I got up way to early for a Saturday, why can’t I sleep past at least 6am!? I decided to linger, I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, going out into the rain, and the bed got softer and I kept sinking deeper and deeper into the warmth and comfort of my childhood bed. Don’t roll your eyes, it’s a very comfortable bed, the mattress is just right, and the blankets were piled on and just cozy! It’s a twin, yup, you know how much I love a king or california king bed, but I grew up sleeping on a twin bed. You should have seen the number of pillows and stuffed animals I had, used to give people ‘hives’!
I got up eventually, got dressed, got the dogs out of their travel crate, and took them out for a walk. It was still raining, not too hard, but enough, hoping it wasn’t going to get too bad on my way to Boston, but I was not so lucky! We walked around the block I grew up on, back to the house, say good morning to paw-paw, fed them, let them hang out for a few minutes, then back in the crate and dad and I went to Z-One for breakfast. First, we tried to go to Zara Forest Grill, we saw they had breakfast, but it turns out they don’t open until 11am on Saturdays, that’s brunch, not breakfast!
I love my one-on-one time with my dad, we talk about everything and nothing, we reminisce, we plan, we strategize, we joke, we tell stories, it’s just that good!
After breakfast, we made a pit stop at Michael’s, it was for him, not for me! But who am I to stand in the way of creativity! I had so much fun crafting with him last night! When we got back home, I packed up the pups crate, food, and bowls, and of course, the dogs, got in the car, made sure the window cover was secure, plugged in the address of the hotel and headed out into the rainy day for parts, I can’t say parts unknown, I know where I’m going! ha ha.
It was about a 4.5 hour drive with no stopping, well, we know me well enough to know that’s not possible! With the rain, stopping for gas, and one or two potty breaks, I made it in about 5-5.5 hours, that’s not bad at all! I got the dogs out, walked them in the rain, got them into the room, unloaded the car, got the crate and their bed set up and then I got to work feeding them.
After a bit, I got in touch with GES and we worked out that I would go over to their house so I could see MGS, and we would order take-out, but if they bring it to you, is that take-in? hmmm…it was good, we had pho, and it was pretty good. I definitely had leftovers to bring home! We hung out, talked, played with Bailey, their dog, and Piper, the labradoodle they were dog sitting for the weekend. We talkd, laughed, enjoyed just spending time together, then EJS came home, and then ACS, the gang’s all here!
It was nice, I hung out until about 10p and I was getting a little tired, only because I knew I had to drive back in the rain, then drive back to PA tomorrow, with a pit or dinner stop at dad’s. I got back to the hotel, they let me park my car at the entrance, so hopefully the plastic holds and no rain gets in, thank you Romeo!
I’m back in the room, the dogs have been walked in the rain, I think I’ll let them sleep with me tonight, I have this whole bed to myself, and I know they would love the cuddle. I’ll love the cuddle, except for the part where they push me out of the giant bed! grrr…
Tomorrow, it’s a birthday party for Uncle A, I get to see PSM, and his whole family, celebrate, then drive to dad’s and then back to PA. I need a nap!
Four years ago today, February 29, 2020, was such a special day for our family. EJS became a bat mitzvah, wow and mazel tov!
What an amazing accomplishment! When a young woman becomes a bat mitzvah, or a daughter of the commandments, it means that she is a woman under Jewish law. And it’s a bar mitzvah for the boys. I know EJS is a young woman, but it’s still hard to say without waxing nostalgic. I’m actually tearing up a little talking about it.
It’s tradition for girls and boys to become bat or bar mitzvah at 12 or 13, I was 13 when I became a bat mitzvah, November 4, 1984, I know, can you believe it, that’s a date that I never will forget. My sister, GES, was 13, her husband, ACS, was 13, PSM was 13, apparently it’s a club! And MGS, she became a bat mitzvah last year.
There are some people who choose to do it later in life, CWB decided a few years ago, this was not an opportunity she wanted to miss and had her adult bat mitzvah, she studied just as hard and it was such a mitzvah for me to be there to watch her on this journey.
Oh, what a site to see, my niece on the bema, or bimah, that’s the podium on the pulpit that one would stand at to lead a prayer service, or read from the torah, the holy scriptures. To become a bat or bar mitzvah is not an easy feat, it involves years of study, study of hebrew, mostly prayers, some conversation, for me, it was hebrew school class every Wednesday from the time I was 10 until at least my bat mitzvah.
Then there is Sunday school, religious studies, going to Friday night and sometimes Saturday morning services, to study the word of g-d, and some wonderful prayers, I still know them to this day and enjoy reciting them when I’m in shul or synagogue. Some of them are uplifting, some can be scary, but all make you think.
Then, as you get closer to the big day, you work one-on-one with the rabbi, who guides you on your jewish studies, and preps you for your bat or bar mitzvah. They work with you on your torah portion, what passage[s] you are going to read from the torah, it tells one story of the history of the Jewish people. If you are chanting the prayers, you my work one-on-one with the cantor, who will guide you on the proper way to chant the prayers and your torah reading.
Then…you have to write a speech! Oh my yes! Some people pick a topic from current events, some people base their speech on whatever their torah portion is. Sometimes this can be more nerve wracking than the entire ceremony!
What a wonderful time to be together, to watch our loved ones blossom into adults before our eyes, we are still sitting there, looking at them wondering where did the time go? I was just holding her in my arms, meeting her for the first time, and looking at that tiny little person and thinking, “oh wow, I’m your auntie and I am gonna love you so much!” and here she is, standing up there, leading us in prayer, reading from the torah, giving her speech, and being an all around bad ar… I shouldn’t say that here! But she was!
