We are home safe and sound and truly had an enjoyable summer. Not ready for school mode just yet, so we are just doing what we have to do.
Our time in TN were very fun. I was nervous that David wasn't going to like being in the middle of the woods, in a log cabin, but he was fine and is looking forward to returning.
Dollywood is not somewhere we need to go back to, but we had a nice enough day. The park itself is beautifully kept, but the attractions won't be confused with Disney World any time soon. We had dinner at Dixie Stampede and that was actually alot of fun. The show was cleaver, and action packed. There were live animal races-- Nothing like witnessing a pig race, in Pork Chop Downs. The dinner was served without silverware. Jeffrey was happy about that. We went with Gramma Joan and she was excited by how much fun Jeffrey had. It was a long day and we all collapsed when we got back home. The next day, David and Jeffrey went to explore the Lost Sea Discovery. It was an adventure and they had a great time in the underground caves. In the middle of the underground, there is a full sized lake, which was big enough to see via a boat ride. I passed on this one and went to a great scrapbook store, an hour away, in Knoxville.
Our trip was cut a little short because David's father has had some health concerns. He is hospitalized and hopefully we'll have a better idea of where things are at, by Tuesday or Wednesday. He turns 95 on September 1.
We drove straight home in 14 hours. It was not that bad, but we didn't want to stop, unpack the car, go into another hotel etc. We got home at 2am Friday. We are still sort of blurry, but taking things as they come.
Thanks for following our adventure-- we have started planning next summer, starting out in Houston. For now, we have some grand ideas, but it is too early to really plan anything solid. Jeffrey definitely is going back to Magic Tree House Camp-- one more year reprieve from overnight camp.
Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer. We have murmurings of hurricanes lurking, but the way I see it, we are going to be fine. We installed shutters two hurricane seasons ago and I feel entitled to no storms for at least 15 years--that way, I'll feel we got our money's worth.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Crossed OH Border
After a nice weekend with family, we are now in Kentucky, on the road to TN. We're going to stop at the Kentucky Fried Chicken Museum in an hour or so. Who knew?
Backing up, on Saturday, we spent the day at the Cinncinati Zoo. It was an inovative place and the animals had a lot of open space. It was hot, but we didn't complain, because it was the first hot day we'd had all summer.
Sunday we had some down time- oh no-not that! We swam, and relaxed. We had a big Sunday night dinner with family and friends.
Four miles to the KFC Museum. This ought to be interesting?
Backing up, on Saturday, we spent the day at the Cinncinati Zoo. It was an inovative place and the animals had a lot of open space. It was hot, but we didn't complain, because it was the first hot day we'd had all summer.
Sunday we had some down time- oh no-not that! We swam, and relaxed. We had a big Sunday night dinner with family and friends.
Four miles to the KFC Museum. This ought to be interesting?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Catch Up...
Last I wrote, we were on the way home from Toronto. The time since, has gone by in.a fast blur.
Jeffrey was happy to return to camp for another two weeks. Prying him out of there tomorrow is going to be a joy-
My birthday was nice enough. Facebook made it extra fun, because I heard from so many voices of the past.
Last weekend we toured some of the 17 covered bridges in this area. It was very interesting and enjoyable. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. Jeffrey was in charge of the map, because I was unable to read any part of it. If David weren't driving, I'd still be on a dirt road somewhere. My map reading skills are the reason I love GPS. Unfortunately we were so deep in the woods, that coverage was not very good. I won't bore anyone with the details, but each bridge had a story and generally speaking, were over 100 years old.
In the afternoon we went to Geuaga on the Lake- a honky tonk, tourist trap. We played miniture golf, walked around and enjoyed the amazing weather. We found a great place to eat off the main road. Mary's Kitchen was a landmark and way better than any of the standard beach fare.
After dinner, we walked along Lake Erie. It was not private, but we weren't exactly welcomed to be there either. There was a big NO SWIMMING sign and Jeffrey really kept pushing to get in the water. He finally pushed my last button and I scooped him up in my arms and plopped him right in the lake-clothes and all. He was stunned to say the least. At this point, we let him splash around and now he's seen three of the five Great Lakes. (A fact totally not wasted on him.)
The next day we spent the day visiting with family. It was nice to see so many people at one time. Jeffrey played with his cousin Dana and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately his time with cousins is very limited.
Today I got organized and am ready to load the car tomorrow. Jeffrey has camp and we'll leave right from there, to Columbus, OH. Why Columbus you ask? How could we have missed the inagural season at the Clipper's new ball park. (The Clipper's are the Indian's top.Farm team.). Go Tribe!
Saturday morning we head to Cincinatti to visit our cousins. We've managed to plan a full range of activities here too. The weather is supposed to be hot and humid-something we haven't had to deal with since leaving home. No time like the present to geta taste of summer time in FL.
Our last stop is in Telico Plains, TN, to visit friends. They have a log cabin in the middle of no where. It is beautiful there and we'll take a ride through the mountians and make our way to Pigeon Cove. Tacky, yet a fun way to end the summer.
One way or another, we'll be home by Sunday, August 16th. I am not ready to think about being home yet, so, I'll close.
Last thought-many have asked if we'd do this again. The answer is without any hesitation. Already planned next summer's route via Texas. Hopefully, everything will fall into place and we'll be able too-
Thanks for still hanging out with the Brover's!
Jeffrey was happy to return to camp for another two weeks. Prying him out of there tomorrow is going to be a joy-
My birthday was nice enough. Facebook made it extra fun, because I heard from so many voices of the past.
Last weekend we toured some of the 17 covered bridges in this area. It was very interesting and enjoyable. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. Jeffrey was in charge of the map, because I was unable to read any part of it. If David weren't driving, I'd still be on a dirt road somewhere. My map reading skills are the reason I love GPS. Unfortunately we were so deep in the woods, that coverage was not very good. I won't bore anyone with the details, but each bridge had a story and generally speaking, were over 100 years old.
In the afternoon we went to Geuaga on the Lake- a honky tonk, tourist trap. We played miniture golf, walked around and enjoyed the amazing weather. We found a great place to eat off the main road. Mary's Kitchen was a landmark and way better than any of the standard beach fare.
After dinner, we walked along Lake Erie. It was not private, but we weren't exactly welcomed to be there either. There was a big NO SWIMMING sign and Jeffrey really kept pushing to get in the water. He finally pushed my last button and I scooped him up in my arms and plopped him right in the lake-clothes and all. He was stunned to say the least. At this point, we let him splash around and now he's seen three of the five Great Lakes. (A fact totally not wasted on him.)
The next day we spent the day visiting with family. It was nice to see so many people at one time. Jeffrey played with his cousin Dana and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately his time with cousins is very limited.
Today I got organized and am ready to load the car tomorrow. Jeffrey has camp and we'll leave right from there, to Columbus, OH. Why Columbus you ask? How could we have missed the inagural season at the Clipper's new ball park. (The Clipper's are the Indian's top.Farm team.). Go Tribe!
Saturday morning we head to Cincinatti to visit our cousins. We've managed to plan a full range of activities here too. The weather is supposed to be hot and humid-something we haven't had to deal with since leaving home. No time like the present to geta taste of summer time in FL.
Our last stop is in Telico Plains, TN, to visit friends. They have a log cabin in the middle of no where. It is beautiful there and we'll take a ride through the mountians and make our way to Pigeon Cove. Tacky, yet a fun way to end the summer.
One way or another, we'll be home by Sunday, August 16th. I am not ready to think about being home yet, so, I'll close.
Last thought-many have asked if we'd do this again. The answer is without any hesitation. Already planned next summer's route via Texas. Hopefully, everything will fall into place and we'll be able too-
Thanks for still hanging out with the Brover's!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Headed Back to Cleveland
I think the Blackberry is the greatest thing I've owned since a microwave in 1985...
We are about two hours away from the Beachwood hotel. We are tired and if there is another downpour, we may not not get back tonight.
Backing up- I had so much fun by myself on Thursday that David thought he'd give it a try on Friday. Jeffrey and I spent many hours at the CN Tower. 7he tower is one of the tallest in North America. Security alone took us an hour and then we headed in the elevator, which 58 seconds later got us 230 feet in the sky. The building is very stable and the height was not really an issue. (It was not like the Arch in St. Louis, where we felt the swaying.). Anyway, it was a clear day and the views spectacular. The most unique feature of the tower is the glass floor. It is strong enough to hold something like 22 elephants, but it is still a bit creepy. I talked Jeffrey into taking one for the team so to speak and I got him to lie down, so I could take a picture. We enjoyed lunch on the observation deck. For dessert Jeffrey ordered a pizza cookie. It was covered with white chocolate and gummy bears. We are so not related. He took one bite and informed me it was too sweet and that was the end of the pizza cookie. After lunch we spent some more time looking at the exhibits and then spent a few minutes in the gift shop. It had a lot of unique things and this was one of the few places we have really shopped.
