1F2wY/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaJTxjC16RIk__FxU6M_dkPNWOgU5IsS4MIcs_CEOJJ2X8fts1tP95Gm0hrtCbpE_XPYim5WDG6KWXDMCHhZ85Je02rokUEtfruBIOr0Kb3eVJsAVWJUZYohh0rx8MIqsOvgV1I1F2wY/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381789992071250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />and gave my daughter V lots of encouragement on her drop spinning!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMcITLzNskjshT0UQc321ns-qICGRZQSRxAuQh7ova4SM0HoedGe4XjxwXmEeDlUSMITG2CUarCsOwusIM8e4OIv4a216_5Z47hkccO-Y2BCYY_FEyuyTx_0Hgg1tIy5k78wf52nyBOo/s1600-h/Sparrow+-+Alissa+7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMcITLzNskjshT0UQc321ns-qICGRZQSRxAuQh7ova4SM0HoedGe4XjxwXmEeDlUSMITG2CUarCsOwusIM8e4OIv4a216_5Z47hkccO-Y2BCYY_FEyuyTx_0Hgg1tIy5k78wf52nyBOo/s320/Sparrow+-+Alissa+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354381796052470482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Perhaps it was more indoor time than we had hoped for, but frankly any weather on Birch Island is better than the best weather anywhere else. The kids stayed with Grandma, but Alissa and I headed back to civilization for the Fourth weekend.<br /><br />Thanks for traveling with me, KF! You rock!<br /><br />Peace,<br />GazeboGal - aka SparrowLiz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-20590383355035444532009-06-26T07:18:00.000-07:002009-06-26T09:02:33.742-07:00Play Ball!!!<div style="">This Thursday night, Alissa came with our family to a Big Train baseball game. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bigtrain.org">The Big Train</a> is a local, college all-star team that plays in the Cal Ripken league. The stadium is tiny, the fans are all nice and it is a TOTAL blast! It was a gorgeous night, with temps in the 70's for most of the game and with fireflies putting on a show out in the trees when the sun went down.</div><div style=""><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Alissa hit the park full force! The very first thing she did was hunt down all of the mascots and take pics with each one...she's so crazy! There were some extra mascots at this game.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Louie from the <a href="http://www.baysox.com/">Bowie Baysox</a>,</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1RWmvvroXnZQ5SgRZCRsjer1HPXmz5LZstkHFm2jKJ6zeEXQCXP_l7kIRim9Ck88tH1eycVRZsbYkOwgbw0LrS5bCF2YIr8-lvNSPWmsFrg0M_ZvX_Y6WspXeXw2Tk2DfmKDCh1_IQ4/s400/DSC00313.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351654289945554434" border="0" /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">the <a href="https://secure.mlb.com/bal/fan_forum/oriolesbird.jsp">Baltimore Oriole</a>,</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9M_nO2DewzsPSMd99lKDzCW0JWPK01LasC8W5K4Q1v4TfiUkFvUT0Z6qx-ne30YZRErvTbQ_Qw1OLXh43Q23jUvnlK9EUBlB2utbEf3LlZatEH4nX6H8HfCf79gZ9KzkOZutOv88NtMY/s400/DSC00314.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351647978836391938" border="0" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and <a href="http://www.lemonadeshakingguy.com/media.php">Shakey the Lemonade Guy</a> from Camden Yards<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(you'll see him later)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">joined our <a href="http://www.bigtrain.org/published/archives/homerweingardt.html">Homer the Dog</a>, who is the Big Train mascot.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoIWB-ThK-ltjHhfvsisKZT4xlrnn9a4U6ZI8Ds4E2-A1O-Gkh6v8bnJYUREhhLpOFHQF7G0ZtC7cEbyq0Rxy25KyUZ0-CferwhbrpLHX3trcTOny9U_qHX6qppK8URnENGXg4yJFynE/s400/DSC00309.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351645541361751474" border="0" /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">I had totally forgotten that my friend, Robbin, was singing the National Anthem that night with her choral group. Alissa got her picture taken with Robbin since she was “semi-famous” that night. :-)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJZU7xDxj2czwd_wbB40XoKlzWxiHKzb_bNBIhOaraDJ4zijH0D3eU_JgpTntwDv2YFas2popBR8sCeC49OgZVRVJ1sB0MYFW1_JEEqh_aFHRhnUKAh6sKjDlwvuEMr-4RCLtG4vWJN7Q/s400/DSC00317.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351654298573315730" border="0" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After all that running around, we settled in to watch the game.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_kdTt4ZveBKx4cI_SE4oTZTBeLyKM-f1k4R_Tw1MPogjJzoqz6M9tckUd4u8fBsxy3WrTdCVqhJIti3-0svXEhBrH9L5rMBc2KYNgyo1kT59vaAMiracLDELUJroWESts8-USLDDo2iI/s320/DSC00316.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351656708938933250" border="0" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRksQVJ7e8WYWW062UuCs-O7o4Fo7UhcEUS2QKY9dUd6wMwzF67hAPQVmyW3U_9rAZEXZUF8eRLXqRocgZUX8XMXkl52eUn0gl_0PSDG7TJH5KhuHsx84wbSlaR_c3gsPY0IuFMxRLuA/s320/DSC00315.