First Summer Drink of the Year at Cuties!

June is here and warmer weather is coming. After last month which saw below average temperatures during the second half of the month, things seem to be looking up. This Spring has seen me do better emotionally but the last couple of weeks due to the cool, wet weather have taught me that Spring is going to Spring for me (just like haters are gonna hate). I’m on vacation in a few weeks and I almost have a full agenda lined up, including Bites and Pints as well as my birthday dinner. I’m not going to let my cries for attention ruin my plans.

Monday night was Bible Study night at Cutie’s and the subject was out of Jeremiah 7:1-11. It was a message that we all needed to hear, which is that we need to be doers of the Word and not just hearers. We need to be accountable and we must take up our cross and follow Him. We can’t call ourselves Christians and gloss over what’s required of us.

I arrived early (around 5:15) to set up my chair and get my coffee. As I said last week, my first drink from the Cutie Summer menu was going to be the Strawberry Shortcake latte and I was true to myself. But, I didn’t get the scone like I saw on the social media post. I stayed for a little bit and socialized after the study, though a suggestion for improving my experience would have chatting at the beginning of the night before we got together and prepared our hearts for worship. I ran into a girl I graduated from high school with, whom I follow on Instagram. We remembered each other and I’m surprised she didn’t pull the birthday trick on me (where I tell the person what day of the week they were born). Maybe we’ll meet up at the high school reunion scheduled for August.

I had been excited for Monday night because the weather was looking promising and I was looking ahead to my first drink on the Cutie Summer menu. My mood was beginning to improve after the cool, wet month of May that I endured. But I still felt discouraged and almost didn’t want to go Monday night. I got it all together though and ended up enjoying myself. I’m too hard on myself, and that goes back a long time for me. I almost even broke down at our picnic last Fall because of that attitude. Sometimes, I feel like I can’t help it though.

During the study on Monday night, our speaker hit on some key points, one being that as Christians, it’s better to be hot or cold in our walk with God. This took me back to 2001, when I was a new Christian and living at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. It was there that did Bible studies with a friend of mine. I was new in my walk but one thing that I learned was never to be lukewarm. In the 2015 Christian film War Room, I picked back up on this practice. The next Bible Study is June 16.

I’ll close off this blog by talking about the video that an Instagram user/influencer posted about Cutie’s. I was quite impressed with the work that was put in to this video.

Jess, a realtor from the Murrysville area, promotes local businesses around Westmoreland County. On Friday, she posted a video promoting Cutie’s and in it, I learned about the history including the building they bought that became of Greensburg’s best coffee shops. The before and after is absolutely astounding. She interviewed the owners and a regular customer about the things that make Cutie’s special. Shown at the end of the video was the bible study. Overall, the video was well produced and I found a new person to follow on the socials.

An Unlikely Collab and Look Ahead to June!

I’ll be looking ahead to the month of June and what’s coming up, including my upcoming week off just before my birthday. But I’ll begin with this cold open as I listened to a great podcast collab between two great shows for their time.

On Friday morning, as I was walking out at Indian Lake, I listened to a podcast collab featuring two popular rewatch pods. Pod Meets World (the Boy Meets World rewatch podcast) and Office Ladies (The Office rewatch podcast) got together and the hosts all shared a lot about their shows and talked about their careers. These two rewatches have done well and have paved the way for others. The Office ran from 2005-2013 and became well-loved by its audience, and viewed heavily during the unique events of 2020. The Pod Meets World hosts picked an episode for the Office Ladies to watch as they’d never seen the iconic TGIF show before.

Angela’s character on The Office was very prickly, but on this pod she’s very friendly and her and Jenna do an amazing job with the podcast, which has run since October 2019. This was part one of the collab, as the second part will be broadcast on Office Ladies on June 11.

Now, on to my feature presentation.

I had published 23 Blog Posts last June, paving the way for a record setting 2024 as I ended up writing 200 blogs. Do I repeat that feat in 2025? Time will tell but I’m still planning on taking it easy this year. Will I write my 800th blog post in June? I’m not sure but we’ll see how moved I am to post in the next month. I do need to post more pics so I have a nice collage or two at the end of June to share on the socials, that’s for sure.

I’ll be on vacation the last full week of June (just like last year). I was excited to be off and I really showed it Thursday night as I was counting down the hours at work. I set myself up for disappointment, at least early on. The theme for Spring and the first part of Summer was lack of self-love and feeling ignored and wanting attention. When I didn’t get it on the socials, I felt discouraged. 

Keys to a successful June/beginning of Summer:

Limit Social Media Use. Nothing wrong with spending time on Facebook and Instagram, but too much time on the socials could impact my mental health. I was craving attention and it put a damper on my vacation for at least the first half and up through July, I was feeling discouraged. It’s even worse post-election, even with all the anti-Trump posts. 

Embrace every day during vacation and take it one day at a time, not looking ahead to when it’s over. 

Don’t worry over what the voices in your head may be telling you.

June will usher in the new summer menu at Cutie’s and I’m going to try the Strawberry Shortcake Latte Monday night when I go for Bible Study. All the choices look amazing as per the Instagram posts and stories. I can’t wait to try the Nutty Drumstick. At some point, I will try a refresher (on one of those hot days in the middle of summer).

Next week, I’ll begin rereading Michelle Obama’s first book, Becoming. The third time is the charm, but I’ll finally read A Promised Land by her husband and this time, finish it. When I take my vacation at the end of the month, I’ll be engaging in some retail therapy and picking up a few more reads for later in the Summer.

Also during my vacation, I’ll be kicking it off by going to Summer TLI on June 21 at Westmoreland County Community College. I always go twice a year to get credit for my clubs and reunite with some of my other Toastmasters friends. Monday, I’ll take a road trip to Butler County starting with a visit to the Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club and then driving up to Slippery Rock. There’s a cafe I want to go to while I’m there and afterwards, I’ll walk around the campus as well. I’ll celebrate the end of the Toastmasters year with Laurel Highlands when we go to Bud Murphy’s and, on the weekend, I’m going to Kennywood for Bites and Pints. I highlighted my vacation plans in my blog earlier in the week.

What is Transition?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, transition refers to a change or shift from one state, subject, place, etc., to another. It can also refer to a period of phase in which change is happening.

In my previous blog, I recapped our Laurel Highlands meeting from Tuesday night. I talked about transition as we were in the process of nominating our new officers for the upcoming Toastmasters year which begins on July 1. My home club did the same thing at Greensburg a week earlier (we had the slate of officers ready to go at our first May meeting). For the first time in my Toastmasters journey, I will be serving in the role of Treasurer for Laurel Highlands. I have a longtime treasurer in my home club whom I’m sure will answer any questions I have. In Greensburg, I will be taking over the Vice President Public Relations role. I’ll get into the habit of posting pictures on social media, and will blog about the meeting as well.

On Sunday, Cutie’s will transition from their In Bloom menu to their “A Cutie Summer” menu to kick off the season and the first of the month. There will be a market that morning as well with some great vendors. Shop small and support your local everything (my theme for 2020). I loved the choices that the In Bloom menu had to offer and I’m deciding what to get Monday night at Bible Study. My first choice from the “A Cutie Summer” menu. I’m leaning towards the Strawberry Shortcake latte. I will make room for refreshers this Summer and get a nice picture of that window Monday night to add to my frame.

Finally, Friday night is graduation at Hempfield Area High School. The class of 2025 will celebrate the end of one era and begin a new one in the Fall, whether that entails going to work, heading off to basic training, or starting school at the university of their dreams. 25 years ago (next Friday to be exact) I was on the field at Spartan Stadium receiving my diploma on that chilly June night. One journey was coming to an end while another was beginning that Fall. I would be off to the Hiram G. Andrews Center in August and my future was looking bright.

But I still wish that “Graduation” by Vitamin C was our class song!

A Time of Transition at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

Last night was an big night for us at our Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting. We were going to be nominating new officers for the 2025-26 Toastmasters year. Our President, Sharon, will be representing the District beginning July 1 as our Program Quality Director and I look forward to seeing what she has planned. We’re already looking ahead to Fall as well, more to come at a later date. Ryan will serve as President and he could very well be tasked with the goal of leading our club to Smedley Distinguished. That’s one of the new designations coming into the new Toastmasters year. It will require the 10 goals that would get the club to President’s Distinguished but a minimum of 25 members. We will get there at Laurel Highlands next year.

For the first time in my Toastmasters journey, I will be serving as Treasurer. I have plenty of people to answer my questions if I need to know what to do to properly carry out my duties next year. Our club Treasurer at Greensburg will become President of that club next year.

We had a nice speaker mix last night with an ice breaker and two mentoring speeches. Four guests attended as well, with two online and two in-house all excited to learn more about Toastmasters. Our President got us fired up for the meeting and stressed the importance of attending the meeting on this night. Out of our 14 members, we had enough in attendance for a quorum. The election of new officers did not take long at all, and it was a very smooth process.

Looking ahead, we have Summer Club Officer Training on June 21 at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, but members will have the choice of attending online as well. Thus it is a hybrid (in person or online) event. Our last meeting of the year will be at Bud Murphy’s on June 24. I’m hoping we will celebrate as a President’s Distinguished Club.

Next Friday there is a demo meeting at the Panera Bread in Morgantown which is putting together by our Area 3 Director/Club Growth Director-Elect , along with one of our members at Laurel Highlands. This club will bring Toastmasters back into northern WV, if it charters. It will also benefit West Virginia University and the surrounding community. If I’m off, I’ll consider taking a drive down to Morgantown to attend this event. What’s needed to get this club off the ground: 20 members and so far a good number of people make up part of that magic number. Some volunteers are still needed. I’ll be reaching out to Greensburg via email tomorrow and get the word out about this event.

We are a great club representing many nations, achievements, and interests at Laurel Highlands. We will make history this year when we get to President’s Distinguished, and next year when we get to Smedley Distinguished!

How I’m Planning to Slay my Summer Vacation!

Last year’s summer vacation saw me take a trip to the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana.

Today is Memorial Day, and vacation is less than a month away. For me it will be the first of two weeks off in 2025 with the other vacation coming in October. For next month, I already have some fun events planned, including Summer TLI at Westmoreland County Community College. This kicked off my fun summer break last year. Yesterday, my family spent the day at Kennywood, even though today would have been a better day to do it. I was given the option to go but declined as I wanted to do my own thing. Bites and Pints started this past weekend and runs through the end of June. I thought about going last year but never got around to it. This year, I’ll make up for that loss and go during my week off.

That Monday of vacation I plan on doing one of my two visits to Cranberry High Noon that I do every year. I missed going in December as I was getting over a cold at Thanksgiving. Afterwards, I hope to make it a nice afternoon by driving up to Slippery Rock where I’ll stop at a little cafe in town called Rooster’s Coffee Bar. Then I’ll spend some time on campus. It seems it’ll be a carbon copy of last year with the addition of Bites and Pints.

In the cards for my Summer 2025 vacation is Kennywood and Bites and Pints. I smell a good blog and social media stories.

That Tuesday marks our final Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting of the year and as a club we plan to celebrate. Hopefully it’ll come with being named President’s Distinguished Club. We’ll be getting together at Bud Murphy’s in Connellsville. I have two more speeches to give for Level 3 in Presentation Mastery. I’m looking forward to what 2025-26 has to offer I celebrate my 15th year in Toastmasters.

That’s just a few of the things that I have planned for my week off. I also plan on reading and one of the projects I have planned is a revisit to Michelle Obama’s first book, Becoming. I was so excited to buy this book when it came out in November of 2018. I read it in less than a month. It was during that time I was reading through the Harry Potter series, until I quit after Prisoner of Azkaban. Both Obama books are on my radar this Summer. I plan to finally read Barack Obama’s A Promised Land front to back and get it done.

During my vacation, I also plan on engaging in some retail therapy as well. I have a few new authors in mind as well. I heard Tina Knowles (mother of Beyoncé) on Michelle Obama’s podcast and may have to give her book, Matriarch, a go. Also catching my eye is a book on NPR called On Air which is a history of National Public Radio from the highs to the lows. This takes me back to my college days and post college days, before the blog and before fashion and style won my heart, when I was a media and politics junkie.

That’s true. So is getting up and speaking, as I’ve done over the last year. Of course, writing in this blog is also great therapy as well.

I can’t forget about Thursday night dinner with Mr. Clougherty, as I’m going to follow the lead of my aunt and niece and celebrate at Hibachi. I treated my aunt on her birthday here for lunch last September and was introduced to place two years ago. It was here that we made plans for our November trip to Hershey to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Last year on my birthday, Kevin and I went to the Olive Garden on a very hot first day of Summer. I was counting down the hours that night at work until vacation started.

Me enjoying a Sangria for my birthday at The Olive Garden last year.

In the past, I’ve celebrated my birthday at Burgatory. I love the Murrysville location, but parking is very hard to come by as that plaza is always packed. Another location in Pittsburgh, next time? I digress though.

So far this Spring has been good for me. It’s still not my favorite season and anything can happen. I had a close call last week with the weather but I should move on from it this week as we inch closer to June.

Meeting in a Hallway at Greensburg Toastmasters!

This is likely one of the most obscure titles for a blog and one of the most obescure places to hold a Toastmasters meeting, but we made due with we had to work with and it was a success.

Wednesday night was our meeting night at Greensburg Toastmasters and we found ourselves in a dilemma. However, we resolved said dilemma very quickly. The key is to improvise. Our normal meeting room had voting machines in it, so that was a no go. The jury room was holding a DUI class, and that room is our backup when our main room has the class on our meeting nights. Sometimes we meet in the Commissoners Room, but I’m not sure if that was an option.

Instead of holding the meeting online, or cancelling it, we held it in the hallway between the lobby and the walkway which connects to the annex of the courthouse. Wednesday night’s meeting was a lesson in structure and setup. Maybe sometime in the summer, we can hold a meeting outside if no rooms are available.

Two speakers led that portion of the meeting, and I was the first one up to bat. Michelle was our second speaker and was coming to us online. Her speech was a behind the scenes look at the mud run that Jim spoke about at the District Conference last Spring. The mud run is something my blogger cousin would be interested in hearing about, as she has run in many marathons. I spoke about how giving speeches at meetings has helped elevate my mood and improved my mental health since last summer. I’m looking to have four levels completed by the end of the Toastmasters year, and three of those are in my newest path.

The last few Springs have presented me with quite a set of challenges. Of course 2020 needs no explanation. 2022 and 2024 had a lot to do with whether or not I wanted to continue on with my journey. The latter year saw me become distracted with social media, pining for likes and attention, which I never seemed to get. The former saw me adjusting to my new routine and missing my support system from my old job. 2023 was out of my control with a loved one spending an extended period of time in the hospital plus the Canadian wildfires bringing haze and smoke into our region.

After my downtrodden mood last year lingered into summer, enough was enough for me.

From my evaluator, I was told that my speech and the fact that I’ve embarked on this speaking run has helped me overcome some of those (emotional and physical) trials and tribulations. He also mentioned that this has been like therapy for me as I’ve been capable of sharing my feelings. I ended my speech with some words of wisdom in addition to saying how speaking has elevated my mood.

How you handle or react to a situation depends on your attitude; Love yourself and don’t be afraid to be you; and, always find the joy in everyday life, whether it’s a cup of coffee from your favorite cafe (Cutie’s) or the most recent chapter in the book you’re currently reading (The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop).

Table Topics centered around books and the questions were very legit. I’m enjoying my Kelly Bishop memoir right now and may reread Michelle Obama’s first book since I like her podcast now. One of these days, I’ll finally read Barack’s book from beginning to end.

We began the meeting at 6:33 and technology was up and running, despite us meeting in the hallway. I loved this setup but I know we can’t do it all the time. We went over the new slate of officers for 2025-26 and voted on it. The agenda for the next meeting was also prepared and we will be back June 4, hopefully in our normal meeting space.

But is it time to start thinking about a new location for our Greensburg Toastmasters meetings?

Learning About Distractions at Cutie’s Bible Study! (Blog 777!)

Monday night’s Bible Study was worth the wait and it was one that I needed to hear (truthfully, it’s one we all need to hear). The subject was all about distraction. I arrived a little after five to set up my seating location, and went inside to get my coffee. I finished the In Bloom season as I began it in April, with a Cutie Cannoli latte. This season went by fast! Just after six we began with a praise and worship song and then heard our message from our Cuties barista Victoria.

I’m leaning towards visiting another local cafe sometime next week and then coming back at the beginning of the month when A Cutie Summer menu makes its debut. The next Bible Study is June 2, so that may be my next time there, or sooner.

One thing I heard on Monday night was that one of the ways we get distracted is by scrolling on our phones, looking at social media posts, and feeling envious that other peoples’ lives are better when looking at their posts. It’s one of the ways that the world keeps us from growing in our walk with God. I am guilty of that, and we all are. I’m gender nonconforming and I have spent a lot of time on Facebook and Instagram. When I don’t see likes or comments on some of my posts, it makes me feel discouraged and want to give up. That was the case in 2022 and just last year. When it lingered into summer, enough was enough.

The Presidential election results didn’t discourage me. Neither has this stretch of wet, cool weather nor the cold winter we had. Even the Steelers’ most recent one and done season and offseason quarterback drama has not had staying power. They’ve all come close. I’m happy my Eagles beat Kansas City in the Super Bowl, though.

I attended a few Cutie’s Coffee Bible Studies last summer just after they began in July. This was the first one I stuck around for after it ended and talked to some of the leaders and shared my story with them. The early start time helps too (6 to 7 versus 7 to 8 last year). I’m very happy with the response that this little community bible study has gotten and how much it has grown, and what this coffee shop has done for Greensburg. Plus, the small business collaborations have been amazing and their social media has always inspired my drink choices, even well in advance. I love all the cafes and restaurants that Greensburg has to offer, and the new kid in town has done very well.

I want to close with the message that I read about Cutie’s and my journey the last few years, and while some of it is negative, it does end well.

Recently, the owner of Cutie’s was blasted on social media for her faith. That person mocked the bible study, criticized her as a human being, and tried to create division. The truth is: someone’s salvation is more important than one’s comfort, and someone’s salvation is more important than another person’s hate.

I walked away from the church in 2021 and the exit was pretty acrimonius. That year brought with a lot of change for me in terms of my health, my job, and my faith. I started nonconforming in the summer of that year and I had been feeling like this for a long time, not just before 2019. I didn’t know how to explain it and I ended up blurting it out one day while out to lunch. I was called out for how I dressed several weeks later, being questioned on whether or not I was gay, and that ended up leading to my exit. The next few years saw me take a break from the church, only coming back for one Christmas in 2022 and during the Easter season in 2023. I also attended Community Church a few times in the fall of 2024 but that didn’t stick. Before that, I discovered the Bible Study that Cutie’s held on Mondays during the Summer. I attended a few times and really liked it.

I returned a few weeks ago and just at the last meeting on Monday, socialized more after the study ended.

God is really using this platform to reach people in the community. It’s changed my life and has gotten me excited about Jesus again. That, as well as getting up on stage and sharing my story at my Toastmasters clubs, which helped improve my mental health as well as my mood.

I’ve felt very welcome at Cutie’s, and the staff is starting to get to know me better. We all have our differences, but aside from those we can all come together.

God can use you right where you are, if you’re ever scared to step out in faith just know that.

Developing an Exercise Routine!

This past week, I made the most of my time getting outside; thus, I took advantage of the sun and warm weather whenever I can. On Sunday morning, I walked over three miles on the walking trail at Mammoth Park that circles around the lake. Also, I took advantage of my mornings off to walk around Lincoln Heights. When the weather turned wet, I made some time to do cardio at Planet Purple. With the weather trending unsettled and on and off shower chances later next week, I’ll put in a couple of days there.

Next week, I’d like to go out to the Penn Township Municipal Park (maybe Sunday or Tuesday as those days are looking dry at the moment) or Indian Lake in Irwin. On nights that I work, I’ll go early and put in about half an hour to 45 minutes. I’ll go out after I wake up, not really wanting to stay too late so I can relax and get ready for work. That’s why I went to Mammoth on Sunday and put in the time and effort (over three miles Sunday morning!). Since I was home for my Laurel Highlands meeting on Tuesday, I used that time I would have to go to Twin Lakes and walk over two miles. Though, I wish I stuck to my original plan and walked around Lincoln Heights and then Friday morning go to the gym. Afterwards, I was going to go to Fruits and Roots to try one of their bowls.

Monday and Wednesday next week are out. I have Bible Study at Cutie’s on Monday, and the weather looks much better than this past week. On Wednesday, I have Greensburg Toastmasters. Since I’m meeting Kevin for dinner, I’ll just go to Planet before that since it’ll be close to where we are meeting. Plus, the forecast is trending wet on Thursday.

I’ve felt inspired to get out more since my parents have been talking charge of their physical fitness. I’ve had a membership to Planet Purple since 2013 but really haven’t made the most of it. I even got the black card in 2018 but still haven’t done too much. I’m trying to make time even though it hasn’t been easy. In the few years though, I’ve made more of an effort to try and attend. I didn’t go to the gym for three years due to fears of COVID from 2020 to 2022.

Monday night is Bible Study at Cutie’s. This was rescheduled from last Monday but repeating myself, all systems are go. I’ll come a little bit early to get coffee and get my chair set up in the parking lot. I’m thinking of getting a lavender butterfly matcha to wrap up this In Bloom season, as the next time I go will be when the Cutie Summer menu is up and running. The message on Monday night will focus on Distraction. Can’t wait to be fed with the words of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, I will be speaking at Greensburg Toastmasters on Wednesday night about how to Inspire My Audience. The title of my speech will be “Continuing my Magnificent Speaking Run!”. It will be edited from what I posted in the blog to stay on on the subject. I will highlight some of the speeches I’ve given as well.

Feeling Self-Aware at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

Tuesday night, we had our Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting. I was all set to go to Connellsville when I got word of a last minute change. I received a text at 4:30 with the option to cancel or meet online. We chose the second one and met via Zoom. Even though the rain wasn’t quite as bad at home, just east of us in Somerset County they got a deluge. Flooding took place in Westernport, MD, near Cumberland, where an elementary school had to be evacuated and students and staff rescued. Meyersdale, just south of Somerset, was devastated by the flash flooding that came through on Tuesday. Some of our members in the Laurel Highlands Toastmasters club have been affected as well by these floods.

We began a little bit late as we were trying to fill roles in the agenda. Our theme was self-awareness and the word of the day was “state”. Toastmasters wear many hats and we had some of our members double and triple up. Hats off to Ryan for not only serving as Toastmaster, but also our General Evaluator and Timer. I almost felt a little bad because I was a speaker but could have filled at least one role. Everything worked out and we had a great meeting despite the small turnout.

My speech was a repeat of one I gave at Greensburg back in March about life at the onset of COVID. This time when I spoke, I switched up some of the things that you can still do during the pandemic that weren’t cancelled. This helped me get to know my audience better. I also explained how I handled things being home from work. The meeting ended a little earlier than usual, just after 7pm. Included in the announcements were a special end of year meeting at Bud Murphy’s on June 24. Hopefully, we’ll celebrate as a Presidents’ Distinguished club on that night. I also brought up Summer TLI which is scheduled for June 21 at WCCC, and I briefly hit on realignment in our District. Laurel Highlands is leaving my area and will be pared with Western Maryland, Johnstown, and Achievers in Area 23. The changes were made in the interests of geographical area.

Its important to be self-aware of the state of the drugstore chain, Rite Aid, and the impacts its closures will have on the rural communities that are closing stores and pharmacies this summer. Greensburg, for now, is safe as their stores will stay open and aren’t affected by this wave of closures. But the shelves aren’t full either and that too is an issue. For people in the rural Cambria County communities, it’s more concerning. Cresson is down to one pharmacy when Rite Aid closes theirs next week. Residents there and in Portage may have to travel to Ebensburg or Altoona for their medication. If Derry closes theirs, the town will be without a pharmacy and the closest one will be in Latrobe.

It’s only a matter of time before Rite Aid is an afterthought like Kmart and Sears. Joann Fabrics will be there soon. The pieces of my WIS history are going away little by little. I looked at the Rite Aids that were closing and told myself that I counted some of these stores, including the far north ones, once upon a time.

Mother‘s Day

Today, we celebrated Mother’s Day at home by taking the cover off of the pool and enjoying Chinese food from Szechuan Garden. I took advantage of the beautiful weather this morning and walked three miles at Mammoth Park (actually it was 3 ½). I was also able to snap a few pictures of the wildlife and the running water going into the stream down below. I just missed a great photo op when a bald eagle flew overhead, but overall was happy with how the morning turned out. 

With unsettled weather in the forecast during the week, we thought today to best day to get the pool ready for the summer. We all worked together to remove the cover from the pool and get the ladder in. Upon taking off the cover, we worried that the water would be green and we’d have to shock it. It was very clear. This week will not be warm enough to take the first swim but we are looking forward to Summer nights and refreshing drinks. A Cutie Summer menu debuts at Cutie’s on June 1, the same day as their summer market which will run in the morning. The Cutie Carnival Flight debuts June 2.

For dinner, we enjoyed sesame and orange chicken as Lo Mein and Crab Rangoons from Szechuan Garden. I also got my fortune cookie and read my fortune. For dessert, we enjoyed Texas sheet cake and Ice Cream. We took this Mother’s Day Weekend to remember Gramma Gaffron. Her birthday always fell on the holiday and many of my childhood years were spent in Berlin, at Laurel Hill State Park, or at Shawnee State Park. We always got a group picture of all of the grandchildren, and this one from our family reunion at Laurel Hill in the Fall of 2023 should bring back memories.