Don’t Close Those Pools Just Yet!

If you have been enjoyed the nice weather and lack of humidity and are ready for Fall, I have news for you.

Don’t close those pools just yet!

The heat is making a comeback to start September in the days leading up to the holiday weekend. We may even hit 90 degrees on Monday and Tuesday. We were contemplating closing the pool soon, but this late summer heat wave may have bought us a little time. We can hopefully make up for the summer that wasn’t (as some people like to think) next week. As I prepare to open my Fall coffee, I have some time to finish those refreshers as well.

It looks like we’ll keep the pool open through Labor Day. But the reinforcements are on hand to prepare for its closing.

So I hear you. It hasn’t been much of a summer with all the rain but we can take our good days with our bad days. Summer can’t always be dry. Does all this rain make for a more colorful Fall? Remember, the color last Fall wasn’t nearly as nice. Are we making up for it next week with the return of warmer weather? We shall see. Right now the temperature in our swimming pool is at 75 degrees. Kind of cool when you consider it registered at 90 degrees earlier in the season.

On top of finishing what refreshers I have left, let the Fall coffee begin. It’ll be a slow start next week as I try to knock out some tea as well. I may start with the bagged coffee and work my way into Pumpkin Spice town. I also need consider what I’d like to bring to my room when I go to Cape May in October. It comes with a kitchenette and its own Keurig. I’ll order a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Cutie’s just after the First Day of Fall. But I’m still not sure about Saturday for the first day of the menu.

After thinking about it, I’ve narrowed it down to two choices. It’s either going to be the Oatmeal Cream Pie or the Maple Cinnamon Roll.

Before my dinner with Mr. Clougherty, I made plans to do some clothes shopping at the mall. I would go to JCPenney and Old Navy. Since my travels took me to both sides of the mall, I parked at Macy’s. It’s the first time I ever used the garage for parking. While the food court wasn’t in my plans, the top seating area has been reopened.

I was in need of some Activewear and found a few nice things at JCPenney, including a Pitt and Penn State t-shirt. Now I have some more clothes for the gym or when I go for walks and want to wear something cool. I’m slowly transitioning back to traditional but I’m not uprooting my wardrobe that quick. With the purchases I made today, I’m swapping out other things that will be getting donated in a few weeks. It’s more of a hybrid look. I thought I’d have to return to the mall but there was no need.

I’ll do my review for Plaza Azteca in tomorrow’s blog. I had a great time catching up with Mr. Clougherty. Life hits different for him now that he is retired from teaching. It’ll definitely take some getting used to that’s for sure. I’ll also share something new we’re starting in September.

Coming up:

My review of Plaza Azteca.

Milestones to close out August and begin September.

Looking ahead to September.

Six Days to Meet my Quota!

Including today, there are six days left in the month of August. So far, I have seven blog posts. I planned to do thirteen for the month (and the same for September). That gives me six days to meet my quota. 

Hmmmm. This makes for an interesting “6,7”. Not to worry as I keep chugging along to a milestone that will be here before I know it. 

Tuesday night was my night off and I spent it in Connellsville at my Laurel Highands Toastmasters meeting. It wasn’t just any meeting as it was our club contest. Our best speakers competed for a spot at the area contest to be held at the end of September. We had a small crowd for the contest but we pulled it off! The speeches brought a lot of humor to the table. Not to give away what they were about, but they had me laughing. One of our contestants was a seasoned veteran at the contests. The others were new to the game. We all gave our feedback for the speakers and table topics contestants as the contestants advanced. Laurel Highlands is part of Area 62, and that contest will be held on September 26 at the Morgantown Public Library. Other clubs represented will include Country Roads, Elegant Speakers and Listeners, and Western Maryland. Our next meetings are September 8 and 22, and October 13. 

We will be In person and Virtual (aka Hybrid) on September 8th (our next meeting). The 22nd may be 100% virtual, more on that to come. I will not be in attendance on October 13th, as that is my vacation week.

