Days 16 - 19: From Mt. Pocono, PA to Blairstown, NJ & Brooklyn, NY

Tuesday, October 5th: The Rain Continues....

Today we were still at Mount Pocono Campground, and even though it was a lighter rainy day, it was still a wash. Speaking of wash, this was a housekeeping day and we went to the local laundromat as we had too much laundry for 3 campground washers. When was the last time you used a laundromat? Mine was about 30+ years ago when we ran the well dry at our old Vienna home during a drought. Not a fond memory. Today the laundromat washers and dryers are fancier front-loaders, with digital countdown times until your wash is completed. Really kind of cool. I might have put too much soap in the washers (soft water?), as by the second rinse, I still saw lots of bubbles. Five loads and $26 later, we loaded up the truck with our garbage/laundry bags with soapy (?) clean clothes and headed back to camp.


Wednesday, October 6th: Off to my cousin's home in Northwestern NJ

We took our time breaking down camp and naturally the sun came out! The challenge of this breakdown was what to do with the jigsaw puzzle that I started a couple of days ago. Friends had told us about a portable felt puzzle mat that lets you roll up a started puzzle and then unroll it to continue working on it. Online I saw many for sale, but that wasn't going to help our immediate need. We ended up buying a yard of felt and a mailing tube. With a little Velcro and rubber bands, we fashioned what we hoped would preserve my partially finished puzzle until the next rainy afternoon. I'll let you know if this works or not.

We left Mount Pocono Campground, after warm thanks & good-byes to Scott & Debbie, about 3 PM. We only had about an hour ride to my cousin Rob's home in Frelinghuysen, NJ, near Blairstown and Johnsonburg. Rob and Sue wouldn't be home from work until 4:00 and we wanted them to be there when we arrived.

In trying to figure out the logistics for the next five or six days, we were in a quandry as where to put the trailer and get cat care when we went to Brooklyn, NY, to see our granddaughter, Ella, son Donny & daughter-in-law Nikki.  We would also be attending my high school reunion on Saturday. My cousin Rob and his wife, Sue, couldn't have been more gracious when I approached them with the idea of leaving P.T. and the trailer with them. Rob and Sue have twenty some acres, complete with horse stables and an indoor riding ring, so I guess I have to say that this was the BEST campground ever!!!

The thing I had not really thought about when planning to go to my high school reunion in NJ was all the pleasant surprises that came with making this detour on our camping trip. One of these surprises was having time to spend with Rob & Sue, as well as meeting their 27 year old son, Jon, and 29 year old daughter, Erin. Erin's beautiful 2 year old daughter, Rylee, was in and out a few times while we were there, too, along with her dad, Bill.

Sue, with granddaughter Rylee, and Rylee's bunny.

After pulling into Pinewood Estates (hope I have the correct name) and setting up the trailer on their front lawn (that's a great cousin for you!), Sue said, "Of course you are sleeping in the house and dinner will be ready shortly." I now have a recipe for a magnificent shrimp souffle.   If you are lucky on a Maine visit, I will make it for you. Their home is a 7-year old log "cabin" with an adorable western theme. I guess the word "cabin" is an understatement, as it felt like the main house on a really well-appointed dude ranch. 

The "great-room" has many of Rob's hunting trophys, and I know Don's buddy from Virginia, Bob, would be in heaven seeing these animals. For Bob, I took this picture -----

Thursday, October 7th: Brooklyn & Ella

We headed to NY around 10 AM leaving P.T. in Sue's care and I was beyond excited at the prospect of seeing our 15 month old granddaughter, Ella. We had not seen her since the week of July 4th and in that time she had learned to walk. The GPS messed up on an exit and we arrived an hour later than expected. You know, an hour to go around one block in the city thing. Ugh.

Nikki and Don felt Ella would be fine having us pick her up at daycare. Remember, Ella really doesn't know us well. When we arrived and said, "Ella, are you ready to go?" She shyly backed up closer to one of the daycare workers. Meanwhile, another cute little toddler girl, Sophia, put both arms up to Don, like she was saying, "Take me instead." The daycare provider walked downstairs and a couple of blocks with us, so Ella had time to adjust. Ella went with us, but was still not 100% convinced. As Connie has called her, she was truly "Miss Sobersides" and checking us out, until we got to the apartment. Fortunately, she showed no signs of distress and didn't start crying, so we were pretty impressed. Nikki & Don had dressed up Ella for our visit.   What a cutie!!!

Entering the apartment, Ella went straight to her bookcase. A librarian's dream come true!

When Nikki came home, we all took Ella to Prospect Park, two blocks away, to play on the slide and swings. After all that rain in the Poconos, we were blessed with sun when we really needed it. Donny arrived home from work around 6:30 and we were treated to a magnificent home-cooked salmon dinner.


Friday, October 8th: Donny took the Day Off

One of the bonuses of being in Brooklyn is getting some of the best bagels in New York. After breakfast, we walked through Prospect Park to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Nikki works from home on Fridays, but met us for lunch. Now that Ella can walk and sort of run, she wants nothing to do with her stroller. Remember the cartoon, "Family Circus," where the kids can't walk in a straight line and wander every which way? That's our Ella. Everything is new and wonderful and she has to check it all out. When she gets tired, she walks like a drunk. I couldn't even count how many times she fell, picked herself back up and continued walking/running. She is off and truckin'. I can see why parents of a toddler are in such good physical condition.

Nikki chasing Ella.

Son & grandpa with their little girl.

The day went by too quickly and we needed to get back to Rob & Sue's, as tomorrow night is my 45th Ridge (Basking Ridge, NJ) High School Reunion. Since it was a holiday weekend, we thought if we waited until 7 PM to leave Brooklyn, we would miss rush hour traffic. WRONG! We sat for 45 minutes to go half a block trying to get to the entrance of the Holland Tunnel. Don has driven in Manhattan often and said he has never been in anything like this. I have no idea how the truck got out of there without a scratch - a true miracle. Guess this is why we like living in Maine. Rob kindly met Don with a glass of therapeutic Jack Daniels when we finally got "home." Tomorrow is the BIG reunion.....