Williamsburg Vacation

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  I've been vacationing.   Yeah yeah...use it or lose it time at work and I am NOT losing vacation time.  I also instinctively knew that for my own mental sanity and emotional well being that I had to DO something.  Sitting at home and loafing would NOT be good (Weekends are bad enough sometimes).  So what did I do?  I came to Williamsburg for a few days.  Luckily I had a freebie through the hotel booking site (saved up from who knows how long) and I was able to score a sweet deal on a nice hotel room.

This post will NOT be about diet and exercise, it will be about mental health and how important that is for us.   I DID walk quite a bit....not as much as my days in Philadelphia the other week....but I did probably walk 20-30 miles in the last 4 days.  (without pulling out my phone to check, I don't have an exact figure lol).  My eating...well....there is an awesome cupcakery that I stumbled upon.....and much to my shame I went there twice....and the  new donut place down the street from my hotel got hit up once!   I did however resist the lure of a milkshake last night...that counts for something, right????

Ok, back to the good stuff............

Saturday was my drive here day.....and I decided to stop by and see some plantations.   First up in my travels was the Shirley Plantation.  It was actually my second pick to see, but the first plantation that I came upon...so I went there first.    This plantation has the distinction of being one of the earliest worked plantations in the 'new world'.  I believe that they said it was chartered within 6 years of Jamestown being settled.  It has also been in the same family since that time.....and while I toured the downstairs of the plantation, the descendants of that original family still live on the other floors.  The docent was tickled to announce that the next generation of the family is due to arrive in the spring.  This plantation is superbly well maintained!

Shirley Plantation Main House

The next stop on my tour was the Berkeley Plantation.  This was the plantation that I had chosen for my top pick of must see plantations.  Why?   For a while it was owned by the Harrison family.   The Harrison family that boasted a signer of the declaration of independence and two presidents.  This plantation has had a much more difficult life than the Shirley Plantation and has changed hands quite a few times.   It is presently also privately owned and the upper floors are maintained as a family residence.

I at that point decided it was time to go explore Williamsburg for a bit, check into my hotel and grab a bite to eat.  (Yeah, I skipped lunch so by the time I was done with the second plantation I was ready to eat!)  

The next day I woke up bright and early and headed to Jamestown.  I toured Historic Jamestown in the morning.

Monument at Historic Jamestown

I explored a bit until it was time for a history talk.  The living history for the day (time that I could attend) was John Rolfe.  This living history dude was FANTASTIC.  It was supposed to be a 30 minute talk and he held his audiences attention for an hour and a half and I know I for one would have listened for much longer.

Living History

After 'John Rolfe' (and in case you don't know....he came to Jamestown a few years after it was originally settled.....he is the one that effectively brought peace between the Indians and the settlers via his marriage to Pocahontas) I finished my tour of the historic site. I made it a point to visit the Archeariaum.  FABULOUS.....basically it is a museum with tons of the artifacts that they have uncovered during their ongoing archeological digs.   Yes, I was very happy with my morning at Historic Jamestown!

Next up for the day?   The glassblowing, which is always neat to watch....and then onward to Jamestown Settlement.   I was most excited to revisit the ships at Jamestown Settlement.  You see, I must have been 7 or 8 the last time I was in the Williamsburg area, and the ships are one of the few things I actually remembered well.   Yeah, a lot changed (and probably even different ships as who knows if they were the same ones) in 35 years.   The settlement was interesting to walk through (although their living history people were probably the least friendly and informative of all the ones I came across in the last 4 days).  The museum however, was very well done!

Exhausted I finished out Jamestown, grabbed some food and headed to the hotel to relax...but not before searching out a geocache or two!  (ok, and it was Sunday.....I had to watch The Walking Dead!)

Monday dawned and I was up and ready to roll.  I was ready to head into battle.  Yorktown Battlefield.  I arrived at the Yorktown Battlefield with NO prior knowledge about this battle.  I assumed it was Revolutionary War....but I wasn't sure.  (You see, in all of the sites I have visited in the last few days ...there is reference to the Civil war.....it happened and had an impact on everything...but the interpretation that the sites is telling is Revolutionary and or Colonial era.)

View of redoubt 9 from the British lines

Inside Redoubt 9.....British at the beginning and overtaken by the French and Americans to protect their flanks

Moore House, location of the meeting between higher level officials to write out the terms of the British Surrender

Graveyard at the Moore House.

