Florida Visitors, Friday, 7/25/14 through Sunday, 7/27/14

Friday, July 25, 2014

 We were off work again today, but we got up at 5:30 a.m. to start preparing for the visit of Cindy’s mother and five of her friends from Florida.  We cooked, cleaned and did laundry until 2:00 p.m.  Daniel’s parents took their leave today, but we had some of the food already cooked, so we shared lunch with them, Daniel, and Elise before they left. 

 At about 3:00 p.m. Chuck looked out towards the train station and saw that the train had derailed, and there was a backhoe there to assist in lifting the engine back on the tracks.  We took a walk down the street to check out the goings on.  It seems that the rails have started spreading in one small spot, but that was the one spot where the train stopped today so the conductor could flip the switch.  As long as the train doesn’t stop in that same location again this weekend, it should run fine and someone will move the tracks back into proper alignment on Monday.   Libby, the conductor today, went back to the depot and asked the 3:00 passengers to make their way down the track so they could commence with their train ride. 

Duel and his family arrived this evening about 6:30 p.m., and we played a game with them and Elise while we were waiting on everyone else to arrive.  The Florida entourage finally arrived at 7:17 p.m.  (They went to Yellowstone National Park this morning, but had to contend with a flat tire so they were running a bit late.)  For dinner, we served pork roast and beef roast, potato casserole, baked beans, broccoli salad, and garlic bread.  Daniel’s parents had gifted us with three different kinds of Kansas City barbeque sauce so we served that with the meat.  Duel’s 24^th birthday is next Tuesday, so we told him this was his birthday party.  We got him a red velvet birthday cake and we all sang Happy Birthday.

As soon as the meal was over, Cindy went with the entourage to get them settled in their bed and breakfast accommodations.  Chuck and the inn mates cleaned up the supper mess and did the dishes.  Cindy walked three blocks home and then we retired for the evening. 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

We went down the street to the bed and breakfast at 9:00 a.m. this morning to meet our guests.  It was beautiful weather, and we sat on the back porch for a little while and looked out at the mountains.  At 10:00 a.m. we reported to the Virginia City depot and took a round trip train ride to Nevada City and back.  We then walked half of the boardwalk in Virginia City and showed off some of the open buildings which are filled with antiques.   

At 12:15 p.m. we all went back to the rehearsal hall and ate a bite of lunch.  After lunch we went to Nevada City and toured a few buildings there and watched the 2:30 historical interpretation of a double hanging.   Inn mate Daniel has now branched out from being shot and was killed by hanging for the first time today. 

Next we all piled in the Florida contingent’s rented Suburban for a field trip to the community of Pony which is about a one hour drive from Virginia City.   Some of the visitors were related to a lady who lived in Pony in the early 1900’s and her home is still in the family.  No one lives in the house, but our visitors had obtained a key so we all went in and took a tour.  It was a fabulous old home, but the interior needed a lot of work.  The best part about it was all the original furnishings that were still there and in really good shape.  There were wonderful china pieces, a huge piano, beautiful wood bedroom sets, and a huge collection of old books including Ben Hur and Pecos Bill. 

On the way home from Pony we stopped and ate supper at our favorite pizza restaurant in Ennis.  We arrived back at the bed and breakfast about 8:45 p.m. and sat on the back porch again.  At 9:15 p.m. we headed out to Nevada City so we could go on the lantern tour, and poor Daniel got hung again tonight.  Our visitors packed in a lot of fun in one day, and they were all past ready for bed when they got home at 11:00 p.m.

 

Sunday, July 27, 2014

 It was a cool morning, and we walked to the bed and breakfast about 8:45 a.m. and shared breakfast with the Florida folks.  At 10:00 a.m. we all loaded up in the rented Suburban and Chuck drove us northwest over the mountains to Butte.  We had been there a couple of weeks ago, but we thought our guests would enjoy seeing that area. 

 Duel had told us earlier about a restaurant called Pork Chop John’s whose specialty is porkie sandwiches.  A porkie is a boneless pork chop pounded thin and then breaded, fried and served on a bun.  Since our tour didn’t start until 1:00 p.m. we went ahead and stopped here so we could soak up some local culture by eating a porkie.  It was pretty good but nothing to write home about.  (However, we seem to be writing home about it anyway.)

At 1:00 p.m. we began our trolley tour, but we had a different driver this time and got a different perspective on the area.  We stopped at the copper mine and bought some copper bracelets from the gift shop.  After the tour, Chuck drove us up to the mile high mine which overlooks the city of Butte and we were provided with a great view.  We then stopped at the Finlen Hotel in uptown Butte and went in to see the lobby area.  The hotel was built in 1923 and was designed after the famous Hotel Astor in New York City.   The lobby was beautiful and was appropriately decorated with copper light fixtures, bannisters, and fluted columns.  Some famous people who stayed at the Finlen were Charles Lindberg, Mrs. Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, then Senator John F. Kennedy, and then Vice-President Richard Nixon. 

 

We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home to buy some more water and sodas as this is a thirsty bunch we are hosting.  We arrived home about 5:45 p.m. and warmed up leftovers for supper in the rehearsal hall.   The inn mates joined us after they got off work and we managed to polish off most of the food.  Our visitors went back to their bed and breakfast to sit on the porch and rest while we cleaned up the dishes and visited with the inn mates.