The next morning part of my day off took me into Irwin, as I would spend some time downtown. Last week was a perfect week as I closed all of my rings, including the exercise ring. This is always damn near impossible for me. After a couple of days off to recoup, I was back at the gym. I wanted to start a little earlier but it is what it is. I was at the North Huntingdon location today, as the black card gives me the opportunity to go to other locations. Did some strength and wrapped it up with a little bit of cardio. The abdominal crunch has become one of my favorites and I worked on my back, as well. I closed the Exercise ring with 15 minutes on the Elliptical and 10 on the Stair Stepper. I want to do more, but my schedule doesn’t always allow for that. With the passing of Country Music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton yesterday, there were certainly many tributes on the morning shows. The woman was a trailblazer and it didn’t matter what your religion, race, or class was. She transcended all genres, politics, boundaries, etc.,  through her heart, music, and unconditional love for each and every one of us.   

Let’s all start each day trying to be a little more like Dolly. A little nicer. A little kinder. A little gentler. 

After my trip to the gym, I had coffee at White Tree Cafe & Coffeehouse. I was there around this time last year on a morning that felt like Fall. This morning was a little warmer but without the humidity. I looked at the specials and almost got the Cinnamon Roll Latte but instead got a 20 oz. House Blend with a Blueberry Muffin. I took my order outside and watched the world go by in downtown Irwin. Overall, the service was great and a lot of famous authors’ books can be found here. There is a lot next to Rosendahl’s and plenty of street parking to be had, if you can find a spot. I parked next to Iceburgh’s as it was equidistant to my next destination. 

Heads up if you go to Irwin during the day as the meters only take quarters.

My third and final stop was the Completely Booked independent bookstore. I had been there before when it was at the Blue Spruce Shops in Murrysville. Therefore it was my first time at Irwin. The staff showed me where everything was and couldn’t be more kinder. It was nice to have a few chairs around to sit down and read. Authors whose books I read included Pittsburgh-based historian David McCullough as well as romance author Laurie Gilmore. “If It Makes You Happy” was on the shelf as well, and that was one of my favorite reads from last Fall. I’ll be looking forward to Julie Olivia’s newest book in a few weeks. There was also a book on making different types of coffee drinks that caught my eye. 

 Coming up on the blog:

I’m having dinner at Plaza Azteca and will share my review. 

Cutie’s Coffee is rolling their new Fall menu on Saturday and I’ll my first fall drink. It’s not going to be Pumpkin Spice (saving that for the first official day of Fall). 

I’m setting new milestones with Duolingo and the blog!

Happy HGA Day!

Planning my Fall Vacation!

On my usual Friday morning off, I made plans for an early lunch with my aunt. We met at our usual place of dining, Brady’s in Acme. In addition to lunch, we also began to make plans for our Cape May trip that we’re going to take in October. We discussed what rooms we’d like to have as well as the amenities that go with them. Not having much luck getting a signal at the restaurant, we both waited until we got to our respective homes. I got my room booked pretty quick and I think I’ll like what I’m getting. I can even bring my own K-Cups as it has a Keurig. Like the other previous visits, I went home by way of Pleasant Unity.

Wednesday at our Greensburg Toastmasters we had a brainstorming session during the meeting. This took the place of our usual Table Topics and it didn’t disappoint. Everyone had some input on what our club is looking for in finding ideal new members.

What are the best qualities to look for?

What industries/professions do we look at?

How do we market our club and our meetings?

I met our new member Ben and learned a lot about him in the ice breaker speech he gave. Like my cousin, he works in a good trade. The title of his speech was “I Am”. He delivered a lot of good ideas during the brainstorming session as well.

I need to work on myself in my clubs, going forward. It’s good to listen, but it’s also good to speak up and share new ideas.

Getting back to Cape May, as I’m looking forward to my first visit since COVID. The last time I was at the Jersey Shore was in the summer of 2018. This will be my first time there with my Aunt since 2016. Most of my trips took place in June with a few in July. Therefore, this is gonna to be my first time going in the Fall. It’ll feel different experiencing the ocean in a cooler climate. I’ll have to dress appropriately. It’s also going to be my first trip since I started my blog, so I’ll be posting some of my experiences.

Since this is an October trip, it’ll feel bittersweet for my aunt. This was the month she got married long ago. Her honeymoon was in Cape May and so the place holds a lot of good memories for her.

