Last Pre-Covid Adventures

One of my last pre-Covid adventures last year was to the Ohio History Center in Columbus.

The purpose of my visit was to tour and learn about the Lustron Home which was manufactured in Columbus in the mid century. However, there were a number of other unexpectedly interesting things to see here including an exhibit on Civil War Battle flags.

This one represents the 121st Ohio Infantry Volunteers which was organized out of Delaware, Ohio. They mustered in for three years service starting in 1862

It’s ragged from use and age but it’s still beautiful.

That was a good day.

Honestly, I don’t recall what all I did that day. It was a cold February Saturday and I had gotten up early to be there when the doors opened. I’m pretty sure there was a Half Price Books stop involved on the way out of town. If I had know that it would be one of my last adventures for a while, I might have dawdled longer and appreciated the freedom better.

But that’s the curse of the human condition, I suppose. We always think we have more time time, more opportunities then we really have.

What was your last adventure before the shutdown? Spare no details. Some of us are starved for the excitement of fun outside home and neighborhood.

Last November

Last November took me to Pittsburgh where a good friend gave me the holiday tour of her city.

Pittsburgh is an amazing place to celebrate the Christmas season thanks to free and inexpensive events, a beautifully decorated downtown, and tons of shopping opportunities at every turn.

Things are so different this year that I keep thinking back to that weekend – leisurely tours of museums, a crowded train car, fireworks amidst strangers, and a cramped Prantl’s Bakery where people pack in for the finest treats around. We ate in diners with people seated a foot or two away and never gave a second thought to touching doors and keypads or to how many people we would encounter while walking down the street.

My memories are a stark contrast to how we are (or how we should be) living as we try to slow the growth of this pandemic.

I hope to go back someday and experience it all again. For now, I am staying close to home and seeking ways to still enjoy life without too much interaction or risk. I hope you are doing the same and that you might enjoy the armchair travels you’ll find in these pictures.

I delighted in a display of life sized depictions of Father Christmas from around the world. Isn’t he stunning?

Notice the tree reflected in the walls of this mirrored building? There was ice skating in this plaza as well.

It seems like this man had a German accent. He was delightful to listen to as he demonstrated his wares for a seemingly endless crowd.

This tree is composed of lights on the corner of the building. A real show stopper and we were there to see the first lighting!

The Phipps does amazing things with flowers, plants, lights and good old fashioned dirt. Do yourself a favor and read this post about the Phipps at Christmas. There are more pictures.

Here’s hoping that we all can return to normal next Christmas.

For now, I think the meaning of Christmas 2020 is to do everything we can to keep each other safe and well so that we all can be here to celebrate the brighter days ahead.

Be safe, my friends.

The Open Road

The open road is calling my name. There’s a little road trip on the agenda this fall and I seriously cannot wait. It has been a long, hard year close to home and it is time to see some new things.

I’m hopeful that the social distancing and other Covid safety tactics I already employ will help me stay safe while out traveling.

This picture gives me hope. Blue skies, a fabulous barn and open road- what more could a gal want?

Road Trip: National Air Force Museum

Our governor has been encouraging Ohioans to live well and safely in the age of Covid. We cannot all stay home forever but, with no vaccine in sight and cases spiking in some communities, it is difficult to know how to do this

My July travel plans were scrapped (I promise to stop whining about this) but I did take off a couple days to do some socially distanced wandering. One day, I drove some backroads a couple of hours from here. Another day I spent with my dad visiting the National Air Force Museum in Dayton.

Like everything else, it had been closed since March and just recently reopened with a lot of changes including a new traffic flow, cleaning procedures, sanitizing stations and a mask requirement. It wasn’t at all crowded and the place is cavernous so it is very easy to walk around without coming close to anyone else. I felt safer here than I do at the grocery.

This museum is spectacular. It is several buildings packed full of aircraft as well as some photos and artifacts to help tell their stories. We had visited together a couple of years ago when they dedicated the Memphis Belle and had a such a good time we wanted to return on a less populated day.

There are some specific stories I’ll want to focus on but, for today, here are a handful pictures.

Remember, this museum is free. Water fountains are turned off so be sure to take your own sealed clear plastic water bottle. They also have a cafe where you can grab lunch or snacks.

You can make a day of it or even a couple of days, depending on how much you wish to dwell over the exhibits. We arrived just after opening at 9 a.m. and it was close to 2 when we left.

A lot of the interactive stuff is closed right now but it’s still a great place to take kids who love aviation.

Want to visit? Here’s a link to their website. They also have a really fun presence on Facebook and Instagram.