I'm back from the Jersey Shore

My perennial hibiscus. This was a wonderful surprise when I got back, as I was afraid it wouldn't have time to bloom before a hard frost. There are lots of buds on it so I hope the weather continues to be warm. 

     I had such a wonderful time while I was away. We stayed at a time-share in Galloway just outside of Atlantic City. There was so much to see and do and I tried to fit as much as I could into the time we had. We went to Historic Smithville where they have brought in more than 60 old houses and buildings from the 1800's (sort of like Upper Canada Village), but each one has been turned into a gift  shoppe, country store, restaurant or lodging. Wonderful place to wander through. I took lots of photos. 

     Of course we went to Atlantic City. In one day we visited the Tanger Outlet Mall, two casinos (Bally's and Caesar's) where I wagered a whopping $2 on the penny slot machines. we walked on the beach and ate lunch on the boardwalk. We enjoyed driving down the streets that the Monopoly game board is based on. 

     The third big wander trip we made was down the coast to Cape May, where there are grand old Victorian houses. The beach was superb...one of the ten best in the country. We visited the state park which is a resting and feeding area for migratory birds and Monarch butterflies. We saw the Cape May Point lighthouse and wandered the free museum after we had our picnic lunch. While we ate, we saw hundreds of Monarchs flying about the grounds. Before we left, we had tea and cookies at one of the bakeries. On the way back to our time-share we drove through Ocean City and other smaller coastal towns. That was our last day and the weather was absolutely perfect. 

     The other days were not planned day trips. We did some local shopping, but mainly we took part in the activities that were offered by the time-share. Every afternoon we would put on our bathing suits and head over to the spa to the mineral hot tubs, and then we got dressed to go over to the owner's lounge to have free cocktails and snacks  and maybe watch some entertainment at 5 o'clock.  In the evenings after a late dinner, we played board games or card games. Someone could easily get used to this, and now that it is over, I think I have gone into withdrawal. It was a very lovely holiday and I am grateful that I got to take part. Talk later.