June 28 was a quieter day compared to the day before.
I ate tortellini salad from the night before for lunch. Although it was a re-run, it was still more exciting than the box meals that Bob and I eat five days of the week. Aldi's mini butter croissant was a highlight of this meal.
After lunch, Patty, Bob, and I went to the Sterling Library (near Lancaster). Patty went up a street when the library turned out to be next door to the building by the street in question. By the way, Sterling Pizza, (Now under new ownership) the provider of the pizza from May 17, 2009, is practically across the street from the library. The library is a combination of an older building and an addition. The blending of the two is pretty impressive. The highlight of this experience is that Patty and Bob came home with books that were either purchased or were free (Surprisingly, for keeps in both cases). One book that Patty picked up was a book for Amy Gould's granddaughter Lizzie who just acquired a sister on June 25. Bob's book was written by Calvin Trillin, one of his favorite authors who used to appear on David Letterman. The library was appropriate for a small town
After the library, we went into Clinton to pick up a gift card and greeting cards for Amy's husband Dave's birthday. Bob and I chose an Olive Garden gift card from Shaw's Supermarket. We looked around the store. I was disappointed with having one option for Michelina's Lean Gourmet ($1.29). I guess that you have to live in the area to find deals.
Family Dollar, next door to Shaw's, did not have a great selection of cards, but the three of us were able to find two cards that were appropriate. By the way, Family Dollar does sell gift cards, but our local branch decided to make them cash only for a time (The current policy is unknown.). As much as I love Worcester County shopping, my options for cards are more convenient in my area.
We came home and briefly relaxed. We then headed to Immaculate Conception Church in Lancaster for 4:30 Mass. Our priest was the newly named Pastor, Fr. Tom Hultquist. (Fr. Ed Lettic, the Pastor for twenty + years was relieved of his duties due to alleged misconduct. Details can be found at http://www.worcesterdiocese.org ) Patty said that he was amusing. This was not the case that afternoon. He and the Deacon greeted parishioners after Mass.
After Mass, we had dinner of grilled chicken (on a propane grill), rice pilaf, and mixed vegetables. It was another delicious meal. While watching the Red Sox-Yankees game, we enjoyed blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream.
The evening's highlight (Besides the Red Sox win in Yankee Stadium) was a phone call (on speakerphone) from Dan Jr. and his daughters. Laura was not present. We heard about Amy's piano recital. Dan also promised to reveal when the family was going to invade Lancaster.
This day was enjoyable because I was able to enjoy two of my favorite hobbies of libraries and comparison shopping.
Sunday will be more interesting!
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
From Beer Making to a Bird Rescue (Walter Mitty Probably Only Dreamed This!)
This was the first of two consecutive days when all of our meals were at Patty and Dan's house. I had Tuesday night's kielbasa and sauerkraut with sides of cottage cheese and cheddar and Gorgonzola cheeses in hot dog buns for lunch. It was just as tasty as it was three days earlier.
After lunch, Dan, Bob, and I went to Homebrew Emporium in West Boylston, MA to pick up some blueberry extract for his homemade beer. We toured the store and learned from Dan and Pat the Clerk about various aspects about beer making. I was interested to learn that wine making is "easier than beer making, though the fermentation usually takes longer. I wish that I remembered more details. In addition to the blueberry extract, Dan came home with more supplies to make beer.
We came home. Remember the mystery in the stove pipe? It turned out to be a live bird. Dan and Bob were able to rescue it. A laundry basket was used to trap it. (Yes, Patty authorized this action.) The bird flew away. Miracles do happen!
After the fun with the bird, Patty, Bob, and I visited Wal-Mart Supercenter and Aldi in Leominster. Cough syrup and eyeglass lens cleaner (I thought that I had misplaced the lens cleaner when I was unpacking, but it turned out that we left it at home.) were our goals at Wal-Mart. We did not see the cleaner with the free refills that we normally use, but we found an 8 oz. bottle that would turn out to be beneficial for Dan after we came home to Cleveland. Patty found the cough syrup which had the same retail price as it did in the Cleveland area. We then "cleaned out" Aldi. Aldi was not super crowded, even on a Friday afternoon.