Late in the afternoon we met David back at the hotel. We ventured out to Little Italy for dinner. This was a large, vibrant community. We found a great place for an authentic dinner and had a nice time. The boys went back to the hotel-Disney was premeiring something or another. I walked aback leisurely and wqas able to spend some time in a scrapbook store. Calphion Cookware-probably spelled wrong-had an entire block's complex. They sold pots and pans and had elaborate cooking classes. It was a huge complex and interedting to see.Life is good.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Ontario Science Museum. It was fantastic and we stayed way to long, but even though it is almost 11pm and we're still on the road, it was worth it. The exhibits were fun, different and interesting. The special exhinbits were over the top-frogs, snakes and geckos. Ok, if you are Jeffrey or David, the exhibit was over the top. As for me, I thought attending Spy School was pretty entertaining. A highlight of the museum was a sculture with moving balls. I won't do the description justice, but it was an amazing sight. It made all sorts of different music.
My eyes are blurry, so I am going to close.
Two more weeks of Magic Tree House camp start Monday. I have a lot a scrapbooking I jhope to accomplish.
To be continued...
We are about two hours away from the Beachwood hotel. We are tired and if there is another downpour, we may not not get back tonight.
Backing up- I had so much fun by myself on Thursday that David thought he'd give it a try on Friday. Jeffrey and I spent many hours at the CN Tower. 7he tower is one of the tallest in North America. Security alone took us an hour and then we headed in the elevator, which 58 seconds later got us 230 feet in the sky. The building is very stable and the height was not really an issue. (It was not like the Arch in St. Louis, where we felt the swaying.). Anyway, it was a clear day and the views spectacular. The most unique feature of the tower is the glass floor. It is strong enough to hold something like 22 elephants, but it is still a bit creepy. I talked Jeffrey into taking one for the team so to speak and I got him to lie down, so I could take a picture. We enjoyed lunch on the observation deck. For dessert Jeffrey ordered a pizza cookie. It was covered with white chocolate and gummy bears. We are so not related. He took one bite and informed me it was too sweet and that was the end of the pizza cookie. After lunch we spent some more time looking at the exhibits and then spent a few minutes in the gift shop. It had a lot of unique things and this was one of the few places we have really shopped.
Late in the afternoon we met David back at the hotel. We ventured out to Little Italy for dinner. This was a large, vibrant community. We found a great place for an authentic dinner and had a nice time. The boys went back to the hotel-Disney was premeiring something or another. I walked aback leisurely and wqas able to spend some time in a scrapbook store. Calphion Cookware-probably spelled wrong-had an entire block's complex. They sold pots and pans and had elaborate cooking classes. It was a huge complex and interedting to see.Life is good.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and headed to the Ontario Science Museum. It was fantastic and we stayed way to long, but even though it is almost 11pm and we're still on the road, it was worth it. The exhibits were fun, different and interesting. The special exhinbits were over the top-frogs, snakes and geckos. Ok, if you are Jeffrey or David, the exhibit was over the top. As for me, I thought attending Spy School was pretty entertaining. A highlight of the museum was a sculture with moving balls. I won't do the description justice, but it was an amazing sight. It made all sorts of different music.
My eyes are blurry, so I am going to close.
Two more weeks of Magic Tree House camp start Monday. I have a lot a scrapbooking I jhope to accomplish.
To be continued...
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Days 2 and 3 in Toronto
What a great city this is! Very much like Boston or NYC. Even though they have had a garbage strike for several weeks, the streets are very clean. Every place is also very "green" conscience and recycling is done everywhere. It is also more elaborate than the recycling we do in the US.
On Wednesday morning, we actually slept late and then headed out to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What an impressive place this was-- and I wasn't the slightest bit interested per se. The facility is fairly new and it is well designed and laid out. Everything is bright and eye catching. The history during the past 100+ years was very interesting too. The awards and Stanley Cup are housed in a separate wing--which used to be a bank. Everything is temperature and humidity controlled and more or less displayed in various types of vaults. Somehow, we spent five hours here and the time passed quickly. There were a lot of interactive games; Jeffrey and David didn't miss a one. They were goalies, shooters, sports announcers and TV directors. Everything was a lot of fun.
For lunch we went to an international food market. There were 11 different stations and we were able to get exactly what we wanted at each place. We mixed and matched and had a lot of fun. There is a place like this in the Prudential Center, in Boston. Anyway, David was not with us, because he wanted some extra time at the Hockey Hall of Fame to watch a movie. I was not paying attention to what Jeffrey was ordering and when it came time to pay the bill, I almost fell over. There was nothing I could do-- he ate it all. Thinking back, it really was not that bad-- but the amount was a bit staggering for one child and me. (me=fruit salad...)
We came back to the hotel to try and rest in the afternoon, because we had tickets to see the Sound of Music in the evening. Toronto's theater district is the third largest in the world, just behind NYC and London's West End. I slept, David was still at the Hall of Fame and Jeffrey bounced around the room. The show was wonderful. The scenery beautiful and very high tech. The mountains moved and rotated. The scenery was rich and detailed. I had seen the show a couple of times before, but this was by far a superior production. The theater was full and everyone had a good time. Jeffrey managed not to melt down and a nice evening was had by all.
This morning, Thursday, I took a day for myself, while David and Jeffrey went to see the Indians vs. Blue Jays. As luck would have it, it was "Kids Run the Bases" day and for the third time this summer, Jeffrey was able to run on a major league field. The stadium has a retractable roof and although it was raining outside, the game went on without issue. It was an exciting game and it seems each time they go to a game, the Indians manage to win. (They are competing for 4th place-- not exactly a stellar season.)
I put myself on a double decker tour bus and enjoyed the solitude. I really took in the sights and made the most of a rainy day. The Royal Ontario Museum was a real treat. I had tickets to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the show did not disappoint. The materials are on loan from Jerusalem, and are very well displayed. It was easy to follow and each station was more interesting than the one before. The rest of the museum was also great. I saw a gem exhibit like none other-- (except for the Hope Diamond in DC), Wedgewood had an exhibit and there was a small Judaic collection. There were several other rooms, but these were the highlights. Aside from the Dead Sea Scrolls, I loved the Fashion and Textile exhibit. There were clothes on display from all different time periods, as well as different materials and accessories. Very fascinating indeed. The best part was not having anyone need me to take them to the bathroom, or complain that they wanted to move on...
I had lunch at the museum. It was typical museum fare. The reason I am mentioning it is because of the recycling process at the end. Everything was separated-- food, paper, plastic, waste etc. Everyone was very conscious to follow the procedure and it was very impressive. Even the streets have multi-compartment waste containers, to separate the recycling from the trash. Things are more green here than in the US. There are billboards that are run on solar power and anything that is environmentally friendly, is well posted.
The rest of my day was spent getting off and on the bus. I saw alot of new things and so enjoyed myself. This city has large shopping areas. One area is so big, that it covers two subway stops. The shopping is no different than Boca Raton , Fifth Avenue or Newbury Street, and there sure is a lot of it. The very high end area is ripping up all of the asphalt sidewalks and replacing it with black granite. The goal is to ensure that only the very highest calibre shops stay, because the rents and taxes are going to escalate. The Gap need not apply...
I won't go into great detail, but I also saw Casa Loma, the only Castle in Toronto. The building has a rich and interesting history, but I won't bore you with the specifics. The Beta Shoe Museum is the result of a women's personal shoe collection. The collection got so large, that her husband got her, her own museum. There are over 12,000 pairs on display! Absolutely my kind of place!
For dinner, we all went to Chinatown. This was a pretty large section of town. We had the name of several restaurants to choose from, and walked up and down the streets. There were produce markets with the most unusual things we'd ever seen. Everything was fresh and looked delicious. We had a nice dinner and waddled back to the hotel room.
Tomorrow is another day. We have a couple of different scenarios planned out, but I am not sure what we are going to end up doing. Will keep anyone interested, updated...
Thanks once again, for travelling with us!
Ellen
On Wednesday morning, we actually slept late and then headed out to the Hockey Hall of Fame. What an impressive place this was-- and I wasn't the slightest bit interested per se. The facility is fairly new and it is well designed and laid out. Everything is bright and eye catching. The history during the past 100+ years was very interesting too. The awards and Stanley Cup are housed in a separate wing--which used to be a bank. Everything is temperature and humidity controlled and more or less displayed in various types of vaults. Somehow, we spent five hours here and the time passed quickly. There were a lot of interactive games; Jeffrey and David didn't miss a one. They were goalies, shooters, sports announcers and TV directors. Everything was a lot of fun.
