Lunch with Linda and Penny

Linda,her Aunt Penny and I got together for one last time before my move.  The plans were to go to a book shop Penny likes in Otego and then out for lunch.  Penny called the book shop this morning and found out that they are not open on Tuesdays.  So, we changed the time to meet up til a little later and decided to just go out to lunch.

I thought they might like to do something after lunch so I called EDWARD's ANTIQUES and COLLECTIBLES (I have noticed this place on 205 between Laurens and Mt Vision several times and was able to obtain a phone number a while back) and made an appointment to be there at two p.m.  When I picked Linda and Penny up (at Penny's house in Laurens), I  asked them if they wanted to go with me to EDWARD'S.  Penny said she needed to be home to meet up with her gardener at 1:30 and Linda said she had stuff she had to do.

We decided to eat at Christophers.  I had not been there in years, so I had forgotten about the rustic atmosphere.  I had the "express lunch"which was pasta, shrimp and vegetables in a light alfredo sauce and Penny and Linda ordered a half of a hot pastrami sandwich with the salad bar.

We were all happy with our lunches.  The "three bean salad" on the salad bar was delicious!  I could not finish my pasta.  Penny told us stories of her father, how he ran away from home at 13 and made his own way in the world, how he prospected for gold,  and did not return home until after his father had died.  She told about his grandparents coming over from Lithuana, both dying before their son was a year old. At age eight her grandfather was sent out on his own with a peddlars pack to make his own living.

Penny said that she would like to go to the new SCHOLET'S FURNITURE, which had taken over the old Drogen's spot down the road.  She is looking for some new living room furniture.  We enjoyed checking out the living room stuff and Penny found a set she really likes, and is going to think about purchasing it.

I dropped some clothing off at the drop off spot at the tiny church in West Oneonta and then dropped Linda and Penny off at Penny's house.  I arrived at EDWARD'S fifteen minutes early but Joe and Lucie were there.  Lucie took me into the front building and I looked around, and picked out two small pieces of colored glass: one cobalt blue and one cranberry glass.  Then Joe opened u the second barn which he referred to as "the warehouse"....since it is not really organized like a shop.  I looked around but did not find anything that interested me.

When I went back into the first shop to pay for my  glass, I looked around a bit more and found a l950 First Edition Betty Crocker Picture CookBook  and Lucie only wanted $3.00 for it!  I happily purchased it.    I have wanted one of these for a LONG time......its the exact same cookbook my mother used when I was growing up.  I had a l970 version that fell apart a long time ago (I used it a lot) and recently I found a newer version with a reproduced cover similar to the l950 one (in a binder) but what I REALLY wanted was the l950 version, and now I have it.  I looked online to see what these are going for and the prices range from $20 to $60.00 !!!  I really got a good deal!

It is in almost perfect condition, too!  

Here are some pictures I  took at EDWARD'S ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES:

Joe has some military memorabilia which he showed me.  They explained that they used to have MUCH more, but they have sold most of it over the years.  

I wish I had visited EDWARD'S before this.  Lucie and Joe are so friendly!  

FINAL Cooperstown Adventure

I have to admit, I lived in this area for several years before I realized what a gem we have in the village of Cooperstown.  I automatically associated it with the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which I had already been to once and that did not excite me.......   However, eventually I discovered what a great village it is, and I have enjoyed visiting it over the years.  I even worked there for several years (out of the Otsego County Department of Social Services).

I wanted to spend some time in Cooperstown ONE more time before moving and I wanted to spend a quality day with my friend Vera, so today I combined the two.  I picked her up at 9:30 and we headed to Cooperstown.  Our first stop was at THE GENERAL STORE that used to be Newberry's where Vera bought some craft supplies.

Then we went to BROOKWOOD GARDENS.  Not many flowers are in bloom just yet, but it is such a lovely place. I think Vera liked the birdhouse best.

Then we decided to go to the FENIMORE ART MUSEUM.

 I would not have thought that this would be of a lot of interest to Vera, but she surprised me!  She really enjoyed it!

We looked at the various exhibits on the lower level and the first floor and I was getting hungry and tired so I suggested we go out for lunch and return.  We went to the Otesaga for their lunch buffet.  It was tremendous!

