They're Here!

           The kids rolled in Saturday night. As soon as we walked in the house, Andrew says, "What's that Mimi?"

          "What's what?" I asked.

          "It went running across the floor," and he pointed to the dining room. I went on ahead thinking mouse and it would be gone by the time I got there but when I turned on the light, I found this guy.

          "What is that?" I asked all bent over trying to get a good look at him.

          Kevin and Andrew both followed me. "It looks like a wood roach," Kevin said.

          I reached down and picked him up.

          "Oh Lord, she's picking it up," I heard from the peanut gallery. Okay, okay, Kandyce. It was Kandyce.

          Roach or not roach, it was huge and I didn't think it likely it would bite. My picture isn't very good for a couple of reasons. One, he was trying to get away from me and wouldn't hold still. And second, it was low light. Third, I was in a hurry! The kids had just gotten there! With roach echoing around in my head, I flushed him. I don't want to take any chances if it is — was a roach.

          I've since found out this is one of the largest beetles we have. It's a Prionus Beetle and will rival the Rhinoceros Beetle in weight. I'm sorry I flushed him now.

          The next morning, while waiting for everyone to get dressed, Andrew and I took our cameras out. "Butterfly!" Andrew saw a Tiger Swallowtail. 

            Here's the picture he took.

          One place we knew we wanted to take the kids was to Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton. 

            Besides the trains, there's a trolley museum and we got there just in time to board the trolley for a ride out to PNC field and back. In fact, it was only minutes from pulling out of the station. I climbed on board and looked for seats for us and there weren't any. "Maybe we should wait until the next one," I suggested. I wanted us to be able to sit together.

          "Oh no. There's room," the conductor said. "I can put the seats down for you."
          In front of the door on the opposite side, two benches came down and we got to sit together.

          Our conductor showed us how it was his job to count the passengers, pulling a cord that added numbers to the box on the front wall. It was a way for the trolley company to keep its employees honest.

          This guy has been doing this job for 19 years. He was very interesting and knowledgeable. Then he came around and punched our tickets.

          "I want to take a picture of that," Andrew said.

          "What?" Kandyce asked. "The ticket?"

          "Yeah."

          Here's my picture of Andrew taking a picture.

          Here's Andrew's picture of the ticket his mother held for him.

          Later the conductor tells us that each punch is unique. They always knew who punched a particular ticket. 

         The original conductor, who worked on the trolley car we were riding in, still owned the original punch and donated it to the museum when he found out they were restoring the trolley. Our trolley, Number 76, was built in 1931 and is almost all original. The ads lining the walls are reproductions and the seat covers have been redone.

          As we chugged down the five miles of track out to PNC (a baseball field), we traveled on the only three remaining miles of the Laurel Line. We passed an old Anthracite mine that closed in 1900. Coal mining was the main industries for this part of the country for many years with one of the richest coalfields called the Northern Field. At one time, this area produced 75 percent of all the anthracite coal for the entire world. The last operating coal mine closed in 1967. The entrance had steel bars covering it and from my side of the trolley, there wasn't much to see.

          We passed a waterfall and went through a mile-long tunnel.

          The end of the line was at PNC and that's where the trolley museum had their restoration shop. We all got off and went inside to see what they're working on. Then he showed us a big map of the route we just traveled.

          As we headed back out to re-board for the return trip, I made the mistake of asking Andrew if he wanted a picture with the conductor.

          "I'm not a conductor," he quickly corrected. "I'm a motorman."

          So there you have it. A conductor takes and punches tickets, whereas the motorman drives the trolley.

          Back where we started, we were halfway between the trolley museum and the train yard. We decided to see the trains first and made it just in time to watch them put an engine on the turntable.

          They have an engine the kids can explore and ring the bell if they want to. Andrew enjoyed that.

          Andrew taking a picture of a... what do you call those things that are set up like miniature towns? A diorama? Is that right?

          He used his zoom (he was good at that) and took this picture of one of the buildings in the diorama.

          They had examples of different kinds of train cars set up and we were allowed to walk through them. Kandyce took this picture of Andrew as he set up to take a picture inside of a freight car.

          Andrew's picture.

          We walked through a mail car...

...and a business class car.

          The toilets were just holes to the outside and you just left your business there along the tracks.

          We walked through the buildings where the trains lived when not in service and where they were worked on when they needed it.

         

          We headed for the trolley museum next. "You'd better hurry," a lady told us as we passed. "They're getting ready to close."

          Luckily, it isn't that big. The first thing we did was to hit the restrooms. The Captain of the Guard keeps watch from a catwalk over the hallway leading to the restrooms. I never saw him, but Andrew did.

          "Mom, there's a creepy nutcracker out there," he said once we were safely in the restroom.

          Kandyce laughed a lighthearted little laugh that sounds like music. "A creepy nutcracker?" she repeated.

