What I did on my Summer Vacation. 2009 part I

Due to commitments on weekends and still haveing two weeks off, Ray and I have decided to take short trips. Tuesday 8/18 we drove to Rome, NY to stay the night at my Mom's house. Even though my Mom was on her own vacation with my brother, Rick, in Alaska we stayed at her house anyway. We ordered Pizza and had it delivered. We hung out and watched TV.


After spending the night, Wed morning we continued our drive up to Moose River for a picnic and some hanging out. We walked on the rocks and King went in swimming and we cooked out Hot Dogs and S'mOreos.










Then we went up to Old Forge Hardware and bought two childrens books.....(we have no children). I have always heard people say King is just like Carl...in the children's books. So we got Carl goes Shopping and Carl goes on Vacation. You must see them to appreciate them.

We stopped in Inlet to look at where the camp was. I retrieved my rubber hand and picked up some of our firewood that we had left there in the driveway a few years ago. 10 pieces of perfictly split logs for a camp fire. Ray looked forward to a nice swim in 7th Lake at the boat launch area. King went in too. I did not get all the way wet, but relaxed on a blanket and looked at a magazine until the Monster of 7th Lake came walking out of the Lagoon.

Not knowing where we were going to stay the night we drove up Rt 28 and then to Rt 30. We saw a sign for NYS Campground just past Long Lake called Forked Lake. We drove on a dirt road for about ten miles until we got to the campground. Lots of cars there but no campers except maybe one other pop up camper. It seems this camp ground caters to hikers. Most of the campsites are back in the woods. But they did have a couple of spaces for campers. So we spent the night around the camp fire. It got really cold that night. We had to use our sleeping bags. It must have been in the 50s or even high 40s. Nice weather to sleep.

In the morning we went back down Rt 30. We stopped at a nice gift shop and cafe called Mountain Memories on Rt 30 in Wells, NY.

We decided to go to Howe Caverns. So...on we went. When we got there we were trying to decide if we were going to leave the truck running for the dog to be in the Air Conditioning. The people at Howe Caverns said they had a Kennel for people to leave their dogs in while they were on the tour in the caverns. It was free...but they did ask for a donation of $5 for their Humane Society. At Howe Caverns they take you picture in the cavern and sell it to you for $8. Of course we bought it...we are on vacation.

There is a KOA Campground near Cooperstown so we pulled in there around 6:00 pm. Very nice couple, Mike and Gail just bought the place in May. Very well kept and extremely nice people. We went for the works, Water hook up, Electric Hook up and WiFi. There were Hot Showers..FREE and a pool which I never got to swim in. After some dinner around the campfire with my laptop on the picnic table we went to bed in the camper. Light breeze but not as cool as the Adirondacks. Got woke up by Rain on the roof in the morning. Just a few sprinkles here and there. We packed up and headed home on Rt 20 and decided to stop in Auburn at the Bass Pro Shop. We had lunch and bought New Balance sneakers for $29.99. We even had our picture taken in one of those fun Photo Booths just like the old days. We stopped to pick up my car at the dealership where we had dropped it off for an inspection and it needed a tie rod too. Great!. and I still need to get a cable for the hood release. Randall could not get one. Funny Ray called Saturn and they could get one. So...Saturn will get my car on Monday so they can work on it on Tuesday. We got home to our driveway around 7:30 pm last night and...Sandy and Steve were waiting for us in our yard to go for dinner at Bill Gray's. And then we went to Wall's house to watch Eureka. We came home from Wall's house at 10 pm. The camper is only half unpacked. I got up at 4:30 AM to go to church to unload the Angel Food Truck. Finished the truck early by 7:30. woooo hoooo. Trying to download pictures and think about what to do next week while on vacation. Sunday morning we have Praise Band, Interpreting, Lunch, Ladies Ministries-LUAU and Christmas Play practice.

I just bought tickets for the NY State Fair and to see Jeff Dunham in the Grandstand on Aug 30. Ray is very excited about that.

Photoshow of Little Boy on his Knees

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/xw8Bt5Ju

I have not blogged in a long time...mainly because I never really have anything to say. I just made this photoshow of pictures of Adam and used the Cheri Keagy song I sang at church the year Adam graduated from High School.
I am now going to go to visit my mom in Rome (NY) and hang out with her for a couple of days.

King goes to New York (Staten Island)

Well it all started a week ago Saturday night. We got a text from Adam in Staten Island that the Tech rider requested "if any one of the crew members has a dog to bring in to hang out for the day please do so". Adam texted that info to us thinking "How cool is that?"
I immediately thought...King and I will be right there. I never really thought I would be able to do it. Well, we were telling our friend Sandy about it. She said she would go...and she would drive her mini van so King will have lots of room for the ride to Staten Island from Rochester. So the plan was in place.

Friday afternoon after getting out of work Sandy picked up King and I.

We got to the Staten Island Hotel and spent the night. Of course King had to go out at 2:00 am. I could not convince him he really did not have to go out. So at 2:30 AM I had to get dressed without waking Sandy and take King out to...well....only pee. I really think he just wanted to go out and see where Ray was. I'm sure he was confused, why was he here without Ray and spending a night in a hotel room with Sandy and me.

In the morning I drove Sandy's van because I knew how to get around Staten Island. We grabbed breakfast at McDonald's on the corner of Forest Ave and Morningstar. I showed her Snug Harbor Cultural Center then went to meet Adam at St George Theatre on Hyatt. Once we got King settled in back stage, Sandy and I walked to the Staten Island Ferry.

We walked through the financial district to Ground Zero.

Then walked to Chinatown. We had a NYC pretzel. Then we went to lunch in Chinatown......at McDonald's.

We decided to take the Subway to Central Park. We were waiting for the "Q" train to 57th and 7th Ave and realized it was going to be loading on the "R" Upper platform. We just made it. Sandy had a great time.

Central park was beautiful. There were street performers, flowers, people having picnics and sunny!

After we left Central Park we stopped at PAX and got some goodies. MMMMmmmm Coffee and a Canolli.

Then we took the Subway back down to the South Ferry and went back to Staten Island. We hung out at the St George Theatre until the concert. King stayed in the van during the concert and then came in to say good bye to the crew. Everyone loved King. He was a big hit.

I helped Adam build the ramp to unload the concert equipment. We had a great time. The St George Theatre is a beautiful building on the inside. The outside is so plain.

We said good bye and went back to the hotel and came home Sunday after having breakfast at IHOP. Adam had to work in Brooklyn at the St Patrick's Day Parade. It was 60 degrees and sunny in Brooklyn and it snowed 40 miles south of Syracuse on our way home.

I had a wonderful time this weekend. I hope to

be able to do it again sometime.

More Pictures of the Golden Girls Article

Feb 17, 2009: Betty Mack Beckwith, Beverly Jenny Johnson, Betty Hoag Doherty

1996: Back left to right Betty Hoag Doherty, Betty Mack Beckwith, Ginny Foley Donahue, Betty Lascelles Reber, Jean Meyer Dunn. In front, Beverly Jenny Johnson

1989: A holiday get together, Left to right, standing, Beverly Jenny Johnson, Betty Mack Beckwith, Betty Hoag Doherty, Ginny Foley Donahue and Evelyn Traxel Lambert. seated, Betty Lascelles Reber and Jean Meyer Dunn

In the 70's: Left to right in back, Betty Mack Beckwith, Betty Lascelles Reber, Jean Meyer Dunn, Ann Jones Marwick. Left to right in front Beverly Jenny Johnson, Betty Hoag Doherty.

July 1945: Left to right, Merle Amman, Jean Meyer (Dunn), Anne Jones (Marwick) and Betty Lascelles (Reber)

Graduation Day 1943: Left to right Betty Lascelles (Reber), Jean Meyer (Dunn), Sally Miller (McAndrew), Anne Jones (Marwick), Betty Mack (Beckwith), Dot Mathis (Delaney) and Marilyn Seymour (Corr).

Tuesday Night Club - Rome's Golden Girls!

June 28, 1947- Left to Right, back: Betty Hoag Doherty, Betty Mack Beckwith, Ann Jones Marwick, Betty Lascelles Reber (the bride), Jean Meyer Dunn, Dorothy Mathis Delaney. Left to right, front: Merle Amman Johnson, Beverly Jenny Johnson and Sally Miller McAndrew.

Excerpts from March 24, 1996 Rome Observer article titled Rome's Golden Girls!
Back in the late 30's, maybe very early 40's, Rome Free Academy Professor Franklin Pelkey used the Tuesday Night Club as a way to illustrate the word "cabal". In his reference and according to several of the members who were in his class that day, he meant it only in its nicest sense--
"Cabal -- a more or less secret group of intriguing members"
Pretty close. They were then and still are "intriguing members."
One thing has changed. the name. But that was only because the original members who had come from various elementary schools )Jay Street, Fort Stanwix and Barringer) were only 8th graders at the old Rome Junior High School on North James Street at the time, and when somebody told them they "could go to jail maybe" for using Greek letters without permission and without a real legal Charter, they dropped Alpha Gamma Phi and became simply the Tuesday night Club. That's what they were in 1938-- and that's what they were on Tuesday night February 26th 1996 when the Tuesday Night Club met for dinner at the Colonial Inn.
The five original members in attendance that night a few weeks ago (members for 58 years) were (Alphabetically, by married last name--this group is very well organized)...
*Betty Mack Beckwith
*Betty Hoag Doherty
Jean Meyer Dunn
*Beverly Jenny Johnson
Betty Lascelles Reber (in a nursing home in Warsaw, NY)
... and 53 (66) year member Virginia Foley Donahue who joined in 1943 when she moved to Rome from Canastota and went to work at Rome Cable.
There were four other 1938 originals; Marilyn Seymour Corr and Dorothy Mathis Delaney who have left the area, but still return for meetings whenever they are able -- Ann Jones Marwick and Sally Miller McAndrew are original members who have passed away. Evelyn Traxell Lambert and Merle Amman Johnson are members who have moved, but were not among the "original" nine.
The original nine consisted of a fun loving , vivacious group of 8th graders who wanted to do some grown up things and have sort of a "secret society", which is probably why they selected Greek letters for their name, wore identical friendship rings and every Tuesday, on meeting day, all wore exactly the same style, blue cardigan sweater BACKWARDS - that is, buttoned up the back. Failure to wear that sweater and the felt cut-out Greek letters that they attached to the front of the sweater, was punishable by a stiff fine - a dime.
Now you know why "Prof" Pelky referred to the Tuesday Night Club as a "cabal" meaning (the ladies insist to this day) "intriguing." No doubt was correct.

......as I turn the page of the paper I realize there is a 3 page spread all about the Tuesday Night Club. 5 more pictures too.......

The war years were difficult and lonely times for us, but we had each other and that helped us form these long lasting friendships. We did things as a group. Always good things. We tried to be helpful especially to the war effort. As we all married, we brought our husbands into the picture. Al Johnson and Dick Beckwith, for instance, became best friends. Betty Mack remembers that "all of our kids practically grew up together". .....
One of the members provided a short profile on each of the current members, including herself, You will be able to easily figure out who did it.
Jean Dunn - Most active. Also first one with a card or a plate of cookies if anyone is ill.
Betty Reber - Also very active. Most lady like. Very efficient.
Bev Johnson - Lots of fun. Official chauffeur and photographer. Finds very interesting restaurants for us as far away as Barnes Corners.
Ginny Donahue - Our petite beauty. Friend to all
Betty Beckwith - Our official "keeper of the records" of the RFA Class of 1943. Keeps very up to day lists with correct addresses. Coordinates our reunions. Very well organized and always so pleasant.
Betty Doherty - Makes monthly meeting reservations. Reminds everyone of time and place. Need information? Ask me Sometimes I even know the answer."

We should all have such long lasting supportive friendships as this.

Home on Feb Break

We had a great time with my Mom and her friends on Monday and Tuesday. It is so nice to know Mom is still able to get around and enjoy herself. So many people in their 80s are shut in.
My mom was part of a group of girls in Jr High School. She always called them the "Tuesday Night Girls". I remember mom used to go out to meet with her Tuesday girls every tuesday night. Also I remember Dad used to Bowl on Tuesday nights. Hummmm how did that work.??? Anyway, when I was old enough to stay home with my brother we were left alone to watch....on Tuesday nights...MOD SQUAD. and I think Marcus Welby MD was on too (with James Brolin as Dr. Kielly).

Sometimes Mom would have Tuesday Night Club at her house. We got to have snacks and listen to the ladies laugh and talk all night.

It is hard to believe they have been meeting for over 70 years together. How many people can say they have had a best friend for over 70 years, let alone one but two. Betty Beckwith and Betty Dorghty have been my mom's friends for a long time. They have been through High School, weddings, births, and deaths and are still long lasting friends. I am so thankful for my mom and her friends.

Confessions of a lazy blogger

It has been six weeks since my last blog. I never know what to say. Not to mention no one reads it. So... January was a wonderful month to have a birthday. February is just rolling along. Valentines Day has come and gone. Went to see Confessions of a Shopaholic on Valentines Day with my friend Sandy. Ray was at a wedding at Victory. I am not a good writer at all and should never attempt to try to blog. so....I am still enjoying my laptop from Christmas and I am addicted to Facebook. I watch movies with friends while on Facebook and IM them throughout the movie. What fun. Now Kira & I are trying to help my mother understand more about her new computer. The End