Ben and Sue Day 32

Day 32, Monday, October 8th, 2007

Happy Birthday  to my wonderful Brother David!

. . . Warm and sunny weather greeted us once again this morning.  My lovely sister, who teaches U. S. government and History to seniors at Liberty Baptist High School took two days off from school so we could spend some time together.  We had a glorious day!  Kathy drove us for perhaps two hours along a very scenic roadway called Skyline Drive.  It was suggested in a video we had seen:  "America's Most Scenic Drives" and it was easy to understand why it was selected for the video.  Mile after mile of tree lined roads -- many places along the way to pull aside and view the Blueridge Mountains and the farms and villages below.  This whole area is so rich  with Civil War history -- many of the homes we passed were huge old homes with wrap around proches and with columns in front.  We stopped at a little lodge and enjoyed a delicious lunch looking out over a lake with the mountains in the background and the beautiful blue sky above.  Kathy and I truly enjoyed some wonderful fellowship/laughter/memories together and I muchly enjoyed that part of our day.

. . . Ben spent most of his day with Jeff doing guy things together.

. . .After a while Jeff drove Ben and I to a place where he and  Kathy plan to build a home.  Very beautiful -- lots of land for the grandchildren to run and play -- overlooking the river -- very rustic.  It will surely be as beautiful place to live once they  are finished.

. . .After we looked at the land, Jeff and Kathy treated us to a delicious dinner to celebrate Ben and my 35 years of marital bliss!  All four of us enjoyed  delicious food and once again just had a geat time being together .  We had one very common conversation which involved encouraging one another to move cross-country so we could all be closer -- then telling the wonderful benefits of living in Seattle or Lynchburg.  After 31 days of absolutely gorgeous warm and sunny weather I am beginning to at least allow myself to consider the possibility since I know that from about November 1st till about July 1st Seattle is dark/cold/wet/overcast/dreary.  Okay, okay . . . maybe I  am exaggerating -- but truly only a little bit!

So, after a long, full, rich, wonderful day I'm headed off to brush my teeth  and hop into my comfortable bed!

   

Ben and Sue Day 31

Sunday, October 7, 2007 

Ben and Sue and Sara went to church this morning -- to the church Ben and Sara attended as children and where Ben was confirmed -- Jerusalem Lutheran Church.  Very interesting for sure.  Quite different from the Baptist church we attend back in Monroe, Washington.  I am used to clapping my hands to the beat of he praise music we sing, but at this church they sang many old and somewhat slow songs to organ music alone -- no other instruments.  The church is going to have a special celebration next Sunday for its 165th birthday.  The preacher gave a message about he beginnings of the church -- built by German immigrants who were meeting in homes and needed a building/a central place to meet together and learn, fellowship and worship.  

. . .     They did not use a Bible at all -- even the preacher read te Bible verses from the bulletin in which they were printed.  The bulletin was very thick -- 13 pages and included all the Scripture and songs for the mass, one page telling the cost of advertising for a Patron ad for  the Christmas Bazaar, one page describing all the different kinds (12) and prices to order home made Christmas candy, one page describing the kinds and prices of nuts one could order for the fundraiser for the Christmas Bazaar, and four pages titled "Jerusalem Summer Announcements".

. . .We then went to lunch together and finally loaded up the trailer and started out towards Lynchburg, Virginia to visit my sister Kathy and her husband Jeff.  We were thinking it might be a 3 to 4 hour drive. However we were not very careful in looking at  the map and at nearly 10PM we finally made it to Lynchburg where Jeff was so kind to meet us and lead us to his home.   I surely appreciate Ben for really pushing hiself  to continue driving till we go all the way here.  Oh my goodness it  was SO good to see my sister Kathyt once again!  

 

Ben and Sue Day 30

Before I get started with my journal entry for day 30, I wanted to let everyone know that if you miss any of these E-mails you can re-read them on a blog Benjamin set up for us:  benandsuesroadtrip@blogspot.com. 

Day 30, Satruday, October 6, 2007

Boy oh boy am I tired tonight!  We stayed at Marianne and Jeff's home last evening, woke up this morning and set out for Baltimore once  again.  Over and over and over I am so happy, so thankful for Jeff and Marianne's hospitality and awesome fellowship.  I am beginning on this trip to realize or perhaps to realize once again how absolutely valuable, dear, precious friends are.  My prayer is that I would be able to offer as much hospitality, fellowship and kindness as has been showered on Ben and me during this entire trip.

. . .Pretty much the whole day was taken up with driving -- a little easier without the  trailer.  One friend sent me an E-mail and asked if I would tell about the weather and I'd be happy to do so but it would be rather boring I'm afraid:  warm and sunny, warm and sunny, and warm and sunny once again.  Every single day except one the temperature has been between 70 - 85 degrees - sky has been clear -- actually sometimes cloudy but not dark or grey clouds but rather those huge puffy cumulous clouds that are fun to look at and pretend they are different shapes.

. . .So. . .we returned to Sara's in  the late afternoon and Saara and Fred wanted to know all about our trip so we all talked for a long while.  Then Ben was able to fix Sara's dryer that has been broken for quite a while.

zzzzz......  

Ben and Sue Day 27

Wednesday, October 3, 2007, Day 27

. . .Today Ben and I took the rental car and drove to the Statue of Liberty.  Our friend Marianne printed directions for us from mapquest.  Ben asked me if he drove if I would navigate.  You need to imagine a very loud buzzer going off just now.  I have great difficulty navigating a 711 store.  How was I to accomplish such a feat as getting us from Windsor New York to Liberty State Park in New Jersey?  The only other alternative was for me to drive and Ben to navigate which, you MUST believe me -- would have been much worse.

. . . We set out well for a long while . . . the directions were really quite good.  We encountered several toll roads and were on our merry way.  At one point though the road split just before the toll booth.  Cars that had already purchased a windshield scanner pass were supposed to go left.  All others to the right.  The choice came so quickly -- road divided so quickly that we made  a wrong decision and went left.  After a long  while we realized we took a wrong turn or missed an exit or something so we attempted to get off the t oll road to ask directions.  We stopped  to pay and the ticket agent asked for our ticket which we did not have.  He said "How the hell did you get HERE?"  We hardly knew how to answer and so we had to pay the  total toll from the beginning rather than just  from where we entered the toll road.  It is a very complicated system of toll roads.

. . . Only one mistake  though and we made it to Liberty State Park which is where one parks to take the ferry to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty.  When I first saw her my breath truly was taken away for a moment.  I wanted tp stand up and sing "God Bless America" loudly.  Oh how proud she stands in New York Harbour.  Perhaps it is a bit sad that most of America's immigrants arrive by plane these days and don't have that wonderful experience of being welcomed to our great land by that torch of freedom shinning brightly still.  We went thru three different security checkpoints -- very tight -- very secure -- and finally arrived at the statue itself.  There is a wonderful museum there explaining about the original statue -- a gift from the people of France in 1866.  I began to wish I knew more about my own family tree -- perhaps some of my relatives came to Ellis Island during  the great time of immigration when America was still quite lient about allowing immigrants to come to populate America.  I know only that  my paternal great grandfather came from Ireland during the great potato famine there in about 1855.

. . . One thing this entire trip has done is to inspire/motivate me to learn more.  Every place we visit I'm so curious about and want to know more and more.  Hopefully when I get home I will be able to set aside some time each day to learn more about all these places.   

Ben and Sue Day 26

Contiinuation of Day 26 -- New York Trip

.  . .So, we went to Tiffany's on 5th Avenue as I was hoping to buy a couple of gifts.  I quickly discovered nearly everything I looked at was way out of our budget.  I saw three little pretty soaps in a box -- they were $85!

. . . Then we walked on to Saks . . . same story.  I saw a very pretty little ceramic heart shaped dish -- about the size of the palm of my hand -- $125!  Phew!

. . . About that time we were getting hungry so we asked the elevator doorman if he could  recommend a good place to eat.  He recommended a place close by:  Rue 57.  So we went in and were seated.  I saw  a grilled chicken salad with carrots, cucumber, onions eggs, tomatoes and haricot vert on a bed of lettuce.  Sounded good except I did not know what "hariot" was.  Turns out to be "beans".  Verte means green.  Makes more sense actually  to me to put the adjective first.

. . . Okay . . .Let's see -- when I told her I wanted water to drink she asked "sparkling or flat"? and then "bottled or tap"?

. . . Next we -- well actually me -- wanted to go to the Metropolean Museum of Art.  And my loving husband agreed to take me there even though he was not too interested.  We had to take a taxi because it was too far to walk.  Oh my goodness -- little did I realize I was in for the ride of my life!  I probably should have known  because of course New York is famous for its terrible taxi drivers.  I started looking out the front windshield but quickly closed my eyes after the taxi driver almost ran over several people -- and I mean to  tell you I am not exagerating.  This driver knew three speeds -- fast, faster, and fastest.

