Happy St. Paddy's Day

It's a great day for the Irish, and everyone has their Irish going today.  The blogfriends Sarah, Page and Logan leave today for an adventure of a lifetime.  The girls are off to Japan, Thailand and Hawaii for about five weeks.  They are conducting a survey with one question in mind, "What is the most important thing in your life?"  They will be blogging the adventure, so keep them company and follow along here.

Airline Boarding Pass for Mobile Device

Ya gotta love technology!  Sitting in my pjs at the kitchen counter, I just checked in for tomorrow's flight to SFO and selected the mobile device option for delivery of my boarding pass.  No paper;  simply scan the iPhone at the security check and the gate.  Now, when will they put the driver's license on the PDA?

Friends in Food and Fitness

The longtime blogfriend, Maggie, met me in Miami Beach for an extended weekend. While we always have a great time, this trip was particularly motivational. Maggie and I have known each other for over forty years. All through the years, we have often been mistaken for sisters because of our similar body type and, like spouses, friends begin to share a similar look after years together. We have gone from about eighty pounds to both sides of 150 pounds. Although, there are many miles between us, this weekend we decided to become partners in health, nutrition and weight loss motivation. We established a private blog, whereby we can attempt to motivate ourselves and each other by posting words of encouragement, diet and exercise success stories, recipes and results. Here we are pictured at Joe's Stone Crab on South Beach. Maggie loved her venture into the world of stone crabs... and what better a place. OMG. We splurged on the delicious basket of bread and the fabulous hash browns. So we have some work to do!

Woman's Best Friend

Solo, my five year old black Lab, rode shotgun for the 273 mile ride to Martha's Vineyard. During the silence of an uneventful ride, and while appearing to be dead asleep, Solo was a great communicator. Each time my glance veered in his direction, he drowsily and spontaneously wagged his tail in sheer appreciation for the moment.

Ignorance is Bliss

An unfriendly reader from the San Mateo, California area commented on my blog recently and basically told me to GET A LIFE. Perhaps the reader was offended by the blog's conservative views and the wealth of information provided about the president, which is not covered by the major news sources. It occurred to me this week, while vacationing in Florida, life is so much more enjoyable not knowing what's going on in the world. Change is good!

Spring Break on Sanibel Island

Blogging has been light as we travel south to Florida for spring break. I'll set up a traditional travel blog and provide a link here tomorrow. It's so nice to feel the warm sunshine of the sunshine state.

West Egg

Breakfast at the Best. Diner. Ever.

Sweet Home Chicago

It was a truly shocking on time departure and arrival into O'Hare. We
were escorted by the blogfriends, Maggie and Kevin, to a fish fry at
the Irish Heritage Center on the northwest side. Then on to the
Affinia Hotel on east Superior, a lovely little boutique hotel at the
center of our weekend actitivities. All the runners in Sunday's
Shamrock Shuffle race are dreading the forcasted weather: cold and wet.

February on the Vineyard

"Where is everyone", we asked the lineman at MVY. "Hey, this is busy", he said as he drove us from our plane to our truck in the long term parking. It was one bumpy flight, and I'm happy to be alive.

Poker Face, Poker Voice: God Love the Pilots

As many readers here know, the bloghusband is a private pilot. Wild Willy and I log more than a few hours of flight time every year in our 1977 single engine, six-place, Beechcraft Bonanza. Mostly, we fly to our home on Martha's Vineyard, but through the years, and before the birth of our son, we had many adventures into the wild blue yonder. No stranger to brushes with death while sitting in the right seat, I secretly try to determine if my pilot, in fact, is as freaked out as I am during some flights. Oddly, my pilot husband is the epitome of composure at all times, even during some of the more serious in-flight incidences, which are inevitable considering hours logged. I just had to chuckle in appreciation and understanding when I listened to the Flight 1549 audiotape, between the pilot and ATC, released today. Two guys, totally calm, trying to arrange a landing, which just so happened to be in the Hudson River.

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Simon Pearce, Irish Artisan

In 1971, Simon Pearce opened a glassblowing workshop in Kilkenny, Ireland. Ten years later, Simon moved his operation to Quechee, VT on the Ottauquechee River, where potters and glassblowers still create simple designs for function and durability. It's always such a treat to visit the restored woolen mill, which also features a retail store and a fabulous restauant overlooking the Falls. As a tribute to my ancestors, I always feel compelled to support these artisans by adding to my collection of Pearce's work each year.
Bottom photo credit

Quintessential Vermont

Covered bridge

Snowshed Lodge, Killington

Tired riders, Billy and Jack

Sweet little house with icicles

Our home base

Heads Up, Know the Code

Mountain Chills and Thrills

The men are heading to the mountain and the women are driving north.

Hotel Confirmation

Getting ready for the Shamrock Shuffle, we booked a $99 room in Chicago. Love this confirmation:

Breathe easy. Affinia Hotels are 100% Affinia Fresh - All rooms are now non-smoking. If you choose to smoke, you may do so at an additional cost of $250 per stay.

A Milestone for the Van

Farewell to the Vineyard

After ten days on the island, we're heading home. Here's a parting shot.

Corn Nuts

A tasty snack at JAX.

Jacksonville Airport

Brrr! It's cold down here, too. We arrived in a new wing this afternoon.

Kate Has Surfaced

Riddled with bug bites and a hankering for alpaca and corn ice cream, Kate is alive and well and loving her adventure in South America.  One of many highlights in her email last night:  Iguazú Falls in Argentina.