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End of an Era in Toastmasters!

This morning marked the end of an era. It was our club officer training. It was held online. It was the final event for Districts 10 and 13 before the two districts merge to form the new District 219 on July 1.

Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting.

I logged on to the platform around quarter to nine and hung out in one of the break rooms. I was tempted to go to the one marked Food where one of my friends from Johnstown was. I’m sure the conversation centered around his delicious baked goods. The one I was in had some people in it from District 10, as well as incoming District Director Sharon Imes. She is also a founding member of the Laurel Highlands and Western Maryland Toastmasters clubs. I’ll be at both clubs this week.

I wasn’t in the room for long, as the training was set to begin at 9am.

At our virtual event, I picked up a lot of good tips just in the chat alone. How’s that for networking? I added my own insight too. Hitting Distinguished status before Christmas while focusing on the higher levels for January through June is one tip that really stood out. Thank you Stuart Strickland (incoming Division E Director).

In this new Toastmasters year, I’m getting used to spending more time using the online resources. I’m also getting acclimated to using Google Sheets to make agendas and do Distinguished Club progress. Down the road, I’m going to get the Club Success Plan ready for both of my clubs. The report has to be in by Sept. 30 to make clubs eligible to be Distinguished. I believe our first presenter of the day suggested having it ready by July 30.

While in the breakout room yesterday morning prior to beginning our training, the District Director also talked about supporting the trio. While there is a town hall on July 1, I will be in attendance at the Greensburg Toastmasters meeting. I hope to learn more about what was covered in the meeting.

Eating on a Patio in Downtown Greensburg!

While enjoying my Matcha Latte at Caleese on Friday afternoon, I scrolled through Instagram and saw a post that really caught my eye.

Summer in Greensburg means that dining out may involve enjoying your meal outside while enjoying a nice view of the city. There are plenty of restaurants (and even coffee shops) in our beautiful city that encourage this type of fine dining. From the pictures that I saw and the page I was on (@devourgreensburg), it looks like Parkwood and Stone Merchant Brewing give you nice views. Pennsylvania Avenue also has places where you can dine (and enjoy coffee) outside, like 3Natives and DV8. Cutie’s also made the list and from experience, I love watching the world go by as I enjoy one of their signature drinks.

This week, my coffee travels will take me to Cutie’s and White Rabbit. I may swap the visits depending on Monday’s weather forecast.

Our Dinner Series for 2026 is going well so far and, hard to believe, we’re already at the halfway point for the year.

Kevin and I met at the Olive Garden on Thursday night. It’s a week earlier than expected, but he’s going to the beach next week. That free night opens the door for me to celebrate Western Maryland Toastmasters’ year as they achieved Smedley Distinguished honors. As I waited for Kevin, I journaled and read some of my book I’m currently interested in. Perfect timing to finish just as he walked up and we went inside.

Eating at Olive Garden during my birthday month brings back memories, like when my Somerset County family took me during COVID. We had to keep masks handy, order off a paper menu, and use hand sanitizer. I was in my Gilmore Girls era and was going into the final season of the show around that time. The next year was a little better as Sara treated me to lunch for my 40th. It was a week of celebration of this new milestone. My actual birthday was spent at the Jean Bonnet Tavern in Bedford with my Somerset County family. I had a fun time with the family who adopted me as Sara blessed me with a gift bag full of stuff. My fashion journey was just starting to grow.

Last night, I got a nice compliment from Kevin about how he talked about me during his last days leading up to retirement. He used me as an example and I’m glad to learn of the legacy that I’ve left since graduating in 2000. I do regret not sharing some of the Table Topics questions that I had in mind for him. His response to the Star Trek ones would have been cool to hear, as well as the American vs. foreign cars question.

Olive Garden makes for a great dining experience, and it definitely leaves you feeling full. I contemplated saving half my dinner for work and ordering something for dessert. We met here in the 90 degree heat a few years ago for my birthday and I kind of regret overeating the night before my vacation. That summer started shaky but the rest of the year turned out great. Kevin and I both enjoyed our entrees. I had the shrimp alfredo and he had the chicken parmesan.

