Book Club Day Trip!

Last Saturday I invited 10 girls from my Book Club to meet in Georgetown for a little day trip and they were so excited! I loved showing off the house and all the girls loved it so much! We did a lot that day.... we had lunch, did a little shopping, shopped the Georgetown library book sale (so fun) and then while some of us relaxed at the house a few of us went on a little hike!

It was awesome because it was kinda cool and all the Aspens were turning gold on our hike!

 It was literally like we FOUND FALL! Oh ya know.... just being basic white girls excited about Fall!

 It was so fun and honestly seeing the Fall colors on the walk was stunning, perfect way to spend an hour!

So funny so we all brought rain gear but when we left to walk to lunch it was pretty hot so we left it at the house. What do ya know..... it poured and we laughed and walked in the rain the whole way back thinking about our rain jackets being all dry at the house! LOL

 During the afternoon rain we settled into the living room and had bookclub!

 You know when I have people at the Georgetown house I am more relaxed then if I had people to my home in Castle Rock. It does feel like a vacation and everyone can help themselves, we all chip in to clean up.... so it's really nice being able to enjoy the day as well as play hostess.

OMG! I got the new game What Do You Meme and it did NOT disappoint!!! LOL! We had a ball and this is a good example of the craziness of the game!

Thank you girls for making the trek up to Georgetown and enjoying the day with me!!!!

One Last Road Trip

 Saturday I made my last day trip in Ohio and I could not have spent it with anyone better.....my friend Kylee! We took a day trip to Cincinnati and I had the most wonderful day, I truly did! She was such a good sport she agreed to letting the crazy in me come out for a little bit!! So we crossed the bridge and went to Kentucky.....

I told her the story and legends of Bobby Mackey's "The most haunted nightclub in America" on the ride in! Although I was never able to go inside and take a tour I just wanted to go visit one more time! I mean if your "into" paranormal at all then you know this place is one of the TOP places and for me to just be there was really neat!

 I love saying I have been to a place that all the Paranormal shows have been and filmed at as well as countless books and articles! Kylee was intrigued for sure!!

 We then had lunch at this amazing Mexican place in the heart of downtown Cincinnati.....Bakersfield OTR!

I literally ate so much I didn't even eat dinner that night! I LOVE that I have a foodie soulmate in Kylee!

 Next we went to a place I wanted to go to with Mom but we ran out of time....The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center! I was so glad that I went back to visit this place, it was amazing and worth the trip.

The first thing you see is the quilt exhibit and it was breath taking, this picture does not do it justice at all. Clearly this is not a quilt from the time of slavery but these quits told the story of slavery much like the slaves told their own stories thru quilts. You can't see it but to the Right is an entire wall of windows that over look the Ohio River and the Bridge to KY and it is stunning. We also learned that right there on that river and bridge slaves were brought in and sold on ships. 

 This building is an actual slave pen, a place slaves were held in shackles until they were sold. This is not a recreation this is THE actual slave pen and in fact this is the last slave pen known to still be around in the entire United States. The family donated it to this museum along with the original ledger of the Slave owner listing out the slaves worth.

 The benches, the bars, the wood, the beams.....are all original. The floor use to be dirt and so the museum put in this wood floor and the stones you see are the actual stones that made the hearth (stove) that the slaves cooked on. They were then turned into the walkway for museum guests to enter the pen. In fact just inside on the wall the slave pen owner has his name carved into the wood. It was hard to explain just how being in this building makes you feel. It was hard to wrap my head around that fact that the wood I was touching was touched by such sadness.

 This museum was stunning all the exhibits were incredible, the artifacts such as shackles from a boat that transferred slaves to the US were unreal to see in person. The museum is 3 floors and goes to a newer exhibit of Modern day Slavery around the world.... such as Sex Slaves, Indentured Servants and forced child labor.

 This is the original First Edition of 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup, I love books, I love history and to see this book in person was beyond incredible.

This museum is a must see if you are anywhere near Cincinnati! You can learn more about the Freedom Center HERE!

I have read many novels set in the time of slavery and for me to visit this place and be immersed into the real life of slavery was something I will always remember. In fact 2 characters from The Invention of Wings who were real life abolitionists were mentioned at the museum which was really neat. You can see my review of that book HERE!
To read my review of The House Girl another book set in slave times that I loved click HERE!