For lunch we went to an international food market. There were 11 different stations and we were able to get exactly what we wanted at each place. We mixed and matched and had a lot of fun. There is a place like this in the Prudential Center, in Boston. Anyway, David was not with us, because he wanted some extra time at the Hockey Hall of Fame to watch a movie. I was not paying attention to what Jeffrey was ordering and when it came time to pay the bill, I almost fell over. There was nothing I could do-- he ate it all. Thinking back, it really was not that bad-- but the amount was a bit staggering for one child and me. (me=fruit salad...)
We came back to the hotel to try and rest in the afternoon, because we had tickets to see the Sound of Music in the evening. Toronto's theater district is the third largest in the world, just behind NYC and London's West End. I slept, David was still at the Hall of Fame and Jeffrey bounced around the room. The show was wonderful. The scenery beautiful and very high tech. The mountains moved and rotated. The scenery was rich and detailed. I had seen the show a couple of times before, but this was by far a superior production. The theater was full and everyone had a good time. Jeffrey managed not to melt down and a nice evening was had by all.
This morning, Thursday, I took a day for myself, while David and Jeffrey went to see the Indians vs. Blue Jays. As luck would have it, it was "Kids Run the Bases" day and for the third time this summer, Jeffrey was able to run on a major league field. The stadium has a retractable roof and although it was raining outside, the game went on without issue. It was an exciting game and it seems each time they go to a game, the Indians manage to win. (They are competing for 4th place-- not exactly a stellar season.)
I put myself on a double decker tour bus and enjoyed the solitude. I really took in the sights and made the most of a rainy day. The Royal Ontario Museum was a real treat. I had tickets to see the Dead Sea Scrolls and the show did not disappoint. The materials are on loan from Jerusalem, and are very well displayed. It was easy to follow and each station was more interesting than the one before. The rest of the museum was also great. I saw a gem exhibit like none other-- (except for the Hope Diamond in DC), Wedgewood had an exhibit and there was a small Judaic collection. There were several other rooms, but these were the highlights. Aside from the Dead Sea Scrolls, I loved the Fashion and Textile exhibit. There were clothes on display from all different time periods, as well as different materials and accessories. Very fascinating indeed. The best part was not having anyone need me to take them to the bathroom, or complain that they wanted to move on...
I had lunch at the museum. It was typical museum fare. The reason I am mentioning it is because of the recycling process at the end. Everything was separated-- food, paper, plastic, waste etc. Everyone was very conscious to follow the procedure and it was very impressive. Even the streets have multi-compartment waste containers, to separate the recycling from the trash. Things are more green here than in the US. There are billboards that are run on solar power and anything that is environmentally friendly, is well posted.
The rest of my day was spent getting off and on the bus. I saw alot of new things and so enjoyed myself. This city has large shopping areas. One area is so big, that it covers two subway stops. The shopping is no different than Boca Raton , Fifth Avenue or Newbury Street, and there sure is a lot of it. The very high end area is ripping up all of the asphalt sidewalks and replacing it with black granite. The goal is to ensure that only the very highest calibre shops stay, because the rents and taxes are going to escalate. The Gap need not apply...
I won't go into great detail, but I also saw Casa Loma, the only Castle in Toronto. The building has a rich and interesting history, but I won't bore you with the specifics. The Beta Shoe Museum is the result of a women's personal shoe collection. The collection got so large, that her husband got her, her own museum. There are over 12,000 pairs on display! Absolutely my kind of place!
For dinner, we all went to Chinatown. This was a pretty large section of town. We had the name of several restaurants to choose from, and walked up and down the streets. There were produce markets with the most unusual things we'd ever seen. Everything was fresh and looked delicious. We had a nice dinner and waddled back to the hotel room.
Tomorrow is another day. We have a couple of different scenarios planned out, but I am not sure what we are going to end up doing. Will keep anyone interested, updated...
Thanks once again, for travelling with us!
Ellen
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
BUSY Three Days...7-21-2009
Greetings from Toronto. What a busy few days we have had. To my friends who don't like going all over the place, (and prefer to shop or be in the spa...) these past few days were not for you. As for us, we had a great time. (I do however see a spa day in my future...)
On Saturday, we took a ride to the NE OH Amish country. This is the fourth largest population of Amish, in the US. It was really very fascinating and enjoyable too. The country roads were beautiful and of course we shared the road with lots of horse and buggies. Our first stop was at a working farm. Jeffrey fell in love with the goats. They've always been his favorite, but he really took to these. There was an interesting Cultural Center, which was packed with information. A model kitchen showed how the Amish still do not use electricity or modern technology. They have a refrigerator, but it is cooled by ice. (Later, in the center of town, we saw the Ice House, where ice is prepared in the winter, for use all year long.) Their wardrobes are pretty sparse too. Examples of all there clothes were on display. Basically, they have every day clothes, Church clothes and Wedding/Burial clothes. Nothing really looked that much different from the other. (And Juicy doesn't have to worry about competition anytime soon...) Even though I squirmed, when Jeffrey put on an Amish jacket and hat, the picture is cute. (I squirmed because who knows where that hat and jacket had been before him, let alone, when it was last washed...No one cared but me and I was quiet about it.) The "family room" was filled with board games and puzzles- most of them familiar to us. The children have no DS, computer or TV, so they are creative and make up games using marbles or other basic things. The children that we saw, looked happy and healthy and all the people were friendly. After the farm, we went to the center of town, to the General Store and Commons. In the Commons, there was a hand carved horse and buggy-- the biggest one of its kind. It was enormous and really something to see. And to humor the tourists, they perched a podium at the exact spot, where the perfect picture could be taken. The General Store was packed with almost 1,000 spices and extracts and other cooking/baking ingredients. The Amish grow most of their own food, but need to purchase additional items too and rely heavily on the General Store, which has been in the same spot, since the 1800's. We really found the whole thing to be fascinating and interesting. We found a well know restaurant for lunch and really enjoyed their home cooking. David has never had a piece of carrot cake as delicious as the one he had last Saturday. I doubt I'll ever have butterscotch cream pie again, because I want the memory of this piece to linger forever...The pie even had butterscotch chips on top.
After lunch, we stumbled upon a Day Lily Farm. We were curious as to what it was, so we took a walk around. It turned out to be a farm, where all they harvest are different types of lilies. If we had to guess, there were probably 250 different varieties. The parking lot and grounds were full, and per the licence plates, it was obvious people travelled from all over, to purchase these plants. Of course we've never seen anything like it and the pictures are going to be incredible. This truly was a unique day. They even had a separate Buggy Parking Lot available.
On Sunday, we arrived at the Progressive Park, the home of the Cleveland Indians, well before the game began. It was Beach Weekend at the park, complete with sand castles, dancing, games, Radio Disney, slides and bounce houses. Jeffrey of course took it all in. The funniest part about it-- at least to us, was that it was freezing! It barely got to 70 degrees, in the middle of the afternoon. Anyway, it still was fun.
Because I am such a savvy Ebay Shopper, I managed to buy tickets to the game, which included passes to the Terrace Club. It is a place to eat, overlooking the field. It really is a room with a view. We had prime window seats and never actually went to our ballpark seats, because we were comfortable. Jeffrey was happy, I was thrilled and David was happy that everyone was content. The downside of the day, was that the Indians lost yet again. The Tribe is not exactly having a stellar year, but apparently, any baseball is good baseball.
Early on Monday morning, we drove to Niagara Falls. We spent the first part of the day on the US side, at Goat Island. They really were spectacular and a sight to see. We had lunch at the Top of the Falls and overlooking Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. The sights and sounds were magnificent.
The highlight of the day was walking to the Cave of the Wind. I missed the part about walking and kept waiting for a boat. I kept walking in awe, and was totally out of it-- looking for a boat. Thank goodness I never said anything, or David would have had to commit me. The whole thing was just lost on me. We paid our money and were given mandatory rain coats and water shoes. We did as we were told and then lined up and started walking. We walked up the stairs and down the stairs and then did it again. All the while, we were on the side of the falls and getting wetter by the minute. It was sort of like walking down into the Grand Canyon. I was so confused and couldn't imagine why we kept walking up and down these ridiculous steep stairs. Where the hell was the boat?? Then we got to the Hurricane Deck and I got it. There was no boat ride. We were walking in/out and around the falls, in the wind and water. It was truly spectacular, but by the time I figured this out, the walking was over. I would have liked to do it again, this time, without looking for a boat. I finally admitted to David that I had no clue and he hasn't stopped laughing. At least I walked the entire path with Jeffrey. Someone else in our party, chickened out, when the stairs became too steep. He didn't want to loose his glasses, so we'll leave it at that. In all fairness, loosing the glasses was a real option. When we completed the walk, we looked like we'd been in a Category 4 storm.
