The Flag House and Someone Is Now 50

I am a happy guy this morning.  My Dad has been away on a business trip since Sunday, but he came home last night.  I wish he didn't have to work today, but he will be home tonight.  Mom and I did fine while he was gone, but I sure hated seeing him walk out the door with his luggage on Sunday.  Mom had the pleasure of picking him up at the airport last night during rush hour. She was thrilled about that since it was her first time driving to that airport.  Oh and if you are wondering, I did not hold a peaceful protest like I did last year.  You don't remember that?  Check it out here:  Peaceful Protest

Saturday, the folks drove to Baltimore to visit The Flag House.  The Flag House is the house that Mary Pickersgill lived in.  She is the lady that sewed the Star Spangled Banner Flag.  It is the flag that flew over Fort McHenry.  We told you about that last week.   Here is the post if you missed it: Visit To Fort McHenry.

The Flag House was built in 1793.  Mary began living there in 1806.  Visitors are allowed to take a tour of the house.  There is also a museum on the same property which includes a short video about Mary and the flag.  Admission is $8 a person.  Mom didn't consider that bad because it includes a parking permit.  The folks would have had to pay to park if they hadn't parked next to the museum.

The Flag House

This is the museum.  The windows represent the true size of the flag that Mary made.  The flag originally measured 30 by 42 feet.  Each of the fifteen stripes is 2 feet wide, and each of the stars measures about 2 feet in diameter

The flag was sewed by Mary, her mother and her daughter.  They actually had a flag making business, but this was the biggest flag that they ever made.  It took them six weeks.  The flag was so large that it had to be assembled in a warehouse.  They lost money making this flag, but in the end, they gained more business.

Scraps of material from the actual flag.

Dishes that belonged to the family.

This flag is a re-creation.  It was made out of wool though and when it was put on the flag pole, it bent it.  It now just sits on a table collecting dust.

This was the office in the house.  Mary and her mother were both widows.  It was rare for women to work during this time period and even more rare for a woman to own a business.

The kitchen.

The master bedroom which also served as the room where they made flags.  It was on the 2nd floor of the house.

The folks thought the house was interesting.  Some of the items in the house belonged to the family, but many were just period pieces.

After they toured the house, Dad wanted to eat at a restaurant that he really liked when he was in Baltimore last winter.  The decor needs updating, but the food is good.

Since it was his 50th birthday, he decided to splurge and order two meals.  He ordered a crab cake and also blackened scallops.  He said both were excellent.

Crab Cake

Blackened Scallops and coleslaw.  Mom ate the coleslaw.

Mom can't eat seafood and they didn't have a lot of selection for land lovers.  She thought they would have fish and chips, but they didn't.  She decided to go with just a cheeseburger.  It was good, but pickles and onions would have made it even better.

Cheeseburger

The folks went to a Chinese buffet for dinner.  They seek out Chinese buffets. Some are good and some are really bad.  I usually get the fortune cookie.  This last one was okay, but probably will not result in another visit.

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Is Happy To Have His Dad Home