June 2010 Archives

Awake: 5:53am    Temp 57    sleep 5+24    sunny    overnight @ Nicktown.

Out of towners, Bob & Marilyn from Alabama, joined us @ our KK meeting this morning. Bob was a local guy years ago & Marilyn was raised in Pittsburgh. This young couple usually visits Nicktown twice a year. Bob's Mother & sisters are all living close to Nicktown.

Today, Kathy motored to the Foote Castle & joined Melissa & the boys on a walk to 12:10 pm Mass @ the St. Thomas More University Parish. From the Castle, the walk is about (1) mile, but they left early enough for the boys to look @ anything & everything along the way. Kathy wanted to spend "grandma" time with them!

After Mass, they ventured over to the university commons area & enjoyed pizza made by Melissa & grapes for lunch. Then the real fun began...play time in the BIG sandbox; actually, a sand floor volleyball court that is not used at this time of day. They built sand castles with motes & flags of twigs, leaves, & flowers collected from the nearby area.

Oh, but the fun wasn't over! Melissa announced she would treat all to ice cream at a recently opened shop; three boys, three varieties...(1) chocolate, (1) vanilla, (1) swirl.  Melissa & Kathy also had some. It was a hot day & a real challenge to eat the ice cream before it melted; unfortunately, the melting was faster than Nathan's eating & he was a chocolate, sticky, but tasty, mess. The stroll back to the Footes was highlighted by rock & other treasure collecting.

They got back to the Foote Castle @ 4:00 & Kathy did some shopping in Indiana before returning to Nicktown.  Kathy enjoyed her "grandma" time & will probably do it again!                         

Meanwhile, I did my regular Friday workout @ the community center, walked back to the motorhome, had brunch & then mowed the inner circle (2) hrs, & the west side + (2) paths; another (30) min.

Next, a good shower & then a x-word puzzle. It's rare that I take a nap but late afternoon, I succumbed to my tired eyes for about (50) min. My side-kick was missing & having to wheel the wheel-barrow & dump the grass into the woods, plus the community center workout; that's what did me in. 

Kathy returned about (15) min later & we took turns sharing our individual activities.

Dinner: Italian sausage, peppers & onion stoup.

Evening movie: "Life with Father." We watched 1/3.

Lights out: 12:13am.  

 

Awake: 6:05      Temp 68      sleep 6+21      sunny, then late rain overnight @ Nicktown.

We had a welcome visitor join us @ our KK this morning; a local gal, Patrice, now living & working in CA. She gave us a description of her work, her co-workers work, the company she worked for & the products they produce. She was extremely detailed in her talk.

It was downright fascinating. Most of us stayed about (30) min longer than our usual break-up time asking questions & admiring her skills.

Early afternoon, my sister Corinne paid us a visit; a classmate was being buried in the Nicktown Cemetery & she joined the small group at his final resting place. She couldn't stay long as she continues to pack her things in Lilly to be ready for a potential job offer elsewhere.

@ 4:20, K & I motored to Ebensburg to join my bro Don & his wife Josie with a walk around town for the 5th annual Wings & Wheels celebration. This was our 1st time & we were overwhelmed with the number of motorcycles, the crowd and the classic cars, hotrods, venders, etc. plenty of space to work under the hood on this Dodge You want more engine space......you've got it! We followed this beauty into town. Here we have 2 beauties with one shot. The weather cooperated nicely & from all indications, there were no evil acts what-so-ever. Eventually we did find a restaurant, Clark Powell's that was not too backed up with customers. Kathy & I each had a very decent hamburger with all the trimmings. After that, we continued walking around in a different part of town to see even more vehicles. Then we returned to D & J's home to sit & yak with a little libation. This was a nice surprise & we thank D & J for the opportunity. Back @ our motorhome, we watched some of our political recorded channels.

Lights out: 12:29am.

Awake: 6:38am      Temp 66      sleep 6+58     scattered clouds, then evening rain   overnight @ Nicktown.    

 We met Bernie @ the Fatima Shrine @ 8:03am & gave him our latest drawings that Scott e-mailed to us. He said he would call Barbara in Ebensburg 1st & if she wants to see the drawing, he'll drive up there. If not, he'll make a copy & give the originals back to us.

From here, K & I headed to the workout room for (30) min of exercise; then we joined the KK meeting for the next hr. After that, we continued our exercising along with Debbie for another good (1.5) hrs.

After our brunch @ 11:30am, I started up Gary's generator & put a load on it; it's running great. Soon the rightful owner will be visiting to pick up his treasure.

Next, I took the Toro blower all apart, checked all the wiring, cleaned up the commentator, took some resistance readings & couldn't find anything seriously wrong with it except, it does not run. I'll take a few days off & then do some more serious troubleshooting.

Meanwhile, have I told you dedicated readers (if there are any) that our motorhome is locked in place for @ least a month; yes, that's right. It appears that a local, charming robin has decided to have her children born & raised, not only close to our motorhome, but right on the front tire. Last time we looked into the nest, this is what we observed. Every time our door opens, she flies out & either scolds us while sitting in a nearby tree or pretends to ignore us by looking for worms within our circular driveway.

K & I attended vigil Mass &, afterward, Theresa joined us for a Shock-Top beer @ the Nicktown Hotel bar.

Dinner: Clam chowder, oyster crackers & sweet cherries.

Lights out: 11:44pm.

Awake: 6:00am     Temp 67      sleep 6+07     heavy rain @ 8:45am, then partly sunny. Nicktown.

Kathy & Theresa left the KK early (8:45am) due to a threat of rain...well, they didn't leave soon enough; they were both walking & had to duck in & out of covered areas on their way to the Church hall to make noodles.

After my breakfast, I worked on a X-word puzzle, read some political stuff on the computer & sent some e-mail.

Mid afternoon, I took apart our Bug Zapper on the kitchen cabinet; for months now, I've been suspicious of a problem with that zapper. Sometimes it would electrocute a fly & other times, the fly would fly straight thru the grid. It came apart easy & in no time @ all, I spotted a broken wire. Then came the tricky part; I had to drill several small holes into the plastic in order to get enough wire to splice & make a good solder connection. Now for the test!

