So what does that have to do with this column? Well, Pam and I rented a "barn" in Buck's county, PA about a month ago for a weekend get-away for us and Doug, Danika and Quinn. It seems Doug found this place on line and we thought, what the heck. It looked good in the pictures, and the area is such a beautiful place. The leaves here were turning bright shades of red and orange, and the outlook was pretty good in terms of weather -- well, except for that tiny, little group of clouds way down in Georgia. We were all set for a beautiful fall weekend. Yeah, yeah -- you guessed it -- it rained most of the weekend, but we had a great time none-the-less. The rains stopped long enough each day for us to get out and take walks along the Delaware River canal, and out in the 80 acres of woods and fields. Generally the temperatures were cool except for the last day we were there, the day after Doug, Danika and Quinn left to go back to the city. Go figure.
The place lived up to its billing. It was one of the coolest places I
have seen for a while. The old barn, built in the 1800s actually has a house inside it, complete with glass ceilings. The first floor is all kitchen 
and the living area is upstairs. The floors are original wood planks, and the place is heated by three wood-burning stoves, and a supplemental furnace system. The owners have taken care of the place, and it really is quite nice. They also have two donkeys, two sheep and a potbellied pig. Quinn got his first taste of farm animals up close and personal.As we explored the various parts of the "barn," we came across a copy of Better Homes and Gardens from 1980 which featured this place on the cover, complete with a big spread inside. Funny, the kitchen looked exactly the same -- same appliances, table, lots of the same things hanging on the walls. the upstairs looked pretty much the same except the furniture had been replaced and modernized a bit. We also found out that the the man of the house was a former Olympic Champion in the 1964 8-man rowing at the Tokyo Olympics. We saw his pictures and the oar he used in the race. I have to say, that was pretty cool.
Pam and I really got to know our grandson. He intently stared at the TV when we watched a DVD about farm animals -- his favorite for now. He is like a sponge, taking everything in. As much as he 
liked the video, he was fascinated by the real animals, and enjoyed walking in the fields (although he fell down a few times because he's not used to the unevenness of the ground and grasses). He woke up in the mornings and would crawl around on our bed, looking at things, taking in all the strange sounds and smells. He also really liked the whirlpool tub at bath time. No whirlpool, just a great place to splash and get everyone wet. What a treat this time was for the two of us.
We did experience a tale of two seasons
on the way there and home. It snowed as we got into the mountains on the way there. In fact, they had a reported 9" of the white stuff up in Happy Valley, ruining the tailgating for the Penn State game that weekend. But then, as I said, it was absolutely beautiful on the last day we were there and the next day as we drove back to Ohio.Those of you who have done these types of road trips will understand this. The drive over is filled with anticipation, kind of like that proverbial box of chocolates. And the drive home is a quiet blur for the first three or four hours, sometimes longer if the co-pilot gets out the camera to review pictures. Everything in the middle is like having a bowling alley in your brain.
What greater thing is there for human beings than to feel that they are joined with each other for life - if in no other way than silent, unspeakable memories.
Hooah
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