2011 The Year of the Penguin - Adventure #1

That's right 2011 is the year of the Penguin. I like to include people I love on my yearly goals and when I asked my mom she was very specific in her response text - #15 12 Penguins on 12 Adventures.  So when we learned we needed to go to Columbus for a retirement meeting - I decided we would also go on adventure #1.  So yesterday we got up early (well early for someone who has been working from home recently and starting at 9am), and we set out for the metropolis of Columbus which is about two hours from Oxford.

First stop was the Retirement office - where we learned all about retirement.   Two things were decided - 1 - the building was fancier than any of the schools than I've seen in Ohio and 2- it was decided that no matter what Mom was going to need a post retirement part time job for a while - apparently even though you get a decent pension from the state you need to supplement your retirement.   Anyhow it was interesting to see and it makes me think I should re-look at my retirement funds because the trillion years til my retirement is not that far off.

Anyhow after that we decided to see some large things in the cold - because Penguins surely do this.  With a little research we decided on the World's Largest Mortar Board and Tassel  and World's Largest Gavel.  Yup that's right both of these hot spots are in downtown Columbus. Both were really accessible and easy to find and FREE so thumbs up for all those things.  However it was SUPER cold and none of us wanted to put on our coats so we froze up. 

The Gavel was located by the Supreme Court right on the Scioto River and I noticed a bike trail there along the waterfront as well and thought Jono and I should return in the summer for a bike ride.

Then we set off to find a penguin.  Unsure really where we might find one.  We kind of drove off in search of lunch with hopes the penguins could be found.  While looking for a restaurant for lunch we ran into the Heartland Antique Mall I think it was, and we decided to stop.  We found lots of beautiful treasures not purchased - like these old press items which of course I wanted to buy but did not since they don't work in my letterpress. 

And momo was partial to the drawers as she wants to store her treasures in them (but they were pricey).

And we found stockings for Rachel and Anna.

We kept thinking maybe it should have been the year of the frog, owl, chicken, or dog. 

And then we discovered 5 different Penguins and we had to select the ones we liked the best.  I chose these lovelies Millie and Willie - they are salt and pepper shakers.  Which after some research back home seems they were a promotional cigarette item by Kool Cigarettes and at $11 I thought they were priced right and too cute. 

Oh and I found more partridge family patten for my Pyrex Collection which of course couldn't be passed up since it's my FAVORITE. 

For mom we found this Hagen-Renaker figurine.  I don't really know much about it, except I think it might be the mama emperor penguin. 

And then we wanted to stop at the Esther Price Shop and get some chocolates for Nanny P and Mearlene and some other people.  It was quite the adventure just trying to find the shop - we didn't know where it was except we thought exit 62 (which was not right).  And then we thought maybe 26 but we went the wrong way and then I got wise and called the shop and they gave us instructions and we found it.  The pretty much only have chocolates there and we were disappointed they didn't make them their.  But we had the place to ourselves.

That's all from this Penguin Adventure until next time.