The Best Laid Plans Of Mice and Men

Photo: Where we didn't go!

Personally, I never believed that mice actually made plans. Nonetheless, today was the day to drive to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary (North of Boston) and do some walking, eat a picnic lunch, view the wildlife and birds, and enjoy a beautiful fall day.

We were tooling up I-95 and there was a BIG BACKUP at the Route 1 exit. Eeek! The Topsfield Fair Traffic. One of the worst traffic jams I was ever in was at the Topsfield Fair. We shot on by, plans trashed, and decided to visit Newburyport and Plum Island. Newburyport had its share of traffic. Some kind of festival going on, but we found a quiet bench by the river/estuary and shared a fab roast beef sandwich, chips, dill pickle spear, banana and some crumbs of biscotti. A delightful lunch, all and all, and not so filling as to make us soporific.

On to Plum Island. On the first pass thru town, we did not find the bird sanctuary, but saw lots of beach houses for sale and about 1,000 no parking signs. Not a welcoming community. Then we found the wildlife preserve but didn't want to pay $5 per car to enter. In cheap mode, obviously. Went to the Audubon Society at Joppa Flats, expecting hiking trails and what have you, but there weren't none, and we ended up walking on the bike path of a busy highway, not exactly relaxing.

Drove home in Sunday traffic. Still being in cheap mode, we stopped at Rojo's on Route 1 in Norwood for a fill up. Huge gas line, because he was selling it was $2.79, such a deal and half of the pumps were not operative because their gas was sold out. Twenty minute wait and then home where we grilled some steak, and I fixed acorn squash and asparagus from Peru with a whopper of a carbon footprint. Salad, too. Got into the Halloween candy around 10:30. My bad!

Still waiting to go to Ipswich. Maybe next spring or on some balmy winter Sunday.

We did go to the Topsfield Fair years ago. Early on a Saturday morning was the key. Pygmy goats and sheep shearing and fried bread. I couldn't have liked it more.

Links to places mentioned in this post:
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary:
http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Ipswich_River/index.php

Topsfield fair: http://www.topsfieldfair.org/

Find the cheapest gas in your area:
http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx

Joppa Flats Wildlife Center: http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Joppa_Flats/index.php

There is so much to do in the Greater Boston area. We have an "embarass de riches" if you will excuse my fractured French.