JEAN AND FAMILY ARE BACK

We too extended our prayers and sympathy to Anna and her family at the loss of her mother.  Our family attended the viewing and the funeral.  All of us will miss Anna's Mother.

Our family had a wonderful time in Pinecrest.  We enjoyed the weather.  Ladies enjoyed shopping.  Men enjoyed chatting.  It was so nice to see places that Grandmother Olive and Grandfather Albert had spoken about.  Also, enjoy their cottage that we slept in.  Thomas and Ruth enjoyed theirs, too.

We also enjoyed the Amtrak very much.  Coming back, we were traveling along when the train slowed down.  Our train stopped at a train depot where this Amtrak usually doesn't stop.  It was announced that there would be a slight delay.

David looked up Porter and asked him what the delay was.  It didn't matter if we were delayed, but were curious.  David said Porter had this odd look on his face and said he hadn't been told.  Which we later found, he hadn't.  But inside and years of experience he knew what happened.  He didn't know where or how bad, but Porter knew.

On our train, things kept going but we were standing still.  We had lunch and there was gossip in the dining room about what could have happened.  After lunch, those that wanted could get off the train for a short period of time, but were asked not to go to far.  As smoking is not allowed on the train, I believe a few people were very happy.

It was a while before Porter came to our room and told us that there had been a train accident.  It was on a train like ours heading south and we were heading north.  He did not know how serious it was, but we weren't going to be moving for a while.

An announcement was made that there was a train problem coming the other way and we would be delayed longer than expected.  We were there for sever hours.  Finally it was announced that we would be moving in about a half hour and they wanted everyone on the train.   We really didn't move until almost an hour.

It was several hours before we went by the train accident.  There were multi-tracks there.  The train accident was on another track than the one we went by it on.  Porter told us when it was coming up  in case we wanted to get the little children away so they couldn't see the accident. Thomas and Ruth's room was on the other side of the train, so Ruth took the little ones in there.  Thomas and the rest of us wanted to see the accident.  It was a terrible thing to see.

The people had all been taken off the train by the time we got there, but just seeing the damage to the front end of that train was really bad.  We knew people must have been hurt.  After our passing the train, we prayed for the people and Amtrak.   It was a terrible thing to see.

When we got to New York City to change trains, the accident was the topic to everyone.  We found that two people had died and many injured.  This makes you realize how short life can really be.  You never know when your time will come when you will be with the Lord.  We must all be ready no matter where we are.

As we got to Rochester much later than we thought we would be and it was late at night, we stayed in a hotel over right and had breakfast there.  First thing in the morning, David called our driver.  Driver got there as we were waiting for them by the door with all our luggage.

I must say we were glad to get home.  Somehow we felt safe there, but Michael reminded us of the fire he had in our previous house.  We advised him not to have this happen again in this house.  He said, he wouldn't he knows how to cook now.

We called Grandfather and Grandmother and told them we got home safe.  Explained about the train accident.  They already knew about the train as new travels fast.  They had been concerned about us.

All of us had a good time on the trip to Pinecraft.  The girls went back  to school the next day as they were having state test there.  We hope to go back to Pinecraft again - maybe next year.

Be With God,
Jean.