Message from America

Hiya , we will be joining u in the good ole US of A tomorrow , We were in California in May , great ! We are flying to Detroit then up to the great lakes Michigan Coast, Cleveland,Pennsylvania, Gettysberg big loop round then back to Detroit and home . We are away for 5 weeks how about you? Enjoy Bigtime .

Lucky Devils.

I knowwww , big xxxx

Glad you're enjoying yourself, gillieb

Heading off end of this week for big family reunion at the Jersey shore (translation: New Jersey sea side). With half the family religious right wing Republicans and the rest of us Liberal Democrats (US version, not UK Lib Dems), I have vowed that there will be NO political /religious discussions - at least none in which I'll be participating. . . .what are the chances. . .??

You ho girl , enjoy big time

I'll let you know how this works out

Hello again - found my way back to the computer. We are here until Friday and then driving to Scottsdale in Arizona for a week. We just love California and Arizona. We know that we will have a drive up to Sedona whilst we are in Scottsdale - and have lunch in the Coffee Pot.

Nonu - that's a part of the States I don't really know - but how I envy you.

YankeeGran - I hope you can avoid the politics. Big news this morning here is the American Ambassador's death and how Romney is handling it. I do wish they would keep politics out of things like this.

Oh well, the pool is calling me (yesterday it was cloudy so we went for a drive up into the mountains). Today the "marine layer" has burned away the cloud, so it's lovely again.

Bye for now.

YankeeGran - I know the Jersey Shore well - particularly Cape May. The grandkids love Wildwood !

As for the politics - I know exactly what you mean, best not to go there. Just enjoy your big family reunion.

Do we have any American Grans that belong to Grans Net or even European Grans??it would be good to hear about there lifestyles and there family issues...Lillian

It would, wouldn't it lillian. That's what so great about the www (and GN) - it brings cultures and lifestyles together in a way that was previously unheard of.

hello all , just finishing wih 'pure Michigan' as they call it. What a beautiful State , air so clean and fresh . Headiing now for Pennsylvania and Gettysburg. take care

Lillian, several of us live in France, Margaret lives in Germany, Juragran is Swiss and lives back in Switzerland, several members are 'Down Under' (I will be joining them in a few years). There may be others I have forgotten, or some who haven't posted their whereabouts.

Are we related ??? My cousins will all be at their lovely house on Barnagate Island, NJ - for Thanksgiving, lovely people - but politics

Hello from sunny Phoenix (or Scottsdale if you want to be pedantic).

I can't believe that we only have until Friday and then we will be flying home. We are having a fantastic time; wonderful weather, lovely people - what more could you want?

Sometime today I am having to search out a present for my 3 and a half month old GD - her mum wants me to get something called a wubbernuck (that might be the wrong word, but it is something like that). Evidently it is a dummy with a toy attached! There is a little bit of friction in my DS's household as he hates dummies and my GD uses one (he is sensible in that he doesn't say too much, just pulls a face!). I think the idea of this thing is that they start off with the dummy but then go on to use the toy - anyway, my DIL has sent me the addresses of several stores where I can buy it, so that's today's job (after the pool, etc.)

Bye for now.

Since I last poted we drove through North Pennslyvania through the Allegenteny forest, so beautiful and the colours of leaves asre as good as in New England any day . We ended up at Gettysberg where the civil war ended and Lincoln gave his famous speech . Itis a State Park which are always good value and put for me the Civil War into perpective . We toured the battlefields this morning , but I think they would be more meaningful to the Americans to see if their State was mentioned . We then headed for Hersey where the chocolate is made , we thought it might be be a bit naff but it wasn't at all , it was very tastefully done . Tommorrow we are off to Pittsburgh and the Laurel Highlands where we will be seeing a FLW property Kentuck Knob , one of the few we haven't seen Happiness ,

Nonu So glad you are enjoying your trip it sounds fab.

thanks Glam.
u a poppet , one final thing , the weather is great 80d. every day

We saw Kentuck Knob, it was g reat as all FLW properties are, strangely enough it is owned by Lord Palumbo and has been for the last 25 years , they used it as a family Summer home then decided to open to the public . It also had a good sculpture garden with works by English sculptors , Andy Goldsworthy and Sir Antony Cro , among many others . Yesterday saw us in West Virginia where we had a lovely drive through Monongahela National forest [beautiful leaf colours] and then on through the Allegheny Mountains [different part to the forest as when we were in PA] to our nights stop . Today off to Kentucky to see the 'Kentucky Fried Chicken ' Colonel Saunders Museum , supposed to be quite atmospheric , We then go to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park , a natural passageway used by migrating deer and bison, it also served as a gateway to the West for Daniel Boone and other pioneers . Mr Nonu is obviously quite pleased as he is able to watch the Ryder Cup . This is quite quick as I can onlt post where there is a computer as I didn't bring my laptop . Happiness [smile and sunshine ]

Nonu Lovely that you're having such a great time - the National Parks sound fabulous.

I'm glad you're having fun, nonu. I quite envy you seeing the lovely autumn colours. The eastern USA is renowned for its autumn colours. Are you taking photographs?

one day ago in Knoxville Tennessee, where we found a Vietnamese Restaurant, for ou favourite 'pho' sort of noodle soup . The proprietor was very charming and told us his life story of how he escaped from Vietnam on a boat when he was 20 ended up in Hong Kong and eventually ended up in Utah. Then on to Pigeon Forge where Dolly Parton has a theme park, we didn't go in but the town has expanded hugely since we where their last 7 years or so . Then on to Great Smokey State park through the great smokey mountains. Watched agreat film about S.M , how it was developed into a national Park and the Cherokee Nations were driven out to Athens N.Carolina - known as the 'trail of tears' -- verry sad. Tonight at Greenville , South Carolina . Everything is going great , lots of sights and good times . Weather still in 80's Butternut and Bags thanks for thoughts , we don't take a lot of pictures as we don't find our camera really does them justice . Happiness and

I'm a bit like that when travelling, nonu – too busy looking and enjoying to take photographs. Sounds like a busy time you're having

nonu I'm thoroughly enjoying your 'travels in America' posts - refreshing and interesting. Continue to enjoy, as I know you will!