 The price has gone up: it is now $18.00, but since that includes drinks and desert, I suppose it is not too bad.  The hot entrees were pork and gravy and chicken with rice and a delicious sauce.   The asparagus was particularly tasty, and their shrimp salad was as good as it always is!   The desert table was superb today, better than it has been at some other times.  I tried several!

After lunch, we walked around the inside of the hotel for a few minutes, and also sat out on the porch facing the lake for a minute or two.  Then we headed back to the FENIMORE ART MUSEUM where we toured the third floor, which had a HOMER WINSLOW exhibit, which was very good.   We went back down to the lower level to see the Adirondack paintings by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tate for the second time.

When we walked down to the bark house, but we could not go inside.  When done with that walk, we headed back towards Oneonta where I dropped Vera off.  It was a great day, Vera and I had a lot of fun.

ARBURETUM and CANAL STREET STATION Adventure!!!!

Leslie and I met up in Oneonta to spend a day "out" to celebrate our June birthdays.  Knowing this might be our last get together before my move, I was hoping for a special day!

Leslie drove and we went to Esperance to go to the LANDIS ARBORETUM.  We hiked some trails and found two geocaches.  Here are a couple of pictures.

It is so beautiful here!  I would have liked more but we had set a time to meet up with Joseph Merli at CANAL STREET STATION in Duanesburg.  He runs a woodworking business and has been setting up an old time village on his property for many years.  

Joe gave us a personal tour and let us into the old time hardware/general store,

the 1940's diner and the locomotive.  He showed us a couple of VERY old Oldsmobiles that he has restored.  He and 2 others drove one of them across the USA several years ago.

He showed us an item he is working on in his shop.  It is a gift from him to a celebrity that he is friends with.  Leslie and I are sworn to secrecy regarding the item and who it is for.  

THREE DNF Adventure

I had tentative plans to meet up with my friend Yvette today for lunch in Oneonta.  However, I couldn't get hold of her by phone so I made other plans with Wendy, since it was my birthday!

We started the day out with geocaching/  Unfortunately, we did not find any of the three we looked for.  It was a gorgeous day, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed walking the trails at the Kurt Meyer Park. I took this picture of the creek or river that runs through the park (from the foot bridge).   That was the first one we looked for (A WALK IN THE PARK 2), and then we looked for a nano in an old cemetery.

in an old cemetery, without success and then a final roadside cache that should have been easy, but wasn't.  

Wendy wanted to show me a particular dollar store in Norwich, so that was our next stop.  I purchased a few items before we went for lunch. Chinese Buffet!!!!!  It was pretty good, although not as good as I expected it to be.  

Lunch Out With Connie (Monday, June 2, 2014)

I called Connie and suggested that she and I meet up for lunch.  We finally decided to go to Humphrey's Gourmet Restaurant and pick up food and take it to Wilber Park.  We both had chicken salad and an item with spinach inside a pastry crust.  I also had macaroni and cheese.
Connie was not at all happy with the chicken, but I thought it was fine.  The other items were great.

Then we took a walk in the park.  On the way back to our cars, I spotted this bird.

Weekend of May 31st PEGGY's WEDDING

Peggy's Wedding ADVENTURE

I headed out towards Lockport on Thursday
morning, May 29th, taking the thruway most
of the way.  After I got off in Batavia, I
took a different route, up  through Elba and
______.  I stopped to take a couple of pictures.

I arrived at 17 about three p.m.  I spent the
next 45 minutes unloading my car and starting
to put items away.

Then I drove to FAITH TABERNACLE CHURCH to meet up
with Peggy.  The plan was for me to help her and
some friends decorate the sanctuary.  However, the
friends were delayed.  I met Jo, the woman who was
in charge of baking the cake and cupcakes.  She
mentioned that she forgot to buy the carrot cake
mix, so I offered to go pick them up for her.  When
I returned, the decorating was almost done.  Peg
put me to work folding the program/bulletins for
her wedding.  I think that took close to an hour.
Peg said she was going to order a pizza for all of
those at the church helping.  She called PIZZA OVEN
and I went to pick it up.  I set it up in the
hospitality room.  It was a tray pizza, half with
mushrooms and half with pepperoni.  It was sooo
good.  After eating, I headed back to 17.  Peg
joined me soon after.

