CORNBALL MUSIC! AHA!

POCONO, UHHH... PATHFINDERS?

Last week. Our week in the Pocono Mountains. Glorious!

Monday and Tues. were gray, rainy days, so Pat led me by the arm down to the Outlet Malls on I-80.

Crossings Premium Outlets: 100 outlet stores. From Tommy Hilfiger to the Gap to...whatever. Due to time constraints (and my nagging) Pat was able to hit only 93 stores.



Pat and I did a lotta trail hikin'.

Then, suddenly....

"Oh, Pat dear....I think we're lost!

Pat: "Lighten up, Chris! We're just romantically traipsin' thru the forest! Lighten up!"

That night....

"Oh, Chris, you may be right...we just may be lost after all! How do we get outta here! I'm scared!"

Chris: "Lighten up, Pat! Night time in the woods is very...romantic! 'Cept for all these beady little eyes a-glarin' at us!"


Here's where we lived for a wonderful week in the woods. Not very primitive, huh!

The end unit was ours.

Fernwood at Bushkill, PA. 660 units scattered hither and yon in a deep, mysterious forest over 440 acres.

Classy accomodations.



Our very own steam sauna right off the kitchen. Eat a big, gorgeous meal...then sweat it off in the sauna!
Hey, the good life!

Tub for two. No comment!

Damien and Shannon and their little one "Rome" stopped by for a visit one evening after a day traversing the Poconos.

Damien Dimino is Joe and Pat's son. My Godson. His father, Joe, and I were monastery/seminary classmates. Ordained in '59.

Living our married lives with Vatican permission.

Life really does move on!

Of course, Pat couldn't resist gathering little guy Rome on her lap. Nice pic, huh?

For over 40 years our favorite Pennsylvania park way out on I-80.

Interstate I-80 toward Scranton. Great swimming and hiking!!

My favorite time of the year.

Breathtaking beauty everywhere!

Pat and I will try to capture all this Autumn beauty in our memories for a long time to come.

Thank you, dear Kelly and Kimberly, for a glorious week. A week mom and I will never forget!

GOTHAM GETAWAY

Last Monday Pat and I hit the trail for 2 nights and 3 days....our annual Gotham Getaway! Pat's sister, Elizabeth, was kind enough to share her time-share with us in her Penthouse Suite at the Manhattan Club!







56th and 7th Avenue

We were on the 28th floor! High? Nah! Just look out the window and ....every building in sight went spiraling up into the sky. Far above us!

The street canyons far below us! All the little Noo-yawk-uhs** down there rushing hither and yon. This is Mahattan, man!

**Clarification: "Noo-yawk-uhs" = New Yorkers when you factor in the accent.














Even tho' Elizabeth, Pat and I are originally from Long Island, we must look like hicks when we visit Manhattan. We walked 'round town for miles. Craning our necks skywise..... at them thar' high buildings! I saw lotsa locals smiling at us.

The Stephens Girls!

l-r Pat and Elizabeth!

Thanks to Elizabeth the concierge arranged to have a wine/candy memento waiting for us in our suite.

In anticipation of my 80th next month. Thanks, Eliz!

Saw a great musical Tueday night at the Walter Kerr Theater. Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch!!













Took the "R" subway down to the Battery to take a cruise of the magnificent New York Harbor.

Ellis Island where 12 million immigrants landed in the USA in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum has been totally restored. The movie, so poignant. So many, so many of our ancesters came here in steerage class. Herded together and treated like cattle.

My ancestors came over from Bavaria via Hamburg, Germany to Baltimore, MD

As you look up at Lady Liberty and all she stands for....you feel a real "zing" of patriotism. And gratitude!

Need I say more....

The Stephens Girls at sea!

Thanks, Elizabeth, for a great Gotham Getaway!

Ahhh, another glorious holiday weekend ....

down in dear ol' Capemayland!

Dear Siobhan...always the first to greet us at the door!

The food was great! The cross-table shouting and swearing was very...

dynamic(?)

Joe....reciting poetry after dinner!

Very funny, Joe....I mean, very sensitive!

Pat...roaring with laughter at one of Joe's jokes! Ah, love!

Labor Day afternoon the 4 ol' folks took a ride up Rt. 9 to visit the butterfly 'farm' at Woodland Village.


What a lovely setting! Thanks, Joe and Pat....uh, Pat and Joe!

Madame Butterfly!

A coupla Long Islanders!

Gentle mom and curious son.....

The Jersey couple!

[Sorry, Patty D. ...I mean the New Jersey couple!!]

Rome on the range!

Rome, it's 2AM....can't we....like .....go to sleep now!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Good nite, all!

ON THE ROAD (AGAIN) ...TO YORKTOWN HEIGHTS

Yeah, man! On the road again! Sing it, string it, Willie! Last Monday Pat and I jumped in our RAV4 and headed on up to Yorktown Heights, NY to share a few hilarious days with Paul and Dorothy Nierman. We arrived just a few minutes after Elizabeth! All of us ready for a good time!

The Nierman "estate"! Picture perfect!

Wow! 280 years of "cumulative life experience"!

.....uhhh, 300 years of "cumulative life experience"!! Double wow!






















Monsieur Paul Monet Nierman, artist et provacateur, elucidating on the inspirational background prompting this, his latest work....."les Birches".















Boscobel Estate on the Hudson.



http://www.boscobel.org/

Bring your own picnic supper.....before the show.

Monsignor "Joe", pastor of the Fishkill parish and personal friend of Dorothy and Paul.

The view of the Hudson Valley is beautiful. Almost distracted me from supper. Almost.



Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew after dinner. Professional. Hilarious. 2+ hours of bellylaughing!





http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taming-of-the-Shrew/108680125830500


Then, on the way home Wednesday we took a slight detour to Livingston, NJ. A short distance off the Garden State Parkway. Why? Well, of course, to wish Joe Dimino a happy 79th birthday.
Joe, my best friend. My oldest friend....uh, I mean I've know him for 60 years! Happy Birthday, Joe.

Hi, ya' Pat! And Damien. And Shannon. And l'il Rome!













A great occasion for toasting the birthday boy with liberal draughts of good wine and scotch! Yipee.

And if anyone has persevered to this point...thank you for encouraging an old guy (this old guy, not Joe!) to practice the noble art of mental focus. Blogging! The end!