Christmas 2011 (Part 1)

I had a very nice Christmas! I enjoyed seeing my great-nieces Kendal and Hayden. The rest of the guests were fun, too. The food was very appetizing. Maggie and Mike's new furniture is very nice. Since the couches were covered, they avoided spillage.

I appreciated my Gift Card to Wal Mart that Kendal and Hayden's father Mike "sent" to me. I haven't spent any of it yet, but I will. Kendal and Hayden's Gift Cards to Toys 'R' Us were sent in the mail because I forgot to bring them to the celebration. Since my other great-nieces Amy Marie and Emily were not at the celebration, I mailed the gift cards to them (On time, I hope).

Have a great New Year!!

There Was Cranberry Sauce, but It Was Forgotten.

When my sister Maggie called our house yesterday, she told my brother Bob that there was cranberry sauce, but she forgot to place it on the table. As a result, it was not served or offered for leftovers. The lack of Cranberry sauce helped to make Thanksgiving interesting.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday

I had a very nice Thanksgiving! The participants were my sister Maggie, her husband Mike, my brother Joe, my niece Mandy, and her husband Paul. We had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, Crescent(?) rolls, gravy, Strawberry Jell-O, and Heavenly Hash (Sometimes known as Ambrosia, it usually involves Mandarin oranges, Maraschino Cherries, coconut, and a few other ingredients. It is a family tradition.) The appetizers were included with the dinner, consisting of Cheesy pretzel rods, Mozzarella sticks, and TGI Friday's Potato Skins. Dessert was Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate cheesecake, and Marie Callender's Coconut Cream pie (It was frozen at dessert time, so I had it later on Thanksgiving night.) The food was all delicious! I didn't even notice that Cranberry Sauce was missing this year until I had leftovers tonight for dinner. I can always buy some when I go shopping. Thankfully, the leftovers will be gone a lot sooner than the ones from my birthday party, but I enjoyed the previous leftovers a lot.

In addition to eating, Mandy, Maggie, and I used plastic body parts to decorate a pumpkin. The Christmas Gift Exchange was started. Bob and I will finish it either tonight or tomorrow. This also happened last year when we were not sure if my niece Marnie and her husband Mike were participating because they backed out the year before because they were planning to buy a house, which was successfully completed about a year and a half ago. I haven't picked yet!

Eventually, Mike drove me home. Paul and Mandy picked me up! I am grateful because carrying mashed potatoes and containers on the bus would be too funny! I spent the rest of the evening relaxing.

On Friday, I visited Rocky River Public Library. After leaving the Library, I went to a nearby Dollar Tree to pick up some cough drops. I missed my bus in the process, but I walked down to Wooster and Detroit Roads (I was at Detroit and Linda when I was at Dollar Tree.) to catch another bus. I took that bus downtown. I barely catch my bus to Dibella's Subs in Independence to take advantage of a BOGO deal that was only good on Black Friday. It wasn't too crowded when I got there, but as I was eating, the line was almost out the door. I had a Turkey, Ham, and Roast Beef Sub on Multigrain Bread. I brought home a Corned Beef Sub on Multigrain Bread. I enjoyed my Sub, but Bob thought his was only average. If they had a Reuben, Bob would have received that instead. I then caught a bus to Marc's in Midtown Plaza in Parma, so I could buy Bob some bananas that were on sale. I didn't have a lot of time to do anything else, because I wanted to catch a bus that was coming soon. (At the time of this trip, the buses run thirteen minutes apart. The first bus was five minutes behind schedule.) Thankfully, the next bus was a little late, so I made it. I then bought lottery tickets for yesterday and today. Once again, I relaxed when I came home.

Eventually, I will tell the stories that I have been wanting to tell.

My Birthday Party

On October 22, we celebrated my 41st birthday, which was the day before, at my sister Maggie and her husband Mike's house in Parma! We had Take-out Chinese food from Ni's Express on Broadview Road in Parma! Their food is similar to our usual Chinese Restaurant, East China, also on Broadview Road in Parma, but closer to the Northern Cleveland-Parma Border. The food was tasty! We had Chicken with Snow Peas, Chicken Ding with Almonds, Chicken Lo Mein, Beef with Broccoli, white rice (Included with each entree), pork fried rice, won ton soup, crispy noodles (for the soup, but I can eat them out of the bag), and egg rolls! There were fortune cookies, and green tea was also a bonus! I didn't have a fortune cookie, or any tea. The Chinese food was all tasty! There was also a vegetable lasagna and mozzarella sticks, but I didn't enjoy them until they were leftovers! Both were tasty! We also had a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. (It's a little more elaborate than that, but it is a little "complex".) Ruggles Moose Tracks Ice Cream, Marshmallows and Pistachios (My cousin Joanne's, Aunt Rita's only daughter, recipe), "Pink Jello, a Giant Eagle Cheesecake Variety pack, and a Giant Eagle Pumpkin- Cream Cheese Roll. The desserts were spread over a week, and they were all delicious.

The participants were the party hosts, my sister Kathleen, my brothers Joe and Bob, and my niece Mandy. My sister Patty, her husband Dan SR., their son Dan JR, and his daughters Amy Marie and Emily were scheduled to attend, but Patty was quite ill, so they cancelled. It would have been an even better party with them, but I still had fun, despite my coughing problem!

The day was one to remember! There will be more about other events in a future post! Until then, keep having fun!!

My Birthday Activities

My 41st Birthday was not the most exciting ever, but it was fun. Bob and I went to lunch at Denny's across from Parmatown Mall. I had a Grand Slam with all Fit Fare Items (But I enjoyed the syrup because I forgot to hold the syrup) and Coke. It was okay, but I didn't finish it because I was full. I am also suffering from a bad cough and a mild sore throat.

We then visited Giant Eagle, PetsMart, Kohl's, Target, and various stores in the Parmatown Mall. Lottery tickets were the only non-food purchase of the day. It was uneventful.

After Parmatown Mall, we then went the long way to Qdoba on Broadview Road in Parma. (Walking to Qdoba from Pleasant Valley and State Roads was not in the plans.) We had chicken burritos. I had Cherry Coke. It was okay, but my leftovers came home because we had a bus to catch. After coming home, we relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow is the Big Party!!

