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Mom’s day away
Well…..no pictures because I was having too much fun window shopping! Yes, I realized that my Mom’s Escape Day last Thursday—let’s memorialize it, October 27th, 2005–was the first time since 1997 (when we left Washington, DC, and moved to San Juan Island, Wash. state) that I have been able to just wander and browse and window shop in a city! Here’s what I got to do…
Drove to Freeport (80 minutes south), home of LL Bean, and picked up a shirt for Joshua to wear as a mime for Halloween. It was my first visit there without hubby and kids, so guess what…I BROWSED! And bought TWO shirts for myself! What a treat! They have this new “ultrasoft” cotton-lycra blend that is unbelievably soft. I want more for Christmas! Then drove south to Biddeford, another hour plus or so on the interstate, to test drive two new Janome sewing machines. Unbelievably, I sold 14 patterns at wholesale to the owner of the shop! So on Friday I spent it all on thread by mail order LOL…my package should be here in a week, so I’ll take pics then.
Finally, I drove north to Portland and just tootled around the Old Port area. Portland, Maine, is an old city, full of old brick buildings, still some cobblestone streets…it is being rehab’d and renovated, and is wonderful. I SO missed being on the East Coast when we lived in Friday Harbor, Wash. Friday Harbor was beautiful, clean and safe, and we’ll never have a view like that again (out the front windows to 180 degree view across the straits of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains), but the only way to the mainland was by ferry, which was expensive (and is worse now). And there were no reservations, so you always had to race to get to the ferry to get home, so tootling about and browsing, then heading home when you were ready just didn’t happen.
In Portland, I had lunch at Fuji restaurant and—joy of joys!—they have Chicken Katsu! This is a chicken breast cutlet breaded with panko (Japanese variation on the theme of breadcrumbs) and fried, served with rice and “bulldog” (after the brand name / logo) sauce. When I worked at the US Consulate in Toronto, I had chicken katsu every Thursday night (the daily special at the stand near my apartment). The ladies would see me coming and toss a piece of chicken in the fryer before I even reached them to order, and always gave me extra rice. I’ve only found it twice since….pork katsu (don katsu) is much more common. So not only do I get to be home on the East Coast, but I get chicken katsu only 2 hours away from home!
I finally drove the 2-hour trip home, tired, but very happy, with my two new shirts, some extra income (soon to be spent!), and glad I’m back where I belong. This may sound awfully boring and pedestrian and common to many of you, but it’s the first time in a long, long time for me, and it was nice. I think I’ll make it a back-to-school tradition…when they boys are in school, away I’ll go! Heck, maybe even TWICE a year…the other one in late spring, after the last threat of snow is gone but before the boys are underfoot for summer!
I’ve been busy, so hope to have something to post before too long. And thanks to the two ladies from the quiltart list to tell me they purchased two of my cards donated to Virginia Spiegel’s cancer fundraiser at Festival…one sold on preview night (!!!!) and the other to someone well connected with a big quilt magazine, so I’m really flattered and happy all over again! Life is good.