Good-bye to Bud

Here we are; the Pedersen children and most of the grand kids saying goodbye to Bud on December 29, 2011. Bud's house is located on 10 acres of land out in Lakeside with much of the acreage being foothills. His house is located closer to the bottom of the lot where he built his dome house on a nice level pad of ground. It is very wooded and you can see where this was prime land of the Kumeyaay Indians.

Before going to Lakeside though we had a lovely service at our church where about 50 folks showed up. Dan and I were so touched by the attendance of some of our church friends and some of Bud's long time attorney colleagues and friends from the Barona Indian Reservation. The music was wonderful and our pastor, Greg West, gave a wonderful message and tribute to Bud. Family member's spoke as well.

After the service and a light luncheon in our church hall, we headed out to Lakeside where Ron now lives. He actually lives in Bud's house and has for many years. When Bud first bought the property about 35 years ago, Ron lived there as well. Eventually, Ron left the place and lived on his own, but it is neat to see him back there again. Ron searched for the perfect spot to scatter his dad and found a place about half way up the hill. He spent hours creating a trail to hike on with narrow switchbacks. The hike up was killer for some of us, but the view from up there is spectacular!

We laid the ashes to rest so to speak and our pastor, who drove out for the occasion, read some scripture and then everyone got the chance to place some of the dirt over the trench of ashes. It was just beautiful. We placed one of Bud's flight logs and a navigational tool in the ground with him. Then we hiked down the hill and had some refreshments, reminisced, and spent time wandering around the land at all the places we remembered from times when the kids all played there. Great memories. Ron said he was sure Dad would want everyone to be together out there.

Afterward, we headed for our house to watch old home movies of Bud, his children, and grand kids on family vacations out at Lake Powell. I guess we ended the evening around 10 p.m. as everyone was flying out beginning at 6 a.m. the next morning. It was a bittersweet way to end out the year. But Bud is in a better place-he is resting with our Lord and we shall see him again one day soon and then for eternity. His new body isn't damaged with asthma nor Alzheimer. He is truly free. We miss him and will always miss him.

The Aftermath

The guests are gone, gifts are stacked and ready to be put away, and there is "stuff" everywhere. From scraps of wrapping paper, dried out pine needles, remnants of shredded Danny dog toys to empty wine bottles and left over Christmas cookies. Where is the clean-up fairy when you need her? I'd even take a "him" clean-up fairy!!

So today I started my morning off with a 1.5 hour massage and then steeled myself to the task of breaking down the holiday tree and decorations and trying to make some sort of organization to all the chaos. I have had to juggle this with the mounds of laundry, the occasional phone call, and of course, stopping to write in this blog!

But it will be done today, as I can no longer live like this. I couldn't cook a meal or find a place to sit and eat because of the mess. Last night, after the funeral for Bud, everyone came back to our house for home movies and snacks...Those of you who know my living room size, try envisioning 10 people with food and drinks huddled around our TV!

Despite my whining, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love having family around and I do have a GREAT family.

Hope you all had a great holiday season.

December Madness

It has been awhile since I published, but I have been busy preparing for Christmas, planning my father-in-law, Bud's funeral which will be on Dec. 29th, having a breast biopsy, and getting travel shots.

Where to start...it is a good thing Beth and I made Christmas cards around Halloween, otherwise there would have been none! I did get a short newsletter out recapping the past year, so I consider the task of mailing greeting cards for the holidays a success.

On the 9th of December I had a breast biopsy done that was more traumatic than I expected. The good news is, no cancer, the bad news is really bad bruising...I mean really bad. I guess they hit a blood vessel and there was a lot of bleeding that need to be stopped with "compression." Love those medical terms! Anyway, that is behind me now and it is a good thing there was no event requiring a semi-low-cut "little black dress" this season.

On going throughout December has been the preparation and planning for Bud's funeral. With 2 days to go, I think most everything is handled that can be. This morning I need to go to the printer to get the bulletin run off for the service so I can pick it up tomorrow. Food has been ordered, songs selected, readers chosen, tribute speakers acquired, flowers ordered, ashes picked-up, guests notified, obituary placed, and we met with the pastor to plan the service. It looks like the weather will cooperate and we will have a lovely day to scatter Bud's ashes as well. All of Bud's children and all but 2 of the grandchildren will be in town. Brian and Patience came out from Chicago two days before he passed as they preferred to see him then rather than now and could only get a tiny bit of time off work. Eric and his new wife are the only ones who could not make it.

