Happy May Day folks. Spring has come on full force here in Happy Valley. Jim and I were too ill to get out and enjoy it with some of our friends who were hiking in the area. This was a little depressing. It also kept of from helping out some of our most excellent neighbors from moving across town. This kept us house bound, trapped as it were, as the final few days of terrible downstairs tenant torture terminated (see previous post). The glum weather on Saturday suited our moods.
Sunday dawned so bright and cheery but we were in a weakened state. We did manage a nice walk around the edge of our field with our kitten. Even our cat asked to come out for a bit when she saw the beauty of the day. RGBisMe's mom, MagaG came over for a visit in the early afternoon. This normally would have been a fine diversion if the jerks on the lower level weren't fishing for a final fracas. Choosing to turn their overpowered car stereo system to the max, rap music with the most choice words filled the air, and I mean FILLED. Two other neighbors were mowing their lawns and you could not hear their mowers. We refused to say a thing, seeing the bed packed in the U-haul meant this was the final push, we could put up with just a few more hours of rudeness. The one mowing neighbor, however, had reached his limit. He shut off his lawn mower, walked over, and asked the foul people to turn their music down. They did, now it was merely "loud." Just as MagaG arrived, a tasteless hispanic comedian's act was pouring the "best of his act from the car speakers. I turned up "Thistle & Shamrock" on NPR so thankfully she was oblivious as she chatted away about this and that most of the afternoon.
Big sigh and huge relief as the afternoon meant we were feeling recovered and maybe even a little hungry. The tenants were moved out so we felt we could leave without a gunfight occurring in our absence. We decided to find someplace new to eat. We took a quarter and flipped it to decided which way we would turn at every stop. This started us in a circle and we thought we might end up back home. We ended up on the highway that had no stops so we flipped the quarter at each exit to continue on or get off. This took us along a wonderful back road through Zion and on to the town of Lamar along interstate 80. We passed a very flashy Amish buggy with the young fellow looking his Sunday best. The sky was blue and the area was green and looked so hopeful.
We poked our heads into the restaurants near the interchange. None of the buffets sounded good, we had not been eating for so long with the illness that we felt a buffet would be a bad idea. We settled on a little mom & pop place that we see as we drive along I80, The Cottage Family Restaurant. It was so cute with loads of silly crafty items for sale hung all over the walls. They didn't have a lot for vegetarians but we were satisfied with the veggie burger and side dishes that came with it. The waitress was friendly and chatted with may of the locals that came in for the late afternoon crowd. I nodded to RGBisMe and said, "This is what I hoped for, a place with regulars." Not that we will make a drive up the valley for just a veggie burger but if we find ourselves in the area, we know this place is very pleasant. It was a salve to a rough weekend that preceded it.
As we drove back, I told RGBisME how I would miss him going back to work on Monday. The weekend felt abbreviated with illness and the like. He reminded me that he had taken the day off for Beltane! I was thrilled and we agreed to check the weather and see if we might have the possibility to get out and hike a bit. We chatted about possible new letterboxes to seek and just as I checked my e-mail on the cell phone another new letterbox was introduced in Lewisburg,
AdVenture with a Capital V. I called Maga11, excited to hear what it might be like and she read us the description of Kelly & Ben's first letterbox near a cute town playground. It was nice entertainment and we mused on the many things we might check out.
For the first time on about a month, I was able to sleep in my bedroom. The tenants who had lived below my bedroom had a habit of frequently arguing as they headed out on their 3AM paper route. I am a light sleeper and hearing other people's business of who paid what bill and their disturbing opinions of each other left me frequently all together sleepless. I slept like a log with no yelling or doors banging all night long. The cats even behaved and we slept in longer than we intended on Beltane morning. Thank goodness the morning dew had not totally burnt off and we took the kitties outside. All four of us washed our faces in the natural wetness. Highlight of the morning; the first oriole song of the year in a nearby elm. It never fails. I love Beltane.
Our plans changed as the morning went on. A good old friend from Lewistown had something to interest us. GeoZiggy was an avid outdoors man who used to geocache now and then. His geocaches used to be one of the reasons we loved hiking and seeking them before we were able to travel far enough to find a few letterboxes. While he got busy with helping with scouting and other activities, we became enthusiastic with letterboxing. We would still run into each other now and then, always a most affable fellow. We were surprised when we saw a new geocache in Lewistown hidden by him. It was a multi staged cache and was posted Saturday. Here it was Sunday and no local crazies had gone after it.
A GeoZiggy cache being ignored!? Folks didn't know what they were shunning! We both decided it was because it boasted a mile hike. That distance was an easy round trip, level, along the Juniata and the old canal. These were our old stompin' grounds so made this our first stop with the kitten enjoying checking out many of the natural features. The walk and cache did not disappoint. We would seek more geocaches if there were more folks like GeoZiggy hiding interesting walk like this. The final location was an old stone culvert, just too cool. We were sad that we were first to find this cache that should have been enjoyed all weekend.
We went on with intentions of surprising a letterboxing friend by finding a passel of her new boxes but a wreck on the interstate shifted our plans. We were able to get a new mystery planted then ended up far from where we intended, near Lewisburg! Time to look for
AdVenture with a Capital V. The park was very cute but the kitten was very unhappy with the sounds of children squealing with glee. We enjoyed seeing their cute hand carved stamp and hid it well before traveling on.
No photos were taken there but we did go on to check on on of our mystery boxes where he enjoyed stretching his legs and exploring sections along the Mid State Trail. A spring, a trail and many trees offered us sanctuary in Penn's Woods. Kittens don't take to water but this bold fellow actually eschewed a few dry routes and jumped a large puddle at our encouragement. We praised him and his boldness. He even was calm enough to listen to some of his commands and "sat" on a keystone by the spring to have his photo taken.
Our return home was in time to tackle some yard work and celebrate the day by erecting the Maypole in our garden. Both cats came out in the failing light for a few photos. Young had to bite the old on the neck to show who was boss of the outdoors. RGBisMe then whipped up some supper and we enjoyed a late meal. We looked back on the whole weekend with pleasure. The year looks like it offers so much potential and we wish you all felicity as it progresses.
That is where Janila and family met up with us. As we followed clues through the zoo, we enjoyed all of the animals. Lil' Milk Monster loved running around and made us all laugh. RGBisMe made a new buddy by the end of the day.
We hadn't been to this park in a few years and I have to say it did not disappoint. It was another terrific morning with my favorite guys. Arjuna the Hunter and Planting Moon - Hawthorn Tree are two of the most lovely hand carved stamps we have ever logged. Folks are going to love these letterboxes.
