November 1, 2012 LAST DAY IN VEGAS....hooray, we are heading home!!!!!

November 1, 2012 in Las Vegas

I think this day was the day that Peggy and I had the least fun.  Our replacement flight was at 11:30 p.m. today, and by now we had seen and done everything in Las Vegas that interested us.  Early in the morning, we decided to reserve our room at CIRCUS CIRCUS for the night again even though we would not be staying overnight.  Both of us hated the idea of just "hanging around" the strip with no place to go after check out time.

After breakfast in our room, we spent some time getting our suitcases organized and then we decided to check out a couple of the newer hotels that were built on "the strip" since our last visit to Vegas:  The TRUMP and the WYNN.  Also, Peg wanted to go to THE VENETIAN again.  So thats how we spent our morning.  We were at the TRUMP around lunch time.   Peggy was a bit put off by the elegance of the restaurant off of the lobby, but I was hungry, tired and thirsty and since the menu showed reasonable prices, I suggested we eat there and she reluctantly agreed.  She had a barbeque chicken salad and I ordered a club sandwich with fruit on the side.  We both enjoyed our meals. The service was impeccable and we both relaxed and enjoyed the elegance of the DRT Restaurant.

Then we headed back to CIRCUS CIRCUS where we both took a nap.  After that we went to the midway and watched a juggling act.  We decided to use our free tickets for a midway game and chose CAMEL RACE.  It was only the two of us playing, so one of us had to win........and I was the lucky one....winning a small pillow. I won something in Las Vegas!!!!!

We went to the buffet in the hotel for supper.  It was reasonably priced, but smaller than some of the others we have been to.  The food was good.  Some of the workers behind the buffet did not speak good english, so asking them questions was futile.  The items were not labelled.  When Peggy asked what kind of fish it was, she was told "its fish".   LOL.

I think we checked out around eight p.m.  We took a shuttle to the airport.  While waiting to check in we met a few other people who had been stuck in Las Vegas.  They had stories about their struggle to get out of Vegas that were much more dramatic than ours.  There are some really nice murals in the Las Vegas airport and here is one.    Our flight was on time and we headed towards Cleveland.  In the Cleveland airport, we had breakfast from Subway.  FINALLY, we headed to Buffalo.    Gail picked us up at the airport (by now it was the 3rd of November).  It was so good to be back in New York!!!!!

Weekend in Lockport: December 14-17, 2012

I decided to go to Lockport to help my sister with cleaning out our Dad's apartment.  I left around 10:30 a.m. on Friday the 14th and drove up to Richfield Springs.  Before getting on the thruway, I bought a small sub from SUBWAY, since the selection of places to eat on the thruway is so limited.   I stopped in Oakfield, New York when I noticed a display of decorated trees around the Village Square.  Then I noticed this old school building that has been made into apartments: 

I arrived late afternoon and got settled into my Dad's old apartment.  Peggy arrived an hour or so later bring taco salads from a new fast food Mexican place she recently found.  We took a drive to see the small
Festival of Lights on Market Street and to some other neighborhoods that are beautifully decorated and lit up. 

Saturday morning, we started right in with working in the bathroom, which will be completely renovated.  We cleaned out a chest, and moved it to one of the bedrooms. We took some of the items that were in the chest into the basement.  For lunch, I prepared sloppy joes, and Gail joined us.  We had a nice visit.  We worked some more in the afternoon and then went out to supper at Gordy Harpers with Peggy's friend Betty and my mothers cousin, Becky.  It was a great meal, and I really like Gordy Harpers, which offers lots of
shopping opportunities.  Peggy purchased a MOON PIE to take home.  We went to a dollar store and bought several jars of peanut butter and jelly and dropped them off at a collection spot for homeless meals.
So, we got to see the festival of lights (I think it has a different name) again.

Sunday morning, Peggy and I went to church.  Wayne Dent gave a fantastic sermon.  Then we went to Subway for lunch and them back to the house.  We worked for about an hour and then rested the rest of the afternoon until it was time to leave for the Sunday School Christmas Program at Faith Tabernacle.  Mike and Janie and the kids met us there.  After the program, Janie took this picture of Mike, myself and Peggy with Flat Stacey.  This year, Cassandra sent her to Uncle Mike.

Peg and I met up with Mike, Janie and her two sons at a Taco place and spent a bit more time with them before heading home.  Peggy prepared turkey burgers for supper, which turned out good.

Monday morning, I headed back to Oneonta.  I started out on the thruway, and when I got tired of that, exited and got to Route 20.  I decided to stop at KLING'S MILLS DINER for lunch, and unfortunately they were all out of pie.  I arrived home around 1:30 p.m.

Joyce/Connie/Carol/Terry

What a blessing friends are!  I got to spend portions of today with four very special people.  After working this morning, I went to visit Joyce.  I asked her if she wanted to go to Neahwa Park to take a walk, but she said her back was bothering her.  We talked for a while and she started to feel better, and asked if I would take her to WalGreens. (on the way there, she wanted to go to Arby's but we found it closed)  At WalGrens, she purchased a couple of boxes of Christmas cards.  Then she said she needed stamps, so I took her to the Oneonta Post Office.  Then she said she needed a box of envelopes, so I suggested we go to THE DOLLAR TREE, where we both made a few purchases.  Then I dropped her off.

At the Post Office, we ran into my friend Connie and Connie and I set up a time later on to meet at Wilbur Park to go for a walk.  We met up down by the tennis courts and walked for over a half an hour.  Connie then wanted to go get something to eat, but I told her I needed to get home in order to meet up with Carol and Terry so we could go to a church supper.

