The first week off of 2026 is going by quickly. I’ve visited Toastmasters clubs, gone swimming, and went to the gym. Compared to my Fall 2025 vacation, it feels a little bit lacking.
However, I’m not labeling this vacation week a bust even though things could have been better. I made a trip to a new coffee shop (Latte Lane) and tried too hard to visit a few others. It looks like that’s not going to happen and it cheated me of staying local and attending a grand opening. The Fall 2025 vacation was a nice mix of activities that included Slippery Rock Homecoming and a visit to the Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent University.
One of the top stories of Summer Vacation 2026 saw me cleaning house. I got three garbage bags full of clothes I don’t wear anymore or wore a few times. The bags went into my trunk and I took them to Goodwill. Another purge is coming in September. I’m all set for the summer (and probably the rest of 2026) and I have reading lined up into the Fall months. I’m beginning the process of being full by having less, and that’s all right with me.
I turned the white dresser into a space for books, journals, and art supplies. Today, my infinity scarves went up on the hooks. Time will tell if they stick around for the Fall. I’m going to go through books this summer to get them ready for the Fall donation pile. My closet is a lot lighter this week, but the leopard print jacket is staying. My dressers can breathe a little easier, and the cheetah sweaters and tops will stick around. It’s my trademark, what can I say? As this week ends, I feel like less of a hoarder.
I finished two reads this week, and one of them was the Josh Shapiro memoir. This book was a nice write up about Shapiro’s life, covering his journey into politics. It also talked about a young man who was raised to serve others. Some of the stories that get mentioned included the Catholic Church scandal, the Tree of Life shooting, and the tragic events at the Trump rally in Butler.
As I have finished this and Matthew West’s “The God Who Stays”, I’m putting more focus on reading The Jazzmen now. I’ll also starting a Tony Evans book early this week talking about the names of God. At the end of August, I’ll start Steven Curtis Chapman’s book he wrote with his wife on marriage. That will coincide with the new romance novel I’ll be starting just after Labor Day from Julie Olivia. I enjoyed her previous book, “If It Makes You Happy”, last Fall.
October is when my next week off takes place, during the middle of the month. There’s a possibility I’ll get to take a trip to the beach. My aunt and I are thinking about a short Cape May visit. My plan for one of my vacations in 2027 is to take that longer trip to the beach (either Bethany Beach or Cape May). More on that to come as we go through the Summer.
Finally, I got my exercise and move goals met yesterday in the most simplest way, by doing an indoor walk at Westmoreland Mall. You may see the mall walkers early in the morning sometimes. I did it myself and got almost a half an hour in. Not bad.
I had to pause for a time as I walked into the various shoe stores (Famous Footwear and Shoe Dept.). I needed a new pair for walking and when I go to the gym. Having not been inside Westmoreland Mall for a hot minute, I’m pleased that my hometown mall continues to hold its own. The casino is thriving and the new Dick’s House of Sport is really coming together. I’ve seen the construction as I walk around the annex before and after my workout. The new anchor will be opening this summer (around the beginning of August). Unlike Ross Park Mall’s location, this one doesn’t have an outdoor field.
I had lunch at the old Famous Wok (now called StirFry 88) and am impressed with how many eating establishments there are at the mall. Compared to the dead and dying malls (Beaver Valley, Clearview, Monroeville, and Robinson), Westmoreland Mall is doing well. Next to South Hills Village, these are my top two malls to go to. Ross Park, Mall at Robinson, and Monroeville fall next on the rankings.
