I'm So Behind....

As the title would suggest, this post is quite late...and that isn't owing to the fact that my life has suddenly taken a wild and thrilling turn (although it's more thrilling than it used to be...) but more because I've just been being lazy. The weather these past two days has been gray, drizzly and mopey and has inspired me to not be interested in doing much more than reading...reading...and reading some more.

I don't have too many pictures from the past week, per se...I do have a lot of pictures from Wednesday because my Dad and I went to Newmarket, but otherwise there are very few random shots. I guess I was too busy reading, working and being otherwise involved...ha-ha!

Monday lunch at Panera - a farewell to summer with flip-flop cookies...

A book buying spree...hurtful on the wallet but helpful for this book worm's heart!

Virginia countryside on our Wednesday drive....

A house that only needs a bit of TLC to be a gloriously renovated masterpiece!

I was off work on Wednesday and so my Dad and I went to Newmarket; a town that is about 45 minutes from where we live, with the intention of going to the Civil War Museum of Virginia. We did do that but I thought we'd drive straight to Newmarket...but we paused in every little town and holler along the way to look in thrift stores, take pictures and visit the Route 11 Chip offices. It was a nice way to spend the day and see all the little places between Point A and Point B.

Meems Bottom Bridge in Mount Jackson, VA

I'm fairly certain they are trying to contact aliens with these things....

The Shenandoah mountains as viewed across the valley in Mount Jackson!

The Route 11 chip haul - they are honestly the best chips I've ever eaten. I love them.

So - fun story time! My Dad and I finally made in to Newmarket around 12:30 on Wednesday and decided we'd have lunch at the Mexican spot on Main St. I ordered a usual favorite dish which included a taco...and I asked for it with a soft shell, just meat and cheese inside. The waitress nodded, making notes on her pad and said "cheese?" so I responded with a "yes" and she smiled and off she went. My Dad said "you're getting a cheese taco, you know that right?" I figured there was no way she would bring me a taco with just cheese...I mean, who does that?? I thought she was just making sure I wanted cheese on my taco...and I did. Well - guess who was right? You guessed it, Jeffrey! She proudly gave me my meal, with a taco stuffed with nothing but cheese and lettuce...which I hadn't asked for. Oh Lord. We laughed about that for a good five minutes....

Cheese taco anyone?

Civil War monument in Newmarket....

Inside the Civil War Museum of VA!

My Dad and I finally arrived at the Civil War Museum of Virginia around 1:30 and with both the military discount and the handy coupon we'd found, we got our little discounted tickets and began exploring. I think all of this history business is pretty fascinating and I thoroughly enjoyed examining the wall display of all the Civil War bullets...I might have puzzled over it for a good five minutes. I'm not so sure they needed a 45 minute video, but you know...oh well, it was alright. I enjoyed exploring the nearby Busheong Farm; the fields of which were where large portions of the battle of Newmarket took place, except that man...gnats everywhere!

The fields of the Busheong Farm & the farmhouse in the distance...

Exploring the farmhouse...even hanging out in the basement like the Busheong family did to avoid the battle that raged around the house.

I don't even know how I ended up making these faces in the mirror....I was trying to take a mirror selfie...but yeah...

Just enjoying an afternoon on the farm.

I do love a good Civil War style fence....& yes, I'm sure that isn't what they're really called. 

Red currants everywhere....

I told my Dad that he & my Mom could also buy this house & fix it up....

Thrift store fine - 100% free!

I'm trying to teach him to bow his head when we pray...usually I take his paw & he bows his head. This time I took his paw & he rolled onto his back. Not quite buddy...

This precious little redhead is growing up way too fast!

So, as you can see...I basically have pictures from Wednesday and then some random few from the rest of the week. I guess I just didn't see tons of things I thought were worth taking pictures of? I don't know...

Friday night dinner at the Blackthorne Inn with Mom - so pretty!

A (huge) storm rolling in on the way to work on Saturday night.

So for now - that's all there is. I'll try to do better next week, I promise!