Taste of Fall at Cutie’s!

The calendar may read late July, but some coffee shops are already looking forward to Fall. This week brought a sneak peak of the new Fall menu that is coming to local coffee shop Cutie’s Coffee. Some of the features include the Caramel Apple Butter Latte, as well as Carrot Cake and Maple Cinnamon Roll lattes. I went with the first choice. For the last hour of the day, the second floor was hoppin’. If Fall flavored coffee wasn’t your choice, there’s always the summer menu. The new Fall menu rolls out on August 29, with a morning market as is the tradition with Cutie’s. 

The Around the World menu made its debut at Caleese on Friday. Looking at the menu, some of the choices looked really neat. I would like to try one of the Horchata specials. This special menu gives off some EPCOT vibes, as I thought about my Disney trips years ago. Next month I will be checking out the new location in Export (Caleese on the Trail), and may include breakfast with that as well.

Coffee visits will resume on August 6. The reason for that being appointments that I have the first week of the month that I want to focus on. I need to include more potassium-rich foods and limit or cut out those with phosphorous, The latter will be easier said than done. It’s going to be a time for adjustment as I learn to sleep with a CPAP mask, and do more with less. 

In the plans for August are a trip to White Rabbit and a stop in Ligonier. This summer is flying by.

Currently I’m in Matthew and will be finished by next week, just as we turn the calendar to August. During my week of appointments and the Erie trip, I’ll begin reading Mark. In addition, I’m going to begin a 40 Day Prayer journey with a new book from Matthew West. That coincides with me reading Mark and Luke between August and the last weekend of Summer. In a few weeks, I’ll be previewing the new Steven Curtis Chapman book that I bought this Spring. Steven and his wife co-wrote “Still Here”. This book chronicles their 40+ year marriage and all the good and bad and tragic events. Still Here completes the author trifecta that began in the Fall of 2010 with Choosing to See. Just as I previewed Jane Austen’s Bookshelf in Ligonier, I may also preview this book in Ligonier. If not at the library, I may sit in the Diamond and read it there (maybe I’ll enjoy a cone from the Ligonier Creamery as well).

This summer is flying by quickly and soon the kids will be back in school. Hempfield Area kids go back on August 20th, with the seventh and eighth graders starting a day later. For Mr. Clougherty, he doesn’t have to worry about that as he’ll officially be retired. He will continue to coach swimming, however. Summer is beginning to come down at my store as the Halloween stuff is already coming out. I can already taste the Pumpkin Spice and see the colors changing on the leaves (in my mind). 

With the season going by so fast, it’s important to make August count as we change the calendar this weekend. I didn’t swim much in July, due to the smoke and unsettled weather. August looks like it’ll be average to above normal weatherwise. It’s also time to begin the process of downsizing as I begin to adapt to having less. I got rid of a few bags of clothes in June and plan to do away with more in September. I’m going to include accessories and books I don’t read anymore. We’ll see where this takes me. 

After the Erie weekend, my aunt and I will start thinking about our Cape May trip. We will be going in the middle of October, during my vacation week.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe!

This week has been one of new beginnings with new shows and season premieres. Monday began season two of King of the Hill on Hulu and Disney +. Last night was the series premiere for The Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. I turned on HBO Max just after the show premiered at 9pm, and was impressed with what I’ve seen from the new show. It makes good use of the recurring characters from the iconic CBS show. Bert and Denise are from later seasons, with Kripke and Stuart appearing earlier in the series. On the podcast that I watched later on, I learned a little bit more about the character who always took joy in poking fun at Sheldon. I read that there will be cameos from actors who appeared in the original series, but I’ll keep that a secret. The first episode sets the tone for the new series. 

The rewatch podcast is hosted by Felicia Day and someone familiar to the Big Bang multiverse. That would be Mr. Wil Wheaton. You may remember him from such shows as Star Trek: The Next Generation and a voice actor in Teen Titans. He’s kept it together since his child acting days, and became a fan favorite on the Big Bang Theory. He was definitely one the best recurring characters (appearing as himself) and his character development was excellent. To go from an archenemy of the main character to one of his close friends is nothing short of a good character arc. 