. . . The Metropolean Museum of Art was amazing.  There was a display of Rembrant currently being shown which I enjoyed.  I can't say I know very much at all about art but I did enjoy looking at all those paintings just the same.  There were several rooms of antique Greek and Roman statues.  One small statue particularly caught my attention -- it was a statue of a child that had a contorted look on his face.  The reading said it  was a statue of a satyre because of his pointed ears, shaggy hair and wattles of his neck.  So of course now I am interested in discovering what  a satyre might be.

. . . .The taxi drive back to Grand Central Station to catch the train back was even worse than the first  taxi ride.  The driver actually bumped another car and did not even stop .  Then he hit a 2nd car and he and the driver of the  other car got out ---argued for about 30 seconds -- and both just drove off.  I was very happy when we reached Grand Central Station and could get out.

. . .      Tomorrow we hope to visit the Statue of Liberty

    

Ben and Sue Day 26

Our Day in New York City

Our friend Marianne picked us up at 9AM and drove us to the Beacon Train Station.  After figuring out what train we needed to take and what time it left, we chatted for a while there on the platform.  The trains that did not stop sped by so fast.  Our train came and we boarded -- headed to New York City.  I was very excited because going to NYC has been a desire for a very long time.  Travelling mostly parallel to the Hudson River we were treated to all kinds of sights that made the one hour journey very pleasant.  We saw many Canada Geese, a little tugboat pushing a huge barge, the hills across the river beautifully ripe with color, and experienced the serenity of the river.  Sometimes we could not see the land below  the train window and it actually seemed like we were on a boat in  the middle of the river.

. . . Our stop was Grand Central Station -- WOW!  A train station  that was as big  as a shopping mall -- bigger still.  It seemed as though just about everything one might want to  eat or drink or wear or buy as a gift they could buy right t here in the  train station.

. . . We found our way upstairs and onto 5th Avenue and a kind New York man pointed us in the direction of St. Patricks Cathedral -- our first stop.  Was a long walk.  As  we walked we saw all kinds of people -- so many people of many nationalities aand walks of life. Some of the ladies were dressed as casual tourists like myself.  Some appeared to be ladies of the night.  Some  dressed in very expensive business suits rolling a small suitcase  ehind them.  Some were college students with backpacks stuffed with books.

. . . St. Patricks cathedral was magnificant.  The brochure said It was built in a Gothic style similar  to Europen churches from the 13th to the 15th century.  The spires stand 330 feet from the street -- quite impressive.  The information I read  was that the cathedral is 405 feet long and 174 feet wide -- truly a huge church.  Inside were beautiful stained glass windows all around.  It seemed to me as though small shrines had been built to memorilize different saints thru the years -- for example there was a shrine to St Bridget who spent her life ministering to the poor and lonely, one to St. Patrick and another to Jesus Mother, Mary and many others.  Many people were lighting candles.  I have my own thoughts (probably not accurate) about why people light candles in Catholic churches.  So I was curious and asked the receptionist -- the first person one meets entering the church.  She greeted me kindly and I asked her my question.  She said "People light candles  because it helps them when they pray -- it makes praying easier.  It gives them more hope  that their prayers will be answered."  Then I asked a lady in uniform who appeared to be a security guide.  She  said "I'm not Catholic but we are taught that people light candles so the soul of a deceased loved one will continue to shine."  Interesting. . .

There is a lot more but I'm plum out of time -- we are going with out friends Jeff and Marianne to a bed and breakfast near where they plan to build their new home.  Will hopefully finish up my New York Trip this evening.   
  

Ben and Sue Day 25

Day 25, Monday, October 1, 2007

. . . We drove to New York today to visit old friends Marianne and Jeff LaSeige.  We decided not to take the trailer because we still do not have a spare for it.  So Ben rented this really lovely 2008 Dodge Sedan.  We left about 11 AM and arrived here in New Windsor about 4:30.  Was SO good to  see Jeff and Marianne again -- we knew each other in Germany in 1987.  Ben  and Jeff were stationed together at Rhein Main Air Base.  We all went to  the same church there in the little town of Morfelden, Germany.  Marianne and I have kept in touch now and again thru the years with letters and phone calls.  It's such a cool thing with dear friends -- seems like you can just pick up right where you left off even if it was many years ago.