          "Yeah," Andrew says.

          When we went back out Andrew pointed him out to us. He is creepy.

          Andrew climbed on every trolley he was allowed to. He pushed every button and lever he could find. Like a typical inquisitive six-year-old, he just has to know how things work.

          Even though they were getting ready to close, and we were the only visitors there at the time, one of the gals came and turned on the John Oliver train for us, which I thought was so sweet of her.

          "John Oliver train?" you query.

          Yeah. I talked about it before and didn't take any pictures of it this trip but in a nutshell, people made fun of the small train that runs around a tree in the Backyard of the local news station during the evening weather segment. The John Oliver Show got wind of all the controversy and did a segment on it. They wrapped it up by unveiling a huge train set they made comprising of many local landmarks and donated it to the TV station. It was waaaayyyy too big for the Backyard and ended up in the trolley museum. You can Google it and see the clip from the show if you're interested.

          Early in the evening, we went to feed Vernon's fish. We hadn't been there more than a few minutes before the clouds rolled in, thunder boomed, and lightning flashed. I thought it prudent to head for home.

           The rest of the evening we played Rummikub. 

 

          "I'm on vacation," Kevin said. "There's too much thinking in this game for me."

          And he's right. Sometimes you have to get really creative moving whole groups of tiles around just so you can play one.

          "Then let's play Rack-O," I suggested.
            Kevin liked that one much better and even won one.

          Monday, the second day of the kids visit. We didn't do much, just toured our property and went on a golf cart ride down to the creek. Passing Daddy's Old Machine Shed (the Robinsons' daddy) we saw a doe had bedded down inside.

          After a dinner of burgers on the grill, potato salad, and fruit salad for dessert, we went to our favorite ice cream stand.

          "Andrew," I called to get his attention. "Let me take a picture of you licking your ice cream."

          Andrew is such a good sport.

          After our ice creams were gone, we hit the playground for a few minutes.

          Andrew gave me his best pirate impersonation. "ARRR mateys!"

          It seemed like I was always rushing them but we couldn't play too long if we wanted to get to the Marie Antoinette lookout before dark. Andrew taking a picture of the historic plaque...

...and Andrew's picture.

          Kandyce looking out over the valley while Andrew took a picture.

          The picture Andrew took.

          By the time we got up to the other overlook the sun was starting to go down. If I focus on the foreground I lose all the pretty colors that were starting to develop.

          Kandyce, Andrew, and Mike sat a very safe distance from the edge while Kevin and I ventured a little further out.

          My view of the Susquehanna from where I stood on an outcropping of rocks.

          Trust me. I'm not big on plunging to my death so I stayed a respectful distance from the edge.

          Before we left I took a picture of the colors and it's not quite as dark as my picture makes it seem. It's just how my camera works. 

           We had enough light that we went on down to the Friedenshutten Memorial.

          We spent the evening playing Rack-O and Kevin won the first three games in a row for a total of four wins out of the seven hands we played.

          "I like this game!" he says.

          Who wouldn't! Seriously though, it's a fun game and easy to learn. I'd say in another year even Andrew will be able to play it.

          Tuesday and their last day with us.

          "Let's go to Forksville and see the covered bridge today," I suggested. "We can eat Philly Cheesesteaks at Big Mike's."

          While everyone was getting ready for the day Andrew and I took the garbage out and burned it, then walked down to the pond in our bare feet.

          "I want my shoes," Andrew said when we were halfway there.

          "Too late now Andrew. We're committed," I told him. We didn't stay at the pond very long and heading back to the house I said, "I can't walk on the rocks. They hurt my feet. I just look for flat spots and go straight across," I advised. But I was pretty sure I'd have to pick him up an carry him across.

          "I can do it, Mimi. Watch this." And the little showoff walked right up the driveway never uttering a single ouch. My feet hurt just watching him!

          Before heading down to Forksville we went out to the spring on 220. I'm not exactly sure how far out of town it is but I know it's not ten miles because the old Key's Pine Tavern is ten miles from Dushore and we didn't go that far.

          Andrew loved the cold spring water. Once he had his fill of drinking from his cupped hand, he filled his water bottle.

          I remember the first time Momma brought me here. "This is the original road that took you into Dushore," she told me. I didn't take a picture of the brick road, but Andrew did. This is his picture.

          At Forksville we parked and walked across the covered bridge stopping to take in the view from the windows.

          It started to sprinkle. "I want it to rain hard!" Andrew says.

          "I don't!" his mama exclaimed. 

           Andrew laughed and did a silly little rain dance.

          Kandyce surprised me when she climbed the guide rail and took a picture of the bridge. Kevin was on the other side of the road taking pictures of the old Grange building — at least that's what I think it was. I snapped a picture as Kandyce and Kevin both started to head back.