After coming home, Dan prepared the beer that he had started weeks earlier for bottling. Dan was in charge of bottling. Bob handled bottle cap placement. I packaged the beer. Forty-nine bottles of beer came out of almost five gallons of beer. (A small amount was lost in the production process.) I hope that the beer was a success.
Eventually, dinner was prepared. Grilled hot dogs, cheese tortellini salad, and baked beans were on the menu. In addition, Dan made guacamole and blueberry pie to round out the meal. Multigrain scoops accompanied the guacamole. The guacamole was okay, but the blueberry pie was delicious. Vanilla ice cream supplemented the pie.
After dinner, we watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty from Netflix. The movie did not merit the hype. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing.
This day was very educational and exciting.
After lunch, Dan, Bob, and I went to Homebrew Emporium in West Boylston, MA to pick up some blueberry extract for his homemade beer. We toured the store and learned from Dan and Pat the Clerk about various aspects about beer making. I was interested to learn that wine making is "easier than beer making, though the fermentation usually takes longer. I wish that I remembered more details. In addition to the blueberry extract, Dan came home with more supplies to make beer.
We came home. Remember the mystery in the stove pipe? It turned out to be a live bird. Dan and Bob were able to rescue it. A laundry basket was used to trap it. (Yes, Patty authorized this action.) The bird flew away. Miracles do happen!
After the fun with the bird, Patty, Bob, and I visited Wal-Mart Supercenter and Aldi in Leominster. Cough syrup and eyeglass lens cleaner (I thought that I had misplaced the lens cleaner when I was unpacking, but it turned out that we left it at home.) were our goals at Wal-Mart. We did not see the cleaner with the free refills that we normally use, but we found an 8 oz. bottle that would turn out to be beneficial for Dan after we came home to Cleveland. Patty found the cough syrup which had the same retail price as it did in the Cleveland area. We then "cleaned out" Aldi. Aldi was not super crowded, even on a Friday afternoon.
After coming home, Dan prepared the beer that he had started weeks earlier for bottling. Dan was in charge of bottling. Bob handled bottle cap placement. I packaged the beer. Forty-nine bottles of beer came out of almost five gallons of beer. (A small amount was lost in the production process.) I hope that the beer was a success.
Eventually, dinner was prepared. Grilled hot dogs, cheese tortellini salad, and baked beans were on the menu. In addition, Dan made guacamole and blueberry pie to round out the meal. Multigrain scoops accompanied the guacamole. The guacamole was okay, but the blueberry pie was delicious. Vanilla ice cream supplemented the pie.
After dinner, we watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty from Netflix. The movie did not merit the hype. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing.
This day was very educational and exciting.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
From Ogunquit, ME to Lancaster, MA (The Ocean View)
June 26 started with the Coconut Cream Tart that we didn't eat the night before because Bob had fallen asleep. I then walked down to Cumberland Farms (The Gulf station was across the street from the motel.) to buy some newspapers. I ended up buying seven papers (including the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, which would have been cheaper back in Lancaster). The other papers were from Maine and New Hampshire. After returning to the motel, we checked out, but with a parking permit, we were allowed to keep our parking privileges.
Since we planned on walking along the Atlantic Ocean, we took a short drive to The Omelette Factory for breakfast. I had a ham and three cheese omelet. It was tasty. I also enjoyed the sweet bread and the half English muffin that accompanied the omelet. Originally, I just had water, but I needed something more. I decided to have a soda based on the free refill principle. It also would have been reasonably priced at $2.00. I ended up with a can. Thankfully, Bob skipped the soda.
After breakfast, we drove back to the motel. We then walked towards the Atlantic Ocean, with a detour to stop at two stores. Ro's by the Shore (The first store) specialized in clothing advertising Ogunquit and Maine, along with some toys. Patty, Dan, and Bob bought some clothes there (including a shirt for Maggie), but I found nothing for myself. The second store was housed in a former church. It was named Revelations Gifts: The Sanctuary Shop. It was more of a traditional gift shop, but we didn't buy anything there. Dan then took the purchases back to the car.
We all enjoyed the scenery along the Atlantic Ocean. I walked near the ocean, but I didn't want to ruin the shoes that I started wearing on June 3 that were bought on April 15, 2012 at the New Balance Factory Store. When we were finished, we decided to take the trolley back into "Downtown" Ogunquit. The trolley cost $2.00. It had no windows, which allowed us to enjoy the breeze. We left Molly the Trolley (No relation to Cleveland's Lolly the Trolley) just before Main Street, so Dan and Patty could go back to the toy store to buy gifts for their granddaughters Amy and Emily, who were coming to visit in the coming weeks. (As far as I was concerned, we should have left the trolley at the stop across from our motel. The walk back to the toy store was not that far.) The gifts included a Charades game and a couple of items that I thought would be a disaster. Hopefully, the granddaughters will appreciate the exercise that will result from the toys.
On the way out of Ogunquit, we shopped at a store called Woods to Goods in York, ME. This store specialized in items made by prisoners. Bob picked out a small wooden ship that I bought for Maggie because she likes sailboats.
After our shopping experience, we dined at Wild Willy's, also in York. I had a Pineland Farms Beef burger with mushrooms and Swiss cheese. We shared French Fries. I had another can of soda since this restaurant did not have fountain drinks. (Last year's Worcester branch had fountain drinks, if I am not mistaken.) The food was enjoyable, but the restaurant was too small for the crowd that it attracts. We ate outdoors because the table inside would have been a "traffic nightmare." The condiment selection was either non-existent or inconvenient, but it was not a major problem for me.
After lunch, we were headed back to Lancaster. We stopped off at a Liquor Store in New Hampshire, just off the turnpike/freeway. The only shopper was me. I bought two sets of numbers at $2.00 apiece for the Saturday and Wednesday drawings. Beginners' luck held true because I broke even on the Saturday drawing and won $2.00 on the Wednesday drawing. I was 17 the last time that I visited New Hampshire. Pheasant Lane Mall was the only item on the itinerary in New Hampshire that day.
After returning home, it rained. Patty heard something in the Stove Pipe of their Wood Burning Stove. Dan went on the roof to investigate. Nothing was found at this time. (Details of the eventual rescue will appear in the next post.) No injuries occurred on the roof, but I fell walking barefoot on a wet bridge on the property. The injuries were minor, so I was able to enjoy the rest of my vacation.
Dinner that night was sandwiches. There was a variety of breads, meats, and cheeses. The food was appetizing. The rest of the evening was spent in relaxation.
In closing, our motel was nicer than I though it would be, but I would have stayed at a hotel or motel in the Maine Mall area, so I could enjoy the shops in the area. Maine was memorable, though. The next trip's goal is Vermont.
Until my next Post, enjoy your day.
Since we planned on walking along the Atlantic Ocean, we took a short drive to The Omelette Factory for breakfast. I had a ham and three cheese omelet. It was tasty. I also enjoyed the sweet bread and the half English muffin that accompanied the omelet. Originally, I just had water, but I needed something more. I decided to have a soda based on the free refill principle. It also would have been reasonably priced at $2.00. I ended up with a can. Thankfully, Bob skipped the soda.
After breakfast, we drove back to the motel. We then walked towards the Atlantic Ocean, with a detour to stop at two stores. Ro's by the Shore (The first store) specialized in clothing advertising Ogunquit and Maine, along with some toys. Patty, Dan, and Bob bought some clothes there (including a shirt for Maggie), but I found nothing for myself. The second store was housed in a former church. It was named Revelations Gifts: The Sanctuary Shop. It was more of a traditional gift shop, but we didn't buy anything there. Dan then took the purchases back to the car.
We all enjoyed the scenery along the Atlantic Ocean. I walked near the ocean, but I didn't want to ruin the shoes that I started wearing on June 3 that were bought on April 15, 2012 at the New Balance Factory Store. When we were finished, we decided to take the trolley back into "Downtown" Ogunquit. The trolley cost $2.00. It had no windows, which allowed us to enjoy the breeze. We left Molly the Trolley (No relation to Cleveland's Lolly the Trolley) just before Main Street, so Dan and Patty could go back to the toy store to buy gifts for their granddaughters Amy and Emily, who were coming to visit in the coming weeks. (As far as I was concerned, we should have left the trolley at the stop across from our motel. The walk back to the toy store was not that far.) The gifts included a Charades game and a couple of items that I thought would be a disaster. Hopefully, the granddaughters will appreciate the exercise that will result from the toys.
