I'm back. I went to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, Diane. Didn't know AZ had them too. We had a great weekend. Unseasonably warm, in fact record breaking temperatures on Saturday. Neither of us likes the cold weather, but we always go to North Conway to celebrate our anniversary in January anyway. We don't ski. We go to shop and eat. There are so many great B&B's, Inns, restaurants and outlet stores there. We spent a few hours shopping Saturday in the big outlet mall and it was so warm (in the 60's) I had to leave my jacet in the car. We usually are freezing while we are there. We got a room in the non-smoking adults only Lodge at the New England Inn. Lovely place with gas fireplace. I wanted to sit in front of the fireplace and enjoy it. We couldn't keep it on. It was too hot. It is strange to be up there this time of year and not see mountains covered with snow and the ski crowd coming down off the mountains late in the day. Lots of cancellations up there this weekend. We went to Black Mountain. They had one lift open, but there was mud at the bottom. Most of the places can't even make the snow because it just melts. I felt bad for the people who make their living by this and for the ones who like to ski and snowmobile. But, I enjoyed the old fashioned stores in the center of No. Conway. The 5 and 20 cent store is still the same. The sign on the door says "you are entering the past. No cell phones." I loved it. We spent some time at our favorite little stop, Horsefeathers. It's right in the center of the town. The place we stayed is about 5 mins from there in Intervale, next to Jackson. We met some nice people last night who were from another part of MA. No problem getting a seat at the bar and no lines anywhere. We didn't hit much traffic either and it was easy finding a parking space.

Last night we went back to where we were staying and went over to the restaurant/pub they have so my husband could watch the football game. He told the cute little bartener she looked like Ali McGraw. She said,"Who?" "Have you ever seen Love Story?" we asked. "What's that?" she asked. Needless to say, she had never heard of Ryan O'Neil either. Not even Tatum O'Neil! How old are we anyway?

It's nice to be home.

This might be a bit fuzzy, but I took it at night and through the window. It's the 5 and 10 cent store I mentioned. Don't you just love the things in the window? check out the Radio Flyer, Chinese checkers in the right hand corner and the dollhouse room in the background. That's a cheese grater up against the wagon and little metal wind up toys in the front. Did I mention that I bought pick up sticks and played in my room while my husband napped? I'm not as good at it as I used to be.

Louisa,
What a lovely trip...we're not that old...she's just uninformed! LOL

Louisa, sounds like my kind of get-away! Reading all your posts remind me of myself and my girlfriends. I know if we lived nearby we'd be really good pals!! Just had to say that!

Gee, Pam. Wouldn't that be fun?

I am so glad that you had a great time. Sounds like my kind of fun - shopping and eating and relaxing.

Pick Up Sticks - Used to love that game and have very fond memories of playing with my family when I was a kid.

Weather all over has been unseasonably warm. In Minnesota, it is finally getting colder, in the lower 30's, but that is still very warm for January.

It's raining here today and windy. Looks very dreary out there, but I'm glad it's not snow. Personnally, I can do without it, but they need it in the mountains. They were about to get rain too when we left. The party's over. I'm headed back to work now.

Louisa, Hubby and I were in that 5 & 20 cent store last October. If anyone should want to go there, I can recommend going during Indian summer. It's breathtaking. And Conway is just the way Louisa described it.
The ski business is suffering terribly under the warm climate in Germany as well. Stores can't give their ski equipment away!
Saundra, did you hear about the sport stadium roof caving in Vancouver? I thought they never get snow, and it caved in from the weight of the snow!

Hannelore, I forgot you went there when you were on vacation. I'll have to send you the aol album I made. Don't you just love Zeb's? When there is snow and it's cold out, the skating rink across the street is filled with people ice skating outdoors right in the center of town by the train station with the snow covered mountains in the background. The 5 & 10 has the oldest cash register I've ever seen. It has round black, white and red buttons, a cash drawer and a crank on the side of it. What a hoot. They sell pick-up-sticks, checkers, jackstones, aprons, hairnets, bobby pins, plastic rain bonnets, dollhouse furniture, little cedar boxes, slates, slinky, kitchen utensils, books, small toys, cards and penny candy. (well it's not a penny now, but they have it all.) Zeb's has penny candy too and fudge, hots sauces, spices, home made soaps, and all kinds of different things. I went in the Spruce Hurricane. That store has beautiful things. Jewelry, clothes, fur hats and boots, etc. I almost bought a mink watch! I didn't though. I came to my senses and just bought a lovely green velvet bag with pearl pink beads on it and tiny Indian feathers and some small beads.

Horsefeathers is our traditional stop when we get into town. The food is excellent, inexpensive and we usually sit at the bar. The bartenders are friendly. It's a happy place.

Louisa

On a limited budget but would love to get away (from my husband too). Live in Michigan and if the price was right would take a train. Next is finding a place to say (love bed and breakfast) and a tour bus. Meeting some members would be fun and let you show me the sights or shopping.

Any ideas?