Tiny Trains of the East Coast

So, yes, we drove to New York City ("Imagine that," as Ida would say, quoting Michelle Shocked) to rendezvous with Ella's brother DKV and his family.  First we ate in a diner, to get up our strength.  ANd then soon Ida had hooked up with DHV and they had started running wild in the NY Botanical Garden.

NYC is so exciting!

There's the secret LV and HV, along with SHV (these people closely monitor the web exposure!). And you'll note, here, a very interesting parallel to yesterday's outing:

Yes, miniature trains!  Who knew that my wife Ella has a fixation about tiny trains and would plan various outings in which we could interact with them.  I also wonder if the TIGHTNESS of the east coast, all these people living together and piled on top of each other, makes things become very small in the way, say, that some islands allow giant monitor lizards to bloom (as in one of Ida's books) or elephants the size of cows, etc.  Anyway, HV awaits a train:

Meanwhile, these unrepentant and sincere hand-holders led us away, to a "Gingerbread Adventure"

Miki was down.  She kissed this gingerbread man.

At first we failed to find the gingerbread cookie decorating tent, and thought we'd misunderstood.  "Why," Ida asked me, "Is Mama always wrong about the things that will be at a place?"

Later, she conceded that Ella had been right, after all.

Thanks, V cousins!  An excellent adventure; until next time!