Back Online...!

Hey Everybody!

Forgive my lengthy absence, but sometimes you gotta go off the grid for the cool stuff :-) Of course, I have no pictures of my first few days offline... But I will post about my next stop either later tonight or soon!

First of all, I hope this post finds everyone well. Secondly, many thanks to my Cincinnati friends for taking me in for a few days. What the rest of you should know is this: not only did they take me in, entertain and feed me, but they did so during my first allergy experience! As I left the coast and head for the hills and mountains I was introduced to what allergy sufferers have known forever...pollen is not our friend. I am on the verge of "all-clear" I think...but my PA friends informed me this afternoon that I should be prepared for more during my east coast trek. Oh no!

While I do not have pictures, I have important information just the same. In no particular order:

1. Graeter's Ice Cream has been around since 1870. It's good ice cream! What is as impressive and fun is that on the first Thursday of the month it's "Bring your pet" night & the pets get treats. As if that's not enough...for those who have trouble choosing an ice cream flavor, Graeter's offers mini-cones. Not small cones. They really are mini and are sold in sets of three! Brilliant!

2. Dana and Nora this one is for you! Next time you invite me to have sushi for lunch or dinner I will say yes! At one of my friends' favorite local spots, Thai Taste, I ate sushi. Not only did I like the Shrimp Tempura, but I also sampled a coconut milk soup (Tom Kai Gai) - I do not like coconut! - and it was quite tasty too.

3. Mt. Airy Forest (1450 acres) is one of the largest city parks in the country & it's beautiful. It's also the place where I tested my ability to catch myself when falling in a rocky creek bed. I'm still here, so you can be assured I made the catch! My friends can hike this place in the dark - while carrying a baby! ...but they never laughed at me :-). However, when we climbed up a muddy slope while using tree roots as leverage, my friend's husband insisted on taking my hand when the path grew more difficult. It is entirely possible that he was right to do so! And, at last I finally have some real mud on that new pair of hiking boots.

4. Also, the Omnimax theatre is located in the old train station. The building is beautiful. We watched a movie about the Arctic - and even got to see the very place where I'll be going in June.

Cincinnati is a pretty cool place!

Next post will be about Gettysburg...