Weekend Adventures – The Mercer Museum

We had a fun weekend with a trip to Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA.

This amazing building is home to one man’s vision.  It hosts an array of collections of Trades gone-by.  Tanning, cobbler, transportation and so many others.  To think of the tools on display being the “modern miracles” of the tradesman is astounding.

With every level of this amazing facility there is more and more to learn.  There are also oddities to make you smile and also to horrify you.  There is an actual hangman’s gallows on the top floor.  It’s a must see if you are passing through the Doylestown area 🙂

A Movie Under The Stars

Last night I crossed off one of our summer bucket list items, outdoor Movie night.

Our Community hosts free outdoor movies at various locations around town.  Local businesses sponsor these movie nights.  Last night it was hosted at Historical Hope Lodge.  A beautiful location for sure!  We waited for dark to get the movie going and it was really cool with the Mansion sitting in the background.  Popcorn and movie…how can you go wrong.

Dark came quickly now that we are racing toward Autumn.  And the 100+ folks who gathered on the lawn applauded the start and finish of our movie.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is/was a classic.  All though Amy Farrah Fowler messed with our minds stating that regardless of what Indiana Jones did the end would have been the same and he didn’t even need to be there I still loved this picture!  Getting to watch it with my love made it even more fun!

I feel Wicked…

We went to see Wicked last night and it was phenomenal!!!

This is my third time seeing this wonderful Musical. Our seats were so close to the stage.  The best seat I’ve ever had for anything, lol!

I really have to thank my wife for having a Birthday and wanting tickets to see this show!  Thank you love!

Vacation Diary – Post #1 – Alpaca Love!

We head to the Jersey Shore every year on vacation to soak up the Sun and Surf.  Our Realtors are Jerry and Norm never disappoint when finding us the right location for our adventures.  They are awesomeness times a quadrillion!!!  Love these guys!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each year we also like to incorporate one thing we have never done before into the mix of sightseeing and vacation adventures.  This year…I give you the Alpaca!

This is Oliver!

I can’t remember all of their names but I remember Oliver because he knows his name and loves to take selfies and other photos!  Oh and he’s way cuter than the Kardashians!

Kiss me you fool!!

Actually she just wanted some carrots.  The high point of my visit was me asking Lightning if he would say Welcome To New Jersey (he was honking and being verbal).  His response was to spit on me, HA HA HA!  Yup, that’s seems like a fair Jersey welcome, lol!  If you get a chance to visit the South Jersey Area stop by Jersey Shore Alpacas!

A Visit To Ralphie’s House aka The Christmas Story House

This past weekend I had a big birthday.  One of those kinds of Birthday’s that you do something expensive.  I had my choice of what I wanted to do.  ‘A party?’…No thank you.  ‘A Trip?’…yes a trip might be nice.  ‘Hawaii?’…no I was just at the beach.  ‘You like Disney World’.  Yes I do, but I’ve been there many times (although it is a Magical place I will return too).  ‘Where would you like to go?’ my wife asked me.  I got on Trip Advisor and that’s when it hit me, Ralphie’s House!!!  She said, ‘Are you sure?’.  Yes I was sure so she packed me in the car and off we went to the land of Drew Carey….CLEVELAND!

The Christmas Story House is located in Cleveland, Ohio.  It was so much FUN.  Frank Smith, our tour guide, was filled with one story after another about the making of the film, the cast and the neighborhood.  He had us laughing and smiling the whole time.

There whole house was refurbished to the 1940’s look after it was purchased by Mega Fan Brian Jones.  He and his wife made this a really awesome place to visit.  Fun and exciting and well…FUN!

There wasn’t anything that I didn’t experience in this house.  The Lamp in the window (you can touch practically everything).  The Red Ryder BB Gun, sit on the sofa while holding a ‘blue ball’ or stand by the Christmas tree and get your picture taken.

I even got under the sink where Randy waited for Daddy to come home and kill Ralphie, lol.

I’m making this face because Mrs. Schwartz is yelling at me on the phone.  When we were out in the back yard I could hear a train whistle of in the yonder…just like in the movie!

