I attended a pig roast at my niece Mandy and her husband Paul's house in New Franklin (Clinton), OH (South of Akron)! It's a very nice house! The living room has Cathedral Ceilings! It also has five bathrooms! It's not quite a mansion, but there is room for more development since the lot is five acres!
I came with my sister Maggie and Mike! The only other person that I knew was my sister Kathleen. It was mostly Mandy and Paul's co-workers and friends, with a few of Paul's Relatives sprinkled into the mix!!
In addition to the barbecue pork, we had hot dogs, hamburgers, Chicken, Baked Beans, Cheesy Potatoes, Pasta Salads, pea salad, celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, deviled eggs, spinach dip with pumpernickel bread, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, Rice Krispie treats, and a few other dishes. The food was generally enjoyable!
After dinner, some of the male guests burned boxes into a bonfire!! This is something that doesn't happen at most events that I have attended! It rained, but it was not a torrential downpour! It was an indoor/outdoor party! I stayed indoors, though!
I plan to be back for Thanksgiving since it may be held there! I am still doing some cooking! Tune in to find out!
Editor's Note (11-29-'13): When I first wrote this, I had an incorrect city for the event! I wrote New Richmond instead of New Franklin! Mandy brought this to my attention during our Thanksgiving dinner at her house!
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Familly Fun in Two Dimensions
On Wednesday, Bob, Maggie, and I went shopping at Steelyard Commons in Cleveland! Before shopping, we provided the Recycling Bin at West 25th Street and Scranton Road with some deposits. Once we started shopping, we bought items from Target, Deals, and Wal Mart Supercenter. Since we had frozen foods, we took them back to our house.
Lunch was at McDonald's on Snow Road in Parma! I had two Filet O' Fish Sandwiches with French Fries. Bob had a Big Mac and fries. Maggie had a Grilled Chicken and Ranch Premium McWrap and fries. Bob and I had soda. Maggie had (tap) water. We used four coupons for our food! The food was worth the discounted rate.
After McDonald's, we took Bob to work. After that event, we took a second trip to the Recycling Bin. Maggie then took me to the Parma-Snow Library (If we didn't have the second batch of recyclables, I would have gone directly to the library after lunch since it is within walking distance.). The library was okay since I talked to my friends Nancy and Amy!
After the library, I headed towards Brecksville for my annual Pilgrimage (via the #35 bus) to honor my brother Danny (He died on 6-2-2006.) Due to an accident, there was a detour that led me past John Glenn Elementary School in the Parma District before returning to the usual route. I made a brief visit to Walgreen's in Independence before my next bus (#77F). I then headed for the Pilgrimage over Chippewa Creek on Chippewa Road, where most of my brother's ashes reside. I threw two stones into the creek before going over to the fence where I watched the scattering of the ashes on June 8, 2006 (Going down the hill that day was too hazardous for me. Access beyond the fence is currently forbidden.).
I then walked the perimeter of the Brecksville Shopping Center before entering the Marc's that was Giant Eagle before it moved to Broadview Heights (Near I-77) last year! I then crossed the street to the nearby Shell Gas Station. In the Mid 1980s, while eating dinner with my parents at the then Spanish Tavern (Now Burntwood Tavern) on Brecksville Road, a waitress decided to be funny in announcing that the Rest Rooms were down the street at the Shell Station. I finally visited the Shell Station to take care of some business. Upon leaving the Shell Station, I barely made my bus back to Independence which was better for co-ordination with the bus that would have made a much shorter trip to my house.
After coming home, I made some tilapia for dinner! The fish smell lasted longer than necessary! An open kitchen window took care of most of the "aroma"! This evening's tilapia will be done in the oven. This could be interesting.
It was a busy day, but spending time with my closest family made it worthwhile.
Lunch was at McDonald's on Snow Road in Parma! I had two Filet O' Fish Sandwiches with French Fries. Bob had a Big Mac and fries. Maggie had a Grilled Chicken and Ranch Premium McWrap and fries. Bob and I had soda. Maggie had (tap) water. We used four coupons for our food! The food was worth the discounted rate.
After McDonald's, we took Bob to work. After that event, we took a second trip to the Recycling Bin. Maggie then took me to the Parma-Snow Library (If we didn't have the second batch of recyclables, I would have gone directly to the library after lunch since it is within walking distance.). The library was okay since I talked to my friends Nancy and Amy!