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351656714079892482" border="0" /> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Both teams were <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">on fire</span> so it was an exciting game and there were pop-flies dropping like rain!</div><div style="text-align: center;">One landed near us but Alissa didn't make it in time to catch it....</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7OIBx0_OXqHgd-DyIpJPR66TjUES7dQAT4mmODyUy1aOdhZ8PVGIO60pTamT9nU_mA6t5SHjNT5xW4cKpLU4GKDW8zTUJSOMj5acfg-zLabTSXu-8J5ktLWOjEBfo7Fb4rrRrK05DNM/s400/DSC00320.JPG" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351647986036388290" border="0" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">...and she'd have needed to step on some other folks and didn't want to hurt anyone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our kids only watched the game a little. Mostly they go there for the french fries and pretzels, but this time there was Shakey! He kept my kids entertained the whole game with his lemonade convulsions. We finally gave in and let them go buy some.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Alissa and I didn't get too near Shakey. He was slightly disturbing. We both watched his antics from the stands while the kids got their lemonade.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw2ySUR3TKUr8cjECTfTiR3yhAzzNNuafkA0z2DQm__7nJOFin1VtHH6Qf8sVCUPDDcgjvE3hoWwyDcYeBR4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A great time was had by all and,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> even though we were saddened by the loss of Michael Jackson</span>, The Big Train pulled off a 9-7 win and we had a really fabulous time with Alissa!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> Everyone in the stands sends their love!</span></div>Teresahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10115130626331031679noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-69266860489326649612009-06-21T19:38:00.000-07:002009-06-24T21:49:52.699-07:00Alissa Does Detroit...Alissa was ready to get out of the hot Texas sun. So, she tagged along with me for a wedding in the wonderful city of Detroit where the weather was a mere 75 degrees. What's 30 degrees???<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 1:</span><br />Alissa woke up really early so that she could get to the knitting store. My recommendation was that we go to <a href="http://www.cityknits.com/">City Knits</a>. They have 2 different locations, but we went to the store located within the Fisher Building in Downtown Detroit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL_e4iW5gI/AAAAAAAAADA/toGIPKBstAk/s1600-h/fisher+building.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL_e4iW5gI/AAAAAAAAADA/toGIPKBstAk/s200/fisher+building.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351120213307221506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL_rmqPUqI/AAAAAAAAADI/Qvhz-suHhV4/s1600-h/IMG00003-20090618-1301.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL_rmqPUqI/AAAAAAAAADI/Qvhz-suHhV4/s200/IMG00003-20090618-1301.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351120431846740642" border="0" /></a>Alissa was SSSOOOOO ready to get her knit on after seeing this premiere knitted item in the store window. She had to have the pattern no matter what the cost. Alissa also influenced me to buy some souvenir yarn items, but I passed on the bathing suit pattern. It just wasn't in my budget this time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL6w4JnW5I/AAAAAAAAACw/WKWYudzIjv0/s1600-h/IMG00002-20090618-1300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL6w4JnW5I/AAAAAAAAACw/WKWYudzIjv0/s320/IMG00002-20090618-1300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351115024882949010" border="0" /></a><br />After all of that shopping at the yarn store, Alissa had decided it was time for lunch. She had noticed that there sure were a lot of "Coney Islands" in Michigan. Everyone seemed to have a Coney Island restaurant. But, Alissa figured it was similar to having mutliple taquerias in Texas. Alissa wanted to go to the best one, so we took her to National Coney Island, better known to the locals as NCI. She had never had a Hani (pronounced haaaa-knee) so we happily ordered one for her. Breaded chicken strips , cheese, ranch dressing, lettuce and tomatoes all wrapped up in a pita. YUMMY!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL4WqrPi2I/AAAAAAAAACo/KoI7XIBOQu4/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL4WqrPi2I/AAAAAAAAACo/KoI7XIBOQu4/s320/Traveling+Alissa+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351112375566044002" border="0" /></a>After just looking at it, she decided that the Hani was all hers. She wasn't sharing with anyone. Alissa agreed with me that EVERY trip to Michigan must include a Hani.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 2:</span><br />The big wedding day on Friday, June 19th. She put on her purple party dress, bow and high heels because she knew it would be a wild night of dancing and drinking at the reception. Alissa is such a pal - she volunteered to be the DD for the night.