Maryland for the Birthday...Summer 2019 Road Trips

"All my memories, gather round her."...okay so this is a West Virginia song and it is a Camp Allehgany song and I love going to camp...but often camp trips also involve trips to Maryland and Maryland is home.  I loved our time in Altoona, PA, the friends I made there and my high school, college breaks, summer working time- but when my parents moved back to Hagerstown I slipped that back to "I'm from Hagerstown" like you put on the comfy PJs.  This road trip wasn't to WVA (that was last week and is next week) it is to MD!

First up- meeting Lady Bird- Birdie Stoner- my parents new, sweet, English Spaniel pup- 4 months old. She is a love!  Cocktails on the porch and my Mom's summer dinner with grilled chicken, corn on the cob, sweet tea was a fabulous welcome!

If you are following along on the blog- 2019 is the summer of road trips and yesterday I posted about "the beach" a side trip from this trip!  Mom and I returned home from the Del-Mar-VA peninsula and memory lane on July 4th- America's Independence Day.  We kept it low key enjoying a home cooked meal of burgers, beans and ice cream!  Joe and I caught up and prepared for my big FHCC golf day by walking the course at night.  My parents home allows me to relax and be in vacation mode.

As soon as the plan was mapped out and included being in Maryland for my birthday I knew what I wanted to do- play the FHCC golf course with Joe and Peter!  FHCC's course is gorgeous, growing up I knew it was.  Now that I play and have a Donald Ross designed course down the street in my life on Newark-Granville Road it is a real treat to play. And the best news- I played well! It is all starting to come together. I still need lots of work- I want to be back at the driving range pdq- my 3 wood not tee-ed needs work!  I ended up in the sand too many times, I have to figure out placement. BUT I get myself out of the sand...my score would have been far better without the 3 tries it took to get out on number 16!  Those greens are mean by the way- the slope and pace caused way too many 3 puts or better said- chips that rolled too far. Oh but it was fun, so much fun.  Bonus- Mom met us at the turn for a quick lunch and then I had pool time to float, cool down and toast the day- my birthday! Key part of Hagerstown fun is Hard Shell Crabs at the Stadium.  Eating outside, pitchers or Yuengling and my favorite food- hard shells, extra old-bay please with pickles to cool the lips. The night didn't disappoint. Joe and I allowed uber Peter to let us share another Htown favorite- The Colonial.

Our last day in the Cumberland Valley was prepping, resting, staying cool for the Maryland Sympony Orchestra's concert at the Antietam Battlefield. http://www.msosalute.org/concert-program.html  My parents embraced this as soon as they moved back and we went for years- I should really find the pictures.  I was so looking forward to this great night.  Unfortunately Mother Nature cut short the fun. We had a great picnic enjoying brie and the "recipe" a tradition my father provides but the downpour of rain sent us home with no music, no fireworks and sniff, sniff no 1812 Overture with the canons of the battlefield.  Lucky for me I have fond memories of this and will hope for another day- maybe friends will come with us- Road Trip 2020?


Road Trips take you home, take you away from home, take you to time with those you love and just need time together.  It was really good to spend my birthday with my parents (and Birdie), time with Joe and Peter in my now home away from home and see Sarah and her dear family.  I'm write this from my life on Newark-Granville Road perch- happily at home.  I'm anxious to pick up our sweet Lucy, grateful for awesome mail that was here to greet me and reconnect with friends and work.  Happy Summer Sunday.