Once we dried off, we got back in the car and headed for Niagara Falls, Canada. It was a short ride over the border. The border guard was nasty and made a simple process basically feel like we were entering the country to cause harm to those in our way. The whole thing was silly and even though he was fresh, he didn't go through every item in the car, piece by piece. We arrived at the Marriott and our room on the 23rd floor was breathtaking. We had a view of both the American and Canadian Falls and was really a site to behold. We also saw a rainbow, which put the experience simply over the top. We headed out to Clifton Hills, which is where all the action is, if you are aged 4-104. The whole area was one attraction after the next- each one more fun than the one before. One of the highlights is the Sky Wheel, a Ferris wheel, 175 feet in the air. Jeffrey and David got lost in a maze and it took 28 minutes for them to get freed. (The average escape is 12 minutes...Better luck next time...) We had two miniature golf courses to choice from. Had Jeffrey been in charge, we'd have played both, but settled on the Dino Course. It was a fully animated course and lots of fun. By 9pm, we still hadn't had dinner. Jeffrey could have kept going, but his parents were just about down for the count. We had a light dinner and got back to the hotel and passed out-- but not before looking at the Falls illuminated in white lights and then colored lights too.
Tuesday morning, we had breakfast overlooking the Falls. We watched the morning fog lift and clear, then we took a cable car ride to the base of the city and walked over to the Maid of the Mist. This time I was sure we were going on a boat. And indeed we did-- complete with the rain gear again. The boat went to the base of the American Falls, and then to the basin of the Canadian Falls. We passed giant rocks, and millions of gallons of water crashing like thunder, right before our eyes. It was not nearly as frightening as yesterday- just loud and wet.
After our boat ride, it was time to leave Niagara and head to Toronto. We did pretty much all there was too do-- except more of the same. I personally would have voted for half a day at the Marriott Spa, but it was not part of the plan today. The drive to Toronto was easy, aside from the torrential rain storm we drove it. We arrived in downtown Toronto and are staying in a hotel attached to the Roger's Center. David actually went to the game himself tonight. He wanted to see Cliff Lee pitch. He and Jeffrey are going again on Thursday, but for tonight, he deserved a night to himself. Jeffrey and I had dinner at the hotel and are just relaxing, because I am sure that Tour Director David has every minute of the next 4 days planned. He has done an excellent job making sure we get all the highlights and don't miss anything unique, new or fun. I know the next few days include the theater, Hockey Hall of Fame, Zoo, Science Center, the CN Tower, etc., etc.
I am going to take a hot shower-- it is cold and damp here and relax, as tomorrow is another day!
Thanks for staying a part of our journey!
Best,
Ellen
On Saturday, we took a ride to the NE OH Amish country. This is the fourth largest population of Amish, in the US. It was really very fascinating and enjoyable too. The country roads were beautiful and of course we shared the road with lots of horse and buggies. Our first stop was at a working farm. Jeffrey fell in love with the goats. They've always been his favorite, but he really took to these. There was an interesting Cultural Center, which was packed with information. A model kitchen showed how the Amish still do not use electricity or modern technology. They have a refrigerator, but it is cooled by ice. (Later, in the center of town, we saw the Ice House, where ice is prepared in the winter, for use all year long.) Their wardrobes are pretty sparse too. Examples of all there clothes were on display. Basically, they have every day clothes, Church clothes and Wedding/Burial clothes. Nothing really looked that much different from the other. (And Juicy doesn't have to worry about competition anytime soon...) Even though I squirmed, when Jeffrey put on an Amish jacket and hat, the picture is cute. (I squirmed because who knows where that hat and jacket had been before him, let alone, when it was last washed...No one cared but me and I was quiet about it.) The "family room" was filled with board games and puzzles- most of them familiar to us. The children have no DS, computer or TV, so they are creative and make up games using marbles or other basic things. The children that we saw, looked happy and healthy and all the people were friendly. After the farm, we went to the center of town, to the General Store and Commons. In the Commons, there was a hand carved horse and buggy-- the biggest one of its kind. It was enormous and really something to see. And to humor the tourists, they perched a podium at the exact spot, where the perfect picture could be taken. The General Store was packed with almost 1,000 spices and extracts and other cooking/baking ingredients. The Amish grow most of their own food, but need to purchase additional items too and rely heavily on the General Store, which has been in the same spot, since the 1800's. We really found the whole thing to be fascinating and interesting. We found a well know restaurant for lunch and really enjoyed their home cooking. David has never had a piece of carrot cake as delicious as the one he had last Saturday. I doubt I'll ever have butterscotch cream pie again, because I want the memory of this piece to linger forever...The pie even had butterscotch chips on top.
After lunch, we stumbled upon a Day Lily Farm. We were curious as to what it was, so we took a walk around. It turned out to be a farm, where all they harvest are different types of lilies. If we had to guess, there were probably 250 different varieties. The parking lot and grounds were full, and per the licence plates, it was obvious people travelled from all over, to purchase these plants. Of course we've never seen anything like it and the pictures are going to be incredible. This truly was a unique day. They even had a separate Buggy Parking Lot available.
On Sunday, we arrived at the Progressive Park, the home of the Cleveland Indians, well before the game began. It was Beach Weekend at the park, complete with sand castles, dancing, games, Radio Disney, slides and bounce houses. Jeffrey of course took it all in. The funniest part about it-- at least to us, was that it was freezing! It barely got to 70 degrees, in the middle of the afternoon. Anyway, it still was fun.
Because I am such a savvy Ebay Shopper, I managed to buy tickets to the game, which included passes to the Terrace Club. It is a place to eat, overlooking the field. It really is a room with a view. We had prime window seats and never actually went to our ballpark seats, because we were comfortable. Jeffrey was happy, I was thrilled and David was happy that everyone was content. The downside of the day, was that the Indians lost yet again. The Tribe is not exactly having a stellar year, but apparently, any baseball is good baseball.
Early on Monday morning, we drove to Niagara Falls. We spent the first part of the day on the US side, at Goat Island. They really were spectacular and a sight to see. We had lunch at the Top of the Falls and overlooking Horseshoe Falls, on the Canadian side. The sights and sounds were magnificent.
The highlight of the day was walking to the Cave of the Wind. I missed the part about walking and kept waiting for a boat. I kept walking in awe, and was totally out of it-- looking for a boat. Thank goodness I never said anything, or David would have had to commit me. The whole thing was just lost on me. We paid our money and were given mandatory rain coats and water shoes. We did as we were told and then lined up and started walking. We walked up the stairs and down the stairs and then did it again. All the while, we were on the side of the falls and getting wetter by the minute. It was sort of like walking down into the Grand Canyon. I was so confused and couldn't imagine why we kept walking up and down these ridiculous steep stairs. Where the hell was the boat?? Then we got to the Hurricane Deck and I got it. There was no boat ride. We were walking in/out and around the falls, in the wind and water. It was truly spectacular, but by the time I figured this out, the walking was over. I would have liked to do it again, this time, without looking for a boat. I finally admitted to David that I had no clue and he hasn't stopped laughing. At least I walked the entire path with Jeffrey. Someone else in our party, chickened out, when the stairs became too steep. He didn't want to loose his glasses, so we'll leave it at that. In all fairness, loosing the glasses was a real option. When we completed the walk, we looked like we'd been in a Category 4 storm.
Once we dried off, we got back in the car and headed for Niagara Falls, Canada. It was a short ride over the border. The border guard was nasty and made a simple process basically feel like we were entering the country to cause harm to those in our way. The whole thing was silly and even though he was fresh, he didn't go through every item in the car, piece by piece. We arrived at the Marriott and our room on the 23rd floor was breathtaking. We had a view of both the American and Canadian Falls and was really a site to behold. We also saw a rainbow, which put the experience simply over the top. We headed out to Clifton Hills, which is where all the action is, if you are aged 4-104. The whole area was one attraction after the next- each one more fun than the one before. One of the highlights is the Sky Wheel, a Ferris wheel, 175 feet in the air. Jeffrey and David got lost in a maze and it took 28 minutes for them to get freed. (The average escape is 12 minutes...Better luck next time...) We had two miniature golf courses to choice from. Had Jeffrey been in charge, we'd have played both, but settled on the Dino Course. It was a fully animated course and lots of fun. By 9pm, we still hadn't had dinner. Jeffrey could have kept going, but his parents were just about down for the count. We had a light dinner and got back to the hotel and passed out-- but not before looking at the Falls illuminated in white lights and then colored lights too.
