Randy and I went to Columbus for my STRS appointment, to investigate retirement, for me. We arrived early and took a walk several blocks to stroll around the state capitol building. We've decided that of all the state capitols, Ohio's is the least good-looking. It just doesn't have that regal look that others, with domes, do.
The meeting went well, was well-understood, and we left STRS to go to German Village to The Book Loft, the bookstore with 32 different rooms full of books. I bought a book about ghosts and a WW cookbook and a pile of greeting cards. Randy bought some construction books.
Then we went to North Star Cafe in Clintonville, north of Columbus, to meet up with Janet Lipkin Fish, who I truly have not seen since 9th grade. We've struck up a friendship via Facebook over the past two years. She is retiring right this minute and had steered me to the counselor I met with. I had a 6 dollar bowl of soup and Randy had a 14 dollar hamburger. Then we had four 3 dollar cookies..........egads.
We then went to "Short North," which is in the northern part of the city. Lots of galleries and cute little boutiques are there. We strolled around, checked out a few shops and galleries, and decided it was too hot to be there.
Since it was July 1st, Columbus was celebrating what is called "Red, White, and Boom!" and half of the city was not even at work (which is probably why we had no trouble driving around.....) and at night there was to be a huge fireworks display.
Randy and I ordered a big pizza and ate that in our suite at the Comfort Inn, then stood in the parking lot and watched what we could see of the fireworks, rather than be in a huge crowd. We also took a very short dip in the hotel pool.
On Saturday morning, it was raining, but we had planned to attend "The Gallery Hop" at Short North. Unfortunately, the rain kept a lot of people from going there. We went in and out of galleries, not buying anything. We found The North Market, on Spruce Street, (I think) and enjoyed a very leisurely walk through this old city market. (It is a small version of The West Side Market of Cleveland.) We ate a couple of samples, and I bought 6 large square screaming yellow dinner plates for summer entertaining at one great little kitchen shop. A farmer sold me some wheatberries at half what I've been paying at Giant Eagle, also.
We walked back to our car, parked on High Street, and ate coney dogs at Phillip's Coney Island, while we watched Retro TV.....Fess Parker in Daniel Boone, then Robin Hood. Across the street, at Jeni's fabulous ice cream shop, we had 2 scoops of ice cream for $8.................delicious, cold, and we needed it at that moment.
Home in the late afternoon via Lodi Outlets.
