Friday
All aboard the Amtrak at 6:30 am. Checked out the roomette (small but comfy), headed to the dining car for breakfast. This trip could have also been called "Eating Tour 2008". Chicken/apple sausage, omelets, croissants, hash browns. The sausage was exquisite. Friday was just a day filled with farkel, dominoes, food, magazine reading (me), and DS Lite (Jay). For lunch; veggie burger, sliced beef with mashed potatoes, Key Lime pie, cheesecake. Dinner; Cornish Hen, Talapia, mashed potatoes, more dessert. Our attendant made up the beds around 8:00 pm and we slept until 2:30.
Saturday
Pulled into Newton at 2:50 am. Got to the Best Western and slept until 8:00. Looked at nine houses for sale, went to Conrad Snider's gallery, drove to Hutchinson to see my Aunt Patty and my cousin Jodi. Explored Newton a bit, drove around, went into antique stores, checked out the neighborhoods, ate dinner at Montana Mikes. It was such a great day but I didn't really LOVE any of the houses I toured.
Sunday
I had decided Saturday that the house thing just was not going to happen this trip. I figured it was a fun time but I'd have to come back to find a good house.
There were two more to look at but from the pictures on the Internet, I wasn't expecting to LOVE either one. My realtor, Kati, was awesome through it all. She was fun and helpful and zero pressure. We met around 11:00 on Sunday at this little bungalow style house and when we walked inside, I looked around and LOVED it. Small, well kept, with dark wide original wood trim on all the doorways. A root cellar out back, a new kitchen, a cute neighborhood. Fairly new heating, AC, and roof. Underneath the carpet in the dining room...wood floors! Built in 1915. I think I'm going to get it. Didn't even go see the second house. Turned in the rental car, Jerry came in from Salina to pick us up and get us down the highway toward Topeka. Jennifer met us halfway, Jay and I changed cars and were in Topeka where my friend, Kristy, picked us up to get us to the train station by midnight. In forty-six hours I went house hunting, saw great art, picked up a great doily in the shape of a butterfly at the antique store, saw relatives and friends, and ate A LOT.
Monday
Back on the train at 1:00 am. Slept until 8:30 am and did Friday all over again.
Arrived in Flagstaff at 9:30 pm. If you have never traveled on Amtrak, DO IT! It's fun and not too expensive. You see small towns, landscape, and animals that you just wouldn't see otherwise. We saw wild horses, antelope, deer, a baby coyote, and a bizillion animal tracks in the snow. We met great people (in the dining car they seat four to a table so we always had two strangers to chat with) and were relaxed when we stepped off the train.
This last picture is of a boarded up church that we passed. It was just beautiful and haunting. Scenes like this flew by several times a day. The chance to just get on a train and see this country in a new way is such a gift. If you ever get the chance, take a train somewhere.
My grandma is buried in Inman, Kansas. There is a quote that she said ALL the time. In fact, it's on her headstone. I've always loved it...
"This is the day which the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in
it."
Psalms
1 comment:
The House is SOOO cute. Can't wait to take the train out and see it with you someday :)
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