Tuesday morning, we had breakfast overlooking the Falls. We watched the morning fog lift and clear, then we took a cable car ride to the base of the city and walked over to the Maid of the Mist. This time I was sure we were going on a boat. And indeed we did-- complete with the rain gear again. The boat went to the base of the American Falls, and then to the basin of the Canadian Falls. We passed giant rocks, and millions of gallons of water crashing like thunder, right before our eyes. It was not nearly as frightening as yesterday- just loud and wet.
After our boat ride, it was time to leave Niagara and head to Toronto. We did pretty much all there was too do-- except more of the same. I personally would have voted for half a day at the Marriott Spa, but it was not part of the plan today. The drive to Toronto was easy, aside from the torrential rain storm we drove it. We arrived in downtown Toronto and are staying in a hotel attached to the Roger's Center. David actually went to the game himself tonight. He wanted to see Cliff Lee pitch. He and Jeffrey are going again on Thursday, but for tonight, he deserved a night to himself. Jeffrey and I had dinner at the hotel and are just relaxing, because I am sure that Tour Director David has every minute of the next 4 days planned. He has done an excellent job making sure we get all the highlights and don't miss anything unique, new or fun. I know the next few days include the theater, Hockey Hall of Fame, Zoo, Science Center, the CN Tower, etc., etc.
I am going to take a hot shower-- it is cold and damp here and relax, as tomorrow is another day!
Thanks for staying a part of our journey!
Best,
Ellen
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Since I last wrote, things have been much quieter than the beginning of our trip. Quiet is a good thing!
Jeffrey attended Magic Tree House camp, for two weeks. It was an incredible experience and he'll be going back later in the month. Until Jeffrey introduced me to Jack and Annie last fall, I had no knowledge of the tree house-- magic or otherwise. There are approximately 40 books in the series and in each book, the main characters take on some sort of adventure. The first week they worked on Tigers at Twilight. The whole week was themed around the tiger. Crafts, games, activities and a trip to the zoo were the highlights. On the last day, they put on a short and sweet show. The next week was Knights at Dawn. Jeffrey made his own coat of arms, a highly decorated sword, went on a scavenger hunt and visited Squire's Castle- a landmark in one of the many Cleveland parks. (David went there as a child.) Of course they did regular camp things too- swimming and sports. Jeffrey's favorite thing, barring nothing, was spending time at the creek in the woods. He fell in more times than not, but had a great time playing in the mud and trying to catch cray fish, minnows and water bugs. Initially I tried washing the clothes, but just resigned to throwing them away. Believe it or not, my motto is "the dirtier you are, the more fun you had." He had a very fun time!
I was supposed to go to FL last week, but had a change of plans. I tried inviting myself on David and Jeffrey's Daddy Weekend, but essentially was not welcomed. As for me, I hung out in the hotel, read, watched movies and scrapbooked. Life doesn't get any better! I took myself out of the hotel for one meal a day and couldn't have been happier. I probably could have stayed in the hotel for 72 hours, but figured I was better off seeing the light of day.
Jeffrey and David drove to MI to visit cousins Larry, Nancy and Amanda. He had a great weekend and of course went to see the Indians get crushed by the Detroit Tigers. But it was Kid's Day at the stadium, so after the game, he was able to run the bases. Maybe next Sunday we'll get a better game, when we go to an encore game in Cleveland.
On Monday, they left MI and drove to Sandusky, OH to Cedar Point-- a bigger than life amusement park. First things first, they played miniature golf and then explored some of the rides. I wouldn't say they went on too many of the 17 roller coasters, but everything they did, they enjoyed. David went here as a child and it was exciting for him to return with Jeffrey. (I have a picture of David in 1961, on the beach and ironically, David took the same picture of Jeffrey 47 years later.) They arrived home around midnight and today is a new day.
This week is going to be catch is as catch can. It is after 2pm and neither of us are in any hurry to get dressed and out. We should, because it is a beautiful day, but for now, we are content. We may watch Tootsie in a bit.
That's it for now. Life is good.
Best,
Ellen
Jeffrey attended Magic Tree House camp, for two weeks. It was an incredible experience and he'll be going back later in the month. Until Jeffrey introduced me to Jack and Annie last fall, I had no knowledge of the tree house-- magic or otherwise. There are approximately 40 books in the series and in each book, the main characters take on some sort of adventure. The first week they worked on Tigers at Twilight. The whole week was themed around the tiger. Crafts, games, activities and a trip to the zoo were the highlights. On the last day, they put on a short and sweet show. The next week was Knights at Dawn. Jeffrey made his own coat of arms, a highly decorated sword, went on a scavenger hunt and visited Squire's Castle- a landmark in one of the many Cleveland parks. (David went there as a child.) Of course they did regular camp things too- swimming and sports. Jeffrey's favorite thing, barring nothing, was spending time at the creek in the woods. He fell in more times than not, but had a great time playing in the mud and trying to catch cray fish, minnows and water bugs. Initially I tried washing the clothes, but just resigned to throwing them away. Believe it or not, my motto is "the dirtier you are, the more fun you had." He had a very fun time!
I was supposed to go to FL last week, but had a change of plans. I tried inviting myself on David and Jeffrey's Daddy Weekend, but essentially was not welcomed. As for me, I hung out in the hotel, read, watched movies and scrapbooked. Life doesn't get any better! I took myself out of the hotel for one meal a day and couldn't have been happier. I probably could have stayed in the hotel for 72 hours, but figured I was better off seeing the light of day.
Jeffrey and David drove to MI to visit cousins Larry, Nancy and Amanda. He had a great weekend and of course went to see the Indians get crushed by the Detroit Tigers. But it was Kid's Day at the stadium, so after the game, he was able to run the bases. Maybe next Sunday we'll get a better game, when we go to an encore game in Cleveland.
On Monday, they left MI and drove to Sandusky, OH to Cedar Point-- a bigger than life amusement park. First things first, they played miniature golf and then explored some of the rides. I wouldn't say they went on too many of the 17 roller coasters, but everything they did, they enjoyed. David went here as a child and it was exciting for him to return with Jeffrey. (I have a picture of David in 1961, on the beach and ironically, David took the same picture of Jeffrey 47 years later.) They arrived home around midnight and today is a new day.
This week is going to be catch is as catch can. It is after 2pm and neither of us are in any hurry to get dressed and out. We should, because it is a beautiful day, but for now, we are content. We may watch Tootsie in a bit.
That's it for now. Life is good.
Best,
Ellen
Sunday, July 5, 2009
July 5, 2009
It is hard to believe that we have been in OH for over a week. The weather has been cool, bordering on cold, but successfully enabling us to beat the FL heat. Unlike the early part of our adventure, these past twelve days have been quiet and restful. We have read, watched movies, played games and really enjoyed the downtime.
Jeffrey completed his first week of Magic Tree House Camp. Despite the rain- and every day last week was wet, he had an awesome time. The program really was a great find and he loved each day. They did a variety of projects and games all focusing on the theme of the week, Tigers at Twilight. They had a chance to hike and explore some of the nature trails. Each day he was dirtier than the next, so we knew for sure that he was having fun. They even went to the zoo in between the raindrops. On Friday, David and I were able to go to a short show and tour the facility. There is a main pavilion, a large outdoor porch and then the tree house itself. As far as we were concerned, we were in the middle of the woods, in the middle of no where. It took a bit to convince Jeffrey that there were no bears in the woods. However, there were plenty of misquitos. Anyway, tomorrow's theme/book is Knights at Dawn and he is looking forward to whatever comes his way. He was taught how to take notes and now he is writing down facts in a notebook at every opportunity. His enthusiasm is refreshing.
We spent a quiet July 4th until late in the day, when we went to see the Indian's play the Oakland A's. We had passes to the Terrace Club (an indoor restuarant overlooking the field, which was much nicer than eating hotdogs and peanuts for dinner. The view was amazing and it will be a comedown for Jeffrey to have to sit in a regular seat next time. While on a bathroom break, Jeffrey managed to get himself picked to be part of a group of boys, who sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the crowd, during the 7th inning stretch. He had no reservation and belted out the song. He was on TV and the Big Screen too and of course ate up all the attention. Shy he is not.
The rest of our weekend was quiet. Jeffrey is trying his best to teach David to use his DS, but there is fundementally something missing in people over age 21. Many of us just don't get it...We need to go out to dinner and change our scenery. Too much togetherness in the hotel gets old fast...
Enjoy the week ahead. We have nothing special planned. Actually, I am supposed to go to FL on Thursday, for a few days, but for a varierty of reasons may not go. Regardless of what I do, David and Jeffrey are going to MI next weekend. They are going to visit cousins and go see the Tiger's play the Indians. On the way back to OH, Jeffrey will have his debut visit to Cedar Point Amusement Park. I wasn't invited on this get-a-way and may end up alone, in OH, with no responsibilty and nothing but free time. It is a hardship, but I'll try and endure.
