Hi all,
Last week on our days off we spent in the Alexandria, VA area. We spent the night at Andrews Air Force Base at a Navy Lodge. While there we saw two United Ststes of America jets in the maintenance hagers which was exciting. We ate at a delicious restaurant in Alexandria, The Fish Market, which was recommended by my friend Jean in Lancaster, CA. We missed a turn on the way home and ended up crossing the river into Washington DC and Constitution Ave but quickly corrected that turn and crossed back over the river into VA again. Such adventures we have and not always on purpose but we never got lost!!
We then made our way slowly back to Frederick, MD for a lobster dinner and steak dinner. I had lobster and Ric had the steak. Each was $12.95 which only happens on Thursday so we hope to repeat this opportunity as often as possible. My lobster was 1-1/14 pounds and was delicious. That is a real bargain even for this area. We only get lobster tails in CA and not the whole lobster as we do here.
This week we stayed closer to home on our days off and only drove about 30 miles to Sugarloaf Mountain which is all of 1282 ft. It was owned by a private family which put it in a nonprofit corporation in 1946. It is for the public's "enjoyment and education in an appreciation of natural beauty." It is also a designated Registered Natural Landmark because of its geological interest and striking beauty. It is beautiful and different from our mountains in California. The funds for its upkeep is from a trust fund set up by the family who said that........."those who appreciate natural beauty will be better people, people who will treat each other better." There are view points in several locations and many picnic tables all over as well as trails for hiking.
After we left there we visited nearby lily ponds where we saw hundreds of different varieties of lillies-so beautiful. They also had a fish hatchery and most of them were koi-many were for sale between $1 and $50. Anyway, it was a fun day. That night we stayed in our motorhome in Thurmont. (We have an apartment where we volunteer,)
The next morning we got up and visited the Eisenhauer Farm at Gettysburg. We were bussed out to the farm and saw the barn, house, cattle barns, the secret service office and the fields.
The house was interesting. Ninety nine percent of the furniture was what they actually had when they lived there and both Ike and Mamie died there. I had forgotten that there were no wars while he was president for his 8 years in office. Maybe as a general he saw enough war and kept us out from his own experience.
The farm is 189 acres and they paid $44,000 for it. It is strip planted with corn as it was in their day and the corn is feed for the guernsey cattle which was a great pride of Ikes. They also raise a little hay for the cattle. So not much has changed since they were there. He was the last president that was able to keep gifts that were given to a president so they had some neat things in the house.
Since it was Thursday eve. when we left we had to go into Frederick and have lobster and steak. Ohhhhhhhhhhh! How delicious it was again.
Then we came back to the center and worked yesterday today and also tomorrow. We have a group of 125 men, Reston Bible Church, which is a mens' retreat from northern VA, who will be here until tomorrow afternoon. They are generally young men, many tall and do they ever have healthy appetites. They are a very pleasant group and they have already booked for next year.
That is about it from Maryland and we trust you are in good health and enjoying life. We do like hearing from you and appreciate long and short notes. We have three more weeks here and as usual, it is going by so fast.
Our best to you all and we hope to hear from you soon.
Mom, Dad, Grandmother, Granddaddy, Ric and Jan(ice)
ric and jan
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