RV PrimeTime Travelers: September 2010

Friday, September 24, 2010

It doesn't get any better than this!

Our home in the woods for a week at Old Forge. Jessie is in ecstasy to be back in NY state to once again witness the feel, smells and beauty of this awesome state at this time of year.

Old Forge Picnic Area

As you can see, the fall colors are beautiful.

Monday, September 20, 2010

The home of William Seward is unusal in having all of the original furnishings, books and paintings that were present when Seward and his wife Francie lived here. Tom was struck by how present and vivid Seward, previousy just a vague figure associated with Lincoln, now seemed to him. The museum docent said that she, too, found herself thinking of the Sewards as people living in the present.

We had lunch at Wegman's with Tom's niece, Kim. It has been great getting acquainted with each other's families for the first time.

Dinner with family

It was really great being together again with family. Jessie is the youngest of 10, with 8 siblings still living. She was able to visit with 5 of them who live in Auburn. Here at the table is brother Henry, brother-in law Joe, sisters Rena, Nancy and Reta, nephew Craig and Henry's friend Laura enjoying dinner at Laska's, a restaurant in Auburn.

Here, with Jessie's sister Reta, we're visiting Jessie's brother Bill and his wife Mary Alice at their home in Auburn, NY. It had been a long time since Jessie had seen them so it was especially good being reunited again. Bill is next in line in a family of 10 children with Jessie being the youngest.

Sherwood Inn

Tom and Jessie with Reta, Jessie's sister. The dinner was delicious at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, NY

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Susan B Anthony House

Leader of the women's suffrage movement. This house is located in downtown Rocester, NY

Susan B Anthony house

Bergen United Methodist Church

My church when I lived in Stafford, NY. Tom, on his first visit to this church, was deeply impressed with the faithfulness to tradition blended beautifully with accomodation to contemporary worship. Every room is bright, beautiful and evidences thought, decorative talent, dedication and creativity.

Pure Joy!

I can't express the joy I have felt since entering my home towns of Kenmore (a Buffalo suburb), Irondequoit (a Rochester suburb), Stafford (near Batavia) and reuniting with my various church families that I have been a part of while living in NY state. I have never felt so overwhelmed with love as Tom and I were greeted by treasured friends. Kathy and Dale McKenzie, friends from the Buffalo area, allowed us to park in their driveway at Silver Lake and then proceeded to treat us like Royalty. My old pastor from Trinity United Methodist church in Amherst, Don Weaver and his wife, Barb, drove us to Hammondsport to tour the Glenn Curtis Airplane Museum and then we were invited to a chicken bar-b-q in their neighborhood that evening. After lunch at their cottage on the Lake we went on to Bergen, NY. Nancy and Steve Daniels allowed us to unhook our rig in their yard and we have been served fantastic dinners at the homes of Patty Mull, Dick and Liz Gates and Dick and Chitie Edgett. Lunch at a wonderful restaurant in Caledonia with the Washburns and the Gates and the most wonderful of all, a brunch at the church hosted by my wonderful Thurs. morning Bible study group. Sunday morning we attended Bergen United Methodist Church, my church home while I lived in Stafford, and were hugged warmly by so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. I will miss everyone when I leave here tomorrow to go on to Auburn, NY to join with my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, but they will remain in my heart always and I hope to visit again and again as the years go by. You'll see a lot of these wonderful people as you view the pictures on our blog, but although pictures speak louder than words, in this case, I wish I had the words to describe how I feel. God is truly an amazing God!!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Bergen family of friends

What dear, dear women these are. Most are from Jessie's Thursday morning bible study group at Bergen United Methodist Church. There are none like them and each is very dear to her heart.

Irondequoit Home

It looks the same. Pete and I lived here. Pete died here in the front room of this house on Dec 4th, 1993

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

More old and good friends

Two of my best friends from Bergen, NY Patty Mull and Cathy washburn with me and Tom

Good Friends

Barb and Don Weaver and Kathy and Dale McKenzie. Friends since the 70's. Don was Jessie's pastor while living in Kenmore, a suburb of Buffalo.

Horseshoe Lake Road house

This is the house Jessie had built in Stafford, NY. It was sad to remember all the good times that were had here and now were simply in the past.

Old memories

This was Jessie's house at 303 Edgewood in Kenmore, a suburb of Buffalo, NY. The new owner allowed her to take an entire tour of the house. What great memories. The tall trees and the old lilac bush are still flourishing in the back yard. The interior decor was different but the layout of the rooms brought back old family memories.

Old memories and good friends

Niagra Falls

Protection from the mist at Niagra Falls

Cave of the Winds at Niagra Falls

The Ford Museum and then finally arriving in NY State!

The Wright brother's house at the Ford Museum near Detroit. A thrilling moment came when Tom betrayed to the docent his enthusiasm for the Wright story. She let him remove a barrier and go alone to the upstairs. Here, he walked into Wilbur's bedroom and stood by the bed in which he died at just forty-two. Jessie joined him and they walked together throughout the upstairs bedrooms. JUST US!!

My heart leaped when I saw this sign! What a thrill to be back on home soil!

Tom sits on the Wright brother's back porch, apeing a pose of Orville's often shown in the history books

Our faithful friend who puts us on the right path, whether it's finding a specific address, a certain city or best of all a coffee shop. This has been our life saver!