October 2008 Archives

Awake: 7:01am Temp 41 sleep 6+29 overcast overnight @ Ravenna, Ohio.

Early morning, Nick & I text, covering the rise & fall of the stock market & a possible bloody Monday coming up.

After breakfast, we motor in the Suzuki (13) miles to the city of Warren, Ohio; population 45,796. Like tourists, we drive a grid pattern downtown & thru some of the nearby suburbs. From all indications, during the mid-to-late 1800’s, this city was very active & prosperous; today however, it doesn’t look so good. Many vacant store fronts, large homes in disrepair, large empty factories, etc. “Millionaires Row” on Mahoning Ave is the exception…..still today.

Yesteryears, this was where the local affluent-the “Who’s Who” of American industry, commerce & politics-built & lived in stately homes & mansions that lined the street. Recognized as national treasures, many of these structures have been restored to their original grandeur &, today, they are home to businesses, museums, offices & some private residences.

The city of Warren was the first city in the U.S. to light its streets with incandescent bulbs. The year: 1911.

Harry Stevens, who was America’s inventor of the hot dog, baseball scorecard & drinking straw, was born in Niles, a few miles from Warren.

Next, we visit the National Packard Museum for (1.5) hrs. The Packard auto was well ahead of its time with many 1st in the auto industry .
Packard "Firsts"

Nearly all motor cars made today are in some way or other beneficiaries of Packard pioneering in engineering and manufacturing. Following are but a few of the contributions made by Packard to the motor car world in the past 100+ years:

First to develop thermostatic control of water circulation in a motor car.
˚ First to locate the hand-brake lever at driver's left.
˚ First to use the selective gear shift with the "H" movement.
˚ First to use a steering wheel instead of a tiller handle.
˚ First to hook up accelerator pedal and hand throttle, now common to all cars.
˚ First to patent automobile wheels interchangeable at hub.
˚ First to offer a ribbed jacket water cooled cylinder. Packard cars built in 1900 had sheet metal jacket around single cylinder.
˚ First to obtain patent on radiator with top and bottom reservoirs with tubes - the universally used radiator of today.
˚ First to obtain a patent on the luggage rack used at rear of car.
˚ First to use machines for boring both ends of connecting rods with diamonds.
˚ First to rifle bore an oil passage in connecting rods for piston pin lubrication.
˚ First American company to offer a straight-eight-L-head engine.
˚ First American company to offer a V-type, twelve cylinder engine.
˚ First American automobile company to build a 24 cylinder engine.
˚ First company to build a 1000 horse power aircraft engine.
˚ First to build an engine in form of an "X".
˚ First to offer an eight cylinder automobile engine with nine main bearings.
˚ First to develop and fly a diesel aircraft engine.
˚ First American production car to provide four-wheel brakes as standard equipment.
˚ First Automobile company to use spiral bevel gears in rear axle. Included the designing of the complicated machinery for cutting the gear teeth.
˚ First to offer hypoid gears in rear axle. (1926).
˚ First to use the central automatic chassis lubricator system.
˚ First to introduce in America the "Trunnion-block" which in its day added to driving safety by eliminating wheel "shimmy".
˚ First to offer "ride control" in motor cars - a mechanism for controlling shock absorber activity.
˚ First to pioneer the use of and largely responsible for the development of steel backed bearings.
˚ First to make use of the double door latch - now universally used.
˚ First automobile company to use Light Ray Machine (which calibrates down to one-millionth of an inch) for checking precision tools.
˚ First automobile company to use radio amplification for inspecting ball and roller bearings.
˚ First to patent and use a striping instrument which greatly simplified and improved the accuracy of striping bodies.
˚ First to provide a package compartment in instrument board.
˚ First to provide sun visors.
˚ First automobile company to standardize labor and material service charges.
˚ First to use iron and steel jig for body assembly.
˚ First American car to introduce crankshaft vibration damper.
˚ First to use aluminum pistons.
˚ First to employ weights in ends of front bumper for stabilizing movement of heavy weight cars.

Dinner: leftover Tilapia from the Perkins restaurant of Wednesday.

Kathy calls the Footes; the radiators are all back, reconnected & putting out good heat.

We finish the movie: “The Purple Plain” with Gregory Peck, Win Min Than, Bernard Lee, Maurice Denham, etc. Ambler-scripted drama of love, loss & survival during WW2, charting the plight of disaffected pilot Peck, whose wife was killed on the night of their wedding during a London air raid. 1954. Not too bad for an airplane & love story combined.

Lights out: 11:34pm

Awake: 7:04am Temp 27 sleep 6+59 sunny overnight @ Ravenna, Ohio.

After breakfast, using the Suzuki, we motor to the historic town of Ravenna & drive a grid circuit downtown, then park & explore the Copper Kettle Antique store on Main Street. I bet we were in that store for (1.5) hrs; it was the most interesting & organized antique store we’ve ever experienced. After that, we walk up & down Main Street for awhile & then do some light shopping @ Giant Eagle. We return to our coach @ 3:10pm.

Before dinner, we watch the ABC news & Jeopardy.

Dinner while watching the O’Reilly Factor: leftover chili with corn chips.

Nick calls while he is walking home from work; K & I take turns talking.

Tonight’s DVR movie: “The Purple Plain.” We watch (50) min.

Lights out: 12:32am

Awake: 6:20am Temp 34 sleep 5+56 sunny overnight @ Ravenna, Ohio.

After breakfast, we leave @ 9:10 am using the Suzuki, motor (45) miles to Canton, Ohio & visit my 96 yr old Aunt Bertha, who has no wrinkles, a sharp mind & scoots her wheelchair freely around the care center facility. She is well liked & the gang she hangs out with guards her parking spot religiously. We spend a delightful 1+05 hrs with her & then drive north on Whipple Road to visit the store: “Once upon a child.” Kathy buys a few shirts for children & I buy a pair of shorts.

Next we motor about (15) min & visit my cousin Mickey & her husband Roger in their condo. We spend over (4) hrs catching up on each other’s activities, past & present. Mickey serves us “high tea” with healthy homemade cookies. Eventually someone mentions more food; a few phone calls later, we motor over to Betty Ann’s home & she joins us for dinner @ the Perkins Restaurant on Everhard Road in Canton, Ohio. Kathy & I each have our own meal: Grilled Tilapia fish dinners. Today was fun & visiting these good people was long overdue. We return to our motorhome by 9:10pm.

