We spent several days in Philadelphia, staying with my parents, before traveling to suburban New York City, where we are right now, staying with Donna's sister. While in Philly we had dinner Saturday evening with a couple of high school friends - we started at about 5 p.m. and left the restaurant about 10 p.m. Great time. Donna's sister from Tupper Lake NY, and Pam's daughter from Greensboro NC met us in CT for a couple of days.

Yesterday we went into the city and started at the Federal Hall museum. Federal Hall is where George Washington was inagurated in 1789. Cool. We also went to Ground Zero, which was a very powerful experience. They have started the rebuilding there, and we saw what they are planning to build. It looks very nice. In a kind of preview museum, we could see the model of what is to be built there, and also some videos and photos of 9/11. We do tend to forget the enormity of that event, and what the people there had to go through. I need to remember that event more.

The highlight of the day, though, was that Tim met us at the train in Grand Central Station, and we ended up having lunch at the Boat House Restaurant in Central Park. Beautiful place, good food, and there were 8 people there (Pam's son met us there, and Tim had his girlfriend, Miriam, there; it was the first time we met her - good first impression). I knew it would be expensive, and when the bill came, I almost hit the floor. Wow! Credit cards sure come in handy.

While in Philly we were able to get to a lot of historical places. Friday we saw the National Constitution Center, then Christ Church Burial ground (saw Franklin's grave, as well as 7 other signers' graves). Saturday was Declaration House (where Jefferson wrote the Declaration in an upstairs room); Christ Church (we sat in Washington's pew); a portrait gallery, and a couple of other sites. Sunday was a day trip to Ocean City, NY, for lunch with my brother and sister-in-law, and a very hot walk on the boardwalk. Monday we went to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall (saw where Adams was inaugurated as the second President, the first Supreme Court, and Franklin Court. Tuesday was a travel day to CT.

It is good seeing a lot of these historical sites, and going back in time to the colonial period. At the National Constitution Center, we saw statues of most of the people at the Constitutional Convention, which was really good. One could then take that mental picture as one enters Independence Hall. Fun.

Tomorrow is the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (with Tim again as our tour guide). Then Saturday it is off to Boston. I'm looking forward to that.

That's it for now. Hope you are well.