July 29 New Paltz, NY

Cynthia made a friend...no I mean she really made her friend.
getting gas!
Have you ever noticed that Fed Ex Freignt has red EX and Fed Ex Ground has Green EX.

(Also notice inside the Ex...There is an arrow. JC taught me that!)

We lost an hour while crossing Indiana as we entered the Eastern Time Zone. So when we woke up this morning at 8 it felt like 7....on top of it none of us slept that well last night....with the exception of Olivia who had a remarkably good spirited day.

Gotta tell you, travel days are pretty boring to talk about. There were beautiful hills, and mountains covered with lush green trees and shrubs. They keep the sides of the roads and islands between the lanes mowed and clean. Pennsylvania's villages are beautiful from a distance from the hwy. As we crossed into New York on Hwy64 there is a spectacular view of the valley below...I called attention to it so everyone could enjoy it. Olivia exclaimed very loudly, " It's really, really Awesome!" (She's 2.)

The kids were really Happy to get "Bug Juice" ( a fruit drink) on the latter half of our trip today. (By the way the trip was only 9 hours today.)

Oh, saw gas as low as $3.35 (It was 85% ethanol). I bought the $3.95 regular gas...ethanol gives you lower MPG! I tested it and I proved it. Almost 2 mpg less....so there is no real savings...I'm not sure if it is good for the engine either.

I just remembered something that happened at the Isanti Fair. During one of our last shows I had just finished the fire-eating-fire-blowing routine when a robust woman from the audience exclaimed, "what are you teaching your children?" (I think she meant it in jest...there wasn't any malice in her tone but it was said loud enough for everyone to hear; said during that gasp moment after the fire-ball blow.) ( I suppose I have became ready for any kind of heckling due to years of performing and experiencing everything....even though this wasn't a real heckle.) I responded on the beat, "A skill." A fast pause. "So they will never have to go on welfare." The audience responded immediately with a fabulous applaud. Then I said, "Grant it, it's a weird skill."

We decided not to drive in on the interstate (it's a toll road) on the final leg (18 miles) so we drove in on the local hwy. Glad we did. It weaved and meanered through little villages, and hamlets (Realy, they call them Hamlets) ....old homes with wrap-around porches, manicured lawns, beautful brooks, etc etc.

New Paltz downtown is a ritzy town. Take Santa Cruz, Ca, Davis, CA, Berkley, etc with street lined cafes and bars, sushi, health food, (get where I am going). It's beautiful, no doubt.