Happy Birthday, Mandy

Today is my niece Mandy's Birthday! She and her husband Paul were planning to spend some time at a lodge. I hope that the two of them were able to enjoy themselves today.

There has been a lot of wind and rain in the Cleveland area for the last few days. Before that, the temperature was in the high 70s for a few days. Hopefully, it will be nice again before winter hits us hard.

Until next time, enjoy life.

Happy Anniversary, Dan and Laura

My nephew Dan JR. and his wife Laura celebrated their eighth Wedding Anniversary today! I hope that they were able to enjoy a peaceful day. Having two young kids can be an adventure. It was fun finding an appropriate present, but I hope that Applebees will be satisfying.

Until next time, keep having fun!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Dan SR.

On Monday, my brother-in-law Dan celebrated his birthday! My brother Bob and I gave him a Gift Card to Outback Steakhouse, which he appreciated. He also went to Fenway Park on his birthday with his wife Patty to see the Red Sox play and lose! Of course, the Yankees had to win on Monday and Tuesday! Hopefully, the Red Sox will see postseason action. It would be nice if the Yankees stayed home for the postseason, but it probably won't happen.

Once again, Happy Birthday, Dan SR.

A New Experience

The previous post was produced with Windows Live Writer! It was offered on my Taskbar, so I explored it! Thankfully, if you are reading this, you are at the usual location of this blog! After I composed my last post, Windows Live Writer sent me to my blog! Isn't technology great?

Happy Belated Anniversary, Mike and Marnie

 

Yesterday was my niece Marnie and her husband Mike’s Seventh Wedding Anniversary.  I hope that they had a nice celebration!  It would also be nice if their children Kendal and Hayden behaved themselves! 

Kendal and Hayden in Cleveland (Yes, Really)

Last Tuesday, my brother Bob and I visited with my Great-Nieces Kendal and Hayden. Our sister took us to Chuck E Cheese at Parmatown Plaza. We did not eat there! We just played games! It was a nice time. However, Hayden had a little accident on herself and Bob! I was not part of this scene! As Maggie, Bob, and Hayden went back to Maggie's house to get changes of clothes, I stayed with Kendal! Thankfully, Chuck E. Cheese was not too crowded, so I didn't lose track of Kendal! I did set down our tokens! We eventually found them intact on one of the games. After a few hours, we finally cashed in the tickets! Our 400+ Points merited lollipops, and a little shark for Kendal, among other trinkets, that I can't recall.

After we left Chuck E Cheese, the girls were asked what they wanted for Lunch! Hayden wanted Pizza, and Kendal wanted Breadsticks. If it weren't already decreed that we weren't eating at Chuck E Cheese, their choice for lunch would have been funnier! Since we didn't have Pizza Hut coupons, we picked up Cheese Pizza and Breadsticks from Little Caesar's Pizza in the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center! While Bob ordered the pizza, and Maggie was buying milk at Acme, I stayed with the girls! We then went to Maggie's house, we ate lunch, which also included pudding from containers. The food was delicious, but since the marinara sauce was determined to be too messy, nobody enjoyed it at that meal. We then played with the girls. They played inside and outside. Maggie's neighbors came over to visit and play with the girls. Eventually, their Grandfather Tim and his companion Lois picked up the girls.

After the visitors left, Maggie dropped Bob and me off at the Arby's in Seven Hills! We then took the bus home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. It was a day that will not be forgotten for awhile.

Kendal and Hayden finally saw the outside of our house in Cleveland! I acquired more babysitting experience. By the way, as of August 25, I started a paid babysitting gig with the son and daughter of my brother Bob's co-worker and his wife. I have enjoyed the experience so far. We mostly watch "Curious George" on PBS, since they do not have cable. I do this service for about 40 minutes at a time on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. It is a simple commute as I go through their backyard behind my house! If I am doing this in the winter, I will walk around to get to their house!

I hope that all of my readers and everyone else enjoyed their Labor Day weekend.

Napoleon (Part 2)

I forgot to mention in my last Post that there was a dog reference in the Gospel reading this weekend! Father Lowe then mentioned in his Homily that he and Father Vesely are guilty of feeding Napoleon table scraps! It was quite amusing! I like Father Lowe!

The rest of the homily dealt with getting to know the people who you ask for favors! Assumption came up because we ask St. Mary for things around this time of year! By the way, Assumption is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year since it falls on a Monday!

Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Napoleon because I do not normally bring a camera into a church! However, I actually offered religious education on this blog! I could have written this post four years ago when I created this blog! It would be better than some of my posts back then before I shared this blog with my immediate family! (My Facebook Friends are welcome to read this blog from the beginning! I may put a "classic" post from the Blog Archives on my Facebook Page to show the evolution of this blog!)

Until next time, enjoy the rest of your summer!

Napoleon

I was at St. Leo Church on Broadview Road in Cleveland yesterday for 4:00 Mass. Nothing really special occurred during the Mass! After Mass, however, Father Lowe's dog, Napoleon came from the sacristy to the back of the church! It was probably the biggest dog that I have ever seen!

It wasn't my first time seeing Napoleon, though! I was at the Rectory looking for Gloves that I had lost while buying Girl Scout Cookies a few months ago. Before anyone waited on me, this big dog came up to the counter to "handle the task". Unfortunately, the gloves were not there! I should have put the gloves in my coat! If I weren't handling money, the gloves would probably be on my hands! The cookies were delicious, though! The first two boxes were not a problem. The third box was infested with ants, so we did not enjoy the cookies! They were Samoas! We were looking forward to them.

By the way, I enjoyed seeing Napoleon! I hope that the older couple that were in Napoleon's way weren't too startled. I refer to them as "Electric Hair and Aunt Joan", but they are really Dick and Loretta! They were Eucharistic Ministers at one time, but they "retired" from the position a few years ago! I enjoy seeing Dick and Loretta! I have seen them outside church a couple of times, but since I don't have a social relationship with them, I didn't bother them.

Next time, I hope that Napoleon appears during Mass!

Amy and Dave's Address

Yesterday, my brother Bob and I received our nephew-in-law Dave's Thank You Note from his 30th Birthday last month! As a result, we have his and Amy's address! It was a little unclear, but after some research, I figured out the street name! Eventually, I will send the address to the immediate family that probably does not have the information!

