Storms roll in as Vacation winds down!

I wrapped up my last full day of vacation on Sunday with a trip to Cutie’s Coffee. That’s exactly what this week off missed. Last Fall, I was down there twice during the week off. Summer is in full swing, even though it doesn’t feel like it today. Still loving that Bakecation (Oreo Cheesecake) Latte I got at Latte Lane, I decided on the Caramel Waffle Cold Brew from Cutie’s. With renovations still going on in the shop, I enjoyed it outside. 

I asked about the upstairs seating and it should be ready in a few weeks. 

Bible Study has been rescheduled to next Monday. While originally disappointed, that change actually helped me as my coffee visits have fallen into place for the remainder of June. My next excursion is Friday afternoon and I’ll stop at Caleese after waking up (I’ll go for 2:15-2:30 and then go to the gym). Next week I’ll go to Cutie’s and White Rabbit. I’m thinking a trip to Sun Dawg at the end of the month for breakfast is in the works. July will likely be a stop at the new Caleese on the Trail in Export or Groove (which I missed Friday). 

The weather was wild yesterday. Luckily, I was able to enjoy my outdoor activities before things got crazy. The local channels cut into whatever sporting event was on to cover the storms. Around 5pm, things were getting serious as tornado warnings began popping up north of Pittsburgh. Beaver County, as well as Butler and Clarion counties were under the gun as storms were producing tornadoes. Following social media, I learned of storm damage in Jefferson County north of Punxsutawney in the small town of Big Run. A few hours later, it was our turn. 

Just before 7pm, I got the notification that we were under a Tornado Warning in Westmoreland County. Would it be deja vu like last Saturday when Scottdale and Connellsville sustained significant damage as did parts of Washington County? The threat was imminent, but it blew over and soon after we were in the “all clear”. 

This vacation week draws to a close in a few hours and I’ll leave for Giant Eagle this evening at 9:30. Thus, how do I grade it? The first half of the week I was getting into vacation mode, even as the plans included visits to Toastmasters clubs. I stressed over a few things during the week that I won’t mention on the blog and mixed business with pleasure. 

Some of the business included: 

• Cleaning house and sending clothes to Goodwill, thus making my wardrobe more manageable. 
• I also picked up a couple of pillows at JCPenney and a new pair of shoes on Friday. 
• I also bought a filter and some motor oil at NAPA. 

I slept pretty well Saturday morning and then made my plans for lunch.  

For pleasure: 

• I visited a few Toastmasters clubs 
• I traveled to my hometown mall where I hadn’t been in a while
  • I got to see how different the old Sears entrance looks now that Dick’s House of Sport is opening soon. I see the outside of the new anchor when I walk around the annex on my visits to the gym. 
• I had brunch with Aunt Sue and Benny at Brady’s Restaurant in Acme.
  • We began to make plans for our beach trip this Fall.  
• I had plenty of opportunities to swim and exercise, making the most of a stop at Mammoth Park after brunch Saturday. 

What do I have to look forward to in the coming weeks besides the first day of Summer? How I beat my end of vacation depression? 

• Thursday night is dinner at the Olive Garden with Mr. Clougherty
  • Hibachi will be our July spot and maybe the new Mexican restaurant in August. 
• Summer TLI is this Saturday. It is an online event and runs from 9am-1pm. It’s our last event as District 13. 
• Next Thursday, I’ll be celebrating Western Maryland Toastmasters (online) as they wrap up their year. 
• Two weeks from tomorrow is my birthday. I hope my present is a good checkup at the doctor’s. 
• The Fourth of July is the week of my birthday and we’ll likely be heading to Guffey to watch the fireworks at the Farm. 

I’m excited for my next vacation in October and what’s to come, but it’s a long way off. Therefore, it’s time to enjoy the summer and make the most of those opportunities. I always enjoy pumpkin season when it gets here but I can wait for that too.