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLxLD0iqdI/AAAAAAAAABw/D2azYrvmmHA/s1600-h/flat+Alissa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLxLD0iqdI/AAAAAAAAABw/D2azYrvmmHA/s320/flat+Alissa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351104479576107474" border="0" /></a></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLwf8tpKCI/AAAAAAAAABg/Cw0N8IcHBAo/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLwf8tpKCI/AAAAAAAAABg/Cw0N8IcHBAo/s320/Traveling+Alissa+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351103738933749794" border="0" /></a>She wanted to wish the bride and groom good luck before they decided to tie the knot. Plus, she wanted to see if either one had cold feet. Alissa gave them advice for what it takes to have a long lasting marriage. Reverend Eric was already ahead of her.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLx3RwSkuI/AAAAAAAAAB4/Bm4RR0wxghk/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLx3RwSkuI/AAAAAAAAAB4/Bm4RR0wxghk/s320/Traveling+Alissa+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351105239230616290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLydWJxv9I/AAAAAAAAACA/3RQih0roq24/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkLydWJxv9I/AAAAAAAAACA/3RQih0roq24/s320/Traveling+Alissa+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351105893246287826" border="0" /></a>While waiting for the wedding to start, Alissa decided that nothing makes the time fly by than with knitting. She pulled out her toe-up socks using the exclusive <a href="http://www.brooksfarmyarn.com/">Brooks Farm Yarn - Possibilities</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkMBmlq3t7I/AAAAAAAAADQ/j69YDb7REig/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkMBmlq3t7I/AAAAAAAAADQ/j69YDb7REig/s320/Traveling+Alissa+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351122544704862130" border="0" /></a>While knitting and looking around at all of the guests, Alissa noticed the live guitar player. It turned out that the guitar dude was a good friend of the groom. She wondered if he was actually playing because the groom asked him to or if he was just trying to promote his new album release.<br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL0wV1yZLI/AAAAAAAAACQ/SKY89pr4gnY/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL0wV1yZLI/AAAAAAAAACQ/SKY89pr4gnY/s320/Traveling+Alissa+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351108418603214002" border="0" /></a>The reception wasn't going to start for another hour and food wasn't going to be served for another 2 hours. So, she convinced me that we needed to make a run to Rally's. Alissa can't get Rally's burgers (also known as Checkers) in Texas and her stomach was really rumbling. The drive-thru worker thought it was a little funny that she wanted a picture with him. But he didn't know that he was going to be saving her from typical wedding food. Rally's was so much better!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL13NjNxZI/AAAAAAAAACY/DaiIyleurx4/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL13NjNxZI/AAAAAAAAACY/DaiIyleurx4/s320/Traveling+Alissa+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351109636148544914" border="0" /></a>Alissa's wedding adventure ended with the Dollar Dance with the groom. Since his line was pretty short, Alissa got to dance with him a little longer than those who were dancing with the bride.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL2yZsM4wI/AAAAAAAAACg/DEAuuN9tNYI/s1600-h/Traveling+Alissa+017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PSLbDEvc9OY/SkL2yZsM4wI/AAAAAAAAACg/DEAuuN9tNYI/s320/Traveling+Alissa+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351110653019742978" border="0" /></a>It was a quick, action packed weekend in Detroit for Alissa. The first comment she made when stepping off of the airplane in Texas was, "Why is it so darn hot here? I loved Michigan weather!" But, Alissa is off to Pennsylvania with Melanie, another knitting friend. Hopefully she will escape the heat for a few more days.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12639080250555430612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-58893367477265401782009-06-14T21:16:00.001-07:002009-06-17T11:10:51.428-07:00Alissa Does Austin<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >DAY 1</span><br /><br />We decided if anyone deserved a trip - Alissa DESERVED a trip. So we headed out to Austin for a weekend of Fun, Food and Fiber!