Roadtrip to Dayton

I am a museum professional. I have been for the last 7.5 years. I mainly have worked in education and engagement, but I have dabbled in archiving, public relations and preserving. I am a museum go-er as well. I thrive when I am at a museum, my brain goes a mile a minute and I think of all the things I can do in my own job to make it better. Since finding museums as a career and a goal, my life has been very focused on that. I have spent nights at museums, hours looking for a matching plant in the rows and rows of shelves at the herbarium, and months trying to figure out the best way to teach fire safely to 4th graders. I love it, it's who I am.

I went to visit my sister and brother-in-law this weekend. My sister, knowing that I'm a BIG fan of museums, suggested going to a smaller outdoor history museum in Dayton. My new job is at an outdoor living history museum so I thought why not? It was a very fun museum.


This was some family's house! It looks like a tomb, or something really exotic. But nope, just a single family home in Dayton in the 1800s.


This was another house and my sister entering it. Inside was a very nice fireplace, along with an amazing candle dipper. I asked my brother-in-law to make me one. It was a large wheel with six offshoots. Each off shoot had slots to put wicks in, then you spun the wheel and dipped the candles into the wax then water. amazing.


This was an interesting structure at the museum. It was a clocktower that had been located on a building in downtown Dayton. very cool. and very big.

I also saw the wright flyer...an original wright flyer. how cool!!!! It was a decent museum. The highlight, besides being there with my family (minus my parents) was this old train car that went from Detroit to Mackinaw. It was BEAUTIFUL. Kim and I ran ahead while the boys looked at the old steam engines and looked at it in awe. I didn't want to get in trouble and take photos inside this old train, but it was done in Victorian fashion, stained glass windows, red velvet seats and wood tables. it was absolutely breath-taking. I wish I could take it from Detroit to Mackinaw. I'd love that.

I'm throwing in a photo of me playing with my nephew Gus. He is such a funny dog. He only likes little miss Loki, dogwise. But he likes his aunt, who is Loki's momma.

Thanks for a great weekend Kim, Chris, and Mr. Gus Gus.