Hi, everyone!
I’ve been on an adventure without Grandma and Grandpa! My Extra Grandma Carol invited me to go to with her to her grandson’s graduation in West Virginia and Grandma said I could go! I had a lot of fun and met more new friends than I can remember!
Grandma Carol was very happy I could go with her! Our first stop was in State College Pennsylvania, where Grandma Carol used to live. We stopped to visit some of Grandma Carol’s friends, and they were all very nice to me! I was very careful not to break any of the glass pumpkins I saw at their house!
After State College, we headed south to West Virginia. On the way, we passed the Eastern Continental Divide! Grandma Carol told me that if I spilled a cup of water on one side of the divide, it would end up in the Atlantic Ocean. If I spilled it on the other side, it would end up in the Gulf of Mexico, instead! When we got to West Virginia, we stopped at a welcome center. It was a pretty place to rest, and I got my picture taken “riding” a motorcycle. Do you think I look good on a Harley? We were traveling on Memorial Day weekend, so there were patriotic decorations at the welcome center. I really felt welcomed to West Virginia!
The prettiest place we stopped was Cooper’s Rock State Forest. There is an overlook there that reminded me of Waimea Canyon, but with lots more trees. Grandma Carol held on to me so I could look at the sheer cliffs and not fall off!
The high school graduation was on Sunday. I had never been to a graduation before, and I liked seeing everybody getting their diplomas. Grandma Carol’s special graduate even let me wear his graduation cap! There’s a funny name for them: mortarboards, because they look like you could use them to hold the stuff that keeps bricks together. Grandma Carol thought I looked sad, so she got me a pet to sleep with. Everybody gave me hugs, and I got to ride on a wire tricycle, too! All that attention made me very happy!
On the way back, we stopped in Maryland, and then we went back to State College. Grandma Carol took me to see the great big Penn State mountain lion. He looked very fierce, but Grandma Carol kept me from being scared. He turned out to be very friendly to little lions! Grandma Carol got me a Penn State shirt and a flag before we came home. It was a wonderful adventure!
Guess what? As soon as I got home, it was time to go on another adventure with Grandma and Grandpa! And the very first thing we did was go back to Pennsylvania! This time, we went on to Virginia, not West Virginia, to see James and his new little brother Thomas! I’ll write more about that adventure next time!
Love,
Lion-san
The Lion looked pretty friendly. You looked really good in the mortar board, but I don’t think the tricycle will be as fast as the Harley! Bill-kun’s father would approve of the Harley. We can’t wait to read about the rest of your trip!
Dear Lion-san,
You were very lucky to see beautiful West Virginia. The mountains there are lovely. It would appear that you have a very large family . You are a lucky lion indeed.
Fondly,
LaVache, your old friend from Hawaii