Last week Dan and I went to a medical travel agency to get our shots for our upcoming trip to Asia (Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong). If you are planning to travel in the future, BE SURE TO ADD IN THE COST OF SHOTS. The cost of our shots is equal to one of the airfares! Dan needed Hepatitis A and B, Influenza, Japanese Encephalitis, and Typhoid Fever, along with pills for Malaria, and a Z pack for possible bacterial infection from food (AKA Travelers Diarrhea). Geez.. I thought we could just get on a plane! So he had round 1 last week, will get round 2 of a couple of them tomorrow, and in a month get the last in the series. If you were wondering, he did get a fever the next day and was super tired. I had to get just some of the injections as I had already had some of the shots since I worked in the school system. This trip is on Dan's bucket list...not my retired teacher "adventure list," but I am going along in support. Once we get there it should be just beautiful. We are going with 3 other couples. It is a part cruise and part land tour and we will be gone 3 weeks! That is the longest we have ever been gone. To think, we are taking just one medium size suitcase each...and small duffel to bring stuff back!

Peek-a-Boo

Look who popped out of the bed covers? 

This is how I imagine his brain functions within the first 10 seconds of waking up:

"Is it time to get up yet?"

"Is it cold out there?"

"Dang, I have to pee pee!"

"Is it gonna be cold out there?"

"Is my breakfast ready?"

"Will anyone be in these covers when I get back?"

"Oh goodie, another day of play!" 

"Come on Jay, let's go..."

If Danny Boy was a child he would definitely be on Riddalin. He is so ADHD it is unreal.

 

 

A Grown-up Lunch

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I was invited to lunch by a friend in my Bible study. She works for a seafood company in downtown San Diego and gets to eat lunch in their waterfront restaurant. I figured we would have a nice crab salad or something. But no, we had a real TREAT! This was the Puerto Nuevo Spiny Lobster something or other lunch special. OK get this...

Whole lobster seasoned oh so yummy, beans, rice, and warm flour tortillas. This meal tasted better than any we had in Maine or the East Coast. The conversation was great AND I had a surprise treat...I didn't have to pay! She had a magic card that allowed her to get her meals free and since she rarely used it, we splurged. This meal was so huge that I opted out of dinner that night. Little did I know that I would get word after lunch that Bud was in the hospital and would die a week later.

But it was a very fun grown-up afternoon lunch!
Thank you Deb!

Grandpa Bud

Grandpa Bud loved life! We spent many years as a family going to Lake Havasu or Lake Powell boating and water skiing. Bud loved being on the water, flying the skies in his airplane, off-roading in his jeep, hiking around his land, and exploring all kinds new places.

Sadly on November 30th at 12:30 pm, he passed away after many years with Alzeheimer's Disease. He was pain-free and at peace when he died under the care of hospice. He had many visitors in his last days and hours including his son Ron, his grandchildren and their wives, Jay and Heidi, Brian and Patience, Dan and myself, both of his ex-wives and a few friends. He was truly loved by so many people. There will be a service for him the 29th of December when his daughter Beverly and his son David and his family, wife Patti, their children Jenna and Scott can arrive in California. Stacie Pedersen, another of his beloved grandchildren and her fiancé will also be able to attend flying in from Florida. His ashes will be scattered on his land overlooking his home and hiking trails.

We all have fond memories and it is indeed a sad time for our family. He was a man who had an amazing work ethic. He worked hard and played hard. His best times were spent with members of his family in the outdoors.

This water skiing picture was taken at Lake Powell when he was 71. He could still glide across the water on one ski! This was a special trip when he could be with 3 of his 4 adult children and one of his grandchildren.

We are comforted to know that he was a believer in God and eternal salvation and that we will see him again one day. He has shed his sickly, worldly body and is now resting in peace.

Two Days of Beauty and Maintenance ?

If you wonder why there is no picture to this post it is because I am saving you from seeing the horrors of my face. Yes, once again I have headed to the dermatologist for my twice yearly skin cancer check. I have yet to come away unscathed by the stainless steel canister of "freeze- it." Yes, the icy cold stuff burns the crud out of your skin while it kills all those little skin cells before they turn to melanoma. Actually, I only had two taken off this time. I had 5 taken off the back of my hand the last time and had to wear a glove it was so scary and leaky! That time they cut into my face for a biopsy too (but all was good). Anyway, one is on my cheek and the other on my forehead. They are blistery, oozy, disgusting circles that look like cigarette burns! It is my hope that by Turkey Day I will look just fine...well, as good as it gets.

