7 Days in Washington DC and Tamaqua PA

Our old chalet in Tamaqua. We built it 
from a cedar kit in 1973. 

Lulu by Andrew Jackson.
The White House and Washington Monument 
line up.

The picnic pavilion at the park 
where we met in 1969. 

Lulu was invited to a gala event by the Fulbright Foundation in the Old Shoreham Hotel in Washington DC. They wanted previous Fulbright Scholars to attend. They were honoring Bono - and Lulu wanted to meet him. The Fulbright Foundation paid for Lulu's 6 month visit to China. 

We left Tallahassee at 3 pm. One of our flights was delayed and we missed a second flight so we did not get to our hotel until 10 pm. The Shoreham Hotel has beautiful grounds and it has hosted many grand events including Franklin Roosevelt's inaugural ball. 

Our event was Thursday night - Lulu got her wish and met Bono. He even sang for the event. Dr Fauci was there - as was Amy Klobaucher - the presidential candidate. The party went from 5 pm to 10 pm. I was already in bed from walking all over the city that day. 

Friday - we picked up our rental Honda HRV - and drove to Hegins to have a dinner with our friend Sally. We went past the sight of the big 60 car pile up on I-81. Friday night we pulled into Lulu's old homestead by Tamaqua. We spent 3 nights in Lulu's old bedroom - in a relatively small bed. I slept next to the elopement memorial window - looking out over the Appalachian Mountains. 

We visited with old friends - George and Mary Ruth Taylor - Bob and Nancy Henninger - Ben and Melanie Turrano - Ted Collins. We had meals at The Tamaqua Train Station and Dimaggio's Italian Restaurant. I took a drive over to Coaldale - Summit Hill - and Lansford. They are 3 of the 4 towns where my students lived. 

Lulu took her Mom shopping at Boscov's  and also visited Aunt Delores. We spent some time with Sister Lori and Niece Dana. Nancy went down to Allentown for a baby shower with family. 

We inspected the renovation of the little house behind the big house - where Betty lives. I got to examine the 3 story 24 x 20 chalet and shed that friend Ben Turrano built. 

The weather was cold - windy - cloudy - with some rain. It does not feel like spring there yet. Today it was 45 in Tamaqua and 75 in Tallahassee. 

Monday morning we drove our rental car to the Hilton by the Allentown Airport. We are there now - we had supper at Yocco's Hot Dogs. Now it is 10 pm - and the cousins are here at the Hilton swimming with Lulu. 

Tuesday morning at 6 am - we fly from Allentown to Atlanta to Tallahassee. We will drop the rental car off in the early morning. We can see the airport from our hotel. 

As long as Lulu had to come north for the Washington meeting - we figured we would extend it and visit friends and family here. 

Our next trip planned is in June. Lulu plans to take her sister and niece to Paris and London. It will be 3 girls in Paris - I will sit that one out at home. My next planned trip is back to Tamaqua in August - it will be an anniversary party with re-newed vows. If you missed the first wedding - don't miss the last one :-)

We still strip mine coal in Tamaqua.

Closed is Grande Pizza - 
the kids loved to drive the car there for lunch.

This is the mine where 
my Dad worked 1934-1959. 
They opened it again to strip mine. 

A Ukrainian Chapel at 
the Summit Hill Cemetery. 

Bob and Nancy Henninger
Bob taught with me for 30 years. 

Ted Collins has a spare house with pool. 
It will house the Everhart's this summer. 

Ted's gigantic addition by the pool. 

Lulu and I met at this pool in 1969. 
The real Summer of Love. 

Sally's restored Farmall Tractor

The tractor is as old as me. 
It spent 74 years on that farm.

The hotel where Lulu met Bono. 

Cherry Blossoms were in bloom.

Bono sang at the event. 
He was given an award.

I rode the Redline in DC from
the museums to our hotel.

I loved the art in the
Portrait Gallery.

Teddy Roosevelt

Harry Truman

Jack and Jackie 1957.

The second biggest crook
in the White House. 

The 4 Supremes. 

From Lincoln's porch

The most solemn spot in town. 

I love this last paragraph.

Howard Donald was my friend. 
He died in Vietnam on his
last day of a one year duty tour. 

55,000 Americans died in Vietnam. 

Women who served in Vietnam. 

World War II Memorial 

Lulu loves the Cherry Blossoms.

The Willard Hotel where the Jan 6th
crook leaders met. 

The church across from the White House 
where Trump only attended once
for a very short time.  

We visited this apartment.
The red brick building is where 
son's home is. 

The back of son's home.

The front of son's home. 

We had breakfast here at the 
Omni Shoreham Hotel.