Christmas Visit with Aunt Catherine

Today we drove down to see Aunt Catherine. Anna, Mot, Mom and I went to see her. She just moved into her new building. It's very big and realistic. They call the main hall Main Street. On Main street, there is a cafe - that we got fries for the road. Main street also had a hair salon. We talked to aunt catherine about how much movies cost. Aunt Catherine said it was 15 cents to go see a movie. And they used to go to the Irving to go see movies. When Aunt Catherine was a kid, they did not have alot of money but they had a good time. Pop thought that they were going to camp all summer, but really they were living in the tent. They picked blueberries and took baths in the lake. Grandpa Myers got paid $15 a week from the WPA.

Grandma Hildebrant bought seed for them to plant a garden up on Finch Hill. They had corn, potatoes, squash, green beans and tomatoes. Grandma bakes 20 loaves a week. We brought down my new art kit that I got for Christmas. Aunt Catherine really liked it! Aunt Catherine said they got crayons, new pencils and coloring books to draw in. We drew pictures for Aunt Catherine to hang in her room while we visited. I drew a Hibiscus that you can only find in Hawaii. Anna drew a Christmas wreath and I also drew a Christmas tree. Mommy and Anna drew the whole group of us visiting with Aunt Catherine. After we were finished drawing, we took a tour of the new place.
We saw the physical therapy room, the chapel and the parlor. I liked the physical therapy place the best. I think I want to work there when I grow up. The whole place was decorated for Christmas all pretty. Aunt Catherine was very very happy to see us. She showed us her pictures and here Christmas cards from the school and family. - Carolyn

Party at Mot's

The Rochester-based Myers crew stopped over last night for some pizza and party left overs. Cathy, Elizabeth and Thomas came in from Livonia and Jim and Grace also came. It looks now like we will all be together for Christmas Day down in Owego at Pop's and Kristin's house. I am bringing a DVD based family game called "Shout Out" [ go figure...] Poor neighbors.

We also got to take Pop's old American Flyer for a few laps around the tree!

Air Harry

Air Harry Makes Maiden Flight

Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006 (LoudFamilyPress)

The first flight of the Air Harry Express Cross Country Delivery Service successfully completed the first of many missions to the Tri-Cities Airport this afternoon. Clear skies and virtually no winds made this flight quite enjoyable based on reports by pilot-in-training/CEO, Joseph Prato. Based in Dansville or Middlesex, depending on runway conditions, this new service offers delivery of sibling goods in a very timely fashion. Despite a little compass glitch and a cranky controller in Elmira, it is evident from photographs that this flight was highly successful. Its first cargo included cheese popcorn from Livonia Boy Scout Troop 174 bound for the Felice family and a little green coat for Grace of the Myers family. Both customers expressed delight in the prompt service and plan to continue to support AHECCDS. The flight was greeted by local celebrity, Pop. Better known across the state as Democratic Chairman and the man to go to a convention with, Art Myers graciously offered to make the final delivery to Crestwood Road. This fabulous event and momentous occasion was photographed by both Art Myers and James P. Myers.







THE 1946 Cessna flagship, completely restored by the CEO, with help from many friends. Hey,
did you lose your wheelpants, Joe?










Service with Smile. Good thing there's a windshield, or he'd have bugs stuck on his teeth.








Time for a little pre-flight with Instructor, Brian Swanson.






Off into the wild blue yonder! Headed back to homebase at Dansville. Hey, Joe! You forgot the girlscout cookies from Carolyn --- or did you?

Meet Sean Quinn

Cousins Kelly and Stan Quinn are new parents! Here are some pics of their new son Sean. Congratulations to the family!

A day at Strong Museum for Kids

The Felice's and the Prato's came into Rochester today and Eric and I accompanied them to the new butterfly exhibit at Strong Museum downtown.















The museum has considerable exhibits and sets for kids to play with, including a full Sesame Street set, a Wegmans grocery store in miniature and an historic restaurant kitchen thingy that the nieces seem to gravitate to.
















Eric and I failed in our efforts to pull a "Hansel and Gretel" on any unsuspecting children.


