After the library, I headed towards Brecksville for my annual Pilgrimage (via the #35 bus) to honor my brother Danny (He died on 6-2-2006.) Due to an accident, there was a detour that led me past John Glenn Elementary School in the Parma District before returning to the usual route. I made a brief visit to Walgreen's in Independence before my next bus (#77F). I then headed for the Pilgrimage over Chippewa Creek on Chippewa Road, where most of my brother's ashes reside. I threw two stones into the creek before going over to the fence where I watched the scattering of the ashes on June 8, 2006 (Going down the hill that day was too hazardous for me. Access beyond the fence is currently forbidden.).
I then walked the perimeter of the Brecksville Shopping Center before entering the Marc's that was Giant Eagle before it moved to Broadview Heights (Near I-77) last year! I then crossed the street to the nearby Shell Gas Station. In the Mid 1980s, while eating dinner with my parents at the then Spanish Tavern (Now Burntwood Tavern) on Brecksville Road, a waitress decided to be funny in announcing that the Rest Rooms were down the street at the Shell Station. I finally visited the Shell Station to take care of some business. Upon leaving the Shell Station, I barely made my bus back to Independence which was better for co-ordination with the bus that would have made a much shorter trip to my house.
After coming home, I made some tilapia for dinner! The fish smell lasted longer than necessary! An open kitchen window took care of most of the "aroma"! This evening's tilapia will be done in the oven. This could be interesting.
It was a busy day, but spending time with my closest family made it worthwhile.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Max and Erma Did Not Ask Us to Sing "Happy Birthday!"
On Monday, we celebrated my sister's birthday at Max and Erma's in Middleburg Heights, OH! The participants were my brothers Bob, Joe, and Tim, my sisters Patty and Maggie, my brothers-in-law Dan and Mike, my nephew Dan and his daughters Amy Marie and Emily, and Tim's companion Lois! (My niece-in-law Laura was enjoying dinner with her former co-workers.) As expected, we sang to Kathleen, but the interesting part is that an unknown couple came to our table after finding out that it was her birthday requesting that we sing to her.
Another interesting item is that my Aunt Joan was in the next room with her church group from St. Bridget of Kildare in Parma, OH! She visited with us briefly!! It was nice to see her again after not seeing her since her Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Party about two years ago!
I enjoyed my food!! I had a mushroom cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles (The Red Onion was removed.). It was tasty! I assume the others enjoyed their food as well.
After Max and Erma's, the whole group (Except for Joe and Aunt Joan) went to Honey Hut on State Road in Cleveland to enjoy some ice cream! I had a special flavor for this month, Honey Graham. The ice cream was up to the usual standards. I wonder how Rota Spring Farm (Sterling, MA ) would compare if they had Honey Graham as a flavor (Their web site did not mention that particular flavor!!)!
After the ice cream, Dan Sr., Patty, Dan Jr., Amy Marie, and Emily stopped by my house! Amy Marie and Emily had never been to my house!! Amy Marie found a creative way to pet our cat. She petted Morgan's face! Intentionally or unintentionally, she provided a climax to a very interesting evening!
This night will always be a night to remember!!
Another interesting item is that my Aunt Joan was in the next room with her church group from St. Bridget of Kildare in Parma, OH! She visited with us briefly!! It was nice to see her again after not seeing her since her Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Party about two years ago!
I enjoyed my food!! I had a mushroom cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles (The Red Onion was removed.). It was tasty! I assume the others enjoyed their food as well.
After Max and Erma's, the whole group (Except for Joe and Aunt Joan) went to Honey Hut on State Road in Cleveland to enjoy some ice cream! I had a special flavor for this month, Honey Graham. The ice cream was up to the usual standards. I wonder how Rota Spring Farm (Sterling, MA ) would compare if they had Honey Graham as a flavor (Their web site did not mention that particular flavor!!)!
After the ice cream, Dan Sr., Patty, Dan Jr., Amy Marie, and Emily stopped by my house! Amy Marie and Emily had never been to my house!! Amy Marie found a creative way to pet our cat. She petted Morgan's face! Intentionally or unintentionally, she provided a climax to a very interesting evening!
This night will always be a night to remember!!
Sunday, June 2, 2013
As Much Fun As I Had, Home Is Where the Heart Is.
