I did check the forecast before I left, but didn’t check it yesterday. The sound of rain and thunder at 6:00 a.m. wasn’t quite what I expected. The worst of it was over though when I got caught up on my momma’s side of the family and headed north. There is a section of interstate between the two towns, but it’s about half state roads without a lot of traffic on a Sunday. That is definitely a pleasant change from where I am usually driving. I had one of the C&W stations on the radio and basically drove the posted speed limit with only one care becoming impatient and that was near the end of the trip. The rain was fairly constant, although never too bad and it did quit when I was nearing my destination.

My sister was at the assisted living facility with my dad when I arrived and we spent the afternoon chattering away. That kept Daddy from having to engage in too much conversation which is kind of nice for him. He knows he can’t remember what is said and this way he didn’t have to even think about it. I’d brought him some of the dark chocolate covered coconut patties I always bring. These were the key lime flavored  and one was just the right size. He has three more to enjoy – one for each day I’m here. My sister leaves Tues and I’ll stay until Wed late afternoon when I’ll go to a place closer to the airport and meet an old high school friend for dinner. We always try to get together and are usually able to make it happen.

Dinner tonight was at what is the nicest restaurant in town – an Italian place I have posted about before. It’s in an old bank building and they did a great job of restoration. The food is good with a nice selection. I had a chicken dish in a dose sauce topped with melted mozzarella and sliced roma tomatoes. Sis hadn’t had a good pizza for a while so she did that. If it’s open tomorrow night, we’re going to a crawfish place.

My sister left this morning to return to Houston and I’ll go back out to see Daddy tomorrow until lunchtime, then relocate to Shreveport where I’ll meet my friend for dinner and be closer to the airport. There is a local spot in the next town over which serves breakfast and lunch as a combination of hamburgers and donuts. It actually makes sense and Southern Maid are very much like Krispy Kremes. They are a regional chain and I had been told Hamburger Happiness was a worthy companion. Oh, they also serve Blue Bell ice cream. No calories in this place. I did finally go in and resisted all the extra temptations. There were no more than a dozen tables and I suspect the place is jammed at breakfast. The hamburger couldn’t have been more old-fashioned and it was delicious. The young man at the counter couldn’t have been friendlier and I can confidently send anyone in. This is a situation where the “next town over” is very close, as in the two town limits signs are on the same post.

As another first, I was drawn into being the fourth for a game of dominos this afternoon. The assisted living facility where my dad is doesn’t have a lot of amenities, but Bingo and dominos are among them. I often watch folks play when I’m visiting and I haven’t played since I was a kid. There was no question I was definitely the novice in the group. It was fun though and I did better than I expected. Didn’t win, mind you although I finished in a respectable second.

Well, began is the correct word. John Popper of Blues Traveler was the headline last night to an appreciative crowd. I had never heard of Katrina Woolverton, but she was the opener and quite good. She was on for a while, then we had intermission before the main act. One of the things with older performers is they logically cannot do too many vocal numbers consecutively, so you get a fair amount of talk in between with background of how a song came to be written or people who were of particular influence, etc. That does provide another dimension to the show and at least we were spared any political thought.

The show had been planned for some time and the Rotary Club decided to join in and make it a benefit for Hurricane Irma Relief. A number of other businesses, Lorenzo Ford, Center State Bank and my apologies to whomever I forgot, contributed to the evening as well. I haven’t heard the results yet, but from the way things were looking, there should have been a nice sum collected.

We had thought about having dinner after the show and I’m glad Hubby suggested burgers at Lucky’s beforehand. We didn’t actually leave the theatre until 9:30 which would have meant 10:00 or later dining. Even with having a snack beforehand, that makes for a very late meal for me. Since it was a Sunday, there would also have been a limited choice of places still open. Anyway, it was a good kick-off to the season that has several other shows we are interested in. Everything is listed on http://seminoletheatre.org

I guess I forgot to actually post this which explains the gap over the past few days (Sigh, it’s been hectic)

It’s always a shame when you have a restaurant in a good, or at least decent location that can’t seem to make a go of it. I’ve posted before about the historic Hotel Redland’s restaurant, excited about the changes that unfortunately didn’t last. I am more optimistic this time though as it is now the City Hall Bistro and Martini Bar with the same website of https://www.hotelredland.com

The new chef and manager, Enrique, has a distinct vision he seems to be carrying out in phases. He’s originally from Boston and has been in Homestead at two other restaurants before taking this step. They are open for lunch Tues-Sat and for dinner Tues through Sunday. They are in the upscale dining range with the well appointed dining room although people still tend to sit in the bar. There is the Tapas and the regular menu and two options for Dinner for Two; one paella and one referred to as a “Tomahawk Steak”. You need to read the description of that substantial meal.

The new menu is pared down from the previous, yet provides the “something for everyone” approach and so far, everything has been delicious. Unlike before, the menu is easy to read and the service is definitely improved. The exterior of the hotel with the wonderful wrap around porch has also been freshened and will be quite inviting once the temperatures drop a bit.

I admit I haven’t had a martini yet, so I can’t vouch for that part of the name. They will be working with the Director of the Seminole though to develop a before and after theater option. We’re hoping for the best for them so we can once again promote another excellent dining choice for Homestead.

Aside from the delightful evening I spent with the members of the Darting Needles Quilting Guild and seeing my old friend for the first time in more than ten years, my trip to Wisconsin gave me the chance to visit a part of the country I had not previously been to. There were indeed lots of rolling hills, very green grass and trees, lovely wild flowers and plenty of barns and silos. Cows, of course and I passed multiple billboards showing various cheese stores. They must also have a huge deer population because there was a surprising number of dead deer along the roadways. I did go zipping past Wisconsin Dells, “The Water Park Capital of the World,” but didn’t have time to stop. It certainly looked like it would be a fun place.

The little town where my friend lives is very much a “Small Town, U.S.A” with only a couple of streets for the downtown, a park at the end, and the post office, City Hall, and senior center all clustered close together. The hospital is fairly new and in addition to robust medical services for a place the size it is, there was a very large fitness center. We did not go inside, but it looked to be well equipped and there was an indoor swimming pool. All of this makes good sense in a place with difficult winters.

A regional fast-food chain was Culvers, but it is a family-based business that emphasizes fresh ingredients and their specialty is frozen custard. It is apparently made fresh on the premises. They do have a small freezer stocked with to-go containers. It’s one of the kind of places where you order at the counter and they bring your food to the table. The staff was quite friendly and I could see why it was a favorite.

What a charming town Appleton is and what a vibrant quilting community. The presentation tonight was in the First Methodist Church and the lady who’s been coordinating the visit invited me to early dinner at one of the local favorites. Pullman’s is on the river and you go past the old Woolen Mills that have been converted to commercial and residential space. I always love to see that.

I had a number of things I had to deal with while I still have internet connectivity, but went out to scout the area (old Army training) in between. The downtown seems to be thriving (Lawrence College is here) with a couple of museums, a performing arts center, several restaurants, pubs and a beer factory I regrettably won’t have time to try.

Dinner turned out to be with several of the ladies from the quilting guild. Pullmans was a large place with an excellent menu and great ambience. They did do an order of fried cheese curds for the table which were delicious as was the walleye I had. The salads looked lovely, too.

There were I guess around 70 people at the meeting and they had me present, then do their break, then go on into the business meeting and show and tell. If I hadn’t been up since really early, I probably would have stayed because they had some very nice quilts and quilt items to talk about.

As soon as I post this, I’ll pack up and head to Baldwin to visit with my friend until tomorrow afternoon. It’s a bit of a drive, but the point is I will also see more of the state and that is one of my objectives.