April 2026
Places visited
Rachel, Taran and I met at Exit 20 on the New York Thruway for a trip to Philadelphia. On that day we took a guided tour of the USS New Jersey which was informative and very interesting. We all enjoyed it. We then met Brian, Noah, Bea, and her mother for a delicious dinner of beef on 'wick at their house. Bea made everything, including the rolls, beef, and tiramisu for dessert. It was all wonderful and they got Easter baskets for the boys with candy and Legos. Best of all, we got to spend the evening talking with them and playing a card game..
On the second day, Rachel, Taran and I went to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. It was great with tons to see and do, and we stayed for the entire day. We then met Brian and Noah at the Akira restaurant in Moorestown for an entertaining and delicious hibachi dinner. I then left with Brian and Noah and stayed at their home that night.
On the third day, Brian and I left early in the morning to come back to my house. Brian helped me with my computer and some things around the house. Brian brought some of the food from the dinner at their house for lunch and we had pizza from Ramunto's Brick Oven Pizza for dinner. We also took a walk in McWaters Park in North Bennington, Vermont by the Henry Covered Bridge.
Brian then went home the next day.
Brian, Bea, Noah and I flew to Knoxville, Tennessee for a few days for the Dogwood Festival. Our first stop was at the Hardwood BBQ in Knoxville, where we had a delicious sampler for all of us. It was one of the best meals of the trip. We then drove around the area and ended up at The Creamery in Lake Forest, Tennessee, another great spot for ice cream. We stayed at a very nice Airbnb in Knoxville with wonderous large blooming rhododendrons in front of the house.
On the second day in Knoxville, we started the day with doughnuts from Parlor Doughnuts in Farragut, Tennessee. We then drove to Parrot Mountain and Garden of Ede in Sevierville, Tennessee and walked through the grounds to see and feed multitudes of different types of parrots, including a parrot nursery. It was quite different from anything we had seen before and we really enjoyed it. From there, we drove to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was a great aquarium that was fun to walk through. After a sight-seeing drive, we ate a delicious meal Olive Garden and then stopped at Sequoyah Hills Park.
Day three was spent looking around the city of Knoxville. We drove through the University of Tennessee then walked around Knoxville, stopping at Dazzo's Pizzeria for a snack, then stopped at the Museum of East Tennessee History where we learned about the history of the area. We enjoyed seeing the entire downtown area. The day ended at Yamato Ramen and Poke Bowl in Turkey Creee, Tennessee for a lovely meal before flying back to Philadelphia early the next morning.
It was a marvelous spring trip!
Books Read
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano, Emily Chenoweth, & Robb Mommaerts
I Left You a Present by Robb Pearlman
Still Life With Crows by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
Rachel, Taran and I met at Exit 20 on the New York Thruway for a trip to Philadelphia. On that day we took a guided tour of the USS New Jersey which was informative and very interesting. We all enjoyed it. We then met Brian, Noah, Bea, and her mother for a delicious dinner of beef on 'wick at their house. Bea made everything, including the rolls, beef, and tiramisu for dessert. It was all wonderful and they got Easter baskets for the boys with candy and Legos. Best of all, we got to spend the evening talking with them and playing a card game..
On the second day, Rachel, Taran and I went to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. It was great with tons to see and do, and we stayed for the entire day. We then met Brian and Noah at the Akira restaurant in Moorestown for an entertaining and delicious hibachi dinner. I then left with Brian and Noah and stayed at their home that night.
On the third day, Brian and I left early in the morning to come back to my house. Brian helped me with my computer and some things around the house. Brian brought some of the food from the dinner at their house for lunch and we had pizza from Ramunto's Brick Oven Pizza for dinner. We also took a walk in McWaters Park in North Bennington, Vermont by the Henry Covered Bridge.
Brian then went home the next day.
Brian, Bea, Noah and I flew to Knoxville, Tennessee for a few days for the Dogwood Festival. Our first stop was at the Hardwood BBQ in Knoxville, where we had a delicious sampler for all of us. It was one of the best meals of the trip. We then drove around the area and ended up at The Creamery in Lake Forest, Tennessee, another great spot for ice cream. We stayed at a very nice Airbnb in Knoxville with wonderous large blooming rhododendrons in front of the house.
On the second day in Knoxville, we started the day with doughnuts from Parlor Doughnuts in Farragut, Tennessee. We then drove to Parrot Mountain and Garden of Ede in Sevierville, Tennessee and walked through the grounds to see and feed multitudes of different types of parrots, including a parrot nursery. It was quite different from anything we had seen before and we really enjoyed it. From there, we drove to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was a great aquarium that was fun to walk through. After a sight-seeing drive, we ate a delicious meal Olive Garden and then stopped at Sequoyah Hills Park.
Day three was spent looking around the city of Knoxville. We drove through the University of Tennessee then walked around Knoxville, stopping at Dazzo's Pizzeria for a snack, then stopped at the Museum of East Tennessee History where we learned about the history of the area. We enjoyed seeing the entire downtown area. The day ended at Yamato Ramen and Poke Bowl in Turkey Creee, Tennessee for a lovely meal before flying back to Philadelphia early the next morning.
It was a marvelous spring trip!
Books Read
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano, Emily Chenoweth, & Robb Mommaerts
I Left You a Present by Robb Pearlman
Still Life With Crows by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley