Fun and Games Dept

The sign on the Thruway proclaimed “Exit 48, Route 98, Batavia, 1 mile”. Having already driven 2 1/2 hours, sat in a traffic jam and seen two accidents along “New York’s Main Street”, we were still headed west toward Buffalo. Notorious for their cold and snow, the Buffalo area had already had a major snowstorm within the past 48 hours, where over two feet of snow had fallen.

And it was a wet, heavy snow.

Even though we’d only gotten as far as Batavia, with almost 40 miles to go until we reached the Buffalo area, there was evidence of a winter wonderland all around us. The colors of the fall foliage was punctuated with a background of white. And it was beautiful.

As we made our way into the city, everywhere you looked was snow. Snow, snow, snow. And lots and lots of downed trees and tree limbs. And dark traffic signals. It seems kind of extraneous to be DJing at a bar in downtown Bufffalo tonight, when large sections of the area still are without power. But, as they say, the show must go on, and tonight I’ll be doing my thing and trying to keep the party goers pumped for a fun evening.

Let’s hope the power stays on.

Earl and I spent the evening walking the streets of Center City Philadelphia tonight. We stopped at a neighborhood bar, the Westbury, for a beer and some eye candy. We walked the quiet side streets, admiring the residences that sit in the middle of the city yet in a quaint, quiet setting. We admired the art deco styling of Suburban Station and the rebuilding of the City Hall. In fact, a very nice gentleman offered to take our picture in front of City Hall and if I had remembered the cable to connect the camera to my computer you’d be able to see it right now. Instead, the captured moment will have to wait until Sunday night.

Tonight I feel like I actually experienced Philadelphia. In the past, I’ve felt like I only saw it, tonight I felt it. And the feeling was good.

I finally went ahead, did the deed and made a commitment to our merry little household.

I ordered a dumpster to be delivered on Thursday so that we can clean out the basement and garage. We live on the edge in these parts.

I find it amazing that we’ve lived in the house for only three years or so and that we’ve accumulated so much junk in the basement. As I’m reminded from time to time, it’s my fault. I’m a packrat and will save things for either sentimental value or perceived functionality.

I think I have every card Earl has ever given me. I have every birthday card I’ve received in the past 15 or so years. I keep smashed Christmas ornaments because they were once so pretty.

I’m whacked.

So this weekend we’re cleaning out and making way in the cellar for something a little more useful – a green screen for videotaping purposes. I’ll soon be soaring through the skies above any random city on “B” roll.

Such fun.

Posing at Hillside.

Originally uploaded by bluemarvel.

Earl and I spent the weekend at Hillside Campground in the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania. It was a very relaxing weekend, giving us the chance to catch up on some sleep and hang out with old friends.

Hillside is situated on the side of a very steep mountain (surprise, surprise). Back in the day, we would stay about 3/4 of the way up at a friend’s permanent site. The past year or so, we’ve stayed 1/2 way. This trip was our first experience at the bottom of the hill along the babbling brook.

I burped, frogs jumped. It was kind of cool.

The rain tried to dampen our spirits Saturday afternoon with an impressive thunderstorm, but it didn’t slow anyone down. The rumbling of thunder through the mountains just added to the excitement and by bonfire time, the sky was clear and the party was on.

A good way to spend the weekend.

As I mentioned in my previous post, today I took some comp time from work and did some “roadgeeking” in the Rochester area of the state. I took over 100 photos for archival purposes for my web site. Let’s hear it for digital photography!

Earl was kind enough to make me lunch before leaving for his business trip, so I had my lunch pail packed and ready to go this morning when I awoke. I found myself in Spencerport at lunch time. Spencerport is situated along the famous Erie Canal, hence the “port” in it’s name. I never knew this but some of the bridges over the canal in this area are lift bridges. Instead of a traditional draw bridge, the whole bridge goes up and down in tandem. While I didn’t get a chance to see the one on Main Street in Spencerport in action, I did read about it while enjoying lunch at one of the Canalway Trail picnic areas. I posed for a picture next to the information board for posterity. Let’s hear it for digital photography with built-in timer!

The lunch was delicious too.

Can You Find Me?

Originally uploaded by bluemarvel.

Earl and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Great New York State Fair. The word “Great” is actually in the name of the country’s oldest and I believe largest state fair. It’s an Empire State thing.

Surprisingly, the crowds seemed a little light this year. We didn’t have any issues navigating around the fairgrounds, despite the numerous baby buggies that have bucket seats, power windows, rack and pinion steering and oddly, no children to be found in the seats. But nevertheless, we walked through all the barns where we named all the chickens for their hairdos, chatted with some goats and smiled back at some llamas.