On the way out of Ogunquit, we shopped at a store called Woods to Goods in York, ME. This store specialized in items made by prisoners. Bob picked out a small wooden ship that I bought for Maggie because she likes sailboats.
After our shopping experience, we dined at Wild Willy's, also in York. I had a Pineland Farms Beef burger with mushrooms and Swiss cheese. We shared French Fries. I had another can of soda since this restaurant did not have fountain drinks. (Last year's Worcester branch had fountain drinks, if I am not mistaken.) The food was enjoyable, but the restaurant was too small for the crowd that it attracts. We ate outdoors because the table inside would have been a "traffic nightmare." The condiment selection was either non-existent or inconvenient, but it was not a major problem for me.
After lunch, we were headed back to Lancaster. We stopped off at a Liquor Store in New Hampshire, just off the turnpike/freeway. The only shopper was me. I bought two sets of numbers at $2.00 apiece for the Saturday and Wednesday drawings. Beginners' luck held true because I broke even on the Saturday drawing and won $2.00 on the Wednesday drawing. I was 17 the last time that I visited New Hampshire. Pheasant Lane Mall was the only item on the itinerary in New Hampshire that day.
After returning home, it rained. Patty heard something in the Stove Pipe of their Wood Burning Stove. Dan went on the roof to investigate. Nothing was found at this time. (Details of the eventual rescue will appear in the next post.) No injuries occurred on the roof, but I fell walking barefoot on a wet bridge on the property. The injuries were minor, so I was able to enjoy the rest of my vacation.
Dinner that night was sandwiches. There was a variety of breads, meats, and cheeses. The food was appetizing. The rest of the evening was spent in relaxation.
In closing, our motel was nicer than I though it would be, but I would have stayed at a hotel or motel in the Maine Mall area, so I could enjoy the shops in the area. Maine was memorable, though. The next trip's goal is Vermont.
Until my next Post, enjoy your day.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
To Ogunquit, ME with "Love"
After eating breakfast at Patty and Dan's, we headed for Maine! Our first stop was at the Cumberland Farms on Main Street in Lancaster, MA, so I could buy my Massachusetts Lottery tickets and the Sentinel Enterprise (Fitchburg-Leominster, MA) newspaper. We then headed towards Maine via New Hampshire. Our first steps in Maine were at the Maine Visitors Center in Kittery, ME. I picked up a lot of useful reference material (Most of it is still back in Lancaster, MA.) A picture of Bob and me was taken with Smokey the Bear. (At this time, I can't access it to show you, but my Facebook Friends can enjoy it.)
After the Visitors Center, we headed for The Maine Mall in South Portland, ME. Bob, Patty, and I enjoyed our soups from Kamasouptra. I also had Chow Mein (It may also be known as Lo Mein at other restaurants.) from Panda Express. Dan had a sub from Charley's Steakery. I can't speak for the rest of my group, but I enjoyed my food.
After lunch, we had a brief amount of time to enjoy the mall. Bob and I visited Eddie Bauer, Bon Ton, Sports Authority, and Macy's (Not necessarily in that order). Our time in Macy's could have been better spent exploring the Sears Wing. Patty and Dan bought an Indoor/Outdoor temperature thermometer at Radio Shack, so The Maine Mall was worth it.
After we were done shopping, we researched how to find the Main branch of the Portland Public Library. Once we found it, we enjoyed looking throughout the building. It's a nice library in a modern building.
After the library, we headed for L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME. There are a number of buildings on the campus, but we visited the Apparel store. Bob bought Maggie a coffee/tea mug as a gift for caring for Morgan and for other household tasks. He also bought some "hiking" socks for himself.