And when all is said and done, it’s time to celebrate, and we should celebrate, look what you just did! You impressed us all with your bravery and knowledge, your strength, and fortitude, and skills, now let’s celebrate you!
Like her mother and I, EJS had the celebration right after the service at the synagogue and the place was decked out to the hilt! Their event planner, RachelG, was amazing, everything EJS asked for and a little bit more! There was games for the kids, the dj was great, the mc was great, got everyone involved and on their feet, the food was amazing, the decor, and it all contributed to everyone feeling amazing and there was love, and wonder, and pride, and just good feelings all around. And she deserved it.
It is now four years later, and in a few weeks, EJS is going to be…o m g…seventeen! What?! I still cannot believe it! Yet, I do! That little tiny creature, who grabbed my finger and my heart, who, when she could walk would run so fast to jump into my arms for a hug, then the time when she was about 9, she and her sister put my bras on their heads, yup, they did that, when she would come into my room, crawl in bed, and want to cuddle, when she would ask for me to sit with her while she fell asleep. Yup, that girl, she’s about to be 17, wow, what an amazing human being she is!
Yea, four years ago today, we got to watch something amazing and kvell, it means to be super proud, and we did. Mazel tov EJS, you were amazing that day and it hasn’t stopped, I cannot wait to see what’s next for you!
It’s Wednesday and that means it’s doggie daycare time! And they…LOVE it!
We started taking them to Glamourous K9s a few months ago, some time after we moved into the house, and…conviently enough, it’s very close to the house, score! They were going every Wednesday and then they stayed at doggie daycamp or they were boarded when we went to the USVI over the holidays. They loved that too!
Lots of people paying attention to them, they get to sleep in a room together, interract with other dogs and all around have a great time! We sent them with their special food bowls, enough food for them to stay for three weeks, if needed, their treats, Bee’s meds, a bed for them to share, and some toys, what more could they want?!
When they go to doggie day care, they have a bag with a blanket, for nap time, of course, treats, and Bee’s emergency meds. As soon as I say “Who wants to go to doggie day care?” You have never seen two dogs run faster! Even little Bee the Beagle, her little legs get her there fast! They run to the car and wait for me, I can’t move that fast, sorry girls!
We load up in the car, drive down the road and they can’t get out of the car fast enough! Can you ask for anything more?! When it’s time for me to pick them up, they come running out and I get lots of licks, hugs, and tail wags, gotta love it!
Today was funny because getting them there, no issue, but when we got there and I was going over stuff with one of the staff, Ruby decided she’s going to head back to the door, and then when I started to leave, it seemed like she was going to go with me…huh? You couldn’t wait to get here, now you want to leave? Maybe it was since it was the first time since the beginning of January since they went, who knows. They stayed, it was all good.
All I know is that they love it, they are well cared for and it gets them out of the house and socializing with other dogs at least one day a week. And socializing where I don’t have to hold their leashes tight, not knowing how the meet-n-greet is going to go, where I don’t have to explain Ruby’s weird thing about ‘I’ll do the doggie greeting, don’t do it to me!” Very hypocritical!
As long as they enjoy it, we will keep sending them, and until they don’t…Who wants to go to Doggie Day Care?!
What I mean…today I was teaching a class and everyone had access to the two applications I was teaching, goody! Yeah, that would be great, but…half the class had access to PROD or the production environment, which means live data, and the other half had access to the training environment, test data.
Now…we were only doing searches, so they weren’t going to make any updates or changes even if they were in production. Everything I showed them they could follow the steps in either environment to find the information, they just couldn’t use the same search data because what I was using in the test environment wouldn’t be found in production.
The part that I was loving…when it came time for the practice exercise, I had them review the scenario and talk about what they needed to do, then…I had someone share their screen, I muted myself, available for questions, but they would have to help each other find the information and get more comfortable with the process.
It took a minute, but soon, they were talking each other through the steps in each system to find what they needed, every once in a while asking me a question, but for the most part, they were rocking it! The second exercise came up, and we went through the same process, and I just sat back and let the knowledge, sharing, and excitement go!
I told them I was having proud trainer momma moments! It really is amazing when you teach something and you watch as your particpants, students, whoever you are instructing, start to get it, know what they’re looking for, know what to ask, and you can see the lightbulb go off over their heads.
They may walk out of class today not 100% sure of what they’re doing, totally understandable, I never expect anyone to be an expert by the time they leave my class, but if they go back to their respective workplaces and when they get into the system(s), something is going to click, and something else, and something else. Maybe it’s ‘that blue haired chick said this’, oh yeah, I remember now and eventually…boom, they’re in like flynn.
Is that enough? Who wants to sit still on a Sunday, not us apparently! I slept until 730a, which was lovely, except for the fact that I fell asleep about 4a, so… normal then!
Got up and motivated, tried on my new shirt from the Whirling Dervish, love how it fits! Let the dogs out, boots on, harnesses…on the dogs, of course, loaded into the truck and off to a new park. Union Canal Tunnel Park, so pretty! More so when we went down the path and saw the water and tunnel, I can just imagine how it is in the spring and summer! I bet it was pretty covered in snow as well!