Watch DVR movie: “The Naked Prey” with Cornel Wilde, Gert Van, Den Bergh & Ken Gampu. Harrowing, well done safari movie; African natives give prisoner Wilde headstart before they chose in on him for the kill, forcing Wilde to combat them with savage tactics. Memorable brutal sequences. 1966. Fantastic story; caution: hang on to your chair when viewing.

Lights out: 12:05am

Awake: 5:35am Temp 43 sleep 6+01 rain & snow flurries overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy woke me up @ 5:35 because she thinks it’s raining; I asked her to do so because we have (2) slides extended & I’d rather retract the slides now in lieu of climbing the ladder later to sweep water off the slide tops. As daylight approaches, we see flurries flying along with rain.

Around 8:00, a spot of blue sky & sunshine beam down upon us & the drying process begins. Meanwhile, I finish winterizing site # 1, store the telephone line & shore cable & double check our Suzuki tow car.

We leave Nicktown @ 8:50am…..1st stop, a walk around safety check on the equipment; 2nd stop, to avoid getting our home dirty. We parked for over (2) hrs & finally the rain subsided; after giving the sun a chance to dry I-79, we continued….only to run into more rain. Our 3rd stop was @ Flying “J” where we added 154.7 gal of diesel @ $3.51 per gal.

We arrive @ the Country Acre Campground in Ravenna, Ohio @ 2:00pm. This campground is fairly close to my relatives who we want to visit + attend the wedding of the daughter of our best man from our wedding. Our assigned parking site is a pull thru & big rig friendly.

Today’s travel: 158 miles 5+15 time 29 gal used 5.5 mpg avg speed 30.2

Dinner: crab casserole, rice & mixed salad.

Nick calls while walking home from Isilon; he speaks of Jerry’s new strider bike & how well Jerry is doing with his balance; we also cannot avoid talk about the economy.

We watch DVR movie: “I Know Where I’m Going” with Emeric Presssburger, Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Finlay Currie, etc. Simple film of headstrong girl (Hiller) who plans to marry for the money, stranded in Scottish seacoast town for a week, where she meets & slowly falls in love with Livesey. A quiet gem. 1945. Different….we liked it.

Lights out: 12:24am

Awake: 6:20am Temp 31 sleep 6+56 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00 am Mass & then join the KK meeting for (1.2) hrs. We say our goodbyes to our KK members & they & others wish us safe travels.

After breakfast, K & I continue our preparations for leaving tomorrow morning; i.e., check all tires on motorhome for proper pressure; empty all water canisters & remove filters in pump house. Next I visit Lou Ann & Herk & pick up a bag of green butternuts; I could have had (3) but that’s a lot of nuts.

Back @ the coach, I clean the butternuts the same way I cleaned the black walnuts; then lay them out to dry. Then clean off the shore power cord & telephone cord for storing tomorrow morning. Early evening, I gather the butter nuts & box them for travel in the basement.

Kathy irons the clothes from Sunday’s laundry & readies the inside of the coach for travel.

Dinner: Kathy’s chili with corn chips.

Surprise visit from John; he brings us an LED small flashlight for our travels & we gab for an hr. We plan to bring in (2) slides before lights out so we give John a demonstration of shrinking the bus. John & I will keep in touch over the winter months.

Finally finish the DVR movie: “The Life & Death of Colonel Blimp” with Emeric Pressburger, Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook, John Laurie, etc. Superb, sentimental story of a staunch British soldier & incidents that dovetail in his long eventful life; opens in WW2 & flashes back as far as the Boer War. 1943. Interesting story & long…thus taking us (3) nights to complete.
Lights out: 11:34pm

Awake: 6:50am Temp 29 sleep 6+50 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy does (4) loads of laundry & I refill the pure water holding tank twice.

Finish wrapping electrical site #2 for winter.

Next, using a large egg box, I scatter the black walnuts & store then for travel in the lower basement.

Then Kathy & I load the 1986 Snapper lawnmower into the Suzuki & transport it to Gary’s winter storage facility.

We are late arriving @ the Gary & Rosemary Château & storage facility, but they graciously accept our flimsy alibis. Gary gives a helping hand in unloading the precious cargo from the Suzuki & then I help him carry their heavy picnic table from the patio to his storage facility.

Inside their Château, we are served healthy snacks & the never ending glass of wine. We play catch up on activities & future travel with each other & then, a terrific dinner of: beef roast with mashed potatoes, gravy & home grown corn off the cob, crudités, apple sauce & rolls, & peach pie & decaf coffee for dessert during our card game.

Due to my reckless card playing, Gary & I get slaughtered by the girls in a game of Pinochle; they got lucky this time. Anyway, we had a good visit & we thank you G & R for your good friendship, hospitality, generosity, etc. Hopefully, we’ll see you over the Christmas holidays. We return to Nicktown @ 10:25pm.

Lights out: 11:36pm

Awake: 5:55am Temp 36 sleep 5+45 mostly sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for (20) min. Our social room was again, reserved; & the coffee drinkers did finish their cup before the bell tolled.

After breakfast, I cleaned my black walnuts that Pat & Frank gave me by putting them in a container of water, sloshing them around with a rake & then laying them on the gravel to dry.
Next, I began preparing electrical site # 2 for winter but ran out of time to finish.

Call Melissa & check on the Foote infirmary status; she assures us we’ll be ok. Then we motor to the Foote Castle for a brief visit & to say our goodbyes for now. Nathan had a (103) temperature & both Andrew & Matthew had runny noses; however I spent a good (40) min on the 3rd floor with Kevin & Matthew helping to assemble a “made in Germany” plastic castle; Kevin was the mastermind on this project though. Kathy spent time helping Andrew put a (100) piece Thomas the Train puzzle together (he’s getting to be a good puzzle worker). Melissa was busy comforting Nathan so we didn’t get to talk with her too much. We look forward to seeing them again for our Christmas rendezvous.

Before we leave, Kevin tours me thru the basement, pausing to point out the various legs that will be connected when they get their radiators returned on Friday. They have been using their fireplace for heat for the past few days which have seen quite cold temps.

K & I attend 4:00pm vigil Mass @ Saint Thomas Moore Church in Indiana then return to Nicktown.

Mid evening, I turn a light on for heat in our pump house to prevent freezing.

