Six States, 7 Days

Oregon, Florida, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Utah, New Jersey. That’s where I’ve been this last week. I visited my Mom, Tom and my ferret siblings, got my cheese steak in Philly and spent two hours on a phone conference sitting on a bucket in a field full of ducks chickens, and a 32 yr old horse in New Jersey.

I already told you about the Florida trip so I am moving on to Philly/Delaware/New Jersey
Visited Mom, Tom and the ferret clan (Dandy, Poppy, Snoopy, Clover, Lance & Rocky).

<--------------- Lance

We hung out and on Sunday went to Winterthur and saw the Campbell’s Soup tureens…fascinating…..Really though, Winterthur established by Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969) houses some of the finest Americana. Furniture, Porcelain etc. Definitely watch the video when you first go in. The gift shop had some plants I really liked but could not take home on the plane.
http://www.winterthur.org/

We had dinner at Lamberti’s Italian in Wilmington and it was really nice. I love mussels and so the appetizer, bread and salad were more than enough. For wine I had my standard favorite, Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. It was perfect with the mussels. The atmosphere there is VERY nice and the service was great.
http://www.lambertis.com/locations/cucina/wilm_phil.htm

Monday morning I retrieved my miscellaneous items stolen by my furry ferret siblings and headed out to see my friend, MaryLee, who I had not seen in 8 years. I pulled this prank on her telling her I was sending her a large present (well I didn’t LIE.) and she had to be at her house between 9am-10am to greet it. I almost had to call and say her present was lost but I managed to make it there after all…..She cried! We spent the rest of the day catching up and caring for her huge flock of chickens, ducks, turkeys, ONE guinea. (I despise guineas but this one was ok). And breeze, her 32 year old appaloosa, who is blind as a bat and full of energy.

I got to go to WaWa, which I dearly miss. Only people who have spent a fair amount of time in the east can say I need to go to WaWa with a straight face. For those of you who have never been to a WaWa, they are like 7-11 or ARCO stations with much nicer food and the BEST coffee. Seriously, people have TATTOOS of WaWa it is that much of an icon.

http://www.wawa.com/WawaWeb/

My favorite Chinese buffet had survied the economy so off we went for lunch, Sharon Zheng Buffet II, and I was thinking now we have buffets just as good in Oregon with all you can eat sushi but NO! They upped the score. They had all you can eat SASHIMI. I should just move there…..Poor MaryLee was still in shock. She kept looking across the table and saying “I can’t believe you are sitting in front of me….you A**HOLE …big smile.

http://www.cubuma.com/cgi/f/lView.pl?li=EML0113656&tc=Chinese&pc=Dining

We had to go back to the chicken ranch and make sure everyone went to bed inside at dark so the hawks, skunks, raccoons etc don’t eat the little dears before dawn. My job was to herd the Sebastopol Geese. They are very cool geese that have long curly feathers and look like they are made of ribbons and lace. One kept hissing at me until it figured out I was throwing corn to it not at it…..

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Geese/BRKSebastopol.html

Then we met up with husband Bill and went off to Red Lobster, which of course was good because it was Red Lobster and we don’t have one in either city I live in, in Oregon. Another glass of Chateau St. Michelle Riesling. (Why mess with a good thing.) MaryLee and I did stop at Canal’s (local liquor store the size of a whole chain grocery store) and I was going to get some local New Jersey wine (yes..there was a section of it..) so I could blog to you about it. MaryLee said..PLEASE DON’T!

Off to bed and up early to go free the flock.

Next I had my conference call out in the field.

Then back to the Philly Airport where, since the drive from New Jersey went perfectly (anything can happen on the Atlantic City Expressway and over the bridges, in fact they closed the Walt Whitman Bridge right behind me, so I left with lots of time to spare) I had a little time so I tried some local brew and got my cheese steak sandwich. (Wit Wit) The brew was Yuengling Lager, made by D.G. Yuengling & Son, commonly called Yuengling, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Yuengling is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States, established in 1829, and I liked it. It was not too dark and not too light (a red amber). Not bitter at all. Really mellow and PERFECT with a cheese steak. Go Philly!
http://www.yuengling.com/beers.htm

Caught my plane to Salt Lake then Eugene. My leg to Eugene brought me a special treat. I was seated next to Ricky McKinnie from The Blind Boys of Alabama. The rest of the band was all around me. They are playing all around the pacific northwest this week. http://www.blindboys.com/

Now I am back in homeland, that is to say Oregon but not home……*snif*
Well, at least I know where the Hef is…….