Happy Belated 30th Birthday, Amy

Yesterday was my niece Amy's 30th Birthday! I hope that she and her husband Dave had a nice celebration! Her gift is in her parents' possession because I don't have their new address in Medway, MA. Eventually, I will get the address from either Amy or Dave!

By the way, I was on time on Amy's Facebook Page!

Happy Birthday, Joe

Today is my brother Joe's birthday! I hope that he enjoyed a peaceful day! It would also be nice if he received nice presents!

Happy Belated Birthday to This Blog!

On July 31, 2007, this blog debuted! Since I didn't tell most of my immediate family about it until October 2007, it consisted of widgets! I didn't know how to copy and paste at the time, so my options were limited!

Since the family learned about the blog, I can explore my niche of telling stories about myself and the family! Thanks to Facebook, my audience has expanded! As a result, I regularly identify the people that are in my stories. Eventually, a Cast of Characters will be a part of this blog! I also hope to add more photos since I know how to put photos from my brother Bob's digital camera on my blog, on Facebook, and in my e-mails (Not in that order!). Eventually, the scanner function of our printer will be beneficial as some great pictures come from outside sources.

It has been a great four years here. The future holds great potential. I will do my best to satisfy my readers!

Happy Belated Birthday, Laura

I would like to wish a belated birthday to my niece-in-law, Laura. Her birthday was Tuesday. I have been spending so much time on Facebook that I forgot to write this Post! If you are privileged enough to be Facebook Friends with Laura, I did remember to wish her a "Happy Birthday" there! I hope that she had a great birthday! I hope that her husband Dan Jr. and daughters Amy Marie and Emily made her birthday a great one!

Celebrity Sighting

I was in Westlake at Crocker Park and the Promenade to exchange an umbrella at Eddie Bauer. The clerk who waited on me yesterday recognized me and told the clerk to make the exchange. He had trouble doing the exchange because a coupon was involved. Another clerk was able to help him, so my upgrade to a better umbrella was successfully processed. It was just two dollars more, but I plan to enjoy the umbrella.

Since I was between buses, I had lunch at Bruegger's Bagels. I had the Cafe Mandarin Medley Salad and Cherry Coke. The salad was not bad for $4.99. A bagel will be on the plate if I return someday.

After lunch and before catching buses to go downtown, I stop at Borders Books. I did not have time to look around! Before going into the store, I recognize a very well-known media personality. He was wearing a Fox 8 polo shirt. I then heard him speak! It turned out to be Dick Goddard, legendary weatherman for most of the last fifty years in Cleveland Television (He briefly worked in Philadelphia in 1965-1966.). He was with one person! Unfortunately, I didn't speak to him, let alone take a picture (I didn't have Bob's camera, anyways.). The most famous person who I have met and who has been in my house is Fox News Channnel's David Lee Miller. He was on WKYC (NBC) in Cleveland in 1982 when he interviewed my father after he bought a car that turned out to be stolen. I was eleven at the time. I have seen other celebrities since then, but he is the biggest one I have ever met!

Once I reached downtown, I went to the Main Branch of the Cleveland Public Library. Mass at St. Leo Church in Cleveland and relaxation at home rounded out the day. Ironically, rain appeared today, but it was nothing like the thunderstorm that Bob and I encountered on our trip yesterday. It was only rain by the time that we made it to Crocker Park. The rain had ended by the time I exited the bus today!

This was a day to remember!

This Blog Has Photos Now. (The Widgets Were Lonely.)

For those people who do not know me, this is what I look like! This picture comes from my living room! There will be more to come!

The Zoo, Moe's, and Other Activities

Today, my brother Bob and I made it to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! As the elephant made its first appearance, it started to rain for a few minutes! Not too many people had umbrellas at the time. We also saw some kangaroos and lions! Since it was so hot outside, we waited for the tram to take us to the Aquatic, Cat, and Primate Building! Before waiting for the tram, we watched the Elephant Crossing! Despite the hype surrounding the Elephant Area, I didn't realize that the elephant crossing was an event. I did learn that Willie the elephant weighed 13,000 pounds and spanned 11 feet! Otherwise, the Elephant Crossing was overrated! We waited for the tram! Most of the people just ahead of us left the line for the tram. They almost made the first tram! After becoming the first group to make the tram, they left the line for good! We finally made the tram! Our driver was very informative. When he wasn't talking, he played music from WNCX (http://www.wncx.com).

We reached the Aquatic, Cat, and Primate Building. We first looked at the gorillas and other animals that were outside! We then went inside the building. Not surprisingly, the building was very crowded as people enjoyed the air conditioning. Despite the heat, the zoo in general was very crowded! Not surprisingly, we were among the few without any young children. We enjoyed what we saw at the zoo.

After the zoo, we took the short walk to catch a bus to Parmatown Mall. (79B http://www.riderta.com) We started off with lunch at Moe's Southwest Grill which is across the street from the Mall. They have a Monday special of any burrito, chips and salsa, (Normally included with the burrito) and soda for $5.99! I had a pork burrito. Bob had a chicken burrito. Both of them came with sour cream AND guacamole. Originally, I was paying for lunch! However, Bob paid for our lunches! When I found out about the bill, I eventually discovered a pork surcharge! There was NOTHING about it on the promotional signs in the restaurant. I do recall a surcharge on the $3 Facebook Promotional Day (It was that price for everybody!) I had a chicken burrito that day! I am sticking to chicken on Monday at Moe's! (http://www.moes.com) The burrito was quite good, but I was full. I also had Pibb Extra and Barq's Root Beer to drink. Pibb Extra is a little stronger than Dr. Pepper! I would rather have the unavailable Cherry Coke.

Bob was still hungry, so I bought him a $1 Hot Fudge Sundae from McDonald's! After the Sundae, we went to Target, Kohl's, and PetsMart. In PetsMart, the power went out briefly. A thunderstorm followed. Thankfully, we found shelter at the nearby Giant Eagle. The power also went on and off there. It eventually settled!

Thankfully, it was a brief thunderstorm! By the time that we crossed the street to the mall, it had stopped raining! We visited JCPenney. We then went to Wal-Mart! As we were going to Wal-Mart, we noticed that Macy's was without power! Macy's is in the old part of the mall. Hopefully, Macy's was able to restore its power!

Once we were finished in the mall, we took two buses to our local Wendy's by Midtown Plaza (We could have walked or taken the bus to the Wendy's by Target and Kohl's, but we decided to go closer to home. I had a grilled chicken wrap, a sour cream and chive baked potato, and a Coke. In the past, it was an unadvertised combo. Two employees said that there was no combo. I told them that it was a combo for years (including that particular branch)! They were going to get the manager, but I downgraded my soda size to the Value size. Since refills are free, it was not a problem. I drink too much soda anyways. The potato and soda were 99 cents each. The food was delicious, but not too much on a hot day! Bob had the Pick Two Special (Half an Apple Pecan Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette Dressing and Chili) and a value Coke.

After we were finished with dinner, we headed for the bus stop to go home. A thunderstorm and a potential tornado were possibilities. Thankfully, our bus was on time. It didn't even rain by us. Our power did not go out because I would have been changing clocks if it did. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing. It was an eventful day to say the least.

Happy Birthday, Lois

Today is Lois's Birthday. I hope that she and my brother Tim were able to enjoy this special event! I hope that she enjoys all her presents!

Jimmy John's

From 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., Jimmy John's in the Cleveland Area was offering Subs 1-6 for a dollar, one per person! on Thursday! I was at the Lakewood Branch on Warren Road! I was there after 2:00! I waited in line twenty minutes for my Sub. I ate my Ham Sub there! I had no trouble attaining a seat! I then used the "secret" exit which involves a long hallway that leads to Detroit Avenue. I had another twenty minute wait for my brother Bob's sub to go! He will be eating his sub tomorrow!

I then spent some time at the Lakewood Public Library on Detroit Avenue! It was warmer than necessary there! I then headed to Aldi on Pearl Road to purchase various beverages and oatmeal. I then struggled with my packages! I only brought one plastic bag! The lane that I ended up using was out of plastic bags, so I bought a paper bag! I ended up on the State Road bus, so I had a longer walk than normal. After shuffling my packages between bags, I made it home. I spent most of the evening relaxing! It was a day to remember!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Dave

I would like to wish my nephew-in-law Dave a belated Happy 30th Birthday. It was on July 1st. He and my niece Amy bought a house in Medway, MA (near Boston)! I hope that their move is going smoothly!

For all my readers, I hope that you have a fun and safe Fourth of July!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Marnie

On June 8th, my niece Marnie celebrated her birthday. Normally, I am not this late announcing birthdays and anniversaries. Facebook has become a passion lately. Marnie did receive a birthday wish on Facebook. Bob and I gave her a Gift Card for Aeropostale. I hope that she enjoys it.

Bob and I spent Marnie's birthday in the Akron Area. We ate at O'Charley's by Chapel Hill Mall again. I had tilapia with rice, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Rolls were also included. The food was worth the price. Our Shopping Highlights were Sunscreen at a Target near O'Charley's and a rain jacket at Macy's for Bob. Since I have a Macy's card, and Bob does not, I saved him money. It's easier for me to return the jacket if necessary.

After buying the jacket, we went for the bus stop to head towards home. We feared that we missed the bus, but it was late. We then went to a couple of Wendy's. One was by the Winking Lizard in Independence. Bob wanted a Chocolate Frosty to kill time before the bus towards home. I feared that it would spoil my supper! We then went to a Wendy's on Broadview Road, near where the Mr. Chicken used to be. The replacement Mr. Chicken is going to be on Pleasant Valley Road in a former KFC. It will still be an one bus trip for me. The other restaurants in the area closed recently are still vacant. The Anthony Pizza and Deli near the former KFC on Broadview Road in Cleveland has shown no signs of opening anytime soon. However, Happy's Pizza opened up at the corner of Denison Avenue and Pearl Road (Happy's still calls it West 25th Street. The building faces Denison Avenue.). I haven't picked up food from there yet. It's in a former car stereo store. I hope that the Restaurant is successful, especially its Dining Room.

(Editor's Note: Pearl Road becomes West 25th Street after you pass the On Ramp for I-71. When I was growing up, it was after the Brooklyn Bridge near the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
Old timers still probably say West 25th and Denison.)

In closing, Bob and I were very close to the Pilgrimage site, but we didn't go to Chippewa Creek. We wanted to get home without going out of our way. We spent the rest of the night relaxing.

There will be another report soon!

Kathleen's Birthday Party

Tonight we celebrated my sister Kathleen's birthday. At the Regina Convent in South Euclid, we had boneless pork chops, baked potatoes, green beans, rolls, red jello, and a Chocolate Ice Cream cake. My great nieces Amy Marie and Emily had Macaroni and Cheese and Peanut Butter (?) sandwiches. As it turns out, I ended up eating the rest of the macaroni and cheese. It was either Stouffer's or Banquet (It was probably the latter.) It was half the container. The food was quite tasty. The participants were Dan Sr., Patty, and Joe (Brother-in-law, sister, and brother, for my new readers). Kathleen received some nice gifts. However, the stars of the show were Amy Marie and Emily. They enjoyed bonking people with "hard" balloons. Joe and I were spared, though. They also had pink balloons, but one of them popped towards the end of the evening. Emily was in the room, but she didn't appear to be traumatized. It was a fun evening!

Happy Birthday, Kendal

Today is my great-niece Kendal's fifth birthday! I hope that she appreciates all the presents that her family and friends sent her! Of course, my brother Bob and I sent her a gift card. It doesn't hurt to be practical. (LOL)

My next report will be tomorrow or Monday!

Happy Birthday, Kathleen

Today is my sister Kathleen's birthday. We will be celebrating on Sunday! I hope that she enjoyed her birthday.

I celebrated her birthday by going to the Rocky River Public Library. The bus from Downtown Cleveland was over fifteen minutes late. After the library, I then walked to catch the bus to go to Dunkin Donuts on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood. I just missed a bus that was late, but I made my intended bus. I had a free donut with pink frosting and multicolored sprinkles (No name was provided on the rack, but they had plenty of them on the shelf.). I had a Medium Mountain Dew Coolatta. I enjoyed both of my items. I then walked down Webb Avenue to catch the Clifton Avenue Bus to downtown. I made my connection. I then took a couple of buses to Save-A-Lot on Brookpark Road in Cleveland to pick up some bananas and Raisin Bran. (It could have been a one bus trip, but I used my options "wisely.") I then went to the Burger King down the street to pick up my brother Bob's Single Stackers for his lunches (Dinners) at work. I then took the bus home. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing. It was a fun day!

Pilgrimage 2011

Yesterday was the Fifth Anniversary of my brother Dan's death from lung cancer. On the anniversary (June 8) of the scattering of most of his ashes in Chippewa Creek in Brecksville, I usually stand by the wall on Chippewa Road near the creek to show my appreciation. This year, I made my pilgrimage on the anniversary of his death because Bob is off on June 8th. He went with me on last year's pilgrimage. It might also rain that day. I was caught in the rain on one of my pilgrimages. Thankfully, the weather was nice. It wasn't very hot or humid. Although the coordination between buses at Brecksville and Rockside Roads is usually too close for comfort, the #77 bus was ten minutes late, so I was able to make the pilgrimage as easily as possible.

After the pilgrimage, I visited the nearby Heinen's supermarket. I didn't buy anything, but I noticed that Graeter's Ice Cream is $17.99 for 1.75 qts. (56 oz.). They have two available flavors that I didn't properly note. I then took the bus to downtown Cleveland because Discount Drug Mart in Independence is not that exciting (unless I am buying something). I then took a bus to the South Brooklyn Library to pick up some materials. It was my second library trip of the day because I was at Parma-Snow Library before the Pilgrimage. After the library, I cashed a $4 Powerball winner. The money was then used for Classic Lotto and Powerball tickets. I then came home. My sister Kathleen was visiting because she was picking up presents for two of my four great-nieces (Amy Marie and Emily) on her way to a meeting in Parma. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing.

Happy "Belated" Birthday, Amy Marie

I would like to wish a belated Happy Birthday to my great-niece Amy (Her Aunt is also named Amy, so we call her Amy Marie.) (For her Uncle Patrick, it wouldn't be belated.) Her grandparents Dan and Patty are in town because Dan JR. and Laura are going to Las Vegas. I hope that the family enjoyed the celebration and the gifts.

There will be a number of forthcoming reports.

Happy Anniversary, Dave and Amy

Today is my niece Amy and her husband Dave's Second Wedding Anniversary! I hope that they enjoy all their gifts!! Look out for future updates!

Happy Belated Anniversary, Dan and Patty

I would like to wish my sister Patty and her husband Dan a belated Happy Anniversary. Their anniversary was on May 5. I hope that they enjoy their anniversary gifts.

Since it was Cinco de Mayo, I celebrated with a three dollar burrito and tortilla chips for dinner at Moe's Southwest Grill near Parmatown Mall in Parma. It was quite tasty. However, my trip home was delayed when the bus ran over a mirror (or something else) that came off of a car in a one car accident. I did not see the accident, but no one was hurt in the car or on the bus. Fortunately, the next bus showed up about half an hour later. I then spent the rest of the evening relaxing, after I removed sticks from the lawn.

There was another complication involving a bus. A truck broke down in the middle of the road in the Warren and Munn Roads area in Cleveland. The bus was blocked from its normal route. We went down Warren Road and eventually turned down Edgecliff Road to reach Rocky River Drive. I was only on this bus to kill time between buses. Thankfully, I made the bus to my destination of Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted. Once again, there were no injuries.

Hopefully, there won't be any other bus complications any time soon.

Easter 2011

The McDonnell Easter was a very nice event! It started with 10:00 A.M. Mass at St. Leo Church in Cleveland. My sister Kathleen and my brother Bob were in attendance. Kathleen went back to Regina High School in South Euclid for Easter Lunch. Bob and I had leftover Spaghetti from Good Friday for lunch. I then made Scalloped potatoes to bring to dinner at my sister Maggie and her husband Mike's house. Bob provided a Peanut Butter Silk Pie from Perkins.

At Maggie and Mike's house, we ate ham, baked beans with pork sausage, green beans with almonds, cranberry sauce, Crescent rolls, corn, sweet potato casserole, cheesecake, and the two items mentioned in the previous paragraph, among other things. The food was tasty!

The participants besides the hosts, Bob, Kathleen, and myself were my brother Joe and my niece Mandy. It was a very adult event. It was a lot more pleasant than Christmas, as far as our house goes.

Until next time, enjoy the Month of May.

Happy Belated Birthday, Emily

On Monday, my great-niece Emily turned 2. I hope that she enjoyed her celebration. Toys 'R' Us will not be the same.

My Easter Report will be forthcoming.

Happy Anniversary, Mike and Maggie

Today is my sister Maggie and brother-in-law Mike's Wedding Anniversary. I will be seeing them later in the day. Her present is in the mail. Hopefully, it was on time! I will let you know in my Easter Report.

Have a nice Easter and Passover!!

Three Interesting Meals

On April 1st, I went to St. Leo's on Broadview Road in Cleveland for the Lenten Fish Fry. I had a piece of tortilla crusted tilapia, a baked potato, cole slaw, a roll, and a can of Coke for $8.50. It was tasty. I brought home a potato pierogi meal for my brother Bob.

On April 7th, Bob and I visited First Watch at Crocker Park in Westlake for Lunch. Bob had joined their e-club that day. I had a ham and cheese omelet with First Watch Potatoes, an English Muffin, and Coke. Bob had steak fajitas. It was tasty. I plan to join their e-club, so we could have another BOGO meal.

On April 15, I went to the Brooklyn Heights United Church of Christ on West Schaaf Road for their Fish Fry. I had two pieces of fried fish, French fries, cole slaw, a roll, chocolate cake, (I could also have had white cake.) and a can of Sprite for $7 (Dessert would have been $1.50 extra at St. Leo's.). I ordered from the counter. They delivered the food to my table. It started with the cole slaw and the roll. The Sprite showed up around this time as well. The fish and fries came next. The chocolate cake was the climax. After the cafeteria style experience at St. Leo's, it was a relaxing change of pace. St. Leo's had more variety on their menu, but if you like Long John Silver's, Arthur Treacher's, or Captain D.'s (I have never been to Captain D.'s), you would have enjoyed the fish, fries, and cole slaw (Arthur Treacher's serves English Style Chips.). Since they only served fish, Bob didn't receive any food. He was at work anyways, since he works from 3:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M. these days. His dinner was cheese ravioli that he had made for us for lunch. I heated Birdseye California Blend Vegetables with Cheddar Cheese Sauce to supplement the ravioli. The ravioli was tasty with Delgrosso Mushroom Sauce.

