This is an incredibly overdue post.  BUT I think I have finally figured out this whole Mac thing and how to use my photo program effectively enough to post again.

A few weekends ago I took the train up to Boston to stay with my dear friend Jenny and her lovely husband Ken. (Note: 12 hours on the train equals mad knitting time.  Knit a complete pair of baby socks on the way up).  She’s been to Virginia numerous times but I had never been to stay with her.  I was very excited, and the trip did not disappoint.

For the first time ever, I finally made it to Salem, Mass.  I studied quite a bit about it in college and in my spare time since, but I was beyond happy to finally get there in person.

Unfortunately, we lamed out on the whole museum experience.  When you get old friends together (our friend Amanda met us there) who haven’t seen each other in awhile, time seems to get away from you.  Even still, I wouldn’t trade the time we had there for anything.  It was just wonderful.

I spent a lot of time looking at all the old houses.  Salem, like the rest of New England, is full of great architecture.

We did take in the tour at the Salem Witch Museum, which though it ended up being not the one we had intended to do, was still fun.

We had lunch at a pub called “The Old Spot”, full of photographs of Old Spotted Pigs, the breed for whom the pub was named.  Our bellies full of Cheese Fries with Gravy (drool) we headed back out to take in the town and get some gelato.

See?  Great architecture!

Did you know that Salem is also on the water?  Gorgeous!

Salem was perfect and next time we know just where to go.  We’ll also make a beeline for the ancient cemeteries for some photos of the elaborate gravestones.

After our day at Salem Jenny took me to one of her favorite places, Portsmouth, NH.  If you’re ever there, please be sure to stop by The Friendly Toast restaurant ( Guinness – battered onion rings anyone? ).

Noticing a trend?  Yeah.  Jenny and I know how to do food.

Another sure – fire sign you’re in New England?  Lobster rolls being advertised everywhere.  If you’ve never had one, you need to make it a goal.

More excellent New England architecture.  Clearly you can see where my heart lives.

There’s a great little park full of flowers in Portsmouth where Jenny and I stopped to rest.

It’s right on the water.  And do you know what’s on the opposite side of that water?  (This blew my un-geographically smart brain) MAINE.  I immediately made Jenny get back in the car and drive across the bridge so I could say I went to Maine.

I am a nerd.

I very much did not want to leave and return to the south.  Although I have come to love my home in Virginia, there’s nothing like the restorative power of your homeland.  The upside is that the 12 hour train ride back got me pretty far along on a shawl I started while at Jenny’s house (and I brought Polar Birch Beer & Drake’s Cakes home with me – we can’t get those down here).

The train may have been an all – day affair but now that I know how easy it is to hop on and go I am certain I will be making more trips north to see my friends.

And the architecture.  You can’t forget that.