I was less impressed with The Yorktown Victory Center.  I will say it was probably because of the remodel and reconstruction of the museum.   Who knows....but lets say I didn't even pull out my camera.  I grabbed a geocache or two on this day also!  :-)

Woo hooo...the main day for Colonial Williamsburg Arrived.  I hot footed it and was able to accomplish almost everything on my to do list for this site.  (I will go back today to pick up the last one or two things I need to see....and maybe a wee geocache or two that I was too preoccupied to grab yesterday)

In no particular order.......  I actually visited the Bruton Parish Church twice.  The first time was just as I ambled (or ran depending on how you look at my day) through Colonial Williamsburg.  It is a find old church that is still an active church.   I went back in the evening to attend a pipe organ concert...and what a fun way to spend and evening on vacation.  The church is actually the second building....this 'new' building replaced the white clapboard building in 1715!

Bruton Parish Church

Colonial Williamsburg Capital.   Yes, the capital of Virginia was originally in Williamsburg before the power was transferred to Richmond.

Capital Building

The Governors Palace was also on the agenda.  I was impressed with the weapon collection..that was artfully displayed

Weapons in Governors Palace

Ahh The Public Hospital.  Neat little display, but more importantly to my day, the entrance to the two art museums.  I had looked at the museums and knew that I wanted to walk through the quilt display....and the keyboarded instruments exhibit (I adore harpsichords) and the dollhouse exhibit.  Furthermore, I wanted to do the docent led talk about the dollhouses.  Yup....well worth it!

Public Hospital

The rest of the day was spent visiting other buildings in the historic town. The jail, numerous houses, the courthouse, the magazine, and tons of tradesmens shops. The neatest visit was to the brickyard....fascinating!!!!

Colonial Williamsburg

And of course over the few days I took some fun pictures just form me, things that caught my eye and made me smile.  :-)

 I head home at some point today.  That means that tomorrow morning I face the scales and see how badly the Smallcakes cupcakery hurt the weight loss efforts.  I also strayed from the eating regularly dealio.  I typically at breakfast and then was so busy getting the site seeing done that I skipped lunch ad opted for an eary dinner, and then took a snack home (this is where the cupcakery and another bakery came into play ha ha ha).  The walking counter-acted the damage in Philly.....lets hope it does so here too!

So it goes

Blasted stupid scales!   I do weigh myself somewhat regularly.  I know that there will be fluctuations.  They happen for various reasons.  They can happen because of sodium in my diet, excess food eaten, monthly cycles......so many reasons.  I know this and I accept it.  But today was one of those days where I just wanted to scream.   This week actually.   On my official weigh in on Wednesday I showed up four tenths of a pound from last week......I've maintained my weight the last two weeks... staying within 2/10 of a pound from where I was two weeks ago.  I can accept a maintain, but I don't WANT a maintain, I want a loss.  So yesterday I drug myself to the gym and worked out.  I ate totally on target!  I was tight with what I ate.  I was on top of it!  And this morning?   My weight was up!!!!  GAH, how disgusting is that????

Oh well, I KNOW it is just a number.  I know that this simple number is only a reflection on that exact minute and not a reflection on my efforts.  I also know that my efforts WILL eventually show on the scales!   SO moving on!

I woke up this morning.  It was a run morning.  I was ready!  I checked the weather and saw that I had a window of opportunity to run outside before the rain began.  Wooo hoo...no gym visit needed, I could run outside!  I got myself ready to go...I went upstairs and looked out the window.  It was dry as a bone outside.  I put my shoes on and talked to my mom for a few minutes.  I stood up to leave....and low and behold it was raining.   GRRRR  I looked at the time......talking had eaten up the extra minutes I would have needed to give me time to go to the gym to get my run in.   GRRRRRR   OK, no worries.  Fridays rest day was swapped with Thursday's run!   I've got this!

That said, I came home from work STARVING tonight and I may have indulged a little bit.  I'm not proud of it...but it is life.  I will NOT let it rule me though.  It's done and over....and well.....as badly as I don't want to do it....I guess I better go check my calories for the day!   264 calories over.   It could have been worse FOR SURE!

Moving along

I had an epiphany at Zumba last night.   Ok actually I had a few epiphanies!

