Trip To Visit Aunt Esther
August 6th - 13th, 2006

While Rocke and I were back east, in Florida for Sunil and Hiral's wedding, we decided we would take advantage of the opportunity to visit my Aunt Esther, who lives in Pennsylvania. An added bonus on this trip would be seeing my sister, Kitty and her husband, Stan, and my brother, Jimmy and his wife Liz. I was hoping to get together with another one of my brothers, Butch and his wife Dolores, but with their schedule, they were not able to meet with us. I have so many relatives that live back east, we weren't able to see them all while we were there. It looks like we'll have to think about taking another trip to see relatives we didn't have time to see on this trip!

Also, I got to see two of my cousins, Linda and Theresa, who I haven't seen in 50+ years. I remember Linda as a little girl, and I didn't remember her sister, Theresa, at all. So, maybe I never met her. Anyhow, I got the chance to see Linda again, and meet Theresa.

I can't explain the joy of meeting and seeing these two cousins after all these years. It was so comfortable being with them. It was as if we never had all those years and miles separating us. It was like getting some wonderful family members back in my life again (I'm so happy that Rocke and I decided to take this side trip). I don't know how in the heck we managed to lose contact with them, but you can bet I'm not going to wait another 50 years to visit them again. Come to think of it, in another 50 years, I probably won't be around, so I had better see them long before then. They and their husbands are awesome people and so much fun to be around. I'm hoping they can visit us out here in the Great Northwest before too long, too.

OUR TRIP TO PENNSYLVANIA

On Sunday, August 6th, we left the hotel in Orlando early (very early . . . some of the wedding party members were still partying when we left) to catch our plane to Pennsylvania. We arrived at the Baltimore/Washington Airport in Maryland and Aunt Esther and her friend, Paul were there to pick us up. We had a nice relaxing trip back (we were not driving, so that made it relaxing) to Gettysburg, PA, where Aunt Esther lives. We enjoyed meeting Paul and getting to know him. He's a kind, fun, warm and loving gentleman.

Arriving at Aunt Esther's apartment, we settled in and waited for Linda and her husband, Mike, from Frederick, Maryland, to arrive and spend the evening with us. I was so excited to see and hug Linda! After spending some time with her, Rocke and I found her to be a warm, fun-loving lady. I felt a strong connection with her and we became great friends.

Kitty, my sister, and her husband, Stan, drove down from New York the same evening to spend some time with us. Kitty and Stan live in Orlando, Florida, but spend their summers with my niece in New York. My brother, Jimmy and his wife, live about 30 minutes from Aunt Esther in Taneytown, Maryland. Everyone seems to be accounted for so we met at Scozzaro's Old Mill Inn for dinner and enjoyed an evening of visiting. What a great time!

Monday was a relaxing day for Rocke and I. Thank goodness, Aunt Esther didn't plan anything, so we could relax and get rested. After lunch, we decided it would be fun to take a short drive through the Gettysburg Battlefield. Rocke and I were amazed and had no idea that the battlefield was so big and such a big tourist attraction. We were in awe at the amount of monuments we saw. This is definitely a place we will have to go back and visit in more detail.

Kitty, Stan, Jimmy and Liz met Aunt Esther, Rocke and I, at the Old Mill Inn for dinner. It was another enjoyable evening. My brother, Jimmy, is such a character and had us laughing throughout the whole evening.

On Tuesday, Theresa and her husband Jack drove to Gettysburg so Theresa could spend some time with us while Jack worked. Thanks, Jack! What a great joy, finally getting to meet Theresa and spend some time with her. She is such a character, and we really enjoyed her company. Aunt Esther, Theresa, Linda, Kitty, Stan and I all went to lunch at Ruby Tuesday . After lunch, we returned to Aunt Esther's to continue our visit. We girls enjoyed helping Aunt Esther get ready for her big date with Paul. I'm not sure how Aunt Esther felt about us helping her get all decked out for her date, but we gals had a great time.

