Cinderella Checking Out

7/8/2012

Yes friends it's true - Cinderella is checking out!  Oh don't panic not permanently or anything like that; she's just packing up her little (ha) suitcase and getting ready to head home.  It's been an amazing week, great food, wonderful people including meeting new friends but sadly all good  things come to an end.

Last night was our banquet dinner held at the train depot so the tables were dispersed around these massive locomotives which was kind of fun.  I was a little bummed that there was no dessert (no meal is complete without it) and no decaf coffee.  Who doesn't serve decaf coffee particularly to a group that has mostly reached a "certain age"!

Six of us fixed the problem nicely.  We walked ourselves over to a restaurant where we hungrily wolfed down two plates of french fries and three desserts oh and countless cups of decaf.  Just the night before this same six of us closed down a DQ - I didn't even know that was possible.  It was 11:00 which is past my normal bedtime but we all had a hankering for ice cream - you see going back to that original dessert idea.  Anyhoo while eating our sundaes and some of us were charged an additional seventy-five cents for nuts (ridiculous), the manager (age 12) "reminding" us that they were closing in ten minutes.  It has been years - if ever - that I personally have closed anything down - but a DQ - I know you're all jealous.

Today was the ladies program and we were taken by bus to see a lighthouse and a state park.  Both places looked great but there was a lot of walking and my ever constant "itis" just doesn't cotton to a lot of walking.  Good news though - the gift shops were open and I so love a shop, gift, antique or boutique doesn't matter.  Stuff to buy - good enough.

We stopped on our way back to the hotel to a pie place that had been told to expect us - but when 36 people descend on a small shop that was already packed to the gills, things get a little hectic.  To simplify we ordered our pie selections to go and they were then passed out to us on the bus. I opted for blackberry and peach crumble and being the good wife that I am - saved it to share with Jeff. Truth of the matter is that I like milk or coffee when I have cake/cookies or pies and none of those drinks were available on the bus.

Tonight was the final good-bye dinner which was finger food, dessert and a candy bar (things are looking up). Jeff won as a door prize a set of  lightweight headphones that we will probably use for Benjamin when he flies with us. The door prize and auction part of the evening was fun but the minute they said they were going to talk about weather - I was out of there.

Oh wait I was talking about being such a good wife and I get another merit badge for hand washing.  I hand washed (more or less) Jeff's favorite shorts to fly in - lots of pockets to store stuff in.  Is that not a good act?  Then because I didn't think they'd dry outside, I took some quarters and babysat the dryer while his traveling shorts were drying.  I hate to brag but I'm going to pat myself on the back for this one.

So there you have it my friends.  My bags are packed and waiting by the door.  I'm sure hoping that Jeff didn't do a bag count on the way in - because there are just a few extra bags for the return trip!!

Tomorrow is likely to be a non-publishing day as it is a travel day - but don't worry I'll be up at home on Monday and since I won't have to use the laptop anymore won't have to deal with this pesky laptop and the space bar that just doesn't keep us with me.

Talk to you soon, P.