Interviews include those with people involved behind the scenes as well as the main cast. The first episode had the hosts interview the big names behind the show. It’s safe to say Chuck Lorre has an extensive resume going back to the ‘90s (Cybill and Dharma and Greg). Bill Prady has not only been involved with the new show and Big Bang Theory, but also Gilmore Girls. Zak Penn is a screenwriter who has been involved with such films as The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers. Later on, the hosts interviewed John Ross Bowie, who portrays Barry Kripke. The speech impediment isn’t a real thing, as that was incorporated into the show. Fun fact: Bowie and Wheaton are close friends in real life. 

I’ll watch this show as new episodes air, thus staying caught up with the series.

I’m only a few episodes away from wrapping up season two of The Pitt. This latest season has pulled out all the stops, from IT systems failing to momma drama, and everything else. I’m looking forward to Season Three, which should come out in January. With the season about to end, how do I beat my Pitt withdrawal this Fall? The rewatch pod which really began with the second season has been insightful. Good interviews of the cast and those who make the show. 

Exit Dr. Robby, enter Hank Hill and Stuart as summer peaks and back to school sales begin. As I finish The Pitt, I’ll focus on King of the Hill and Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. September should bring the new season of The Great British Bake-off on Netflix and The Paper on Peacock. We’ll see if season two of the latter is just as good. My inner nostalgia is calling as ‘90s House premieres on HGTV later in August (new episode premieres a day later on HBO Max). Some big ‘90s stars will be part of this show including the Lawrence brothers and Melissa Joan Hart. 

Looking ahead to the weekend and beyond… 

  • New coffee features at Caleese and Cutie’s with the Around the World menu at Caleese and a fall preview at Cutie’s. Hard to decide where to go. 
  •  A look ahead to August as this summer just keeps flying by. 
  • New stores opening up at the mall!

Return of the King (of the Hill)

The first Bible study at Cutie’s in almost two months (due to inclement weather) did not disappoint.

I made sure I kept my calendar open Monday night for Bible Study. The forecast agreed for once, even with all the smoke we had Thursday and Friday and the heavy rain and storms Saturday. The forecast trended hazy but nothing like late last week. We studied Romans 12, and the Bible Study was led by our wonderful Vic. She always brings a lot of passion when giving the Message.

Romans 12 is a good passage of scripture to read if you want to live in this world. I took a Sunday school class on that chapter of the Bible. Both the teacher of our class and the presenter knew their stuff. I had a book about learning to live as a Romans 12 Christian, but I might have given it away.

We had a nice turnout for Bible Study and the weather was perfect. The rain held off for a day, and the overhyped storms we were supposed to have on never left their mark on Westmoreland County.

There will a sneak peak of the new Fall menu this weekend, and I’ll be heading down to Cutie’s Saturday after I wake up. Nice way to get a walk in downtown as well.

Monday morning I watched the first episode of the new season of the King of the Hill reboot. The long-running FOX series ended its original run in 2009 or 2010. In syndication and on social media, it got plenty of views. There had been talk of rebooting the series for some time. That dream became reality when season 14 brought us back to Arlen. It’s not the same when you realize some of the original voice actors have since passed. The rebooted show grows on you, just give it time.

Just like last year, this season also has ten episodes. TV shows are a lot different now than they were 30 years ago. Plus, I’ve discovered so many shows on these streaming channels. The Pitt is a great example and so is Queer Eye 🏳️‍🌈 👁️. I’m watching one episode of King of the Hill per week to start out. I will do two episodes once I wrap up The Pitt in a few weeks, running through August.

The reboot is one of the most aired shows on Hulu right now. I always read in the comments on social media that Peggy is definitely not well-liked. While she’s not the worst cartoon mom of all time, I can see understand the negative opinions towards her character. This new season will feel like the original series in a way.

King of the Hill also airs on Disney+.

Trying the PB Cup Latte at Caleese!

The forecast for today has been dry, yet somewhat hazy. However, it’s not as bad as Thursday and Friday. In fact the AQ was more moderate depending on your location. With a day off and an amazing weekend feature at one of my locations, I wasn’t passing this opportunity up.

The PB Cup Latte is one of the features at Caleese Coffee this weekend. This is the only time to get it and it was definitely calling for me. The drink comes with Peanut Butter, Mocha, Peanut Butter Cold Foam, and is topped with Reese’s Crumbles.