Jack, Theresa's husband took Theresa, Rocke, Linda, and I out to dinner. We enjoyed a delicious meal at LaCucina. It was so much fun visiting and catching up on all those lost years. Then, Theresa had to go and order a bottle of water with gas. All kinds of descriptions of water with gas running through my head and I cracked up laughing. Theresa finally calmed me down by explaining a bottle of water with gas was carbonated water. Whew, glad she finally explained that to me!

Back at the apartment, Jack, Linda and Theresa had to leave. Rocke and I waited up for Aunt Esther. We told Paul, she was to be home by midnight. (Just kiddin', Paul). Yes, Paul had her home before the clock struck midnight. We enjoyed a glass of wine and Aunt Esther told us about her evening. Sounded like she and Paul had a great time at Paul's Annual Retirees dinner.

On Wednesday, Kitty and Stan had to travel back to New York. Aunt Esther, Paul, Theresa, Rocke and I took a Gettysburg Battlefield bus tour. We rode on an upper-decker bus . . . on top in the open air! What a great time! Their was (and still is) so much information that we didn't know about the battle.

In July of 1863, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania became the site of perhaps the bloodiest battle in American history. Over fifty-three thousand men perished, both North and South, as the Union and Confederate armies fought for the fertile farmland of Adams County. Each battle site has its own meaning, its own sacrifice. The field today is adorned with literally thousands of monuments, from simple regimental markers to huge marble and granite statuary proclaiming the honor of the state which it represents. Gettysburg is filled with mystery and intrigue, and the ideals of over a hundred years ago are still evident in this rustic, hallowed place.

The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy", it was the war's bloodiest battle.. It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous address.

Yea! Linda took Thursday off from work to spend the day with us. She treated Rocke, Theresa and I to a tour of the Eisenhower National Historic Site. After that we went to a Wax Museum featuring the Hall of the Presidents.

After Jack and Theresa left to drive back home to Piscataway, New Jersey, Aunt Esther, Linda, Rocke and I ventured back to spend some time at the battlefield, then on to Boyds Bear Country. I collect bears, so I was excited that Linda suggested a trip to Boyds. Boyds is in a picturesque country setting in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It's a big ol' red barn . . . where people can participate in family activities, enjoy live entertainment, or shop till ya drop. I didn't shop 'til I dropped, but I did have fun running around looking at all the bears. What an awesome place to visit. It has to be the World's Most Humongous Teddy Bear Store. Thanks Linda!

On Friday, Aunt Esther, Rocke and I met Aunt Mary and her nurse, Bonnie, at the Cracker Barrel in Frederick, for lunch. Aunt Esther and Aunt Mary are sisters. I had not seen Aunt Mary since my dad passed away in 2002, so this was another wonderful bonus while visiting Aunt Esther. We all had a wonderful time catching up on what had been happening in Aunt Mary's life.

Friday evening would be our last chance for me to visit with my brother Jimmy, so we gave him and his wife, Liz a call and they met us at The Pike Restaurant for one last dinner together before Rocke and I left. What a great evening. Jimmy, as usual, has us all laughing and enjoying the evening.

On Saturday morning, Aunt Esther, Rocke and I went to Arlington National Cemetery to visit the graves of our relatives. My father, mother and sister are buried there along with my grandfather.

Saturday evening, Linda and her husband, Mike, invited us to stop by their place on our way back home from Arlington for dinner. Linda had fixed us a delicious dinner. It was wonderful to visit them in their lovely home and spend more time with them, before we left Sunday to return to Florida.

Paul drove us back to the airport on Sunday. Rocke and I were flying back to Orlando, Florida to rent a car and drive down to West Palm Beach. Thanks, Aunt Esther and everyone else for making it such a wonderful vacation with family.

Keep an eye on your e-mail to read about our trip to West Palm Beach, to visit with Choya (our exchange student daughter from Ecuador, who spent a year with Rocke and his family in 1981-1982) and her family.