Thanks for still keeping up with the Brovers!
Until next time...
Jeffrey completed his first week of Magic Tree House Camp. Despite the rain- and every day last week was wet, he had an awesome time. The program really was a great find and he loved each day. They did a variety of projects and games all focusing on the theme of the week, Tigers at Twilight. They had a chance to hike and explore some of the nature trails. Each day he was dirtier than the next, so we knew for sure that he was having fun. They even went to the zoo in between the raindrops. On Friday, David and I were able to go to a short show and tour the facility. There is a main pavilion, a large outdoor porch and then the tree house itself. As far as we were concerned, we were in the middle of the woods, in the middle of no where. It took a bit to convince Jeffrey that there were no bears in the woods. However, there were plenty of misquitos. Anyway, tomorrow's theme/book is Knights at Dawn and he is looking forward to whatever comes his way. He was taught how to take notes and now he is writing down facts in a notebook at every opportunity. His enthusiasm is refreshing.
We spent a quiet July 4th until late in the day, when we went to see the Indian's play the Oakland A's. We had passes to the Terrace Club (an indoor restuarant overlooking the field, which was much nicer than eating hotdogs and peanuts for dinner. The view was amazing and it will be a comedown for Jeffrey to have to sit in a regular seat next time. While on a bathroom break, Jeffrey managed to get himself picked to be part of a group of boys, who sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the crowd, during the 7th inning stretch. He had no reservation and belted out the song. He was on TV and the Big Screen too and of course ate up all the attention. Shy he is not.
The rest of our weekend was quiet. Jeffrey is trying his best to teach David to use his DS, but there is fundementally something missing in people over age 21. Many of us just don't get it...We need to go out to dinner and change our scenery. Too much togetherness in the hotel gets old fast...
Enjoy the week ahead. We have nothing special planned. Actually, I am supposed to go to FL on Thursday, for a few days, but for a varierty of reasons may not go. Regardless of what I do, David and Jeffrey are going to MI next weekend. They are going to visit cousins and go see the Tiger's play the Indians. On the way back to OH, Jeffrey will have his debut visit to Cedar Point Amusement Park. I wasn't invited on this get-a-way and may end up alone, in OH, with no responsibilty and nothing but free time. It is a hardship, but I'll try and endure.
Thanks for still keeping up with the Brovers!
Until next time...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Catch Up...Repost...Last One was a Draft
Well, we finally made it to OH...The last few days are a bit of a blur. Jeffrey got sick from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and it was a rough 36 hours. He is fine now and all is well.
Last I wrote, we had just met the Saint Andrew's Valedictorian. He is an amazing kid and a pleasure to talk with. Jeffrey thought he was talking with a celebrity. He is going to Yale in the fall and glowed when he spoke of his years at SA.
Last Saturday, after a full day at UPenn, we woke up to the worst weather. It was pouring, but we ignored it and went sightseeing via the Trolley. We visited the usual suspects- the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall etc. A real find was the National Liberty Museum. What a great place. Somewhat eclectic and a wide variety of thing to do and see. There was art work and exhibits highlighting American Heroes and recognizing people who have made a difference-- despite their challenges. 9/11 was tastefully displayed, as was the display of the many versions of the White House China. There was a large Chagall collection and the largest indoor Chihulley exhibit anywhere.
The rain let up and we went to Penn's Landing. The first thing we did was tour a real submarine. We crawled through small spaces and I only bumped my head three times. Jeffrey was happy to keep count. We also had to climb long ladders up/down, but it was worth it to see all the inner workings. From here, we entered a 1898 war ship, used during the Spanish American War. The advanced technology for the time was amazing. Next, we attended Family Day at the Philadelphia Seaport Museum. Jeffrey built his own wooden ship, learned how to caulk the sides of a ship, tie knots and steer radio controlled boats. Finally, we made it into the museum. I thought I'd be bored to tears, but it turned out to be interesting. The children's exhibits were all hands on, By the time we closed the place, we were wet, tired and ready for a nice dinner.
Oh, the thing that was most fascinating to Jeffrey was that he saw NJ without even being there. Then to make it more confusing, we were in PA, NJ was across the river and the river was called the Delaware River. Only in America!
Sunday morning the sun was sort of shining. We headed out to the Philadelphia Art Museum, famous for among other things, Rocky Balboa's run up its stairs. Lots of stairs! We went right to the Impressionists and found Van Gogh's Sunflower. Jeffrey had been waiting to see this for three years. It was much smaller than we imagined, but he was happy to see the "real thing" regardless. There was a large collection of Monet and Degas also and we all enjoyed seeing these master paintings. One more run up/down the stairs and we were off...
From here we went to celebrate Father's Day at Citizen's Bank Ballpark for the first of many baseball parks this summer. The park is new and right field is all about kids ages 6-12. They had games, activities and a bonanza of food, all in one place. By playing the games, Jeffrey earned "dollars" and was able to go to the store and "buy" souvenirs. It was a nice way to pass some time and everyone was happy. After the game, we were supposed to go for a fancy dinner, but we were hot and tired. Instead we had some Chinese food near the hotel. The original restaurant had costumed waitresses and waiters and it was all about the founding of our nation. Jeffrey was just as happy talking to the waiter in Mandarin.
Monday morning started out fine. David went to the Franklin Institute to see the Galileo telescope exhibit. It is the first time the telescope has been out of Italy and this was the only US stop. Then we headed out to Pittsburgh. Six changes of clothes later, we made it...Our first day in Pittsburgh was a wash, but we managed to get to the Indians vs. Pirates baseball game. It was another nice stadium and a fun game. The score was 5-0, top of the 9th-- but with the Indians, one never knows. By the middle of the ninth, it was all of a sudden 5-4. However, the Indians were able to hang on to their lead.
The next morning we went to the Pittsburgh Zoo- one of the nicest in the country. The only downside was that everything was up hill. Still haven't figured out how everything went up and we never seemed to walk downhill...Regardless, it was a great day and we headed out to OH, late in the afternoon.
We arrived in OH with no issue. We are unpacked and getting settled. I am doing my best to lay low for a day or two and catch up with all the running around.
Over the weekend, I will try and figure out how to post some pictures.
Nothing else to share. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Last I wrote, we had just met the Saint Andrew's Valedictorian. He is an amazing kid and a pleasure to talk with. Jeffrey thought he was talking with a celebrity. He is going to Yale in the fall and glowed when he spoke of his years at SA.
Last Saturday, after a full day at UPenn, we woke up to the worst weather. It was pouring, but we ignored it and went sightseeing via the Trolley. We visited the usual suspects- the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall etc. A real find was the National Liberty Museum. What a great place. Somewhat eclectic and a wide variety of thing to do and see. There was art work and exhibits highlighting American Heroes and recognizing people who have made a difference-- despite their challenges. 9/11 was tastefully displayed, as was the display of the many versions of the White House China. There was a large Chagall collection and the largest indoor Chihulley exhibit anywhere.
The rain let up and we went to Penn's Landing. The first thing we did was tour a real submarine. We crawled through small spaces and I only bumped my head three times. Jeffrey was happy to keep count. We also had to climb long ladders up/down, but it was worth it to see all the inner workings. From here, we entered a 1898 war ship, used during the Spanish American War. The advanced technology for the time was amazing. Next, we attended Family Day at the Philadelphia Seaport Museum. Jeffrey built his own wooden ship, learned how to caulk the sides of a ship, tie knots and steer radio controlled boats. Finally, we made it into the museum. I thought I'd be bored to tears, but it turned out to be interesting. The children's exhibits were all hands on, By the time we closed the place, we were wet, tired and ready for a nice dinner.
Oh, the thing that was most fascinating to Jeffrey was that he saw NJ without even being there. Then to make it more confusing, we were in PA, NJ was across the river and the river was called the Delaware River. Only in America!
Sunday morning the sun was sort of shining. We headed out to the Philadelphia Art Museum, famous for among other things, Rocky Balboa's run up its stairs. Lots of stairs! We went right to the Impressionists and found Van Gogh's Sunflower. Jeffrey had been waiting to see this for three years. It was much smaller than we imagined, but he was happy to see the "real thing" regardless. There was a large collection of Monet and Degas also and we all enjoyed seeing these master paintings. One more run up/down the stairs and we were off...
