THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE (during the flood of Jan. 2005)
Poo-Poo, his youngest daughter and myself made the journey to Newport to move him back home yesterday. The furniture and household things we have been accumulating over the past three months were packed into the U-Haul. Some of the furniture we placed close to the dumpster, officially putting it up for grabs. That was a stroke of genius for the grateful recipient helped us carry the remaining stuff into the U-Haul.
It took only two hours to clean the place out. Then they headed for home while I went on one last shopping spree. The sadness I felt was unexpected. We had arrived with Winter and were leaving with the beginning of Spring. I had grown increasingly fond of my weekends there and was looking forward to the beauty and enjoyment that the warmer weather was sure to bring. Now we were leaving.
My first stop was Trader Joe's where I stocked up on Two Buck Chuck, scones, pineapple salsa, pizza dough, chocolate covered bing cherries.
Then I went to the Party Source which opens at 11am on Sunday morning. I love to walk down the aisle of beer. So tempting and mind boggling. The cave is the cold vault full of icy beer. The flavor rum selection was fabulous. The array of fancy foods divine! I will most certainly miss the Party Source.
I ended up my shopping spree with a trip to Superior Candy and Nuts. Candy sold by the pound. This was the much anticipated stop every week end for my step daughter and I to get our $2.99 bag of treats. Everything from jaw breakers to salt water taffy, caramels to sweet tarts. I purchased the ceremonial last bags for each of us. I also purchased a pound of licorice assorts! The very difficult and hard to find delights that I love maybe a bit too much. Last time I found them was in a shop in Galway.
I have become very attached to the area. I believe it had a lot to do with it being a major metropolis. I am going to miss it very much. Especially the cheap thrills....such as...
Driving into the valley of the Ohio river rounding the big hill on I-75, you come around and the city of Cincinnati is laid out in front of you like a crown jewel. At night time, this view will take you breath away with its beauty.
There are seven bridges that span the Ohio River into Kentucky. Each one has a demonstrative name attached. The Suspension Bridge, the Mac Bridge, the Purple People Bridge. I loved to photograph them and will miss their mystic and the dreaminess that they always opened up in me.
I'll miss the walks I took. And finding the great sources for picture taking. From Covington you cross the "little bridge" over the Licking River and it becomes Newport, which merges into Bellevue which in turn becomes Dayton (KY). Each small ( at one time a frontier town) city attached together like jewels on a necklace.
The Levee with the Newport Aquarium and the multitude of fancy restaurants and shops. The actual levee with the wonderful Riverfront area for walking, skipping rocks into the Ohio, the Veterans park, the floating restaurants on the river, the running track. The barges. The abandoned boats on the ground wrapped in blue vinyl blankets for the winter. The ducks.
I'll miss the bars that are everywhere and I did not have enough time to visit the ones I wanted. The Southgate House will be a source of fond memories The public radio stations especially the one out of Batavia Ohio which played the most off the wall stuff! Polka music, old Big Band Sounds, Celtic music, and old Cowboy music! The DJ's were grandma's & grandpa's sharing their record collections! Sometimes sounding as if broadcasing from their basements! I will miss that very much.
I'll miss most of all the excitement and the anticipation. It was an area where anything could happen. Of bursting color, sounds, smells and interesting people everywhere.
It was a good three months.