I got out of work early Friday and picked Sue up so we could get some errands done before heading out for another Friday Night Explore.

First up, we headed into Portsmouth to take a tour of the Moffatt-Ladd House. It's probably been 20 years since I've seen that and Sue had never been. It was a wonderful experience and we both really enjoyed it.

The weather was just perfect: bright, sunny, in the low 80's. We took full advantage of that and walked around downtown Portsmouth and then over to State Street where many of the art galleries are.

Or that is to say: were. I was surprised at how the economy has battered so many of the nice businesses in Portsmouth. And, I am equally surprised that in this economy most of the shops in town were closed.

Folks, let me offer this to you: you're in the middle of the summer in one of the highest destination vacation cities on the east coast. If you are closed, you just don't get it.

Needless to say, because of this, we finished looking at shops and just sat for awhile down by the water at Prescott Park before driving over to BG's Boat House on the water on Sagamore Creek. Though a cute place, and a great place to come for lunch on the deck, don't waste your time going there for dinner. The prices are as much as you'd pay for actually good, prepared food in Portsmouth vs. just fried or boiled fish here with mediocre sides and third rate wines.

As the sun was just beginning to set, Sue suggested that we head over to Fort Stark for sunset so she could get some pictures. I had never been over there before and so we had a great time wandering around there and taking some spectacular pictures of the sun setting over a fading purple horizon with scattered sail boats heading toward the 2-KR bouy marking the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor.

We didn't get home until about 9:30 and didn't feel like watching a movie. So we just watched some HGTV and turned in for the night.

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