If you are in Cleveland, around Cleveland or thinking of something to do…go to Cleveland and see Ralphie’s House.  Tell Frank I said Hi!!!

Seagulls

On Saturday, the Wife and I headed to the beach just for fun.  It wasn’t really a good weekend for the beach due to all the rain but just to be that close to the ocean is amazing in its own.  I was taking random pictures (because I’m always taking random pictures) and The Mrs. stuck her hand up in front of the camera.  This is the cool picture that happened:

Sometimes the most awesome moments happen at the beach!  I can’t wait to go back!

Gay Marriage = Just Marriage

Two weeks ago the State of Pennsylvania’s Courts ruled that the L&G community was indeed allowed to marry.  That the law discriminated against a group of taxpayers based not on legality but “moral” opinion.

PA became the 19th State to allow L&G’ers the right to marry and enjoy all of the protections under the laws of the USA and the State of Pennsylvania.  Our Republican Governor (Who is currently in a campaign for re-election) said he will not fight the decision but is still against Gay Marriage.   I really thought it would have to taken longer for this issue to come up in our State Court.

Since there is no longer “Gay Marriage” it’s just plain old simple Marriage I prepare to marry the same person for the third time.  She would like this to be the last wedding we have, lol.  I completely agree 😉

Snow? HA HA HA…Just Kidding

The weather folks had our region in a panic with a “huge” snowstorm that was going to hit us on Sunday/Monday.  They called for 10″-14″ of snow and more along the Shore locations.

What we got was about an 1-1/2″ of light puffy snow.  The precipitation didn’t start at 6 pm like they predicted on Sunday.  It started around 9 pm and began as rain, not snow.

It sleet for a bit and we expected to see 6-8″ of snow when we woke up but what there was on the ground hysterically less.  Bean turned on the news and they said don’t worry (who was worrying?) the wraparound band of snow would produce “A HALF OF A FOOT” of snow.  You know, ’cause that sounds like more that what it is…6″ of snow.

Guess what happened with the wraparound band of snow?  Um…NOTHING.  It gave us perhaps an additional dusting and that was it.  So all of those schools that put in that they were closed the night before the impending doom wasted a day off.  The smart ones waited and aired on the side of caution by calling a 2-hr. delay.

It all didn’t matter to me much since I wasn’t going to work.  I was felled by a stomach virus and spent the day feeling like ick.

What a waste of money all those satellite projections, computer calculations and Street View 3000!  Want the weather report…ask a farmer or look out the window.  You have about the same chance of guessing what’s going to happen as the local weather guy.

I Swelled Up and Read Some More

This weekend brought it’s challenges.  RA ruled the day and I was sad about that.  I also found that articulating myself isn’t my strong suit.

I don’t like to burden those around me with my RA because nothing can be done once a flare is in full progress and I do not like to burden anyone with my RA crap.  I find it tedious that I have to go through it.   My poor wife was lucky to have a front row seat to my RA induced melt down.  She’s a trooper though and weathered the storm with me.

Its been a stressful couple of weeks and the weather in my part of town has been snowy and filled with lots of barometric pressure.  Add all of this together and it equals a weekend of swelled joints, excruciating pain and debilitating sadness.  I think I’m suffering in silence but the atmosphere I created was louder than the drumline at half time.

It was a bad weekend for me but I learned some stuff.  If I articulate myself better and ask for help things aren’t so bad.  Now I just have to remember that for the next time!

The upside of laying around resting all weekend is that I finished reading 3 books.  Yeah for quiet time!

The Tale of An Artistic Insect

My wife suffered some bug bites over the weekend.  This in its self isn’t seems innocuous but when we looked at the bites closely we discovered something interesting…

It appears this insect took a drafting course or something because the bites had a near perfect distance between bites.

Then on the other side of her ankle it decided to spice things up with what looks like an art piece composed of dots.  These are no ordinary dots they also have a symmetry to them.  Kudos to you insect dude who is all about symmetry!  On the down side…insect dude you suck because bug bites are NOT cool yo!!