Is this the week?

Monday

Up this morning, travel day.  Emma the cat was waiting for me when I came down stairs, she is not always friendly.

Go ahead make my day!

Its also the first day of gun deer season in Pennsylvania.  Joe was up at 4:30AM and headed for the woods.  We had our coffee and breakfast and hit the road around 9:30.  We did see a lot of cars and trucks part on the side of the roads near the woods.  Even on the Turnpike. We had a good drive home and stopped at Fox's a  family diner near Muncy, PA.  Joe did not get a deer but a friend did and shared with him so he has venison in the freezer.

I had the Patty Melt

Then a while later just before crossing back into New York we filled up with gas and saved about 16 cents a gallon.  As we got close to home the ground was covered with snow and we had a couple inches in the yard and on the back deck.  We found the top strip of siding hanging down on the garage and Bonnie and I fixed that, it appears we may have had some wind.  Then there was no water in the well, the system had lost pressure and the pump safety switch had kicked in.  Not sure what happened there.

We heard from Colton RV and the window is still not in, so our new date for picking up the new to us coach is now Thursday at 9:15am.  We did head over to Elizabeths for Thanksgiving left overs and they were all good.  While there I changed her water filter and tried to get some more of the lights on her tree to work, no luck with that.  We were home by 8 and watched a few of the recorded shows.  Its after midnight now and I am heading to bed.

Tuesday

We took it easy this morning.  I did make it up to court just before noon and Bonnie went to Warsaw to grocery shop and get a test done at the hospital.  I was gone a couple hours and then home.  I stopped to get the electric meter reading on the way home.

What do you think the reading is?

They read the meter every other month.  The other they estimate it if you do not send in a reading and yes you can email a picture.

Alexus called when she got home from work and Bonnie and I took her to Old Navy so she could return some things and exchange them for others.  Then we headed to WW, I stayed the same and Bonnie lost a little.  Then over to Elizabeths for Gyros and a little family time.

Finally home and watched some more recorded TV.  Time to hit the hay now.

Wednesday

Woke up before it was really light out.  As soon as it was light out I could see that it is snowing.  By l1 we had an inch or more of new stuff.  The forecast for next Tuesday is 57 degrees.  Wish it was that today and for the next couple weeks.  We got a call that the coach is ready, the window is finally in and all systems are go.  I made a few calls and set up the insurance to switch over to the new coach as of tomorrow.  I turned on the refrigerator and started the big engine and let it run for a while.  So it is all aired up and should be ready to go in the morning.

I put up new curtain rods in the living room for Bonnie and she put up new curtains in the front window.  Then a couple friends stopped by for me to sign reference letters for them.  One even brought us some Venison hot dogs which Bonnie plans to cook for supper.  I think the snow finally stopped and it is still right at 32 degrees out so it will not melt overnight.

We received this in our email today.  Its our Grand Daughter.

They grow up way to fast.

Well its Wednesday night, thanks for checking in.  Hope to have some pictures of the new coach tomorrow.

Thanksgiving

Thursday

Another beautiful day here in Pennsylvania, nice and sunny and warming up nicely.  We took it easy this morning and had a leisurely breakfast.  Then Phil, Jennifer, Dan, and Maggie came over.  Phil was in charge of cooking the Turkey and so they were here early to get that started.  Sharon and Bonnie worked on the side dishes and pies.

Working on the Sweet Potato Casserole

Soon to be a Pecan Pie

We got to Facetime with the kids in Alabama and visit with them that way.  Elizabeth and Alexus were helping at the City Mission she said they cooked over 3700 meals and delivered to people in their homes.  Later today they will serve several hundred meals at the mission.

Everyone here has been enjoying Maggie she seems to be either eating of sleeping.

Just finished eating

Mother Daughter time

Popa and Dan

Phil catches up on the Game News

Molly says hello to Rachel and Terry

Then the turkey was ready and Joe sliced it up.

The turkey was tasty and moist

After that we ate and it smelled so good and tasted so good that I did not get any pictures.  We waited for awhile before we had dessert and just enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Time for Pumpkin Pie!

Friday

The day after Thanksgiving, time to rest up if you do not have to work.  We had a very nice time with family yesterday and slept soundly.  Sharon had to work at the hospital for a few hours this morning but was home by 10am.  She and Bonnie left soon after to visit the thrift stores and see if they could find any treasures.  Joe and I are just taking it easy.  Molly is almost comical.  Every time Joe gets up out of his chair and leaves the room she is up in his chair like this.

She looks mighty comfortable

The girls are back with all their treasures from the thrift stores, Bonnie even paid cash for most of them. Now Bonnie, Molly and I are all relaxing on the love seat.

She like to lay between us

Saturday

This morning the plan is to head downtown Philadelphia to visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.  Joe and Molly were up early and had gone to the gun club by the time the rest of us got up.

