October 2018

October 2018
PA, MD, NJ, VA, TN, KY, WV

1- M- PA- It's my sister's birthday and all day I thought she was turning 65 but then I did the math and she is turning 66 and my whole damn day is ruined because I am too young to have such an old sister. On another note, I got a check today from H & R Block for $946.  There had been an error on my tax return which warranted an addition $856 in taxes, penalties and interest. It looks as if I am making money off this situation.  And then Cecil County sent me $18.18 for an overpayment on my taxes.  What the hell is going on here?

2- T- PA/MD- I'm going down to check on my house and I dread going. I had dinner with Joann and Trav and, as usual, we fought about Twitler.

3- W- NJ- spent the day in Avalon at KF's new, beautiful home on the bay. Then we wandered over the a restaurant and sat outside and watched the sun set over the bay. Later, I went for a night swim in her heated pool.

4- TH- NJ/PA- it was a yet another beautiful day so we just sat by the pool and chatted each other up. We both headed home around 3 but I made a quick stop at Ludlam Brewery near Sea Isle and had my first pumpkin beer of the season. The beers were great but the atmosphere was poor.

5- F- PA- It was a little chilly and overcast so the day turned in to a movie day for me: The Bookshop.  I thought I would love it but I just liked it. On another note, I found out that 2 out of three maintenance men have been fired.  Apparently, one guy didn't show up on a regular basis and another guy drank all day and took naps in the guest apartment. As nice as they were, its hard to defend that kind of behavior.

6- S- PA- An acquaintance just opened a new restaurant, the Liquid Eatery so Jon and I wandered over there to give him some business.  And then we wandered over to Iron Hill Brewery and then we stopped by the Side Bar Cafe and then I went home and took a little afternoon nap.

7- SU- PA- finally, finally, finally I went to the fitness room here at my apartment.  I rode the bike for about 1/2 hour, burned 35 calories and then went upstairs and joined the crowd watching the Eagles game and ate like a pig.

8- M-PA- My friend, John Ulrich, died after his long, long battle with bone cancer. He suffered almost 5 long years. And my heart is broken for his wife who will miss him dearly.  On another note, I exercised again for 35 minutes and tripled my calorie burn.  I am making progress.  Then, I read for awhile, something that has slipped away from me over the last couple of years. And I really slept well because I was exactly tired when I went to bed.

9- TU- PA- I am getting my car oil changed and I hate to do this.  How do I know they are actually changing the damn oil.  And it's $89 now.  My old car was $35.  Do you know what I could do with that $44.  I could buy a lot of junk at the dollar store. I got back to my apartment and ran in to Phyllis and Steve.  They bought me beer from Maine.

10- W- VA- I called Libby to see what time we were meeting up in TN on Friday and she told me we are getting together on Thursday.  Damn, I screwed up.  So  I got up out of bed and drove to Brian's house for the night (the half-way point).  It was great to see that Gus is finally home from his brief stint with the army.

11- TH- TN- I drove through torrential rain for three long hours and then I had three more hours in pleasant weather.  It was great to see Libby and Kris after 5 years. It seems as if no time has passed at all. We had dinner at home and spent hours catching up with each other.

12- F- TN- Libby took us to an arts and crafts community and I ended up buying $50 worth of exotic oils and vinegars.  What was I thinking. Of course, we visited a brewery (Smokey Mountain Brewery) and then went out for a steak dinner.  And then we stayed up until 2AM, catching up on more stories of our lives.

13- SA- TN- We painted this afternoon.  Kris brought tons of paints and she showed us how to make fluid, abstract paintings.  We had great fun.  Then we watched football and PSU lost so that was a bit of a letdown. On an unrelated note: I think I am close to selling my  house.

14- SU- TN- We drove through the Smokey Mountain National park and made our way to the entrance of the Appalachian Trail.  Then it was off to a tasting of moonshine. The 100 Proof Unaged Corn Moonshine was hard, hard, hard to swallow.  But the fruit flavored ones were easy to drink.  Then we went off to Dolly Parton's Stampede Dinner Theatre, a wholesome, feel good extravaganza with horses, pigs, doves, American flags, cowboys, buffaloes and circus clowns.