If you click on the link you’ll find it is: the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. From 1827 to 1885 the Union Canal linked the commercial centers of Harrisburg, Reading, and by extension, the port of Philadelphia. The park serves the tunnel and the only remaining 5/8 mile section of the original canal through Lebanon with an open 110 acre recreational area. Isn’t that amazing!
The dogs loved it, of course! New sights and more importantly, new smells! It is a dog friendly park, but no poop bags or trash cans, but you have to clean up after your dog…I’m not saying parks have to provide poop bags, but…if you’re dog friendly and you want people to clean up after their dogs, it’s a nice to have. But…not to worry friends, we are always equipped with Mutt Mitts. Let me tell you…these things are amazing! They are amazing! They are double walled, so you are not going to feel anything and it really keeps the smell in, I almost said out, well, out of my nose, ha ha. And to the point that sometimes I have to put the bag in my pocket until I can find a trash can and my pockets never smell. I digress…
After the park, we took the dogs home, it was time for breakfast for them! While they were eating, we moved some stuff from one room into the kitchen, working on getting everything put away so we can have a functioning kitchen. Then it was time for us to get some breakfast! We went to Rising Sun Bar & Kitchen, you may remember me telling you about it last month, I met PSM there after I went skiing. I really want to go skiing again, today was not the day, I busted my ankle last weekend, I’m not quite ready to get on skis, may not happen again this season, here’s to next season!
We went to Rising Sun and sat at the bar, I kind of wish we had taken seats on the other side of the bar, we were at the door and even though they have an outer covered door with heat lamps, didn’t stop it from being cold on my back, so hat, scarf, and jacket for breakfast! We shared a Brizza, a breakfast pizza, y-u-m! It was the The Chicago: Sausage, tomato, hash browns, Monterey & cheddar jack, we opted for the sausage on the side…and one pancake. The brizza was great, I would definitely go back and try another one. The pancake…we should have poured the syrup on sooner, it was a little dense, tasty, but not great. PSM did enjoy his tequila sunrise, it really is a pretty drink!
After a while, we decided to was time to move on and by chance we drove to Lititz, we’ve been there a few times for some festivals and food. We wanted to buy a house in Lititz, but couldn’t find anything that fit our needs. It really is a pretty city. The cool thing today, we were at the last day, but it was the Fire & Ice Festival. PSM told me about it a while back and we both forgot about it, oh well, we still got to enjoy the festivities!
There were ice sculptures in Lititz Spring Park and along the streets, in front of different businesses. The ones that had been sitting in the sun were not faring as well, after 10 days, as the ones in the shade. There were a few really fun ones, all were beautiful, even if you couldn’t quite make out what they were. My two favorites were Santa diving down a chimney and a toilet, too cute!
We walked through the park, we found the food trucks, had some funnel cake, of course!, went into different shops, got some hot drinks, strolled, talked, and just enjoyed the afternoon. When we left, it was barely 2pm! How much we accomplish in such a short amount of time!
We debated going grocery shopping, I’m going to go tomorrow… we were actually on our way and stopped at two new places that people had recommended. One was Issacs Craft Kitchen & Brewery. We’re becoming quite proficient at craft kitchen and breweries, we like to try new places and this was one someone recommended. It was in the same parking lot as Ancester Coffehouse & Creperie that we went to last week. It was pretty empty, I’m sure there’s a different vibe when the place is packed, but honestly, the bar itself wasn’t very robust, they had a limited selection of beers, mostly IPAs, wines, and hard liquor, saving grace, the staff, very nice people. We weren’t hungry, so PSM had a beer and we watched The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, those dogs were amazing! You just watch with your mouth open at what they can do!
Next, we weren’t going very far…Mick’s All American Pub, this was another place people recommended. The bar was nice, they had a good selection of beers and some of PSM’s favorite whiskeys. Their food selection was less for me than the last place. We ended up sharing what they said was like a stromboli, but it was more like a solid calzone or a giant mozzarella stick. We tried something new and both of us paid for it! On the plus side, the staff was great, we talked to the bartender about tattoos, the bar itself was plentiful, and the other patrons were nice. Would we go back to Issac’s or Mick’s? Not likely, there are too many other places to try! But we do appreciate the welcome!
Next, instead of heading straight home, we stopped at South Hills Park. We stopped there to have a walk and because they don’t allow dogs, so we never think about going there. It was a very nice park, but it seemed to get colder, brrrr…so we walked less than a mile, just to see what it looked like and headed back to the car. It’s funny, this morning, when we were at the park with the dogs, we both said “remember when we used to go to the park, just the two of us, to walk and enjoy the surroundings” and of course, while we were walking in the park before we got them…”wouldn’t it be great to have some dogs to take to the park?”
We got back to the house, love bombed by the dogs, fed them, and proceeded to move everything from the other rooms to the kitchen. The kitchen now looks like the cabinets exploded! But…we made the plan where things are going to go yesterday, so I will take care of getting the kitchen to where it needs to be. We agreed on the basics, like flatware, pots, pans, glasses, etc, and we got most of that away. Now comes the task of the pantry, food, spices, etc. I have options, just not sure where they should go, I’ll keep you posted.
Then it was time to take a break! We watched Dave, the 1993 movie staring Kevin Kline, who looks just like the president and gets called in as a stand-in for him, and Sigourney Weaver, the first lady, who hates her husband, with a great supporting cast, Frank Langella as his cheif of staff and Kevin Dunn as his press secretary. Ving Rhames is his secret service agent, Ben Kingsley is vice president, Charles Grodin is his friend, the accountant, Laura Linney is the naughty intern, Faith Prince works for Dave in his real job, and Bonnie Hunt is a white house tour guide. It’s clever and funny, a wining combo! This is one of my favorite movies, I did my best not to quote it out loud!