Dinner: leftover hot artichoke dip & leftover tuna-noodle casserole.

Watch (35) min of movie: “The life & Death of Colonel Blimp.”

Lights out: 12:00 midnight

Awake: 6:51am Temp 46 sleep 6+37 overcast overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00 am Mass & then spend (15) min @ the KK meeting. Our social room was previous booked with other business & we knew we were good for only (15) min. This was in our favor as we wanted to get some good exercise in this morning without using ½ of the day. (1.7) hrs later, we have had enough.

Back @ our motorhome, Melissa calls: she tells the nurse that Matthew has a swollen, painful gland under his jaw & wants to know if she should take him to the Dr. Kathy asks a few pertinent questions & confirms that Melissa should take him to the Dr.

After breakfast, Kathy calls Melissa to find out what the doctor said: Matthew has an ear infection & was given antibiotics.

Later Kathy motors to Barnesboro for to pick up a few items to make an appetizer for this evening’s company.

My bro Don calls from Hilton Head, South Carolina; he & Josie are touring Savannah, Georgia this afternoon. Apparently my brother went to boot camp there when 1st joining the army in the early 60’s.

Dinner: Tuna casserole with broccoli.

I had just finished the dinner dishes when Barry & Bonnie arrive for a visit. We have been trying to have this couple over before we leave for the winter &, finally tonight, it’s happened.

Barry & I are nuts about airplanes…ever since grade school. Barry was a top mechanic during his time in the Air Force & has a keen memory for some of the most interesting stories I could ever imagine. They brought the wine & Kathy served a hot artichoke dip with Triscuits & Pita wedges; the evening flew by. Yes, I have flying stories but not as spellbinding as Barry. We enjoyed their visit immensely.

Lights out: 12:10am

Awake: 5:25am Temp 62 sleep 5+19 periods of light rain overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for (1.3) hrs. Back @ our coach, my bro Don calls from Maryland & leaves a message; I return his call & leave him a message.

After breakfast, K & I motor to Johnstown & Scalp Ave; grocery shopping @ Conzatti’s & Wal-Mart; stocking up our cupboard; returning to Nicktown @ 4:20pm.

Dinner: leftover spaghetti with Italian sausage, meat balls, artichoke & root veggies in cheese sauce.

During dish cleaning time; we watch the history channel: Germany’s Autobahn.

Gary C. calls: they have returned from their RV trip to Lancaster & Gettysburg, having enjoyed the fall colors & history, etc.

Mid evening, K & I visit with 1st cousins Lou Ann & Herk; Kathy & Lou Ann gab in the living room while Herk introduces me to his basement workshop. During our visit, their daughter, Theresa, her husband, Frank & their 2 children visit. During this visit, Lou Ann makes a call to Greg, one of her sons, & requests a few bags of butter nuts for me. A thoughtful gesture as I've been looking & asking to no avail.
Lights out: 12:14am

Awake: 6:05am Temp 59 sleep 6+31 overcast overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I exercise for (50) min & then join the KK for (45) min. Afterward, we attend the children’s Mass with Father Job. As I mentioned a few times before, Father is very good with the school children & especially good with detailing his homilies. Today was a little different; Father spoke longer than usual, asking questions of the K thru 3rd grade children. He asked if the children read the Bible in school. Sr. Lee proudly suggested that Fr. ask the 2nd graders. And so he did. The unexpected reply was, “NO!” Sr. Lee exasperatedly threw up her hands. Of course, the adults present chuckled. After communion, Father, who loves to read & talk about the saints, decided he would take the opportunity to talk with the children some more, telling them about saints & asking more questions. Various youngsters raised their hands, stood up, & gave answers. At one point, a kindergartener raised his hand; Father immediately walked over to that side of the church & waited for the young boy’s inquiry: He asked: “When is church over?” I have never witnessed such an outbreak of laughter in church in all my life. Even Father broke up in laughter then said: “Right now!” He went back up on the altar, gave the final blessing & dismissal pronto.
After breakfast, I got out the telescoping ladder & started waxing the chrome on our European mirrors; a short (10) min later, drizzle & then rain; so much for that idea.

K & I motor to Barnesboro to return her books & magazines; then continue motoring to the town of Cresson to meet up with my sister Corinne for dinner. We have some nice, casual chats before, during & after dinner. K & I shared a roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy & a mixed salad. Our little rendezvous with Corinne was delightful; we plan our next rendezvous for over the Christmas holidays.

En route to Nicktown, Nick calls us while walking home from work. A lot of political talk mixed in with the stock market & home mortgages; too esoteric to describe briefly.

K & I watch the 3rd & final debate between Obama & McCain. Nick calls after the debate & we discuss the debate in more detail. No movie tonight.

Lights out: 12:06am

Awake: 5:52am Temp 50 sleep 5+35 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

I call Ken on his cell phone, asking to borrow his John Deere Tractor-mower; Ken apologizes & tells me he is just too busy this week to deliver the tractor.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for (1.2) hrs.
After breakfast, Kathy & I cut each other’s hair, (35) min for her; (15) min for me. However, I may have to add a few more minutes to her time; after washing her hair & examining nearly every cut, she found a few imperceptible flaws. It will be corrected.

Next, I begin snooping around the outside of our motorhome; it appears that we have a water leak from somewhere. Yesterday I attributed a wet ground spot to overnight dew; today I’m convinced we have a problem.

After a good (30) min of sleuth work, I do find the leak; the filtered water line coming from the basement supply to the refrigerator has a connection about (12) inches before going into the ice cube tray. This connector is leaking; I tried tightening both small nuts to no avail. All water lines on our coach have individual shut off valves, so I closed the filtered water line for now.

Since this leak fooled us for a day, the dripping water created a small lake on top of our pure water tank in the basement. The only way I could feasibly drain the lake without making a mess was to use the “super shammy” that Kathy purchased nearly a yr ago and capillary action. It worked like a charm….slowly draining the water into a plastic pan.

Since removing the guard shield to get to the small ice cube water line, I decided to vacuum out dust from both condensers on the refrigerator & freezer.

I add another (2) coats of primer to our portable water filter unit. It looks a lot better now.

Dinner: tilapia fish with sweet potatoes, apple slices & a mixed salad.

I attend the 8:00 pm Holy Name meeting @ the church hall; attendance was sparse with no new business, so we adjourned within (30) min.

