Stateside Time

It’s been a while since we last posted. It was late May, and we’d just finished a wonderful first trip to Greece. Seems like ages ago. After Greece, we had just three days in València before leaving for some stateside time with family and friends. Arriving in New Wilmington on May 29, we quickly settled into life in Western Pennsylvania.

After a check in with Matt, Maggie and the kiddos, the priority was to plant our vegetable garden. It was far too late for seeds, so we grabbed herb, and vegetable starts from our favorite Amish nursery and got them in the ground asap. Next, we set up the patio furniture and filled the bird feeders.

The Tavern

After two years of construction, Matt and Maggie were just opening The Tavern when we arrived. Wow! Their restoration of an 1845 building is beautiful. They’ve created a wonderful space that both honors the history of the iconic building and incorporates all the necessities of a modern restaurant. We’re so proud of them and delighted to be a part of this momentous occasion for New Wilmington and for our family.

We were able to offer some assistance at The Tavern. Cooking, bartending, and serving were all being handled by the staff, so we helped with various projects such as building shelving and organizing the basement, a bit of electrical work, hanging curtains, etc. I loved being a part of the team. And, after putting in a day’s work, we were often treated to lunch. Of course, the food in amazing!

Family Time

It was wonderful to have Mark, Shannon and Michael come for a visit in early June (Jessie and Charlotte had work and summer camp commitments to honor). The kiddos enjoyed playing with their uncles and succeeded in thoroughly exhausting them. We played baseball and soccer in the back yard and spent lots of time pushing them in the rope swing hanging from our huge Silver Maple. Card games, board games, and plenty of video games also filled our time together.

The US Men’s National Team (Fútbol) played in Atlanta on June 27, so that was the perfect excuse to head to Atlanta for a few days. We always enjoy our time with Mark and Shannon. They have a lovely home, are gracious hosts, and Atlanta has a very diverse restaurant culture.

We love you California!

Two trips to California, one in July and one in August kept us busy and provided an opportunity to visit with family and friends Our August trip was a whirlwind – in 10 days, we were in L.A, Rancho Mirage, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, San Francisco, Oakland, Monterey, Carmel, and Los Gatos. Whew! A highlight of this trip was driving Highway One in a Mustang convertible. We love you California!

Kiddo TIme

Our days in New Wilmington were full and enjoyable. Matt and Maggie have been busy opening the restaurant, so that meant lots of kiddo time for us. Betsy (9), Jack (7), and Merritt (5) came over frequently including a weekly sleepover. Painting, games, crafts, video games, movies, story time, trips for an ice cream, a visit to the County Fair, and swimming in the community pool were all great fun.

We were also able to squeeze in some grown-up time by hosting a few dinner parties with our wonderful new friends in New Wilmington. It was a busy summer, but we found time to sit on the patio every evening (unless there was a thunderstorm), cocktail in hand, as we watched the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and cottontails put on a show for us.

It wasn’t easy to leave, but we’re back in Valencia as of August 21 and excited about our upcoming adventures. Stay tuned! 

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” David Bowie, 1970s

Special THANKS to Shannon for sharing her photos…I aspire to be as good with an iPhone camera as she is.