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOIGpUa6dDPigb4C8cmWLRfRtAnfGlpmdiukzqZuctfGBK8dGwImOXsDdhyphenhypheneIeezZW8_7jL2hnnX4zfODNcEiA8qlRXYUbW77gUHUrxqfRFG_KZLqCFe4OPkX37PSaAIjRgWNsE4idQ/s1600-h/Day+1+-+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sOIGpUa6dDPigb4C8cmWLRfRtAnfGlpmdiukzqZuctfGBK8dGwImOXsDdhyphenhypheneIeezZW8_7jL2hnnX4zfODNcEiA8qlRXYUbW77gUHUrxqfRFG_KZLqCFe4OPkX37PSaAIjRgWNsE4idQ/s320/Day+1+-+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347408989394338930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Once we were all buckled in, we headed down the road towards Austin. Anyone who knows us Rockstars, knows that we are incapable of going on a road trip without stopping at Truck Stops.<br /><br />They are the Mecca of Everything that is ROAD TRIP.<br /><br />Luckily for us, Willie Nelson has just opened up his own Truck Stop right on the way to Austin from Dallas - in Carl's Corner, Texas. So we HAD to Stop.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmew8HS9JWeJIg9dBuBXjIAfgLeBUhOK6kU24cRHbV4SdZYlAGeCa65p00BSI2yZNrLqVLrHs0-MC5N7s4k8qE4SXHpd4bbA_UUeQlOHxG00ubzxYC_MSQBfD3lioVAwtP-Ssxt3mQJQ/s1600-h/Day+1+-+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmew8HS9JWeJIg9dBuBXjIAfgLeBUhOK6kU24cRHbV4SdZYlAGeCa65p00BSI2yZNrLqVLrHs0-MC5N7s4k8qE4SXHpd4bbA_UUeQlOHxG00ubzxYC_MSQBfD3lioVAwtP-Ssxt3mQJQ/s320/Day+1+-+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347408993020252354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And Alissa was just jonesin' to see Willie and his Guitars:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj023Inb695qZpiWX3nar403wS_MwM9-JiqWly6_zEvKOQF8Q1LRLVbEtMyz0M9mZF5tebBco06pYiZGloFlKUVy4lC0GNhBNHfUjvWJlye17jtSmQL2rKZ3KA2uk43vpp6wsaTw4_vjlA/s1600-h/Day+1+-+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj023Inb695qZpiWX3nar403wS_MwM9-JiqWly6_zEvKOQF8Q1LRLVbEtMyz0M9mZF5tebBco06pYiZGloFlKUVy4lC0GNhBNHfUjvWJlye17jtSmQL2rKZ3KA2uk43vpp6wsaTw4_vjlA/s320/Day+1+-+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347408999781539794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iikua1VbL4xGIdvzWzHALqa3XsmP0Jj8qQVjiKVxUootfQyt8Ou8fduEtT-C5AFh7SpZ41pSnf7bu8ORBllkUEj3UGyF_wM4SRD3qKbPU-di3UM8kdtMyPF41qHF_MKsTjue1hD4QwQ/s1600-h/Day+1+-+4.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iikua1VbL4xGIdvzWzHALqa3XsmP0Jj8qQVjiKVxUootfQyt8Ou8fduEtT-C5AFh7SpZ41pSnf7bu8ORBllkUEj3UGyF_wM4SRD3qKbPU-di3UM8kdtMyPF41qHF_MKsTjue1hD4QwQ/s320/Day+1+-+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347408997257138034" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(We made her pose with that one.)<br /><br />After that, we headed on down through Waco where we stopped for our favorite greasy tacos at Trujillo's in the circle.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoaAHaPzF7f8FPP1vG2FWVBKfJc07tPbG0E_Bcmbb-vrA0_Lg33tlO4GX4H79DCheAhkJSZAqKtnCtJqIY9FRgNH3rvMRs5iOaCJoRmj36gO2GXOA2Ov029_sRpQ1uA5YCh1Qfy0zT7M/s1600-h/Day+1+-+6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoaAHaPzF7f8FPP1vG2FWVBKfJc07tPbG0E_Bcmbb-vrA0_Lg33tlO4GX4H79DCheAhkJSZAqKtnCtJqIY9FRgNH3rvMRs5iOaCJoRmj36gO2GXOA2Ov029_sRpQ1uA5YCh1Qfy0zT7M/s320/Day+1+-+6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347409001576472914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After we left Trujillo's, we drove through a beautiful lightning storm on the way to Austin - stopping at one or two more truck stops along the way. Our 3 1/2 hour drive to Austin only took us about 5 1/2 hours.<br /><br />We got to our hotel and after a long day at work and a long drive, we were ready to hit the hay.<br /><br />Alissa grabbed a quick shower<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSTaivfTQejhh716Baop6h5CP-uwWMRJT2CRF5vxM0V_ZZ2wmdhrDYrMPtV1WVtlaa3ylxsXD__lYEKgr54Tx4_dBvfaElfruA0wPGlltTZbIooHtflQGA-oO_IRaRQl9v523lF3d8WU/s1600-h/Day+1+-+7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSTaivfTQejhh716Baop6h5CP-uwWMRJT2CRF5vxM0V_ZZ2wmdhrDYrMPtV1WVtlaa3ylxsXD__lYEKgr54Tx4_dBvfaElfruA0wPGlltTZbIooHtflQGA-oO_IRaRQl9v523lF3d8WU/s320/Day+1+-+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347411406940975138" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then climbed into bed - stealing Sherilyn's monkey - and called it a day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLwxDMOurEetMk2mnbw6TiqcMpe7MFLYIke20HGHbZSGSYXJi9NVowSAB5y4WAg9DFPAXRoLzrXx3F_P-p1fXoWej2EH1NtXHbd6V8P48PLcDU44nIM_K_g7gfvZEKSfLAkx_7pNxR1E/s1600-h/Day+1+-+8.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLwxDMOurEetMk2mnbw6TiqcMpe7MFLYIke20HGHbZSGSYXJi9NVowSAB5y4WAg9DFPAXRoLzrXx3F_P-p1fXoWej2EH1NtXHbd6V8P48PLcDU44nIM_K_g7gfvZEKSfLAkx_7pNxR1E/s320/Day+1+-+8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347411400483161186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >DAY 2</span><br /><br />Saturday, we woke up early and took Alissa and her sassy new 'do to <a href="http://torchystacos.com/">Torchy's Tacos</a> at the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFfLD7sBHgzZnpX2Bl9jFkCzn3VA570FhFOPRzEJ-5-cNXqP_ONMsVsM3eYYajRxf9W9zG_iujOmE_bYDGdG1hl4Nt_PGSNKfOniYtYaD1HvJwPJP-viSv1cYuscMX9cLZsZEA6kFbwk/s1600-h/Day+2+-+1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFfLD7sBHgzZnpX2Bl9jFkCzn3VA570FhFOPRzEJ-5-cNXqP_ONMsVsM3eYYajRxf9W9zG_iujOmE_bYDGdG1hl4Nt_PGSNKfOniYtYaD1HvJwPJP-viSv1cYuscMX9cLZsZEA6kFbwk/s320/Day+2+-+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347411408256726386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While we were waiting for our food, we couldn't keep her from climbing the trees.