After the first half of our L.L. Bean visit, Dan, Bob, and I went to Ben and Jerry's to enjoy a snack. My Ice Cream was Triple Caramel Crunch. I would enjoy it again.
After our snack, we visited the L.L. Bean Outlet Store. Patty and Dan bought some merchandise. We did not visit any of the other outlet stores in the complex.
After we left Freeport, we headed for Ogunquit because Patty and Dan have a love affair with the town. We were also spending the night at the Studio East Motel and Suites. The drive's highlight was a storm that cleared up before we reached the motel.
After checking in and settling, we went back to the Front Desk for a restaurant recommendation. After dismissing "expensive" restaurants, we settled on the Cornerstone restaurant. There was an approximately thirty minute wait for a table, so we visited a toy store and a small grocery store.
We returned to the restaurant and waited on the patio. We ordered some drinks, but our table became available. I had Sprite that turned out to be soda water, but I said nothing. My refill was a bottle of Capt'n Eli's Root Beer that was more enjoyable. Between Beverages, I enjoyed scallops, mussels, and haddock in a spicy red sauce (The seafood was tasty, but the sauce was not to my liking.) with a side of garlic bread. I also sampled Patty's macaroni and cheese. It was delightful. I almost ordered it, but I would order it if I return to Ogunquit.
After dinner, we visited Bread and Roses Bakery to buy snacks. Bob and I split a Coconut Cream Tart. The toy store also received a return visit. We then spent the rest of the evening relaxing. I went to the Front Desk to buy cans of soda. Bob enjoyed his during the trip, but I left mine in the refrigerator in my room. along with half a bottle of water that was supplied during our drive. The can was a dollar. This turned out to be a bargain as you will see in the next Post.
After the Visitors Center, we headed for The Maine Mall in South Portland, ME. Bob, Patty, and I enjoyed our soups from Kamasouptra. I also had Chow Mein (It may also be known as Lo Mein at other restaurants.) from Panda Express. Dan had a sub from Charley's Steakery. I can't speak for the rest of my group, but I enjoyed my food.
After lunch, we had a brief amount of time to enjoy the mall. Bob and I visited Eddie Bauer, Bon Ton, Sports Authority, and Macy's (Not necessarily in that order). Our time in Macy's could have been better spent exploring the Sears Wing. Patty and Dan bought an Indoor/Outdoor temperature thermometer at Radio Shack, so The Maine Mall was worth it.
After we were done shopping, we researched how to find the Main branch of the Portland Public Library. Once we found it, we enjoyed looking throughout the building. It's a nice library in a modern building.
After the library, we headed for L.L. Bean in Freeport, ME. There are a number of buildings on the campus, but we visited the Apparel store. Bob bought Maggie a coffee/tea mug as a gift for caring for Morgan and for other household tasks. He also bought some "hiking" socks for himself.
After the first half of our L.L. Bean visit, Dan, Bob, and I went to Ben and Jerry's to enjoy a snack. My Ice Cream was Triple Caramel Crunch. I would enjoy it again.
After our snack, we visited the L.L. Bean Outlet Store. Patty and Dan bought some merchandise. We did not visit any of the other outlet stores in the complex.
After we left Freeport, we headed for Ogunquit because Patty and Dan have a love affair with the town. We were also spending the night at the Studio East Motel and Suites. The drive's highlight was a storm that cleared up before we reached the motel.
After checking in and settling, we went back to the Front Desk for a restaurant recommendation. After dismissing "expensive" restaurants, we settled on the Cornerstone restaurant. There was an approximately thirty minute wait for a table, so we visited a toy store and a small grocery store.
We returned to the restaurant and waited on the patio. We ordered some drinks, but our table became available. I had Sprite that turned out to be soda water, but I said nothing. My refill was a bottle of Capt'n Eli's Root Beer that was more enjoyable. Between Beverages, I enjoyed scallops, mussels, and haddock in a spicy red sauce (The seafood was tasty, but the sauce was not to my liking.) with a side of garlic bread. I also sampled Patty's macaroni and cheese. It was delightful. I almost ordered it, but I would order it if I return to Ogunquit.