Now, it can't get much worse right? Wrong! I went to the dentist to have an old crown replaced. Jeez, I thought those things would last more than 25 years! Anyway, yesterday was the day to get the temporary off and the new crown on. Well, it is a perfect match and so pretty. So what is the big deal you ask?  I think it may have warped into the need for a root canal! UGH. That is not good news for a dental- phobe. You know the symptoms, cold sensitivity, pain....For now I am ignoring the fact that it is a real possibility. My luck on Thanksgiving when I am visiting relatives it will blow up! That just cannot happen because I plan to shop on Black Friday no matter what!

To top off all this beauty and maintenance, I got my first sty. Go figure that after all those years of teaching I never got lice or a sty...just conjunctivitis.  Well this is just dandy! Giant red blotches that ooze and then a puffy pink eye. Fortunately, my amazing eye Dr. saw me ASAP and got me started on hot compresses, and this miracle ointment that has an antibiotic and steroids in it. Not bad after just 2 days.

Yes, this is a big whine session. Sorry, but really, can you blame me?

The Godfather

Jay Timothy Pedersen is the proud Godfather to little Lilly Marie. Long time neighbors, Ann Marie and Jason (Jason was a groomsman in Jay's wedding if you think he looks familiar), asked Jay to be a Godfather and he jumped at the chance. She is an adorable little girl and the apple of her parent's eye. Being that they are Catholic and Jay is Protestant, Jay asked lots of questions to be sure he was up for the responsibility. He was quite honored and thrilled to be asked.

They gave him a mug that says "I'm a Godfather" on it and since Jay doesn't drink coffee, it sits on his desk at the office and holds pens. He really wants Dan to start calling him The Godfather, but that isn't going over to well with Popi. I'm afraid that Jay will always be called "Jaybuddy" by family.

As you can see, Jay is login' holding little Lilly. He will be a great dad one day! I am not sure who will have more fun, the kid or Jay. Perhaps Heidi is in for some interesting times....

Time for Card Making

Now that I am retired, I have time for hobbies. One that I started a few years ago was card making. My sister Beth got me started. Now I have time to use the creative side of my brain and I have so much fun with this. I have met many folks who make cards and love to get together to share ideas. You have to be careful though because this is a very addictive hobby. It can get expensive when you start finding all the cute papers, stamps, and embellishments. You really have to set a limit before you go into these speciality shops. DO NOT TAKE A CREDIT CARD WITH YOU!

My friend has told me about a new store that has opened up in Temecula. We are thinking of getting a group from church together to take a "field trip" up there for a Girl's Day Out. They have craft stuff of all kinds and it is more unique than Michael's or JoAnn's offer. Gosh, I better start a little savings fund for this trip now.

Last weekend I was invited to a holiday card making workshop by another friend at church. I learned a few new techniques and certainly came up with some new ideas.

Once I finish the Christmas cards, I am going to start making individualized business cards for Patience, my daughter-in-law. She has a most delightful baking business and these cards will be perfect for her. The Paper Source makes great colored cards and I can just emboss the ink with the cutest cake stamps right on the pre-cut business cards. Gosh, I hope the substitute assignment desk does not call me in to work. Right now I work 2 days a month, maybe a 3rd day if someone is out sick. It is soooo sweet!

I am also learning to use Copic markers. I am using a "how to" book to try to learn. I did take a class once, but I need more help that what it offered. I need remediation! Anyway, it is a super fun hobby. The thought that, "Oh, think of how much I can save on all the cards I need to buy," is a joke! I spend 3x as much on the fun stuff to make them! Well, I guess it is a better past time than drinking or gambling! Now if I would only spend this much time on working out!

And The Winner Is...

The Gecko

Jay ran the Remission Rock 5K in San Diego this past Halloween. And he took 1st place! Well, in the costume department anyway. Yes, he ran as the Gecko the entire way.

With his new webbed feet safety-pinned to the top of his sneakers, he took off! Jay, always the prankster (must take after his Grandpa Jim), was going to make sure everyone, including himself, was thoroughly entertained during this run.