Let me start by saying that I have a rather large gap of time between work and my zumba class on Monday nights.  Enough time to go home....for 20 minutes (but would I leave home to go back out?)  There is nothing between work and zumba...it's countryside.  So I end up going to the parking lot and sitting there reading or napping for the hour and a half.  It wasn't too bad in the summer or early fall.  But let me tell you, last night I got COLD and I realized that I couldn't do that too much longer.  It left me wondering how to deal with that time.   

Welcome epiphany number one!    I would drive by zumba and go the extra 10 minutes and go to the gym!   I could get to the gym by 4:15-4:20.   I would have an hour at the gym.....If I left by 5:15 I would have MORE than plenty time to get back by 5:30 which would leave me a half hour before class to rest and shoot the breeze with my com-padres.   Brilliant!

Yes, the thought of doing a workout at the gym and then immediately following it up with a zumba class did make me step back for a few seconds (minutes?) and think.  But I quickly decided that of course I could do it.  I could do a lighter workout at the gym for that hour. I'm not sure I would want to run for the whole hour but maybe a ride on the exercise bike?   Walk on the treadmill?  Something less vigorous for sure.  Why not?   Our bodies are capable of a whole lot more than we give them credit for.   As I squatted, lunged, jumped and danced my way through the class, my mind was going a mile a minute.  Why?   Epiphany number two!!!!

My second epiphany was this?   If I run in the morning there is nothing to keep me from doing a lighter workout in the evening.  If I'm paying for the gym, why not immerse myself in it fully.  I'm usually awake by 6AM.   I usually lay around being a bum until such a time that I am required to get up to get ready for work (a few hours sometimes) or until it is do or die time...meaning I have to go run right then and there or risk not having time to complete it and shower before working.  (And yes, my coworkers usually appreciate when I shower before work).  So get my butt out of bed and to the gym. (On run days if it is nice definitely run outside!)   But why can't I swing by the gym some evenings and pick up a second little workout?  I'm not saying to go and do anything outrageous and crazy and hurt myself....but why not?

You see.....a few weeks back I drew a line in the sand and said I was going to lose a set amount of weight before Christmas.  It was a lofty goal of 25 pounds in something like 10 weeks.    I have 6 weeks and about 18 pounds left to lose to make that goal.   YIKES!  I better get cracking!

So last night before turning off the light and calling it a night, I set my alarm for 6AM.  I knew running outside would be iffy because they were calling for rain....but not worries, the gym is just a few minutes away.   I woke up and boy did I NOT want to go.  I was feeling miserable and sorry for myself (yeah yeah yeah...shush up...I'm allowed those days...the cycle affects it somewhat too!).  But after just a few minutes in bed I drug myself up and got ready to run.   I had checked the weather and it looked like I would have a window until about 8AM to avoid the rain.....I was running on the roads!  WOO HOOO!    I made it upstairs and looked outside....drizzling.  Hmmmm...I don't mind running in the rain when it's 80 or 90 degrees outside...but when the temp is 40 degrees?   When I have access to a treadmill?   I changed my plans and went to the gym. 

I had set a plan of 3 miles.  I started and ran the first two miles at my normal pace.   I so wanted to stop when I hit the two mile mark.  In fact, I actually slowed to a walk and had almost mostly decided to call it quits, or at the bare minimum walk out the last mile.   But then I started to think about how long it would take to walk that mile.  I also started to think about how I had set a 3 mile goal.  So after just a tenth of a mile of walking I cranked it back up to my running pace.   The minutes were dragging.  And then I had another wonderful epiphany!!!   If I run faster, I can get the torture over with that much quicker!  So I cranked up the speed even further!  One more time I cranked it up further.   Admittedly, I would run at my fast clip one or two tenths of a mile and then I would have to back it down a bit....but after just a few seconds of respite, I would crank it back up.  I wanted to be DONE!  And done I was.....after a little bit of sweat and torture.  But ok, I can see how this will be to my advantage to push myself faster to get it done with as I have to fall back on treadmill runs! 

Dreams

We have choices with our dreams.   We can dream and do nothing to make the dreams come true.   We can dream and plan to make the dreams come true.  Or we can dream, plan and DO!

If I had a dream to build my own house but just sat on the couch and talked about the dream what would it get me????    Nothing.  

 I would have to take the next step and plan out my house....design the house.....but if I stop there what would it get me?????   Nothing

To build the house I have to plan and get up off the couch and pick up a hammer and build!!!!   

Just do it!!!!    I'm back to the Nike slogan. Which I have talked about on  my blog before.    It makes so much sense to me now on such a deep level!  Weight loss dreams are the same....dreams and plans are not enough....I have to DO!!!!!!!

