Text 18781, 98 rader
Skriven 2007-08-09 20:14:32 av BURTON FORD (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av ALL FOLKS
Ärende: Baltimore Bon Vivant Binge  1
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Hi Folks            8/9/07 2:51 PM

Dale, that was a beauty of a Picnic, as was your house and especially your
new kitchen.  Perfect for a cooking area with a loungers, hanger-on-ers,
admirers, waiting-for-turners, and Eats open area nearby.  The outdoor
patio was also superb for resting, and/or gabbing.   To boot, there were
two other comfortable rooms for napping or smaller gabfests.  You and Gail
were the epitome of welcoming, calm and unflappable hosts.   We didn't stay
at your house, but I salute your taking the poor and needy to your bosom. 
[teasing!]    Thanks for being a super host.

Columbia is a designed city, but learning from the patterned regularity of
Levittown I guess, the designers built the roads in almost random, winding
patterns.  Pleasant, but was I glad I had my Magellan GPS.  I'd probably still
be wondering around Columbia without it.

It was a pleasure to meet old friends again, and old friends for the first
time, as in Steve and Ruth Haffly [whom I called Mary twice, to my
embarrassment - no idea why].  That is one of the sharpest pleasures of a
Picnic isn't it... meeting someone in person with whom you have been
corresponding for months or years!   

We arrived Thursday afternoon at America Extended Stay Motel. and unpacked. 
Butch was miffed that there was no maid service at all.... I had forgotten
from our last stay in one.   We had to make our own beds, and hump our own
waste baskets, etc cetera.... not a vacation laze-out at all.   Turned out
to be not much of a bother.  The room was big, with a full kitchen and full
sized Fridge.  Everything was in good shape and clean. 

We headed for Gail's house. Shortly after arrival we all went to the Greek
Restaurant...Dimitri's.   It was my last choice [We have Greek places
nearby] of the 3 we voted on, but it turned out great.  Nice dark, rich,
atmosphere, with a very chipper and cute waitress.  Hold the comments,
after all I am a man.   My Spanakopita [spinach pie] and my Moussaka were
very good.... actually the pie was downright grand.  We were very pleased
with Shipp's restaurant choice.   

That night I learned by watching the guys sharpen knives.   Dave The Sas
has apparently used a knife to whittle himself down.... I asked and he
figures he has lost 60#.  Way to go friend.

Left motel Friday at the crack of dawn - 7:20am - for Picnic Central.  The
speed bumps around there are called "traffic calming"... bet they really calmed
SAS when he loosened the pan on his rental car on one of them.  

I'm looking at NASA TV on a split screen while I write, so forgive any hash
ups I make.   

crapple Which segues nicely to Breakfast at Shipps each morning by short
order cooks DaveS and MLoo.  What a delight!  Eggs, toast, coffee,
scrapple, sausage gravy, biscuits!  I had three pieces of the 6 pieces of
scrapple one morning and felt guilty when I heard they were saving some for
MLoo.  So I put one piece back.  Reading here last week I found an estimate of
how much Michael ate all together.... I want my piece back! [g]  Geeeese but I
love scrapple, especially the hard scrapple Dave made!   Twenty minutes on each
side over low heat.  Breakfast each day was a true sybaritic experience to me.

Thence, a group tour of the Cryptology Museum, with a special guide
arranged for by Dale.   Frankly I truthfully did not expect to enjoy the
tour of dry old cryptology history.  It was delightful!!  Inside details
and actual equipment from events I remember vividly from the past {U2,
etc.]  I was tickled to see and open the actual US Seal that the Soviet
children donated   to our Sec of State, [I think ?] secret microphone and
all!  What a hoot!  Our country was so gullible after WW2!  

Our lunch at the Korean Lunch Counter under Haffly's guidance was very
different and very good.  We like eating brand new foods.   Back to Shipps
for blah blahing, and then to Blob's Park.   You have all heard about how
big and loud the place was, which is true.  But I want to add that we had a
grand time; yelling at everyone; admiring the extremely competent waitress
who waited on our bunch all alone doing a good job; joking about the band;
feeling kinda special to have that airplane hanger of a place almost to our
selves; and eating my excellent Jaeger Schnitzel.  And refraining from
playing catch with my big, tough dumpling.  [g]   Shirley and I even danced
to two "slow" dances, in my kinda old fashioned ballroom style.  I asked
every girl at the table to dance with me and not a single one would!  Major
put down!  It's hell to be an old fat guy!

Saturday for breakfast I had sausage gravy on toast.  [I didn't see the
biscuits but Butch did and had two with jelly.]  Very different sausage
gravy [to me, anyway] but it had a good 'masculine' flavor.  I also had
eggs, and scrapple and toast with some Ginger marmalade made locally... I
liked it a lot.

Then the deluge!  See my next post.

I guess I can get by without an Ontopicizer.    [g]

Burt




---
'Til we read again. Burt               /~~.
  x=Newark, in New York State     ,~x~    |       
                                 `-------.;_
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