There were no flies or bugs to be seen in our motorhome so I took the Zapper outside, quickly found a fly, pressed (2) buttons & ZAP with smoke! It works again. Minutes later, my cousin, Al drove his quad-runner pulling a trailer with a lawnmower inside. He also had a leaf blower that needed attention. I didn't have time to look @ both of them this evening but the mower was a quick fix but the Toro blower will have to wait.

Dinner: leftover meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, mixed salad, cantaloupe, peaches, & some sweet cherries.

We finished watching: "Edge of the City" with John Cassavetes, Sidney Poitier, Jack Warden, Ruby Dee, Kathleen Maguire, and Ruth White. Somber, realistic account of N.Y.C. waterfront life and corruption. Friendship of army deserter Cassaveetes and dock worker Poitier, both conflicting with union racketeer Warden, provides focus for reflections on integration and integrity in lower-class society. Masterfully acted by all. 1957. Another great story; and Kathy approved of this message. 

Lights out: 11:40pm. 

Awake: 5:54am    Temp 59    sleep 5+40     sunny    overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

After our KK meeting, K & I exercised in the gym for (1.3) hrs, then had brunch.

Mid afternoon, I changed (1) large & (2) small water filters...& Kathy washed the canisters before I put then back together. While Kathy was needle pointing, I did some reading & worked a cross-word puzzle.

Dinner: pork chops, rice with golden raisins, cauliflower, cantaloupe & some sweet cherries.

Evening movie: "Edge of the City." We watched ½.

Lights out: 11:53pm.

 

 

Awake: 6:22am     Temp 66      sleep 6+05     sunny     overnight @ Nicktown.

Mid morning, Katrina called to wish me a: "Happy Father's Day." She was "on the road again" going to a class on: "How to be a better Teacher."

She takes these classes seriously because they add points to her teaching career & that means added knowledge & eventually $$$. We discussed the wedding in Ohio she will be attending & afterward, a visit with the Foote family & us as well in PA.

Early afternoon, K & I motored to the Foote Castle where I was again, honored with a "Happy Father's Day" from Melissa & Kevin. I wished Kevin the same. Why even the Foote boys each had a homemade card to give me on this special occasion. This was a good day for us fathers.

 After that act of kindness, Matthew lured me up to the 3rd floor to see the latest electric vehicle he & Kevin manufactured from the small Legos; battery powered with lights on the top. Very good father & son work. While Kevin was making our special father's day dinner, the boys were off doing some spiffy dressing for the occasion. Aren't these boys cute! Dinner @ 4:00pm: Kevin's famous grilled French fries, hamburgers (some with cheese inside), hotdogs, & a fruit salad made by Kathy.

Melissa also made sure each of us had a fantastic peanut butter/chocolate smoothie.

After the meal, we all went outside to the back yard & simply enjoyed the sunny day for awhile; watched the kids play in the ally & watched Matthew ride his Razor mini bike; picked some raspberries, & observed Kevin exercising with weights. Andrew & Nathan were so impressed with their dad's strength, they begged for another lift. Just look @ those smiles! Look @ me daddy, I can hang by one hand....says Nathan. Next, another treat for Father's Day: (3) different choices of ice cream! Wow! I chose butter pecan in the lower cone & triple chocolate on top. Gosh, it was good! Andrew took his time & his cone lasted the longest.

When it was time to leave, we thanked Melissa, Kevin & the boys for another swell visit with all the extras making it for me, especially, a wonderful Father's day gift. .

Mid evening, Zack Skyped us; after a HFD wish, we talked about anything & everything; 1 hr 32 min. During the last 15 min, Nick called from Boston & gave a HFD wish also; he had just landed & couldn't talk long as his boss was getting ready to get a car & hotel for the night, but he did tip me off that both he & Zack had called earlier & left a funny message on our cell phone.

After saying goodbye to Zack, I listened to the recorded cell phone message from both Nick & Zack; yes, you made us laugh nearly as much as you were laughing. Thanks guys. And to you Nick, a "Happy Father's Day" as well.

Lights out: 12:17am.

Awake: 6:23am Temp 63 sleep 5+43 sunny, then evening rain Nicktown. Thursday morning, Kathy noticed a black & blue spot on her left upper arm; she didn't remember bruising it or getting any sting from a bug. As the day progressed, the original spot faded in color but developed into an enlarged reddened rash (@ 3 inches across), was warm to the touch, & was somewhat itchy; not too much change on Fri. This morning @ the KK meeting, Kathy consulted Theresa, a retired public health nurse. She expressed great concern that it might be a tick bite & that the incidence of Lyme disease has greatly increased in the western PA area. Upon her strong recommendation, & supported by Janet, a retired OR nurse, I figured she would be just fine driving herself to the MedWell clinic in Ebensburg for medical assistance.

Meanwhile, I was curious & excited to test Gary's Coleman Powermate for electrical power. The gasoline engine started right up; I waited for about (5) mins for the warm-up & then plugged in a (75) watt bulb &...hallelujah! It worked.

I ran the generator for about an hr, & then added about 1000 watts to work the generator a little harder. Whew!

When Kathy returned, she told me she did some grocery shopping in Ebensburg, looked @ a few new homes in Emerald Estates en route to Nicktown & stopped to see Rosemary L's Big hand braided carpet. WOW!! The Dr. at MedWell did not think Kathy's rash was the result of a tick bite, but had blood drawn for a CBC (complete blood count) & Lyme titer to confirm. He also gave her a prescription for Doxycycline (Tetracycline), an antibiotic often prescribed for Lyme disease just in case.

K & I attended 5:00pm Mass & afterward, had some beer & pizza @ the Nicktown Hotel bar.

This morning, we had asked a local gal if she would join us tonight; she was rather hesitant & doubtful, but, by golly, when we got to the Hotel, there was Jean. She said, her daughter, Kim, strongly encouraged her to accept our invitation. We're glad she did; we enjoyed her company & the conversation.

Evening movie with popcorn: "To Have & Have Not" with Humphrey Bogart, Walter Brennan, Lauren Bacall, Hoagy Carmichael, Dan Seymour, Marcel Dalio, Dolores Moran, etc. Hemingway's "worst novel" forms the basis for Hawks' version of CASABLANCA: though skipper-for-hire Bogart reluctantly becomes involved with French Resistance, less reluctantly woos even tougher Bacall (in her film debut). Their legendary love scenes make the movie, but there are also solid performances, taut action, and a couple of songs. 1944.

