Yesterday was pretty busy - we shopped in the morning and got caught in a downpour as we left Price Chopper. We got home and discovered we'd apparently left a bag of potato chips at the checkout. How that happened I haven't a clue, but we both admitted we probably shouldn't have them in the house anyway, except these were baked and we wanted to give them a try. The store didn't find them but said to bring in our slip next time we shop. I'm sure we'll manage without them.

Yesterday was our anniversary and we'd made plans some time ago to go to Newport to EastSide Restaurant, one of our favorites. It was raining lightly as we started out but somewhere after East Hardwick, it began to come down in buckets. I was driving and while I'm fairly familiar with that road through Glover to Barton, in that kind of a storm, the curves and hills seemed to come unexpectedly out of the murkiness, keeping me very focused. We were chatting as we usually do on these trips, and about when it was raining the hardest, I told Fred I bet the weather would clear by the time we got to Newport. Some of the time Fred was taking pictures, but in the heaviest rain the camera just beeped at him that there wasn't enough light.

In the second slide, you can barely make out a young man on a bicycle, bare to his waist, casually coasting down a grade just outside of E. Hardwick. I hope he made it ok. You'll see the weather changed dramatically as we pressed on, and by the time we got to Newport, the pavement was dry and the sun was shining. It was an "I told you so" moment!

Fred got some pictures outside before we ate, and I took some later inside the restaurant. Newport is an interesting place - the lovely old church, St. Mary Star of the Sea, that overlooks the city, History of St.Mary Star of the Sea , the marina and docks along the waterfront, and that so many Canadians come there by auto and by boat. We recently read that Newport had considered making their highway signs bi-lingual, but gave up the idea when some townspeople objected. I think it would be only fair since Canada has both English on their signs as well as French. I know most Canadians speak and read English, but still, it would be the friendly thing to do in Newport since our two countries share so much.

Our trip home was uneventful except for a beautiful full moon hanging out overhead. Fred was driving on the way home, and I was able to enjoy the ride and the view - and my "coffee for the road." Here's a short slide show. Traveling to Newport

We have often had interesting trips to Newport. One year, I think it was my birthday, we saw a moose beside the road looking like he wanted to cross, so I slowed to wait for him (sensibly) but instead of crossing, he stood in the ditch and gazed at us. When I started to move ahead, he walked beside the car, keeping just a bit ahead of us. I wasn't sure if he would still cross in front of the car and besides that, we were fascinated with the creature walking along beside us as we slowly rolled along. He wasn't huge, and probably a youngster, but big enough to do damage if we'd bumped into him. We didn't have a camera with us that time, and we were finally able to pull ahead of him and went get on our way.

Another time we were coming home on the same road by Tildys Pond, I think it is, just south of Glover, and found fish scattered over the highway. It was a long time ago and neither of us can remember details, but we think they were suckers. We never knew how they got strewn in the road, though.

Then one Halloween we were going through Glover and some kids egged us. That's hard to get off the car! Even so, whenever we go through there, Fred remembers stopping at the really tiny Busy Bee Cafe with Dan Connolly on their way back from Social Securty outposts in Barton and Newport, and getting "the best doughnuts around." That memory far outweighs the egg incident, believe me.

We had a very nice evening - good food, good conversation, great memories.