It was Labor Day weekend, Sarah was away on her retreat and the rest of us decided we had to do something that was a fun celebration of the end of summer. Jane finished calling Els and started to get ready P9010001 as Suzanne started down the stairs P9010002 where Benjamin P9010003 was finishing his book so we could head to the Olive Garden P9010005 where the menu P9010004 looked more or less like usual. Benjamin P9010006 was laughing, Suzanne P9010007 was pensive, Els P9010008 was camera shy, Jane P9010009 and David P9010010 were happy to engage the waitress P9010011 in conversation as the old lady P9010012 cooked. We began with their famous salad P9010013 David had ravioli with portobella mushrooms P9010014 Els had fettucinni P9010015 and Jane had chicken fettucinni P9010016 and Benjamin had the famous mack and chack P9010017 which Suzanne had bruschetta P9010018 My water tasted like soap, I just hope they didn't add any of this stuff to it. P9010019

With lunch under our belts, we were ready to move on. We passed this massive limo P9010020 as we dropped Jane and Els P9010021 off to see Bubble Boy. Then we continued on to the Liberty Science Center P9010022 to see their exhibit on Grossology. P9010023 As we started to walk there P9010024 we paused for the obligatory phone booth picture P9010025 before speaking to this gentleman P9010026 who was happy to pose P9010027 after selling us a membership. This made Benjamin happy P9010028 as we met up with the Huberman sphere P9010029 and looked down on the exhibits. P9010030

We walked through the nose P9010031 to see the mucus P9010032 which loooked quite gross P9010033 up close, but no worse than the snot P9010034 or the lady telling us about it. P9010035 Then it was on to burps and belches P9010036 P9010037 where we stopped at the Burp-O-Meter P9010038 where this guy P9010039 told us how they're done and tols us about P9010040 pop pressure. Next is was barf P9010041 then zits P9010042 before Benjamin climbed the face wall P9010043 we heard the gurgle, gurgle P9010044 and read about boogers P9010045 before shooting a few at the nostrils. P9010046 Benjamin played virtual soccer P9010047 moving very fast P9010048 but his virtuality P9010049 wasn't captured by the camera. We checked out the water factoid P9010050 did the bacteria thing P9010051 and had a discussion with this guy P9010052 about why our noses drip. Benjamin was shorter than this guy P9010053 and so could pretend he was poop P9010054 as he emerged from the anus. P9010055 We paused on the rooftop to record the NYC skyline P9010056 and the lady P9010057 and then a focus P9010058 on the World Trade towers. In the ecology section, we met this fish P9010059 and on the way out, we saw this racing car P9010060 which remined us to get gasoline on the way home.

On the way home we stop at Kwik-Fill P9010061 where they sell drinks in this building P9010062 and we got this much gas P9010063 because we had gone this far. P9010064 On the way home, we stopped at Bloomingdale's furniture clearance center. P9010065 The less said about the experience the better!

Sunday started by going to Els' house P9020066 ringing the bell P9020067 and waiting for Jane to emerge P9020068 so that we could head to Philadelphia and the ball game. We stopped here P9020069 to get subs to bring but they couldn't get the order straight. We were surprised to see these regulations P9020070 limiting tail gating. This genleman wanted to buy tickets P9020071 so that he could sell them again and this P9020072 was the slowest parking guy in the world. We parked in section 27 P9020073 as everyone got in position P9020074 for the picture of their backs P9020075 heading to the stadium. Then we did the skyline background picture P9020076 and were ready to enter the gate P9020077 and see the field P9020078 where Jane showed off her new ink. P9020079 Everyone P9020080 was excited to taste their subs P9020081 as Jane got ready for the Italian P9020082 Benjamin munched on the turkey P9020083 and Suzanne P9020084 had the vegetarian. The scoreboard warned us about doing anything bad P9020085 P9020086 P9020087 and then we took the traditional 3rd inning picture. P9020088 In the 4th inning P9020089 the Phillie Phanatic P9020090 P9020091 came to visit to relieve the tedium of the game as the pitcher P9020092 tried to get the runner off second and we posed in a group P9020093 and then in Benjamin's new hat P9020094 (Thank you Peco). The gang above P9020095 didn't seem interested in our peanuts P9020096 but when the shells emerged P9020097 that got them up for the 7th inning stretch where it was 1, 2, 3 strikes and we were out. P9020098 Jane posed her braids P9020099 as the Phanatic danced on the dugout P9020100 and we measured the ingredients P9020101 in the peanut bag. The salt content caused a huddle on the mound P9020102 but none of this helped the Phillies win the game.

So we drove to Old City and got out of the car en masse P9020103 because the signs said we could park here P9020104 near the Morningside Farms Fan Van. P9020105 The group gathered P9020106 to check out the fringe P9020107 before we walked down the narrowest (and oldest) street P9020108 to the dedicated garden at the end. P9020109 Next we went to see DrLen's Diver friend P9020110 who had just suffered a fall and was hoping that Superman P9020111 could help him recover. We paused to see Joel's soap box car P9020112 before admiring some remarkable lamps from toys, P9020113 P9020114 the suit with the buttons P9020115 the pictures of the dead presidents P9020116 and the button collection. P9020117 The phone lamp was great P9020118 as Jane pondered whether to take the elevator down. P9020119 We met this guy P9020120 as we checked out of the fringe festival P9020121 and found a menu P9020122 we could abide for dinner. While waiting, Benjamin P9020123 Suzanne, P9020124 Jane, P9020125 DrLen, P9020126 and Judy P9020127 saw no need for an umbrella P9020128 even if it came with free rain. The waiter P9020129 brought us bread P9020130 and beer P9020131 and Jane, P9020132 Suzanne, P9020133 Len, P9020134 Benjamin, P9020135 David and P9020136 Judy P9020137 sprung back to life and ordered water P9020138 con gas. Benjamin had this pizza P9020139 which he traded with Judy for this pizza. P9020143 Suzanne had this salad P9020140 DrLen had the polenta P9020141 becuase the waiter couldn't get the chef to make the risotto. Jane had the chicken Caesar P9020142 After a few final umbrella pictures P9020144 P9020145 we packed up our leftovers P9020146 and took a picture of Lucy's restaurant P9020147 before calling it a day.