I made it to the gym yesterday!!!!!    Felt good to do something a little different!!!!   

This morning I went running.    I got back, showered and went to breakfast.   As I stood up from breakfast I groanedZ. For some reason I was sore!!!   I feel a little achy sometimes but my calves are almost never sore!!!!!   

I went to church with a friend...then moved into geocaching.....first few steps on each search was rough but I loosened up each time.    

Not the greatest picture but I HATE these rat caches!  I know they are fake...but they give me the creeps!!!

It wasn't until I got home that I realized that the crampy legs were probably due to dehydration.  I typically drink - good bit of water after a run...but I didn't drink any and headed right out the door.  By 3  when I got home I had still had only consumed MAYBE 8 ounces of water.   NOT enough by a long shot!!!!   Duh!!!!!

Upgrades

When I separated from my then husband, I had grand plans.  I was going to use my first year as a time of healing, regrowth, renewal and so much more.   I was going to get my life straight.  I was going to fix the wrongs and take no prisoners on my way to health and happiness.

I had lofty plans.  I would run religiously, increasing my endurance and pace.  I was going to lose this weight once and for all!   I had made promises to myself and God.  I had plans and a vision.  And then something happened.  

I didn't really take the reigns of my health.   I was ambivalent toward the plans and changes that I wanted to enact.  

I actually gained weight....and I have been spotty at best with my running (much better in the last few months...even with pneumonia). I have just been floating along. No more!  It's time to do something about it.  (I actually started getting myself back on track a few months back.....but it wasn't until just the last week or so that I thought about those plans and dreams that I had made in the midst of the turmoil of my life).  So lets start at the beginning: 

When I decided to run the half marathon, I vowed that there was no way that I was going to condition myself to run that many miles and then let my efforts totally slip away to nothing.  And when I say nothing, I mean to have to start back at scratch struggling to run a single mile next spring.  I had decided that I would look into buying a treadmill come fall.  I even told my mother that she had better clear a spot in the spare bedroom because I planned to set up shop in there!   I did give her a small out by saying "Or I'll have to join a gym."    As I ran into some knee issues, I knew that the gym was going to probably be the best bet.  It would give me the treadmill to allow me to put running miles on my legs to keep my conditioning up (Yeah, I can run 4 miles without stopping....probably more right now and I do NOT want to lose that!) but it would also give me options for low impact exercise for the days when my knees are really aching!  I would still like to get a treadmill for the house (sorry mom!) but at this time I just can't afford one.....(ok, maybe if I didn't keep spending my fun money on trips!)    Anyway, I am keeping my ear to the ground for a cheap or fee used one!

So thus began the dithering in my mind.  The YMCA is only about a mile  from my house. That would give me a pool, classes, and gym equipment.  But crazy....they are so expensive (and well, I've heard people having problems with the water cleanliness in that pool....eh, not worth it at this time).    I knocked them off the list pretty quickly.   Next up was Gold's Gym.  They are about 1.2 miles from my house.  $20 a month.  They offer classes and the gym equipment.  I've been a member there twice......and I can honestly say that I have attended exactly TWO classes there the whole time.....(two different membership periods...probably totally 3-4 years in duration)  and it was so crowded (and the people attending so snotty) that it was NOT an enjoyable experience.    The other viable option that I was looking at was Planet Fitness.   Planet Fitness is across town, but literally only a block out of my way from my route to and from work.  HANDY. I also had been a member there in the past.   We left our membership there because of some perceived slight that my ex felt he received.  I didn't have a problem with the place.   I could go for $10 a month....no classes.        I dithered.  I pondered.  I debated.     Either way I was most likely going to get in my car and drive to the gym.  Yes, on many of my runs, I  come very near  Golds...but if I'm out running I don't have need of a gym. So I knocked that factor out of high importance.....actually I knocked it off the pedestal completely.   That left the access to classes.  I won't lie....I LOVE my zumba class.   Doesn't matter which gym I join, I would still be attending my class (es) at St. Marks with Anita.  Experience had showed me that I wouldn't use the classes at the gym....so that became less important....and saving $10 a month became much more attractive!  I was leaning toward Planet Fitness.....and then I talked to my Aunt.....she is planning/thinking about rejoining the gym and she would be doing PF (I thought about waiting for her as she pays the $20 option to get her free unlimited tanning...but I do not want to be tied to going when she is going) .......so hey, what the heck...........on Wednesday night, I went and signed up.  If I want to enact these changes, I have to make the correct efforts!

