Blue Skies in the Big City

So ... our first day of unstoppable sigh-seeing took us ... naturally ... to the Big City by the Bay. Why ... I believe that's the Transamerica Tower peeking through the trees. Yes, it is indeed.

Pier 39. Full of seafood sandwiches, delicious chocolate and a very colorful flag.

From a Harbor Cruise going under the big ... golden ... bridge. Later we would drive over that same bridge. We like our bridges from multiple angles.

Cruising by Alcatraz. Enjoying hearing about the history ... grateful to not be living it.

Do tell. What is your favorite Treat (edible or not) in San Francisco?

(Is it Rice-a-Roni? Because I seriously do like Rice-a-Roni.)

Ridin' the Rails

So ... the next leg of our trip involved getting ourselves from SoCal where the Gees live to NorCal where Ms. Gee lives. When I helped move her into her new place last January, I couldn't help but notice that a train ran directly behind her uber hip apartment building. The idea for this Amtrak ride was hatched at that moment and carried to fruition last week. We paid (not a whole lot more) to get a "sleeping berth" even though we weren't spending the night. This was well worth it. We had our own little space, plenty of leg room, free meals in the dining car (where we held our pinkies out as we ate) and were basically treated as royalty. In fact, when we first got on the train, they kept trying to give us our complimentary bottles of champagne, and when we refused the third time, we got a little bitty bottles of Martinellis. When we arrived at Union Station in L.A. (above) we did not have to wait in any lines because the conductor came to us to take our tickets. To us. This may have raised my expectations of travelling to a level I can no longer (or ever did) get while flying.

sigh

For the entire "coastal" leg of the journey, we did not see the sun, but that was not a problem until I saw these grayish pictures. Who cares! It was gorgeous, interesting and engrossing. Neither of us cracked open a single one of the plethora of books/crosswords/electronic game devices that we carried with us. We just stared out the window and soaked up America.

sigh

Thanks Ms. Gee for being a fine travelling companion and for living somewhere that could plant the seed for this trip. Once we were in the Bay Area we hoofed it like professional tourists and continued to enjoy every second. And that, as they say, is ...

... to be continued.

Flying Lessons

So ... with not much more to blog about ... I still have my birds. And I thought I would offer forth the following tip to those who, like me, might not have optimum space to pack ones sewing essentials.

The best tip of all is that I managed to make a template for the applique by using permanent marker on a plastic-paper-holder-thingy (which can be flipped to use either direction) which also serves as a carrier for the fabrics and applique pieces.

And here are a couple of my latest feathered friends. There are more, but let's face it ... I have to draw this out as long as possible.

Unless, of course, you are interested in pictures of the umpteen kajillion crossword puzzles I have also done.

By Popular Demand ...

As I am on the road (posting as we speak from Amarillo, Texas) I thought I would use this opportunity to answer the request of astute reader Sara, who mentioned that she would like to see pictures of my precious grandson l'il Gee, since she can already see pictures of my darling Miss Dub on this blog, frequently.

How could I possibly deny her (or any loyal readers) the chance to witness the most glorious grins EVER.

So ... enjoy ... and grin back. I'll get back to you from Kansas City. Or St. Louis. Or Beyond.