My review coming as I finish this drink but so far it looks really good. Here is a pic.

The week ahead is Toastmasters-free. No big deal as it’s just how the calendar worked out. This can happen around major holidays, especially during Christmas. However, I’m not standing pat this week as I continue to search for roles and get the word out to some of our members. The next time I’ll have a week with no meetings is at the end of September. Our District 219 Director and founding member has a new book on Amazon. The name of it is From College to Corporate and Beyond and I plan to include it on my reading list. We’re hoping to have an officers meeting soon to discuss goals for the 2026-2027 Toastmasters year.

The Pitt watch party continues for me as I’m down to the last three episodes of season two. This season has brought the drama, from the computers shutting down, to the presence of the new attending physician. I’m still not 100% on Al-Hashimi but the actor does well. The Pitt is good at bringing diversity to the table. Langdon and Santos’ beef is just insane. It’s a complete 180 from how Dr. King looks at him. I’ve learned some lessons from watching the show, and the latest is from watched Mohan struggle to separate her personal life from her work life. Dr. Robby admonishes her on this and reminds her that the hospital is the four walls and her “personal problems” should not enter that forcefield. While I don’t have at home issues, I do have anxiety and other concerns that get in the way. I need to teach myself to leave those where I left them. 

The rewatch podcast for the show is amazing and the hosts are very knowledgeable. I like how Dr. Patel and Hunter (Harris) recap the episode, talk to the cast members or producers, and a medical expert. Whether you’re a medical student, a health nut, or are interested in the show, this is a good podcast to check out. The problems that Dr. Robby and his staff have apply to all of us, including that of mental health. I like how The Pitt touches on this and other real life problems in the industry. Last night’s episode, for example, hit on the issue that rural hospitals are facing with all of the cuts. 

Weatherwise, things turned out a lot better today. The hazy, smoke-filled sky of Thursday and Friday has left (for now) and the storms of Saturday are a distant memory (until Tuesday). It felt less humid and a little bit like early September. Hello Pumpkin Season? After my Caleese visit, it was off to fulfill my exercise ring requirements. With outdoor activities a little more tolerable today, I took a walk around Downtown Greensburg. There will plenty of exercise time this week with no meetings, including before my dinner with Mr. Clougherty Thursday night. I think a road trip is in order this week. Not a big one, just a trip to Export to find that new Caleese location. I’m going to have a drink there sometime in August. The coffee schedule sees me going to Export and maybe back to Latte Lane or up towards the Alle-Kiski valley. 

The weather is agreeing for Cutie’s Bible Study Monday night. I’m not sure what the message will be, but I’ve been reading my Bible as I study Matthew. Since I enjoyed my PB Cup Latte at Caleese and will be back this weekend, I’ll take it easy tomorrow night. It feels like early September today and that gets me in the mood for a little Fall preview coming Saturday. Featured drinks from what I had seen on the socials include the Caramel Apple Butter Latte. The Carrot Cake Latte and Maple Cinnamon Roll will be on my list for late September/early October.

Later on this past week had me feeling down, with the wildfires and severe weather the last few days. The next three weeks bring their own anxiety but I will get through it. I’ll be continuing my downsizing throughout the summer as well. Now for my review of the PB Cup Latte.

I really tasted the Peanut Butter cold foam and the mocha and loved the little pop of Reese’s crumbles. At the end, I enjoyed sweeping up the little bit of Peanut Butter with my straw. Overall, a very good drink and I enjoyed it during my walk around downtown Greensburg. Grade: 11/10.

Fun Features at Caleese and Cutie’s!

I’m looking forward to sharing some of the fun drinks that my favorite coffee shops have to offer next week. But first, let’s recap Wednesday night’s Toastmasters meeting. 

It was a hot one Wednesday, pre-wildfire smoke and poor visibility. But I still came out to my Toastmasters meeting that evening. I made sure my hotspot was ready to go after last week and it came in handy this time. Looks like we’ll be using it in the future. I think at my next Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting, I’ll bring my laptop to get a jumpstart on planning the agenda. We had our online attendees back with us on Wednesday night, plus one of our guests returned. I’m hoping that we’ll get to hear her ice breaker soon. 

