Carriages and More Carriages

Since the first year that we visited The Villages, Diane and Tom had suggested that we visit the Carriage Museum. We even tried to talk our cousins into going one year.  But, alas, we never went.  TODAY, we went to see some horse competitions and to visit the museum.  The owner is a very wealthy woman, who has spent a fortune restoring carriages.  It is something to see!

 This is the statue that you see as you enter the grounds from the parking lot.

 You get the idea of what the carriages that were in the competition look like.  We went to the museum and saw a little of it before it was time to see Diane and Tom's friend in his competition.

 This carriage was restored and supposedly belonged to Franz Joseph.  The guide was from DuPage County, IL.

 Here's Diane and Tom's friend winning his competition.  It is VERY slow paced - a little like watching wallpaper dry.

 This is a hummer that an artist took apart and redid so horses could pull it.  A little like what people did with their cars during the great depression.  Says a lot about the artist's view of the current economy.

 If you are going to restore a car, it might as well be a Rolls!

Terry and her boyfriend, Roy Rogers.  She was a big fan when we were growing up.

Terry took this out of focus photo of me at the Barnam and Baily Circus carriage.

We came home to rest for a little bit, eat a bite, and change clothes to go to a concert, with Diane and Tom, to benefit the local food pantry.  It was held at Temple Shalom and was great fun!  We were up dancing in the aisles for When the Saints Go Marching In.

After the concert, Terry and I went to Perkins, where we heard that had good eclairs.  They were out of eclairs.  But, not to fear - we had brownie hot fudge sundaes!  I told Terry that we need to leave quickly before the Weight Watcher Police arrived!  Sinfully delicious.