Our 54th Anniversary

JANUARY 21, 1956 WAS THE DAY

4 CHILDREN AND 11 GRANDKIDS LATER

JANUARY 21, 2010

It's been a wonderful trip. I wish I'd recorded

how we celebrated each anniversary.

We celebrated our 54th by going

to NYC for 3 nights. Thanks Laura and

Alan Kested from Colorado for paying

for our hotel room. We stayed in the Roosevelt

Hotel on Madison Street between 45 & 46th.

Todd met us at the train/Penn station.

He went with us to our hotel where we

left our luggage, freshened up a bit, then

went to a Cuban Restaurant for dinner,

where Kelli joined us. After dinner we
walked around Times Sq. for awhile.

When we arrived back at our hotel, we were

surprised with a special treat from our kids.
Thanks Steve, Shari, Scott, & Sue.

That was a nice surprise and very thoughtful .

We're so thankful for our friend Todd Watkins

who was our personal tour guide all weekend.

Without him we wouldn't have seen half of

what we did, nor learned half as much.

We bought tickets to ride the tour buses.

They were good for two days.

Below are pictures taken on the tour.

Thursday the 21st we rode the Amtrak from Albany to NYC

Returning by Amtrak Sunday evening.

New Amsterdam/Manhattan

DR. HANS KIERSTEDE'S
STOMPING GROUNDS

***

This was on the top of my list to visit while in

NYC . I was thrilled to be walking the

streets where my ancesters lived in 1640's.

***

Stone Street was fascinating. No traffic

on the street. In warm weather they put

tables in the street for diners. I want to

go back there in nice weather. I also want

to go to the museums down there and the

Federal building which has lots of history

of New Amsterdam/Manhattan.

More research to do!

Broadway Musical

MARY POPPINS

at the Amsterdam Theatre

NYC

We had seen the movie many years ago, but seeing

it live was fantastic. The stage/props, costumes, and

acting was superb. The Amsterdam theatre was

stunningly beautiful. We had great seats..8 rows back

from the orchestra. Thanks Jeremy for recommending it.

Todd and Kelli went with us.

Researching in NYC

I just can't seem to go anywhere

without researching something.

The first Surgeon in New Amsterdam

was my 9th great grandfather. I wanted

to find out where his house was. You'll

see on this map where it was. I was able

to find it. What a thrill it was to stand on

that corner and realize that he once stood there.

The upper map is New Amsterdam(Manhattan)

in 1660, with an overlay from 2009.

Close up of the area where Dr. Hans Kierstede's house was.

The house is circled in pencil.

When they dug out for the WTC they

used the fill which made 90 more acres of

land in lower Manhattan, which is the

blue area on the map.

Visiting Grandson in NYC

Jeremy's job is in Time Square and Jenny

teaches vocal music in a private school.

Jeremy subs teaching and also plays

for Off Broadway Musicals.

Sunday we met Jeremy and Jenny for lunch

at DiNapolis's. My friend Mary recommended

it. Thanks Mary it was great. Take a look at

the huge Strawberry shortcake.

Preview of NYC Trip

Just a few odds and ends pictures
"The rest of the story later"

Hand Crocheted Dishcloths

THESE ARE THE NEATEST AND MOST

USEFUL DISH CLOTHS

Handmade by my granddaughter, Stephanie

They aren't the first ones I've had. A friend

of mine in Rochester, Mn. made me some.

She sells them on her blog

These wash in the washing machine very nicely.

They are soft but are able to scrub

the counters and dishes.

Thanks again Stephanie

REQUESTED RECIPES

For those who have recently asked for the

following recipes.

Grandma Cramer's

Baked Beans/Bean Soup

1 lb of great northern beans

(Look them over good for bad ones)

Soak them over night..drain and rinse

Put beans in plenty of cold water with about

1 TBS. Baking Soda ... and boil for 15 minutes

Drain and Rinse

Put beans in "hot" water, enough to cover them

by a little more than an inch.

Add salt, pepper, and a little oil

Cook slowly for 1 to 1/2 hr or until very tender

Add 1/2 to 1 cup of granulated sugar

and 1/2 stick of butter.

To Bake: Add 2 tbls mustard.

350 degrees for about an hr.

Remove from oven when there's still

some liquid on top of the beans.

Gma Cramer's Mollases Cookies

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups light mollases

2/3 cup shortening (melted)

2/3 cup hot water or coffee

Add to hot water, 2 rounded tsp baking soda

Mix all the above together

then add the dry ingredients

5 cups flour

1 tsp cinn.

1/2 tsp ginger

Let it stand for at least an hour

Roll them out...Bake at375

10 to 12 minutes

Cramer Bars

(or Chocolate Scotcheroos)

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups rice krispies

Combine sugar and syrup in sauce pan

Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequaintly

until mixture begins to bubble.

Remove from heat and stir

in peanut butter Mix well

Add Rice Krispies

Mix well

Press mixture in buttered 13 by 9 pan

Melt 1 cup (6 oz pkg.) of semi choc. morsels

and 1 cup (6oz.) of butterscotch morsels.

Spread evenly over rice krispie mixture

Cool until firm...cut into bars.