CHRISTMAS IN PENNSYLVANIA

25 December 12

Quakertown, PA

Santa's Reindeer at the Mall in Allentown

Not much going on since last post other than a lot of sight-seeing and a lot of eating…..way too much of the latter.

To say that Dahleen and I have enjoyed the last couple of weeks in PA would be an understatement.  We have traveled to NYC for the day; been to the touristy border towns on the Delaware River of New Hope, PA - Lambertville, NJ; visited the huge mall complex of at King of Prussia; and several other places that are especially cool at Christmas.

We want to wish all our family and friends a Merry CHRISTmas and always remember Jesus is THE reason for the season.  Happy Birthday, Jesus; and Merry Christmas to all.    

I may post another, more detailed blog-post later, but till then here are a few photos taken during these visits:

On the way back from New Hope, PA-Lambertville, NJ

Christmas decorations at the King of Prussia Mall in PA.

Dahleen at King of Prussia Mall

 Reindeer are popular in Pennsylvania     :-)

Dahleen, Rudolph, and Vixen

SCENIC PENNSYLVANIA

9 Dec 12
Quakertown, PA

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF

SCENIC QUAKERTOWN,  PA

From the hotel window 

Fall in Quakertown

River flowing thru the colors.

Cool looking bridge

 Another river shot

 A lot like East Tennessee in the fall.

More Autumn Colors

 Lots of farms and crops

Farmland on rolling hills with fall colors in the background.

Really nice shot of a ice/snow storm result.

 Just starting to snow...from the hotel window.

EATING LIKE A HOG IN QUAKERTOWN

20 Nov 12
Quakertown, PA

On of these days, if I ever do leave the area, I will come back up to York County, PA area just to eat.  There are so many excellent restaurants that we have found, and I am sure a lot we have yet to discover.  I mean lip-smacking-good places to eat.  One of my friends used to say of any particular dish that was tasty, “If I put it on top of my head my tongue would beat my brains out trying to get to it.”  (Thanks, Chuck Nabors).  Yes, food up here is that good. 

Things I love….. French onion soup with baked mozzarella cheese on top (Bubba’s); a great lobster bisque soup (McCool’s); HUGE, stuffed calzones (Faraco’s); a juicy hamburger (the local 5 Guys); a tender, juicy pork roast smothered in mushroom gravy (Spinnerstown Inn Restaurant); big, juicy hot wings with a great selection of spicy sauces (Wally’s); tasty shrimp fried rice, sweet sour thai spiced shimp, almond chicken (Best Food in Town ((chinese take out restaurant)) ).

I can’t wait till Dahleen gets here to take her to all these places to eat.  There are a few of them that I can’t remember their name right now….maybe I will think of them and edit later. 

A small sample of pictorial evidence of the goodness is posted below !!   J

The ham, pepperoni, onion, and 5 cheese calzone from Faraco's.

The Picture really doesn't show just how big this thing is.  

The BEST French onion soup I have ever eaten...from Bubba's Pot Bellied Stove Restaurant.

Bubba's Potbellied Stove

Faraco's Pizza

McCool's Pub at Red Lion Inn

Spinnerstown Inn Restaurant

Wally's Wicked Wings

Red Robin

5 Guys Burgers and Fries

Best Food in Town

(Chinese T/O in Trainers shopping center behind 5 GUYS)

Italian Restaurant in Greenville ? ? ?

S-61N TRAINING FOR AFGHANISTAN

12 Nov 12
Quakertown, PA

Sikorsky S-61N over rural Pennsylvania

I finished S-61 ground school over the past week + and am now waiting for the flight training.  It appears that will be quite some time.  We were told there was a flight training backlog here, but not exactly how much of a backlog.  Try 2 more months.  I am eager to get finished, so I can get gone, so I can get back.  (I know, poor grammar………. but effective)  Oh well, getting paid (well) to do absolutely nothing for 2 months isn’t the worst of things. 

We hang out, go to the movies a couple of times a week, drive around and see the sights.  And get paid.  I think I am going to have Dahleen come up and stay a week or two around Thanksgiving.   We will visit historic Philadelphia, maybe go to NYC, and just enjoy the area and each other. 

This area does remind me of the foothills and rolling terrain of East TN.  There are a lot of farms nearby and it is relatively rural here.  That seems a little strange since we are only about an hour from downtown Philly. 

Cranking up for a training flight.

N745AW inside the hanger being pre-flighted.

A little pre-flight instruction....

The S-61 makes the Blackhawk seem tiny.  

Shutting down after a flight.