My First Visit to the New Cutie’s!

Friday was the first day that Cutie‘s opened up its second floor. While I wasn’t there during the early part of day, I came in around 3 o‘clock. I wasn’t passing up the opportunity to enjoy my coffee in the new seating area.

It was too hot to enjoy my drink outside, even of it was an iced coffee. I ordered the White Sands Cold Brew and put the finishing touches on my blog while taking in the new seating.

The new changes look amazing and Cutie‘s has come a long way. The thumbnail for this blog is one of my favorite pictures that I took yesterday. There are some more additions coming but I like what I’m seeing so far. Here’s a few pictures of the new second floor. One of the pictures is from Cuties and the rest are my own. I think they tell the story just as well.

Cutie’s Coffee Company opened on October 14, 2023, and my first visit was just after New Year’s a few months later. I immediately fell in love with the place and the atmosphere. The baristas past and present know me well and help me pick out something good when I’m not sure. I usually have my drink picked out before I go most of the time.

Weather permitting, there will be Bible Study Monday night in the Cutie‘s parking lot. Not sure what the lesson will be yet. Some of my future visits include ordering their caffeine free refreshers (as I near my appointments the first week of August).

The Fall menu makes its debut on August 29, not that I’m looking forward to it yet. With the new upstairs seating, I can’t to work on a blog while enjoying a pumpkin spice latte this Fall. The 3rd anniversary celebration takes place on the third… of October. That’s a week out from my second vacation.

While this month sees multiple Cuties visits, I’ll also go to Caleese. Though I’m not sure if Export is in my travels yet. Maybe a Ligonier trip on one of my days off to enjoy coffee at Abigail’s or a sundae at the Ligonier Creamery.

I’m looking forward to my plans for lunch this Friday as my cousin and I celebrate our belated birthdays. I suggested Ligonier or Donegal as they’re both halfway points between Greensburg and Somerset. Whatever we agree on, I’ll share on the blog next weekend.

First Blog of 45!

Sunday was my scheduled night off and it was leading up to my birthday. I made plans with my Somerset family that evening. We would go to dinner and then see a movie. It was leading up to the major heat wave we would encounter in the coming week. Therefore, it felt cool by comparison with a little bit of humidity but nothing too oppressive. 

Before my evening plans, I took a walk around Twin Lakes as it was on the way and the weather was fine. I timed that well as I left around 4:20pm and made my way to Latrobe. Perfect timing as I made it to Latrobe at 4:45. We had dinner at Tokyo Sushi and Hibachi. Fun fact: We ate here for my birthday several years ago before we went to the theatre. I got the General Tso’s Chicken. It was too much to eat for one meal so I saved a little bit for my lunch on Monday. 

After we ate, it was off to the theatre. We drove there in a downpour but fortunately, it wasn’t that far from where we ate. Even after all that food, I still left room for popcorn and Pepsi. The Latrobe 30 Cinema is owned by the same people who also run the Westwood Plaza and Theatre in Johnstown. I went to that theatre a few times when I was a college student in the early 2000’s. The movie we saw several years ago was Toy Story 4. Sunday night we saw the new movie. 

I won’t throw out spoilers but this movie had a great storyline. It’s more centered around Jessie (who made her debut in Toy Story 2). Technology is the mortal enemy here as today’s kids are always distracted by their screens. I do like seeing some of the other toys from the previous film, plus Forky returns. He was the center of attention in the last movie, as was Woody and Bo Peep. I was grateful for the dinner and the movie, as it was a treat for my birthday. I’ll return the favor in September for my aunt’s birthday. 

The movie ended around 7:30pm, and as I walked out of the theater I saw a few peaks of sunshine. It made for a nice 25 minute drive home. This ends my final weekend of 44 as I would celebrate another year around the sun on Tuesday.

Wednesday night was New Year’s Day in a way, as July 1 marks the first day of the new Toastmasters Year. We were in-person, and we also had guests in attendance. That was the good news. The two girls were students at Saint Vincent College, majoring in Healthcare. Mike and I introduced them to Toastmasters and explained to them how the meeting works and what the roles are. 

We had no hotspot for our meeting and couldn’t get Zoom to work, so there goes half of our members for the night. However, Mike and I made the meeting work. I served as acting president for the meeting, as well as Toastmaster and General Evaluator. Mike came up with some Table Topics on the fly (It was a book of impromptu questions that works in a pinch). We even got our guests to take part in Table Topics. I think they liked it, even as I was a little over the top in explaining the rules. I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes. 

Mike was our lone speaker, and he gave a good five to seven on developing others. He shared with us stories from his youth and college days, moving onto his Toastmasters journey. He served as District Governor in the 1997-98 Toastmasters year and talked about what it was like serving as a District leader. When talking about the merger of Allegheny Power with First Energy, he talked about the new boss and what he could have done better. In my evaluation, I mentioned that he gave an evaluation within the speech itself. That part on the merger hit home for me, as news broke of Giant Eagle buying Kroger. I’ll share more about that in another blog when I know more. 

Our next three meetings are July 15, August 5, and August 19. Summer’s flying by. 