We watch (50) min of DVR movie: “The Edge of the World.”

Lights out: 11:34pm

Awake: 6:07am Temp 50 sleep 6+19 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass; afterwards while walking toward the social room to join the KK members, Father Job came over & asked Kathy: “When do you want me to come for dinner?” Kathy questions, “What time would be good for you?” “I don’t like to eat too early,” he replies. “How’s 7:30?” “Great!” is Father’s reply. “See you then.”

After breakfast, Kathy begins her house cleaning, vacuuming just about everything in sight, & with breakneck speed. Guess who zipped outside? That turbo powered vacuum cleaner is so noisy!

Our homemade portable water filter (age 5 yrs) has recently shown signs of neglect, so today I start the restoration program; 1st I scrub the wood with a wire brush & then re-nail the support chassis. Next, epoxy all wooden connections; after the epoxy is cured, (1) coat of primer paint. For the night, I store the unit in the basement to keep it warm.

When Kathy finishes her vacuuming, I take the Eureka outdoors & clean the filter.

We watch the ABC Nat’l news & then Kathy begins preparing for Father’s visit.

Father Job knocks on our door about 7:20pm; he walked down from the rectory. Father wastes no time in scanning our living room, then remarks: “hey, this is pretty nice.” Over the yrs I have thoroughly enjoyed Father Job’s homilies; frank & short with loud & clear messages. We also enjoy his quick wit & boisterous laughter.

During our dinner of: salad, spaghetti, meat balls, Italian sausage & Italian bread; we got to know Father a little better & he learned more about us. It was a most casual & informative evening & we were very glad that Father had the time to accept our invitation.

After Father leaves, we watch the recorded “O’Reilly Factor” & the remaining history on “the Black Blizzard.”

Lights out: 12:17am

Awake: 6:45am Temp 48 sleep 6+50 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I motor to the Nicktown church hall for a breakfast of: scrambled eggs, American fried potatoes, sausage, bacon, & Belgian waffles + coffee, juice, etc.

After some casual socializing during & after our breakfast, we go back to our home on wheels & I contact my 1st cousin, Lucille, in Hastings & talk about an early afternoon visit; “come on over” she says.

En route, we stop about ½ mile from my old homestead & search for butternut trees that I remember in my youth. We couldn’t even find any butternut trees, let alone nuts.

Another beautiful day it is! The drive to Hastings & the view from Lucille’s porch of the rolling hills & trees with all their brilliant fall colors was awesome. We review her life & living by scrutinizing family pictures nearly everywhere on the main floor. She & her husband had (12) children & I know very little about them. Lucille encouraged us to walk the property & get some fresh air; we both liked that idea. What a neat piece of property it is. We spent (2.5) hrs with Lucille & enjoyed every min of it. She’s a great lady!

From here, we motor a mere (8) min to Haida Care Center, where we visit my 1st cousin, Bernie; 1st cousin, Richard; & Joanie. We were surprised to see Bernie outside & in his hotrod electric wheel chair; last time we visited, he didn’t think he’d be getting such a machine. He handles it like a pro. Also, I thought his speech was much better; most of his sentences were complete with more volume, but he did seem to feel somewhat depressed. We spent about (50) min with Bernie & then he wanted us to open the doors so he could return to his room.

Diagonally, across the hall, is my 1st cousin, Richard; alert & humorous. We could sense a little sadness when he spoke as well; he was hoping to “get outta here” before winter but his doctor reminds him differently. There is nothing wrong with his mind but his body is very weak & he is very unsteady on his feet. Our time spent, (also about 50 min), goes quickly. On our way out, Joanie is parked in her slow rod wheel chair so we spend a good (15) min with her. It’s tough seeing these people who are so handicapped & for the most part, all alone. We pray for them & a recovery but, who knows what will become of them.

Dinner @ our coach: leftover beef stew with fried noodles & a fruit salad.

Start watching History channel coverage of “The Black Blizzard.” What a sad tale of disaster.

Then, DVR movie: “The 39 steps” with Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle, Peggy Ashcroft, etc. Classic Hitchcock mystery with overtones of light comedy & romance, as innocent Donat is pulled into spy-ring activities. Memorable banter between Donat & Carroll, who thinks he’s a criminal. 1935. Great story & acting; don’t miss this one.
Lights out: 11:48pm

Awake: 6:37am Temp 47 sleep 7:03 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00 am Mass & then join the KK members for an hr. After that, we exercise for (1.4) hrs @ the community center.

After breakfast, we motor to the Foote Castle. Just as we were parking in their driveway, we saw Kevin approaching, carrying groceries with Nathan in his sling & Matthew leading the way. We follow them inside & question them further about their camping trip, wedding experience & the “breakdown.”

In (10) days, Matthew seems to have grown up a lot; he was eager to describe the breakdown experience in detail & with some well used vocabulary. When I asked Matthew what part of the trip he liked the best, he answered: “The breakdown.”

A heater hose supplying heat to the rear of the van suddenly burst close to the engine & Kevin noticed the engine temp climbing up fast. They had to be towed about (4) miles & a new section of hose installed. The layover time (also 4 hrs) was to the boy’s advantage as they found a “Roly-Poly” gym where a children’s class was close to finishing & the Foote boys were invited to join in. They enjoyed slides, sandboxes, climbing apparatuses, etc.

Lunch by Kevin & Melissa: grilled hamburgers, French fries & a mixed salad; all very yummy! We enjoyed time with the boys before & after lunch; left about 3:45 to attend the 4:00pm vigil Mass @ Saint Thomas Moore church in Indiana, PA. Afterwards, I do some light grocery shopping @ Martin’s while Kathy peruses the Goodwill store nearby.

Back @ our home on wheels, we finish the movie: “Little Lord Fauntleroy” with Freddie Bartholomew, C. Aubrey Smith, Guy Kibbee, Dolores Costello, Mickey Rooney, etc. Young New Yorker Bartholomew suddenly finds himself a British lord in this charming film from classic story. 1936. The story was fantastic but the film, sound & picture, was not so good.
Lights out: 11:55pm

Awake: 5:57am Temp 46 sleep 6+28 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for about an hr. After our small breakfast, K & I motor to Cambria Hills Golf Club. Kathy used the Suzuki for errands & grocery shopping; I stayed @ the club & assisted the Rotary with their Fall Golf Tournament: grilling hamburgers; using someone’s truck to get more ice for keeping bottled water & a keg of beer cool; and I was the ice man. A beautiful day it was but a disappointing number of golfers showed up.

Kathy returned around 4:00pm with a big smile; then we ate a few burgers, beans & coleslaw & talked with a few Rotary members, leaving the scene @ 5:00pm.

Back @ the coach, we watch the usual TV: news, Jeopardy & O’Reilly. Then call Katrina & chat for 1hr & 3 min. It took that long for us each to exchange our exciting adventures.

Late DVR movie: “Little Lord Fauntleroy.” Only 47 min watching & then, someone wasn’t very attentive.

Lights out: 11:34pm

Awake: 6:45am Temp 45 sleep 7+01 overcast, then sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

Carol calls: “Dave is here if you want to store your autos this morning” she says. “I am on my way” I tell her. Since it drizzled overnight, I take the Buick for a quick, fast drive east of town to help dry off the moisture. Both Dave & his son Steve were in position to watch & give hand signals for the tight parking space when I returned. During the short time I used the Buick, I borrowed the battery from the Suzuki.

Next, the Toyota; this time Kathy & I wipe off the moisture with special towels & then, with Dave watching, I back right into the storage building. Then Dave brings in all the other heavy equipment into storage which will certainly block our cars over the winter season.
Now, @ 11:40, I have breakfast.

Afterwards, I call the Hartford Ins Co & cancel my collision coverage on the Toyota. Next, the handle of our rake is loosening up so I mix up some epoxy & make sure it thoroughly penetrates the handle & the metal rake prongs. Then I use some extra epoxy to fasten down a deer whistle that shook loose on the Suzuki's front bumper.

I start making a glitch list of our motorhome for Creslie @ Newell.

Call my brother Don; he & Josie are in Maryland, sailing as we speak. They are having a great time with their grandchildren.

Dinner: beef stew with whole grain bread.

Nick & I Skype….but not for long as Jerry was restless & needed his dad’s attention.

We finish watching: “The Naked Spur” with James Stewart, Janet Leigh, Ralph, Meeker, Robert Ryan, Millard Mitchell. One of the best Westerns ever made; a tough, hard little film about self-styled bounty hunter Stewart trying to capture Ryan, who stirs tension among Stewart’s newly, acquired “Partners.” 1953. Even though Kathy’s father was a true Western fan, she is not; thus it took us (3) nights to finish this film. I thought it was a great character study however.
Lights out: 11:29pm

Awake: 5:32am Temp 49 sleep 5+10 overcast…drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass &, afterward, join the KK for an hr. After breakfast, we use our Snapper mower for the last time this yr by mowing the alley, which took another (2.5) hrs; then I purposely ran out of gas to store the mower for the winter.

Later I see neighbor Chuck moving firewood from his truck to his basement; Chuck’s done us some nice favors this summer so here’s my chance to help him out a little. With both of us moving that firewood, it took less than ½ hr.

Next I talk Kathy into joining me by driving both our cars to Barnesboro & topping off the tanks before taking them into storage.

Gary C calls; tomorrow will be his last semi-truck trip for this yr.He will most likely continue part time driving next April or May.

We watch the normal TV shows while eating & cleaning dishes.
Dinner: lamb chops, sweet potatoes with sautéed apples & a mixed salad.

Late evening: we talk with Melissa & she tells us some good stories about their camping trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina & return; the boys loved it & would like to do more.

No movie tonight. Lights out: 11:44pm

Awake: 6:13am Temp 37 sleep 6+46 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy does (3) loads of laundry; starting early morning & continuing early afternoon.

We attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK meeting for (50) min.

After breakfast, I visit our near neighbor, Chuck; 1st we sit & talk in their kitchen; then he tells me about his old truck barely making it home last evening. “Well, let’s take a look @ it” I suggest.
Upon seeing his engine, it’s obvious as to why he was lucky to get home @ all; the serpentine belt was completely off & some shredding had taken place. It took some time to re-route that belt back in place & next, to cut off the loose shreds. He wants to drive the truck to the nearest repair station ½ mile & have a new serpentine belt put on.

Using my torque wrench, we tightened the belt enough to allow his short mission possible. Before I left the scene, I asked Chuck if we could use his wheelbarrow; “absolutely” he says.

Next, K & I start the final Snapper mowing process; our circular drive, the alley section & the small section just west of our motorhome. We mow for about (2.2) hrs, then darkness chases us indoors &, hopefully, we’ll finish tomorrow; the alley section awaits us.

Dinner of: Tilapia fish, broccoli & cantaloupe.

After dinner, we motor to the church hall & attend a meeting of the financial report on our Homecoming picnic in August. There were discussions of: what to change or what to improve on or what to delete, etc. For the most part, everyone there were pretty well content on how all the numbers looked.

Back to our coach where we watch the 2nd Presidential debate: McCain vs. Obama which we had recorded.
Lights out: 12:22am

Awake: 6:19am Temp 46 sleep 6+36 cloudy, then sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then she is off for grocery shopping & more pain + gain @ the Foote Castle.

Naturally, I join the KK for an hr; distinguished & thoughtful members, Pat & Frank, bring me a large bag of black walnuts that I’ve asked for. I am still looking for hickory & butter nuts, but so far, haven’t found any.

After breakfast, I start making phone calls: 1st to my brother & Josie & wish them a “Happy Anniversary.” I left a message; they were not home.

Call John C. @ Newell & discuss a short visit @ the factory before the Branson rally.

Call Carol & make a date for returning (2) of our cars to storage.

Call Anne & confer with her about CD rates @ her bank.

Then, I bring in all of our plastic gallon jugs from lower basement storage, wash the outside of them & will fill them later with our well water.

Kathy calls @ 5:00 pm from the Foote Castle: she is done with all the work that time will allow her to do, not as much as she wanted to get done, & she is worn out again.

Spend some time on computer & send a few e-mails.

Dinner: minestrone with whole grain bread & cantaloupe.

Start watching DVR movie: “The Naked Spur.” Only (41) min….

Lights out: 11:32pm

Awake: 7:32am Temp 39 sleep 7+45 sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy makes a bacon, eggs & toast breakfast for us this morning.

Nick Skypes us & we talk & watch Jerry & Eriko for (1.3) hrs. Jerry does a good job of showing his new toys from Japan & from the “free room.” We have lots to talk about with the so called: bailout, presidential & vice presidential nominees, etc.

Call Bill, our ole neighbor in Alaska, now living in Washington State but visiting their daughters in southern California with their motorhome.We update each other on "what's been happening?"

Mid afternoon, I get out the telescoping ladder & polish our outside European chrome
mirrors + clean the mirrors themselves.

Dinner: Hamburger with blue cheese, mixed salad & fruit salad.

Watch: The Mike Huckabee show for an hr.

We connect with Gary & Grace for (1.4) hrs. It’s been many weeks since we talked, but tonight we made us for lost time. They are also attending the Branson, MO rally & we are excited to meet up with them again.

Lights out: 11:43pm

Awake: 5:15am Temp 42 sleep 5+33 early rain, then partly sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass, then Kathy speeds off to the Foote Castle for even more dedicated wallpaper removal & painting work. I, not wanting to appear lazy or futile, spend a good (1.3) hrs exercising @ the community center.

Back @ our coach & after breakfast, I make several phone calls; one being a call to a campground in Ohio. After my questions were answered by the gentleman host, I am leaning more toward driving our motorhome to the planned wedding in Ohio rather than driving our car. I will discuss this idea with Kathy & see how she feels about it. Having the motorhome in Ohio @ that time would be advantageous for us to head south for warmer weather.

I call Ken & ask him if his diesel John Deer Tractor will be available for use sometime next week; “I’d like to give our golf course a trimming for the winter” I tell him. Ken said he’ll check his schedule & get back with me.

I also make a call to the local Prince of Peace church in Barnesboro; checking for a 4:00pm Mass that we can easily attend before reporting to Northern Cambria Rotary’s Trivia night in Patton, PA; & the answer is…yes.

Ken calls later & reports a full & busy week but will highly consider the following week.

I call neighbor, Donna, who will be riding with us to attend 4:00pm church & also joining us @ Trivia night where she’ll meet her husband, Al.

Kathy returns, a bit worn out but happy that she has accomplished what she can safely do before the Footes return from their camping & wedding attendance trip.

We pick up Donna @ 3:37pm, motor to Barnesboro, attend 4:00pm vigil Mass & then continue over to Patton, PA, a (25) min ride.

As I park the car, who do we see but Gary & Rosemary; we have invited them because we like them, they have been around, know a lot of trivia & we need their help.

When we enter the large social hall, people are everywhere; this trivia game is very popular among the Rotarians & their smart friends.

Social hour begins @ 5:30pm, buffet dinner @ 6:00 with the game starting @ 7:00.

Dinner: chicken legs, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cooked carrots & a salad.

Shortly after dinner, our game began. Keep in mind, we only had (9) players whereas some of the groups had (20—25). We were probably the smallest of (14) groups.

Joe, the moderator, was fantastic; his trivia questions were broad, narrow, old, modern, film clips projected on a good-sized screen, music, etc; a wide variety of subjects without a doubt. Joe was in control; he was humorous, spontaneous, & organized.

All in all, it was great fun & our group of (9) was thrilled to end up in 4th place. We were glad we invited Gary & Rosemary as Gary particularly was a good contributor of correct responses.

After returning to our coach, we finished watching: “The Experiment in Terror” with Glenn Ford, Lee Remick, Stefanie Powers, Ross Martin, Roy Poole, etc. Taut suspense with bank clerk Remick terrorized by murderous extortionist Martin…but FBI agent Ford is on the case. 1962. One of the better crime stories we’ve watched; better make note of it.

Lights out: 11:47pm

Awake: 5:25am Temp 48 sleep 5+45 drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

I exercise for (40) min, then join the KK for (50) min. Kathy spends only a short time at the KK, then drives the Riviera to the Foote Castle for some more torturous arm & leg pain. She is so dedicated to brutal, barbarous, savage acts; a typical nurse I think.

Meanwhile, I take the soft & heavenly route by attending the 9:30am Children’s Mass @ Saint Nicholas church.
After walking to the coach & having breakfast, neighbor Al calls & would like me to help set up the chairs & tables tonight for the Rotary Trivia night tomorrow in Patton. “I can do that” I tell him.

Kathy returns from the torture chambers of the Castle @ 4:00pm with a few complaints: not about the pains & gains but…about the beautiful & comfortable Buick Riviera auto. She doesn’t like it…period. The seat is too low & she needs to use a cushion; the steering wheel is too big; the car itself is too big &, generally, she just felt uncomfortable. Boy, I might not let her drive it anymore; too fussy.

I brief Kathy on Al’s phone call, then we get right into action; with me behind the wheel of the Riviera, we purr & float along the hills & dales up to Mary K’s place. Kathy, now driving the Lexus with a big smile, follows me to Patton & to the Queen of Peace Social Hall where our Trivia night will take place.

I expected some other Rotarians to be there to help out…..but only the caretaker was present, cleaning up the popcorn machine; maybe we were too early. According to the caretaker, many of the tables were placed properly ….so we moved dozens of chairs to fill those tables & 50 + mins later, we were done; with nothing else to do, we drove our respective cars back to Nicktown.

Dinner: tuna steak, brown rice, broccoli, squash & fruit salad.

Late DVR movie: “The Experiment in Terror.” We watch ½.

Lights out: 11:42pm

Awake: 6:45am Temp 44 sleep 7+17 drizzle cool & overcast overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00 am Mass & then join the KK for an hr.

Late morning, Kathy agrees to join me for today’s Rotary meeting; en route we make a stop in Barnesboro where Kathy searches for a: “going away card” for Father John Paul & I check with the Sherry Appliance Store to see if they can get a replacement gear, that is worn out from usage on Melissa’s Hoover Flair vacuum cleaner. Ron searches diligently on his computer for that specific part…only to find out: one has to buy the motor with the attached necessary gear…which costs about 1/3 the price of the vacuum cleaner itself. So it’s a no deal & I will pass this info to Melissa later.

A large crowd @ Rotary today; the Johnstown District Governor, Mary, is with us & will be giving a talk after lunch. Mary is one excellent speaker; she looks you right in the eye with emotion & enthusiasm. She could sell an Eskimo a refrigerator in the winter time, she is that good.

Afterward, Kathy & I motor to Carrolltown & pick up our clean & polished Riviera from Mary K, and leave the Lexus with her to do the same good job.

