Thursday, May 31, 2007

How do you top a train?


Fathers' Day is coming up, and I need to think of something good.

For Mothers' Day the guys took me for a ride through the Michigan countryside on the Little River Railroad, a real old-time train powered by a restored steam engine. We're talking a smaller version of Hogwarts Express here, with all the attendant hissing, chugging, billowing steam ... literally all the bells and whistles.

Even better, we nabbed the up-high window seats in the caboose, the ones you have to climb to get into. And, because Elder Son knows the engineer, we got a personal tour of the engine itself. The weather was perfect, we went to dinner after, and was just a great day all around.

So. Now it's my turn. And I'm out of keen ideas.

I guess I started this with Hubby's birthday. Hubby loves to play with this little remote control helicopter we gave him for Christmas. Elder Son is a pilot, and he knew somebody with a real helicopter, so we all chipped in to give his dad a chance to fly it -- with the real pilot in control for the tricky parts, of course. He loved that, and reciprocated with the train ride.

He does need a new grill, but that seems so prosaic now. Any thoughts?

2 comments:

Carly said...

Hi Vicki :)

The train photo is terrific, and the ride sounds like a really relaxing way to spend the day. I have always wanted to take the special Amtrak trip from Oakland to Sacramento, but so far I just haven't found the time. There is also a special train through the Santa Cruz hills, which is something special, but again it is just sitting on my "to do" list.

As for Father's Day, I think a BBQ would be a great present. Guys really do enjoy their grills. :) Maybe you could get something extra special to cook on it, and have an elegant outdoor meal. Just a thought. :)

MyMaracas said...

Thanks for the suggestion, Carly! The Hubby does enjoy special dinners, and we've never actually done one outdoors, as there's no furniture out there. Hmmm... a nice deck table would go well with that grill, huh. Cool!

Those train trips sound excellent, too. I always had this fantasy about riding the Orient Express, Paris to Istanbul. Too much Agatha Christie maybe.