It's Spring in Philadelphia

Friday we took a quick trip down to Philadelphia for a Parkinson's seminar. It was a chance to get away (just overnight, but still . . .) and to escape our dreary, wet, cold weather.

Strange but every time we take the northern spur of the PA Turnpike, the weather is different on one side of the Lehigh Tunnel than it is on the other. I know the tunnel goes through a mountain ridge, but it's like entering a new region entirely. This time it was early, early spring on the northern side of the tunnel, more like mud season, and definitely spring on the southern side.

What an encouraging sight - blooming dogwood, magnolia, crabapple and other trees. Daffodils everywhere, along with forsythia, tulips, hyacinth, a few crocuses left, lilac, and other flowers. The grass is a lot greener in Philadelphia even though it was chilly and quite windy Friday and Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, we hated to come out on the north side of the tunnel on our way home. Sure enough, rain and heavy gusts of wind greeted us and lasted all the way to our house. Last night I thought the roof would blow away the wind was so hard. Couldn't get the cat to come in though. I guess she made her way across the street to the barn. This morning she looks a little mussed up; the wind-blown casual look you know.

Good news for those who travel Route I-81 in northeastern Pennsylvania! Bingham's at the Lenox exit is just about ready to reopen. (An arson fire last year burned the old restaurant to the ground.) We saw cooks and waitresses stopping in to get their schedules as a crew was getting ready to pave the parking lot Friday. If you've never stopped in, Bingham's has a wonderful menu with meals from broiled seafood to comfort foods like mac 'n cheese, but most people love the place for it's home baked goods: especially breads and pies. They have the best, probably most fattening, homemade granola in the world. End of commercial.

Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love

I don't know about the brotherly love part, but I know I love Philadelphia. My husband Dave and I go there several times a year for medical visits and ballgames. I used to be a Cubs fan but the Phillies have grown on me, and a Bears fan but the Eagles have grown on me despite their hiring of Michael Vick. We like the history, the river, the lights of the city after dark, the neighborhoods, everything except the confusing traffic signs.

We've just returned from a couple days there to attend a Parkinson's conference. I had printed out a Google map because we were staying near the stadium and going to the conference near the airport. Like most internet maps, this was one a doozy. We spent much of our time lost, but we got to see more of the city than usual because of it.

At the conference we were like two sponges absorbing all the information. Dave has had Parkinson's for quite a long time (diagnosed about four years ago but actually had it for many years before that). These meetings encourage us as we learn about new gadgets to make life easier and new advances in knowledge about the disease. Talking to others with PD helps as well. The topic this time was non-motor symptoms. We learned so much.

I'm a great believer in being as informed as possible about health issues and seeking the best care available. I have an advantage in that I was a medical transcriptionist so I understand medical terminology, but anyone can stay informed by contacting organizations and following news on websites such as WebMD, the Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins.