Hotel Roanoke

The Hotel Roanoke was built by the Norfolk and Western Railroad, opening on Christmas Day in 1882 in a little town called Big Lick. The N&W had chosen Big Lick as it's headquarters and the hotel was to serve as the centerpiece of the grand city they intended to build there.

Hotel Roanoke, 1882

For 107 years the Grand Old Lady of Roanoke reigned on her hilltop, gradually becoming surrounded by the city of Roanoke as she watched the Norfolk & Western grow into the Norfolk Southern. Over the years the hotel gained a couple of new wings and a grand lobby and dining facility in 1937-38. Finally in 1989, long after the era of luxurious passenger trains had ended, the Norfolk Southern closed the hotel and donated it to the Virginia Tech Real Estate Foundation.

Hotel Roanoke, 1910

 In 1995 the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center was opened. The grand lobby, the Regency Room dining room, the Pine Room pub and the Palm Court are much as they were on the day the hotel was closed and the hotel still sits atop her hill, watching over the city that she helped to build.

Today the hotel is part of the Hilton's Curio Collection.

 Every year the hotel erects a Christmas tree in the lobby, the only year there was not a tree here was in 1982 when a birthday cake celebrating the hotels 100th birthday was displayed instead.

 The check in counter would be familiar to any of the hotels guests for the past 50 years or so. Great care was taken to ensure the history of the hotel was preserved when ownership passed from the Norfolk Southern Railway Corporation to Virginia Tech.

 The Palm Court was originally called the Oval Room because of its shape.

 The Pine Room was originally an officer's club, serving the Army and Navy aviators training at nearby Woodrum Field in Roanoke during WW2.

 Many of the hotels past accoutrements were on display, donated by the buyers who attended the great 17 day sale in 1989 when the hotel property was liquidated.

The fire in the fireplace is gas now instead of wood, but it still brings warmth to its corner in the main lobby. Below, this curved wall contains the Regency Room dining room and was once the outer wall of the hotel. The conference center was added for the hotels re-opening, enclosing the courtyard around the Regency Room.

 Mrs Hade's grandfather was an employee of the N&W in the 50's and was involved in the renovation of the hotel during that time period. It is speculated that if the timelines were synchronized it is quite possible that Hotel Roanoke is the conception point for her Uncle Jeff.

We visited the hotel this past weekend and had dinner in the Regency Room, we took some pictures for Grammy and enjoyed the annual Christmas tree display. This one, of course, is my favorite; the Coca Cola Christmas Train.

Nice To Be Home Again

Eleven states and both families have been visited in the past ten days. Gifts and greetings have been exchanged and a good time was had by all.

We got back home today in the rain to find the roof still leaks in the kitchen and bathroom. As I type this missive I am listening to pieces falling off the kitchen ceiling.

I guess for the new year I'm going to break down and put a new roof on the Refuge...and one on the Mustang as well, for the same reason.

Be it ever so waterlogged, there's no place like home...

And Now

in an effort to offset the negativity, let me tell you what I've been up to lately.

Last Saturday, December the 19th, M and I packed up the car and headed west to Iowa. M was a bit nervous about it since it was her first time meeting the folks, but as I expected it all went very well. The trip was mostly uneventful although she did tease me a bit about going all the way through Tennessee rather than have to enter the People's Republic of Illinois.

She and Mother hit it off famously, Mother being a knitter from way back and M being a relative novice. Mother knits baby blankets and sweaters and M mostly knits shawls, so they were interested in each others work and spent some time with their heads together comparing notes.

On the second day here M completed the project she was on and needed materials to start something else, so off we went to the big city of Council Bluffs, Iowa (with a side trip to Omaha Nebraska) for yarn, and much to M's delight, Dunkin Donuts coffee. When we got back Mother said there was also a yarn shop right here in little Clarinda that might have a thing or two.

So downtown we went to find not really a yarn shop but a quilters shop. They mostly put the final stitching on quilts and can do everything from simple patterns to mural type designs, but they also had yarn and fabric. They didn't make a lot of money off of their yarn and fabrics though, so they were selling off their entire stock. M was in heaven.

The thing that really caught MY eye, however, was this little unobtrusive sign in the front door window.

There are a lot of examples of businesses that we as gunnies won't frequent because of the polar opposite sign in the front windows, so it's kind of nice to see one like this.

Handcart Quilts and Yarn, for all of your quilting needs.

Breaking Fast

'Tis a small enough kitchen, more of a galley really,

 But 'twill suffice.

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Travels

I finally made it back up to Lenoir NC this past weekend for the monthly cruise-in. There weren't as many cars this time as there usually is, but we still had a good crowd. This time was different because it wasn't just me and Youngest Son; M came along as well which was nice.

And while we were out and about wandering the streets and looking at things we happened upon this quaint little shoppe...

Of course M had to go in and check out their stock of yarn and whatnots. There were a bunch of people sitting inside knitting and talking, too. Apparently every Cruise-In day they open early and stay open late just so the ladies who have no interest in cars but have husbands/significant others who do have someplace to go and have fun in their own way.

On the plus side, M says we can go back every month.

Catching Up

The Florida part of our trip went very well, the liquid sunshine took a break and the girls loved M, as I knew they would. Or more to the point, the girls loved how happy I am since M came into my life, which amounts to the same thing. We got in some beach walking and touristing as well, so all in all it was a good trip.

But wait, there's more. The later part of the week is being spent in Pennsylvania, where M is from, at her parent's house. Her mother is deeply appreciative of how I treat M so already I've made a good impression on her, and her dad isn't quite the curmudgeon that M says he is (either that or he's on his best behavior).

For the next couple of days we will be wandering to and fro about the Pennsylvania/West VA countryside as M and her mom enjoy each others company. My job is to fetch and carry and generally show her parents that I will be good to their daughter. I can handle that.

On the way up we passed by Pilot Mountain, which is near Mount Airy NC. Youngest Son saw it and immediately announced that it looks like a nipple.*

He's right, you know. It does. And now that I've seen it, I cannot un-see it.

At any rate, this brings us to the final but by no means least important item on the agenda, the Redhead of the Month:

April's ROTM is brought to you by Europe. It has to be good for something after all.

And with the necessities out of the way, I'm back on vacation. See you next week!

*I'm shrouding myself in the illusion that Youngest Son recognizes the nipple from TV or the internet, and have instructed him to leave my illusions intact.

Due To Circumstances

beyond my control this month's ROTM will regretfully be delayed.

Sorry Guffaw, I'll try to make up for it later.

Off to the Pennsylvania mountains now.

Two More Days

Workdays, that is, and after they are done I'll be on vacation for the week.

The plans are to take M to Florida to meet the girls and walk the beaches for the weekend, then back to rest up for a day and repack, then off to Pennsylvania to meet her folks.

She's been buying new togs for the trip. She hasn't had the need for a "girly" wardrobe for a while so didn't have anything to take along. She has also been complaining all the while about the coin she's putting out, but it appears as if she has everything she needs now.

Sunday morning I was folding my laundry and putting everything in the bag I'm taking on the trip and she was telling me it was too early to pack (accentuating her point by taking my socks out of my bag and throwing them - like a girl - at me). After I went to work she went back to her apartment...and packed for the trip.

All told we will travel a bit over 2000 miles, half in my car and half in hers, the two of us and Boy. I figure if I don't end the week standing on the side of the road with my thumb in the air it will be a successful trip.

Splashdown

We have returned.

The car has been unloaded and that's as close to unpacked as I'm getting tonight. Tomorrow everything reverts back to normal routine.

On the way down I dropped off Grand-dads High Standard to be fitted for a holster, and on the way back I picked it up. It is a very nice piece, but I've been asked to hold off doing a review or publishing pics until I have the matching belt. Suffice it to say that I like it well enough to order a matching one for the Sig.

Review will happen when the goods are in hand.

Note to FTC, I'm buying these with my own cash, so piss off.

Touchdown

We arrived safe and sound in Iowa yesterday morning, tired but otherwise unharmed. It rained on us halfway through the night when we left Roanoke, we got a peek of moonlight halfway through Kentucky that was gone by Indiana, but when we got to St Louis the sun came out and shone all day. It didn't warm anything up (it never got above 55 degrees) but at least it was dry.

Today is only supposed to get in the 60's but starting tomorrow we will have a week of warm and sunny. The convertible was definitely a good choice this time around.

Doglet didn't get to come, Eldest Son is staying at the house with him.

And now I'm off. Things to see, people to annoy...you know how it is.

Finished With Main Engines

Home again, home again.

We gave the printed out info to Pop, he said he knew all about it but I have a feeling he didn't know the extent of it. At any rate, he's informed and that's all we can do.

The trip home was uneventful, and the pony is in the corral.

Back to work tomorrow, and my homework still has not done itself.

But for now I'm going to go see what my own bed feels like.

Hellfire and Damnation

is far too good for the bottom feeding scum sucking parasitical whoresons and toadlickers who prey on the elderly in the wane of their days.

By that I mean I'm heading off to Florida for an undetermined time to help Eldest Daughter un-snarl the tangle that has become of Pop's affairs since he became too sick to do these things for themselves.

I blame myself, at least in part, because I should have been keeping closer contact with him. I dread this trip because I know that the time is drawing nigh where I will have to do it at least one more time again.

I'm glad that Mom and Dad have my siblings close by.

And now off to the road.

RTB

Always nice to be home again. It's where I keep all of my stuff.

So, to recap: when I got to Iowa on Friday the sisters had taken the folks out to supper. They had been there long enough to get seated and get the drink order in when I walked in the door, hugged Dad and told him they needed to turn off the air conditioning. He looked up to see who was talking to him and Mom jumped out of her chair. Best Entrance Ever.

Saturday we had the 50th Anniversary shindig, not a lot of people at once but a lot of familiar faces cycled through. It was good to see a lot of folks that I had not seen in a while.

Sunday I got up and went to church with the folks. While I was putting on my churchifying finery I noticed that I had not brought any dress shoes, durr. So, I wore my second-best finery instead that doesn't require dress shoes. Sister made a roast using a recipe that I must try for Sunday dinner.

Monday was hideously cold and Mom went in for cataract surgery on her left eye (she had already had the right one done). Other than that, it was a good day to stay inside.

Tuesday I got some small chores done around the house, including putting a new space heater in the crawlspace to thaw the washing machine drain out, got everything ready to go back home and then went visiting.

Wednesday was travel day. I left a little later than I had intended because Mom was going to the cardiologist and I wanted to see how it turned out. Her appointment got pushed back a bit and I couldn't wait, so Sister called me on the road to let me know that she got a clean bill of health.

I had intended to stop for the night, but the closer I got the less I wanted to stop. I finally got in about 4 AM local, the last few miles were done on caffeine and Halestorm. It was good to get into my own bed at the end of the trip. All together a bit over 2700 miles in travel and wandering around during the 5 days I was there; 1322 from their front door to mine. Jackson TN is close to the halfway point, so I'll start my relocation job search there in another 4 years.

The first thing I did Thursday morning after unloading the trucklet was wash the dog. He's not as happy to see me now as he was when I first got home.

Subi Weather

Remember when I said I could have gotten by with bringing the Mustang on this trip?

Yeah...you can just go ahead and forget I ever said that...

It is kinda pretty...

but not everything that has ice in it is fit to drink.

Don't ask me to explain that last one. I have no idea.

Stupid Weather Channel

It started raining on me right before I got to Asheville and just past Knoxville I saw my first poo flinging monkey salt flinging truck. After that the glowbull warmening flurries hit on and off till I was just short of Nashville. After that the sun came out for a little bit and from there to Millington all was dry. Windy, but dry.

The Smokey Mountains demonstrating how they got their name. Just rain, not glowbull warmening. The pic was taken from the cell phone which was securely anchored and being used as a nav device, so you can stop picking at me now.

I probably could have gotten away with driving the Mustang, but I think it would have upset me a bit to have salt flung on it. As it was the Baja got salted down a bit, and with the temps not expected to get above the hard water mark the whole time I'm here it looks like I won't be washing it off soon, but it did rain and snow and then rain again after that so hopefully the worst of it got rinsed off.

Nothing looks familiar here in Millington in the dark. I might have to wander through the old burg a bit in the daylight to see if I recognize anything. But for now, since I'm checked in at the lodge, I'm going to go off and find a bite to eat and then settle in for the evening.

Travel continues tomorrow through St Louis and Kansas City MO, I hope to be home before bedtime.

On The Road Again

Looks like I'll be heading off to the Great Midwest the middle of next week. The folks will celebrate 50 years together and my distaff sibs are putting together a shindig for it. I have the time, and if I ignore some of the bills (I'm paid ahead on all of them anyway) I have the cash, so I'm going to show up for it.

Current plans are to head west on 40 from Raleigh and overnight in Millington TN, then head north and further west from there. Yes, I know that it's farther than going through the Peoples Republic of Illinois but going the route I've chosen means I don't have to stop at the Indiana border to disarm and then drive unarmed through St Louis.

I'm thinking really hard on riding the pony. It's not really Mustang weather in the midwest right now and the Scooby's AWD would definitely be more suited for this time of year. But they do have a few paved roads in Iowa, and they do know a thing or two about snow removal there, so I should be OK.

Either way I'm looking forward to the trip. I need a break, and it's been a while since I've seen the folks. I really need to get out there more often, they aren't getting any younger and now that I'm the only one left out this far it's better that I do the traveling these days instead of them.

No one has told Mom. I think she'll be pleasantly surprised.

Crusin'

Saturday was a car-filled day. First Boy and I loaded up and went to Cars n Coffee in Cary NC:

Then we went and enjoyed some shooty goodness with Range Partner where I patterned the EBS Project (an inch high at 10 yards, I can live with it) and shot up the reloads that I had run back through the dies again, with surprisingly few issues this time.

After that we went on to Lenoir NC for their monthly cruise-in:

And now, after being up all day Saturday I get to be up all night so I can sleep in the day and work all night Sunday.