@ 5:45 pm, our doorbell rings: it’s Jeff, another 1st cousin. He wants to talk about an idea he has been mulling around for days, maybe weeks or months. Anyway (2) hrs later, we feel that the subject matter has been thoroughly exhausted….@ least for now. It was most interesting & even mesmerizing @ times. We do hope that Jeff will be happy & maybe ecstatic with the career change he has in mind.

Dinner: leftover spaghetti, meat balls & Italian sausage. (same good meal as yesterday…due to late hrs.)

We watch recorded: Jeopardy, the O’Reilly Factor & the live coverage of Senator Biden vs. Gov. Palin in the vice Presidential debate.
Lights out: 11:40pm

Awake: 6:18am Temp 48 sleep 6+44 drizzle…intermittent rain overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy leaves @ 8:20am for more torturous painting & wallpaper removal @ the Foote Castle. I exercise for (10) min, attend the KK meeting for (45) min & then walk back to our coach.

As I spend some time on our computer, our phone rings; it’s my buddy Ray in Ocean Park, WA. We haven’t talked for awhile but quickly make up for lost time: covering the U.S. economy, WW-II P-38 fighter bomber that Larry Bloomer used to have & what happened to it, & Ray’s new Sportster Harley Motorcycle.

Kathy returns @ 3:47pm….then follows me to Carrolltown with our Lexus; we leave the Riviera with Mary K to wash this evening, then tomorrow, a vacuum, clean & wax job on the car before the pick up.

Back in our coach, we ready ourselves for an evening invitation @ my 1st cousin Eileen’s home & a select group of other interesting people. We are met @ the door by Eileen, her sister Janet & husband Rich. Eileen serves us some wine & cookies & then we get down to some good ole fashion updating & “what’s happening” stuff.

Before too long, a knock on the door & it’s Mary, one of Eileen’s daughters & her husband Dan. After Kathy & I sufficiently query these (2) nice people, another knock on the door & in comes Julie, another daughter. Naturally, she also gets the 4th degree. Nice cousins we have; I really enjoy these people & the sporadic get-togethers we occasionally have.

We had Eileen over to our home on wheels August 25th & she told us then: “I will have you both over to my place before you leave for the winter.” She kept her word & we are both delighted she did.

8:30 dinner: leftover spaghetti, meatballs & Italian sausage.

During dinner & dish washing time, we watch the recorded: ABC news, Jeopardy, O’Reilly Factor & Fox News; but….no movie tonight.

Lights out: 11:26pm

Awake: 6:20am Temp 55 sleep 6+50 drizzle… partly cloudy overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then spend only (10) min with the KK members due to our conference room being used again for another purpose which was OK with us. Kathy then drove me back to the motorhome & continued on to Indiana for more wall paper removal & painting.

Meanwhile, I get out the telescoping ladder & polish the driver’s side European mirror; I intended to do more but the drizzle returned & chased me inside.

@ 12:38pm, 1st cousin Florentz calls: he has some free time this afternoon & suggests we go treasure hunting with our dousing rods. “But it’s raining” I say; “but we’ll be under the trees & it’s only a drizzle” says Flossy. We meet @ the chosen area & separately do our dousing; it takes concentration & focus to work the rods correctly & I did bring a rake & shovel just in the event we need to go deep.

Flossy had to leave having doused for only for an hr without any success; I stayed & found a hot spot which, after raking & digging, turned out to be a lot of metal in the form of: nails, screws, bolts, chains, etc; nothing of value. I return to our coach @ 4:20.

Kathy returned shortly thereafter, again a bit tired & hurting; walls behind the missing radiators, cleaned & primed & one coat of primer on the library walls.

Dinner: leftover filled pepper & fresh salad.

We watch Fox News for more coverage of the defeated bailout deal by the house.

Lights out: 11:34pm

Awake: 5:15am Temp 55 sleep 5+12 partly sunny overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for (35) min. Kathy leaves @ 9:35am to do a little grocery shopping before visiting the Foote Castle to do some professional wallpaper removal & possible painting inside.

I call Cindy @ Newell & sign us up for the Branson, MO rally in November.

So here I am on the computer, minding my own business when suddenly, a fast moving car penetrates our circular drive & stops quickly @ our closed entry door. I look @ him, he studies me, & then with the door open I ask: “who are you?” “You don’t know me?” he replies. “Not yet” I tell him. With that clue, he removes his hat. What a surprise! It’s my ole colleague & buddy, ED, from Long Island, New York. We worked @ the same Atom Smasher during the 60’s; he in the main control room of the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron & I in the Linear Accelerator control room. We had such interesting jobs back then & enjoyed our work as well as our play. We gabbed for a good (1.5) hrs, then Ed had to leave to join his wife, Mary Ann, who is visiting her (96) yr old mother, living close to Patton, PA. Ed’s visit sure brightened up my day.

Next, I motor to the Nicktown Hill & have Cindy notarize our Suzuki renewal papers before mailing them to Alaska.

During the afternoon, I intermittently watch Scottrader Streaming Quotes on our computer as the stock market dropped 777 points this day, highest in the history of the market; also Nick& I text each other off & on throughout this scary afternoon.

I call John Clark @ the Newell Factory with a few questions about the upcoming rally.

Kathy returns @ 5:50 with a load of groceries & tired arms & legs, the result of her busy day’s activities; removing the wallpaper from the library walls & doing needed patching.

Dinner: leftover pizza from my 1st cousin Joan’s visit last Thursday + a fresh salad.

We watch the int’l news & Jeopardy while eating dinner; then during dishwashing time, the O’Reilly Factor & the Fox News covering the defeated bailout deal by the house.

. Lights out: 11:30pm

Awake: 6:23am Temp 62 sleep 6+58 fog-rain-drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy makes her sourdough pancake special with eggs over easy, bacon & toast.

The rest of the morning & much of the afternoon, we tune into the political programs & try to catch up on “what’s happening with our country’s economics.” Also, on our computer, we read many of Mish’s blogs.

Dinner: pork chops with sautéed apple slices (from cousin Joan), wild rice & a mixed salad.

