GARDEN?................Yes it is!!

You use what space is available..............anyway............."look at them maters"

Anniversary ONE

June 21, 2009, Happy Anniversary + Father's Day. Suzy and I celebrated by doing a winery up in Horse country (The Plains, VA), then having dinner at Girasole (Northern Italian cuisine).

Twas memorable!

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

.

We left Antonito, CO at 10:00 am on a six car train (steam engine three coaches, an open air car, a concession car, and a parlor car. The train was half full, and an elderly native narrator pointed out locations and items of interest as we traveled along

Initially it was the Colorado barren plains, then, as we climbed to 10,000 feet the beautiful landscape unfolded, as we folded back and forth to gain elevation. The steady chuf-chuf-chuf of the locomotive worked us up the 2% grade (4% down on the other side of Cumbres Pass.)

Retainers were used even on the passenger train.

The whole event was totally relaxing and unprententious. The crew was professional in every way, but never overbearing. You can wander the train, hang out the windows, stand on the vestibules, get cinders in your hair............just have fun.



Three hours, two tunnels, and countless hair pin curves brought us to a meet with the eastbound counterpart at Osier, CO. Here we enjoyed a delightful one hour respite complete with a home cooked dinner on the side of the mountin.

We continued on to the summit at Cumbres, then cautiously descended the 4% to Chama, NM.
Suzy ocassionally knitted, when the deer and the antelope weren't playing.
In the 64 rail miles that day, we saw maybe 10-15 houses and one paved highway . Return to Antonito by luxury bus took an 1'10" vs. the five hour train ride.


A refreshing dip in our Best Western pool in Alamosa, CO, accompanied by gin & tonics, topped off the day.

Steamin' in Colorado

Suzy awaits our 10:00 am departure from Antonito, CO on a 64 mile journey back in time to Chama, NM. June 4, 2009, more to come.

James Snyder Dailey

Mom came home from hospital Sunday, May 17; James decided he really likes the care givers at St Peters Hospital in Albany, NY and will stay a while longer. We are so thankful all is stable and well.

Precious....................... simply precious.



2 lbs 9 oz...............14"











(hand waves) "Hey mom...I'm trying to sleep!!"

The proud family !!

At 9:47am on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, James S. Dailey decided six months was enough prep time, and he didn't want Robin to be confined to a hospital bed for the last three months, so he shouted "I'm out of here!"

Birthday..."You get your kicks at 66"

Breakfast this morning was with a couple from Dublin, Ireland, and their daughter from NJ.

We took the blue highways back to Manassas through Charlottesville and the piedmont area of Virginia.

We then cruised south 75 miles to the Iris B&B, nestled on the mountainside above Waynesboro, VA. After wine on the porch, we dined on ribs and scallops at the Depot Grille in Staunton, VA, and retired back to opulance of our la de da retreat.

After a delightful dinner with Roger and Cyndy on Sunday evening, Suz and I headed for the mountains on Monday morning, April 27. As might be tradition, we had a Skyland lunch on Skyline Drive, as deer munched THEIR lunch outside our window.........literally "on the world"

Eggs Benedict?..... "Eggs galore"

If Michael and Lindsay can break eggs with one hand "so can I". One made it into the frying pan, and the other two exited their shells promptly...on the counter. Heck, one out of three is good in baseball!