After dinner, we visited Bread and Roses Bakery to buy snacks. Bob and I split a Coconut Cream Tart. The toy store also received a return visit. We then spent the rest of the evening relaxing. I went to the Front Desk to buy cans of soda. Bob enjoyed his during the trip, but I left mine in the refrigerator in my room. along with half a bottle of water that was supplied during our drive. The can was a dollar. This turned out to be a bargain as you will see in the next Post.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
From Cleveland to Lancaster, MA (with a Detour to Baltimore)
On June 24, my brother Bob and me went to visit our sister Patty and her husband Dan in Lancaster, MA (near Worcester). The trip did not start off smoothly! I accidentally damaged the strap to my bag that I had already packed to use as my carry-on bag. My backpack became the replacement. In addition, I had to change my shirt because the oppressive humidity that resulted from a post-shower walk to the mailbox at Spring Road and South Hills Drive left the shirt unsuitable for traveling.
Despite the minor complications, our trip to the airport with our sister Maggie went smoothly. We checked our bags. A miracle happened when we went through the TSA security line without emptying our pockets or taking off our shoes. Bob held my cell phone, but otherwise it was painless.
Our flight to Baltimore via Southwest Airlines went smoothly. After exiting the flight, we enjoyed some lunch. I enjoyed a Salmon Teriyaki Bowl from Gachi House of Sushi. Bob enjoyed two Pretzel Dogs from Auntie Anne's. We then relaxed until catching our plane to Boston.
This flight was also relatively smooth. After picking up our luggage, we waited for the Logan Express Bus to Natick, MA where our sister Patty would drive us to Lancaster, MA. (The bus used to go to nearby Framingham, but a renovation project that started the day before caused the temporary change.) Thanks to Boston's notorious rush hour traffic, a trip that should have taken 30-45 minutes took over an hour. After exiting the bus, we went into the building to pay. (It was supposed to be on the bus, but the bus was late. Otherwise, there was no "official" explanation.) We were then headed to Patty and Dan's.
Dan cooked us an appetizing meal of Kielbasa and Sauerkraut with Sweet Potato Fries. It made not dining out in the Framingham-Natick area less disappointing. We then headed to Rota Spring Farm in Sterling for some ice cream. It was quite popular, but we were able to find a table on a hill near the cow area. (The tables in the covered area were surprisingly not popular.) The ice cream was a climax to a very exciting day.
We relaxed for the rest of the evening. I ate some Cheddar Multigrain Crisps to finish my eating for the day. Our trip to Maine the next day was eagerly anticipated.
Despite the minor complications, our trip to the airport with our sister Maggie went smoothly. We checked our bags. A miracle happened when we went through the TSA security line without emptying our pockets or taking off our shoes. Bob held my cell phone, but otherwise it was painless.
Our flight to Baltimore via Southwest Airlines went smoothly. After exiting the flight, we enjoyed some lunch. I enjoyed a Salmon Teriyaki Bowl from Gachi House of Sushi. Bob enjoyed two Pretzel Dogs from Auntie Anne's. We then relaxed until catching our plane to Boston.
This flight was also relatively smooth. After picking up our luggage, we waited for the Logan Express Bus to Natick, MA where our sister Patty would drive us to Lancaster, MA. (The bus used to go to nearby Framingham, but a renovation project that started the day before caused the temporary change.) Thanks to Boston's notorious rush hour traffic, a trip that should have taken 30-45 minutes took over an hour. After exiting the bus, we went into the building to pay. (It was supposed to be on the bus, but the bus was late. Otherwise, there was no "official" explanation.) We were then headed to Patty and Dan's.
Dan cooked us an appetizing meal of Kielbasa and Sauerkraut with Sweet Potato Fries. It made not dining out in the Framingham-Natick area less disappointing. We then headed to Rota Spring Farm in Sterling for some ice cream. It was quite popular, but we were able to find a table on a hill near the cow area. (The tables in the covered area were surprisingly not popular.) The ice cream was a climax to a very exciting day.
We relaxed for the rest of the evening. I ate some Cheddar Multigrain Crisps to finish my eating for the day. Our trip to Maine the next day was eagerly anticipated.
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