Road Trip - "It Was Just Time!"* to get away

After a stressful trip to Texas (see first post in August 2015), hubby and I needed some couple time and we wanted to visit with a dear friend we hadn't seen in awhile.

Time to bring out Baby and hit the road.

As always, 1s stop for fuel we got an offer from a stranger to buy her.  She's 16 years old (we're the 3rd owners) and only has 68,000 miles on her.  So sweet.  Not for sale!

Our first stop, thanks to Groupon, was the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Pennsylvania.  Without the half price coupons, I would never have considered staying at such a ridiculously priced hotel out in the middle of nowhere.  At least southwest PA is lovely.

Dinner our first night was in the pub.  One of the best Rubens I have ever had.

 After dinner we took a stroll and enjoyed a cool evening at the fire pits.

Not sure what this young man was reading but he was engrossed and stayed in the hammock the entire time we were outside.  So cute.

Next we headed to the library where I found the most complicated jigsaw puzzle I have ever seen.  Having a base that is not a straight line is a really tough challenge!  A glance was all it took to  keep me walking.

The next morning we headed for the hiking trails.

 We followed the green marker.

 We hit the trail in full hiking gear - boots, Tilly hats, walking sticks, water, camera gear, etc.  On a rather steep incline we were passed by a sweet young thing in flip-flops.  Was she nuts or are we too susceptible to the sales staff at REI?  Gotta admit they are cute and so darn healthy looking.

Hubby spent the afternoon reading while I indulged in the most luxurious spa I have ever seen.  There are fifteen massage therapists on staff and mine was terrific.  Of course, they have many other services offered, but I wasn't interested - let's be honest - I couldn't afford anything else.

I didn't understand why they instructed me to arrive 1 hour before my scheduled appointment and to bring my bathing suit.  I didn't know about the defoliate/shower/steam room/hot tub/cold plunge/hot tub/shower gauntlet they put you through before you ever got to see a robe and a steaming cup of tea and fresh strawberries.  Did I mention the entire place looked like a Roman bath?  Gorgeous.  By the time I got to my massage I was already feeling like a limp noodle.  The massage almost left me comatose. 

We enjoyed a gourmet dinner in the Chrystal Dinning room.  Amazing staff - great food.

Good grief.  Someone must have stayed up all night and finished this puzzle.  Well done!

It was time to give up living like the idle rich and head to the hills of West Virginia.

My college roommate, Dr. Linda Gantt, lives on a small lake in WV right on the Pennsylvania border.    She and her husband, Dr. Lou Tinnin, moved there over 30 years ago to continue their work with patients suffering from PTS.  He taught in medical school at UWV and they opened their own clinic.  Lou had started his research into PTS during the Viet Nam War while director of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in DC, where they met.

We have been visiting them at the lake during all this time but this was the 1st visit after Lou's death last year.  Recently Linda was diagnosed with bladder cancer and has just begun the post-surgery therapy.  So far so good - we were delighted to see her going great guns.  We took the 3 mile + hike around the lake 2 of the 3 mornings we were there.

The view of the house from across the lake.

I worry about Linda living alone at the lake.  There are only 40 lots around the lake and only 5 are occupied year round.  The road to the lake is AWFUL.  Costa Rica can point to this road and say "See, it's not so bad here."  

There's a story about this road.  When they moved to the lake, it was just a dirt road.  Now it is sort of paved but currently the pot holes have pot holes, but I digress.  Lou and Linda had a secretary that came to the house 3 days a week.  On a lovely Monday morning in June she called and said she couldn't come to work because the sheriff had closed the road.  This happened all the time in the winter when the snow is too high, but never in June.  Well, there was a stretch of road between the lake and Bruceton Mills where all of the mail boxes on both sides of the road had the same last name.  Lots of boxes for over a mile.  Seems there had been a family gathering on Saturday night and it sort'a got out of hand.  The family was still shooting at each other across the road and the sheriff thought the best thing to do was wait until they gave up and went to bed.  At least it wasn't the Hatfields and McCoys, but pert near.

Linda's cat, T. S. Elliott, had died shortly after Lou's death, but we were happy to meet her new companion - Miss Molly Ivins.  If you don't know who Molly Ivins was, shame on you.

The nights were cold up the mountains, so hubby and I were happy to have her for a foot warmer.

 The following shots were taken from Linda's place and during our hikes around the lake.

 Last year everyone's favorite huge chestnut tree died but the owner didn't let the loss go without finding a way to make it a positive event.  What you see is his new addition to a much older home.

The wind farm is over in Pennsylvania.  In West Virginia just down the road from the lake they are still doing mountain top removal.  To find out why this is really a stupid thing to be doing, read John Grishman's "Gray Mountain".

Whenever I contemplate what would be involved if Linda decided to move, I'm struck with what a challenge it would be to give up her wonderful art collection - most of which is scattered all over the property.  Here are a few pieces, both inside and out.

This is Fred.  He originally resided in their 1st clinic.  Any special event he mysteriously disappeared only to return in an unexpected spot wearing a costume related to the holiday/event.  Neither Lou or Linda were ever able to catch the staff in the act of making this happen.  I'm not so sure they looked very hard.  Wish I had some photos of Fred in costume but I understand some were rather risqué.

 I'm especially fond of the collage above because it was done by my 1st hubby.  Lou and Linda were terrific friends to him.  He even lived with them for a time.

 This photo is mine.  It's Lou sailing across the lake, smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of wine.  It was taken in the '80's when I was still shooting with slide film.  He wanted this to give to his grandkids to prove they had a cool granddad.  There was never any doubt.

On Saturday afternoon, when the clinic was closed, Linda gave us the grand tour.  I have never been so proud of her (that's say a lot - she has always amazed me).  Here's the link to the clinic:

https://traumatherapy.us

This wonderful wall hanging was done by the staff at the clinic in loving memory of Lou.  He was an avid fly fisherman, so each fish represents one aspect of Lou, from always wearing bow ties (see bottom  row) to his love for Linda (see kissing fish in the middle).

From the "dream wall" in the staff workroom.

This is one staff break room they can't complain about - they designed it and made the wall hangings. 

This hangs in one of the treatment rooms but Linda explained it was the visual image Lou would describe as he was using hypnosis with a patient.  I could see myself walking in this scene.

 Another example of  the creative talent of the staff.  This is the children's play room and I love the crochet   hanging basket to keep the toys off the floor.  

A photographer knows that the sweet light requires getting up early.  One morning I was the 1st up and here is my reward:

While having dinner under the cupola, some of the neighbors came by.

That's an example of the only type of motor allowed on the lake.  The rule keeps the entire area so quiet.  I love it.

Here's how most get around.  There is also a lot of ice skating in the winter.

Linda always has a project in the works, so hubby and I spent our last morning on the lake giving her a hand.  It was actually fun.  Who knows I may try to do something about my ratty kitchen stools.

Old look.

New look.

Four hands are better than two!

*Time to explain the "it was just time" in the title.  All couples over time develop catch phrases that mean something to them and no matter when or where the phrase is used, it brings a smile in recognition of the private joke.  Well, back in the '70's a friend of a friend was give a DWI.  Believing in his innocence,  he insisted on a jury trial.  During the trial it was revealed that he and his girl friend were found having sex in his car on the off ramp of IH35 near downtown Austin.  When the judge heard that this occurred just 2 blocks from his home, the judge leaned over, looked down at him and asked why he didn't go home to have sex.  You can guess his reply.  Everyone laughed and he was acquitted by the jury because he was obviously NOT driving his vehicle while intoxicated.  Only in Austin.