Closing thoughts on Wednesday’s meeting:

  • Mike and I did a great job improvising in the face of challenges.
  • Next meeting on July 15, I’ll probably keep the same names for some of the roles. 
  • We hope to see Iesha and Dayna return. The consensus was they enjoyed the meeting. Just hope this next one is a little more traditional so they can experience a quality meeting.

Last Day of 44! 

Last week, I exorcised some demons from my past. 

Friday morning, I had some loose ends to tie up. I got a bill in the middle of the week from the Sleep Center saying I hadn’t paid yet. I did some research and it turned out that I did, so we settled that Friday. 

It’s around this time of year that I get a “phantom” bill from Bank of America. It’s for antivirus software that I purchased for an old laptop that I neither use nor I have anymore. I made some calls to the respective customer service representatives, and was able to cancel both of those subscriptions 

Now why did I say I was exorcising demons? Because I’ve had these things since my post-college days and I was fighting my own demons then. So having at least one of them was a reminder of the life I used to live. But they’re both gone now so I feel a lot lighter now. 

We are already at the first half of 2026. It seems the year has gone by so fast. There are some events that have stood out in these six months. Some are weather related and others are from my own personal experiences. It’s possible you might read about them again in my top ten when I post that in December. I’ll go in order and not share anyone else’s stories unless I was directly a part of them. Without further ago, here’s a few of the newsworthy events of 2026. 

January is remembered most for the resignation of long time Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. The coach felt pressure from the fans after another season where it felt the team had underperformed. In my opinion, a couple of 5-11 or 5-12 seasons during Tomlin’s tenure might have helped the team grow better. I know having a streak of so many winning seasons is nice, but what’s the use if it doesn’t help you grow? 

The final nail in the coffin was the 30-6 wild card defeat on Monday night football. Replacing the longtime head coach would be Greenfield native and former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. 

The end of the month brought us a major winter storm that stretched over multiple states. Pittsburgh wasn’t exempt from the January winter blast as some communities received well over a foot of snow. In the wake of the snow was the extreme cold as Pittsburgh recorded 18 consecutive days with temperatures below freezing. It’s coincidental that I write about this during a holiday week in the dead of summer. We’ll be experiencing 90 degree heat with heat indices well over 100 degrees. If you work outdoors it goes without saying, “Please stay hydrated!”

I was happy to be a part of my adopted sister’s big day when I attended her baby shower over Easter weekend. I got the invite back in January not long after I heard the news that they were expecting their first child. Luckily, I was able to get the day off even though I was thinking of the needs of the business. It was a beautiful morning for a baby shower and I made sure I looked great for the event. It was held at the same place where she and Rob had their wedding five years earlier. 

It was a beautiful morning for a baby shower and the parents-to-be received a lot of nice gifts for Chloe. My “niece” made her arrival on May 20 and still has yet to meet her stylish uncle.

We counted down to the last days of our District as our name changes tomorrow morning. District 13 merges with District 10 to form the new District 219. I got to meet some of those Ohio Toastmasters at the Spring Conference. I’m also making plans to attend an online Toastmasters meeting with the new Sandusky Bay club later this Summer.

This Spring, I helped out at my contests serving as Sergeant at Arms and cheering them on to victory. I wasn’t sure when news broke about the merger but now I’m ready to embrace all the changes coming to Toastmasters.

Here’s to our new District 219 and new challenges in the Toastmaster Year.

A Season of Success at Western Maryland Toastmasters!

Toastmasters Club wraps up successful year, prepares for new season

Thursday night was the final Western Maryland Toastmasters meeting of the year, and I was in attendance (online). 

The club wrapped up its second full year better than it did its first. 2024-25 saw the club achieve Presidents’ Distinguished status. Not bad for a first year club. This past year brought even more success to the young Toastmasters club. Western Maryland Toastmasters chartered on May 31, 2024. 

On a side note, two area directors in Division C had their home clubs achieve Distinguished status or higher. 

Unlike most traditional meetings, Western Maryland did an awards ceremony for its members. Speech contestants were honored, both from the Fall and the Spring contests. Other awards included Toastmaster of the Year, Outstanding Toastmaster, and Most Improved Toastmaster. 

A couple of the club’s members are also involved with a new club that needs just a few more members to charter. That is the prospective Mineral County Toastmasters club in Keyser, WV, not too far away. 

Three of the club’s members will be serving in the District in the 2026-2027 Toastmasters year. One of them is part of the District trio, the first trio to represent the new District 219. 

Western Maryland finished Smedley Distinguished, having achieved all ten goals on the Distinguished Club Program. To finish Smedley Distinguished, a club must also have 25 members. Western Maryland has 26. Club President Autumn Jose shared that victory with all of the club members. 

After the awards ceremony, past President and current Program Quality Director Sharon Imes installed the new club officers. She began with the Technology Officer (that needs to be an officer role) position and worked through the officers. As new Vice President Public Relations, current President and Area 23 Director Autumn installed her. Sharon is also the incoming District 219 Director and the founder of the Western Maryland Toastmasters club. Following the installation of the new officer slate, incoming President Tammy Fraley spoke and shared her vision for the 2026-2027 Toastmasters year. She encouraged the club members (and guests) to do three things:

The meeting ended early as the club had food to celebrate the end of this successful Toastmasters year. The next three meetings for the club are July 9, 23, and August 13.

