I have to say if it didn't seem so expensive, I could get hooked on Maryland. And that's without even seeing much of what the region has to offer. We made a very short trip here -- I drove with Rick, who was headed to classical music camp in South Carolina and flew back from Baltimore. Although we left on a sunny day for the first leg of our trip, we could see rain in the offing.
Let me say the journey was a rugged one. You've heard about the rains in the east? Well, this is an accurate representation of our journey. The rain began shortly after we left Rick's cousin Stephanie's home in Columbus...
...and it was not unlike rain we experienced for the rest of the trip. I can say with great authority that Maryland is a very green and (these days) a very wet state! But it's a beautiful one, with rolling hills and loads of trees, lovely wooded areas. I loved everything I saw.
The first few days of our visit we were with Rick's Aunt Becky in Maryland and part of the purpose of this visit was go to over family geneaology for RIck's Acklin branch of the family.
Numerous documents were downloaded and photographed and while there is much to digest, one surprise is the possibility of Rick and I having a common ancestor in the Bricker family. (Of course, we are all one giant family so I shouldn't be surprised.) More research is required, still that's kind of fun.
(Don't worry, we are far more distantly related than any of the royal family so we should be fine and besides, we are too old to breed!)
We really didn't get out at all while we were in Frederick because a) there were things to be done on that project and b) it rained most of the time. But it was great fun to catch up and have one-on-one time with Becky who was a wonderful host and to see Rick's cousin Amy again. All good.
And Becky was a wonderful cook. We tried to convince her to let us take her out -- she'd only just been recovering from pneumonia -- but she'd have none of it! And I confess, we couldn't have dined any better than at Chez Becky. The white chocolate fondue for dessert one night with fresh fruit was to die for!
On a brief not-raining (I won't say "dry") break, we went outside to check the river behind Becky's house. It was very high and it was brown from all the land run off. She said it's usually green.
Every night we tucked into bed in this beautiful room. (I used my old trick of taking a photo of the bed so when I put it back together I'd get the pillows in the right place!)
The day Rick left for classical music camp, I packed up and was picked up by my friends Patty and Rick, who live in Bel Air, MD. We had a wonderful lunch with Rick's mom and sister and then off to Patty's for a good evening a reminiscing. And yes, it was raining! This was at the restaurant. A soaker! Oh, and a little antiquing was involved, too!
I've known Patty since sophomore year in college. We met when we were touring with the university theatre. That's Patty in the green dress with purple tights (I'm in the purple dress).
As I'm sure you know, there is nothing like connecting with an old friend who knows all of your old friends that no one else knows, recalling good times and embarrassing moments! We went through a lot together in those college years and those later before she move and they are times to treasure.
Patty's husband Rick is a working actor/singer. His main gig is doing shows where he impersonates several notable personalities -- Dean Martin, Atticus Finch, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Francis Scott Key and more. But as he dropped me off at the Baltimore airport he was headed by New York for a Broadway audition. Fingers are crossed.
So, as I write this, I'm still at the Baltimore airport -- the flight has been delayed three times and I've been glad to have a reasonably good trashy mystery to read while I wait and 45 minutes of free wifi. And when I get home, no major obligations, so apart from a hungry cat, all is well!
Later -- I finished the mystery, read another full book -- a short Maigret mystery -- and made it home at last. So far, rain only at night, which is fine! A tree came partially down in a storm while I was gone. No damage but the rest must come. And Lizzie was happy to see me!) And just in case you were wondering where Waldo is...
It's outside of Columbus, Ohio!
Linking this week to: Let's Keep In Touch