I've been doing pretty good with tracking my food (I missed a day during vacation which messed up my streak....boo to that!)  But I need to work on making much better choices.....eating for HEALTH and not just calories. 

Emotional Healing? For the first few months I put one foot in front of the other and just plodded through life.   Healing over the pending divorce was relatively easy, or so I thought.  The marriage had been over for quite some time, so it had been possible to put aside any animosity and move on into a friendship with my ex. It was actually pretty easy.   And while I had early said "so I thought"  that fact still is very much true.    The 'so I thought' with the healing comes with the realization that I am very sensitive to the act and thought of cheating.   A while back I went to the movies and saw "The Intern".  It was labelled as a comedy...and it was anything other than a comedy.  I had to fight back tears at one point.....and I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone else that hasn't seen it, but an aspect of the movie is a spouse cheating on the other spouse and the pain involved in that cheating.   I was blown over.   I really struggled with it.  Not because of any anger or latent issues with it, but I don't like the memories of those feelings that I struggled with.   It happened again...I was privy to some details of a couple that has had some adultery hit their relationship.   It reminds me of the pain and I just want to walk away....I guess it's not a bad thing to be so sensitive to such a  horrible sin against a marriage/relationship.

A few months back I had told a friend that I wanted to try her church.  It's on the short list of churches that have interested me around town.  I kept putting it off though.  Half marathon training had me running my long runs on the weekend (and with working every other Saturday morning I delayed trying churches...yeah bad reason)  then activities and plans...and whatnot....So that is upcoming in my changes.  

Writing.  In the midst of everything, I pretty much stopped writing.  OH, I wrote my blog posts, but that was about it.  For the last few months I've really felt the urge to delve back into writing.  I've taken some time to organize some files......to reread some old work....and most importantly, I've read through the novel that I was working on and I've thought quite a bit about it and I'm ready to dive into writing again.  

So changes and upgrades to my life are in the works.  It's time to take the bull by the horns and really LIVE!

Testing my willpower

All good things must come to an end....including a long vacation weekend.   

My weekend was awesome.  I think it was just what I needed for me.   It was the right combination of fun and interesting, being pushed out of my comfort zone, good food, and one of the most awesome friends (and her equally awesome husband).    I had an enjoyable time and I feel on top of the world after exploring the city on my own.   Being alone is a rather foreign concept to me and actually I'm learning, to a lot of people.  When I would tell people I was going on my own, I was constantly asked "By yourself?  That's nuts!"     It wasn't nuts.  Would I have liked to have had a friend with me?  Absolutely, I"m not a recluse.  But you know what?  My weekend was awesome and I'm sure it could have/would have been awesome with someone, but it would have been a TOTALLY different awesome.    

So I was back to work on Tuesday.  I was still in vacation mode and found myself eating at Cracker Barrel before work.  I tracked.  I didn't have lunch...so snacked on a few pretzels at work and then had dinner.   Wednesday I was off work again (yes, I know....I live the hard life).   I had breakfast out...then went geocaching with a friend.   The friend wanted to pick up a donut...of course I ate a donut.  I also ate a piece of shoo fly pie and then a normal dinner.  OOPS....   

My day of geocaching was fun.....love the sites that I get to see!!!!

Thursday I made a fatal flaw in my eating.  I ran 3.99 miles.  Yes, don't tell me....I KNOW that I should have ran that stupid one tenth of a mile...I wasn't dying and could have done it easily...but I wasn't running to hit any certain mile goal so I didn't pay attention when I first stopped the gps.  OOPS.   So anyway, I had a piece of pie when I came in from my run (breakfast).  I left for work at 11 and I wasn't even remotely hungry for lunch so I stupidly walked out without taking anything to eat.   By 3:00 I was sooo hungry.  So I caved and ordered food from the ONE place we have to get food from.  I didn't chose wisely either.   A grilled cheese and mozzarella sticks.  Yeah, bad.    So my eating hasn't been stellar.

However, I was able to maintain my weight this past week.  I'll take that as a victory (actually my official weight was two-tenths of a pound down)

I have been having a test of will power.  Last Friday night in Philadelphia I caved and bought a Package of Reeces cups.  I ended up not eating them that night.  And on Saturday I had much more will power.  I brought the delicious candy home and it is sitting on a dresser top in my living area.   I see it every day.  I want it...but I don't want the calories.   A test of will power!!!!! 

