Just Do It

I like luxury and I have just been treated to the most luxurious foot massage by Nick.  Man this kid is a keeper! 

A couple of months ago Nick and Tommy decided they could earn quarters (25cents) for the game machines at all the campgrounds, by massaging Andy and I.  They made up a price list which is pretty damn reasonable $1 equals neck shoulder and back!  We sure aren't complaining at being guineapigs here.

Foot massage has become the specialty and the most easily given when we are sitting down at computers and don't really feel like lying down.  Nick has just spent 30mins on my legs and feet while I sit here typing - only trouble is now I can't get up for fear of slipping over!

Stop at Salem on the way through.  We a tour of one of the many witch museums, which turns to have been a horrible tragedy way back in 1792 when some very bored and silly young girls went crazy and then blamed others for their behaviour.  We had lunch down at the local wharf, where Andy had oysters for lunch and is still raving about them – raw in the shell with a dash of vodka and caviare.

We start heading south amidst huge cheers from the boys – we are on the way towards home.  Try to find a coastal road, but give up and go on the interstate.  There are so many trees here and they all grow right down to the ocean, I would imagine that in the winter when there are no leaves you get a better view of the shoreline.  Driving on the freeways and interstates just gets so boring where all you see is concrete and trees and dozens of trucks.

Our first view of the Atlantic Ocean, but can’t get down to touch it.  Very pretty rocky seashore with hundreds of lobster pots out and about.  Head down to Camden township for dinner and eat some lobster at Cappy’s Chowder House – delightful!  Another very cute little seaside fishing village.

Catch vehicular ferry across Lake Champlain home of the American version of the Loch Ness Monster.  Kept our eyes peeled but didn’t see anything.

Stopped at Waterbury, Vermont at Ben and Jerry’s ice cream factory where we went on the factory tour and tried the free samples – yummy we are now converted and stocking up on Ben & Jerry’s is a regular occurrence at supermarket stops.

Decided to spend another night here and spent the day looking around the shops, then up to the ski jump site in the afternoon.  Went to the top of the 120foot jump ramp which was way too high for me.  We were lucky enough that a training squad were practicing on the 90foot jump ramp.  Wow, after being used to watching waterski jumping this was something else!  The boys, Nick in particular, are really keen to have a go at this now. A really magical spot that we were taken with.  Would love to get back in the winter and see it with snow everywhere.  Some of the trees were starting to change colours – can only imagine how beautiful it would be in another few weeks.  Italian for dinner tonight.

We were going to stay for 2 nights but no showers (man, I can’t survive without my morning shower!) and very overcast weather so we break camp and head through the Adirondack Region.  We hadn’t gone very far before the rain started which started to make campgrounds look rather unappealing. 

We arrived at Lake Placid and fell in love.  This little town is built around the edges of a smaller lake.  The trees grow right down to the waters edge and several of them were starting to change to their autumn colours.  We couldn’t resist – especially when drove past a hotel and saw they had an outside carpark where we could leave the camper.  They had a great indoor pool where we soaked away a few worries and relaxed.

This is the finger lakes region – a whole pile of lakes that are very long and skinny, and very pretty.  We muck around for a while on the lake shores and the boys hoon around with some other kids.  We then carried on to Lake Ontario and the campsite that I had picked out for the previous night.   We are lucky enough to get a lakeside site, and a very still warm night, too good to resist taking our drinks down to the beach and watching the sunset.

And it is Alistair I am talking about.  For months now I have been calling him "Shorty" and giving him heaps, I looked at him today and we did a back to back - ouch he is about a couple of inches only shorter than me.  I reckon I need to make hay while the sun shines!

Yesterday we went shopping at an outlet mall because his shoes were too tight - we outfitted him in brand new size 9.5!  Andy is starting to freak now because he wears a size 10!

Tonight we are sitting here trying really to update the blog sites and Ali is cooking dinner - he has been our chef now for the last 10days - every night!  Last night he cooked prawns, or shrimps as they are known here.  We are making the most of cheap local foods!  Tonight we are having Italian - spaghetti bolognese!

Way to go Ali, I love watching you grow up!