Our next time getting together is July 23 at Edo Hibachi behind the mall. That’s always a great dining experience, from watching them make your food to squirting the saki into your mouth. September and October look to be set with Primanti’s and Eat’n Park as the choices. I’m thinking about trying out the new Mexican restaurant in August where Ground Round used to be.

This morning I sat at my computer attending summer TLI. Unlike previous ones I’ve attended, this one was online, likely due to the merger with District 219. I’ll have a more detailed blog about the event in Sunday’s blog.

I did miss making the drive to Youngwood and the room we have for our event. We’ve been here every year since the DTM gauntlet in the summer of 2021. Some of the TLIs we had during COVID were pretty memorable too. The one that stands out is December 2020, when we did the panel discussion on the Spirit of Toastmasters.

I’m preparing for a busy 2026-27 Toastmasters year as I serve as Vice President Education both at Laurel Highlands and Greensburg. At this morning’s presentations and club officer session, I learned from our speakers and facilitator. The training ran from 9am to 1pm.

Thursday night, as I said earlier, I will be attending Western Maryland’s meeting online. The club achieved Smedley Distinguished honors during 2025-26 and I’ll be celebrating them and their achievements. Heading into this new year, they have a lot to proud of. I can’t wait to see what happens with Mineral County Toastmasters and Sandusky Bay Toastmasters, two clubs I hope to check out online in the future.

This or That at Greensburg Toastmasters!

Well, I was all ready to go for my Greensburg Toastmasters meeting Wednesday night. It was our final one of the year and our last under District 13. We’ve been pushing that quite a bit as we change districts on July 1 and become the new District 219. I got the email message around 4:30pm that we would be going remote. Either way, I knew that we would have a good meeting.

We began a few minutes late but ended with plenty of time to spare. The meeting ran smoothly, and we ended early. It was a concise meeting and we all enjoyed ourselves. Our next meeting is on July 1; thus, tonight was like Christmas for our club minus the gifts. We have four signed up for the online club officer training (Summer TLI) on Saturday; therefore, we’ll satisfy the requirement in the Distinguished Club Program.

The Table Topics theme was a good one. Mike’s Table Topics were This or That. Do we like one thing or the other? My question was Pepsi vs. Coke, and I gave a good response to the question. This one is definitely a debate to end all debates.

Some of the questions I would have included would be:

Star Trek or Star Wars?
Captain Kirk or Captain Picard? (for the trekkie)
C3PO or R2-D2? Luke Skywalker vs. Han Solo?
Chevrolet or Ford? (for the car enthusiast)
American car vs. Foreign car?

New for the upcoming Toastmasters year are spreadsheets that I’m working on that contain the next meeting’s agenda. I’m also going to put together other ones for Distinguished Club progress. Down the road, I’ll also do ones for Moments of Truth as well as the Club Success Plan.

I loved the Table Topics Question that our Topicsmaster gave himself.

Sweet or Savory?

Mike mentioned The Pie Shoppe in Laughlintown, just a few minutes past Ligonier. I love their baked goods, especially their donuts. The bakery is a beautiful sight to see as I make my way to Jennerstown and other locations in the Alleghenies.

The third night was the charm as I finally have my groove back after being on vacation the past week. The first night took some getting used to once again, and Tuesday night we spent most of the night prepping the store for inventory. I was comfortable doing the price changes and enjoying my burger 🍔 and brat 🌭 and a Coke to go with it. I’ll welcome a night off though as I get ready for Saturday’s online club officer training.

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.

First Cape May Trip Since 2018 This Fall!

My first vacation of the year is coming to an end and in spite of mixed feelings, it was a good week off. My week was also productive as I downsized my wardrobe, enough to fill three bags of clothes to give to Goodwill. I spent a lot of time in the pool this week as well, and the water was very warm. In the twilight days of this week off, I’m in the process of planning my first trip to a beautiful beach town. It’ll be part of my next vacation this October.

It’s back to Giant Eagle Monday night and this reset was very needed. Keys to victory this week and beyond as I roll into summer include getting back to basics.

1. Focusing on my work and keeping my eyes in the prize. Whatever we can get done, we get done.

2. Between now and the next vacation in October, I’m going to enjoy the summer months and make the most of what I have available.

This Spring really tested me. It proved unsuccessful though.

3. Don’t overthink things. Simple as that.

Work aside, I am going to enjoy summer and get out as much as I can. In Toastmasters, I’ll be settling into my new role serving as Vice President Education for both of my clubs. I’m going to continue exercising and try to get my numbers down. As we go through summer, we’re going to finalize our little beach vacation as well.

My aunt and I had brunch this morning at Brady’s Restaurant. This was my second trip here, having gone the first time in April. She mentioned that we should try it when I had a free weekend, and so this was the perfect day for it.

The spread was nice, with a make your own omelet bar, as well as pancakes and Belgian waffles. There were also biscuits and sausage gravy. The buffet was worth the drive and the money and we got to catch up on my aunt’s recent beach trip to Bethany Beach. While at Brady’s, we began to put together our October trip. It’s four months away but I’m already excited. I don’t want to wish away summer though.

I’ve been due for another beach trip for a while. For me, this will be the first time I’ve been to this beautiful Hallmark Christmas beach town since before COVID. I want to go to either Bethany, Rehoboth, or Cape May next summer. In the short term, my aunt came in and piqued my interest in going to the Jersey Shore this Fall.

My next vacation week is October 11 to October 17. The family reunion (and most likely Annabelle’s birthday) will kick it off. I may do a Cranberry High Noon visit Columbus Day and then it will be beach time. Midweek, it’s off to Cape May. Even better, I may even get a good deal on the suite I’m staying at.

Last time I was at Cape May, it was on my dime and I didn’t get paid for that week off. Eight years later (and older), I will have had plenty saved up. I also didn’t have this blog in 2018, so there will be lots to write about and post on the socials.

We parted ways just before 1pm and while the Somerset Gaffrons headed home, I had a decision to make. Do I follow suit and go to Somerset, possibly making some time for the hot tub? Do I pick up PA 711 near Donegal and hang out in Ligonier for a bit? Or, do I go to Mammoth (15 minutes away) and take a walk?

I chose number three.

While the first two choices were tempting, I didn’t bring swimming attire. Also, I wanted to close my rings. Therefore, I decided on Mammoth Park. I walked around the lake twice and got two miles in. I left around 2:30, my cup feeling very full.

I was tempted to stop at Caleese on my way home, traveling through Pleasant Unity and West Point. PA 130 provided easy access to the main highway. Coming to an end, my week off is starting to win out.

Cleaning House and Walking around the Mall!

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.

First Toastmasters Meeting in a High School Classroom!

It was the night… that almost wasn’t. The plans on this Tuesday of my vacation week included a visit to the South Hills Toastmasters Club. Before I decided to head to Canonsburg, I almost made the decision to stay at home and attend online.

I’m glad I made the effort to drive to Canon-McMillan High School and attend the meeting, though. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. As the title states, this was my first time attending a Toastmasters meeting at a high school. I’ve attended meetings at courthouses, churches, restaurants, and even hospitals. But never at a high school.

The energy that I built up at Tuesday night’s meeting took a while to get going. I’m used to moving around at work overnight and closing my move ring. I didn’t go to the gym like I usually do nor did I go for a morning walk. I have all the time in the world this week. Seriously, why don’t I take 30 minutes to walk around Lincoln Heights? Boom. Exercise ring closed.

Once I took my afternoon nap and got myself ready, I was off on my adventure. I arrived early after treating myself to Sheetz five minutes up the road on Washington Road. That’s the main road between Washington and Mount Lebanon. With some time to kill, I walked around the Canon McMillan campus and noticed the parking spots decorated for those seniors who were graduating. A kind gesture for those who are moving on to their next endeavor.

I walked into the room around 6:45pm, just as the sergeant at arms was setting up. The Vice President of Education (also the District Club Growth Director) came up with a Word of the Day (Catalyst) and an anti-word (Leadership). There was going to be a backwards meeting, but that may have created confusion for guests.

We had a full agenda, and it was fun working around that anti-word. Some speakers had to use it though. That practice of not using the anti-word can come in handy in the real world. I stepped in as a speech evaluator and gave feedback on a speech centered around body language. I picked up some power moves along the way and practiced a few of those today as I left the gym. Thus, I made up for Tuesday’s lack of moving around. We also heard an ice breaker from one of our guests, and an amazing presentation from the past president of the club.

A lot of good humor went around at the meeting last night. It was kind of neat to see the DTMs all sitting close to each other too.

I’ll be returning to Laurel Highlands on the 23rd for their final meeting of the Toastmasters year. I’ll plan the agenda for the July 14th meeting soon after. That Thursday (June 25th), I’ll pay an online visit to the Western Maryland Toastmasters club as they wrap up their Smedley Distinguished year.

Congrats to South Hills Toastmasters on achieving Smedley Distinguished as well.

My First Visit to Latte Lane!

It’s Day 2 of my 2026 Summer Vacation. As originally planned, I’m on my way to Cranberry for one of my two Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club visits. On either end of Cranberry High Noon are coffee and gym visits.

First was a trip to Latte Lane in Cheswick. I’d been wanting to check this place out for a hot minute. I ordered the Bakecation, which is an Oreo Cheesecake Latte. It came with a chocolate espresso bean. This place was very busy when I stopped in. It has a decent amount of indoor seating plus a few outdoor tables. There’s also a drive-thru in the front. Latte Lane has a decent amount of merchandise, including sweatshirts and tumblers. The cafe is located in the Cheswick Plaza near a Goodwill and an AHN family practice.

At Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters, I was picked to serve as the emcee for the meeting. There were eight attending in person with three online. We had two speakers and good table topics. I’ll return in October or December for another visit but will confirm just in case. I don’t want to show up and find out that the meeting is online.

After the Cranberry High Noon meeting, I stopped at the big Planet Fitness. Let me tell you, this is one of the biggest I’ve been to so far. They have a second floor and stuff that Greensburg doesn’t have. The medicine balls are something I haven’t seen. Also, the turf exercise is new. I’m thinking it’s like a tackling dummy.

BTerry TV recently filmed this location on his various social media channels. Not far from Planet Fitness is the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. This is the perfect size for the area though. I stopped at Chick Fil A for lunch before heading home and taking a dip in the pool.

It’s one of those “air you can wear” weeks meaning a lot of humidity is in the air. While my family was at Kennywood, I stayed cool.

Summer Vacation 2026: A Much-Needed Reset Coming!

Today marked the first day of my Summer Vacation 2026. The weather this week is trending warm and humid, with chances for showers and thunderstorms likely. That’s what happens when you get those summer-like temperatures. Not every day will be a washout though and there will be plenty of opportunities to be poolside.

The start of my week off sees me visiting a few Toastmasters clubs. Monday it’s up to Cranberry High Noon for one of two visits this year. The next one will come in either October or December. Tuesday takes me to Canonsburg to visit the South Hills Toastmasters club, one of two to achieve highest honors. While I’m not making an official visit, I want to see what makes the club so successful.

This week isn’t going to be all fun and games. One of the things I’m going to be doing is a reset, getting rid of some clothes as well as some books. My goal is to consolidate everything into a few drawers.

I’m all set for early in the week. Later in the week, not so much as things can change.

I took a few days off from exercise, though it did leave room for missed opportunities once again on Saturday. I made up for it on Sunday by going to the gym in the afternoon.

While walking the annex part of the mall as I usually do pre-gym, I spotted a Kings food truck near the Michaels and TJ Maxx. They were there until 4pm. For me that brought back nostalgia and reminded me of my days working for the restaurant chain. The truck’s presence also reminded me of past community events and corporate functions.

While I’m glad to see that it’s still being used, it makes me sad to see that the once proud chain is down to two stores. Nostalgia aside, I did my usual mix of strength and cardio exercises. I did ten minutes on the stairstepper, so I’m getting more used to that now.

Monday’s plan is to go to the Cranberry Township location after the meeting. En route to Cranberry, I plan to stop at Latte Lane in Cheswick.

The weather has been warm enough for me to enjoy a couple of swims this weekend. We opened the pool the weekend I was at the Spring Conference (it was a nice surprise when I came home that Sunday morning). Friday night was my first dip of the year, but Sunday I had the opportunity for a more prolonged experience.

Our pool has a nice pop of Pittsburgh with the duck inner tube. You know, the one that looks like the rubber duck which floated down the Mon in the past. We also have an avocado raft.

Here’s to the beginning of my week off and that it may provide relaxation and not distraction. In tomorrow’s blog, look for my reviews on Latte Lane and the Cranberry Planet Fitness location.

Preparing a Speech in Five Minutes at Greensburg Toastmasters!

Our agenda was small at Greensburg Wednesday night as we only had one speaker. But, it was a project that could really help when preparing speeches (especially last minute).

You can have an hour long speech ready to go in just five minutes if you looked at the handout given to us by our speaker. She put a lot of planning into the presentation. The audience even got to participate and I used the worksheet to recap my activities on Monday night. If you asked me what kind of blogs I write and post, a majority of them would be ‘Day in the Life’ posts.

Some projects, like persuasive speeches, will require additional information such as evidence to support the main points.

At the end of the meeting, we went over our new slate of officers and accepted it as we begin the new Toastmasters year. As predicted, I am going to serve as Vice President Education at both of my clubs. There’s a lot to learn as I keep track of awards at Greensburg and at Laurel Highlands. In addition, I’ll need to stay abreast of changes in the education program. Canned speech projects that were big in the manuals have made their way into Pathways.

It’s going to be challenging, but I will rise to the occasion. Summer TLI will be held on June 20. Unlike the past few years, this will be a virtual club officer training (as we transition into the new District 219). Our final meeting of the Toastmasters year will be held on June 17. The first meeting of the new 2026-27 year will be held on July 1, thus leading into the Fourth of July weekend.

Table Topics centered around the theme of Toastmasters Leadership. For my question, I talked about my experience serving in various officer roles and being a District Leader for three years straight.

Our next meeting is up in the air as to where we’ll meet. It will either be in our usual meeting room in the courthouse. But there’s a possibility we will also be remote. I will plan the meeting for July 1 at the end of the next one. This could be a segway into the new Toastmasters year as I enter my VPE Era, and my 45 era.

It’s been a gorgeous week weatherwise. Monday night was perfect for Bible Study. The day before was just as splendid as walked around Downtown Greensburg. This coming on the heels of a damp, cool May. Saturday brings with it the threat of strong to severe thunderstorms so that will need attention. My vacation week is shaping up to be warm and humid, so that means pool time as my schedule allows.

Thursday was my night off so I took advantage of the nice weather and drove out to Mammoth Park.

I planned it well, leaving after dinner. Eating early helped as I headed out to Mount Pleasant a little bit after 5. The ride there is fun but there are plenty of turns along the way. I parked at one of the pavilions where we had Annabelle’s birthday parties.

The sun shining off of the lake gave it a nice vibe. Very relaxing and therapeutic. This was around 6pm as the sun was still at the perfect angle.

The giant slide isn’t far from where I was walking as is the pavilion where we had the Harry Potter birthday party for Annabelle in 2023. Maybe next time I’ll park there. I read a little bit and prepared Thursday‘s blog. It was a beautiful night to be out fishing and there were plenty of people out there with their poles. I got home around 8 and watched the Pitt and its rewatch podcast.

With my black card in hand, I can go to any Planet Fitness and also have the opportunity to use their amenities. One of these days or nights I might go to Latrobe and turn that into a stop in Ligonier. I’m due for a trip to my little Stars Hollow. En route, I might stop at the Sheetz and make it a picnic in the Diamond.

The plaza is big enough that I can walk around it and maybe even close my Exercise ring. Afterwards, I can relax in the Diamond and watch the world go by.