Back out on the train...day 5

On day 5,  I was at BWI rail station once again, this time headed south, and waiting for a commuter train south to DC, to pick up the Capitol Limited for Chicago.  I was on site early and thus able to catch a quick selfie on the platform....

My rides to DC, and then Chicago, were uneventful.

I enjoyed meeting folks in the diner, and had some good conversation during dinner.  Seated with me was a man and his son, who were getting off in Pittsburgh in the middle of the night.  And one other woman.   The boy, who was about 11, was very articulate, and able to express himself very well.  He had two women to talk to...one a retired teacher and one a transgender retired office worker (me).  My transgender status didn't come up - the teacher and I kept him (and his dad) talking for most of the meal.  Wonder what questions the kid later had for his dad?

Upon arrival in Chicago, I hustled to get to the Metropolitan Lounge and get my bags stowed away before the rest of the crowd arrived.  My plan worked, and I saw several folks from the train as I got settled.

I immediately ventured out to the food court to get some lunch, and one commuter who needed to get past me in the crowd waiting for a commuter train said "Excuse me, Sir."   But I don't think it was an intentional slight, simply a mistake, he wasn't looking directly at me, and probably didn't see the whole picture of who it was that he was trying to get past.   Yes, I do have broad shoulders. (Quite unlike the conductor on the earlier train. whose comment was clearly intentional.)  But otherwise I had no issues!

Sunsets can be beautiful from a train...

Stay tuned for more...

Mandy

Heading back for Baltimore...day 4

Another interesting day of adventure...

Got dressed and was ready to walk down to the station to pick up a train heading East.  But I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to have someone take my picture...so I did it myself, in the room, using the self-timer on my camera.

Following is/was my outfit for the trip back to BWI.   I find that I really love wearing this skort.   But I notice that as I sit down, it rides up a bit, and even more of my legs are on display.  Nothing wrong with that.  But it's an unusual feeling, one that I'm still not used to.  (I'll admit to tugging on my hem more than a few times...not that it made the skirt any longer!)

Notice my nails???  Several women did...and all commented favorably.  That's a delightful thing!

The train ride from Utica to NYC was uneventful.  But one particular Conductor couldn't resist taking a dig at me by using the dreaded "S" word, despite the fact I had been out and about in the real world as a woman for the past three days, with no issues.   He "had an axe to grind", but I let it pass....he obviously is a hater, and it's not worth risking an issue - I had a connecting train to catch.

After the crowds in the NYC Club Acela at Amtrak on my westbound trip, I was pleasantly surprised to find it almost empty...and cool inside.   Quite unlike the station itself...that was once again horribly crowded, and hot. 

Going to the Big Apple?   Expect just about anything!  You'll probably find it...

More later,

Mandy                                         

Moving right along. Days 2 & 3

On my way westbound, here train-side, during a short layover at Albany, NY. 

I was standing outside the Lake Shore Limited, which was my "magic carpet" to a place called Utica, NY.  Home of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad.    This ride was a minor adventure in itself.  Not only was the train late, but it had to stop to pick up passengers from a broken down train, who were stranded.  The staff told me coaches were SRO (standing room only), but fortunately those woes didn't extend into the sleeper.   And it was only for a short time, to get them to the nearest station.

Naturally, my sleeper was at the far rear end of the westbound train upon arrival in Utica, so it was quite a hike to the station.  When I got to the cab stand, there there were no cabs.  Not one in sight.  Rumor had it that since the train was running an hour late, cabbies had all left.  And when I called for one, they said it would take at least 15 minutes, maybe a half hour,  to arrive.  Twenty minutes passed, getting later with every tick of the clock, and nobody showed.

Having surveyed the area between my hotel and the station on a mapping program before I left home, I was familiar with the road layout, and decided that it was worth "hoofing it" to my hotel.  Yes, a girl in a dress, in a city, at night.   As the clock passed 11 PM, I chose the route with the fewest dark corners, hidden entrances, and buildings in general,  and off I went...with two 2-wheel suitcases in tow.

To make a long story short, it was the better part of a mile.  Since I usually walk more than that every day, it was no big deal.  But it's been years since I did it alone while in a city - at night.  Never before in a dress.   Fortunately, I'd done my homework.  And nothing happened safety-wise.  Any mugger (notice I used "singular" form) might have gotten a bit of a surprise - this girl isn't what she seems to be.  But more than one, and there would have been an issue.

Above is a picture inside Utica's Union Station.  Quite a thriving place.  Including a restaurant (during normal hours) and a branch of the DMV.  That's good...it's not in danger of being shut down.  And there's a children's museum on the grounds.

My hotel was a big downtown establishment, which had previously fallen on hard times.  But it's in the process of becoming a Hilton Doubletree, and they're seriously renovating the property.  The rooms were very nice, mine was freshly-refurbished, with new "everything."