I hope that I didn't make you too hungry!!

Happy Birthday, Hayden

Today is my great-niece Hayden's 3rd Birthday. I hope that she enjoyed her presents. Bob and I were practical in our gift choice of a Toys 'R' Us Gift Card. I am sure that it will not be sitting around too long.

Happy 60th Birthday, Patty

April 8 was my sister Patty's Sixtieth Birthday! I hope that she enjoyed her birthday! She is a great sister!

My next report will be in a few days.

Chili's and IHOP

My brother Bob and I made our Chili's debut at lunchtime today. My niece Mandy and her husband Paul gave me Applebee's and Chili's (and Friends) Gift Cards for my 40th birthday in October. Chili's started a two entrees and a shared appetizer for $20 deal, similar to Applebee's, recently. In anticipation for my visit, I joined Chili's e-club. The deal was free chips and queso (With an entree purchase, as indicated in the fine print on my coupon). Since the coupon was expiring soon, we went to the Chili's across from Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted. I had the Quesadilla Explosion Salad. Bob had Chicken Fajitas. We shared a half order of Texas Cheese Fries as our appetizer. Salsa and Ranch Dressing were the accompaniments. Even with the meal deal, we were still able to enjoy our free chips and queso (Normally $4.99). We had Cokes as our drinks. Though the food appeared to be too much for lunch, we only left some of the queso, and most of the salsa. If we had spoons (They serve soup!), we might have finished both leftovers. The food was quite appetizing!

We then burned off the food by going through the mall and visiting Petsmart in the adjacent strip mall. We then headed for Steelyard Commons to do some window shopping before dinner. Home Depot, Petco, Marshall's, and Target were our stops before dinner.

After the window shopping was finished, we went over to IHOP. I had Grilled Tilapia Hollandaise with Loaded Potato Soup, Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Bread, and Pepsi. Bob had Pot Roast, Corn, and Seasoned Redskin Potatoes. (Yes, we reversed the potatoes.) His soup, bread, and beverage were the same as mine. The food was mostly O.K., but we were still full from lunch. We then came home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. It was a day of interesting food.

St. Patrick's Day

Bob and I had a St. Patrick's Day to remember. We went to Beachwood Place, La Place, and Legacy Village in Beachwood and Lyndhurst. We left early enough to just see the usual crowd on the #35 bus. We did see the early parade visitors as they exited the eastbound Red Line train. The train was so late that we missed our bus to Beachwood Place. However, we caught the #9 Mayfield Road bus. I would have gone to MicroCenter in Mayfield Hts., but Bob wanted to go to Beachwood Place and Legacy Village. As a result, we got off the bus at Mayfield and Richmond Roads. We killed time at CVS. Eventually, we made it to Beachwood Place. We enjoyed a Footlong Meatball Pepperoni Sub from Subway. We did our window shopping at the three shopping centers (Two Enclosed, one open air). We then took the #32 Cedar Road bus towards University Circle. We then took the train downtown. It was standing room only, but a man left his seat to our benefit. We made it just in time to encounter the crowd leaving the parade. A lot of them were running, but injury was avoided. Our bus to our dinner was so crowded that it couldn't pick up waiting passengers. Fortunately, we had seats.

After exiting the bus, I called my sister Maggie to pick us up for the short drive to her house. We then ate Corned Beef, cabbage, cauliflower, Ore-Ida Fried Potatoes (?), and a lot of other delicacies. The food was delicious. Besides Maggie's husband Mike, Joe was the only other participant. It was a nice time. Eventually, Mike took us home. We then relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Next year, we are avoiding the parade scene!!

Goodbye, Katie

This morning, my oldest cat Katie died after a brief illness. Unlike Squeaky, she was eating regularly, so I wasn't prepared for her death. We enjoyed Katie for many years. She will be missed.

Katie (1997?-2011) R.I.P.

Happy Birthday, Patrick

Today is my nephew Patrick's Birthday. He and his sister Amy are planning to spend some time together in Boston as he is working at the Burton U.S. Open of Snowboarding in Vermont. (This information is courtesy of Patrick's Facebook Page.) I hope that they have a nice time together. I also would like him to enjoy the rest of his day as well.

By the way, the Teen Librarian who left the comment on a recent post is Patrick's Aunt Marianne, Dan SR.'s sister. Once again, Facebook is to be credited for this, as I send my posts to Facebook. Since I assumed that my friend at the Parma-Snow Library finally actually read my blog, I did not investigate the supplied link until she mentioned that she didn't write the comment. By the way, I am hoping that all libraries receive enough funds to provide their community service.

Until next time, enjoy your local library, or any library for that matter.

Just Another Day

On Wednesday, Bob and I went to the Chipotle just outside of SouthPark Mall in Strongsville. We had BOGO burritos and Coke. We then visited the mall. After we finished the mall, we went to Applebee's by Southland in Middleburg Heights. We had steak, boneless Honey Barbecue chicken wings, baked potatoes, broccoli, celery with Ranch dressing, and Pepsis. We enjoyed our food. We then came home and relaxed.

Dining Out

Yesterday, I had a late breakfast (11:00) at the IHOP at Steelyard Commons in Cleveland. I enjoyed my short stack of three pancakes with a bowl of loaded potato and bacon soup and Pepsi. The pancakes were free with a consideration of a donation to the Children's Miracle Network. As a result, the place was a little more crowded than my usual dinner visits, but I was in and out in about half an hour. Since the bus was coming soon, I skipped Wal-Mart Supercenter. After the first bus, I took another bus and then I walked down Portman Ave. to Broadview Road towards home.

After about an hour at home, I left for Moe's Southwest Grill by Parmatown. They were celebrating the branch's new Facebook Page by offering $2 Burritos. I had a top of the line Chicken Burrito with Sour Cream AND Guacamole. It wasn't too crowded at 2:00 P.M., but a few people showed up after me. The food was delicious. After lunch, I went to the nearby Target. I picked up some Frozen Banquet dinners for my brother Bob. Normally, the lines are not too long at Target. Of course, the lines were a little longer than I wanted. The good news was that the food was cheaper than the display price. Some cashiers arrived to handle the customers, but it happened as I was checking out.

