Much better stamping day....

Today was a much better stamping day-   I even got to three bonus parks today.

Started out at 8 am, headed down I-95 to something called the Malia Miles Welcome Center, at MM 60 just over the state line in Mass, so I could get an Essex Heritage stamp.  Got it-  Had to wait 15 minutes, as they opened at 9.

I had actually stopped there before on a previous trip to town, but didn't realize it was the stamping location. 

Next, I headed to downtown Salem Mass, so I could get the Essex stamp at the Headquarters for the NHA.  I got parked, and then had to hunt a bit for the location, even though it was in fact at 221 Essex Street-  then you walked into this non-descript store front, looked on the directory, took an  elevator 4 flights up, then wandered through an office with almost no one in it to get the stamp.  Got it. 

I had a brief chat with the boss lady there, complaining about the location at Peabody House, and never being able to find it open, and she said that she didn't understand either, since they gave them enough funding to staff it at least for the summer. 

I decided to go ahead and stop by, since it was only about 3 miles away, and sure enough, it was closed again.  Now they've decided they are only open on Weds and Saturdays.... yeah right.  So for now, we do NOT have this location, the only one we are now missing out of the 13 Essex locations.

By now, it was only 10 am, so I decided to run over to the Longfellow House/Washington Headquarters site, which was a bonus run.  It was in downtown Cambridge, very near Harvard.  Beautiful homesite, decided not to take the tour, since it was 45 minutes.  Got the site stamp and several bonuses, plus a pin.  Park Number 213.

Also got an Underground Rail Road stamp here, plus an elusive 25th Anniversary stamp, after asking for it. 

Then, I decided to run over to both John F. Kennedy and Frederick Law Olmstead parks, just a short run from Longfellow, so that was bonus parks 2 and 3 for the day.  I finally got my stamps from here after three tries!

Kennedy was  very interesting, I did opt to take the house tour, it ran 30 minutes plus, and had a very good Ranger leading it. 

I still missed the major parts of Olmstead, when I was here 2 years ago, the place was a shambles, as they were in a total renovation, 2 days ago, it was all locked up, and today, at least the office was open, but there is no store, no tour, not much of anything, they are still in the process of restoring the place.  I did get a site stamp at least, never did see a ranger, the gardener helped me.
Don't think too much of this site!

At least, I can count this as an official visit now, with stamps. 

Then, I ran on over to the Wayside, the home of five major poets and part of the Minute Man National Park.  I got two stamps here, a site stamp, and an Underground Rail Road one.  Didn't take the house tour, due to time constraints, will have to do that some time.

Then I got to two locations for Essex, the Lynn VC and the Lawrence Mass VC.  Lynn was a bust, and Lawrence was very interesting.  Have to try to get back to this area and VC again when we visit the Colagiovannis sometime.

This museum was very well done, and the town has quite a story.  Have to check it out. 

I didn't get to tour Lynn, due to time constraints. 

All told, it was a very good day of touring and stamping.  I got caught back up from my earlier misses.

Tomorrow, we have coach repairs scheduled up in Saco.  Plan on leaving the site at 0800, they don't open till 9.   We for sure plan to get the Sat dish fixed, and at least have them take a stab at the door, although I think that may be outside their pay grade.  May have to wait on that until Alliance in Florida.  I'm fairly sure the door itself is warped.  Besides, it's not a life or death situation. 

Saturday looks like it will be an open day, and Sunday, I'm either driving or taking the train into Boston, then taking a boat tour of one of the Islands in the Boston Harbor Islands NP and doing a lighthouse tour.  Trying to get Coop to come with me, but so far no luck. 

Speaking of Coop, he went for a ride in Shauns beach buggy yesterday, he thought he was all that.

He and his friend Taryn went to York today and spent most of the day at the big amusement park down there. 

Bette has contracted for three stepping stones in the last day or so, and will work on them tomorrow, cutting the glass at a stained glass shop while I have the coach in for work.  She has also sold several of her necklaces since she's been here.  Good for her!!!

Thinking of reworking the schedule a tad to see if we can add another week here  in Wells at the end of our trip to Maine, by cutting down some of the time we were going to spend in Lubec and Bar Harbor.  We really like our friends here, and Bette has even mentioned coming here next year from the family reunion in July in Missouri.  Can do!!!!

I will be working on Lander stuff while the coach is being worked on, time to get my classes squared away.  I have a new boss it seems, have to check into that also. 

Weather is holding, near 90 though, needs to be a little cooler, which they say will happen by the first of next week.  I have 3 days alloted for trips to Metro Boston to do some detail touring of the city, liked it last time, this time, I will spend more leisure time.