Next day was planned as my only "boy" day this trip.  There was a slim chance of meeting people who might know me.  For the train excursion, I wore capris, women's tee top, the many other cues I always display, and clogs to hide my toes. (It was impossible to hide my red fingernails, though.)  I wore very light makeup. And when my long lasting lipstick wore off after lunch, I didn't re-apply it, I simply used regular lipstick.   Easier to fix mistakes as the train bumped along.   I talked with my hands as usual, and so on.

"Boy" wouldn't exactly be how I'd describe my appearance, and apparently others saw it the same way.  I didn't hear the "dreaded S-word" at all.   This was completely normal attire for me as both a girl and a boy...but I looked very much like many other girls of varying ages on board for the ride.  And I was addressed as female by everyone who had occasion to deal with me.

Above: me in front of the Adirondack Scenic depot at Thendara, NY.

I was one of the few paying customers on the short extension of the excursion to Big Moose, where the engine ran around the train.   But scenery made it worthwhile.  When we returned to Thendara, the only thing to do while waiting for the train to be serviced and watered, was to walk across the parking lot and have a meal. 

Van Aukens Inne

The fun part of that was: I met a nice middle-age couple from Ohio, and shared a table with them for our meal at Van Aukens.  They were apparently either convinced I was female,  or never missed a beat in addressing me properly.   It was a great day!  (And before you ask, I never saw anyone who knew me.)

Sitting on the veranda eating early dinner was very pleasant!  About halfway through our meal, a musician appeared, and began playing live music.   A great way to spend our afternoon, being serenaded while waiting for the train!   The color on my nails was no big deal...my table mates and the servers simply treated me as a woman.   Here's a picture of my nails...couldn't resist taking it - particularly since I was on my "boy" day.

Pretty nails...on he who was supposed to be a boy...but in fact looked - and felt - more like a girl.

Upon getting back to my hotel, I took a few minutes to review my wardrobe for the rest of the trip.  That's when I realized  I was  out of clean "less girly" attire.   Well, except for the one outfit I plan to wear home.  But, it's safely tucked away in my car's trunk in Baltimore, so I can't access it.

Having spilled something on my capris at dinner,  I sure won't be wearing them again till they're washed. Thus, it's skirts or dresses for me until I get into the car to drive home in a few days.   And that's the way it should be!

Stay tuned for more...

Mandy

Off on another train trip...

It's been a while since Mandy has been able to spend time "Out of the Suitcase" for a full week.  So when the opportunity came, I took advantage of the situation.

First thing I needed to do on the way out of town was pick up my thrift-shop-inexpensive-but-too-big jumper dress, which was being altered  by my favorite seamstress across the bay.  The alterations were apparently a success - it fits much better now.  The seamstress made sure I tried it on afterward, since alterations were significant.   And when she saw how it looked, she made sure I didn't take it off!  (It's not the first time for that, either!   Oh, well...in for a penny, in for a pound...)

Before the nail salon...

Then I dropped in at a nail salon...on the inland side of the bay for obvious reasons...for a paint job on all 20 nails.  My nails all had bee recently filled, so it should have been an easy job for the nail tech to simply paint them.  But there was an obvious language issue.  After we got past the confusion that I didn't want the artificial nails I was wearing to be removed before she painted them (she didn't speak English well), everything was fine.

And the results were as follows:

I couldn't believe how wonderful they looked!   Another need accomplished.  And since I didn't bring any materials to remove the paint with me, I was going to show off 20 pretty nails for the entire trip, regardless of how I dressed.

After the tech finished my nails at the salon, in the interest of economy I hit a Subway to pick up some food before heading to the motel and get some sleep before my early morning departure.  When I checked in to my hotel the night before departure, hearing "Ma'am" was music to my ears!

Day 1 - enroute north:  Up early to catch a train for New York City, where I would lay over for a few hours and catch a train west.  Early that morning, after hearing "Thank you for choosing us as your choice of accommodations, Ma'am" to set the scene for the day, I drove to the rail station at BWI airport, on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, and a particularly convenient point of embarkation.  

I digress to  my similar trip  a couple of years ago.   Back then, I arranged a meet-up with Marian, one of my long-time blog readers.   We had a wonderful time, and the weather was good enough that two girls could do some local sightseeing, in addition to doing lunch at a local eatery.  

This time, due to Marian's busy schedule, Mandy met "Mario" (Marian's alter ego) at Penn Station (that's the one under Madison Square Garden.)  With outside air temperatures in the 90's, and the common realization that neither of us wanted to spend the rest of the day smelling like we just stepped out of the gym, we weren't particularly fond of the idea of local sightseeing.  So, we ate lunch at a traditionally-overpriced beanery in the station, and then retired to the Club Acela first class lounge.

Club Acela was very crowded, even though the AC in the lounge was having serious issues, requiring a large fan to keep the warm air moving.   Almost every seat was filled, but we found two seats together, and were able to sit and chat until (sadly) it was time for "Mario" to leave for his other appointments.    And shortly thereafter, the agent gathered those of us traveling west together to board our train...

Not sure when our next meet-up will be, however it's something we can plan for...and hopefully on a quieter, less-hot day!  (In the Big Apple - maybe less hot, but not quieter...you never know what you're going to see.  Case in point, one very drunk - or high on something - girl being led around the station by her girlfriend, and a bevy of running, screaming people in the main concourse, which got attention from the local constabulary.   Never dull there.)

Before I forget, many thanks to Marian for the picture and very nice writeup in her blog!  If you haven't visited there, you can find it at http://crossingts.blogspot.com.  She's a lovely person, and a great writer!

After departing Pennsylvania Station on the Lake Shore Limited, and emerging from the tunnels , I caught a glimpse of the construction status of the replacement for the old Tappan Zee Bridge (over the Hudson River), which is being built to relieve massive traffic issues on the old one.  If you look closely, you can see standing (not moving) traffic on the old span:

In the above picture, there is a red blur in the lower center.  Doesn't look like much, does it?  Perhaps  a stray reflection.? And it is...it's my nail color - seen as a reflection in the window!  Some of the pictures I took had even better reflections...but those were deleted.  No point in having Mandy's wife inquiring about that....

Construction is coming right along.  Wonder what will happen to the old bridge?  Probably like so many others, it will be imploded!

Stay tuned for the next section!

Mandy

Another fabulous day!

Out and about last week... I was taking my wife to an appointment on the other side of the bay.  Wearing white capris, a gray tunic blouse, white slide sandals, my necklace, cross- body purse, hairless arms and legs, long hair and shiny nails, I apparently looked like a girl.

While she was at her appointment, I dropped in at a bank I seldom visit (once or twice a year), to make a deposit.  Nothing special about that, right?   WRONG!  When I walked in, the greeter (I did not remember him at all) addressed me as Mrs. Sherman.  Oh my...I'm impressed.  And he showed me how to use their new machines...all the while addressing me as Mrs. Sherman.

Either:  I'm totally unforgettable and the greeter isn't ('cause I didn't remember him from last time); one of the other officers of the bank recognized me; or there is some kind of customer facial recognition software in play to assist, in case of robbery.  I will inquire about that with my next visit!

After that, I needed to deliver an X-ray picture,to be added to my file at my own dentist's office.  So I dropped in, and the traditional cast of characters behind the desk who know me, wasn't.  Everyone was a trainee that day.  Friendly, of course.  And needless to say, after I gave my name, they addressed me as female, without looking at my records.  I'm not complaining in the slightest...the others normally there would likely address me as "Sir," even if I showed up in a dress, heels, red nail 

polish and full makeup.   Fifteen-plus years at the same dentist, with most of the same people, can cause that effect.

I stopped at my usual pond on the way by, both to try to get a selfie and a pic of the ducks.  But there were too many people there already, and the pond was covered with algae. UGH.   Not a pretty sight.  So I settled for a pic of the ducks:  

Since I had recently uncovered an older jumper dress (which was too big, but I got it for less than $3 at a charity shop on senior day) in my wardrobe stash, I had already decided to stop at my seamstress from "back in the day" and have her make it wearable.  She was thrilled to see me after all this time, and we spent a few minutes catching up.   Then, she told me to put on my dress...

She pinned it up and we checked it in the mirror, it looked like it would be a successful alteration.  And, she's going to try to have it ready on the day I come into town to head out on my next train trip.  I'm excited!  I've been wearing skirts and tops for such a long time and am looking forward to finally be wearing a dress again!  It's been too long....

Then I stopped at a brand new charity shop - very large, very well stocked.  I found several things that I will go back and try on either the day leave or get back from my trip - and even found a super soft convertible sleeve v-neck blouse which I bought for Mom.  I told my wife to feel it - she did and liked it - and said that if I find one that fits me,  I'll buy it.  She didn't like the idea as it's undeniably feminine, but I told her I'd only wear it when we aren't going to be together.   I think that approach may have worked...MAYBE the beginning of a Mandy wardrobe - that she knows about.  I'll have to buy something first, and then time will tell.

Lastly, I stopped at my regular bank branch, to change some bigger denomination paper money into small bills for my trip.  They know I'm a guy, but I walked into a discussion among the female staff, about hair removal creams and whether they work.  They chatted back-and-forth for a couple minutes, then apologized to me for the non-business talk..."You never know what kind of discussion you'll hear!"

I chuckled and said "You may or may not have noticed, but I don't have much hair on my arms or legs...   There's a reason.   I had laser done a number of years ago, and epilating about once every 2-3 weeks does it for me."  Needless to say, as I was the only customer, the girls all had questions...took about 5 minutes to get them answered.  It's likely that I didn't convert anybody to laser, but I ended with "And you never know when one of your customers will join in your discussion, do you?"  We all got a chuckle out of it...and since the manager was part of it, there won't be any repercussion for the girls.  But I doubt they were expecting it...even from a guy who dresses like a girl.

I guess I sort of "outed" myself to the 4 girls.   But it was fun to see the looks on their faces.

Such a wonderful day...I love being a girl!

Mandy...

Quickie: One good thing? Or two?

Once back from vacation, life started to go on again...with its normal "unusual turn of events..."

When I arrived at the nursing home for the first time after the trip, I was told that Mom needs more clothes.   And they told me that in my absence, she enjoyed wearing the one dress that made it to her closet (at home she seldom wore dresses, and most were the wrong size, so they went to charity when we closed up the house.)    Not sure about their statement, but...

One of my old dresses doesn't fit me as well as it should (too small), so I retrieved it from storage, took that in to the nursing home and they will label it for her.  Not only does that free up some storage space in my wardrobe hiding place, but if it fits her well enough, it could add an interesting twist to the old tale of "I wear Mom's hand-me-downs."  She will be wearing MY old dress!   And even if it doesn't fit her well, it can reside safely in her closet at the nursing home, labeled for her and safe from discovery.

But wait, there's more!

For some time, we've been getting "one per customer" reduced-price food offers from a restaurant in a nearby town.  It's a restaurant where in the past, staff has addressed us as two women whenever we stop in, and they always inquire "One check or two, ladies?"  I jokingly suggested to my wife that since they believe we're two women, when they offer a menu item we like, and it's convenient for us, we should go in and carry on the image, get two checks, then pay separately to take advantage of the offers.

Then came the truly shocking part:  my idea wasn't shot down.  It even got a chuckle.  No, we haven't done it yet, nor have we set a date to try it.  And let there be no doubt about my attire - no skirts.  (Capris are always fine.)  But the very fact that my lighthearted idea did not "die on the vine" with an abrupt "no way," is a good omen...

Finally, while I was retrieving my dress for Mom from storage, I came across a denim skort I'd bought "dirt cheap" a while back - because it needed repair for a small seam tear at one side pocket. (Yes, my skirts and skorts have more pockets than my capris, stirrups or shorts).  Thus, I've never worn it.   While I was out and about, I took it to the cleaners for (hopefully) minor repairs.    It should be a very practical addition to my wardrobe!  Especially in light of my upcoming July solo trip...

What really surprised me, though, was that the young (30something) female attendant at the cleaners couldn't find the inside of the outer denim layer, since it was covered with the internal fabric shorts.   She kept fumbling with the fabric and mumbling "What is all this?"  My response was:  "It's a skort, Ma'am.  Those are the shorts sewn inside the skirt.  They make it easy to 'not show everyone' my panties when I bend or sit."  No response from her, but she figured out how to reach the area she needed.  (I really didn't want to have to show her.)

Is it conceivable that a youngster could live such an insulated life that she doesn't know what a skort is?   She was wearing shorts, so if she only wears shorts and pants, I guess anything's possible.  Maybe she'll learn something about fashion, and try a skort - they look so nice!

That's all for now.

Mandy

The rainy day

The other day, I was preparing to walk  into the nursing home where Mom lives...and it was raining.  Hard.

A lady parkeed next to me, and went to her trunk, unloading medical mechanical equipment, and put it on a cart to take inside.  I pushed my umbrella outside the car and opened it.  After grabbing my purse, I got out, and walked around the car to head for the door.  The lady pushing the equipment came around her car at that same moment.  I said to her:  "Would you like to share my umbrella?"  Her answer was, "Thank you, Ma'am, that is so nice of you."  And we walked to the door together, huddled under my umbrella.   She thanked me again as we parted ways...and it was a fun experience for me - a practical one for her.

The nursing home is breaking in a new receptionist...who has apparently decided that not only am I female, but my name is Connie.  It's not, well, not even close.   But I answer to just about anything!  So I guess if I ever decide to take a different female name at some point, it might as well be Connie.  I kind of like that name!

From the archives:

This is a view of the rails of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor receding into the distance, from the rear lounge of a private railcar I was privileged to ride, back in 2001.  (Hard to believe that was 16 years ago!) Memory serving me correctly, this was just outside Wilmington, DE.  But someone familiar with the skyline might be able to refresh my memory!

There was a bit of bumpiness...thus some blurring occurred.  I was glad I wasn't having to serve dinner on board!  But we were moving along at a pretty good clip.   Below shows the car's speedometer, pegged at its limit of a little over 100 mph! From experience, parts of the Corridor have much higher speed limits than that.  (And the car was old enough that 100 mph was faster than most trains ever went, back in the day!)

It was a fun ride!