PA Trip May 2011

Bill and I went to visit his parents in PA for Memorial weekend. It had been a few years since we've been out there and we sure had a lot of things to do.

Tuesday May 24th
- We arrived in PA, lets just say I was tired and hungry and ready for bed. Sharon (Bill's Mom) whipped up some very tasty BLT sandwiches and then it was off to bed. Traveling to the east coast really does takes up the WHOLE day.

Wednesday May 25th
- We took a short ride down to the Lackawanna Coal Mines. I've never been down a coal mine before, what an experience that was. It was cold, damp, and dark and had the tour lasted longer than an hour I would have been freaking out! I don't do so well in small confined areas... never the less it was neat to actually be in a mine and experience what it would have been like to work down there.

 

  

Thursday May 26th
- Today was a lazy day full of enjoying the area and visiting with family, also a day to get ready for the big BBQ weekend!

Friday May 27th
- Our very good friends Nate and Lauren drove up from Virgina to spend the weekend with us, which was a real nice treat. (on a side note the four of us try to plan a trip together once a year since we met on our honeymoon/ their engagement cruise back in 2007)

-We went to a small town called JIM THORPE, where we went and visited the Asa Packer Mansion, and The Old Jail. Both of those were very interesting. I can't believe how beautiful and totally intact the mansion and it's original belongings were. The most fascinating piece for me was the HUGE music player in the house. It still plays to this day and surprisingly sounds very well in tuned.

  

The Old Jail was the next and final stop in Jim Thorpe. It was a working Jail until the mid 90's. There is a legend that goes

 "the hanging of seven Irish coal miners
known as Molly Maguires in the 1800s proclaimed their innocence one of those men put his hand on the dirty floor of his cell and then placed it firmly on the wall proclaiming, " This handprint will remain as proof of my innocence." That handprint is visible today for everyone to view even though past wardens tried to eradicate it by washing it, painting it, and even taking down part of the wall and re-plastering it."

we saw the handprint but I don't totally believe the story 100%.

 

Saturday May 28th
-Today we had the huge family BBQ. There was a great turn out and we got to see most of the family and friends out in Pa. It was nice to just sit around and relax even though it did rain a little bit. With all that humidity it was bound to happen.

U. Don A. Betty Bill and Mia

Bill Nate Lauren

Monday May 30th & 31st
Al, Sharon, Bill and I took the trip out to Gettysburg for Memorial Day. We stayed in a Bed & Breakfast at a building that was older than the battle of Gettysburg. Our room even had a few authentic bullets stuck in the mantle and walls from the battle. It was a eat experience being in Gettysburg on Memorial day and visiting some historical sites. We took a bus tour of the Battlefield of Gettysburg, Went to former President Dwight Eisenhower's farm, the only home he and his wife ever owned.

Bullet Hole

Al and Bill excited about the bullet

Our Bed & Breakfast

  

Gettysburg BattleField

Me Al and Sharon @ Eisenhower Farm