Showing posts with label Pennsylvania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pennsylvania. Show all posts
9/11
Memorial
New York
Pennsylvania
USA
Virginia
9/11 #neverforget
*I originally published this blog in 2009. I've decided to update it for the 18th anniversary.
I can't believe it's been 18 years since 9/11. I was saying to my husband the other day, that we can't believe all the children born in 2001 after 9/11 are now 18 years old. We have a whole new generation that never experienced the fear of that morning 18 years ago. I'll never forget watching all of the coverage on the news... I would sit up late at night watching live CNN coverage of Ground Zero, crying.
I just wanted to take a moment to blog and share my personal experience.
In November of 2001. My churches youth group went up to New York for volunteer work. It was my very first trip to New York. We spent the whole afternoon putting bags together of supplies for NYC firefighters families.
(I was tearing my closest apart trying to find the laminated name tags we wore on that day as volunteers. I was hoping to scan it and add it to this blog. I have an awful habit of putting small memory items in odd places. It could be in a wallet, the back of a photo album, a box. I really wanted to find it, but I couldn't locate it. I'm sure when I'm not looking for it, I'll come across it).
Later in the evening we went to Ground Zero. Actually standing there looking at the wreckage and devastation. I'll never forget the jagged metal, the foggy air, the fenced off memorial wall that stretched for blocks & blocks. It was different from seeing it on the television. It was real. It was very humbling and like nothing I had ever experienced. I'll never forget it.
It was a life changing experience for all Americans. Especially for the younger generations. To feel that our freedom & security was violated. Our innocence taken away. We will never forget.
Arrow indicates where I am in the photo. (With my eyes closed, lol.) In Times Square with my youth group in 2001 heading towards Ground Zero. Photo courtesy of: Nina Krych.
I can't believe it's been 18 years since 9/11. I was saying to my husband the other day, that we can't believe all the children born in 2001 after 9/11 are now 18 years old. We have a whole new generation that never experienced the fear of that morning 18 years ago. I'll never forget watching all of the coverage on the news... I would sit up late at night watching live CNN coverage of Ground Zero, crying.
I just wanted to take a moment to blog and share my personal experience.
In November of 2001. My churches youth group went up to New York for volunteer work. It was my very first trip to New York. We spent the whole afternoon putting bags together of supplies for NYC firefighters families.
(I was tearing my closest apart trying to find the laminated name tags we wore on that day as volunteers. I was hoping to scan it and add it to this blog. I have an awful habit of putting small memory items in odd places. It could be in a wallet, the back of a photo album, a box. I really wanted to find it, but I couldn't locate it. I'm sure when I'm not looking for it, I'll come across it).
Later in the evening we went to Ground Zero. Actually standing there looking at the wreckage and devastation. I'll never forget the jagged metal, the foggy air, the fenced off memorial wall that stretched for blocks & blocks. It was different from seeing it on the television. It was real. It was very humbling and like nothing I had ever experienced. I'll never forget it.
(Similar to what I saw that night standing there. This is burned in my memory. Source.)
Cars
Life
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia
Let's just say the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I have a bad relationship. When I was around 19-20 years old, I ended up getting onto the PA Turnpike by mistake because US Route 1 had a median and I didn't realize I was in the wrong lane, until it was too late. Once you're on the Turnpike, you can't get off until you hit another exit. It's all highway, so there's no where to do a u-turn and go back the way you came.
When I got lost years ago this was before GPS on cell phones, etc. I didn't know I was supposed to take the "ticket" the booth printed out. So when I ended up at a toll booth later on crying to the guy that I was lost, all he did was ask for my ticket and charge me more because I didn't have the toll ticket. I couldn't even call anyone because I didn't know where I was.
I remember getting off and driving lost for awhile, until I came to this huge bridge- that probably connected PA to New Jersey. I sure did a u-turn there! I was not going to another state with only a little bit of cash. (This was before I had debit or credit cards too!) Eventually, I found State Rd, which I remembered passed through Philadelphia. I took it until I got home. That my first defeat with the PA Turnpike. Ever since then I've stayed away from the Turnpike. Getting lost, is a huge fear of mine.
So... Thursday evening F.B. & I attempted to take on the PA Turnpike again. We had directions to Allentown printed from Google. Which were not specifically CLEAR about which way to go when there's a FORK in the road! We ended up getting off the wrong exit and driving for miles. We ended up in Landsdale PA, first. Somehow using the GPS on my phone, we got back on the turnpike, but ended up in Norristown, PA. We ended up paying tolls about 3 different times and spending a over $7.00 just to get lost!
Traffic was atrocious when we finally got back on the PA Turnpike for the 3rd time to head home. There were no lanes, it was like Philippine traffic all over again! We were lost for a good 2 and a half hours. Wasting gas and cash on tolls. It was not a good experience, I'm not good when it comes to getting lost because I panic. Let's just say we never did make it to Allentown, PA... I needed a shot of vodka when we did finally get home. I had an awful migraine and needed a nap!
Since getting to Hershey Park also involves taking the Turnpike our plans for that changed as well. Maybe someday I'll attempt the PA Turnpike again and maybe I'll actually defeat it, instead of it defeating me! But not anytime soon...
