The family met for breakfast in the breakfast room at the hotel, where you could get traditional food, heck, even make your own waffles with the waffle machine! It's in the first photograph, to the right of the man standing in the background on the left. I stockpiled a small amount of fruit and ate a few pieces.

Monica and daughter, Sophie spending some quality time together.

Cousins Christelie and Monica, Panna, and I went to Rhode Island Rock Gym to rock climb (Panna had never done it before, and I hadn't done it in over 16 years). Sophie stayed behind to play with her cousins.

Panna and I got our shoes and harnesses at the counter. We watched the other two get belay tested before going off to climb. I stretched out under my cousin's instructions, as I did not want feet cramps happening on the wall. On that note, I asked Christelie a couple of times in the morning to remind me to drink plenty of water so I wouldn't get those cramps. I made it all the way up on the first climb, and the challenge was more about the fear of falling, not so much heights. Subsequent climbs were easier as I got over the fear of falling. Sometimes, it was hard for me to stick to routes established with color-coded tape (using "rock holds" from different routes make it easier to climb, but if you want to test yourself before moving to slightly more difficult routes, use ONLY the holds marked with the same color and none others). Now, I REALLY like this! I have to wait until I get all the way home and settled in a bit before I can determine my finances and see when I can begin to afford a membership.

The following was amazing... I got to watch Panna receive instruction from her daughter on climbing the wall. Keep in mind that she just turned 70, and she had open heart surgery on April 26th to correct an irregular heartbeat condition. The first time she tried, she made it part way up the wall, but had to come down because of her forearms. But she tried again later and made it all the way up to the top! This was her Victory Climb!! And we have it on video! Including wiggling her bottom! She tried again later, but her forearms simply gave out.

I am very proud, so proud of my aunt for showing "can do" for someone her age. When I am 70, and I have something to gripe about, I'll always remember this. My role model... I was very surprised when she said in turn that she was proud of me for continuing on to Columbus after my AC failed and doing anything I could to keep going, even driving at night to avoid the heat. Surprised as in I usually don't think of myself in that light. Sure, I was upset about my AC, but that just meant a slight change in my driving plans. I just thought at the time that I was not going to drive home on the return trip without the AC being fixed, one way or the other.

I also tried bouldering after watching a lady do it. Bouldering is climbing short distances or climbing under rock structures suspended in the air, without protection (or ropes) and with mattress pads under the climbing area for added safety (on top of the padded floor). The challenge is staying on the wall without falling off on very non-vertical surfaces, but you start out on vertical ones. She was a very nice lady named Britney. Very nice and sweet lady (and cute too!!). I introduced myself and learned some of the basics. I tried a route with no success; I kept falling out of the starting position! I would have both hands on the holds and a foot up on the other one. As soon as I picked up the foot on the floor, I swung inward towards the wall and fell off! Later on, I went to watch the others climb some harder belayed routes. While I was doing that, I noticed a kid bouldering what would be a difficult route for me. Right then, I began to understand that there were additional bouldering routes mixed in with belayed routes on different walls. I tried an easier one and made it! At the top of the route (which is usually about 10-12 feet high) terminated with a color-coded tape marking in a "v," you're supposed to grab that last rock hold with both hands before taking your feet off the wall and hang from your hands before dropping down to the mattress pad below you, which I did. It's to make sure you don't bump against the rock holds on the way down, I think.

Here is Christelie and Monica climbing, and Panna trying again later on.

I went back to belayed climbing and tried a slighty harder route with Christelie's suggestion. It was hard because I tried to stay true to the route, but after getting within seven feet of the top and my hands becoming useless, I would slip and fall several times, laughing each time it happened. I called it a day and pointed down.

Christelie and Monica talked with an older kid who could boulder under a completely horizontal rock ledge and complete the route back down on the other side while Panna and I watched. Amazing climbing skills!

Before we wrapped up and started heading back to the hotel to get ready for the evening, we called the auto dealer to find out about the loan status, which was still pending at this point. We would have to wait until Monday. Panna kept reassuring me that it was going to work out. Anyhow, my forearms were very tight and slightly sore from the climbing.

We got ready for the evening and headed over to Rick and Pam's house for the catered dinner. I saw cousin Jenni, husband Paul, and daughter Lucy arrive. They are the only full-blood relatives of the group who showed up, if I'm not mistaken. It was an emotional meeting after I'd say 12 years of e-mailing and wondering what they were like in person. Unfortunately, their son Peter couldn't be there, as he was celebrating the Boy Scout's 100th birthday in Washington, DC. That'll have to wait until next time!

Here is Uncle rick with son Richard and daughter-in-law Rosemary. Richard seems to be growing antennae!

Behind the Firehouse Tavern.

We moved near the back of the property, under the trees for the family photos. We made some jokes while we waiting for the camera setup to be finished and had the caterer take the final photo of everyone in it (we counted 22 family members). We also had photos of different groups of descendants of the various ancestors of family lines, which was a great idea.

For the catered dinner, I had some food set aside for me. Afterwards, a beautifully done birthday cake (chocolate with artfully done white icing and I think with a touch of mint green icing) was brought out, and Jenni presented it to the twins of honor. On the top was a card with icing that said (for my twin aunt and uncle), "Happy Birthday Wombmates." I loved it, with a sense of humor that was obviously inherited from Rick, and it was true! A photo of them holding the knife together as they made the first cut of the cake is included.

Here is the appetizer table and the huge, pretty fruit bowl!

Later on, Rick got to show me their house. The original part of the house was built in 1835 and later moved 20 miles to its present location. The foundation for it still exists. The original part of the house was fairly small and was a chicken farmer's house (the farmer who worked for the landowner to provide chickens), and the last of the house additions were done in 1975. It is a beautiful house with lots of windows and hardwood floors. The original part of the house included an upstairs attic that served as the bedroom for the earliest families. The attic has the only windows made for the house in 1835! Rick pointed out that because of the glass making technology of the day in the area, you can see the scenery outside bend and swim with the imperfections in the glass itself. I looked outside and wondered what people saw outside 175 years ago... Skylights were added in later to provide more light for the attic. The downstairs portion has a smaller living area with a beautifully restored wood burning stove that juts out in front of the fireplace location. There are various music instruments like guitars and mandolins throughout the house and a room Rick calls the guitar shop, where he works on guitars. The basement is where you have to mind your head in various places, like the heat ducts. It was obvious that uncle Rick had plenty of experience! It was cooler down there, a perfect place for their wine collection.

We spent a bit of time in the large living room just going back and forth and around in conversation while uncle Rick was showing me a black book that had photos of musicians performing (including Rick).

The chilly evening in front of the dancing fire was repeated, the warmth welcome as usual. I got to talk closely with one of my cousins. It was a wonderful evening of being a step closer to family, getting to know them better and what their lives are like.