Vacation Wind Down

Say it ain't so!!!  Is my vacation really almost over?????   This morning I woke up and got myself moving.  I had another piece of shoo fly pie for breakfast.   My friends had already left for work so I got myself cleaned, shoo flied, packed and out the door. Sad to leave as my friends are the most awesome people....but I know that life will bring us together again!

 By 7AM I was in my car.

I did some geocaching around their town. (Perkasie, PA)

And I sauntered into the neighboring town of Quakertown to grab some geocaches.

I saw a Hair Cuttery and decided, "Hey, Why not"  (I'm not tied to any one hair dresser).  The hair dresser was nice and she has declared that I have to come back to get my hair cut from her once every 3-6 months and visit my friend Donna.  :-)

After a leisurely drive I arrived in Lancaster County.  I stopped for a Chicken Parmesan Sub at Carini's which is in Blue Ball.

Then I headed off and hit some more geocaches on my way to Intercourse, PA

Eventually I decided to stop the dilly dally travel home and I hightailed it homeward  I got home about 5 and have spent the evening relaxing and yes, dreading going back to work tomorrow!

Day three of the vacation Blitz

Today was probably an awesome day!!!!  The time changed messed me up and I was up at 4:30 wide awake.   I lounged around the hotel room, watched a movie and packed my bags up.   Finally I was ready to head out.  My plan was to head back to the Reading Terminal Market to grab a quick breakfast.  However my friend Donna texted me to find out what was up.   She was who I was planning to meet up with today and knowing that she was as ready and anxious to get our chatting started I decided to skip breakfast and take her up on the plans for an early lunch.  

The drive out of the city and up to their place was quick and easy.  Before I knew it o was knocking on their door.   Ahhh it is so good to see such a good friend!  And in such a pretty town!!!

We hit up an early lunch, did a little shopping and talked non stop for hours.   I introduced her to my new addiction....geocaching!!!

We had dinner out with her husband and talked the evening away.  

It was a wonderful day and just what I needed!!!!!

One more day left until I return to work.   I plan on driving home in a slow leisurely fashion and stopping where and when I want to....maybe a little shopping, maybe a little geocaching....and I think I may need to cut an inch or two off of my hair...so maybe a haircut!!!!

Taking Philly By storm Day 2

I am back in my hotel room after day number two of MaryFran takes Philly by storm!  I am physically exhausted.  Ok, maybe not exhausted, but my body is tired.  I have put more than 20 miles of walking onto my body in the last two days.  And that doesn't include all the standing and gawking at museum displays in between the walking.  So 20 miles of walking and countless hours standing.  Nope, I sat very rarely during my travels the last few days....today? I sat for about 10 minutes at breakfast and I didn't sit again until dinner......I ate my lunch/snack while walking (I had things to see!). 

There are parts of vacationing by myself that are awkward.  "Table for one"   and "Just one entrance ticket please"  are sometimes hard to utter because in our society it's just not common.  But you know what?  I have thoroughly enjoyed my two days of site seeing on my own.  I know that if I had been with my ex, while he can be fun to go with, we would have only gotten a fraction of the stuff done.  Part of that is because he would want to stop and rest.  Me, I just pushed through the achy tired body and went to the next stop on my agenda! Another facet of why we would have only gotten a fraction of the stuff done?  I read quickly.....I assimilate information quickly....thus I can typically go through museums at a pretty fast pace.   When I'm with someone I typically have to slow down to their speed, which is ok, but lowers the output of activity.

I woke up early and knew that there was not much to do at such and early hour, so I putzed around the hotel room and made my plan of attack for day two.  by 7:50 I was out the door and heading to the Terminal Market for a quick breakfast!   It was delicious.  I ordered Apple Cinnamon French toast which came with turkey bacon and orange juice.  It was delivered quickly and I gobbled it down just as quickly!  

First up for the day?  Washington Square.    Multiple unknown soldiers from the Revolutionary war are buried here and are commemorated quite nicely at this location.

Next up was a visit back to the Independence Visitor Center.  I had grand plans to visit the Todd house (Dolly Madison's house before she became Dolly Madison) and the Bishop White House.  The park service brochure said I needed to pick up free tickets at the visitor center.  I went.....sadly both house were not open to the public. BOOO   No worries.  I moved on to my backup morning plan.

The Independence Seaport Museum.

