PA Adventure - Day 2

Aunt Barabara and Donna both attend mass every morning. I need to ask the about what that entails. While I was getting ready in the bathroom I came across this plaque. 

I asked about it later and it was from when my Great Grandpa finally converted to Catholicism. He wasn't practicing anything before that although he was a Lutheran. By the dates on the plaque he died 3 years later. 

Then we were 5 squished in a car and off and running. I rode in the middle seat the entire trip. My body was aching, but it was totally worth it. I did end up giving up on the seatbelt after day 2 because it was just too uncomfortable. I figured it was as good a time as any to die from lack of a seatbelt. I wish I had recorded the sound of our voices and laughter while driving all over creation. It was a beautiful melody. I just kept thinking the whole time, "how can I ever leave?" 

We went to Wilkes-Barre to see where Simon Osipowski lived and where him and Helen (great Nan) lived when their kids were small. After lots of driving around unsuccessfully locating anything because Barbara really couldn't remember where anything was, we decided to take a picture of a house that we thought could have been it. I put all the potential homes in one collage. I have to look back on my notes to see what any of these houses are.

In the driving around Chris introduced me to the convenience store awesomeness that is Sheetz. Why are they so cool? Because you can go up to a computer screen and start touch selecting your order and completely customize it, then when you're done you take the receipt to go and pick up your freshly made hot and ready fast food item. The've got all sorts of sandwiches too hot and cold. There was a Wegmans close by so we decided to eat there instead.  This is another thing that I was introduced to. A grocery store with a buffet inside as well as ready made and made to order food. We opted for the buffet which you can get anything you want for 8 something a pound. They also have sushi and all kinds of stuff. It reminds me of whole foods.  

Then we were off to 2 cemeteries. Mount Greenwood in Trucksville is where John Troop Sr and Jr are buried as well as Jane Painter, also Barbara Troop is buried there. Next was Evergreen Cemetery where Oliver R Troop and Jane Troop and 3 babies are buried. Jane and the babies don't have headstones, just a white marker indicating 4 people. 

After that we went to wander around Jim Thorpe and check out an an old train station and the quaint little village that's there. By the time we got there it was too late to tour the mansion there of Asa something who was the owner of the railroad there. His son's mansion is next door but that has been turned into a bed and breakfast. There wasn't really any good camera angle to get pictures because of how they were on the hill behind trees. This little town is so quaint and funny, as evidence is the "on this site in 1897 nothing happened sign." 

Somewhere along the way we also saw the crazy artistic house that was for sale. We stopped in Tamaqua at another old railway station that has been turned into a restaurant called Vonz for dinner.