LET'S PLAY

 By

Minuet in G (Minnie G)

(a 1979 Argosy, made by Airstream, that thinks playing is the greatest thing ever invented)

According to Vannie,  "Play's the Thing".

I know, Shakespeare said, "THE Play's the Thing".

It's amazing how leaving out that one little word... "THE",

makes all the different.

After Niagara, Vannie and Dave headed to Pittsford, NY (near Rochester)

for a visit with Dave's first cousin, Rollie Adams.  Dave had not

seen Rollie in 50 years, but...as Dave says, "if you are our

friends or relatives, you can run. but you can't hide."

Rollie and his wife Diana

Vannie and Dave

Dinner on Lake Ontario

Rollie had lots of local attractions on the agenda.

Let's get started!!!  

Rollie and Dave

The Strong Museum 

This is a children's museum, but, as V and D quickly learned,

 "grown-ups" love this place as much as the kids.

LOTS OF PLAY...and more on the way.

A view from the window of the atrium...

...and then the surprise comes...

G. Rollie Adams 

Atrium

The atrium is named in honor of Dr. G. Rollie Adams in recognition of his 29-year career as president and CEO of The Strong.  Rollie's vision and leadership transformed The Strong into the nation's leading authority on the history and exploration of play.  Today the museum holds the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of historic materials related to play.

WOW

..and he is Dave's first cousin...

from the infamous town of Junction City, AR, just over the Louisiana border

Vannie said she was in hog heaven.

So many wonderful exhibits...beautifully thought-out and executed.

Vannie and Rollie entering the "Reading Adventureland". 

The Berenstain Bears

Mama, Brother, Sister...

and I think that is grandma peeking around Mama.

I don't think I remember that character. 🤔 

Dave said he was fascinated by the super hero section.

Spider Man was among the many heroes featured.

WHAT??

My gosh...Vannie almost had an heart attack.

She knew Dave had always been her hero, but REALLY!!!

He took it one step too far.

They continued on their "play" adventure once they coerced him back inside.

Can you guess where this is???

Yep, right in front of the Sesame Street door.

Featuring...

Drum roll, please!

Burt and Ernie

Vannie and Dave's son had these puppets.

He will be 50 this year, and they think he still has them.

Burt and Ernie were practically members of the family.

...and their daughter, Emilie, loved dolls.

The collection of Madam Alexander dolls at the Strong is over-the top.

Vannie remembers buying Emilie MA dolls at an exclusive

children's shop located in the South College Showing Center in Lafayette, LA.

Rollie and Lisa (VP of the Strong) took V and D into the "belly"

of the Strong...the collections, the workshops, the "imagination" offices...they introduced 

them to the people that believe in the "wonder" of children.

They showed them that just because you are a grown-up,

it doesn't mean you have to stop playing.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar 

by: Eric Carle

A favorite book and author

...and it seems, that on Monday the caterpillar

looked surprisingly like Vannie...

Eric Carle had a wonderful way of cutting and pasting

to create his illustrations.

After several hours of "play" adventures, V and D entered the

Land of Butterflies.

Magic...

Beautiful

Unbelievable 

...and this is where those magically butterflies all start...

The Nursery

After the excitement of the museum,

the cousins enjoyed a peaceful stroll of the city.

Dave has always be fascinated with cameras and the people that created them.

Rollie introduced him to the George Eastman Museum.

The museum has collections of photographs, glass negatives, art, furniture,

and even wild game trophies. 

...beautiful areas where large gatherings too place...

...a spiral staircase that was magnificent...

Rollie and Dave observing the downstairs from the upstairs.

Dave especially loved this room...with the fabric on the walls.

Dave, always the interior decorator, installed fabric on walls 

in many houses in Lafayette back in the day.

...and then to top off the visit...

a canal boat ride down the Erie Canal.

Vannie and Dave remember reading about the Erie Canal

in the Weekly Reader, a children's magazine, in elementary school in Bernice, LA.

...and to get to ride on the canal, was a dream come true...

No, this is not the Panama Canal...but to V and D, it was the next best thing.

Falls is popping out all along the canal.

The sites were something out of a picture book.

Ohhhh...and to top off the entire visit...

Diana made not one, not two, but three delicious chocolate pies.

2 to eat right away...and one small one to take back to me.

There he is...

Back inside Me...enjoying one more piece of pie.

What a way to end a wonderful visit with the Adam's.

I predict it will not be 50 more years before V and D head back up this way.

I think the chocolate pies sealed the deal.

"It is a happy talent to know how to play."

Ralph Waldo Emerson