The museum was very well done quite informative and neat.   But it was definitely the tours through marine vessels that fascinated me the most.    I went through the Oldest Steel Warship still afloat, The Olympia  (Neat to find out that the Unknown soldier that is buried at Arlington was transported on this ship).  I also got to tour the submarine, Becuna. How can one NOT learn to appreciate the sacrifices of our military when you go on such a small vessel and see how cramped they were!   307 feet by 27 and housed 80 men for extended periods of time...AND had to be self sustaining and capable of attacking (torpedos took up room!)

The Seaport Museum took a few hours, but it was well worth it.   From there I went up to Franklins Court where I saw the open air house and learned about Franklin's house that stood in that location and I was able to look at the excavated foundation at the site  I visited the printing press shop and saw the printers in action.

I decided to splurge and spend the $5 for the Benjamin Franklin Museum.   I came away with a much better understanding of this man.  Forward thinking and honestly, quite smart.  :-)

Next up was the Christ Church.  I visited the graveyard (a block away) on day one of my Philadelphia Blitz.   So it was good to put the church into the memory bank.   The tour guide was good and seemed to know his stuff.  It was crazy to realize that they used to bury people IN the church....right on the aisle going up to the front of the church.    The tour guide was able to tell us where Washington sat in church and where Franklin sat....and a few other signers of the Declaration of Independence also. (Based on rolls and pew 'ownership')

This was a discovery that I made while leafing through a book I picked up at the visitor center the day before.  The Fireman's Hall Museum.   A free museum in an old fire hall.   A monument to firefighters and firefighting equipment.  The pole was still there...but sadly.....no sliding down the pole was allowed. (I know from my own town recently building new buildings that fireman poles are not allowed due to insurance reasons.)

Elfreth's Alley..   What a bust.  There is apparently a museum but it was not clearly marked where or even if it was open.  It was however a pretty little street. 

I saw this little hole in the wall bake shop and stopped to look at the baked goods.  I caved and bought a brownie.   Oh my word, can I say HEAVEN!   It could well possibly be the best brownie that I've ever eaten!   Very fudge like and gooey!  (for the record I had decided before leaving the hotel in the morning that I would eat a nice breakfast and a nice dinner and just get a little snack sometime mid-day....this did the job quite nicely!)

The quaker meeting house was open, so of course I walked in.  The reenactor was a bit quiet and not too forthcoming with information, but once you got him talking he was a walking encyclopedia for that era (Maybe not so much the quakers though).   The meeting house was where Betsy Ross attended at one point....and the building later became the first free library.

Next up, Carpenters Hall.  This is basically a building designed and built by the men that were responsible for building Philadelphia years and years and years ago.  Neat building. 

Teeny Tiny Museum near Carpenters Hall.  I went in and spent maybe a half hour looking at the displays.

And here is where my day started to go south.  I headed to Declaration Hall....only to find it closed.  No problem.  I moved on to my last planned museum..the Fabric museum and workshop.  The guy at the front desk was RUDE and made it clear that 'setting up a tour' for me would be a chore.  No thank you.....I walked out and yes, I already left a less than stellar review on tripadvisor.

Now the day began to look back up.......   An early dinner.   I was dreaming of Italian all day.  I would have chosen something more locally owned, but this was near the hotel and I was WHIPPED by that point and just couldn't fathom walking back out to find a little joint!

Yeah yeah yeah... after dinner I went back into the Reading Terminal!

And got dessert to take back to my hotel!

Day One - Mini Vacation

I'm on vacation....so I'm not gonna talk about food.  ha ha ha   I am going to say that after all the walking today I can't even imagine doing a half marathon tomorrow.  ha ha ha  So it is duly noted that if I attempt a half ever again to not plan on site seeing the day before I run.   (see it's all working out well!)

All I'm going to say before I swing into pictures and a quick synopsis of day one is that I was once again reminded of how stupid fear really is. I wasn' worried about anything about the weekend except for ONE thing. I was worried about parking.  I don't even know really what my fears were about....finding a lot that had room, a lot that was close.....etc etc etc  Stupid. The parking was EASY...and I am parked literally less than 150 feet from the hotel doors.  Can't beat that (Well I could...I paid $68 to park my car for the duration of my stay....48 hours...it could have been free!  ha ha ha...but I knew the cost and expected it!)

Early morning drive and a breakfast on the go.....yeah, I ate fast food, but notice the drink.....WATER...no caffeine!!!!!