Jay is on the wagon these days, so this get-up was done without the help of any beer or other spirits. As you can see, Danny Boy appears interested in the ball, not his crazy daddy.

What a crazy kid :)

Airport Maddness

Chicago, Midway Airport
1:00 P.M.
Halloween Day
Southwest- 2 bags fly free!


SO WHERE ARE THE LINES OF PEOPLE?


Yes, this picture is for real. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to face the crowds flying across the country. When we arrived to check-in this is what we saw--NO PEOPLE. It was as if there had been some sort of evacuation or something. It was just empty. You could just look down the hallway and there were still no people. When was the last time you saw something like this? To top it off the plane was half full! Lots of leg room on this trip. It was a great ending to a fun mid-west vacation.

You Want One Don't You!

Is this not the perfect gift for me? My cousin and his wife, who for the sake of less confusion I will call a "sister-in-law," sent this too me after Jay and Heidi's wedding. I have no idea where she found it, but I must say I have never had a more perfect gift in years!

I get so many comments on this phone case. So a super big thanks to Roxy and her family. It was so fun having all of you out for the wedding.

We are approaching the one year anniversary of the death of our beloved Auggie and this is a wonderful tribute to him. Thanksgiving is always a fun time with our family, but it will always be marked with some sadness because of his passing. He was a great dog and had an amazing 15 years of life.

As a little side note, today is Danny Boy's birthday. Jay's wiener dog turned 4 today. They had a birthday party for him at the office today. The adults had cake, and he and another dog at the office, Pepper, had fancy decorated dog bones to celebrate with. Yes, we are dog people!

Cholesterol on the Menu

Have you ever had cheese curds? Do you know what they are?


We were first exposed to these little delights in Wisconsin in raw form. The are little chunks of cheese that squeak in your mouth when you eat them. The dictionary says they are: a soft, white substance formed when milk sours, used as the basis for cheese.


When I first had them a few years ago, I thought they were among the more disgusting things I've tried. So when Brian and Patience said we "must try the batter dipped, deep fried, cheese curds" I thought they were nuts.


OK, it is good these are not in San Diego! The cheese melts in your mouth and you can almost feel the greece cling to your arteries. Good thing I have those statin drugs to take :) If I liked beer, what a great combo it would be.

The Cake Baker

This is Patience our talented daughter-in-law who lives in Chicago. She has begun baking cakes for friends and relatives. She has taken classes and spends a lot of time researching recipes that would be a perfect fit for each client. She gave me a couple of good baking blogs to check out like: lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com.

I took this in her kitchen as I watched her create a 4 layer, rich chocolate cake with a very vanilla flavored butter cream, coconut filling. The top was the same frosting without the coconut. The outer sides were coated in toasted coconut to give it a real fall look. This particular cake was for a very good friend's birthday. She put little fall leaves on it too. How did it the frosting taste so good? Vanilla beans! Real beans~no liquid stuff.

I did not get to eat this cake, but I did lick the bowl of the remaining frosting. She had a bit of leftover cake mix and baked them into whoopee pies and added some of the frosting. OMG! It was one of the most amazing desserts I have tasted. If you would like to know more about her and the things she has designed, check out her blog at: battersplatterandbake.blogspot.com.

Want to know the best news? I got the recipe!! Now we just need an occasion, but don't expect the 4 layers. Sorry, I am not that talented.

Wedding Cake Shocker

As you know, Heidi and Jay were married in July. Heidi wore a white dress with bridesmaid's dresses in navy with pink accents. They had one of the most beautiful cakes I have ever seen. It was simple, yet elegant and tasted wonderful. It was white with a blue grosgrain ribbon around the base of each layer. White flower petals surrounded the cake as well as piled on top. Finally, a diamond-encrusted "P" was placed on top. It was just lovely!

Well, off we go to Ohio to our nephew's wedding. Eric and Kelly had a rather formal wedding.  Kelly's dress was an antique white (well, tan actually) and just lovely. The bridesmaids wore reddish color dresses and the flowers were fall hues of red, orange and gold. Very nice. Eventually we made our way to the dance floor area and off to the side was the wedding cake. Now check out this cake! Almost exactly the same~ just square and orange/red flowers! Even the navy ribbon was the same. The insides were different however. This cake was VEGAN. Tasted good though. Have a red-velvet flavor, then a white, and a chocolate. Frosting was sort of a butter cream, but for the life of me I don't know how they made it vegan!

