*****
We're home from our vacation. And tired. I'll post more about our trip over the next few days and maybe get some photos up.
We drove from Atlanta to Summersville, WV, then made it to Pittsburgh to Sister MD and SOL's home by lunch Saturday. There was discussion of museums but the kids made our minds up by getting involved with the important task of Catching Up. They had a game going that my nephew had invented for shared use of Lego pieces. Each child took a turn setting up lego pieces and then attacking and defending the other children's "castles". They spent a lot of time in the basement playing, then more time with sword fighting outdoors (swords were pool noodle material). The weather was fabulous and we ate dinner outside in their huge backyard. The four dogs were fed bits of BBQ as rewards for remaining (or getting) quiet and not barking at the neighbors. We ate the rest!
Sunday brought on sunny perfect weather and we decided to make the trek to Ohiopyle. I volunteered to drive their youngest in our car and laughed when our chatterbox called her one too. At least she helped make the drive shorter. We rented bikes for our family and unloaded their bikes, then had some lunch. Ohiopyle had a wonderful, flat bike route right along the Youghiogheny River. Everyone but me swam in the river at our break. (Why I biked in my swim suit I don't know.) The water was so cold they each counted to three and plunged in fast so the momentum would overtake common sense. We finished the ride with a trip across a long bridge over kayaks and rafts, then with ice cream for all.
Monday had concerned us, since SOL had thought museums to all be closed on Mondays, but we lucked out and were able to go to the Carnegie Science Center. We drove down with my nephew in our car, and he joined us going on an incline up the side of one of the hills and for a picnic lunch with a view of downtown Pittsburgh and the three rivers. I must give the city credit for having remade itself into a lovely place. I liked the robot game my older neice and I played together, and an exhibit on waves that included everything from earthquakes to sound. We drove back to their home with their oldest and I had a chance to enjoy both the child and adult sides of her fifteen years. Fun age (to visit, not to live with I suspect.)
The kids, ages five to fifteen, played like cousins should. Age didn't seem to matter and they all seemed to enjoy each other. I think we could have stayed at their home without field trips and the kids would have had a great time anyway. I know they'd have had fun with more time. But, Tuesday morning we left to drive up to Canada, to visit Niagara Falls and stay at Niagara on the Lake.
more tomorrow
0 comments:
Post a Comment