Lights out:12:17am.

Awake: 6:00am     Temp 54      sleep 5+56     sunny     overnight @ Nicktown. 

After the KK meeting, K & I worked out for (1.2) hrs. And after brunch, I got Dick's weed whacker to idle at low rps, then I got in touch with Dick & gave him a demonstration before returning it to him. He was well pleased.

Next, using my new security tools, I took the outside cover off of the microwave & found out why the oven door wouldn't open when pushing the open button. A plastic arm attached to the door opening device was cracked, not having the strength to do its mission. I'm not sure if I can make the repair, but I'll think about it.

Meanwhile, the (2) diodes, each in parallel with a varistor, came in the mail this morning, so now I'll have another chance to get the electrical system working on Gary's Coleman Powermate. Here is one side of the generator panel.                             The cover has the remainder of the electrical works.

Here is a photo of the old diodes; I clipped one side of each diode off to get a good continuity reading with my fluke meter.The left diode was very weak, the right was kaput.   




and now after soldering the new diodes in place. I won't start the Powermate up until tomorrow since I used some epoxy to firmly hold the diodes in place. I sure hope this repair will work.


After seeing the diodes in place, Kathy asked if I would fix the microwave oven next...to which I responded: "If the Powermate works well, I'll probably try & get the microwave working also."

Dinner: Tilapia fish tacos & sweet cherries.

Evening movie:"Serpico" with Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire, Barbara Eda-Young, Cornelia Sharpe, etc. Tough, exciting filmization of Peter Maas book based on true-life accounts of N.Y.C. undercover cop whose nonconformism...and exposure of department corruption...isolate him from the force. 1973. Wow! Kathy hardly blinked an eye during this show. You gotta see it!

Lights out: 12:40am.

Awake: 6:15am      Temp 62      sleep 6+35     mostly cloudy      overnight @ Nicktown.

Kathy & I left early from the KK meeting, had a small breakfast & then motored to the Foote Castle. To my surprise, Melissa & the boys were out in front watching us park the car precisely @ 10:30am. That was the plan &, by gosh, they did well.

Today the library sponsored a "free" day at the pool; "Splash & Read" is the theme. The newly renovated swimming pool, about a (15) min walk from the Foote castle, is opening its doors to the general public. After we registered & got wristbands, the door opened @ precisely11:00 am & "oh," what a delightfully designed swimming pool it is. From tots to seniors, there is something for everyone; partially sectioned off area for little ones, water depth 0-6 in, with spraying water from below & above; a little deeper section 6-18 inches with large attached, but floating, toys; A large deep area for real swimmers; and a special area with a high circular waterslide. Of course, the whole pool is surrounded by "kool" deck with many outdoor lounging chairs. Kathy & Melissa were kept fairly busy watching & playing with the (3) boys; sometimes Kathy & I took turns touring Gregory to see the splendor of a very busy swimming pool. Later, Gregory fell asleep in my arms.

We spent over an hr @ the pool, a rather cool day. As the boys were warming up inside their towels, the whistle blew indicating it was time to get out of the water. After changing in to dry clothes, it was time for lunch, so we walked to another building where the food line was forming; hotdogs, potato chips, apples, drinks & later, a cup of cream ice. Kevin took his lunch break & joined us for a short time @ the pool & for our free lunch. Then it was back to work for him.

Afterward, the boys were excited to play in the park with swings, merry-go-around, slides, tunnels, climbing opportunities, etc & Melissa had the chance to talk with some adult friends as we watched the boys.

After a good hr of this fun stuff where the boys ran into other boys & girls they know, Melissa gently suggested that they take the alley walk back to their Castle. Interesting things show up as we saunter down the alley. A bird's nest & mother under the rain spout, oh my gosh, what is that? a muskrat swimming down the creek with an apple in his mouth, cats looking @ us as we look @ them, & mallard ducks at their feeding area. The alley was as interesting to us as it was to the boys.

Inside the Castle, I was introduced to an electronic game called: "The Mystery Manson." Matthew, Andrew & sometimes Nathan & I played for over an hr until something went awry, which was our clue to get some hugs & kisses & say our goodbyes.

We had some grocery & tool shopping to do. It was another fun & adventure filled day with the Footes.

En route to Wal-Mart, we stopped & bought a tamper resistant Star bit security set so I could look into the Foote's microwave oven & maybe find out why that door will not open.

Dinner: leftover filled pepper, cantaloupe & a mixed salad.

Lights out: 12:04am. 

Awake: 6:55am     Temp 68     sleep 6+43      mostly sunny     overnight @ Nicktown.

I left the KK early, picked up Flossie, motored to Indiana, PA & met Scott M @ REA Energy.

I brought our latest house plans for Scott to ponder over & get ourselves on the list this summer for geo thermal heating & cooling construction. We spent about an hr with Scott & it was a good start. Since we both had a small breakfast, I treated Florentz & myself to a darn good hamburger @ the Wolfendales on Philadelphia St. in Indiana, then dropped Flossie off @ his place & arrived home around 1:00pm.

@ 1:30pm, I begin mowing the grass in the inner circle, west side of motorhome & (2) paths that I keep open. Kathy was my wheelbarrow driver & dumper assistant. We finished on the dot @ 5:00pm. The last hr however, Kathy left to bag noodles @ the church hall. Our good neighbor Chuck mowed the big alley section & was finished in about (30) min.

Dinner: leftover tuna casserole & mixed salad. Then we watched our prerecorded political programs.

Lights out: 11:40pm.

Awake: 6:15am     Temp 63      sleep 5+57      overcast      overnight @ Nicktown. 

Kathy cut her KK time short to help make more noodles @ the church hall.

Dick, owner of the weed whacker, asked me to slow the idling on his Stihl; so I took it home, started it up & sure enough, the idling is set too high. I will get after that later.

Next, I called Scott in Indiana, PA. We talked about Geo Thermo heating & cooling & Scott agreed to a meeting tomorrow in his office @ 10:00am to discuss this plan further. Later, I called cousin Flossie & invited him to join me tomorrow for a visit with Scott. He said he would be glad to.

I called my youngest sister, Mary Jo, in Lodi, CA; what a coincidence! She was talking with our sister, Corinne, in Lilly, PA. She told me she would call back a little later & she did.