On a more pleasant note, we finish watching: “The Barretts of Wimpole Street” with Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan, Katherine Alexander, Una O’Connor, etc. Handsome, well-acted & most entertaining MGM production of classic romance between Elizabeth Barrett & Robert Browning in 19th century England. 1934. Slow @ 1st, but later you’ll be glad for the patience you had; and of course, it’s based on a true story.
Lights out: 12:03am

Awake: 5:33am Temp 60 sleep 6+04 overcast & drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I attend 8:00am Mass & then join the KK for (30) min; next, we exercise for (1.5) hrs.
After breakfast, Kathy begins cooking for another special guest coming to dinner tonight.

Staying out of trouble, I call a 1st cousin in CA & leave a message. Next, a call to the Hartford Insurance Co; to make a $41.00 payment for coverage while having our Lexus out of storage.

Then I call George, who surveyed our Nicktown property in 1999; our architect requested some topographic readings of our property.

Before dinner, carrying our umbrellas, K & I walk to & from church & attend 6:00pm vigil Mass.

About 7:20, special guest: Father John Paul arrives for dinner; this is Father John Paul’s 2nd meal visit with us. He enjoyed Kathy’s cooking so much the last time; he couldn’t help but try for another. We gab for (40-50) min & then Kathy serves us: spaghetti with meat balls & Italian sausage, mixed salad & garlic toast. This guy, although slim, can eat; he told us he fasted all day just waiting for this memorable moment. Father John Paul will be leaving us next week & returning to Nigeria, his home town. It’s been a real pleasure having him with us & assisting our Father Job with many of the parish functions.

No movie again tonight…… Lights out: 11:25pm

Awake: 6:00am Temp 53 sleep 5+49 wind & drizzle overnight @ Nicktown.

K &I attend 8:00 am Mass & then join the KK.

After breakfast, Kathy starts cooking dinner in advance, for a special guest tonight.

While she’s busy in the galley, I call Mary K & set up an appointment to have the Riviera washed on Wednesday evening & waxed on Thursday.

Next, I call my brother Don & talk about our Rotary Club in relation to his Rotary Club; plus the “Potato Fest” in Ebensburg tomorrow.

Then K & I motor to the Foote Castle & spend (2) hrs with the young boys so Melissa could be free to run some errands & do more organizing for their camping trip coming up soon. While Kathy reads to Andrew, I go to the 2nd floor bedroom with Nathan & Matthew where I introduce the magic balloon, which stays airborne by the blowing air from the fan. Matthew was mesmerized & Nathan wanted to catch & eat the balloon.

Downstairs, Andrew & Matthew take turns playing the game of Ker-Plunk with me. Then it’s time to leave so Kathy can continue preparing food for tonight’s special guest.

Special guest, my sister, Sister Corinne, arrives about 5:35pm; she updates us on her activities & travels since we’ve talked & e-mailed last. That took awhile as she had a lot of interesting stories to tell us; and before we know it, dinner is served: Pecan encrusted Tilapia fish, wild rice & a mixed salad.

After the meal, I gently hinted to my sister that: “it would sure be nice to have some help with all these dirty dishes” & by gosh….without much hesitation, she got right in there & washed them all up! Why haven’t I done this before…when having all those frequent guests visit us; duh! Anyway, it was a nice gesture & I sure appreciated it.

After watching about (20) min of the Presidential debate: McCain vs. Obama, Corinne left us & returned to her Lilly Pad. No movie tonight.

Lights out: 11:29pm

Awake: 6:50am Temp 53 sleep 7+02 high thin clouds overnight @ Nicktown.

K & I join Steve & Karen for another great breakfast @ the City Hotel & some more gab time. Then we wish then a Bon Voyage as they drive away & continue their journey to Philadelphia, Virginia & then Florida.

During our breakfast @ City Hotel, Carol calls on our cell phone: “Monte, you can get your car out of storage today if you do it before noon time.” “I am on my way” I tell her.

It’s been (2) yrs since I’ve driven the Riviera; so pouring raw fuel into the 4-barrel carburetor is a good way to get an instant engine start. However, it took a few coughs & a 2nd dose to get the fuel flowing from the fuel tank. Dave gave me hand signals as I pulled out & away from the storage facility.

I take a short drive thru Nicktown, then back to our coach to let Kathy know that I’ll check tire pressure in Barnesboro, then return; tires were close to specification.

This is a fun car to drive….so when I come back, I ask Kathy if she would like to do some local touring; “Yes” she replies. On our 1st tour, we motor south on the Ridge Road, follow number 6 road to Bakerton & thru Spangler where we take the higher elevation road, Crawford Ave, for a change of scenery. As we pass the Northern Cambria High School, a policeman in his car, was monitoring traffic as the school kids were letting out for the day. There were @ least (4) stop signs along the way & we were careful to stop @ each one; then I noticed the police car was following us…then his lights came on…all of them. I pulled over, rolled down the window, took my money clip from my pocket & prepared myself for…what’s up!

Nice guy; he asked us if we really are from Alaska. “Yes,” we told him. He looked my driver’s license over….even verified it back in his police car & then we talked about us living in our motorhome & traveling, etc. Finally, he gave us a ticket for going too slow in a school zone; just kidding! He noticed that our brake lights were inoperative, which I didn’t check….so it’s back to Nicktown where I use sandpaper to clean up (2) terminals, then we continue our touring. (53) miles later & some new interesting areas of travel, we are back to our coach.

Next we visit my 1st cousin Joan, arriving @ 5:10pm. She had picked up a large pizza @ the Nicktown Hotel for our visit & had some homemade wine. “Perfect!” we tell her. Back on our farm, Joan’s homestead & my homestead were about (200) ft from each other, so we’ve shared many experiences with each other’s siblings. We did a lot of gabbing about her earlier yrs when I was still in diapers & that I found fascinating. Before we leave, she loads us down with some leftover pizza, apples from her trees & a few tomatoes. It was a fun visit & we hope we can repeat the rendezvous again soon; her place or ours.

Back @ our coach, we return Katrina’s phone call: she updates us on her teaching activities & social pastime. About (15) min into her call, Zack calls from Seattle on our cell phone: he is driving, using a speaker phone, in route to U-DUB for an evening class in his Masters program. He talks about his visit to a doctor & using acupuncture for his hurting arm; besides that, we discuss his position with the Isilon Company.

After we both hang up, Kathy brings me up-to-date on Katrina & I bring Kathy up-to-date on Zack; both good calls. We enjoy hearing from our kids, no matter where they are.

Next, we watch the: O’Reilly Factor”, then Fox News on the Government bailout or meltdown syndrome.

Lights out: 12:11am