Getting Going - Part II

At midnight, Ellery and I took our places just past security and waited for Jordan to arrive. And waited. The screen said her plane had landed, but there was no Jordan. Evidently, the screen did not say what had actually happened … “the plane is delayed pulling into the gate.” But, eventually, this tiny pixie of a person emerged through the doors. She saw us before we saw her and there she was. Ellery whispered, “no one looks like they do on Facebook, do they?” Jordan did, but I think both Ellery and I were surprised that she was no taller than us. Those height genes that their biological father had – definitely recessive.

Driving home, Jordan kept remarking, “this is so cool!” She eyed Java on Christian as we neared home so Tuesday morning that’s where we headed for breakfast.

As I still hadn’t packed, and had several errands to run, and because I thought the girls should get to know each other without motherly intervention, off they went for a brief intro to Philadelphia’s history, walking to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center, with a stop back a Rita’s on South Street for the obligatory Philly water ice. (As a vegetarian, cheesesteaks were not on the list for Jordan).

So, it was time to go. After brief introductions between Jordan and Tanya, we headed to the next neighborhood watering hole for lunch – where else but the New Wave. Somehow it was fitting – the Wave was where I ate every Monday when I was pregnant; it was the first place I went to after Ellery was born, it was probably the first place I had taken Ellery as an infant, so now it was Jordan’s turn.

We eventually hit the road around 1:30, at which time Jordan piped up from the back seat, “I’ve never seen mountains. We don’t have them in Florida.” Well, actually, we don’t have them in Eastern Pennsylvania either, notwithstanding the fact that they call the Poconos “mountains.” No worries though – there will be plenty of awe-inspiring mountains on this trip. In any event, we made it to Lake Harmony just after 3. Unfortunately, they were treating the lake so we couldn’t take the boat out. Instead, after a brief tour of our house and the meadow behind, the girls put on their bathing suits, and hopped into the lake, first and then, with a bit of instruction from Ellery, kayaking. Given how little Ellery kayaks, it was an interesting choice of diversions.

After that brief interlude, it was dinner at home (a pizza that we had picked up at New Wave) and then the two of them made the obligatory evening stroll to Hog Heaven for ice cream.

The evening ended with me upstairs reading, while the two of them played monopoly in the living room. There was something very cool about that – as only children, neither probably played many board games. But here they were, doing what siblings do.

It was a very cool first day.

written by

shoshtrvls on July 12, 2011 from Lake Harmony, United States

from the travel blog: All Around The Country (2011)

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