Will work for food and lodging

After a few days in Chicago area, I decided to travel around and visit friends and relatives, many of whom I had not seen for a minimum of 9 years.  It was a great month of travels and I was able to help people along the way with different projects they just never have time for.  In exchange I had some wonderful meals and cozy places to sleep.  Some of the visits were just visits, which was also nice.  My route, adventures, and labors:

• Indianapolis IN - Visiting my friend Carm and her husband - we worked in LA together way back when.  Nice to meet her two great boys (around 7 and 4 yrs old) and play with skates, bikes, soccer balls, swings, scooters and makeshift baseball.  
• Cincinnati OH - MBA classmate and her husband.  Had a wonderful time catching up and reveling in Dutch accents!
• Harrisonburg, VA - got to spend several weeks playing with my now 1 year old niece (Valerie - she is pretty cute isn't she?).

The Best Babycakes Ever! 

I also helped my brother, sister in law, and my mother with some organizing and cleaning out projects. After three rooms and a pantry I think I am ready for my own TV show, or something! I didn't get to see all the friends I wanted to see while in town so... next trip.

• Lancaster PA - Can you believe I hadn't seen some of my relatives for over 9 years? For some it had been even longer; almost 15 years.  Never again!  I had a great time catching up with the local cousins from both my dad and mom's side of the family.  Two of my cousins even took me for craft day at the local bead shop and I went a little crazy on three pairs of earrings while they did a bracelet and earrings.  It was a fun fun day.

Craft Day outcome!

• Philadelphia PA - I took the train to visit my cousin for a night.  Nothing like traveling the farm country by train and getting to hang out in a very cool city with a wonderful cousin and a well known train station (think the movie Witness).

Infamous Statue in Philly Train Station

• Lancaster PA - spent great time helping a cousin and an aunt with yard work: weeding, mowing, mulching, bush whacking, repotting plants, digging for wild onion and garlic, removing ivy, and creating more garden space by removing sod.  For relaxation I organized a garage and laundry room.  I know, I know, not everyone's idea of a good time but I sure had fun.  When one doesn't have a full time job and is transient, having tasks to check off a list is fabulous; particularly if you can immediately see the fruit of your labors.  I will work for food and lodging.

I loved this tree and its brilliant colors (as you can tell)

A Garden in the Making

• Stamford CT - helped a friend reorganize and pack for easy moving with her "move every six months" job.  Next time I am going to get to NY city (a short train ride away) and see good friends there.  
• Ithaca NY - Spent a few more days with my niece, sister in law and her parents while they were finishing up some things in NY.  I had a great time playing with my niece! 

Valerie Playing Peek-a-Boo with her mom

Tomorrow I head off to Romania for six weeks.  I will be back at the end of July and not sure where I will go next.  

Have any projects you need done?  

Will work for food and lodging!

Road Trip

I left Monrovia California on Easter weekend and drove to Phoenix to spend Easter Sunday with my Great Aunts (Mabel and Miriam) and lots of cousins.  My cousin Paul and I put our names in raffle at church to win a 1965 Mustang convertible in excellent condition.  I think they lost my telephone number to let me know we won.  

From Phoenix I drove to Denver to spend a night and day with another cousin, Judy.  It was great to just relax for an evening with great people and fabulous food (homemade humus is the best!).  Ruth, a friend of Judy's from NY was there and she and I got to talk Caribbean stuff since she is from the Caribbean.  

Denver to Lincoln, NE was unadventurous (probably good) except that I took the wrong highway accidentally and headed south through KS instead of north through NE.  The best part of the trip was getting on back roads to work my way up through KS to Lincoln.  It inspired me to plan and see quirky roadside touristy things on my way through Iowa.  I Googled the idea and found a website,  www.roadsideamerica.com, where you can see what's available in any state you want.  

The next day I got to see some of America you just don't see if you stick to the freeways. I was bummed that I took a wrong turn and missed seeing the worlds largest revolving jail. Apparently the jailer didn't want to walk around to check on his "guests" so they built a three story jail on a giant lazy susan (which doesn't work anymore apparently).  I highly recommend these little side trips.  It took a little longer but I got to meet some fun people along the way (a nice couple in a restaurant taking a similar route, and the kind people who helped when I lost my way) and it was so much fun I was energized when I arrived at Chicago rather than exhausted.  

What a great name for a fun little town (my middle name)

Shadows are cool in the town of Lynnville

World's Largest Truck stop with full service Truck parts shop, full semi truck and two truck cabs on display and for sale.  Some truck driver thought I might be for sale as well.  You can imagine he was disappointed to learn I was there because I thought it was super cool (having always been fascinated by semi trucks) not because I wanted to be in the "service" industry.

Sculpture made from Iron Wheels

Fence around of Sculpture made from Iron Wheels

A Smiley Face water tower - I need to move here!

Danish Windmill brought over by the residents of Elk Horn IA

Giant daddy long leg spider made from a VW bug car.  It was at least 6 feet off the ground!