Jim and I planned a little trip. I lie, I apologize. Charlie, Stephanie, and I planned a little summer getaway so we could all spend time with the Q man or Qu!nton if you will. Q is now 20 months old and really coming into himself. The kids thought it would be great if we split the difference and meet in the middle. Blowing Rock/Boone/Applachian State University area it is. Funny thing about this area? We will be back this time next year for the Wood Family Reunion, only 30 minutes north or east in Banner Elk.
I rent this cute little cabin for the 5 of us and now it is time to drive down. Since we are going down 81 and driving through Pennsylvania, it is only right that Jim and I connect with our long lost friends from El Paso, the LeVaults, Brad and Amy. I don’t want to impose on them, and we really want to go further down the highway so we won’t have as far to drive on Saturday, we make plans for lunch. Insert evil laugh as we leave early enough Friday morning and I had sent Jim the route for his car play that included both the Utz Outlet Chip Store AND the Snyder Factory Outlet Store. I think I may have a problem with chips.
If anything Scotland should have taught me, it is to write things down, as I forget them just as quickly. It’s all good. I was so glad to meet up with Brad and Amy at the Warehouse Gourmet Bistro and Pub. I had a lovely seasonal cider, Jim and Brad both had something on tap. When we stayed with the LeVaults after our Homosassa vacation last March, we left them with some Maine-ly Smoked Salmon and New York Maple Syrup. Amy asked if we could bring her some more maple syrup. I am not maple syrup literate, so I bought her a quart of light, medium, and dark. I gave Amy strict instructions for her and her grands to taste test and get back to us with their favorite. Amy, on the other hand, did me a great favor! I have another confession to make. I LOVE cream chipped beef on toast. My loving, supporting husband has looked and looked and cannot find the Armor dried beef in a jar. I remembered my friend, Katie Steiner from PA, would go home and bring back dried beef. On a lark, I asked Amy if she could look around for some. I just meant in the grocery. But NO! Amy went to her butcher and bought me 2 packages of dried beef! Well alrighty then.
Do you know who else likes chipped beef? Qu!nton. OMG, he is a funny little boy. I was making creamed chipped beef for breakfast and Jim, my sous chef-I am not allowed to play with knives, chopped up the beef. WE gave a few pieces to Q to try. Q ate them and promptly went to his snack drawer for a cup and gave it to Grumpy for “more”. Then he tried the cream sauce with the beef! Did I tell you I love this kid?
But I get ahead of myself. We really are just traveling down the road after lunch to Winchester, VA for our overnight. We stay at our normal place, the Travelodge. It is clean, it is ez on ez off and they have veteran parking up front! We scored a first floor room! After a quick nap, Jim and I loaded back into the car to go downtown. Our favorite restaurant, Manolete’s Taqueria has opened back up in a new location, Old Winchester. We find a place to park, there are only about 30 or so minutes until parking is free, so we put a couple of quarters in the parking meter-so much easier than downloading the parking app, and walk over to the restaurant. We choose to sit inside, order our margaritas, the chorizo queso-which we have to send back because it was cold, and the molcajete. I have to say it was not like we remembered and we were sorely disappointed. I did however find a place to leave a sticker and there were a couple of ensembles along the street that reminded me of the Eastport Strings, kids playing violins and such. So much fun walking back to the car.
Back at it Saturday morning to meet the kids. We had so much fun with them. We visited a couple of parks and playgrounds, The Children’s Place Museum (a definite must with littles) and played games together. All in all, it was a nice getaway! I created a couple of collages of our times together.
The week ended too quickly, but we have promises to keep, and miles to go before we sleep. On to our next adventure!
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