I then ran for the bus. Fortunately, a couple of other people used the bus stop, so it didn't take off. This wasn't my first run for a bus today. I ran for my Broadview Road bus to start this trip. It appeared to be way early. There was one other passenger. What I didn't know at the time, was that the bus had broken down. Fortunately, the expected bus was on schedule, so I made my connection. I made my connection on the way home. There is a little more time between buses on this trip. The bus was also late. I then came home.

After a short time home, Bob and I went to Baker's Square in Parma Heights. The first bus was on time. The second bus was late, which may have made it a little more crowded than normal. After leaving the bus, we had to avoid snow mounds that blocked the sidewalk. Once we reached the restaurant, I enjoyed the Pie Shop Special. I had half a ham and Swiss sandwich on Oat Bran bread, a Garden Salad, Mint Brownie Blast Pie, and Coke. We then headed for the bus stop. The bus was a little late, but since there was no action on Pearl Road, we made our bus home. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing.

Tomorrow, we are going to have BOGO food from Chipotle. It could be interesting. Expect a report.

I am trying something new. This blog may be found in my Facebook Notes section. I am looking at Facebook for Dummies. If I follow the instructions, my Facebook page will never be the same. Details will follow in my next report.

Happy Birthday, Dan JR.

Once again, I am late with Dan JR's birthday message, though I left him a brief one on Facebook. He is on a business trip right now. I hope that he enjoyed his birthday. If I learn anything, I will share it here.

Happy Birthday, Tim

Yesterday was my brother Tim's Birthday. I hope that he had a nice celebration. Though this message is late, I sent a simple message on his Facebook Page on time. I thought about writing this post last night, but I was busy corresponding with my Facebook Friends. Facebook is addictive.

Until next time, enjoy life.

Bob's Birthday (The Party)

Yesterday, we celebrated my brother Bob's Fiftieth Birthday at my sister Maggie and her husband Mike's house in Parma, OH. Enjoying the festivities was my sister, Kathleen, my brothers, Tim and Joe, my niece Mandy and her husband Paul. We ate steak fajitas, rice pilaf, stuffing, corn, breadsticks, and beef rotini (My audience would understand this concept better.). Before dinner, we ate raw carrots, candy, potato chips, and pretzels. Dessert was German Chocolate Cake, Cheesecake, Rice Krispie Treats, and Edy's Vanilla and Cookies and Cream Ice Creams. The food was all delicious.

After dessert, presents were then opened. They were mostly restaurant gift cards. We will enjoy some restaurants that are not in our regular rotation. The presents were all appreciated. However, the event that will be most remembered at this party is that Kathleen's car was frozen shut. I discovered this when I was putting leftovers in her car. I was able to open her door, so I threw the food over by where I would be sitting on the ride home. Thankfully, we were able to get into her car with a little more effort than normal. After riding home, relaxation was the theme of the night. It was a fun party.

We are celebrating in our house tonight! The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. If the Steelers had won, I would have been very unhappy.

Bob's 50th Birthday

Today is Bob's 50th Birthday. We celebrated with breakfast food at lunch from Denny's near Parmatown Mall. Bob had a free Grand Slam. I had Moons Over My Hammy. We then looked around Parmatown. Chocolate Chip Cookies were purchased from Wal-Mart. We then headed towards Independence. Normally, coordination between the buses can be too close for comfort. However, the bus to Independence from Broadview Road was almost fifteen minutes late. We then went to Red Robin. Bob had a free Banzai Burger and Fries. I had a Gourmet Cheeseburger (I substituted a Boca Burger.) and Fries. As a surprise, Bob had a free special Birthday Hot Fudge Sundae. I was full, so I did not have dessert. The remainder of my Fries refill and a few of Bob's came home with us. We then crossed the road to catch the bus. You will be happy to know that we made our bus home. (It was the next to last one down Rockside Road to Broadview Road.) Some of my Facebook-HN '90 Friends will know it as the Winking Lizard Bus because the Red Robin is across the street. We really enjoyed our food. We ended the evening by watching television and napping. Bob also talked to Maggie and Patty on the phone. In addition, he opened up cards from Patty and Dan and Aunt Rita. The rest of his gifts will be opened at a party at Maggie and Mike's house in Parma on Saturday evening. There will be a report sometime this weekend.

Until then, enjoy life.

A Party to Remember

Earlier this evening, we celebrated my Uncle Ed and Aunt Joan's 50th Wedding Anniversary. The festivities started with a Mass at St. Bridget Kildare Church on Hauserman Road in Parma (not far from Holy Name High School where I graduated in 1990). The happy couple renewed their wedding vows. Most of us also had our throats blessed since St. Blase Day is coming soon.

We then went to the Middleburg Heights Community Center for a nice dinner. The appetizers were a nice variety of fruit (which I skipped because my appetizer plate was full), cheeses, crackers, and vegetables. The entrees were ham, breaded chicken, rigatoni, rice, salad, rolls, navy beans and some other items that I have forgotten. Dessert was Red Velvet Cake, Cassata Cake, and Carrot Cake, I only had the first one. The Cassata cake didn't excite me. The carrot cake was apparently gone by the time, I reached the dessert area. The food was very appetizing. We spent the evening socializing with relatives that I haven't seen since 2007 (Maggie, Mike Schabel, and Kathleen are the exceptions.). If you didn't have a good time, you must have been on another planet. I am so glad that I attended this event. The next 50th Anniversary party that I hope to attend will be for my sister Patty and her husband Dan in 2023. It should be another fun event. I will be 52 years old by then.

Until then, have fun with life.

Amy Marie and Emily

On Sunday, I saw my great-nieces, Amy and Emily at their house in Warren. We enjoyed pizza (from Salvatore's Pizza in Warren) and salad. Also joining us for this event were Maggie and her husband Mike, Kathleen, Patty, Dan SR., Dan's brother Mike and his wife Joanne, and of course, Dan JR. and Laura. We also ate special chocolate cookies with whipped cream and a cherry on top (Known in our family as Ice Box Cookies). The food was all tasty. We watched two short videos featuring Amy and Emily, created by Dan SR. during the event. Maggie and Mike brought Christmas (Traditional) Presents for Amy and Emily. We enjoyed ourselves, but Amy and Emily's screaming gave me a headache, but I recovered quickly.

My next report will be about my Uncle Ed and Aunt Joan's 50th Anniversary Party later today.