From here we went to celebrate Father's Day at Citizen's Bank Ballpark for the first of many baseball parks this summer. The park is new and right field is all about kids ages 6-12. They had games, activities and a bonanza of food, all in one place. By playing the games, Jeffrey earned "dollars" and was able to go to the store and "buy" souvenirs. It was a nice way to pass some time and everyone was happy. After the game, we were supposed to go for a fancy dinner, but we were hot and tired. Instead we had some Chinese food near the hotel. The original restaurant had costumed waitresses and waiters and it was all about the founding of our nation. Jeffrey was just as happy talking to the waiter in Mandarin.
Monday morning started out fine. David went to the Franklin Institute to see the Galileo telescope exhibit. It is the first time the telescope has been out of Italy and this was the only US stop. Then we headed out to Pittsburgh. Six changes of clothes later, we made it...Our first day in Pittsburgh was a wash, but we managed to get to the Indians vs. Pirates baseball game. It was another nice stadium and a fun game. The score was 5-0, top of the 9th-- but with the Indians, one never knows. By the middle of the ninth, it was all of a sudden 5-4. However, the Indians were able to hang on to their lead.
The next morning we went to the Pittsburgh Zoo- one of the nicest in the country. The only downside was that everything was up hill. Still haven't figured out how everything went up and we never seemed to walk downhill...Regardless, it was a great day and we headed out to OH, late in the afternoon.
We arrived in OH with no issue. We are unpacked and getting settled. I am doing my best to lay low for a day or two and catch up with all the running around.
Over the weekend, I will try and figure out how to post some pictures.
Nothing else to share. Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Week One is Over!
Last I wrote, we were in Washington, DC, with still another day of sightseeing ahead of us. Actually, the day was pretty simple. Jeffrey figured out a better route on the METRO than David and we cut about 30 minutes from our trip and didn't even have to change trains. We spent from open to close at the Air and Space Museum. At times, it was too advanced for Jeffrey, but he didn't seem to notice. They had plenty of interactive activities and everyone enjoyed themselves. The IMAX always makes me feel sick and this one was no exception-- regardless, I of course survived.
We found more things on the Night at the Museum Scavenger Hunt and Jeffrey was very happy to point out to the Smithsonian that there was a technical error in their brochure. I don't know if we thought it was funny as in ha-ha, or funny as in "oh shit--nothing gets past this kid."
For dinner we went back to Old Town and ate at Joe Theisman's. I hadn't been there in 26 years, but it was still as I remember it--except it wasn't nearly as much fun as when I was there with my college friend. And this time the only thing I drank was decaf coffee.
Thursday morning got off to the wrong foot, as we way overslept. Even Jeffrey managed to sleep until almost 10am. Obviously, we needed the sleep and then opted to skip another day of sightseeing in DC and get on the road to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, it was another rough travel day. The traffic was miserable. As a diversion, we got off the road and took a tour of the Herr's Snack Factory. It was only a few minutes off the road, but we shared that road with horse and buggy carriages, as there was an Amish community in the area. The Snack Factory was interesting enough and Jeffrey loved the hot potato chips, right out of the deep fry vat.
Finally we got to Philadelphia at dinner time. We were cranky and just wanted a good night's sleep. So after dinner in the hotel, we went to sleep early.
Friday morning we headed out to UPenn. David was in his glory and we managed to spend seven hours on campus. David is the South Florida Co Chair of something or another for Penn and we met with all sorts of interesting people. The school is amazing and Jeffrey should only be so lucky to have the opportunity to be a part of the class of 2024. David's friend met us from NYC at the Palestra for a rare opportunity to play in the infamous basketball arena. It was quite a sight seeing two 51 year old men, Jeffrey and Malcolm Washington (think Denzel--his son) running up and down the court. Malcolm was awesome to Jeffrey and David truly had a special time. Jeffrey managed to climb the bleachers. This would have been ok, except that they were in the closed position. I was comforted to hear "Aw Mom, I do it at Saint Andrew's all the time!" From the Palestra we went to the tennis courts to see what was going on there. There was a Varsity match and when I turned my head, Jeffrey went onto the court and climbed up into the scorekeeper's chair. No harm was done...
I need to stop now, because the craziest thing just happened. We are in the business center of the hotel and we were talking to the man next to us. Crazy world-- the man's son was the Valadictorian at Saint Andrews, Sunny Kumar! They are in PA to drop his sister off at UPenn for the summer. She'll be a Jr. in the fall. Mr. Kumar is so proud and called his son and asked him to come meet us. Will post more later...
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Day Four...
The past few days have just just flown by. David's road trip without us, was successful. He picked us up in Richmond, with exactly 898.9 miles behind him. Jeffrey and I had an easy flight and Jet Blue's TVs are the best! We had no problems, other than Jeffrey wanted to "see what would happen if he put the earphones in the glass of Sprite."
We got to the Richmond Hotel and had a restful night. We had a fun dinner in a local restaurant and got some much needed rest. Things got crazy busy with the end of school and problems with David's parents before we left.
On Sunday morning we got up and went to the Botanical Gardens. What a beautiful place! There was a special butterfly exhibit and the gardens were really something special. The children's gardens were awesome. It really was for kids ages 5-9 and Jeffrey really enjoyed it. There were different stations and activities, as well as a scavenger hunt. Jeffrey was chosen to record the "official weather of the day" on their display board and of course he got a kick out of it. He loves being the center of attention, so his world was perfect. The rose gardens were like nothing we'd ever seen. Jeffrey still hasn't seen them, because he was too busy playing in the sprinklers and cooling off. We had lunch at their Tea House and had a wonderful and relaxing meal. Jeffrey was tired and enjoyed the surroundings.
Our 100 mile drive to Alexandria, VA to Old Town, was not so fun. The short version is that there was awful traffic and accidents. It took just over 4 hours to get there. However, we made it and had a chance to take the trolley through all of Old Town and have dinner.
Monday morning we went into Washington, DC and we got to the Washington Monument with a few minutes to spare before our trip to the top. The ride was a little over 500 feet and the views of course were spectacular. Our next stop was several hours at the Museum of American History. Jeffrey of course was in awe and if we let him, he'd still be there. Before leaving, we took him to see Night at the Museum and when we got to the Smithsonian, the first thing he saw was the movie scavenger hunt. He has been all over it and we are down to the last two items on the list. Somehow we'll fit in the Portrait Gallery and let him complete his booklet. The scavenger hunt was clever and ensured visits to most of the highlights in the various museums. My personal favorite was the pile of junk, housed at the Castle. We saw Fonzi's jacket, Archie Bunker's chair, the Ruby Slippers and an Easy Bake Oven-- plus probably another 1000 things, all piled in a heap.
From the Castle, we decided to walk to the Lincoln Memorial. It was about two miles each way. No matter. On the way we saw the WW II Memorial and the Reflection Pool. We made it to the top of the Memorial and again, Jeffrey's jaw dropped in amazement. It really is special to see things through the eyes of a child. He was excited to get another stamp in his National Park Passport Book and hopes to get at least three more while we are here. (He got one at the Washington Monument too.) Once we got down the steps, we started walking and an hour later, we made it back onto the Metro, to head back to Alexandria. We were so exhausted when we got back that we had dinner in the hotel and lights were out for all before 10pm. (All, except those who were watching that dismal Indian's game until midnight...At least Jeffrey and I got some sleep.)
Today, Tuesday, we had an early tour at the Bureau of Engraving. The process is really something and the sheets of money impressive. Bills come 32 to a sheet. If even one bill has an error, the whole sheet is scrapped. The tour wasn't too long, but it was interesting. We got to the Museum of Natural History, just as they were opening and we spend 4 hours there. The dinosaurs and mammals and all the bugs and things were perfect for a seven year old. As for me, just give me the Hope Diamond and life is good. From here, we started to the Portrait Gallery, but got sidetracked and never made it. We went into the National Art Gallery to see the French Impressionists. Back in pre-K four Jeffrey learned about Monet and Van Gogh and he has been fascinated with them ever since. We then thought for sure we'd get to those portaits, but the Capital was in view, so we opted to go there. Walk to the entrance and there is no mistaking why people refer to the area as "Capital Hill." We had passes to the Gallery floor and took advantage of going in and see what was going on. The room itself was impressive and the building quite nice too. The session was as boring as watching paint dry, but we were glad to have had the opportunity to see things in action. Jeffrey really hoped to chat with John McCain, and was a little put out, that there was no way that was happening. When we finished up at the Capital, we headed back to Alexandria, grabbed dinner and here we are...Shower and bed is in the immediate future, as tomorrow is another full day.
I hope I haven't bored you to tears-- if you've read this far! So far, aside from some nasty traffic, we have had very easy and enjoyable travels. No drama, issues, complaints etc. The weather has been amazing. Cool, sunny and no humidity. May the next many weeks go this smoothly...
Until we catch up again...
