Day 8- Charlotte, NC

Hey Everybody,

Today is day 8 of walkabout. It was sunny and in the high 80's today, and a bit humid. We are expecting rain showers tonight.

I went uptown to Charlotte, NC. Barbara H. & Brenda B. went with me. (Barb has yellow shirt on & Brenda has tan shirt on)

This city is very new, up and coming!! The buildings are very interesting in design, many have art work designed right into them. There is a lot of art work/sculptures, and fountains/falls through out the city. At this time there is 6 new skyscrapers being constructed, also a subway is being built into the cities public system. Most of the streets are tree lined- very quaint! There are many open areas with gardens and cafe' type settings.

I was also able to get pictures of the 2 sports arena's- the Panthers & Bobcats. Currently there are plans to build a baseball stadium in the city too.

This is a clean, nice city to visit. They have a lot of activities year round for the residents. Every Friday night- they have different bands, vendors along the streets. They also do international days, where they shut down a certain sections and you can sample the food, music and customs of different nationalities, that represent Charlotte. There always seems to be something going on uptown in Charlotte. (lol)

I want to get some pictures of the city at night soon. When I do, I'll post them too. The city is very pretty at night.

Ok....well I think I'm going to run now....

Until next time- take care of yourselves and enjoy!! Love- Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #25:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880

Pictures from DC (9/18/06)

Hi Everyone...

I'm finally getting these Washington, DC pictures on the site!

I'm sorry that it took so long- I ran into a program problem, and didnt get it fixed until this morning.

I hope all are doing well. Take care of yourselves- Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #24:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880

Day 4 of Walkabout!

Hi Everybody!

Yesterday was day 4 of my Walkabout. I had started out from Westminster, MD around 8:15 A.M.- heading to DC. I made it to DC just fine- trying to find the National Zoo was a different story!! LOL

Has everyone seen that Chevy Chase movie "European Vacation"? If you have do you remember the scene where they are stuck driving around the round-about a zillion times- and Chevy keeps telling the kids-"there is Big Ben"...Well that was me yesterday at Dupont Circle !!! There is 2 circles at Dupont, I was in the inner circle and needed (and wanted) to be in the outer circle! I kept going around by the fountain and got into a fit of laughing- thinking about that dumb movie scene!! "there's the fountain Donna !" LOL

I did finally get to the zoo. I was only able to stay a short time as I needed to get to NC that night. I will be going back soon though and will see more of the sights and take more pics. I will post the pics I did get later on today (need to get new batteries for camera 1st) So check back later to see what I captured !!!

I got to see my pandas and a few other critters! When I saw my pandas it brought back memories of when I 1st saw the original Pandas- back in 1972. Nixon was President and he was given 2 bears (LingLing & SingSing) as National gifts from China. They were adorable!!!! I fell in love with them instantly! Hence- this is where my nickname "Panda" comes from. LingLing passed away in 1992, and SingSing passed away in 1999...very sad days...

I left the DC area around 12:30 P.M. and headed for Charlotte, NC. I arrived @ 9:15 P.M. It was a long trip-some traffic problems due to an accident. It felt good to land!!! I will be here in Charlotte for a few weeks. My best friend Barbara H. (a.k.a Big Ma) lives here. I will use this as a home base to see NC,SC,VA, and TN.

So...until next time- take care of yourselves. And thanks for all of your comments & suggestions- keep them coming!

Love Donna

Day 3 of walkabout

Hey there....

Well today I packed up my gear and left Assateague Island. And doesn't it figure- today the sun is out bright- it has been rainy & drizzly the last two days!! lol

I went to Sunday meeting at the Kingdom Hall in Delaware. The one I was looking for in Berlin, MD is being rebuilt this week. So this Sunday morning the Ocean City, MD; Berlin, MD; and Dagsboro, DE were all meeting together!!! I met some very nice (aren't they all!!) brothers & sisters. I want to say a special hello to Br & Sis Keller, Br & Sis Eutsler, and Sis Principe. A added note for Br. Keller- thank you for the excellent directions- I made it to Westminster just fine!!

Then I headed west back to Maryland....and I wasn't alone!!! A few of those 10,000 bikers that were at bike week in Del-Mar-Va must have decided to go home early cause we were all on route 50 together! lol Normally the trip from Rt.116 DE to Westminster is about 3 hrs.... It took me and all my biker friends 3 hrs to go from Rt 116 to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge!!!!! (LOL) I'm just glad all the bikers didn't leave at the same time- or I might still be sitting on Rt 50 (LOL).

I met up with my pogo friends Deb & Barb- we went out to eat at a seafood place called the Liberty Road Seafood, in Frederick, MD. The food was good. They have all you can eat type of deal. They have everything from crab legs, crabs, mussels, oysters, steamers, crab cakes, ribs, chicken, and many other tasty treats! We had a good time chatting & eating away!