Hallo-weiner Again

Once again, Jay has used his creative talents to design a jack-o-lantern~dachshund style! In 2010 we saw a close-up view of Danny Boy. This year we have a look at the free-spirited soul of Danny flying through the air. Jay doesn't use any special carving tools. He said just a sharp knife was all that was needed. Do you think this means that when they have a baby, they will carve its face on the pumpkin?!

Last week Danny Boy was able to have his mommy and daddy buy him a Halloween costume. As you can see it is a jail-bird outfit. Makes you wonder if he feels like he is in jail when they cage him up in the kitchen when they are gone. Now if he would promise not to leave presents in the house he wouldn't have to stay in a cage. Actually, he is very good and has never left a present, but thanks to Auggie's reputation, Heidi and Jay are not taking any chances.

For those of you who remember Auggie, this is our first year without him. He passed away at Thanksgiving a year ago and we are grateful for our "grand-dog," Danny when he visits.

A New Look

Things are quiet and peaceful on our vacation here in Ohio.  Dan and his brother Dave are golfing. My niece and nephew are still at school and my sister-in-law is at work. I took the afternoon nap (because I could) and I am sitting here looking out their bay window looking at the wind blowing the fall leaves on the trees. It is just beautiful. The sun is dancing in and out of the clouds...we just don't have this season in San Diego!

You may have noticed that the blog has a new look! Just click on a  picture and the box will flip around and you get the full story. I don't know how long I will keep it this way, but I sure thought it was fun. Send me your thoughts on this dynamic look of the blog.

On The Road Again

Dan and I took off again on what seems like an annual fall trip to the mid-west. Gosh we love the fall colors and the chill in the air. The rain put a huge damper on the golfing-as in it didn't happen while in Chicago or Indiana. The drive between IL, IN, and OH is fairly easy and with the navigation system, it was a breeze.

On the first leg of the journey we landed in Chicago and made record time from Midway Airport to the kid's home during rush hour traffic no less! One hour and two minutes. Our first night we walked to a great little hole in the wall restaurant called Acre and had an appetizer compliments of the chef that Bri and Patience know well. It was tender, succulent, beef tongue! It was actually quite good, but I just could not get past the idea of what I was eating.

Dan and Brian are becoming beer connoisseurs and we brought some good beer that you can only get in California to Chicago. In Chicago you can BYOB to many restaurants. So, we took a beer with us to Acre and while Patience and I walked home after dinner, the boys sat and drank designer beers at the bar! Not my idea of a fun evening, but they liked it I guess.

The next day Patience and I ran errands and she baked a cake for a friend of theirs. She is turning into a wonderful baker and has started her own business baking cakes. Not only do they look good, they are delicious. I think her blog is called Splash batter and bake (no spaces) dot blogspot dot com.  Then more beer tasting with their friends later that night.

We left there on Monday to drive to Indiana and had a wonderful visit with my aunt and uncle and cousin. Super great visit despite the rain. My aunt cooks great comfort food and it was just like being at home with mom and dad again. Of course, my uncle looks just like dad, so that kinda sets the tone. We look forward to our visit again next year.

The Big Day!

The wedding day finally arrived after a year-long engagement! The festivities began about 3 p.m. when folks started arriving at the Carmel Mountain Golf Club to set up table place cards, set out the sign-in book,place the toasting glasses and cake topper etc. The bridesmaids, groomsmen, and the bride and groom arrived to have pre-ceremony photos taken. You could feel the excitement and tension in the air.

Jay's funny moment came when he showed up with the tux all ready to change and looked down at his socks. Oh no, white athletic socks!! The minister's wife Hailey, and Brian's wife Patience, dashed off to a local store to grab some black dress socks! LOL.

The wedding coordinator, Mary Ann, was there plenty early giving last minute directions and support. The afternoon was sunny and warm in Carmel Mountain Valley, but a nice breeze kept everyone comfortable. Mary Ann surprised us by bringing 7 large white umbrellas that the groomsmen used to escort the guests down the isle. It was an added touch that was charming and different. The outdoor gazebo where the ceremony was to be held was decorated with beautiful pink and white flowers and the isle runner had pink flower petals along the sides. Lots of white chairs on the green grass completed the picture.

