YOP: Week 32

    We spent a week in Virginia.  My closest cousin lives down there with her husband and their two girls.  Their youngest has a medical condition that makes traveling difficult so its been several years since they've been home for a visit.  We decided to go to them.  While we visiting we took in a few local attractions and just spent time together and caught up.  It was a very nice trip.  We visited the Luray Caverns.

The formations were spectacular.  The kids even enjoyed it and it was nice and cool inside the cavern.  We also toured the Heritage Village, Car and Carriage Museum and the Toy Museum.  The Car and Carriage Museum had a steam powered fire engine that was built for the Watertown NY fire department.  

We had to travel all the way to Virginia to see something that had previously been in "our own back yard."  I had read about the steam fire engine before our trip but had no idea it had come from Watertown til I read the plaque in front of it.  It was a comical little surprise.  I would have spent more time in that museum, but we had walked through the Heritage Village first and my son was pretty much over the whole day by that point.  We really enjoyed the Luray Caverns and the adjoining museums, so if ever in the area go check them out.  There is also food on-site and several gift shops.  It's something I would go back and check out again in the future.

Our days were busy, we spent alot of time at my cousin's house.  She has a large property with a huge garden.  They also have a small pool, trampoline, chickens and a kitty named Georgie, so the kids played together outside and had a ton of fun.  All four of the kids got along well and played great together.  I was reminded of how the four of us (my cousin, her younger sister, my brother and I) would spend our summers together when we were kids.  The dynamics are all very similar and I think we both had some nostalgia.

My cousin's husband owns an excavation business.  We were able to go down to the shop and see some of the equipment.  My daughter and son got to see a backhoe up close and my son got to operate it for a little bit.  (With supervision of course.)  He was tickled pink; he loves big equipment.

We also were near the newest and most northern Buc ee's so we checked it out.  Neither my husband or I had ever been to one and my two co-workers who drive to Florida every year told me I have to go check it out, so we did.  It is unlike anything I can even describe.  My husband who hates anything touristy loved it and found an excuse to go back before we left.  We headed out early in the morning, before the hotel served breakfast, so we went back to Buc ee's for breakfast, lunch and gas.... and more souvenirs.  

Had to be extra touristy and got a picture with Buc ee

Our drive down and back were both good.  We tried to time it so we'd hit Syracuse at off times both ways.  There is a huge construction project in Syracuse, a long overdue one at that.  They are changing the route of I-81 a bit and completely replacing all the deteriorating overpasses and bridges and exchanges between 81 and the bypass route 481.

I didn't get much crafting done.  When we got home our time was spent doing laundry from vacation and getting a little grocery shopping done.  My garden survived being abandoned for a week.  I harvested a bunch of tomatoes, peas, beans and a couple zucchini.  I made sausage stuffed zucchini boats yesterday.  I have one eggplant that I need to harvest soon, so I got stuff to make eggplant parmesan, possibly tomorrow.  I have some zucchini boats left over that I'll probably put over pasta today for my dinner.  I'm hoping to either get some knitting in or go downstairs and start on a couple bags.  Or I may just sit around a do nothing since I'll be jumping back into going full tilt from here on out.  I did get a few more sections done on the dishcloth.  If I pick it up I could finish it today.

Our four kids together at the shop

Until later, happy crafting.

-Q