The church supper in Morris was very good.  Then we went to THE MAGIC CLOSET at a church in Morris, where they give away free clothing and other items.  Neither Terry or I found anything, so we left while Carol was still looking.

It was a good day!

Olivia

A couple of weeks ago, I advertised two dollhouses in a local PENNYSAVER.  I never saw the ad, but a young lady named Olivia called and expressed interest in them.  She came to my house one day and purchased them, along with a box of books.  I gave her a set of CHILDCRAFT Encyclopedias and a Spin-Art Set, for her children.  When I found out that she loves books and wants to set up a library in her home, I told her I would get the rest of my childrens books together for her.

Wendy, Olivia and Rejoice

My friend Linda and I took the books and a Holly Hobbie toy box to Olivia today in Richfield Springs.  I think she actually lives in a populated place called  Brighton Corners.   She lives in a huge farmhouse on a farm, where her husband is a dairy farmer.  Olivia and her family are Mennonites and they live in the heart of the Amish area.

It turned out that today was Olivia's daughter Wendy's fourth birthday.  Olivia, Linda and I chatted for a while before Linda and I headed back to town to have lunch.   Olivia told me that her family became Mennonite for a time, and then changed churches, but she and her sister decided to remain Mennonite.
She and David met at Bible College (I think maybe in Pennsylvania).  They moved to New York from
Texas a year or two ago.  She said being Mennonite helps them to live the way they want to live.

After we left Olivia and the girls, Linda and I went to Richfield Springs and had lunch at the Chinese restaurant.  It was very good.   Then we went to the Post Office to see the mural, and we crossed the
street to see the manger scene in the village square.  On the way back home, we stopped at Dyn's Cider Mill for a few minutes.Here is a picture of Linda chatting with the owner.

Syracuse Afternoon

Yesterday, Peg and I decided to visit an elderly lady (97) in a nursing home in Liverpool, New York.  Mary spent part of her childhood living with my fathers family in Lockport, New York.  I had met her once before in the summer of 2010.

We headed out around nine a.m. for this little over two hours drive to Liverpool.  There was snow and wind at various times, we seemed to be driving through various stages of weather!

Our first stop was at DESTINY, NY (I think thats a dumb name for a mall) which used to be the Carousel Mall.  Peggy has stopped several times and she particularly likes a Japanese fast food place.  So, we had lunch there, and now I know why she likes it so much. One of the neat thing about this food court is that
several of the places offer samples.   I walked around the food court and saw both a Japanese and Chinese place that had good specials and I could not resist purchasing a take out meal from both places. (which Peggy, Carrie and I had for Sunday lunch).

Then we did a bit of geocaching finding FOOD DROP #3 in the Wegmans parking lot.  Then we went to the nursing home and met with Mary.  It was a very good visit.  When it came time to leave, she did not want us to go.

On the way home we stopped for a sundae at the McDonalds in Cazenovia.  I think we arrived back at my house at 4:30 p.m.

Oneonta Afternoon................

After work today, I met Connie at SIMPLY THAI for lunch.  Once again, I had the Pad Priew Wan. It is a stir fry dish with beef, pineapple, tomato, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper and onion, with a hefty scoop of white rice.  It was absolutely delicious!  I tried a bit of Connie's Thai Fried Rice, and it was very good.

After that, we crossed Main Street to check out the new Taiwanese restaurant.  The prices appear to be very reasonable, and we plan to have lunch there very soon.

Then we went to the Oneonta History Center.  I purchased a Christmas present for my sister, Peggy, a couple of postcards for my grandkids and a couple of other small items.

Then we met at Wilber Park, where we took a walk.  While walking, we started to talk about candies we recall from our childhood.  That conversation led us to wondering if any of those candies are available at the new candy store on Main Street.  Soooooooo, we decided to meet up there.  We found some of the "old time candies", but not all.  The chocolates are shipped from ASHER'S in Pennsylvania.  I bought two jelly squares, which were delicious!  Connie was still looking around when I left!

It was a nice afternoon.

Note: the CENTER STREET DELI will close soon.  Connie recommends the chicken salad sandwich and

rice pudding.

Bainbridge/Sidney Geocaching Adventure

We have been having some very nice (warm and sunny) November days, so I asked Leslie if she was free and if she might be interested in doing some geocaching.  She responded that she did want to go and we decided to go to Bainbridge, where some new geocaches have been placed.

We met up at her house at 9:30 a.m. and headed out.  We stopped first in Unadilla to look for a micro at the UNADILLA DRIVE-IN.  Leslie found it and we moved on.  Next, we looked for DON'T BARK UP THE WRONG TREE at the Sidney Fishing Access.  We were unable to find this one.  Leslie had found it a while back, and she checked the spot where it used to be and it was gone.  We looked all over the area, thinking maybe it fell out of its spot and might be on the ground, but no luck.

Then we headed to Bainbridge, where Leslie found CLINTON RE-REDUX, an elusive cache hidden in a very different type of spot.  Then we found several more geocaches in Bainbridge. One was hidden in a parking lot, and there we saw this car:   Then we had lunch at BOB'S DINER.  We both had patty melts.  Then we found two more Bainbridge area geocaches.  I suggested we look for a one room schoolhouse on Searles Road that I had heard about, so we did look, but we did not find it.  We did find this small cemetery which I think is in the Yaleville area.  Then we  headed back towards Oneonta.

We stopped in Sidney to find 3rd on my 33rd, which was hidden in the parking area of a shopping center.

Another stop in Otego, where I found TRUCKERS DREAM SPOT, and then we headed back to Oneonta.