Family Fun from Baltimore to Brockway

Family Fun From Baltimore to Brockway






Here's the whole reason for the trip: Son, Mom, Pop!
FAMILY!



At the end of June, Dede's family (Jim Britton, her Dad (AKA "Pop, Moose and Poppy Moose") in Baltimore, MD) has celebrated a family reunion in Brockway, PA since the 1970s. It's one of those gatherings where we haul out tents and fire wood and coolers and make our own fun (you know--softball, volleyball, treasure hunts, campfire songs and stories, picnics, card games, s'mores, fireworks!).  Since we're traveling so far away, perhaps to live, we felt this year we really should try to go! 

 

Family reunions are especially healthy for us travelers; they anchor us, they fill us up with family love and memories to last a long while. Here, you can catch up on recipes, new family members (a baby was born into the family just days before the gathering!), the news on careers, health and travel plans.  We watch each other grow. We learn from each other. We're kids again. The important stuff!

 

While Kim n Dede made travel plans, we thought about taking the coach all the way up and then driving out to CA across the middle of the country. We reasoned that our southern route would be better in two ways:

 1-a northern route would add serious miles to our trip and

 2-we already drove I-40 & I-70 on earlier trips out West and we'd rather be on new roads!

So we planned to drive North as far as Hilton Head, SC to see our friends there, then take an airplane from Savannah, GA to Baltimore, MD.  The only hitch in the plan was the cost of airfare. At $400 a ticket, Dede went by herself.  (We're on a budget with our Amazon earnings, remember?)

Frances Scott Key Bridge on the way in to Baltimore.



Life-long Baltimore citizen, Great Aunt Louise Flanigan is over 100 years old!
This is the building her father built, The Ambassador, where she operated
a gift shop for almost 40 years before she got married at the age of 81.

Aunt Louise's remembers the other buildings going up and can name them.
Her father's company, Mullan Contracting Co.,  is now happily managed by descendants.

While we dined, we had the same conversation about five times.
(Aunt Louise has dementia.)
She said the same uplifting comments about everything again and again.
We should all be just as cheerful when we're 100!



Another good old restaurant is Pappas -voted best crab cakes!  (next to Phillips in the harbor)
Dede went with her Elementary school girlfriend, Lucy King.
She bought some of the crab cake spice for Pop, since airport security made her
throw away the 3.4oz hot sauce she picked up in the Keys. (Sorry Dad!)

Dad is ready to go! He lives just on the edge of Baltimore city and Towson.



This is Dede's genius friend Bob Crites, who went to music camp with her in 1974.
He now lives in a converted barn-estate in Mechanicsburg and works from home for IBM.
Pop & Dede were happy to accept the invitation to stop there overnight on our way up to Pennsylvania.
We sang a round in the silo, played piano, tennis, went swimming and Dede fell in love with his dancing daughter, Sara!



Brockway at last!
Dad's sister, Kathleen has enjoyed her back porch for decades.
Brockway, PA is a town that time never touches!



Our weekend cabins surround a campfire site in the middle.
We played a murder-mystery game until 2AM, where someone was (secretly) a murderer, a sheriff and a doctor.
You can never get enough of a good campfire with your family!




Ryan Mark (Dede's son) slowly waking up for breakfast with cousin Jessie smiling behind!
How can people in the same family wake up so differently!?

Dede's nephew Brian, with his two boys.
When the family reunions began, the kids running around were in Dede's generation.
Now they're the "old ones" who sit around and talk!
In Brockway time stands still, while we age.

Jack and Maryann, Pop's older sister.

Here's a happy clan: Liz (in the middle) is marrying into a family of two children later this summer.
These are their friends, along for the fun. Welcome to the family!



Ryan and Pop
Sight for Dede's sore eyes!



Ryan's tattoos (music and art).





Fabulous cousins, Dave and Anne.
In volleyball he's a BIG BLUE WALL at the net!



Swimming, canoeing, beaching and eating!
We had beautiful weather during the day!
(Rain came in with the night and our second-night campfire was unsuccessful. Boo Hoo!
Dede made an impromptu obstacle course in her cabin
and played duck-duck-goose (AKA "mi-mi-sol") with the little ones.)

Cousin Jesse, Brother-in-law Mike and Cousin Caitlin--college bound!

Cousin Jessie and boyfriend, building a house together!



Sister Beth's family! (youngest son, Sean was missed!)



Reda (husband), Pop's sister Jackie, Laura (wife)



The "old folks" sit around and talk!
We're glad they were there with us! --Wish there were more!
And we all remember fondly the ones who are no longer with us.

Dede's sister Beth n John bought property up in PA around the lake. 
Pop's thinking about it...for the future.

Dad, Pop, Moose, Poppy-Moose

Nittany Inn on PA Rt 144.
Great place to stop for a quick lunch or a snack on the ride home.



The King is in his castle, all's right with the world!
Pop spends most of his time in his chair--he could live just as happily in a motorcoach!



Pop and Dede drive up to Monkton, MD, walk up the old railroad trail
and float back down the river.
It rained full-out on us as we floated. Nothing to do but grin and get wet!



City of Baltimore on the way back to the airport.
Bye, bye, love!