When Andy came home, we cleaned up and headed to the local pub for dinner; fish and chips, which Gosh and I split. We met up with a real character who Sam knows from school. Whoa! Definitely a funny guy to hang out with in a bar but a bit crass for any meaningful relationship. Sam explained his story of being indicted for being in the wrong place at the wrong time... We certainly enjoyed a laugh or six as a result of our time together.
The next morning Sam had a mani-pedi scheduled for 9am. When she wasn't awake at 8am, I figured it must be close. Nope- this is how I learned that Sammy lives in a self-inflicted hurry! I did not have time to do anything but schedule an appointment for a leg wax and pour a bowl of cereal to eat in the car. Wheeee!
From there, we headed to Boiling Springs High School. Nice school! Sammy showed me her old classroom, new classroom and introduced me to a few folks. She's obviously a big deal around there- go get 'em!
The next day we watched as Sam and Andy got everything together for the wedding. We tried to help, but it seemed the best we could do was to stay out of the way. When it was all packed- dress, cake, suit, etc... we headed to Gettysburg. Well, actually, through Gettysburg and on to a bed-n-breakfast called the Hickory Bridge Inn in Orrtanna. Beautiful! Gosh, my parents and I were in the cottages through the woods and across a stream and my sisters and their families were in the big house. Perfect! We had the rehearsal dinner at a local winery and headed back to the porch of the big house to visit.
Kewpie and I walked around the farm the next morning before heading over to the big house for breakfast. We all milled around until we got hungry again, ate some leftovers and visited until about 1:30 when Sam began prepping. Her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Leslie, did an amazing job on Sammy's hair and Samantha was STUNNING! (Of course! She'd have looked gorgeous in a white plastic bag...)
JT- her almost brother-in-law, performed the ceremony and all the key people had their role. Ever pragmatic, Sam and Andy kept the wedding succinct and to the point. The ceremony started at 3pm, hors d'oeuvres were being served at 4pm and there was plenty of time in between for all the family photographers to take all the pictures they wanted.
Dinner was delicious! There is a restaurant at the Inn and it was packed! We had fried chicken, ribs, and crab bake. The wedding cake was made by Sammy's friend and neighbor and it was also delish! We all ate too much and headed back to the big house porch for dancing. It was a fabulous and low-key affair. Good job, Sammy!
On Sunday morning breakfast is delivered. We visited a bit before heading out. It was difficult to say goodbye to Rachy because I wouldn't be eeing her again until some unscheduled future visit. Damnit! It always gets away so fast! Everyone else would be heading to Hop Bottom... so we headed out on route 11. HA! It took almost 7 hours but it was a fun ride along the Susquehanna River. We got to Mom and Dad's and followed Dad to Inn the Beginning- a bed-and-breakfast about two miles from their house. Turns out they ran out of beds!
This is perfect! Marcine and Ron are super-sweet, the house is full of all kinds of nostalgic memorabilia and the breakfasts they served were out of this world! By our third morning, we had everyone but Dad joining us for breakfast. Dad, of course, had practice. After breakfast, we would head over to my parents to visit for the day.
It is really beautiful. You can't really capture it in a picture, though, it's just too big. All those big rolling hills of dense trees and farmland with big farmhouses in never-ending swells of green. It's just so big and peaceful.
Judy and Jackie, mom's sisters, came for two days and Gosh got to see first-hand what it would be like to hang out with Statler and Waldorf if they were sisters instead of Muppets. Oh man! Did we laugh! Oh- and if you've never played with Talking Carl, you must! Google it!
After three nights at the Inn, we headed out to the Mercer compound. Another whirlwind tour but this time with my best friend, Joanna, and her family. We planned to stay for one night but opted to add another when my hair appointment turned into a long afternoon of errands.
Joe is the BEST! He's done my grandmother's hair, my mom's hair, even all our hair for Rachy's wedding... and he and his clients are a HOOT! If you are ever in Scranton, look up Joseph Just Hair... it's a small shop in the Bank Tower Building on Spruce Street. You'll not be disappointed.
From there we headed to Steamtown National Park- we had to get a PA pin! We paid to enter the site and wandered around in awe of the huge locomotives. We found our pins and headed out for Warhorse in Dunmore sow e could change the Floyd's oil.
Mind you, I've been leading. Gosh assumes that since I've lived here, I'll know my way around. Well, I do and I don't. I'd been worried about finding this place since I mapped it. But I'm gonna give it a shot... and of course we get lost... and the more I panic the worse it gets. We pull over at Granger and Gosh asks for directions. I don't know why it is... if it was just me I wouldn't care but because I have an audience (Gosh) I feel responsible and stupid. I just can't get my bearings.
So Gosh leads and we still get lost but now I don't care. We are just a couple of happy bikers from NV toodling around Dunmore. We finally find Warhorse... we look around at a really cool Spiderman bike a couple Indians, and I buy a long-sleeve t-shirt and head home- the Mercer compound.
Kewpie and I in Cowboy Ronnie Room at Inn the Beginning
SheNayNay ready to head to Dalton, PA.
The fabulous great room at Inn the Beginning
The Mother Superior happily running equipment
The Gosh, Taz and Kewpie taking an afternoon stroll
Miss Q on our stroll
Joanna and Taz on a morning stroll behind her house
Joe working his magic
The Gosh looking hot at Steamtown
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| This was in a caboose... Is it meant to be early advertising? |
4-8-8-4 Big Boy- the biggest steam locomotive ever made
Yep- it's HUGE!
She didn't want to let me but I got a picture anyway. Shoot- I didn't fix my hair or anything... But ya gotta show the love!
And away they go!
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