Museums

Yesterday, I went to the Great Lakes Science Museum and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They were both free for MLK day. I was by myself as Bob was resting.

I started off my trip by having lunch at Quizno's in The Galleria. (http://www.galleriaaterieview.com) The Galleria is a former upscale shopping mall that now has some art galleries, and some offices that don't excite me. I had a small Classic Club sub on Wheat Bread and Pepsi. I paid the "retail" price because I failed to print coupons from my e-mail that I had saved. I also had samples from Taco Amigo and Sakkio Japan. It was tasty.

After lunch, I cashed in a Powerball ticket at the Erieview Newsstand in the Galleria because I had the Powerball and one other number ($4) in last Saturday's drawing. The store received all the money back because I bought Ohio Classic Lotto and MegaMillions Tickets with the proceeds. More wins will be nice.

After I finished my Galleria exploration, I had a reasonable walk to the Great Lakes Science Center. Once I made it into the revolving door, (Some kids goofing off briefly delayed my entry.)I was able to look at the exhibits. It was so crowded that I didn't get to appreciate the exhibits. I did attend some demonstrations. One involved soap bubbles and density. It was a simple demonstration, so I didn't have to linger. Another demonstration involved Forces and inertia. Despite the noise from the nearby dining area, I was able to hear the instructor Allan clearly most of the time. He was enjoying himself. This demonstration was a little more involved, so I stayed for the whole event. It was less than half an hour. I was actually at the museum less than an hour. The NASA Glenn Visitor Center has some displays down there now, but it was too crowded to really enjoy them and the rest of the interactive displays. In addition, this was my fourth time at the museum. It is mostly geared to children. However, my first visit, (also a solo trip) a number of years ago, turned into a four hour trip, including lunch (A Hot Dog, Potato Chips, and a Soda (Either Coke or Pepsi) was what I enjoyed because the McDonald's that was there at the time was the expected price gouger. Pizza Hut may have had a limited service outlet then. They definitely still provide food to this day.). People who know me may be shocked at the time commitment. If you have kids, you may appreciate it more.

After the Science Museum, I walked to the Rock Hall next door. It was 1:16 P.M. when I reached the line to get into the museum. Despite being right by Lake Erie, it was not too unpleasantly cold for the fifteen minutes that I waited to enjoy the museum. In addition to the crowds and my approximately twentieth visit to the Rock Hall, they are renovating the museum. Maybe next year, things will be better. I looked at some items, but I didn't really appreciate the displays like I should have. The interactive kiosks were mostly in use, so I didn't enjoy them this year. (The Les Paul kiosks were not popular. I went through that exhibit many times due to the construction making the escalators an exercise in patience.) The Bruce Springsteen exhibit is still there, but it is leaving next month. I had also seen it before, and the crowds in a tight space on the upper floors (5 and 6) made it difficult to enjoy. They also had some loud live music that commemorated the Black Experience for MLK Day. As a result of all the circumstances that I mentioned, I was there a little over an hour.

I then headed towards home. Originally, I was heading up East Ninth Street to Superior Avenue to catch the #35 bus home. However, I saw the trolley bus that I have taken to get close to the Rock Hall in past years on Lakeside Avenue. I took it to the RTA office on West Ninth Street, where I transferred to another trolley that took me to Tower City. Since I had time to kill, I went to get some new schedules that had recently come out. Unfortunately, they only had two of the six schedules that would have been most useful to me. They also needed a major restocking of a lot of the other schedules. Fortunately, I can look up the information at the RTA web site (http://www.riderta.com) for coordination going on a trip. Coming back requires a schedule that is likely not available on the bus. Fortunately, I do get my schedules eventually.

I then caught the bus towards home, but I stopped off at Save a Lot to buy some orange juice. I also bought some biscuits that can be made in the oven. Don't worry, although I have never made biscuits in the oven, I do not foresee any problems due to my inexperience. The potatoes from Christmas came out fine. The cookie sheet where the Baked Beans from Christmas rested was left in the oven by someone else. I didn't think to investigate that day, but I learned my lesson. I then took the bus home. My cheap bag broke on the way home. It had a hole from a recent shopping trip suffered on its first use. I do have other bags from Save-a-Lot though. Once I came home, I then checked my e-mail.

There will be more details about MLK Day in the future, but I have been writing this post for over ninety minutes now. This will also be the first post where the actual Post time reflects when I published it through a manual time change. It's about "time."

This Blog Is Finally Coming to Facebook.

This blog is slowly coming to Facebook. It started with my exploration of my Multiply Site. I returned to Blogspot and found the Facebook Link button on each post. I will eventually add all posts to my Facebook Page. This will increase my blog's audience immensely. I hope that my Facebook readers enjoy this blog as much as my current readers.

Happy Birthday, Mike Schmidt

Today is my nephew-in-law, Mike Schmidt's birthday. I hope that he, Marnie, Kendal, and Hayden enjoy the celebration. To my new readers, the Kendal-Hayden Blog is a link on the right side of this blog. Unlike this blog, it has a lot of photos. My blog may or may not have photos eventually, but it will probably be in the distant future. Until then, enjoy the widgets that may offer some enhancement. (They appear on the Blogspot Edition Only. Multiply users should enjoy the lack of "clutter".)

Shopping Was Not a Problem, Even on Christmas Eve.

Once again, I visited Ziggy's Produce on Orthodox Christmas Eve to buy my Classic Lotto (Ohio) and Powerball tickets. Unlike last year, there was no long line. I came in a little after 4:00 P.M. A customer came in around the same time, but she was looking at items beyond lottery, so I was able to go in line and quickly pick up my lottery tickets. I reminisced about how busy it was last Orthodox Christmas Eve. We have a lot of Orthodox churches in my area, but Orthodox Christmas receives scant attention in the mainstream media. It did receive some post-Christmas publicity in The Plain Dealer shortly after the holiday last year. We'll have to wait for the publicity this year. I wonder if there will be any good post-Christmas sales this year. If there are, they will not be heavily publicized.

I hope that my Orthodox readers enjoyed their Christmas holiday this year.

A Belated Birthday Message

I have been so busy on Facebook lately that I haven't written my birthday report for my sister Maggie until now. Her birthday was a week ago today. I hope that she enjoyed it. On her birthday, I sent an e-mail message, and I called her. She will be receiving her present the next time that we see her.

Happy New Year!!