At lunch yesterday I was warned that some places may not be open during the cooler months. That won’t stop me from having a good time though. I’ll just have to plan accordingly when walk around town. I’m sure some of the restaurants will still be open, but the hours may be limited.

At the beginning of my Fall vacation, I’ll still keep busy. Not sure when we’ll celebrate our Black Belt Barisax and where the party will be. We’re past the days of Mammoth and Twin Lakes parties but that was a nice four year run.

Sunday if the family reunion at Laurel Hill, so it’s always fun being there with family. The drive there is just as fun as you can see a lot of color on the leaves coming in to the park as well as getting there on PA 31. I’m also thinking of a road trip in the Laurel Highlands the day before I leave Cape May. On Columbus Day, I may visit Fayette County and check out this Christmas store located just off National Road (US 40). Reading some of the suggestions, I might just make an afternoon of it. I read the property is pretty expansive. This store is in Chalk Hill, and that part of Fayette County has a lot of history attached. Also close by is Christian Klay winery and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington.

To close, I’m going to have my work cut out for me serving in a major role this year. I’m going to have to train my members on how to use our education program. I need to enroll a couple of them at Greensburg and train the ones at Connellsville. But I need to train myself if I’m going to do this smoothly.

From “Just Winging It to Just Being a Super Mentor”… a developing story.

Happy Birthday to the OG and GOAT!

When you think of great creators in animation, what names come to mind? There’s Matt Groening with the Simpsons, Mike Judge with Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill; Trey Parker and Matt Stone with South Park; and, Stephen Hillenburg with Spongebob Squarepants.

On the Mount Rushmore of Animation, I think creator Jim Jinkins deserves to be recognized. 

Nickelodeon has been on our cable channels since 1979, and changes in the mid and late 80’s helped shape the network into what it was coming into the 1990’s. One of those things was the debut of Nicktoons. These three cartoons made their debut on August 11, 1991. We were introduced to a chihuahua named Ren and a cat named Stimpy. We saw life through the mind of a baby on Rugrats. And, we could identify with the curious 11 ½ year old who had a vivid imagination and zest for life in Doug. 

While Ren and Stimpy never really stuck with me, Doug and Rugrats have. That talking yellow sponge has long since established itself as the greatest of all time to most. However, Rugrats will always hold that title for me. 

The ‘90s were a good time to be a kid, and a great time to be watching Nickelodeon. 

Doug always about wrote about life in his trusty journal. He even resorted to writing on toilet paper or multi-colored looseleaf when that beloved log went missing. The show is remembered for his alter egos like Quailman, as well the music and sound effects. A lot of us have always asked why the characters were different colors. Skeeter was blue, Patti was orange, and Mr. Dink was purple. I read that it was to promote diversity. I feel like the characters inspired other cartoons like Hey Arnold and Arthur. Those two shows are about to turn 30 this Fall. 

Recently I listened to a podcast called “Kultivation with Kevie” and his guest was the creator of Doug. Jim Jinkins gave a great interview, and his experience in television goes back to the early days of Nickelodeon as well as Sesame Street. His inspiration from Doug came from his doodles. I liked the music from the show as it was sampled in the podcast. 

I recently rediscovered Jim Jinkins through his Instagram page “therealjimjinkins”. I commented on some of his posts including the one about Mrs. Wingo (the teacher on Doug). That was the name of one of Jim’s teachers and I even compared the character to Mr. Ratburn or Mrs. Krabappel. Life’s different when you’re not dealing with a Bart or a Buster.

I loved hearing about the inspiration that Jim shared when creating Doug and other characters. A lot of great voice acting talent came from that cartoon including Greg Lee and Fred Newman. The former was the host of one of my favorite shows on PBS as a kid (Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego). The latter created many of the amazing sound effects you heard on the show including Skeeter’s “Honk Honk”.

Other shows Jim has created included Nick Jr.’s Allegra’s Window and Disney’s PB&J Otter. 

I’ll close with this: either you love or hate the Disney version of Doug. For Jim, it was a good opportunity to continue the series into middle school after the Nick version ended in 1994. The finale was a good one with the kids graduating elementary school. They all had mixed reactions to the event, as we all do. The Disney version debuted in the Fall of 1996 in ABC’s Saturday morning block. 