FRIDAY morning
I spent the morning unpacking and putting stuff
away and cleaning.  Peg left to go to the bank and
check on the progress of the work at the church.
We met up for lunch at l:00 p.m. at TOM'S DINER on
Main Street.   Before going back to 17, I stopped at
LAKE EFFECT DINER and purchased two pints of ice cream.
Frozen Hot Chocolate and Peanut Butter Epiphany.

I took a nap and Peg did some yard work.

Peg and David held a mock wedding ceremony at
THE ROAD TO NOWHER (the location of a geocache that
Peggy and I hid a while back).  It was a very
nice ceremony and that area seemed especially
beautiful.  Then they took a lock and two keys to
the BIG BRIDGE and attached the lock to a wire fence
and threw the keys into the canal.  This seems to be
a new Lockport tradition for brides and grooms.

Then it was time to go to the church for the rehearsal.
Rehearsal went well, and then we had catered food from
TOPS for supper, right there at the church.  It was
very nice.


Gail and I went to PAYLESS so she could look for a pair
of black flats since she decided that the heels she purchaseda wihle
back were just NOT going to work.  I also bought a pair of black flats
but when I got home, I decided NOT to keep them, but instead to wear
the pair I bought in Oneonta a few months back.



SATURDAY: wedding day

I went and had my hair styled by Peggy's hairdresser, Heather.
Then I got dressed for the day and then I took Peggy to
the church.  I ran to Payless to return the shoes and a
small purse I bought in Oneonta.  REFUNDS SUCCESSFUL!!

Back at the church, Michelle and Marisa were helping Peggy
get ready.  Peg was NOT very relaxed.  When it was time,
Gail and I went to the little room where we were to wait
for the wedding to begin

The ceremony was beatiful!  Then it was picture taking time
and then the reception.  Peggy must have practiced those dances,
because she pretty much stole the show with her fancy footwork.

Home to 17 at last, with a bunch of stuff that belongs to Peggy
including the top of the wedding cake which I put into the freezer.

SUNDAY June 1, 2014

I put the final touches on my new apartment, since this was my last trip
before my final move, talked with Christa on the phone, and when Peg's
friend Betty came to feed the cat, I showed her around my place.  I loaded
up my car and headed out "the transit".  I stopped at Denny's and had
breakfast.  I got on the thruway and stayed for a while, getting off north\
of Seneca Falls.  I stopped in Seneca Falls to take a picture of the old
knitting mills building, and to take a tour of the Historical Society.  By time
I left SF, it was lunch time and I started looking for a place to have lunch.
I stopped at THE HILLTOP DINER, just west of Skaneateles and had an
open face Reuben Sandwich.

I arrived home a few minutes before five p.m.

the complete set of pictures is here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/sets/72157644977432015

Memorial Day Adventure

Wendy, Carrie and I set out this morning to do a self guided tour of barns in Delaware County, using a brochure I picked up a few years ago  BARNS OF THE CATSKILLS.  We drove first to Grand Gorge and then through Roxbury and looked for our first barns near Halcottsville and Margaretville.  We missed them, I am not sure how.  We even missed the ROUND Barn, which I recall as being VERY big.

Before going to Margaretville, we took a side road to see the Hamlet of Halcottsville.  We drove through the hamlet to the museum, but it was closed.  Coming back through, we stopped and I took several pictures.  Here is the old fire station.

Susan's Pleasant Pheasant Farm

   The post office is in this building.

Then we headed to Margaretville.  We were stopped by the Memorial Day Parade,

but were able to turn around and take another route.

We drove through New Kingston, and stopped so I could take photos.  Here is one: 

New Kingston is a very small hamlet that still has its own post office. Between New Kingston and Bovina Center, we stopped at this antique shop:

They did not have any small cobalt blue pieces or any hobnail salt dips.  

We drove through Bovina Center.  Russell's Store appeared to be very busy (it was right around noon).

Continuing on, we finally saw a barn listed in the brochure:  

It is a classic dairy barn.  Even though the "barn tour" did not work out, I was happy to get to see the quaint hamlets of Halcottsville and New Kingston.

We thought we might stop for lunch in Delhi, but instead decided to return to Oneonta.  Brooks was open, and not crowded.  I purchased one chicken dinner and an extra half of a chicken.  At home, Wendy, Carrie and I had chicken, fries, coleslaw, 3 bean salad, potato salad and Amish oatmeal cookies.