My last day started with a Granola Bar (Not the Inexpensive Ones that I buy from Aldi, but the High Fiber ones that are one step up)! A late breakfast at Michael's Bridge Diner in Lancaster was scheduled. As it turned out, it was lunchtime when we reached the restaurant! Dan Sr., Patty, and Bob still had breakfast items for lunch (I have done this for lunch and dinner, but I was in lunch mode that day! (They charged 79 cents extra for a substitution of Egg Whites, which is criminal (IHOP used to charge 69 cents, but the surcharge was usually waived.)) I had another Veggie Burger with Swiss Cheese and French Fries that were delicious! If you like Scrambler Marie's, First Watch, or Original Pancake House, you would enjoy this one of a kind restaurant. It is a breakfast and lunch establishment. The hunting decor is a distinguishing feature, but it wouldn't be out of place at a Cracker Barrel. (Thankfully, Cracker Barrel has dinner hours! I don't think that I have ordered a Breakfast Item there yet.)
After lunch (or brunch for some people), we dropped off Dan Sr. at home. Patty, Bob, and I then went to the Thayer Memorial Library in Lancaster. After almost thirty years of visiting Lancaster, I finally made my local library debut. I picked up some local literature that I expect to enjoy tomorrow after attending Kathleen's Birthday Party! I asked for the local phone book! I learned that they had stopped distributing them in the area, if not all of Verizon Territory (Oberlin, Wellington, Grafton, and most of Medina County are the areas closest to me in Verizon Territory!) I have continued on a quest to find phone book listings from Verizon Territory in a format similar to a traditional phone book. There were some markets available briefly, but it has been a failure so far.
We then went back to the house for a short time.
Our last moments in New England were enjoyed while Patty took Bob and me to T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI (Near Providence). The trip went smoothly this time. We had air conditioning in the car this time around, unlike last year when Dan Sr. drove us back. We said our goodbyes and headed into the airport.
Security was almost very smooth! We had our already checked boarding passes in the tubs provided for the X-Ray devices for checking Carry-on Bags! TSA wanted to see them again! Thankfully, the problem was handled smoothly! We then went to an early dinner at Famous Famiglia! I had a slice of Chicken and Broccoli Pizza! Bob had a Sausage Stromboli, which I sampled. (Pepperoni Stromboli was not available.) The food was enjoyable, but it may have been overpriced (Famous Famiglia and Johnny Rocket's (Last year airport meal in Warwick) have left the Cleveland Market for the most part.) I bought a couple of instant lottery tickets that were losers. The machines in Rhode Island are slightly more complicated than they are in Ohio.
Eventually, we boarded the plane! Unlike our trip into Warwick, Bob's bag fit into the overhead compartment. We had a nice flight attendant named Nikki! I asked her if she knew one of my high school classmates who is also a Flight Attendant for United Airlines. She did not! Thankfully, this flight was about as smooth as our previous flight! We arrived in Cleveland more on less on schedule.
I called Maggie to pick us up at the airport! Unfortunately, I called her at her house! She was at our house! There was a Voicemail message on my cell phone that I had trouble hearing. Fortunately, Bob had talked to her as well!
After straightening out the misunderstanding, Maggie took us to Save a Lot to buy Orange Juice and then to a nearby CVS to buy milk. We then went home and learned at least one surprising detail. My brother Joe came over to borrow a shovel. He ended up replacing the light chain in our downstairs bathroom that had been broken for a few years. Miracles do happen!
In closing, this trip was very interesting! Patty and Dan SR.'s friends Amy Gould and John are now close friends of mine! I didn't make it to Vermont, but I just wanted to say that I have been to Vermont. I want to return to New Hampshire for the first time since 1988! There is still a lot more that I want to visit in the future! Don't worry, it's not "standard tourism fare!!"
I hope that you have enjoyed these ten essays as much as I have enjoyed writing them.
After lunch (or brunch for some people), we dropped off Dan Sr. at home. Patty, Bob, and I then went to the Thayer Memorial Library in Lancaster. After almost thirty years of visiting Lancaster, I finally made my local library debut. I picked up some local literature that I expect to enjoy tomorrow after attending Kathleen's Birthday Party! I asked for the local phone book! I learned that they had stopped distributing them in the area, if not all of Verizon Territory (Oberlin, Wellington, Grafton, and most of Medina County are the areas closest to me in Verizon Territory!) I have continued on a quest to find phone book listings from Verizon Territory in a format similar to a traditional phone book. There were some markets available briefly, but it has been a failure so far.
We then went back to the house for a short time.
Our last moments in New England were enjoyed while Patty took Bob and me to T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, RI (Near Providence). The trip went smoothly this time. We had air conditioning in the car this time around, unlike last year when Dan Sr. drove us back. We said our goodbyes and headed into the airport.