Check out “Kultivation With Kevie” for the interview and for more Nickelodeon nostalgia, visit “Pop Arena” on YouTube. A video on Doug recently launched on that channel.

Westmoreland Mall vs. South Hills Village

I had the house to myself Saturday afternoon upon waking up. The rest of the family took an end of summer road trip to Shawnee. It’s a little tradition we do for BariSax before she goes back to school. Down to one hand now for the 7th and 8th graders. Less than that for everyone else. This summer is flying by.

To make up for not going for coffee on Friday (because of the roads getting milled and not sleeping much as I did it at an irregular hour), I went to Caleese in WestPoint. Original plans had me going to Export but I’ll eventually get out there. I ordered off the Around the World menu and got a Pizelle Latte. It was good and it woke me up. First drink of the day. While there I finished yesterday’s blog. I asked about the new business going in next door. It’s kind of like a marketplace of sorts.

Afterwards I went to Westmoreland Mall. I passed that driving range that Pappy and BariSax were at the other day. The mall is doing well thanks to the new Dick’s House of Sport. That wing had been struggling since Sears closed in 2019 so it’s been a breath of fresh air. I visited a few stores including Old Navy. I was tempted to do a little shopping but decided to wait or may shop online later. I also stopped in the discount bookstore on the casino side of the mall. Some nice reads I remembered from my childhood were in there. There were craft books that I remember Mom and Gram owning as well. I also went in JCPenney as well before getting something to eat. The short sleeve sweaters at both Old Navy and JCPenney caught my eye as did the team apparel at JCP. I liked both the Penn State and Pitt selections, even though I root for the Scarlet and Gray too. Maybe I should have some new purchases, as it would jumpstart the housecleaning.

I decided on Chick Fil A for dinner. The food court doesn’t look too bereft of choices on where to eat. I may not have bought anything, a contrast from my old ways. I am interested though, and I do plan on keeping a few nontraditional ‘fits.

The cheetah sweaters are staying.

The shopping mall is becoming a rare luxury in 2026. Most malls have since met the wrecking ball and online shopping has done a number on them as well. Many remain abandoned or don’t have many shops left. Not to mention, the pandemic did a number on malls too. In the Pittsburgh region, there are three malls that are still doing well in the present day. But let’s highlight the other malls that have fallen on hard times or are experiencing transition. 

The Mall at Robinson is still an OK mall, but it’s starting to struggle. 

Monroeville Mall has been around before malls were a thing. It’s where Dawn of the Dead was filmed in 1978. But it’s on the way out as Walmart has other plans. Perhaps things would be different if they followed the lead of my hometown mall. 

The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills was a mistake from the start, and now it’s pretty much an abandoned mall. Unless you’re going there for karate. The malls just north of Pittsburgh have since lost anchors. Beaver Valley Mall recently lost its JCPenney and has been hurting for a while. Clearview Mall doesn’t have a lot left except for Boscov’s and Rural King. People have posted in the comments what these malls should become. 

Century III Mall has since been demolished, and we will see what the future holds.

That leaves Ross Park Mall, South Hills Village, and Westmoreland Mall as the remaining shopping destinations in the Pittsburgh region. Ross Park just celebrated its 40th birthday. They were the location for the Pittsburgh area’s first Dick’s House of Sport. South Hills Village opened the same year as my former hometown mall, Greengate Mall. It’s still standing and the mall celebrated its 60th anniversary last year,

The Pittsburgh area malls I mentioned are doing well, but hey now Westmoreland Mall deserves a holla too. Despite losing a few of its anchors due to bankruptcy (The Bon Ton in 2018 and Sears in 2019), my other hometown mall has held its own. Live! Casino and Dick’s House of Sport were the shot in the arm the mall needed, and perhaps Monroeville might still be around if they followed the lead of my hometown mall. Foot traffic has since improved on the Sears side of the mall since House of Sport opened a few weeks ago. We’ll see what the future holds as Westmoreland turns 50 next February.

Recent visits to South Hills Village occurred between June 2024 and December 2025. During the holidays, I also stopped at Market District to buy things for Christmas. On my most recent visit, I looked at a display highlighting the mall’s 60 years. 

So which mall do I like better and what does my big three look like? Westmoreland has been reinventing itself and has added a few of the stores that South Hills has. Its food court still looks good, though not as nice as South Hills Village. A place to sit at and charge your electronics would be nice. I think Westmoreland Mall could also benefit from having an Apple Store. If I had to pick one, I’d go with South Hills.

My top three in order: South Hills, Westmoreland, Ross Park

Having a mall close to home that is thriving helps me appreciate Westmoreland County a little bit more as well.

A Work In Progress!

This month I’ve had some follow-up appointments for my kidneys and a recent sleep study. It was a bit nerve-wracking for me as I didn’t know how they would turn out. Fortunately, they didn’t go too bad. I just need to eat more foods rich in potassium and phosphorus and improve my Vitamin D levels.

The follow up for my sleep study went well. That’s the one I dreaded as I know the second study didn’t go well at all for me. It might have been getting adjusted to the mask plus it was an overnight study which I wasn’t used to. The first one was a little better due to the fact that I slept at my normal time. We went over things and I learned that my CPAP equipment would be delivered soon. Originally I was going to get it that day but other things came up on their end.

The equipment was delivered Wednesday and the next day Mom and I got it hooked up. I also moved my room around so there would be room for my machine.

As I said, this will be a work in progress. I’m not going to get it the first time. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Last spring, I gave a speech on my health journey. I highlighted my symptoms that put me in the hospital and led to major changes in my life. I also talked about the present day and mentioned the recent sleep study I did. My diagnosis was obstructive sleep apnea and it was pretty bad.

As for the CPAP machine, I’m going to ease into using it. It’ll be every other day for the first two weeks. Depending on when my nights off are, I won’t use it on those times. Friday morning was an exception. Best to use it on the hours when I sleep regularly.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep last night, getting accustomed to the CPAP mask. But I wasn’t able to do all the things that I wanted to do on Friday. I had a couple of shows I wanted to watch and on top of that, attempt to close my move goal.

I did accomplish the latter but could have moved one of the shows to Saturday. Around 8:30, I like to get ready for work. It’s a practice I started after coming back from my meetings. That gives me time to mess around before leaving the house at 9:30. It also saves me from scrambling to get dressed and do what I need to do.

Thursday night, I was handed an opportunity to watch the Steelers preseason game but didn’t take it. I didn’t watch Stuart Fails to Save the Universe until after Midnight so what was I doing? When someone gives you an opportunity, take the offer. What’s the worst that could happen?

No matter how busy you are, anytime a child hands you a toy phone you answer it.

New Member Brainstorm Challenge!

Looks like I missed a good Greensburg Toastmasters meeting Wednesday night.

One of the speeches was a mini brainstorming session on the kind of members we went to bring in to the Greensburg club. At the next meeting on the 19th, we are going to host a bigger session. It’s something to look forward to.

Our assignment is to create a list of 10-15 qualities that we want an ideal new member of Toastmasters to have. It’ll involve grabbing a sheet of paper, and in 90 seconds coming up with as many qualities that we can think of.

In my last blog, I talked about restarting my speaking streak this month. That may have to wait until September as the speech I want to give calls for 20-40 minutes. Best to give advance notice for a presentation that long so we can adjust the schedule. I’ll do my panel discussion sometime in early September. I plan to do the Reflect on Your Path speech to finish off Presentation Mastery during the month as well.

I’ve been a Toastmaster for 15 years and yet, in doing some of my officer roles it feels like the first time. Even as a Distinguished Toastmaster, there’s always room for improvement along the way.

Qualities that I want a new Toastmaster member to have as we have our brainstorming session at the next Greensburg meeting:

— That they’re not afraid to make mistakes.

— That they have fun at our meeting but also learn.

— They must be willing to change to improve themselves.

— They should step out of their comfort zone. We can work with them.

— They should have goals in mind.

Examples; Maybe one wants to be better at Special Occasion Speeches. Someone wants to appear comfortable on camera. Another may be here to be better at speaking off the cuff.

In tomorrow’s blog, I’m going to pick some professions and jobs that can benefit from Toastmasters.

The Past Peak of Summer!

Summer began on June 21 this year and will end on September 20. Around the end of July and into August marks the peak of summer. The luster of summer is still here but it will be fading soon as kids prepare to go back to school in the weeks ahead. School shopping is big in the department stores and in the grocery stores as well. The most popular characters, school supplies, and everything your child needs to do well this year are all on sale.

The Erie vacation came to an end yesterday as the weary travelers made it home after a fun time at the Lake. My cousin’s wedding shower was not too far from where I had a few of my Toastmasters conferences. Young A got to check out the Maritime Museum and the Brig Niagara. I was a little bit older when I visited Erie for the first time but I always enjoyed the adventure. School starts on August 20 at Hempfield Area but the 7th and 8th graders get a reprieve.

Their first day is August 21. Back to school for a day and then the weekend.

My take on Summer 2026 so far as we have reached the peak and start to head down the mountain:

  • It hasn’t been the washout or bust that everyone has claimed it to be on social media. Has it been hot? Some days have been oppressive in terms of the heat. Has it been humid? Yes, very much so and that is why I look forward to Fall in six weeks.
  • There have been good days and bad in terms of the weather. Our family’s Fourth of July picnic ended early, even though some stayed until the end and watched the fireworks. We dealt with the power outage at our store. The middle of July brought with it major wildfire smoke. It was worse than June of 2023. Fortunately the rain a couple of days later washed that all away.
  • There’s still six weeks of Summer to go. Still plenty of time to enjoy the pool and go to the beach.

My schedule changed this week, but it still worked in my favor. In addition, I learned a new skill at work with a visit from our new regional manager coming Friday morning. It got me the weekend off. I likely will see my next weekend when I take vacation in October.

Coffee visits have changed for August due to me working Thursday night. I’ll be visiting Caleese on the Trail in Export this week. I’m going to choose one of their Around The World drinks. Also coming up this month is a visit to White Tree Cafe and Coffeehouse. I’d like to pair that with a stop at Completely booked and admire Irwin’s small business scene.

I was doing to do White Rabbit Thursday afternoon but with the schedule change, I’ll push that visit back to later on in the month. The last Thursday of August continues my Dinner Series with Mr. Clougherty and we won’t go far from where we were in July. Plaza Azteca is our choice for dinner and I look forward to our time together. It’ll be a special day as we celebrate 30 years of friendship (he was one of my teachers on my first day of high school). That first day was August 27 (1996).

New fall menus roll out in the latter half of the month. Dunkin’ on August 19 and Starbucks on the 25th. My go to shop rolls theirs out on tbe 29th.

Magnificent Speaking Streak 2.0?

It’s been a few days, but I’m back to writing and ready to embark on this journey. The countdown to a thousand blogs starts today. Since I’ve been off the grid for a few days, what is new with me?

Last Friday I visited the Dick’s House of Sport at Westmoreland Mall. I was in the neighborhood and decided to check it out. Other than being a sporting good store with accessories and clothing, the amenities I checked out were out of this world. The rock climbing wall is worth a look and a pass is worth the money if that’s your cup of tea. I finished my visit checking out the golf simulator. The added amenities are a nice touch to the store and the new anchor should help bring more traffic into Westmoreland Mall. The Dick’s wing (formerly Sears) saw its most activity since Sears closed its doors in early 2019. 

Other things that stood about the House of Sport were the chair shaped like a baseball glove, and the photos that represent Pittsburgh well. The Clemente Bridge leading into PNC Park and the view of Heinz Field (yes, I said that). I’m excited to see how they do, and may check out the Going Going Gone when it opens in the Fall.  

Two years ago on this exact night, I began a special run that I’d like to call my magnificent speaking streak. It started at the August 7 meeting as I was getting ready to finish the “path” that I began during COVID. I took some time off, citing burnout after achieving my Distinguished Toastmaster award and feeling discouraged in the early days of the pandemic. Things improved slightly as I transitioned into my current job and accepted the nomination of club President at Greensburg. 

I found myself mired in another emotional slump in the Spring of 2024 and that lasted into the first half of summer. Around this time two years ago, those negative feelings wore off and opened the door for a great rest of 2024. Even the results of the Presidential election couldn’t keep me down. 

Could ‘Magnificent Speaking Streak’ 2.0 begin at the next Greensburg Toastmasters meeting on August 19? I’m banking on it as I finish up the last couple of speeches in Presentation Mastery. That should help matters on the road to Distinguished and higher in my clubs.

I’ve been behind during this first week of August, but I’m slowly starting to catch up. I’ve had my mind on appointments and both of them ram back to back. I won’t go into detail but I am making some changes to improve my health. This week had me contemplating things. Tuesday night was Bible Study at Cutie’s (instead of the usual Monday). With a night off, I got a thirty minute outdoor walk in following the study. In my travels in downtown Greensburg, I spotted someone getting their senior pictures taken. Due to my appointment Wednesday and feeling the need to rest up for work, I made the decision to call off my Toastmasters meeting that night. No worries as my club President emailed me the agenda for our next meeting on August 19. Delegation is key.

This week was the annual trip to Erie for Mom and family. They’ve gone up for the last few years, staying for a few days. Stops along the way included the Grove City outlets and the spillway in Linesville (near Pymatuning State Park). This spillway is interesting as the ducks walk on the fish. It’s always a sight to see. There have been plenty of days at the beach and at Presque Isle State Park, as well as a day at Waldameer for cousins A and H. We’ve ventured up to Erie for getaways since the late ‘90s. This is the last hurrah for summer as A will be starting school in a couple of weeks.

For me, I’m going to start planning for our Cape May trip in October. From 2009 to 2018 (save for a couple of years), I’ve made this trip. Half of them were with my aunt and the other half with my parents. This will be my first time going to Cape May since the COVID-19 pandemic (my last time in Cape May was in July 2018). Except for one year when we went in Spring, all my trips to the Jersey Shore were in Summer. This will be my first Fall visit. I’d like to see how decorated this beach town is at Christmas. 

The Cape May adventure will be a nice way to celebrate writing my 1,000th blog post.

Previewing New Books in August!

Here we are in the closing days of July. It was an active month with power outages, bloodwork, and learning from my mistakes in my officer role. Summer is flying by and in just a few weeks, teachers will be setting up their classrooms. Parents will take their kids back to school shopping and counting down the days until the first day.

Hempfield Area is back to school on August 20. A, your summer vacation is officially on notice. Hard to believe she’s starting eighth grade. Greater Latrobe starts August 24, and Norwin starts a few days later.

In the stores, back to school and Fall are beginning to win the battle. Summer merchandise and food is officially on clearance as they try to clear it all out. I’m seeing Pumpkin everything make its way into the stores. An end cap of Fall flavored coffee has me dreaming of a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Halloween candy is already out at Giant Eagle. Spooky season is coming, like it or not.

Before you know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here.

August has no major holidays. Should back to school shopping be considered that?

I talked about my shows that I’m watching in August. Out with The Pitt, in with Stuart and King of the Hill. The Paper and ‘90s House are coming in September, and eventually Great British Bake Off.

August also brings with it visits to a few familiar and new cafes. I might plan breakfast in Export, including a visit to Caleese on the Trail.

I should be wrapping up The Jazzmen in a week or two, before debuting Three Shades of Blue. I bought the latter book at Barnes and Noble in May along with Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. Three Shades talks about the work that went into the bestselling jazz album “Kind of Blue”. I’ll be making the switch from Armstrong, Basie, and Ellington to Davis, Coltrane, and Evans. The shift from Big Band to Cool jazz is going to became a reality very soon. I think I have a future blog title in mind.

Next week I’m going to preview some of my new upcoming reads as we head into the past the peak and soon to be past peak of summer. One of those books will be from my District Director and another from Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. I’m going for the hat trick on Chapman’s book as this will be my third of his. I’m on my second Matthew West book, which is on taking part in a 40 day prayer journey.

A Ligonier visit is planned for one of these days off coming up, where I may preview one of my books and enjoy some time in the Diamond.