On the agenda, we had two experienced speakers. Both of them came up with interesting topics. Our President shared his Toastmasters journey which began in 1982 and not at the Greensburg club, but the Monroeville club. The latter club meets at the library now, but in 1982 the meetings were held at the Denny’s Restaurant on US 22. Our online attendee gave a speech on meditation and talked about what was better: prayer or meditation. The audience all gave interesting answers. I would end up evaluating the speech later on. Our Table Topics centered on the 13 colonies. We picked a state (one of the original colonies) and shared what we know about it. Had I picked New Jersey I’d have talked a good deal about the beach town at the bottom of the state. I’ll be heading down there this Fall during my vacation week for a quick getaway. 

Later on we had a very thorough review of the meeting from our general evaluator. Afterwards, I planned our next meeting which is three weeks away on August 5. Plenty of time for preparing that elevator speech. I’ll be reaching out directly to a couple of members to see if they’re interested in roles. I got the agenda prepared as soon as I got home from the meeting and sent it yesterday morning. This is a habit that I’m getting into for both of my clubs. 

Some news and notes from our business meeting, and one of those tidbits is a dues increase that’s coming in August. If you want to invest in your future at the same rate you’ve been paying, then pay your dues by August 3 to get the current rate. At our officers’ meeting, we discussed membership practices as we get guests and look for prospects to join our club. Our president (who has served as Vice President Membership) put together some guest packets for those future visitors. 

We had nine in attendance with a near 50/50 split between in person and online guests. Our next two meetings are August 5 and 19, and the International Convention is slated for August 19th through the 22nd in Vancouver. Contest season is heating up as well, and we’ll be hosting a contest or sending a member to the event. The fall contest will be Humorous Speech and Table Topics.

The weekend special at Caleese is the Peanut Butter Cup Latte. I saw this and told myself that I have to have this. The feature drink is only available today through the weekend. I’ll make it up there either tomorrow or Sunday (hopefully I can get one at 3pm on a Sunday). When I go, I’ll bring my laptop if I have a blog to finish up. This would be my first time taking the computer out, and I’ll finish up another chapter in ‘The Jazzmen’. Next month, I’ll visit the new location in Export near the Westmoreland Heritage trail. If I’m feeling lucky, I may include breakfast at Wade’s Breakfast and Grille. I discovered them on Instagram this morning. 

Pictures courtesy of
Caleese Coffee and Cutie’s Coffee Company

Fall is coming early to Cutie’s! The Fall menu makes its arrival at the end of August but there will be a sneak peak next weekend. After seeing the choices on social media, I’m debating over what to try. It might be the Caramel Apple Butter Latte.  

Bible Study is scheduled for Monday night, weather permitting. The forecast is trending dry but fingers crossed that the air quality will be better than it was today. There is a fall preview, and the new menu rolls out August 29 (with a market in the parking lot). Additional parking is coming soon, along with the new Otterman Square. The Christmas in July flight runs through the end of the month.

Know It. Speak It. Live It at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

Tuesday was our first Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meeting of the year. En route to Connellsville, I wasn’t sure how the meeting was going to go. New to FreeToastHost, I didn’t have an agenda prepared. One reason could be that I am used to doing things different at Greensburg. As I walked in the room, I saw our founding member and tech officer hard at work getting the room set up. I explained my predicament to both Ryan and Nick, our two engineers in the room. Ryan encouraged me to RIOT (Relax, It’s Only Toastmasters). We had a guest at our meeting, TJ. While waiting for our president, we got to know our guest and the line of work he’s involved in. We also introduced him to Toastmasters and explained the meeting process.

As our Toastmaster prepared the agenda for the meeting, we had a few openings. We had a slot for a speaker as one of our members wasn’t able to make it that night. Our guest stepped in and gave his ice breaker speech that night. This is the first time that’s happened in the club (or any club I’ve been a part of). We learned a lot about our guest’s career in real estate and how he splits time between living in Uniontown and Pittsburgh. Later in the meeting, TJ officially joined our club as a member. We welcomed him with open arms. Our two speeches were diverse. One from our guest who took QA for us to know him better. The other from our founding member, President and new District 219 Director. She had us write on a 3 x 5 note card the three things that we’re good at. One I included was doing math. It’s a subject that isn’t popular with most students, but in school it was one of my strong suits. Duolingo has helped refresh my memory when it comes to this subject that I excelled at in the past. Nick provided us with a different take on Table Topics. With the help of his computer, our vice president membership listed three questions for the members to answer. Of course, we could use our own question and that’s what I did.

Why should you join Toastmasters?

Cosmas gave his word, or phrase, of the day. He encouraged us to Speak Up. I think District 13 speaking legend Charlie Wilson had that phrase on a license plate.

Towards the end of the meeting, our President instilled mentors for the new officers to help them do their roles effectively. I have three Vice Presidents of Education to turn to. Primarily, it’ll be Cosmas as he recently held the role. In addition, I’ll also turn to Ryan and Gary who have also done the role. Gary is serving as Treasurer for both of his clubs, just like I’m doing as Vice President Education for both of my clubs. Ryan helped clear things up for me and showed me how to edit the agenda. I’m confident everybody got it, as it was sent at 7:35 yesterday morning. I’m all set to edit the agenda for August 11 and other meetings going forward. 

So, a potential disaster turned into a great night in Connellsville. That Chernobyl turned Three Mile Island in my mind was nothing to worry about. I’m grateful that everyone understood and having a good tech guy really helped along the way. All of us are now set and we have our goals in place for the new Toastmasters year. I gave my treasurer what he needs for the year, so he’s set too. 

I was on my way by 8pm to get ready for another night at the Eagle.

Why Ligonier was a Wake-up Call!

I wasn’t one of the lucky ones to make it out to the railroad yesterday to see the famed Union Pacific train go by. However, some of my family members found a great spot to see it. The train passed through Altoona on Friday and made stops in Derry, Greensburg, Jeannette, Irwin, North Huntingdon, and Trafford. My family saw it in Penn Twp. It was a sight to behold and if I can find videos on YouTube, they’ll be worth watching. This blog isn’t about the Union Pacific, and I will read up on the iconic steam locomotive and its history. 

My stop in Ligonier was nice as I got to catch up with my cousin and enjoy a nice birthday lunch. It was also much needed, in my opinion. I’m not always one to let loose as I’m pretty tight when it comes to my schedule, and that goes back to my college days. When my cousin entertained the offer for us to have a meal, I knew I would want to make some time. With my work schedule and somewhat busy lifestyle, it’s not always easy. I changed things up on Friday, sleeping a little bit later in the afternoon, and that seemed to work out for me. 

Some days after a night off, I might have a Toastmasters meeting or Bible Study (during the summer). We might have family visiting early in the afternoon or later in the day. Those are the times when I can adjust my sleep schedule to lay down early or later so that I’m rested up for work. After my experience on Friday, there’s definitely more of that coming in the future. Maybe another visit to Ligonier, a special trip for coffee up north (Cheswick, Vandergrift or Freeport), or a walk on the Westmoreland Heritage trail are in the future for me. They don’t always have to be on my day/night off.

Switching to Toastmasters, I’m definitely taking on a challenge serving as Vice President of Education for two clubs. It’s one of the most critical roles in the club (even more so than President) and I’m learning that I need to be on the ball this year. As people complete their paths, I’ll need to approve the paths as soon as possible so we can get credit. I also need to get into the habit of sending agendas out early so people can sign up early. I’ll have emails sent by Friday for both of my clubs, even though Greensburg has an extra week. 

I’ve been in Toastmasters for 15 years, but even the most experienced members still have room to learn and grow. While watching the Big Bang Theory spinoff Young Sheldon, I’ve learned a few things about myself. Sheldon’s college professor Dr. Linkletter reminded him as he was falling behind in his abroad classes:

  • “Shut up and Listen”
  • “If You’re the Smartest Kid in the Class, You’re not Learning anything”

I’m not new to the position but I feel serving as Vice President Education this year will definitely be a learning experience.

Quality Time in Ligonier!