Security was almost very smooth! We had our already checked boarding passes in the tubs provided for the X-Ray devices for checking Carry-on Bags! TSA wanted to see them again! Thankfully, the problem was handled smoothly! We then went to an early dinner at Famous Famiglia! I had a slice of Chicken and Broccoli Pizza! Bob had a Sausage Stromboli, which I sampled. (Pepperoni Stromboli was not available.) The food was enjoyable, but it may have been overpriced (Famous Famiglia and Johnny Rocket's (Last year airport meal in Warwick) have left the Cleveland Market for the most part.) I bought a couple of instant lottery tickets that were losers. The machines in Rhode Island are slightly more complicated than they are in Ohio.
Eventually, we boarded the plane! Unlike our trip into Warwick, Bob's bag fit into the overhead compartment. We had a nice flight attendant named Nikki! I asked her if she knew one of my high school classmates who is also a Flight Attendant for United Airlines. She did not! Thankfully, this flight was about as smooth as our previous flight! We arrived in Cleveland more on less on schedule.
I called Maggie to pick us up at the airport! Unfortunately, I called her at her house! She was at our house! There was a Voicemail message on my cell phone that I had trouble hearing. Fortunately, Bob had talked to her as well!
After straightening out the misunderstanding, Maggie took us to Save a Lot to buy Orange Juice and then to a nearby CVS to buy milk. We then went home and learned at least one surprising detail. My brother Joe came over to borrow a shovel. He ended up replacing the light chain in our downstairs bathroom that had been broken for a few years. Miracles do happen!
In closing, this trip was very interesting! Patty and Dan SR.'s friends Amy Gould and John are now close friends of mine! I didn't make it to Vermont, but I just wanted to say that I have been to Vermont. I want to return to New Hampshire for the first time since 1988! There is still a lot more that I want to visit in the future! Don't worry, it's not "standard tourism fare!!"
I hope that you have enjoyed these ten essays as much as I have enjoyed writing them.
I Support the Red Sox, But Not at the Indians' Expense.
Patty, Bob, and I spent this day in Boston! We parked the car at Alewife Rail Station and caught a couple of trains to reach Fenway Park! Our main activity of the day was to tour Fenway Park! We started off in the Red Sox Team Store! Bob and I looked at merchandise that would be appropriate for a Thank You Gift for taking care of our cat Morgan and for cleaning our house way beyond the call of duty. When we saw an Indians Bobbing Head (Not Bobblehead), I couldn't resist buying it after the tour! A Red Sox Cap or Coffee/Tea Cup was also considered, but it was never purchased. We also took some pictures in the not too crowded store.
It was now time to gather for the tour. This was done in the store. We learned a lot about Red Sox History, including the Pesky Pole, Ted Williams' Red Seat, and The Curse of the Bambino (Broken in 2004). We saw the Visitors Clubhouse, that the Indians would enjoy for a four game set two days later. We looked at various seating areas. The Press Box was also featured. Emily, our tour guide, did an excellent job, considering the fact that her microphone stopped functioning during the tour! Thankfully, she was loud enough for the whole group to hear with little difficulty. This tour is something that every baseball fan should enjoy at least once in his/her life.
After the tour, I bought the bobbing head. We invested in the Photograph set that should have been included in the cost of admission, but I can't complain since I didn't pay for this tour! Perhaps, I will treat for a tour of Progressive Field. Hopefully, Flo will be our tour guide. (I know that she is an actress who has helped out on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.)
A nearby Qdoba was considered for Lunch (Parallel to last year's Moe's Southwest Grill experience), but Bob talked me out of it. I had seen a Tasty Burger while on the tour, but we needed help in finding it. Thankfully, a helpful employee affiliated with the Photography aspect of the tour showed us the way. The place has both indoor and outdoor seating. It was once either a Gas Station or an Auto Repair Shop. I had a Mushroom Burger with Cheese and Tasty 17 Steak Sauce (I added Heinz Pickle Relish to it at the table.). It was delicious!! I treated for entertainment by paying a dollar for two tunes. One of them was "Pontoon" by Little Big Town! The next tune was "Holy Diver" by Dio. (AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and Boston's "Don't Look Back" were unavailable. The jukebox enhanced our excellent meal.
After lunch, we walked down to the Boston Marathon Memorial Site (Three people were killed by a pair of bombs on April 16, 2013. (Patriots' Day)). It was impressive, but we didn't go down by the Walgreen's that was featured in coverage of the event seen worldwide. We then took a couple of trains back to Alewife Train Station. Patty then drove us home!
