PHILADELPHIA EXCURSION WITH FRIENDS

In 2006 I read "THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN" and his life fascinated me. 

Last year, I read "BOOK OF AGES: THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF JANE FRANKLIN" (BEN's Sister) and enjoyed additional tidbits about BEN's life (and Jane's life). 

Over the years I've heard CHARLIE MUNGER (billionaire WARREN BUFFETT's business partner) refer to the witticisms of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. CHARLIE even wrote a book titled "POOR CHARLIE'S ALMANAC" (in respect to FRANKLIN'S book, "POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC").

Startled that BEN came from such a large family (17 children) and that he left Boston for PHILADELPHIA at the very young age of 17, I've always felt a fascination for the man - particularly for his knowledge, creativity, and sense of humor. Plus, he was such an important figure in the formation of our country - and all of this happened in PHILADELPHIA no less!

So I added to my "60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's" list, to visit the BEN FRANKLIN MUSEUM in PHILADELPHIA one of these days.......

It's always more fun to travel and learn new things with friends, so I invited a group to join me. MARIA and her friend PAM, ANNA, MERRY and I all traveled by train to visit the museum.

Can't we all visualize BEN FRANKLIN wearing his circular glasses?

A list of SOME of his ACCOMPLISHMENTS!

I found particular humor in his "DAILY WINE CONSUMPTION" chart.  Below is for one month....... my kind of guy!

The start of PARASAILING??

And swimming FLIPPERS???

This PLASTER BUST of FRANKLIN is amazing - particularly because the artist hadn't met him yet!!

Don't you LOVE the tag-line "MIND YOUR BUSINESS" on one of these coins he designed?

Ahhhh..... the old CARRIAGE!

Right beside the MUSEUM is his ORIGINAL POST OFFICE (far right).

Original WIDE-PLANK FLOORS with SQUARE-HEADED NAILS!!

EXAMPLES of the dress of POSTAL WORKERS through the years (1700, 1775, 1868, and 1873).

Also beside the MUSEUM is an example and demo of his PRINTING PRESS.

Some "PHILADELPHIA STREET ART" we enjoyed as we walked to lunch.

Lunch at HIGH STREET MARKET was EXCELLENT. 

Homemade soups and breads - DELICIOUS! 

Take a look at the size of the OTHER HALF of my PASTRAMI ON RYE (with COLESLAW and SPICY MUSTARD) that I enjoyed the next day!

AFTER LUNCH we took a quick tour of the BETSY ROSS HOUSE, which many visited during their Elementary School field trip.  Somehow several of us had missed that opportunity.......

She made the FIRST AMERICAN FLAG (in secret) - usually in her room upstairs, so she wouldn't be "found out".

The house is TINY, as are the rooms. The TINY CIRCULAR STAIRCASES were a challenge to maneuver, and there were several of them!  Why so many in such a small house??

Notice the original WIDE-PLANKED, WOOD FLOORS here.
BEAUTIFUL!

Let me know if you try out her recipe for TURKEY POT PIE!

I love the COLONIAL OPEN STOVE in their kitchen.

We all agreed that we prefer MILK instead of water with our CHOCOLATE!!

Our last stop before heading back home on the train was ELFRETH'S ALLEY - home to many ARTISANS in the COLONIAL DAYS.  Written on the Historical sign there is:

"An exceptional collection of early American structures, built 1720's - 1830's, the alley contained the homes and shops of diverse artisans. Later, working-class immigrants lived here and labored in nearby industries. 

Residents began preservation efforts in 1934."

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND a visit to these PHILADELPHIA TREASURES. Even if you DID see them in Elementary School, it might be time for another visit.  They are each WONDERFUL.

JOAN

IT'S A MIRACLE

A little over 2 weeks ago, I had a cortisone shot in my low back. I was a bit scared to do it, but physical therapy wasn't doing much, nor was massage.  An MRI a few months ago confirmed that I have "issues" and am a candidate for cortisone shots before I consider surgery.  

AND IT WORKED!!!!  

I can now stand for over an hour without having to take a break. It used to be perhaps 5-10 min before I'd have to sit down. SHOPPING had become so unpleasant for me (HORRORS!!) and WALKING on my "excursions around the world" had literally become torture - until I could find a place to "sit for a few"........

I feel so fortunate to have this option and have high hopes that it will last longer than the 3 months that they say is typical. This year is filled with travel plans and I can literally visualize myself walking without pain now. Whoohoo!

IT'S A MIRACLE!!!!

JOAN

BUCKET LIST - LIFTOFF!!

When I was in high school (Good God, that was a long time ago!), I thought it would be neat to work in the SPACE INDUSTRY. After seeing the first man WALK ON THE MOON when I was in elementary school, I then always felt a sense of wonder and excitement about "SPACE" and the possibilities of new discoveries. So it's kinda like FOREVER since I've wanted to see a "SHUTTLE LIFTOFF" in person.

NASA stopped sending up SHUTTLES in 2011. At the moment it's only "ROCKETS" that are sent out into space, so I adjusted my BUCKET LIST to see a "ROCKET LIFTOFF".

A few years ago, my friend Merry and I traveled to NASA's SPACE CENTER in WALLOPS, MD to see one, but it was cancelled and not rescheduled for that weekend. DARN IT! (We had fun anyway of course......)

I'm physically more MOBILE this year, and have BIG PLANS to check off some items on my BUCKET LIST. 

I made plans in early February to travel to Florida later in the month so I MADE IT HAPPEN to coordinate my trip with the date of a ROCKET LIFTOFF from CAPE CANAVERAL during my stay. YIPPPEEE!!!

Naturally we decided to spend the morning touring THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER and then head over to the viewing area at 3:00 for the LIFTOFF scheduled for 5:02.

They have a tribute to ATLANTIS (1985) - our second-to-last SPACE SHUTTLE built. It's 33rd and FINAL MISSION was NASA'S LAST SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION (2011).

We took a "BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR", which I highly recommend. It takes you into NASA-SECURED areas on CAPE CANAVERAL.

These 2 buildings are where ROCKETS are assembled.

ELON MUSK is very interested in the SPACE INDUSTRY and is building a company, SPACEX, whose building is on CAPE CANAVERAL. He plans to send a ROCKET TO MARS within the next 2 years. Did you hear about the one he sent up in early February with a RED TESLA at the helm? It will be in orbit for hundreds of millions of years. AMAZING!!

In the background you can see the actual LANDING PAD that houses the ROCKET/SHUTTLE that sent our men to the MOON. ELON MUSK is now leasing this LAUNCH PAD for his own ROCKETS.

The launch pad framework that surrounds a ROCKET is being constructed. Compare it's size to the dumpsters below the construction.

It's hard to get a feel for how big this building is, which houses ROCKETS being built. They provide some stats in the 2nd photo to give you some perspective.

A road leading up to a LAUNCH PAD. The 2 gravel paths to the left are used to move the ROCKET on a TRANSPORTER to the LAUNCH PAD.  The left wheel of the TRANSPORTER is on the left gravel path and the right wheel is on the right gravel path. The TRANSPORTERS are THAT wide.

WALT DISNEY was passionate about the SPACE INDUSTRY. When he was alive, he donated to NASA the bushes in this picture, which they have sculpted into spelling NASA.

Our next stop was the SATURN V building with a duplicate SATURN V ROCKET (1967-1973) hanging from the ceiling. It's ENORMOUS!! 

These CONTROL PANELS, set up near the building entrance, are the actual CONTROL PANELS men worked at when we sent our men to the MOON.

Time to board the bus that will take us to the PRIVATE VIEWING AREA for the 5:02 LAUNCH!!  We were sitting just under 2.5 miles from the LAUNCH PAD.

There it is.  Right in the middle of the photo. With 2 tall lightning rods on either side of the ROCKET.

And for your VIEWING PLEASURE, 2 videos that I took, so that you can imagine being there in person yourself. Note that there was a 30-40 second delay in the audio for security reasons. 

What may sound like WIND, was actually the sound of the LIFTOFF breaking the sound barrier.

THIS experience was a real THRILL for me!  

One more item on my list of "60 THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN MY 60's" - CHECK!!

JOAN