Dinner: leftover chili with pasta & peach slices. 

Evening entertainment: the movie "Monte Walsh" with Lee Marvin, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Palance, Mitch Ryan, Jim Davis, etc. Melancholy Western with Marvin a veteran cowboy who finds himself part of a dying West. Sensitive filming of novel by Jack Schaefer (who wrote Shane). 1970. I was curious about this story; it really is a sensitive & tender western.

Lights out: 12:12am.

Awake: 6:26am      Temp 62     sleep 7+03     overcast...rain     Nicktown.

After our KK meeting, K & I exercised @ the community center for an hr. Then after my breakfast, I picked some wild strawberries, de-stemming them as I picked.

Later, I called neighbor Chuck & we discussed his health progress & the smooth running Lawn Boy mower. He'll be seeing his doctor soon & will keep us updated; he also said his Lawn Boy mower is not leaking oil anymore.

Kathy spent some time making another special dinner for another special guest who arrived promptly @ 5:00pm. Theresa, who drove in from Brewster (Cape Cod) MA on Thursday, is visiting family & friends from around the local area. She recently bought a house near the Cape so we had many questions about the house style & the many projects she is undertaking on the house to make it the way she would like it. Dinner: Filled peppers, mixed salad & cantaloupe. After dinner, more talk about the past & some talk of the future. Photo of Kathy & Theresa @ the dinette.

Late evening, Nick Skyped us for (1) hr & (12) min; he is a temporary bachelor now that Eriko, Jerry, & Momoko flew to Nagoya to visit her family. Later this month, Nick will also be flying on business to Boston; Australia; Beijing, China; & Tokyo, Japan before joining his family n Nagoya.

Lights out: 12:18am. 

Awake: 6:40am      Temp 70     sleep 6+14     fog, then mostly cloudy    Nicktown.

This afternoon, the Holy Name Society sponsored a "free luncheon" picnic to welcome (8) new members & to thank Father John Paul for his work in the parish as well as to bid him a fond farewell. He will be leaving in a few days to visit his family in Nigeria for a month before engaging in doctoral studies in San Francisco. The Holy Name members & others also had a pretty exciting softball game. When the Foote family heard about this celebration in Nicktown, they decided to do the right thing & meet Father John Paul + spend some time with some of our 1st cousins & other people of Nicktown. Of course, the boys were busy from the get-go with the mini merry-go-round, the sliding boards, the overhead rail ride, & swings. Matthew on overhead rail ride. Andrew riding the overhead rail And Nathan riding the overhead rail The Holy Name supplied hamburgers & hot dogs; the parishioners added yummy side dishes. K & I got to play with our grandsons on the playground.

The weather cooperated, the food was good, people were friendly & most importantly, we had fun.

After the Footes left Nicktown around 3:00pm, I took the Spiderman quad-runner apart to analyze the problem again; this time, I re-assembled the quad-runner with the motor running, the gears connected & the wheels turning, being careful not to screw the parts too tight. Bingo, it worked fine. Being in a fix-it mood, I got Kathy's hair dryer & replaced a section of the cord close to the plug that had one wire that was obviously kaput.

With popcorn & a few almonds, we watched the movie: "The Girl from Mexico" with Lupe Velez, Donald Woods, Leon Errol, Linda Hayes, etc. Advertizing man Woods goes to Mexico to find a star for his radio show and bumps (literally!) into Velez. Lupe's sex appeal is unleashed in this hectic comedy which led to the Mexican Spitfire series. Errol is very funny as her comic cohort. 1939. Not too bad for (2 & ½) stars. So far, we have rarely watched under (3) star movies.

Lights out: 11:23pm.

Awake: 6:36am    Temp 65    sleep 6+58    mostly sunny    overnight @ Nicktown.

 

Today Kathy & I are going our separate ways; she will be joining the Foote family who will attend the Indiana, PA air show @ the Jimmy Steward Airport. I will join Florentz & Al & ride with them to the Catholic Men's Fellowship Conference @ St. Francis University in Loretto, PA. After eating a healthy "Kathy muffin", we both left about the same time.

This is the 3^rd yr that I'll be attending this gathering & I get a lot out of it. We had (2) really good speakers today: Richard Lane, Jr. who converted from a Lutheran to a Catholic & travels across the country as an Evangelist. He certainly woke us up this morning & had little difficulty keeping us awake.

The 2^nd speaker was Fr. Brian Cavanaugh; he was all about words, quotations, anecdotes & stories. Over the yrs he has compiled over (45) hand-written journals which resulted in (6) books & (2) video tapes published & produced by Paulist Press. As a group, we had a difficult time sneaking a nap with his talk also.

About 3:30pm, we all went to confession; there must have been a dozen Franciscan Friars ready & waiting for us to pay them a holy visit.

Next, just down the street, lunch: cafeteria style, & that was great, especially the chocolate ice cream. Then we returned to the auditorium for the 2^nd phase of Richard & Brian.

Our conclusion was attending 4:00pm Mass @ the chapel with Bishop Joseph presiding. Just listening to @ least (100+) men singing in the chapel was another wow! Oh, what a day for us catholic men!

 

Kathy reported a good, but very hot day with the Footes. After walking from the Foote house to the library, they took the air conditioned shuttle bus to the Jimmy Stewart Airport.  They walked around, looked at a few airplanes: C-54, P-40 & another oldie (there weren't that many there) & exhibits & were ready to catch the shuttle back to the library an hour later.

All went in the library where Melissa & Kevin selected 100 children's books for check out while Kathy played with the boys.

After the hot walk back to the Foote Castle, Andrew seemed more tired than usual. Melissa took his temp -103 degrees & within a few minutes he had a febrile seizure. Melissa & Kevin gently cared for Andrew while Kathy took Matthew & Nathan upstairs to play on the 3^rd floor.

While Andrew relaxed on the couch, the rest had a snack & went outside. Andrew was up, but not very peppy (temp, 102) before Kathy left about 3:45 to attend the 4:00 pm Mass at St. Thomas More in Indiana. She made a stop at Wal-Mart & got back about 7:00 pm.

Kathy had some leftover Singapore Chicken & due to such a great lunch, I was content to simply have some popcorn & mixed nuts while watching the movie: "Duck Soup." Our movie guide gave this a (4) star rating. Well, Kathy wasted no time & within minutes, she was out; I hung in there watching closely & hoping for a better story. It never redeemed itself. (4) stars my foot.

