Philadelphia

We live in a rural area. The main crops grown around here are Christmas trees, soybean, and corn. However, we don't live in the middle of nowhere. We can get to many of the national chain restaurants, big box stores, hardware stores, etc. in about twenty minutes. Pittsburgh, New York City, Baltimore, and Philadelphia are about three hours from our home. Paul and I enjoy visiting the museums and other sites that are available in the larger cities, but we'd never want to live in any of them, whereas my sister, who lives in Chicago, enjoys visiting a rural area but would never want to live in one. Of the four cities I mentioned, the one we live the closest to is Philadelphia. We have taken the kids to Philadelphia a few times in the past. For example, in March 2018 we went to Christ Church, US Mint, Franklin Museum, Franklin Institute, Adventure Aquarium, and Academy of Natural Sciences, and in November of that same year my brother and I took them to Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and the Museum of the American Revolution. I think our first trips there with the kids that weren't in conjunction with appointments at the Children's Hospital were in 2016 when we took them to the Franklin Institute, Please Touch Museum, Independence Seaport Museum, Franklin Museum, Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall. The last time I was in the city of brotherly love was to empty my brother's apartment with Wendy in March 2019 following his very unexpected passing. Because of COVID, we had no desire to visit there in 2020. 2021, or even the beginning part of 2022. 

We do have plans to spend two days there this September. Prior to yesterday, the only reservation I had made for the trip was to secure (free) tickets to the Constitution Center. I picked the dates of the trip because it is National Constitution Day and therefore free to visit. We've never been there before. Yesterday I also made a one-night reservation for a hotel, got tickets for a 90-minute guided tour of the Battleship New Jersey, and got tickets for a Harry Potter Exhibition at the Franklin Institute - each of those were definitely not free. We plan to visit five other sites for free over those two days - the Fireman's Hall Museum, Franklin Institute (free because of our ASTC membership), Philadelphia Museum of Art (free on Friday evenings), Thaddeus Kosciusko National Memorial, and the Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site. The kids should be able to earn two junior ranger badges on the trip. The other two sites we plan to visit that won't be free are the Betsy Ross House and the Eastern State Penitentiary. When I taught middle school in the early 90's, I took my students on field trips to Philadelphia, and that was the last time I was at the Betsy Ross House or the Fireman's Hall Museum. Unfortunately, the time when they offer guided tours of the Penitentiary conflicts with the guided tour of the Battleship New Jersey. Ssince they have an audio tour at the Penitentiary, I opted to choose the guided tour of the Battleship. If we had more time, it would have been nice to return to the Independence Seaport Museum and/or the Philadelphia Zoo as it's been at least six years since they've been to either place. I imagine we'll make at least one more trip to Philadelphia sometime in the next four years as I want my kids to visit the Penn Museum where Maurice was a tour guide for several months prior to his passing. Although I'm emotionally ready to return to the city now that three years have passed, I don't think I'm quite ready to visit that museum yet.

Yesterday I mailed a card to each of the kids and a birthday card to my aunt. When the kids have been at overnight camp at PMBC and Camp Susque, I have been able to email the kids, as the camp would print out the emails and deliver them to the campers once a day. That isn't possible at this camp. My mom was very dedicated about keeping in touch with her children. When we were at camp, we would receive a letter every day. She started mailing them out before we even left for camp so that we would receive them even in the early part of our stay. As an adult, I definitely received more email from my mom than any other person. Even though the camp is about 40 minutes from our home, I think the mail will likely take 2-3 days to get there so my kids are only getting one card from me at camp this summer. In the past I slipped notes into their suitcase. Nadia first started attending overnight camp in 2015, and this is the first year I didn't do that for any of the kids. Unfortunately, I was totally out of commission on Friday and Saturday, and they left for camp on Sunday after church. Because she is a junior counselor, Nadia was allowed to bring her phone to camp this week although there is only one brief time in the day when she has permission to use it. So, I can send her a message every day to her phone. Next week, she will be at Camp Susque. She won't be allowed to have her phone at camp next week, but I can send her daily emails that the camp will print out for her. 

I'm writing this post at 3 am, which is a time when I am almost always in bed. I'm calling the doctor's office once they open this morning. I know they can't do anything for my cough, because it's just a cold, but I'm hoping to get relief for my eyes and my left ear. I haven't had pink eye since August 2017, and I haven't had this much ear trouble since 2015. My eardrum might have ruptured. I've had a lot of drainage from that ear, but I haven't seen any blood. However, the pillowcase I'm using right now is black (it was from Maurice's apartment) so it's possible I just didn't see the blood. I have very little hearing in my left ear at the moment. Thankfully my right ear is fine. I avoid the doctor's offices whenever possible, especially when we don't have insurance or a prescription drug plan, but I'm feeling miserable enough that I want to try to get some relief. I know those eye drops work wonders for conjunctivitis (also known as an eye cold). This is the second time in the last 14 years that I've had five consecutive days without any kids at home. The first time it happened (2020) I got a lot done around the house including painting Nadia's bedroom. I had grand visions for this week - spending time with Paul each evening after he came home from work, doing some painting around the house, having lunch with Tab, going on a walk with Cheri, etc. Since I'm sick, all the plans have gone out the window. I've been spending some time with Paul, but I'm trying not to share my germs with him which is why he's sleeping in our bed right now and I'm in the family room. I doubt the walk with Cheri will be rescheduled, but I am determined to take Tab out to lunch for her birthday sometime in the coming weeks as she and I have never eaten in a restaurant together. I certainly lack the energy to do any big projects around the house. I'm just grateful I have the energy to take Milo for walks, albeit much shorter walks than I usually take him on. The cold hasn't interfered with my weight loss goal. I've lost twelve pounds so far, which means I have eleven to go. I can't wait until Saturday morning when I will, Lord willing, be able to hear about the kids' week at camp. It's the last time the three of them will be at the same camp the same week as Ian will be too old to attend the camp in the future and too young to be a counselor next year. Next year I'm planning on sending the boys to PMBC and Nadia to Camp Susque. PMBC is Oliver's favorite camp, and I like the fact that it is much cheaper than Camp Good News (where they are now) or Camp Susque, which is Nadia's favorite camp.

 I'm grateful we have the resources to be able to pay for the kids to attend a week of overnight camp (Nadia is free this week) and also a new range for our kitchen. We weren't planning on buying a new range this year, but when smoke started coming out in multiple places from under the cookstove (not from the burner), we knew it was time to replace the 23-year-old range before we ended up with a house fire. Unfortunately, the builder installed a Kenmore drop-in style range. Between Lowe's and Home Depot they only sell ONE drop-in style range, and it's the wrong size. The vast majority are slide-in or freestanding. Paul is trying to find a slide-in model that will fit in our space if he cuts out some of the cabinet. It seems like things constantly need replaced in a home. Nadia's twelve-year-old light fixture died recently so Paul replaced her ceiling fan last week. That was a MUCH cheaper project than buying a new range. Unfortunately, the more inexpensive models won't fit in out space, and we don't want to have to replace our kitchen counter just because we're getting a new oven. Here's to hoping it won't take too long to find, purchase, and install a new range in our kitchen! Although I am thankful, we haven't had a monthly rent or mortgage payment for three years, there are times I wish we had a landlord who could handle these problems!