          "There goes a deer!" Kevin said.

          "Where?" we all asked like we've never seen a deer before.

          Kevin pointed, "He went across the road and down into the trees."

          None of the rest of us saw him but looking at my pictures on the 'puter I see I caught him just moments before Kevin saw him.
           I'll crop it so you can see him better but it's never going to be a good picture.

          It wasn't busy in the middle of the afternoon and we had a late lunch. Mike got a burger, Andrew just wanted fries, Kevin, Kandyce, and I all got cheesesteak. We started with an appetizer of Dirty Jersey Fries and they were surprisingly good — and filling. I'm glad we tried them but none of us had room to finish our sandwiches. It's all good though. Later, when we did have room, we polished off the rest of our sandwiches for supper.

          We drove across the covered bridge going in but going out we crossed over on the new bridge and had a nice view of the covered bridge. Kevin had to turn around because both Kandyce and I missed it the first time past.

          We came back through Dushore and stopped at the graveyard to visit Momma's grave. We even paid our respects to my beloved Aunt Marie too as I showed the kids where she rested.

          We stopped at the school and I showed Andrew the creepy bridge I had to cross to get to the playground.

          We took some of the back roads going home. Going past an old farm, Andrew suddenly exclaims, "THERE'S A DEER!" He was so excited to have seen something no one else saw.

          Kevin is a good daddy and slowed the truck. "Where?"

          "Back there Daddy," and Andrew pointed behind us. Kevin backed up until Andrew yelled, "Right there!"

          I don't think I doubted that Andrew saw a deer, but I did think it was gone.

          "Where is it, buddy?" Kevin asked.

          "It's right there!"

          I think Kandyce saw it before the rest of us but sure enough, there was a deer bedded down in the weeds.

          "Andrew, how did you ever see that?" I asked.

          "I don't know how he saw it," Kevin said, "but I'm taking him hunting!"

          Andrew was so pleased he just grinned.

          In order to tell you what we did when we got home, I have to tell you something else first. On the way home from Steamtown we stopped in Tunkhannock at an eclectic restaurant named Twigs. There was too much food and we asked for to-go boxes. When Jamie brought them, I was excited.

          "Are those a number six box?" I asked flipping it over looking for the recycle symbol.

          "I don't know," Jamie said, "Why?"

          "They are!" I exclaimed. "You can make Shrinky Dinks from these." I gave Jamie brief directions on making them and suggested she Google it. 

          "I want to make Shrinky Dinks," Andrew said.

          "Okay sweetheart. We'll make Shrinky Dinks before you leave," I promised.

          Well now it was Tuesday late afternoon and Andrew remembered. I printed simple cartoon pictures from the internet and everyone got to make a Shrinky Dink.

           Andrew did such an amazing job with his. For being six, he stayed in the lines and colored them whatever color he wanted. Just because Woody Woodpecker had a yellow beak in the picture didn't matter. In Andrew's world, it was black. His police car was green. I love it!

          Sometimes I get busy living life and forget to take pictures. I know, right! Hard to believe, but it happens. And I forgot to get a picture of the completed Shrinky Dinks for you. So I asked Kevin and he sent me one.

          "Can we feed the fish again?" Andrew asked that evening.

          "Sure we can," I told him. We got some bread and loaded up the golf cart and headed out to Vernon's pond.

          I found this picture on Andrew's camera. Kandyce took it. I want you to keep something in mind when you look at it.

          "What's that, Peg?" you ask.

          I want you to remember that people who are happy tend to weigh more. And I'm pretty happy. Kidding aside, I love this picture of the three of us (and Ginger) on the end of Vernon's pier feeding the fish — and he had some awesome big fish!

          We had our third and final game night that night and played an old Parker Brothers card game called Water Works. There's a lot of rules but once you get them, it's a fun game and the kids enjoyed that one too.

          Wednesday morning found the kids packing. Andrew never had a chance to open the snacks we bought for him so we sent them home with him.

           But home wasn't where they were heading. Andrew wanted to go to Washington DC to see the dinosaurs at the Smithsonian, which you might expect from a six-year-old. But what I didn't expect, and still amazes me, is that Andrew wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial.

          "That's a good one for him to wanna see," Patti, my oldest and much-adored sister said when I told her. "I think it's the most interesting one there."

          It sprinkled on and off while the kids were packing and Andrew stood in the rain. I guess he likes it and his parents don't sweat that kinda stuff. "He'll dry."

          Andrew was ready to go before everyone else was. His dad told him to do something (and I don't remember what anymore), but my sweet little grandson turned around and gave a little sass. I don't know that his dad saw but I did and laughed. I know, right! I shouldn't've.

          We shared hugs and kisses then they were gone — and my world became a little bit lonelier.

          Sigh!

Next time I'll finish up the week.
Until then, know that you are all in my heart.