My Trip to New Hampshire and the Sad Fish Tale
We decided to go to New Hampshire for the weekend since we couldn't make the Discworld Convention. My husband and I and 3 friends all packed ourselves into one car like sardines and wandered through Ohio and New York and Vermont and a few other states I probably slept through. We got there about 14-15 hours later and after some confusion with the Google maps found our way to my friend's place.
After a nice stretch we went to town and I got to introduce everyone Ye Goodie Shoppe which really does have chocolates that are better than Godiva's! I left a gift for another friend via one of the mom's and got a picture of the local cop actually at the donut shop!
They have cool looking cars though!
We ate at one of the delicious restaurants that had pocket sandwiches and soup. And while my husband could not deny the New England Clam Chowder was above par, he wasn't as impressed by the sandwiches. But then again, they got rid of their seafood pocket which was really good. They had a lobster one though and that was nice. Then half the gang went to the Art Festival going on downtown while I and a couple of the friends rounded up our hostess' birthday cake. Then we all crashed for awhile.
I think we chatted after that, and then we decided to swim in a mountain stream nearby. It was getting pretty late when we got there and it was a little tricky to get to. We swam in the clear rushing waters for awhile but it was getting VERY dark VERY quick! So we dried off and managed to find our stuff, but by then the sky was violet to black and it was extremely dark under the canopy! One of the guys had exceptional night vision so he led the way and we all linked hands and warned each other of rocks, roots, and branches.
Well, needless to say, our trip back was a lot longer than our trip out! But on the positive side, no one so much as stubbed a toe! It was a good team building exercise in the end, lol. I found it especially nice because I had been feeling like I had done most everything I could do taht was new or interesting (and in my budget). I had never considered swimming in a mountain stream at night. It was reinvigorating mentally as well as a neat experience physically since the stream was near its source and wonderfully pure. When we got back the guys who were too tired from the drive to stir for the swim had Taco Bell and pizza ready for us. That was tasty. We talked and the gang started in on Rock Band when I went off to bed.
My husband and I got to sleep off-site and that was nice. We didn't have to spend the weekend stacked like cord wood in a small apartment! The people we stayed with were so gracious, it was sweet and bemusing since we were in and out so randomly.
The next day we were somehow up early and ready before our wake-up call. The plan was to go to the beach but we had to get sodas and then there was a trip to the nifty local bookstore for a surprise (although I snuck off to the antiques shop next door as well for a bit). I think everyone found something for the ride.
Three hours and as many cars later we arrived at the Atlantic Ocean. We bobbed around in the waves for a few hours and I got to witness what pagan baptisms were like in the ocean. Then we had some drinks, as well as picking up some salt-water taffy from the ocean boardwalk. Then it was back into the cars for the ride back to the apartment. We had a little birthday party with our hosts, along with a decent chocolate cake. Then I and my husband went back to the off-site location for sleep. I guess the others weren't as sensible and stayed up to watch Dune! Well, we told them when we wanted to leave by, they were warned! :)
Then the next morning came and my husband decided to wake me up EARLY! This was NOT a good plan. I had promised my body a full 8-9 hours, he gave me 6-7. It rebelled and I got to be miserable in the intervening time. I think he learned his mistake. Hopefully he will remember it the next time he wants to rise with the sun while I'm catching Z's.
We got everyone packed and then ourselves. We stopped by the candy store one last time but skipped breakfast or had leftovers. Then it was another small eternity in the car and a quick divvying up of stuff once we got back.
But when I got in I found out that something had caused all my fish to die. This was horrible! I've had some of them for nearly 5 years now. I had koi since they could handle the power outages in the cold weather better than tropical fish and were hardy. Turns out 2 of my friends tried to feed them, possibly on the same day. I don't think they realized how concentrated the food was. And it is possible that something else happened to one of them and it perished and poisoned the water for the rest.
I just know my room was filled with the sickly sweet smell of death and that if we had been only a couple of hours earlier I might have saved one or two of their lives for their eyes had not completely glazed over when I found them. The other animals were okay, although I was glad I had someone checking as one of the cats got shut in the bathroom after some other friends stopped in and left. The trip was good but my return home was not a happy ending. It was a rather Murphy's Law one in fact. So I'm sad tonight. I loved seeing my butterfly koi greet me in the morning and gracefully glide as I went to bed. Farewell sweet fish, I really did enjoy your company. I've prayed as best as I can for you, I hope you are given a wonderful life there for you were quiet, pleasant company here. I don't want to go to bed now. I don't want to see the empty tank. :(
After a nice stretch we went to town and I got to introduce everyone Ye Goodie Shoppe which really does have chocolates that are better than Godiva's! I left a gift for another friend via one of the mom's and got a picture of the local cop actually at the donut shop!
