Our USA Adventure - Boston

Our next Adventure was a day and a 1/2 in Boston. We are so pleased we had the GPS to help us - we got a few times!!
We arrived in Boston on Thursday afternoon and caught thetram system (the T) into the city and saw a few of the historical sites - including King's Chapel -many pretty amazing churches in this city with great historical stories. We got a trolley and did a tour of the area and then had dinner - Boston Style - John had lobster and I had clam chowder - the seafood is so fresh! John didn't know the melted butter was to eat the lobster with - we live and learn!!

The next morning it was raining but that did not stop our endeavour to see as much as we could. We caught the T again and walked some of the historical areas - it was a great day. We topped it off with a visit to the Boston Temple.

Our USA Adventure - Vermont

We set out early Tuesday morning and instead of following the freeway to Vermont we took the back roads and saw some lovely towns especially around the Finger Lakes area. We drove as far as Saratoga Springs - a busy and extremely prosperous place. The money has obviously come from house racing as there are house statues in the streets and often in front of homes there are jockey statues!! We walked along some streets with amazing homes - The architecture and variety of different homes were amazing. They were huge. We enjoyed our stay here.

The next day we drove through the back of Vermont to Sharon and the Joseph Smith birthplace. We enjoyed our experience in the visitors centre there and watched the Joseph Smith movie. The is a 38 n1/2 feet marker here make of flawless polished granite. It was beautiful. We also visited the remains of some of the Mack family homes that are on the site.

It seemed to us that Vermont was all forest as far as the eye could see with a few villages placed here and there in the forest. It was beautiful. The trees were just starting to turn - they are late due to a long hot summer.

Our USA Adventure - Upstate New York

We left Sept 11th on our trip to the US to see some of New York State, Vermont and Boston and then to visit with Stephen and Andrew and their families. I only finished radiation treatment the day before so we ventured forth with a lot of faith. A couple of days into the trip I felt maybe I should not have come - but Heavenly Father blessed me and things have got better - I have been having a great time.

We flew into Los Angeles and then caught another plane to Albany in New York State - a long trip. We got our hire car and stayed a lovely Mariott Hotel for the night. WE got up next morning and found a chapel and went to church then took off for Palmyra - about 3 1/2 hr drive. We arrived around 3pm and wasted no time in visiting the special church sites we had come to see. We visited the Joseph Smith homes and walked in the Sacred Grove. I especially enjoyed the spirit of this area and had to go back to the motel and read the history related to these sites. The next day we visited the Hill Comorah - a great opportunity to marvel and ponder at the events that took place here.

We took the opportunity to go to the Palmyra Temple- We loved the warm greeting we got as went into this Temple. It has the most beautiful stained glass windows depicting the First Vision and the Sacred Grove. We went back later that evening to take some photos of the temple at sunset. It was a very uplifting day. We also went down to where the Martin Harris Farm was - there was the most interesting stone house there - not the original - but it was a great spot.

The Governor's Chair

We went for a drive today out through Boonah then on to Spicer's Gap. There were even a few little walks I could manage. We went to the lookout at Governor's Chair. We then went on another little walk to Moss's Well - the bellbirds were so loud. I have never heard them so loud and close. There were a lot of bellbirds and we could see them in the trees. It was a beautiful warm day. A lot of fun.

A Medieval Festival

Last Tuesday we took Emma Sarah and Ethan to Caboolure and met up with Leah, Eryn, Lachlan, Morgan and Addison for a Kids day out at the Medieval Festival. It was well laid out and we all enjoyed many varied activities. One of the favourites was the stilt walking - I think most of the children went back for 4 goes! We enjoyed the atmosphere with many of the officials dressed up in period costume. Lachlan and Ethan went to josting school! and the girls learnt some gypsy dancing.

It was a fun day out.

It is our Wedding Anniversary today!

We have been married 38 years today. The 8th July 1972 seems a long time ago. We were young and beautiful and full of love and expectations for our future. We have not been disappointed. There have been the high roads and the low roads but they have evened out pretty good! We have done some very interesting things, raised amazing kids who are better and smarter than us and they have given us so far 10'grand'children who we enjoy tremendously. Considering the events of the last 10 months every milestone is worth celebrating!!

Today we set off to Southbank and did a bit of walking into the city and then decided to have lunch on the river cruise boat the Kookaburra Queen. It was a leisurely day. Very enjoyable.

Remembering Mum

Today is my Mother's birthday. She was born on 29th June 1921. I was thinking about Mum in the early hours of this morning when my insomnia kicked in!!

Elsie Clare Brown/McIntosh was a pretty amazing woman. Her lot in life was not always easy. Raising eight children was challenging enough but she was also plagued by illness particularly in the last two decades of her life. I think of her as a finisher. She plodded on till she completed her tasks - rarely, if ever complaining. She was a woman of faith and high moral standards which she tried to impart to each of her children - she did well.

She grew up in Paddington, went to school at Rosalie and All Hallows then went to work for the Mater Hospital till she married at 29 to Dad. She had a great gift for office and bookwork and was often the treasurer to organisations on a voluntary basis. She worked hard, had a great love for music and enjoyed singing in the church choir. She died in 1998 after a long illness. We love you Mum and appreciate all you did for us.