Recently, my cousin and I celebrated our birthdays. When there was a convenient time for both of us, we were going to find a place to eat out. My afternoons didn’t always work nor did her evenings. I mentioned that I had a couple of mornings off so we planned on lunch. I figured it was best that we meet in the middle, so Somerset and Greensburg were definitely out. I threw out Donegal and Ligonier as possible options. My cousin chose the latter, as we had met there before. It was January and we met at Abigail’s Coffeehouse. We both needed to get out after being indoors due to the snow and extreme cold. 

There’s a nice Mexican restaurant in town in the Diamond, and she agreed to meet me there. El Vacquero Mexicano is located a couple of doors down from the Ligonier Creamery. If the enchiladas don’t fill you up, then stop in for an ice cream sundae. Next time I’m in Ligonier, I’ll definitely do that. My cousin talked up the tamales, and I almost took her up on that offer. On my next trip there (or when I go to Plaza Azteca), I might order the tamales. Instead, I got the beef enchiladas which were just as good a choice. We had cucumber lime water to drink. It looked like lemonade but tasted like a non-alcoholic mojito. It was nice to catch up and talk about life. I talked about the Fourth of July picnic at the farm and the fireworks. 

Next time, I’ll treat us to coffee. Either at Abigail’s, Silver Horse (in Donegal), or one of Greensburg’s finest cafes. 

As we left the restaurant and walked around the Diamond, we spotted The Kitchen on Main. Maybe our future dining experience will be there. After an amazing lunch of tamales and enchiladas, it was off to the Ligonier Valley Library. 

It had been a long time since I had been here for a visit but this made for a nice post-lunch stop. I brought a book with me that I was previewing for the Fall, once I finish The Jazzmen. Earlier this week, I read the introduction for Three Shades of Blue. The one I read yesterday was Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. It’s not a collection of the iconic author’s finest works, but of other women writers from centuries past. 

On my visit to Ligonier (likely in August), I’ll bring my latest Steven Curtis Chapman book. I’m set to begin reading this just after Labor Day. I may also revisit his other books that I read in 2010 (Choosing to SEE) and 2017 (Between Heaven and the Real World) in the future.

We found a quiet room to sit in where we could read our books. There were magazines and newspapers (which hung off of a pole). The latter reminded me of the days when bookstores had newspapers you could read while you sat in the cafe. How I miss you, Monroeville Borders. I plan to stop here again in the future, maybe on my next visit. A library card may also be in the plans for me, either in Ligonier or at one of the local libraries. That would make my Eastern PA cousin feel good as she works in a library. She too has her own blog. 

The room I sat in had a beautiful picture window behind me. It provided a great view of the town square and really proved my theory. That is, Ligonier is its own little Stars Hollow/Hallmark Christmas town. Imagine how nice it would look during the holidays. 

My meter would be running out soon, so I thanked my Somerset cousin for a great time and parted ways around 1:30pm. I’ll be back soon, though.

The Most Chaotic Night!

This past weekend brought with it chaos. The hot and humid weather made it unbearable to be outside. Our pool’s water temperature got as high as 90 degrees. Definitely some missed opportunities to work out in the air conditioning at the gym. With the heat and humidity came plenty of showers and thunderstorms, and they couldn’t have picked a worse time to arrive. The Gaffron Fourth of July picnic at the farm was a soaker. Most of us took cover inside, and eventually some of us left early. We were spared some of the major storm damage over the weekend, though. Adding insult to injury was the power outages in the area. 

The store I work at wasn’t immune to the extreme weather, either. Early in the evening, the power went out at my Giant Eagle. Was this the store’s reaction to Kroger buying Giant Eagle a few days earlier? Kidding aside, I knew something was up when the parking lot looked dark Sunday night. Next door, Target’s power was also out. The evening was chaotic and it would sum up our night when we grabbed buggies and started pulling stuff. The power outage wreaked havoc in the perishable departments, as they lost a lot of product. Deli, Prepared Foods, Meat, Produce, and Dairy as well as Frozen and Bakery. We pulled all that we could. We used shopping carts, watermelon bins, and totes to save what we could. The plastic meat crates did not get used as they wouldn’t hold much. As chaotic as this night was, it was nice to see everyone pull together. 

Monday night was not quite as chaotic, but we still kept busy. We began the night restocking Frozen and Dairy, The majority of the night was spent putting up the latter. We had help from everywhere. Meat department helped us quite a bit. Seeing those guys always gives me an opportunity to talk up my uncle, who worked for 40+ years in that profession. More than half of those were with Giant Eagle. We gave it our best effort. Still, we couldn’t save all of the ice cream or any of the frozen pizzas. 