I ended up putting on Draft Day next, which I love, funilly enough, I don’t really care that much about sports, but I love movies about sports…go figure. The reason I mention this movie is that I had forgotten that Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn are both in the movie with Kevin Costner! Another great movie, I’ll tell you about it another time.
I got the dogs up to go night-night and guess what that beagle Bee did… curled up into a ball and I had to grab her by the collar after the third time of tell them it was time for bed! The little…
Well, if you’re not tired just from reading this, I’m tired from all the activity and fun! So… I will bid you a fair good night!
Why do I have to wake up before 6am on a Saturday? I don’t, no alarm set, but apparently my body thinks I do. Really?!
I was up between 530 and 6a, why? Oh well…I lounged, did some Duolingo, gotta practice my French, every day. I was practicing French, took a break and went to Spanish, we were going to Mexico and I needed to brush up, when I went to Germany in 2022 to meet PSM for the weekend, guess what I practiced. I added Yiddish, I really want to add to my limited knowledge, and now I’m adding Italian, I’ll tell you about it sometime! Wow, do I digress!
So…I practiced some French, brushed my teeth, I thought that was a good thing to do, got dressed, all about the time PSM had let the dogs out. Do not tell me you didn’t see that coming! HA HA. We decided to go to a different park, well, different from the one near us that we usually take them to, today we went to the park in Annville, Quittie Creek Nature Park, we were there on January 20th, fresh snow covered the path and the trees, oh my! Just look at the pics! Today, there was very little snow on the ground and it was damp and a bit muddy, but the girls still had a good time and we walked on and off the beaten path. Most of the people at the park were fisher persons, we chatted with some of them, they were fishing for or hoping to fish for trout. I used to love trout, rainbow trout more than the others.
After the park, we wanted to get some breakfast, something to go, so…we went back to Swatara Coffee, we like that place. I was actually there yesterday, I think I forgot to tell you, sorry! Turns out, Ancester Coffeehouse & Creperie owns them, how cool is that! As we’re standing in line, we both said it felt funny being there without the passports or buying a specialty drink! That was ok, we got over it quickly!
It was a decaf coffee and a blueberry muffin for PSM and an egg and avocado bagel and chai latte for me. I enjoyed it, a little too much avocado spread, which is funny because it’s usually not enough! I realized I like avocado slices on a sandwich, but for breakfast, I prefer avocado toast. Go figure. While we waited for food, I did go over to the Whirling Dervish to get a t-shirt! I think I told you I wanted to go back and get one, score!
From Swatara, we drove to Hernley’s Indian Motorcycle Dealership, in Elizabethtown, PSM was picking up his bike, they installed Apple Car Play and it was ready to be picked up. It was only 38 out, but he got his one ride per month in! I’m not sure his extremeties warmed up yet! He took off and Ruby, Bee, and I headed home.
I started moving things into the kitchen, it’s finished, we need to start filling it up so we can feel complete. I grabbed post its and we identified what’s going where. After a while PSM was ready to go, dogs in the crate, and we headed out to Middle Creek because we were going to see the Snow Geese!!! Someone had told me about it and oh my word! This has to be seen to be believed! It is a lake with a huge white shape on it, but it’s not just a shape it’s the snow geese, o m g! As you’re walking from the parking lot, you can hear them, I don’t know if anyone could sleep to that, just think when you hear a few geese talking, imagine thousands! It was like nothing I’ve ever seen and I am so glad we went!
After a while, lots of pictures later, we went over to the museum, and there was a count as we walked in: Snow Geese 46,000 what?! Tundra Swans: 420, and Canada Geese: 620. Apparently these numbers can go up into the hundreds of thousands, apparently we were there on a slow day! SO worth it, just an amazing site to see. The museum was cool, very informational, not just about the snow geese, but nature and wildlife, those who protect it, hunt humanely, and bird watching, it was a lot of fun, definitely recommend it for an afternoon!
We were both freezing and hungry, so we found a place on my list and went to the Franklin House Tavern, it’s also an inn. We sat in the bar and I’m glad we did, the dining room was c-c-c-cold! We sat at a high top table, the bartender took our drink and food orders, I love when I can get a cup of hot tea at a bar or restaurant! I had a grilled caesar salad, I really need to try to make this at home! and PSM had a reuben. What doesn’t have a Wikipedia page!?
After a great lunch with greater company, we headed home. We let the dogs out, yes, I know you already have the ear worm! First thing…book a trip, hopefully the family will be joining us, can’t wait to tell you about it! Then, we got to work moving things into the cabinets and breakfront, I promise I’ll share pics! We got all the bar glassware in one place, score! Also, we have a lot less mugs than we thought, they all went with our everyday glassware and we still have a shelf left over! We made decisions!
Then it was off to the movies, what you thought we were done? You’re adorable! We headed to the theater to see Madam Web. Um…yeah. Good cast, interesting storyline, mediocre dialog, it’s not part of the MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s part of it’s own Marvel MCU, inluding Venom, Morbius, now Madam Web, and next up, Kraven the Hunter. Those movies aren’t really on my radar, I might watch Venom at some point, but Morbius, not for me. All good, not every movie is for everyone.
