Sunday September 24th thru Saturday September 30th, 2023

 SUNDAY:  I didn't make it to nine a.m. church at FREEDOM NORTH this morning.  Lori came over at a little bit after eleven a.m. and I drove us to Newfane for the APPLE HARVEST FESTIVAL.

It started at ten a.m. but we arrived at about eleven thirty and it was so crowded.  I left Lori off at a convenient spot since we couldn't find any handicapped parking spots.  I found a spot not too far away. We decided to have lunch first.  We had to wait in line to get our food.  I had chowder and a piece of cherry pie.  Both were delicious.  While having our lunch we started talking to a woman named Erica.  When I took our trash to throw away, she took my seat and was sitting across from Lori when I returned to the table.  I introduced us and got her name (Erica) and suggested that she hang out with us while waiting for her friend that she was waiting for.  She agreed.  Her friend did not show up, so she spent the rest of the afternoon with us.  The highlight of the festival is the CIVIL WAR ENCAMPMENT.  Lori did not think she could handle the rough hill going down to it.  

We went in many buildings on both sides of the street.    The barber shop.

                The herb house.

          The little schoolhouse.

In one of the buildings across the street, there was a miniature amusement park, I think gas powered.

In the print shop, they have a "dog tag machine" that made dog tags for soldiers"  Lori and I each made one.

As we were getting ready to cross the road back to the other side, we were offered free hot dogs since the event was starting to close down and they had a few left over.  Lori wanted to buy some apples, but they were all sold out.

In the very last building, which held old appliances, Erica ran into her friend!  Here is a picture of Lori with Erica. She gave me her phone number and she is willing to do some gardening work for me.

Lori and I headed home after that.  I took her to Warrens Corners and showed her the old tavern and cemetery.  I also showed here the stone house that my great grandmother lived and died in.  

I talked to Leslie on the phone.  She has been sick and missed her fiftieth high school reunion this past Friday and plans on taking the full next week off of her volunteer job with Meals on Wheels.  We talked about our upcoming trip to Allegany State Park.  She plans on staying the entire week.  She will purchase most or all of our food.  I watched a documentary about the history of CONEY ISLAND on HOOPLA.

MONDAY, September 25th:  Peggy and Betty came over and we started to watch the second part of the video of Amir Sarfati regarding the end times.  We had to quit before watching the ending because I needed to leave for the Y.  I attended the ENHANCE FITNESS class and then picked up a CHOCOHOLIC SHAKE from the LKPT Energy House and also a small fries from FIVE GUYS.  I went to Northwest Bank to get some cash to keep on hand here at my place and to see if they could help me with my password problem.  I was given a number to call to change my password.  I called it at home, but I am not sure if I did it right.  I spent the rest of the day at home.  I was very disappointed when Peg called with the bad news that Myrna's CELEBRATION OF LIFE and funeral meal will be the Saturday of my week in Allegany.  That makes it hard or impossible for me to attend the service and messes up Peggy's plans to come to ASP .   She may come a day late, though.  I don't know why Pastor Craig didn't check with Peg first to see if she would be free before he committed to this particular date.  

TUESDAY:  Life Group was good.  Mary led it, since Cindi is still in Virginia.  She had chosen some really good music.  Glenda and I went to MARKs for a slice of pizza after it was over, and we walked down the strip mall a bit to check out YES SIR, YES MAM, a new restaurant.  We talked with the hostess and picked up some take out menus.  Maybe our Life Group ladies will go there some Tuesday.

I had supper with Peggy and David at their house.  Peg prepared salmon and sweet potatoes, both were very good.  I took over some cut up cantelope for dessert, as well as some sliced tomatoes and my homemade bread and butter pickles.  

WEDNESDAY:  In the morning, I ran the dishwasher, printed out the info and tickets for DOORS OPEN BUFFALO, and worked on gathering geocaching information for the ASP trip.  I went to the Y for my 12:15 ENHANCE FITNESS class.  It looks like half of the original class is missing.  Then I went to LKPT ENERGY HOUSE and met up with Jan.  I asked if they had a shake flavor that combined both chocolate and orange and they said they would make me one.  It was delicious.  Jan and I went to the parking area near the Stevens State Bridge and walked on the trail heading south and then back.  I laid down for a while in the afternoon.  Erica (Joan) called and we agreed on two p.m. tomorrow afternoon when she will come and check out the flower beds that need HELP.   I found this movie on HOOPLA.  It is excellent.  Anthony Hopkins is such a great actor.

THURSDAY the 28th:  In the morning, Peggy came over and we watched AMIR TSARFATIs presentation EUROPE IS READY for the ANTICHRIST.  YIKES and WOW!!  It is SO good.  In the afternoon, Joan came over and cleaned out my two flower beds.  While she was doing that, I made the fruitcake for Myrna's funeral dinner.  It really wiped me out, especially since the kitchen was a complete disaster by the time I put it in the oven. The fruitcake (two large and one small) is in my freezer.   I found this movie on the ROKU channel in the evening.

Also, I finished reading Eric Metaxas' autobiography:  

I want to read his other books.  He uses  a LOT of big words, so many that I don't dare take the time to look up their meanings.  However, I understand the points he is making.  

FRIDAY:  I worked on getting stuff ready for Allegany this morning.  I had my BRAIN SCAN at Western New York Imaging.  I went to the library and returned the above book and picked up THE HUMAN STAIN.  I talked with Elaine Edmister on the phone about a tour of the new hospital next Wednesday at four p.m. (Betty mentioned it over the phone and Elaine gave me more concrete information).  I found this documentary and watched it; it was very interesting.  

SATURDAY, September 30th.  I met up with Peggy at her house at nine a.m. and we headed to Clarence so she could attend her WW group.  While she was doing that, I straightened out the inside of my car.  Then we headed to Buffalo to participate in DOORS OPEN BUFFALO.

  The navigation system in my car took us to a different area of Buffalo, with a street address exactly the same as the one we wanted, BUT it wasn't correct.

We visited four sites.

St. Michael's R.C. Jesuit Church 

Market Arcade  Building which we really enjoyed.  

There was a gallery that we walked through.  Peggy liked this:  

A couple of pictures from the inside.  

We had lunch from RIVER NILE in the Arcade Building.  There were not any available tables, so we sat at the bar.

 
The bartender was very kind to us, asking if we needed anything and bringing me a glass of ice for my iced tea.  Peg and I shared two different orders from the River Nile.  One of them was particularly good, it was beef and rice in a delicious sauce, with onions and peppers.  The other one had chicken that was kind of burnt, but the salad that came with it was very good (although Peggy did not like the dressing on it).   I purchased a desert that is like baklava, which I took home. 

M and T Building:  this was not on our list, but we went in anyways.  

St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral was our last stop in Buffalo

It is a HUGE and very beautiful church.  

A group of young people in the balcony burst into song and it was beautiful.  

We stopped at a Son Rays event in an Assembly of God Church, but found that they were closing down. 

We then went to Aldi's and I purchased some goodies to take to Carrie's house for staff and residents. 

Then we went to visit Carrie at the Hoover Road house, and while there, I took care of signing some documents for Carrie to have her procedure done.  Carrie was in a very good mood.