So I got here about quarter till 10. I parked my car and after a phone call to notify family of my safe arrival, I was off.

I was walking toward the US Mint and saw the Federal Reserve with a sign out saying 'free display'  Well of course I went in.    It was a neat little display and I would have been more interested in learning how money is moved and whatnot if I had not just spent the last 8.5 years working in a bank.....so yeah, I knew most of what they had.  However, it was neat to realize that the money from our bank comes to and from the building that I was standing in.

Next up was the US Mint. I was most excited about this visit.  No pictures allowed...but it was the best museum/tour of the day!!!!!

As I was exiting the Mint, I saw a grave yard across the way.  I knew Ben Franklin was buried very near hear, so I figured that must be it!  I treked across the street.  Sure enough, it was where Ben Franklin was buried!  Some might think $2 to visit a graveyard is crazy, but I was there....why not!  (and if I wanted to I could have seen Ben Franklin's grave from outside the gates!)

Back up the street I went to the Independence Visitor Center.  I picked up my ticket for Independence Hall and made the walk over there. I had a few minutes to wait before my tour.....selfie time!!!

The tour guide was pretty good and it was neat to stand in rooms where such important history to our nation took place.

From there I headed over to the Liberty Bell. :-)

At this point I noticed the time and I decided that I still had time to to hit up Betsy Ross's house.  I headed that way and decided to pick up a late lunch on my way........Turkey Panini...and notice the drink?  Pink Lemonade.  Not the greatest sugar/calorie wise...but something a little fun and STILL caffeine free!!!  And for the record I didn't eat the chips (or the slaw)

With my belly full, I headed the half block to the Betsy Ross house.  If you ever go...definitely pay the extra $2 for the audio tour....it explains so much more about the history and I could hear the cheapskates asking questions that would have been answered had the ante upped the extra $2!!!

I decided that at this point I would head back toward the hotel and geocache my way back.  There were not that many geocaches in downtown, but I wanted to grab the few that I could.   I picked up one outside the African American Museum....it was pretty easy, just took a little deciphering to get the coordinates from an outside display.

Two quick virtuals were next up.....One where I learned about the origin of the Girl Scout Cookie (Who knew it originated in Philadelphia)   And saw a great view of the City Hall

I also learned about a Quaker woman who was hung.....martyrdom

I cut down a little courtyard and saw this piece in the courtyard

I then a few feet later picked up another geocache  I think the police man was more excited.  I arrived at the place and started to look and the police man came running over and said "I know what you are looking for, I've never seen anyone find it though!"  I started looking in seconds later found a little nano container and showed it to the police man. Friendly police guy chit chatted while I signed the log and then I said goodbye.

It was starting to get dark, so I headed to The Terminal Market....

where I picked up some food for my dinner....and then exhausted and roughly 10 miles on my feet for the day, I headed the block to my hotel.  I checked in...ate my food.....

I'm not a night life gal, so I stayed in to relax and plan my attack for the next day.  I had another day in the city and I want to make the most of it!!!!

Do or die

This morning  I reached the 36 hour mark of no soda.   It was do or die.  Ok, maybe it's not that dramatic.   However, I reached the point where the head was starting to feel fuzzy and a little bit achy.  

I've been thinking about it a lot.  I've constantly put it off for various reasons.  There is always an excuse. "I'm off work and don't want to have a headache"   "I'm going out to dinner tomorrowand I know that I'll want to have a soda."   Always an excuse.   The most recent excuse was "I"m going to be having a little mini vacation this upcoming weekend and I don't want to have a headache that mars my good time."  

Today I'm biting the bullet.

This morning I decided, 'enough was enough' .   There will always be and excuse.  My Philadelphia weekend would be the reason this week.  Next week it would be another reason.  The following week it would be Veterans day.   Then I have a week long vacation....another excuse.   After that comes Thanksgiving.....seriously, I can't kick the habit over a holiday right?   Then my birthday.....who wants to do it then.   That brings us to Christmas.  I would be crazy at Christmas right???   So see....always an excuse.  

So I upended the bottle of Advil....swallowed a dose and here we go.....off and running.  I am hoping that the headache is manageable and or out of my system by Friday as I am off work and will be vacationing.   Thus far, the headache is a dull roar....not fun by any means but nothing that makes me want to cry. (without medication is another story!)

And the even bigger news, I lost 1.4 pounds this week!   I'll take it.  Slow and steady.   :-)