We got downtown just before 11.  First stop was the visitors center to get our free tickets for Independence Hall.  We were in the 1:45pm group.  So we walked around and visited a couple of the other building sites in the area.  The line for the liberty bell was long so we skipped that for now.  We visited the building the Second Bank of the United States with all its portraits.  After that we decided to have a quick lunch.

Philly Cheese Steak

After lunch we visited sites in the area and Independence Plaza.  First stop was Carpenters Hall where the First Continental Congress met.

Carpenters Hall

Original Chairs used here

Then on to Independence Hall.  This is a security area and we had to be checked before we entered.  But then we saw a lot of the buildings and eventually our guided tour of Independence Hall.

Independence Hall

Original unsigned copy of the Declaration of Independence

This is the room the House of Representatives met in for 10 years

This was the Senate most of the desks are original, and the Senators were appointed

This was a Senate committee room.  The books on the shelves were the first Library of Congress

This Chandelier is in the room in = Hall where the Constitution was adopted

This is the chair with the Rising Sun that George Washington presided from

 Then we headed over to see the Liberty Bell.

The line was still pretty long but it moved at a good pace

At the Liberty Bell

 After that we headed back to Spring City.  It took a few wrong turns to get headed the right direction from downtown and then the traffic was stop and go but we made it home in good time.  We decided to head over to the Texas Roadhouse for some ribs.  I don't thing we have ever been there before.

The ribs were pretty good, and with the fresh rools and peanuts I had to bring some of my ribs home and I only had a half rack.

The ribs were good

Well thats about it for today time to relax a little and let dinner settle in a little.

Sunday

Up this morning and we got ready to head to church.  We got to see the kids and new baby at church today.  We enjoy going to church with Sharon and the Pastor has good sermons.  We got to sit behind the control boards so I kept an eye on them also.  They record sound and video so it takes a few guys to run it.

This is the position that does the podcast audio, lights, and overhead screens

We just relaxed all after noon after a lunch of leftovers.  Then off to church for the evening service.  The church gives a rose to the new families and we went to see that presentation to our niece and nephew.

The Rose ready and waiting

Pastor, Phil, and Maggie receiving the Rose

New Mom Jennifer with the Rose

Well thats about it for another week.  We did here that there are a couple inches of snow back home, guess we will see for ourselves tomorrow.

Thanks for Checking In.

Off to see my Favorite Sister

Monday

Another nice sunny day today.  Bonnie cleaned out a couple of her flower beds under the deck.  I hauled buckets of mulch for her.

Mulching the flower bed

All done now and it looks very nice.  After lunch we took it easy and talked a little about where we want to travel next year.  Then I got an email and headed up to court to work on some paperwork before I headed to my favorite sisters.

Tuesday

Not much to write about today.  We got up this morning, turned down the thermostats, unplugged the coffee maker and headed for Spring City, PA.

As we sped by

We made a couple pit stops and one for lunch.

Lunch Stop

We arrived at my sisters and after a nice dinner, spent the rest of the evening catching up.  Tomorrow we get to meet both new grand nieces and see Dan the lone grand nephew again.

Wednesday

Just after 7 and I am up after a good nights sleep.  Joe and Molly have gone to the gun club to check trail cameras and Sharon almost followed me down the stairs.  Soon we hear Bonnie up also.  It was not long after breakfast that Sharon started on dinner prep.

Working on dinner

After lunch we headed over to the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, last spring when I visited the buildings wee not open.

This time we got to see all the movies and tour the inside of the buildings.  Poor Molly had to stay home and guard the house.

I sure wish I could go

Some of the 23 models of stoves made here

This stove was made in 1772

We enjoyed seeing the informational movies and touring the grounds

Down the path to the furnace

The old coal fired furnace that did not really work out

The core of the old furnace

This is the charcoal cooling room, charcoal, limestone, and iron ore were used here

This was the furnace and the foundry

Some of the iron ingots 

Canon for the revolutionary war were made here

The water wheel drove the bellows for the blast of air injected into the furnace to race the temperature

Some of the cast iron stove parts

This is the bottom of the furnace where the iron came out

 After the furnace we moved over to the blacksmiths shop.  There was a whole community around the furnace made up of the woodcutters, farmers, molders, and foundry workers and others who were needed to keep the furnace running.

Blacksmith shop and tools of the trade

We took a minute to visit the creek formed by the water after it turned the water wheel.

Lovely ladies on the bridge

Final stop at the furnace was at the owners house

Nicest place in the area

This was his office and over looked the furnace

We headed home so Sharon could pop the lasagna in the oven for supper.  Full house coming for dinner.  It was a beautiful day cool and sunny.

We spent the evening visiting with nephews and nieces and grand nephew and new grand nieces.

Papa Joe and Dan

Miss Ellie

Dan is on the move most of the time

New mom Jennifer and Maggie

Bonnie keeps Dan busy

All of us together

Time to get this posted, Thanks for Checking In.  Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow, we have so much to be thankful for.