Lights out: 12:26am.  

 

 

Awake: 6:10am     Temp 54      sleep 6+13     partly sunny      overnight @ Nicktown.

During our KK, we found out that one of our members (Pat) was taken to the Indiana, PA hospital. All together we said a few prayers for her recovery. One of her sisters, Theresa, is visiting from Brewster (Cape Cod) MA.

After the KK meeting, K & I worked out for an hr in the workout room.

Then, with calm winds & sunshine, we cut each others hair. I've been noticing a few different ladies' hairstyles lately that I admire a lot; our dear friend, Rochelle, in Vancouver, WA for example & my sister-in-law, Josie, in Ebensburg. These girls both look great & even younger with the hairstyle they currently have. So, I gave Kathy a thin & layer job like no other. In other words, she let it up to me to make the changes & she was the most relaxed victim I've had yet. Of course, I am not yet satisfied, but I like what I've done so far. To celebrate Kathy's relatively new hairstyle, she did (2) loads of laundry.

My buddy Ray called from Ocean Park, WA. We talked a lot about our house plans & how the angles of the hex plan will contribute to a higher cost with more building time; Ray knows, he's had a similar house built yrs ago. Ray continues to be very active in remote control airplane flying.

Dinner: Tuna casserole with a spinach salad & cutie oranges.

Lights out: 11:22pm.

Awake: 6:16am     Temp 59     sleep 6+22      sunny       overnight @ Nicktown.

After our KK meeting, Kathy went downtown to do some grocery shopping. During her absence, Katrina called while en route to play tennis; she is on summer break & loving it.

About (3) months ago, her school held an auction & Katrina bid on several items, one being for a whole house cleaning which she won, so now she is doing some cleaning before the cleaners come in to clean.

Kathy returned around 12:10pm & started cooking for the dinner meal tonight. Meanwhile, a weird looking guy came up our driveway on a motorbike. Oh, my gosh, it's my cousin Florentz! He wanted to check out the strawberry field & if the berries are plentiful, he'd ride back to his place, get a large bucket & drive his car back for the picking, which he did. Later on, I joined Florentz in the picking field; for the hr he picked, he did good.

Around 6:00pm, Father John Paul, whom we had invited for dinner, rang our doorbell. When Kathy asked him if he had any particular food in mind, he turned on his charm & said, "I know anything you make will be great!" He then added that he liked chicken.

He will be leaving us in about (2) weeks so this will be his farewell meal from us. Besides being a likeable guy, Fr. John Paul has been a big help to Fr. Job & a real asset to our parish; he definitely will be missed.

We sat & talked with Father for a good (45) min before Kathy brought out the grub. He enlightened us with factual stories of his native Nigeria, his family, friends, etc.

After leaving Nicktown, he will spend about a month with his family in Nigeria, (he especially misses his mother), then he'll return to Nicktown for a few days, & then begin his studies in San Francisco for his Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.
Dinner: Singapore chicken with Lo Mein noodles, sourdough bread, & fresh fruit salad: Biscotti & butter pecan ice cream for dessert. Lights out: 11:57pm.

Awake: 6:39am    Temp 51    sleep 6+24   rain off & on all day     Nicktown.

 

After our KK meeting, K & I exercised @ the community center for (1) hr. We stayed indoors for most of the day except for Kathy driving over to the church hall to help bag the dry noodles & attending 6:00pm Mass.

Mid afternoon, my 1^st cousin visited for about an hr; we always have a lot to talk about.

I also spent a good hr trying to fix a toy Spider-Man quad-runner; made in China. One thin wire of two came loose so I spliced & soldered some phone wire in its place. The Chinese use such thin copper wire that it seems to either break easily or is not solidly soldered to begin with. Now the motor works fine but after the assembly, it doesn't work. I'll spend more time with this later.

Dinner: Chili with chips.

Then we watched our regular prerecorded political programs.

Lights out: 11:54pm.

  

Awake: 6:28am     Temp 45     sleep 5+30     sunny     overnight @ Nicktown.

After our KK meeting, John B & I exercised @ the community center while Kathy joined the gang who are making noodles @ the church hall. After I finished working out, I delivered the Stihl weed whacker to its rightful owner.

Then, I had a healthy breakfast before I got after the portable power mate generator once again. I've been told by the former makers of this generator to check both diodes on the armature as they have been know to go bad & not work the exciter. Using my Fluke meter, I found (1) diode completely zip & the other very weak...so I got on the phone & called the company who sells the parts & ordered (2) new diodes.

Late afternoon, K & I motored to Ebensburg & then rode with my brother Don & his wife Josie in their car to the town of Lilly to help celebrate our sister Corinne's 63rd birthday. To begin with, we sat on their back porch, drinking some wine while gabbing & eating delicious organic cashews for a good (40) min; then we spotted Sister Jane walking slowly back to the house with (2) large boxes of Pizza. Now we're talking!

With the pizza & the broccoli salad that Sister Jane made for the special occasion, we continued feeding our bodies with several trips in & out of the house to get refills of pizza, wine, & broccoli salad. The evening temperature promoted a move inside & then, after more yak-yak, dessert was served...one of Corinne's favorite dishes & mine as well; cherry pie ala mode. Thank you, Corinne & Jane, for making our visit a most enjoyable celebration of Corinne's birthday. And.....another nice family gathering for us & them.

Lights out: 12:15am.

Awake: 5:55am   Temp 55     sleep 6+00     early light rain     overnight @ Nicktown.

Yesterday, when visiting the Foote family, I volunteered to take a Eureka vacuum cleaner & a Microwave oven back to our motorhome in hopes I could get both items working again.

So after breakfast this morning, 1st I tackled the Eureka Bagless vacuum. Melissa's complaint: the beater bar doesn't work & she needs to have that fixed. I was impressed at how clean & good looking this vacuum cleaner was; no marks, scuffs, or signs of heavy use what-so-ever. Inside where the beater bar was located, the motor itself, looked brand new, but there was a circuit board.

I plugged the Eureka in, took some voltage readings on the circuit board & found the voltage going into the motor to be extremely low.....too low for powering the 120 volt motor. With no schematic diagram to do justice, I called Bernie in Johnstown & discussed this circuit board.

