OH, just realized we have not posted since our return to the US.
We arrived at Maryann's sister and her Tom's new home in Zion, PA on 16 June. Was so fun to spend time with them in their new home. The day we arrived they were having a community yard sale so was fun spending the next couple days sitting and catching up. Rosanne and Maddie and Camyrn were also helping with the garage sale. Of course we planned some day trips. Went to Shanksville Memorial where Flight 93 crashed on 9-11. We were there last year but the visitor center was not open so we went back this year. Very emotional day walking through the memorial. They still have a 93 foot chimes tower they are building and it should be done next year. The wind seems to blow across the site all the time so should be amazing to go for a visit when the tower is complete. We also took a day trip to Asher Candy Factory in Lewistown, Pa. One of the owners gave us a very thorough tour with samples of course!! Yes we did buy "hurt candy" when we were there. "Hurt Candy" is what they call the candy that does not meet the criteria for selling....but it taste the same , just may not be shaped just right and is much cheaper!! We also bought some "hurt pretzels" for $1 per box that were able to share with all the kids and still have some left over!! Did you know you can put pretzels in a zip lock bag in the freezer and they will stay fresh for when you want to have them??? We also went to Indian Caverns which is a limestone horizontal cave that is the second largest cave in Pennsylvania and is about 500,000 years old. The caverns will close after this season after being open since 1929. Of course we attended our favorite 4th of July Party at Rosanne and Jeff's home and got to see all. What a full day of fun and spending with all their neighbors and family. We are there from 12 noon until nearly midnight and there is always so much great food.. Their driveway is the perfect place to watch the Penn State Fire Works. What a great family day! Joan and Tom's new home is so very nice and we always feel so at home with the them. Once again we played some fun card and dice games with Joan and Tom and Jeff's parents, Sonja and Ray. Also enjoyed having Sarah's kids Ethan and Emma who spent a day with us and we had a fun afternoon playing Monoply with them and all went to the park.
We also went to the Bellefonte Car Show as Jeff had his motorcycle in the show and won 3rd place!! Had wonderful BBQ there too at a local food stand. Also had more of the same BBQ when we went to the Boalsburg Art's Festival! Joan's granddaughter Alexis was in the 11-12 softball playoffs so we were so glad we got to go to two of her games. Her team made it to States and their team came in 4th in state competition. We drove a couple hours down the interstate to see one of their games too. Reese , Alexis brother stayed with Joan and Tom for a couple days so we were able to play more games and go back to the park to feed the fish and ducks. Such fun to be able to spend time with the kids on our trips. We also went to camp for a day. Joan and Tom and Jeff's parents, Sonja and Ray and us went to Tyrone , PA and went to see a dinner theater. We saw Bikini's and it was really cute and also the dinner was fantastic. We visited with Maryann's aunt and family in Karthaus and went to the annual Frenchville Picnic. It was nice seeing her Rolley cousins too. It was also fun to spend a couple Sunday's with Maryann's friend Janet and Dick in Katthaus. Maryann was able to meet her school friends, Janet, Rosemary, Linda and Susan and Patty for lunch one day too. They have all been friends since grade school!! Just so nice being with Joan and Tom. The four of us also took time to go to Saratoga Spring, New York to see Mihaley and Laurie. They are our friends that live in Tucson but spend summers in Saratoga Springs. We all went to the horse race track and took a behind the scenes tour of the stables , horses etc. Joan, Laurie and I went to the park and rode the merry-go-round that had just been refurbished. Joan and I did have some difficulty getting on and off the horses but helped each other!! They have a beautiful cabin in the woods and Mihaley has a beautiful garden so had fresh vegetables....fun just to sit out on the porch and enjoy our time together!
