Rachel 7, Tyler 5 and Brady age 2 (Rex and Heather Marin's kids)

July 4th in East Rochester, NY with Rex's children.

On Saturday we visited Joseph Smith's birthplace in Sharon, VT.  It was wonderful to stand where he had been when he was a baby and toddler.  The top photo is the hearth from the original house, then Richard with the statue of Joseph Smith, Ann and Richard sitting on the spot where the house was, Ann in front of the 38 1/2 foot monument honoring Joseph Smith, one foot represents each year of his life.
We toured the Ben and Jerry Factory in Waterbury, VT.  It was fun to see how the ice cream is made and the sample was wonderful.  Ann is looking at the many flavors.
On Sunday we attended the Susquehanna Branch in Pennsylvania.  We went to the Priesthood Restoration Site and then down to the Susquehanna River where Joseph Smith was baptized.  It was very humbling to be in the place where Joseph had been for these 2 significant events. Ann

We visited "Old Ironsides" - the USS Constitution in Boston to see the changes that have been made to the ship since I served onboard in 1997. It was so cool to see her again.
The photo above is of me and Roland Melcher. I worked for him in 1966-67 aboard the USS Nereus AS-17. He was the most excellent boss I ever had the privilege of working for - the trust he placed in me opened up the world of possibilities for me for the rest of my life. It was so great to see him again.

We stayed at Submarine Base New London and got to tour the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine. It was pretty cool. My second ship was a submarine tender so I had some connection. In 1967, I volunteered for submarine duty. Fortunately I didn't proceed with that because I wouldn't have met and married Ann.
Then we went to the Navy Training base at Newport, RI.
The next day we were at Hanscom Air Force Base near Boston and visited the Lexington Green where the very first shots of what would become the revolution were fired. I am standing next to a rock that demarks the end of the line of 77 colonial militiamen.
The forth photo is of me standing next to the statue that marks the spot where the American militiamen first fired upon the red coats at the north bridge at Concord, MA.
The third photo is of Ann standing in the place where Captain Parker's militiamen got some revenge for the massacre at the Lexington Green earlier that morning. The red coats marched from Boston under the cover of darkness hoping to gather up and destroy military stores at Concord. But, the two lanterns in the Old North Church steeple announced their departure route, Paul Revere and two others carried the message to the militias. There was a skirmish at the Lexington Green that was more of a massacre of colonial militiamen. The red coats marched on to Concord where the militiamen fought back and drove the red coats all the way back to Boston along what came to be known as the "battle road" - the very route they had used to march to Concord. Thus, on April 19, 1775 the fight went from philosophical to actual battle for freedom.
The final photo is of my good friend Dave Cashman who was the 62nd Commanding Officer of the USS Constitution. When we sailed the USS Constitution for the first time in 116 years we did so from Marblehead, MA and I stayed in his home the evening before the historic event. Ann and I have been sailing with Dave and his wife, Bobbie.  

We went to the most famous deli in the known world today - the Carnegie Deli in 7th Ave and 55th Street in New York City. We had a hot pastrami sandwich and the truffle torte cheesecake. Wow.
Then we went to Times Square and then the Empire State building and all points between. A great time!

We visited Valley Forge and learned the true story of the important role this six-months hiatus from the war played in the Revolutionary War. The arch is there at Valley Forge.
Then we went to the Delaware River where General Washington had his Army cross the river under the cover of darkness to defeat the British and Hessians at Trenton, NJ. There is a very cool and very large monument there in Trenton.
Then we went to what is left of Edison's Menlo Park, NJ facility where the light bulb was invented. There is a large monument there and the remains of the foundation of the Office. Then we went to the large East Orange, NJ Edison facility.
Today we went to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The photo of me standing in front of the wood stand-up table is in the same room that my Grandfather, George John Marin and Grandmother, Marie Loos (GGM) and Ann's Grandparents from Sweden were processed to enter our country. Each of them stood at one of those tables. It was uncanny standing there because a very large percentage of the people visiting the Statue and Ellis Island today were speaking other foreign languages - just as it would have sounded like back when our Grandparents presented themselves in that room.
The last photo is just a little frivolous  Richard