We got to the Richmond Hotel and had a restful night. We had a fun dinner in a local restaurant and got some much needed rest. Things got crazy busy with the end of school and problems with David's parents before we left.
On Sunday morning we got up and went to the Botanical Gardens. What a beautiful place! There was a special butterfly exhibit and the gardens were really something special. The children's gardens were awesome. It really was for kids ages 5-9 and Jeffrey really enjoyed it. There were different stations and activities, as well as a scavenger hunt. Jeffrey was chosen to record the "official weather of the day" on their display board and of course he got a kick out of it. He loves being the center of attention, so his world was perfect. The rose gardens were like nothing we'd ever seen. Jeffrey still hasn't seen them, because he was too busy playing in the sprinklers and cooling off. We had lunch at their Tea House and had a wonderful and relaxing meal. Jeffrey was tired and enjoyed the surroundings.
Our 100 mile drive to Alexandria, VA to Old Town, was not so fun. The short version is that there was awful traffic and accidents. It took just over 4 hours to get there. However, we made it and had a chance to take the trolley through all of Old Town and have dinner.
Monday morning we went into Washington, DC and we got to the Washington Monument with a few minutes to spare before our trip to the top. The ride was a little over 500 feet and the views of course were spectacular. Our next stop was several hours at the Museum of American History. Jeffrey of course was in awe and if we let him, he'd still be there. Before leaving, we took him to see Night at the Museum and when we got to the Smithsonian, the first thing he saw was the movie scavenger hunt. He has been all over it and we are down to the last two items on the list. Somehow we'll fit in the Portrait Gallery and let him complete his booklet. The scavenger hunt was clever and ensured visits to most of the highlights in the various museums. My personal favorite was the pile of junk, housed at the Castle. We saw Fonzi's jacket, Archie Bunker's chair, the Ruby Slippers and an Easy Bake Oven-- plus probably another 1000 things, all piled in a heap.
From the Castle, we decided to walk to the Lincoln Memorial. It was about two miles each way. No matter. On the way we saw the WW II Memorial and the Reflection Pool. We made it to the top of the Memorial and again, Jeffrey's jaw dropped in amazement. It really is special to see things through the eyes of a child. He was excited to get another stamp in his National Park Passport Book and hopes to get at least three more while we are here. (He got one at the Washington Monument too.) Once we got down the steps, we started walking and an hour later, we made it back onto the Metro, to head back to Alexandria. We were so exhausted when we got back that we had dinner in the hotel and lights were out for all before 10pm. (All, except those who were watching that dismal Indian's game until midnight...At least Jeffrey and I got some sleep.)
Today, Tuesday, we had an early tour at the Bureau of Engraving. The process is really something and the sheets of money impressive. Bills come 32 to a sheet. If even one bill has an error, the whole sheet is scrapped. The tour wasn't too long, but it was interesting. We got to the Museum of Natural History, just as they were opening and we spend 4 hours there. The dinosaurs and mammals and all the bugs and things were perfect for a seven year old. As for me, just give me the Hope Diamond and life is good. From here, we started to the Portrait Gallery, but got sidetracked and never made it. We went into the National Art Gallery to see the French Impressionists. Back in pre-K four Jeffrey learned about Monet and Van Gogh and he has been fascinated with them ever since. We then thought for sure we'd get to those portaits, but the Capital was in view, so we opted to go there. Walk to the entrance and there is no mistaking why people refer to the area as "Capital Hill." We had passes to the Gallery floor and took advantage of going in and see what was going on. The room itself was impressive and the building quite nice too. The session was as boring as watching paint dry, but we were glad to have had the opportunity to see things in action. Jeffrey really hoped to chat with John McCain, and was a little put out, that there was no way that was happening. When we finished up at the Capital, we headed back to Alexandria, grabbed dinner and here we are...Shower and bed is in the immediate future, as tomorrow is another full day.
I hope I haven't bored you to tears-- if you've read this far! So far, aside from some nasty traffic, we have had very easy and enjoyable travels. No drama, issues, complaints etc. The weather has been amazing. Cool, sunny and no humidity. May the next many weeks go this smoothly...
Until we catch up again...
Friday, June 12, 2009
Our Packs Are Packed and David is Gone...
Good Morning. It seems that all our planning and organization have gotten us off to a good start. Loading the car was not too bad-except it was still so hot last night, that it really wasn't fun. No matter. David pulled out of the driveway pretty much on schedule, just after 7 AM. He's got two long days ahead of him, while Jeffrey and I enjoy a slow, leisurely day.
Here's to a great summer adventure!
Here's to a great summer adventure!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
6 Days and Counting...
I still am stunned that we are really taking this trip, but it has the potential to be very fun, so I am going to go with the flow so to speak...
Somehow, I am going to be packed and ready to go by Wednesday PM, so that we can enjoy Thursday and Friday without running all over creation. To get to this point is going to be challenging, but I think we can do it. Tomorrow is one last run to Sawgrass Mills and then to the Pack and Ship store, to send off 4 boxes, that we don't need until OH.
This is not very interesting or exciting as of yet, but that is the goal... Off to make tomorrow's list...At least I am very organized!
Somehow, I am going to be packed and ready to go by Wednesday PM, so that we can enjoy Thursday and Friday without running all over creation. To get to this point is going to be challenging, but I think we can do it. Tomorrow is one last run to Sawgrass Mills and then to the Pack and Ship store, to send off 4 boxes, that we don't need until OH.
This is not very interesting or exciting as of yet, but that is the goal... Off to make tomorrow's list...At least I am very organized!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Can't even think of a title today...
Still playing around with the layout-- it sure isn't the cutest blog on the block, as I initially attempted, but for now it will do...
We are more or less ready to go. I can't really start to pack much for at least another week. Tomorrow I am doing the big Walmart run-- stocking the first aide kit, and a long list of other things to make our adventure a little more comfortable.
Nothing else of interest to post, so I am off ...
We are more or less ready to go. I can't really start to pack much for at least another week. Tomorrow I am doing the big Walmart run-- stocking the first aide kit, and a long list of other things to make our adventure a little more comfortable.
Nothing else of interest to post, so I am off ...
Friday, May 22, 2009
Three Weeks From Today We Leave...
Well, three weeks from this morning, David pulls out of the driveway. Jeffrey and I are leaving the next day. David spared us the first 850 miles and is letting us fly to Richmond, where he will meet us and we'll carry on from there. (And there will only be daily drives of no more than 200 miles...most are less.) We'll fly home from somewhere, sometime in August. That is is the only thing we don't have firmly settled.
I still am not sure that we are doing the right thing-- especially when a nameless blog follower is making me nervous-- basically telling me I am crazy to have agreed to this sojourn. Too late now. We are very organized and with any luck, won't be scrambling at the last minute.
I am trying to find a way to make this page look prettier, but I am going to have to have the nameless blog reader assist me. I am technologically challenged. But her page is way prettier than this! And has great music too.
Not much to add right now. Except we found an awesome camp for Jeffrey in OH. One of the private school runs a Magic Tree House Camp. It was partially designed by the author, Mary Pope Osborne. Jeffrey is over the top excited. Each week they explore one of the books and each day they do different things, related to the theme of the book.
More later...
I still am not sure that we are doing the right thing-- especially when a nameless blog follower is making me nervous-- basically telling me I am crazy to have agreed to this sojourn. Too late now. We are very organized and with any luck, won't be scrambling at the last minute.
I am trying to find a way to make this page look prettier, but I am going to have to have the nameless blog reader assist me. I am technologically challenged. But her page is way prettier than this! And has great music too.
Not much to add right now. Except we found an awesome camp for Jeffrey in OH. One of the private school runs a Magic Tree House Camp. It was partially designed by the author, Mary Pope Osborne. Jeffrey is over the top excited. Each week they explore one of the books and each day they do different things, related to the theme of the book.
More later...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Summer 2009 Update
Well, it is official. We are leaving FL on June 12 and returning on August 16. Truth be told, I never expected that we'd really do this, but reservations are made, tickets are bought and we are getting ready to hit the road. David has done an amazing job once again, planning. We have a detailed plan and in some instances, plenty of room for last minute decisions. The first two days are very ambitious. We are attempting to get to Savanah night one and Richmond, VA on night two. We'll spending the next day in Richmond and then off to Washington DC for serveral nights. We have our tours all secured and tickets all purchased. No waiting in long lines for us-- with a lot of pre-planning, no one has to really wait in a line any more- But the key is to know what you want, and when you want it.
That's all for now. I am trying to figure this site out a little more-- want to make it prettier of course.
Best,
Ellen
That's all for now. I am trying to figure this site out a little more-- want to make it prettier of course.
Best,
Ellen
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