I really enjoy the idea of a female superhero, go girl power, but there were parts of this that were seriously lame. The fight/action sequence at the end, really enjoyed that, but it was a very loooonnnggg time coming! Maybe I have to watch it again to get more nuances, but I’m not sure, I’ll keep you posted.
Here’s another weird thing…the coming attractions, all of them were for horror movies, except for Despicable Me 4 and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and then…The First Omen? Twisters? Are there no original ideas left? But back to my original point, this was not a horror movie, why show horror movie trailers? This was bizarre.
Overall, a movie date with my husband was just what the doctor ordered! Back home, let the dogs out, I know, I know! Chill out for a bit, catch up with my friend about her dad, then it was time to talk to you. Oh, in the middle of telling you about my day, it was time to put the dogs up, not let them out, ha ha. I said “Ok, time for night-night” that means get up from where you are and walk to the crate, and I’ll be right behind you with a treat. I took the collars off both dogs, Ruby headed for the crate and Bee…well, she rolled over and snuggled in tighter. I said it again, I scratched her head, she stretched the beagle belly, I gave her some belly rubs and what did she do? Roll back over, snuggle deeper, and go back to sleep?! If it wasn’t so funny, I might be mad! I actually had to grab her by the collar to get her up and moving! I know I said I took their collars off, that was for the invisible fence, this was her every day collar. Are you kidding right now dog?! Nope! The sass! Oh my dogs!
Ok, was that enough!? Time to sign off and like I say to the dogs “Let’s go night-night!”
We went to all 12 locations and tried what they had to offer, well, sort of. PSM tried some of the specialty drinks, I had a chai latte at each place, and we both tried the food offerings, well, PSM didn’t at the last one, but for the most part, we did the Java Journey proud!
We were at the last place and PSM said, we could do this again! But…we would have to buy the mugs again and do we need 2 more of the same mug? Um…if we invite friends over, maybe, but no, we have more than enough mugs! I’ll show you sometime! Yea, I can definitely show you, we just finished a kitchen renovation, I’ll share pics and that might include or mugs. Or…I can take you on mug travel journey with us! So many possibilities! I recently sold my Starbucks mug collection, I can share that too. Ok, wow do I digress! Back to the journey!
Let’s talk about each coffee house, the specialty drink, what we had, what we thought, and would we go again! I know I told you most of this, but this is my opportunity to go back, relive and put it all in one place! I have to give credit where credit is due, for some of the locations, PSM helped me craft the wording for the atmosphere, suweet! Ready…set…drink!
We started at Swatara Coffee Company on 1.13.24. We were on our way to Lowe’s in Palmyra and we were both thirsty. We had had a very busy morning and just needed a refreshment, I saw the sign and it said coffee, sold! We walked in and there were the mugs! I had seen them somewhere a few months ago and then I got an text about it, and I thought, yes! Let’s do this! We asked what it was all about and they told us, why not! When I first told PSM about it, his response was ‘I only drink decaf’ well…maybe they’ll have decaf and maybe they’ll make the special drink with decaf…only one way to find out! Hello… can I get the specialty drink with decaf? Why, yes, yes you can! Sold!
We bought the mugs, PSM tried their specialty drink, Cinnamon Bun Latte w/Caramel Cold Foam, um… that actually sounded pretty good, but I knew there was coffee involved so…no thanks for me! I ordered a chai latte with mac milk, that’s macadamia nut milk for those not in the know…It was rich, creamy, and tasty! We shared a french toast muffin. It was all loverly, let’s just say a lot of sweetness happening here!
The atmosphere was nice. PSM walked in and immediately decompressed, we found it quaint and relaxing, his words, which i loved and couldn’t agree more! It was not a large or small place, it was open, had artwork on the walls, a few tables, and the staff was friendly, what more could you ask for?! Would we go back, you bet! If you’re up for it, and want a bit more to read, check out the post for that day!
The next day, 1.14.24, we started at Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie in Campbelltown, definitely want to check out the town. The specialty drink was an Italian Cookie Latte, way too sweet for PSM, but he was a good sport. I had a..wait for it…wait for it…a chai latte with oat milk, it was yummy! PSM had a bagel sandwich, me…savory crepe all the way and boy was it good! I couldn’t wait to try their other location to try their crepes, maybe a sweet one this time!
We thought it was interesting that it was attached to Snitz Creek Brewery [I accidentally spelled it wrong the last time, sorry Snitz Creek!] It was a great atmosphere, very farmhouse chic, wooden tables and chairs, barn doors, yeah, there was a vibe, please come in and hang out.
Next stop…Sydney Roasting Company in Lebanon. We walked in, not knowing what to expect, as always, but we liked it. It had an industrial feel, but it made you want to hang out and chill, so we did. Their signature drink [S/D] was Cinnamon Honey Freddo w/Cinnamon Cold Foam, what do you think PSM said? Decaf, please! I had a…I won’t keep you in suspense! A chai latte with almond milk. It was good, and we only got drinks, we were still full from breakfast. When we left, PSM teased…do you want something else to drink, maybe Starbucks, not..on…your…life! No more chai today, please! Would we go again? You bet! And PSM went for lunch one day, that should tell you something! Want to read more about it, and see the puppies? Check out the post for the day!