The ceremony was a combination of seriousness and humor as Dave, the minister, was a long-time friend of Jay's. They go back to high school days, so a few good stories were shared. It was

a beautiful ceremony and a few tears were shed on both sides of the isle. After the ceremony, a few more pictures were taken while guests had appetizers and cocktails inside the clubhouse.

Once the reception began a caricaturist sketched pictures of guests. It was a great idea rather than giving out little party favors that many folks really don't use or want. It was a big hit and the guy was really good! I have a princess crown on mine...hummmmm I wonder which sister told him?

The toasts were wonderful! Brian, the best man reminisced childhood memories and wished them well. Korissa, the maid of honor did the same. Then the dad's let loose! Dan referred to him as Jay as "Jaybuddy" and wished them well on their new journey together. Don, Heidi's dad read a wonderful poem from a dear family member and shared a few short stories from her past. Lots of tears by the time toasts were done.

The evening ended with dancing and visiting with old friends, family members and meeting family and friends from the Sutton side. Around 10 the kids left for a "date" somewhere in the city.

The honeymoon

to Maui didn't begin until Monday, so on Sunday my 2 cousins from Indiana and their kids (6 in all) along with my sisters and their families all had a huge family BBQ dinner. We were honored to have Heidi and Jay join us so we had 16 of us all together. It was such a special time. Unfortunately, Brian and Patience had left earlier in the morning, but we had the week before the wedding with them. The week after the wedding my Indy cousins were here and we played San Diego tourists.

It was an amazing 2 weeks of family and loved ones and a time Dan and I will never forget. When the kids return from the honeymoon, the Sutton's, along with us are going to watch Jay and Heidi open their wedding gifts.

A New Career on the Horizon

There is definitely life after teaching for anyone looking for work-well if you want to be a tour guide. On our land tour through the Historic America with 35 people, over half the group was currently in the teaching field, or retired from teaching. You might say, "Yeah, but it is summer, when else would they go?" Just hold on...

On EVERY single tour we took (including those once we got on the cruise ship), our guides were either teachers, college professors, or retired from the teaching field. I kid you not! And boy could you tell those elementary teachers. They had ORDER to the way we disembarked the bus to the exact number of minutes we would stay at each location. LOL

Well, heck, I could do that! You get a salary AND TIPS!

Bar Harbor, Maine

Lobster lunch anyone? After touring Ba Haba as the natives say, we stopped for lunch. This tasty fellow was a struggle to get into-I cut my thumb on one of his thorny claws. So, we had blood and lobster for lunch.

Maine is absolutely beautiful and I hope one day to get back there in the fall to see the turning of the foliage. Lots of water and beautiful scenery.

I know it is a tiny speck of white out there in the water, but that is our cruise ship shown in the background.

Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove is basically a small working fishing and lobster town that has a landmark lighthouse out on the rocks that make up the cove. It is somewhat like the Point Loma Lighthouse except the rocks are really round and smooth, not craggy.

In many ways this reminded me of the small fishing villages we saw in Norway up by the North Cape.

After our tour we went and had a "lobster wrap" for lunch. It was a little spicy for me, but Dan loved it. Don't let the concept of a wrap fool you-there was nothing diet about the meal.

Mussel Tasting

On Saturday we went to the city of Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. It is similar in historic value to our Williamsburg, VA. As we were docking we had a beautiful view of this sleepy little town with small wooden homes. It reminded me a bit of Norway. We took a nice scenic bus tour around the eastern section of the island before getting onto a small vessel that took tour groups out to see the mussel and lobster traps. It was a cold, overcast day, but the trip was fun anyway. Luckily the windows on this tiny boat had plastic roll down coverings or we would have returned as popsicles! Once on board we headed out to see where the traps are kept- and there are thousands of them! The crew cooked us some mussels and passed large plates of them around to everyone. Dan had two plates and I passed completely! YUCK.

After eating the mussels we motored on to

see the lobster traps. The gal pulled one out for us to see and showed us 2 of the lobsters inside. They reminded me of the crayfish we study in 3rd grade science. Did you know that lobster are related to the cockroach family? Lobster are really sea insects. Think about that next time you spend $55 on a lobster dinner! Guess that McLobster for $5 from McDonald's is sounding better all the time, huh?!

From here we went on to a seal rookery. It was a fun 2 hour excursion, but good to get back onto the warm ship.

