“Falling in love with Philadelphia is like celebrating Valentine's Day every day.” ~Anthony T. Hincks
Monday morning, we welcomed raindrops in downtown Philly from our hotel window. As we overlooked Broad Street, we dined on the second floor enjoying a buffet breakfast. We relaxed in our room most of the day after all of the activity we enjoyed over the weekend.
Cam was looking forward to using the hotel pool since we had specifically chosen the Doubletree for its pool lift. At Cameron's request, we even spoke with someone prior to our stay to ensure it was in working order. However, when we all ventured to the 5th floor the first night we were there, we found the lift was not functioning. We kept checking in almost daily and were told the battery was charging or that they would check. Although we were all disappointed, team Weatherford rallied. The rain had subsided by late afternoon and we decided to venture out, without any specific plans, to find a restaurant for dinner. After passing a few places that were not accessible for Cam's powerchair, we found Fado Irish Pub on Locust Street. The restaurant was inviting and the food was delicious.
Tuesday marked our last full day in Philadelphia. Our extended family wanted to ensure that we ended on a high note. We met JJ and Katie at the Adventure Aquarium, just a short drive from Philadelphia in Camden, New Jersey. It's located right on the Delaware River with over 15,000 aquatic animals. Cam liked seeing the sharks up close and the huge tortoise. The tanks were enormous and the last time Cameron had been to an aquarium, he was only 4 years old. It was a good activity for a rainy day.After stopping in at our hotel, we met the family back at Katie and Tyler's house for hang out time and dinner. Our little cousins greeted Cam enthusiastically upon entrance. Avery presented her older cousin with a flower crown she made at her daycare school. She was very pleased when it was modeled.
We shared a delicious meal of meatloaf, homemade mashed potatoes, veggies and a local favorite ice cream, Van Leeuwen, for dessert. We chatted away through the evening and the time went by too quickly.
The younger cousins see Cam as the "cool" older kid. They also made certain that Cameron was safely in the van before we left. Saying goodbye wasn't nearly as difficult knowing we will see these cousins in just a few months at the summer cottage.
Wednesday morning, we packed up our belongings and checked out. We were encouraged to see that the Doubletree hotel credited 2 nights on our account for the issues with the pool lift. We were on the road before 11am.
As we made our way back to Youngstown, Ohio, we talked about all of the new experiences we had. We drove through the cool tunnels in Pennsylvania once again. We arrived at the Ohio hotel prior to dinner time. We settled in and took the elevator ride to the first floor where we enjoyed a very delicious dinner at the Bistro. Cam ordered fish and chips, Chris had a ribeye steak and Jane devoured her salmon. Thursday morning, we began our journey homeward. We drove through rain, sleet and a little snow. It was so good to pull into our driveway before 4pm.
Cam enjoyed his last day of spring break on Friday. Ms. Amanda arrived after lunch to hang out with her buddy while Chris and Jane tried to catch up on work. Fortunately for Cameron, Ms. Amanda took him to visit her dog, Otis. And wow, was he happy to see Cam!
Our weekend was spent unpacking and restocking our kitchen. While we were away, the cabinets in the kitchen, laundry room and two bathrooms were all sanded, primed and painted. Our fam is definitely looking forward to the finish line for our home improvement projects!
Camology Quotes:
Jane kept calling and checking in about the pool lift at the Philly hotel. At one point, the following conversation ensued.
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