Next time, I think a bag of M&M's in the back of the oven will do the trick.











The nephews giving their "thumbs up" to the "dinner".





































Cathy and Kristin in the Butterfly house















Afterwards, everyone indulged Uncle Mot and we all went to Plum Garden for hibachi show and dinner! Complete with flaming onion volcanoes and the chef throwing rice in everyone's mouth. [Except Mot - who just got pegged on the chest..]






Of course - I forgot to mention that the restaurant was the handy work of the architect brother as well. Love the doors Jim!

Anna's first day of Kindergarten

The Felice household has just gotten really quiet. Anna headed off with her brother and sister on the big yellow bus for Kindergarten. I guess the prom is right around the corner.....

On the Road - in South West Pennsylvania

Cathy, Thomas and Elizabeth are in Pennsylvania this week. Elizabeth is attending Camp Chihopi -a summer camp for kids who are transplant recipients. Meanwhile Cathy and Thomas are hanging out nearby doing some camping with Chilipepper and seeing the sites.






















Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water

Let's Go Hiking in the Adirondacks!

So....
because Elizabeth is at camp and HATES to hike, Thomas and I decide it would be a good time to go to the Adirondacks to check out the high peaks (there are 46). I talk to my good friend Rinda (who could win Survivor hands down and has climbed 37) about where to go. I was not comfortable making this attempt on our own, so we hijack Rinda and head to Mt. Colden.

Mt. Colden : 4,714 feet
Ascent of climb 2,850 ft
# 11 on the tall peak list
Round Trip: 15.2 miles
Weather Forecast - Chance of scattered showers

We leave Livonia in Mot's VW Westie, Chilipepper, and arrive at Rinda's Aunt's camp on the Schoon River and stay overnight. We get to the Adirondack Loj and starting our big adventure around 9 am.

1st stop Mt. Marcy Dam

Snacks are good - wait I thought you knew where to go, Rinda! (just kidding!)

Follow the trail ....

Climbing higher...

Next stop Arnold Lake
and some of those "scattered showers"

Keep climbing, keep raining....

Cool Alpine Vegetation

At 2:20 we reached the Summit! No views, just rain :(



On the way down, we sat out of the rain under the rock ledge.



View of Mt. Colden from the one of the false peaks.
Notice the sun trying to break through - it gave up after a few minutes.

Thomas finds a friend who doesn't seem to mind being soaked.


We wanted to be off the trail by dark, so we continued back down. We were about as wet as wet can be without actually swimming. The rain made the trail more muddy and slippery. We should have taken pictures of:

• pouring water out of boots
• wringing out socks
• Thomas slopping straight through the pools of water in the last 1/2 mile
• walking through the parking lot with dry clothes under Mot's rainbow beach umbrella
• Thomas and I saying "ow, ow, ow" with every step through the lodge
  

but it was too wet to get the camera back out. We made to to the parking lot at 6:50.

Good thing for Chilipepper! We didn't even pop the top to sleep. We got in our sleeping bags and ate apples and cheese for dinner, listening to the rain keep falling. I think we were all asleep by 8:15.
Rinda is a good friend to have dealt with us "Newbies" out on the trail.
Definitely an adventure to remember!

Grand Canyon Railway

Cousin Mike arranged for all of us to take the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams Arizona to the Grand Canyon. On the way up - we all rode together in a Pullman passenger car from 1910[?]






Once at the Grand Canyon, we toured the rim and took lots of pictures. A very warm day indeed. In the distance you could see smoke plumes from forest fires.












Cousin Tom, Cheryl and Joshua Jones













Dad, Cathy, Eric and I









Julie and Mike Jones













On the return trip, Eric and i found out you could upgrade to first class for the return trip. the train had a vintage VistaDome car that I REALLY wanted to check out - so Eric indulged me and we upgraded.





The VistaDome was awesome. I loved it. We would have liked to share the return ride with the rest of the family, but instead got to sit with the "Morbidly Obese Family" who made no pretenses whatsoever of attacking the buffet offered when we left the station. Apparently Couth Couth was not on the menu.