Coal Mine Experience

In this tiny little town of Glace Bay, a part of Sydney Nova Scotia, we headed down into an inactive coal mine. Before going down we had to put on hard hats and these black capes to keep all the soot from getting on us. Then we learned that while the ceiling tunnels start out at 7 feet high, they eventually go to only 4 feet 2 inches in height. That is a lot of stooped over walking! So, down we go into the cold, wet, low ceiling mine. This is not a place to go if you are claustrophobic!

Our guide actually worked the mine beginning at age 9 until 1980 when the mine shut down. His father and grandfather worked the mine as well. You worked from age 18 until 65. If you lived in a company house and were injured on the job, then your oldest son had to go into the mine and take your place until you could return to work.

They took kids as old as 9.

Remember those old movies where they would take a canary down into the mines and if it died, then you knew there was toxic gas and you need to

get out fast? Well, they really did that and he showed us the canary cages they used.Near the end of the tour the ceiling got down to 4 feet. We walked it for about 50 feet. I am very glad that Brandon, the trainer, had me do so many lunges and squats, because I needed those quad muscles to get though without the back pain other's were experiencing.

The experience was interesting and made you appreciate the hard work and danger these men and their families went though to provide heat that came from coal! Being a teacher was so much easier!

McLobster

When in Nova Scotia, Sydney to be exact you have a few fast food restaurants to choose from. McDonald's is one. However, there is a twist on the menu...a McLobster sandwich!

It is available May through July. It consists of a hamburger bun, shredded lettuce, a dab of mayo, and fresh lobster! All that for $5.50. Make it a meal deal and for $8 you are out the door. This sandwich is not Weight Watcher approved :( so I passed on it. We will not discuss the cruise ship food I am attacking!

A Bell with Feet

Check out this Liberty Bell photo! Doesn't it look like the bell is walking?

There were hoards of folks wanting to be photographed in

front of the bell, so I got what I could. This was a cool piece of history. Did you know that the crack was made wider - like you see today- so that it would sound better? With the original crack the metal vibrated against itself and the tone was apparently awful, so they drilled it out to what you see today.

Everything we saw including the grave site of Benjamin Franklin shown below, was really neat to see, but our little 200 years of history does not compare with the 2,000 years of history we just saw in Israel!

History is Made

After today, I REALLY wish I had paid more attention to my high school history as well as what I was teaching my 5th graders. Seeing Independence Hall and where the Constitution of the United States was written, debated, re-written, and signed was amazing. The only remaining real piece of furniture is the chair that Gen. George Washington sat in. The other pieces are from the time period and match what is seen in historical paintings. Notice the gray paint? They have stripped the paint down to its original color (15 layers)!

The outside of the building is going through general maintenance and restoration, so we had to look around a good deal of scaffolding. What was kind of cool was that the covering over the scaffolding was imprinted with a picture of what the outside looked like. But what a bummer to come all this way not to see Independence Hall or the Reflecting Pond in Washington D.C. I doubt I will be back, so that was kind of sad.

Philly Cheese Steak

When in Philly one must have a Philadelphia Cheese Steak Sandwich. So we went to the Borse House which is an old building filled with shops and a food court. I have to say, I was very disappointed. The meat was a shaved beef and then the sandwich had cheddar cheese and grilled onions on it. I nixed the peppers. It was OK, but my neighbor Christa makes a far better Toby sandwich which is thicker strips of beef, a provolone cheese with grilled onion. Oh, to die for!

All of us were disappointed, but we were glad to have had the chance to get out of the heat and eat a bit before heading for the Liberty Bell.

Hard Core History

After today in Gettysburg I wish I had paid better attention to high school history. I was so lost when the guide boarded our bus at Gettysburg National Park and began his 2 hour talk. Dan was fascinated and loved it while I was having trouble with the "moving in from the south" or moving around the hill to the west." I think the guide knew I didn't remember my history and that I did not have the directional chip. So you might think I was bored. NOT AT ALL! This guide was so fascinating and was actually brought up in the town of Gettysburg. He vividly remembers seeing Eisenhower on numerous occasions as well as Jimmy Carter. He took the then PM of Israel(Began) and Yassir Arrafat (?) along with Jimmy Carter to the battlefield while they were at a peace summit at Camp David. They guy had stories you wouldn't believe.

