Anyone with school-aged, especially college-aged, family members could tell you, this is not an easy logistical challenge. There are four grandchildren ages 15 through 21, each with their own busy activities.
Knowing Ashley had a three-day weekend from college, in May I pitched the idea of Columbus Day Weekend. Someone said they had a gig that day. Back to the drawing board. How about Thanksgiving break? Christmas break? January break? The dates were becoming less and less appealing as far as weather was concerned. Lancaster glows in the Fall.
Just as I was thinking we'd have to celebrate dad's 80 1/2 birthday next summer, the gig was cancelled. The date freed up. We bought our tickets and hoped for nice weather. In the meantime, other things came up, but everyone came, including a bonus grandchild and a friend. We took our 45-minute train ride through the Amish countryside from Strasburg, PA to Paradise, PA and back in a fully-restored antique steam rail road car.
We sat in the general admission car. It is hard to believe, but they have even fancier cars. This one glistened as much as it did the first day it was used nearly 200 years ago (I don't really know the age of this specific car, but the rail road started in 1832, and is the oldest in America). There were a few other people in the car with us, but it felt as if we had the place to ourselves.
Afterwards we went to Dienner's Country Restaurant for dinner. Dienner's is an all you can eat Amish buffet.
The celebration will continue on his real birthday, December 26, with a gluten-free cake and more happiness. Meanwhile, we gave him a day to celebrate his birthday that was not tied to Christmas. When family wore fall colors instead of red and green.
Here are some pictures from the day:
Views of the Amish countryside:
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