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zKhxBWXKYdZvqfn5w5h6TlBHmJ5Mhpt2zgA_Geki7dir9mXUjVpTPU4n46q3RPSk1QeBID8TsELFDKX-qtLxWzV_xZeRtMjFzqivpwRiMiDgWoqoEB5XVAWrpgTEZMYqgS2YLJ7Hslc/s1600-h/Day+2+-+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zKhxBWXKYdZvqfn5w5h6TlBHmJ5Mhpt2zgA_Geki7dir9mXUjVpTPU4n46q3RPSk1QeBID8TsELFDKX-qtLxWzV_xZeRtMjFzqivpwRiMiDgWoqoEB5XVAWrpgTEZMYqgS2YLJ7Hslc/s320/Day+2+-+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347411412408681554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After breakfast, we went and strolled all through the Austin Farmer's Market, looking at the yummy veggies and fruit and buying some yummy teas.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXeBN_-p4lK3_9h6VkOsSFwAfkWahVWhNad4Cg_0u5nZ2TN2nVwRyQUgpkLoUe4XnYOZeHoo3CZPGJyTs4IRWu-6c0NcUNMAyvMFQcxsa11G8heDxtAa8wJhghchR2yWE86k6gzhicXU/s1600-h/Day+2+-+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXeBN_-p4lK3_9h6VkOsSFwAfkWahVWhNad4Cg_0u5nZ2TN2nVwRyQUgpkLoUe4XnYOZeHoo3CZPGJyTs4IRWu-6c0NcUNMAyvMFQcxsa11G8heDxtAa8wJhghchR2yWE86k6gzhicXU/s320/Day+2+-+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347411414665403570" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then it was time to go to <a href="http://www.theknittingnestaustin.com/">The Knitting Nest </a>for WWKIP Day activities!<br /><br />We took an amazing Lace Knitting class from the one and only <a href="http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/">Franklin Habit</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCAcjx2Ly3ylyWoRjnQThTQ6WkvAqSbisdbxNW7z8NOvm1YwNqAJ2OSpQBBXrsksrL-M64aKrdBhfW3oVJAFU8hKfQJNGjw-5xwDtIKGL1ublt_PPby427n2Xq7OCSECHa8NZfS5GtIE/s1600-h/Day+2+-+4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCAcjx2Ly3ylyWoRjnQThTQ6WkvAqSbisdbxNW7z8NOvm1YwNqAJ2OSpQBBXrsksrL-M64aKrdBhfW3oVJAFU8hKfQJNGjw-5xwDtIKGL1ublt_PPby427n2Xq7OCSECHa8NZfS5GtIE/s320/Day+2+-+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347415350139404786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then she shopped - for, what else? purple yarn!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKlyfHwP6auV5o1DIOOaMPUXkh8sHFCyCUTGt28I7I7S2d2zFIxKRQNjbUL16djrY7gED2AYQoTOulwSHy_Xph4cgHjdA1TTVOL7vFEQwVwXNIxeTGgtbd7MLJ1r1C40xX_iR1HH3Zos/s1600-h/Day+2+-+6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKlyfHwP6auV5o1DIOOaMPUXkh8sHFCyCUTGt28I7I7S2d2zFIxKRQNjbUL16djrY7gED2AYQoTOulwSHy_Xph4cgHjdA1TTVOL7vFEQwVwXNIxeTGgtbd7MLJ1r1C40xX_iR1HH3Zos/s320/Day+2+-+6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347414410742943666" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While we ate lunch, Alissa needed a nap. So she got the sleeping bag out of the trunk and took a quick nap.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaimk_TobO2EFETiGuBtEhwGFa_E1ap017O1RU5U8_NLoohXf64VD4CVs21tEmNLVfK6BDmp3IyncvwQEKJFfPBGUfYz62RWQzFRmAMGrpRdX7qGtiC-SeJ5OPJDK7xKQ0ZFj0CfPRWo/s1600-h/Day+2+-+11.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaimk_TobO2EFETiGuBtEhwGFa_E1ap017O1RU5U8_NLoohXf64VD4CVs21tEmNLVfK6BDmp3IyncvwQEKJFfPBGUfYz62RWQzFRmAMGrpRdX7qGtiC-SeJ5OPJDK7xKQ0ZFj0CfPRWo/s320/Day+2+-+11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347415878220176978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then, we hung out for the rest of the day with Franklin<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaURt1pRby262mQG_T3MV8iIiWdLCuB6wuUvJ4vKnyj9PMn50ag00xzP207crHOxe8vbCeult2RfJvoCE5vh7AZRX1D3tjrcS0OL7FVH0t3GpaQQmL508L6PT2o05Qlpe0u-3rqfQxf8/s1600-h/Day+2+-+7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaURt1pRby262mQG_T3MV8iIiWdLCuB6wuUvJ4vKnyj9PMn50ag00xzP207crHOxe8vbCeult2RfJvoCE5vh7AZRX1D3tjrcS0OL7FVH0t3GpaQQmL508L6PT2o05Qlpe0u-3rqfQxf8/s320/Day+2+-+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347414408803948850" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dolores & Harry<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PlFuoR-blz3AADITxnJotOJjwQNsQDou9-Tmmk2U7wi49JxBen7bivSWmhn1CEkYLesc4N96Wb9-C7pkT5unWiEc73wvnOJhHt1Z3wz0V7Kdam5iJ3DnRT_QgOTbjFZotHe-dtFX30U/s1600-h/Day+2+-+8.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8PlFuoR-blz3AADITxnJotOJjwQNsQDou9-Tmmk2U7wi49JxBen7bivSWmhn1CEkYLesc4N96Wb9-C7pkT5unWiEc73wvnOJhHt1Z3wz0V7Kdam5iJ3DnRT_QgOTbjFZotHe-dtFX30U/s320/Day+2+-+8.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347414417698911314" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And, of course, Hank - the shop dog<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaxyD72PPB7AObUOWOw9-o3JFEy3ghsoZwvm1PN6Ma5tOtzseBMRGpkMBn9_rWUfLNLEfIHITOkA4nXZNhs-hSygLrYj_b470vqhBwRHFX8Rd2vLbdgXiH67jW911x84IM7RgbF0PGoE/s1600-h/Day+2+-+10.