On the road again

Okay, yes I was a little burnt out on camping after the reunion in Kentucky.  There were so many flies all over every time we made a meal.  And, we saw skunks every time we ventured out in the middle of the night for a bathroom run.  AND, a raccoon tried to come over and join us for dinner.

But, we set out on Wednesday for another adventure, and I sucked it up.  On our way to Providence, Rhode Island, we saw lots of cornfields in northeastern Ohio and tall trees in Pennsylvania.  We camped at a nice state park outside Harrisburg with free hot showers.  Woo Hoo!  It was not crowded at all, so we had a nice campsite right across from the bathrooms.  Black bear warning signs were posted everywhere, and I was glad to wake up in the morning, not having been a bear's midnight snack.  No skunks were seen either.

We made a slight detour to Hartford, Connecticut to tour Mark Twain's home.  It was a good tour, and our tour guide spoke in a dramatic voice complete with gestures.

 

They had a museum with a special Norman Rockwell exhibit full of sketches that he did for Mark Twain's novels.  I highly recommend the tour.  Next to Twain's home is Harriett Beecher Stowe's home, available for tours too.  We didn't make it there this trip, but my Dad has been on that tour and really liked it.  Interesting factoid:  Twain went bankrupt, despite being an up and coming author.  He paid off his debts and made lots of money by moving to Europe and doing book readings.

Now, we are staying with friends in Providence, Rhode Island.  They have a GORGEOUS house with many thoughtful details.  Lots of beautiful flowers in their backyard. 

I've never lived in a "big" city before, so it's interesting to learn about city life.  Our friends have groceries (including fresh milk, local greens, and breads) delivered right to their house.  Last night, we had a wonderful dinner cooked by Matt, who is in Emil's circle of friends here.

The library

Grilled chicken, shrimp and potatoes!

Matt, the amazing chef.  His fav cooking show is Anthony Bourdain's.

After dinner, Matt strummed his guitar, while others played ukuleles.  It was great fun!  Their songs ranged from Sublime, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz to Ingrid Michelson and Iz's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

This morning, we worked on one of their properties to flip and tore out some steps.  It was fun demolishing...no skills needed (thankfully for me).

The "Before" Picture

The "After" Picture

 After breakfast tomorrow at The Modern Diner, we'll finish the demolition, cut grass, and haul away all the debris.  I'm so glad the weather is a little cooler here.  They are calling for thunderstorms this afternoon.