Ok now here is info on the above pictures: 1) Car & foot bridges leading onto Assateague Island; 2) sign outside the Visitor Center; 4) The Visitor Center; 5) Rangers station on Island; 6) One of the many deer that roaming about; 8) Momma & her baby- they were regular visitors to my camp site; 12) horseshoe crab- or what is left of him (lol); 14) a few of my biker neighbors outside the camp store; 17) Maryann & Norm (from VA) were in camp site across from me- had invited me over for dinner Fri night; 18) one of many ponies on island; 22) entrance to State Park on Island; 23) sign on foot bridge tells about the ponies; 26) Name of car bridge; 31) Kingdom Hall in Berlin, MD- home of the Berlin & Ocean City congregations- being rebuilt this week; 35) Kingdom Hall in DE- Dagsboro Congregation; 38) wild life from rehab @ the MD Coastal Day held on Island- on Saturday; 46) sunset Saturday evening- finally the rain had stopped!!

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #23:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880

Walkabout has begun!!!

Hello Everyone....

Well I started my walkabout today!!! I left Taunton, MA @ 2am and arrived at Assateague Island, MD @ 1:30pm. It was a long trip cause it rained all the way down LOL.

With in 15 mins of arriving I had set up my camp site & was walking the beach! The campsites are about 100' from the shore.

This place has tons of wildlife!! There is the wild ponies, deer and other critter's...many sea birds ( such as: plovers, gulls and egrets). The waves are huge, the sand is white and very soft. The water is refreshingly cool. If you look quickly you can catch the boroughing crabs make their way into their homes under the sand.

During my 1st beach walk I found the remnants of a huge horseshoe crab- it's shell was at least 10" across. The animals come right up into the camp sites. They don't seem to be to afraid of people. There is a strict NO FEEDING the animals here- which is good cause if they are fed the wrong things they can get very sick.

It is still overcast here, but the sun is trying to come out. It's in the high 70's with a nice ocean breeze.

I had to get some bug spray for the mosquitoes and beach flies. The area is very clean and quiet. The people in my "loop" (there are 6-loops with approximately 25 sites/ loop) are mostly older adults- so things should be quiet here later...lol I met a very nice couple camped across from me, Maryann & Norm. They are from VA. They invited me over for dinner Friday night- there was good food, good wine, and great conversation!! Thank you very much Maryann & Norm! Have a safe trip home...

If anyone on the east coast has a chance, they should come try this area out- It's GREAT!!! There are large clean bathrooms/bathhouses, camp store, nature center, playground, bike trails, visitors center (with a small store & exhibits).

Well I'm gonna go & enjoy the quiet for a while!! Take care and sweet dreams...I'll write more tomorrow, and post pictures then- Love Donna

P.S. I was thinking of Babs & Buc today..All the way down I saw bikers and knew something was up (lol). Come to find out there are thousands of bikers here forthe Del Marva Bike Week @ Ocean Downs in Berlin, MD. This is very much like the bike week in LaConia, NH every June. They have 4 concerts planned, an air show and open bikers market!! I'll try and get some pics of the bikes... There are hard core bikers &week-end warriors here. Now I know why the camp ground was booked solid- most of the bikers are staying here!!! LOL

Night out- To say goodbye.....

Hi Everyone......

Last night a bunch of us went out for one last hurrah, before my trip!! A good time was had by all. We went to Jamies in Marshfield, for dinner & dancing.

There was a lot of laughing, tears, and hugs .......

So who is who???? (lol) Here is the run down ...

1) Amy & Angie; 2) Dave & Me; 3) Amy & Angie; 4) Dave & Amy; 5) Babs & Dave; 6) Angie, Dave, Amy; 7) Amy & Me; 8) Angie, Dave, Amy; 9) Angie & Babs; 10) Angie, Amy, Babs,Me, Dave; 11) Babs & Amy; 12) Amy & Dave; 13) Angie, Amy, Me; 14) Babs & Dave; 15) Amy & Dave

Yesterday before Dave & I drove up to meet the others we packed up the trunk of my car for the trip. There is now only 5 more days until I leave. Thursday night Dave will come over to have dinner and help me finish packing the car.... Then off I'll go Friday morning around 2-3 A.M. I want to get through NYC before rush hour -- lol

So keep tuned into Panda's World for updates and tidbits, and we will have fun traveling together....

Until next time- take care.

Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #22: http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Hey Everyone.....

Only 8 more days until the walkabout starts!!! Everything is coming together nicely.

Yesterday I went down to Cape Cod for the day. It was a cloudy day with temps in the low 70's. I met up with a good friend, Peggy. We went out to lunch then stopped by to visit another friend of ours Irene. After our visit, we took a ride down the west coast of the Cape. First we went to Woodshole. This is where Nobska Light is located. We then went down to Chatham. We stopped at Chatham light. As we were leaving the area I noticed an Osprey's nest up on top of a light pole. These nest are huge! Not quite as big as an eagles nest, but definitely a good sized one!! There are quite a few of these nest around the Cape.

Next you'll notice the decked out blue whale! (lol) This is only one of many that can be found through out the Cape. They are on the idea of the cows you saw from Boston. All these works of art are decorated differently, and on Sept. 23, 2006 they will all (whales & cows) auctioned off, and the money donated to charities. These art pieces have been on display for the entire Summer season.

The last of the pictures are of a really cool antique book store that has been on the Cape for years. I've had the opportunity to visit it many times over the years. If you are looking for it- they probably have it! (lol)

Well, until the next time we meet- take care...........Love Donna

SEE PICTURES IN ALBUM #21:http://picasaweb.google.com/Pandadmd5880