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaxyD72PPB7AObUOWOw9-o3JFEy3ghsoZwvm1PN6Ma5tOtzseBMRGpkMBn9_rWUfLNLEfIHITOkA4nXZNhs-hSygLrYj_b470vqhBwRHFX8Rd2vLbdgXiH67jW911x84IM7RgbF0PGoE/s320/Day+2+-+10.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347426654097836066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Alissa then insisted that she try on THE Lace Sampler that Franklin knit for this issue of <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer09/FEATsum09SIT.php">Knitty.</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbP5UrZKoGK02vFljswz4t8CegIST0VCS52Gwt1MCDHgyq1oXRZ8knHlW7RnJjs4UvwCqpbZO9vIwKPeVgtkY2WrU0BUz5tV4RUIcUH89x8SFQKhz8MW1m8TsTdc81TuBp7RzsqnrQ1Wc/s1600-h/Day+2+-+9.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbP5UrZKoGK02vFljswz4t8CegIST0VCS52Gwt1MCDHgyq1oXRZ8knHlW7RnJjs4UvwCqpbZO9vIwKPeVgtkY2WrU0BUz5tV4RUIcUH89x8SFQKhz8MW1m8TsTdc81TuBp7RzsqnrQ1Wc/s320/Day+2+-+9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347414416657213490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After dinner and a margarita at Freddie's Place with Franklin and the gang from the Knitting Nest,<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Elizabeth/Pictures/2009-06-13%20WWKIP%20Day%20and%20Alissa/WWKIP%20Day%20and%20Alissa%20086%20-%20Copy.JPG" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhna6a3EVrGoi6yRfK4VF5vkoCUeKat5Z-qO-Qzf0jWHQyvSnOfHrjT0I5TxBgHCbFWjDuc8wCy6X8T_rl6gskQ_2l48QwQXTjYqRCXvaWDfGs6IxEonJJsG4w2ZDAsU_rB8t5cRT9BLxM/s1600-h/WWKIP+Day+and+Alissa+086+-+Copy.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhna6a3EVrGoi6yRfK4VF5vkoCUeKat5Z-qO-Qzf0jWHQyvSnOfHrjT0I5TxBgHCbFWjDuc8wCy6X8T_rl6gskQ_2l48QwQXTjYqRCXvaWDfGs6IxEonJJsG4w2ZDAsU_rB8t5cRT9BLxM/s320/WWKIP+Day+and+Alissa+086+-+Copy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347427416644256306" border="0" /></a><br /><br />we went back to the hotel for some knitting and that's when Alissa REALLY let her hair down before crashing for the night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnw4KS_QMOdM4Zf2wwxJMYHvjkmVUgfOvngXGY3E4n-Uhhr9HvYXWFzHvQYrqXy-K1w4UtFWOWetkNZDOwozi5Lsc15E2_WdqxJN8FMENLbYuvtjywHH8iUFMBYP5OPwn98eupkbRRrY/s1600-h/Day+2+-+12.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnw4KS_QMOdM4Zf2wwxJMYHvjkmVUgfOvngXGY3E4n-Uhhr9HvYXWFzHvQYrqXy-K1w4UtFWOWetkNZDOwozi5Lsc15E2_WdqxJN8FMENLbYuvtjywHH8iUFMBYP5OPwn98eupkbRRrY/s320/Day+2+-+12.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347419821789016914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:130%;" >DAY 3</span><br /><br />We all slept in a lot later on Sunday morning and we finally got to <a href="http://themagnoliacafe.com/">Magnolia Cafe</a> for brunch around 11:15. Of course, there was a line - so we waited at <a href="http://www.primadora.com/">Prima Dora</a> next door and shopped a bit. Well, we shopped - and Alissa tried on Cowboy hats<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkNMMaJEokL3SQs8rfB8UT5ejqQGPcfxFZxDWron3G4_fFkIJVUiFEzgK6zdG21e-aABsGglthoFlBI5gfQLI1ys3yDEL2oorK6hBOLgg-qWcNrhh_asuImTtHo12MYOngMFLHfoHLVo/s1600-h/002.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkNMMaJEokL3SQs8rfB8UT5ejqQGPcfxFZxDWron3G4_fFkIJVUiFEzgK6zdG21e-aABsGglthoFlBI5gfQLI1ys3yDEL2oorK6hBOLgg-qWcNrhh_asuImTtHo12MYOngMFLHfoHLVo/s320/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347421608791472562" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And washed her hands before brunch.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0V3fDlaS9TZtAIFKw3r9CbYrxdeUgwYp8R7TaIUXH_j3d6kxsJhbVqF44Gha36ZvB_5ypSyQJbvWUzir3skJ9f5slBjcC42UsgVrgHnv6VyWHBuGCk43mB64A7yby8z3Nd1jsUvEslVs/s1600-h/Day+3+-+2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0V3fDlaS9TZtAIFKw3r9CbYrxdeUgwYp8R7TaIUXH_j3d6kxsJhbVqF44Gha36ZvB_5ypSyQJbvWUzir3skJ9f5slBjcC42UsgVrgHnv6VyWHBuGCk43mB64A7yby8z3Nd1jsUvEslVs/s320/Day+3+-+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347419827237830802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />When our names were called, we went to the cafe and enjoyed the incredible Queso Omelets<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngRiCvN4zqdcZJelL2GxZJjUeHDljAFMSHI0MEQ-grgUvh8AZ9d958ETYz16nFBC69GFVr9lReqJnd9HAB_kYr8csJhMzkYm0TYgK6sBfXQRpf42QzCbtwcxq0t-B80kG0zZM_KCS_do/s1600-h/Day+3+-+3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngRiCvN4zqdcZJelL2GxZJjUeHDljAFMSHI0MEQ-grgUvh8AZ9d958ETYz16nFBC69GFVr9lReqJnd9HAB_kYr8csJhMzkYm0TYgK6sBfXQRpf42QzCbtwcxq0t-B80kG0zZM_KCS_do/s320/Day+3+-+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347419828801108338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Alissa was so happy with that stinkin' omelet, she insisted on paying!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-uZtuLVYUq7Pdd6LTL4jjEVpInWxVOrr2DlGC2Y9R2ePLUwu87RvsrkIvZvRtwaYw6_bnImVhF8DGpExLx_XD3QMJgvG0Fg6qCUV9iqnV7CgiFZADfLonjTNDxN05uk1giXINvK6rGM/s1600-h/Day+3+-+4.