All good inn keepers need a day off.

Today looked like a good one for us to take off for some R & R. The weather was going to be sunny, even though night time temps are still dropping down to 13 degrees F. The sun can not quite vanquish the cold air as it is still pretty low in the sky, but it was a beautiful day nevertheless. We made sandwiches and were just walking out of the door when the laundry man appeared and wanted us to exchange some sets of sheets for a some new style ones for which we had been waiting for several weeks – today of all days. Then you just have to pass the time of day with him, joke around a bit since you see him twice a week and he likes to feel part of the operation. Bye, Bye Mr. Laundryman.

“Okay, now we can go!”

"Is the front door locked? Yes, and all the other doors to the Inn." We both climbed into the truck, Richard studied the map as we were heading up into Pennsylvania to go and look at some Blacksmithing tools he had found for sale on Craigslist.

“Do you have your camera Virginia?”

Virginia clutches her face and leaps out of the truck. “It’ll just take me a minute; give me the keys to the Inn.” “Oh NO! We forgot the keys and we have locked ourselves out of the Inn and the apartment. Great!”

The next ten minutes were spent circling the Inn trying to find something that we had not locked in our zeal to leave it secured. Finally we got inside again.

“Okay, we have got the keys and the camera, now we can go.”

And go we did. The day was gorgeous; the countryside was filled with big red barns, farm houses, highland cattle, rushing streams sparkling in the crisp sunshine and thousands of acres of sleeping winter trees. We found the tool guy and Richard bought two or three. We stopped in a place called Frostburg for coffee and a walked around the town where we found an “artisan store” where we might be able to sell my nifty hats and Richard’s knives, once he makes them that is.

It was a good day not to be working. It is supposed to snow again tonight and for the next few days; winter is not over three thousand feet up in the western mountains of Maryland until May, but who’s complaining when you can have a day off like today and you can share your adventures with the laundry man on Friday.