BE SEEN…Every member matters.

BE HEARD…Every voice matters.

BE YOU…Every journey matters.

First Half blog post coming early next week

The first half of 2026 is almost complete, and some of the headlines really stand out. In my next blog, I’m going to highlight those events as well as look ahead to July. My birthday ends the 2025-26 Toastmasters year and brings with it a major heatwave that will last into the Fourth of July weekend. 

Three of the events from the first half of 2026 that made news for me include:

  • The January 25 snowstorm that was followed by the extreme cold. We spent 18 days below freezing. 
  • My friend (fashionable sister) Sara’s baby shower at the Greensburg Country Club during Easter weekend. She gave birth to her daughter, Chloe Grace, on May 20. 
  • The End of an Era in Toastmasters as District 10 and District 13 merge to form the new District 219.

Discussing my Cutie’s visit and looking forward to July visits upstairs

Thursday afternoon after waking up, I made a trip down to Cutie’s. The renovations are almost complete. On social media this afternoon, I got to see some of the pictures of the renovations and it looks great. Pretty soon, I’ll be enjoying some of their refreshers. I can’t wait to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte upstairs when the Fall menu rolls out at the end of August. Cutie’s has come a long way in the three years it’s been open. 

Where do my coffee travels take me in July? Well there will be the usual Cutie’s an Caleese stops. I’d like to go to both locations this month. The Fourth of July holiday might be when I make a visit to Export. Caleese on the Trail just opened up a few weeks ago. I’ll also make a visit to Steep Mountain. Possibly on the agenda is a trip to Abigail’s coffeehouse in Ligonier. 

As summer rolls on, I’m interested in taking a road trip to either Grant Coffee in Vandergrift or 1833 in Freeport. They’re a bit of a ride but it would be worth the drive. 

Celebrating Birthdays at Laurel Highlands Toastmasters!

Tuesday night marked our final Toastmasters meeting of the 2025-26 Toastmasters year. We even had some guests show up at the beginning. They were looking for a job fair and just happened to stumble upon our meeting. Talk about a happy accident. This didn’t stop us from talking up Toastmasters and getting to know a little bit more about our guests. Maybe we’ll see one of them at the July 14 meeting. 

We kept on track despite the late start. At Toastmasters, we start on time, and we end on time. We had two speakers on the agenda, both with good speeches. Gary was the backup speaker but he stepped in with a really good topic. What should we fear more: Public Speaking or Death?

The meeting stayed on track as we anticipated pizza and a little cake for the two members celebrating birthdays. Table Topics were related to the theme, as was the Word of the Day. Yours truly came up with that one ☝️. Impact and Innovation were our keywords on this night. I’m thinking our theme for July 14 will be Happy New Year. We adjourned the meeting a little bit early to have a celebration. We got some pics of the officers in front of the banner. These will be good for promoting the club as we go into the new Toastmasters year.

My digital frame could use a few additional pictures as I haven’t updated it in almost a year. We celebrated with a little cake and some brownies (from Martin’s in Connellsville). The pizza from Pizza Louie’s was also good. I even took a few slices home myself. This place is located not far from our old meeting location, the Connellsville Library. We wore the nicest birthday hats, and room looked beautiful thanks to our amazing Sergeant at Arms.

We were so caught up in the moment celebrating mine and Ryan’s birthdays. Thus, I failed to mention that I’ll be making an online visit to the Western Maryland club Thursday night. I reached out to the VPE (soon to be President) Tammy and founding member Sharon tonight. I’m looking forward to celebrating the club’s Smedley Distinguished success. I’ll be cheering them on to a repeat performance in 2026-27.

As soon as I got home, I wasted no time getting everything in order to be site admin so that I can work on agendas. The online resources and I will become friends this year for sure. I want to be ready in advance instead of reaching out just a few days before the meeting. I plan on doing this for Greensburg as well but will send a regular email this week.

Our next three Toastmasters meetings are July 14 and 28, and August 11.

Coffee visits always make the week go better, and today was no exception as I visited White Rabbit. I even got a window seat and watched the world go by. After taking care of some business and getting to the bottom of things, I was able to truly relax and read a little bit of The Jazzmen.

Bible study was cancelled Monday due to the rain and thunderstorms moving through the area. I set up my coffee schedule the day before and was able to work things out. The next Cutie’s study is July 6 (weather permitting). The next visit is Thursday after I wake up. I’m looking at something chai or mocha.

End of an Era in Toastmasters!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eating on a Patio in Downtown Greensburg!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This or That at Greensburg Toastmasters!

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

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

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

Some of the questions I would have included would be:

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

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

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

Sweet or Savory?

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

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

Storms roll in as Vacation winds down!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some of the business included: 

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

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

For pleasure: 

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

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

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

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

First Cape May Trip Since 2018 This Fall!

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

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

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

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

This Spring really tested me. It proved unsuccessful though.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I chose number three. 

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

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