My Adventures: 48 hours with Christa ADVENTURE

Christa was supposed to arrive at the Buffalo airport at ten thirty p.m. Monday night BUT there were delays and she ended up arriving Tuesday around 12:30. Projected arrival time for that particular flight was one p.m., so she had picked up her baggage and was ready to leave while I was still driving towards the airport. I didn't have to park or even get out of my car, she was ready and waiting and threw her luggage into the back seat and we headed towards Lockport (a 35-40 minute drive, mostly on "the transit"). She told me the story of her AIRPORT ADVENTURE, which was very interesting....she met a lot of people and had some unique experiences along the way.

She was dying for coffee from DUNKIN DONUTS, so that was our first stop, right on the Transit in Lockport, a few minutes from home. I think Christa immediately crashed on the couch in my family room and took a nap as soon as we got there.

That night Peggy and Dave came over for a mini-Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, winter squash, corn and mac and cheese, with cherry pie for desert. It was a great meal. This was Christa's first opportunity to meet Peg's new husband, David and the two of them got along very well.

Tuesday was our first and only full day Christa and I had together. She wanted to see where Peggy and Dave live, so we drove out to Middleport and I showed her. David was not home, so we continued on our way. I showed her the old stone schoolhouse down the road from David and then we went up to 104 and headed east for a bit. We finally turned around and stopped at a very nice farmstand and winery.

We looked around but did not make any purchases.

It was getting to be time for lunch, and we tried to come up with some good ideas. We decided to check out GORDY HARPERS BAZAAR.

We went through all or most of the shops and made several small purchases, but nothing on the restaurant menu appealed to Christa, so we decided to not eat there. Before we left, Christa wanted to take a picture of her GUMBY so I suggested she put him on this old piece of farm equipment. GUMBY is kind of her "Flat Stanley"......the reactions the security people at one of the airport to this Gumby is a story in itself, part of Christa's airport story.

That night we watched the final episode of Downton Abbey on my laptop and an episode of two of Season Two THE WALKING DEAD (my new favorite tv series). Christa hooked me up to her NETFLIX and taught me how to use it.

We ended up having lunch at PLEASANT VALLEY TAVERN in Lowertown, Lockport. I had an italian sausage sandwich with a cup of onion soup.

Christa had pizza logs and a cup of soup. We decided to pick up Chiavetta's chicken for supper and then we headed back to my house. Christa took another nap. I think the three hour jet lag and the long hours of waiting in the airports took a lot out of her.

We had Chiavetta's chicken (just like Brooks chicken) and mac and cheese for supper and then watched more of THE WALKING DEAD.

Thursday morning, I did some laundry and she started putting her stuff back together for the next leg of this trip. I asked her if there was anything else she wanted to do or anyone she wanted to see before leaving Lockport and she asked how far we were from the police station (my brother Mike is captain). I called Mike and he said come on down, so we did and then meet up with his wife, Janie, and we all went to TOM'S DINER for a bit. Mike and Janie ordered lunch and Christa and I each had a drink. It was a very short visit, but it was so nice to touch bases with them and hear about some of their recent hiking adventures and Mike's time at FBI school in Quantico.

We met up with her friend Seth and my sister, Peggy, at THE FIELDSTONE for lunch. I had never met Seth before.

He is a great guy and I feel confident that the two of them will have a wonderful time in the next 13 days, travelling across the country, Their first stop will be New Orleans, then on to Austin, Texas and then continuing on to Portland, Oregon to drop her off and then onto Seattle where Seth lives.