Bernie told me that the circuit board is all about protecting the beater bar motor from burning up if & when the beater bar stalled. He didn't encourage me to dig deeper into a repair job on the circuit board or to get a new board. "They've had a lot of trouble with that unit" Bernie told me. So I put it back together & stored it for now, in a waterproof place.

Next, I brush cleaned a plugged up muffler on the Stihl weed whacker; of course I had to test it by whacking some of our own weeds down. So now, it starts easy & has a lot of power. Tomorrow I'll return it to its rightful owner.

Finally, I worked myself up to the Microwave oven; the complaint on this unit: the door won't open when pushing the button. It turns out...I don't have the proper tools to open the casing. I have (1) tool but I don't have the complete set. I'll put the oven aside until I find the proper tool.

(1) more job this afternoon; neighbor Chuck has oil leaking from his oil filling tube on his walk-behind Lawn Boy mower. Just by luck, I had a gasket that fit pretty tight so that job took less than (20) min.

About the same time I was finishing up this project, John B drove in & paid us a visit. John was feeling better today about his new knee & I was happy to hear that. I suggested that he hang around & have a glass of wine with some crackers & cheese which he did, so we sat in the sun & had some good talk time.

Before dinner, Kathy & I went outside & each picked a bowl of wild strawberries.

Dinner: Fish Tacos on whole wheat tortillas.

Almost forgot to mention, while I was outside trying to fix a few things today, Kathy baked (42) peanut butter cookies for the KK & others.

Later evening, we got a surprise call from Mark & Joan in Ohio; we brought each other up-to-date on our kids, grandkids & each other, etc. We even reminisced about the week we spent in our motorhome parked next to their garage & home; a new twist for visiting them. We really enjoyed our time together as well as the extra touring that we were able to do with the time saved by not having to motor back & forth to a campground. Thanks again you guys, for going the extra mile without us going the extra mile.

Lights out: 12:58am.

Awake: 7:33am      Temp 71     sleep 7+32     windy....heavy rain off & on      Nicktown.

This morning the guys are treated a free breakfast @ the church hall....way ahead of Father's Day but the hall is reserved for a wedding on the 20th.

About 1:30pm, we motor to Indiana to spend the rest of the afternoon with the Foote family. All together, we spent about an hr in their house & maybe (3) hrs outside in the back yard & alley. Inside, we watched Gregory play with the car carrier. and Nathan jumping on their mini trampoline; Andrew taking his turn to see who can jump the highest Matthew demonstrated his homebuilt airplane/car with steering wheels. Outside, we witness Matthew riding on his free gift from the neighbor...the electric Razor bike; Andrew is getting closer to balancing on his bike; And now, all (3) riders of the alley speedway. Here is Little Gregory using his legs with some support from his G...Daddy. Dinner by Kevin about 3:30 pm: well seasoned, perfectly grilled hamburgers, tomato slices, lettuce, French fries, grapes, Melissa's great tasting peanut butter smoothie, etc.

After dinner, we watched Kinley play: "get the rubber bone & bring it back ASAP." She seems peppier & happier than we've ever experienced. Maybe she is glad to be in the back yard again. Thank you guys for a fun time & a wonderful dinner. 

Back in our motorhome, we watch the movie: "The Lavender Hill Mob" with Alec Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sidney James, Alfie Bass,etc. Excellent comedy with droll Guinness a timid bank clerk who has perfect scheme for robbing a gold bullion truck, with a madcap chase climax.1951.It was a good story but don't try this @ home.

Lights out: 11:55pm.

Awake: 6:40am    Temp 65    sleep 6+28    rain    overnight @ Nicktown.

 

After our KK meeting, John B & I did a light workout @ the community center. John told me his new knee is starting to feel better & bends a little more.   

 

Mid morning, we talked with Melissa about Sunday plans for a visit to their place.

 

We stayed inside most of the day doing some reading & computer stuff plus, looking over the latest changes we had our architect do on our house plans.

 

Dinner: leftover pork, fire roasted sweet peppers, rice with golden raisins, & orange cuties.

 

Evening movie; finished watching: "The White Cliffs of Dover" with Irene Dunne, Alan Marshal, Van Johnson, Frank Morgan, C. Aubrey Smith, etc. American Dunne marries Britisher Marshal in patriotic WWI romancer that boasts wonderful cast (including young Elizabeth Taylor). 1944. It was just ok; kind of sad really.

Lights out: 11:59pm.

 

Awake: 6:18am     Temp 64      sleep 6+19     overcast      overnight @ Nicktown.

Early morning, Kathy started doing the laundry; after our KK meeting, she continued on the 2nd load while I went outside & re-assembled the weed whacker. Now the weed whacker idles ok but something is holding back the power. I don't trust the weather today so I stored the unit in the basement until another day.

Meanwhile, I finished reading the book: "Destiny Fulfilled or Just Plain Luck" by Ralph Brown. During the early days in Kirsch town, Ralph was a nearby neighbor. He wrote a book on his life ...so far; quite interesting & funny.

Mid afternoon, my brother called: he wondered if we were interested in going to the Cresson Lake Playhouse with them tonight to see: "Nunsensations Las Vegas Revue" as they have (2) extra tickets. That answer took about (2) sec...."Yes, we are." The extra tickets came from Josie's brother & wife who had prior arrangements & couldn't make the play.

After motoring to Ebensburg, we rode with Don & Josie to the choice restaurant: "Off the Rack" where Kathy had a chicken salad & I enjoyed a blackened tuna steak dinner.

It's been (5or 6) yrs since we attended this theater & it looks like a full house to me. The main story is: (5) Nuns are in Las Vegas & feel that they are committing a sin by being so close to the gambling tables & alcohol. Kathy's outfit tonight was black & white so when the nuns were looking for someone to participate in the drawing for a prize, Kathy was the third one chosen. The nuns announced the prizes ahead of time, the BIG one being a Lamborghini car which they showed a large picture of. Kathy wore the right colors & the nuns were so excited that she wore the same colors as they did. As they had with the other contestants, Sister asked, "What is your name?" "Kathy." "Are you Catholic?" "Yes." "Oh, Kathy the Catholic!" the sisters exclaimed excitedly. "Kathy, you just won the Lamborghini.....(pause) key!  We're poor, so you'll have to find the car to match the key." The crowd erupted in gales of laughter. The nuns were fun to watch & their funny entertainment was good for us so we thanked my brother Don & his wife, Josie, for the tickets, the transportation & the good family togetherness.

Back in our motorhome, we watched (28) min of: The White Cliffs of Dover."

Lights out: 12:12am. 

Awake: 5:31am      Temp 63     sleep 5+36     cloudy     overnight @ Nicktown.

After breakfast, I disassembled the Coleman generator section, replaced the capacitor with a new one, & reassembled the unit. To get the electrical coil excited, I plugged in (2) stripped wires on the generator, started the Briggs & Stratton engine, & then plugged the cord with the stripped wires into a 120 Volt receptacle from the motorhome for a mere (3) sec & fully expected to see the green light lit. No...nothing.

My thoughts were deep into the electrical world when suddenly, a vehicle pulled into our driveway; it was the Foote family. They were on their way home from DC....all rested & cleaned up from their biking adventure. We got some more hugs & happy smiles from the boys &, of course, from Melissa & Kevin. They were looking forward to being in their home again.

They also suspect the reason Kinley, the dog, was so lethargic during the last few days of their journey....ticks, many ticks. We could plainly see them on Kinley's body, many of them very engorged with Kinley's blood. Kevin said he will probably see a vet about this ASAP. He's not heavy Father, he's my dog. Tuesday....Kevin carrying Kinley for (20) miles. Yesterday, Wednesday, for Kevin's birthday, the Footes drove their van back to Rileys Lock without Kinley (whom Billie Anne graciously offered to keep in her apt), hooked up their bikes & finished the bike trail into Georgetown, MD. Then biked back to their van & back to Billie Anne's place to spend another night. Good work Footes! & thanks for the short but splendid visit.

 After the Footes left, I must have tried (4 or 5) different methods to get the generator powered....to no avail. I am running out of ideas so I called the company that sells parts for this generator. We discussed several methods of getting the generator excited & then the lady suggested that I check (2) diodes that could also be guilty of resisting the exciter start method. So, on my next good weather day, I will check that out.

Shortly after returning home, Melissa & Kevin called to tell Kathy how much they appreciated arriving home to a clean & organized house.

Dinner: Turkey & ham tetrazinni, cantaloupe, mango & bread.

Late evening, we watched our recorded political programs.

Lights out: 11:59pm.

Awake: 7:07am    temp 61    sleep 6+46    mostly sunny    overnight @ Nicktown.

 

I made a call to the social room in our community center around 8:40am & talked with Donna; "we won't be attending the KK meeting this morning," I told her. "We have obligations in Indiana & then some work @ home."  She understood.

After breakfast, I temporarily unloaded the books in our car & replaced them with our Snapper lawnmower, gasoline can, & oil. Then we motored to the Foote Castle.

Kathy is doing some more cleaning & organizing @ the Foote Castle while I mow the front, side, & back yards with the Snapper. I was finished about (30) min before she was.

Next we do a little grocery shopping....but 1st,  the Wine & Spirits Store & then Wal-Mart.

Back on our property, we removed the Snapper mower & returned the books to our Suzuki. Then I started mowing our own grass with Kathy watching for the wheelbarrow to be full, & then she wheeled it into the woods & dumped it for mulch for future purposes. We were hoping that our neighbor Chuck would mow the alley way with his riding mower &, by golly, shortly after I started doing the inside of our circular driveway, Chuck appeared with his riding mower & was finished mowing within the hr whereas it took me another (2.5 hrs) to finish up.

 

Dinner: Leftover fish from last night's meal @ Breezewood, PA.

 

After watching our recorded political programs, we started watching: "The White Cliffs of Dover" for (7) min.

 

Lights out: 11:55pm.

 

 

Awake: 6:04am     Temp 65     sleep 6+07      morning rain     overnight @ Nicktown.

Aah, the generator part (capacitor) arrived @ the post office this morning. Now perhaps I can get Gary's generator running before he gets back from their camping trip.

Back in our coach, we were getting our cereal boxes out for breakfast when the phone rang; it was Melissa. "Would it be possible for you to drive down to where we plan to be today in lieu of Thursday," Melissa asked. "Aah, well we guess so.....is there a problem?" we asked.

"We've had it! Kinley refuses to move & she will not stay in the basket we bought for her. Kevin has been carrying Kinley in a May-tie (sling) on his back, her paws over his shoulders, while riding his bike for (20) miles now & he can't do it any longer," she told us.

She gave us a location, Seneca State Park, where they would be waiting for us. She couldn't talk long due to cell phone running low on battery. We quickly ate a small breakfast, grabbed a few things of importance & were on our way. With Kathy following in the Suzuki & me leading in the Ford Van, we left Nicktown @ 11:25am.

 @ 1:10pm, we stopped in Breezwood to top off the Ford Van with diesel fuel. We made a few other short stops along the way, especially when Melissa called to let us know where they were located on our map.

The best clue @ that time was, according to Melissa, the bike trail crosses an aqueduct & there is a road that leads into the campground.

As we were motoring along I-70 & then I-270, I recognized the names of several campgrounds the Footes had camped at that had access for auto vehicles....so that gave me a strong clue as to where to turn off of I-270.

Kathy & I each had our own Motorola Talk-About walkie-talkies so we could communicate along the way. Shortly after turning onto I-270, I couldn't get any response on the Talk-About when calling Kathy...but.I could see her in my mirror & I think she was trying to get me to get off of I-270 to find out where the huge Seneca Park is located. I wasn't going to do that because of what Melissa told me, that where they were, there is vehicle access." So I kept looking for the Seneca exit sign.

About (15) to 20) miles further, I finally spotted the Seneca Park sign & exited I-270. We then found a parking area where we could talk & look closely @ where this Seneca & Aqueduct were located. Kathy's Talk-About suddenly quit so now we watch each other for clues. 

We spent the next (2) hrs trying to find the Seneca Aqueduct area. Somewhere during this challenging witch hunt, Melissa called to give us another important clue: "we are @ the Rileys Lock in Seneca Park."

We stopped & asked a few people along the way but no one gave us good directions. At one point, we found ourselves at the Historic Whites Toll Ferry & a dead-end for vehicles unless you wanted to cross over the Potomac River which we definitely did not want to do.

