Monday, June 18, 2007

Father's Day Weekend

The four hour drives, on Friday up to Pennsylvania and on Sunday back, were wearing, but the time in between was wonderful.

My brothers-in-law are great to visit with, and very gracious hosts. Upon arrival at their house, I promptly collapsed. A couple of hour's nap did wonders for improving my disposition.

(Does a bulletin go out just before I take a road trip asking every idiot driver on the Eastern Seaboard to please line my route and proceed to tailgate, switch lanes erratically, speed up, slow down and just generally make nuisances of themselves. I swear, one must.)

Whilst I slept, everyone else walked around beautiful downtown New Hope, PA and equally picturesque Lambertville, NJ. Monkeyboy got to see an old railroad engine that's being restored, and got to spend time being the center of his uncles' attention. He loved it.

That night, RFB's brother made us a sumptuous meal on the grill. Then we all watched Ice Age in hi-def. I forgot how laugh-out-loud funny that movie is.

Saturday in Philly was great. A hilarious ride down in a hybrid-car outfitted with GPS navigation, plus a driver and front seat passenger whose faux bickering are at least as funny as Oscar Madison and Felix Unger ever were.

Brunch was at a diner in the neighborhood L. lived at while he was in veterinary school. And then on to the Franklin Museum complex and King Tut.

RFB had arranged not only 5 tickets, but also five walking audio tour dealymabobs. The narration was done by Omar Sharif and was very informative.

With a little time to kill, Monkeyboy got a chance to play at every hands-on station in the "Physics of Sports" gallery. (So did I). And we both got to ride a "sky bike". That's a bicycle on a steel cable tightrope, suspended three stories above the museum's 1st floor. It's perfectly safe, and there's a net underneath, besides. It was way cool, and RFB's heart should start beating again any minute.

L. and B. had made reservations for us at a lavish restaurant on a boat permanently moored at the harbor. All four adults had decadent meals and desserts. Monkeyboy had grilled cheese, french fries and the most chocolatiest dessert you ever saw. Chocolate cake? Check. Chocolate sorbet? Check. Chocolate pastry? Check.

By the time we got back to New Hope, we were almost ready for bed, but caught about half of "Hail, Hail Rock and Roll" on one of MTV's Hi-Def channels. I never get tired of that flick. And the more we watched, the more Monkeyboy got it that Captain Jack Sparrow was partially based on Keith Richard.

Sunday morn, I was presented with a really cool kaleidoscope RFB and Monkeyboy had bought in town on Friday, while I napped. It's beautiful. (A toy for Father's Day. Ya think they know their customer?)

Then it was time to pile back into the car and dodge imbecile drivers on the return trip home, but not before L. and B. put on one more foodfest, this time featuring home-squozed OJ, yummy french toast, and sliced fruit and whole blueberries in milk.

Wowie-zowie, what a great weekend.

Hope yours was, too.

10 comments:

laura b. said...

Your weekend sounds amazing! I think I would have been very happy to have Monkeyboy's meal...especially the chocolatiest dessert ever.
A belated Happy Father's Day to you.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like good times, sounds like a very happy fathers day was in hand. By the way, happy fathers day.

About that bulletin, I just hope I spelled your name right!

Moonbeam said...

Wowie....I'm pooped just reading about your weekend. Sounds wunnerful.

That bike thingie sounds like an adventure and a Kodak moment. I am the "chicken" type that gets a thrill out of the hydraulic Star Wars Tour space ride at Disneyland where you feel like your rollercoasting thru outerspace at warp speed in a fighter plane, but you are really just buckled in your seat bouncing on hydraulic hootywhompers. There was a similar one at the Hilton in Vegas that is a hoot too, Star Trek. Those I Love.

Anyhooo.....glad you had a hoot of a Father's Day with the Mummies, etc. Also, I bet that weekend more than made up for Monkeyboy missing the last day of school.

David in DC said...

Dictated by Monkeyboy:

l.b.: I'll see if I can e-mail some of my dessert to you. Hope ya have a nice week.

evil-e: I hope I spelled my dad's name right, too. Hope ya have a nice week.

Moonbeam: I'm glad you were happy with the post. I was on that Star Wars thing, too (at DisneyWorld) and it was fun! Hope ya have a nice week.

mielikki said...

How perfect is it that Omar Sharif was the narrator of the King Tut exhibition. I couldn't think of anyone better (unless your resusitate Tut.)
Your weekend sounds like it was the perfect way to spend Father's Day. Happy belated to you.

Bubblewench said...

I live here and haven't seen that exhibit, I better get a move on!!! Sounds like an awesome weekend! And I love New Hope too - grew up around there.

Mrs. Hairy Woman said...

Wow Sounds like an awesome weekend... it's always nice to be able to spend it with family...

Ezer K'negdo said...

Eating and sleeping all weekend? Sounds ideal to me!

Val said...

Good for you! Sounds wonderful!

Churlita said...

I. Am. so. Jealous.