Thursday nights on TV can only mean one thing, and that’s Rick Sebak night on WQED! Rick Sebak has worked in public television since the 1970’s, and 2026 is his 50th year on TV. A majority of those years he has spent with Pittsburgh’s station WQED. Over the years he has produced many great shows that talk about the things that make Pittsburgh what it is. He started out local and has branched out nationally. One of his first documentaries is a little piece that I’d love to call Kennywood Memories. If you know, you know. 

Kennywood Memories made its debut in September 1988 on WQED and is one of the Sebak specials that definitely stands the test of time. Many other specials are too. Even as the park itself has changed and evolved since then, people still watch it every summer. After that, it’s Things That Aren’t There Anymore and The Pennsylvania Road Show (two specials from the early 1990’s) as well as The Strip Show. If Kennywood Memories is the GOAT, then Pennsylvania Diners and other Roadside Attractions is definitely #2 on my list. 

Pennsylvania Diners and some of his national shows that focus on food will definitely make you hungry. The Hot Dog Program and Shore Things will have you in the mood for Summer, as well as what I watched Thursday night. That show was Breakfast Special, which inspired some new features at Kings back in 2010 when it aired. 

Today, my cousin and I are having lunch in Ligonier. It was her idea as both of our birthdays have recently occurred. Hers on June 16 and mine two weeks later. We are planning to have lunch at the Mexican restaurant in town, and I might have to take her up on tamales as my order. 

While I do want to lay down in the afternoon to rest up for work, I might stop at the library. The Diamond is nice but the forecast is trending towards rain and thunderstorms. I’ll be previewing a new book I bought this past spring (Jane Austen’s Bookshelf). I was inspired by the author of Meet Me at Luke’s to check out this book. Along with Three Shades of Blue, these two books will be part of my reading sometime after August 15.

Fourth of July Cut Short (or not)?!

Saturday was the actual Fourth of July holiday, and that meant it was the day of the annual Gaffron holiday picnic at the Gaffron farm in Guffey. The forecast was trending toward stormy, but we were hopeful that it wasn’t going to ruin our plans. We arrived early to the festivities, more earlier than we have in the past. 

As we pulled into our parking space, we saw some chickens in the yard. Those are my cousin’s chickens that he brought with him from the Midwest. He moved home last December. We set up our chairs in the yard and early on, I began to make my rounds. I caught up with everyone who was there and was hopeful this would be a good day. With more people arriving and more chairs set up, the skies began to open up and the rain began to fall. We were sent inside to dodge the fat sprinkles that turned into heavy downpours. 

I was going to have to enjoy my food indoors and for that I sat at the table. Those desserts sure looked tempting. The rain had stopped momentarily and we set up our chairs and went back outside. We tried to make the most of it, and then the rain fell once again. It was obvious that this storm wasn’t letting up. Due to the torrential downpours, it was pretty crowded in the kitchen. Standing room only. 

The high winds that preceded the rain and thunderstorms did their damage, taking the umbrella and glass table with them. Remember the warning message at the Pittsburgh Zoo near the aquarium? You know the one. It said Coins + Fish= Death (in pictures with Death being represented by a tombstone). Well, high winds + glass table= death (to table). Luckily, no one was hurt but it was a shock, nonetheless. At least there were people around to help clean up. That’s what Gaffrons do, they work together. 

The best dish from the Fourth of July smorgasbord was the meatloaf with the hard boiled egg. A little bit of Frank’s made it really stand out. The best dessert was that peanut butter pie. I had to grab a slice (I cut half of one) not realizing that there were two pies. There were lots of cookies to satisfy my sweet tooth, and Mom’s cookie bar went over well. We left early due to the unrelenting rain, and lots of us were drenched. Perhaps I could have driven myself and stuck around a little longer. The picnic was called due to the rain and the fireworks cancelled (or were they?). We lit off a few fireworks at home as well as some smoke bombs. Nothing like the light show at the farm but it would do. My cousin took some pictures and there were fireworks plus a rainbow. But in a way it was justified to end our night early.