WashPA Friends

We knew we would be passing through Western PA on our way to Quebec and New England and we had a few extra days in our travel schedule so we decided to stop and see some friends along the way. We started with a three day visit in Ohio then four days in WashPA and four days at the lake.  In that week we hit some of our favorite restaurants and had great visits with friends and family. 

Our stop in Ohio was to see Jimmy and Darlene Brown who we last saw at Jimmy's retirement party last fall.  They have really gotten into retirement mode.

They have a beautiful place in Senecaville that they have be building the last couple of years.  We had seen pictures and were impressed with the great job they did.  They both have a knack for building and decorating inside and out.

We were happy to see their daughter Christin and her husband Steve were there for Memorial Day.  We attended their wedding last summer and it was great seeing them again. 

On Tuesday Tom and Georgie drove out for a mail delivery, to see Jim's and Darlene's house, and to have lunch.  We all had a great time getting caught up.

We even got to meet Tom's and Georgie's latest family addition, Milo.  He is a great beagle mix who was very well behaved for a puppy.

Jimmy was a bartender at one of our favorite local WashPA restaurants, the Union Grill.  Even in retirement he still mixes a great drink.

On our last day in Senecaville Frank and Jan, who we met at Christin's and Steve's wedding and who also have a place here, stopped by for a visit.  Jan is retiring at the end of the school year and looking forward to doing some traveling, so we got to share some travel tales.  We all got together that evening to cheer the Pens on to victory.

On Thursday we moved to WashPA where we planned to have dinner with Tom and Georgie before they left for vacation the next day.  Look who came in for a surprise visit.  We had a fun evening with Jimmy on our side of the bar.

Seems Billy did want his picture taken, but I'm sure he is not in the witness protection program.  The Grill is one of those local institutions where we can always count on seeing many friends.  Before the evening was over we saw Bill and Kim, Mickey the owner, Ralph, Ken and Terry.  The place truly lives up to its slogan, "Where Friends Meet."

We also got together for dinner with John and Patrice at the Rumfish, another great local place. We had dinner at Burgh's with my brother Rick and his wife Denise but I failed to get pictures of either couple.   Even though it was a quick visit, we had a great time in WashPA seeing friends and family and checking out some of our favorite eateries. 

On Monday we moved to Mike's and Sherri's cabin on Pymatuning Lake.  It was a bit chilly and the ladies only went out on the boat one day, but they did do some shopping and spent many hours playing games.

The fishing was great but the catching was just OK.  That said, one afternoon I managed to catch four different species.  This is a white bass and I also caught a small walleye, a crappy and a very nice catfish.  They were all returned to the lake to grow bigger.  

Of course Mike continued his reputation as Captain Catfish.  It was a fun time being out on the water even if it was a bit chilly.

We had to take a selfie to show our winning smiles as the ladies were not happy that we won both evenings we played euchre.  The guys thought it was fun time.  

One day it was too windy to fish so Mike and I took the ladies' advice and went out and flew a kite.  I had bought a two line kite this spring and this was the first time I had a chance to try it.  It took a while to figure it out but we both were able to get it into the air and maneuver it a bit.  I'm looking forward to practicing when we have open spaces and windy days.

Mike also flew his new kite for the first time and even managed to keep it out of that kite eating tree.  Who knew a couple old guys could have FUN flying kites.

We went out to dinner at the Timber Creek Brewery in Meadville.  I can recommend the beer and everyone loved their meals.

We have stayed at the cabin many times, but this was a first.  Mike and Sherri had to pick up their grandson Coleman at school Friday morning, so they were up and gone long before us.

It was very strange standing on the porch of their cabin and waving good-bye as they pulled away rather than the other way around.

It was great seeing so many old friends in these few days as we passed through Ohio and Western PA.  We are now in southern New York and plan to visit West Point, the capitol in Albany and the Adirondacks in the next couple of weeks.  We will then be heading to Quebec City and northern Quebec for a big birthday party before going to the Escapade in Vermont at the end of July.  Then it will be back to WashPA for two more months with more friends and family.