One cool thing is that over the past 35 years or so the parks department has been buying back land from the city and private owners so that they could restore the battlefield area to its original look. They use old maps, photographs, diary entries etc. to help with the re-

creation. What we saw today was a close replica of the battlefields with the exception of some monuments and tombstones that have been added. Many of the old buildings are still in place. It was suggested that we watch the movie Gettysburg with Sam Elliott because while some of it was fiction the battle fields, battle events, and buildings were accurate. Guess we will rent it when we get home and maybe I can pull this together.

This was Dan's favorite day and while much of it was over my head, I still enjoyed it. The bummer was that much of the day was on the bus, so we had to walk after dinner and I didn't make my 10,000 step goal. I could only get in 8,300 steps. I think that is around 3.5 miles. Well, I guess I could look at that as a 5K fun-run walk!

Steps and More Steps

Well, since I am not working out this vacation, I decided I should track my "steps." Remember that 10,000 is your goal and that is equal to 4.5 miles.

June 16- 16,000 steps

June 17- 13,000 steps

June 18- 13,000 steps

June 19, 8,500 steps

Since I met the goal daily (except tonight) I decided dessert was in order - chocolate cake anyone??? No, how about apple crisp or just plain ole MM's??

There is another gal on this trip that has her Jenny Craig pedometer on so we are trying to challenge one another. Her daughter is getting married in August and our Jay in July, so we want to survive the cruise without taking too much extra weight home.

Fried Chicken and Thomas Jefferson

Today we drove through some of the most beautiful county I have ever seen. Nestled back in the woods was our first stop ~ Mickie's Tavern ~ for an authentic southern lunch. We were served a family style buffet of fried chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes (and yes with those yummy lumps), green beans, black-eyed peas, stewed tomatoes, biscuits, apple cobbler, and cornbread. Every 3 minutes a server came around to see if you were ready for more! I'm telling you this is no place for a Weight Watcher or Jenny Craig client! Boy was it yummy and the best part is that my stove is not all grease splattered!

After lunch we drove a short way into Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. When compared to Washington's estate in the same time period it seems so magnificent. Washington's home seemed rather common although he had a view to die for. Jefferson had many pillars and of course a dome which he loved so much. He also had many of the latest and greatest inventions of the time and so many books.

The estate is HUGE and the grounds have been kept up nicely. It really took you back in time as you strolled down mulberry row. You could see where many structures had once been and thanks to detailed notes left behind, we know what many were used for. It seems like he was a bit OCD.

The docent tour was very well done. Like Washington, Jefferson entertained many dignitaries and guests after his retirement from public service.

It seemed like he too never really got to retire.

Colonial Williamsburg

It has been 13 years since I was last here and amazingly enough, time has stood still. The only difference was that I wasn't busy writing down facts and shopping for artifacts to take back to my 5th grade classroom. It is indeed odd to not be thinking, "What could I bring back that would help the kids understand history better?" I actually found myself looking for kindergarten things for another teacher on the trip! Sick, sick, sick.

The old homes really demonstrated how hard life was in terms of heating and cooling, cooking and cleaning and all the other things that went into just surviving. Williamsburg was the capital for a long time after moving from Jamestown. Eventually it was moved to Richmond

where it remains today.

This circular shaped building was the magazine. It is where all the guns were stored along with the ammunition. There were well over a hundred guns of all shapes and sizes inside. I am sure that in the 1700's there were hundreds of guns.

Throughout the day there were several reenactments of local life back on this date in 1774. We heard a wonderful speech by Patrick Henry. The bad part about this stop was the heat! It was just awful as was the humidity. It made the 8 hour day feel like 12!

America's First Settlement-Jamestown

So how did you get to this new world from England? Well, on this tiny ship. No thanks, I'll stay with Princess Cruises!! It was so hot and stuffy inside and it held a crew and 56 passengers. The beds were so tiny and people had to sleep in shifts.

Once they arrived only 38 of the original 104 survived the first year because they ran out of food and supplies. I cannot imagine who would want to make this journey and what motivation would be so strong to face the perils of ocean travel in this tiny boat.

A small fort was built to protect the people (from what?) They got along with with native Powhatan tribe and there were no other people there, so what they needed protection from I am not sure. Animals?? Anyway, the house seen here is a replica of a typical building and is very realistic. It must have been an extremely hard life and it is no wonder many did not survive the cold winters. There was a tiny church and a few buildings for the blacksmith, tanner, and other trades of necessity. There were garden areas as well.