We realized we went way too far north & now we must take the long way around. Our GPS was useless due to so few towns & names of river locations. We felt a little dumb & sad about wasting all the precious time that the Footes could be using to get re-organized & here we were, just cruising the roads (some asphalt, others gravel & dirt) & stopping when we could to check if we were on the right track.

Finally, @ one crossroad, where we were stopped; Kathy & I were scouring the map as to which way to proceed, when a vehicle coming in the opposite direction slowed down & called out: "are you looking for Melody?" I said: "do you mean Melissa?" "Yes, follow me after I turn around, I know where they are," he said.

Well, we were about 1/8th of a mile from where the Footes were waiting. One of the reasons we missed seeing the side road sign: Rileys Lock Road, was that the sign was not positioned properly. If we had been coming from the opposite direction, we could easily have saved (2) hrs of time. Anyway, the Footes were more than happy to see us & visa-versa. The boys were all smiles & gave us many hugs; Melissa & Kevin were relieved that they'd been found.

In a nutshell: 11:25am we left Nicktown. 1:10pm stopped in Breezewood for Diesel fuel. 2:10pm stopped to call Footes 2:30pm....3:00pm etc random calls throughout toward 6:00pm. 5:05pm....Historic Whites Ferry (toll) 5:50pm....Meet Footes @ Rileys Lock in Seneca Park.

While Kevin & Melissa were getting their camping & biking things in order to pack in the Ford van, Kathy & I walked with the boys; they showed us the Seneca Creek Aqueduct & where the boats crossed on the Aqueduct which is now the bike trail. Here is Kathy & Mathew testing the waters of the Potomac. We also read about the Seneca Aqueduct. Around 7:00pm, the Foote family was all packed & ready to ride on wider wheels to Kevin's sister's apartment in D.C. for the night, where they could take much needed showers & sleep more comfortably. Kevin, however, was very disappointed that they hadn't made it from Pittsburgh to the official termination of the trail in Georgetown, MD. Kinley, who was obviously worn out, was mostly responsible for the abrupt ending of their bike ride. We bade the Foote family safe travels & planned to see them soon in Indiana.

Kathy & I left shortly before the Footes in our Suzuki @ reversed our travels, stopping @ Breezewood for fuel for the Suzuki & a Perkins fish meal for our tummies. We were home @ 11:14pm.

We watched some of our recorded political programs before having lights out @ 12:21am. 

Awake: 5:25am     Temp 61     sleep 5+14      sunny      late evening rain      Nicktown.

K & I attended 8:00 am Mass along with many other locals, out of town people & veterans.

After Mass, hundreds of people were already lined up on both sides of the street to view the Nicktown Memorial parade. For a town this size, (approx 220 inside the village), Nicktown draws a steady & meaningful group of people. Here come the Veterans! Recognize these (3) vets?












After the Vets, we have high school marching band, fire trucks, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, tractors, ole cars, etc. 
The parade lineup seemed shorter this year than last, but on the other hand, more folks were lined up on both sides of the street & in the Cemetery for the Memorial Presentation. After the Memorial ceremony was over, K & I meandered down the street to the Nicktown Hotel. And who do we find telling war stories & exacerbated lies, those Vets of yesteryear. After a little grub with the guys & Andrea, K & I found our way to our coach where we got serious with the maps to meet up with the biking Footes on Wednesday.

Dinner: Tuna casserole, leftover chicken noodle soup, leftover broccoli & a cutie orange.

After we were somewhat comfortable with our driving plans for Wednesday, Melissa called with a change of destination. They are presently @ Indian Flats.

Late evening, Zack Skyped us & we chatted about anything & everything for (1) hr & (4) min. Such topics as: wedding plans & costs; Isilon work & stock; Katie's veterinarian work, etc. It was a good call.

Lights out: 11:57pm. 

Awake: 6:32am     Temp 58      sleep 6:11      sunny     overnight @ Nicktown, PA.

I've wanted to take our box heater apart for sometime now; only thing holding me back was I didn't have a small enough star driver. Well, about (2) weeks ago I was visiting the Krumenacker Hardware Store to buy some PVC pipe & there in front of me, were these very small star drivers, so I bought one.

Early afternoon, I took the box heater all apart, cleaned it thoroughly & then plugged it in. The motor was just as noisy as before; I am suspicious the motor or bearings are going bad. Sometime later, I'll call the factory for more info.

Gary & Rosemary arrived a little after 2:00pm. They had been in Europe for (12) days....touring Rome, Florence, & experiencing the Passion play in Oberammergau, Germany, which is only performed every (10) years. Now we are the lucky ones to see the photos of their adventures. Of course Kathy is ready with the healthy snack tray & wine for us all.

We had lots of questions & they had lots of answers. And visa-versa; their questions to us were mainly about the Foote family's big bike trip from McKeesport (near Pittsburgh) to Washington, D.C. In fact, during their visit, Melissa called from Huckleberry Hill, West Virginia with more info on the rendezvous we are soon to be engaged in; they have about (85) miles yet to go for their destination.

Dinner is served: Roast pork tenderloin, scalloped potatoes, sautéed apples, broccoli with fire roasted sweet red peppers & rosemary, olive oil bread. Dessert: Creme Brulee.

We chatted for a good 1.5 hrs after dinner & then Gary was ready to return to their home. I talked Gary into not taking his Coleman generator yet due to the fact that he will have to excite the generator every time he uses it... & to wait for the capacitor I've ordered; maybe he won't have to do the extra step. We enjoyed seeing their photos & hearing about their trip abroad very much.

Next, we drove about (1) mile & visited our 1st cousins: the Kirsch brothers of "Kirschtown," Louis, Cy, & Brother Anthony (Tony). We were near neighbors during our youth & have tried to stay in touch as much as possible. They are here due to Memorial Day & the famous Nicktown parade. We caught up on each other's adventures since last yr....with some good stories & future plans for Cy. From left to right> Tony....Cy....Lou. Back in our coach, K & I finished watching "Airplane" with David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, etc. Very funny spoof of AIRPORT-type pictures (and Arthur Hailey's ZERO HOUR in particular) with a nonstop string of gags that holds up almost to the end. 1980. You gotta believe it; very funny.

Lights out: 12:11am.