Monday morning came and we did something we don’t normally do, the demo was about to begin on our kitchen and we were in the mood, so we went to get coffee/breakfast, definitely not the norm on a Monday! And I just realized… it’s 1.15.24, MLK Day! That makes more sense than we were completely playing hookey! PSM had the day off and I decided to start a little later and enjoy this treat with my husband! We started at Baked Sweet Coffehouse and Bakery, this was not just a Monday, it was day 3 of our Java Journey! The address says Frystown Road in Myerstown, but it was actually in Frystown, odd.
This was the first place we went without the mugs and we definitely liked that! Didn’t have to remember or worry about anything happening to them! The street, well, you can tell they’re working on making it better. We walked in and the place was absolutely charming! Little touches everywhere, places to sit, relax, work, meet friends, which it seemed like it was the neighborhood place to go, we definitely liked that.
Their signature drink was Caramel Apple Crunch Latte…guess what PSM had…decaf coffee. I had a chai, of course. Neither of us enjoyed our drinks, PSM’s wasn’t great and mine was mostly water, the pastries were pretty good, blueberry and coffee cake muffins. Oh! I got one of their specialty frosted sugar cookies, and oh my, I understand why it’s called Baked Sweet!!! Let’s just say, we’re glad we tried it, but for us we wouldn’t recommend it, not saying someone else wouldn’t love it, but it wasn’t a place we’d go back. We are definitely glad we tried it, for the warmth, but when the atmosphere is better than the food and drink, not a ringing endoresement for us.
Next, I really wanted something to drink, and maybe eat, PSM was feeling the same, we headed to City Watch Coffee, we had been there before, it wasn’t our first go-to for coffee, tea, and food, but it’s nice that it’s close to home. I got a Hot City Vik Chai with coconut milk, love a chai with coconut milk. Their signature drink was rum cake cappuccino, PSM decided to go for a hot chocolate, that guy always keeping me on my toes. We had egg sandwiches which were pretty good.
The staff is nice, the atmosphere has an industrial/warehouse feel, different than the Sydney Roasting Co industrial feel. Even though we sat to eat and drink, I wouldn’t say it’s a charming place that I would make a destination of, but I can definitely see going to get food and drink to go, it’s definitely good in a pinch. We’ve been there three times, that has to tell you something. And now…enjoy an insight into our full day!
It’s Saturday again, that seems to happen every week, doesn’t it?! 1.20.24 and we are at Whirling Dervish Bakery & Coffefe Shop. Did I mention, go, just go! I know, I absolutely loved this place! Their signature drink was a Cozy Cinnamon Mocha, decaf it is! Chai latte for me. The pastries were good, better than the drinks, when we go back, and we will go back, I will get a straight up cup of tea, no milks! I say we will go back because it was such a charming and eclectic place! It was tiny, no place to sit, there was so much to look at and gnomes for days! I want to go back and get one of their shirts, it was just such a great place to be, as I said in my original post…be a lookie-loo! Just remember…their hours are not conducive to a leisurely visit…what I mean is Thursday and Friday 7a-11a and Saturday 8a-12p. Go, go now! ha ha
After the Whirling dervish, we took the dogs to a new park, just a few minutes from the coffee shop, so much fun! Can’t wait to go back! Then, after a few things happening, we went to Mill 72 Bake Shop & Cafe. Another winner! Their signature drink…Loaded Hot Chocolate! I SO wanted PSM to order it, but he may have gone into sugar shock! I wish I had taken a picture! It was hot chocloate with whipped creme, of course! Chocolate fudge on the rim of the glass and a few mini donuts on a stick. Oh my word! I was happy with a chai latte and we had egg sandwiches on waffles, very clever! We both agreed, the waffles could have been crisper and if there was syrup in them, even better! That’s not to say we did not enjoy them, oh we did. And the orange slice with it, very nice!
It was a pretty good sized space, enough to have a two tables of merchandise for sale in the front and shelves on the side with more items for sale, including proprietary items, just like almost all the coffee shops, more power to ’em! If any of the places had stickers or a magnet, you know I got one! Oh, I have to share my magnet collection! I can’t wait for that one!
It was welcoming and kitchy, they had places you could relax, take photos, photos to post online, a fire place, a place where you know people like to congregate and you can see yourself hanging out. Will we come back? Oh yeah! There are actually a few locations, I’m looking forward to seeing how they compare!
The weekend went to fast, but…luckily, we’re back at Saturday and time for two more coffee shops! It’s 1.27.24 and we are on our way to the Tattoo Expo, but first…Timber Creek Coffee! They are located in Myerstown, not far from the house and on the way to Philly, sort of! Their signature drink is a Winter Gingerbread Wonder. It was very sweet and had a gingerbread cookie on it. Oh my word! Did you know there was a kids song called The Gingerbread Cookie Dance? Well…now you do! You’re welcome! I have the ear worm and now I’m sharing it with you! muwahaha
I learned that my husband loves gingerbread cookies! I had no idea! I had a chai latte, of course! and we ordered a few pastries, cinnamon roll, a blueberry muffin, a coffee cake muffin, and a gingerbread cookie for later. Everything was delicious!
It is a charming, welcoming, and kind, and that is just the space, the people who work there are just as chaming, welcoming, and nice. Will we go back? You bet we will! I’m looking forward to trying some of their other baked goods. Just be aware they are not open on Sunday or Monday. Check out our adventure for the day!