15- M- TN/KY- I had full intention of getting on the road by 10 AM but it was after noon before ai actually took off. I was headed to Lincoln's birthplace in Hodgenville, KY but didn't make it in time. So I found the Flywheel Brewery and a taco truck and called it a day.  I will see Lincoln tomorrow. And on a very positive note, I signed a contract for my house.

16- TU- KY/WV- I was up early and at Abraham Lincoln's first home as soon as the National Park opened. It was a bit of a letdown to find out that this log cabin was not really his house but a replica of his house.  I went to his boyhood house, about 10 miles down the road and this structure is also a replica.  After a 7 hour drive, I called it a day and found a hotel in Morgantown, WV.  I wandered over to a nearby brewery: Morgantown Brewing Company.

17- W- WV/PA- I made my way to the Berkley Springs State Park and soaked in the thermal waters.  I miss my hot tub.  I stopped by the Gearworks Brewery in Chambersburg and finally made it home by 8PM.  My new mirrorless camera arrived in the mail.

18- TH- PA- Many days I sit on a small blue chair in the lounge of my apartment building and write.  My presence must be noticed by more people than I am aware because several people welcomed me back to my chair today. I spent the afternoon, roaming through town, hanging posters for the Uptown Theatre. Then I met Jon for a few drinks at the Sidebar Cafe.  I slept well from all on my activity today.

19- F- PA/MD- OMG, I went down to my damn house to clean it for the inspection tomorrow and the bathroom had mold on the walls. To make matters worse, a hornet bit me on the ass several times.

20- S- NJ- I went the Navy Yard to see the sea monster. as we have done for the last 4 years, I went to LBI with the Germans. We stayed at the Spray Beach Hotel and hung out on the beach until it was pitch black.  John and Jane Bambach came over and joined us for a drink.

21- SU- NJ- we went to the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival which offered not much more than candles, soaps, honey, carmel popcorn and diabetic socks. It was cold and windy so we didn't stay long.  We stopped by the Lower Forge brewery and had awful, awful beers. We did go to Bookbinders for oysters.

22- M- PA- I started my day with a class at the Apple store. I am taking a course on the IMovie program.  This is the second time I've taken this course.  Lets see if anything sticks this time. Then I moved on to a matinee movie, Free Solo, about a guy who climbs mountains without the aid of ropes.  I was nervous through the whole movie.  Then it was off to Caitlin's house to talk with her about her upcoming wedding.

23- TU- PA/DE- I had full intentions of heading to my house to do some work but that didn't happen.  But I did make it to my 4PM lecture at the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware.  I went out for dinner afterward.

24- W- MD- I went to Woody's to met up with Betty Ulrich to talk about John.  It's hard to believe he is gone.

25- TH- MD- I went back to my house today to meet with the electrician who is fixing some damn outlets that I know i had fixed 10 years ago with I moved in to my damn house.  OMG, I am so sick of this place.  I can hardly wait to sell it.

26- F- PA- I slept in today.  It seems as if I haven't done this for weeks.  So today, I laid in bed and listened to podcasts.  I have so many podcasts on my list that I cant keep them straight. I headed over to Sue Descano's house for our farewell dinner with the Germans. This group of friends is good company.

27- SA- PA- it's PSU football on the schedule for this afternoon.  Then I usher at the Uptown Theatre for Evita.

28- SU- PA-  it's the third rainy day in a row.  I drove over to Coatesville to take photos with my new camera and I need to read the manual as the settings are not obvious to me.  Damn, I hate wasting time on a stupid manual.  I spent the evening chatting with Jon as he lamented his three month break up with his girlfriend.

29- M- MD- I went to the house yet again to work on the damn house.  I am emotionally exhausted by this process of selling my home. Last night I had yet another episode of stomach pain.  I have to go to a doctor.

30- TU- PA- I made a damn doctor appointment for Thursday. I hate going to the doctor.

31- W- PA- I went to the BMFI to see Colette.  On the way out, I overheard a woman yelling at someone on the phone.  Her ride hadn't picked her up.  So I offered to take her home.  On the way hime, I asked how she liked the movie and she told me, "I thought it was shitty."