Mass

On Monday afternoon, Phil got a call sending him to Massachusetts for a surgery on Tuesday. The company booked him a hotel room. We had nothing going on around here, so we loaded up the kids (minus Jake who is at scout camp) and headed to Massachusetts for a little overnight trip.

We got into town (Westport or Falls River) around 8 or 8:30, and of course we had to head to the pool. I mostly sat in the hot tub, as the pool water was a little chilly. But the kids enjoyed it. The next morning I drove Phil to the hospital (5 minutes away) while the kids ate some cereal he brought up from the breakfast room. I got them more breakfast when I got back, and we just hung out until time for checkout.

About 11:30 we started cleaning up to go. After leaving the hotel, we began looking for something fun to do. We found a little shopping center with a Dollar Tree and a Walmart, and spent some time there. Then we headed down by the water. It was hot out, but in the shade it was absolutely gorgeous with the breeze coming off the water.


After walking along the trail a bit, we found a gas station where we could get drinks and a snack, then found a park to hang out at until time to pick up Phil at the hospital.

Someone at the hospital had recommended a little local burger joint to Phil, so we headed to the UglyAmerican. It's the type of place you see on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Just a tiny place on the corner, without even a parking lot! But, oh, it was worth it! Very reasonable prices, and FABulous food! We got a half-and-half order of fries: half sweet potato fries, and half zucchini fries. We were not disappointed. Phil also tried the chocolate covered bacon. I was dying to try their deep-fried homemade oreos, but they didn't have any. Bummer. Guess I will have to deep fry my own homemade oreos.
Anyhow, it was a good find, and if we go back up there, we will definitely go back and try some of their other delicious burgers.

On the way home we had to stop and Toys R Us for Jackson and Gabe to spend their birthday money. Jackson got some Buzz Lightyear toys, and Gabe got a Yo-Be, a combination Frisbee-yoyo. Phil was dying for a diet coke, so we stopped repeatedly at gas stations looking for fountain drinks. About the fifth or sixth stop, we finally found fountain drinks. But only Pepsi products. He settled for a diet mountain dew that tasted a little like cough syrup. Figures. It was rather funny, though. Apparently Rhode Island doesn't do fountain drinks. Which is funny, cuz they don't charge deposits on the bottled ones.

All in all, not much exciting, but a fun little unexpected trip.