They have cool looking cars though!
We ate at one of the delicious restaurants that had pocket sandwiches and soup. And while my husband could not deny the New England Clam Chowder was above par, he wasn't as impressed by the sandwiches. But then again, they got rid of their seafood pocket which was really good. They had a lobster one though and that was nice. Then half the gang went to the Art Festival going on downtown while I and a couple of the friends rounded up our hostess' birthday cake. Then we all crashed for awhile.
I think we chatted after that, and then we decided to swim in a mountain stream nearby. It was getting pretty late when we got there and it was a little tricky to get to. We swam in the clear rushing waters for awhile but it was getting VERY dark VERY quick! So we dried off and managed to find our stuff, but by then the sky was violet to black and it was extremely dark under the canopy! One of the guys had exceptional night vision so he led the way and we all linked hands and warned each other of rocks, roots, and branches.
Well, needless to say, our trip back was a lot longer than our trip out! But on the positive side, no one so much as stubbed a toe! It was a good team building exercise in the end, lol. I found it especially nice because I had been feeling like I had done most everything I could do taht was new or interesting (and in my budget). I had never considered swimming in a mountain stream at night. It was reinvigorating mentally as well as a neat experience physically since the stream was near its source and wonderfully pure. When we got back the guys who were too tired from the drive to stir for the swim had Taco Bell and pizza ready for us. That was tasty. We talked and the gang started in on Rock Band when I went off to bed.
My husband and I got to sleep off-site and that was nice. We didn't have to spend the weekend stacked like cord wood in a small apartment! The people we stayed with were so gracious, it was sweet and bemusing since we were in and out so randomly.
The next day we were somehow up early and ready before our wake-up call. The plan was to go to the beach but we had to get sodas and then there was a trip to the nifty local bookstore for a surprise (although I snuck off to the antiques shop next door as well for a bit). I think everyone found something for the ride.
Three hours and as many cars later we arrived at the Atlantic Ocean. We bobbed around in the waves for a few hours and I got to witness what pagan baptisms were like in the ocean. Then we had some drinks, as well as picking up some salt-water taffy from the ocean boardwalk. Then it was back into the cars for the ride back to the apartment. We had a little birthday party with our hosts, along with a decent chocolate cake. Then I and my husband went back to the off-site location for sleep. I guess the others weren't as sensible and stayed up to watch Dune! Well, we told them when we wanted to leave by, they were warned! :)
Then the next morning came and my husband decided to wake me up EARLY! This was NOT a good plan. I had promised my body a full 8-9 hours, he gave me 6-7. It rebelled and I got to be miserable in the intervening time. I think he learned his mistake. Hopefully he will remember it the next time he wants to rise with the sun while I'm catching Z's.
We got everyone packed and then ourselves. We stopped by the candy store one last time but skipped breakfast or had leftovers. Then it was another small eternity in the car and a quick divvying up of stuff once we got back.
But when I got in I found out that something had caused all my fish to die. This was horrible! I've had some of them for nearly 5 years now. I had koi since they could handle the power outages in the cold weather better than tropical fish and were hardy. Turns out 2 of my friends tried to feed them, possibly on the same day. I don't think they realized how concentrated the food was. And it is possible that something else happened to one of them and it perished and poisoned the water for the rest.
I just know my room was filled with the sickly sweet smell of death and that if we had been only a couple of hours earlier I might have saved one or two of their lives for their eyes had not completely glazed over when I found them. The other animals were okay, although I was glad I had someone checking as one of the cats got shut in the bathroom after some other friends stopped in and left. The trip was good but my return home was not a happy ending. It was a rather Murphy's Law one in fact. So I'm sad tonight. I loved seeing my butterfly koi greet me in the morning and gracefully glide as I went to bed. Farewell sweet fish, I really did enjoy your company. I've prayed as best as I can for you, I hope you are given a wonderful life there for you were quiet, pleasant company here. I don't want to go to bed now. I don't want to see the empty tank. :(