Ok, it’s Sunday, 1.28.24, where to?! Let’s start at Timeless Cafe in downtown Lebanon. The signature drink is a Chocolate Almond Dalgona, let’s just say…two sips and it was let me get you a coffee from their coffee station! I had a chai latte with oat milk, it was good. I had a breakfast wrap and PSM had a bagel with cream cheese, he was going to have an egg sandwich/wrap, but went for the bagel, then I think he was a little jealous of my sandwich, not to worry, where are we going next?!
Timeless Cafe really is timeless, and not just because there are clocks everywhere, ha ha. It’s charming, the atmosphere is welcoming, that’s also where the timeless comes in, and a very nice staff, what more could you want for a carefree brunch with friends or a coffee date with your husband!
After Timeless Cafe we headed out to the other Swatara Coffee Company in Jonestown. This location was smaller than the one in Annville, but equally as nice. It was definitely more cozy, it was fun, in the back there was a crochet circle going, you know that just screams neighborhood and welcoming! The signature drink was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Latte, PSM had decaf, ha ha, and I had a chai latte with mac milk, yum!
The staff was nice, the other patrons were nice, and even though we had eaten at Timeless Cafe, there was a chocolate chip cookie block that I could not resist! And for someone who doesn’t like chocolate, this was sooo worth it! Another neighborhood place, people hanging out, doing work, sharing some time together, what more could you want? Would we come back? You bet your bippie! And for pics, check out the full post. Wait, we only have two stops left!
Another week done, and now we are down two coffee shops! How is that possible?! We are so close! What will we do with our weekends now?! We started on Saturday, 2.17.24, at The Caffeination Station in Palmyra, their signature drink is a Mocha Valencia, PSM was game, and I got…I know, shocker! A chai latte with oat milk, it was pretty good. We each got an egg sandwich, food and drink were good.
You got a train feel right from the start, there was a train on the lawn, imagine that! Inside, you definitely got a train station feel, trains on the walls, trains running the edge of the shop, trains, trains, and more trains! You definitely knew you were in a local place, very family atmosphere and run by a family. There was an open feel, not just in the layout, but open and welcoming, and good bad dad jokes, what more could you want?! Another visit, I’m sure!
Last stop, what?! Ancester Coffeehouse & Creperie in Lebanon. It was a bigger space, their signature drink is a Red Velvet Latte w/Vanilla Cold Foam, you can guess what PSM had. One sweet drink per day is good for him! I had a macron, I wanted something sweet, but we were not hungry in the least! The macron was better than my chai latte with mac milk. I liked it so much at the other location, I was excited to try it here, but it was not to be. They made me a new one and it just wasn’t right, it happens, could have been me that day. I’m glad we were at the other one first, if this was the first one, I don’t know if we’d venture again.
This location was bigger than the other, but equally as welcoming, different types of walls and coffee sacs under the glass on each table. Despite being in a strip mall, I could see going there for brunch or lunch, meeting friends, working, or just hanging out. One thing it did was open us up to some of the other businesses in the plaza, especially two pubs and breweries we’re going to have to check out. Will we go back to this Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie, I would say yes, I want another crepe and it’s close to the house. Which one would I prefer, the other one was a little more charming/kitch, but this is a definite yes! Check out our day.
Wow, we did it! We completed our Lebanon Valley Java Journey! What will we do with our weekends, and occasional weekdays now? PSM said we could do it all over again, I already told you that, I had to double check that! We could still do it, we just won’t get stamps in the passport. Speaking of which, aren’t the stamps cute!? The organizers gave each location their own stamps, so cool! We got our last stamp, wrote our contact info on the back and turned them in. Fingers crossed for us, maybe we’ll win!
Even if we don’t, this was a win-win! Being new to the area, it opened us up to a new experience and trying new things together. We met people along the way, talked about the journey, got other people to try it, and we went to new places we might not have gone otherwise, and now, we have some new hangouts.
I can’t wait to see what the next java-journey type experience we have! We actually had a small one on the Lebanon Valley Libations Trail. That would be breweries, just in case you weren’t sure! I’m on the lookout for our next journey/trail, if you know of one, don’t keep it a secret, might have to make one of our own!
Thanks for going on this journey with us, it was like you were right there with us! Love that!
I’m still a bit melancholy, I am definitely not trying to bring anyone down, I promise.
Today was tough, moments of normalcy, moments of happiness, then a memory triggered and… There was more texting with friends, other people reaching out who just found out, I am touched that people thought of me when they thought of him. It’s amazing how people come in and out of your life and how they touch and affect it.
I needed a few moments of nothing, so I went to YouTube, I always find it interesting what’s going to come up in my feed. Some stuff is relevant, some stuff is entertaining, and some stuff, well, I just scratch my head!
I was talking to CWB today and she was telling me about a band she saw last night, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Sammy Rae is American jazz rock and indie singer-songwriter, I listened to their music and I really liked it. I shared with her Postmodern Jukebox, SDL, Miss A, and I saw them when we were in Memphis last year, they are a rotating music collective, reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz. I’m currently listening to Pour Some Sugar On Me, by none other than Def Leppard, but with their twist on it, gotta respect.
I went down a YouTube spiral and happened upon this: ABBA – The Last Video. There are no words, seriously, but it did make me smile. Just watch it and see if you can’t help smiling. Exactly what I needed at the moment. But…I’m now thinking I might need a few more smiles, that means my comfy jammies, my trusty, tear stained, well loved Winnie the Pooh, and anything Muppets is in my future. The Muppets and Winnie the Pooh, that’s my childhood, oh, and Snoopy, just to name a few, but those are really what works and can put a smile on my face.