After relaxing, I researched the route to IHOP in Northborough, MA. (The only Wegmans in Massachusetts (So Far) is part of the shopping complex.) There were three potential routes, but I only printed the first page/route. John, Patty, Dan SR., Bob, and I were the participants in one car this time. After some confusion, we made it to the restaurant. I had a chicken salad, but I erred in judgment because I expected a Grilled Chicken Salad! It was Crispy Chicken! I ended up eating the salad both in the restaurant and for snack time a couple of hours later. It was a fun experience with an eclectic group of people! I didn't mind paying because it was appreciation for a very memorable trip. (My coupon for a $1.99 meal with a meal purchase didn't hurt, either. If I had explained the coupon, people would have ordered beverages that would have allowed me to use a second coupon. Since only one person out of three eligible ordered from the Senior Menu, this option was possible.) We then went home through Marlborough, Berlin, and Clinton on the way home. It was too late to enjoy the strip mall. Once again, we relaxed for the rest of the evening.
May 22 is the conclusion of this journey!
P.S. The Red Sox ended up beating the Indians three out of four games at Fenway Park in the series that started the day after Bob and I came home. I should have not rooted for the Indians on Red Sox Property. I can freely do it here in Cleveland, though!
It was now time to gather for the tour. This was done in the store. We learned a lot about Red Sox History, including the Pesky Pole, Ted Williams' Red Seat, and The Curse of the Bambino (Broken in 2004). We saw the Visitors Clubhouse, that the Indians would enjoy for a four game set two days later. We looked at various seating areas. The Press Box was also featured. Emily, our tour guide, did an excellent job, considering the fact that her microphone stopped functioning during the tour! Thankfully, she was loud enough for the whole group to hear with little difficulty. This tour is something that every baseball fan should enjoy at least once in his/her life.
After the tour, I bought the bobbing head. We invested in the Photograph set that should have been included in the cost of admission, but I can't complain since I didn't pay for this tour! Perhaps, I will treat for a tour of Progressive Field. Hopefully, Flo will be our tour guide. (I know that she is an actress who has helped out on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.)
A nearby Qdoba was considered for Lunch (Parallel to last year's Moe's Southwest Grill experience), but Bob talked me out of it. I had seen a Tasty Burger while on the tour, but we needed help in finding it. Thankfully, a helpful employee affiliated with the Photography aspect of the tour showed us the way. The place has both indoor and outdoor seating. It was once either a Gas Station or an Auto Repair Shop. I had a Mushroom Burger with Cheese and Tasty 17 Steak Sauce (I added Heinz Pickle Relish to it at the table.). It was delicious!! I treated for entertainment by paying a dollar for two tunes. One of them was "Pontoon" by Little Big Town! The next tune was "Holy Diver" by Dio. (AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and Boston's "Don't Look Back" were unavailable. The jukebox enhanced our excellent meal.
After lunch, we walked down to the Boston Marathon Memorial Site (Three people were killed by a pair of bombs on April 16, 2013. (Patriots' Day)). It was impressive, but we didn't go down by the Walgreen's that was featured in coverage of the event seen worldwide. We then took a couple of trains back to Alewife Train Station. Patty then drove us home!
After relaxing, I researched the route to IHOP in Northborough, MA. (The only Wegmans in Massachusetts (So Far) is part of the shopping complex.) There were three potential routes, but I only printed the first page/route. John, Patty, Dan SR., Bob, and I were the participants in one car this time. After some confusion, we made it to the restaurant. I had a chicken salad, but I erred in judgment because I expected a Grilled Chicken Salad! It was Crispy Chicken! I ended up eating the salad both in the restaurant and for snack time a couple of hours later. It was a fun experience with an eclectic group of people! I didn't mind paying because it was appreciation for a very memorable trip. (My coupon for a $1.99 meal with a meal purchase didn't hurt, either. If I had explained the coupon, people would have ordered beverages that would have allowed me to use a second coupon. Since only one person out of three eligible ordered from the Senior Menu, this option was possible.) We then went home through Marlborough, Berlin, and Clinton on the way home. It was too late to enjoy the strip mall. Once again, we relaxed for the rest of the evening.
May 22 is the conclusion of this journey!
P.S. The Red Sox ended up beating the Indians three out of four games at Fenway Park in the series that started the day after Bob and I came home. I should have not rooted for the Indians on Red Sox Property. I can freely do it here in Cleveland, though!
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