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-uZtuLVYUq7Pdd6LTL4jjEVpInWxVOrr2DlGC2Y9R2ePLUwu87RvsrkIvZvRtwaYw6_bnImVhF8DGpExLx_XD3QMJgvG0Fg6qCUV9iqnV7CgiFZADfLonjTNDxN05uk1giXINvK6rGM/s320/Day+3+-+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347419836096157682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After brunch, we still had a little bit of time before Hill Country Weavers opened, so we went down the street to <a href="http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/">Ten Thousand Villages</a>. There, Alissa really admired the Guatemalan handicrafts<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXZvQhoeX_YA9JuxhQz5B29mYKGcUPficSyZhZINdfB41rpM3G3LEz8q5qHX3nkqYYsdaaTnwP2dOzliAqzb7RTYrYBIouhpy3qFZwIMNgvce-9KU_1YIBd5OEVyEP5U1Zp_pPnkf0Ag/s1600-h/Day+3+-+5.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXZvQhoeX_YA9JuxhQz5B29mYKGcUPficSyZhZINdfB41rpM3G3LEz8q5qHX3nkqYYsdaaTnwP2dOzliAqzb7RTYrYBIouhpy3qFZwIMNgvce-9KU_1YIBd5OEVyEP5U1Zp_pPnkf0Ag/s320/Day+3+-+5.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347422588701130498" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tried on some jewelry and a shawl<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNcaK-laZizkbbRB5eQ4zv1Vav4WLGb5cA4IxUVxHTe0M7anEVRlfMmLYvdFXRfvuk31KazJiZ7aw-EJHjbpXZxU3meUGNKmIFEhsARx75RoPR281yG2PTqypTfwzY3EoEx5u5So21Hs/s1600-h/Day+3+-+6.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNcaK-laZizkbbRB5eQ4zv1Vav4WLGb5cA4IxUVxHTe0M7anEVRlfMmLYvdFXRfvuk31KazJiZ7aw-EJHjbpXZxU3meUGNKmIFEhsARx75RoPR281yG2PTqypTfwzY3EoEx5u5So21Hs/s320/Day+3+-+6.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347422593877692962" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />And really wanted to take home this herd of vicunas. But Tasha insisted that we would have to buy a trailer and a hitch to put on her husband's car - and he just wouldn't go for that. So the vicuna stayed there.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4l4t6VwuIkywuyhlhbGIE9ixMMiOPaFTT_rxllY92Uwi6T2fJ16bgD4yHM_tb8qERLndGDijQk4F-8f5CKcE8itdgXGBoeGZoX1t9jv0Avzopz3eC1LplR-rBy-LfHSZ30YCgbuJKLm8/s1600-h/Day+3+-+7.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4l4t6VwuIkywuyhlhbGIE9ixMMiOPaFTT_rxllY92Uwi6T2fJ16bgD4yHM_tb8qERLndGDijQk4F-8f5CKcE8itdgXGBoeGZoX1t9jv0Avzopz3eC1LplR-rBy-LfHSZ30YCgbuJKLm8/s320/Day+3+-+7.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347422600413776194" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After that, it was back to Hill Country Weavers for some more yarn therapy<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlmEYQapADY2vTJdzrabk4AsMqKIJ5e9EAo1JrXari-yIH4RDRiFryvw8fIyMhS1Ba9WH3cQYOz8xyS0903bTzcdOEVTQjPPCcZt2hC77dHijHVSTn6Y-9nkl6ckmclwAV_As79iyoXI/s1600-h/Day+3+-+9.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqlmEYQapADY2vTJdzrabk4AsMqKIJ5e9EAo1JrXari-yIH4RDRiFryvw8fIyMhS1Ba9WH3cQYOz8xyS0903bTzcdOEVTQjPPCcZt2hC77dHijHVSTn6Y-9nkl6ckmclwAV_As79iyoXI/s320/Day+3+-+9.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347422600148734770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She must have been still having fun, 'cause she even was smiling when we made her touch the fun fur stuff<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLe29YWSVbEcG8XkFd6JXs3HzBu2eljgdym30GDbi2iMk2oQC2mJ8h9A3sEUK70pF195JS9Khz0SbWMVMvrBz3BvrYGdbITDBbTTQysBwhL9c46q_6hZeiXVnljLILJjZsl4gIeHk7l0/s1600-h/Day+3+-+11.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLe29YWSVbEcG8XkFd6JXs3HzBu2eljgdym30GDbi2iMk2oQC2mJ8h9A3sEUK70pF195JS9Khz0SbWMVMvrBz3BvrYGdbITDBbTTQysBwhL9c46q_6hZeiXVnljLILJjZsl4gIeHk7l0/s320/Day+3+-+11.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347424252312470642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After the yarny goodness (and, well, fun fur), we grabbed a Boba Tea Smoothie and hit the road again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-UVGS5mQz5fpyYEXHb9SzL5fMF0ihR_I8rMUTktJXXiPIRgvU36DK8zxcarNPfsIVM226wUcOtmqoZ2uJvSuKG6OsvKKjeHWG7tS4jvXwhKKlF1LMLFFlyarNOMZTLTsubCBDpjd9Tk/s1600-h/Day+3+-+13.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-UVGS5mQz5fpyYEXHb9SzL5fMF0ihR_I8rMUTktJXXiPIRgvU36DK8zxcarNPfsIVM226wUcOtmqoZ2uJvSuKG6OsvKKjeHWG7tS4jvXwhKKlF1LMLFFlyarNOMZTLTsubCBDpjd9Tk/s320/Day+3+-+13.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347424255690740130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />About halfway back, she hollered - STOP! And we had to stop at the <a href="http://www.hornytoadhd.com/">Horny Toad Harley-Davidson</a> dealership in Temple. She was ready to ride -<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Juh2wVbBlO2JSHraLSHVhbxnnj45D5X5sz8emlyU175Y0CcZL-XVACCayX706lXdaXi_gbu-e4zIsGVtiga2cyyylGBYgGlKZxv8hJ5a036l1Rx1kcnRwaSpXnry0ERiO2Rhs9g-GNM/s1600-h/Day+3+-+14.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Juh2wVbBlO2JSHraLSHVhbxnnj45D5X5sz8emlyU175Y0CcZL-XVACCayX706lXdaXi_gbu-e4zIsGVtiga2cyyylGBYgGlKZxv8hJ5a036l1Rx1kcnRwaSpXnry0ERiO2Rhs9g-GNM/s320/Day+3+-+14.