I got some sad news tonight. Kind of ironic on Valentine’s Day, a day all about love, but in a way, I’m also feeling love.
So…tonight, after wishing friends and family love for Valentine’s Day and even wishing a favorite couple happy anniversary, CGS, one of my oldest and closest friends, texted me, she hated to do it through text, but she just found out that someone we were friends with passed away yesterday. And then MM texted me to tell me, I was just going to tell him. Then I texted two more friends, one who knew and one who hadn’t heard yet.
I met AGM in middle school, not sure how we met, but you couldn’t go anywhere without knowing AGM. He brought people together, he made you laugh, helped you out, he was one of those friends who you could call in a jam and they wouldn’t ask questions. I’m not sure how I met some people, but I have a feeling he was the one who introduced me to a few of my friends.
We met in middle school, then went to the same highschool, he was everybody’s friend. You couldn’t miss him, he was tall and had the biggest personality! 1987, we were in high school, and the movie Mannequin came out, Meshach Taylor played Hollywood Montrose, a fabulous character and wouldn’t you know it, AGM used to refer to himself as Hollywood, but much more musical, I can hear it in my head! So…from that moment on, whenever we saw each other, he was Hollywood! And he knew exactly who was calling his name!
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, one of our favorite movies. He used to perform it at a theater in Manhattan on the weekends, full court press, and he made a fabulous Dr Frank-N-Furter, I used to go to see him at the theater, he was mesmorizing! Then one year, MM, CGS, AGM, and I, with two other friends, well, they were friends by the time we left, piled in the car and drove to a theater in Springfield, MD, so we could watch Meatloaf, who played Eddie in the movie, open for the Rocky Horror Picture Show live on stage!
I did a semester of college at College of Staten Island, there AGM introduced me to some other great friends, we took a film class together and the one we gravitated towards, and performed a few scenes from, for class, was Clue. He was Wadsworth, of course…the lead, no doubt! who was played by Tim Curry, who also played Dr Frank-N-Furter, in Rocky Horror Picture Show. I sense a theme, wait…I think he also introduced me to Legend, in which Tim Curry played Darkness…hmmm…
No matter what was going on in my life, our paths crossed, when I would come home from college for holidays, we would get together, or I would go to The Red Spot, a bar on Bay Street, where he was working, he also worked at CVS, forever as I remember it! I started seeing photos on FaceBook, and I almost never go on FaceBook, but I had to see it for myself…and there it was, not a rumor, the memories, oh man, the memories.
As sad as it is, reaching out to some friends I haven’t spoken to in years, so worth it. This was not a human being you would, could, or ever want to forget. Although my heart is hurting right now, it’s also full of love, my eyes are welling, but I’m smiling, the biggest smile I have in me. I know all of us who know, knew AGM, are better for having him in our atmosphere, as someone said to me ‘I’ll be happy that, in this short life of mine/ours, that I/we got to spin around the orbit, which was planet AGM.’ I don’t think anyone could have said it better.
As I leave you, my friends, hug each other…today is a gift, and knowing you are in my universe makes me a richer person, thank you.
And now…I’m going to put on my pj’s, get under the covers, and watch Mannequin as I drift off to sleep. Thank you AGM for, well, for you.
This one happened fast! They were predicting some winter weather, but I don’t think they quite expected this!
We woke up to the ground covered in a few inches of white and it was still coming down. I got out of bed, fed the pups, PSM advised me not to take them for a walk, the road outside our front door was not plowed and the roads were wet, slippery, and could be dangerous, and for the quarter mile I walk them, who knows. So…I fed them, put their collars on and tried to get them to go outside to do their business while I tackled the snow.
I grabbed the Ego Snow Thrower, had my music going and I was off! I did one pass down the driveway, enough to get any work trucks in and my car could get out, not asking for miracles. The funny/sad thing was as I was doing it, and the snow is still coming down, when I was done, almost looked like I didn’t do anything! Go figure!
The city snow plows finally came through about 715am, and there were at least four that I saw. I spoke with PSM around that time, and the roads were not great, people were sliding all over the place! They may have waited a little too late to plow! He said he was in 4-wheel drive the entire way to work!
It was coming down hard and it was still a wet snow, so that when I got back in the house, my hat was soaked, my down parka was soaked, and the hood was a bucket of snow! I hung everything up, including my clothes, and jumped in a nice hot shower! Wonderful!
About 1p, the snow had finally stopped and the sun was out, I got suited up, I had to put on my ski jacket and a new pair of gloves and hat because my stuff was still soaked! I went out and it wasn’t worth using the snow thrower, so I grabbed a shovel and went at it old school! By then, it was heavy and wet, not as much fun! Oh, earlier, the bottom layer under the fresh powder was mostly wet and some of it was slick, had to be careful. I shoveled what was left and really cleared out the driveway, it helped that the sun was out, which made it gorgeous out and helped the snow melt faster.
I saw my neighbor and her son across the street, we started chatting, then her husband came home and joined us for a few. I got the job done, went back into the house, and then…when I stopped moving, kind of like when I finished the 15k last week, my body said, ooh, I don;t know if I like you right now! ha ha. I wasn’t in a great deal of pain, it was a dull ache and I could feel what I had just accomplished. The bad part, it was hard to sit and work for a bit, but lunch did the trick!
The best part, PSM had a clear path to come home to! What’s next?! Bring it on!
Peaches Prattlings 