Pandemic Week 86: Fresh NC Fish!

 Fall descended on the Northern Virginia area at long last.  For years, Joe has talked about going to North Carolina for fall fishing.  This week, he packed up his fishing poles for a quick road trip to Wilmington, North Carolina.  What he wasn't counting on was the developing coastal storm that made for some rough water at the end of the week.  He did catch some blue fish, which we enjoyed for dinner and Friday.  He also stopped for some fresh shrimp, which we also enjoyed.

Anna and Theresa held the fort at home.  Fortunately, Joe left several leftovers in the refrigerator to sustain the family for the week. They made it and were happy to enjoy the fresh seafood on Friday.

The big event for the weekend was a hiking trip to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia on Sunday (Harpers Ferry National Historic Site).  It is about an hour from DC and sits at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers.  It is also at the intersection of MD, VA, and WV. The area is beautiful and it was a perfect fall day to go.  Apparently everyone else had the same ideas the there was quite a back-up to get into the park.  The most exciting part of the day was realizing that Joe was now eligible for a senior pass ($20 annual pass for all national parks).  There may be other lucrative national park discounts, which Joe will need to research.  In the meantime, Anna and Theresa will stick with him for good deals (maybe there will be an early bird special on the way home).  While we didn't go on the planned hike, we did find an alternative that was less busy with beautiful views.  Anna was happy that she did not need to hike up a mountain today, one of her initial concerns.  

It was a nice weekend as we said goodbye to daylight savings time.  The challenge for this week will be to get our sleep and meal routines onto the new schedule (including Storm).  Happy fall!

Hiking at Harper's Ferry





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Swimming with the Lakevale Dolphins

Image
The Swim Gang - Leo, Aidan, Megan & Anna Tonight Anna completed her third season with the Division II Lakevale Dolphins.  It was a great season for Anna as she improved her strokes and her times and made it to the "A"team to compete at Saturday meets.  It was an educational season for Joe and Theresa, who learned the ins and outs of life as swim team parents. The neighborhood swim team is the hub of neighborhood social activity in the summer.  There are events throughout the season, including Friday night pep rallies, and Sunday night fund events that include such things as the neighborhood scavenger hunt, laser tag night, bingo night, and even a team night at the Washington Nationals game.  In between the fun is the seriousness of the swimming, and there are definitely some top notch swimmers on the team. Anna with her lollipop for getting a "personal best" time Kids are motivated by different things. Some kids love to race.  Other kids try to b...
Read more

Camp Coles Trip & June Birthdays

Image
Anna at Girl Scout Camp Anna just returned from a fun-filled week at Girl Scout camp.  This year she was old enough to go to Camp Coles Trip, which is on a bay area off of the Potomac River.  This is a water camp, so she spent her days on the bay learning to paddle board and sail along with kayaking. Girl Scout Camp is definitely roughing it.  The camp is in the woods and girls stay in platform cabins with screens.  Anna shared a cabin with 4 other girls.  Mosquito netting is very important at night.  The only electricity is at the dining hall, health center, and activity building.  The girls are also responsible each day for doing "kapers" or chores.  They take turns helping serve meals, cleaning the bathrooms, and general clean-up.  They are also responsible for keeping track of their own things and carrying their bags. Anna had a fantastic time, despite the lack of modern conveniences, and is already planning her return next year....
Read more

The End of 1st Grade

Image
Last Day of 1st Grade Pool Party Anna is officially a "rising 2nd grader."  She was quite excited to celebrate her last day of 1st grade on June 14. She learned a lot this year, including great strides on reading, addition, subtraction, and writing. Anna kept a writing journal during the school year.  Below are some excerpts: If I had a pet I would choose a dog.  I would feed him, walk him, play with him, and a dog would keep me company.  PS, i atcally want one these are the things i would do One day while I was driveing on the road a deer was in the way.  My dad honked the horn.   self-control is keping your self in control.   Peace is when you are quiet.   I can respect others by bringing over plates afer diner.    The last week of school included a field trip to Frying Pan Park, a working farm in Fairfax County.  Anna, upon recounting the details of her trip, stated that they learned how to do farm chores from...
Read more