There's no place like home

After spending a night in beautiful downtown Maumee, Ohio (near Toledo), we hit the road for the last leg of our adventure. However our journey would not be complete without two more stops.

Our first was in the beautiful city of Naperville, IL. While in Naperville, we enjoyed a pleasant lunch with my cousin, Bill. But even more pleasant than the lunch was our visit. He is always a good conversationalist and a good storyteller. Our only regret was that we did not have more time to spend with him.

Our final stop was closer to home at Kopps Frozen Custard, just off I-43 in Milwaukee. Kopps has perhaps the very best frozen custard.

There are a few take-away items that we learned during our extended road trip and we'd like to share them with you.

1. We have some of the nicest relatives that God put on earth.

2. Kathleen is a knowledgeable and gracious host.

3. 90 degrees every day is hot.

4. Kathleen's third floor apartment is hot.

5. Kathleen's third floor apartment is very hot when we have extended periods of 90 degree days.

6. Newport, RI and Cape Cod are beautiful spots but Hyannis is the best place to stalk Kennedys.

That's it for this edition of the blog. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

Ken, Cathy, Kathleen and Erin.

Good-Bye & Hello

Good Bye – Hello

     It was bittersweet to say good-bye to Kathleen but alas she had to go to Boston to attend class and we had to hit the road to return home.  We left her knowing that she is happy living in Providence.  We were proud at how well she knew her way around Providence, Newport, Boston, Cape Cod and Hyannis.  We were also pleased that she seemed to know the ins and outs of the public transportation system.   She was able to guide us through the train and subway system like a pro.  It was an easier than normal good-bye as she will be home in a very short time for an extended visit.

     It was also "Hello" as we stopped in Sherman, Connecticut to visit my cousin, Barb Hoag and her husband, Bruce.   Barb and Bruce built a beautiful water side home and had very graciously invited to stay overnight.  We had the added treat of meeting their son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren.  After a tour of their gorgeous home, we had a delicious dinner and then a leisurely boat ride.  The 14 mile lake is breathtakingly beautiful.  We returned to their home at sunset, just in time for drinks and good conversation. 

     Cathy and I slept in their wonderful guest room.   However, morning came too soon and after this photo was taken on their deck, we were off.    We cannot leave this portion of our blog without publicly thanking Barbara and Bruce for their hospitality.  They were so very genuine in opening up their home and sharing their family with us.  Thank you so very much. 

Whose House?

Whose House?

Our House! Well, Actually Kathleen's house......er, Kathleen's Capitol.

Today we made our way to the state capitol building in Providence for a self-guided tour. Erin is shown standing on the interior steps, leading to the rotunda. Kathleen is shown in a reception area where there was a podium ready to go, so we used it as a photo opportunity. Above Kathleen is a painting of George Washington. The painter was Gilbert Stuart, the same person who painted the portrait of George Washington on the one dollar bill.

It was miserably hot in Providence so we went to the Mall and did a few errands and caught a movie.

Tomorrow Kathleen heads to Boston for class and we head to Connecticut to vist the Hoags.

Ken, Cathy, Kathleen and Erin