We left Joan and Tom on 28 June and headed for Lancaster, Pa. We stopped by and said hello to Aunt Fran and cousin Cindy and her family were visiting so fun to see them too. Then stopped to catch up with Aunt Ethel before we headed to Peggy and Larry's in Lancaster. Again, always so nice to spend time with our Reinhart Family! We were able to just spend time together and also visited with Auntie Doris who was in the hospital, Keith and Lisa had all over for a great dinner so got to see Amy and Dan and kids and of course the pets!! Keith had put in a zip line for the kids, so since we are just big kids....we had fun on the zip line too. Sunday we went to church and Sunday school with Peggy and Larry. We have gotten to know their Sunday School class so after church all went out to lunch!! Did I mention the sermon was about lasting friendships? Peggy and I were celebrating our 50th Anniversary of being friends this year in August!! Hmmm how appropriate was the timing of this sermon. Peggy and Larry took Tom and I out for a great dinner to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary as we there for our anniversary. AND we are always so glad to be in Lancaster to go to 'the corn wagon" to get corn on the cob that just came in from the fields and once again , we are never disappointed with the taste of the fresh corn.
We gave our hugs and said or good-byes to Peggy and Larry on 1 August and headed South. We spent one night just South of Richmond at a military supply depot in a nice little cottage and our neighbors across the parking lot were about 30 Elk. There were even some baby elk. Then we left to head to Montgomery, Alabama to spend a night with Sybilla, Dough and Taryn Watkins and Manni the dog. It was so nice to see my God Daughter Taryn as she was leaving for New York City the next week to begin college! WERE so busy talking , forget to get pictures of Doug, Sybilla and Taryn and Manni !!!!! Then we went to Niceville Florida to spend time with Joe, Sandy and their dogs Hope and Lizzie Grace. Once again had great days catching up and sharing England stories etc. Also was nice to meet Sandy's Mom. Had some great food and also went out to eat at "our favorite German" restaurant. We were sorry we did not get to see our friend Ann on our way down to Niceville. On the 7th of August , we headed on to Cocoa, Florida to Charlotte and Bill's. We stopped on our way down to get some shrimp at Carribean Jack's in Daytona Beach. Once again we were not disappointed. This week has gone so fast as we are here with Charlotte and Bill and their 3 cats! Since our visit last year , they rescued a mama cat and her two little ones so we have new entertainment. This week we were able to meet with Mary Floyd who we were stationed with in Tucson. Mary is Chief Nurse at Patrick AFB now. ..was nice to see her again. Rob, her husband was on his way to PA so we did not get to see him. We also went over to Orlando to meet with Nancy who were stationed in Japan with in 1972. Chuck was not feeling well so did not get to visit with him this time. We are so blessed to be able to spend time with our "forever friends"! We have more favorite restaurants here than we do at home. Charlotte and Bill even had a new BBQ place for us to try this year and now have added one more to our list...we may have to extend our time here to get to all our favorite restaurants! Have also been to two of our favorite shrimp places this week. Like Pete Walsh says "so much food, so little time"!! Tom usually gets to mow yards when we are in Pennsylvania but did not this year so finally got to help Bill mow the last two days. Another something off the list for this trip's list!!
This week we are going to go to Tampa and Sarasota on the gulf coast to do some exploring for a couple days with Charlotte and Bill and of course have already found a couple of "must go to restaurants" to try.
Tom and Charlotte are making Live and Onions with Biscuits and Gravey for Sunday dinner today....also a must do when we are here.
Have been watching the Olympics and so exciting to see the USA doing so good.
We have been so blessed with our travels this year but it is time to head home ...we will leave here about the 22 August and stop near Dallas, Texas to spend time with Diane and Jerry Stapleton and see their family. We were stationed with them in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1980's. We are so blesssed.
SInce our last post, Molly turned 12 in July and started school and is in 7th grade. Samantha started school the 17 July too and is in 5th grade and Kirsten is in 2nd grade!! AND Emme started 3 year old preschool at Country Day School. Time to go home and hugs our grand girls and our Tucson Family.
George and Pat are back in Denver with their grands and their kids too. What an adventure we have had this year. Was thinking the other day if could go back and change anything about our adventures these 6 months and could not come up with anything. Have had the best of days.
~Explore, Dream, Discover~. Mark Twain
Sending loves and hugs and our next post will be from our Tucson Home!
Keep us in your prayers for safe travels.
God Bless
Tom and Maryann
Please keep our friend's Jim and Cindy Roudebush and their family in your prayers as their sweet, strong Imogen who fought such a brave battle with cancer with her family in the past 12 months is now a dancing angel with our Lord.
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