New Jersey

Photos at:

http://web.mac.com/goodlenora/iWeb/Site/Library%2016.html

Catch-up time...

We stayed a couple nights in Warsaw, VA, a nice hotel, Best Western, our room was off the road, and we managed to get some pretty good sleep – something that is important on a road trip!

While there, we had a nice visit with my friend, Starr, and her friend, Linda. Starr is another writer and working on a biography of Martha Washington. Both she and Linda are history buffs, and we got lots of fascinating tidbits of local history. We went to lunch at a fabulous little seafood restaurant in Tappahannock, the kind of place the locals know about and frequent, but the tourists pass by to go to Lowry’s.

When I called Stephanie, in Cape May, to find out about the ferry, she gave me the schedule, and phone number to call to make reservations. Reservations for a Ferry???? Needless to say, I called, and was told reservations weren’t needed, especially since we wanted the 4.30 ferry to Cape May, that it was still too early in the season to worry about reservations.

The next morning, Kay and I did head north, going up the eastern side of DC, around Annapolis, and across Delaware to Lewes and the ferry. I truly expected to see wall-to-wall homes and apartments and industry, but what we saw of Delaware was mostly rural farmland. Actually, it didn’t look that much different that parts of the Willamette Valley used to look – gray, drizzly, rural. In other words, just like home;-) Except there were no mountains to be seen.

The speed limit was 50mph, so we saw quite a bit, and weren’t in any hurry to go faster. We arrived at Lewes and the Ferry about 12.30 or so, thinking we’d buy our ticket, get in line, and go have lunch while we waited for the ferry. To our surprise, there was a ferry loading when we arrived, and the ticket agent told us to get in the ‘stand by lane’. She couldn’t guarantee we’d get on the ferry, but there was always a chance, and if not, we’d be first in line for the 4.30 one.

There was one car already in the lane when we pulled up. As we pulled up, the dock crewmen waved them on, so we pulled up a bit more. The crewman talked to the ferry folks, and waved us on, too. It took a bit of jockeying, but the crew were extremely good at their jobs, and managed to get us on, and the gate closed, and we were off! Alas, we were in so tight, Kay couldn’t open the passenger door, and had to crawl across the console to get out my door. She drove going off, so I got to crawl across the console. Turn about is fair, after all.

The trip to Cape may took an hour and 15 minutes, so we headed upstairs, and bought a small ‘finger’ salad (carrots, cheese cubes, etc.) that in a grocery store would have cost half as much, but we were captive, and hungry. Stephanie, of course, wasn’t expecting us for a while; fortunately, she was home to give us directions to her house, and soon we were ensconced in her home, sitting in her kitchen, and gabbing like there hadn’t been 4 years since we’d seen each other.

I showed her the book Jolanda wrote about the two little girls in Kenya, and Stephanie couldn’t believe that it was hers to take to her church. So, Jolanda, Jennifer and JoJo will be in a very lively Sunday School, where many children will have the opportunity to read and enjoy your book!

Stephanie was a little disappointed that the weather had turned sour, and rained or drizzled on us the whole time we were there, but we went to see the sights anyhow. Breakfast was at the airfield, where they have quite a museum of old planes, etc. from WWII era. Also a marvelous exhibit of the Tuskegee Airmen. I tried to get photos of Flat Stanlietta and the exhibit, but she kept falling down. I did manage to get her in a space suit, though.

From the airfield, we went over to Wildwood and walked a bit on the longest boardwalk on the Atlantic. The ocean was way too far away to walk out to it, but we saw it, and then it started to rain, so we had to find shelter-in a book store, of course!

The rain let up, and we went to Cold Spring Village. It’s a park into which several old houses have been moved, and in the summer, it is a ‘working’ village with weavers, blacksmith, etc. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get into any of the homes, but we could peek through some of the windows to see how they were/are furnished (they have been furnished as they might have been way back whenever they were built and occupied). Stephanie works there in the summer as a story teller.

Sunday was another wet day, so we just went to lunch on the harbor where we could watch the boats and enjoy some wonderful food. Then, alas, it was time to finish our laundry and wind up our visit.

My Princeton friend, Kay K, had meetings until 3 or so in the afternoon, so we putzed around Monday morning (it’s not a far trip from Cape May to Princeton) and drove up NJ Highway 9 until we came to US 195 where we turned Left and began our homeward journey! (We have decided to forgo the trip into Canada, instead we’ll just visit friends and family betwixt here and home).

We arrived at Kay K’s a bit after four and again found ourselves with our own room. Her home is large, and very quiet, and I’ve had the best sleep of the trip. Still, the weather is wet, and Kay K is very busy so yesterday we spent reading until Kay K took us to The Blue Bottle for a most delicious dinner. The two Kays had cod, and I had tuna.

I picked up one of Kay K’s books, DREAMING WATER – by Gail Tsukiyama, I read it, and gave it to Kay M to read. It is a delightful read, the story takes place over two days, and is told, for the most part, first by the mother, Cate, then by the daughter, Hana. Cate is a widow, and Hana is her daughter who has Werner’s Syndrome (premature aging). The book was published in 2002, so you may have to go to the library to find a copy, but it is truly worth reading, I think.

Before taking us to dinner, Kay K drove us around town a bit, showed us where Drumthwacket (prounounced: Drumwhackit) is. That’s the Governor’s mansion which, if one wants to make an appointment, is open for tours. We opted not. Then she drove us to the campus of Princeton University, past some of the old houses that the U owns for faculty and or student housing, and then drove us by Woodrow Wilson’s house. I got a couple pictures of it from the car. Kay said I really should photograph the house across the street and label it WW’s house, as it’s somewhat more imposing, and looks like WW’s house did before it was repainted, etc.

I commented to Kay K on the amount of trees in Princeton, and she informed me that Princeton has more trees in it than any other town in America. I can believe it.

Today, we are heading to the Sculpture Garden for lunch and a look at the sculptures.

Unfortunately, John McPhee is no longer in the phone book, so she doesn’t know where he now lives, and I won’t be able to get a photo of his home. She did, however, point out where Tony Morrison lives and we drove by.

We are having a marvelous time, but also are looking forward to returning home, and to own beds. Hmmmm, I wonder how long it will take me to get used to my own bed? How long will it take my kitty to get used to having me home?