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347424258063201922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />and before we knew it - she had hopped on with this guy<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwoe8cRnUxTwI1U02MdX_Jyp87F4MKTVGNzkdREI5TbkGf25bUtZyIMX_lKaZLVGrOhGrCzLjj4-aLnspE4jXVBx_xPFFWZbeTM6cFRCzGtWRvIb20pZcYVPbmAauycggjDGuEipqECw/s1600-h/Day+3+-+16.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwoe8cRnUxTwI1U02MdX_Jyp87F4MKTVGNzkdREI5TbkGf25bUtZyIMX_lKaZLVGrOhGrCzLjj4-aLnspE4jXVBx_xPFFWZbeTM6cFRCzGtWRvIb20pZcYVPbmAauycggjDGuEipqECw/s320/Day+3+-+16.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347424267085225618" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We finally convinced her that we really had to come on home - that her hubby and kids were probably wondering where she was - and we got her back in the car with a bag of pork cracklin's and a Dublin Dr. Pepper and got on home - safe and sound.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7tEfPWooQfQ0RCKQgp_9v7Qlrmbm8rQNJrm2AyVhhaepC96KthFFeWaRCO7n_rQyh1tpOk2UrAiSy-Sk0adVJju0ucky9rdkUoo6E1UmuTZrt82nBpV8fWHHw0Aph-EOBG40aa3EGWs/s1600-h/Day+3+-+17.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7tEfPWooQfQ0RCKQgp_9v7Qlrmbm8rQNJrm2AyVhhaepC96KthFFeWaRCO7n_rQyh1tpOk2UrAiSy-Sk0adVJju0ucky9rdkUoo6E1UmuTZrt82nBpV8fWHHw0Aph-EOBG40aa3EGWs/s320/Day+3+-+17.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347424263683440018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />It was a GRAND adventure...can't wait to see where she goes next!Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158891412680611482.post-32716370299162631182009-06-14T18:58:00.000-07:002009-06-15T15:06:14.212-07:00A Simple Request<span style="font-family:arial;">As many of you know, our friend, Alissa Barton - better known as <a href="http://www.knittingfairy.com/">The Knitting Fairy </a>- is currently fighting off Larry the tumor with the love of friends and family, a determined will and chemo. This is her job this summer - and he's not letting her off for a vacation. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">SO, as many of you know, she has </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/for-the-love-of-bob/563468/201-225#203">asked for the following</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> simple request from her <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">Ravelry</a> Friends:</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Hey Gang, </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 102); font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >I was wondering, since summer vacation time is upon us. Would some of you mind sending me postcards or pictures or whatever from what you do that is fun this summer? I am stuck here and it sucks. It can be anything from your destination, even if it’s just around the town or going back home to visit family. My sister is having a baby this month and I won’t get to go see him, my best friend is having a hard time and I can’t go to her. This sucks. So, if you happen to be thinking of me while out and about I would love to hear from you. Take goofy pictures of you knitting someplace different or whatever. Just help me keep entertained?</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Of course, we decided to take it one step further and stick our collective tongues out at Larry and take Alissa WITH us! In the grand tradition of <a href="http://www.flatstanley.com/">Flat Stanley</a> - we traveled to Austin this weekend for <a href="http://www.wwkipday.com/">World Wide Knit in Public Day</a> - and we took Alissa with us!<br /><br />Come along on her first adventure - and then take her along with you on more adventures.<br /><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Take her on an a </span>trip around your town. </li><li>Have her knit with your knitting group</li><li>Buy her a drink (She's a cheap date!)</li><li>Take her on vacation with you</li><li>Take her camping<br /></li></ul>Whatever it is - just have fun with it - and then send the story - long or short - to us with pictures of what Alissa's Adventure and we'll post it here!<br /><br />How do you get in touch with us??<br /><br />On Ravelry, just PM one or all of us<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/HappyTexan">HappyTexan</a> (Liz)<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/bijouxmaster">Bijouxmaster</a> (Tasha)<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/Sherilyn">Sherilyn </a> (Sherilyn)<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/texaspurlgurl">TexasPurlGurl</a> (Dawn)</li><li><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/soupergrrl">Soupergrrl</a> (Amy)<br /></li></ul>Via Email - travelswithalissa@gmail.com <a href="http://www.blogger.com/travelswithalissa@gmail.com"></a>Liz G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04285043416094085327noreply@blogger.com3