Tomorrow F.B. and I are heading to the Philadelphia Zoo. It's my last vacation day from work. We already purchased our tickets and printed them out online, so there's no backing out of that. At least driving there doesn't involve the Turnpike! :-p
I have a new header banner as you can see! The image to the left is a seagull on the Schuylkill river bridge in Philadelphia on Market Street. The middle picture, is skyscrapers in downtown Philadelphia on Market Street. And the right picture is a palm tree during sunset at Manila Bay, Philippines. :-)
PA Turnpike 2. Sarah 0.
When I got lost years ago this was before GPS on cell phones, etc. I didn't know I was supposed to take the "ticket" the booth printed out. So when I ended up at a toll booth later on crying to the guy that I was lost, all he did was ask for my ticket and charge me more because I didn't have the toll ticket. I couldn't even call anyone because I didn't know where I was.
I remember getting off and driving lost for awhile, until I came to this huge bridge- that probably connected PA to New Jersey. I sure did a u-turn there! I was not going to another state with only a little bit of cash. (This was before I had debit or credit cards too!) Eventually, I found State Rd, which I remembered passed through Philadelphia. I took it until I got home. That my first defeat with the PA Turnpike. Ever since then I've stayed away from the Turnpike. Getting lost, is a huge fear of mine.
So... Thursday evening F.B. & I attempted to take on the PA Turnpike again. We had directions to Allentown printed from Google. Which were not specifically CLEAR about which way to go when there's a FORK in the road! We ended up getting off the wrong exit and driving for miles. We ended up in Landsdale PA, first. Somehow using the GPS on my phone, we got back on the turnpike, but ended up in Norristown, PA. We ended up paying tolls about 3 different times and spending a over $7.00 just to get lost!
Traffic was atrocious when we finally got back on the PA Turnpike for the 3rd time to head home. There were no lanes, it was like Philippine traffic all over again! We were lost for a good 2 and a half hours. Wasting gas and cash on tolls. It was not a good experience, I'm not good when it comes to getting lost because I panic. Let's just say we never did make it to Allentown, PA... I needed a shot of vodka when we did finally get home. I had an awful migraine and needed a nap!
Since getting to Hershey Park also involves taking the Turnpike our plans for that changed as well. Maybe someday I'll attempt the PA Turnpike again and maybe I'll actually defeat it, instead of it defeating me! But not anytime soon...
Tomorrow F.B. and I are heading to the Philadelphia Zoo. It's my last vacation day from work. We already purchased our tickets and printed them out online, so there's no backing out of that. At least driving there doesn't involve the Turnpike! :-p
I have a new header banner as you can see! The image to the left is a seagull on the Schuylkill river bridge in Philadelphia on Market Street. The middle picture, is skyscrapers in downtown Philadelphia on Market Street. And the right picture is a palm tree during sunset at Manila Bay, Philippines. :-)
Flowers
Food
History
Peddler's Village
Pennsylvania
Photography
Peddler's Village
Saturday I went with my brother & cousins to Peddler's Village for the day. Peddler's Village looks like an 18th century village. They have a lot of unique little shops & an old fashioned candy shop. I got black licorice, homemade dark chocolate covered pretzels & dark chocolate nonpareils & old fashioned candy sticks in flavors: licorice, rootbeer, lemon, butterscotch, cinnamon & cherry cola to take home.
It was sunny and warm on Saturday and there were a ton of flowers blooming up at Peddler's Village. I got alot of great pictures. We had lunch at the Peddler's Pub. They had amazing homemade chicken noodle soup & I also had a chicken ceaser salad.
I picked up this cute little little rubber/plastic rat figurine at one of the little shops there.
They had a set of Henry VIII & his wives at the toy shop. Wish I could have gotten it, but it was $134! They were hand painted supposedly, oh well I got a picture!
We also had a great time playing at the arcade. They had funhouse mirrors, we played skeeball, pinball, etc. Also took pictures of the carousel. We go to Peddler's Village at least once a year in the spring or summer and always have a great time.
After Peddler's Village on the drive home we stopped at Rita's Water Ice. They are the best! Though they are only open during the spring/summer months. I had vanilla chocolate swirled custard with chocolate sprinkles. So Yummy!
We stopped at a park near my cousins house later in the evening. They had swans & ducks with their little babies. I really had a nice day.
All of the pictures from our day:
It was sunny and warm on Saturday and there were a ton of flowers blooming up at Peddler's Village. I got alot of great pictures. We had lunch at the Peddler's Pub. They had amazing homemade chicken noodle soup & I also had a chicken ceaser salad.
I picked up this cute little little rubber/plastic rat figurine at one of the little shops there.
They had a set of Henry VIII & his wives at the toy shop. Wish I could have gotten it, but it was $134! They were hand painted supposedly, oh well I got a picture!
We also had a great time playing at the arcade. They had funhouse mirrors, we played skeeball, pinball, etc. Also took pictures of the carousel. We go to Peddler's Village at least once a year in the spring or summer and always have a great time.
After Peddler's Village on the drive home we stopped at Rita's Water Ice. They are the best! Though they are only open during the spring/summer months. I had vanilla chocolate swirled custard with chocolate sprinkles. So Yummy!
We stopped at a park near my cousins house later in the evening. They had swans & ducks with their little babies. I really had a nice day.
All of the pictures from our day:
