Note: In real time, it is day 12. First Nick and then I have come down with colds. We're at our final destination and start heading home tomorrow. I hope to do some writing at an airport and finish up at home. If anybody is really interested, bug me on Saturday.
On the Move Again
We didn't have far to go today, so we visited longer with Paula. Again the weather is drippy and iffy but we all braved it to take a walk around Fox Hollow Farm. There's a lovely trail along the outer border and Paula told us all about the various volunteer work done to maintain it. She's about the only woman to do this work, so she knows lots of the men. She's also on the welcome committee and it seems like she knows everyone.
It was election day in Pennsylvania, and the community building hosted the local precinct. As we first went in, people wanted us to vote. When Paula said she was giving us a tour, people got all excited and wanted us to move there!
Eventually, we had to hit the road. Don't think I've mentioned the ubiquitous Canada geese. We saw a big flock with fuzzy goslings somewhere in Delaware County. Couldn't stop for photographs, bummer. But for the next several days, we're seeing small groups of them here and there! We've got huge flocks in Menlo Park at Bayfront Park (aka Liz's park because she made an orienteering map for her Silver Award project.) I'm wondering if it's climate change that's making them all be around (per Paula in Penna, and us in Calif) year round.
Our drive took us into and out of Delaware (the state, not the county.) I spotted my favorite store - yes Target. So we pulled in to restock on Milano's and a couple of other things before heading out. Not expecting much, after Kohl's, we went and looked at jackets. I actually found a nice light weight rain jacket. Couldn't get my size (sigh) in the slenderizing black or navy, so got the fashionable off-white, not quite tan. Picture a short, belted trench coat - yes, I know a contradiction. Cross check the photographs - the concept is good, I'm simply too round. another sigh. Apparently, I'm building a full outfit, suitable for nice dinner.
A Treasure in New Jersey
Back to Paula for a minute - she is amazingly organized. As we discussed our route for the day, she whipped out a folder with places to go. She raved about Grounds for Sculpture and she was right! It is in Hamilton, NJ about half way between Philly and Manhattan. It has 250 sculptures, looking randomly placed, but not so, over 35 acres. We were hungry by the time we got there and started with lunch in their cafe. We were far from seeing everything when we left. We wanted to check in at our hotel before our next stop for dinner. In retrospect, we should have spent the back-and-forth time there. Before I explain that, more on the sculptures. They have life size people here and there in the style of one of the French Painters (I want to say Monet or Serrat). They have lot of modern works. There's one area with five tiger sculptures. We spent a lot of time by one that is really a giant percussion instrument with sticks that one can use to play it. I could have used my musician friend Carol who has perfect pitch. But we had fun. Pictures to follow, I hope.
Catching up the the Hellers
Some months ago, I promised my sister Carol that I'd come to New York and we could play. Since we have a rental car and cars in Manhattan problematic, Nick suggested that we stay in New Jersey and take the train in. More about that on Day 6. Our nephew Roberto and his girlfriend Cara live in Princeton. It's around now that Nick & I start hating Route 1 in New Jersey. The Comfort Suites are in Avenel which is near Rahway which has a train station.
So, we go to Avenel and check in. It takes forever because Nick's credit card company has decided that there's been too much activity on the card. Nice to know they're alert but really. Then we go back down to Princeton. The deal with Route 1 is you can't make left turns. You have to make rights to do U's to do lefts. It's a good concept not as well executed as it might - at least not near the Comfort Suites. It also has lots of lights. We got stuck in traffic going back down to Princeton.
Eventually, we found our way to Roberto and Cara. He is our eldest nephew; it's our first time meeting her but she's dealing well with the small but mighty clan. We all had a wonderful time catching up, getting to know each other, eating, taking silly photographs. Much too soon, we had to be back on Hwy 1 well fed and well-loved.
Coming up: Manhattan and more of the Heller family
Esther
© 2011 Esther A. Heller
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