We also trekked through the various displays in the Center of Progress building. One booth there is the “handwriting analysis computer”. It’s been at the fair longer than I have and they haven’t really updated the display much. It’s groovy to see the 1970s style computers doing their work to tell you about yourself after taking a look at your signature.

I did go for my obligatory spin on the Tip Top amusement. Earl stayed on land and took some pictures of the event.

It was a good day at the fair. It’s sort of sad to see it’s arrival, because usually it indicates that the end of summer is here.

Earl and I went to see the movie “Invincible” tonight. This is the film starring Mark Wahlberg as Vince Papale, the South Philly native that joined the Eagles in the mid 1970s at age 30.

It’s the best movie we’ve seen this year, despite all attempts from those surrounding us in the theatre to make it a horrific experience.

Note to cinema owners: if you want to get the American public back in the theatres you have two options, build or retrofit your theatres to reject all mobile phone and wifi signals, or shove said cell phones up offender’s asses. I’m just sayin’.

First of all, I have to remind everyone that I am married to a die-hard Eagles fan. My boy from Philadelphia will always be an Eagles fan regardless of where we live. Philadelphia is in his blood, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Said Eagles fan turned me into first a football fan and then an Eagles fan. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was in the stands this season, painted up in Eagles colors and half naked on television showing off my assets in the spirit of the game. Again, I’m just sayin’.

Football fan or not, this is a great movie. We found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Go see it.

Before heading to bed last night around 11:00, I realized that I had not written a blog entry yesterday. For a fleeting moment I thought about jumping out of bed and getting back onto the computer, ready to share some witty dialog about something I had found particularly amusing yesterday. Apparently it was so drop dead funny I have completely forgotten what it was and couldn’t reconstruct the blog entry even if I tried.

I was a little thrown off my blogging routine yesterday for a couple of reasons. Earl was heading out of town on business and at the last minute invited me to join him for lunch at one of our favorite haunts, Charlie’s Pizzeria. Quite frankly it wasn’t the nooner I was quite hoping for, but a hot veggie wrap with pasta salad will do in a pinch. Plus, I was thinking it was Monday because I had taken the real Monday off and I was all confused. What the current day of the week has to do with blogging I don’t know, since I tend to blog seven days a week. But it seemed like a good excuse.

I was also still reeling from Monday’s Horrifying McDonalds Experience in which I didn’t even get any food at the restaurant, I just used the store for a pitstop and it was still a Horrifying McDonalds Experience. Let’s just say I appreciate the eco-sensibility of hot air hand dryers on the wall instead of paper towels but it really doesn’t help in the situation of no toilet paper in the bathroom stall. I don’t think I will ever forget the look on the face of the woman enjoying her mid morning coffee at the sight of me walking out of the bathroom, with a sort of John Wayne-ish/too many guns on the belt, saggy pants gait in search of napkins, and then U-turning back into the bathroom for as long as I live.

So today I’m back on my game. Earl comes home tonight, I’m feeling pretty good and I had a wonderful blog entry cooked up in my head to share with you today.

‘Tis a pity I’ve completely forgotten it.

Earl and I have settled in for the night in the lovely city of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. This is Earl’s old stomping ground, having spent a couple of years here in the mid 1990s. While I’ve driven through Wilkes-Barre on countless occasions, I believe this is the first time I’ve spent the night here.

Today was an enjoyable, yet relatively uneventful day at a family picnic down in Earl’s hometown. We haven’t seen most of the family since Christmas, so it was a good chance to catch up on family news, share some laughs and giggle a little bit.

We had originally intended on driving home tonight, but we were sidetracked by grumbling stomachs and a wonderful diner in a now forgotten small town in the Poconos. Nothing gets you through the Poconos like a chicken gyro and a piece of cheesecake.

Earl and I are en route to a family picnic in his hometown near Philadelphia. We decided to take the scenic route by following the Delaware River through southern New York. Fellow roadgeek Nathan Perry has a better description of the drive than I could ever write up, so feel free to visit his site and take a peek.

Earl decided he’d had enough in the Jeep when we got outside of New York, so I jumped off the Thruway and headed into New Jersey, stopping at the first suggestion of a hotel. So tonight, we’re in Mahwah, New Jersey.

I’m not a fan of New Jersey, so I don’t know if there’s much more to say about Mahwah. Maybe daylight will help.